Oblivion:Unmarked Cave

Notes
 
To the right when you first enter this cave is a locked door that requires a unique key to open, and thus cannot be picked. This door leads to the second section of the cave, Unmarked Cave Mazeway''. However the key for this door does not actually exist in the game (or even in the game's construction set; see the Talk Page), nor is there any script that unlocks the door. Therefore you can normally only explore part of the first zone.
''Unmarked Cave Black Queen's Hall'' contains a chest identified in the construction set as  .  The chest's name demonstrates that it was supposed to be used as part of a miscellaneous quest identified as "MS25". No such quest exists in the distributed version of the game, however, and this is the only reference anywhere to MS25. Despite its interesting name, the chest is completely empty.
One other possible clue related to this quest is a "Rumor" dialogue that can be heard in Cheydinhal: "''Dervera Romalen is sure proud of the Newlands Lodge. I think she's especially happy that the Red Queen drinks there." This is the only mention anywhere of a "red queen".  It is possible that the unfinished quest involved both a red queen and a black queen.
The only known way to explore this cave (without using Console commands) is by using an exploit to go through the cave in reverse, starting at the exit. In the northern section of the accessible part of the first zone is a cave with a hole in the ceiling; in a normal cave, this hole would be used to jump down from the upper level and exit after exploring the entire cave. Using the Floating Paint Brushes Cheat or high Acrobatics, it is possible to jump up''' through this hole. This allows you to explore the Unmarked Black Queen's Hall and beyond. However, even from the other side, it is not possible to unlock the door without using the console.
 

Exterior

The exterior is located at coordinates: Tamriel 4, 28
This location's map marker (M on map) is named Unmarked Cave (editor name UnmarkedCave01MapMarker). The entrance door is NNE of the marker, 50 feet away.
0-2 Monsters are near the entrance
1 Wilderness Creature (Forest variety) is near the entrance
1 Wilderness Creature (Forested Mountains variety) is near the entrance
The following plants can be found near the entrance: 1 Green Stain Cup plant, 18 Monkshood plants, and 8 Summer Bolete plants

 
Zone 1:
thumb|right|311px|Unmarked Cave
You will see two paths ahead as soon as you enter from door Out. The eastern path leads to the door with no key at G. The western path leads to to the accessible western part of this cave. 

If you have access to the console, it may be preferable to use the   command to get past the door at G, explore the rooms in the eastern part of this zone, and proceed to zone 2 through door C. When you return from zone 3 to this zone through door E, you will be able to explore the western part of this zone.

If you don't have access to the console, take the western path. It soon leads into a room with two enemies; defeat them and proceed downhill through the narrow northern passage. You will emerge in a large and mostly square room, with a trench zig-zagging across the room from east to north. One enemy will be close to the point where you enter the room, and there may be another one in the northwest corner, on your side of the trench. Climb down into the trench and then back up the other side to find a tunnel leading north.

This tunnel has a slightly wider section with one enemy in it. Defeat that enemy and you will arrive at an intersection. Heading north leads to a small room with one enemy and a minor loot chest in a niche on the south wall. Heading west leads to a slightly larger room with at least one and possibly two enemies, and a minor loot chest in an alcove in the far southwest corner.

In the southwest part of this room, there is a hole in the ceiling; this is where you can attempt to jump up through the hole and explore the rest of the cave "backwards" (see the notes). If you can't or don't want to jump up through the hole, retrace your steps to Out.

If you use the console to get past the door at G, you will be in a passage that goes downhill, turns east, and leads to a room with at least one and possibly two enemies. Defeat them and take the passage north to the next room, with one enemy. On the map, it appears as if there are two ways out of this room, but the passage in the northeast corner is blocked by a rock door that doesn't open from this side. Take the passage to the west and be prepared to face a potential enemy almost immediately after it turns north. The dead-end passage to the west contains a Cave In trap. Proceed slightly further north to arrive at another intersection; to the north, the path goes downhill to a small room with one enemy and no loot. To the east is a wood door; just past that door is a short branch to the south with a minor loot chest.

Continuing east, you will arrive at another intersection; the passage to the north leads to one enemy and door C to zone 2. The passage to the south leads to the other side of the rock door mentioned above - it will slide into the floor when you stand directly in front of it. Continuing east, you will find another enemy guarding door D to zone 2, and a small room with a minor loot chest on the south wall and possibly an enemy.

It is preferable to take door C to access zone 2. Door D only provides access to an underwater chest in zone 2, and an escape route back to this zone if you fall into the water in zone 2.

When you return to this zone from zone 3 through door E, you will find yourself in a room with a hole in the floor. Carefully walk around the hole to find the boss chest at B, in a niche on the wall behind some crates. After looting the chest, jump down through the hole and make your way back to Out.

