Poll: Empire or Stormcloak?

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The imperials who hadn't done anything wrong yet, except almost execute you, even when you weren't on the execution list?

I've conquered skyrim with the stormcloaks, it was a lot of fun.

Neither. I got a world to save>>"
I don't like both of them. I think I'll just kill everyone while I get enough power or make them get on their knees and beg.
Hail lord Molag Bal!

Just remembered, the imperials always being a dick to me and qqing that I use magic so they'll die first.

I'm personally playing Switzerland in this situation with my character.
Yes the empire is a little overzealous and they did try to execute me (rather hard to forget that) but at the same time, the Empire is the only thing standing between complete Thalmor domination, splintering it is not going to help the cause.
Not to mention, while the Stormcloaks are treating me well now, since I am a potential asset, what is to say that that will be so once they are the dominant force in Skyrim? Since I am not part of ye olde master race (my character is a Breton) the likelihood of me holding any influence once the powerstruggle is over are slim to none.

In the end, both sides are douchebags, and for the moment at least, I would rather just let them punch it out and see how things resolve themselves.

Imperials. on my first playthrough I went with the stormcloaks, but... they're assholes!
I kinda wish they'd put more effort in making the quests for the two sides a bit more different though. Especially when you have a game that boasts about giving you so much freedom, it feels really weird when you play through the exact same missions with the exact same dialogue, save a few swapped words... Rikke and that stonefist guy also have tons of dialogue that's just copypasted and Ralof and Hadvar are the same fucking character with a skinswap.

StormShaun:
For the EMPIRE!!!(And hope that I may be its emperor some day)

Frankly I went to the Empire, I have a strong tie to them from Oblivion and my guy IS my oblivion guy, so I stayed in character.

So your character is over 500 years old AND is a deadric god who can actually run into HIMSELF?.. actually... on further thought seeing as the hero of kvatch becomes the deadric got of madness that makes a hell of a lot of sense.

Haxxle:
I have sided with the Empire largely because they bailed me out of jail twice; once in Morrowind and again in Oblivion, and perhaps Skyrim since I've sided with the Imperial Guard during the escape from Helgan.

You could also argue that they wrongly imprisoned you twice and tried to execute you once... so really you should side with the dragons :P

OT: ive not picked a side yet, mainly because both sides seem wrong, the stormcloaks are narrow minded racist terrorists and the imperials are brutish tyrants while at the same time being puppets for the elves.

Imperials. Not just because I tend to align myself with the Empire in 99% of settings, but because, while overzealous, at least the Empire aren't xenophobic. They are doing their best to protect Skyrim and ALL it's citizens, while, as a Breton, I'd get most likely be exiled or killed after I helped the Stormcloaks rise to power.

In this battle of two evils, I clearly see one as greater then the other. (Though that's mainly due to person roleplaying) I will, however, rob from the Empire at a moments notice,a thief with morals is still a thief.

Uhm, exactly HOW do I join the Empire? I've been walking around Solitude speaking to everyone I can (Jarl, Captain Aldis, etc) but I can't ask anyone if I can join...
And I can't find this General Tallius guy...

I just told an imperial legate that i "found" the armor I'm wearing. It's full Daedric, and i can get away with "I found it". Dumbass Imperials.

I find neither faction likable, thus have yet to join one. May try at a later date.

JoesshittyOs:

Nautical Honors Society:
I am not very far in the game...I'd like to join Stormcloak...but when I see groups randomly I kill both factions. Did i mess something up? Can I not join either now.

You may have. Go to Windhelm if you want to join the Stormcloaks (not sure how you join the Empire). Speak to Ulfric or the other guy with the helmet made of an animal.

If there's no option to ask to join, you may have screwed up, though I doubt Bethesda designed the game like that.

you go to general tallius in solitude, but he might remember you from the choppin' block. he won't care though, cause every solder counts.

OT: stormcloaks, the empire is under the thalmor's thumb, but only because they would be destroyed if they fought back. i see that they both have the right mind, but if the legion wins, humans are doomed to be elf-slaves to egotistical altmer, and it will be like before when white gold tower was owned by the elves. remember knights of the nine?

Stormcloak. Empire looked too much like the Legoin from New Vegas and i hated those guys.

Stormcloaks, The empire are pathetic puppets of the elves.
They deserve to die just as the elves deserve to die.

On my current playthrough I'm planning on joining the Empire. I can forgive the Empire for trying to kill me seeing as it was just 1 person and there was another trying to convince her not too, but I can't really forgive a bunch of racists.

Definitely Empire. They lost the war, certainly, but a divided Skyrim will just get smacked down even harder. Stormcloaks are short sighted religious nuts, while the Imperials are dutiful long-term thinkers. Besides, the Empire has the best chance of beating the Thalmor now that they've got a PC on their side.

I don't have the game yet, but does any one know if it's possible for me to oppose both sides?

I haven't seen a answer yet that come across as someone opposing both sides, just remaining neutral.

The Imperial Army, the Stormcloaks are pretty much just Skyrims answer to the BNP- myopic bigots taking advantage of a bad situation to further their own agendas.
Im sacking Windhelm tonight.

