I understand nords are supposed to be the rough, alchohol loving, viking-like type of people. And I know they will be like that, but I hope that it's also emphazied during conversation with them. I mean, I don't wanna see a nord talking politely with me. I even want them to talk about roughly about sixual things, like they don't care about anything or anyone around them.

I do hope they are brutal, and I think it should be seen and heard through their (almost) every action.

Unless I'm mistaken?

With nords the "civilized" part is replaced with "proud" and "noble".

The actual "civilized" nords will probably look like Lord Rugdumph.

It would be funny to have a mini-quest to help a nord boy, who is the opposite of all the above, try to discover the nord within him. Would be another quirky TES-like thing.

All it takes to fix him is a pet dragon and a loss of leg. :hubbahubba:

It all depends on what your definition of "civilized" is. What is high culture in one community may be looked down upon and regarded as barbaric by another. If the Nords are based on Vikings well there is a lot of rot talked about Vikings and how they lived generally. They never wore hats with horns on for a start. If a society doesn't have some degree of organisation then it fails. If everyone just runs around wearing bearskins hitting everyone else with hammers and no one is busy stocking up food for the winter then everyone starves.

Saxons and Vikings were of course great storytellers too. That doesn't quite fit with your idea of someone being "brutal" about everything. For a warrior and even a warrior culture to thrive there must be brains as well as brawn.

Civilized Nords?

Damn, that title is a contradictio in terminis.

I hope them to be brutal, yes.

How aren't the Nord civilized?

They're just not particularly bothered with niceties. Tell it how it is, give as much stick as you received kind of attitude.

As opposed to the Altmer, who Whinge and whine about most things, can't accept anything other then their own views and just generally annoy the crap out of me. Dunmer are even worse.
They're like the pretentious snobs in high school who you'd just love to split.

Sure, but they also seem to be joyfull and friendly to guests who behave and earn their respect. At least in Morrowind and Oblivion. Thats how the vikings were aswell, they were not normally hostile to strangers, but if you misstreated them they dont forget it. We still are a bit like that today we northmen, at least the Norwegians. Bit socially cold to strangers and mind our own business, but very loud and easily agressive when under the influence of alcohol .

I gave the definition of "Civilized" in the OP, concerning how "Civilized" Nords should be in my opinion. Ofcourse not all of them should be barbaric, but have you seen some of the screenshots? I can't imagine these people to be polite, I'm sorry.

That's two words not going well together!!

Exactly! You got the idea!

I disagree, I hope not all of them will behave like "barbarians," I mean we are talking about an entire people. Even though their culture may emphasize a specific behavior, I don't think it should be embraced by all of them. An npc should ideally have their own personal identity, and not just be a walking stereotype. I hate it when games make all the characters of a same race identical, it just ruins the idea that you are interacting with someone. I would really be disappointed if Bethesda went down that road. In morrowind some of the dark elves were actually very nice, quite a few of them felt like they were not what you'd expect from a dark elf (unwelcoming, suspicious....).

So yes, I hope Nords have some traits in common, I just hope not all of them are "vikings," and that you find different people who may be shy, reserved, non-drinkers, intellectual, or whatever. In short, I don't want Nords to become stereotypes, although excentricity is welcome.

Now that would be a fun quest.

Oh no. Of course I absolutely agree with you. It's obvious not everyone should be alike, not only it would not be realistic, it would be boring.

Haha sorry I probably overreacted, it's just that I hope we'll have a full range of personalities among Nords in Skyrim, of course I'm not against more prevalent traits. I'm hoping Nords will have a deep, rich culture that we'll be discovering progressively as we travel throughout the province.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Redguard:Characters#Tobias

i'm expecting to see some classy nord captains, like our very own Tobias here.

and speaking of him, since he served as a marine in skyrim i hope that faction is present in the game.