General:Embrace Cyrodilic Heritage Before Gold Road with these Imperial-Themed Activities

Originally published May 16, 2024. The original article can be found here.

Get ready for Gold Road by building bonds or battling with important Imperial figures.

West Weald is a thriving hub of Imperial culture, especially within the city of Skingrad. However, it is far from the only place in ESO where Imperials play an important role. If you want to delve deeper into the culture that ruled Tamriel before the Three Banners War, here are some in-game activities you can enjoy right now before Gold Road launches in June.

Create A New Imperial Hero

If you’re excited for the appearance of Imperials, you can add one to the game right now by creating your very own!

Imperials have innate access to the unique Imperial crafting motif (otherwise rare to find in the world) in addition to a racial skill line that emphasizes Health, Stamina, and resource sustain, making for excellent tanks.

Become an Imperial

What’s more, as the heirs to Cyrodiil’s Tamriel-spanning Empire, Imperials can be created as part of any of the three Alliances. Whether your sympathies lie with Queen Ayrenn, High King Emeric, or Jorunn the Skald-King, you can support your claimant of choice. Note that making an Imperial character requires access to the Imperial Edition Upgrade in the in-game Crown Store.

Fight For The Imperial City

The Imperial City is a central element and enduring symbol of Imperial rule. Or it was, before the Planemeld. Now, Molag Bal’s minions stalk the streets, and soldiers from each of the three alliances do battle with the Daedra, Worm Cult, and each other. This makes it a dangerous place to tread, but also a rewarding one should you prove up to the task.

The Imperial City can be treacherous

You can fight across the streets and sewer tunnels in both PvE and PvP combat to claim control of the city, or delve into the city’s two associated PvE group dungeons, Imperial City Prison and White-Gold Tower. For your efforts, you’ll claim esoteric and precious rewards like Tel Var stones, Key Fragments, and unique item sets.

Battle for Control of Cyrodiil in PvP

If monsters and Daedra just aren’t your thing, but you love battling against other players, maybe fight in the wilds of Cyrodiil beyond the Imperial City. The Alliance War rages on, and you can join the soldiers of your alliance to stake a claim to this now-ungoverned territory. Perhaps you’ll mount a claim to the Ruby Throne and anoint yourself Emperor!

Glory awaits in Cyrodiil!

While PvP combat is a focus of Cyrodiil, it is also a great place to explore wild areas (perhaps searching for a rare Colovian War Torte recipe misplaced by a master chef!) or discover the lives of the local Imperial people by questing among the towns contained within this vast warzone.

Meet the Imperials of Blackwood

The Colovians of Western Cyrodiil share cousins in the east, the aristocratic people of the Niben Bay region. Their history and politics play a heavy role in the Blackwood Chapter. The events in Blackwood aren't required to understand the story of Gold Road, but they offer an interesting contrast to the tale in West Weald.

In delving into the city of Leyawiin and the lands around it, you can find both parallels and contrasts in the culture and landscape, plus see how the Imperials there developed their own forms of independent governance with the Ruby Throne vacant.

Trade on the Niben enriches Blackwood

If the storyline of Blackwood draws you in, you can see more of it unfold in other locales. Group dungeons such as Black Drake Villa and the Dread Cellar are available in the Flames of Ambition and Waking Flames dungeon DLCs respectively and help expand the story’s ties to Imperial culture and power.

Join the Faithful of Akatosh on the Gold Coast

The first zone to feature Colovian culture was the Gold Coast, placing the faithful of Akatosh front and center … alongside an order of shadowy assassins with a different set of priorities.

The Gold Coast sees traffic both open and clandestine

The zone is part of the Dark Brotherhood DLC game pack and is as entangled with the foremost of the Imperial Divines and his faithful as it is with the Night Mother and Sithis.

See Imperials in the Provinces

Of course, Imperial characters have been central to ESO since the base game launched. The initial PvE zones and their stories focused on the three alliances, but that doesn’t mean the Imperials were out of the picture. Former Imperial Chancellor Abnur Tharn plays a key role in the main story, and he has been a fan- and developer-favorite thanks to his politicking and cunning from his days on the Elder Council.

Abnur Tharn, former Chancellor of the Elder Council

What’s more, Imperial troops spearheaded prominent deployments into Reaper’s March and Bangkorai. Imperial agents also have furtive expeditions seeking power or plunder in public dungeons such as Razak’s Wheel and the Crimson Cove. Test your might against these warriors from the Empire and learn what it’s like to fight against them as well as beside them.

Ready Yourself to Walk the Gold Road

Cyrodiil and the Imperials who have held it for generations are a key element of Tamriel and the Elder Scrolls series. Are you willing to pitch in and help with the problems that beset them in their heartland? Are you excited to delve deeper into Colovian Imperial culture? Let us know via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road arrives for PC/Mac on June 3, 2024, and for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18, 2024. Pre-purchase Gold Road now to receive unique bonus rewards at launch and immediate access to the Welkyndstone Ruins Wolf mount. Don’t miss out.

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