The Empire may of gone to seed, but they will be needed when the Thalmor strike.

Stormcloaks. I think there both dicks, but Stormcloaks are sticking it to the man! My alliances is not really with them but, I just want to get back at the Imperial for trying to kill me for no good reason. Btw I am a Imperial... I mean come on, you would have thought they would let me off!

TypeSD:
Skyrim owners! Are you fighting for the Empire or the Stormcloaks? I'm beginning to question several of my own methods, as during the stormcloak campaign I've turned into some sort of cross between a terrorist and John McLane. Seriously, I just killed an entire city's worth of corrupt guardsmen. On medium difficulty.

Then I took out a fort of Imperials (Liberate the Reach), who hadn't actually done anything wrong, yet. And were as far away from the front lines as it was possible to be whilst still technically living in Skyrim.

Once you get Daedric armor, I think it's a good idea to turn up that difficulty

A city of corrupt guardsmen?


Anyhow, I haven't decided yet. My character concept is a Dunmer Battlemage in the service of House Redoran, sent to Skyrim to observe the attempted uprising against the Empire. My initial thoughts were to join the Thalmer on the idea that Morrowind would support a new Merethic Empire, but despite all my help they still tried to kill me. Obviously the Thalmer are Skyrim's Sixth House. So then I was left divided: do I support the rebellion, allowing a nation to escape the domineering grasp of the Empire that subjugated my homeland, or do I support the status quo? On the one hand it would seem an easy choice (rebellion), but freeing the Nords would unleash the ancient enemy of the Dunmer, so do I instead ensure that the Nords remain downtrodden under heel of the Empire and are thus less of a threat to Morrowind? I have yet to make up my mind, although I'm leaning towards rebellion - in no small part due to the large Dunmer population in the rebel city of Winterhold.

And in case you haven't guessed, I'm an old school roleplayer, who asks himself "what would my character do?" as opposed to "what would I do?". My next character concept is for a Breton Knight, who will no doubt support the Empire, but for now I'm managing my conflicted Dunmer.

I don't want anything spoiled since I'm not far in the game, though I am level 28, I've mainly been exploring the game. Quests come second, but I am part of the Stormcloaks. They have ideals, that I can get behind.

I'll go wherever the money and exp. will lead me.

However, in my last play session I got drunk of my ass and sexually assaulted the statue of Mara... And I think I got married, too. Still haven't figured out all the pieces yet.

I think the Intro to the game really skews what side most people will pick. You have the other prisoner with the cool voice ragging on the Empire like a bauws and your about to be excuted by the Empire.

I haven't picked a side yet, but i'm heavily skewed to Stormcloak. If only so I can have shouting matches with Ulfric.

I can't choose either side really.

As an Argonian, lore-wise the Stormcloaks wouldn't have let me in, but the devs let you anyway since.. they can't withhold a great deal of the games story from players playing Argonians or dark elves (though they could have wrote in that someone feeds you the missions unofficially)

After seeing the way they treated my people and the dark elves in game I decided not to join them anyway.. but my character is so incredibly bitter about the attempted murder at the start of the game.. the completely pointless 'not on the list? dunno who you are? Oh well go ahead and be killed anyway.. we're prioritizing you over all the stormcloaks and Ulfric because.. y'know'

Its just so incredibly silly. I've played through the start three times, and each time it fills me with more rage. I went with the Imperial guy on the last play through and he doesn't even apologize, just says 'yeah well you've earned your pardon in my book' excuse me? YOUR pardon? You are the ones who committed crime against me, I had done nothing to be pardoned for! You should be seeking MY pardon!

Anyway, I may go see the Imps to see where their questline goes, but I just can't join them either.

Honestly the beginning of the game is just so badly wrote as it completely paints the Imps in the worst negative light and makes the Stormcloaks seem the intended choice. They were going for the blank slate thing, but they went with the imprisoned for no reason thing again. They should have made the player be part of a small crowd of onlookers, that would have been a much better blank slate that didn't paint the players perceptions too much.

JoesshittyOs:

Nautical Honors Society:
I am not very far in the game...I'd like to join Stormcloak...but when I see groups randomly I kill both factions. Did i mess something up? Can I not join either now.

You may have. Go to Windhelm if you want to join the Stormcloaks (not sure how you join the Empire). Speak to Ulfric or the other guy with the helmet made of an animal.

If there's no option to ask to join, you may have screwed up, though I doubt Bethesda designed the game like that.

Go to Solitude to join the Empire. Felt like the only true choice for a High Elf ^^

I'll copy and paste from the usergroup I just posted this in. My character is a Nord by the way.

My thinking so far on the matter (possible very minor spoilers but I doubt it seeing as I'm only 2 hours in or so)

Stormcloaks:
Pros: Fighting for Skyrim's, their homeland, independence.
Cons: Racist bastards
Discussion:
So the racism thing bugged me a bit. Then I realised that it is their homeland, if they do not want anyone but Nords in their homeland who has a right to say otherwise? They were conquered by Imperials years ago they did not voluntarily hand over their country by democratic vote.

