If you want to get into the Arcane University in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, you’ll need to get recommendations from local Mages Guilds, and one of the most interesting recommendation scenarios can be found in Chorrol. Here, you’ll find a woman named Earana hovering around the Mages Guild during daytime hours, behavior that most Chorrol NPCs regard as odd. If you talk to local guild leader Teekeeus about it, he’ll ask you to figure out what Earana wants, after which she’ll tell you that she’s searching for a book called Fingers of the Mountain.

Although Teekeeus previously dismissed the book as a myth, he’s concerned that Earana wants it, so he’ll ask you to bring it back to him instead. Getting the book isn’t a tough task, but choosing who to hand it over to can be more confusing. While Teekeeus seems the more reputable of the two, there’s always a possibility that Earana’s vendetta against him has some legitimate basis, and it’s hard to get any information about whom you should trust.

How To Get Fingers Of The Mountain

A Quick Trip Up The Mountain

Although you’ll hear murmurs about Earana from plenty of Chorrol citizens, you need to talk to Teekeeus specifically to start the “Chorrol Recommendation” quest. After speaking to Teekeeus, head outside the Mages guild to find Earana during daytime hours. If she isn’t there, you may be able to find her at The Grey Mare, the local inn where she’s taken up residence. Get the quest from Earana, then return to Teekeeus to have it marked on your map.

Head out of Chorrol through the North Gate and up the nearby mountain path, following the quest indicator. You’ll find Cloud Top at the end, and a charred corpse lies on the ground next to a ruined pillar. You can take Fingers of the Mountain off the body and return to Chorrol, where you’ll have to decide which recipient to give the book to.

What Happens If You Give The Book To Teekeeus

Prioritizing The Recommendation

Giving the book to Teekeeus is a straightforward option, and the local guild leader will simply take Fingers of the Mountain and give you the recommendation you’re after in return. After accepting the book, he’ll walk to his room in the Mages Guild, where he’ll put it away in a chest for safekeeping. Notably, you have free access to the chest as a member of the Mages Guild, so there’s nothing stopping you from taking it back yourself. You’ll receive two fame points for completing the task.

If you speak to Earana again after giving Teekeeus the book, she’ll be upset, but she’ll quickly ask you to steal it back and give it to her. This starts “Fingers of the Mountain, Part 2,” the second half of the “Chorrol Recommendation” quest. If you steal the book and give it to her, she’ll tell you to return the following day after she translates it to receive a reward. When you meet again, she’ll give you a passage from the book and tell you to return to Cloud Top and follow the instructions.

The passage establishes that hitting the pillar at Cloud Top with a shock spell will make something happen, although it isn’t clear what. If you heed its advice, return to Cloud Top, and use a shock spell on the pillar, you’ll receive a leveled shock spell called Finger of the Mountain, ending the quest. If you don’t have the necessary shock spell on hand and didn’t already clean out Jauffre’s chest, you can drop by Weynon Priory and grab a shock scroll there. I had no luck finding one at the Mages Guild or shop in-town.

What Happens If You Give The Book To Earana

The Chaotic Choice Won’t Ruin Any Plans

Giving the book to Earana up front will trigger the same sequence of events regarding Cloud Top. Earana will leave, translate the book, and return with the instructions to activate the pillar on Cloud Top. Whether Earana gets the book first or second, as long as she gets it, you’ll be able to acquire the Finger of the Mountain spell. You’ll receive one fame point for giving the book to Earana.

After giving her the book, you can speak to Teekeeus, who will likewise request that you steal the book back. This once again starts “Fingers of the Mountain, Part 2,” although the content of the quest now focuses on the opposite angle. This time, you’ll have to steal it from Earana’s room at The Grey Mare.

If you steal the book back, Teekeeus will recommend you to the Arcane University, forgiving your initial indiscretion in giving the book to Earana. That being said, you won’t get any additional fame points beyond the one you got for handing Fingers of the Mountain over to Earana.

You Should Give Fingers Of The Mountain To Teekeeus

A Marginal Advantage

There’s ultimately nothing to gain by giving Fingers of the Mountain to Earana first. No matter which path you take, you can earn both the recommendation from Teekeeus and the instructions on how to receive the Finger of the Mountain spell from Earana. By opting to hand it over to Teekeeus first, you’ll get two fame points rather than just one, providing a minor but distinct advantage with no drawbacks.

That being said, since both outcomes are extremely similar, there’s little harm in taking either approach to the Chorrol Recommendation quest. If you’ve already given the book to Earana, reloading just to get an extra fame point probably isn’t worth your time. Choosing Teekeeus first makes the most sense, but the main takeaway is that you’ll want to give Fingers of the Mountain to both Teekeeus and Earana if you want to maximize your Oblivion Remastered rewards.