You’re walking through the Temple District of the Imperial City when some guy named Gierdor approaches you with a cryptic note. If you’ve played The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, you know exactly how this starts. It feels like just another "go here, talk to this person" fetch quest. But the Order of the Virtuous Blood Oblivion storyline is honestly one of the more grounded, gothic-horror inspired moments in a game that otherwise leans heavily into high-fantasy tropes.
It isn't just about killing monsters. It’s a quest about paranoia, deception, and whether you can actually trust a group of self-proclaimed "vampire hunters" who meet in a basement.
Most players stumble into this around level 5 or 10. You head to Seridur’s house. He’s posh, he’s wealthy, and he’s convinced that a local man named Roland Jenseric is a blood-sucking monster. Seridur leads the Order of the Virtuous Blood, a secret society dedicated to purging the undead from the capital. But things aren't always what they seem in Cyrodiil.
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The Problem With Roland Jenseric
When you finally track Roland down to his cabin in the woods, he doesn’t come at you with fangs bared. He’s terrified. He tells a completely different story—one where Seridur is the actual vampire.
This is where the quest gets interesting. You aren't just hitting things with a mace; you're playing detective. You have to go to the First Edition bookshop in the Market District and talk to Phintias. He remembers Seridur. He mentions Memorial Cave.
The game forces a choice, though most players quickly realize that Roland is telling the truth. If you kill Roland, you get a reward, but you've basically murdered an innocent man for a monster. If you go to Memorial Cave, you find the real truth. It’s damp, it’s filled with undead, and at the end of it, Seridur is waiting. He’s not happy you found him out.
Why Membership in the Order Matters
Once Seridur is dead—rest in peace to the villain who really thought he could outsmart the Hero of Kvatch—you return to Roland. He takes over the leadership. This is where the Order of the Virtuous Blood Oblivion actually becomes useful for your character's economy.
They induct you as an honorary member. You get the Ring of the Sun. It’s a decent piece of jewelry with Resist Disease and Light enchantments, though by the time you're level 30, it’s probably going into a chest in Rosethorn Hall. The real perk is the gold.
Roland offers to pay you for Vampire Dust.
Specifically, 250 gold per portion.
In the early game, that’s huge. In the late game, it’s still one of the best ways to fund your expensive houses or high-level spellcrafting. If you’re clearing out dungeons like Barren Cave or Lipsand Tarn, you can walk out with ten or fifteen portions of dust. That’s nearly 4,000 gold for a single run. Compare that to the measly 10 or 20 gold you get from selling it to an alchemist. It makes being a vampire hunter a legitimate career path in the game.
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The Gothic Vibe of the Temple District
There's something uniquely "Oblivion" about the way this quest is staged. You have these wealthy citizens living in the Imperial City, the literal heart of civilization, yet they are terrified of what’s lurking in the shadows. The Order meets in the basement of Seridur’s house. It feels clandestine.
It’s a bit like the Dark Brotherhood, but for the "good guys." Except the founder was a vampire. The irony isn't lost on the writers.
If you look at the lore, the Order represents a classic trope in Elder Scrolls: the idea that the greatest threats aren't always the Daedra coming through the gates. Sometimes, it’s the guy living next door who happens to have a taste for blood. It adds a layer of grime to the polished marble of the Imperial City.
Technical Glitches and How to Avoid Them
Let’s talk shop for a second because Oblivion is a Bethesda game, and Bethesda games have quirks.
Sometimes, Gierdor won't approach you. This usually happens if you’re already in combat or if you've done something to mess with the NPC schedules in the Temple District. If you can't get the quest to trigger, try waiting near the statue in the center of the district during the day.
Also, don't accidentally sell your Vampire Dust to a random merchant before talking to Roland. Once you sell it, it's gone. You can't buy it back and then sell it to the Order for a profit—the game tracks the "stolen" or "already sold" status of certain quest items fairly well.
The most common "bug" is actually just player error. People go to the cabin, see Roland, and immediately attack because they want to finish the quest quickly. Slow down. Listen to the dialogue. The reward for keeping Roland alive is infinitely better than the one-time payout Seridur gives you for a "job well done."
The Legacy of Vampire Hunting in Cyrodiil
Vampirism in Oblivion is a curse. It’s painful, it makes the sun burn you, and it turns the game into a survival sim. Joining the Order of the Virtuous Blood Oblivion gives your character a narrative reason to hate the undead.
Whether you’re a Crusader following the Nine or a mercenary just looking for a payday, the Order provides a home base. It’s one of the few factions outside of the main guilds (Mages, Fighters, Thieves, Brotherhood) that feels like it has a place in the world.
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If you haven't finished this quest, go find Gierdor. He’s usually wandering around near the graveyard.
Maximize Your Profits as a Member
If you want to make the most of your membership, you need to know where the vampires live. Cyrodiil is big.
- Bloodrun Cave: Located southeast of Bravil. It’s packed.
- Memorial Cave: Obviously, where the quest ends, but it respawns.
- Redwater Slough: A bit out of the way, but worth the trip.
Collect the dust. Don't use it for alchemy. Seriously, 250 gold is worth way more than a "Silence" effect on a potion you'll never drink. Bring the dust back to Roland in the basement. He stays there forever. He's a reliable ATM.
Practical Steps for Players
To get the most out of this questline and ensure you don't miss the rewards:
- Wait until you have a few levels: The gold reward doesn't scale, but the difficulty of the vampires in Memorial Cave does. Being around level 10-15 makes the fight with Seridur feel like a proper boss battle rather than a one-shot kill.
- Investigate the First Edition: Don't skip the dialogue with Phintias. It provides the flavor text that makes the reveal of Seridur's true nature feel earned.
- Use the Ring of the Sun: If you're doing a "vampire hunter" roleplay, this ring is your badge of office. It’s also helpful for low-level characters who haven't found a good Resist Disease item yet.
- Farm Vampire Dust systematically: Keep a chest in one of your houses specifically for dust. Every time you have 20 or 30, take a trip to the Imperial City. It’s the most consistent way to build wealth outside of the Arena.
The Order of the Virtuous Blood isn't the longest questline in Oblivion, but it's arguably one of the most memorable. It turns a simple "kill the monster" task into a story about trust, betrayal, and the secret lives of the Imperial elite. Plus, it pays well. In the harsh economy of early-game Cyrodiil, that gold is worth its weight in Welkynd stones.