Arcane University ( Oblivion ) Arcane University is a location in the Imperial City . It is the headquarters and the seat of power for the Mages Guild in Cyrodiil . Layout . The Arcane University is located on the City Isle , within one of the two small towers situated to the east of the main White - Gold Tower . The walls of the University form a circular area , outside the main city walls , of roughly the same area as the innermost circle of the Imperial City , Green Emperor Way . The layout is similar to the Imperial Prison , located in the northeastern tower , consisting of a single circular wall , surrounding an open grassy area with the main tower situated slightly off - center in the middle of the area . The university layout includes a second , much larger building immediately behind the tower , which houses the Imperial Orrery . The Arch - Mage ' s Tower is a smaller version of the massive White Gold Tower , approximately the same size and shape as the Imperial Guard towers found around the outside edge of the Imperial City proper . Its key distinguishing feature is the cone - shaped addition to the top of the tower , which houses the Arch - Mage ' s personal quarters . The tower also contains the Mages ' Guild council chambers , and at the lowest level , a small lobby . The lobby is the only section of the tower open to the public . The majority of the University grounds are located behind a thick wall , and are off - limits to visitors . The main tower sits precisely in the center of this wall , atop a raised walkway . Large iron gates extend out from the tower along the walls , and will only open for Mages ' Guild members of at least Apprentice rank . Non - members are permitted into the tower lobby , where a few guild members are usually found , but cannot exit into the university grounds or Orrery . As with the rest of the Ayleid city , the walls around the outside of the University house a number of buildings , most of which are two stories with no basement . There is a small Imperial watchtower near the back of the university , shorter than those in the city proper , which is home to the Imperial Battlemages patrolling the university grounds . The only gate through the walls leads to the northwest , to a short footbridge leading to a gate into the Arboretum . Access to the University . Apprentice . Access to the university grounds is granted upon reaching Apprentice rank in the Mages ' Guild . This rank is bestowed upon the Hero by Raminus Polus , after completing all of the recommendation quests . At this point , both the iron gates outside of the tower , and the two rear doors from the tower lobby , will open . This grants the apprentice access to most of the campus services as well ; though the buildings themselves are open to Mages ' Guild associates , such low ranking members would normally be unable to reach them . Evoker . The upper floors of the tower itself are off - limits to lower level guild members . Access to these floors is through teleporter pads found in the lobby . The pads are similar to the teleportation system used by the Morrowind guild halls , but those in the university are keyed to a single permanent destination , and they activate automatically . Once the Hero has reached the rank of Evoker , they are granted access to the second floor , which holds the council chambers . The Arch - Mage himself , and the other two council members ( Irlav Jarol and Caranya ) , are found here most of the time . Arch - Mage . The top floor of the tower holds the private chambers of the Arch - Mage himself , so the Hero will not be given access to this floor until they have ascended to that rank . After completing the Mages ' Guild recommendation quests , the Hero can complete all of the arcane quests and become the Arch - Mage . The Hero is then granted access to the Arch - Mage ' s Private Quarters , of which inside is an enchanted chest . Putting a common ingredient in it duplicates the ingredient , after 24 ( in - game ) hours , into ten . It is advisable to collect the duplicated ingredients before a week is up or everything inside will disappear . Alternate ways to access . Acrobatics . There are a couple of ways to enter the main university grounds without being a Mages ' Guild Apprentice . With a high enough Acrobatics skill ( extremely high , well over 100 ) , the wall itself can be scaled . Doing so involves jumping from the parapet nearest the Arch - Mage ' s lobby , onto the lobby roof itself , then several more jumps over the wall . One will drop down a considerable distance , and take damage even at higher skill levels . The Hero can also wait outside the lobby for one of the NPCs that regularly walks in and out of the university to open the gate , and follow them in . However , even if they manage to get onto the grounds , none of the buildings will open unless they are already a Mages ' Guild member . Paintbrushes . Another way to gain entrance into the university without being an Apprentice is to use the paintbrush glitch . They should have a decent Acrobatics skill ( at least 50 ) and ten to twenty paintbrushes . Drop one , jump on top of it , and drop another . Repeat until they get to the top , then jump off . Another way of doing this requires less Acrobatics skill . They need some paintbrushes . Go to the ledge near the left - hand - side iron gate ( upon entering the Arcane University area ) . Drop a paintbrush , jump on it , then repeat until they are high enough to jump on the roofing above that gate . Now jump and move sideways until over the top . Landing on the ledge on the other side prevents most , if not all damage . Services / Sections . The Arcane University provides a number of services that cannot be found anywhere else in Cyrodiil . In addition , the guild members who reside in the university are a wealth of information for the aspiring mage and for all citizens of Cyrodiil . The Hero