You probably need less info-sheets than you think. What you really need to do is decide what the character you're playing values. If you aren't "role playing" then flip a coin.

Heh, if you think they're bad, you should see who the Imperials make into the Jarl of Riften. Maven Black-Briar, probably one of the most corrupt NPCs in the game, who has strong ties with not only the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood, but also the Thalmor.

Either way in regards to the Markarth incident, the extreme sanction Ulfric used soured me on every joining the Stormcloaks. A man who is willing to decimate an entire indigenous population is someone who's become what he has hated all his life. Not to mention his blasphemous use of the Voice. Evidently he did not read the final stone tablet on the way to High Hrothgar

There's a good deal of evidence that a lot of the markarth atrocities were actually caused by Igmund.(Braig for example)

The Way of the Voice isn't some universal code for shouting either.

A few posts have gone away, bringing comparisons to the Nazi regime is not going to be allowed, please do not bring it up again.

Madanach makes it clear though that it was Ulfric Stormcloak who esclated the conflict between Nord and Forsworn, ensuring that the conflict will not have a peacable solution, keeping the cycle of violence and revenge going strong. But you are right in the respect that the buck stops with Jarl Ingmund. Much like riften it's a choice between a lesser evil and a greater evil. Igmund vs. Silver-Bloods.

Madanach is one to talk, with his colorful metaphors about painting the walls with Nord blood. The Forsworn culture also has a history of vengeance and blood feud. There was no way that rooting them out of a fortified city was going to be easy. Besides Madanach and The Bear of Markarth, no one else in Markarth talks about Ulfric's supposed atrocities. People like Bothela who are old enough to have been around make no mention of it. If it was really such a reign of terror, you'd think she would, especially being that the current jarl is an imperial.

Probably not, with the Silver-Bloods being the ones who actually hold Markarth in a death grip with Cidhna Mine and ownership in at least a quarter of the Reach's businesses. Not to mention any political troublemakers either going for an extended vacation to the mine, or just ending up dead like an informant for an 'unrelated' attack in the market. Markarth for all it's splendor, is nothing more than Riften with nice shoes.

Ulfric was the force used to retake the city. Igmund took it a step beyond(Especially after his father was killed by forsworn). Braig recalls how when he was imprisoned by the jarl his daughter pleaded with Igmund to take her instead. Igmund had her beheaded. The Silver-Bloods aren't really any better though.

I'm pretty sure if something like the Bear of Markarth happend, people would rather forget it.

Personally, I like the Empire for a couple of reasons.

First, I hadn't seen any elves at all in the Stormcloak army. I might have missed them or something, but I never saw any. I've seen at least 2 Dark Elf Legates, which is an officer level rank within the Imperial Military.

Second, I agree with the Thalmor. Talos was never, and should ever, have been a god because he was a normal man. He was just really good at what he did, and knew what had to be done. It's a religious argument anyway, which would be devolved into throwing poo at one another. In the end though, I believe the Thalmor to be correct.

Third, there seems to be a racist undercurrent to all Nords in Skyrim over the Elves. It stems from when Ysgramor killed a very large sum of said races populace, which was in defense of being attacked in an unprovoked way by those Elves. The Dominion, I believe, decided it was time to get some payback, and the best way to do it was to eliminate a false deity (that is my opinion).

At the start of the game, whenever I play an Elf, I side with the empire. I think to myself, well I'm in this situation because I was in the the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong crowd of people. Basically, my characters did nothing wrong, but could be seen as consorting with the rebels, and therefore should be executed with them. They are only doing their job, if I were in charge of an Empire that had rebels, I'd do the same exact thing.

Anyway, I feel the Empire is best suited for my Dark Elf characters simply because of the above reasons. I simply do not like that there is not one single Dark Elf officer within the Stormcloak ranks. Dunmer look cool in Imperial heavy armor anyway

Dunmer were invited to join stormcloaks but refused. Im ready to assume that other races also did not want to join.

I wonder what the reason for the Dunmer to say no to the invitation? Could they have been getting stepped on even before Ulfric's rebellion do you think? Could also be because they had their homeland torn asunder by the largest Volcano in Tamriel though. At any rate, I assume there is prejudice within the Stormcloak military when I see that there are no Dunmer Officers. I just can't get over that for some reason.

Seeing the Dunmer get harassed in Windhelm really makes me want to be in the game so I can cut that dude in half (HULK RAAAAAAGE j/k ). I know the Nords resent the hell out of Elves because of what happened during the 1st era, but keeping that racism for 3 whole eras just seems a bit much. I like the Nords because of the whole Viking/Nordic Motiff, but I'm a die hard Dunmer player, and I just can't get over it I guess.

Maybe I read into it way too much, but I try to RP my Dunmer character as much as I can to where it's not a sick fascination that affects my real life, but I want to make sure I know his motivations, ethics, and morality. He's not adverse to becoming a Werewolf, which is totally Daedra Worship of Hircne (SP needed I svck) but I'll side against any other Daedra on the fact that most of them he perseves as evil.

