Factions (Oblivion)

Factions or guilds are organizations of people with a common goal in Cyrodiil. The Hero of Kvatch can join several of these factions. Upon joining, specific tasks, known as quests can be administered by a higher-up or leading official of the faction. Most factions have multipul guildhalls or headquarters that remain static for the entire storyline, other factions only have the one headquarters. Each faction has a clear leader, such as Arch-Mage Hannibal Traven for Mages Guild.

Comparisons with other games
was the last Elder Scrolls title to employ the conventional four factions, which were called "Guilds". These factions included the Thieves Guild, the Mages Guild, the Fighters Guild, and the Morag Tong. While Oblivion kept the Thieves Guild, Fighters Guild and the Mages Guild, the Morag Tong was exchanged for a different faction. Due to the Morag Tong only appear in the Province of Morrowind, the guild could not logically appear in titles outside this province. Thus, the Dark Brotherhood (Oblivion), was again used to fill this void, appeared as a joinable faction.

Perks of joining factions
Some factions, such as the Knights of the Nine grant a special uniform upon joining which can be worn optionally either to reap the bonuses of the armor or for role-playing aesthetic. More extreme benefits, such as becoming a Pilgrim's Grace can only be achieved by joining factions.

Other factions may provide amenities to the Hero of Kvatch, such as sleeping quarters, containers that never reset for safe item storage, and followers. Once a member attains a certain rank, they can freely take any items from the guild hall.

Certain guild-mates cannot be unlocked as followers unless a given faction is joined. For example, the Mages Guild has two possible followers that can be unlocked. These are Mage Apprentices.

Because guild members can come and go at any hour of the day, joining a faction is wise for vampires, since there will be an abundance of sleeping guild-mates that can be accessed without breaking and entering, trespassing, or sneaking. Additionally, they provide safe havens that can be quickly entered to avoid sustaining Sun Damage.

Expulsion and availability
Factions possess some integral rules. Members cannot steal, murder, or attack other members of the guild without risking expulsion, arrest, or the faction's members becoming relentlessly hostile toward the Hero of Kvatch. Some will desist if the bounty is cleared.

While most factions can be joined at any time throughout the main storyline, some factions can only be joined for a limited amount of time or are entirely unavailable upon joining another faction. In the former example, the Blackwood Company can be temporarily aligned during the fighters guild questline, similar to the Hero of Kvatch joining the Mythic Dawn to temporarily advance the questline.