For those diving into the walkthrough of Oblivion Remastered, getting an early advantage with strong weapons can make a huge difference—especially when facing the Arena or joining up with the Dark Brotherhood. One of the best and easiest ways to gain an edge in the early game is by completing the short side quest, An Unexpected Voyage. This mission isn’t just simple—it also rewards you with a powerful enchanted weapon: the Blackwater Blade, a Steel Longsword that absorbs fatigue, staggering enemies with repeated hits.
This guide covers every step of the quest, dialogue options you need to select, and how to walk away with the Blackwater Blade without shedding more blood than necessary.
Walkthrough of Oblivion Remastered: How to Start An Unexpected Voyage Quest
To begin the quest, head to the Imperial City Waterfront District, where you’ll find a docked ship called The Bloated Float. This seemingly innocent inn is where your journey begins.
- Go inside and speak to Ormil, the ship’s innkeeper.
- Rent a room for 10 gold.
- Ormil will lead you to the lower deck and assign you the left-hand room.
- Sleep in the bed to trigger the quest.
Upon waking, a prompt will appear letting you know the ship has set sail—surprise! You’re now part of a hostage situation, and you’ll need to bluff your way through a gang of pirates to resolve it.
Speak with Lynch and Free Graman gro-Marad
Once you leave your room, you’ll be confronted by Lynch, a member of the Blackwater Brigands.
- Select the dialogue option: “I’m a member of your gang.”
- After the exchange, kill Lynch in combat.
- Loot Lynch’s Instructions and the Storage Room Key from his body.
- Read the instructions from your inventory to gain useful information for future dialogue.
- Head to the Storage Room and unlock the door to free Graman gro-Marad, the ship’s bouncer.
Freeing Graman not only earns his gratitude, but ensures that the situation doesn’t escalate further with additional NPCs. He’ll hide out for the rest of the quest, keeping things calm.
Speak with Minx and Take the Top Deck Key
Now that Lynch is out of the picture, move toward the central area of the boat to encounter Minx, the next brigand.
Choose this specific dialogue path to keep the situation under control:
- “Yes. I’m here to assist her.”
- “Lynch set me up here.”
Minx, like Lynch, won’t believe you for long, and you’ll have to fight. Once you defeat her:
- Loot the Top Deck Key from her body.
- Head up the stairs above the bar to reach the top deck, where another gang member awaits.
This approach lets you continue infiltrating the gang without alerting every member at once.
Speak with Wrath and Obtain Ormil’s Cabin Key
On the Top Deck, you’ll come face to face with Wrath, a cautious but talkative gang member.
To maintain your cover, pick these dialogue options in sequence:
- “I’m awaiting orders.”
- “Three days ago.”
Wrath will still attack you after this brief exchange, so be ready. Once he’s down:
- Loot Ormil’s Cabin Key from his corpse.
This key is crucial to accessing the final room of the ship and facing off with the leader of the Blackwater Brigands.
How to Get the Blackwater Blade in Oblivion Remastered
Use Ormil’s Cabin Key to unlock the door behind the bar. Inside, you’ll find the gang’s leader, Selene.
To avoid unnecessary combat, use the following dialogue sequence:
- “I took the key from Wrath.”
- “I’m here to join the gang.”
- “…three months ago?”
- “To find the Golden Galleon.”
- “You mean in Bravil?”
Selene will fall for the deception and surrender without a fight. She’ll then hand over the Blackwater Blade, your reward for playing it smart.
What makes the Blackwater Blade so useful? Its enchantment, Absorb Fatigue, drains stamina from your enemies with every strike. This temporarily staggers or slows down opponents—perfect for close combat, especially in the Arena or stealth-based missions like those in the Dark Brotherhood questline.
Finish the Quest and Claim Your Gold
After you’ve received the Blackwater Blade:
- Head back to your original cabin.
- Selene will imprison herself in the private room.
- Sleep in your bed once more.
- You’ll awaken back at the Imperial City Waterfront.
- Speak to Ormil one last time for your reward: 75 gold.
Why You Should Do An Unexpected Voyage Early
- Short and simple: No confusing objectives or long dungeon crawls.
- Big reward for little risk: You fight only three enemies and get an enchanted sword.
- Great for roleplay: Whether you’re a brawler or a thief, the Blackwater Blade fits any build.
This quest is ideal for new players looking to gain powerful gear early on or anyone who enjoys dialogue-heavy questing with multiple outcomes.
Need More Oblivion Tips?
If you’re planning to go deeper into Cyrodiil, it’s worth checking out IGN’s Oblivion Wiki for a complete list of quests and guides. You can also find more immersive game details at the official Elder Scrolls site.
Whether you’re returning to Oblivion or playing the Remastered version for the first time, An Unexpected Voyage sets the tone for the kind of clever, rewarding gameplay the series is known for.
