Oblivion Remasteredsucceeded in capturing the atmosphere and tone ofThe Elder Scrolls. Some were worried that the remaster would remove the soul ofOblivion, but the graphics overhaul and some bug fixes went a long way to modernizeOblivionwithout compromising its spirit, and gave players both veteran and new a faithful experience.
This is best reflected inOblivion Remastered’s shorter quests, which truly capture the heart ofThe Elder Scrolls.Knights of the Nineis the shorter of the two expansion packs forOblivion, and is included in both versions ofOblivion Remastered. One of its quests, Wisdom of the Ages, is emblematic ofThe Elder Scrolls, with notable lore drops communicated through gameplay, several dungeon puzzles, daedra, the Nine Divines, and a powerful reward item.
Wisdom of the Ages Combines the Best of The Elder Scrolls in Oblivion Remastered
Wisdom of the Ages begins at the Priory of the Nine, where the ghost of Sir Henrik, one of the original Knights of the Nine, tells the Hero of Kvatch about his quest to find the Shield of the Crusader. He directs the player to Fort Bulwark, where the Shield is interred.
Upon arrival at Fort Bulwark, the Hero discovers the ruin to be infested by conjurers. At higher levels, these conjurers summon daedra lords, while other daedra are also found further inside the ruin. The conjurers fall away at a certain point in the dungeon thanks to a puzzle they’re unable to solve.
The puzzles found in Fort Bulwark are unique to this dungeon. The first can be solved through reading a note from one of the conjurers. The second puzzle requires a clue from an imprisoned knight and turning statues to face the correct way to open a secret door. The third and final puzzle is a bit trickier to solve than the first, and is located inside the tomb of someone named Rodgar. The player needs to place the items that spawn inside the central chest into the correct chests that line the walls of the room. Once all are deposited correctly, the door opens into the next room.
Oblivion Remastered’s Lore Informs its Quests
The reward for completing the puzzles and battling the conjurers and daedra is theShield of the Crusader. This is a unique shield that can be Heavy or Light, depending on the player’s build, and is enchanted with Reflect Spell. Reflect Spell is a very useful enchantment inOblivion, and is considered essential by some. The Shield of the Crusader’s stats improve with the player’s level, which can also be done by placing all the Crusader’s Relics on the Armor Stand in the basement of the Priory of the Nine.
While the reward of the Shield of the Crusader is a great boon, Wisdom of the Ages also includes a ton of interesting lore. The conjurers searching for the Shield of the Crusader were never going to find it, as solving the puzzles requires the guidance of Julianos, one of the Nine Divines.The Nine Divines are often contrasted with daedra inElder Scrollslore, and so the infiltration of the daedra in the resting place of one of the Relics created by one of the Divines is relevant from a lore angle.
Julianos' domain is logic and wisdom, and so the Shield being protected by puzzles that need to be solved lends itself to his domain through gameplay, rather than it being explained. At the end of the dungeon is an enchanted item that has a valuable place inThe Elder Scrolls' lore. This structure is a classic feature ofThe Elder Scrollsthat combines lore, buildcrafting, and dungeon crawling in ludonarrative harmony, so it is one of the key areas whereOblivion Remasteredshines.
