Oblivion talk:Misdirection

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Cleanup[edit]

Having a first hack at tidying up this article and putting it into the template form --MacFodder 21:39, 5 February 2007 (EST)

Voiceover Mishap[edit]

After completing Misdirection there is a small chance of encountering an amusing little voiceover mistake. I've only seen it happen with Aurelinwae in the Mystic Emporium, but sometimes when you ask her about "Rumors" she will respond with a comment about how the Thieves hit the three major targets in the city. After she finishes saying it, you hear the voice actor say "Wait let me do that again" and she repeats the line only a little differently. I've only had it happen a couple of times, but it was quite funny.--Briareus 01:23, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

Ice Staff[edit]

Does Hrormir's Ice Staff only appear once you begin this quest? Is there any way to get it without being in the thieves guild or doing this quest? After finishing 'Misdirection', can you still keep the staff for your own? Dio 225

It only appears at the start of this quest, so there's no way to get it without joining the thieves guild and doing the quests up to this point (unless you're on the PC, in which case you could just use the Console and type player.additem 47372 1). After the quest is done, the ice staff remains permanently in the game. It's actually a slightly different version (basically just not a quest item any more; the enchantment is identical) after the quest. It appears in the Arch Mage's room after the quest is over. --NepheleTalk 18:40, 12 May 2007 (EDT)
Thanks! Dio 225

Quest Shortcuts[edit]

Shortcut 1

If you are recovering the Necromancer's Amulet for the Mages Guild and kill Caranya while this quest it active, then go to S'krivva to pay the Blood Price, the quest will be marked as complete, and you will be promoted (Xbox 360 with latest patches as of 7/5/07; untested on PC). You can then completely avoid having to steal the staff.
I'm moving this note here from the main article until someone can provide confirmation, in particular by checking the relevant scripts to see how the quest could end up being marked as complete. Also, I can't see any reason why this glitch would be specific to Necromancer's Amulet and Caranya; I would guess that killing any mage or any other person who has a blood price would trigger the exact same scripts. --NepheleTalk 01:32, 18 July 2007 (EDT)
  • A little late but I can confirm it (I'm playing on the PC). I had Misdirection and Necromancer's Amulet in my quest log. I got the note from Methredel so the Ice Staff was in the Arch-Mage's quarters. I had seen it but talked to Traven to get the Necromancer's Amulet and Bloodworm Helm quests. I did the Helm, but received no blood price. I then did Necromancer's Amulet. I didn't get a blood price from killing the Mage's before facing Caranya. After I killed her I got the blood price. I went to Bravil to pay it off and was then given a promotion and the next mission was available. I noticed then that Misdirection was not in my current or active quest log. I went to the Arch-Mage's quarters and there were 2 Ice Staves (one was weightless, the other was 12). I put the note in the drawer near the bed and got an update for Misdirection and then took the staves. Icedrake523 20:20, 8 March 2009 (EDT)

Shortcut 2

Just was able to skip Step 4 of the quest on Xbox360 by going directly to Ontus Vanin's house. When I picked the lock on the chest in his bedroom the quest advanced to the 5th step (skipping over the entire segment dealing with Methedhrel asking you to spy on Lex and return the note to her). I immediately returned to S'krivva and received my reward as if I had not skipped step 4. I did not bother to check the Waterfront to see if Lex is indeed gone.--Gainesm (talk) 15:38, 15 September 2014 (GMT)
  • FWIW, if you try to steal the staff immediately after placing it in Vanin's bedroom chest and then go to see S'krivva she will not reward you as the quest is considered still active. You have to place it in the chest and then go to see her. --Gainesm (talk) 15:37, 15 September 2014 (GMT)

Chests reset?[edit]

If you have already become the Arch-Mage, be sure to clear out all belongings from any chests, or nightstands. Everything will disappear.

