The Embrace of Darkness: Understanding Oblivion Vampirism
The thirst is insatiable. The sun, once a source of warmth and life, now burns like holy fire against your skin. Your reflection is barely visible, a ghostly reminder of the person you once were. You’ve fallen prey to Sanguinare Vampiris, the curse that transforms mortals into creatures of the night. You are a vampire in the vast world of Cyrodiil, featured in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. While the power is intoxicating, the price is steep. But fear not, adventurer! Redemption awaits, and the path to becoming human again, though fraught with peril, is attainable. This guide will illuminate the way to cure vampirism in Oblivion, delving into the intricacies of the disease and exploring how a potential Oblivion Remastered might refine the experience.
The descent into darkness begins innocently enough. A skirmish in a dank cave, a brush with the fangs of a lurking vampire – these seemingly minor encounters can lead to a fate worse than death, or perhaps, a fate beyond life. Sanguinare Vampiris, the disease responsible for vampirism, is contracted through vampire attacks. Initially, it manifests as a common illness, easily mistaken for a cold or a minor ailment. The symptoms include fatigue and a slight sensitivity to sunlight. This is a critical window. If left untreated for three in-game days, the curse will take hold, and you will awaken on the third night as a full-fledged vampire.
Becoming a vampire in Oblivion isn’t a simple “on/off” switch. It’s a gradual transformation through four distinct stages, each dictating your strengths, weaknesses, and the way the world perceives you. The longer you abstain from feeding, the further you progress through these stages. As you descend deeper into vampiric depravity, your powers surge – your strength increases, your speed becomes supernatural, and the shadows themselves seem to bend to your will, granting you abilities like Nighteye and resistances to disease and poison.
However, the blessings come with a terrible price. The sun becomes your enemy, searing your skin with agonizing pain and weakening your attributes. Ordinary citizens recoil in fear and disgust, making social interactions difficult, if not impossible. At the most advanced stages, even guards will attack on sight, forcing you to live a life of seclusion and subterfuge. Feeding on the blood of sleeping victims is the only way to quell the negative effects, but each successful hunt brings you closer to losing your humanity.
Before embarking on the quest to cure your affliction, it’s worth asking yourself: Is it truly worth it? The power of a vampire is undeniable, offering a unique and challenging playstyle. The allure of superhuman abilities and the thrill of the hunt can be intoxicating. However, the constant struggle against the sun, the fear of discovery, and the moral implications of feeding on innocents can weigh heavily on your soul. The decision to embrace or reject the vampiric embrace is a personal one, shaping your character’s destiny in profound ways.
The Pilgrimage of Purification: The Quest for the Cure
If you’ve decided that the shadows are too suffocating, and the price of power is too high, the path to redemption begins with seeking guidance. The quest to cure vampirism is long and arduous, but it is the only reliable way to reclaim your humanity.
Your journey starts with a rumor. Spend time in taverns, speak to innkeepers, and listen to the whispers of the townsfolk. Eventually, you’ll hear tales of a scholar, Raminus Pollus, at the Arcane University in the Imperial City, who studies obscure maladies. Speaking with him is the first crucial step. He will tell you that curing vampirism is beyond his expertise, but he knows of someone who might possess the knowledge you seek: Count Hassildor of Skingrad.
Skingrad, a city perched on the edge of the Gold Coast, is your next destination. Count Hassildor is a reclusive and enigmatic figure, rarely seen in public. Finding him will not be easy. Inquire about his whereabouts from the castle’s steward, and eventually, you will be granted an audience. The Count, burdened by his own dark secret, will agree to help, but only if you undertake a dangerous task. He needs you to gather a collection of rare and potent ingredients.
These ingredients are:
Grand Soul Gem filled with a Grand Soul
The cornerstone of any powerful enchantment, a Grand Soul Gem is necessary to contain the energy needed for the ritual. You can purchase empty Grand Soul Gems from mages’ guilds or general stores. Filling it requires the Soul Trap spell, which you can learn from spell merchants. Seek out powerful creatures like Minotaurs, Trolls, or even Liches to capture their Grand Souls. Be warned: trapping souls is a morally grey act.
Six cloves of Garlic
Common in most households, garlic can be found hanging in kitchens, stored in pantries, or sold by merchants in towns and villages. Keep your eyes peeled in homes, farms, and general goods stores.
Five Nightshade Flowers
These poisonous blooms thrive in the shadows. Cemeteries, forests, and other gloomy locations are the best places to search. Look around graveyards or delve into the depths of the Blackwood forest.
