Imperial Legion ( Oblivion ) The Imperial Legion is a military organization in universe . It was inspired by the Roman legions that were the supreme military power of their time . In , the player could join the Legion , perform tasks for them and eventually rise to the highest rank , the " Knight of the Imperial Dragon . " " Morrowind ' s " sequel , , featured the Legion , yet gave the player no opportunity to sign up as a legionnaire . Summary . The Imperial Legion was the supreme military power of the Cyrodiil Empire of Tamriel ; no other organized army in the world could match it in combat . The Legion is primarily composed of Imperials ( who occupy most high - ranking positions ) , Redguards , Nords and Bretons ( who fight as infantrymen but especially as battlemages , filling the ranks of these units by the thousands ) , with a notable Orcish ( due to their excellence as heavy infantry ) and Dark Elf minority ( most prominently in Gnisis ) . Its headquarters is located in the Imperial City ' s Prison District . ( Note that this is the makeup of the Legion in Morrowind — in Oblivion , the Legion consists predominantly of Imperials , with a few notable exceptions in the ranks of the town guards . ) There are five Legion towns in the Vvardenfell district . Three of these are town garrisons : Moonmoth Legion Fort in Balmora , Buckmoth Legion Fort in Ald ' ruhn , and Fort Pelagiad in Pelagiad . The Legion works for the Imperial government , with support from the Emperor . In peacetime , the legionnaires serve as guards ; in war , they have also been used as an invasion force . In war , the Imperial Legion is a feared and unstoppable force . Their huge numbers and strict discipline cause even the most battle - hardened army to question their tactics . With wide ranks of hundreds of disciplined soldiers , the Imperial Legion is a force not to be trifled with . However powerful their unstoppable numbers may make them appear , Imperials ( who make up the majority of the legion ) are not a natural warrior race . To counter this , they are a balanced and prolific race and the average trooper can be trained to hold their own against any foe . Still , they opt to attack with massive amounts of well - equipped and well - trained troops , to minimize the chance of failure and lower the morale of the opposition . Using diverse unit types - - including archer s to cause damage , cavalry to run enemies down , officers to lead with their experience , and most importantly , their infantry platoons to crush the enemy infantry , as well as companies of battlemage s to rain fire , ice , and lightning to the enemies and protect their allies with defensive spells - - the Imperial Legion is an unstoppable war machine , capable of crushing any opposing army in their tracks . The Lord ' s Mail , Chrysamere , and the Blade of the Paladin are Artifacts of special importance to the Imperial Legion . Prior to the theft by a former legion member , the Mail was on display in the Imperial Commission in Ebonheart , Morrowind . After having been retrieved from the traitorous legionnaire , it is kept at an undisclosed location along with Chrysamere , presumably for security reasons . In Skyrim , the Imperial Legion , led by General Tullius , has a large foothold due to the civil war with the Stormcloaks . Their numbers and strength have dwindled since the Oblivion Crisis , which has prompted various assaults on Tamriel at large and , more specifically , Cyrodiil . Skills required . The Imperial Legion selects candidates on the basis of superior Endurance , the soldierly virtue , and trustworthy personality , the citizen ' s virtue , for service in the Legion is the model for the duties of Imperial citizenship . Troopers are expected to demonstrate mastery of the Blade , the spear , and blunt weapons . Legion troops train with shield and heavy armor , and so must be skilled at blocking and moving in heavy armor . As a trooper or knight , you must master the long blade , spear , and blunt weapons . You must block whatever blows you can , and take unblocked blows upon your heavy armor . Recruits must also be proficient at athletics , both to march long distances with heavy packs , and to advance and maneuver , charge and retreat on the field of battle . Special duties . There are a number of special duties that Imperial Legion soldiers fulfill . Normally , the Legion is responsible for the projection of Imperial power in the provinces and the security of the Tamrielic roads . However , there