Cure Vampirism in Oblivion: A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding the Embrace: Becoming a Vampire
The chill of the night air bites deeper. The sun, once a source of warmth and energy, now feels like a burning curse. Becoming a vampire in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion can be a thrilling transformation, granting immense power and unnatural abilities. However, the constant thirst, the vulnerability to sunlight, and the scorn of the living can quickly turn this dream into a nightmare. Fortunately, hope remains. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the intricate process of curing vampirism in Oblivion, leading you back to the sunlit world you once knew.
Understanding the Embrace: Becoming a Vampire
Before embarking on the quest for a cure, it’s essential to understand how vampirism takes hold in Cyrodiil. You contract this affliction by fighting vampires, and being scratched by their claws. This gives you Porphyric Hemophilia, a disease that, if left untreated, will morph you into the creature of the night.
The initial symptoms are subtle – perhaps a slight chill or a nagging thirst. Pay attention to the status effects displayed on your character screen. If you’ve contracted Porphyric Hemophilia, you’ll have roughly three in-game days to seek a cure. A simple cure disease potion, or a visit to a temple and paying for a cure, will restore your vitality.
If you ignore these warnings, the transformation will begin. The change isn’t instantaneous; it unfolds over several days, marked by distinct stages of vampirism.
The Shifting Sands: Stages of Vampirism
Vampirism in Oblivion isn’t a simple on/off switch. It’s a gradual transformation, with four distinct stages, each offering its own set of advantages and disadvantages. With each stage, the benefits become more pronounced but the downsides increase.
Stage One
You are newly infected. You gain a small increase to strength and speed during the night, but also a slight weakness to sunlight.
Stage Two
Your vampiric powers grow. You gain increased resistance to diseases and paralysis, but take more damage in sunlight.
Stage Three
The dark gift matures. You are less recognizable as a human, but your bonuses and penalties are more extreme.
Stage Four
At this point, you are a true vampire. You possess remarkable abilities, but the constant thirst, and severe weakness to sunlight make your life as an adventurer very difficult.
Each stage brings an increase to your skills, such as Illusion and Sneak, making you a master of the shadows. You also gain resistance to diseases and paralysis, invaluable assets in the dangerous world of Cyrodiil. However, with each passing stage, the burning kiss of the sun becomes more intense.
The Price of Power: Drawbacks of Undeath
While the allure of increased strength, speed, and magical abilities is undeniable, vampirism comes at a steep price. The most obvious drawback is the vulnerability to sunlight. During the day, vampires suffer continuous damage, making outdoor exploration perilous. The higher your stage of vampirism, the more severe the damage becomes. Even a brief exposure can prove fatal, especially at later stages.
Another significant consequence is the change in how NPCs perceive you. As you progress through the stages of vampirism, your appearance becomes increasingly gaunt and unnatural. People will whisper, fear, and even attack you on sight. Merchants will refuse to trade, and quest givers will turn you away, effectively closing off large portions of the game.
Finally, there is the constant, gnawing hunger. Vampires require blood to sustain their unnatural existence. You must feed regularly, either by sneaking into people’s homes at night to drink their blood, or by finding a willing subject. If you go too long without feeding, you will advance to the next stage of vampirism, exacerbating the negative effects.
Seeking Redemption: Initiating the Cure
The path back to humanity begins with a simple request: seeking knowledge. Travel to the Arcane University in the Imperial City and find Raminus Polus, a high-ranking member of the Mages Guild. Speak with him, and inquire about your condition. It is important to stress your desire for a cure, he will explain that you need to find someone who knows about Vampires. He directs you to Skingrad.
The Count of Skingrad: A Reluctant Ally
Travel to Skingrad, a city nestled in the rolling hills of Colovia. You must speak with Count Hassildor, the ruler of Skingrad. He can usually be found within his castle, Skingrad Castle, but has been known to vanish for long stretches of time.
Be aware that he will not talk to you if you have not fed recently. You will need to make sure you have fed on a victim recently. He is a known vampire, although the guards will swear otherwise.
When you finally find him, speak with Count Hassildor about your affliction. He is strangely willing to help, knowing a cure exists. He will provide you with the specifics of the cure, in exchange for some fetching.
The Alchemy of Hope: Gathering the Ingredients
The cure for vampirism is no easy task. It requires venturing to dangerous locations and collecting rare and potent ingredients.
Greater Soul Gems
You will need two greater soul gems. They must be empty. Filled soul gems are useless. You can purchase greater soul gems from mages guild halls across Cyrodiil, and at various magical shops. Filling them requires casting the Soul Trap spell on a creature with a great soul. This includes Minotaurs, Trolls, or Liches. If you do not have the spell, you can enchant a weapon with it and use that. Once soultrapped, the creature’s soul will fill one of the soul gems in your inventory, starting with the smallest and working its way up to the largest. Be sure to get two empty Greater Soul Gems before soultrapping.
Garlic
Garlic is thankfully one of the easier ingredients to acquire. You need six cloves of Garlic. Visit any food vendor in any major city. You can also find garlic hanging in the kitchens of many homes. Look for hanging braids of garlic; interacting with these will yield several cloves.
Nightshade
You need five Nightshade plants. Nightshade grows near water and in graveyards. Explore the banks of the Nibenay River or venture into the many tombs scattered across Cyrodiil. Be careful though, graves tend to have nasty things in them.
Bloodgrass
A staple of the Oblivion planes. Locate an Oblivion gate, enter the plane, and search for the crimson blades of bloodgrass. Be prepared for a fight, as Oblivion is not a friendly place. You need to gather two samples of it.
Undead Dust
Dust created from undead creatures. Find a tomb, a necromancer’s lair, or any location teeming with undead. Slay skeletons, zombies, or ghosts, and loot their remains for the precious dust.
The Ritual Begins: A Cure is Within Reach
Once you have gathered all the ingredients, return to Count Hassildor in Skingrad. Give him the components for the cure, and he will start the process.
He will tell you to wait for one day (24 hours) and return to him. If you have not fed recently, the quest will fail, and you will need to start again.
Navigating the Shadows: Troubleshooting and Common Problems
The cure for vampirism quest can be tricky, and players may encounter various issues along the way.
Hassildor Not Speaking
This is often caused by not having fed recently. Feed on an NPC and try again. You also must make sure it is daytime, he will not speak at night.
Missing Ingredients
Double-check your inventory to ensure you have the correct amount of each ingredient. If you are certain you have everything, try dropping the ingredients and picking them up again. This can sometimes reset the quest.
Soul Trap Difficulties
Ensure you are using a Soul Trap spell or enchantment of sufficient strength. Smaller souls will not fill a Greater Soul Gem.
A New Dawn: Leaving the Shadows Behind
Curing vampirism in Oblivion is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. It requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to brave the dangers of Cyrodiil and beyond. By following this guide, you can break free from the clutches of undeath and reclaim your place among the living. Embrace the sunlight once more, and once again feel the warmth of the sun’s rays on your skin. The road to recovery may be long and arduous, but the reward – a life free from the darkness – is well worth the effort.
Choose Your Path:
Whether you choose to embrace the dark power of vampirism or seek redemption in the light, the choice is yours. Every play-through is different, and it’s up to you to decide what you want to do.
How do you feel about being a vampire in Oblivion? Have you ever been cured? We want to hear your stories.
