In The Elder Scrolls Online game, there are different keys that players can use to unlock Trophy Vaults located in the Imperial City.
The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is a very popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).
It is set in the fictional world of Tamriel, in which you can journey through a storyline that is indirectly linked with the other titles in the Elder Scrolls franchise. However, ESO does not offer players a solo offline mode.
Instead, you are invited to explore Tamriel like never before with like-minded gamers. Similarly to its predecessors, ESO has various zones, one of which is the Imperial City.
While exploring this zone, you will find different Trophy Vaults, though they require Imperial City Keys to be unlocked.
Imperial City
The Imperial City is the capital city of Cyrodiil, which is the central province of Tamriel and home to the Imperils, who stand alone in the Alliance War.
The bridges to the city are all blocked with impenetrable force fields and attempting to swim across will result in death due to the infestation of slaughterfish.
Players can only gain access to the Imperial City through the Alliance War menu. The city is divided between the sewers and the 6 districts.
Each Alliance has a base in the sewers and it offers players access to each district. While you are in the base, you cannot be attacked or defeated by another Alliance.
ESO: Imperial City Keys
Trophy Vaults are areas that can only be found in the Imperial City or its dungeons, namely White-Gold Tower or Imperial City Prison. These vaults can only be opened by collecting a number of Key Fragment trophies or using specific keys.
At release, the vaults were opened with specific keys crafted from certain trophies. Although these still exist in-game, they have been replaced by Key Fragments.
The table below lists the vaults, potential loot, and the keys required to open them:
| Vault name | Location | Potential loot | Required key |
| Daedric Shackle Trophy | Imperial City Prison |
|
Daedric Shackles Key |
| Daedric Embers | White-gold Tower |
|
Daedric Embers key |
| Monstrous Tooth | Temple District |
|
Monstrous Enamel Key |
| Clawed | Arboretum |
|
Clawed Key |
| Planar Armor | Elven Gardens District |
|
Planar Key |
| Legionary | Noble District |
|
Legionary key |
| Bone Shard | Memorial District |
|
Carved-Bone key |
| Ethereal | Arena District |
|
Ethereal Key |
Where to acquire Imperial City Keys
As previously mentioned, the Imperial City Keys have been replaced by Key Fragments, but this does not imply that you can no longer acquire them.
Allegedly, players can only earn Imperial City Keys through special in-game events, such as the Zeal of Zenithar event.
During this event, players could complete 1 of 3 daily tasks to earn a Delightful Parcel, which contained an array of rewards, including Imperial City Keys.
Bear in mind that players were unable to choose which key they wanted to receive, as it was randomly generated.
Key Fragments
Key Fragments are a type of treasure, key, and currency in ESO. Collecting 60 Key Fragments grants you access to one of the City’s Hidden Trophy Vaults, and 150 Key Fragments are needed to open the Trophy Vaults inside the White-Gold Tower and Imperial City Prison.
Players can acquire Key Fragments by killing enemies in:
- Imperial City
- Imperial Sewers
- White-Gold Tower
- Imperial City Prison
Additionally, you can participate in a holiday event to earn Key Fragments.
How to enter the Imperial City
The Imperial City can only be accessed through the Alliance War menu, as stated before. However, you only gain access to this feature once your character has reached level 10.
To enter the Imperial City, you should press “L” on your keyboard to open the Alliance War menu. On this menu, you can select the campaign, and it is advised that you select the non-champion point (CP) campaign.
Once you have selected a campaign, your character will be teleported to the Imperial City, in which you can find the Trophy Vaults.