Right. So I'm going through Skyrim in my more... serious playthrough. You die, you reload. So I'm having to prepare a fair bit more, and really think about my choices in regards to quests, the main quest, etc. But I digress.

I'm slowly going through the Dark Brotherhood, and have already joined the empire and progressed a fair bit with them. I just received the contract to kill the emperor, and that got me thinking- By siding with the imperials, and killing off the emperor, would I be leaving them in a better place, or worse off? It's clear to me that he's not very well liked, mostly due to the fiasco regarding Hammerfell, and then skyrim, or other such choices he's made, and when you do kill him, he's accepting of that fact, and I'm not one to ignore a dying man's request.

So the emperor is dead, the man who would have conceivably taken his place is dead, leaving a vacant space of leadership.

I suppose my question overall is: Is there still an Elder Council to take over? Or any lore on his children, should he have had any, bookwise or otherwise? I find myself increasingly curious about the politics involved in this.

Your Contractor is a member of the Elder Council. So, obviously the Elder Council is still in existence. Furthermore, since Astrid believes he's improving his position, it seems obvious that he intends to be Emperor.

Another reason to kill him I think.

To paraphrase Groucho Marx, "I would never serve an Emperor who would hire me."

General Tullius, if he wins the war, seems like a good candidate as a replacement given he's the highest ranking general plus also a man who just won a major war.

If Skyrim becomes independent, bluntly, the Empire is just Cyrodiil and High Rock so it's not an Empire anymore. Skyrim may actually be the stronger of the nations if you think about it.

I don't play as a DB member but I think the emperor will die shortly one way or the other. As for whom will come next... The Dragonborn!

Alessia, Reman, Septim... see a path here?

I think Hammerfell will be the stronger nation. The Nords are divided and each hold is out but for themselves. They also have a civil war within the civil war in the Reach. Centuries of nord oppression have brought the native Bretons to more radical position and they're preparing themselves to the war (Just who is the queen mentioned in several corresponence found in their camp?) Also, racial tensions between the elves and the nords will only get worse after the Thalmor fueled distrust towards all the mer; another internal front between a xenophobic indipendent Nord nation and elves and outcasts forced into hiding due to persecution is likely.

If the empire cannot hold onto Skyrim, this land will spiral into a state of Chaos and strive.

The next Emperor is likely Amaund Motierre. Pay attention to his DB quest, the man who gives it to you is not the man you meet in Whiterun after the deed is done. Your character recently dealt with a body double for the Emperor; is it so inconceivable that it would happen again?

What if you kill Amaund Motierre after you assassinate the Emperor? In the new games when new lore is released, they'll have to take into consideration that some players (me, being one of them) may have killed him. Same goes for General Tullius.

I'd say it was because the game let him age a bit. Having a body double makes no sense at all in the context. The Emperor did it because he knew he was going to be killed. Your contractor believes you're bound by the sacrament, and indeed when you kill him, he says "We had a deal" as his dying breath. He had no expectation that you would turn on him.

I have a feeling this is part of why the events of the war will be hand-waved. Amaund is going to try to become the next Mede emperor. There will be political squabbling(This will happen even if Amaund dies). Great time for a second thalmor attack into the empire.

seeign how if u side with the emprie the dark brotherhood clear away to open that leader's spot and if u do the Stormcloak playthru at the end, ulfric still aint the high king because the moot hasnt shwon up...

it seemed like for both sides they are opening up a spot for the davokin in the future....

If they want to expand the events within Skyrim with a DLC, I can see the dragonborn being approached by all sides to work for their interest. It could be the new emperor, the stormcloaks, or maybe even the Thalmor will ask you to join them, giving those who want that the option to do so.

I'm feeling too lazy to look it up, but doesn't the Emperor have a brother who's still alive?

Regardless I don't think it much matters, the whole business is about to collapse and it makes little difference who gives the last push.

You killed Motierre? Why? He made good on his end. So Mede II made a dying wish? You going to give everyone you have a contract on that option? "Oh, before you kill me, I make one request that you kill the one who had me killed." You felt sorry for him? The man who allowed the Thalmor unfettered access to abduct and torture your countrymen for their "inquisition"? You bleeding heart, you! Very very very bad for business. Motierre only would get whacked if he failed to come through with the money. Besides, this is the Dark Brotherhood. There are rules, even though Astrid felt those to be "out of date" and look where that landed her.

The Elder Council will have to choose the new emperor regardless of if Titus Mede II had a brother or not. The whole thing is set up for one person to move into the spot in a DLC.

