Imperial Legion (Skyrim)

TESV Banner Legion — The banner of the Imperial Legion

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empire!"

―Part of the Imperial Oath^[src]

The Imperial Legion is a joinable faction in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Description

Once the strongest fighting forces in Tamriel, the Imperial Legion has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self by the time of the events of Skyrim. With the disappearance of the Blades and the emergence of the Thalmor as a military power, many view the Legion as corrupt and decaying, much like the condition of the Empire.

The Imperial Legion is based in Solitude, and the Dragonborn may join and fight to keep Skyrim in the Empire.

The Stormcloaks are at odds with the Imperial Legion, as proclaimed liberators of the Nordic people. Because of this, the Legion is also at odds with the influential Gray-Mane family, an old and renowned Whiterun clan, whose views oppose those of the Empire of Tamriel. However, they have the support of the influential Battle-Born clan, also in Whiterun.

Quests

Notable members

General Tullius - Military Governor of Skyrim.
Legate Rikke - Second-in-command of the Imperial Legion in Skyrim.
Hadvar - Soldier and survivor of the Helgen dragon attack.
General Falx Carius - Undead general stationed at Fort Frostmoth during the quest March of the Dead.
Imperial Captain - Commander of the execution prior to the Helgen dragon attack.
Legate Adventus Caesennius - Legate of Haafingar.
Legate Constantius Tituleius - Legate of The Pale.
Legate Emmanuel Admand - Legate of The Reach.
Legate Fasendil - Legate of The Rift.
Legate Hrollod - Legate of Eastmarch.
Legate Quentin Cipius - Legate of Whiterun Hold.
Legate Sevan Telendas - Legate of Winterhold.
Legate Skulnar - Legate of Falkreath Hold.
Legate Taurinus Duilis - Legate of Hjaalmarch.
Sulla Trebatius - Imperial Expeditioner at Alftand.
Adelaisa Vendicci - Soldier stationed at the East Empire Company quarters in Windhelm.
Ghorbash the Iron Hand - Served in the Imperial Legion under the name of Ghorbash Gro-Dushnikh.
Torturer - He was used to extract information from prisoners at Helgen.
Torturer's Assistant - Watches over the Torturer's needs.
Rexus - Amaund Motierre's bodyguard.
Noster Eagle-Eye - A beggar who was an Imperial scout during the Great War.
Salvianus - Ex-Imperial officer, inferring by his possessions and the quotes he keeps repeating to himself.
Imperial Deserter - A soldier wounded in Helgen, and he can later be found in Redwater Den.

Joining the Legion

Hadvar suggests that the Dragonborn join the Legion at the end of Unbound if he is followed during the escape from Helgen. To join the Imperial Legion, the Dragonborn must travel to Solitude and find General Tullius in Castle Dour, which is found by following the path up the ramps. Castle Dour will be to the left, guarded by Imperial soldiers. Tullius will say to speak with Legate Rikke. After talking to Rikke, the quest Joining the Legion will start and, when finished, the Dragonborn will take an oath and be officially inducted into the Imperial Army. The Dragonborn will also be rewarded with a set of Imperial Armor from the blacksmith. Once the Dragonborn has joined the Imperial Legion, only one more opportunity remains to switch sides, leaving the Legion for the Stormcloaks. When the Jagged Crown has been acquired, the Dragonborn can choose to travel to Windhelm where they can give the crown to Ulfric Stormcloak instead. Jarl Ulfric will then recognize them as a Stormcloak Soldier and immediately orders them to deliver an important message to Whiterun, while skipping the formalities of making the Dragonborn swear the Stormcloak Oath.

Oath

All new initiates to the Imperial Legion must recite the following oath:

"Upon my honor I do swear undying loyalty to the Emperor, Titus Mede II, (or simply "The Emperor" if Mede has been killed in the Dark Brotherhood questline) and unwavering obedience to the officers of his great Empire. May those above judge me, and those below take me, if I fail in my duty. Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empire!"

Ranks

There are five ranks that can be earned by the Dragonborn if the Legion is joined during the Civil War questline. Progress in rank occurs at the completion of key battles during the war.

Auxiliary - complete Joining the Legion.
Quaestor - complete Battle for Whiterun.
Praefect - complete The Battle for Fort Dunstad.
Tribune - complete The Battle for Fort Greenwall.
Legate - complete Rescue from Fort Kastav.

Unobtainable Ranks

These ranks cannot be earned by the Dragonborn, but are still encountered in the game.

