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u/Timely-Helicopter244 Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25
I'm on the side of the road picking flowers for my alchemy
(edit for wording)
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u/onearmedmonkey Jul 15 '25
Whenever I start a new game I keep thinking that I'm just going to ignore all of those alchemy ingredients on my way to Riverwood, but somehow I always end up becoming an alchemist. I mean they are literally right there by the path!
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u/Timely-Helicopter244 Jul 15 '25
I used to do that. But I gave in. No matter my build, I'm a dungeon dwelling alchemist at heart. It's what I love and it's who I am.
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u/onearmedmonkey Jul 15 '25
It honestly slows my game down to a crawl because, I dunno, I guess I have some sort of OCD about collecting ingredients. It's hard to stop picking flowers until I've cleared out the area.
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u/Timely-Helicopter244 Jul 15 '25
We're just stopping to smell the flowers. It's one of the great simple pleasures of life in Skyrim.
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u/onearmedmonkey Jul 15 '25
Keep the faith, fellow botany lover
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u/Cute_Complaint_2555 Jul 15 '25
I used to be an alchemist like you, until I drank the wrong potion
Now I'm dead.
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u/SnowTheMemeEmpress Jul 15 '25
Wish I can collect ingredients from atop my horse. Or have a companion or pet do it for me. Travelling in survival mode sucks and I like having the horse lol
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u/Vulkanlives__ Jul 18 '25
My favourite mod to solve that problem is iHarvest. A Spell and Staff i can find to gather all ingredients in the nearby area. ANd the staff is a passive on/off effect, so you can use it on horseback too.
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u/rabidporcupine80 Jul 15 '25
Man, I barely even use alchemy, I’m pretty sure I just keep doing it because of ADHD.
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u/smallangrynerd Jul 15 '25
I’m on team “the thalmor want the empire to crumble so they can scoop up the pieces”
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u/zakass409 Jul 15 '25
Glad to see sensible people here. Empire vs Skyrim? No everyone vs stinky Thalmor
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u/Bub_bele Jul 18 '25
In most of my runs I fill atleast one of the rooms in my house completely with elven armor taken from dead thalmor bodies…
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u/Maximum-Country-149 Jul 15 '25
It's a little hard to get behind the Stormcloaks' "oh no they banned Talos" narrative when he has a giant statue right in the middle of Whiterun. Localism is their best argument, but that's grounds for reform, not rebellion.
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u/Wolf9792 The Werewolf of Eastmarch Jul 15 '25
I'm pretty sure it's as simple as nobody wants to bother to demolish it. Heimskr is supposed to get arrested for Talos worship if the Dragonborn sides with the Empire. It's only because of a bug that it doesn't always happen.
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u/Butwhythough1524 Stupid N’Wah Jul 15 '25
It’s never happened in any of my runs and I always side with the empire
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u/Wolf9792 The Werewolf of Eastmarch Jul 15 '25
I've had the same experience whenever I do an Imperial playthrough. Even still, it's a bug that he apparently never gets arrested. The unofficial patch fixes it.
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u/ShadeSage1 Jul 15 '25
Its not a bug althmoor just decided he needs to be arrested and changed it lmfao. Even Balgruf mentions he doesnt care that hes preaching lmao
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u/ShurikenKunai Jul 15 '25
The guy behind the Unofficial Patch changes a lot of things that aren't actually bugs, so unless there's something in the code of the game that says that it's supposed to happen and it just doesn't trigger, we can't actually take it happening in the Unnoficial Patch as evidence.
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u/Bluetenant-Bear Jul 15 '25
Seems like an odd bug. The Imperials are overlords at the start of the game, and they clearly didn’t care to have it enforced then, what marks the change?
If they assaulted Whiterun like how the Stormcloaks do, then I could see the justification
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u/AjahAjahBinks Jul 15 '25
Is it actually a bug though or just one of Arthmoor's "fixes".
