Was I the only one who absolutely loved the quest, where you're supposed to gather the Jarls and such of Skyrim to a democratic meeting in High Hrothgar?

I mean, the way all of the conflicts boil down to the Dragonborn being in charge... I just really liked that part..

Will any of that ever happen again a long the road? As I've only completed the Thieves Guild, Winterhold College and the MC, I'm yet to explore the civil war etc.

You are the first person who has given positive feedback, I only use this to avoid doing parts of the Civil War quests that I dislike. This is also a means to unbug Markarth after the Forworn Conspiracy.

Yes, you're the first one who has actually liked this part. I hated it. I was a member of the Stormcloak faction. I had a house in Riften. I'd married Balimund the smith (who took up alchemy to my dismay). I wanted to raise a family there. I had plans. I hated Maven Black Briar. And then Tullius decides he wants Riften? And Ulfric gives it to him for Falkreath, but I made him take Markarth because of the silver, and Tullius starts getting all "I see your friend here won't be fair." I was hoping to piss him off enough so he'd get up and walk but no...... More territory swapping. More places I had homes went into Imperial territory. I wanted to leave. So I reloaded the previous save game and fought the Civil War and drove out the Empire.

All this because Balgruuf was being an ass about capturing the dragon. Well he can be an ass in Sovengarde.

I happen to like it. Well, when I say me.. I mean my good side.

Everyone else is fighting. It's kind of cool to be different. If you side with the Greybeards, it makes sense. You're like one of them, up on High Hrothgar, seeing everything. It's only natural for someone like this to make a choice that doesn't go right or left, but upwards.

Don't complain about not liking the outcome -- there's an Imperial and a Stormcloak version of each part of the conference. So you never actually get confronted with anything bad about your faction, and you always get to see the opposing general at his worst.

The default, if you haven't chosen a side, is the Imperial one.

Oh, and Stormcloaks? I've seen a lot of discussion about how cowardly Tullius is because he brings Elenwen. If you let her stay (anathema, I know, I know), Tullius turns and tells her to shut up shortly after Esbern's outburst:

"A pretty speech, but what does that have to do with --"
"That's enough out of you!"

Oh, and don't think your general the pinacle of fairness -- originally, if you didn't support your side whole-heartedly, your general would kick you out and the other general would try to catch you on the rebound.

I loved it because I hate the Stormcloaks.

This.

Also.. Before completing the MQ (involving doing the conference at High Hrothgar) I completed the Thieves Guild and the Winterhold College. Now I guess my next challenge will become the Civil war, will it not?
And secondly, if I choose not to side with either the Empire nor the Stormcloaks, what can I do then? I mean, isn't the civil war essential besides the whole MQ?

I'm still kinda new, as you can see, so I really don't know which factions to side with why and when.

It's the Empire vs the Stormcloaks, right? But what about the DB, TG, Greybeards or the College? Whose sides are they on etc.?
As an Arch mage og Winterhold, leader of the Thieves guild and Thane of Whiterun, who will I fight for now?
I mean, what should become my objective now?

Cudos appreciated

I believe the College tries to stay out of everything as much as possible, and are barely connected to anything happening outside of Winterhold. Winterhold is in Stormcloak territory, but they're not really connected to the civil war. The Thieves Guild has a great supporter in Maven Black-Briar, who is a Stormcloak supporter. Whiterun later becomes Imperial territory.
Recap: the College is neutral, the Thieves Guild would probably support the Stormcloaks, and Whiterun is Imperial (though there are some fierce Stormcloak-supporters in Whiterun too).

The Dark Brotherhood gets in conflict with the Imperials, so Stormcloaks would be the more logic choice. The Greybeards are neutral, I think.

Thank you very much!

So, just out of curiosity, would it be logically in order with the story of the game to start the civil after finishing the MQ, The College, Thieves guild etc? AND: when, if when, I end this civil war, what would be the next move?

And yet another thing:
Is the Civil War a long, demanding quest line? And will the outcome be vital, meaning that the loser of the war will be driven out of Skyrim or imprisoned/slaughtered?

I though Maven supported the Empire? Isn't that why they make her Jarl when they get Riften?

My question about the Civil War is this, since I can't complete right now because of some bugs: If the Empire wins, do the regular town guards come back, or are they forever replaced by Imperial Soldiers? And what if the Stormcloaks win?

I'd like that answered as well

I've (so far done the Civil War quest before the end of the MQ) so I've a couple of questions myself.

1) Is handing Markath over to the Silver Bloods mandatory? (Because I really don't want those tossers in charge of the place).

2) If the Civil War is completed after Season Unending, would the relevant Jarls be restored to their thrones if they were unseated during Season Unending?

Cheers.

Not really. Maven supports herself. She just takes advantage of the situation should Riften be lost to the stormcloaks.

So many questions in here, so few answers?

Come on, lads!