Hurray, my Armorer skill just hit 50. I can finally repair magic items myself! That's going to save me 2000 to 3000 gold per Oblivion gate.

That's the best way, but be aware it takes a long long time for any skills that aren't your primary skills to increase. I tried the alteration method but the locks I found went to hard/very hard much faster than my skill did. So I went back to carry 100 lockpicks at a time. But I could upgrade my feather spell, if I can ever find the person who sells the next level again.

Ok, I'm level uhmm... 13 or 14? I forget. So I'll go look for that. Thanks! My alteration skill level is high enough to use the unlock hard locks spell, but I don't have enough magica. I just leved up so I'll check now. My problem has been I couldn't find enough lock picks! I scrounged whenever I found one. If I have 10 I think I'm doing good. I just joined the thieves guild, so I think I should be able to finally get some from them.

With the feather spell- I discovered that even though I used fast travel to get somewhere with my armload of stuff, the feather spell was as the same amount when I got there. It didn't run out as I traveled. Have to test that again!

Yep, your first official fence in Bruma has lockpicks for sale.

As for the Magicka, I think that you have to choose Intelligence on level up to increase that. I have sufficient Magicka for the spells most useful to me so I've decided not to worry. There are some spells I'd like that I can't use, but that's the choice I've made.

I just finished the investigation for the Countess in Chorral, to find out who stole the painting of her husband. I recovered it, but this was not an easy mission! I had to boost everyone's disposition towards me before they answered my questions. Maybe I should invest a few points in personality. Up to now all I've cared about is power.

Jean

And for lockpicks don't forget ole "Shady Sam" who hangs out near the Imperial City wall a short way through and past the stables. There is a big rock you pass and then walk close to the wall and he is always there. He sells 30 at the time so I always stopped by after selling off my goods inside the walls and before I headed off on my next mission. Now I have the skeleton key and is it a wonder! Best piece of equipment in the entire game.

I have the skeleton key but the lockpick minigame still appears at locks. I thought it would just unlock it like I had the key.

Acquiring the skeleton key also raises your security a lot. The lock usually opens in 1-3 tries, but I was surprised when the tumblers showed up.

I have a question. How do you use/enchant with a Sigil Stone?? I only have one so far that I stashed away a long time ago. Picked it up and was surprised when it leveled itself up in my inventory! The stone went from 5 to 25 frost damage in nothing flat. I took it to a Enchanting Alter but it wouldn't show up like the Soulgems do. If it's explained anywhere in the SG, you can just give me a page number. Thank You !

Marilyn

I came with a stone question too! I'm having a hard time grasping the importance of the stones with the red and green runes.

I know you get a timed bound weapon with the green runestones. But I can't quite see the real use of it. If you fast travel it gets used up...so you must need to use it close by. Is there anything else to it?? Mostly I guess I should dive into a ruin or fort near by eh?

And the red runestones I can't get the hang of them at all--I've figured out you need to activate them at night....and then what? If I find all of them is there a "reward"?

I really like finding these in my wanderings and I always activate them if I can but I just sort of don't know what to do in a planned sort of way with them...are they conected to all those little shrines in some of the churches (there is the big 9 shrine and then there are many little shrines in a set back horse shoe around it...what are those for?)

Does anyone use them to good purpose or have a handle on what they are all about?

It may not be explained in the SG cause it's really really simple. Make sure that the stone is in your inventory. Click on stone. It will bring up the enchant item window. If you pick a weapon, you get a damage type spell. If you pick armor or jewelery you get a protect or beneficial spell. Name your new item. Enchant!

The one time I activate one of the big Doomstones (I think that's what the SG calls them) I got a new power that I can use once a day. If I read the SG right, activating a different one will replace my current power with a new one.

The shrines in the churches are different. To activate them, you have to find wayshrines in the wilderness. One easy to find wayshrine is down the hill toward the river from the stable just outside the Imperial City. It has white columns around the shrine. You click the edge of the shrine to activate. You will then be given a blessing and the ability to get a minor version of that blessing each time you visit that shrine in any church (one of the little nine set around the edge of every church of the nine divine). I believe, but haven't tested, that all blessings are once a day events as well.

The stones that give bound weapons are a waste of time when you ride a horse. Looking at the SG, there are two sorts of the red lettering stones. The one I've activated is one of the birthsign ones and those you can only have one power at a time from. But there are others called the "Heaven Stones" (p 285) which aren't related to birthsigns and if you have sufficient fame/infamy ratings will give you a permanent new power. I'll have to find those beasties before I move to the next major stage of the main story.

