Completing the Waterfront Tax Refund in Oblivion Remastered

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If you’ve just become a member of the Thieves Guild and want to impress the Gray Fox in Oblivion Remastered, your first stop should be the Waterfront to chat with Armand Christophe. Keep in mind, even the most eager thieves need to prove their worth; you’ll need to sell at least 50 gold worth of stolen items before you can start the “Untaxing the Poor” quest.

The “Untaxing the Poor” mission is your introduction to special tasks within the Thieves Guild, and it’ll set you on the path to becoming a master thief. Armand Christophe will guide you through this quest and inform you of the location of the Waterfront Tax Records.

How to Begin Untaxing the Poor

After selling 50 gold worth of stolen goods and discussing it with Armand Christophe, you’ll kick off the Untaxing the Poor quest.

Armand will tell you that Hieronymus Lex, the leader of the Imperial City guard, has been overtaxing the city’s poor, taking advantage of their situation.

Your task? Sneak into the South Watch Tower and steal back the tax records and money that Lex has collected.

A Chameleon effect or full invisibility paired with a high Sneak skill can greatly simplify this quest.

You can purchase the Spectre Ring at Red Diamond Jewelry in the Imperial City Market District for a 25% Chameleon effect, or obtain the Ring of Khajiti for 35% from the Meridia Daedric quest.

Make sure to grab some lockpicks from Armand before you set off; you’ll definitely need them.

How to Steal the Waterfront Tax Records

Make your way to the Imperial City, either through the Temple or the Arboretum, as both have access to the South Tower.

Try to enter under the cover of night; most guards will be asleep by 2:00 or 3:00 AM, making it easier to sneak around.

Once inside the South Watch Tower, take a look around. If there are any active guards, wait until they’ve left the area before proceeding.

If you have a Chameleon item or spell, this is the moment to use it.

This first area is public, so you don’t have to worry about trespassing. However, the Barracks are off-limits to civilians, so avoid getting caught trying to enter while guards are present.

When the guards have cleared out in the dead of night, sneak over to the ladder and head up into the Barracks.

If any guards are awake in the first Barracks, leave immediately (unless you can stay hidden) or reload a save if you’re detected.

As soon as you enter the first Barracks room, turn left and find another ladder that goes further up to the next room.

You’ll then encounter one more ladder leading to the South Watch Captain’s Quarters, which has an average lock that you’ll need to pick.

Once you unlock the door, head into Lex’s Quarters. Immediately turn right to unlock the hard lock on the desk and grab the Waterfront Tax Records along with some additional gold.

With the records secured, quickly make your way down the series of ladders and return to the Imperial City Waterfront.

If you hurry, you can complete the entire quest within the same in-game night, though your timing will be tight.

What Rewards Do You Receive from Untaxing the Poor?

After successfully completing the quest, return to Armand Christophe to claim your rewards:

The small amount of gold you collected from Lex’s desk (which varies based on your luck and level)
A promotion to the rank of Footpad within the Thieves Guild

With these rewards, you’re all set to continue selling stolen goods until you’re prepared for the next Thieves Guild adventure, “The Elven Maiden.”