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The time has come to serve death to the Emperor. The final preparations are in place. The only thing left is to carry out the plan. Entering his residence in Skyrim, you will pose as the Gourmet and guide his chef in preparing his last meal.
Walking right up to the man responsible for ensuring the Emperor's safety and attempting to get in with a false identity will be the first of many lies you will tell before the job is done. You will need to ensure that the special poison makes it from the Sanctuary to table for success.
Updated November 11, 2022, by Nicolas Ng: This article has been updated to bring it in line with the rest of our walkthrough. It has extra tips and improved instructions to help you kill monarchs.
How To Start To Kill An Empire
The quest starts as you complete Recipe for Disaster after stealing the Gourmet's Writ of Passage. You will be able to enter the Emperor's Tower using it. With the Gourmet's identity a secret, they will have no choice but to allow whoever presents the Writ in.
Astrid will provide you with Jarrin Root, a herb so poisonous that a single bite will slay the Emperor in seconds. Reach Castle Dour in Solitude and speak to Commander Maro, as indicated by the quest marker to begin.
Infiltrating Castle Dour
Enter the Emperor's Tower and go to the left wing. The kitchen, and resident chef Gianna, will be waiting for you at the end. She will be taken aback by your appearance. After all, you are not wearing a chef's hat, making it impossible for you to cook.
Don one of the chef's hats waiting for you on the left and speak to her again to begin cooking the Gourmet's signature dish, Potage le Magnifique. Gianna points out that the recipe outlined in the cookbook is too simple for the Emperor and asks for you to demonstrate the Gourmet's interpretation.
If you are curious, you can read the recipe for the Potage le Magnifique in the book Uncommon Taste. Festus Krex gave you a special copy in Recipe for Disaster.
How the dish proceeds is up to you. As far as Gianna is concerned, you are one of the greatest culinary minds alive in Tamriel, and will not question your suggestions. Make sure to abuse her trust and add the Jarrin Root before completing the Potage.
While this guide assumes that you will use Jarrin Root, there is no requirement to do so. If you are so inclined, choosing not to add the poison will mean that the Emperor will have to die by more conventional means.
Jarrin Root lives up to its reputation as a deadly poison when brewed in alchemical concoctions and may be wasted against such a weak target.
With the devious dish prepared, Gianna invites you to join her in serving the Emperor personally. She carries the pot over to the Emperor's dining room where he is entertaining some local nobles. After a short conversation, he takes his first, and final, bite. He dies quickly after.
Escaping Castle Dour
With the assassination complete, nearby guards will turn hostile and attempt to apprehend you. You need to reach the door on the other side of the room to escape their clutches.
The door brings you to a bridge leading out of the city. Your attempt to cross it is halted by Commander Maro. He tells you that you had only killed a body double and the real Emperor is still alive. He was only able to stop your attempt because someone within the Brotherhood sold you out.
He would have been satisfied with that had you not killed his son in Breaching Security. Enraged, he opts to double-cross the double-crosser and has sent his men to destroy the Sanctuary while he deals with you. He places a 1,500 gold bounty on you and orders his men to kill you before leaving.
You will need to defeat three Penitus Oculatus agents to continue your escape. Two will attack with swords and a third will use a bow.
Run to the tower and take the stairs down until you leave Solitude. Taking the first exit will lead you into the city instead of escaping.
Completing To Kill An Empire
Finally, you need to reach the Sanctuary to help your Family. Any attempts at using fast travel to get there will be thwarted by the guards chasing you. The ability to do so will only be available once you get far enough from Solitude.
A simple route to safety involves swimming across the river from the tower's exit and into the swamps of Morthal. This route will get you to safety relatively quickly. Otherwise, any route that allows you to evade the guards will suffice.
You will not be able to fast travel directly to the Sanctuary. The quickest route would be to travel to Falkreath and run there. The location is already alight and swarming with Imperial agents. The quest Death Incarnate begins as soon as you arrive.