Why are all the Imperial Soldiers in Oblivion Imperial men?

[Stefan_S]

Why aren't there any other races donning Imperial armor in TES IV Oblivion? Why not any Nord Imperial Guards, Redguard Guards, etc.?

[Wolfie]

It's just a game thing, like with the storm cloaks, they pick one race, its easier to do and can be sort of explained by the fact that
A. its the home land so there will be more of them
And
B. who’s to say the other races wanted to join?

[Stefan_S]

It's just a game thing, like with the storm cloaks, they pick one race, its easier to do and can be sort of explained by the fact that
A. its the home land so there will be more of them
And
B. who’s to say the other races wanted to join?

In skyrim, the legion consists of more races than just nordic. I'm seeing nord, redguard, and possibly Imperial.

Yes, the Imperial homeland is cyrodill, but that doesn't mean they can't have a few other races in armor in the game.

As I recall, I think I saw some orcs in morrowind who were a part of the legion..

[Wolfie]

In skyrim, the legion consists of more races than just nordic. I'm seeing nord, redguard, and possibly Imperial.

Are you sure? they look very simmlar in Skyrim.

Yes, the Imperial homeland is cyrodill, but that doesn't mean they can't have a few other races in armor in the game.

Yes I'm just saying beth left it out becuse its "easy" to just do one type.
and they can exsplain it by saying "the other races our in their homelands"

As I recall, I think I saw some orcs in morrowind who were a part of the legion..

AFAIK all of them where Impreals.

[Stefan_S]

In skyrim, the legion consists of more races than just nordic. I'm seeing nord, redguard, and possibly Imperial.

Are you sure? they look very simmlar in Skyrim.

Yes, the Imperial homeland is cyrodill, but that doesn't mean they can't have a few other races in armor in the game.

Yes I'm just saying beth left it out becuse its "easy" to just do one type.
and they can exsplain it by saying "the other races our in their homelands"

As I recall, I think I saw some orcs in morrowind who were a part of the legion..

AFAIK all of them where Impreals.

Yes, I am 100% sure some Legion members in skyrim are Redguards. Redguards are black, so there was no confusion there (Unlike a nord and imperial, which can get confusing)

And there are orcs in the Legion in Morrowind, I just checked.

[Stefan_S]

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Impe ... on_Members check this link and check their races.

[Wolfie]

You either take it as a game thing or take it as the empire only let impreals join thhere, its your choice

Yes, I am 100% sure some Legion members in skyrim are Redguards. Redguards are black, so there was no confusion there (Unlike a nord and imperial, which can get confusing)

Where are they? i have never seen any of these redguards (dose not mean they are not there)

[H8Ball]

The Imperial Legion is modelled after the Roman Legion, which was basically Romans only until the empire was spread SO thin that they had to start conscripting the locals. But in their homeland, Rome (Italy), only pure-born Romans were allowed to join. Cyrodiil is the homeland of the Imperials, so the same principle holds true. Imperial Legion is for Imperials only in Cyrodiil.

However, in faraway regions, they'll let the locals join providing the armour fits without slipping down around their knees every 5 minutes and they can figure out how to wear the helmet within a week, which explains why the Legion has more of a racial mixture in Skyrim. Khajiit and Argonians aren't allowed regardless. This is because the Imperials don't want to remodel ALL the armour to include tail holes, and nobody wants the freezing wind howling in causing icicles to form on their nethers when they're standing guard all day.

Oh, and there ARE female Imperial Legion members in Cyrodiil. I particularly remember one of the City Guards (a branch of the Legion) in Skingrad who keeps patrolling past Rosethorn Hall (my main house). I only remember her because I can't always avoid her annoying repeated greetings.

[Dark Spark]

Why aren't there any other races donning Imperial armor in TES IV Oblivion? Why not any Nord Imperial Guards, Redguard Guards, etc.?

There is a Nord, a Redguard, and a Breton in the Imperial Legion (wearing the armor and all that) in the game.

The trick is, they appear during a Dark Brotherhood quest where you pay a visit to an old friend...

[H8Ball]

With the Roman Legion, if you were highly trusted enough as a sympathiser to the empire's cause, they'd grudgingly let you join, even IN Rome. But you'd be watched like a hawk 24/7/365.

I guess the general rule is "Imperials only", but there are a few exceptions. There may be backstories to those NPC's, possibly with hidden meanings. Easter Eggs, maybe? Or those NPC's were added for unfinished quests? But chances are the game designers simply forgot their own rule and dropped a few non-Imperials in by mistake.

[YogiBaar]

Why aren't there any other races donning Imperial armor in TES IV Oblivion? Why not any Nord Imperial Guards, Redguard Guards, etc.?

