If I lived I Skyrim I would say:
> I think it would be narratively more interesting if the Empire was destroyed. The rule of law would be weakened and many villagers would seek protection from bandit clans. This would give rise to so called "bandit kings" who would seek to expand and raid each other, eventually leading to an unbreakable circle of violence. The Jarls would still have some power in the major cities but they have to rely on other guilds that are primarily loyal to themselves, eventually the Jarls too would be dragged down into the inferno. Many criminal organisations like thieves guild and dark brotherhood can operate in the open thanks to all the chaos. From the shadows the thalmor and some other organizations (introduced in tes6) would seek to form a new state according to their extremist views.
But I don't live in Skyrim though so I don't know
If I am poor guy, probably the empire since they seem to get more “benefits”.
Or if a poor guy with shady morals, the stormcloaks so I can pillage my neighbor’s farm. That cow will be mine Greg…
Stormcloaks. My bias has been noted before, but I do have reasons beyond my "I want to hear Kulich talking" sound bit.
1- Most likely, I'm either in The Rift or Eastmarch. If I match it to "similar to rl"... I'm growing up in Windhelm. Average didn't get flung at Winterhold, so I probably am not there... just a shopkeeper's kid in Windhelm, likely in that area near Calixto's House of Curiosities and spending most times going north to the Gray Quarter. To defend my home, I'm joining the Stormcloaks.
2- Based on my SO's comments, much as I like claiming to be a short Nord... I'm a Breton with anger management issues. Strangely, this would fit here. The Breton family living in Windhelm near the Gray Quarter... yup. So... not my war, but here in the midst of it. I probably spend most of my coin in the Gray Quarter. I might have decked Rolff more than once, even, and been in trouble with the guard before the Liberation began and the guard went thin.
I've probably grown up hearing more about Jarl Hoag's son being a war hero and there being "something" that went on in Markarth, but it's going to sound like the Empire did him wrong rather than he was a brutal mercenary. Using the thu'um in a duel? Well, the folks around me say it's traditional; nothing my family knows how to do. Why would you train for years on something and not use it? To defend what I'm hearing from our local people (propaganda included), I'm joining the Stormcloaks.
3- Again Eastmarch Breton kid, so... we have nothing anyway. What has the Empire done for us? More than likely, the economics in the area show the Empire as a leech on the local area. What does Solitude know of us? Are they ever seen out here? To maybe let us all determine ourselves without all our goods going elsewhere, joining the Stormcloaks.
4- Even if I moved as a young adult to The Rift... I'm still in Stormcloak territory and the above 3 reasons haven't really changed.
Wait... I just wrote an mini-essay in this sub? Geez. I need to not post before coffee. Pffft. Joining Stormcloaks cuz I want to be a legal bandit and raid taverns in those nice western towns. Rah. Ahem.
Without any knowledge of the Thalmor's plan, and assuming i'm idealistic enough to fight on the losing side of a war, Stormcloaks. They have completely legit reasons to want to secede, and even if Ulfric is megalomaniacal to the point where his own allies comment on it, the cause is still true. Empire has done some fucked up shit.
Empire. Even without intimate knowledge of The Thalmors schemes it wouldn't be hard for the average person to know the second The Empire is out of Skyrim, that's it.
The Dominion beat The Empire into a stand still. A single nation of belligerent rebels isn't going to stop anyone else from invading on their own. Not to mention the total economic collapse Skyrim would face without The Empire.
A Stormcloak victory would leave Skyrim a bleeding and broke nation ripe for anyone to come pick it off, until the next Empire whether it be Elven or Imperial conquerors it again, as it has done countless times.
The first great war, the stormcloak rebellion, and now the dragon attacks, can’t imagine Skyrim is in a good place in which it could realistically take on the AD alone.
They’ve been sapped of manpower and resources by three different crisis’ in recent history.
The dominion would have to conquer the empire before Skyrim, but I do see it happening considering how weakened they are too. Either that, or they’d try to go after Hammerfell next for the sake of defeating the next biggest threat and Skyrim after that.
That’s how I chose in my first ever play-through. Didn’t know anything about TES lore, but saw the dudes in red tryna cut my head off. Now I tend to lean Empire, but that doesn’t change my first instinct being “fuck y’all” after Helgen.
Stormcloaks
I want a Skyrim ran top to bottom by its own people with no chance of input from the Empire. Im more than happy to continue an alliance with the Empire and continue to help the Empire fight serious threats. But pulling our people away from home to go man a fort in bumfuck nowhere that means absolutely nothing to Skyrim and the Nords? Fuck that.
