So, you’re standing in Cloud Ruler Temple. Jauffre looks you in the eye with that grave, "the world is ending" tone, and Martin Septim—voiced by the incomparable Sean Bean—drops the news. To open a portal to Mankar Camoran’s Paradise, he needs a few things. One of them? Blood of the Daedra.
It sounds simple. It isn't.
If you played The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion back in 2006, or if you’re diving into a modded run in 2026, this quest remains a massive structural speed bump. It’s the point where the main story stops being a linear adventure and forces you to go interact with the Daedric Princes. For some, it’s a cool bit of world-building. For others? It’s a total momentum killer. Honestly, it’s the ultimate "go fetch" quest that defines the middle-act grind of Bethesda’s classic RPG.
The Ritual of the Daedric Artifact
Martin explains that a Daedric artifact is essentially "blood" in a crystallized, divine form. This isn't literal blood you find in a bucket. To satisfy the requirement for the quest Blood of the Daedra, you have to track down one of the fifteen Daedric Shrines scattered across Cyrodiil, perform a task for a literal god of chaos or order, and then—here’s the kicker—give the prize away.
You give it to Martin. He destroys it. Forever.
Choosing which artifact to sacrifice is the real game here. Most players have a minor heart attack the first time they realize they have to hand over a unique, powerful item just to progress the plot. Do you give up the Wabbajack? Azura’s Star? The Masque of Clavicus Vile? It’s a test of player greed versus narrative progress.
Why Azura is the go-to (and why that's a mistake)
Most guides tell you to head north of Cheydinhal to Azura’s Shrine. It’s the easiest to find. The quest involves killing some vampires in a cave. Simple enough. But giving Martin Azura’s Star is, frankly, one of the worst tactical decisions you can make in Oblivion.
The Star is a reusable soul gem. It is arguably the most useful item in the entire game for anyone using enchanted weapons or doing high-level recharging. Giving it to Martin is like trading a Ferrari for a bus pass. Unless you’re roleplaying a character who hates Azura, keep the Star. Go find something useless instead.
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Finding the Shrines Without a Map
Cyrodiil is big. In the modern era of gaming, we expect waypoints for everything. In Oblivion, these shrines are tucked away in the wilderness. You usually find them by talking to NPCs in cities or just stumbling across them while trying to avoid timber wolves.
The level requirements are the real gatekeeper. You can't just walk up to any shrine and start the quest. Hircine wants you to be level 17. Hermaeus Mora? Level 20. If you’re rushing the main quest at level 5, your options for blood of the Daedra are actually pretty limited.
- Azura: Level 2.
- Sheogorath: Level 2.
- Namira: Level 5.
- Vaermina: Level 5.
- Clavicus Vile: Level 20 (Wait, what? Yeah, he's picky).
Actually, the Clavicus Vile quest is a nightmare for this specific mission. You get Umbra, which is one of the best swords in the game. If you give that to Martin, you’re basically sabotaging your endgame build. It’s better to head to the Shrine of Peryite. It’s located along the Silverfish River. It’s weird, it involves a bunch of frozen-in-place worshippers, and the reward—Spellbreaker—is great, but it’s replaceable if you’re a stealth build or a pure mage.
The "Lore" Reason Behind the Sacrifice
Martin isn't just being a jerk by melting your cool gear. The ritual to open the portal to Paradise requires a counterpart to a Great Welkynd Stone. Since the stone represents the "Aedra" (the "good" gods of the Septim Empire), he needs something that represents the "Daedra" (the residents of Oblivion).
It’s a clever bit of writing by the Bethesda team. It forces the player to engage with the Daedric Princes, who are arguably the most interesting part of the Elder Scrolls mythos. Without this quest, a player could theoretically beat the whole game without ever realizing there are giant statues of demonic entities offering side quests in the woods.
But let’s be real: from a gameplay perspective, it’s a gate. It’s the game telling you, "Hey, stop doing the main quest and go explore the map for three hours."
What actually happens to the item?
