The Entire Story of The Mages Guild - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion EXPLAINED

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  • Опубліковано 21 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 135

  • @mz2486
    @mz2486 6 місяців тому +150

    This is like a dream come true for me... 3 hours of relaxing Oblivion content from Bard. Thank you for doing what you do!

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +12

      I hope you enjoy it and thank you for supporting me! :)

    • @joebrice
      @joebrice 6 місяців тому

      Checkout dark lore dash

    • @prismriot4910
      @prismriot4910 5 місяців тому +3

      Surprised he could make time for it instead of hunting for chimes

    • @asdasd-kj8we
      @asdasd-kj8we 2 місяці тому

      3​@@ABardsBallad

    • @asdasd-kj8we
      @asdasd-kj8we 2 місяці тому

      😁 😁 die 76236655666366663566 539 64th 6666636366 539 64th die so sind 66456 539 64th 6th oder 616479819&wl13 56 539 64th6536336356656636335665365663656353 539 64th 501107745824&wl4 66th 636 616479819&wl13 539 64th 3239&adid 6th 6th 6.50 😁 501107745824&wl4 501107745824&wl4 501107745😢824&wl4 26th 43

  • @sivi151
    @sivi151 6 місяців тому +69

    to be honest, if you run out of oblivion content, just start over again. i can PROMISE we all will watch all of it again.

    • @0tt0z
      @0tt0z 6 місяців тому +6

      You know, I would watch again. 😂😂😂

    • @Elliasal
      @Elliasal 5 місяців тому +1

      ​@@0tt0zoh probably the dozenth channel from the average fan on youtube I'd assume?

    • @someonesomething825
      @someonesomething825 5 місяців тому

      @@Elliasalli nkoppoooooooooooppppppppppppppppp oooooooooh ii

    • @someonesomething825
      @someonesomething825 5 місяців тому

      @@0tt0zi

    • @XSilver_WaterX
      @XSilver_WaterX 4 місяці тому +1

      Doing Oblivion challenges like Battle Wizard only or daggers only would be fun to watch?

  • @DrarayneThelas
    @DrarayneThelas 6 місяців тому +23

    Playing oblivion from a younger age, and morrowind, these games made me feel like I was somebody great in real life, like it gave me a constant confidence boost. I love this game.

  • @meropemessias
    @meropemessias 6 місяців тому +39

    I'll have to jump here and defend poor Erthor. I dont belive he is a necromancer. You see, you can conjure those zombies, and the spells to do so are bought in the guild. Since it's the guild who enforces the necomancy ban, we have to assume that those undead are not produced, but called from some oblivion realm (i place my bets on coldharbour).
    Earlier, we head about a "scamp problem" that was part of the reason he was banned to the cave. So, its reasonable to assume that hes a conjuration mage. And that he's good at conjuring creatures... But not controlling them
    (Also, I think that him being a coward is a dig into conjuration mages, since, you know, they summon creatures to hide behind)
    Awesome video btw, its keeping me company while I work 🖤

    • @hungrytaco6879
      @hungrytaco6879 5 місяців тому +1

      Well that’s exactly what conjuration magic does, it summons something from a plane of oblivion so you’re right about dead. This should include the summon zombie spell

    • @zecaptainpegleg8820
      @zecaptainpegleg8820 15 днів тому

      Skyrim unironically had a closer form of necromancy compared to oblivion even though oblivion had a better magic system.

  • @bdd4556
    @bdd4556 5 місяців тому +38

    IMO the dumbest part of this questline is where the council gets afraid that the necromancers will steal the magic artifacts so they take them away, this wouldn't be a problem, but the artifacts were IN THE UNIVERSITY, a place you can't enter unless you have explicit permission, it literally might be the safest place in all of Cyrodil

    • @lmno567
      @lmno567 5 місяців тому +9

      Tell that to the Thieves Guild.

    • @justinnyugen7015
      @justinnyugen7015 4 місяці тому +15

      Funnier is that if you join the thieve’s guild after becoming the mage guild master you are tasked with stealing…from yourself

    • @HappyBeezerStudios
      @HappyBeezerStudios 3 місяці тому +4

      And even if there were some magical barrier that you can't pass without permission (there is obviously none, as the thieves guild show), a majority of the necromancers defected from the mages guild.
      How hard would it be to tell a potential necromancer apprentice to get those artifacts as their version of a recommendation quest.
      "Oh, access to the the Arcane University is only permitted to guild members? If you want to prove your worth and commitment to the King of Worms, bring us that stuff!"
      After all, the mages guild recommendations send people on personal favours to the local guild hall leaders.