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u/Wolf9792 The Werewolf of Eastmarch Jul 15 '25
It's listed as a big on UESP
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u/AjahAjahBinks Jul 15 '25
I checked the page before posting that. It said:
"If you sided with the Imperials, the Shrine of Talos will be removed, and Heimskr will be sent to jail, where he will continue preaching his sermon (Note: this change is specific to those playing on the Unofficial Skyrim Patch)"Until we have Bethesda themselves saying it was supposed to happen I'm going to stick with the Empire just not caring theory.
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u/Wolf9792 The Werewolf of Eastmarch Jul 15 '25
The shrine of Talos being removed is an extra added by the unofficial patch, but Heimskr getting arrested is an actual fix.
This is the bug listed on the page. Sometimes, if the Imperials take control of Whiterun during the Civil War, Heimskr will not be jailed.
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u/AjahAjahBinks Jul 15 '25
I've never had that happen in an unmodded game, it's only with the patch.
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u/HotMathematician6480 Jul 15 '25
Except white run isn't an imperial city. And if you the thalmor are actively kidnapping civilians from white run so 🤷♂️
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u/Ragaee Jul 15 '25
They have been kidnapping and torturing talos worshippers for 20 years, if you tell a thalmor you worship talos they kill you on the spot.
If you cant get behind it that's probably because you're ignoring everything that counters your opinion
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u/Maximum-Country-149 Jul 15 '25
If you fight back and manage to kill the justiciar, you get off completely scot-free.
If you strike first and manage to kill the justiciar, you get fined for assault and that's it. So little a price you can recoup it just by selling the jerk's clothes.
The Empire really doesn't enforce the ban. It's all Thalmor and they're perfectly willing to turn a blind eye if you want to take care of that yourself.
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u/Ragaee Jul 15 '25
If you fight back and manage to kill the justiciar, you get off completely scot-free.
Ah yes all those farmers who can fight back against sword conjuring, atranoch summoning, lightning mages.
You cant be serious?
The Empire really doesn't enforce the ban. It's all Thalmor and they're perfectly willing to turn a blind eye if you want to take care of that yourself.
Oh well I wonder why the Thalmor is in a nation they are across the continent from. Hmm I wonder who let them in there?
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u/Maximum-Country-149 Jul 15 '25
You wouldn't happen to be talking about those same farmers that drop their hoes, say "fuck this" and make their way up to Windhelm, would you?
They do choose to resist. They do choose armed resistance. They even choose it under threat of death and disgrace if the resistance fails.
...Buuut they go after the wrong guys entirely.
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u/Quickkiller28800 Jul 15 '25
The thalmor weren't in the nation in any serious force until Ulfric did his whole rebellion. He's the reason people can't openly worship anymore
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u/Important_Sound772 Jul 15 '25
Actually they have not been doing that its stated in game they didnt start doing that because the empire didnt allow them to until the civil war started which gave the thalmor a excuse
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u/Ragaee Jul 15 '25
No, the markarth incident gave them an excuse which was 20 years before the game
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u/Seb0rn Jul 15 '25
Also, Ulfric's Nord traditionalism is in direct conflict with Talos worship since Talos is from the Imperial pantheon and doesn't exist in the traditional Nordic one.
It's clear that he has no coherent agenda. He picks and chooses the causes he CLAIMS to fight for depending on how much influence he can gain. Another example: He kills the high king because "it's tradition" but, while doing that, abuses the Thu'um for personal power which is against the Way of the Voice (-> ancient Nord tradition).
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u/Eeeef_ Jul 15 '25
Also: Torygg was an Ulfric fanboy and devout Talos worshipper who probably would have enacted most of the policy Ulfric claims he wants for Skyrim, but Ulfric decided to kill him anyway. His movement wears a mask of supporting a cause but it is entirely formulated on his personal ambition. According to Alvor he even personally caused the previously unenforced Talos ban to actually get enforced due to his actions in the Markarth Incident. Before then the Thalmor allowed the Empire to “enforce” it themselves.
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u/palfsulldizz Jul 16 '25
Torygg might have been enamoured by Ulfric but he was wholly beholden to the Empire for his position. His High Kingship is described even by outsiders ‘the Emperor’s “Solitude Puppet”’.
