Locations in Cyrodiil

Cyrodiil is a fictional province in the Elder Scrolls series of games, homeland of the fictional race of Imperials in the Elder Scrolls series. It was most prominently featured in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, where it was the setting and backdrop of the game. Cyrodiil is the largest region of Tamriel, and seat of the Empire, united by Tiber Septim at the end of the Second Era.

Cyrodiil consists mostly an expanse of endless forest. Its heart, the Nibenay Valley, is a great grassland, enclosed by temperate rain forests. Many rivers flow through this area, and as one ventures further down the rivers, the land slowly becomes more tropical, eventually giving way to the swamps of the Black Marsh. The elevation rises gradually to the west and sharply to the north. The western part of the region is relatively dry, and the Velothi Mountains to the west have some roads, but mostly travel in Cyrodiil is dominated by rivers.

The Nibenay Valley is the most prominent area of the land, a great grassland with Lake Rumare in its heart. Several small islands and one large island dot the surface of this lake, and between them stand great bridges. It is on the large City Isle islands that Cyrodiil Imperial City stands. The rest of Cyrodiil also contains the cities of Anvil, Bravil, Bruma, Chorrol, Cheydinhal, Kvatch, Leyawiin and Skingrad. Beyond these major cities, small villages dot the individual counties around Cyrodiil.

Cyrodiil was featured in The Elder Scrolls: Arena, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Anvil
Anvil is the political capital of County Anvil. It is the westernmost city in Cyrodiil, located along the Abecean Sea. The Great Chapel of Dibella, where followers of the Divines seek her blessing, dominates its skyline. Anvil has a local guildhall for both the Mages' Guild and the Fighters' Guild. In the northeast portion of Anvil lies the Statue of The Selkie of West Ferry, who is said to guide sailors along the Gold Coast. Castle Anvil, home of Countess Millona Umbranox, lies on a small island just to the south of the city. Another landmark in Anvil is the Benirus Manor, which is notable to be haunted but yet one of the largest houses that may be purchased after following a quest.

Anvil is a major port city in Cyrodiil.

Bravil

Bravil appears to be the most financially depressed city in Cyrodiil. Several of Bravil's citizens are skooma dealers on the side, and a large majority are addicts. It is a series of run-down slums where diseases and pollution run rampant. In addition to the poverty found in the city, the house, which may be purchased for a small amount of gold, is disappointing although it is neither as small nor as cheap as the shack available in the Imperial City's Waterfront district. In the center of the town, the statue of the Lucky Lady is a monument of good fortune in such a rundown place, though even it has a darker, more sinister side.

Bruma

Bruma is the northernmost city in Cyrodiil province. It is located in the Jerall Mountains near the Skyrim border. Its architecture is very Nordic in style as the population mostly consists of Nordic immigrants. The current ruler of County Bruma is Countess Narina Carvain. North of the town, the Cloud Ruler Temple is a base for the Blades. A Curiosity of Bruma architecture is that the sleeping area is often built in the basement of buildings allowing for insulation against the bitter cold of winter in the Jerall Mountains.

Cheydinhal

Cheydinhal is located in the Nibenay region of Cyrodiil. Due to its proximity to the province of Morrowind (the setting for the Elder Scrolls III) the population is comprised of quite a few Dunmer (Dark Elves) as well as other races of the Elder Scrolls universe. The count of the city is also a Dunmer, further emphasizing that a lot of immigration from Morrowind has occurred. Most of its residents come from the middle or upper classes. The city is split into an eastern and western section by a river (named the Corbolo in the in-game travel guide, but geographically consistent with the tributary Reed River indicated on the map). The local ruler is Count Andel Indarys.

On the eastern section of Cheydinhal lies a mysterious, boarded-up old house, which is a sanctuary for the secret organization known as the Dark Brotherhood.

Chorrol

Chorrol is located in the Great Forest, near the Hammerfell border. The city itself is heavily fortified as it serves as county seat for County Chorrol. Weynon Priory, a monastery of the Order of Talos, is located nearby. To the east is Castle Chorrol, home of Countess Arianna Valga, a widow. Countess Alessia Caro of Leyawiin is the daughter of Arianna Valga.

Imperial City

The Imperial City of Cyrodiil is the capital of the third Tamriel Empire and of its largest province, Cyrodiil, featured in the Elder Scrolls universe. For a very long time, the City was the place where the consequtive Empires were ruled from and by the end of the Third Era, it is where the Emperor Uriel Septim VII resides.

Districts
The Imperial City is divided into six main districts, arranged around the Imperial Palace like spokes on a wheel. These are the Market, Arena, Arboretum, Temple, Talos Plaza and Elven Gardens districts.

There are also three districts that are not directly connected to the Imperial City's Palace District - the Imperial Prison, Arcane University and Waterfront districts. They lie on the outer parts of the City Isle. There is also an extensive network of sewers located beneath the Imperial City, infested with rats, mudcrabs, goblins and other vile creatures. The sewers have also been used extensively by the Blades to maintain cover during critical missions. Entrances to the sewers can be found in every district, except for the Imperial Palace district and the Arcane University.

However, unlike any other locations in Cyrodiil, there are no official guilds anywhere, but instead, the Arcane University serves as a larger Mage guild, which can only be accessed by receiving recommendations from all Mage guild masters, along with a hidden , which may only be found in the Waterfront district during the evening.

The Imperial Palace itself centers around White Gold Tower, an Ayleid construction from when the Aldmer ruled over Tamriel. It houses the Elder Scrolls Library, a central barracks for the Palace Guard, the Elder Council Chambers, and, presumably, the chambers of the Emperor himself, although they are never seen in the game.

Kvatch

The game starts with Kvatch devastated and essentially leveled by a Daedric attack. When the player arrives at Kvatch, they find that an Oblivion gate has opened outside the city, and that the remnants of the City Guard are trying to shut it. The only buildings still standing are the Great Chapel of Akatosh and the distant Castle Kvatch. It is in Kvatch's ruined chapel that the player discovers Martin Septim, the illegitimate son of the late Emperor Uriel Septim VII. Count Ormellius Goldwine was Count before the city was destroyed, during which he was killed. Even though the Oblivion portals have been forever sealed, as well as Mehrunes Dagon, Kvatch, throughout the game, will still be in ruins. Before Kvatch was destroyed it was the only city in Cyrodiil, other than the Imperial City, which contained an Arena. Mods can be used to restore Kvatch to its former glory, although an official mod has not been released by Bethesda as of yet.

Leyawiin

Leyawiin is a coastal city located on the western bank of The Lower Niben river in Southern Cyrodiil and is the southernmost city in Cyrodiil. Because of its proximity to both the Black Marsh and Elsweyr borders, County Leyawiin has large Argonian and Khajiit populations. Castle Leyawiin is the home of Count Marius Caro and his wife, Countess Alessia Caro who is the daughter of the Countess of Chorrol. The Countess interests herself with making Leyawiin more cosmopolitan and refective of the culture of the Nibeny Valley as opposed to the city's more traditional Khajiit and Argonian infuences.

Skingrad

Skingrad is one of the more mysterious of Cyrodiil's cities. Its architecture is very distinctive and its people are very secretive. It is divided into two sections (north and south) by a trench that runs through the middle of it.

Janus Hassildor, the general count of Skingrad, resides in the Castle of Skingrad, but unlike and other counts or countesses, he is a vampire, which would explain why citizens "do not see him during the day or in the morning". He and his wife were accidentally infected with the disease and in the Vampirism Cure quest you will set out to find two potions to cure them and yourself.

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