Can anyone provide confirmation or more specific information on this? Because checking the game scripts I can't find anything to support this comment. The nightstand is the only item in the room that is tied to this quest, but even on the nightstand I can't see any reason why the contents would be emptied. The relevant scripts just move the note from the player to the nightstand. So can anyone provide confirmation that any of the containers in the Arch Mage's Quarters reset during this quest, and, if so, which containers specifically? --NepheleTalk 03:42, 23 February 2008 (EST)

  • Placing items in the Encahted Chest will make them dissappear. The Encahnted Chest is intended for duplicating ingrediants (except Nirnroot), and destroys anything else in about a week. The chest at the foot of the bed also destroys your items, but for unknown reasons.Mr. Spoon 21:50, 7 March 2008 (EST)

A problem with the note[edit]

There seems to be a bug, when I have to steal Hrormir's Icestaff and then place the note from the Gray Fox, only I can't place the note. It is marked as a quest item. I am the ArchMage and I think that could be the reason. I also have the UOP installed. Is there a way to make the note no longer a quest item, that is, no longer 0 weight and undroppable? And does setting the quest stage to 20 through the console make the quest proceed normally?--AtzaMan 04:07, 7 July 2008 (EDT)

As far as I can tell, you haven't hit any bugs. The note is always a quest item, and is not supposed to ever be changed to a normal item. It gets automatically removed from your inventory when you activate the bedside table; you don't have to drop the note. As it says in the article: "Activating the bedside table will trigger a quest message indicating you have slipped the note into the drawer through the crack." If it hasn't been removed from your inventory, then you haven't been activating the correct bedside table. --NepheleTalk 14:07, 7 July 2008 (EDT)
You are right, wrong table, the one I was trying to activate was called "Archmage's Nightstand". Anyway, i skipped to stage 20 through the console, so it's all OK now.--AtzaMan 09:56, 8 July 2008 (EDT)
  • There is a bug which can make the note get stuck in your inventory if you have harvest containers and UOP installed. To replicate do the following: before becoming the Archmage open the nightstand, it will replace the "nightstand" with "nightstand with drawers opened". Finish Mages Guild questline and become Archmage. All containers are now the type of container you have in your houses (the animation for opening/closing drawers wont be used anymore). But the nightstand is already open from before. In this case the quest won't continue, since the note cannot be placed in the opened nightstand. The quest can be advanced via setstage command, but the note is stuck in the inventory. Any help on removing the note or input about this bug would be appreciated (synyxneo@hotmail.com).


Demora??[edit]

Why does Lex get the order from a Demora?

Because the Mage's Guild sent the Dremora. --Darkle ~ Talk 19:27, 14 October 2008 (EDT)

????????[edit]

i accidentaly hit Methredhel with the staff and now i cant give it to her or get back into the guild by talking to Armand because when i talk to them all they say is that "we have to stay in our homes untill the grey fox is captured" (something like that). please help i dont want to have to reload my game to the last save cause i did like 4 missions befor it.

Normally you would just be in trouble with the thieves guild, and have to talk to a Doyen about it. With me, the current Doyen (S'krivva) at that time let me off the hook. My friend ran in to the same problem, however, and couldn't do anything. Check with your Doyen, and if she doesn't help, then you have to start over from the last save.

Bug discovered[edit]

After looking at some different stuff on youtube, I decided to check out the "testing hall" and pick up some of the cool items from the game. I was not completely aware that I was picking up items like the Ice Staff or deadra artifacts. Because of this, I picked up the bloodworm helm and hromirs ice staff, which is causing problems with the quests involved with those items. For example, I talked to the arch mage about J'skar and that was supposed to be the segway into the next quests concerning the bloodworm helm and/or the necromancer's amulet; however, I can't even start those quests because I already have the bloodworm helm. I talk to arch mage traven and he asks me if I have either the amulet or the helm, but I can't even give it to him.

As for the ice staff, I have the one from the "testing hall" AND I have the one that I stole for the Misdirection quest; however, I can't give either one to Methredrel to complete the quest, even though I've done everthing necessary for this quest (including placing the Gray Fox note in the correct place).

I haven't registered on this site, so, if you figure something out and care to email me about it, feel free to contact me at rlee1185 @ yahoo . com 72.242.93.250 12:08, 29 December 2008 (EST)

That's not a bug. When you use the console to go to an area of the game you're not supposed to be able to reach it's your own fault when things don't work. Reload from an earlier save to fix the problem. Dr Jones 12:26, 29 December 2008 (EST)



If this happens u can easily fix it using console. (For pc users) enter the console code "setstage tg05misdirection 25" and it will complete that stage of the quest.