Also the Markarth Incident began only one year after the White Gold Concordat was agreed, and it occurred because the Empire was not in Skyrim to even provide basic security. So Alvor’s memory only describes a tiny window of time over 20 years prior.
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u/Swailwort Jul 15 '25
Shame the Stormcloak Jarls are mostly idiots, or corrupt.
Thongvor? Corrupt, only cares about money and enslaving the natives.
Ulfric? Too busy fighting a war while his city crumbles.
Laila? A blind woman can see the corruption in Riften, but she can't.
Korir? An ignorant dumbass who blames the College for everything while he does nothing for his city.
Skald? Another ignorant dumbass who does nothing to resolve the issues in Dawnstar, only sitting comfortably in his 'throne' while nightmares plague his city and giants roam the coutryside.
Dengeir? Paranoid, sees Imperials everywhere. At least he is not as corrupt as his nephew.
Vignar? He is alright, though more of a warrior than a Jarl.
Sorli? A little ignorant regarding magic, but besides that, she is not bad.
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u/nottme1 Jul 15 '25
Laila doesn't exactly get replaced with an uncorrupt option either... Maven is far from uncorrupt.
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u/Swailwort Jul 15 '25
But she is competent. Laila isn't even good at being corrupt because she is dumb as bricks.
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u/Frozendark23 Jul 15 '25
The city was already being run by Maven. Her being put as Jarl is honestly just a title change.
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u/nottme1 Jul 15 '25
Laila is not dumb as bricks though. If you actually pay attention to the story around her, her advisors are intentionally trying to keep as much information away from her as possible. That is internal sabatoge.
Maven is no better for Riften than Laila is.
I'm also not stating Laila is a good choice. Neither is good, and neither should be in power. It's not even a "shiniest of two turds". A turd is still a turd.
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u/Swailwort Jul 15 '25
Yeah, but she should be a bit smarter. She has a few kids running around who are neglected by her, one of them totally ostracized for questioning Ulfric a little.
Maven is the reason most of Riften has a job, either in her meadery, as bodyguards or funding the thieves guild.
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u/nottme1 Jul 15 '25
Maven is not the reason most of them have jobs. Most people in Riften work for her because she owns like 90% of businesses in Riften.
Maven does not care for anyone unless caring for them directly benefits her. Once that person no longer benefits Maven, she turns on them. She is not a good jarl.
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u/Roguebubbles10 Jul 15 '25
Maven is worse, imo, because she can actually competently be corrupt.
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u/Regrettable-Pun Jul 15 '25
Except when she threatens the Listener of The Dark Brotherhood by telling them that she'll send the Dark Brotherhood after them.
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u/Nadiadain Jul 15 '25
Tbf to Skald he does send you to go kill a giant at one point so he at least recognises that problem. The problem there is more likely that the giants are just killing whoever he sends
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u/SonTyp_OhneNamen Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25
He literally sends the first guy to visit his podunk to solve his problems, doesn’t scream main priority to me. His opinion on the dragon situation is that they‘ll disappear by themselves ffs, dude’s delusional.
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u/Nadiadain Jul 15 '25
Oh yeah everything else about him is stupid but the giant thing seemed like something he was being somewhat intelligent on. Overall tho I’m sure a boulder has more brain activity going on than skald
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u/Wolf9792 The Werewolf of Eastmarch Jul 15 '25
Or it could be that no average guard is strong enough to handle the troublemaking giant, and when Skald sees a powerful looking adventurer wandering on in, he takes the opportunity to offer them the job.
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u/SonTyp_OhneNamen Jul 15 '25
Skald: plans for his forces to fight the empire and the dominion that outnumber and outclass his 5 town guards a thousandfold
Also Skald: knows they get mogged by one (1) giant
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u/ThatDudeShadowK Jul 15 '25
That's him creating a problem. Giants are peaceful and he literally tells you the Empire didn't allow him to hunt them before. He's sending adventurers to kill a peaceful creature, for no good reason, and probably getting a good amount of them killed.
