Not trying to cause another ''this guy vs that guy'' thing.
But even though most Dark Elves probably prefer the Empire, I have a feeling mine would have much more sympathy for the Stormcloaks.

Her reason being that the Nords fight for their own deity and the freedom to believe in that. My Dark Elf would be pissed if it was forbidden to worship Azura. So she would understand the opression the Nords feel for banishing Talos. And about the Dark Elves who get discriminated, well honestly only that drunk guy and the beggar seems to bully them. The rest don't really show any problems with them. And it is understandable that they live in low quality homes, since they are refugees who do not have to pay any taxes. My Dark Elf would notice that and not really complain about it.

Anyway, I wanted to hear your opinion about this. Could you come up with any other reasons for a Dark Elf to join up with the Stormcloaks?

There is no evidence that the Dunmer do not pay taxes.

Actually, if I was a Dunmer, I could join either or neither. The Empire has not treated the Dunmer well in the past.

I don't think so myself though, since they are refugees. But that's just me.

I don't understand this idea that most Dunmer would favor the empire. An entire house committed seppuku rather than see Morrowind become a fairly independent client state of the empire. After Red Year, the Nords took the Dunmer in and Cyrodiil didn't even send a condolence note. Now we know that the Dunmer took an even greater anti-imperial turn since the Oblivion Crisis.

Obviously all the usual caveats apply- roleplay your character, every side has good and bad, every character can have her own reasons, etc. etc.

The Nords under the Empire took the Dunmer in. It was a combined thing.




It's been 200 years.

But yeah, I don't see any reason for the Dunmer picking either side in general.

Well, according to the "upcoming" lore of TES Online, Dark Elves DO join up with the Nords and Argonians. At that point the Nords are separate from the Empire, so this pretty much codifies the Stormcloak victory.

Dark Elves hate everyone, so the question is who do you hate more. Then again, there's a Dark Elf leading one of the Imperial encampments.
Then again, Stormcloaks might be all "SKYRIM'S FOR THE NORDS!" but they don't really abuse the Dunmer. Hell, they don't even call them ashborn (which I believe is the equivalent of the n-word when spoken to a Dunmer).

Uh, no. TES:O takes place during the Second Era. Thousands of years BEFORE Skyrim.

Maybe it was, but all we really know is that Skyrim was the one giving up disputed territory and making room in their cities. This would have been after the empire had pulled up stakes in MW, according to what we learn in Dragonborn. Granted, Skyrim was acting in its own best interest since the Dunmer might have gotten unruly if they hadn't been given refuge.

You make it sound like it's mandatory to pick either side. If you're going to to be very serious about which side your character would prefer, you could also consider why it would risk its life for a side in the first place.

well in dragonborn you find out the dark elf's basially forced the EMTC to hand over their Ebony mines in solstheim to them.

Eh, looking at the personality of my Dunmer. She would eventually pick a side. I don't pick sides on all of my characters though. My Orsimer characters wouldn't even bother and prefer focusing on the Strongholds.

Sounds like your dark elf is an Uncle Talen

By all means pick a Stormcloak if you want. Was just bringing up some things in your story that are bleh.

The Dunmer aren't a hive mind, so you could think "oh, I'd hate it if Azura was banned!" and bam, there you go. You could also have history in one of the Great Houses that have been at odds with the Empire like Indoril.

I'm new on the lore with the Dunmer. I usually prefer making Nord characters.

Oh. Well, here: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dunmer

The Imperial Library is down, so you can read up on that if you're interested. I don't see a reason in particular why an individual Dunmer would be for either the Stormcloaks or the Empire. Up to you, ultimately.

I don't know, if I were dunmer I would be indifferent to the nords or their fight for religious freedom. Just join whatever cause you feel and have some fun smashing stormcloaks/legion.

My breton is currently happy to let this war go on and on and on....with the nords (and imperials) losing manpower, being kidnapped and losing their talos worship. In fact, I'm tempted to let alduin loose to have lunch in sovngarde whenever he likes . Someday, when he's bored, he'll shout off the bear of markarth, maybe.....

Yeah, that's true.
I got a bit of a perfectionistic character, so I wanted to be sure my choices weren't going to dissapoint me. Even though I don't really believe picking both sides with any race is wrong.

There aren't any consequences from the civil war worth being disappointed about. It's really kind of lazily tacked on gameplay-wise. And ultimately, with TES 6 and whatnot, I am 100% positive Bethesda is going to trivialize the war. It's how they account for player choices. I don't think we'll ever know who won, and it doesn't matter who wins because the same thing is going to happen.

I know that game wise there are only two NPCs that bother the Dunmer, but I think that is meant to mean that there are more people like that in the city. Game limitations. With that said there is a reason for everyone to join any side, its just about the person. My reasons are based (when I get to it in-game) around where my family would have a better life. If they want to kill each other, fine just do it away from my home or I will bring the lightning.

None whatsoever, and I find the whole "religion" angle short sighted and shallow. But it's your character so do whatever the [censored] you want.

I can't even BS myself into siding with the Stormcloaks. My personal politics get in the way and I feel dirty.