How to start The Thieves Guild Questline in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered

The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered Thieves Guild questline is a difficult one to locate, as the Gray Fox keeps his head down and players will need to investigate the Imperial City heavily before they can work out where the Thieves are hiding. Still, as a way of making money through underhanded means, there's few places better to operate than this.

If you want to know how to join the Thieves Guild and become a master pickpocket and burglar in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, I've laid out the steps to find that first questline below. Not only that, but I'll show you how to pass the first test – stealing the Diary of Amantius Allectus.

How to join the Thieves Guild in The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered

To join the Thieves Guild in Oblivion Remastered and start their questline, you need go to the Imperial City Waterfront District. Once there, look at the lighthouse to examine a Wanted Poster for Gray Fox (these are all over the city, but this one works fine). From there, talk to a city civilian about Gray Fox and they'll direct you to the beggars accordingly. At the waterfront, raise your disposition to 70 with any individual beggar (I chose Puny Ancus) and ask them about Gray Fox to get your lead: the Garden of Dareloth at Midnight, a section of the Waterfront which will be marked on your map.

Obviously it goes without saying that the best class in Oblivion Remastered for what's about to come is any stealthy option, but anybody can technically achieve it, it's just harder. If you're not sure about your skills, go and practice sneaking and lockpicking until those stats are higher.

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Amantius Allectus' Diary location and how to steal it

Once at the Garden of Dareloth, things get complicated, so we'll lay it out step-by-step:

The Garden of Dareloth is behind the wall of the Waterfront, but it has to be at Midnight, so use the wait option accordingly.
You'll see Armand Christophe and two others, but unless you have 50+ disposition with Armand, you can't progress. Bribe or chat him up accordingly, then select "Join the Thieves Guild".
He'll explain that you and the other two there – Methredhel and Amusei – are going to compete for the right to join by being the first to steal Amantius Allectus' Diary and bring it back to him.
This challenge starts the moment he stops talking, so be prepared to run, and have lockpicks ready!

To find the Diary, you need to follow Methredhel, as she knows exactly where it is and makes a beeline for it. Or you can follow the map above to Amantius Allectus' house, which is in the Temple District.
Once there, lockpick the door to get inside, then look in the desk on your right (North), next to the basement door. The Diary is inside there, assuming Methredhel didn't get it first.
Bring it back to Christophe in the Garden during night hours to submit the Diary and join the Thieves Guild.

If Methredhel beats you to the book, you can still pickpocket it off her before she hands it in. However, if you fail the test altogether, you'll be given a second chance, a quest to steal a cutlass – one with no timer or competitive element.

Want to join a guild with a little more... edge to it? Find out how to start the Dark Brotherhood questline in Oblivion Remastered, and become a master assassin!