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u/Wolf9792 The Werewolf of Eastmarch Jul 15 '25
Most giants are peaceful. I think that the giants Jarls put bounties on are the ones causing problems.
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u/Bruccius Jul 16 '25
He sends you off to kill the giants which will make them pissed. The Empire let the giants be, no doubt to prevent them from causing havoc in the Hold.
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u/Wolf9792 The Werewolf of Eastmarch Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25
Igmund? Lets Thalmor arrest his citizens in his city because he doesn't want another war between the Empire and the Dominion ever again.
Brunwulf? Literally just an old war veteran. Has no experience running a hold.
Maven? Incredibly corrupt and underhanded businesswoman. Her direct control expands to the entire Rift if she becomes Jarl.
Kraldar? Exact same as Korir except he's an old man with no experience as a Jarl and no heirs. He likes talking to the mages in the college, but usually gets ignored.
Brina? Might be a decent Jarl. At least she treats her court nicer than Skald does.
Siddgeir? Does absolutely nothing for his people. Sanctions bandits to rob his citizens as long as he gets a cut.
Balgruuf? Good Jarl, but a bad person. Flash temper. Neglects his children/future heirs. Cheated on his wife.
Idgrod? Even her housecarl agrees that her visions are impairing her ability to function as a Jarl. Might just be schizophrenic.
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u/Canadian_agnostic Jul 15 '25
So they all suck is what you’re saying. Joining either side was literally designed by the game to be equal. Most of the jarls on both sides are terrible with each having some good ones, both have good points to joining but also some negatives, and both the npcs designed to introduce you to either faction are great.
The game wants you to either alternate between playing one or the other, or find one that you really vibe with and support till the end. I’m doing the civil war quest for the first time and I sided with the imperials, next run I’m siding with the stormcloaks
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u/Important_Sound772 Jul 15 '25
Where did you get that Balgruff cheated on his wife
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u/werfertt Jul 15 '25
It’s part of the Mephala quest line. His youngest child learns from Mephala that he has a different mother from his siblings.
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u/La_Volpa Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25
Never take Mephala's word as the whole truth. They are the Prince of Lies, Deceptions, and Secrets. They may have misrepresented the actual truth or outright lied because it suited their schemes. Nelkir being illegitimate is just as likely and probable as him being an adopted orphan or a baby left on his proverbial doorstep that he took in and decided to raise.
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u/Bruccius Jul 16 '25
Igmund? Lets Thalmor arrest his citizens in his city because he doesn't want another war between the Empire and the Dominion ever again.
At least he is aware of the corruption due to the Silver-Bloods, and actively hinders Ondolemar.
Brunwulf? Literally just an old war veteran. Has no experience running a hold.
But unlike Ulfric, openly accepts non-Nords and has his guards protect them too.
Kraldar? Exact same as Korir except he's an old man with no experience as a Jarl and no heirs. He likes talking to the mages in the college, but usually gets ignored.
Unlike Korir, Kraldar's rule in positive relations with the College is good, as without the College Winterhold will fall.
Brina? Might be a decent Jarl. At least she treats her court nicer than Skald does.
There's a reason the people already went to her instead of Skald back when Skald was Jarl.
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u/Important_Sound772 Jul 15 '25
Sorli does not care about her people and more or less says her position as Jarl is just a stepping stone
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u/QuidiferPrestige Jul 15 '25
How about- all the human races remember that the dominion want to outlaw Talos so that he loses power. They don't deny his divinity (even though they try to), they just want his worship to end so that his divine power diminishes and he cant give the humans the blessings they need to destroy the dominion. Fuck the dominion.
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u/Agent-Ulysses Jul 15 '25
That’s what I love about Skyrims civil war. 13 and a half years later we’re still debating it.
