Stormcloaks or Imperials?

[viech54]

I know, I know, we all had this discussion before for PS3, PC and XB360, but still... What's your choice now and why?

 

My current character fights for the Stormcloaks due to a goddamn bug in this goddamn game. I had no bounty in Solitude and yet the game somehow convinced the guards that my bounty was 1500 gold. I didn't do anything ot get a bounty. After I did many quests in Solitude without paying my bounty, I got pissed. It was way too annoying. That's why I sided with the Stormcloaks.

 

Personally, I think this decision is wrong. The Stormcloaks fight for the right to worship Talos (or so they say). So, what happens after they conquer Skyrim? Will we have peace? Doubtful. An even bigger war against the Aldmeri Dominion is waiting for them to get rid of the Whitegold Concordate. And if they win that, what will Ulfric do? Offer fair treatment to the Altmer so that history doesn't repeat itself? Unlikely. As seen in Windhelm, he'll treat the Mer poorly or at least won't stop his subordinates from doing so. There's only so much they can take before they'll strike back, there'll be another war and a lot more blood will be shed and lives lost. It truly is an unending season...

 

By siding with the Imperials, there shouldn't be as many victims as with the Stormcloaks. The war should end with the destruction of the Stormcloaks. But who knows what really happens?

[damon8r351]

Stormcloaks. They're trying to stay vibrant in an imperial culture that's decaying from the inside by taking their own destiny back into their hands. The Empire's left both Hammerfell and Morrowind to basically fend for themselves against their own ongoing disasters (Hammerfell being the continued aggression from the Aldmeri Dominion, while Morrowind from the one-two punch of Red Mountain and Argonian aggression), High Rock seems to be the only outside province holding things together. So whose to say that either High Rock and Skyrim aren't one large scale disaster away from getting the same treatment.

 

The open racism on the part of the Stormcloaks isn't a concern to me because of three reasons;

 

1. It's my view that it's the Dragonborn's duty (especially if that person is not a Nord) to be an ameliorating influence on that faction's racist tendencies, because the Dragonborn is a hero of Skyrim as a whole, not a hero of the Nords.

 

2. Racism is a continuous thing in Tamriel no matter where you go. It's most overt in the Aldmeri Dominion, but also pretty much everywhere. Beast races like the Khajiit and Argonians have long born the brunt of racism in Tamriel. The different Breton kingdoms can barely stand each other, and it took a magical event called the Warp in the West to instill any semblance of peace; the only things separating them wasn't even race (they're all Breton), it was just national borders. Players of Morrowind will know all about the snide comments and low key hostility from native Dunmer to the Nerevarine, even if that character's race is Dunmer, because you're still considered an outlander even if you were a Dunmer born outside the province. Remember the suspicious reception the Dragonborn gets the first time they visit Raven Rock? That was all the time in Morrowind. Personally, I can't feel too sorry for the Dunmer in Skyrim, given my past experience with native-born Dunmer in Morrowind.

Edited November 16, 2016 by damon8r351

[ConjuringFire]

I think the Imperial Legion is the way to go. Ulfric only cares about being High King of Skyrim.

 

By opposing the banning of Talos and attacking the legion the storm cloaks are actually helping the Thalmor more than they think. The Legion is already weak and this would essentially cripple them leading to the Thalmor gaining more power. Then if the Thalmor attack Skyrim could the Storm Cloaks hold them off? Doubtful.

 

I think Imperial Legion is a choice for the greater good

[Sypher-KoS]

Stormcloaks all the way!  Ulfric will make Skyrim great again!

 

But seriously, I did choose the Stormcloaks back in my ps3 play through because that legion captain rubbed me the wrong way by trying to kill me and all.  Having learned more about each side I think the legion is probably the better choice since they want to remain united to fight the Thalmor.  I usually do a legion play through as my second character and I think they are the more rational of the two.  Racist exists on both sides its just that the Stormcloaks and Windhelm especially is really open about it.  Its funny that the most diverse group you can join is actually the Brotherhood.

[Radebe78]

Stormcloaks. They're trying to stay vibrant in an imperial culture that's decaying from the inside by taking their own destiny back into their hands. The Empire's left both Hammerfell and Morrowind to basically fend for themselves against their own ongoing disasters (Hammerfell being the continued aggression from the Aldmeri Dominion, while Morrowind from the one-two punch of Red Mountain and Argonian aggression), High Rock seems to be the only outside province holding things together. So whose to say that either High Rock and Skyrim aren't one large scale disaster away from getting the same treatment.

 

The open racism on the part of the Stormcloaks isn't a concern to me because of three reasons;

 

1. It's my view that it's the Dragonborn's duty (especially if that person is not a Nord) to be an ameliorating influence on that faction's racist tendencies, because the Dragonborn is a hero of Skyrim as a whole, not a hero of the Nords.

 

2. Racism is a continuous thing in Tamriel no matter where you go. It's most overt in the Aldmeri Dominion, but also pretty much everywhere. Beast races like the Khajiit and Argonians have long born the brunt of racism in Tamriel. The different Breton kingdoms can barely stand each other, and it took a magical event called the Warp in the West to instill any semblance of peace; the only things separating them wasn't even race (they're all Breton), it was just national borders. Players of Morrowind will know all about the snide comments and low key hostility from native Dunmer to the Nerevarine, even if that character's race is Dunmer, because you're still considered an outlander even if you were a Dunmer born outside the province. Remember the suspicious reception the Dragonborn gets the first time they visit Raven Rock? That was all the time in Morrowind. Personally, I can't feel too sorry for the Dunmer in Skyrim, given my past experience with native-born Dunmer in Morrowind.