    • @stewartbrown7907
      @stewartbrown7907 10 днів тому

      I think a concern is for the safety of the city, if necromancers march on the university there would be civilian casualties. Iirc this is what Caranya says to Traven to try to convince him.

  • @The56567878
    @The56567878 6 місяців тому +45

    Have i already watched the mage's guild videos: yes
    Am i still going to watch the compilation of all the mage's guild videos?: also yes

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +4

      😂 that’s what I love to hear! I really appreciate the support! :)

  • @thebeastmodeism
    @thebeastmodeism 6 місяців тому +15

    My favorite oblivion content to date, your commentary really has an “adventurer’s podcast” kind of energy which makes it feel distinct from a typical guide or playthru. Keep up the good work, the more of the game you cover the more I look forward to seeing/hearing everything your Hero of Kvatch gets up to.

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +1

      Thank you my friend! :) I really appreciate the support and the kind words! :)

  • @RoryRichardBrown
    @RoryRichardBrown 6 місяців тому +28

    Sorry for the comment spam but can we talk about how based Traven is. Thanks to Skyrim, we know that anyone soul trapped at death is sent to that weird soul cairn where they suffer for all eternity. Traven likely knew this due to his knowledge of magic and yet he still soul trapped himself in order to protect you. Dude straight up sacrificed an eternity of peace in the afterlife for the guild. Like he genuinely cared regardless of what other people thought of the guild or what crap the counsel got up to
    Secondly this opens an entire avenue about Travens past. He had knowledge of necromancy, he knew how to soul trap and use black soul gems. It makes you think what he got up to before he became archmage
    Also, one final note, i will say i liked only seeing Manimarco once because, imo, the mage guild did a good job building him up as a villain but thats my opinion

    • @a-nus
      @a-nus 5 місяців тому +9

      interesting insight i never really put that together
      my only gripe is that the final showdown with mannimarco couldve been a little more epic, considering hes literally a god

    • @HappyBeezerStudios
      @HappyBeezerStudios 3 місяці тому

      Traven probably had a lot of contact with necromancy. That would explain why he banned it in the guild.
      And there is a mod for Mannimarco. Makes the fight much more epic, as it deserves to be.

  • @mujerloba3942
    @mujerloba3942 3 місяці тому +3

    UA-cam recommended your videos to me recently. I tried playing oblivion many moons ago and as a young girl, got stuck in oblivion with only broken weapons and I didn’t understand why so I quit lol
    I’m a Skyrim junkie, but have really enjoying hearing the storylines of oblivion, getting some background from before TESV. Thank you for the videos!

  • @PiercedHeartProductions
    @PiercedHeartProductions 2 місяці тому +3

    I just realized that one voice actor is the same one who does all the readings of CS Lewis writings.

  • @damienparoski2033
    @damienparoski2033 6 місяців тому +16

    Jeanne Frasoric: The Guild is always accepting new members. You seem capable enough, are you sure you want to join?
    Me: Why are you always accepting new members? Do you have a high turnover rate?
    Jeanne Frasoric: Oh yes, we lose members all the time. Sometimes we find them!
    Me: What do you mean that you find them? Do they get lost? Do they die off or something? ( nervous chuckle ) Obviously you mean they quit.
    Jeanne Frasoric: There are "accidents" some times. It can be a dangerous profession.
    Me: You are mages and scholars. How dangerous can it be? You can't be losing members down wells or having them turned into zombies.
    Jeanne Frasoric: (Stares blankly at the player) Would you like to join?
    Me: HECK NO! You guys are into some serious stuff. I bet you try and assassinate rival Guild leaders in other countries or trian you new recruits to kill your enemies in caves or someting!
    I am going to join a normal cult like the Dark Brotherhood....

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +6

      Jeanne was always an interesting person to put it lightly 😂

    • @HappyBeezerStudios
      @HappyBeezerStudios 3 місяці тому +2

      If you put it that way, the College of Winterhold suddenly seems much less careless.
      Oh, they're still atrocious at apprentice survival and member oversight, but at least they aren't an outlier.