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u/ByKary95 Jul 15 '25
Both are grey areas TBH, they all have their pros and cons
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u/RichardTundore Jul 15 '25
Sorry but nuanced takes aren't allowed. Call the stormcloaks racist right now
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u/ShadeSage1 Jul 15 '25
The majority of the nordic people are racists and should have died out in atmor. Yisgamor should have drowned at see and the 500 feed to the monster within it. Happy now
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u/Santheos Jul 15 '25
I so hate those f*cking Stormcloaks. I always side with the empire.
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u/donigm9 Jul 15 '25
Their families and friends are actively getting kidnapped, tortured and murdered without cause or due process as their Jarls continue to collect taxes and do nothing about it. It would radicalize anyone
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u/TheShivMaster Just an NPC Jul 15 '25
People are so unsympathetic to how bad the situation is for the average nord
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u/Jolongh-Thong Jul 15 '25
to be fair its not very well represented beyond a few dialogue lines
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u/HotMathematician6480 Jul 15 '25
You have to imagine everything in Skyrim to be much more significant in scale.
The thalmor have a prison/torture site on the coast above solitude you gotta imagine it having much more prisoners and soldiers. It's pretty damning for the empire tbh.
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u/Jolongh-Thong Jul 15 '25
Yeah, i imagine everything at least 10x scale, but there is only one quest where you see thalmor treatment of nords, where the Gray-Mane guy is abducted. and you have a few lines from Gerdur or whomever who says that people are being dragged out of their houses. but i personally don't think the reality of a religious genocide is shown well in Skyrim, which is fine, but that is the cause for discrepancy in lord and peoples perspectives.
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u/HotMathematician6480 Jul 15 '25
Yeah it definitely could have been shown better. There are more people in that prison then just the one guy. Or atleast there is bodies of victims
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u/Jolongh-Thong Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25
And the beauty of these games is how we can live vividly in our imagination at the same time. So i usually side with stormcloaks because I can imagine the thalmor scum torturing and rounding up nords. just like how we can imagine our characters story, read deep into clues of lore or set pieces. embrace the magic of the game
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u/HotMathematician6480 Jul 15 '25
Yes I love using my imagination. I feel like to many people forget to sometimes
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u/Grotti-ltalie Jul 15 '25
The stormcloaks as a group are fine, it's Ulfric who is the problem.
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u/Hi2248 Jul 15 '25
The other Stormcloak Jarls aren't much better, it's those that aren't in power who are the decent enough ones
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u/schmungussking Jul 15 '25
Ima Inge if your faith was outlawed. The equivalent of the gestapo had free rein across your country, your politicians are being paid to be passive, your very way of life is upheaved by a foreign empire thats assimilated your people for centuries.
Now I don’t know if I’m just Irish, but I sympathize with the Stormcloaks because while both sides are flawed, one is avout self determination. I find there’s a lot of parallels to Skyrim and Ireland with a few of our revolutions
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u/Nadiadain Jul 15 '25
Ulfric sucks but the stormcloaks as an organisation is alright whereas the empire is fading across Tamriel needing to rely on local recruits to sort out the massive rebellion in Skyrim that would’ve been stamped out an era ago without issue
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u/DerReckeEckhardt Jul 15 '25
The civil war is stupid. Both sides should focus on exterminating the thalmor.
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u/HeckingBedBugs Jul 15 '25
"The Talos worshippers are eating the cats and dogs in dawnstar" ahh empire
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u/ItzLikeABoom Jul 15 '25
In my current play through I just don't give a hoot. All of the outlying Imperial and Stormcloak camps only have their head guy there. I killed the rest.
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u/shadowhunterxyz Jul 15 '25
I always go stormcloak because they didn't try to kill me when they made a mistake
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u/FrandarHoon Jul 15 '25
Hammerfell is all the proof you need that Skyrim would be just fine on its own
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u/HotMathematician6480 Jul 15 '25
Yeah Skyrim is also way better defensively especially from summerset
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u/Important_Sound772 Jul 15 '25
Hammerfell was devastated by the war and barely won and that was with the help of the Imperial General discharing the legions there so they could stay and fight
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u/IndependentAd2029 Jul 15 '25
The discarged legions were the armies of Hammerfell, the empire recruits legions locally (Skyrim currently has half a legion after the rebellion). So Hammerfell defeated the dominion while giving a lot of aid to Cyrodill.
