Mercurias said:RogueSilver said:I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. I went to college in southern Virginia and Kentucky. I currently live in Thompsons Station, TN. I've traveled to every other formerly-Confederate state over the course of my life. I may not have lived all over, but I think I've got a pretty good idea about the very good and very bad parts of where I come from. I'll respectfully request you don't put words in my mouth and claim I implied that racism is unique to this part of my country, but if you've opened a history book in the last hundred sixty or so years you should have an idea on exactly why I could think it's a bit more part of the culture here. I grew up where Klansmen had yearly demonstrations in front of the state capital building in downtown Nashville, and a good friend of mine had his arm broken at an away high school basketball game because he was black, autistic, and 6'8", so a group of dads assumed he was probably dangerous when he wouldn't answer why he was in the halls (looking for a bathroom) and "restrained him for the police". I answered the question poised on the first post based on my own personal opinions. I'm not really so emotionally invested in a pair of warring fictional factions that I feel the need to argue about them now that my opinion has been given, but thanks for the opportunity.Mercurias said:I'm personally of the belief that the Empire is the most morally correct of the three. While far from perfect, and mired in political corruption, the empire at least presents a standing belief in comparitive equality between and amongst races. Growing up in the US South, I've seen racism up close. It hasn't magically disappeared since a black poresident was elected, and in fact amongst the real die-hards it's only gotten worse as they dig in their heels and begin to feel persecuted. Ulfric's policies concerning non-Nords set my teeth on edge, regardless of how otherwise honorable it can be argued he is. That's just a hot button issue for me. I'll always side with the people who stop the racists in games like this.
Sorry for breaking the thread on the second post. >.>
I live in the Southern U.S and have been all over the country, and can say personally that I have noticed racism everywhere. It is not exclusive to the south like you have suggested, so please reframe from generalizing a large population of actual good people. Anyways, might I ask for another reason you're an Imperial? Apart from the 'Cloak's "racism"?
I won't pointlessly argue with you, Mercarius. I suppose we agree to disagree. Thank you for your response.
I like Skyrim and Nords, their culture is something which I have delved deeply into but I have never been comfortable with the Stormcloaks. The Thalmor don't even have my respect, let alone my attention. So I am afraid to say my answer is still Imperial as it always has been.
Sure it's easy to say that the empire should have done this or that rather than sign the treaty but the human cost is all too easy to forget. Does a great leader fight on when every legion is down to 50% strength? Is war that which makes one great? The empire stands for something more than the possible folly of Titus II.
Since the first Alessian Empire (heavilly influenced and supported by the Nords, I might add) some 4K years ago it has seen its ups and downs, been broken and shattered many times. Yet each time it comes back it is a symbol of unity, enlightenment, liberty and peace. It is civilisation. One look at the squalor that Windhelm has become - at the Argonians, Dunmer and Khajiit who are welcomed as warmly as vermin - compared to the cities of Cyrodiil where all citizens are as free as reasonably can be expected in any civilisation to fulfil each of their potentials, my respect for that which the empire stands for only increases.
Not even my support of Talos can endear the Stormcloak cause to me. While the Stormcloaks revolt it is only Dagon who laughs.
I was raised in Wales so I would go for Empire because the real power is under the Elder Council which is similar to a cabinet. I am a libertarian so I trust leaders who will stand up for the people but Tiber Septim is a warlord and I prefer arbitrators. So I trust the Elder Council to safeguard Tamriel from Daedric Invasions and Supremacist Campaigns.
I think I'll have to side with the Stormcloaks as well, not even just when I'm playing as a Nord either, I actually side with them for most any race.
Talos, Tiber Septim, whichever of his many titles you wanna call him by, he still did the same thing: rose to Immortality through his deeds on Nirn. Himself being a true, Skyrimian born Nord, I see why the Nords worship him, obviously.
After taking an Imperial name, and becoming the Emperor of Tamriel's greatest empire, it's also obvoius why the Imperials choose to worship him.
That being said, (altmer) you can't just deny the fact that a mortal rose to Godhood, by denying the fact that he just isn't there, or wasn't worthy enough to begin with. It doesn't work like that.
The fact that Talos ACTUALLY became a God, first off, is well enough reason to start worshipping him. And just because the Altmer and their Dominion got a little butthurt over the fact that a Man did the impossible before any of the modern Mer could, they want to forcibly banish his worship? Doesn't seem fair to me. So with that being said, I'm a person who likes to let people belive what they want to believe, although not being a religious person in real life, I feel I would be Talos' biggest fan in his universe.
So again, fuck the altmer and the Dominion. Talos, Stormcloaks, Nords all the way.
I'll aproach this from a werewolf viewpoint if it's ok with everyone.
I like joining the Imperials. They are more stringy so as a potencial food source the Stormcloaks are a better choice. There is a Stormcloak camp near Whiterun/ again providing with a good sourse of food.
