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• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 13, 2015 11:22 PM EDT

  Sorry sorry... forgive the pun. I literally could not help myself.

  My question for you fine folks tonight is-- if you could be Jarl of any hold in Skyrim:

  • Which hold would you pick and why?
  • How would you rule?  Benevolently? With an iron fist?
  • And, finally... as jarl, would you align with the EMPIRE OR STORMCLOAKS??? 

  

• The Black Wolf

  

  • 98 posts
   

  September 13, 2015 11:41 PM EDT

  Riften without a doubt.

  I would rule both benevolently and with an iron fist because Riften's got some serious issues that need to be resolved and they must be handled with a firm resolve. First things first, I would get rid of Maven Black-Briar entirely or die trying. Have a small alliance with The Empire to put a hold to Maven's allies within the organization however I would make Riften mostly an independent city.

  I would take the Riften guards' lazy bums to the Ratway and take down the weakened Thieves Guild. However leave a couple Pickpockets alive so they can all confess of the Black-Briar family's crimes. After the Black-Briar family is taken down, I would seek to make the hold a center of commerce once again by improving relationships with other holds and perhaps other provinces.

  I would make Riften shine like in the old days, baby.

• Legion

  

  • 700 posts
   

  September 13, 2015 11:42 PM EDT

  All the holds kind of...suck.  With the exception of Whiterun and Haafingar, of course.  Whiterun to me is the obvious choice because it's already independent and doing so well as Skyrim's central market.  Haafingar is close, but I'm not tryna be High King.  Mr Edd, maybe, but that's not the life for me.  

  I might choose Winterhold (does it even have a Jarl??  He's so unimportant that he might as well not be there) in order to improve relations with the college, since I'm a mage sympathizer.  Replace that bitter bastard Korir and actually do something.  I think I'd take Winterhold, improve college relations, make the hold neutral, then use the newly-friendly mages as a bargaining chip in the war.  Leverage!  

  I think I would lean towards benevolent leadership concerning my own people.  I'd be a hard ass when speaking with Ulfric or Tullius.  Well, their messengers anyway.  Cowards.  

• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 13, 2015 11:48 PM EDT

  Man, you certainly do have your work cut out for you in Riften, of that there is no doubt. Although I must say I think this plan is pretty solid. You have my vote for Jarl of Riften. +1

• The Black Wolf

  

  • 98 posts
   

  September 13, 2015 11:51 PM EDT

  Thx. Xavier for Jarl of Riften 2015.

• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 13, 2015 11:53 PM EDT

  I'm sorta surprised you would even consider Whiterun. I pictured you as being drawn to a quieter hold, like Winterhold. I like the idea of improving college relations! I think Winterhold could really use that.

  Also, 

  I'm not tryna be High King.  Mr Edd, maybe, but that's not the life for me.  

  

• Mirric

  

  • 411 posts
   

  September 13, 2015 11:57 PM EDT

  I would pick the reach for its abundance of Dwemer ruins.

  I would rule with a iron fist

  I wouldnt ally with the empire or stormcloaks i would use my army of Dwemer robots and take over skyrim then morrowind build a new numidium and take over the entirety of tamriel!

• Accursed

  

  • 95 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 12:02 AM EDT

  Markarth actually needs an iron fisted ruler. We have the Silver-Bloods who are almost as bad as the Black-Briars but got less importance in terms of lore, the whole Forsworn mess, and a lot of shit happening in Cidhna Mine that needs cleaning up.
  Get rid of the Silver-Blood's treasury and make it a government service instead, weasel out the corrupted guards, attempt to have peace talks with the Forsworn but go on the offensive if that fails, and tighten security within Cidhna itself, not just the outside. Meaning, nothing gets in or out, but the prisoners also don't just have free reign in that giant prison area of the mine.
  Lastly, Empire. I won't go into too much detail, but only the Empire can do what's best for Tamriel.
• Deleted Member

  
   

  September 14, 2015 12:02 AM EDT

  • The Rift because it is fertile with temperate weather, has the advantage of not being in a vale, is home to the Blackbriars, and is close to Cyrodiil.
  • That is binary, and I do not do binary. I would rule according to the information I have and can comprehend, which is to say it varies depending upon the circumstance. Taxes would not be terribly high though.
  • The Empire. People cannot eat indignation... although I understand the Stormcloak outrage. Sometimes I prefer arguing for the morally bankrupt position because some people want it to be one way.
• Mirric

  

  • 411 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 12:03 AM EDT

  You should of done what i would of done and used the dwemer ruins to your advantage 

• Deleted Member

  
   

  September 14, 2015 12:04 AM EDT

  but I'm not tryna be High King.