Captain - used as a rank by the commanding officer of the legion Guards of a City or Settlement. (Captain Aldis, Imperial Captain of a major guard force)
General - the commanding officer of the entire legion and reports to the Emperor himself.

Bugs

Occasionally when promoted to Praefect, members of the legion will refer to the Dragonborn as "Tribune" instead.

Armor

The Imperial Legion almost always uses full sets of imperial light armor (the armor piece of the imperial light armor set is often replaced by studded imperial armor). These are roughly equal to the light armor worn by Stormcloak soldiers.

High-ranking legionnaires generally use imperial heavy armor making them considerably tougher opponents. By default, when joining the faction, three different armor sets can be chosen (light, medium, or heavy). The Legion's armor generally has a greater defense when compared to the Stormcloaks.

The armor bears a striking resemblance to the armor used by foot-soldiers in the Roman Empire.

Tactics

Imperial Sword and Shield — Imperial Sword and Imperial Shield concept art

Because of their heavier armor and use of one handed swords and shields, the Imperial Legion can stand up to more punishment than the Stormcloaks. They let their enemies beat themselves against their shields and armor while at the same time using their swords to cut and stab through enemy ranks.

The overall war strategy is not to go after the Stormcloaks directly, instead they focus on taking and holding key resources and settlements in a territory. After that all they have to do is simply wait until the Stormcloaks in the area are weakened enough to be forced out before moving on. This slow and calculated plan has allowed General Tullius to push Ulfric's Stormcloaks out of many of Skyrim's key territories. The drawback to this plan is that as the Legion increases the territories they control and are also spreading their forces thinner to hold onto captured ground.

Imperial camps

Imperial camps are located in each of Skyrim's holds, with the exception of Haafingar. These serve as outposts for the Legion and are instrumental in the ongoing civil war.

They are normally commanded by a Legate who can be found in his tent, and also have a quarter-master working at a forge who will also serve as a merchant.

Post-Civil War

After the conclusion of the civil war in favor of the Imperial Legion, the Dragonborn will be told there are still Stormcloak camps out there to destroy. However, when visiting said camps, the commanders will still be flagged as essential and cannot be killed. Furthermore, the Stormcloak soldiers at these camps will eventually respawn. Additionally, citizens still mention the war. A number of notable changes occur after completing the Imperial Legion campaign:

All Jarls that supported the Stormcloaks are replaced with those loyal to Empire.
Imperial Legion soldiers replace the guards in all cities that previously were under the control of the Stormcloaks.
Jarls who have been removed from their throne due to the Imperial Legion's take over are all kept down in the main hall of the Palace of the Kings in Windhelm along with their housecarls, stewards, and a few other notable persons who supported the Stormcloaks.
The Forts scattered around Skyrim will be occupied by Imperial Legion Soldiers.
Imperial Legion Soldiers aid the Dragonborn in battle, if they are attacked by a foe. They do not lend assistance if the Dragonborn initiated the fight.

Subtypes

Imperial Archer
Imperial Soldier
Imperial Quartermaster
Imperial Fort Commander
Imperial General
Imperial Field Legate
Imperial Wizard

Achievements

Image	Name	Points	Trophy
	Taking Sides	10
	Join the Stormcloaks or the Imperial Legion
	War Hero	10
	Capture Fort Sungard or Fort Greenwall
	Hero of Skyrim	30
	Capture Solitude or Windhelm

Trivia

Non-main female legionnaires are not present in Skyrim, with the exception of a female captain, an archer killing Lokir as he attempts to flee Helgen, and an Imperial Mage using the Firebolt spell on Alduin. If the Imperial Legion has conquered the Rift, a dead female legionnaire can be found at Shor's Watchtower.
If one joins the Legion some characters will call them a "milk drinker".
This variant of the Legion seems to be of a Romano-British or Colonial Gallic style due to the heavy presence of the Nords.
The ranks are all of Roman origin. However, a Quaestor was a government rank in real Roman times. Tribunes can be both government or military. Auxiliaries, in Roman times, were foreign soldiers/allies of Rome that served alongside the Legion and bolstered its forces; traditionally, the cavalry of the Legion was mostly Auxiliary. Legate was equivalent to a modern-day general, but the Cyrodiilic legate reports to a general, and is probably more equivalent to a colonel.
If the Emperor is killed during the Dark Brotherhood questline, General Tullius won't mention Titus Mede II in the oath for the Imperial Legion.