Can somebody please explain to me the history behind the two :S I'm really confused. And do you meet Ulrich at the start at Helgem?

And what's with Battle-Borns and the other clan and Stormcloaks? Why don't the other clan just be storm cloaks, It's not 100% logical to me :S

Bumpety Bump.

Well, hum, not sure... go check out the wiki?

But yes, you do meet Ulrich in the beginning. In fact, he's sitting next to you! Whaaat a feeeeliiing!

Basically, Empire fights the Dominion, Dominion nearly wins, treaty ending the war bans Talos worship in Tamriel. Nords get mad, Ulfric Stormcloak creates an army, he gets supporters. Stormcloak kills the king, Empire has to step in to restore order. That's where we are now.

The Stormcloaks fight for an independant Skyrim . The Imperial Legion fight for a unified Tamriel.
Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm is present at the beginning of the game with you. The Battle-borns and Greymanes are an odd bunch since they only exist in Whiterun as far as I'm aware

stormcloak is occupy wall street, imperial army is wall street.

xD kidding of course. Just see it as 'rebels against oppressive state'.

Rebels versus the empire in star wars, for example.

The Jarl of Windhelm is Ulfrich? Crikey. Well I guess I'd better join the Stormcloaks then :/

And the righteous clan is the one that is opposite to the BattleBorns?

And where do those Thoron or whatever come in to it? So many questions!

Except the Empire isn't exactly evil, and is the evolution of the Cyrodiil Rebellion against the Aylieds. The Empire was formed to prevent another mass-slavery situation.