  • @justinnyugen7015
    @justinnyugen7015 4 місяці тому +4

    I keep hearing “Neck Romancers” instead of necromancers and have a little chuckle each time

  • @hewhowatchesvideos8457
    @hewhowatchesvideos8457 6 місяців тому +12

    Love your content man, watched all chapters and now I’m watching this. Make work go by smooth.

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +1

      I really appreciate the support and I’m glad to hear it helps you with your work! :) cheers!

    • @hewhowatchesvideos8457
      @hewhowatchesvideos8457 6 місяців тому

      @@ABardsBallad cheers man.

  • @RoryRichardBrown
    @RoryRichardBrown 6 місяців тому +42

    "We have to confront an incel" I laughed so loud i woke up my cat 😂

    • @drewgoin8849
      @drewgoin8849 4 місяці тому +2

      I really enjoy Bard's videos. He occasionally inserts little humorous camera shots and other subtle tidbits that catch me off guard.

  • @thedragonlicker
    @thedragonlicker 6 місяців тому +5

    Big fan of the content and the format my friend. The lore focus is great and your own personal tales of playing the game add a homely touch. Can't wait to watch the rest of the channel

  • @jauneork278
    @jauneork278 5 місяців тому +14

    High elf in The Elder Scrolls Exists: I need you to do something for me. I guarantee you I'm not evil.

    • @Elyseon
      @Elyseon 5 місяців тому +5

      X: Doubt

  • @---on9qs
    @---on9qs 3 місяці тому +2

    Just watched the Dark brother hood video in 1 sitting. Now watching this. Thx for giving me a weekend of binging!

  • @theredwhirlwin
    @theredwhirlwin 6 місяців тому +9

    Took me a couple nights to finish, amazing content my bro!

  • @hysterical5408
    @hysterical5408 2 місяці тому +2

    Somehow, Mannimarco has returned.

  • @OIdmountain
    @OIdmountain 3 місяці тому +1

    Ive always liked what Dagail says. "Life and death are strange things easily manipulated and both will be altered by your hands"

  • @alexyuu952
    @alexyuu952 6 місяців тому +6

    This is what i was witing for 🎉 another full guild playthrough hell yeah!

  • @Elliasal
    @Elliasal 5 місяців тому +2

    Love how they sneak a fifth element reference into the quest line.

  • @Slyslug
    @Slyslug 6 місяців тому +4

    Oh damn dude, here I thought there were no more multi hour oblivion lore / retrospectives to watch.
    Edit: by the nine, your channel is full of this.

  • @Giffsen
    @Giffsen 3 місяці тому +2

    Never stop with the long format ones man, they're awesome!

  • @RDA000
    @RDA000 6 місяців тому +9

    Well you know, *the murders*

  • @CorvoFG
    @CorvoFG 6 місяців тому +5

    Awesome. Second monitor action for next week!

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому

      Glad you’re enjoying the videos! :)

  • @ArniesTech
    @ArniesTech 5 місяців тому +2

    Beautiful. The best content to listen to while cleaning the house or doing other chores. 🙏💖

  • @Seraphina-o4y
    @Seraphina-o4y 3 місяці тому

    When I tried playing Oblivion many years ago, I ended up in an Oblivion gate with only broken weapons and I quit out of frustration and went back to Skyrim. I had never played a game with repair mechanics, so by the time I knew I needed to care it was too late lol
    The being said, I absolutely adore all your stuff. I’ve watched most of what you have and am excited to see more. I’ve enjoyed seeing your narration and videos improve and will be here for a long time. I’m an Elder Scrolls lore junky, but I just don’t like MMO’s so ESO is out (I’ve tried a couple times). I’ve played Skyrim for hundreds of hours. I’ve been loving being able to follow someone along for the ride of Oblivion and meeting old characters that have long lasting effects in this world 💜

  • @Shinobi_Fox
    @Shinobi_Fox 3 місяці тому +3

    I do wish you could choose to side with Caranya and help Mannimarco in the Mages Guild questline. Like bring her the Bloodworm Helm to seal your loyalty to the necromancers and then help overthrow the mages guild and bring back necromancy.