Plus there's the fact that the Elves are actually the enemy you know. There's war brewing and the Elves are looking to invade Skyrim, in that context it's understandable. Germans were looked on with suspicion before and during both great wars as potential spies, infiltrators, potential saboteurs and other ne'er-do-wells.

They want the right to worship Talos their ancestral God, the imperials have decreed harsh punishment on anyone doing so.

Also the guy at the start in the cart did a fair job of selling me their cause and actually seemed pretty noble.

Imperials:
Pros: Defending everyone regardless of race
Cons: Overly bureaucratic, totalitarian fascists, stagnant.
Discussion:
The Imperials....they offer protection to all their inhabitants regardless of race and yet persecute anyone who doesn't follow their religious doctrine, edicts or otherwise falls out of line.

Your character was about to be executed for nothing more than crossing the border into Skyrim. Her/his name is not on the list yet the captain decides to kill you anyway along with another non-stormcloak (the horse thief). I thought maybe this was just an over-zealous captain but nobody speaks out against it. On the other hand they are hunting a guerrilla force in its homeland and they're just using similar tactics to USA-Vietnam or Early Britain/Northern Island. They don't know that you're not an important stormcloak, better to kill you and be sure no?

The Empire is really all that is holding back the Elves but it is stagnating, they've decided that the previous Emperors were not divine, that dragons and dragonborn are only legends and they're losing ground left right and center to secessionists.

Can they really hold back the Thalmer indefinitely or would a newly freed Nord-land be better for both parties?

In short: I'm confused; justified racism or institutionalized fascism?

Edit-I'm erring towards Stormcloaks at the moment though.

TypeSD:

Elsarild:
I'm not a Nord in-game, and StormCloaks, they seem racist as all fuck towards anyone else, so I joined legion.

I hate racism in all incarnations, leaveing me with only one choice. Same as with drug abuse, Dealers and druggies is fair game to me.

So you've avoided racism and gone for fascism instead? ~_~

The lesser of two evils is still evil.

Besides, Facism gets results, racism, not so much.

Casual Shinji:
I'll go wherever the money and exp. will lead me.

However, in my last play session I got drunk of my ass and sexually assaulted the statue of Mara... And I think I got married, too. Still haven't figured out all the pieces yet.

For the record that is THE BEST quest in the game, you run into more and more pieces of the puzzle and it gets even crazier, right up until the end of the quest, where you get one of the most badass staves in the game.

Personally, as my character is a cyrodiil native, incredibly let down by the fact that damned ELVES have taken over, and the imperials decided to execute me along with the nords, who are more of a bunch of proud warrior race type guys with cool axes, I joined the stormcloak rebellion, I don't appreciate their racist tendencies, but overall it is better than sticking with the empire and supporting weakness, which bending knee to altmer certainly is!

I am going with the empire.
When you talk to the Jarl(in) of Solitude you will hear that her husband(The former King of Skyrim) was an asshole elitist and that she will do a better job.
She even makes a sacrifice to Talos.

erto101:

JoesshittyOs:

Nautical Honors Society:
I am not very far in the game...I'd like to join Stormcloak...but when I see groups randomly I kill both factions. Did i mess something up? Can I not join either now.

You may have. Go to Windhelm if you want to join the Stormcloaks (not sure how you join the Empire). Speak to Ulfric or the other guy with the helmet made of an animal.

If there's no option to ask to join, you may have screwed up, though I doubt Bethesda designed the game like that.

Go to Solitude to join the Empire. Felt like the only true choice for a High Elf ^^

As a Nord, I spit in your general direction.

Till now I tried to avoid joining any side. At the beginning both sides had their points and my alignment changed several times with the new things I learned about the fractions. Right now, the empire has my empathy, not because of what they do, but of a thing I read about Ulric.

Kakulukia:
Stormcloak, if only because the Empire tried to murder me in the intro.
Though Ulfric's voice really gets on my nerves...

His "hey, why are you here? gtfo bitch" makes me want to incinerate his smug face off.
I joined Stormcloak for the above reason. Besides that, the Imperials seem like douchebags to me. When I make my next toon (and go the assassin route) I will take the Imperial route for shits and giggles.
I don't think the other games should affect my judgement (especially since it was it was Uriel that saved me from the jail cell, not the greater empire) but if they did, I'd still choose Stormcloaks out of the respect I had for the empire that was.

I've actually charged ahead in the campaign without taking sides thus far. I'd like to resole it as the Dovahkiin and not as someone else's grunt.

Empire.

Why?

Because while I would rather side with the Stormcloaks, the poor nords have lost so many in war and arent even allowed to worship their own God anymore, remove the empire would almost certainly result in Skyrim and the rest of Tamriel being steamrolled by the Thalmor.

And if theres one thing I hate, its high elves.

For this game and story? Stormcloaks.. you start the game with the Empire trying to lob your head off, why would I ever give them any love after that.

First playthrough, as a Nord spellsword, Empire. As you can see from a book in the main quest

Also, Ulfric is kinda horrible.

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