I'm derailing, sorry. My character just can't see beyond the terrible treatment he sees the Nords putting onto his fellows, that the Thalmor seem to be something to believe in and side with. To be frank, I'm surprised as hell there is no quest lines for the Thalmor. I was utterly disappointed in that, and I hold out hope that I can side with them in a future DLC. My character understands and supports the Thalmor, it just svcks for game sake that I may have to side against them the majority of the time simply to progress the game.

Although I was once a Stormcloak supporter, I have to support the Empire after playing through with my character. Explanation:

The Empire is not ready for a change in government, especially not one who is like Ulfric. No, Ulfric is not racist beyond, "Skyrim belongs to the denizens who shape Skyrim and care for it." He's a nationalist, not a racist. Basically: My nation is the best in the world. Not, Nords are the best in the world.

However, Ulfric brings nothing new to the table. He's a king who rules over with some prejudice and was once a Thalmor pawn. Nothing too different from Emperor Titus Mede II. But the difference between the Empire and the Stormcloaks is this:

The Empire has a Senate (going Rome on this) to advise the Emperor. Ulfric only has Galmar and that Steward fellow. The former is totally the servant of Ulfric while the latter has little understanding of wartime. The Senate is composed of all provinces and a few people representing special interest groups.

Once the Thalmor is taken out, the special interest groups will follow or at least be very wary of their presence in the Senate because of the fact that the Senate will want to keep their absolute power over Tamriel and stomp out anybody who jeopardizes that.

But in any case, as the Senate is composed of representatives from the Provinces, they will do nothing but better a post-war Tamriel. They'll have to or else those representatives in those provinces will threaten to secede or do something radical, if only for the sake of being re-elected/given more power back home.

Of course, this is assuming Titus Mede II doesn't do something stupid. He's an incompetent leader, I'll give him that. However...Tullius is a great General with strategies that are seemingly awesome(in dialogue, people say that Tullius was only in Skyrim for a few months yet he turned the tide of battle to make it more even between the Stormcloaks).

So all they need is a new Emperor...who could it be...hm...Dragonborn perhaps? After all...

Im not seeing your logic. You admit that dunmer wont join the stormcloaks then claim that the fact that they arent officers shows prejudice?

Pretty good, DarkZerker. But my Dragonborn (yeah, I'm probably repeating myself, sorry....) does NOT want to be Skyrim's High Queen, OR gods forbid, the Empress.

First, something caused them to not accept the invitation, be it prejudice or from the natural disaster. Second, you are right about the second thing . I'm not sure why I had that train of thought, when the Dunmer did not accept invitation to the Stormcloaks in the first place. Yeah, I've just boggled myself. Can we pretend that just didn't happen? I regret wasting the amount of time it took you to read and think about that. That's time you will never get back, ever.

Amen to that Serethil, considering who wants either something from the dragonborn (Blades, Jarl Balgruuf...yes, I'm looking at you Delphine) or wants to take a chunk of hide out of the Dovahkiin (Thalmor, Dark Brotherhood so far), a sabbatical with the greybeards strikes me as more and more appealing.

I wish Beth can make this god forsaken game into Multiplayer so I can kill all of you imperial scums! COME ON BETH MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Stormcloaks forever! Ulfric stormcloak for High king!

agreed my good sir!

the stormcloaks in my eyes are very narrow minded and can't figure that the empire is only trying to help them. if the stormcloaks hate the aldmeri dominion why don't they just take the fight to them (with getting the ok of the empire). but i will also side with the stormcloaks on one thing, the death of torygg. torygg ,believe it or not, actually hated the empire and if he would have been alive longer he would have sided with the stormcloaks making skyrim independent from the empire entirely. but all and all i have to side with the imperials because they are trying to keep an empire as old as skyrim it's self alive and the stormcloaks just think the imperials don't care about them. they blame all their trouble on the imperials when they should really just team up and take on the dominion.

That's actually funny - because most of my girls go wandering up The Throat at some point, just reading the stones and admiring the scenery (or the snow, whichever) regardless none of them are at this point in time technically "Dragonborn". It's a very calm time, a nice "interlude" experience. I wouldn't say they "meditate" - but at least they aren't out killing idiots (bandit extermination)....

Sorry Raizen, Ulfric doesn't have the composure to be king, let alone Jarl of his own hold. The Butcher running wild in his city of Windhelm, all he can do is vaccillate about Jarl Balgruuf showing stones by telling him to stay out of Whiterun. Frankly, Brunwulf is a much better ruler, he's actually trying to improve Windhelm.

Np, but from what Im hearing they dont want to join simply because they dont feel its any of their business. The lady that gets harassed by rolff says that pretty much word for word. And then there is Ambarys who says he doesnt care about the serial killer because its not dunmer dying. They just seem self centered to me.

True Serethil, on the rare clear day...the view of Whiterun from High Hrothgar is to kill for. Darach and Mjoll spent at least four hours just resting there, watching the northern lights on the 7000 steps

There's a player-house mod that's up there. I'm tempted to try it (even though, if I liked it, it would mean swapping out stuff for 10 toons AGAIN....) just because of the peace and serenity.