  • @Drawica
    @Drawica 2 місяці тому +4

    My big takeaway from this questline is that female argonians are all the most competent and best at their jobs, and the altmer can't be trusted for shit.

  • @narosedraconis2424
    @narosedraconis2424 6 місяців тому +6

    I never tire of elder scroll mages.
    In Morrowind. Their like:
    Oh, you learned a master level spell... *Smacks you* Fool! You'll learn all my spells, no matter the level... or so help me Azura, I'll throw you into the red mountain myself. Otherwise your a waste of life!
    In Oblivion Their like:
    Welcome. I know, I'm awesome, and your barely worth my time... Mutter's to self. (How do I cast starlight again... Screw it, I'm joining the Necromancers)
    In Skyrim Their like:
    Oh my, you actually want to learn from us? This is wonderful news... Here's your room. Feel free to study "Any" magic you want. or tend a quick lesson or two. Oh! Mind the sliver haired Altmer. He's a guest, but sus has oblivion... We all know it. But "Our Archmage" is very lazy/passive... Sadly. So nothing gets done, unless your do it yourself. (Oh look! pretty orb. Why was it taken away again? I'm sure it's fine. Time to wander the library again.)

  • @novice0012
    @novice0012 2 місяці тому +1

    With Bruma recommendation, you could cast dispel on J'skarr and get the recommendation quicker, compared to Chorrol.

  • @erickolb8581
    @erickolb8581 5 місяців тому

    The very 1st time I ever played ES4, I played as an Imperial assassin build. It took me a little over 150 hours to get to level 30 before I took on any guild quests. Everything in the mages guild was super easy for me as long as it didn't involve killing undead. Pretty much all of my skill and equipment was made to kill hostile, living, NPCs easily. I frequently used a poison arrow to take most of them down in 1 hit. The poison was very heavy hitting.

  • @Dreamlink91
    @Dreamlink91 5 місяців тому +6

    Swedes talk to strangers with those facial expressions.

  • @xChaosFlower
    @xChaosFlower 6 місяців тому +6

    You can steal the staff back in the Bravil quest? I always used the scroll to charm him into selling it to me. I didnt think to use it on the wife 😭

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +5

      I honestly had no clue that stealing the staff was an option tbh 😂

  • @witikouwu
    @witikouwu 6 місяців тому +3

    This is perfect!! Thank you so much! ❤

  • @Sarcastic_Barbie
    @Sarcastic_Barbie 2 місяці тому

    Absolutely love this; new to the world and I’ve been binging on lore. Playing blades on my switch and oblivion/eso on Xbox

  • @Aurrisotheilia
    @Aurrisotheilia 5 місяців тому

    Can we talk about anvil having some of the best and most DRAMATIC missions

  • @ne_kitk_a
    @ne_kitk_a 3 місяці тому +1

    Arch Mage when shit gets real : aight, imma head out ✌️🧙‍♂️

  • @NineEyeRon
    @NineEyeRon 4 дні тому

    I had a drink every time I heard a new voice actor but I’m still sober.

  • @TheLastFighter
    @TheLastFighter 6 місяців тому +2

    W video man, this is a movies worth of content.

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому

      I appreciate it! :) yeah it’s definitely the longest video on this channel now 😂

  • @RoryRichardBrown
    @RoryRichardBrown 6 місяців тому

    I finally found a yt channel dedicated to Oblivion ❤

  • @teresauplinger1601
    @teresauplinger1601 6 місяців тому +4

    This is good stuff...memories 👍

  • @lorence5317
    @lorence5317 6 місяців тому +2

    Thank you for your work ❤

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +1

      I appreciate the support! :)

  • @paladinkhan
    @paladinkhan 3 місяці тому +1

    Yumyumyum longform oblivion content

  • @HockeyStatsMetrics
    @HockeyStatsMetrics 6 місяців тому +1

    Keep it up! Love your videos.

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +1

      I appreciate the support! Thank you! :)

  • @Ser_Matticus
    @Ser_Matticus 6 місяців тому +1

    While I enjoyed the mages guild quest line I wished you were able to do a bit of research more, rather than running errands. The arcane university is about teaching and research of the arcane arts.
    So shame we can’t do any said research, it would all be scripted stuff of course but still the idea of focusing more on the study side of magic would be neat.
    Imagine each school of magic allowing you to do a research quest for a boon related to that school.

