Joining the Thieves Guild faction in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is one of the first — and least dangerous — things you can do outside the main story. The Thieves Guild gives you a way to make some extra cash by playing Robin Hood, and at the end of it all, you even get a secret base.
This guide explains how to join the Thieves Guild in Oblivion Remastered and what to expect once you do.
How to join the Thieves Guild in Oblivion Remastered
Oblivion Remastered presents several ways to learn about the Thieves Guild, some more complicated than others.
- You can examine wanted posters in the Imperial City to learn about the Gray Fox, and then ask two nearby guards about him to learn that the Waterfront District is an area of interest.
- You could also get sent to jail for stealing or trying to pick someone’s pocket. The next time you rest after getting out of prison, Myvryna Avrano, a Gray Fox disciple, appears next to you with an invitation to join the guild. The invitation directs you to the Waterfront District as well, and it kicks off the “Finding the Thieves Guild” quest.
- Or you can just go to the southern part of the Waterfront District at 11 p.m. and wait for the Doyen, Armand Christophe, to show up and start the initiation ceremony. The event happens regardless of how much you know about it or if you pick up the associated quest, so if you’re in a hurry, this is the best way to get started.
Two other would-be initiates show up, and Armand explains what he wants you all to do: steal a book from someone called Amantius Allectus. He provides no other information about where to look, but the house in question is in the Temple District. Leave the Waterfront District, and turn right once you enter the Temple District.
Follow the path along the wall, and you’ll see a door on your left. Enter it. Once you’re inside, look to the room’s right wall for the desk. Investigate it, and grab the book. There’s no lockpicking mini-game required for this quest, and it doesn’t matter if you picked a stealthy class or sneaky race.
If you get lost, follow Methredhel. She heads directly for the target. If she’s getting too far ahead, you can attack her with or without a weapon to slow her down. Despite Armand’s plea not to kill each other, you can’t actually harm Methredhel even if you hit her with an axe, and no one remembers after the fact, either.
Leave the house, and return to Armand to officially join the Thieves Guild. It’s possible that a guard apparently blessed with the ability to see through walls will accuse you of theft as you leave. He’s courteous enough not to murder or arrest you in the middle of a conversation, though, so if you make it back to Armand, the Doyen can take care of your bounty for half of the stated price and smooth everything over.
How to start Thieves Guild quests in Oblivion Remastered
The point of joining the Thieves Guild is to steal things, so naturally, all the guild quests are about that. You also get access to fences, shady merchants who sell the goods you steal from others, and can pay beggars in any city for information about potential marks. You only have one fence to start with, Ongar in Bruma. Sell him 50 gold worth of goods to start picking up more guild quests.
The only wrinkle in all this is if you plan to do the Mages Guild questline as well. One of the Thieves quests has you robbing a mage, but he’s unhappy about it and fights back. If you kill him while being a Mage Guild member, you’ll get kicked out for murdering a colleague. You can buy your way back in, but there are better uses for your money.
