Vaermina is a jerk. Let’s just start there. While other Daedric Princes are busy trying to conquer the world or obsessing over "change," the Weaver of Dreams spends her time making sure you wake up screaming in a cold sweat. Her signature prize, the Skull of Corruption in Oblivion, reflects that twisted personality perfectly. It’s not a sword that sets people on fire or a shield that eats spells. It’s much weirder. It’s a staff that forces your enemies to fight their own shadow, and honestly, it’s one of the most mechanically unique—and notoriously buggy—items in the entire Elder Scrolls franchise.
You find it after a trip to Lake Poppad, south of Cheydinhal. You’re looking for Vaermina’s Shrine. If you’re at least level five and have a black soul gem to offer, the Daedric Prince will set you on a quest to recover her stolen orb from a wizard named Arkved.
Most players remember Arkved’s Tower. It’s a fever dream. You walk through rooms where furniture is stuck to the ceiling and giant oversized crabs scuttle through hallways. It feels like the game engine is breaking, but no, that’s just Vaermina messing with your head. Once you get to the end, you find Arkved in a permanent nightmare-sleep and snatch the orb. Your reward? A staff topped with a literal human skull that has horns growing out of it.
How the Skull of Corruption Actually Works
The mechanics are bizarre. When you fire the Skull of Corruption in Oblivion at an NPC, it creates a "Corruption Clone." This twin is an exact replica of the target, except it’s shaded dark and has one singular goal: kill the original.
It lasts for thirty seconds. That’s a lifetime in a fight. Imagine you’re squared up against a high-level Gloom Wraith or a master vampire. You tap them with the staff, and suddenly they’re getting hacked apart by a mirror image of themselves. The clone has the same stats, the same weapons, and the same spells. It is the ultimate "stop hitting yourself" move.
But there’s a catch. The clone won't attack you, but it also won't follow your orders. It’s a third party in the fight. If the clone finishes off the original enemy before the thirty seconds are up, it might just stand there staring at you with those creepy, void-filled eyes. It’s deeply unsettling.
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The Infamous Clone Glitch
We have to talk about the bugs. Bethesda games are famous for them, but the Skull of Corruption in Oblivion is the king of unintended consequences. There is a legendary exploit involving this staff that lets you permanent-clone yourself or even steal items that are supposed to be "unplayable."
Here is how the old-school players used to do it: you’d drop the staff on the floor near a powerful NPC, get them to pick it up (usually by disarming them first), and then force them to use it on you. If you timed it right and used a soul trap effect or manipulated the save states, you could end up with a permanent clone of your own character. People used this to "double" their enchanted gear. It’s risky. It can bloat your save file until it pops. But it’s the kind of emergent gameplay that made Oblivion feel like a playground of broken magic.
Why It Outshines the Skyrim Version
If you’ve played Skyrim, you know the Skull of Corruption makes a comeback. But let's be real: the Skyrim version is boring. In the fifth game, it’s basically just a staff that deals 20 damage, or 50 if you "collect" dreams from sleeping NPCs. It’s a glorified battery.
In Oblivion, the staff feels dangerous. It’s unpredictable. The psychological horror of forcing a creature to die at its own hands fits Vaermina’s lore much better than a simple damage-dealer. In the 2006 classic, the staff is a tool for chaos. You can use it to bypass difficult encounters not by being stronger, but by being craftier.
There’s a specific kind of satisfaction in watching a Dremora Valkynaz—one of the toughest enemies in the late game—struggle against its own shadow while you sit back and sip a Potion of Night Eye. It changes the rhythm of combat from "swing sword, eat cheese" to something more tactical and sinister.
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Strategic Use and Limitations
You can't just spam it. Well, you can, but you shouldn't. The staff has a limited number of charges, and like most powerful artifacts in Cyrodiil, it’s expensive to refill. You’ll be spending a lot of gold at the Mages Guild or burning through Varla Stones to keep it active.
Also, it doesn't work on everything. Some quest-essential NPCs or specific boss-level creatures have resistances that make the cloning effect fail. And remember: the clone only exists as long as the original is alive. If the original dies, the clone vanishes instantly. This means you can't use it to create a permanent army, no matter how much you might want a squad of dark-shadow knights following you into the Shivering Isles.
Finding the Shrine of Vaermina
If you’re trying to track this down right now, head to the Nibenay Basin. The shrine is located on the shores of Lake Poppad. You’ll need to talk to a Dunmer named Aymar Douar to get the ball rolling.
Don't go there at level one. You won't be able to start the quest, and even if you could, Arkved’s Tower will chew you up. Wait until you have a decent grasp of your build. The "Lich" enemies and high-level Daedra in the tower are no joke.
- Location: Lake Poppad (South of Cheydinhal)
- Requirement: Level 5+
- Offering: One Black Soul Gem
- Target: Arkved’s Deathly Abyss
The quest itself, titled "Vaermina," is often cited by fans as one of the best in the game because of the level design. It’s a visual representation of a nightmare. The gravity feels wrong. The scaling of the rooms changes. It’s a masterclass in using limited assets to create an atmosphere of pure dread.
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The Verdict on Vaermina’s Prize
Is the Skull of Corruption in Oblivion the "best" weapon? Probably not if you’re a pure warrior who just wants to hit things with Umbra. But if you’re playing a mage, a thief, or just someone who likes to see how far they can push the game's systems, it is essential.
It represents a time when RPGs weren't afraid to give players "broken" tools. It’s a weird, buggy, creepy, and immensely powerful artifact that makes every fight feel like a bizarre social experiment. Just be careful with those clones. Sometimes the game forgets they’re supposed to disappear, and having a shadow-version of a town guard following you around the Imperial City is a fast way to end up in the Bastion.
If you’re heading out to claim the staff, make sure your inventory is clear. Arkved’s Tower is full of unique (if mostly useless) loot and a lot of heavy high-level armor. Bring some Soul Gems, watch your back, and try not to think too hard about the fact that you’re carrying a literal piece of a Daedric Prince’s nightmare in your backpack.
Next Steps for the Completionist
Once you have the staff, your next move should be heading to the Arcane University. If you have the Frostcrag Spire DLC, you can use the altar there to recharge it more efficiently. Alternatively, pairing the Skull with the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal allows for some truly legendary high-stakes thievery. Use the clone to distract guards while you slip into the shadows. Just remember that the staff is a loud magical effect—it’s not exactly a "stealth" tool, but it is a perfect diversion.
Go find a Black Soul Gem. You can usually find one in Necromancer dens like Dark Fissure, or by performing a ritual at one of the several altars scattered across the map during the correct phase of the moon. Get your offering ready, head to the lake, and prepare to ruin some lives with their own reflections.