Blood of Divines Oblivion: How to Survive Sancre Tor and Claim the Armor of Tiber Septim

Retrieving the blood of a divine is the second major hurdle in Martin Septim’s quest to open a portal to Mankar Camoran’s Paradise. In the world of Cyrodiil, gods do not walk the earth, making their blood seemingly impossible to obtain. However, the history of Tiber Septim—the man who became the god Talos—provides a unique loophole. This journey leads to the ancient and cursed ruins of Sancre Tor, a place where the Blades' history and a dark necromantic curse collide.

Completing the Blood of the Divines quest requires more than just martial prowess; it demands preparation for the undead, navigation of a complex multi-level dungeon, and the lifting of a centuries-old curse placed by the Underking.

Preparing for Sancre Tor: Gear and Logistics

Before fast-traveling to Chorrol and heading north into the mountains, proper preparation is mandatory. Sancre Tor is heavily infested with ethereal undead, such as ghosts and ancient spectres.

Standard steel, iron, or dwarven weapons will pass right through these enemies without dealing a single point of damage. To survive, ensure you have one of the following:

• Silver Weapons: Easily purchased in Chorrol or found as loot. Silver arrows are also essential for marksman builds.
• Enchanted Weapons: Any weapon with a magical charge (Fire, Frost, Shock, or Daedric influence) will harm ghosts.
• Daedric or Magic-tier Weapons: Higher-level materials like Glass, Ebony, and Daedric inherently bypass ethereal resistances.
• Spells: Destruction magic remains effective, though you should bring plenty of Restore Magicka potions as the dungeon is long.

It is also recommended to be at least level 10 to ensure the loot dropped by the cursed Blades scales appropriately, providing useful enchantments for the mid-to-late game.

Locating the Ancient Shrine

Sancre Tor is situated in the Jerall Mountains, directly north of Chorrol. The exterior of the ruins is usually guarded by skeletons or ogres. Once you reach the main courtyard, look for the large trapdoor leading into the Sancre Tor ruins.

Upon entering, you will immediately notice the oppressive atmosphere. The first section of the ruins serves as an introduction to the mechanics of the dungeon. You will encounter your first Undead Blade here—Rielus. Defeating him is the catalyst for the rest of the quest. Once his skeletal form is shattered, his spirit will manifest and explain that he and his three brothers-in-arms were cursed by the Underking to guard the shrine. To reach the Armor of Tiber Septim, you must find and free the other three spirits.

Navigating the Entry Hall Hub

The Entry Hall functions as the central hub of Sancre Tor. From here, you can access the four distinct wings of the complex:

1. The Prison
2. The Hall of Judgment
3. The Catacombs
4. The Tomb of the Reman Emperors

The goal is to clear the first three areas to free the remaining ghosts, who will then congregate in the Tomb of the Reman Emperors to dispel the magical barrier protecting the armor.

The Prison: Freeing Valdemar

The Prison wing is straightforward but dangerous. As you descend, you will encounter Warden Kastav, a powerful undead guardian. Killing him is necessary to obtain the Warden’s Key, which opens the locked doors further in.

Continue through the cell blocks until you find the skeletal remains of Valdemar. Upon defeating him, his spirit will thank you and head toward the main shrine. Do not forget to loot Valdemar’s Shield from his remains; it features a valuable Reflect Damage enchantment that scales with your level.

The Hall of Judgment: Freeing Cas Nar

This wing is characterized by narrow corridors and sudden ambushes. The Hall of Judgment is where many players get turned around due to its verticality and overlapping paths.

Follow the objective marker toward the northern section of this map. You will find Cas Nar guarding a bridge over a darkened pit. He is a formidable melee combatant, so use the terrain to your advantage. Once freed, he yields Mishaxhi’s Cleaver, a two-handed claymore capable of disintegrating an opponent's armor. From here, you can take a side exit that leads directly into the Catacombs, saving you a trip back to the hub.

The Catacombs: Freeing Alain

The Catacombs are the most linear part of Sancre Tor but are packed with high-level ghosts. If you entered from the Hall of Judgment, you will find the ghost of Alain relatively quickly. If entering from the Entry Hall, you will need to navigate through several flooded chambers.

Alain wields Northwind, a katana imbued with potent frost damage. Once he is defeated and his spirit is released, all four Blades are finally free from the Underking's grasp.

The Ritual at the Tomb of the Reman Emperors

With all four spirits freed, return to the Entry Hall and head to the large, ornate door leading to the Tomb of the Reman Emperors.

Inside, you will find a magnificent hall where the spirits of Rielus, Valdemar, Cas Nar, and Alain are waiting. They will walk toward the central dais where a blue magical barrier glows. If you attempt to touch this barrier before the ritual is complete, you will suffer massive frost damage that can kill even high-level characters in seconds.

Wait for the four ghosts to take their positions and kneel. They will chant and channel their energy to dispel the barrier. Once the light fades, the path to the Armor of Tiber Septim is clear.

Loot and Rewards Analysis

The primary reward is the armor itself, though it must be given to Martin to progress the main story. It is a heavy armor cuirass that, while unenchanted, serves as a significant piece of Tamrielic history.

However, the real rewards for the player are the items collected from the Undead Blades:

Because these items are leveled, completing this quest at higher levels (Level 20-25) will grant you some of the strongest versions of these enchantments available in the game.

Technical Tips and Troubleshooting

In some versions of the game, particularly when running various mods or in the remastered engine, a common bug involves the ghosts getting "stuck" on the geometry of the dungeon while walking back to the Tomb.

If you find that only three ghosts have arrived at the final shrine, do not panic. Usually, waiting (using the in-game 'Wait' function) for 1-2 hours will force the NPC pathing to reset, and the missing ghost will appear. If that fails, backtracking to the area where you first freed them will often trigger their movement script. Always maintain a save file from before you entered Sancre Tor to avoid any permanent quest-locking issues.

Completing the Ritual

Take the armor back to Cloud Ruler Temple. Martin will express his gratitude and proceed to use the dried blood found on the ancient breastplate to fulfill the second requirement of the Mysterium Xarxes ritual.

This quest marks a turning point in the Oblivion crisis. You have moved from a mere messenger to a hero capable of braving the most cursed corners of Cyrodiil. With the blood of a divine secured, the path to Mankar Camoran's realm is halfway open, though the challenges of Miscarcand and the Great Gate still lie ahead.