Online:Tamriel Guard

The Tamriel Guard are the law-enforcing guards found in most settlements across Tamriel. They are responsible for collecting gold from players with bounties, or killing them if they refuse. Guards are also responsible for general security and will attack any hostile creatures or NPCs that pass near them. 



Gameplay
Guards are usually found patrolling most towns and settlements, if there are non-hostile NPCs around. Guards will only react to players with bounties, if one passes near enough. When stopped by a guard, you will have 15 seconds to decide whether to pay your bounty or flee. 

Paying Your Bounty
If you choose to pay, that amount of gold is deducted from your inventory and all stolen goods on your person will be confiscated. Your status will be restored to "Upstanding".

 

The Thieves Guild skill line adds a third option for guards. Once per day you can ask a guard for Clemency (to let you off with a warning). They will not arrest you, or take any money or any stolen items. Additionally, guards will not accost you for one minute from this point, giving you time to locate an Outlaws Refuge or leave the area.

Fleeing
If you have insufficient gold, or choose to flee, the guard will immediately attack. Fleeing will raise your bounty, and mark you as "Kill on Sight" for the duration of the chase. As such, you are advised not to run into other guards when fleeing from the first one, since the damage dealt can quickly add up. If you get far enough, the guard will give up and return to his or her original spot. If you are killed, gold will be deducted from your inventory to pay your bounty, and all stolen items are confiscated.

The Thieves Guild skill line offers aid for fleeing criminals. The Timely Escape skill allows you to use Footpads to escape a chase, but only in cities with refuges.

Combat
Guards are extremely tough and have massive amounts of health (comparable to a trials boss) making them essentially invincible. They are always equipped with either a one-handed weapon and shield, or a two-handed weapon, along with other skills listed below. When fighting a guard, always flee, since the damage dealt by a guard is programmed to increase the longer the fight lasts. Crowd control and rooting effects may help you put some distance between you and a guard, but guards can break free from them.

One-Hand and Shield
Basic melee attack
Shield Charge, which knocks you over.
Power Bash, knocks player down and does high damage.
Fiery Grip, pulls player towards the guard.
Dark Talons, roots player in place.
Silver Bolts, a ranged attack.

Two-Handed
Basic melee attack
Uppercut, knocks player back doing high damage.
Critical Charge, stuns the player.
Petrify, stuns player.
Dark Talons, roots player in place.
Silver Bolts, a ranged attack. 

Dialogue
Guard dialogue consists of an opening line where they tell you to pay your bounty, a line for paying the bounty, and a line for running away/failing to pick an action within the allotted time limit after you've been caught. Dialogue spoken by a character depends on their race and voice actor. These lines are sorted in clusters of three, including the dialogue window for when you get caught, the ambient line that occurs if you pay the bounty, and the ambient line that occurs if you attempt to escape.
;Female Argonian
:''"I do believe I'm supposed to ask you to pay your fine. Or was I going to offer you a glass of wine?"
:" "
:" "

:"When life hands you a rotten mudcrab, your only option is to pay your fine and beg for the law's mercy."
:" "
:" "

;Unsorted Argonian
:"I erect the spine of 'pay your bounty so I can get back to my patrol.'"
:"Pleasure doing business with you."
:"Attack the Guard? Great idea!"

:"Go ahead. Don't pay your bounty. That would make my day. I'm just itching to hit something."
:"Pay your bounty and maybe I'll let you walk away."

:"Sithis can't forgive your crimes, but you are in luck. The law accepts gold."
:"Praise the egg! The bounty is paid."
:"I expected more of you, villain!"

:"The law is a river--fight it and you will drown. So pay me your bounty ... or take a deep breath."
:"Wise decision."
:"This will cost you, vermin."

:"The waters of justice flow downhill. Pay your fine or ... what were we talking about? Right, the bounty."
:"You paid your bounty? That's wonderful news!"
:"Didn't I warn you not to do that?"

:"I've had a hard day. Don't give me any grief, criminal scum!"
:"All right, I guess we're done here."
:"You just cracked the egg, scum!"

:"I hate to claim an egg before it hatches, but I assume you will pay your bounty?"
:"Compensation for your debt has been received!"
:"You can't outrun the wamasu!"

:"You give me gold, I make this go away. Just don't ask what the money's for"
:"Your gold flows like a fresh spring."
:"You should have paid the gold!"

:"Surrender, scum! That means "give up." I know, I know ... small words, short sentences."

:"My scales moisten in your presence. I desire much from you, but I must settle for your bounty."
:"I erect the spine of bashful farewell."
:"The wind of justice must blow."

;Male Breton:

;Caught
:"Illicit behavior shall not be tolerated! Pay your fine or face my fury!"

;Bounty Paid
:"Gods, that was easier than I thought."

