The Dark Brotherhood quest line is one of the best in Oblivion Remastered, offering several unique, murderous scenarios to solve and savor as you stack your Imperial City bank account and arsenal of powerful gear in the name of Sithis. However, before you're swimming in Septims, you need to start small, with Vicente Valtieri's contract, A Watery Grave.

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As your first major mission once you've joined the Dark Brotherhood, A Watery Grave teaches you the basics of what it means to be a Dark Brotherhood assassin. Creativity, timing, stealth, and strength are some of the most important qualities to master as you dive into your first major Dark Brotherhood assassination.

How To Start A Watery Grave

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Once you meet Ocheeva at the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, you can talk to Vicente Valtieri about your first official contract: A Watery Grave.

Before you officially accept this quest, you can go to the boat and aggro the sailors by jumping on the boat, then quickly running away.

You can let the guards finish them off, since guards and allies attack enemies who initiated combat with you, unprovoked.

This quest tasks you with killing a pirate captain, Gaston Tussaud, on a boat in the Imperial Waterfront District.

How To Assassinate Gaston Tussaud

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The boat you're looking for is called the Marie Elena, which is docked on the northwest side of the dock, on the direct opposite end from where the Bloated Float is docked, closer to the house you can buy on the waterfront.

If you want to do this stealthily, it'll be easier with a Chameleon spell or piece of gear.

Wait until evening (ideally after 1:00 am when everyone is sleeping) to use the cover of night, then sneak onto the ship and enter the Captain's Cabin.

Once inside, Gaston Tussaud will be fast asleep in his bed, so crouch and use a sneak attack to do major damage, likely slaying him in one shot.

If you want to practice your lockpicking skills, this is a great spot to do so before taking the key from Gaston.

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Before you go, loot the key from his body.

There's a very hard locked chest here called Captain Tussaud's Booty. It contains an Emerald, two Flawless Pearls, and 100 gold. There's also a Nirnroot on the table in the dining area.

Carefully sneak off the boat or clear out the rest of the crew if you haven't already, then fast travel back to the Sanctuary in Cheydinhal and speak to Vicente Valtieri to collect your reward.

What Rewards Do You Get From A Watery Grave?

In addition to your base gold reward (which can range from 200 to 600, depending on level), you'll receive a Black Band ring as your reward, which boasts the following enchantments for the level 30+ version.

  • Fortify Light Armor by 18 points
  • Fortify Security by 18 points
  • Resist Magic by up to 18 percent

With A Watery Grave complete, you can now access the next contract, The Assassinated Man.

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Action RPG Open-World Adventure Systems 19 8.5/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 82/100 Critics Rec: 86% Released April 22, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Virtuos, Bethesda Publisher(s) Bethesda Engine Unreal Engine 5
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