  • @danielbroome5690
    @danielbroome5690 2 місяці тому

    The cool Manimarco became a God and left whatever vestige we got in Oblivion lol

  • @Deathly_Visage
    @Deathly_Visage 6 місяців тому +3

    Your videos are always great, however, for future reference Dagail is a Bosmer, not an Altmer.

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +3

      Cheers! Yeah I messed up on that one! Thanks for informing me!

  • @thorniestMaximus
    @thorniestMaximus 6 місяців тому +3

    To create a civil war mage college? You need only summon something then attack it then run away making the other mages attack it. Do this two or three times and the Battle mages will start fighting the regular mages enjoy

    • @Hunter-fs1nj
      @Hunter-fs1nj 3 місяці тому

      You can also make an illusion spell for maximum level and distance for three seconds and they will stay aggro’d

  • @emethborden3841
    @emethborden3841 6 місяців тому +1

    You’re awesome!

  • @JAIMEGARCIA-gw9re
    @JAIMEGARCIA-gw9re 6 місяців тому +3

    Great video. I tried going back to oblivion after watching many of your videos, but I could not get through after a few hours. The graphics and feel of the game just feel too outdated for me to enjoy it.

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +2

      I appreciate it! I get it honestly, it can be tricky to get past those things!

    • @a-nus
      @a-nus 5 місяців тому +1

      Back to fortnite lil zoombro

  • @UndeadxSanta
    @UndeadxSanta 4 місяці тому

    Great fun video thank you for it

  • @lalalanidani
    @lalalanidani 4 місяці тому

    When I first played this in '06 as a kid I immediately clocked Caminalda lmfao she is so suspicious

  • @yusukeurameshi3768
    @yusukeurameshi3768 6 місяців тому +1

    Im not going to lie the oblivion guild quests were levels beyond skyrims. The mages guild in skrim was so lack luster, honestly the best guild quest in skyrim was the dark brotherhood or theifs guild and even those were mid compared to oblivion. The companions were just stupid, all they do is go into boring nord ruins. Never played morrowind, and probably won't till skywind drops but im kinds excited to see what cool questlines there are

  • @TheTctoocold
    @TheTctoocold 2 місяці тому

    I love these videos

  • @GlassTarantulah
    @GlassTarantulah 6 місяців тому +1

    Thank you kind Sir! 💎💎

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)

  • @neotheresa
    @neotheresa 27 днів тому

    I’m convinced the reason it’s so easy to get into the College of Winterhold in Skyrim is because the insane amount of crap you had to do to get into the Arcane University

    • @MattressStore-dh8bs
      @MattressStore-dh8bs 7 днів тому

      No it's just Bethesda dumbing things down. They did they same kind of thing in Fallout 4.

  • @EvilOverlord1662
    @EvilOverlord1662 4 місяці тому

    Still better than the Mage's College in Skyrim

  • @grantburnett2542
    @grantburnett2542 5 місяців тому +2

    we don't get a lot of you anymore because of the, well you know, the murders. i don't like to talk about the murders. bad for business. but there have been murders on the road. just so you know. wouldn't be right to not say something about the murders.

  • @jiba572
    @jiba572 24 дні тому

    Will you do Gothic I and II

  • @bobawolfecoco3178
    @bobawolfecoco3178 6 місяців тому

    it would've been cool if we could've joined the nercromancers' side

  • @justsomeguy8352
    @justsomeguy8352 6 місяців тому +1

    Very very nice.

  • @djja8844
    @djja8844 6 місяців тому

    Hannibal is a vampire!

  • @Justanobody8472
    @Justanobody8472 2 місяці тому

    I would've liked to go to an actual class or lecture at the university

  • @theobock2714
    @theobock2714 20 днів тому

    Please more 😊

  • @rattat1186
    @rattat1186 4 місяці тому +2

    I hate how there is like 5 different voice actors throughout the entire game!

  • @tomfurlong3491
    @tomfurlong3491 3 місяці тому +1

    You played through the whole mages guild quest while fighting with a sword and in heavy armour. Why?

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  3 місяці тому

      That was our characters build!

