Skyrim: Stormcloak or Empire?

[Dwarfman]

So far neither. Although I'm partial to the empire cause my character is an imperial and the vast majority of my quests have taken place in empire lands. The only thing holding me in check is the damn Thalmor - although something tells me the pro-imperial nords don't mind me when I bust up some pointy ears.

 

[thiosk]

I went with the empire,

but I am fully intending to murder each and every one of them once they are no longer useful.

So you went with the people who tried to kill you at the start of the game? Okay.

I had to choose the Stormcloaks because I despise the Thalmor.

Bureaucracy. Its a *****, ain't it? Don't blame the machine, fight it's enemies!

I didn't much care for the Thalmor, but then they sent an execution squad my way (FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE REASON.) They're on my shitlist now. I think i'm going to figure out where they hang out and do some damage this evening.

 

[sizzle949]

Went with the Empire as well. I was an Imperial so that was a factor but I definitely agree that all the Stormcloaks are doing is ensuring that once the war breaks out again that Skyrim has absolutely no chance of victory. Either they end up with a small weakened rebel army trying to defend themselves against a much larger invading force or a weakened Imperial army that could barely hold them off during the last war.

In all honesty they should just recruit the Dovahkiin for the next war, seeing that

Spoiler

Once you got the Call Dragon shout, Odahviing essentially slaughters any army that gets in your way. I beat the entire civil war quest line by using that shout since he stays until everyone is dead.

 

[SteewpidZombie]

I'ved played 3 different characters, one was a Neutral Khajiit because I was on my first playthrough and I wasn't sure who I would support. My second playthrough was as a Stormcloak Nord since they seemed to be more like the 'Good Guys' in my opinion. Yet it was the racial discrimination of the Stormcloaks that made my 3rd and current Dunmarr character to join the Empire.

Overall I support the Empire more than the Stormcloaks. The Empire may be divided and at odds with the Thalmar, but the Stormcloaks are in even more ROUGH shape and will stand ZERO chance against the Thalmar if they split away from the Empire. I'd rather be on a slowly sinking ship while doing repairs than chained to a massive stone on a sinking ship surrounded by sharks!

(Plus I find the Stormcloaks are a tad more destructive in the sense that they are so quickly willing to resort to violence against any and all Empire soldiers. Which is based off the fact that when you first start the game, if you follow the Stormcloak you'll immediately attack the Empire troops without provocation, while if you follow the Empire soldier, he'll instead TRY and talk it over).

 

[Souplex]

The Empire is the only hope against the dominion.
The Stormcloaks are a bunch of racist bastards.

 

[conflictofinterests]

There is no trust for Kahjiit in this land. Therefore I trust no one. *narrow eyes*

 

[applesandoranges]

edit

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

Well, my character will most likely end up siding with the Stormcloaks for a few reasons.

For one, ever since the Empire turned their backs on his native Hammerfell, and his father perished in the ensuing war, he has despised the Empire. The attempted murder of him at the start of the game was the final straw.

Secondly, the Stormcloaks remind him of his brave folk standing alone against tyranny and he knows that Hammerfell succeeded, why can't Skyrim? Besides, can you imagine an alliance between Hammerfell and Skyrim? Maybe even High Rock will join it and turn it into a triple alliance, as once Skyrim is independent I doubt High Rock will remain with the 'Empire'. The Thalmor would have a much tougher fight against several, strong, spirited independent countries rather than an Empire ruling simply through strength and order, and with a lot of dissent.

On top of it all, the whole "Stormcloaks are racist!!!" debate doesn't really matter to me. In a world like this, plagued by wars, banditry and greed, it is unavoidable that racism thrives, but I like that to be honest.

Yeah, those were pretty much my feelings when I first started out.

I went for a Nord, since that made sense with all that snow around. I went Stormcloak all the way, and found it easy to hate on all the "Imperials"... at first.

Then I noticed there are Nords and Bretons and Argonians and whatnot in the Imperial army... and the Nords weren't the indigenous people of the region, just another ragtag bunch of invaders that eventually took over. Oh, and I read all the books I happened to find on the historical backgrounds... and I listened to everything all those different folks had to say about the situation... and I came to the conclusion that the real nazis are the Thalmor Über-Aryans, and the Empire isn't that bad... and even though I decided to stick to my Stormcloak faction trip during my first playthrough, Ulfric definitely made it to the number one spot on my shitlist.

My second character, a Khajit Rogue-ish type, is all Imperial and proud of it. The story is much more enjoyable for my tastes now. As for the racism cards being handed out in boosters, decks and complete sets - yeah, the Nord are bad. But listen to everyone else and you'll notice they'd pretty much all be just the same or even worse if they were the ruling party.

