It’s sort of weird thinking of bosses in the Elder Scrolls series considering the notable lack of unique character models or abilities for them. There are however the stronger than normal characters that you’d fight at the end of quests and questlines. Or as I like to call them ‘loot piles’ because the shiny and unique arms and armor hey use/you can steal.
Such is the subject of today’s Boss Rush: Agronak gro-Malog, The Gray Prince, Grand Champion of the Arena.
The Arena is one of several factions in Oblivion, it is located in the eastern district of the Imperial City.
The Arena, as you might expect revolves around gladiatorial combat where you fight for gold and glory, working your way up from a lowly pit-dog to the champion, from which rank you can then challenge the Grand Champion. There are three battles per rank, organised by the Blademaster, Owyn, who slowly grows to respect you as you gain a decent reputation.
He also tells you the rules of the arena, which are essentially: you can only fight during open times of the arena, you can’t loot your opponents and you must wear an arena raiment. The arena raiments come in two varieties, light and heavy, you can use whichever suits your preference, though always in blue. Blue being your team colour, and you always fight against the yellow team.
Your home base in the arena is called the Bloodworks. The Bloodworks being home to Owyn, Agronak, Ysabel – the grand champion’s manager, a blue team gladiator (a rank in the arena), and the yellow team champion. Oh, and the guy who takes bets but chances are if you’re there he’ll be outside (taking bets).
So let’s bring our focus back toward the Gray Prince, half-orc combatant beloved by the people. You’d be forgiven for thinking that was all there is to his character but you’d better believe that he has a tragic backstory to boot. His mother was the mistress to a lord but was forced to flee after his wife found out about the affair. The lord was Agronak’s father, and should you choose to help him, he will task you to return to his father’s decrepit estate in search of proof of his noble blood.
Delving into the ruin you will find the proof he seeks, and a truth he would be happier without… Not only do you find his father’s journal with the account of his birth but also his father! His father had been locked in a room by his mother when she fled, trapped there for the entirety of Agronak’s life. “But how?” you may be wondering, well he was already long dead. He’s a vampire, and his imprisonment has made him feral. It’s really quite sad actually. We’ll get back to that shortly.
So you’ve managed to defeat the yellow team champion and you can now take on the Gray Prince. He’ll come at you with sword and shield. And as stated above, nothing special really happens, he’s just strong. He’s the exception to the no looting rule, you need to take his raiment to get your own raiment of the grand champion, the title is now yours!
Of course, if you do uncover his origins and return the journal, you get nine points worth of training but the fight will be more depressing. He can’t accept the ‘monster’ he is. As you enter the arena to fight he simply stands there, waiting to be killed. A dower end to the Gray Prince.