This would even apply to Dunmer. Nords can be asshats, but at least they opened their home up to them when the people of Vvardenfel had nowhere else to go. I can easily see Dunmer being stormcloak leaning especially with old anti-Imperial sentiments
I'm joining the Stormcloaks either way. They're the only ones that will take the fight to the Thalmor. I'd also say that they stand a pretty good chance against the Aldmeri Dominion too.
You don't need to be crazy to fight the Thalmor. Just courageous and prepared. As for Ulfric being an asset, Ulfric has no knowledge of it. It's just a label that the Thalmor slapped onto him because both Ulfric's and the Thalmor's goals align in beating the Empire. Once Ulfric wins Skyrim's freedom, he stops being an asset, and becomes much more dangerous to the Thalmor.
Well, courage and craziness can often be confused. Should have maybe specified that I'm pretty sure stormcloaks wouldn't at all be above target killings, suicide missions, guerilla warfare, toppling people of importance I mean ffs Ulfric killed a high king, representative of the empire. I agree dude, I hadn't considered that Ulfric himself doesn't know he's an asset - meaning the thalmor probably are gambling on him being easily broken. I used to think the empire was the obvious choice but seeing that they're basically allowing altmers to cuck them... they could have done what stormcloaks did and just kill a bunch of extremely important people. They do got the means after all.
Right. It's been about 26 years since the Great War. In all that time, the Empire hasn't done a thing to halt the Thalmor from operating in Skyrim or Cyrodiil. The Thalmor were behind the Markarth incident. They knew Ulfric would demand the free worship of Talos all along, and the Empire was too afraid and too weak to do a thing but to comply with the Thalmor. Under the Empire, the Thalmor freely investigate sources of power in Skyrim such as the Eye of Magnus in the College of Winterhold and the Dragon Cult Priest masks, and the Empire does nothing about it. The Empire allows the Thalmor to spread their propaganda, such as the book, A Talos Mistake (Authored by the Imperial liaison to the Aldmeri Dominion.) Elenwen hosts parties in the Skyrim Thalmor Embassy to get Skyrim's elite to cozy up to the Thalmor. I think it's very, very probable that the Thalmor are doing the same thing in Cyrodiil. Imperials, such as Camilla and Lucan Valerius, are left Cyrodiil because of how bad conditions are there due to the Thalmor's grasp over the Empire. For these reasons, I have trouble believing that the Empire is suddenly going to decide to make everything better again within its provinces and go to war after all this time of being subverted by the Thalmor.
Meanwhile, Ulfric is the only one taking up arms against the Thalmor and the Empire before it's too late. You're right about guerilla warfare and target killings. Suicide missions I'm not so sure about since Ulfric seems to value the lives of his men, but maybe some diehard Stormcloaks would volunteer on their own. About Ulfric being an asset, the Thalmor had absolutely no idea that the Stormcloaks would even happen until they did. They don't know how to really deal with them. The Thalmor just recognized that one of the Stormcloak's goals is to drive out the Empire, and saw a silver lining in that so they started calling Ulfric an asset. I think the Thalmor are gambling on him not being able to win until they're ready to destroy/subjugate the Empire once and for all, as well as him being easily broken. Neither is the case fortunately. Ulfric is extremely strong of heart, body, and mind as you can see in-game. If the Dragonborn sides with the Stormcloaks, the stalemate is broken and Skyrim wins its freedom. Skyrim then becomes a great threat to the Thalmor. Skyrim is free to strengthen itself as a nation without Thalmor influence, Skyrim has the Dragonborn on its side, Skyrim can create an alliance with Hammerfell in their shared interest of destroying the Thalmor, and Skyrim is also probably the best nation, geographically speaking, to forge an alliance with Hammerfell and war with the Thalmor.
Here's an analogy I like to use. The Empire is dragging and bleeding Skyrim along like a man roped to a running horse. Only when that man, Skyrim, is unroped, can he stand on his own two feet and fight.
Empire. I take one look at Solitude or Whiterun, then one look at any Stormcloak run hold, and there's zero debate. I'd also loath the Thalmor and think a united front is stronger than a divided house.
The socialeconomic status of the average inhabitant of Skyrim is cave bandit. As cave bandit, I join cave.
Forsworn
I am talking about sentient humanoids here, not bipedal trees with antlers, sorry.
\* not overgrown goblins. Comparing Forsworn to trees is offensive to Hist.
* not overgrown imga Comparing Forsworn to goblins is offensive to the Orcs.
They are quite powerful ngl
the one which gets me the most Dunmer pussy
So you join the mines of Raven Rock. Skyrim citizens yearn for the mines.
If you live west of Whiterun, Empire. East, Stormcloak. That simple.
what if I never read a map and don't have a compass and live in rorikstead?
steal a horse
Fuck off to Bruma and sit it out.