I enjoy interaction with the Orc, when they're not running at me with two tons of heavy metal in their hands. They have some strange concepts and ideas going, those Orcs...

 

[spaceman_jan]

Lone wolf for the win
I was playing a breton two handed wepons guy (stupid i know)
but i found that both sides were equally stupid and undeserving of my DOVAHKIN powers

 

[legion431]

So you went with the people who tried to kill you at the start of the game? Okay.

I had to choose the Stormcloaks because I despise the Thalmor.

You really think that the Nords, only being able to pull their pitiful resources from a land ravaged by dragons and a civil war, ran by a corrupt bigot of a king, who has no trading partners because they are now hostile enemies, etc.?

One of the reasons why I went with the empire is because it's an open secret that that Thalmor and Empire plan on fighting another war with eachother, so I chose the Empire because then you have the strength of AT LEAST three provinces going against the strength of just TWO.

OP: I chose the Empire... or will... when I finish finals and have time to play again.

I find it funny that both factions in the game are pricks.

 

[Insanity72]

You can either side with the racist, hate everyone who isn't a Nord

or

The people who tried to kill you in the beginning.

Either way, My Nord warrior has joined the Stormcloaks (although my role playing says that he just wants to have the Nords in charge of Skyrim, he is all fine with Elves and everyone else in Skyrim)

And i'm going to make a Imperial Assassin, who will join the Empire

 

[darth.pixie]

Correct me If I'm wrong but doesn't the Dossier just say he He cracked under Interrogation and that the Civil War indirectly benefits the Thalmor?

Yes, it did. But I've noticed a lot of people skim through books and don't really notice what's there. It does say that a Stormcloak victory is inadvisable. In fact, all it says is that they like the current situation of Civil War. Beats me on where they got the fact that he is a Thalmor spy.

Either way, considering just how much it affects the game, you might as well get a non-essential NPC mod and slaughter everyone in sight. That would make just as much sense.

 

[Vegosiux]

The people who tried to kill you in the beginning.

DB also tries to kill you a few times, but I bet that argument doesn't get used in that case.

 

[Captain Pirate]

I will side with the Empire, and in my own version of Skyrim lore my character's plotted to become Emperor and fight the Thalmor.
I've already assassinated the previous one in the DB questline, so now's his chance if he rises through the ranks and ousts the Stormcloaks.

I believe in the Stormcloak ideology over the Imperial one, but I'd rather my character is hated for his lifetime while building the foundations for future freedom rather than be praised and leave his homeland open to Thalmor genocide and enslavement.

The Stormcloaks want Nord freedom, my character wants freedom for all. The Stormcloaks want to worship Talos, rightly, I want to let them.

However, if the Stormcloaks win the Empire will be weakened, the ruling Stormcloaks will be too small to defeat the Thalmor, and neither power will win and ultimately both be enslaved, or more likely eradicated.

If the Empire wins, the Stormcloak supporters will have to just put up with minor oppression until the inevitable second Great War happens, and hopefully the Empire wins, returning freedom to Skyrim. If my character is emperor freedom for all.

So yeah, Empire all the way. It's for the greater good.

 

[Fasckira]

Ive not picked a side yet (currently just crested level 20, completed DB and Companion arcs) and I feel I _should_ be going Stormcloak as they did save me at the start while the Empire were pretty happy to chop my head off to tie up loose ends... but the Empire seems pretty legit. Apart from seeing the Empire agents torture some dudes during the Diplomacy mission (a brilliant adventure, except as soon as I handed all my gear over a frickin dragon attacked so I had to reload), they've generally been pretty decent on the whole.

 

[solemnwar]

Considering how every character I made except 1 was not a nord (Wood Elf, Dark Elf, High Elf, Khajiit), siding with the stormcloaks, who are all about "SKYRIM FOR THE NORDS!", seemed silly... it seemed in my best interests to side with the Imperials.

Plus I have some lingering fondness for the Imperials due to Oblivion. Dammit I did not redo that fucking three-oblivion-portal mess 50 times to save the kingdom just to have it fall apart due to some nord twats who couldn't see past their own noses.

Guess what guys! The outlawing of Talos need not be permanent, the Empire just needed to get its strength back up and then kick the ass out of the Thalmor. YOU ARE NOT HELPING THINGS BY HAVING A CIVIL WAR. What, you think one country will do better against the Thalmor than the entire empire? GOOD LUCK WITH THAT BITCHES.

 

[Vuliev]

Since I rolled Nord on my first runthrough, I sided with the Stormcloaks, though not without considerable trepidation at Ulfric's detachment/self-assuredness with it all.

If I roll another character that isn't Imperial, I'll stay out of it entirely.