Leaving with Ralof in my opinion is the logical thing to do. After that it's up to how you want to play your character.

this is where you are wrong. the imperials are just waiting for the right time to strike the aldmeri dominion. unity in skyrim will help them stay stronger.

The aldmeri dominion is keeping the war in skyrim open so the empire is weakened more. divide and conquer, people!

It didn't influence me into making a decision about where I think I should put my loyalties. There's a mix at the beginning if you look closely. A bad situation, a good person who helps you. I've just been to Windhelm and I'm hearing things that aren't making me side with the Stormcloaks either. I think the sides are both messed up (just like real life) and I have my feelings about what should happen but this isn't the Spoilers forum so I'll just keep playing and hope it goes the way I'm thinking and/or if I can direct it that way. I have no idea yet but I'm getting lots of clues about why the dragons returned. Reading the books in the game is a huge source of information. I feel like Sherlock Holmes.

:tes:

They will follow the High king, one nation and one leader. Each city can raise a army faster than one combined army, then they join to form one larger are.




I know, he really seems to have a lot of good character to him, he was misguided one time. He regrets that and wants to make up for it.

The Thalmor remind me of the Emperor's Holy Orders of the Inquisition without all the technology. They work behind the scenes to subvert and control the Empire, abduct random people and interrogate, torture and execute them for worshiping Talos (heretics) and wear black. Both the Empire and the Stormcloaks have attributes that make them look good and bad. I don't care about allegiance to either one of them in my saves.

Depends on where u talk to people. In imperial controlled cities they talk bad of him. In stormcloak territory they usually like him..

Uhh, as someone said. You could be annoyed for the rebels getting you cought in the mess.

Also, if you follow the Imperial Nord rather than the Rebel you will find that Legionaire to be quite a different soul to other Imperial Soldiers. "They almost chopped my head off!" Then hate the general, or better yet the exectuioner rather than the Empire. "But, they abolished the worship of Talos" And? Why can't you worship him in secret?

Imagination and roleplay people! OOC and IC information should NEVER be crossed and inter-mingled! What does your CHARACTER actually know, not what do you know.

I'm kinda split on this.

The Cyrodillic empire was no bunch of roses for the khajiit. trade sanctions on their moon sugar because humans find it too addictive, annexations along the niben for the sake of shoring up the empire's main trade route (Because they don't trust "the cats" to just not blockade it because they're friends). Even that girl in skyrim recognises that the khajiit often end up turning to thievery and drug use exactly because the races of man won't give them jobs or trust them.

The khajiit were an original member of the *old* dominion, the one Tiber Septim conquerred, so while thalmor might've lied to them to get them into the aldmeri dominion, it is their natural side of the conflict.


Man came into tamriel from skyrim, the khajiit joined the elves against the common foe. Mankind conquered them, the empire gave them a hard time for eras, the empire gets defeatted by a new aldmeri dominion, the khajiit side with the elves again... I can see which side my bread's buttered

Way I see it is


you go imperial you spread the empire

for a theif assasin... great business...

srpead the races into skyrim... reach out to contacts via imperial agencies etc...



YEEAAAAH BABY

I'm pretty sure assassinating the High King (a Nord, not an Imperial) should give you some impression that the Stormcloaks aren't saints.

My only regret going Imperial at the beginning is I could not kill the woman who ordered my execution ... as a stormcloak you get to kill her...

Ulfric did not assassinate the High king, He fought him in open combat one on one and won, he killed him with a sword and not a shout "to pieces".

He challenged him to a duel as per Nordic tradition, and won. The entire court lies about what really went down, and then goes to say that had they know what he wanted they would have bared the gates and denied Ulfric from entering.

No it is not a foolish reason at all.

They tried to kill you! They wanted to chop of your head. I didn't see anyone else saying 'hang on a minute... that person wasn't with the Stormclaoks, they aren't on the list, should we reconsider this... maybe just hold them for questioning'
No You don't get squat all help from the others, just a demonstration of why running for it is not a good idea. it isn't 'just' a corrupt Captain, it's the whole lot of them standing by watching. You are not even worth considering for a repreeve or second look - but hey it's just paper work so thats ok....
How am I suppose to sympathise with a bunch like that? Why should I be enthused about joining them?
My first thought would be 'if they find out I was going to be neck trimmed at Helgen, then maybe they will want to finish the job off'. I can see so many reasons to avoid them.
'O well, it was all a jolly good laugh - sorry about all that head on the chopping block axe swing down stuff. no harm done eh' Sorry that doesn't cut the mustard.
So to me they are facing an uphill struggle for my support from the outset.

The Stormcloaks are neutral at that point - nothing to go on, but at least they didn't just try to kill you. yeah they turn out to be arses, but not much more so than the Imperials really.
For someone who has travelled and knows the true face of both sides, it is a fair choice, but how can you even consider running to join the Imperial faction at game start after waht they did?

One of the things though is that its kind of a TES tradition to begin the game as a prisoner of the Empire.

As for the way the beginning makes the Empire look, you have to consider it from the way the Imperial soldiers are looking at it. No one caught in the vicinity of the Stormcloaks, especially Ulfric, could be trusted not to be a member. They caught you and the horse thief in the company of a half dozen rebels including the leader of the rebellion. Sure there was no due process like we're used to now, but there wasnt a whole lot of due process during the Roman Empire either. They didnt exactly give Hunnic prisoners tea and cookies.... You think had they captured Attilla, they would care if one of the people he was caught with were Goths or Danes instead of Huns? Nope. Off with their heads.

