Oblivion:A Ring of Keys

A treasure hunt in Pale Pass leads to a magical ring hidden many years ago by an unlucky thief (non-journal). Quest Giver: Thief's Message inside a Frozen Barrel Location(s): Pale Pass Concurrent Quest: Lifting the Vale Reward: Circlet of Omnipotence

Roll out the barrel

Quick Walkthrough

Note: This quest does not appear in your journal. You must start Lifting the Vale quest before Pale Pass even shows up on your map.

1. Find four containers in order near the fort in Pale Pass.
2. A key found in each one allows you to open the next.
3. In the last container is the Circlet of Omnipotence which grants +3 Fortify each to Agility, Endurance, Speed, Strength, and Willpower.

Detailed Walkthrough

All chest locations on the local map

When to Begin the Quest

While on the quest Lifting the Vale, you will go through the Serpent's Trail to Pale Pass and follow the path to the ruined fort. Once you reach the ruined fort, you're ready to find the treasure.

Treasure Trail

There are four containers to be found. The first three have a key to another container, and the last one has the Circlet of Omnipotence.

1. Frozen Barrel – east of the westernmost tower embedded in ice (southeast of the entrance to the Mouth of the Serpent). This barrel contains a Rusty Key and a Crumpled Note from some unlucky thief informing you that he has hid a magical ring in a chest.
2. Rusty Chest – inside the westernmost tower. Search carefully to find this chest, as it is hidden by grass and partially buried in the ground. Search along the inner wall northwest of the tall tree. This chest contains the Old Key.
3. Old Chest – located southeast of the entrance to the Mouth of the Serpent. Follow the path back towards the Serpent's Trail, past the statues on either side, and you will reach a fallen column. Travel in the direction pointed to by the column, and look behind the group of large rocks that you see, you can tell this group of rocks as there is a small curved piece of ruined wall pointing towards the chest. This chest contains the Forgotten Key.
4. Forgotten Chest – southwest of the Serpent's Trail. The final chest is just to the west close to the door you used to enter the pass. Facing away from the door turn left and follow the wall of rocks. You will see 4 trees, the chest is just next to a rock to the right of the second tree, half buried in the grass making it very difficult to spot. This chest contains the Circlet of Omnipotence.

Notes

• The Prima Official Game Guide calls this quest "A Ring of Keys".

Bugs

• All of the chests in Pale Pass respawn, so you can return to the Forgotten Chest in a week and take another Circlet. You cannot wear two Circlets of Omnipotence at once, but you can sell one or put it in your storage.
  • The Unofficial Oblivion Patch, version 2.1.0, fixes this bug.