Forums » Elder Scrolls

How Did You Choose What Side To Pick?

    • 75 posts
    November 30, 2014 12:54 PM EST

    Shor would have some stuff to say about this.

    But for my original playthrough I chose the Stormcloaks, despite being a Khajiit, just because they seemed cooler, as well as making the decision that my guy wouldn't join the Imperials since they wrongfully decided to execute him. When I made my second character, I basically did everything the opposite, so I went with Imperials, so I can safely say I like both.

  • November 30, 2014 9:45 PM EST

    Ulfric. He wants his people to be strong. He wants Skyrim to be strong. Skyrim can only be strong if the Nords are in charge. Ulfric's Nationalism is needed because he's the only one who cares about the livleyhood of the Nords. 

    The Empire is dragging their feet. They've had too many chances to fix things for the Nords.  The Empire gave away Talos, a hero-god to the Nords, like Auriel is to the Altmer. Then they tried to give away the Reach. Too many times the Nords are told to endure. The Nords have waited long enough. The Empire does not deserve Skyrim, or her people, or her resources. 

    That's why I chose the Stormcloaks. 

    • 285 posts
    November 30, 2014 10:07 PM EST
    I go Empire. It's what is better for Tamriel and people as a whole. The other reason is while I really respect Ulfric outside of the Markarth incident, I can't respect those under him. The Grey-Manes as rulers? Really? No to mention the obvious racism of Galmar and other top officers.
  • November 30, 2014 10:24 PM EST
    I did. Poor professionalism. It was tullius's fault. He was the commanding officer.
  • November 30, 2014 10:27 PM EST
    The dominion isn't going to invade Skyrim...They'd invade Cyrodiil.
  • November 30, 2014 10:28 PM EST
    That's why I go stormcloak. That Empire doesn't deserve to exist.
    • 404 posts
    November 30, 2014 11:05 PM EST
    My current character is a Necromantic Vampire Warlord,with his army of the undead he will win the war.
    • 285 posts
    November 30, 2014 11:32 PM EST
    The Nods don't deserve the Reach and ey Don't deserve Talos, just go worship Lorkhan.
    • 95 posts
    December 2, 2014 6:41 AM EST

    I always chose the Stormcloaks. At the beginning of the game, the Imperials want to kill me, even if I'm "not on the list". Kill this bastard, just to be sure... This is how their system works. Another cause: When you visit Angi's camp, she will tell you that she lost her parents because 2 drunken Imperial soldiers killed them for fun. And well...They are backed up by the Thalmor which I hate. With each and every character I play, I alway kill the Thalmor agents that I meet wandering in Skyrim :)

    • 168 posts
    December 2, 2014 8:21 AM EST

    "And well...They are backed up by the Thalmor which I hate."

    I'm sorry, but since when the Empire is backed up by the Thalmor? If memory servers me well, the Stormcloaks are the ones backed up by the Thalmor. Just read the final line of the Thalmor dossier about Ulfric: "A Stormcloak victory is also to be avoided, however, so even indirect aid to the Stormcloaks must be carefully managed."

  • December 2, 2014 9:02 AM EST
    What indirect aid are you talking about?
    • 168 posts
    December 2, 2014 9:15 AM EST

    Thalmor Dossier: Ulfric Stormcloak

    But let me clarify something: The Thalmor don't support the Stormcloaks like cheerleaders rooting for their home team - them "indirectly aiding" the Stormcloaks is probably all because the Stormcloaks are the underdogs in the war. The Stormcloaks don't have enough men to outnumber the Legion, and giving continual (but indirect) aid to the Stormcloaks gives them sporadic bursts of strength that will allow for the rebels to continue the fight.

    • 95 posts
    December 8, 2014 4:38 AM EST

    Probably you have never done the quest Missing in Action. Where Thorald Gray-Mane is captured in North-Watch Keep because he is sided with the Stormcloaks. In the Imperial missive journal it is General Tullius who mentions that the Thalmor captured the guy and it is a good thing. Furthermore, if you go to North-Watch keep and talk to the THALMOR SOLDIER and tell him you're there for Thorald, he mentions that prisoners can be release from here only for Imperial request.

    So... There is a prison, where there are prisoners captured by the Imperials, this prison is guarded by Thalmor sildiers... I think it is self-explanatory.

    • 168 posts
    December 8, 2014 3:24 PM EST

    The most logical answer (in my opinion) is: The prisoner, Thorald, is a Gray-Mane, the rival of the Battle-Born and the influence of its patron, Olfrid, is strong enough to even bring the Thieves Guild to Whiterun. So it's not a surprise Olfrid did a bit of this and a bit of that with Tullius and Eleween to make Thorald rot in a Thalmor prison.

    Besides, I do this quest even if I pick the Imperial side. That prison is a Sovngarde on Nirn for my Thalmor Slayer Khajiit.

  • December 8, 2014 4:47 PM EST
    You're gonna need a bigger bait.
  • December 8, 2014 4:49 PM EST
    What is "indirect aid?" I doubt Stormcloaks would take anything from elves. Who would they even be doing business with?
    • 168 posts
    December 9, 2014 4:23 AM EST

    Let's read the Ulfric's Dossier together, especially the bold lines:

    "Status: Asset (uncooperative), Dormant, Emissary Level Approval

    Description: Jarl of Windhelm, leader of Stormcloack rebellion, Imperial Legion veteran

    Background: Ulfric first came to our attention during the First War Against the Empire, when he was taken as a prisoner of war during the campaign for the White-Gold Tower. Under interrogation, we learned of his potential value (son of the Jarl of Windhelm) and he was assigned as an asset to the interrogator, who is now First Emissary Elewen. He was made to believe information obtained during his interrogation was crucial in the capture of the Imperial City (the city had in fact fallen before he had broken), and then allowed to escape. After the war, contact was established and he has proven his worth as an asset. The so-called Markarth Incident was particularly valuable from the point of view of our strategic goals in Skyrim, although it resulted in Ulfric becoming generally uncooperative to direct contact.

    Operational Notes: Direct contact remains a possibility (under extreme circumstances), but in general the asset should be considered dormant. As long as the civil war proceeds in its current indecisive fashion, we should remain hands-off. The incident at Helgen is an example where an exception had to be made - obviously Ulfric's death would have dramatically increased the chance of an Imperial victory and thus harmed our overall position in Skyrim. (NOTE: The coincidental intervention of the dragon at Helgen is still under scrutiny. The obvious conclusion is that whoever is behind the dragons also has an interest in the continuation of the war, but we should not assume therefore that their goals align with our own.) A Stormcloak victory is also to be avoided, however, so even indirect aid to the Stormcloaks must be carefully managed."

    See? The Thalmor could simply kill Ulfric during the interrogation, but when they learned that Ulfric's father is the Jarl of Windhelm they thought "why would we kill someone we could use?". That's why Ulfric is an (dormant) asset of the Thalmor. That is why the Thalmor is pulling the Stormcloak strings. Just as I said on my previous comment, the Thalmor is using the Nords' religion (particularly the ban of Talos) to make them rise up against the Empire. Then when both sides perish, the Thalmor will divide and conquer Skyrim, just like they did with Alinor, Valenwood, Elsweyr and now they are trying to conquer Hammerfell again.

    • 8 posts
    December 9, 2014 10:42 AM EST

    I chose to side up with Ulfric because he has the same name as a very good friend of mine! (It makes me cringe whenever I hear bards singing about wanting them dead D: ) 

    That's...pretty much all there is to it! And seeing that it's not a very common name, and that I've known them for a long time, it's hard for me to associate the name with much else =D!