Oblivion talk:A Watery Grave

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Different method[edit]

Hello everybody, I'm new here, so if this doesn't belong here, please say so.

There is a other way to do this quest, I wanted to use the ship to store my stuff in there. So when I was about level 5 I stepped on the ship, this caused three pirates to attack me, the guard took care of them all. The funny thing is that when you have done so, you'll have to kill a other pirate, and that seems easier than the way described on this page. You just sneak inside at night, go to the captains cabin and attack him. you can kill him in about three blows. You loot his body and take his key and go out through the back, his fellow pirates will be too late too come in. I heard them knocking on the door and they we're about to come in, but you can just run away throught the back. It's very simple.

  • I wonder if I 'broke' this quest - before I got the quest, I triggered a fight outside the ship (by taking stuff from the crates in plain sight of the pirates). Town guard came running in, killed some of them - other characters fought the remaining pirate until he was dead. I wonder when I try to go through these missions whether the captain/crew will still be alive, or if all those NPCs are dead? — Unsigned comment by 70.48.5.75 (talk)
I don't think the captain actually exists until you start this quest; two of the pirates are also only enabled when you are given the quest. So I doubt that you broke the quest. --Nephele 03:01, 9 January 2007 (EST)


I haven't done this quest (I am not in the DB), but I accidentally triggered part of it when I innocently strayed onto the ship and got unexpectedly attacked by what I learned (after they were killed by the guards) were pirates. Following this I proceeded to search the now deserted ship for loot, and I found (I think both on the same ship, but one may have been on the ship in Anvil) a couple of cryptic notes. One of them contained vague directions to a location near to a house with a collapsed roof where you were told to knock twice to gain entry, and the other referred to something (a treasure?) hidden in a mechanism somewhere. Does anyone know for certain if these are both the red-herrings that I suspect them to be?These are just random notes placd everywhere in the world to make it seem more realistic. I've seen about 10 notes like that before.

Also, those players who want to keep a clean criminal record should be aware that when I took the nirnroot plant from the captain's cabin thinking that it was OK because the hand icon was not red, I later discovered that it had been counted as a theft (this isn't the only instance of entrapment that I have encountered in the game). --Armod195.92.67.75 21:26, 27 February 2007 (EST)

Killing the pirates outside of the ship before starting the quest is a great idea and running to a guard so he kills them is also good.Once you finish the quest,you can use the ship as a house since it has lots of containers and space to decorate it with the cutlasses you got from the pirates :).

Safe as a House?[edit]

Is the pirate ship safe as a house? Or do the containers and various things inside the ship respawn? — Unsigned comment by 207.69.19.49 (talk) on 15 July 2008

The captain's chest in the captain's quarters is not respawning, so Marie Elena is a free house. — Unsigned comment by 195.204.26.36 (talk) on 9 January 2009
The captain's chest doesn't respawn and some of the other containers don't either. On the other hand, some chests and drawers do respawn, so be very careful before storing anything in the ship. –RpehTCE 07:59, 9 January 2009 (EST)

Leveled gold?[edit]

Need someone to verify and edit something.

"However you complete the job, when done return to Vicente for some leveled Gold and Black Band.."

I don't think you get leveled gold from this quest, and the gold is not mentioned at the top of the page under 'rewards'. I've got several mods installed so I can't confirm myself whether or not you earn any gold from this quest if just using the base game with no mods, otherwise I would edit it myself. 68.187.116.21 08:56, 9 April 2009 (EDT)

You're absolutely correct, there's no gold award of any kind for this quest. I've made the appropriate change to the page. --Robin Hood (TalkE-mailContribs) 15:12, 9 April 2009 (EDT)

Note on Captain's Desk?[edit]

Any significance to the note on the captain's desk? It appears to be a code of some sort. — Unsigned comment by 75.175.38.1 (talk) on 28 April 2009

Nope. That note is also found in Jesan Sextius' House and in Cutter's weapons (if you have Shivering Isles). –RpehTCE 02:44, 28 April 2009 (EDT)

Subtle hint...[edit]

Well, I believe that First Mate Malavis wanted the captain killed. Because if you listen to the redgaurd and the old imperial talking down in the deck below, the imperial says, "The captain will end up dead with her around" after they were talking about malivus. I think this is a subtle hint that Malivus ordered the captain's execution to become captain herself. Any thoughts on this?--Arch-Mage Matt 15:47, 18 July 2009 (UTC)

