k i know as gamers we overthink things but if i remember right they were going to kill you for no reason... so why would you want to join people that would do that to you? id rebel against them to with the stormcloaks and i knew right off the bat but it was badass i had picked a nord to begin with

Most of my characters are in the Legion, for various reasons.

One (a Bosmer) is a devout worshipper of Talos, and I RP him to be the same character I had in Morrowind and Oblivion. He's been a member of the Legion before, and was once personal friends with Martin Septim, so he of course joins the Legion. He also believes that the Empire will one day be able to restore Talos worship, while the Stormcloaks would only be conquered by the Thalmor.

One is an Argonian. That's pretty much enough said.

One is a Breton. High Rock is still in the Empire, so of course he chooses to defend it.

The only one that didn't join the Empire was a stereotypical Nord Warrior.

THEY WERE GUNNA KILL YOU hahahaaha but you made a few points

It's not even overthinking. It's simple. Talk to a few people, even stormcloaks, about the reason for the war and the white-gold concordat and it becomes obvious, more-so when you hear about what happened at Stros M'kai (where an army of Redguards held off the Thalmor, and because they refused to accept the White-Gold Concordat Hammerfell had to be dropped as a Province). Then on top of it you can read
United, the Empire stands. Divided, it falls. Simple as that.

The Stormcloaks smell bad.

I really think if there was a "canon" playthrough it would be Male Nord Warrior Stormcloak Sympthazier Companion Dawnguard....

haha the civil war is the very first thing i did i went with ulfric at first cause he was a first face i saw and he told me to join so i did

Because the common enemy is the Thalmor. Which would have the better chance of defeating the Thalmor: a single army from Skyrim (the Stormcloaks) or the combined armies of Cyrodiil, High Rock and Skyrim (the Empire)?

And what have the Empire done wrong? They were going to execute you because, presumably, you had committed some sort of crime. The signing of the White-Gold Concordat saved an exhausted Empire from being crushed by the Aldmeri Dominion. Titus Mede II saved the Empire, at the cost of the worship of a God - and even then he probably planned to continue the war once the Imperial Legion had recovered. He probably knew that, in secret, Talos worship would continue.

But what did Ulfric Stormcloak do? He murdered the High King and tried to take the throne, without a single thought of the threat of the Thalmor. He's power hungry, and is using Talos worship as an excuse to gain power.

- My character was an Imperial.
- I think Ulfric Stormcloak isn't as righteous as he tries to make himself out to be.
- I think Ulfric is just using Talos as an excuse to convince foolhardy emotional Nords into fighting for his cause of making him King.
- I think Imperials are helping maintain order.
- I would never side with the faction that instigated a war, as I believe there are other ways of solving the problems.

That's basically it for me.

Because they aren't religious fanatics.

I sometimes roleplay it as "I was dumb enough to get caught and have my hands bound, I deserve to go to the chopping block." Escaping and leveling is my way of regaining my honor as a thief/mage/warrior or just as a player character.

i root for the underdog(stormcloak) were nords we can take the elves

i joined imperials because i like ulfrics armor more

I have made all but one of my characters join the legion. I've been bred since Morrowind to accept and support the Empire, despite it's negative aspects. They are the best hope to defeat the Thalmor when all goes to hell, and they have had a relatively (I say that tentatively) peaceful existence since Talos started it. I also believe Ulfric isn't the most honest, despite some specific arguing points.

Because Titus Mede II is a pretty cool guy.

1. Because the Stormcloak's assumption that I was automatically with them just because we got caught together irked me a bit from the start, though I still followed Ralof out.

2. Because I already got my revenge on said captain, the captain you kill when the guards unlock that first door? I'm fairly certain that is her. I also killed every other Imperial in Helgen I came across so I got more than even lol.

3. Because I actually bothered to check both sides out instead of making an automatic knee jerk decision. I can admit that the Empire does have plenty wrong with it (Even the Septim Empire had plenty of bad points btw.) but the problem for me so Ulfric and the Stormcloaks aren't an adequate replacement. There is just as much wrong with him and I find their flaws to be more annoying, so they did not win my allegiance in the end. Certain aspects of their cause are admirable enough but unfortunately their leader couldn't sway me even with the bad for the Empire beginning of game.


These are my two biggest reasons for not supporting the Stormcloaks.

To rp. In all other cases, the Imperials are no longer aggressive, creative, or charismatic enough to fight this war. Ulfric Stormcloak is all of these things, and he is smart enough to realize that fighting alongside the Empire(against the Thalmor) is preferable as long as it doesn't cost his people the freedom he saw his people dying for in the Great War. Everything Ulfric has done, has furthered his people's ability to worship Talos' freely, and whether there are benefits or motives besides this(and a good leader has many motivations) Ulfric remains a champion of mankind and the Nords as well.

I play Imperial sided characters when I rp die hard loyalists or anyone who would be opposed to Talos or the Stormcloaks.

Because I am not going to judge an entire Empire based off of one careless captain.

[censored] no stormcloaks?

That's mean there are a lot of smart people here. Joking.

The reason my characters have joined the Legion:

Distrust of Ulfric.
The incompetence, corruption, or just plain unlike-ability of the Stormcloak Jarls.
My enemies within the Legion are already dead.
One of my characters plans on rebuilding the Empire, and she wants to keep it as big as possible before regaining lost lands.
The two Jarls I first bonded with are Balgruuf the Greater and Elisif the Fair. Joining Ulfric depends on me betraying them, and I'm not about to do that.

well if your a nord like me and hear in the beggining theres an army of nords i was like [censored] ya... wouldnt you?

The reason the Imps wanna off you is left up to you. I have a small list of reasons, and most are pretty viable. From catastrophic prison breaks that left a lot of people dead to a murderous highwayman.
The reason I sided with the Imperials, on my primary character, was purely utility. The Thalmor wanted the Empire weak, and my character saw the writing on the wall. He wasn't going to bull[censored] himself into thinking that the Stormcloaks had a hot meals chance in Coldharbour, nor was he going to outright ignore one of two 200 pound gorillas in the room.

It wasn't even out of any sort of national pride. Hell, he threw his Imperial Armor and weaponry into the river when the Civil War was concluded and vowed never to set foot in a barracks for as long as he could. If they wanted to try and coax the Dragonborn into active service with some sort of spiel of loyalty, he had three very short words for them.

I sided with the Empire for a few reasons. First, there are economic benefits to being part of the Empire. Second, I feel a united Empire stands a better chance against the Dominion than several nations fighting a common enemy. Third, the terms of the Concordat won't last forever. Someday it'll hopefully be abolished, and when that day comes, it'll be easier for Cyrodiil and Skyrim to reconcile if they never broke apart to begin with. Fifth, I like Jarl Balgruuf.

I do, however, wish the Legion kept its old wardrobe. Sure it was meant to emulate the Romans, but I'm not a huge fan of it myself.

I agree with this. My character was a Stormcloak through-and-through, but it was hard for me as the player to ...