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So, you’ve made the decision to walk through that strange door in the middle of nowhere inThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. You heard the voice calling you in, and now you’ve met the mysterious man who made you an offer to venture through the Fringe. Now, here you stand in a distant, unknown land, with nothing but a mission to find the Gatekeeper and pass through the Gate of Madness.
You knew this wasn’t going to be an easy journey - it’s an adventure, after all. The real questions now are how you’re going to deal with the formidable Gatekeeper, how to get past the Gate of Madness, and, most importantly, which door you’ll choose to walk through in the end? With all the questions you have, we’ve got the answers you need to make it through.
How To Start The Through The Fringe Of Madness Quest
At the end of the A Door in Niben Bay quest, you will need to make a decision with Haskill andagree to enter the Fringe, which will grant you access to the Shivering Isles.
As soon as you’re inside,the Through The Fringe Of Madness quest will begin, and you’ll need to make your way to Passwall.
To the north,you’ll find the Gatekeeper who holds the keys needed to progress.
However, this is a very powerful enemy, and while you can try to defeat it through normal combat,the fight will be brutal and likely take a long time.
Fortunately, the quest introducestwo primary ways to defeat him and obtain the necessary keys.
Before you may attempt to turn the fight in your favor, you first need to go around and ask the people of Passwall about the Gatekeeper to gather some information. They will mention two individuals:Relmyna VerenimandJayred Ice-Veins.
How To Defeat The Gatekeeper
Relmyna Verenim Path
After you make your way to theWastrel’s Purse innand head to the upper floor,you should find Relmyna Verenim in her room.
Speak to her to learn more about the Gatekeeper, but the catch is that you need towait until midnight and then meet her at the Gatekeeper’s location, as she visits him every night.
You must not be seen by anyone at all, so ensure your Sneak skill is high or use an Invisibility spell and keep your distance.
After their conversation, a prompt will appear saying that Relmyna left a handkerchief behind,and you need to pick it up. Doing so will give you a few bottles calledRelmyna’s Tears.
This item can be used toinfuse your primary weapon, which will help youdeal enough damage to the Gatekeeper.
Jayred Ice-Veins Path
Jayred Ice-Veins can be found somewhere around town, and you’ll receive a quest marker after speaking with Sheldon. Once you locate him, talk to him, and he will explain thathe needs to craft special arrows to help take down the Gatekeeper.
After you agree to help, follow him as he leads you tothe Gardens of Flesh and Bone, located at the top of the hill west of Passwall. The door will be locked, so you’ll need to lockpick it.
Inside,you’ll encounter several Shambles enemies, defeat them, and Jayred will begincollecting bones from the defeated foes.
When you speak to him afterward, he’ll say he’s going to start crafting the arrows and thatyou should wait a few hours for them to be ready.
After the wait, speak to him again at his house, and he will tell you the arrows are ready andgive you 20 Gatekeeper Bone Arrows to use.
These arrows deal significant damage to the Gatekeeper and will help in defeating it.
Whichever method you choose to defeat the Gatekeeper, once it is slain, loot its body toobtain both the Key to Mania and the Key to Dementia.
Haskill will then appear and explain that you need to choose which key to use on which door, andthis is where you must make a decision.
Which Gate Of Madness Should You Pick?
Mania Door
The Mania door is the one on the left side, and when you choose it, you will receive theBlessing of Mania, which is aFrenzyGreater Powerthat you’re able to use.
This will lead you tothe town of Bliss, where you can explore, and the atmosphere isgenerally brighter overall.
Dementia Door
The Dementia door is the one on the right side, and when you choose it, you will receive theBlessing of Dementia, which is a Demoralize Greater Power that you can use.
This will lead you to thetown of Crucible, which has adarker and grimmer atmosphere.
Either way, you will need to make your way to Sheogorath’s Palace and speak with the Prince of Madness, Sheogorath himself, to complete the quest.
Which One To Choose?
Honestly,it is entirely up to you, as there is no real difference in the long run beyond the visual style and atmosphere of each area and the blessing.