Help! I think this quest is bugged![edit]

Ok so after talking to Methredel about stealing the Ice Staff I stole some gold and some arrows from her, and she appeared not to see me, didn't cancel out my pickpocket or say anything, and nobody saw me, but for some reason the damn game says I've been caught stealing and should talk to Armand about paying up. So I went to Armand's house, but he won't do the dialogue, he just says that they've been put under house arrest. So I decided maybe I should do the quest first then pay up later, so I went and stole that staff and everything, and the game now says to report back to Methredel. But when I talk to her she just says she's been put under house arrest! What the hell is wrong? Is there anyone else I can talk to for stealing from a member of the guild? HELP ME PLEASE! — Unsigned comment by 67.165.162.35 (talk) on 25 March 2009

Try talking to S'Krivva in Bravil. She should be able to reinstate you. –RpehTCE 10:42, 25 March 2009 (EDT)

Thank you, it worked out fine and I'm back on track!

Removing misleading data[edit]

"Infestations of Imperial Guards lower the property prices at The Waterfront" on the ImgDesc near the top of the page could be potentially misleading to players mistakenly thinking they can get the Imperial City House for less money than normal during this quest. Since, to my knowledge, this is not true, and since there's nothing in the article to support it, I'm replacing it with slightly different (and less confusing) fluff. - Kementari 03:43, 7 June 2009 (EDT)

Modern Phrase[edit]

It doesn't make a difference I know, but i would just like to point out that when Hrormir's Staff is given to Methredhel, she says "Now we just wait for the powers that be to pull the plug on Hieronymus Lex's siege.". This is obviously a reference to the use of electricity in house wall outlets as a metaphor for cutting the power to something. Kind of a fail, considereing the era this is supposed to be set in.— Unsigned comment by 68.104.145.169 (talk) on 4 July 2009

It is an anachronism, and they are fairly common in video games set in different eras (also in works of literature, i.e. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar). –Elliot(T-C) 22:19, 4 July 2009 (UTC)
It does carry the connation of pulling an electrical cord from an outlet, but I've also read "Pulling the plug" as an allusion to pulling a drainplug from a bath. —Dark Spark 19:57, 26 July 2009 (UTC)
After some quick research I came upon this:
The first citation is from Florence Nightingale’s Notes on Nursing of 1859: “As well might you have a sewer under the room, or think that in a water closet the plug need be pulled up but once a day”, and one from 1919 remarks on “A real Victorian W.C. with a pull up plug”.
I think this dispels any thought if it being an anachronism. --Elliot talk 20:43, 26 July 2009 (UTC)
Actually I'm not so sure; neither of those use the term in the context of stopping something. All the sources I can find suggest that the latter meaning dates from the 1970s and derived from switching off a life support machine. –rpehTCE 10:01, 27 July 2009 (UTC)

"I read the note that Hieronymus Lex dropped" Inquiry[edit]

I picked up the note but I noticed the journal entry doesn't update to reflect this. I was curious if this was because there's something wrong with the game or if it's not supposed to include that journal update. 99.9.117.111 12:11, 2 June 2013 (GMT)

I just experienced the same problem. I also noticed that Hieronymus Lex's dialogue cuts off before you're able to move, so I'm guessing there's just something wrong with the programming. Either way, it looks like the only negative consequence of this is that the journal entry doesn't appear; you're still able to continue the quest by returning to Methredhel. At least it just ended up being a minor issue compared to the myriad quest and game breaking bugs throughout the game, right? 99.9.117.111 12:11, 2 June 2013 (GMT)

i need some serious help[edit]

hey

I need some help with thieves guild quest "Misdirection"

Before i even got this far I had a few friends over and they too play the game. They went into the testing hall and picked up the ice staff. Now I'm truly screwed seeing as i don't have the note.

If a had a player.additem ******** 1 code for the note thn I would be happy as larry.

If any1 could help me out then that would be great!

Thanks for reading if you did.

Anon — Unsigned comment by 86.3.184.170 (talk) at 16:56 on 7 October 2009

There are actually three different notes associated with the quest. Here are the IDs for all three, plus the Ice Staff:
  • Notes: A1B1, A256, A23B
  • Ice Staff: 2DDF
Good luck with the quest. —Robin Hood (TalkE-mailContribs) 18:41, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

Misleading information?[edit]

As I have not tested this whatsoever I do not know if this is true, so I ask.