    • @tomfurlong3491
      @tomfurlong3491 3 місяці тому

      @@ABardsBallad it seemed like you played through the thief's guild quest with a stealth type character thought you might have had multiple characters for the different guild quest lines

  • @stanleyschlosser7495
    @stanleyschlosser7495 3 місяці тому

    how did they enter bruma though it wouldnd hold up

  • @Madewith100percent
    @Madewith100percent 6 місяців тому +3

    I love you sm❤ 😭😭

    • @ABardsBallad
      @ABardsBallad  6 місяців тому +1

      Right back at ya :) thank you for the support! :)

  • @Kammithekiller
    @Kammithekiller 6 місяців тому

    hell yeah!

  • @sikAFskilz
    @sikAFskilz 3 місяці тому

    Literally the first task was out of your "skill level" that's why u had to pick it lol

  • @GoldenCompany-j2k
    @GoldenCompany-j2k 28 днів тому

    Hell yeah

  • @loganmccarthy9362
    @loganmccarthy9362 5 місяців тому

    What graphics mods u use?

  • @terrorpropaganda3171
    @terrorpropaganda3171 6 місяців тому

    Just played Oblivion last year again. Thanks for the great video. There is just something about these quests.

  • @RyanYoxo
    @RyanYoxo 6 місяців тому

    I always thought the king of worms was super underwhelming. Oblivion quests are top tier but mannimarco was garbage.
    Needed a unique voice actor at least and to be more op

    • @YouTubecanfuckagoat
      @YouTubecanfuckagoat 5 місяців тому

      Part of the issue was his very low magicka pool. He knew spells he couldn’t cast, as a result, would attack you with an iron dagger at level 42.

  • @grey_man8281
    @grey_man8281 6 місяців тому

    Yayy!!

  • @ItsDragonsAllTheWayDown
    @ItsDragonsAllTheWayDown 3 місяці тому

    2:15:09

  • @youtubeistrash2347
    @youtubeistrash2347 12 днів тому

    No time stamps? Wth

  • @TK--cv1uz
    @TK--cv1uz Місяць тому

    Sigh. Why is it no one EVER narrates the player?

  • @cmarsh9988
    @cmarsh9988 3 місяці тому +1

    Would much prefer this video if it had timestamps ngl. It's great otherwise though

