I finally put some time into working on the main quest. I'm trying to get the empire and the stormcloaks to agree to a ceasefire so I can go kick Alduin's ass. Except Ulfric wants control of Markarth to agree to a time out, and now Tullius wants to know what I think is a fair trade.

Imagine my disappointment to find that the only sensible response, "Are you both completely insane!?!?", isn't an option.

Why are we even talking about this city and that city. If you idiots don't sit your ass down and let me handle the dragon problem, there won't be ANY cities left! For anybody!

*facepalm*

Politics is stupid.

Give the Empire Dawnstar. Trust me.

Yes, it's stupid, but in order to finish you have to give each at least one city.

why dawnstar rather than riften? i always gave riften.

well it kinda depends on who u favor in the civil war right?..

Because Maven Black-Briar becomes Jarl of Riften if you do. The Stormcloak Jarl in Dawnstar is an idiot, if you give it to the Empire it gets a better Jarl, while Riften gets a worse one.