Forums » Elder Scrolls

How Did You Choose What Side To Pick?

  • November 28, 2014 2:43 PM EST

    Hi,my fellow Dovah! Today after getting into Skyrim another time and putting in 10+ hours I was wondering what side you chose between the Imperials- A military army focused on ending the stormcloaks rebellion,but with the thalmor on their ass that's been made rather difficult,shady dealings,kidnappings,and executions play a big role in how you see them.Then we have the Stormcloaks - A nord party,fighting for the 'freedom of skyrim' but they have shown us they care little for the PEOPLE of skyrim,but only want skyrim to belong to nords.So they want the Imperials gone of course,and the Thalmor- A group of overlord beings who believe their magic is superior to all.

    So between all this,who's side did you choose?

    • 1217 posts
    November 28, 2014 2:50 PM EST
    Both. I don't play a game like this choosing just one side, but I make character suited for each. For me, personally, I lean towards the empire. I think that the Thalmor ultimately overestimates their power. If they're trying to to soften up the Empire using this rebellion, that might work in the short term, but as soon as they try to invade something (the only logical reason in my mind for fueling this rebellion), they'll get attacked by both sides anyway, because they both have a grudge against them. I lean toward the Empire just because it'll be logistically easier for them to command a single army against the Thalmor than to try to coordinate two different armies with their own drama carrying over from the civil war.
    • 207 posts
    November 28, 2014 2:56 PM EST

    Well, people trying to execute me don't earn sympathy.

    • 1217 posts
    November 28, 2014 2:58 PM EST
    I've never held that against the Empire, just that one a-hole captain, who I usually quickly pay back.
    • 161 posts
    November 28, 2014 3:25 PM EST

    I went with the Stormcloaks because I saw their cause honorable. Also If anyone came up to me and told me (In a world were everyone has Hellenistic beliefs) I couldn't worship one god I would be pissed too! Worse than that if you did let them tell you that, then they might feel able to tell you how to run your life too.

    • 641 posts
    November 28, 2014 3:52 PM EST

    Considering this god was a nut job that tried to erase the Elven homeland from the face of nirn, you shouldn't be surprised.

    • 1217 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:02 PM EST
    That's a bit of an oversimplification. The Empire didn't just change their laws and outlaw Talos out of the blue. They made an unwilling compromise, presumably to survive. It doesn't mean they don't like the Nords, or their beliefs, or that they're casting them off. If anything, it adds to the grudge the Empire has against the Dominion. If not for the Civil War, who knows, maybe the Empire could have invaded the Dominion by now.
  • Tom
    • 624 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:13 PM EST

    Ulfric's speech after the battle of Solitude is wonderful, but the jarls he employs are some of the worst in the game. The Empire is really lackluster, has some truly corrupted jarls, but I know they're the smart side to pick on the long-term.

    • 161 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:14 PM EST

    Even though I'm all for the Dominion helping the Nords felt right but also Its helping the Aldmeri because if the Stormcloaks could defeat the Empire then It would be easy to Invade Skyrim.

    • 168 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:21 PM EST

    This is one of many reasons people join the Stormcloaks. Because the Empire almost executed you. But tell me, do you think the Stormcloaks would have done it any differently? True that captain is cruel and downright deserved to die, however if you spent all of this time, effort and resources, sacrificing good men and women to a pointless conflict and you FINALLY capture the leader, wouldn’t you 1. want to kill him as quickly as possible before any rescue attempt could be made? 2. Capture anyone who supports him INCLUDING a somewhat shady person who happened to suspiciously be within the same area as him? 3. Just execute all of them instead of having to file weeks of paperwork just to have that person likely run off to support the enemy anyway? True the third point sounds cruel, but placing yourself in that position what would you do? Don’t deny, you would do ALL of the above.

    • 168 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:26 PM EST

    I side with the Imperials because like it or not, the Empire is the only force in Tamriel that can resist the Thalmor.

    Now I know what the Stormcloaks guys might say: "Once we free Skyrim, we are going to be the real Anti-Thalmor. We are Nords, we are warriors, etc etc".

    But history taught us that separatism is not a solution to a common threat. Those who think the Stormcloaks are "liberating" Skyrim just don't see the bigger picture. The Thalmor do, however.

    The Thalmor simply play a individual lute on each province controlled by the Empire to make them break off. This is called "Salami Tactics", a.k.a "Divide and Conquer". Wanna examples? Alright! Alinor? Take credits for what Martin Septim did. Valenwood? Organize a coup and take the Imperials supporters by surprise. Elsweyr? Use "dawn magic" to impress the Khajiits (we all know the moons are gripped to their religion). Hammerfell? Demands the Empire to cede sections of southern Hammerfell to the Thalmor as a condition of the peace treaty, so the Emperor will have to betray the Redguards - they'll never trust the Empire again. Skyrim? Use the Nords' religion (reverence to Talos in particular) to make them distrust the Empire and rise up against it.

    So instead of "fighting the damn elves", Ulfric and Co. are simply dancing to their tune.

    • 88 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:30 PM EST

    @ 1, why not execute ulfric first?

    • 168 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:35 PM EST

    Because Galmar would take his place as the leader of the Stormcloaks and the civil war would continue.

    • 1217 posts
    November 28, 2014 4:50 PM EST
    If the Stormcloaks captured the PC under the same conditions as the Empire did, then yeah, I'm willing to bet they'd take the very same approach.
    • 161 posts
    November 28, 2014 5:54 PM EST

    That's why I side with the Stormcloaks, so the Dominion can defeat those Nords.

  • November 28, 2014 8:18 PM EST

    Sorry for the late reply but I agree 100%

    The Empire could totally crush the thalmor if they made a truce with the Stormcloaks but of course something would happen to break this peace.

  • November 28, 2014 8:18 PM EST

    Buh it was eh mistake!

  • November 28, 2014 8:19 PM EST

    I agree but,the empire still dosent sit right with me...

  • November 28, 2014 8:19 PM EST

    Preach!

  • November 28, 2014 8:20 PM EST

    The stormcloaks have good reason to rebell but,some of the things I notice make me wonder if its about all of skyrim.

  • November 28, 2014 8:22 PM EST

    I feel ya after the battle of whiterun (stormcloaks) I was in awe @ who he put on the throne,it'll never be the same walking into dragonsreach to see that smug Jarl sitting in a throne he dosent own.

  • November 28, 2014 8:24 PM EST

    Exactly! Stormcloaks kill the Empire→Stormcloaks can't hold off Dominion→Oblivion has broken loose.

    • 285 posts
    November 28, 2014 8:26 PM EST
    Something everyone needs to remember is that by going Stormcloak, you have effectively ended the Empire. The last two provinces are Cyodiil and High Rock, now separated and surrounded by enemies.



    Thing two, Hammerfell despises the Empire over it's betrayal, count no support there.
    • 1217 posts
    November 28, 2014 8:38 PM EST
    What examples are there that Hammerfell hates the Empire?
    • 1467 posts
    November 29, 2014 6:24 AM EST

    I like both so I close my eyes spin around in between Hadvar and Ralof and then depending on where I end that's who I join.