I didn't want to kill the emperor because despite eveyrthing that had happened during his reign, he had worked hard to keep the empire together, and was a popular ruler. It only seemed fair that I honour his request and kill the ambitious bastard who was working against the best interests of everybody.

Really? Let him age a bit? That's the best you've got? What is there to age? Something tells me people aren't exactly taking this quest and then waiting several years in-game before taking it on again. Come on man, the two Motierres look nothing alike. See for yourself:

The Motierre we meet in Volunruud: http://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/wiki-api.ign.com/the-elder-scrolls-5-skyrim/thumb/5/5d/NPC_Amaund.jpg/468px-NPC_Amaund.jpg

The Motierre we meet in Whiterun: http://skyrimming.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/600px-SR-npc-Amaund_Motierre.jpg

There's also several other things to pay attention to that make me strongly believe the second one is a body double, aside from the obviously different facial structure and features.

1. While a whiny, snobby and spoiled brat, Amaund Motierre is highly intelligent and capable. He himself formulates and puts into action a multi-layered plan that opens up the Emperor as a target. He is intelligent and knows how to cover his tracks and tie up loose ends.

2. In Volunruud, Rexus is there with him in case things go sour. In Whiterun however, Rexus is in an entirely different room. For a faithful servant who supposedly never leaves Amaund's side, it was most peculiar to notice...

3. Amaund Motierre is a descendant/distant relative of Francois Motierre, a Dark Brotherhood contract from Oblivion. He knows who he is dealing with, and so is very cautious as a result.

4. If Amaund has "aged a bit" as you profess, then why hasn't Rexus who is supposedly with him at all times?

5. When I asked Babette about the contract, she says "The man you need to speak with, his name is Motierre? That's a very old and powerful Breton family, firmly established in Cyrodiil. Most curious..."

There is simply too much about this guy and the situation that doesn't add up, and "he aged a bit" is definitely not the answer. Amaund Motierre still lives.

No. Kings are never chosen on merit, they are chosen on a fixed rule-bounded path of accession based on blood lines. That is why a monarchy is not a democracy.

Besides, tullius is dead in half the games.

And cannon would appear to favor Stormcloaks which makes tullius dead lore-wise.

Unless of course, you live in Malaysia or Cambodia where they have elective monarchies. Also, the canon favours neither side lore-wise.

That is how the jarls do it in Skyrim, elective monarch. But not how the imperials roll. We wouldn't have had a succession problem when Martin died otherwise.

Canon favors a splinted Empire. It is destined to fall.

Multiple reasons to kill him:

* The Emperor is offering his life to you, which is a Black Sacrament. You're getting a DB contract from him so it's your duty to fulfill it.

* As a Stormcloak, killing a member of the Elder Council as well as the Emperor helps cripple the Empire.

* Even if you hate the Emperor, there's no reason not to think the guy who hired you wasn't a scumbag.

* As an Imperial, you may think that Titus Mede II has to be removed but his replacement shouldn't be his assassin.

* You may have ambitions to take over the Empire yourself. Best to remove the competition.

Counterpoint, Empires are not monarchies as often as not. The Roman Empire selected the Emperor based on the Senate's choice.

As I noted in the other thread, only when succession isn't clear. Since the War of Succession the moot only gathers to elect a new high king when there is no heir, as is the case now. But under normal circumstances the throne is hereditary.

If the Imperials win the war Elisif will probably be made High Queen. The Imperials are there to prop her up. Tullius is just a soldier, not a candidate.

That's for High King, not Emperor. The Elder Council is likely to choose a soldier as much as anyone else.

Irrelevant. What all other monarchies do is irrelevant. The fact that the Imperial Monarchy follows the right of succession by blood is the only relevant point.

If they are allowed to elect a person not of the bloodline to be Emperor, the throne would not had being vacant with the death of Martin.

Worship at the feet of Tullius all you want. He will not be Emperor. Period.

Argh. sorry. I completely misread the thread title.

In that case, since Tullius can die during Skyrim it's exceedingly unlikely he's going to be emperor.

Same can be said of Ulfric. Of all the Jarls and potential Jarls, Elisif is the only constant and no matter what side wins the war, she still remains as Jarl. If anything, it seems that Skyrim's future is with Elisif in some capacity.

Because in the end hew was A brave, decent,and Honourable man.

The Elder Council is said to pick the Emperor after the Septims are gone. It's in Oblivion.