The Empire or The Stormcloaks : V

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 5:52 pm

I've been very troubled by this question. I can't seem to make up my mind. At first I was COMPLETELY down for the Stormcloaks. I hated the Empire and I believed Skyrim should be ruled by Nords.

It all started at the Peace Meeting... Olfric wouldn't shut up and kept making demands. He cared not for the return of the world eater or Nordic Lore, but instead his own problems and desires. He then was so bold as to INSULT me after making a completely reasonable compromise. Insult the Dragonborn at High Hrothgar? Are you joking?

Then, I went to Windhelm. I was genuinely horrified at the sight that I saw. The city looked slummy, the crime rate was high, and the dunmer were being mistreated. How could I expect Olfric to be a noble High King when he can barely be a Jarl?

Then I went to Solitude. Everything was sqeaky clean, the citizens were being treated fairly and everything seemed to be in order. Also at the meeting, the General was completely respectful and professional. He had no plans of discussing the war and was surprised when Olfric began making demands.

As much as I dislike the thought of the Empire running Skyrim ... it seems like they do it better ... Have I been decieved?

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 6:29 am

No one has an opinion?

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:02 pm

The empire! Skyrim needs the empire and the empire needs skyrim. The Thalmor must not win!

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:18 pm

Hail to the Stormcloaks! Long live Ulfric Stormcloak.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 8:17 am

I think the empire is best for Skyrim.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:35 am

Loved the Stormcloaks at first, then met Ulfric, so eff that.

The Empire for the win!

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:51 am

Empire with my Redguard.

Why? Because I was in one of the Imperial's camps and was talking to a High Elf captain there. This guy talked about how he despised the Dominion, how the Empire will claim it's place back and drive those filth away. I loved it, he was passionate but also realized he had to play the boot licker for now since they are consolidating their power.

All the Stormcloak camps do is talk smack about Legion, short-sighted crap about cleaving through everything and soldier and restore some delusional racist on the High Throne. I know the Empire had to cut off Hammerfell but their time will come and I will serve proudly for the Empire. Reading the "Great War" also made me understand why they banned the official worship of Talos.

I love rebellions and anarchy but the Empire really is thinking long-term and actual independence/freedom for Skyrim.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 4:57 pm

I always played the imperial agent in any of the TES games.
Guess what is my answer ?

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:53 pm

I was walking along a road when I saw a group of Imperial guards escorting a Stormcloak prisoner.

It gives you the option of freeing the prisoner if you go up to him. So I did, and needless to say a fight broke out in which the three Imperial guards were slaughtered.

So I would have to say Stormcloaks for me.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:40 am

If you want to fight for your land and freedom, join the Stormcloaks.
If you want to be the boot-licker for the elves, join the Empire.

Or with a more (or actually at all) reflected view:

If you want a bloody civil war where your brothers and sisters will suffer and thousands will die, leaving two weak isolated lands that are cannon fodder for the Thalmor, join the Stormcloaks.
If you want to maintain peace and a united Cyrodiil and Skyrim to be able to maybe have the slightest chance to defeat the elves, join the Empire.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:02 pm

Stormcloaks. "Skyrim belongs to the Nords!"

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:59 am

After my Bosmer Spellblade, Minthar, heard the way Ulfric's second described the much-deserved death of King Borgas, he realized the Nords would never come to Valenwood, or more specifically The Valenwood Resistance's aid. He realized the only reason the Empire even left was because the Thalmor caught them off-guard at a bad time. So a strong Empire might one day be an ally.. but would they demand re-annexation? These questions haunted him as he decided to take the crown to General Tullius. Have to cross that bridge once I get there, he thought glumly. He then cheered himself up by focusing on the now. The large Stormcloak bore down on him, bellowing "Skyrim belongs to the Nor-" but was cut off by Minthar's Akiviri Steel, once wielded by his mother, now stealing the Nord's final breath. No, you yellow-snow eating cretin, Skyrim belongs to those with the strength to hold it!

My Thalmor Assasain is staying out of it until she recieves orders to the contrary. She's too busy inflitrating the Blades, anyway.

However, my Ashlander, Asheikhun Velunt, has sided with the Stormcloaks. Whether or not Ulfric likes the Dunmer is irrelevant. Skyrim is home to many Dunmer, and they are all the adopted sons and daughters of Skyrim. True, not all of them realize it yet, but she'll do her damnedest to make them understand this fact - by whatever means are necessary.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:39 pm

Empire. Rebels seems more up my alley, and I couldn't wait to get to Windhelm.

Then I realised Ulfric was a pricky racist. I still toyed with the idea of joining them, then I read the Great War and it all made sense.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:08 pm

I just feel like Ulfric doesn't actually care about Skyrim. Am I wrong to think that?

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:21 am

I still can't decide.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:28 pm

Well, first I was for the stormcloaks but then I read a book about how Ulfric commited war crimes after re-conquering the reach... I'm now torn between the two... plus, those ass imperials wanted to execute you for nothing...

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:29 pm

I just feel like Ulfric doesn't actually care about Skyrim. Am I wrong to think that?