are special companies of Legion soldiers that have different duties . Imperial Forester s . The Imperial Foresters are rangers who patrol the dense forests of Cyrodiil and some other provinces . They are quick and nimble , lightly armored in comparison to their regular counterparts and equipped with bows and swords . They are usually seen prowling the forests and attacking bandits , highwaymen , wolves etc . Also on rare occasion , possibly due to a glitch or mistaken ' friendly fire ' , they can be seen fighting each other and mounted legion soldiers that patrol Cyrodiil ' s roads . Duke ' s Guard and Palace Guard . A special Imperial Legion platoon comprises the guard of any duke in the province of Morrowind , the Duke of Vvardenfell , for instance . These soldiers are among the best the Legion has to offer ; the most accomplished soldiers of the Duke ' s Guard have the honor of serving as personal Palace Guard to the King of Morrowind . Imperial Watch and Imperial Palace Guard . The Imperial Watch serves as city guard for the Imperial City . It has guard towers in every district of the city , as well as the Arcane University . The Watch is commanded by four Watch Captains , each with his own city district to protect . In the official version , the best soldiers of the Imperial Legion and the Imperial Watch serve as Imperial Palace Guard . However , it is suspected that most of the Imperial Palace Guard is made up of Blades , the special bodyguard and spies of the Emperor . Guaranteed Imperial Watch Loot : County Guards . When the need arises , the Counts of Cyrodiil may ask for a list of candidates of the Imperial Legion to serve as their city guards . Every Count has the authority to summon Legion soldiers to serve under their flag after the candidate list has been submitted . They are identified by their colors and coats of arms they wear belonging to the cities of Cyrodiil . In the end , though , their ultimate allegiance still resides with the Empire and they are still Legionaires . Imperial Legion Battlemage . Members of both the Legion and Mages Guild , Imperial Legion Battlemages are soldiers trained in the use of magic and sword . They can mainly be seen on patrol within the Arcane University in the Imperial City and also at Legion Forts located on Vvardenfell . They are outfitted in standard Imperial Legion armor , however , they wear a blue hood instead of a helm and rarely utilise a shield . In battle , they act as support to the main Imperial assault forces . Most recognize High Chancellor Ocato , head of the Elder Council , as either their leader or their strongest ally . Imperial Horsemen . Soldiers trained to fight on horseback , they act as a heavy cavalry force in wartime , delivering thunderous and unstoppable charges . However , in peacetime , they guard the Empire ' s roadways from bandits and goblins . They wear helmets similar to those of the Greek hoplites . In , however , they can ' t fight from horseback , so they must dismount to engage in combat . Prison Guards . Legion soldiers charged with defending the sewer entrance to the Imperial Prison in Imperial City . These men , under the command of Captain Gepard Montrose , are among the few legionnaires in the game who are in fact not Imperials . The section is made up of " Captain Gepard Montrose " ( Breton ) , " Prison Guard " ( Nord ) , " Prison Guard " ( Redguard ) and " Prison Guard " ( Altmer ) . Jailors . Legionnaires or county Guardsmen who hold the entrance to each City ' s Penitentiary . They are the only key holders to the cell blocks and must accompany prison visitors at all times . These men wear their respective count ' s crest and uniform ( or in the case of the imperial city , the standard legion uniform ) but refrain from carrying shields and choose to use maces as opposed to the standard issue silver long swords . There are generally two jailors to each city , one sleeps whilst the other is on duty and vice versa . Structure . The Legion is a strictly hierarchic organization . Each fort is usually commanded by a Champion ( smaller forts ) or any higher - ranking Knight ( larger ones ) . The commander of a fort is usually called " Captain " or " General . " Only knights may serve as generals . A Knight of the Imperial Dragon is the highest - ranking Legion officer in any district . The Imperial Legion itself is sub - divided into armies , also called " Legions , " with numericals added for identification ( for instance , the 10th Legion , which fought on Akavir ) .