From the Imperial Legion in Oblivion wiki article:

In Oblivion, the legion consists entirely of male Imperials, with the following exceptions:
Several Imperial Prison Sewer Guards.
Bittneld the Curse-Bringer, the Nordic guard captain of Chorrol.
Burd, Nordic guard captain of Bruma.
Caelia Draconis, female captain of the Leyawiin City Watch.
Merandil, an Altmer Kvatch guard.
Tierra, a female Redguard Kvatch guard.
Ulrich Leland, the Breton captain of the Cheydinhal guard.
Viera Lerus, female captain of the Bravil guard.
The unnamed female "Cheydinhal Soldier" sent to aid Bruma in Allies for Bruma.
Shadowmere, a horse you get from Lucien Lachance during the Dark Brotherhood questline is, for some reason, also in the Imperial Legion faction.

So no, the Imperial Legion is not an exclusively male Imperial club. They are the majority, though. Which kind of makes sense to me, given the setting.

[H8Ball]

I notice the Wiki doesn't mention my female Skingrad Guard, so she's probably added by Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul purely for variety. Makes sense, as she has the standard Guard topics (so was probably copied from one of them as a template, then the sex/face changed) and I can't remember seeing her in the vanilla game.

[Wolfie]

Why aren't there any other races donning Imperial armor in TES IV Oblivion? Why not any Nord Imperial Guards, Redguard Guards, etc.?

From the Imperial Legion in Oblivion wiki article:

In Oblivion, the legion consists entirely of male Imperials, with the following exceptions:
Several Imperial Prison Sewer Guards.
Bittneld the Curse-Bringer, the Nordic guard captain of Chorrol.
Burd, Nordic guard captain of Bruma.
Caelia Draconis, female captain of the Leyawiin City Watch.
Merandil, an Altmer Kvatch guard.
Tierra, a female Redguard Kvatch guard.
Ulrich Leland, the Breton captain of the Cheydinhal guard.
Viera Lerus, female captain of the Bravil guard.
The unnamed female "Cheydinhal Soldier" sent to aid Bruma in Allies for Bruma.
Shadowmere, a horse you get from Lucien Lachance during the Dark Brotherhood questline is, for some reason, also in the Imperial Legion faction.

So no, the Imperial Legion is not an exclusively male Imperial club. They are the majority, though. Which kind of makes sense to me, given the setting.

Where anywhere dose it say town gaurds are part of the Imperial Legion?
to me they are cops, while the Imperial Legion are solders\cops, big diffrince.

[Red Guardian]

I wonder why Shadowmere is in the Imperial Legion...

[YogiBaar]

Where anywhere dose it say town gaurds are part of the Imperial Legion?
to me they are cops, while the Imperial Legion are solders\cops, big diffrince.

Given the article, the game seems to treat those particular people (and horse, apparently) as members of the Imperial Legion, regardless of any player's opinions as to who should or should not be in the Legion.

Besides, to me it makes sense that the Legion has some members in the various town guard services. They need reports on their activity, after all. You can't have town guards running the show without supervision.

[Wolfie]

Given the article, the game seems to treat those particular people (and horse, apparently) as members of the Imperial Legion, regardless of any player's opinions as to who should or should not be in the Legion.

Go look at the talk page, their is a debate about it, I dont agree witht he reasson with it, he is saying since the Count work for the empoor that means the gaurds work for him and as such are part of the legion.

Besides, to me it makes sense that the Legion has some members in the various town guard services. They need reports on their activity, after all. You can't have town guards running the show without supervision.

The Legion is not the same as the town gaurd, no other game has done this I see no reasson to do it here.

[YogiBaar]

Given the article, the game seems to treat those particular people (and horse, apparently) as members of the Imperial Legion, regardless of any player's opinions as to who should or should not be in the Legion.

Go look at the talk page, their is a debate about it, I dont agree witht he reasson with it, he is saying since the Count work for the empoor that means the gaurds work for him and as such are part of the legion.

My point was this: it's pretty much irrelevant what people think or debate about. If the game treats them as members of the Imperial Legion, they are members of the Imperial Legion until the devs step in and say it was in error and that the listed people should in fact not be affiliated with the Legion.
Disclaimer: I don't actually have the Construction Kit for Oblivion and haven't checked the data, but I trust the UESP editors have.

Besides, to me it makes sense that the Legion has some members in the various town guard services. They need reports on their activity, after all. You can't have town guards running the show without supervision.

The Legion is not the same as the town gaurd, no other game has done this I see no reasson to do it here.

I never said they're the same, just that it makes sense to me that the Legion would be interested in what the town guard are doing and would probably have their members among the town guard. Most likely in prominent positions. That makes sense to me from a "political" perspective.
You obviously disagree, have every right to (I don't want this to come across as patronizing, it wasn't meant like that), and have reasons that make sense to you. It's the differences that make us interesting.

