Oblivion Remastered: Canvas the Castle walkthrough
How to find the Canvas the Castle clues and accuse the right suspect
Wondering how to complete the Canvas the Castle quest in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered? Canvas the Castle is an entertaining sidequest that you may stumble upon while exploring Chorrol in Oblivion Remastered. Featuring the theft of a painting and two suspects, the quest revolves around investigating the robbery and accusing the right person, or absolving both.
In this guide, we'll offer a complete walkthrough to the Canvas the Castle quest in Oblivion Remastered, explaining who you should accuse for the painting theft and why.
Oblivion: Canvas the Castle walkthrough
To start the Canvas the Castle quest, go to the Chorrol Castle and chat with Countess Arriana Valga. She'll spill the beans about a missing painting of her late husband, Count Charrus Valga. Two people are left as suspects - the court mage Chanel, and the castle porter, Orok gro-Ghoth. The Countess will ask for your help, giving you the list of other witnesses to talk with. She'll also warn you to avoid accusing the wrong person!
Now that you've got the rundown, here's the full list of NPCs (including witnesses and suspects) you need to talk to. All can be found wandering around the castle within easy walking distance of the Countess. None of them will talk with you about the crime unless you raise their disposition high enough.
Witnesses
- Bittneld the Curse-Bringer: Captain of the Guard; found either patrolling Chorrol or in the barracks.
- Laythe Wavrick: Herald; found either in Castle Chorrol's great hall near the Countess or in the private quarters.
- Orok gro-Ghoth: Castle steward; either in the private quarters of Castle Chorrol or at Northern Goods and Trade.
Suspects
- Chanel: Court mage; found in the private quarters of Castle Chorrol.
- Orgnolf Hairy-Legs: Porter; is also in the private quarters.
As you interview these folks, you'll hear varying things - for instance, Laythe mentions that Orgnolf Hairy-Legs has a drinking problem, and it seems that he may have pilfered the painting to buy booze. But when you talk with Orgnolf, he has an alibi about collecting a wine shipment. Meanwhile, Chanel says she was in the castle courtyard observing the stars all night. Hmmm.
After talking with everyone, it's time to do some investigations yourself. You'll need to examine the castle up and down to find the following clues.
- Paint Stained Carpet: In the dining hall next to the throne room. Be sure to notice both the paint and the footprints.
- Painting: Found in the west tower of the castle. Open the trapdoor in the floor that's located near some boxes. Go down, and you'll find an unusual painting there. Looks like someone's been practicing their artistic skills discreetly.
- Orgnolf's chest: Found in Orgnolf's room. There are two bottles of wine inside. Alibi proof, looks like!
- Chanel's lectern:: Found in Chanel's room. Open it and you'll find painting supplies. Curious - and more than a little suspicious!
With all of this information in tow, you can confront Chanel. As long as her disposition is above 70 or so, she'll admit that she was the original painter of the Count's portrait - and even more shocking, she was in love with him. Turns out, the Countess took the painting, and Chanel became angry by this and stole it back. Now you've just got to figure out what to do with this scandalous information.
Who should you accuse in Canvas the Castle?
You must now report back to the Countess and accuse either Chanel or Orgnolf of stealing the painting. Or, you can cover for Chanel and absolve both suspects!
If you accuse Chanel: You'll get a Fame point, a reward of eight gemstones, and a bunch of gold dependent on your level.
If you accuse Orgnolf: You'll get only a small amount of gold dependent on your level and no Fame Points or gemstones.
If you absolve both suspects: You get an even smaller amount of gold dependent on your level and no Fame Points or gemstones, but Chanel does give you a lovely Reward Painting after three weeks. You can sell this painting for 500 gold.
Personally, I like absolving the suspects, because I believe in the chaotic good way of life. The Fame point is really nice, though, and helpful if you want to buy a house in Chorrol. You'll need at least 13 Fame points (and 20,000 gold) to do so, and Countess Valga is the one to speak with if you're interested in a house, so it makes sense to accuse Chanel if that's your goal.
That finishes our guide on completing the Canvas the Castle quest in Oblivion Remastered. If you're looking for other walkthroughs, take a look at our guide on how to close Oblivion gates, how to join the Mages Guild, how to join the Dark Brotherhood, and how to join the Thieves Guild. For advice on customising your character, head over to our guides on how to recharge weapons, how to cure disease, and how to create spells.