I'm an Elder Scrolls noob, but figuring out who and what the Empire was was remarkably easy. They're just doing what empires do, which is attempting to maintain hegemony over subject nations (while not in a phase of conquering others).

The Stormcloaks are a bit murkier. I've been trawling various cities and sided with both factions in different saves, but I'm still trying to work out two things. First, how broad-based is their rebellion? They're certainly grassroots, but is the majority of Skyrim's population behind them, or at least in a slight amount of support of them over the Empire? Second, what's the motive force behind the rebellion? Is it just the insult that the White-Gold Concordat levied against the nation by banning Talos, or is it the genuine suffering of their people under the reign of the Thalmor-dominated Empire?

This ultimately would probably decide which faction I join once and for all, especially the second question. If the former, I'd go with the Empire, as in that case, the Stormcloaks are just hotheaded fools dragging their own people into further suffering for no good reason. If the latter, I'd side with the Stormcloaks, as this means that the Empire has truly lost its mandate to rule Skyrim no matter how many people might want it to stay, and that Ulfric can lead the nation into a truly brighter future.

They are hypocrites and sheep who are mad that they aren't the ones in power. They have never have qualms about taking other people's land in the past or subjugating other people but now that things are bad in the fourth era they have their collective panties in a knot.

Technically, Skyrim is East (SC) vs West (Empire) with Whiterun in the middle being nuetral at first.

Even on both sides, there are people who support the opposing side.

And they are fighting for the reasons you mentioned.

I support the Empire, but I respect the Stormcloak cause. I just don't think now is the time with the 2nd Great War pending.

I'd say it's maybe 10-15% support in skyrim for each side with the remainder of the populace not caring either way.


As for motivation. It isn't just the ban, people are literally being abducted and tortured to death by the thalmor and the empire's hands are tied. Many are feeling like they're not being represented. Neither Hammerfell or Skyrim wanted to end the war, but Cyrodiil did.(Possibly High Rock too, they've been suspiciously nonexistant in almost all 4th era info though, so we really have no clue) Skyrim's Rule seems to indicate that its a culmination of old gripes and new.

It is better to research about the stormcloaks. There has probably been over 1,000 civil war threads. You can easily find info in.

You just opened the gates. Prepare for the flood.




(Btw, the answers to your question will differ very much depending on whether the person who answers you is a Imp or 'Cloak fan. My advice: talk to the people in the game - but take what you hear with a grain of salt.)

Well, we've had a slew of Civil War threads, so some of us assume this will be just another one of those threads.

But basically, the Stormcloaks follow Ulfric Stormcloak and they fight to liberate Skyrim from the Empire for multiple reasons:

#1- They want to worship Talos, which is presently banned under the Empire thanks to the White-Gold Concordant.

#2- The Empire is weak, and in the words of Galmar, they've allowed the elves to dictate the fate of men. Vignar Grey-Mane says that they fight because they don't want to bend knees to the Thalmor.

Basically, they don't want to live in an Empire that seems to have become the Thalmor's [censored]. Also, less we forget, countless Nords fought the Thalmor during the Great War 30 years prior to the game, so in Ulfric's eyes, what the Empire did was basically take a large dump on all the Nords that suffered and died in the defense of the Empire during the war. They acted without honor.

At least that's Ulfric's rhetoric. There are Nords who thinks he's just stirring up patriotic fervor for his own gains.

Stormcloaks? A group finally getting a taste of what they've been dishing out.

I agree with this post 1,000,000%

http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Stormcloaks

All the info you need, they basically were founded by Ulfric because he thought the Thalmor had too much power in Skyrim, and that the people who's home is Skyrim should decide what happens there.

This is how I would answer the question about who the Stormcloaks are:

They are a faction that no longer see the Empire's presence in Skyrim beneficial and don't want to allow the Aldmeri Dominion to dictate who the people of Skyrim should be allowed to worship. With the acceptance of the WGC, which is almost identical to the ultimatum the Empire was given before the war, many Nords no longer saw the Empire fit to rule them because they can apparently not even protect their citizens anymore and are willing to sell out the provinces to save Cyrodiil.

The question seems to be "Why should Skyrim shed its blood to protect Cyrodiil, when Cyrodiil is not willing to do the same for Skyrim?"

Except Cydoili took the full brunt of the fury of the Aldmeri dominion during the great war, they suffered the most. While Skyrim went relativley unscathed.

And yet Cyrodiil is not the entire empire. At least 2 of the provinces weren't willing to stop yet. And I'd argue your first(Hammerfell may have taken much more damage)

I would argue that the Redguards didn't suffer the most. They had an insane tactical advantage due to the terrain and climate of Hammerfell, so they could have destroyed the dominion forces with relative ease.

I would also say, that the Talos ban is active in Cyrodili as well, so they didn't just "sell out skyrim", they also face the consequences of the white gold themselves.

I forget about that sometimes.

I dont give a crap if ulfric killed the high king, the impeirals still tried to cut my head off.

Join the dragon cult.

Yeah, I don't put my faith in an insane cult that sacrifices children and innocents for personal power-gain.

So that's your only reason? I dislike the Stormcloaks who only give that as a reason.

Ulfric's speech- "I fight for the men I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil. I fight for their wives and children,who's names I heard whispered in their last breaths. I fight for we few who did come home, only to find our country full of strangers wearing familiar faces. I fight for my people impoverished to pay the debts of an Empire too weak to rule them, yet brands them criminals for wanting to rule themselves! I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing. I fight... because I must."

would you join someone who almost killed you for no reason?

Hitler said something similar.

Even one of the stormcloak jarls say Ulfric is nothing but a power-hungry man.

Ignoring for a moment that they didn't, since Hammerfell was invaded as well, you seem to ignore a little something: The fact that the Nords went down to Cyrodiil to fight the Aldmeri Dominion, but once the Imperial City was retaken, the Emperor surrendered(you can argue that it is not, but when it is almost identical to the ultimatum for not being invaded before the war, I call it a surrender). There were large numbers of Nords(and of other races, of course) who died for nothing. The Empire didn't willing to protect its citizens from the Thalmor when they saw that it would require them to fight for it.

Place yourself in the shoes of the Nords or Redguards: You fight for the Empire to prevent this ultimatum to b put in place, but then when the war starts to go your way, your leader surrender and accepts the ultimatum you've been fighting to prevent. At this point, the whole war was for nothing, except preventing the Empire from turning on Mede himself. It is very easy to reach the conclusion that the Great War was Mede saving face, even if I think that isn't entirely true. Would you want to continue to fight for someone like that?

Had Mede gotten something out of it, besides losing Hammerfell, destroying quite a bit of Cyrodiil and having countless people killed in a meaningless war, it would be different. But it isn't different. And for the record, I think the people of Cyrodiil should rebel against the WGC as well. They are just another group affected by this.

It is after all the most solid reason to side with the Stormcloaks. It's the only reason i sided with them on one play through. They aren't suited for pretty much everything else so the execution is only real solid option to go on.

It was the wimperial captain who wanted to kill you, Hadvar felt sorry for the player character. the first time I played skyrim I joined the legion. Then the stormcloaks on my 2nd character. I prefer the Stormcloaks.