Oblivion:Mages Guild

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Contents 1 Organization 1.1 The Council of Mages 1.2 Guild Halls 1.3 Services 2 Membership 2.1 Joining 2.2 Advantages 2.3 Limitations 2.4 Suspension 3 Quests 3.1 Joining 3.2 Recommendation Quests 3.3 Raminus Polus' Quests 3.4 Hannibal Traven's Quests 3.5 Other Quests 4 Advancements 5 Members

The Mages Guild is one of the main factions that the player can join. Membership provides many benefits to magically inclined characters, and also initiates a series of quests.

[edit] Organization

The Mages Guild is a professional organization, located throughout Tamriel, that is dedicated to the study and application of magicka and alchemy. Its charter from the Emperor specifes that the guild must provide magic services to the general public. Anyone can purchase potions, potion ingredients, magical items, and a selection of standard spells from the guild. However, training, goods, and services are cheaper for members, and the Guild Stewards may be able to provide members with work. Furthermore, exclusive services such as spellmaking and enchanting, deemed potentially dangerous to the public at large, are only made available to higher-ranked guild members in good standing.

The Mages Guild is led by an Arch-Mage, and guided by the Council of Mages, made up of five archmagisters (including the Arch-Mage). The Arch-Mage and the Council of Mages are headquartered at the guild's Arcane University in the Imperial City. The Council decides important Guild policies, such as its policy on the use of Necromancy and also administers recruitment, sale of spells in each local guild hall, and the enforcement of Guild law. In addition, guild halls exist in most cities in Tamriel, each of which is run by a local Guildmagister.

The Mages Guild was founded by Vanus Galerion in the early years of the Second Era as a way of centralizing magic and thus moving away from the many separate groups (like the Psijic Order of which Galerion was a member) that had dominated the study of magic up until that time (see Origin of the Mages Guild for more information).

For general information about the Mages Guild, see the Tamriel article.

[edit] The Council of Mages

At the time of Oblivion, the Arch-Mage of the guild is Hannibal Traven. He was selected as Arch-Mage two years earlier, in 3E431, by a narrow margin, mainly because of his strict stance against necromancy. He implemented new restrictions against necromancy (following a discussion documented in The Black Arts On Trial), which were strongly supported by some members, but also strongly opposed by others. Half of the council resigned in protest. Traven also implemented new regulations governing guild membership (see the Mages Guild Charter), which made it more difficult to join the guild (compared, for example, to Morrowind).

At the start of the game, the Council of Mages consists of Arch-Mage Hannibal Traven, Caranya, Irlav Jarol and Council Steward Raminus Polus. Information on the fifth member of the council is not available. It is possible that the Council is short its full quota, following the earlier resignation of half the council. Or the fifth member could be Bothiel - she occupies the same room as Raminus Polus and, like Caranya and Irlav Jarol, uses a ground-floor bed in the Mages Quarters. However she is one rank lower than the Council Mages. Another possibility is that High Chancellor Ocato is the final member of the council as he also holds the appropriate Council rank of Master-Wizard.

[edit] Guild Halls

Mages Guild Halls are located in each city in Cyrodiil. In the Imperial City, the Mages Guild is found at the Arcane University. The Guild Hall in Kvatch has been destroyed in the Oblivion Crisis. Six of the local Guild Halls each specialize in one particular school of magic, as mandated by the revised Mages Guild Charter (only Bruma does not have a specialty):

City	Specialization
Anvil	Restoration
Bravil	Illusion
Cheydinhal	Alteration
Chorrol	Conjuration
Leyawiin	Mysticism
Skingrad	Destruction

[edit] Services

Even without joining the guild, any player can take advantage of several services offered to the public by mages guild members:

• A large number of standard Spells can be purchased from Spell Merchants, most of whom are guild members. Spells from a given school can generally be purchased at the guild hall specializing in that school.
• Each Guild Hall (except Skingrad) has a guild member who sells potions, ingredients, alchemy equipment, soul gems, and other miscellaneous magic items. (In Skingrad the non-guild store All Things Alchemical provides similar services).
• Each Guild Hall has an enchanter who will recharge magical items, for a fee.

