Oblivion Remastered - Vahtacen's Secret walkthrough

Vahtacen’s Secret is one of the more puzzle-heavy quests in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, found deep in the Mage’s Guild storyline. Unlike previous quests that rely on basic combat or fetch objectives, this one challenges you with deciphering ancient Ayleid texts and casting the right spells to unlock a hidden chamber.

This guide will walk you through the Vahtacen's Secret quest in Oblivion Remastered.

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How to start the Vahtacen's Secret quest in Oblivion Remastered

Talk to Raminus Polus at the Arcane University to begin the quest (Image via Bethesda Softworks || YouTube/@ZaFrostPet)

To unlock Vahtacen’s Secret, progress through the Mage’s Guild questline. Specifically, complete the quest Ulterior Motives. After finishing it, talk to Raminus Polus at the

Arcane University. He’ll point you toward Irlav Jarol, who is also found in the same location. Irlav will give you your next assignment — investigating some mysterious Ayleid ruins.

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Where to find Vahtacen

Vahtacen location in Oblivion Remastered (Image via Bethesda Softworks || YouTube/@ZaFrostPet)

The ruins of Vahtacen are south of Cheydinhal, at the end of the Reed River, northeast of the Imperial City. Once there, enter the dungeon and follow the tunnel until you reach Skaleel, a mage stationed at the ruins. She’ll brief you on the strange pillar deeper in the site and hand over a key that lets you access the area where the puzzle begins.

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How to complete Vahtacen's Secret

Inside the ruins, you’ll eventually meet another mage, Denel, near a large pillar with four glowing tablets around it. These Ayleid inscriptions are the key to solving the puzzle. Talk to Denel, who will mention that Skaleel has a book that can translate them. Retrieve it from her, bring it back to Denel, and you’ll unlock new dialogue options to decipher the meanings of the inscriptions.

Casting all four spells on the pillar unlocks a path into the ruins (Image via Bethesda Softworks || YouTube/@ZaFrostPet)

Each tablet hints at a specific magical effect you need to use on the pillar. The correct spells are:

• “Av Molag Anyammis” = Fire spell
• “Av Mafre Nagaia” = Frost spell
• “Magicka Loria” = Damage Magicka spell
• “Magicka Sila” = Fortify Magicka spell

You don’t need to cast these in any specific order — just make sure you hit the pillar with all four effects. If you’re missing any spells, the chest next to Denel always contains scrolls for each one. There's no need to wait for respawns or go shopping.

Once all four spells have been cast, the pillar unlocks, allowing you to proceed deeper into the ruins. From here, it’s back to classic dungeon crawling. Expect ghosts, pressure plates, and a few spike traps. Eventually, you’ll reach a large room with a central raised platform. Head to the far end of the room and press a button to extend the stairs. Climb up and activate another switch to reveal your reward.

A screenshot from Oblivion Remastered (Image via Bethesda Softworks || YouTube/@ZaFrostPet)

At the top, you’ll find an Ancient Elven Helm. Bring the helm back to Skaleel, and she’ll direct you to report your success to Irlav Jarol at the Arcane University, officially ending the quest and moving the Mage’s Guild story forward.

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Vahtacen’s Secret adds a refreshing puzzle element to Oblivion Remastered’s Mage’s Guild line, mixing lore with gameplay in a simple but engaging way.