Guide to the Imperial City Contents . Praise Akatosh ! Bless the Empire and All Its People ! My name is Alessia Ottus , and I ' d like to tell you all about the Imperial City . Who do you think lives in the Imperial City ? Uriel Septim , Emperor of Tamriel , Defender of the Faith , and Descendant of the Sainted Tiber Septim , Lord Talos , the Holy God of State and Law in our Blessed Nine Divines . All know the emperor to be a good and holy man , for he may often be seen in the Temple of the One , making his devotions to the Nine Divines and the Communion of Saints . And where does he live ? In the Imperial Palace , in the center of the Imperial City , in the White - Gold Tower which was built many ages ago by the godless , Daedra - loving Ayleid s . How fine it is that the stones raised high by this ancient evil empire are now reconsecrated as a monument to Imperial justice and piety . People who visit the Imperial Palace like to walk among the graves of saints and counts , battlemage s and emperors , and gaze with wonder upon White Gold Tower , which can be seen from any place within the City . The Elder Council Chamber here cannot be entered , and though you may marvel at their curious ancient armors , you will soon want be away from the rude and discourteous Imperial Guards . The Imperial City is divided into ten districts . At the center is the Imperial Palace . The other districts are grouped around the Palace . To the northwest is Elven Gardens , a pleasant residential district . Continuing widdershins , the Talos Plaza District , an exclusive residential area , lies to the west . To the southwest is the Temple District , and beyond it , outside the walls , the filthy and bad - smelling Waterfront District . To the southeast lies the Arboretum , and beyond that , outside the walls , the infamous Arcane University of the Mages Guild . To the east is the notorious Arena District . And last , to the northeast of the Palace lies the Market District , where anything may be bought , and beyond the Market District , outside the city walls , the Imperial Prison . I live in the Temple District of the Imperial City , and it is a very pretty place . You are welcome to visit me , my husband , and daughter when you come to worship at the Temple of the One . This district is very pretty , and only pleasant and well - bred persons live here , though , as in all parts of the city , beggars are a constant problem . In this beautiful garden you will find the famous Statues of the Nine Divines . In the center you will find the statue of Lord Talos , Emperor Tiber Septim . But is it right , that Talos should have this place of honor rather than Akatosh , king of gods ? It is the scheming pride of the Elder Council , who sought favor with the sons of Talos , that is responsible for this shameful error . You will find crowds of people waiting outside the doors of the Office of Imperial Commerce to make their complaints about being cheated by some merchant . It is a very dirty place . Piles of crates lie around in untidy heaps , unwholesome toadstools and fungus grow in clumps , and the cobbles are slimy and encrusted with filth . If you may send your servant rather than visit yourself , it would be far better . This place is unspeakably dirty and unkempt , no better than a slum . You will never find the students or wizards outside in the air , for they are squatting in their dark dungeons poring over profane texts and making crabbed scribbles on scrolls . Within the Arch - Mage ' s Tower is hidden the Imperial Orrery , which the mages use to study the sky . Such fools ! Why do they not look on the glory of Creation itself , and give praise to the Nine as they ought , rather than squat and peer at such a ridiculous and expensive machine ? The Mages are said to have a great library of precious books , but they jealously hoard them for themselves . This is no loss for the righteous , for these books are surely full of wicked nonsense . This is a terrible place . It is not uncommon to stumble over the bodies of women and children who have been murdered here . There are no more wicked and godless men in Tamriel than merchants and sailors , and they gather here to plot and cheat citizens of their hard - earned gold . Gambling and slaving and skooma - sucking and even more depraved activities take place in warehouses and ships here . And where are the City Watch ? Nowhere to be seen . The prisons are very cruel and horrible , damp and dirty , with chains and pincers and manacles and instruments of torture on every hand . But did I find any prisoners in these cells ? No ! For the Watch is so lazy and careless that the cells are all empty ! There are guards everywhere in the Imperial City . They travel in groups , for even they are afraid of the cruel bandits and thieves that lurk everywhere in the City . I do not know why they do not throw the impertinent beggars into prison . Criminals are so bold as to introduce themselves to you on the street . One outlaw was so brazen as to boast that he had stolen his weapons and armor from the Imperial Prison . How careless and idle these Watchmen must be to allow this ! They know no shame , for the wicked officers of the Watch are corrupt , and accept gold from the hands of the very people they are supposed to place behind bars . I will not tell you about this place , for you have no need to visit it . Only idle or foolish persons come here to throw their money away on games of chance , or to spill their own blood when they would better devote themselves to exterminating the armies of robbers and beggars that swarm in the streets .