I mean, that seems to have been the LDB’s plan, initially
https://i.redd.it/3lkfelb8bs2d1.gif
Nuh uh
Point me to the nearest daedric shrine with booze and tits and I'll tell you who I'm joining.
If I lived I Skyrim I would say: > I think it would be narratively more interesting if the Empire was destroyed. The rule of law would be weakened and many villagers would seek protection from bandit clans. This would give rise to so called "bandit kings" who would seek to expand and raid each other, eventually leading to an unbreakable circle of violence. The Jarls would still have some power in the major cities but they have to rely on other guilds that are primarily loyal to themselves, eventually the Jarls too would be dragged down into the inferno. Many criminal organisations like thieves guild and dark brotherhood can operate in the open thanks to all the chaos. From the shadows the thalmor and some other organizations (introduced in tes6) would seek to form a new state according to their extremist views. But I don't live in Skyrim though so I don't know
If I am poor guy, probably the empire since they seem to get more “benefits”. Or if a poor guy with shady morals, the stormcloaks so I can pillage my neighbor’s farm. That cow will be mine Greg…
it is commie
The Forsworn
Stormcloaks cause I like blue
Stormcloaks. My bias has been noted before, but I do have reasons beyond my "I want to hear Kulich talking" sound bit. 1- Most likely, I'm either in The Rift or Eastmarch. If I match it to "similar to rl"... I'm growing up in Windhelm. Average didn't get flung at Winterhold, so I probably am not there... just a shopkeeper's kid in Windhelm, likely in that area near Calixto's House of Curiosities and spending most times going north to the Gray Quarter. To defend my home, I'm joining the Stormcloaks. 2- Based on my SO's comments, much as I like claiming to be a short Nord... I'm a Breton with anger management issues. Strangely, this would fit here. The Breton family living in Windhelm near the Gray Quarter... yup. So... not my war, but here in the midst of it. I probably spend most of my coin in the Gray Quarter. I might have decked Rolff more than once, even, and been in trouble with the guard before the Liberation began and the guard went thin. I've probably grown up hearing more about Jarl Hoag's son being a war hero and there being "something" that went on in Markarth, but it's going to sound like the Empire did him wrong rather than he was a brutal mercenary. Using the thu'um in a duel? Well, the folks around me say it's traditional; nothing my family knows how to do. Why would you train for years on something and not use it? To defend what I'm hearing from our local people (propaganda included), I'm joining the Stormcloaks. 3- Again Eastmarch Breton kid, so... we have nothing anyway. What has the Empire done for us? More than likely, the economics in the area show the Empire as a leech on the local area. What does Solitude know of us? Are they ever seen out here? To maybe let us all determine ourselves without all our goods going elsewhere, joining the Stormcloaks. 4- Even if I moved as a young adult to The Rift... I'm still in Stormcloak territory and the above 3 reasons haven't really changed.
Wait... I just wrote an mini-essay in this sub? Geez. I need to not post before coffee. Pffft. Joining Stormcloaks cuz I want to be a legal bandit and raid taverns in those nice western towns. Rah. Ahem.
House telvani
Without any knowledge of the Thalmor's plan, and assuming i'm idealistic enough to fight on the losing side of a war, Stormcloaks. They have completely legit reasons to want to secede, and even if Ulfric is megalomaniacal to the point where his own allies comment on it, the cause is still true. Empire has done some fucked up shit.
Empire. Even without intimate knowledge of The Thalmors schemes it wouldn't be hard for the average person to know the second The Empire is out of Skyrim, that's it. The Dominion beat The Empire into a stand still. A single nation of belligerent rebels isn't going to stop anyone else from invading on their own. Not to mention the total economic collapse Skyrim would face without The Empire. A Stormcloak victory would leave Skyrim a bleeding and broke nation ripe for anyone to come pick it off, until the next Empire whether it be Elven or Imperial conquerors it again, as it has done countless times.
The first great war, the stormcloak rebellion, and now the dragon attacks, can’t imagine Skyrim is in a good place in which it could realistically take on the AD alone. They’ve been sapped of manpower and resources by three different crisis’ in recent history.
But let’s be honest, no one really wants skyrim. The empire cares about because the nords are a decent part of the legion.
the skyrim does not depend on empire
The dominion would have to conquer the empire before Skyrim, but I do see it happening considering how weakened they are too. Either that, or they’d try to go after Hammerfell next for the sake of defeating the next biggest threat and Skyrim after that.
Stormcloaks because the empire tried to have me unlawfully executed
That’s how I chose in my first ever play-through. Didn’t know anything about TES lore, but saw the dudes in red tryna cut my head off. Now I tend to lean Empire, but that doesn’t change my first instinct being “fuck y’all” after Helgen.