[H8Ball]

Well, the way I see it, the Imperial Legion are Cyrodiil's Army and Police force rolled into one, and there are specialised branches all over Cyrodiil who report back to their headquarters in Imperial City...

Imperial City: Legion (all duties), Palace Guards (elites who keep the government safe)
Other Cities: City Guards (garrison duty, to keep the cities safe)
Horse-mounted Road Patrols: Legion Soldiers (traffic division, to keep the roads safe for travel)

In fact, the UESP Wiki page on City Guards specifically mentions that the City Guards ARE members of the Imperial Legion serving as a garrison force for each city.

The Blades would technically be a branch of the Imperial Legion too, the cream of the elites acting as the Emperor's personal bodyguard. Dropped the ball on THAT one, didn't they? Not just that, they fumbled it out of bounds and Lord Dagon's STILL playing keepy-up with it. "Can we have our ball back, please?" ... "NO! S'MINE NOW! BOG OFF!"

[Wolfie]

Okay the problem with this theory is that

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Viera_Lerus
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Burd
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Ulrich_Leland
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Merandil
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Caelia_Draconis



none of them are in the faction (it list their factions) and nothing in game says thet are part of it AND the only one evere mettioned is

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Shadowmere who is part of the faction in game, I see no reasson to belive they are part of it, mainly cause to me at least it seems like city gaurds city, thats why you had to ask each each city for them becuse they are NOT part of the legion the city cotnrols them.

And city gaurds do not reprot to the the IC AFAWK

So I see nothing in game that says they are part of it, nothing anywhere (unless you show me other wise) To me they are form the city and serve the city.

[Stefan_S]

Yes, the city guard is part of the legion. @H8Ball is right.

Think about it. It wouldn't make much sense for cities in the main province of the empire to control matters of their own, and to have their own separate guard.

[Stefan_S]

Also, I read in one of the articles of the Great War (between the Empire and the Thalmor) that there are Nord Legions and Imperial Legions (each respective race). But I'm not 100% sure of this

[Wolfie]

Yes, the city guard is part of the legion. @H8Ball is right.

Think about it. It wouldn't make much sense for cities in the main province of the empire to control matters of their own, and to have their own separate guard.

Yes it dose, why watse vauble solders on the citys when you can just have the citys gaurd them selfs?
like in morrowind, skyirm, etc

can you show me anything at all that says they are part of the leigion?
just caust it makes sense dose not make it so, it makes sense to have more then male impereals in legion armour but they dont have that.


I have no doubt that there are Nord's and what not in the legion, but they are not shown in oblivion just like there are no non nords shown in the sotrmcloaks. gameplay dose not = lore.

[Stefan_S]

Yes, the city guard is part of the legion. @H8Ball is right.

Think about it. It wouldn't make much sense for cities in the main province of the empire to control matters of their own, and to have their own separate guard.

Yes it dose, why watse vauble solders on the citys when you can just have the citys gaurd them selfs?
like in morrowind, skyirm, etc

can you show me anything at all that says they are part of the leigion?
just caust it makes sense dose not make it so, it makes sense to have more then male impereals in legion armour but they dont have that.


I have no doubt that there are Nord's and what not in the legion, but they are not shown in oblivion just like there are no non nords shown in the sotrmcloaks.

Morrowind is different. The Imperials captured the province not by complete military conquest, but by allowing the government of morrowind to include all the houses but the main power to be the Imperials. The houses agreed to govern using Imperial law (as part of the agreement for Morrowind to become part of the empire). House Hlaalu has their own guards in their cities (such as Balmora). read this: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:House_Hlaalu

[Wolfie]

Morrowind is different. The Imperials captured the province not by complete military conquest, but by allowing the government of morrowind to include all the houses but the main power to be the Imperials. The houses agreed to govern using Imperial law (as part of the agreement for Morrowind to become part of the empire). House Hlaalu has their own guards in their cities (such as Balmora). read this: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:House_Hlaalu

I dont think its defreint,
Skyrim evrey hold uses its pepole to guard it self unless the war hits.
Morrowind: evrey house uses its pepole to gaurd their land
Oblivion evrey City uses its pepole to gaurd.

[Dark Spark]

... His services are to be contracted to the Countess of Anvil for the remainder of his Imperial contract. When that contract expires, the Countess of Anvil may choose at her discretion to retain him or release him.

This suggests that both answers are correct: a member of the Imperial Legion can be assigned to serve in a City Watch, but a member of the City Watch need not be a part of the Imperial Legion in the first place.

You have a mix of transferred Legion soldiers, supplemented by soldiers who were hired straight from the city roster itself.