Okay, I want to look just like an imperial guard, And towards this end I have got all the imperial steel stuff and the purple skirt, all that is, except the Imperial Steel Cuirass and Imperial steel helmet, At the moment it looks like the only way I’m gonna get the cuirass and helmet is by killing a guard,
But is there anyplace where you can buy those two items or loot them or something?

Nah. Don't need to do that! They'll arrest you and take it back.

Pelagid, Balmora, Fort Moonmoth, Fort Buckmoth (sp), Gnisis all have imperial stuff. You shouldn't have any trouble getting those two items.

Also check Hollismod's in Caldera and the Pawn Shop. Actually, check ALL the pawn shops. And Ebonheart.

It's all available. I've used all the imperial stuff at times (various characters).

why use imperial armor its kinda weak compared to other armor thats out there. or do you want imperial armor and hope no one thinks your an outsider?

Because It looks nice.

Good place for the odd imperial object freely, is the Warehouse in the first city. Theres about twenty bits of moonspice and two skooma bottles in it too.

But the best way to get all the imperial junk is to either kill for it, which is expensive in it's own way. Buy it at the forts, or the best way if you want to look the part. Live it.

Go over to Ginis and join the Imperial Army, they give you little jobs to do from all of the forts, when you move up rank you get gear. All the way up to the templar/centurion stuff and more importantly everyone seems to like you more, or at least they do in my instances.. Then theres the side loot, Skorvald the Necromancer who you get tasked to off has got some major booty. The mission themselves are all pretty easy and often overlap with other guild's jobs. Such as one of the first ones, curing the Egg Layer Queen, two rooms over is the Divine Mechanics book for the mage guild, even if you don't do Mage guild stuff, it's worth four grand.

where is Ginis??? and i recently went to Molag Mar and went into some sort of building and found a proplyn index or watever it is called... then i went into another room with two statues-like things and when i "activate" it, it says i dun have the proper index....when do i find the proper index????

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the indexes are little tiny things scatttered throughout the land in hidden places that look like little lesser soul rocks(gem). i beleive not totally sure but there is one that you have to sneak to get it is in the pawnshop or traders shop in pelagiad. its located in the windowsill next to where the clerk is. there one in a temple(i think maar gan) where there is a somewhat freindly dremora in the same room. its on the edge of a border in front of the moon rock that you have to make a pilgrimage to. those are the only 2 i have found so far.

I found the helmet in fort Moonmoth. You can take it without being seen.

ok just found a complete set in ald ruhn.its located in a house thats locks so prepare to try and shadowmask and unlock or get caught and pay a fine.but its located in pellecia aurrus' house. it has a lock lvl of 30 to get into the house and then go downstairs into the lower room and all the stuff is locked in a chest(lvl75).used wild open to get.dont remember if it had sword but had all the armor.