In my playthrough, I'm an Argonian. Most Argonians have no love for the Empire, as we seceeded first. However, we rightfully recognize that the enemy of our enemy (the Dominion) is not our friend in any way shape or form, simply another race that will try to subjugate us with some twisted sense of racial superiority (same as the imperials, and probably worse). As we try and improve our hold on eastern Tamriel by expanding into Morrowind, it is neccessary that our western borders be safe from Aldmeri interference. Aldmeri control of Cyrodiil is against our best interests.

As a result, my character is fighting to keep Skyrim under imperial control. Without it, the Empire and specifically Cyrodiil will be extremely exposed and isolated, splitting the Empire in half. In that case, it would be easy pickings for the Dominion. The Argonians are not so foolish as to believe they would stop their expansion there. Essentially, the Empire is a neccessary buffer keeping the Dominion away from Black Marsh, and the Empire's attention facing West.

Actually, the guy with the list did not... he asked his superior what to do, because you were not on the list to begin with. Wanting to kill the woman who orders your death despite not being on the list is one thing, but saying they all wanted your death is another.

Was there ever a non-partisan story about what happened? I only heard both partisan sides, one of which claimed that Ulfric killed him with his voice in a goofy assassination attempt and Ulfric who said he won in fair combat.

I chose the stormcloaks because I liked Gamlor Stonefist and his ridiculously gravely voice, but I'll probably side with the imperials in my next playthrough.

Im an Altmer Mage and Im disappointed that you cant join the Thalmor. After all the superior race should win

Honestly, I don't like either side. I defend Ulfric's values because ultimately he's looking after the best interests of Skyrim; he's stacking the deck in his favour politically by essentially de-seating everyone he doesn't like, and he's not one for international relations, but he is smart and ultimately free from influence now.

As for the Imperials, they're ultimately just trying to quell the rebellion, but I dislike that they're under the influence of the Thalmor, dislike that they're dressed like Romans and have issues with consistency in joining them seeing as I murdered their emperor.

When I started, I went with the Imperial soldier guy. And I have a VERY good reason for doing it....I couldn't see the Stormcloak dude. (I wasn't about to start a new game just because of that, though. My next run through will have me escaping with the Stormcloaks. Gotta play both sides as much as I can, right?)

I really wasn't all that excited about escaping with one of my captors, even though he's the one that "tried" to stop it. If I'm not on your list, what paperwork is going to need to be done so I can be released? None! I'm rounded up as a common criminal, sent to be executed, only to find out that I'm not supposed to be there....then they say to kill me anyway. Had I taken a few more seconds to realize I could go with the other guy, I would have done it. Like someone said, your CHARACTER can only know what he's learned in game thus far. Mine had only learned that the Imperials were gonna kill him for no reason.

And that's my take on things.

This empire isn't the same one from Oblivion and prior, so any feelings of loyalty to that empire should be shown the door.

That being said, the Stormcloaks aren't perfect either as a trip to Windhelm will show (the Hitler parallels are strong).

Kinda glad not choosing a side is an option still, if 'unofficial'. Sound a lot like American politics these days, trying to pick the least bad choice.

The Empire has no choice in betraying Hammerfell. It was that, or potentially lose Cyrodiil.

Do you really think Ulfric will assist the Empire should the Thalmor attack, which they will if Skyrim wins its independence? No, he'll laugh as they crumble. And then the Dominion will invade Skyrim. That's not going to end well either, seeing as the bulk of Skyrim's protectors, the Legion, will be gone.

And even if they do ally, which they won't, it would be no way as effective as if the Empire controlled Skyrim. The Stormcloaks will sit at the border and await, and might occasionally enter Cyrodiil to fight. But the Thalmor will likely overwhelm the Legion and Skyrim will have their worst enemies sitting across from them.

And, another assumption, I would think that the Empire would send troops to Hammerfell in an attempt at reconciliation as soon as they recommence the war with the Thalmor.

The guy who gets his head chopped off said it, he tells that he was a challenge and a fair one. The solitude court members protest that had they known that Ulfric wanted to challenge the High king to a duel they would have denied entry into the city to him.

They then turn around and LIE about what happened, after having been RIGHT THERE where it took place.
Ulfric says it him self, he killed the high king in a duel, according to the old nord law (still in effect AFAIK) because if the king can not protect his self, how can he protect the people?

The widow plays the victim card when you talk to her about it, and lies about what happened.
It is my opinion that they are truly getting paid for the spreading of lies.

I am on my 2nd character +lvl 30 and I've yet to pick imperial or stormcloaks.

Where i despise the atmer, and dislike that my Nord hero Talos can no longer be honored.

I like Ulfrics cause...but can not support the means.

So yeah i really like that both sides have a plus and a minus. Waiting for something to sway me to one side or the other.

I believe he would, he hates the Thalmor.
Even if he did not, Skyrim is in a far better defensive position than Hammerfell or the empire.

Did you all forget? The imperial calling out names even said "I'm sorry..." Cause of the Captain.
You'd notice that if you'd pay attention...
Also, You know whats really funny? If that overly proud moron of a Stormcloak didn't say "Lets get this over with already" he would have been saved by the dragon? That immediately made me think..."Man...must svck to be a proudful idiot...if he would have just kept his mouth shut...few more moments..." lmao