Oblivion:The Best Defense

Store: The Best Defense (view on map)
Proprietor	Varnado
Proprietor	Maro Rufus
Console Location Code(s)
ICMarketDistrictTheBestDefense, ICMarketDistrictTheBestDefenseBasement, ICMarketDistrictTheBestDefenseUpstairs
Location
Imperial City, Market District

The Best Defense

The Best Defense is an armor store located in the Imperial City's Market District. It is found across the street from Rindir's Staffs and next to The Gilded Carafe and the Office of Imperial Commerce.

The store is jointly run by Varnado and Maro Rufus. Also living in the shop is Gin-Wulm, the in-store smith who is the Armorer master trainer.

Varnado has 1000 gold and Mercantile skill of 60. He also offers repairing services and advanced Heavy Armor training. When bartering, he will buy your armor, weapons, and miscellaneous items while only selling heavy armor. Among his wares is the unique cuirass Aegis of Apocalypse, which fortifies your Blade, Blunt, and Heavy Armor while draining your luck and your health. The other vendor, Maro Rufus, has 800 gold, a Mercantile skill of 40 and also offers repair services. When bartering, he will buy your armor, weapons, and miscellaneous items while only selling light armor.

The Best Defense is divided into three areas: The Best Defense, The Best Defense Private Quarters, and The Best Defense Basement.

Related Quests

• Armorer Training: Prove your smithing skills to the master.
• Heavy Armor Training: A retired soldier wants you to find a present for his beloved before he will train you.

The Best Defense

The Best Defense

The main trading room is on the ground floor, and consists of separate counters for the two vendors who each have a selection of their wares on display. The wares are arranged meticulously and several candles cast an inviting glow over them. The front door opens to the sight of an exhibition table standing in the middle of a big carpet. It holds a pair of fur boots, iron boots, and fur greaves. A small podium holds a fur helmet.

Along the stairs is Varnado's desk, and it holds, not surprisingly, a wide variety of heavy armor. A podium showcases a pair of iron boots, and on the desk are an iron helmet and an iron cuirass. Following the desk towards the basement door sit three handbills: one for Rindir's Staffs and two for First Edition. Next to a few copies of Manual of Arms lies a steel cuirass, some iron greaves and, on another small podium, a steel helmet and a pair of steel boots.

Maro Rufus' desk holds, as to be expected, several pieces of light armor. Starting near the wall, there's a small podium with a pair of leather boots. Next to that is a leather helmet and a sack with clutter, which doesn't respawn. In the middle of the desk, a leather cuirass has been carefully laid out. Behind the desk, on a table, a lectern holds writing materials while the sack holds clutter. They are safe containers. Following the wall, there's a writing desk with even more clutter, but on top of it, two scrolls: one of bound gauntlets and one of absorb skill: Blade. At the foot of the staircase leading upstairs, there are two sacks with clutter and two barrels with food. These two sacks are safe containers and do not respawn.

The Best Defense Private Quarters

Private Quarters

The Private Quarters is part dining room, part bedroom. This is where Varnado resides. Next to the entrance, a set of shelves holds three potatoes, a pumpkin, and a watermelon. Following the wall towards the corner, a cupboard holds drinks while the dinner table only holds four strawberries in a bowl. In the corner near the bed, there is a cupboard filled with clothing, while the locked chest at the foot of the bed has a chance of some jewelry, gold, or silverware. The chest of drawers holds clutter and on the top sits a flax tunic and a pair of clogs. The unlocked Display Case has two Bronze Amulets on display while the chest to the right of the alcove contains randomly selected equipment. Inside the alcove, the chest, the sack, and the desk all hold clutter. The little sack is a safe container. The two chests (the one with armor and the other one near the bed) are also safe containers, which do not respawn.

The Best Defense Basement

The Best Defense basement

Halfway down the stairs, on the landing, sits a chest with clutter, and further down, a sack with food and a few gold coins. The sack is a safe container. At the bottom of the stairs, there is a hallway with two doors, each respectively leading to Gin-Wulm and Maro Rufus' bedrooms. At the end of the hallway, there are some shelves and a barrel with clutter, and on the floor, an entrance to the Market Sewers.

The northern door leads to Maro Rufus' bedroom and opens to the sight of a cupboard filled with drinks, atop which sits four bottles of cheap wine. On the small dinner table, you can find a piece of ham, a bread loaf, a cheese wedge, two apples, and ten blackberries as well as a bottle of cheap wine. The cupboard near the bed holds clothing.

The southern door leads to Gin-Wulm's quarters. On the candlelit table, there is a lectern with clutter and/or a book. The lectern is safe to store items inside. The wine rack near the dinner table holds eleven bottles of cheap wine, and on the floor underneath it lies a repair hammer. On the table, there is even more food: two potatoes, two loaves of bread, and a cheese wedge. On the side, and not exactly hidden, are two bottles of skooma. The chest of drawers near the bed holds clothing, and a blue & green outfit sits on top.

Rumors

• Occasionally, Imperial City citizens can be heard talking about The Best Defense:
  • "While you're in the Market District, see Rohssan's weapons at A Fighting Chance, and see Varnado and Maro Rufus at The Best Defense for armor." --Viator Accius
  • "I'd buy my armor at 'The Best Defense' if I could afford it. You know... in the Market District... the Imperial City?"
  • "Varnado at The Best Defense knows a lot about Heavy Armor."
  • "If I had a question about Heavy Armor, I'd probably ask Varnado at The Best Defense."
  • "Have you ever spoken with Varnado at The Best Defense?"
  • "If you need light armor, talk to Maro Rufus at The Best Defense."
  • "There's some fine light armor at The Best Defense. Talk to Maro Rufus."