You're right about Ulfric, he only cares about himself and puttting himself in power no matter how many people die for him to get there,

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 4:33 pm

I'm undecided, one of the reasons I don't like the Empire is just a personal vendetta against that captain in the beginning, I did get to kill her, but still.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:34 pm

spoilers maybe?

Ive done both, and while very similar no doubt, I enjoyed the gameplay of the Imperial line better. All you have to do to go Imperial is forget about the part where they try to cut off your head in the begining of the game. Then it is easy to feel good about your decision, while going Stormcloaks seems more romantic per say. Everytime Ulfric opens his mouth you regret joining them.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 12:23 pm

To me Ulfric seems like a racist, power hungry [censored]. If a rebellion is named after the leader, you can normally assume the leader is a butt.

The thing that clinched it for me was that Ulfric was going to invade

Spoiler

Whiterun

. No way I was going to let him get away with that, no one messes with Jarl

Spoiler

Barlgruff

and gets away with it. He's my bro.

Leave no Bro behind.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:23 pm

The Empire... For this reason:

Whatever helps the aldmeri dominion is not an option for me, keeping the war going on makes them only stronger - so the civil war has to end, not chosing a side is not an option. The less tools the thalmor have the bigger the odds the empire will win the incomming war and Ulfric is one of the elven tools so he needs to be rid of. Ulfric poses as a braveheart-style freedom fighter for the opressed but infact he's a power hungry blindman, he killed the king. A king that was fascinated and full of admiration towards Ulfric, he put a death sentence on him challenging the poor whelp as he knew he had no chance. And general Tullius even with all his flaws is an honorable man, he offers Skyrim and the empire what it needs - stability. Only a stable strong empire can face the thalmor and succed (I dunno bout you but I could live with an imperial administration with a few black sheeps, rather than zealous thalmor fanatics that have only 1 goal rotting out all humanity and losing skyrim makes them only stronger).

On Talos, I don't really think that Talos should take place amongs the gods, once you read a few books about him you realise that he doesn't have a clean vest, but if the eight divines accepted him into the state of divinity are they really worth worshipping either? Or maybe they didn't get involved in the whole "recruting" process and Talos usurped godlike status, does that make him legit? And to start a war to weaken the empire that struggles and can barely take a break, solely cos of the fact that this Talos was declared to be a mortal not a god is criminal, the political motives behind this whole rebellion of Ulfric are clear, he's a short minded power hungry demagogue that ravens on poor people that have to fight this war for him, of course there are alot of people that do this willingly because the nords have a strong warrior tradition, but a twisted sense of honor.

Any war demands sacrifices and I'd torch down the whole imperial city if it would mean overwhelming the aldmeri dominion, the nords need to realise that the real bad guys are the thalmor and the empire has no strenght to drop the concordate also because they are loosing resources and men to fight this civil war, if all that that energy the nords put in fighting the empire in skyrim would have gone towards working together to prepare to solve the thalmor issue - Tamriel would be a better place and with Ulfric in charge of the rebelion it's impossible he fuels the hatred so much that only a few nords are capable to think outside the box, with his death the thalmor will be weakened, the empire strenghtened and Skyrim will find peace, also what can go wrong when the dovakhiin decided that a unified empire is better than an independant skyrim ? Better not make the man angry so he doesn't have to raise his voice

TLDR: The civil war only helps the Thalmor become stronger, if Skyrim were to become independant they would stand no chance if they invaded... United we stand, divided we fall. They may have control over the Empire at the moment, but the Empire are biding their time~ Waiting for the right moment to strike~ Until then, they need to become stronger~

"The Empire needs Skyrim as much as it needs us"

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:27 pm

I was gonna go Stormcloaks, since the Empire was going to execute me just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then I realized how racist the Stormcloaks were and it feels to me as if Ulfric doesn't actually care about Skyrim he just wants power. Maybe on my next playthrough. I have also heard rumors you can join the Thalmar. So there's that too.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 5:36 pm

I was going to type what Jeramy said. I was about to be excuted for no reason, so would love to see them fall. But now only starting to see how racist Nords are. Well it's thier land after all, but still, shouldn't have to feel like an outsider.

Too bad there is no option for None of Them.

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 8:08 pm

There is only one racist nord...and he is drunk. So yeah...way to generalize

» Sat Dec 10, 2011 8:52 am

Empire is more fit to rule, the question is which Yarl is more fit. The Yarl at Windhelm, or the Yarl at Solitude's.

I 100% understand the Stormcloak's mission and I share their hatred for the Thalmor, the true enemy. BUT the Empire is Tiber Septim's Empire.

I don't ever plan on participating in this stupid civil war. I would like to serve as a Blade and recruit others from both the Stormcloaks and the Empire to join our cause, bolstering the ranks of the Blades, and covertly push out the Thalmor.

Maybe then The Stormcloaks could negotiate to rejoin the Empire under Yarl Balgruff

Because Whiterun has been a neutral power during this stupid civil war and Dragon's Reach is an ancient seat of power, I believe this could easily be written into the story as DLC.

Hate is a strong word and I [censored] HATE the Thalmor. If we can push them out and reunite Skyrim under the battle banner of war with the True enemy, the Aldmeri Dominion, I will be the [censored] vanguard of their destruction. :sb: