With the long-rumoured Oblivion remaster allegedly dropping tomorrow (until Todd Howard is enjoying 4D chess once more), it’s time to revisit one of the vital beloved RPGs of all time. Whereas The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is known for its foremost questline involving portals to hell, Daedric princes, and the ever-enthusiastic Martin Septim, it’s the aspect quests that really gave the sport its coronary heart—and frequent moments of hilarious weirdness.

From shady dealings in Skingrad to trippy dreamscapes in Bruma, Oblivion, together with its expansions Shivering Isles and Knights of the 9 – each of that are mentioned to be included within the remaster – supplied a few of the most memorable and inventive diversions in RPG historical past. Right here’s my prime ten finest aspect quests you completely shouldn’t skip (once more).

1. Whodunit?

Location: Darkish Brotherhood Questline
Methods to Begin: Be part of the Darkish Brotherhood by killing an harmless NPC and sleeping. Given by Ocheeva in Cheydinhal.
Why It’s Nice: It’s “Clue,” in case you had been the killer and likewise extraordinarily dedicated to your craft. Locked in a mansion with 5 visitors, your activity is straightforward: homicide everybody with out elevating suspicion. It’s a delightfully depraved sandbox of stealth, manipulation, and social deduction—and arguably essentially the most enjoyable you’ll ever have committing serial homicide.

2. The Final Heist

Location: Thieves Guild Last Quest
Methods to Begin: Full the Thieves Guild questline.
Why It’s Nice: Stealing an Elder Scroll isn’t simply any Tuesday evening crime—it’s the last word flex. This capstone to the Thieves Guild is a posh, high-stakes infiltration of the Imperial Palace. It’s obtained riddles, traps, and a few very tense sneaking. Truthfully, you’ll really feel like a medieval Ocean’s Eleven (if Danny Ocean had been a Khajiit in a hood).

3. A Brush With Loss of life

Location: Cheydinhal
Methods to Begin: Communicate to Tivela Lythandas in Cheydinhal to seek out her lacking painter husband.
Why It’s Nice: You actually soar right into a portray. The sport turns into an oil-painted dreamscape, the place you battle goblin-like creatures with a magical paintbrush. It’s whimsical, bizarre, and proves Oblivion was by no means afraid to let its freak flag fly. Plus, it’s most likely the one quest in gaming the place Bob Ross might have been the ultimate boss. Bear in mind, there are not any errors, simply joyful little stabbings.

4. By means of A Nightmare, Darkly

Location: Bruma
Methods to Begin: Communicate with Kurdan gro-Dragol on the Jerall View Inn.
Why It’s Nice: You dive into a person’s troubled desires to rescue him, wandering by way of a surreal nightmare panorama filled with haunting imagery and metaphorical monsters. It’s mainly Inception, besides as a substitute of a totem, you’ve obtained a sword and nobody explains the plot 5 occasions. And the soundtrack isn’t composed of BRAAAMs.

5. Every little thing In Its Place (Shivering Isles Enlargement)

Location: Crucible, Shivering Isles
Methods to Begin: Communicate with the OCD-riddled Dunmer, Shelden, in Crucible.
Why It’s Nice: The Shivering Isles is filled with weird residents, however few are as hilariously obsessive as Shelden. You’re tasked with retrieving gadgets he believes had been stolen—besides they weren’t, and he simply doesn’t like them being misplaced. It’s a textbook case of insanity, however the form that ends in laughter, not horror.

6. Paranoia

Location: Skingrad
Methods to Begin: Speak to Glarthir, a suspicious Wooden Elf lurking round city.
Why It’s Nice: This quest is a descent into delusion—solely it’s another person’s. Glarthir thinks the entire city is conspiring towards him, and he desires your assist to show it. Do you assist his insanity or flip him in? It’s one of many funniest, darkest, and most unpredictable quests within the recreation. Bonus: you’ll by no means take a look at a Skingrad citizen the identical once more.

7. The Collector

Location: Imperial Metropolis, Talos Plaza District
Methods to Begin: Communicate to Umbacano, a charmingly shady Altmer noble.
Why It’s Nice: An extended treasure hunt throughout Ayleid ruins that finally devolves right into a basic case of “wealthy man lies to adventurer.” It mixes exploration, archaeology, and betrayal in good Elder Scrolls vogue. Plus, Umbacano’s smug voice alone makes the entire thing price it.

8. The Fork Of Horripilation (Shivering Isles Enlargement)

Location: Bliss, New Sheoth
Methods to Begin: Communicate to Huge Head, a mad Argonian with an unhealthy obsession, in Bliss.
Why It’s Nice: Huge Head has misplaced his treasured Fork of Horripilation, and he wants it again. Not desires—wants. You’re tasked with retrieving this completely ineffective piece of cutlery, as a result of clearly, the destiny of the Isles relies on it. The hunt is a masterclass in ridiculousness, wrapped in layers of insanity, and capped off with one of the vital weird characters within the recreation. It’s splendidly pointless in all the fitting methods—precisely what you’d anticipate from Sheogorath’s realm.

9. The Siren’s Deception

Location: Anvil
Methods to Begin: Communicate to Maelona exterior the Depend’s Arms in Anvil.
Why It’s Nice: A trio of suspiciously pleasant girls lure you to a secluded farmhouse, and—shock!—you’re ambushed by a gang of bandits dressed like they simply walked off the set of Skyrim: Love Island. This quest is an element cautionary story, half crime drama, and all hilariously over-the-top. The setup is tacky, the twist is absurd, and the loot isn’t unhealthy both. It’s a kind of uncommon moments the place Oblivion winks at you and says, “Yeah, we all know.”

10. Mazoga The Orc

Location: Leyawiin
Methods to Begin: Communicate to Depend Marius Caro in Leyawiin Fort.
Why It’s Nice: Mazoga looks as if your typical grumpy Orc, however beneath the powerful exterior is a surprisingly noble character arc. Assist her change into a real knight in an unexpectedly touching collection of quests. It’s an amazing reminder that Oblivion was by no means afraid to problem fantasy tropes—even when it did it with all of the subtlety of a warhammer to the face.