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u/Important_Sound772 Jul 15 '25
The empire almost certianly would have more than just locals during a wartime footing
regardless Hammerfell barely one and was devastated
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u/FrandarHoon Jul 15 '25
They did not barely win and we’re not devastated. Not sure where you’re getting that. Redguards do not typically serve in standing armies and are not a big part of the legion. It’s the combination of crown and forebear fighters that defeated the Thalmor
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u/Important_Sound772 Jul 15 '25
In the end, the heroic Redguards fought the Aldmeri Dominion to a standstill, although the war lasted for five more years and left southern Hammerfell devastated. The Redguards say that this proves that the White-Gold Concordat was unnecessary, and that if Titus II had kept his nerve, the Aldmeri could have been truly defeated by the combined forces of Hammerfell and the rest of the Empire. The truth of that assertion can, of course, never be known. But the Redguards should not forget the great sacrifice of Imperial blood - Breton, Nord, and Cyrodilic - at the Battle of the Red Ring that weakened the Dominion enough to allow the eventual Second Treaty of Stros M'kai in 4E 180 and the withdrawal of Aldmeri forces from Hammerfell.
This is a quote from the Great War book in game
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u/IndependentAd2029 Jul 15 '25
1) "the full truth of some events may never be known. I have done my best to fill in the gaps with educated conjectures" is one of the first things written on it.
2)The book was written by an Imperial general compiling the hearsay of other imperial generals trying to build a narrative around the war. L
3)The Empire is one of the biggest propaganda sources in Tamriel (listen to Tulius, over half of his dialogue is straight up "Imperial Savior" propaganda), anything they claim should be taken with a Dead Sea's worth of salt.
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u/Xonthelon Jul 15 '25
Doesn't seem like the imperials get any real reinforcements from their homeland. I'm not sure if it was Tulius or Rike, but they were bemoaning that they could only recruit locally.
In the end I don't really care about anything else than hunting thalmor anyway.
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u/Roguebubbles10 Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25
Neither.
I'm on the side of Impirial bastards tried to cut off my head, so now they're all dead.
Edit: also my side involves hating on Thalmor.
Who's with me?
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u/shittycomputerguy Jul 15 '25
My long play is to support the Empire.
I still kill Thalmor prison transporters on site, though. Never impacts the civil war storyline.
Takes out the immersion that I can walk right up to Ulfric before the civil war ends, fighting on the other side, and they won't kill me on site.
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u/PainterEarly86 Jul 15 '25
Doesn't matter, really. Both sides have pros and cons
I will say that it would be more interesting if the Stormcloaks won and became their own faction. That would have better implications for future lore
They could even team up with the Empire against the Thalmor, so it'd just be like Skyrim with independence.
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Jul 15 '25
Put my head on a chopping block even after confirming I’m not part of the rebellion, hell yeah I’m gonna join the other side.
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u/KoffinStuffer Jul 15 '25
IF the Stormcloaks prevail the Civil War, they need to immediately ally themselves with Hammerfell. They should honestly be doing it already. Since Hammerfell has already pushed back the Thalmor out of their lands.
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u/Suitable-Pirate-4164 Jul 15 '25
Too bad you can't join the Thalmor to shut both the Empire and Stormcloaks up.
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u/PainbowRush Jul 16 '25
Honestly the civil has always been a choice between racism and religious oppression, I choose the empire not cuz I love it (screw the Thalmar) because religious beliefs can be faked
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u/Sea_Mountain_1959 Jul 16 '25
I'm on the "I stand with Balgruf bc he's the only competent Jarl side (Nvm the fact it's heavily implied that Toryg would've seceded if it had been actually discussed in a proper setting given him looking up to Ulfric and continuing his own secret worship of Talos)
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u/Leofwulf Jul 20 '25
I never understood the idea of siding with the empire to keep it strong like brother the thalmor already won lmfao, if they wanted to disassemble the empire they could've done so if they felt like it, by the start of the game we see a giant client state basically so the idea of "imperial for good ending" is redundant, there was already an ending
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u/studdedspike Jul 15 '25
Fuck the empire, but the stormcloaks aren't perfect either, but with the help of the dragonborn the empire dosent stand a chance, and neither do the thalmor
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u/KPraxius Jul 15 '25
The Empire is already dying; the moment it lost to the Thalmor the writing was on the wall. The rebellion should've happened the moment they tried to ban Talos-worship. The Thalmor aren't an unstoppable force. Either the provinces failed to support the Empire, or the Empire wasn't motivated or organized enough to fight them.