Good observation! I've added a small mention of it to the article. Jayden Matthews 16:40, 18 July 2009 (UTC)
I have moved this from the talk page for now:
Some of the Pirates will voice their distrust of Captain Tussaud's First Mate Malvulis, and their fears that the Captain will "end of dead with her around". This may be a subtle hint as to who hired the Dark Brotherhood.'
We will need the entire dialogue in order to add it, and we need proof that the pirates are the only ones who say it. --Elliot(T-C) 16:56, 18 July 2009 (UTC)

The dialogue is between "DarkPirate03" and "DarkPirate04" - the two pirates on the Mid Deck of the Marie Elena:

DarkPirate03: "I'm telling ya, lad, it's bad luck. A woman onboard a pirate vessel! Back in my day, it never would've happened."
DarkPirate04: Oh, come now. How many times has Malvulis saved our necks, huh? Captain Tussaud keeps her on for a reason. She's a better sailor than any one of us.
DarkPirate03: Ho, there, laddie, now you're just bein' insultin'! She may be tougher than me, and meaner too, but a better sailor? It ain't even possible.
DarkPirate04: Oh, right, how could I forget. That time we were almost dashed upon those rocks, near the city of Firsthold. That was somebody else at the helm.
DarkPirate03: I told you a million times, that wasn't my fault! The wheel was covered with gull droppings! My hand slipped! Could've happened to anyone!
DarkPirate04: Well, it's never happened to Malvulis, has it? You know why? 'Cause she could sail better than you in her sleep, you old fool!
DarkPirate03: Bah! You mark my words, boy. That Dark Elf trollop is bad luck. The captain'll end up dead with her around. You'll see.
DarkPirate04: You'd better watch your tongue, old man! Captain Tussaud hears you talkin' like that, he'll cut it out! Now come on. We been gabbin' long enough.

I'm not convinced it means that the mate killed the captain. The pirates are referring to the old superstition that having a woman on board a ship was bad luck rather than talking about Malvulis attempting to kill the captain. I've posted this lot so others can make their own minds up. –rpehTCE 10:50, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

Yeah, if she hired the Brotherhood, she should have helped the player instead of trying to kill them as soon as they step on board. They were just saying she's bad luck.
DarkPirate03: Bah! You mark my words, boy. That Dark Elf trollop is bad luck.

--Darkheart 14:19, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

But they say the captain WILL END UP DEAD WITH HER AROUND. I think this should be added to the article.--Arch-Mage Matt 17:53, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

But still, it's not likely that she hired the Dark Brotherhood. That line was delivered as a point of irony, since the captain will, in fact, end up dead, pretty soon.--Darkheart 19:47, 26 July 2009 (UTC)
The dialogue is not enough to say one of the pirates hired the Dark Brotherhood. As Darkheart said, it was added for irony. --Elliot talk 21:35, 26 July 2009 (UTC)
Looking back on this, it does kind of make sense. If the captain dies, she becomes the new captain, and she does love the ship, and it would be hers upon the captains death. Plus, she can't exactley say "hey! are you here to kill my captain?" in front of the two ther pirates near her. Also, if she helped the player kill the captain, there would most likley be a mutiney on board. --Arch-Mage Matt 17:08, 3 October 2009 (UTC)
Even if that's true, then these two pirates shouldn't know anything about it. They're arguing over who's the better sailor, and whether or not having a woman aboard is bad luck. To say that Malvulis hired the Brotherhood is overthinking this conversation, which is meant to be added as a point of dramatic irony. As Vicente says, Gaston has shed blood as a pirate, and someone wants revenge. Besides, if this was the case, then she wouldn't remain in the waterfront looking to kill you on completion of the quest, and wouldn't the contract fail if you kill her or any other pirate besides the captain? Noticeably, ships can't go anywhere without a crew, so if Malvulis did hire the Brotherhood, she wouldn't want to kill you, she wouldn't want you to kill her, and she wouldn't want you to kill any other pirates besides the captain. --Darkheart 15:56, 4 October 2009 (UTC)
I mean the other two pirates next to her, that would attack you if you go on baord. They would try to kill her if they found out she was helping you. And since the Dark brotherhood is a secret guild, she doesn't know that you are in it.--Arch-Mage Matt 20:38, 4 October 2009 (UTC)
But if she was behind the contract, Vicente would have mentioned something along those lines, and you would also "fail" the contract, because the contract giver was slain. But, as Vicente said, the contract came from someone who was upset over the blood Gaston has shed, and has nothing to do with the ship. --Darkheart 01:56, 5 October 2009 (UTC)
I can see where you're getting at, but based on my own conjecture I believe that if Malvulis wanted to take the vessel, she'd be perfectly capable of mustering the support for a mutiney. Afterall the other pirates seem to think quite highly of her, she wouldn't need to request help from the Dark Brotherhood, wouldn't that be against some section of the pirate code anyway? Something about retaining honour? AzureSN 08:13, 5 October 2009 (UTC)
Not all the pirates like her, like darkpirate03. And I'm sure Malivus wasn't always first mate... she could have had friends... and family... besides, when you talk to her it really sounds like she loves the ship. if the captain dies, it would be hers.--Arch-Mage Matt 19:45, 6 October 2009 (UTC)
But if you kill her, then it wouldn't be hers, thus violating the terms of the contract, thus failing the contract. My guess is that the person who arranged the contract never actually appears in-game. --Darkheart 00:37, 7 October 2009 (UTC)
But the game does suggest that you stow in the crates... eliminating the encounter with malivus.--Arch-Mage Matt 01:20, 7 October 2009 (UTC)
Eliminating the encounter with Malivus so you don't get whooped at Level 2 having to face off against three pirates. It's just a suggestion, meaning you don't have to take it. --Darkheart 13:26, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

