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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Hints
Tutorial
1 of 21: This is the quest you start on right after you start a new game and choose a name, race, and gender.
2 of 21: It doesn't really matter what choices you make on those three things yet since you can easily change them later on, but you should choose the race of Redguard for now to make this tutorial quest a lot easier. (If you're playing on the highest difficulty setting, that's pretty much essential.)
3 of 21: Exploring around your cell, you'll find a few takeable items on the table and floor, but nothing of any use or value.
4 of 21: Approach the locked door to your cell to get some choice taunts from the jerk in the cell across the hall.
5 of 21: Then wait until the emperor himself and his personal guards show up.
6 of 21: When one of the guards says to get over by the window, walk over and stand as close to the window as you can so that they will enter the cell.
7 of 21: When the emperor talks to you, keep choosing dialogue options until he and his guards open the nearby secret passage and leave through it.
8 of 21: Follow them until they're attacked by assassins, at which time you'll need to hang back to keep from being injured.
9 of 21: After the assassins are dead, raid their bodies and Captain Renault's for items. (TIP: Don't encumber yourself with any items with a gold value of zero unless they're useful, like Renault's katana and torch.)
10 of 21: The emperor and his surviving guards will leave through a door that they won't let you follow them through.
11 of 21: Fortunately, some rats will make a hole in a nearby wall that you can go through to continue.
12 of 21: TIP: Equip not only one of Captain Renault's weapons, but her torch as well so you can see better in dark areas. Since both of her weapons are one-handed, you can have one of them and the torch equipped at the same time.
13 of 21: Past the rat-made hole in the wall are several treasure containers and scattered items.
14 of 21: After you get all the items, equip the bow and arrows and shoot one arrow at the bucket hanging over the well like the game asks you to. (You can go get your arrow out of the bucket afterwards.)
15 of 21: When you're done looting, find the locked door to the Imperial Substructure area.