"Killing any of the following NPCs whilst this quest is active will require you to pay a blood price to S'Krivva:"

  • Bothiel
  • Caranya
  • Mage Apprentice (×9)
  • Mage Scholar
  • Hannibal Traven
  • Imperial Legion Battlemage
  • Irlav Jarol
  • Ontus Vanin
  • Raminus Polus

Now how can you kill Caranya, Hannibal Traven, or Raminus Polus? As they are essential NPC's I thought it was impossible to do so. Anyone care to answer me? -Blackmystix 03:16, 17 October 2009 (UTC)

It is impossible by playing the game normally --Rigas Papadopoulos 06:02, 25 September 2010 (UTC)

Raminus Polus[edit]

In the section Blood Prices, it shows which mages are essential, but Raminus Polus is essential too and wasn't shown as being essential in the article. — Unsigned comment by Bryanmichael11 (talkcontribs) at 22:10 on 22 November 2009

You are very correct. I'll make the change to the main page - thanks for pointing it out. -- Krusty 22:47, 22 November 2009 (UTC)

Alternate journal dialouge?[edit]

I'm just as curious as to how exactly the UOP explains why you have to steal from yourself :P

Well, I think originally it would have talked like Traven was still alive, so the UOP changed it to reflect the fact that you are the arch-mage. Still, when you talk to Methredhel, she talks about when the arch-mage sleeps, which is moot.

I got this quest before i was eligible to[edit]

I just finished Ahdarji's Heirloom and i was just standing outside S'Krivva's home and there is that beggar near the Bravil north gate - Wretched Aia. I go talk to her (for no good reason) and i see i have an option to talk her about "S'Krivva". So i choose it and she says "i need my memory refreshed" or something like that. I give her some money and what hapenned? I got the quest Misdirection added to my quest list... I hadn't even fenced 300 gold yet. 80.240.21.214 22:25, 28 February 2010 (UTC)

Looks like this is a scripting problem, where the game doesn't check that you have 300 gold. The beggars have that topic enabled once Adharji's Heirloom is finished so you technically can start this quest early. This will need further checking however. --SerCenKing Talk 19:08, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

Bug : Lex lost in the woods!![edit]

I'd be surprised if anyone else encountered this problem. At the beginning of this quest, I went up to Lex in the shacks area. Since my bounty wasn't cleared, he tried to arrest me. I resisted and then ran not wanting to kill him. But Lex followed me into the river (Upper Niben) and then the woods (Nibenay Basin) and I lost him there.

Here's the problem, he's still stuck in the woods. So when I need to go spy on him to hear his discussions later in the quest, the map shows he's still in the Nibenay Basin woods. When I go there and get close to him, the game freezes. He never gets back to the shacks area. How silly!

Eric 70.82.209.73 00:20, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

Lex No Where To Be Found![edit]

I have the same problem as the last guy, ive done everything up to "I gave the icestaff to Methredhel etc etc" so i now need to spy on Lex, problem being, hes not there! Ive done more-or-less everything else in the game (including having a 200k+ bounty and fighting with lex somewhere out in the forest) this is, im assuming, why he isnt there anymore! Scanned over the entire map and theres nothing indicating where he should be. HELP

Go to your quest journal and select the "independent thievery" I dont remember any quest where you have to spy on lex... been awhile though. MikeTalk 23:22, 12 June 2010 (UTC)
It's right after talking to Methredhel after stealing the staff. You just have to go up to him and observe a conversation.
This might be a little late, but try getting arrested by him again, and then resisting arrest and running back to that area. — Unsigned comment by 76.21.230.121 (talk) at 19:52 on 8 August 2010

Note[edit]

can anybody please tell me why when i try to put the note in the nightstand it wont do it it wont even tell me that it has been done im checking if its the wrong nightstand buts theres only 1 cany anybody help... and im playing on the xbox 360 feel free to contact me at jimmybob97@gmx.com — Unsigned comment by 178.99.229.16 (talk) at 08:16 on 1 September 2010

Dremora killed[edit]

is it possible to kill the Dremora that Lex talks to or will you be suspended from mages guild, or will you have to pay a blood price? Secret Chief 18:36, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

You can't move after the Dremora appears, and you can't move again until it leaves. Did you use the console to re-enable controls? Why would you want to kill it anyway, to get his heart, he doesn't drop anything anyway. Go to a Conjurer cave if you still needs the hearts to get reinstated but do not kill him, it will likely break the Thieves Guild quest chain. He isn't a member of the mage's guild though so don't worry about expulsion from the Mage's guild. Alpha Kenny Buddy 18:55, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