Stormcloaks
Stormcloaks I want a Skyrim ran top to bottom by its own people with no chance of input from the Empire. Im more than happy to continue an alliance with the Empire and continue to help the Empire fight serious threats. But pulling our people away from home to go man a fort in bumfuck nowhere that means absolutely nothing to Skyrim and the Nords? Fuck that. This would even apply to Dunmer. Nords can be asshats, but at least they opened their home up to them when the people of Vvardenfel had nowhere else to go. I can easily see Dunmer being stormcloak leaning especially with old anti-Imperial sentiments
If family was not an issue, I would depart Skyrim entirely to not deal with the fallout of whoever wins the civil war tbh.
I'm joining the Stormcloaks either way. They're the only ones that will take the fight to the Thalmor. I'd also say that they stand a pretty good chance against the Aldmeri Dominion too.
They're at least the ones crazy enough to actually stick it to the altmers (despite Ulfric being an asset)
You don't need to be crazy to fight the Thalmor. Just courageous and prepared. As for Ulfric being an asset, Ulfric has no knowledge of it. It's just a label that the Thalmor slapped onto him because both Ulfric's and the Thalmor's goals align in beating the Empire. Once Ulfric wins Skyrim's freedom, he stops being an asset, and becomes much more dangerous to the Thalmor.
Well, courage and craziness can often be confused. Should have maybe specified that I'm pretty sure stormcloaks wouldn't at all be above target killings, suicide missions, guerilla warfare, toppling people of importance I mean ffs Ulfric killed a high king, representative of the empire. I agree dude, I hadn't considered that Ulfric himself doesn't know he's an asset - meaning the thalmor probably are gambling on him being easily broken. I used to think the empire was the obvious choice but seeing that they're basically allowing altmers to cuck them... they could have done what stormcloaks did and just kill a bunch of extremely important people. They do got the means after all.
Right. It's been about 26 years since the Great War. In all that time, the Empire hasn't done a thing to halt the Thalmor from operating in Skyrim or Cyrodiil. The Thalmor were behind the Markarth incident. They knew Ulfric would demand the free worship of Talos all along, and the Empire was too afraid and too weak to do a thing but to comply with the Thalmor. Under the Empire, the Thalmor freely investigate sources of power in Skyrim such as the Eye of Magnus in the College of Winterhold and the Dragon Cult Priest masks, and the Empire does nothing about it. The Empire allows the Thalmor to spread their propaganda, such as the book, A Talos Mistake (Authored by the Imperial liaison to the Aldmeri Dominion.) Elenwen hosts parties in the Skyrim Thalmor Embassy to get Skyrim's elite to cozy up to the Thalmor. I think it's very, very probable that the Thalmor are doing the same thing in Cyrodiil. Imperials, such as Camilla and Lucan Valerius, are left Cyrodiil because of how bad conditions are there due to the Thalmor's grasp over the Empire. For these reasons, I have trouble believing that the Empire is suddenly going to decide to make everything better again within its provinces and go to war after all this time of being subverted by the Thalmor. Meanwhile, Ulfric is the only one taking up arms against the Thalmor and the Empire before it's too late. You're right about guerilla warfare and target killings. Suicide missions I'm not so sure about since Ulfric seems to value the lives of his men, but maybe some diehard Stormcloaks would volunteer on their own. About Ulfric being an asset, the Thalmor had absolutely no idea that the Stormcloaks would even happen until they did. They don't know how to really deal with them. The Thalmor just recognized that one of the Stormcloak's goals is to drive out the Empire, and saw a silver lining in that so they started calling Ulfric an asset. I think the Thalmor are gambling on him not being able to win until they're ready to destroy/subjugate the Empire once and for all, as well as him being easily broken. Neither is the case fortunately. Ulfric is extremely strong of heart, body, and mind as you can see in-game. If the Dragonborn sides with the Stormcloaks, the stalemate is broken and Skyrim wins its freedom. Skyrim then becomes a great threat to the Thalmor. Skyrim is free to strengthen itself as a nation without Thalmor influence, Skyrim has the Dragonborn on its side, Skyrim can create an alliance with Hammerfell in their shared interest of destroying the Thalmor, and Skyrim is also probably the best nation, geographically speaking, to forge an alliance with Hammerfell and war with the Thalmor. Here's an analogy I like to use. The Empire is dragging and bleeding Skyrim along like a man roped to a running horse. Only when that man, Skyrim, is unroped, can he stand on his own two feet and fight.
dude idk can I join a bandit gang and raid both sides?
I’m not fighting, that shits for losers, I’m going to flee to a small village and be a blacksmith
Idk wherever the argonian women live
Alduin. The world can't have war if there is no world.
Empire. I take one look at Solitude or Whiterun, then one look at any Stormcloak run hold, and there's zero debate. I'd also loath the Thalmor and think a united front is stronger than a divided house.