Ever wished you could breeze through every locked door in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered? The legendary Skeleton Key-an unbreakable, infinitely reusable lockpick-is your ticket to effortless thievery and exploration, but only if you know where to look and how to claim it. Discover the secrets to unlocking this coveted artifact and never break another lockpick again.
Getting the Skeleton Key is no easy task as you’ll need to complete a quest to receive it, and, not only that, you’ll need to be level 10 to begin the quest, which requires a fair amount of time in itself. However, the Skeleton Key is very valuable as you no longer need to find or buy lockpicks anymore.
Here’s how to get the Skeleton Key in Oblivion Remastered.
How to get the Skeleton Key in Oblivion Remastered
To obtain the Skeleton Key in Oblivion Remastered, you must first reach Level 10, as this unlocks the Daedric quest “Nocturnal.” Head to the Shrine of Nocturnal, located northeast of Leyawiin, and interact with the statue to start the quest. You’ll be tasked with retrieving the Eye of Nocturnal, which involves eavesdropping on two Argonians in Leyawiin to learn the artifact is hidden in Tidewater Cave. After navigating the cave and locating the Eye underwater, return it to the shrine to be rewarded with the Skeleton Key-an unbreakable lockpick that boosts your Security skill by 40 points and allows you to open any lock in the game.
To get the Skeleton Key in Oblivion Remastered, you’ll need to complete the quest “Nocturnal,” which can only be started once you’ve reached level 10.
’Nocturnal’ quest location
To start the “Nocturnal” quest, you must be at least level 10. Once you are, interact with Mor gra-Gamorn at the Nocturnal Shrine, which can be found northeast of Leyawiin.
’Nocturnal’ quest walkthrough
Once you’ve given the “Nocturnal” quest from Mor gra-Gamorn, interact with the Nocturnal Shrine to speak with the Daedric Prince. Nocturnal will send you on a quest to retreive the Eye of Nocturnal, which has been stolen by thieves in Leyawiin.
Make your way to Leyawiin and head to Weebam-Na’s house, which can be found directly across from the house available for sale. Inside, you’ll find two Argonians, Weebam-Na and Bejeen, and you’ll need to ask both of them about the whereabouts of the Eye of Nocturnal. Both of them will deny knowing anything about the item and refuse to talk about it again – well, at least in your presence.
For this next step, you’ll need to eavesdrop on Weebam-Na’s and Bejeen’s conversation, so you’ll need to seak away towards the house’s entrance as if you’ve left the house. If their conversation ends abruptly and they don’t mention the eye at all, you may need to leave the house and re-enter to make their chat progress. Eventually, the two will say they’ve hidden the eye in the Tidewater Cave, which is located southeast of Leyawiin and conveniently marked on the map for you.
When inside, take the first left turn followed by two more left turns to find a tunnel full of water. Dive into the water and continue along the path until you find a small opening on your right, which contains the Eye of Nocturnal.
With the eye in your inventory, leave the cave and return to the Nocturnal Shrine. Interact with the shrine to return the Eye of Nocturnal, complete the “Nocturnal” quest, and receive the Skeleton Key as a reward.
What secret steps unlock the Skeleton Key in Oblivion Remastered
To unlock the Skeleton Key in Oblivion Remastered, follow these steps, which revolve around a secretive Daedric quest for the goddess Nocturnal:
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Reach Level 10: You must be at least level 10 before the quest becomes available.
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Find Nocturnal’s Shrine: The shrine is located south of Leyawiin, along the Yellow Road and north of Arpenia.
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Speak to Nocturnal: Interact with the shrine to start the quest. Nocturnal will task you with retrieving her stolen Eye.
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Investigate in Leyawiin: Travel to Leyawiin and speak to a guard to learn about two Argonian thieves, Weebam-Na and Bejeen.
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Eavesdrop on the Argonians: Visit their house in the eastern central slums. Eavesdrop on their conversation-ideally using stealth or an Invisibility potion-to discover they’ve hidden the Eye in Tidewater Cave6.
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Retrieve the Eye of Nocturnal: Go to Tidewater Cave, south of Leyawiin. Navigate the cave, taking left turns at splits, until you reach a submerged tunnel. Swim down and collect the glowing Eye next to a chest6.
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Return to the Shrine: Bring the Eye back to Nocturnal’s Shrine. Interact with the shrine to complete the quest and receive the Skeleton Key as your reward.
This process is secretive in that it requires eavesdropping and careful dungeon navigation, making the Skeleton Key a prized reward for the stealthy and persistent adventurer.
Do I need to avoid enemies or fight in Tidewater Cave for the quest
You have two main options in Tidewater Cave for the Nocturnal quest: you can either fight the enemies or attempt to avoid them, depending on your playstyle and character build.
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Fighting Enemies: The cave is populated by trolls (Kalperklan Trolls) at lower levels, and in some versions or at higher levels, skilled thieves and a Thief Leader may appear as quest-specific enemies. You can choose to fight them to clear your path.
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Avoiding Enemies: If your Sneak skill is high enough or if you use stealth techniques (such as invisibility or sneaking), you can bypass many of the enemies and traps without direct confrontation. The cave’s layout allows for some stealthy navigation, though you may still need to deal with traps.
In summary, you do not strictly have to fight every enemy-stealth is a viable alternative if you prefer to avoid combat.