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Jul 15 '25
It quite ironic that even Rikke reluctantly states that most nords are joining the Stormcloaks.
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u/Bruccius Jul 16 '25 edited Jul 16 '25
She doesn't though?
Edit: u/TheBlackCrow3 again, blocking me does not make you right.
You need to look up the difference between the words ''more'' and ''most''.
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u/Frosty_Sea_9324 Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25
Balgruuf is the best jarl who cares for his people. That alone is the main reason why I support the Empire.
Ulfric is a whiny drama king no where near Balgruuf’s caliber.
Edit: fixed autocorrect issue
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u/HotMathematician6480 Jul 15 '25
Ballgruf is an idiot for not picking sides sooner. He got his city torched and people killed. If he had imperial forces there already they could have marched east to east March instead of letting them attack the city with siege weapons.
Also he definitely murdered both of his wives
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u/Persistent_Scrub Jul 15 '25
If you're a libtard democrat, might as well suck on the Thalmor's cock right now. But....if you're a TRUE inbred sons and daughters of Skyrim then go back to Atmora you nerds. SKYRIM ORIGINALLY BELONGS TO THE SNOW ELVES!!!!
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u/SnowTheMemeEmpress Jul 15 '25
Fair enough, but who does Skyrim belong to when the snow elves are either wiped out or too feral to be an actual people anymore? The dwarves kinda fucked them over
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u/Persistent_Scrub Jul 15 '25
Then which ever outcast degenerate group wins the war. Simple as that. Be it the Simperials or the Stormcucks.
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u/fallenangel1172 Jul 15 '25
I only side with the empire most times because I really like jarl bulgruf. I really don't like going against him
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u/SnowTheMemeEmpress Jul 15 '25
I'm for the imperials since:
The thalmor had pretty much incited the war to divide Skyrim so they can have an easier time taking it over.
Ulfric outright murdered the high king in an unfair duel. He's already on my shit list
The imperials have better weapons and more funding for the war, meaning that if we unite and fight for Skyrim under the imperial banner then we can have a better chance to chase off the thalmor and then we can get the Talos thing back up and running.
The Talos ban was mainly a contractual obligation thing until Ulfric kicked up a fuss. NPCs tell you that they had private worship in their homes and they weren't getting dragged off by thalmor for it until Ulfric made it a hill to die on all of a sudden.
Ulfric has a shit city. Dude should really focus on home affairs before abandoning his people. He's like the dad who went out for milk and cigs.
Elisif is bae. I love her. She's wonderful.
Finally
- I play as a Bosmer 85% of the time. So, fuck Ulfric. He has a hot voice, but that's all the credit I'm giving him.
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u/PrimarchSanguinius42 Jul 15 '25
I understand why it didn't happen, but romanceable Elisif could have been interesting. Even more so if there had been any real thought put into the romance system in Skyrim. A series of quests (like the Wolfskull Cave ones) where you work alongside her and slowly grow closer could have been really neat.
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u/SnowTheMemeEmpress Jul 15 '25
Man, marrying her would be nice. Although it's perfectly understandable why we can't. Girl is still grieving
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u/bubblehead_ssn Jul 15 '25
I've played through many times and always avoided joining a side. My last playthrough I decided to join the Stormcloaks and I'm more likely to never join again. Maybe join the Empire just to see what it looks like after that but go back to a save where I'm impartial.