Two Bloodgrass Sprouts
These strange plants only grow in the hellish realms of Oblivion. To obtain them, you must venture through one of the Oblivion Gates that dot the landscape. Prepare for a fierce battle against Daedra and navigate the treacherous terrain to find the Bloodgrass.
The ashes of a Powerful Vampire
Perhaps the most challenging ingredient to acquire, you must seek out and destroy a powerful vampire and claim their ashes. Explore ancient ruins, forgotten caves, and hidden lairs where these creatures lurk. Arm yourself with silver weapons, fire spells, and a strong will to defeat them. Once vanquished, collect the ashes from their remains.
Once you have gathered all the ingredients, return to Count Hassildor in Skingrad. He will take the ingredients and perform a complex alchemical ritual, transforming them into a potent cure. Accept the potion from the Count, and with a deep breath and a hopeful heart, drink the concoction. The transformation is immediate. The burning sensation fades, your skin regains its natural hue, and the world no longer feels like a hostile and dangerous place. You are human once more.
Beyond the Ordinary: Alternative Routes to Reclaiming Your Humanity
While the Pilgrimage Quest is the intended method for curing vampirism, the world of Oblivion is vast and full of hidden secrets. PC players have access to tools that can bypass the conventional cure.
One such tool is the console command. By pressing the tilde key (~) on your keyboard, you can open the console and enter the command `player.setactorvalue vampire 0`. This will instantly remove the vampiric status. However, be warned: using console commands can disable achievements and may have unintended consequences on your game.
Mods, community-created modifications, offer another avenue for alternative cures. Numerous mods exist that tweak vampirism mechanics, offer simpler cures, or even introduce new questlines related to the disease. Nexus Mods is a great place to search for available options.
Remastered Redemption: Potential Changes in Oblivion Remastered
The prospect of an Oblivion Remastered brings with it the tantalizing possibility of changes and improvements to the vampirism experience. Could the cure be made more accessible? Will the challenges be rebalanced?
Perhaps the mechanics of vampirism itself will be tweaked. A remaster might introduce new stages, new powers, or new weaknesses. The existing stages could be rebalanced, making some abilities more or less potent. The negative effects of sunlight could be adjusted, offering players more opportunities to explore during the day.
The Pilgrimage Quest could also undergo significant changes. New locations or ingredients might be added, expanding the scope of the quest. The quest could be streamlined, reducing the amount of backtracking and making it more efficient. Bug fixes, of course, would be most welcome, addressing any glitches or inconsistencies that plagued the original quest.
It’s even conceivable that the developers might introduce completely new ways to cure vampirism. Perhaps a quest involving a powerful priest or a rare artifact could offer an alternative path to redemption.
Embracing the Night: Tips for Surviving as a Vampire
Regardless of whether you choose to seek a cure or embrace your vampiric nature, surviving as a vampire in Oblivion requires careful planning and adaptation.
The most pressing challenge is managing sun damage. Avoid direct sunlight at all costs. Stick to dungeons, caves, and other shaded areas during the day. When traveling outdoors, wait until nightfall. Resistances can also help mitigate the effects of the sun. Seek out magical items or spells that grant resistance to fire. Feeding frequently can also reduce your vulnerability to sunlight.
Feeding is essential for maintaining your powers and reducing the negative effects of vampirism. Stealth is key. Sneak into homes at night and feed on sleeping victims. Be warned: feeding on named NPCs can have significant consequences. The consequences of feeding include affecting quests or relationships with other characters.
Dealing with NPCs is another challenge. Your altered appearance and negative reputation can make interactions difficult. Using spells like Charm or Illusion can help to improve NPC reactions. Disguises can also be useful for blending in.
If you choose to embrace your vampiric nature, consider roleplaying as a vampire. Create a character with a compelling backstory and motivations. Join the Dark Brotherhood or Thieves Guild to further embrace the shadows. Explore the darker corners of Cyrodiil and uncover the secrets of the undead.
Breaking the Curse: A Conclusion
Curing vampirism in Oblivion is a long and arduous journey, but it is a testament to the power of choice and the possibility of redemption. Whether you choose to embrace the darkness or seek the light, the experience of being a vampire in Oblivion is unforgettable. As we await the possibility of an Oblivion Remastered, we can only speculate on how the vampirism experience might be refined and enhanced. Whatever the future holds, the allure of the undead will continue to captivate players for years to come.
Now, share your own tales of vampirism in Cyrodiil! Have you embraced the darkness, or have you sought the cure? What challenges did you face? Share your stories in the comments below!
