You're wandering through the Great Forest, looking for trouble, and you find it. It's not a bandit or a stray wolf. It's a massive, brooding statue of a Daedric Prince. Finding the molag bal oblivion location isn't exactly like following a GPS to a grocery store. It's tucked away in the dense woods of Cyrodiil, and if you aren't looking closely, you'll walk right past the moss-covered stone and the creepy cultists.
Most players stumble upon it while trekking between cities. It sits almost perfectly in the middle of a triangle formed by Chorrol, Skingrad, and the Imperial City. If you want a straight shot, head west out of the Talos Plaza District. Just keep walking. You'll pass Breakneck Cave and eventually hit the Ayleid ruins of Narfinsel. From those ruins, head south. You’ll see the glow of the fires soon enough.
Honestly, the trek is the easy part. It’s what Molag Bal asks you to do that makes people rethink their life choices in the game.
The Secret to Finding the Shrine Fast
If you're the type who hates wandering, here’s the deal. The shrine is deep in the Great Forest region. Specifically, it's west of Lake Rumare. If you have Brindle Home marked on your map, the shrine is just a short hike to the north and slightly east.
What You Need Before You Go
Don't just show up empty-handed. Molag Bal is the Prince of Domination; he doesn't take "hello" for an answer. You need to be Level 17. If you're level 16 and a half, the cultists will just tell you to beat it.
You also need a Lion Pelt.
You can find mountain lions roaming the hills to the west of the shrine, or sometimes you'll get lucky and find a pelt in a random loot chest or at a high-end alchemy shop. Once you have the pelt and the level, talk to Amir at the shrine. He’ll let you approach the big guy.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Quest
So, you’ve found the location. Now what? Molag Bal wants you to ruin a man’s soul. Specifically, Melus Petilius. He’s a former paladin who’s sworn off violence after his wife, Vena, died. He lives in a house near Brindle Home.
The common mistake? Trying to fight him at his house.
He won't fight back there. He'll just stand there and take it, or the guards will show up and ruin your day. You have to wait until he goes to his wife's grave. He does this every day between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM.
How to Actually Finish "Molag Bal"
- Follow him to the grave.
- Drop the Cursed Mace (which the Prince gave you) right at his feet or near the tombstone.
- Punch him. Seriously. Just one good whack to the face.
- He’ll see the mace, pick it up, and break his oath of non-violence to try and kill you.
You have to let him win. It feels weird, especially if you’ve spent forty hours making your character a tank. Don't fight back. Just stand there and let him bash your skull in. When your health gets low enough—usually around 5% to 20%—Molag Bal will intervene and snatch you back to the shrine.
Why the Reward Is Worth the Walk
If you manage not to die for real (which can happen if your difficulty is set too high and Melus hits too hard), you get the Mace of Molag Bal.
It’s one of the best blunt weapons in the game. It absorbs 5 points of Strength and 5 points of Magicka per hit. In a long fight against a mage or a heavy hitter, this mace basically turns them into a wet noodle while refueling your own reserves. Plus, it looks terrifying.
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Technical Hiccups and Common Bugs
There’s a reason people still search for this location and quest help years later. It’s buggy. Sometimes Melus won’t pick up the mace. If that happens, try reloading and dropping it after he starts mourning at the grave.
Another big one: he actually kills you. In the original version and the remaster, if his final blow deals more damage than your remaining health can handle, the script that teleports you might fail. You'll just see the "Load Game" screen. To avoid this, lower the game difficulty right before the fight so he chips away at your health slowly.
Finding the molag bal oblivion location is a rite of passage for any Elder Scrolls fan. It's a dark, weird quest that forces you to be the villain in someone else's story.
Next Steps for Your Character:
Once you’ve secured the mace, head south toward the border of Valenwood to find the Shrine of Clavicus Vile, or travel north toward the mountains for Azura’s Star. Collecting all fifteen Daedric artifacts is the only way to truly conquer the endgame of Cyrodiil.