can find libraries , archives , classrooms and lecture halls , practice rooms , alchemical laboratories , enchanting centers , spell - crafting halls and living quarters throughout the university , with important , usable items in every location . Provided here is a short description of each location and the ( Numbers ) indicate the position on the map to the right . Praxographical Center . The Praxographical Center ( 2 ) is the home to the spell crafters of the Mages ' Guild . It contains several Altars of Spellmaking , and a number of dedicated spell vendors . This area is open only to Apprentice rank ( or higher ) members of the Mages Guild . Borissean and Gaspar Stegine , Spell Merchants , can usually be found here and upstairs one can find their living quarters . Mystic Archives . The Mystic Archives ( 3 ) are the central repository of the Mages ' Guild ' s knowledge in Cyrodiil . It is a vast library , containing many books that cannot be found anywhere else on Tamriel , in which most are found upstairs . The archives are run by Tar - Meena , a repository of arcane knowledge . A number of quests , including part of the Main Quest , require the Hero to find books here , or speak to Tar - Meena herself who sometimes can be found in the lobby . Mage Quarters . The Mage Quarters ( 4 ) is a part of the Arcane University . Only guild members of the rank Associate and higher can enter . It serves as the sleeping quarters for the members of the university . Beds can be found on the first level , on the second level , and in the basement . All containers here reset . A Dunmer woman here trains the Mysticism skill . Imperial Watchtower . The Imperial Watchtower ( 5 ) is the section of the Arcane University which houses a few Imperial Legion Battlemage for the defense of the University . It resembles very closely the various other watchtowers in that it contains similar accoutrements and serves as quarters for part of the Imperial Watch . The tower , while unlocked , is not open to anyone ( i . e . it displays a to signify trespassing ) , regardless of Mages Guild affiliation . The towers are located at the back of the University , and the main entrance , which is on the north - west side in the public area , leads to the City Isle and features a foot bridge leading to the Arboretum . A ladder leads to the " Imperial Watch Barracks " , a small room lined with four beds and accompanying chests . There is no third floor or basement . This area is located inside the Arcane University and accessible only to Associate rank ( or higher ) members of the Mages Guild . Practice Rooms . The Practice Rooms ( 6 ) are parts of the Arcane University where students can practice their magic on targets . Renald Viernis is the Practice Room Proctor . The building has two floors with three targets on the ground floor , and three on the 2nd floor . If the Hero stands in between the mages and the targets , they can get the spell effects . Chironasium . The Chironasium ( 7 ) provides enchantment services to guild members . The building contains several Altars of Enchanting , where mages can use soul gems to add enchantments to their mundane items . This building is also notable for its caretaker , Delmar , who assists all novice mages in obtaining their Mage ' s Staff . One can also find the Master trainer of illusion , Martina Floria here . This area is open only to Apprentice rank ( or higher ) members of the Mages Guild . Lustratorium . The Lustratorium ( 8 ) is the main alchemical center of the University . It includes a few alchemy books , and is run by Julienne Fanis , a noted alchemical researcher though she is often found in the Arch - Mage ' s Lobby . In the Lustratorium , the Hero can meet people who know things about Alchemy , or discover useful books . Upstairs is a more relaxed area with chairs , tables and a study area . University Tower and Arch - Mage ' s Lobby . In the tower itself , the bottom floor foyer contains the Arch - Mage ' s lobby ( 9 ) . This is the main audience chamber for higher ranking guild members , and the only area of the University that is open to the public . Master - Wizard Raminus Polus , the second highest - ranking member of the guild , is usually found here holding audiences . Whenever the Hero is sent to talk to a university staff member , they are likely found in the lobby during some portion of the day . The lobby also holds the only entrance to the Imperial Orrery . The second floor of the university tower is the chambers for the Council of Mages , and the three council members are usually found here . The top floor of the university tower houses the quarters of the Arch - Mage himself . In addition to the standard bed and storage , the arch - mage has access to his own personal altars of spellmaking and enchanting , as well as an enchanted chest which can replicate alchemical ingredients . Outside of these buildings , on the main university grounds , there is a lecture area that is frequently used by instructors to teach classes of approximately a half - dozen students . At other times , various guild members can be found wandering the grounds , or sitting in the open area park benches . As Arch - Mage , the Hero can request for one of these guild members to follow them and fight at their side . In addition , near the entrance to the Lustratorium is a garden full of various plant species , some of them only found in distant parts of Cyrodiil . Orrery . The Imperial Orrery is one of the few working observatories on Tamriel , although it is in need of repair . The Hero may reach the Orrery , once Bothiel has fixed it , through the Arch - Mage ' s Lobby . The Orrery can also tap into the arcane power of the moons to grant observers special powers . To access the Orrery they must have completed the quest " Repairing the Orrery . " They can activate it any day for a greater power , but can only have one greater power at a time .