So I was fooling around pondering about why the Nords, who've been heavy/medium armor specialists now are most effective while wearing light. (Or would be, if race skills mattered beyond level 2).

Then it struck me: the Nord skillset is more or less a straight emulation of Mel Gibson's adaption of William Wallace from the movie 'Braveheart' (which btw is great if you want to be inspired to play as a Stormcloak). Just look at this:

+10 Two-handed: William Wallace, both in the movie and probably IRL, wielded a Scottish claymore. The Steel Greatsword looks very similar to the one wielded by Gibson in the movie during the battle of Stirling.
+5 Block: Gibson uses a small buckler and a war hammer during the battle of Falkirk.
+5 One-handed: See the above.
+5 Light armor: Gibson uses what appears to be leather armor on some occasions during the movie, for example at the battle of Falkirk.
+5 Smithing: Ok so my theory has some flaws, I can't connect this one
+5 Speech: The most important skill, with his +5 speech Gibson invented the thu'um, his mighty FREEDOM shout put fear in his enemies and rallied his kinsmen.

Furthermore, the last Nord facepaint is directly taken from the movie as well. So in conclusion, we've been falsely led to believe that Nords were first and foremost inspired by the Vikings. Little did we know they were closet Mel Gibson's all along.