Malacath’s quest becomes available once your character reaches level 10. His shrine is located north of Anvil, near Lord Drad’s estate. To activate the quest, you must make an offering of troll fat. This can be found on trolls in caves or purchased from alchemy shops, such as The Main Ingredient in the Imperial City.

Once the offering is made, Malacath will speak to you directly. He reveals that Lord Drad has enslaved his children — the ogres — and forced them to work in a mine. Your task is to liberate them and restore their freedom.

Meeting Lord Drad

Next, travel to Lord Drad’s estate, located slightly south of the shrine. You can speak with Drad himself: if you’re polite, he will boast about his accomplishments and mention the mine. However, if you confront him about slavery, he will refuse to talk. In that case, his wife can provide information — she will tell you the mine is called Bleak Mine.

The key to the mine can be found inside the house or taken from the guards. If you wish to avoid confrontation, you can try stealing the key stealthily.

Freeing the Ogres in Bleak Mine

The mine lies east of the estate. Inside, you'll encounter several armed guards and two cages containing ogres. You can try to free the ogres immediately, but it's wiser to first eliminate the guards — otherwise, they may kill the ogres after their release.

The cages can be opened with the key, though it's also possible to pick the locks. It’s crucial that both ogres survive — if either one dies, Malacath will not consider the quest complete.

Returning to Malacath and the Reward

After freeing the ogres, return to Malacath’s shrine. He will thank you and reward you with the powerful Daedric artifact Volendrung — a warhammer that paralyzes enemies for 3 seconds and absorbs their health. It's especially useful for melee-oriented characters.

This reward is considered one of the strongest Daedric artifacts in Oblivion, and it truly justifies the risks involved in the quest.

What Can Go Wrong

If a single ogre is killed after they have been freed, the quest will not succeed, and you cannot get Volendrung. Remember that even though the guards are not innocent NPCs, the deaths of the guards will count toward your kill stats, which might make you ineligible for the Dark Brotherhood.

Of all the quests in the game, this is certainly one of the most emotionally significant. Not only are you collecting an additional weapon — you're battling for the freedom of beings the world had forgotten long ago. Malacath's quest is the quintessence of the Daedric Prince — the patron of the downtrodden and the forsaken.