[edit] Membership

[edit] Joining

Speak to any one of the seven guild hall leaders in order to Join the Mages Guild.

[edit] Advantages

Joining the Mages Guild gives you certain privileges throughout Cyrodiil. The most obvious is that by joining, you "belong" in the Guild House, and, by extension, most things "belong" to you. Not only can you sleep in most beds (check that your cursor is not red before you attempt to sleep), but most items in the house belong to you as well. This means that you can pick them up and sell them or use them as you see fit.

Joining the guild increases the Disposition of all Mages Guild members by 20 points. You receive an additional 20 point disposition boost with every promotion you receive. In other words, when you reach the rank of Conjurer, you will have a guaranteed 100 point disposition with all other guild members (unless you have taken other actions that decrease a member's disposition).

To an alchemist, each guild house is a treasure trove of basic alchemical supplies: potatoes, apples, meats, grapes, etc. In most of the guild houses, you can find enough raw materials to make dozens of potions, each of which can be sold back to the guild alchemist for a profit if you don't want to use them adventuring. In fact, most guilds (if not all) have each of the four Novice alchemy tools lying around on shelves so you don't have to carry your own mixing equipment, which saves quite a few pounds of encumbrance.

Additionally, several of the Guild Houses have locked display cabinets which can be picked safely for the purposes of raising your security skill. As an added bonus, it's usually not stealing to take what's in the cases and the contents are often valuable.

If you follow the recommendation quest line (see below), you will eventually get access to the Arcane University, which allows you to make custom spells and enchanted items. (Its garden is also a free and convenient source for most of the plants that grow in Cyrodiil.)

In the Practice Rooms in the Arcane University, you can stand between a practicing apprentice and a target. Unlike archers who stop shooting when you get too near, the mages will continue to cast their spells, which can be good for players using the Atronach Birthsign to quickly recharge their magicka.

Moreover, once you obtain Arch-Mage rank, you gain the Arch-Mage's quarters in the Mages Tower. This includes an Enchanted Chest which allows you to duplicate ingredients, as well as personal altars of spellmaking and enchantment. (NOTE: The Enchanted Chest will ONLY duplicate "common" ingredients; consequently, Nirnroot, Human Heart, Painted Troll Fat, etc. are specifically ignored.) You also have the ability to have apprentice mages follow you.

Note: There are three containers in the Arch-Mage's quarters. However, both the Enchanted Chest and the chest at the foot of the bed are not safe for storage. You will lose anything you put in them except when using the chest to duplicate ingredients. The third, named chest is not flagged to delete its contents, but it does have scripts on it. Using these chests as storage is simply not sensible.

[edit] Limitations

There are no major limitations, though you have to complete quests in order to gain some of the perks.

[edit] Suspension

If you get suspended from the guild, you need to talk to Raminus Polus to get reinstated. He can be found in the Archmage's lobby during the daytime (usually 8am - 6pm). He will assign you to collect alchemical supplies, depending on your offense and whether or not it is your first or second.

If you are suspended while inside the Arcane University, your key will be removed and all the doors will be automatically locked. The only way to leave the Arcane University is to fast travel or use console commands.

You can be suspended for:

• Killing a Guild member (accidentally or not)
• Stealing from the guild (like looting fellow mages' bodies and stealing certain horses); note that there may be a long delay from your offense to receiving the Suspension notice,
• Hitting your horse (presumed accidentally, but it counts anyway) in combat

Note: This has been corrected by the Oblivion 1.2 patch.

Information on how to regain your membership can be found here.

[edit] Quests

[edit] Joining

Join the Mages Guild: Join the Mages Guild and earn recommendations from all guild leaders to gain access to the Arcane University.