  • @hitomisalazar4073
    @hitomisalazar4073 6 днів тому

    I like a lot of the Mage's Guild and how it's structured. It makes me wish Skyrim and Morrowind followed it a bit more. Having to get recommendations you at least get a small sampling of the things magic can do. Though the quests themselves, like a lot of Oblivion, are uneven. I felt they went all out with the first one most players would find (Chorrol) with the Fingers of the Mountain. You have a fairly simple thing that shows the reason the Mage's Guild kind of exists. That magic CAN be dangerous as the guy fried himself trying to get the Fingers of the Mountain spell. That there are those practitioners who are outside the Guild's Remit, and that the Guild views arcane knowledge itself as something that should be only its own domain, no competition. But you can play both sides to get that spell yourself. Which will also include an optional side quest to an Ayelid Dungeon to get a Welkynd Stone, which gives you a reason to explore those places (and there's a lot more of them than there are quests pointing to them), maybe even if you're lucky give you a hook into Umbacano's Quest if you picked the right one.
    But yeah, some of them drop off in effort that they seemed to put together afterwards like Anvil's which amounted to basically "Go to this inn, sleep there, then walk down the road" or "Find the guy pranking the Guild Hall leader".
    But I conceptually like the Oblivion Mage's Guild more than any other Mage's Guild type in the games. Because... you have to prove that you're at least a theoretically capable student (or at least capable of following orders if not magical ability). You get into the Arcane University for the effort you put in. In the University, you can actually attend classes. People give lectures on magic and such daily there. Which I found utterly fascinating and loved. I joined the Guild to learn... and they gave me a chance to actually learn in character and not through "Do a quest to increase your skill levels". Getting into the University for the first time, seeing the Spellmaker and Enchanter, the lectures, the dorms, etc. It felt "Right" and rewarding in a way that most other guilds did not.
    Now what lets me down about it is... most everything else. I dislike that magic isn't really required or even important to the progression of the Guild and its quests. I'm pretty sure the only time you're really required to use magic at all in it is... the Ayelid Ruin they send you to with the spell reactive puzzle? But even then, not really because they have a chest of scrolls there with all the effects you'll need. This is, oddly, something where Skyrim did better. There's not many moments. But there are actual moments where you're required to have magic of some sort and be ready to cast it in the game. Like with the Dwemer Observatory and focusing the crystal. Or the Saarthal Trap, or a few doors in the Labyrinthian Dungeon. Or even just to get into the Guild at all you have to cast an Apprentice Level spell, and unless you got lucky with "Firebolt" it probably required you to invest a little into being a mage (like if you got Flame Atronach which is by far the most common I get, you need to have put a few level ups into either Magicka or Conjuration Perks to cast it, you can't with your starting skills).
    I dislike that the Mage's Guild itself is a plotline about Necromancers for a Mannimarco Callback. It both removed the cool factor of that Daggerfall Character by giving him bad voice acting (and a goofy looking model as Oblivion tends to do), as well as something that was more interesting about magic in the Elder Scrolls. In that Necromancy was seen as a category of philosophy to be researched and reasoned with, sanctioned by the Empire and not what every other setting does of "oooh, necromancers are evil!". Which is what they did here.
    Except they're not when you dig into it. Necromancy is legal in the Empire. Traven just banned Necromancy from the Guild (Which is his right perhaps)... but then took it a step further by ordering the Guild and the Knights of the Lamp to go around purging any necromancers they could find. Like... the conflict is not some noble effort by Traven to resist some evil plot by the Necromancers. He started a war by going full purge mode on them, outside of the bounds of legality in the Empire (after all, unless they were committing another crime, Necromancers aren't illegal). You're not foiling some doomsday plot (as the game almost seems to treat it as at times).
    So it has this weird thing where the game presumes that I'm "Good" for doing Traven's bidding with the Necromancers. But... I'm not really. I'm going out to murder the crap out of people by what is Tamriel's equivalent of a religious fundamentalist going all pitchfork and torches mob on things he doesn't personally like. And the fact that the game barely recognizes it (Just like one generic rumor among mages wondering why he's doing this crusade) just makes it feel off. Most of the things I 'defend' against are attacks provoked by Traven's crusade striking first. Like Mannimarco was just chilling as the moon until his people all started dying in droves forcing him to come back for that very lame, disappointing encounter where he basically just slashes at me with a silver dagger after casting one (if that many) spells.
    In the end it makes "Archmage" feel hollow because the Questline stops being "Learn about Magic and Study" after the admittance to the academy and instead becomes "Be the chief executioner of a madman". Combined with the lack of need to actually do or explore magic in general... I feel less like "The Mage's Guild" at times when finishing it up and more like "The Crusader Asshat Guild". Honestly made me wish instead of naming me "Archmage" (something where I might have never cast a spell myself the whole time barring four scrolls for that one puzzle) it was instead something like "Knight-Champion of the Lamp" referring to their militant order, and most of what they have you do.
    Same issue with Skyrim really, I don't feel like an "Archmage" finishing that as there's relatively low magical competency asked, and in the end your quest was more about delving dungeons on orders instead of learning about magic (I loved the Ward Lesson, showing off a new type of magic to the series you might not have used yet and actually being a class on magic). Like if they named me "Grand Protector of the College" I would have said "Yeah that makes sense". When instead someone not even in the College says "Hey you're the Archmage now", and hell, it means nothing, not even a discount at the College Stores for being the Archmage... yeah it's very hollow sounding. Particularly because the final test wasn't some grand challenge of my understanding of Magic or anything. It was to use a staff on a widget (Though plus side again, actually requiring magic for the boss fight compared to Oblivion) then hit a guy really hard with a sword.
    I suppose I hope the next game kind of recognizes the itch of players who join a "Mage's Guild" of one kind of another might actually be interested in magic and explore it more. Instead of focusing on combat and some Big Bad that needs to be punched out. Require magical talent to actually progress through it. Like silly as it is, I liked things like having to use magic to focus the Dwemer Observatory in the College of Winterhold. Having to use Magic to break the barriers in the Labyrinthian. Use magic to escape the Sarthaal trap. Use magic to even get into the College to start with, use Magic (a staff admittedly) to actually fight the end boss. They were VERY minor touches. But by comparison? Very nice minor touches and hopefully something they turn into, instead of avoid.