Guide to Kvatch

Mighty Akatosh, Dragon of the Empire! Watch over us in this time of peril and loss! My name is Alessia Ottus, and I'd like to tell you all about Kvatch.

I had written this book and was in the process of editing when news of Kvatch's destruction by Daedra reached me. For a while I wondered what to do with the mostly finished book and finally came to the decision to publish what I had in memory of Kvatch as it once was. The seat of County Kvatch was known as one of the grandest cities of Cyrodiil, aside from the Imperial City of course, and competed with its fellow Colovian town of Skingrad. It is situated on a tall hill which also offers a splendid view of the surrounding landscape.

Kvatch is divided into four districts: the Chapel, the Trader's Circle, the Arena and the Castle. The first sight anyone entering the city would see is the grand steeple of the Chapel of Akatosh looming over the courtyard. While the chapel in Anvil may be prettier, there is an unmistakable power to the stone one in the very centre of Kvatch, as fitting for the great Akatosh. The residences of Kvatch are located around the chapel while directly opposite it is the Dragon's Blessing Inn, which has a bridge above the street linking it to the general store. North of the road from the chapel is the Trader's Circle where the Fighter's Guild stands amidst the shops. To the northwest of the Circle is Castle Kvatch.

Like Skingrad, the castle is separated from the town, but by a moat instead of a hill. Castle Kvatch is a magnificent sight to behold: to enter, you must pass a courtyard containing the statue of the local hero Antus Pinder, beyond a gateway and across the artificial lake before reaching the walls of the castle itself. The architecture of the castle is closer to the strong style of Castle Bravil, a design that seems to prevail in the holy city of mighty Akatosh. The castle interior is clean, well-lit and well-furnished and the stone walls of the castle combined with the wolf head symbol of Kvatch makes it feel both comfortable and safe.

Count Ormellius Goldwine is the godly and just ruler of Kvatch. He is not known for any exceptional skills or deeds, but possesses a fairness in his dealings which has gained him love from his people and respect from the guards. The Count has however been married twice. His first wife, the late Countess Frustina Goldwine, passed away of plague. Afterwards, too shortly afterwards for my liking, he remarried with his court wizard, Monica Essius, now Countess Monica Goldwine. It is said Countess Goldwine has High Elf blood, and I can confirm that as I have seen her golden eyes. While the Count may be a good ruler, his personal affairs are questionable. The more wild-minded even believe that the Countess could be manipulating the Count with some magic, like how the Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn secretly took Uriel Septim's place many years ago.

The Trader's Circle of Kvatch is one of the finest places of mercantile outside the Imperial City's market district. All the stores are respectable save for one: a magic shop run by a seedy Khajiit. The building he set up in was the former Mage's Guild of Kvatch, which was thankfully closed down after the guild discovered that their specialization in enchanting services was just a front for abhorrent necromancy practices. If it were up to me, I would burn the place down, but the structure was kept and no one wanted to move in except the godless Khajiit whose true nature is apparent by his lack of fear of what horrors occurred in that building. The Fighter's Guild next door is fortunately much more reputable and headed by an honorable Colovian.

A third road connects to the Circle that does not lead to the gate or the castle, but to the Kvatch Arena situated northeast of the chapel. Some of the people of Kvatch boast about this place as a source of pride for having the only arena outside the Imperial City. Like the arena in the Imperial City, this is a terrible place for those foolish people who would waste their coin or their blood rather than spend it on something worthwhile. In the wake of the attack on Kvatch, I pray to the Divines that this once proud city will be restored to its glory, but the arena is one of the places I hope they will know better than to rebuild.

May the Nine guard and guide you!