A Brush With Death Quest Walkthrough and Rewards

Follow this step-by-step guide for completing A Brush With Death in Oblivion Remastered, from entering the Painted World to defeating the trolls and claiming your reward.
As players explore the cities of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, they’ll stumble upon all kinds of side quests tucked away in homes, guilds, and inns.
One of the more unique ones is A Brush With Death, found in Cheydinhal, and it’s not your typical fetch quest.
Instead, players get pulled into a living painting to battle colorful monsters and save a trapped artist.
If you want to know exactly how to start it and what you’ll earn by the end, here’s the full walkthrough.
How to Start the “A Brush With Death” Quest

First things first:
- Head to Cheydinhal.
- Look for Rythe Lythandas’s House on the southern side of the city.
Once inside, you’ll meet Trivela Lythandas, Rythe’s worried wife.
She’ll explain that Rythe has been missing for two days. His art studio, usually locked, was mysteriously empty when she finally got the door open.
She’ll then hand you Rythe’s Studio Key — time to investigate.
Entering the Painted World
Use the Studio Key to open the door to the right.
Inside the studio, you’ll find a strange painting hanging on the wall.
Interact with it, and you’ll be magically pulled into the Painted World — a vibrant, surreal forest landscape.
Here, Rythe himself appears and explains the situation:
- A thief broke into his home.
- Using Rythe’s magical Brush of Truepaint, the thief summoned monstrous Painted Trolls.
- Rythe’s been trapped ever since.
To help you fight the Painted Trolls, Rythe gives you 6 bottles of Turpentine, which temporarily boost your weapon’s damage against them.

Fighting the Painted Trolls
The path through the Painted World is pretty linear, but the trolls are no joke if you’re unprepared.
Tips for fighting Painted Trolls:
- Use the Turpentine — it makes a big difference.
- Watch your Stamina — low stamina means weak hits.
- Loot Troll Fat — Painted Troll Fat has both good and bad effects, but it’s valuable for Alchemy.
Encounters:
- The first Painted Troll appears almost immediately.
- A second and third Painted Troll come at you further down the painted path.
- Finally, after reaching a rocky, more barren area, you’ll battle the final Painted Troll.
After defeating the last troll, you’ll find the Bosmer Thief’s body nearby.
Loot the body to claim the Brush of Truepaint — mission almost complete!

Returning to the Real World
With the Brush of Truepaint in hand:
- Follow your compass back to Rythe’s location.
- Give him the brush.
- He’ll paint a portal right in front of you.
Step through the portal, and you’ll land safely back inside Rythe’s real-world house in Cheydinhal.
Talk to Rythe one last time to complete the quest.
A Brush With Death Quest Reward
For saving him (and his art career), Rythe will gift you the Apron of Adroitness.
Apron of Adroitness Effects:
- +10 Agility
- +10 Intelligence
It’s a lightweight piece of clothing that’s perfect for players who want a little boost to both nimbleness and brainpower, whether you’re playing a rogue, mage, or hybrid character.
A Brush With Death is one of the most creative and memorable side quests in Oblivion Remastered.
Not only do you get a beautiful change of scenery inside the Painted World, but you also get a rare magical item that can be super handy early to mid-game.
Next time you stroll through Cheydinhal, make sure to pop into Rythe’s house — it’s a little side adventure you definitely don’t want to miss. 🎨🧙
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