  Like, seriously? Why be High King of Skyrim when you can be a member of House Telvanni?

• Mirric

  

  • 411 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 12:39 AM EDT

  as future archmagister i agree with what you just said!
• Lazy

  

  • 122 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 2:34 AM EDT

  Out of all the Holds, I feel that I'd enjoy ruling over Winterhold for some reasons. One, dominion over all that snow is formidable and two, since it's so ruined and secluded, I doubt I'll have much work.
  
  My rule in Winterhold will start with some reconciliation between the townsfolk and the College. I'll convince everyone that there is nothing to be feared in magic if it is used within reason and I'll try to sway the College into cooperating with me for the good of Winterhold. Maybe we can even renovate the once great city, cause you know. Magic.
• Veloth the Prophet

  

  • 641 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 6:20 AM EDT

  Can I be the councillor of Raven Rock?

  If yes then once the mine was cleared I would get workers down there ASAP mining as much ore as they can get their hands on. I would return the ancient nord pickaxe to the Skaal and allow them to mine any stalhrim found in the mine in exchange for a trade agreement between the two settlements. The first thing I would do with the ebony ore is have it forged in to weapons and armor to be used by the Redoran Guards and the rest would be used as a bargaining chip for trade negotiations with the East Empire Company as well as the House Hlaalu on mainland Morrowind to attract business and hopefully stop them sending goddamn assassins.

  The newly upgraded Redoran Guard would be sent to clear out a wider range around Raven Rock as well as retake Fort Frostmoth which will become their new HQ. Neloth and House Telvanni will be recruited in to helping with this as well as the rebuilding in exchange for any and all heartstone found.

  Now that there is more resources and commerce and a larger safe zone I would  significantly extend the city and the Bulwark around it and invite any guilds who would like to set up shop in the city and dramatically increase the space allotted for agriculture like ashyam farmers and netch herders.

  I would send an emissary to Thirsk to form an alliance between Dunmer and the Rieklings. The Nords of Thirsk are a bunch of drunken moronic warmongers so getting rid of them is a good thing for both the Skaal and the Dunmer and having an alliance with the Rieklings would make Solstheim a safer place for everybody.   

  And finally I would send a petition to Ulfric Stormcloak as well as the Dunmer of the Grey Quarter, safe passage, housing and work will be provided to any and all Dunmer who wish to live in Solstheim.

• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 11:03 AM EDT

  Man. You're right. When you lay it all out like that the Reach is a freaking disaster, and there's lots of work to be done. Glad there are people like you who want to actually roll up their sleeves and make a difference. I'm more in the camp of... thank you, no thank you. 

• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 11:07 AM EDT

  That is binary, and I do not do binary. I would rule according to the information I have and can comprehend, which is to say it varies depending upon the circumstance. Taxes would not be terribly high though.

  Very wise. I didn't necessarily mean it as a binary, more just as an illustration of the two ends of the spectrum. You sound like you would make a very level-headed Jarl, indeed. 

• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 11:23 AM EDT

  Wow. Just. Wow. Have you thought about this before, V?? This is quite the comprehensive plan, my friend. Follow up questions!

  • How on gods' green Nirn do you plan to appeal to Neloth to enlist his help? Dude is so self-interested and snarky af to boot.
  • I find it somewhat interesting that you would try to appeal to the Skaal, yet give the Nords of Thirsk the boot. I would think doing so would make the Skaal at least somewhat skeptical of you, as they would be more likely to be Nord Thirsk sympathizers. If you dispatch the Nords of Thirsk... how would you quell any rumblings of dissatisfaction with the Skaal?
• Veloth the Prophet

  

  • 641 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 12:00 PM EDT

  Well like I said, I'm sure Neloth would be willing to cooperate if it meant he has a large heavily armed force ready to hunt down Ash-Spawn and Heartstones for him to study.

  The Thirsk Nords are just a bunch of drunken barbarians who like to go around and start fights with people, they used to be Skaal but abandoned the tribe to go and pretend they were like the Companions or something. Skaal on the other hand are cool dudes, they don't bother anybody and live with nature and don't take money from guests. But if I thought the Skaal really would have a problem with me taking out the Thirsk Nords then I would just do it covertly via Morag Tong.  

• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 12:19 PM EDT

  Oh sorry! I don't know how I looked over that part. I'm actually have a gnarly head cold right now. I blame the cold medicine for making my head fuzzy.

  Solid plan! I hereby dub thee Councilor of Raven Rock! 

• Vargr White-Tree

  

  • 77 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 1:31 PM EDT

  If I had to choose I would go with Whiterun.  It just feels like home to me.  Every time I return to the city it's like coming home after work or a vacation, that feeling of being in familiar territory, does anyone else feel that way about any of the holds?  This probably stems from my first play-thru of Skyrim and is just nostalgia.  That being said I like Balgruuf the Greater and prefer to serve as thane protecting my home and its people from the dangers of Skyrim.   My sensibilities are along the same lines as Balgruuf concerning the war.  I'd rather stay out of it.  However if my hand is forced I lean towards the Empire.  We need a united empire if we will ever throw off the yoke of the Aldmeri Dominion.

• HumanOfPrey

  

  • 168 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 1:41 PM EDT

  I'd be the Jarl of Eastmarch as well as the leader of the rebellion and Ulfric would be my right hand. As a ruler, I’d have zero tolerance against xenophobia. If you don’t like a non-Nord, pack up your things and GTFO or learn how to like them, which means the Argonians would be allowed to enter the city. As the leader of the Stormcloaks, I’d do a drastic change. First, I’d name the faction "Thunderjackets" because "Stormcloaks" is not very intimidating. Second, I'd erect a huge statue of Talos right in front of the Palace of Kings and I'd proclaim free and open worship of Talos within Eastmarch. Eventually Thalmor Justiciars would come to enforce the White-Gold Concordat, I’d order Ulfric to capture them and behead them in front of everybody and drop off the heads at the Embassy, mocking the ultimatum originally given to Emperor Mede. But I’m not done yet. I’d order the Thunderjackets to hunt down any Thalmor Justiciars within Eastmarch while I literally sit and wait as the Thalmor come to me directly, or until the Empire tries to demand me to stop. Of course I’d refuse and force the Empire's hand to either help me or leave me be. It's MY HOLD, if the High King was as reasonable as everyone else says he was, He wouldn't have done anything to attempt to FORCE me to stop, he might have even helped me. I’d gather all Jarls who support my cause (half of Skyrim) and refused the Thalmor to let them roam free in Skyrim (as per part of the treaty). Seeing that half of his Jarls are refusing the terms of the treaty, I honestly think, in the best case scenario, Torygg would have HAD to tell the Empire "sorry, we're seceding”.

  P.S: I'm not instigating another "Stormcloaks Vs Imperials" debate. I'm just telling what would be IF I was the ruler of Eastmarch as well as the leader of the Stormcloaks.

• Rogue

  

  • 743 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 7:54 PM EDT

  Jarl of Solitude so I can hijack it and turn it into a Stormcloak hold. 

• Edana

  

  • 694 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 9:33 PM EDT

  And why am I not surprised?? 

• Rogue

  

  • 743 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 9:37 PM EDT

  Because you're magic. 

• Mr.

  

  • 763 posts
   

  September 14, 2015 9:41 PM EDT

   But what if... I chose to be Jarl of Whiterun, marry Jarl Elisif of Haafingar, leaving TWO holds under our influence?  

   I'd of course aim for the Skryim throne, from where I'd strenghthen my ties with Jarl Idgrod of Hjaalmarch, 'cause I like that gal (And the Reach is too dangerous and the distance is greater), to use her lands as a flowing line from the biggest economic supplier in Skyrim to the biggest port in Skyrim, enriching the three holds. I would order the construction of a new settlement (King's Grace) between Dragon Bridge and Rorikstead, fortifying all three of them so the roads would be safer decreasing all those nasty impacts on the economy. (bandits, falmer and so on).  

   I'd of course support the Empire. It's the only logical thing, it would be pretty dumb to think of all that and then isolate my Skyrim from trading with those rich fat basterds in Cyrodiil and High Rock. I bet they all want some Honningbrew Mead and the finest meat Tamriel can offer 

    As you can see, in this great map I show the location of Edd's Grace King's Grace. Is there a waterfall on the end of that river? If yes, that's a pity. If no, it can cheapen the costs of transportation!

  I love this kind of threads!