There are some good arguments on both sides, but I still think we should add a comment on the page to see what other people think of it.--Arch-Mage Matt 19:25, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

No. There is no obvious proof and guesswork does not belong on the main pages. Lets just keep it here and let people decide for themselves. --Krusty 19:36, 7 October 2009 (UTC)
Fine, you win. This was a long argument though.--Arch-Mage Matt 20:08, 7 October 2009 (UTC)
yes, and we both brought up some very good points, but I don't think Bethesda would give that subtle of a hint. Good argument though. --Darkheart 01:20, 14 October 2009 (UTC)

Broke the quest?[edit]

So I ran out of the Captain's room during the hunt, and he followed me. The guards proceeded to wipe out the pirates, and the captain. The captain is dead (by the guards' hands), but the quest is not finished. I have no way of finishing the quest, and Vincente constantly tells me that he's not dead. I'm on the Xbox version. Any advice?66.75.246.115 06:39, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

I assume you mean other than loading a previous save? I had a similar problem when I led the captain on a chase, he followed me onto the waterfront and he was brutally mobbed, unfortunately the finishing blow not mine. I don't think there is a solution, just keep in mind in future, stuff like this is frequent in Oblivion. ALWAYS save before attempting a mission (especially on consoles) AzureSN 08:03, 5 October 2009 (UTC)

Invisibility[edit]

Just a little tip for people with low security but high illusion skills. Instead of taking the back door you can use an invisibility spell to sneak on board and go through the front door, also leading to the cabin. — Unsigned comment by 86.88.221.67 (talk) on 1 October 2009

Do the pirates disapear?[edit]

Well.. i killed the captain and i got out before those two pirates came in. I shot one in the face and both of them chase me and after a couple seconds they disapear right behind me. Is this normal or scripted because they should go in the captains quarters?— Unsigned comment by 71.132.137.245 (talk) at 17:16 on 22 August 2010

According to the article (which I've put there myself): Any pirate you do not kill, will, upon completion of this quest, remain looking for you in the Waterfront District in order to kill you. This indicated that the pirates remain alive till they die, so no scripted death or disappearance. Don't know if they are scripted to enter the captain's quarter. Talk Wolok gro-Barok Contributions 20:23, 23 August 2010 (UTC)

Can anyone verify that using a poison apple doesnt alert guards?[edit]

Because it did for me, but that could be because I waited in the room to make sure he ate it.--Catmaniac66 15:00, 26 May 2011 (UTC)

A poison apple is eaten by the NPC from either their inventory or from their area. The player is not involved at all (unless you are caught pickpocketing of course). It is impossible to get a bounty from them eating the apple. You could still be caught for say trespassing. --DKong27 Talk Cont 19:27, 26 May 2011 (UTC)
I can see how that could be read that way. I know you dont get a bounty but I was reading that as the guards he has that walk in after the battle. And since it says no one is alerted, my original question still stands, although I didnt explain that I was meaning people other than guards, I picked the wrong word.--Catmaniac66 19:30, 26 May 2011 (UTC)