Removed Note[edit]

If this happens you can keep the staff for yourself and get a second one if you don't give it to the thieves guild and once you are Arch-Mage (or just before asking for the promotion) it appears in the Arch-Mage's room like it is supposed to happen when it is not stolen. You may also have a third one if you take both previous copies before the original Arch-Mage dies, then when it happens take it from his body. A possible explanation for this is that if you have to pay the blood price and take the staff it is not recorded as stolen and will appear a second time in the room and if you take those just before getting promoted to Arch-Mage, you can take another one from Hannibal Traven's body because he always has one on him.

I've removed this from the article. It's poorly written and hard to understand. If someone can verify and re-write this, then maybe it should go on the page. Legoless 01:06, 17 March 2011 (UTC)

Moved note.[edit]

  • Doing the Dark Brotherhood quest "A Watery Grave" during the Waterfront invasion can make the former quest easier, as there are more guards around than usual to attack the pirates.

Why should we have this note put on the page because it doesn't "interact" , to say , with the quest. Thoughts ? JackTurbo95 18:24, 19 April 2011 (UTC)

Agreed. It's badly worded, and if it belongs anywhere it belongs on the Watery Grave quest page. Legoless 18:30, 19 April 2011 (UTC)
It's a long sentence, and technically (if you want to be all extreme grammar-nazi about it) there should be commas before and after "A Watery Grave", but it is most definitely not badly worded. Compared to the last entry, it's perfect. Anyways, it going on the quest page would be a good idea.
Okay, moved to A Water Grave and reworded. Robin Hoodtalk 03:25, 24 February 2012 (UTC)

Misdirection glitch help!?[edit]

ok so i play on pc went into the training hall and got the icestaff there. and i got another also from the archmages drawers and i but when i speak to methredill about it i can only so i don't have help me? CrazyCow01 21:35, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Get rid of one of the icestaffs from your inventory and try it again. If they're marked as quest items, remove one via console commands. Legoless 22:13, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Dremora attacks Lex instead of giving him the note[edit]

After I gave the staff to Methredhel, I go to Waterfront and when I'm within earshot the Dremora appears but instead of giving Lex the note he attacks him. I have waited but they keep fighting and nothing happens. What can I do? — Unsigned comment by 95.20.57.232 (talk) at 11:46 on 25 January 2013

Bloodworm Helm Issue[edit]

During The Bloodworm Helm quest, I attempted to obtain a second copy of the helm by resurrecting and cloning Irlav Jarol using the console, then killing both of them in the same way. It worked, but I am now stuck with a quest item version of the bloodworm helm in my inventory.

I cannot remove it using the console, since every BaseID provided on uesp.net (or elsewhere on the web, it seems) for the Bloodworm Helm are for the leveled version you get after being named Arch-Mage.

Could someone give me the BaseID for the level 25+ version of the bloodworm helm? It might be pertinent to add those BaseIDs to the bloodworm helm page as well.

Thank you. — Unsigned comment by 24.202.72.95 (talk) at 14:57 on 30 July 2013 (GMT)

You don't get it back after becoming the Arch-Mage. The IDs listed here should be correct. —Legoless (talk) 17:04, 30 July 2013 (GMT)

Stage 15 for Arch-Mages[edit]

The text shown in the quest log for stage 15 differs from that shown in the article

It is: The Mages Guild has kept the deaths of Traven and the council well-hidden; even the Thieves Guild is unaware that I am now Arch-Mage. Methredhel's plan to force Hieronymus Lex to lift his siege of the Waterfront involves four others and I going on a crime spree and each stealing a high-profile item. I've been assigned to steal Hrormir's staff from my own quarters at the Arcane University! She's given me a note to leave in my nightstand. I'll remain quiet about my Mages Guild title so my loyalties aren't questioned.

It's one of the funniest lines I've seen in the game and I hope it's worth including in the article.

FYI I confirmed the stage number via the console; I did not check any of the game files to confirm my transcription.

152.44.150.22 01:18, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

I've edited your quote to match the in-game text. Unfortunately this quest stage is added by a mod (the unofficial patch) and is not vanilla behaviour. As such I don't think it should be noted on the page. —⁠Legoless (talk) 12:28, 20 January 2022 (UTC)