I think it is fairly safe to assume they thought you were a Stormcloak since you were captured with Stormcloaks. If you were with Ulfric, then you might be a pretty important one too and they clearly want to kill the leadership to end the rebellion. To me they seem pretty concerned that someone would try to free Ulfric and the others, which is why they don't have a trial or anything elaborate.

I relished killing the captain after she said "Next! the Lizard"

I'm an Argonian for crying out loud

I had no hard feelings against Hadvar.

The captain and general Tullius however, I was less forgiving of. Captain ordered my execution and the General approved it.


Your character does not wear stormcloak armor, is not acknowledged as such by the other stormcloaks, and wasn't with the stormcloak rebellion. (S)he was nearby and picked up for crossing the border illegally.

If Tullius wanted to end the war, he just needed to execute Ulfric. Send the others to prison.

I'm saying they have some barbaric traditions. Or do you think being able to challenge anyone, including leaders, to a fight to the death to somehow not be barbaric?

Except he'd lose tremendous face. The game and lore make that clear. Ulfric wins either way in that regard, you see. If Torygg said "no", then Ulfric can say the High King ignores tradition and is a coward. It would perhaps be even a more powerful statement than actually killing Torygg like he did.

Are you guys ignoring all the political, social, and cultural ramifications if he said "no" just because it is more convenient for your argument?

Oh it seriously effected me. I wanted to have that wench's head on a pike and Hadvar thrown in jail for incompetence.

I mean you start off talking to this friendly bloke who's trying to give some comfort to a horse-thief, you notice a rebel leader next to you as well.
After this you're in Helgen and seeing an Imperial General talk to the new villains of TES: the thalmor. Or the 'Elvish Inquisition' in other words.

Then you get unloaded off the cart to be confronted by people being checked off. The fearful horse-thief tries to escape and is pelted by arrows, butchered.
You yourself come next eventually and meet this dull Hadvar. Not only will he be mocking, he can even give quite racist comments to your character's race choices.
When the Captain chooses to send you to the block even though you're not even on the list, what does he do? says "I'm sowwy." Doesn't even bother to disagree with her.

Sowwy just isn't good enough, Hadvar. But now, let's see what we have for first impressions on imperials: co-conspirators, murderers, injustified or just pathetic.
And the more I heard about them, the more this became true. Even in Barenziah's younger years they were still like this, torturing poor Therris to a brutal death.
So they haven't even bothered to change over all that time. However, on the other hand the nords would have at least give you an honorable, quick death.

So guess what I did? sign up with the Stormcloaks the first chance I got. Reason? to kill imperials of course! heh.

Andrew Jackson was a barbarian then.

Nope. Either attack the arguments or give it up. Any man has a choice. It doesn't matter if he'd lose face or not, it's still his choice. He knew nordic law just as Ulfric did. If he had said no it would've went to the moot. If he wanted a way without bloodshed that was it. Either make a case why you're fit to lead or step down. Torygg accepted either because he was young and foolish, or he didn't think he had a compelling claim to the throne.

Your character doesn't have Stormcloack clothings on him when you start the game, just like another one who claimed his innocence, that other prisoner from Rorikstead.

Yeah, there's a pretty big blunder there when Tullius doesn't start with Ulfric. It'd be like if you at the end of the main quest somehow had Alduin, a wandering necromancer, and a mudcrab at your mercy, and killed the latter two first.

I think the game needs to hold off on giving you the choice early on. It is not like you have to make it right away, it is just the game seems to force it on you before you have had a chance to get to know what is going on. I have to say I was against the Imperials based on the opening sequence and it was not until I experienced some of the Nordic leadership that I finally made my choice.

The start event of the game and the Stormcloak quests didn't raise any feelings in me towards General Tullius. Anyway the Imperial Legion questline made me to hate him. He is impolite man who dishonors the Nords and dishonors even more his enemies. Tullius is a brutal man who didn't give burials to Jarl of Windhelm who died honorable death. Tullius wants just to bring his head to Cyrodiil and put it on a spike.
And after I made Tullius and his legions to win the war he treats me as a [censored]. Everytime after the battle of Windhelm I have walked next to him he says "Get away from me." (Why? I'm Imperial, Legate in Legion, Thane of Solitude and has never committed any crime.)

I relished killing the captain after she said "Next! the Lizard"

I'm an Argonian for crying out loud

You say Nord traditions barbaric? At least Nords are giving fine burials to their enemies when Imperials puts heads on the spikes on the wall of their Imperial City.

Hadvar's a nice enough guy, but exemplifies the empire's "I'm just doing my job" functionary coldness that Tullius also shows. So I'm not that impressed with him, either. Other than the sixy voice.

I just can't imagine why a character would follow their executioner (whether a willing executioner or not) rather than their fellow prisoner when escaping. You were almost executed by the military governor of Skyrim- there is no higher tribunal than that, from the empire's side. So you just figure you're going to take your chances again?

You my good, sir, said it so well as to why I joined the Stormcloaks

I wonder how many people would go with the Stormcloaks if their "face" in the beginning said something like:

By the Nine Divines, you're an ugly one. But then, all Orcs are ugly. The most repulsive race in all of Tamriel, really. At least you've got that brutish strength, huh? Must be nice to just rip someone apart like some kind of monster. Oh, but you must be the one Orc weakling, huh? Captured by Imperials. How pathetic. You're going to die here, Orc! You're going to die!

It's funny to think about though.

Still, my "I'm not doing the MQ or the civil war ever again" toons all follow Ralof. For one reason only.... if they follow Hadvar, they can't ever use Alvor the blacksmith in Riverwood, because he always goes into the dialog that winds you up dodging EVERYONE ever after so you can avoid the MQ *sigh*. Truthfully, I dislike Ralof intensely. But at least my girls never need Gerdur for anything.

Right, so ignore the entire culture the man grew up in and was living in. Context doesn't matter making political, social, or similar decisions. It's irrelevent. Hilarious point of view you got there.

Eh? What are you talking about regarding Alvor? I haven't had a problem with him or anyone after and I followed Hadvar -- I didn't know he was just going to have us run away like cowards...I thought we would regroup to help try to defend against the dragon (which I figured out either result in the dragon killing me or a pardon...or both).

If you can't make an argument, don't insult people. Torygg was living in an imperialized city. Your point was that he had no choice. Proof was given that he did. You didn't like it.

I've never been able to get Alvor to give me the "what do you have for sale" option if I follow Hadvar. It's not in the list. It's okay, I don't really care.... but it's definitely weird.