Canvas the Castle is a classic whodunnit quest in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered where you’ll track down an art thief in Chorrol. The investigation really doesn’t hold your hand with hints or quest steps, so you’ll have to do some extra snooping to uncover the truth.
There are multiple outcomes for Canvas the Castle, and your reward depends on the accuracy of your final accusation. You can also get a unique reward for covering for the guilty party instead of revealing them.
How to start Canvas the Castle
Go to the great hall in Castle Chorrol.BethesdaTalk with the Countess to begin the quest.Bethesda
To start Canvas the Castle, travel to the town of Chorrol and enter the Castle Chorrol Great Hall. Talk to Countess Arriana Valga, who you’ll find sitting on the throne. One of her paintings was stolen from the throne room, and she’ll reward you handsomely if you can get it back.
Questioning the suspects
Lathe Wavrick
Lathe is the easiest of the bunch to find. He’s the Countess’ attendant, so he hangs around the Great Hall all the time. He claims he doesn’t know anything about the theft, but he does point out Orgnolf’s heavy drinking and tendency to borrow money from others around the castle.
Orgnolf Hairy-Legs
You’ll find Orgnolf Hairy-Legs wandering around the private quarters, which are accessible on the upper floor behind the throne in the Great Hall. When questioned, the balding Breton explains that he was in his room for most of the night. He did have a minor argument in the Great Hall, but it seems unrelated to the heist.
Chanel
The next suspect is Chanel, a Redguard woman that can also be found in the private quarters of Castle Chorrol. She claims she was in the courtyard for most of the evening before grabbing a snack at the dining hall and heading to bed.
Orok gro-Ghoth
You can find Orok hanging out in the private quarters most of the time, but he occasionally steps out of the castle and visits the local shops in the afternoon. He claims he was in his room all night because it was raining, but he does mention that he’s caught Orgnolf drinking in the castle’s west tower before. Remember that.
Bittneld the Curse-Bringer
Bittneld, captain of the Chorrol guard, has some key information for this case. He’s out patrolling most of the day, but you can find him with the rest of the guards at the castle barracks after dark.
The captain will explain that he didn’t see much since he’s been out patrolling the town, but he did catch Chanel snooping around the castle’s west tower. She claimed she was researching spells, so Bittneld didn’t investigate any further.
Finding clues in Canvas the Castle
After questioning all five suspects, you still won’t have enough information to make a solid accusation. The testimonies seem to point the finger at either Orgnolf and Chanel, but the case isn’t water tight just yet. There’s a set of clues hidden around the castle that’ll help you prepare a bulletproof prosecution.
Paint-stained carpet
First, head to the dining area in the Great Hall. There, you’ll find a “paint stained carpet” underneath the table.
Unusual painting
Next, make your way to the castle’s west tower, which was mentioned multiple times by your suspects. In the lower part of the tower, you can find an “unusual painting” behind some crates.
Lectern
Head to the private quarters and enter Chanel’s room. Open up the lectern underneath the painting in the back of her room to discover a set of hidden painting supplies.
Canvas the Castle rewards
(Image credit: Bethesda)
Making the accusation
All the evidence points to Chanel, so confront her in the private quarters to force her to confess. If you’ve found all three clues, she’ll come clean.
Chanel will only tell the truth if you have a disposition of at least 70 with her, so you may need to play the persuasion minigame to raise her opinion of you. If she doesn’t like you enough, she won’t confess even though the evidence against her is substantial.
Canvas the Castle rewards
(Image credit: Bethesda)
With a concrete confession, it’s time to return to Countess Arriana for your reward. There are three outcomes for this quest, each with a different set of rewards.
If you tell the truth about Chanel, the Countess will have her removed from the court. She’ll give you a bunch of gold depending on your level, plus a set of valuable gemstones. Chanel will disappear from the game entirely afterward.
If you wrongly accused Orgnolf before pinning Chanel as the prime suspect, you’ll receive a smaller amount of gold.
If you decide to cover for the thief and tell the Countess that neither Orgnolf or Chanel are guilty, then you’ll get a very small amount of gold as a reward. Chanel will be thrilled that you protected her, however, rewarding you with a special painting after three in-game weeks. You can use it to decorate a purchased home, or you can sell it for 500 gold.
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