From time to time, I will post some of my favorite gaming moments. The first details one of my favorite missions from the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in which you are tasked with stealing a powerful book in the middle of a Mythic Dawn cult worship meeting.
*** If you wish to avoid Oblivion spoilers, especially about the Shivering Isles, do not read on and turn your eyes away! I mean it!***

After you have found the mysterious location of the Mythic Dawn’s shrine to the where they perform all sorts of dark evil rituals, you are tasked with stealing a powerful daedric book “Mysterium Xarxes” in whatever way you can. I believe that this mission showcases everything that is great about oblivion. You could choose to be sneaky; pretending you are member of the Mythic Dawn and participating in the cult meeting to the point where you are asked to perform the sacrifice. You could also choose to go in berserker style and take out every Mythic Dawn member you see, finally battling your way into the chamber where the book is held. I have tried each approach, however with the release of the Shivering Isles, a unique opportunity presented itself and I found another way to tackle this mission.

To make a really long story short, after you complete The Shivering Isles expansion, you are essentially a mortal god. The king of the Shivering Isles was Sheogorath; however you complete tasks throughout the main quest to prepare you to take on his mantle of the Madgod. After you are bestowed his throne, the title of Madgod comes with all sorts of nifty benefits, including a huge palace in the Shivering Isles realm, some great equipment, and excellent spells reserved only for those who have completed the expansion’s main quest. When the expansion was released, I decided to play all the way through it with the character I was currently on. Becoming the new Sheogorath was great, and I had just the right things I needed to tackle the Mythic Dawn shrine quest with ultimate style.

By far, my favorite item in Oblivion is Sheogorath’s Staff, which you construct during the main quest of the expansion. When you use this sucker, everything with about a certain distance of you freezes for about 30 seconds. The Staff only has a limited number of charges, but it is enough to last you a while, and it can be recharged back at your temple in the Shivering Isles. After seeing its effects, I realized this powerful weapon would be perfect for my mission to steal the book.

I make my way to the cave where the cult is having their Argonian sacrifice party. Once inside, I sneak my way to the main chamber, taking out guards along the path. Now the fun begins. I remember the layout of the large chamber and run along side to position myself in place. I listen to their leader spout our craziness about paradise to let the moment build suspense. Just when he leaves through a magical portal, I jump down onto the lighted platform where the leader stood in front of a podium. The book I am after sits on the podium. I am in my black ninja-like Dark Brotherhood armor. All the cult members gathered before me voice their surprise and start to summon weapons and armor to themselves. With a smirk in my head, I grab the book and jump into the now armed crowd of Mythic Dawn crazies. As they rush towards me, I pull out my staff and let it rip. Everything around me freezes in time; swords are stopped in swing and I am safe for the moment. I easily slip through and opening and run out of the chamber. On the way out of the caves, I encounter many other cult members wanting to halt my progress. I simply freeze them all in place and keep on running, knowing that they will reanimate in 30 seconds.

So how does a god steal a book? In Oblivion, they do it with style.