;Female Dunmer
;Caught
:"Everybody wants to pay me a bounty. It must be my face. It has that 'you can trust me' quality."

;Male Dunmer
;Caught

;Bounty Paid

;Clemency
:"May the fear of the gods help you walk the right path."

;Flee

;Unsorted Dunmer
:"By the Three, my rights and duties. Ha! Right now my right and duty is to squeeze you for gold."
:"Hmm. Pleasure doing business."
:"I love a good chase!"

:"By Almsivi, I'll have your bounty or I'll have your hide."
:"Begone from my sight."
:"Is this how you choose to die?"

:"You're just another lowlife fetcher who broke the law and got caught. Now you have to pay."
:"Now get lost, scum."
:"This should be easy!"

;Female Khajiit
:"This one has a thing for criminals. That's why I got into this line of work. But I still need to collect your bounty."
:"I hope that was good for you, too."
:"This one hates rejection!"

:"This one wonders, will you pay your bounty or will you die?"
:"This one always collects her bounties."
:"I love it when they try to run!"

;Male Khajiit
;Caught
:"Please don't make this one get his fur dirty! Not for one so pathetic as you. Just pay your bounty."
:"This one thinks you ugly and stupid, like all muskarse criminals."
:"If not for poor choices, this one thinks you would never make decisions. Pay up, yes?"
:"I mean you no harm. But if you refuse to pay the bounty for your crimes, this one must fight you."
:"Halt, walker. It seems that your crimes have caught up with you. Time to pay the fine, yes?"
:"You don't look violent. That's good, as this one prefers to deal with civilized scoundrels."
:"You have a bounty to pay. This one takes it straight to the guard commander. Promise!"
:"This one believes you should be punished, since you were stupid enough to get caught."
:"I hope you reach for coin, and not a weapon. Paying the bounty is much easier."
:"Please. Do not waste this one's time with silly excuses. Just pay your bounty and scurry on."
:"Why do all the dungiest criminals come out on this one's watch? Make this quick and be on your way."

;Bounty Paid
:"Good decision. On your way now."
:"There is wisdom in your choice."
:"This one thanks you for your cooperation."
:"Well, that worked out in everyone's favor."
:"Sleek. Now walk on."
:"Move along or I'll charge you again."
:"Easy, yes? You are free to go."

;Clemency
:"Leave now before I get angry."
:"Go away now, smelly one!"
:"That was a silly excuse, but I'll let you go with a warning."

;Flee
:"This one hoped you'd refuse!"
:"No surrender? Then let us dance!"
:"Another rat to be rid of, then!"
:"If that is your wish."
:"There's nowhere you can hide from me!"
:"Don't say this one didn't warn you!"
:"I don't want to chase you!"
:"Then I'm obliged to use force!"
:"Where do you run, dung-eater?"
:"I hoped you wouldn't listen to reason!"
:"That was not a request!"

;Unsorted Khajiit
:"Aren't you in trouble now? Fortunately, I can make trouble go away. I just need a little gold, yes?"
:"This will do nicely."

:"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the guard who will be collecting your bounty, yes?"
:"The law forgives you, my friend!"
:"Very well. Pain it is!"

Nord:
:"No need for concern. Pay the bounty and your name will be cleared."
:"It's nothing to be proud of, but it isn't the end of the world, either. Just pay your bounty."
:"You did good, settling your affairs."
:"All right, you'll pay in blood!"

:"I've come to ask ... I mean, demand your bounty. Yeah, demand. So pay up ... please?"
:"Great! Thank you. Seriously ... thank you."
:"Wait! We can still work this out!"

:"Don't tell me your story. I don't want to hear it. I just want to collect your bounty."
:"I expect we'll see each other again."
:"Didn't want to kill you, but oh well!"

:"Paying a bounty's not so bad. Think of it as unintended charity. The people thank you! Honestly!"
:"Painless, eh? Now, off you go."
:"We're fighting? Well, all right"

:"Where have you been hiding all my life? If we clear your name, maybe we can talk of other things."
:"I'll see you again, my little snowball."
:"I didn't want it to come to this!"

:"Looks like you broke some law or other. I believe this means you have to pay the bounty."
:"That's right. I think."
:"You'll never get away with ... whatever you did!"
 

Notes
No guards can be found in Cyrodiil or Coldharbour since the Justice System is not implemented in those zones.
Gold stored in banks cannot be confiscated by guards.
Polished Shillings can sometimes be found when pickpocketing a guard.
Throwing mud balls at a guard will result in a bounty. This can be done with the Mud Ball Pouch or a   consumable, or during the quest Mud Ball Merriment.
Fleeing from a guard in an indoor area is extremely difficult, since you cannot open doors while receiving damage.
With enough damage output it's technically possible to reduce a guard's health to zero, although even this does not kill them.