What side should I choose?

[Lunaria Shade]

Okay I have done a lot of research and browsed many forums the lovers lab community also and I am still at an impasse for my character.

 

The question at hand is ….. Imperials….. Or Stormcloaks???

 

I am attempting to create a character that is a ‘holy’ warrior or I like to think a Templar for the up coming Skyrim DLC Dawnguard well because you are trying to save the ‘sun’ .. that and killing a lot of vampires (I think) so….. I wanted to make a holy warrior like a Templar to combat it for I guess lore reasons.

 

Now back to the question I am at an impasse as to who to choose between the two factions. I am leaning towards imperials because they are the peacekeepers or as they say the peacekeepers however this is also a play on words because they are willing to throw out a god like it is nothing.

 

However the storm cloaks want to protect the god that the imperials so easily threw out and fight for freedom and a right to govern themselves, something that seems just.

 

So please help me out here you guys and gals have helped to answer a lot of questions of mine before from browsing the forums (long before I was a member)

 

Thanks

[gregathit]

Well, both sides can be head cannoned to be "just".

 

However reality is that both are questionable: imperials are persecuting a religious group while the nords are bigots. They both are bad (not evil, just bad). However, since the details are murky you are free to "imagine and justify" whichever route you wish to go....

[Lumpyhead]

how about neither side? both sides want you to follow set political structure and that might be difficult to do as a "templar". you should follow your own code because at times either side might make you try to do things against the "templar" code.

 

My next playthrough will be neutral. I don't know if we have to pick a side but if I have to I'll just rationalize the decision at the time

[Guest]

My philosophy is that a unified Tamriel is better than a divided one. By capturing skyrim back, the empire might be strong enough to challenge and defeat those Thalmor bastards and ultimately reunite the empire. I honestly can't stand the stormcloak bigots.

[bradleyh]

Stormcloaks do not kill prisoners just because moving them may become an inconvenience.

Imperial unity really helped Hammerfell.

Lore-wise, Stormcloaks are the better choice.

The Empire allows the Thalmor to arrest people who are suspected of worshiping Talos, and will knowingly turn over thier Stormcloak prisoners to the Thalmor.

Neutrality is the worst position, but it is your game and your choice.

[Guest Vendayn]

Empire - Whipping bows to the Thalmor and they banned Talos

Stormcloaks - Racist pigs (just go to Windhelm), and the leader has his own agenda (possibly working with Thalmor, according to certain in-game lore)

 

So its either side with the empire that kiss the feet of Thalmor or side with Stormcloaks who are racists and possibly the leader working with Thalmor

 

Or is it possible to just not choose a side, to advance the main quest? That would be the best option...kill both of them.

[Jexsam]

The two sides are rather equally balanced in terms of pros and cons. Which is amazing considering a post-Kirkbride Bethesda wrote it. <.<

 

Anyway, if you're torn on making a decision, let the Thalmor make it for you! Ulfric is a sleeper agent, working (without even realizing it, according to the text) to further the Thalmor agenda, both by rebelling to start with and by pushing the war on and on. So, a swift victory would, in theory, lead to less overall damage, and is exactly what the Thalmor don't want. Go Imperial.

 

The sad thing is, though, whoever wins, the Thalmor are still the real winners. In either case, both armies are further battered and beaten. The Empire has been shown repeatedly now to be unable to hold itself together, and is already firmly under the Thalmor's thumb. The Stormcloaks are too bogged down by nationalism peppered with blatant racism to be a real threat to the Thalmor. And as bradleyh mentioned, neutrality is the worst position (and is what the Thalmor want). No action leads to a long, resource-intensive war that drains both sides terribly, leaving them weak. The Dovahkiin is really the only upsetting factor, and even then, he's is still just one person, and very mortal.

[Harnel]

Interestingly, if you don't take a side, then during the main quest you can get them to come to a truce, though it's not as long lasting as some would hope it to be - War's back on after the Main Quest.

 

My suggestion though? Go with your gut. Does it feel right for the character? Does the character have thoughts on the war that are different from yours? Is he/she a nord that believes Skyrim belongs only to the Nords? One that believes the world needs to be unified to fight off threats?

 

Consider it from the standpoint of what each faction is fighting for. Then figure out if your character can personally deal with the bad points of the side chosen. It makes for an interesting thought exercise, and helps kickstart your mind into an actual roleplaying mentality.

[rhavinwt]

For me I chose to go with the Stormcloaks simply because that *insert most horrible word you can think of here* wanted to behead me regardless of what I may have done.

 

I'd rather just kill them all and be done with it.

 

Hail Sithis!

[Sensual Nautilus]

I let the fools rot below while I hang out with my best buddy parthunaax. seriously though, I wish there was an option to unite the empire and the rebels, either that or I take my new dragon buddies to war and force the empire and the stormcloaks into unity and promise the aid of the dragons in the war against the thalmor scum just to put their hearts at ease.

[Kraxon]

I let the fools rot below while I hang out with my best buddy parthunaax. seriously though' date=' I wish there was an option to unite the empire and the rebels, either that or I take my new dragon buddies to war and force the empire and the stormcloaks into unity and promise the aid of the dragons in the war against the thalmor scum just to put their hearts at ease.

[/quote']

 

That would be a great ending! All for it!

[Jormungandr]

I let the fools rot below while I hang out with my best buddy parthunaax. seriously though' date=' I wish there was an option to unite the empire and the rebels, either that or I take my new dragon buddies to war and force the empire and the stormcloaks into unity and promise the aid of the dragons in the war against the thalmor scum just to put their hearts at ease.

[/quote']

 

Dragons sacking the aldmeri dominion at the side of the dragonborn? I'd shit bricks seeing that. Unfortunately not a real option in the game.

 

I don't give a damn about the war actually but i'd join the stormcloaks simply for that moment when i can devastate general ass-hat tullius' face. Simply because he didn't give a damn for who's beeing executed at Helgen, Lokir is the best example. The Stormcloaks are not in general all racists just because Ulfric is one. The empire executes everyone in a whim who just COULD be a stormcloak.. that's the part where they lost me.

 

But like someone earlier already said, in the end the thalmor are the winners, no matter what side you'll choose.

[chivaleroncross]

Talos is the first emperor who have dragonbloodlines. Which later create the Septims dynasty. Banning Talos is also banning your own ancestors. The emperor responsible for uniting Tamriel but also responsible for surrendered with Thalmor racist. Imperial wish Skyrim to bow to their emperor but the emperor dont know about Skyrim. Especiallu Tulius. General he might be, but a morron in the end. I once killed Ulfric Stromcloak and meet him later in Sovengard which mean its exist and also very strong in Nords culture and religion. With Skyrim liberated without Imperial emperor (laterly assassinated) and dragonborn as their warlord. They can kick Thalmors fat ass out from Skyrim and return to Summerset Isle with tail within their dick.

[Trykz]

I always side with no one.

 

But I also always end up killing Thalmor along the roads, and any Imperials that get in my way. Dawnguard won't change that, as according to everything I've read and seen in DLC gameplay video indicates that the Dawnguard have no part in the civil war, and take no sides.

 

I use alternate starts for all of my characters, partly to avoid the choice of who to follow out of Helgen, and also because Bethesda really screwed up on the game engine. Which chokes to death on it's own inadequacy by trying to load every freaking hi-res texture in Tamriel while trying to also let you create a custom character.

 

Creating a character outdoors, on such a poorly optimized engine, in such a highly moddable game is just idiocy in it's purest form

 

Trykz