 You sir know your Elder Scrolls!

 

Oh good ol` Morrowind days, I played that game 6 months straight and had a blast, sucked completely in that world.

[Remilia Scarlet]

Stormcloaks all the way. The Imperials were prepared to execute a person they knew nothing about simply because he/she was in the wrong place at the time. Skyrim belongs to the Nords, not some crumbling empire from a different country.

[Bartolomeus]

Unfortunately Jarl Balgruuf oppose the Stormcloaks. I really like Balgruuf and was disappointed when I chose the Stormcloaks a few years back realizing that supporting the them would end our friendship so abruptly. So usually I end up playing as a member of the Legion. I think I'll try the Stormcloaks again in Skyrim SE.

[Bartolomeus]

Oh yeah. I distinctly remember feeling as though I made a mistake when Balgruuf scolds the dragonborn for being a stormcloak. Politics! But I enjoy Vignar Grey Mane's courage. Balgruuf has a temper and cowardly worships Talos in secret. 

 

I can't actually remember Vignar Grey-Mane. I either loaded a previous save or just avoided Dragonsreach, governed by the shame I felt for letting down my friend.

[LinuxSteven301]

On the PS3 and PS4 I sided with the Stormcloaks....

1. The bastards was going to chop my head off, not a endearing moment.

2. The bastards won't let me to worship Talos   I refuse to allow anyone tell me who or what I worship.

3. As a guild master who's accepted a contract to kill ( spoiler )  it goes against my eithics to support the Imperial bastards.

4. The imperials are bunch of asshats.

5. I'm the dragonborne , enough said!!! 

[rdhight]

Imperials introduced themselves by tying me up and trying to chop my head off.

 

Easy choice.

[ConjuringFire]

Imperials, if they lose the war to the Stormcloaks it's just another win for the Thalmor. Ultimately the Thalmor are horrible and letting them get closer to ruling Tamriel would be bad. 

The Stormcloaks are fighting for what they think is right and I respect that, but, I dont think they could hold off a Thalmor invasion when they are struggling to beat a tiny part of a crippled imperial army.

I did notice that the Imperials seem to favour horrible people as Jarls (Maven Black Briar and  Siddgeir) and I do get a feeling that the higher ups don't give an F about Skyrim.

This is disregarding race too, I don't know how my Breton would fit into a Stormcloak win (look at the Forsworn).

[RabbiAndy]

Both sides have their pros and cons, but over all, I preferred the Imperials. I did both quest lines and found that the Imperials were much more pragmatic and actually respected/took my character seriously. The Stormcloaks would make bets with each other whether or not I would survive a mission lol. Plus Ulfric is an asshat, even if he's right about some things. All he really cared about was him becoming king and having songs being written about him. At least General Tulius accepted his duties and fought for the greater good.

 

Plus a united Skyrim would have a much greater chance at fighting off the Thalmor. If Ulfric's army won, the high elves would annex the Stormcloaks in a matter of days.

On 1/19/2017 at 1:01 AM, rdhight said:

Imperials introduced themselves by tying me up and trying to chop my head off.

 

Easy choice.

 

In all fairness, they do that because you're caught with a group of Stormcloaks. Plus that was the mistake of one Imperial captain who didn't care. 

[Elekidcore]

On both of my playthroughs (360 & PS4) I've been an Imperial AND have sided with the Stormcloaks. At first, I felt like they weren't taking my character seriously, and seemed surprised that an Imperial helped them escape. I'm not sure if they show the same hesitation to trust regardless of what race is selected. Their mannerisms when engaged in dialog or a quest seemed appropriate given my Imperial character. Kind of like, "you're one of them but you're helping us?... ooooook?..." I don't see that working as well if I had picked another race. 

 

I think the next playthrough I do with mods, I'll side with the Imperials and see how that plays out.

[EvenstarII]

I always fight for the Stormcloaks, for various reasons. I feel that the empire has gone corrupt in its attempt to "hold back" the Thalmor. Their decision to execute an innocent person with no evidence of any crime was bad enough, and then taking a tour of their torture chambers and dungeons didn't make me feel any better. Aside from that, I just love Norse culture. I like how the Stormcloaks (and the Nords in general) are based off of the ancient Norse/Vikings. And I am a more traditional person as well, so I support the Stormcloaks' desire to preserve their traditions. I don't support any racism on their part, but I don't see any more racism coming from the Stormcloaks than on the other side. The Thalmor are horribly racist and see themselves as a superior race. The empire puts up with that garbage and allows them to oppress its people. That's just the way I play based on how I think my character would think/feel about things. I feel that both sides have their pros and cons... but... 

Hail the Stormcloaks!

[Oobedoob S Benubi]

My character's first contact with the Empire and Stormcloaks was when he was minding his own business, then got 'arrested' for simply being near Stormcloacks when crossing the border of Skyrim even though he didn't look like them (he's a Wood Elf, obviously being on a journey from Valenwood) nor was he clothed like them. Then, the Imperial captain decided chopping my head off would be the right thing to do even though my name wasn't even on their list of known Stormcloacks, and her subordinates agreed with her while they knew it was wrong (and promised to send my remains back to Valenwood). All because they wanted to kill the leader of the Stormcloacks quickly and without fair trial.

 

"Fuck the Empire." - my character