Martin takes the item and places it on a pedestal in the Great Hall of Cloud Ruler Temple. After a few in-game days, he performs the ritual. The item is consumed. It disappears from the game world. You can’t steal it back. You can’t find it later in a chest. It is gone. This creates a genuine sense of loss, which is rare in modern RPGs where you’re usually just collecting more and more "stuff" until your inventory overflows.
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Tactical Advice: The "Trash" Artifacts
If you’re looking to satisfy the blood of the Daedra requirement without losing sleep, you want to pick an artifact that sucks. Or at least, one that doesn't fit your playstyle.
If you aren't a mage, the Wabbajack (from Sheogorath) is funny but ultimately unreliable. It turns enemies into random creatures. Sometimes it turns a scary Daedroth into a sheep. Sometimes it turns a rat into a Lich. It’s chaos. If you don't like gambling, give the stick to Martin.
Another good candidate is the Sanguine Rose. It’s a staff that summons a Daedra to fight for you. It’s okay, but by the time you’re midway through the game, your own Conjuration spells—or just your raw combat power—will probably outclass it.
The Volendrung from Malacath's quest is another one. It’s a heavy warhammer with a Paralyze effect. If you’re playing a nimble thief or a spell-flinging Breton, you’re never going to swing that 60-pound hammer. Hand it over. Martin will appreciate the "blood" of the Orc-god just as much as a legendary soul gem.
The Connection to Mankar Camoran
This quest is the lead-up to the confrontation with Mankar Camoran. Camoran is a fascinating villain because he’s one of the few characters who challenges the basic morality of the world. He claims that Nirn (the world the game takes place in) is actually just another plane of Oblivion that belongs to Mehrunes Dagon.
To get to him, you need that portal. To get that portal, you need the blood of the Daedra.
It’s poetic, in a way. You’re using the power of the Daedric Princes to hunt down a man who wants to hand the world over to a Daedric Prince. The irony isn't lost on Martin, who increasingly feels the weight of his royal blood and the "dirty" magic he has to perform to save the world.
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Common Bugs and Frustrations
Because this is a Bethesda game, things can go sideways.
One of the most common issues is players trying to give Martin a quest item that is "flagged" as essential. If you’re in the middle of a Daedric quest and haven't actually finished it to get the reward, Martin won't talk to you about it. You must have the completed artifact in your inventory.
Also, don't try to give him the Skeleton Key. Just don't. The Skeleton Key (from Nocturnal at level 10) is an unbreakable lockpick. It also boosts your Security skill by 40 points. It is the single most useful "quality of life" item in Oblivion. If you give this to Martin, you will spend the rest of the game breaking lockpicks and swearing at the screen.
Does it matter which one you pick?
Mechanically? No. Martin has the same dialogue whether you give him a legendary sword or a weird staff that turns people into goats. The game doesn't track the "value" of the artifact. A sacrifice is a sacrifice. The only thing that changes is your own inventory.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re currently stuck on this quest or planning a new run, follow this checklist to minimize the pain:
- Check your level. Don't waste time riding to a shrine if you aren't high enough level to talk to the statue. Most "easy" ones require level 2 or 5.
- Pick your sacrifice early. Decide now: "I don't need the Wabbajack." It makes the hand-off much less painful later.
- Keep the Star and the Key. Never, under any circumstances, give Martin Azura’s Star or the Skeleton Key. You will regret it for the next 40 hours of gameplay.
- Save the game before talking to the Daedric Prince. Some of these quests (like Namira’s or Vaermina’s) can be failed if you make the wrong choice in the dungeon. If you fail the quest, you don't get the artifact, and you still need blood of the Daedra.
- Use the Oghma Infinium later. If you wait until you are level 20, you can do Hermaeus Mora's quest. But the reward for that is a book that raises your stats. Do NOT give that to Martin. It’s way too valuable.
The blood of the Daedra quest is a reminder of an era where RPGs weren't afraid to make you lose something important to move forward. It’s annoying, it’s a grind, and it’s a total "Bethesda move," but it’s also one of the most memorable moments of the Great Oblivion Crisis. Get it done, get your portal, and go take down Camoran. Just keep your hands off my Skeleton Key, Martin.