I'm having trouble with the Sanguine quest.

I can't seem to hit all of the guests with the spell. It seems to get two or three of them, but not all of them, nbo matter where I cast from.

Any suggestions on how far from the table I should be, and where?


EDIT - correction. I am definitely hitting all of the guests as they are all standing around in their underwear - and I do mean all of them.

Is there a cheat to fix this quest?

Is the countess there? Are there five people? There is a console fix if you can't get it to work.

Interesting. I went back and finally completed the Weatherleah quest. A few days later, the ultimate fence from the Theives guild turns up in town asking if you could retrieve what someone else could not.

The interesting thing is that I didn't give the item to the fence (two things you can do) and now he refuses to have anything to do with me. And he stayed in Chorrol, never returning to the Imperial City. There the SG promised that he'd be by the guild on a regular basis.

I fear that I must move on with the main quest soon. The couple of things left in my quest list are mostly things I don't care about.

Aha! The Sanguine Quest is resolved. The Countess wasn't at the dinner party yet. I sneaked in and hid, and did the naughty deed when she finally deigned to join her guests.

Hurray! It took me a couple of tries to find a good spot to stand at the table and hit them all. Did you manage to get out? I fear I was caught and the guard was not impressed with me.

No. I got caught. Nobody in the room actually saw me until I cast the spell, but of course the gig was up immediately after. I considered casting Chameleon and fading back into the servant's quarters but there's almost no time to react after the spell is cast, and I decided I'd just get frustrated trying.

I've become a wandering pilgrim, looking for shrines and odd quests to put off getting to the main storyline. I retreieved the Varla Stone for Martin, but hsitate to take it to him just yet because I suspect that will trigger some things I don't want to happen just yet.

I haven't started the main quest yet Am fiddling around waiting for Gray Fox to send for me - then still have the fighter's Guild to finish but am not sure if I want to do the Dark Brothers thing.

Alice, you definitely want to do the Dark Brothers quests The rewards you are given for completing certain quests are the best in the game. Every time I find a new weapon that looks good I compare it to what I already have, and sell it.

In fact, I haven't changed my armour or weapons since the first part of the game. I'm wearing some enchanted Mithril greaves that reflect magic damage, Tor's glass vest, a Mithril helmet of Life Detection, the Feather shoes, and the weapons I got from the Brotherhood quests. Plus my trusty steed.

Hagatha, I'm still wearing things I found earlier in the game.

My 'Protection conjurer's robe' suits me fine. Have three helmets I switch around depending on what I need. Three rings do the same thing. Usually, for exploring I am wearing the Jewel of Rumar and boots which allow me to walk on water.

Am playing the whole game without a horse to worry about - had difficulty trying to make the Painted Horse do anything but turn in circles and collide with trees so took him back - well, I replayed that episode and decline the horse.

At the moment having difficulty making Gray Fox ask for my help a second time. My log tells me to hang around in The Imperial city but the S.G. wants me to wait in Bruma. Have just bought the Bruma house so I'm not just roaming the streets. Must do something about the fighter's Guild then pluck up courage to gain entry to the Dark Brotherhood.

Now I need to figure out what to do with it. I think I can enchant something right?

I now have some neat Dwarvean armor but my strength is the pits. I somehow lost a great deal during my accidential foray into the realms of almost vampirism and I can't get it back to what it was. Wish there was a restore strength fountain somewhere.

Syd, you could brew up a restore strength potion. I don't know if the ingredients would be hard to find.

http://oblivion.melian.cc/?cmd=cmdOblivionAlchemyWizard

Don't the Temples restore everything?

hagatha I thought it did but I swear I was higher than 42 in Strength - I'm a Battlemage for crying out loud. Maybe I'm wrong and it's always been that low but honestly I can't wear any type of heavy armor (and that is a major skill of mine) and be able to carry any loot. It's very annoying.

Pokey - I think I have those ingredients - I'll check my chest at the house and see what I can do.

While I'm here - anyone remember where they found the Forlorn Wanderer's chest? I walked up and down that river and dove in the water but can't find it anywhere. I also for some reason don't have the map in my inventory. I picked it up but it's disappeared. Even went back to the shipwreck to make certain I didn't leave it behind.