8: A Mage's Staff

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Guide - Mages Guild

8: A Mage's Staff

Once you have attained a recommendation from all seven Mages Guild halls in Cyrodiil, you will be permitted entry to Arcane University in the Imperial City. Travel to the Imperial City and enter the Arch-Mage's Chambers and speak to Raminus Polus there. Select the 'Recommendations' dialogue option and that's it—you now have full access to Arcane University and all of its facilities! Well, except for the Orrery; you have to pay for that one.

Along with the rank up to Apprentice, Raminus Polus will also give you a Robe of the Apprentice.

The primary benefit to having access to Arcane University is that of being able to make use of the Altar of Enchanting in the Chironasium, and the Altar of Spellmaking in the Praxographical Center. With the Altar of Enchanting, one can imbue unenchanted items with magic properties using filled Soul Gems. The list of effects available to choose from is dependent on the nature of the spells in your character's spell book. In other words, you can only apply an attribute to an item if your character has a spell of the same effect in his or her spell book.

With the Altar of Spellmaking, the possibilities are nearly endless.

The Altar of Spellmaking, as its name implies, allows one to create unique spells. As far as available effects go, the same limitation applies to the Altar of Spellmaking as it does to the Altar of Enchanting.

To progress through the ranks in the Mages Guild, you have to complete specified tasks. For the most part, each time you complete a task, you'll just need to speak to Raminus Polus about your advancement to be promoted to the next highest rank.

Speak to Raminus Polus and select the 'Tasks' dialogue option to get started. As you're now a member of Arcane University and thus considered a mage (even if your character has never cast a spell), you need a Mage's Staff. Your first task is to acquire the wood needed to construct such a staff. Raminus tells you of a grove near Wellspring Cave northeast of the Imperial City where the necessary material can be found.

Leave Arcane University and travel to Wellspring Cave. Enter the cave; inside you'll find Zahrasha, the Khajiit who Raminus instructed you to converse with upon your arrival. Unfortunately, she's dead—not a good sign! There is a Necromancer in the cave as well. Kill the Necromancer, then examine Zahrasha's corpse and remove the Wellspring Cave Key.

The path through the cave is very straightforward; just find your way to the end of the cave, and use the Wellspring Cave Key to unlock the door there. Necromancers occupy the cave, however, so remain vigilant. Upon exiting the cave, you will be greeted by Noveni Othran. Kill her, and then open the Stone Chest up ahead to find the Unfinished Staff within. There are two more necromancers in the grove; kill them and you're free to leave unobstructed.

Defeat the necromancers in the grove and retrieve the Unfinished Staff.

Return to Arcane University and speak to Raminus there. He directs you to the Chironasium, where you are to speak to Delmar. The first choice is of which magic school most appeals to you. You're choices are Destruction, Illusion and Mysticism. Destruction magic encompasses spells that deal damage or drain attributes; Illusion magic encompasses spells that affect your enemy in some way, and Mysticism magic affects the environment.

If your character is a magic class that uses staves as his or her primary weapon, you'll want to take your time in creating a new, powerful staff to use. If your character does not use magic or doesn't use staves, you might want to consider creating something like a staff of telekinesis; in other words, something fun that you will probably never use.

Delmar needs one day to prepare the staff; wait for at least 24 hours, and then speak to him again. Acquire the finished staff to complete the quest. Speak to Raminus about your advancement to be promoted to Journeyman.