[edit] Recommendation Quests

Anvil Recommendation: Investigate a number of deaths along the Gold Road to obtain a recommendation from Anvil.

Bravil Recommendation: Recover a fellow mage's staff to obtain a recommendation from Bravil.

Bruma Recommendation: Find a missing mage to obtain a recommendation from Bruma.

Cheydinhal Recommendation: Recover a lost ring to obtain a recommendation from Cheydinhal.

Chorrol Recommendation: Sort out a problem with a former guild member to obtain a recommendation from Chorrol.

Leyawiin Recommendation: Help a mage regain sanity to obtain a recommendation from Leyawiin.

Skingrad Recommendation: Find a missing mage to obtain a recommendation from Skingrad.

[edit] Raminus Polus' Quests

A Mage's Staff: Complete your induction into the Mages Guild by creating your own staff.

Ulterior Motives: Retrieve a book from the Count of Skingrad.

Vahtacen's Secret: Find out how the mages are faring at the excavation of Vahtacen.

Necromancer's Moon: Find information pertaining to Black Soul Gems.

[edit] Hannibal Traven's Quests

Liberation or Apprehension?: Locate a Necromancer informant, and return him safely to the Arcane University.

Information at a Price: Travel to Skingrad to receive information from Count Hassildor.

A Plot Revealed: Travel to Bruma and find out why the guild hall there has stopped correspondence.

The Necromancer's Amulet: Find the Necromancer's Amulet and return it to the Arcane University.

The Bloodworm Helm: Find the Bloodworm Helm and return it to the Arcane University.

Ambush: Oversee a contingent of Battlemages, and retrieve a unique Black Soul Gem from an old friend.

Confront The King: Find Mannimarco, and end the attacks on the Mages Guild.

[edit] Other Quests

Alchemy Acquisitions: Use the alchemical expertise of Julienne Fanis for your own benefit.

Mages Guild Suspension: Collect alchemy samples in bulk to regain your guild membership.

[edit] Advancements

	Rank	Completed quests or other requirements
	Associate	Inquiring about the Mages Guild and starting the Recommendation Quests
	Apprentice	Completed all the Recommendation Quests
	Journeyman	Completed A Mage's Staff
	Evoker	Completed Ulterior Motives
	Conjurer	Completed Vahtacen's Secret
	Magician	Completed Necromancer's Moon
	Warlock	Completed Liberation or Apprehension?
	Wizard	Completed A Plot Revealed
	Master-Wizard	Completed The Bloodworm Helm and The Necromancer's Amulet
	Arch-Mage	Started Confront The King; full benefits upon completion

[edit] Members

• This is a list of all registered Mages Guild members.*

Anvil Baeralorn Carahil Felen Relas Marc Gulitte Thaurron Bravil Ardaline Aryarie Carandial Delphine Jend Fathis Aren Henantier Ita Rienus Kud-Ei

Bruma J'skar Jeanne Frasoric Selena Orania Volanaro Cheydinhal Deetsan Eilonwy Falcar Orintur Trayvond the Redguard Uurwen Chorrol Alberic Litte Angalmo Athragar Carmen Litte ** Contumeliorus Florius Teekeeus

Imperial City Boderi Farano Borissean Bothiel Caranya Delmar Evangeline Beanique Gaspar Stegine Hannibal Traven High Chancellor Ocato Irlav Jarol Julienne Fanis Martina Floria Raminus Polus Renald Viernis Tar-Meena Leyawiin Agata Alves Uvenim Dagail Kalthar S'drassa

Skingrad Adrienne Berene Druja Erthor Sulinus Vassinus Vigge the Cautious Other Ancotar Arielle Jurard Fithragaer Iver Merete Roliand Hanus Sigrid Thalfin Vidkun

* In addition to these, there are also about 10 un-named apprentices and 6 scholars who live in the Arcane University.
** Not actually a member, but hangs around the Chorrol guild hall because of her husband, Alberic.