Another chapter of the Mages' Guild questline inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredbrings you one step closer to uncovering the reason behind necromancer activity in Tamriel. After they appeared and slaughtered the guardians of mage staff knowledge, the quest for knowledge is deeply personal.

With the last mage staff squarely in your hands, you’ll be sent on a dangerous quest disguised as a simple library errand run. However, playing the fool will be to your advantage as you pretend to walk into the deadly jaws of conspiracy.

Raminus tells the player to retrieve a book from the count of Skingrad in Oblivion Remastered.

How To Begin Ulterior Motives

For this quest to be available, you must have:

Once you are a Journeyman mage, you canask Raminus about tasks you can perform. He will tell you about retrieving a book on loan from the count of Skingrad.

How To Recover The Book From Janus Hassildor

Travel to Skingrad andspeak with Mercator Hosidus, usually found in the County Hall at Skingrad Castle.

He’ll tell you to wait until tomorrow for the chance to speak to the count, your real target. You’ll have no other choice, sowait 24 hours to talk to Mercatoragain.

Mercator tells the player to come back again tomorrow in Oblivion Remastered.

Trustworthy guy that he is, Mercator will tell you on your second try tomeet the count and him at 2AM outside the Cursed Mine.

He’ll tell you to meet him to the north of the mine. However,the location on the map and in person is actually west(slightly southwest)of the mine, between the mine and the Grateful Pass Stables.

Player waits several hours to speak with Mercator again in Oblivion Remastered.

Unfortunately, it appears you cannot sneak into the count’s quarters and speak with him yourself to warn him of Mercator.

In a plot twist surely no one saw coming, Mercator will appear with two necromancers outside the vineyard between 10PM and 2AM.

Mercator appears with two necromancers to ambush the player in Oblivion Remastered.

you may fight them yourself, but the guards happen to be close by. Instead of fighting the necromancers in a 3-v-1 battle,turn around and run back to the gatefor the guards' help.

The count himself will also appear to help. However, other people (including the guards) sometimes fight with him after the necromancers are defeated because of his status as a vampire. To ignore this bug, simply talk to Count Janus after the necromancers are slain so he can be bullied by the guards after you’re done.

Count Janus tells the player to return to the council in Oblivion Remastered.

Once the necromancers are defeated,speak with Count Janusabout the real reason the University sent you to Skingrad.

After Janus lectures you about your gullibility and you exhaust all his dialogue,return to the Arcane Universityto wrap up the quest with Raminus Polus.

Tell him all you’ve learnedandgain your next Advancement: Evoker.With your new rank, you’ll be given the Spelldrinker Amulet.

Spelldrinker Amulet: Gives 9-26 points of Spell Absorption (based on the level you gain it at).