Whiterun, (Jorrvaskr) is my home, if you think I'll stand/sit/ prowl idly by when a bunch of Stormclaoks descends upon my home turf and raze the place to the ground then you are quite mistaken.
Again having a bunch of Stormcloaks willingly charge the gate, giving me yet more food is never to be underestimated especialy during the long winter months.
Join the Imperials, we can chase the Thalmor out of Skyrim later......
I will give two viewpoints on this mainly because one of my views is strictly for when I write stories about my character, and the other is the one I always take when I play the game. My writing viewpoint is that I side with the Empire for one reason because with the help of Skyrim the Empire could overthrow the Thalmor, like what Legate Rikke believes in, and have the Dragonborn as its new Emperor/Empress ushering in a new, better, and united Empire like it was under the Septims. My game point of view is based on who/what I am playing as in the game for example if I play a High Elf I am going to side with the Thalmor, and vice versa with a Nord.
Lord Dagon watches over both revolution and natural disasters. A revolution is as a natural disaster, no matter how much the rebels might believe that they have a leader and a cause, both will be murdered or married to the enemy before the movement's end. If you try to dam a big river and build levees to stop it, it will be dry for a spell but will eventually break and wreck your farm. If you let the river run its course, your farm will flood but the soil will be made fertile. We cannot continue to try to hold back the revolution, to cling to ideas which haven't been true in two hundred year's time. Either the levee will break or we can lower it. Revolution will be had and Dagon will be made glad. It does not matter to me which method we chose, only that we chose it.
From the mouth of the Grand Vizier of the New Church of Mehrunes Dagon: Stormcloaks are Dagonites, willing or not :P
Phil said:Lord Dagon watches over both revolution and natural disasters. A revolution is as a natural disaster, no matter how much the rebels might believe that they have a leader and a cause, both will be murdered or married to the enemy before the movement's end. If you try to dam a big river and build levees to stop it, it will be dry for a spell but will eventually break and wreck your farm. If you let the river run its course, your farm will flood but the soil will be made fertile. We cannot continue to try to hold back the revolution, to cling to ideas which haven't been true in two hundred year's time. Either the levee will break or we can lower it. Revolution will be had and Dagon will be made glad. It does not matter to me which method we chose, only that we chose it.
From the mouth of the Grand Vizier of the New Church of Mehrunes Dagon: Stormcloaks are Dagonites, willing or not :P
Killed it! That´s a new headcanon now. Puny Stormcloaks are Dagonites :D
Ha! That was the ace up my sleeve, was gonna be a RP/Lore article on reinterpreting a Dagon worshipper without all that evil stuff. Like, how natural disasters can bring about new life and new growth much like a revolution can be for positive change. Makes for an interesting perspective. Then i thought, "nah, a Red Wife of Dagon is far more sexy." :D
Excellent posts, guys. If any of you feel up to it, check out the debate thread. Despite my obvious disagreement with the Imperial posts, they really are well written and thought out, and respectful (for the most part :p) to boot. That's something I've always enjoyed about this community.
It should be pretty obvious based on my profile image....
THALMOR! THALMOR! THALMOR!
Nah I'm kidding, I'm neutral.
Both the Empire and the Stormcloaks were fighting a meaningless war in the events of Skyrim. Both sides were in the wrong.
If I had to choose a side in the war it would be imperial, however I am neutral.
The reason why I choose imperial is because in my opinion, they are... I don't want to say "right" but for lack of a better word I will have to use it.
The imperials keep the Aldmeri dominion at bay, that might not be true but I think so.
With the stormcloaks (in my opinion) they don't have a good reason to be fighting, I know that it honorable to fight for what you believe in, but it doesn't seem resonable.
But I am mostly neutral, I try to stay neutral all the time. With a thief character I did, I joined the stormcloaks but didn't finish the questline, because war is good for buisness. :)
I'm an Imperial 4 life. I did the Stormcloack campaign but it leaves Skyrim in a worse state than with Imperial control. Thalmor want a mer controled world and my inner Altmer doesn't support the Thalmor. The Stormcloaks want a Nord only Skyrim and that bugs me because everyone should be allowed to see the Northern Province.
The Imperials are the only ones that try to make Tamriel a better place for everyone, both men and mer.
Imperials are weak (and betray their own). Thalmor are nazis (not really but kinda). Stormcloaks are best (freedom and crap), but Ulfric's a dick (Just a power hungry war-monger). I support Stormcloaks with the RP idea that LDB kills Ulfric and takes the throne of High King. :)
(Note: I spent a while on this post just to delete it all and summarize. ;))
(Edit: I'm actually thinking of a story where the Last Dragon Born essentially just become Jarl of Whiterun and declares it a war-free zone under his protection. I think that would be the best in-game choice if we had it [with any hold of course])