Occupants:
5-8 Mixed Monster/Animal Enemies (each 80% probability Monster/Animal, 20% Rat)
6-8 Animals
Treasure:
1 boss-level Chest (Monster variety) at location B on map
2 Chests 01
1 Chest 02
1 Chest 03
Traps:
1 Cave In trap at location T on map
Doors and Gates:
There are four doors in/out of this zone
1 door (at Out) leads outside
2 doors (at D and C) lead to the zone Unmarked Cave Mazeway
1 door (at E) leads out of dungeon to Unmarked Cave Black Queen's Hall
1 Wood Door at G (locked, says 'key required' but there is no key)

 

Zone 2:
thumb|right|297px|Unmarked Cave Mazeway
This zone has sections that are underwater.
This zone is split in half by a deep trench of water. If you work through the maze of tunnels, you are able to get around the trench. If you jump in to the water, the only way out is a short underwater tunnel (no Water Breathing needed) that leads back to the first zone. There is one underwater chest in the trench.
There is a corridor near the water trench (but not in the same cave room) where rocks tumble down blocking further progress. You can clear rock debris enough to get passed it using a Weak Fireball or Fireball. At the end of the corridor to the left the floor, ceiling and walls end right there, at what seems to be a vast underground lake. If you jump out into it though, you find your self outside of the map. You can look back and see the layout of that level as if you had turned Collision off (using the TCL console command). It may be that there is no key because the quest-line (as well as the map) was never completed before release (or they just didn't bother to build anything after the rock-fall figuring you couldn't get past it). It is possible to get back inside the map by going directly below a door, looking straight up, jumping out of the water, and using the door.

Upon arriving through door C, you will face an enemy almost immediately. After defeating that enemy, proceed north into a large room; you will be on a ledge that overlooks a water-filled trench running from east to west. There is another enemy on your side of the trench, near the southeast corner of the room. After clearing out the south ledge, if you have ranged weapons or spells, you may be able to strike down one of the enemies near the west end of the north ledge.

When you're ready to go on, go to the east end of the south ledge, to find another rock door that will slide into the floor. The passage beyond this door leads to to a small room with three enemies and no loot. Proceeding north and then west from that room, you will come to an intersection, but it is impossible to go west - the rock door to the west will not open. The rock door to the north will open, leading to a sinuous set of passages, with at least five enemies and two Cave In traps at T.

These passages eventually open into a small room, with a restoration chest in a niche on the west wall. A passage leads west from the southwest corner of this room. A side passage leads north to a minor loot chest, guarded by one enemy. The passage opens up into a room with a restoration chest in an alcove along the west wall, and a large passage to the south.

This large passage turns east and puts you out on the north ledge of the large room, with two enemies. Loot the locked minor loot chest near the center of the ledge, and then proceed to Zone 3 through door F.

If you jump down into the water from either ledge in the large room, there isn't any way to get back up. Loot the underwater minor loot chest, in nearly the exact center of the room, and then swim east to find an underwater passage. The passage will turn south and quickly go uphill, allowing you to breathe,
and eventually leads to door D back to Zone 1. You can then return to this zone via door C.


Occupants:
13-14 Mixed Monster/Animal Enemies (each 80% probability Monster/Animal, 20% Rat)
Treasure:
1 Chest 02 (locked)
2 Chests 03
2 Chests 04
Traps:
2 Cave In traps at locations T on map
Doors and Gates:
There are three doors in/out of this zone
2 doors (at D and C) lead to the zone Unmarked Cave
1 door (at F) leads out of dungeon to Unmarked Cave Black Queen's Hall

 

Zone 3: '' ''
thumb|right|304px|Unmarked Cave Black Queen's Hall

If you arrive in this zone from door F, you will soon find yourself at an intersection. Go either east or west to end up in a large room; the east passage provides access to a minor loot chest just before you enter the large room.

The large room has a trench running from north to south, and ledges on both sides of the trench. There are several side rooms, some of them accessible from the ledges, and some of the accessible from tunnels in the trench. The tunnel at the north end of the east wall of the trench leads to a side room with one enemy and two minor loot chests; the tunnel at the south end of the west wall of the trench leads to a side room with a possible enemy and a restoration chest.

To exit the large room, take the northern-most tunnel from the western side of the trench; one enemy guards a rock door. Unfortunately, the rock door won't open from this side; you need the console to get past it.

Proceed west and south, through a wood door, to arrive at the final room in this zone, with at least one and possibly two enemies. There is a chest in the middle of the room that is completely empty (see the notes); there is a restoration chest in the northwest corner. Head south, through one last rock door, and return to Zone 1 through door E.

Occupants:
7-10 Mixed Monster/Animal Enemies (each 80% probability Monster/Animal, 20% Rat)
Treasure:
1 Chest 01
1 Chest 02
1 Chest 03
2 Chests 04
Doors and Gates:
There are two doors in/out of this zone
1 door (at E) leads to the zone Unmarked Cave
1 door (at F) leads to the zone Unmarked Cave Mazeway