Dude, calm down. It's a joke.

I'm cool. Just making sure you were all there. I know we (a lot of people on here) take it far sometimes. It's just good policy to remember to keep the feet grounded every once in a while. Civil war threads are getting tired.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Thank you . While I stay out of politics both in game and IRL I wanted to tell you I admire the grasp you have on the lore and war itself. Well done!

I appreciate the compliment, thank you

So you're breaking Imperial Law and would welcome the executioner's axe when the Empire finds out that you're a traitor?

Thank you. Saying you still kill Thalmor does zip, zippo, zero, zilch, nada, cero, zot, squat, goose egg, nothing at all to show anything when the guys you support would string you up like prime turkey for doing so.

This. I respect the Stormcloak cause but all that Ulfric's uprising achieved was to splinter humanity even more and divert much needed resources to fight a civil war when instead they could be used to prepare for the Second Great War, which will no doubt begin a short while after Skyrim's events.

After the Thalmor is gone, Skyrim can be free for all I care. But until then they need a boot to the face and have their illiterate asses hauled to fight the real enemy.

But then again, when the second war starts, the White-Gold-Concordat will be invalid, Talos will most likely be legalized in the Empire as a rallying cry for the Empire, rendering much of the Stormcloak cause null.

I called it and look at y'all.

The Empire is dying and Ulfric is prejudice .. Fin

The stormcloak cause is above the talos ban despite popular belief. That is just the "war cry", the thing to remember as a call to action against them. The Empire is weak and not working right now, and its only making Skyrim weak as well. Imperialism is watering down who they are and their leaders are just an extension of imperial power. If they dont get independence now, they probably never will.

I dont know where people get it that the Empire will just let them be independent one day. That is never going to happen. Skyrim is too important of a province even if the dominion is defeated. As far as splintering humanity goes, the Empire did that with the WGC both to nords and redguards, and Igmund is the reason the rebellion really kick started.

And as for illiteracy, it was a nord who brought words to humans. Remember that.

Oh please. Not a single Stormcloak ingame talks about any of the points you bring in your copy and paste posts. All they do is cry about Talos and the WGC. They aren't talking about the Thalmor invading or any of that.

And if the Empire begins to crumble after the next war with the Dominion, I have no doubt that they will dissolve and grant Skyrim and High Rock its independence. I support Skyrim ruling itself...after the threat is taken care of.

And to literacy, wasn't that the Altmer that brought that?

Never played the stormcloak side? Cause there's a pretty high profile speech about it at the end.

Not to mention the dialogue from the basic soldiers saying they joined because the thalmor abducted someone they knew.

Lol, so you just assume they don't care about the thalmor invading because they talk about the most pressing topic? This is the game where they say a handful of lines, and Ulfric mentions the "Puppet King" all the time, pointing out he is Empire controlled. They also say that the Empire is a shadow of what they once were, so where are you getting that these points aren't talked about?

And no, Ysgramor took it and adapted it. They didn't teach them.

EDIT: Also, the talk of thalmor is literally EVERYWHERE...

Of course the Empire won't let them go willingly. What I'm saying is that I won't care about any Ulfrics once the Dominion is gone. Until then I want them to stick with the Empire because that's for the best. If Ulfric had started his uprising after the inevitably victorious second GW, I would be 100% with him. But not today. His cause does nothing but hamper efforts to defeat the Thalmor and the quicker he is gone the quicker the Emperor's successor, whoever that is, can fight the Thalmor. And as said when the war starts, the Emperor has no reason to continue WGC which is the number one reason why Stormcloaks climbed from their caves to break stuff and be angry.

And as for illiteracy, the Nords may have been civilized once but they sure as hell aren't anymore. I hold much respect for old school Nords (even if they perpetrated a major genocide during their time), but contemporary Nords are just wannabe rabble who can't control their impulses.

I've played the SC side. Dozens of times in fact. Besides the feeling of how the wrong it feels to have Stormcloaks in cities, and act like thugs. I know about the speech, and you said it yourself...at the end. Why doesn't one talk about it in throughout all of Skyrim?

Also what possible reason would the Empire have for giving up so much power and letting their provinces be independent? That is the very definition of wishful thinking.

If they are crumbling, its just more likely grant independence to its remaining provinces instead of fighting to keep them...after the war.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/439516/Skyrim/art/stormcloak_unfinished_by_baldingbadger83-d4m3e1g.jpg

There is nothing uncivilized about the nords today, and their "illiteracy" is greatly exaggerated. Remember this?

"Having read this far, you may be shocked at the strength of my words, and the literacy of a northern "savage." Aye, many Nords can both read and write. My father began my instruction in the way of letters when I was but a bairn, as did his father, and his father before him."

To the other point, letting Thalmor althroughout your borders does nothing but the same. The empire is the one allowing this, but the SCs kick them out. And the WGC may have caused it, but it isn't the only reason. It was only the sign that showed them things need to change.

So if they are crumbling....they're gonna want to crumble even more by letting their provinces go? Huh?

No, if the other provinces get independence, it will be because the Empire has no choice.

Not how Empires work. If they can hold on to a province they will.

Assuming after the second war with the Thalmor. No doubt it will be a very destructive war. They won't have the same resources as before because odds are they were used up. They won't have those resources to keep their provinces. You might as well just let them go and remain allies.

Why not do that now?

Because you want all your resources intact.

I feel so honoured that the "Big 4" are quoting me.

What makes you think the empire in the future won't want its resources intact