The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine
Expansion pack for Oblivion featuring the Knights of the Nine faction.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine is an expansion for the role-playing game Oblivion, developed by Bethesda Game Studios. Bethesda Softworks handled North American publishing, while 2K Games co-published the European release. It was announced on October 17, 2006, and launched on November 21, 2006. The expansion revolves around a faction seeking the Crusaders' Relics, sacred items needed to stop the sorcerer-king Umaril from taking revenge on the Nine Divines. Critics generally received it well, calling it a short but polished extension of the main story.
Gameplay remains identical to Oblivion, with no changes to controls, design, or mechanics. Players create a character by choosing skills, race, and appearance. Like the base game, Knights of the Nine offers open-ended play, letting players ignore the main quest to explore, take side quests, or develop their character. Unlike earlier Bethesda content packs, this expansion does not push players toward its new content; they must discover the quest on their own.
The quest starts when the player approaches the Chapel of Dibella in Anvil, which has been desecrated with everyone inside killed. A nearby prophet explains that Umaril, an ancient Ayleid sorcerer-king, escaped from Oblivion to destroy Cyrodiil. The prophet says only a "Crusader" favored by the gods, bearing the relics of Pelinal Whitestrake—the knight who originally slew Umaril—can defeat him. The player must make a cleansing pilgrimage to nine shrines across Cyrodiil. Afterward, Whitestrake appears in a vision, revealing his tomb beneath a lake near the Imperial City. There, the player finds the Crusader's Helm and the corpse of Sir Amiel, a Knight of the Nine. Sir Amiel's diary points to the Priory of the Nine, which holds the Crusader Cuirass. At the priory, the player proves worthy by defeating the ghost of each former Knight of the Nine in single combat. This grants access to the cuirass, and the ghosts reveal clues to the remaining relics. After collecting all eight relics, the prophet bestows the blessing of Talos, the ninth god, allowing the player to permanently destroy Umaril instead of just banishing him. Joined by new NPCs forming the new Knights of the Nine, the player attacks Umaril's stronghold, duels him in the physical realm, then pursues his spirit into the spirit world to destroy it.
- Developer
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher (north america)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Publisher (europe)
- 2K Games
- Announced
- October 17, 2006
- Release date (north america)
- November 21, 2006
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
- Genre
- Fantasy-based role-playing adventure
Lore & Background
Knights of the Nine is identical to the gameplay of Oblivion; the basic design, maneuvers, and interfaces remain unchanged. It is an example of open-ended-style gameplay: the main quest may be delayed or ignored as the player explores the game world, follows side quests, interacts with NPCs, and develops a character. Unlike Bethesda's prior content packs for Oblivion, Knights of the Nine begins with no explicit prodding towards the newly introduced content; players must seek out and find the quest without external aid. The quest begins as the player approaches the Chapel of Dibella in Anvil, which had been desecrated. A prophet indicates that the destruction was caused by Umaril, an ancient Ayleid sorcerer-king who escaped from his prison in Oblivion. The player must make a cleansing pilgrimage to nine shrines, then collect the Crusader relics of Pelinal Whitestrake, and finally defeat Umaril in both the physical and spirit realms.
Reader's Guide
Knights of the Nine was generally well received in the gaming press. Metacritic scored the PC version at 81 out of 100 and the Xbox 360 version at 86 out of 100. GameSpot recommended the game for its value, noting it made few improvements over the basic Oblivion experience. The expansion began as a supposedly exclusive quest for the PlayStation 3 release of Oblivion, but an October 17, 2006 press release announced it was also scheduled for PC and Xbox 360, leading to commentary on the finicky nature of the word 'exclusive'. The PC version was available as a downloadable plug-in from the company website or as part of the retail-released Oblivion Downloadable Content Collection CD, which included all previously released official downloadable content. The Xbox 360 version was available via Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points, and the PlayStation 3 version of Oblivion included Knights of the Nine in its packaged release. The expansion's legacy lies in its polished but brief addition to Oblivion, and its role in Bethesda's evolving content distribution strategy, which moved from micropayments to expansion packs.
Did You Know?
- The expansion was announced on October 17, 2006, for release on November 21, 2006.
- The PC downloadable release was not available until December 4, 2006, while the boxed retail edition was released on November 21.
- The Xbox 360 version was available on Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points, equivalent to US$10.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine?
It is a standalone expansion pack for Oblivion, developed by Bethesda Game Studios and released on November 21, 2006. The add-on introduces a new faction questline in which the player joins the Knights of the Nine order to carry out a specific mission across Cyrodiil.
Who is Umaril in Knights of the Nine?
Umaril is the sorcerer-king antagonist of the expansion, an ancient foe of the Nine Divines who survived their original defeat. His goal throughout the storyline is to exact revenge on the gods who once defeated him.
What are the Crusaders' Relics?
The Crusaders' Relics are a set of sacred artifacts scattered across Cyrodiil that the player must locate and recover. They serve as the key to unlocking the final confrontation with Umaril and stopping his revenge campaign.
What platforms is Knights of the Nine available on?
The expansion was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. Bethesda Softworks handled North American publishing, while 2K Games co-published the European release.
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