The Imperial Prison
Your epic journey in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion commences within the confines of the Imperial Prison. This initial segment of the game serves as a crucial tutorial, guiding you through the fundamental mechanics of character creation and your very first steps in the world of Cyrodiil. Upon awakening, you will be tasked with escaping this grim establishment. This escape sequence is desed to introduce you to basic movement, interaction, and combat. Following your breakout, you will have your first pivotal encounter with Emperor Uriel Septim VII and members of the enigmatic Blades. It is during this meeting that the Emperor will impart a vital prophecy, one that lays the groundwork for the entirety of the main quest and the looming threat to the Empire. This prophecy is a cornerstone of the narrative, so paying close attention to its details is paramount for understanding your role in the unfolding events. Following this, you will engage in the character creation process, where you will select your race, appearance, and crucially, your class and births. The choice of class will determine your starting skills and proficiencies, while your births will grant you unique passive abilities or spells, sificantly influencing your playstyle and effectiveness throughout the game. Understanding the synergy between your chosen class and births is an early but important strategic decision.
Character Creation and Initial Escape
The escape from the Imperial Prison is more than just a narrative device; it's your first interactive lesson. You'll learn to pick locks, disarm traps, and engage in rudimentary combat. The enemies you face here are desed to be manageable, allowing you to experiment with different attack styles and defensive maneuvers. The Emperor's dialogue is rich with foreshadowing, hinting at the dangers of the Oblivion Gates and the rise of the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon. After your escape, you'll be presented with the character creation screen. This is where you define your avatar. Your chosen race, such as the versatile Imperial or the stealthy Khajiit, will provide inherent bonuses to certain skills. The births, like the Warrior or the Mage, offers distinct advantages. For instance, choosing the Warrior births might grant you a bonus to combat skills, while the Mage births could enhance your magical aptitude. The game prompts you to select a class, which can be pre-defined or custom-made. A custom class allows for greater personalization, letting you tailor your major and minor skills to your preferred playstyle, whether it be a heavily armored warrior, a nimble assassin, or a powerful sorcerer. The initial choices made here will have a lasting impact on your character's progression and capabilities as you venture further into Cyrodiil.