The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine is an expansion pack for the role-playing video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Announced on October 17, 2006, for release on November 21, 2006, the expansion was developed by Bethesda Game Studios, and published and released in North America by Bethesda Softworks; in Europe, the game was co-published with Ubisoft. The Microsoft Windows version is available either as a downloadable plug-in from the company website or as part of the retail-released Oblivion Downloadable Content Collection CD—a release that also includes all previously released official downloadable content available for Oblivion. The Xbox 360 version is available via Xbox Live Marketplace, and the PlayStation 3 version of Oblivion includes Knights of the Nine in its packaged release. Knights of the Nine centers on a faction of the same name, devoted to locating and preserving a set of "Crusaders' Relics". Once found, these relics must be used to defeat the sorcerer-king Umaril, who seeks revenge on the Nine Divines. Knights of the Nine was generally well received in the gaming press. Although it made little change to the basic mechanics of Oblivion, it was judged by reviewers to be a brief but polished addition to the game's main plot. Gameplay Knights of the Nine is identical to the gameplay of Oblivion; the basic design, maneuvers, and interfaces remain unchanged. As such, it is a fantasy-based role-playing adventure game. Players begin Oblivion by defining their character; deciding on its skill set, specialization, physical features, and race. Knights of the Nine is an example of open-ended-style gameplay: the main quest may be delayed or completely ignored as the player explores the game world, follows side quests, interacts with NPCs, and develops a character according to their taste. Furthering the goal of open-ended gameplay, Knights of the Nine, unlike Bethesda's prior content packs for Oblivion, begins with no explicit prodding towards the newly introduced content; players must seek out and find the game's quest without external aid. Plot Knights of the Nine's quest begins as the player approaches the Chapel of Dibella in Anvil. The Anvil Chapel had recently been desecrated and everyone present had been killed. The quest proceeds as the player consults a prophet near the scene of the attack who indicates that the one responsible for the destruction is Umaril, an ancient Ayleid sorcerer-king, who escaped from his prison in the realm of Oblivion