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- For the city of the same name in ESO, see Abagarlas.
Sideways Cave is a location in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It is located just across the water southeast of the Imperial City's northeast sewer exit.
The first level of the cave is inhabited by Daedra. In the northwest corner there is a secret door that opens to an ancient Ayleid ruin. The next part of the cave is a flooded Ayleid ruin with various bits of flotsam strewn about. There are also three Ayleid Tablets found in this cave. These, when translated, tell a story of a long-ago encounter between man and Daedra.
History[]
If one has read all of the tablets in the cave, the story will come out to this: Long ago, Ayleid settlers stumbled onto this grotto and built a city here. While building the city, they uncovered a forgotten shrine to the Daedric Lord Meridia. Meridia's vengeance for this desecration was swift. She crushed the Ayleid city with her stone roots and buried the grotto almost entirely.
Sublocations[]
Sideways Cave[]
The entrance of this cave leads to an area where the Hero cannot make the jump across the chasm. There is a rocky slope that acts as a stairway down to the lower area. This leads around to the other side of the chasm. In the process of following the tunnels the Hero will come upon a Dead Treasure Hunter lying on a slab. Further ahead is found a chest surrounded by a bunch of skeletons; taking the time to move the bodies of these using the pickup function will reveal a few items and gold underneath them.
Traps[]
Trap: Falling Rocks SidewaysCave: Entrance Level
There are two cave-in traps located just through the tunnel after climbing down to the lower area. The tunnel itself holds the first one, and a left after making it through the tunnel reveals another one that completely blocks the path. Shaking notifies the Hero of a cave-in, giving them time to avoid any damage.
Treasure[]
Items of interest[]
Sideways Cave - Hidden Lake[]
Hidden Lake - Ladder on exit ledge from Abagarlas area
An underground hidden lake with the ruins of an ancient Ayleid structure. Following the flooded tunnel, turn left then make a right as the cavern opens up. Look to the left, there will be a ladder half exposed on top of a pile of rocks. It may seem that one can jump up there with a high acrobatics skill, do not go up. Follow the cave and exit out onto that small ledge.
Treasure[]
- Ayleid Reliquary — Guarded by a Troll Boss
- Two Ayleid Casks
Items of interest[]
- There is an Ayleid Reliquary chest in the middle of the lake. The second Ayleid Cask can be found to the right of the Female Stone statue in the wall surrounded by roots.
- On the western side of the lake near an Ayleid Cask and a defunct Shrine to Meridia, an Ayleid tablet reads:
- [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Meridia-child, Earth root power, sea wave like (earth like a flood?). People-out (escape? present tense? imperative?).
- A likely meaning of this tablet is that the Ayleid worshipers of Meridia who lived in this ruin were forced to evacuate due to a rise in sea level, this would explain the lake currently present on the site of the ruins.
- [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Meridia-child, Earth root power, sea wave like (earth like a flood?). People-out (escape? present tense? imperative?).
Sideways Cave - Lost Abagarlas[]
As soon as the Hero enter this portion of the cave there is a skeleton with a tablet near it. This is the third Ayleid tablet leading further into the ruins, which are overrun by a large root system.
Traps[]
- If the Hero makes the first right and continues straight to a staircase that turns left, there will be another cave-in trap. It can be avoided by backing up upon reaching the staircase.
Treasure[]
- Ayleid Coffer
- Ayleid Cask
Items of interest[]
- The Ayleid ruin itself. Upon entering, the second Ayleid tablet on the floor reads:
- [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Fourth Star Hour (time?) Terror-of-the-Most-Terror of Meridia come (came?).
- In a throne room with the dead scholar, the final Ayleid tablet reads:
- [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Stone-Settlers (builders?) not rest (wake?) Meridia. Terror of the Most Terror. Haste to safehome.
- The meaning of this tablet likely means that builders of some kind opened a chamber, either incurring the wraith of Meridia or angering whatever creature inhabited the cave.
- [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Stone-Settlers (builders?) not rest (wake?) Meridia. Terror of the Most Terror. Haste to safehome.
- The Ayleid Coffer next to the dead scholar contains more-than-usual random and leveled loot. There are also various iron weapons and bedrolls lying around.
Alchemy[]
- 3×Cairn Boletes
- 18×Wisp Stalks
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- There is an Ayleid city of Molag Bal worshipers called Abagarlas that the Vestige visits during the Second Era. It was also destroyed by Meridia, though it is described as being "destroyed by a blinding light"[1] Whether this is the same Abagarlas as the city found in Sideways Cave is unknown.
Bugs[]
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This section contains bugs related to Sideways Cave. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
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- There is a recurring bug encountered while exploring this cave. Be sure to save prior to entering the second area "Hidden Lake." The problem occurs when trying to exit the cave; a huge rock slide will completely block the path when attempting to exit from the 'Hidden Lake' area back to the Sideways Cave's first floor. This has been confirmed by a number of players. Most have verified that it happens while exploring the Abagarlas area of the cave.