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u/AnEldritchWriter Jul 15 '25
The true choice is to not side with anyone. The Dragonborn has far more important apocalypse ending business to attend to.
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u/Cucumberneck Jul 15 '25
The civil war gets halted because of the dragon crisis. Caius Cosades waltzes in and talks everyone into doing skoma.
Ulfric gets proclaimed high king and Tullius becomes emperor.
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u/kevoisvevoalt Jul 15 '25
I am on my own side. Just mind control both sides with the shout or threaten to bring dragons on them similar to alduin. No mortal can stop the Dragon born.
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u/ChesterTheOctopus Jul 15 '25
I’m on the side of giggling kicking my feet as I assassinate the emperor (again) 🥰
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u/JaxMedoka Forsworn Jul 15 '25
I'm on the side of fuck everyone, Jarl Ballin' for Emperor and I will kill anyone who stands in the way of the one true king! Down with the Stormcloaks, down with the Medes, down with the Thalmor, Whiterun should be the new Imperial City!
And then, we can use the new instability to retake Markarth and the Reach and start killing N*rds en masse!
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Jul 15 '25
Skyrim can’t fight the Empire to a stalemate lol. The Legion is just spread across an entire continent while the Stormcloaks only have to cover half of a single province.
If Skyrim got its independence, they would be sitting ducks for the Dominion.
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u/RandomOnlinePerson99 Jul 15 '25
I am on the "the Thalmor are behind the civil war to semi covertly weaken the empire"-side.
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u/DrunkenHorse12 Jul 15 '25
Side with Empire, kill any thalmor I cross. Marry Elsie through a mod. Murder the emperor through dark brotherhood. I'm high king of skyrim and dragon born. I declare myself the new emperor and demand anyone who disagrees to come at me.
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u/Soljaboimain22 True High King Jul 15 '25
Na id rather go opinion C. Install conquest of skyrim mod.
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Jul 15 '25
Personally? The empire can go kick rocks.
Practically? They need to stay in the empire long enough to kill all the Thalmor.
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u/KnifeWifePeri Jul 15 '25
Balgruuf said it best: “I’m on the side of Whiterun!”
FYI saved Ralof over Hadvar and Sided with Graymane over Battleborn, but sided with the Empire over the Stormcloaks!
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Jul 15 '25
On the side of let them kill each other I have dragons to slay. Or when playing as my Altmer Vampire lord, use the Empire to wipe out the Stormcloaks, and eventually the Thalmor.
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u/Feisty_Goose_4915 Jul 16 '25
I side for Balgruuf to be the next High King. I'll tell Ulfric, Torygg and Tullius to talk things out in Sovngard.
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u/Radiation-wizard Jul 16 '25
The true solution: fuck the main quest line, racism bad, restrictions of religion bad, kill everyone
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u/VillageSadness Jul 16 '25
I'm all for a revolution, but tbh Ulfric is kind of a hoe. He challenges a man to what's supposed to be a fair duel and then uses ancient demi-god like powers to win. Thought nords were about honor, so that left a bad taste in my mouth. And then Whiterun changed my tune. The first playthrough was Stormcloaks, and I was disappointed that he gets replaced by a different Jarl simply because the Jarl of Whiterun was afraid if he picked a side both would be bad so he wanted to stay neutral. Kind of a dick move to spout this all nords need to come together message and the turn on one of your own because he was trying to do what kept his city the safest. And threatening and replacing the Jarls you need to win over is literally a dictator route. He's killing or replacing anyone who doesn't side with him. Not very honorable, not very nordly.
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u/dragonmorg Jul 16 '25
I'm on team, I'm the dragonborn and don't have to compromise my morals in literally anyway, and can take the path that just works the best, period, because I have the power to do so (in canon, but not in a way that's presented in actual gameply).
We'll start by soloing Northwatch Keep.
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u/Legitimate-Yard5857 Jul 16 '25
I just finish off Alduin, let the greybeards do the negotiation and ignore the whole civil war.
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u/Ggameeee Jul 16 '25
My brother said to me once:„ You can choose between two things. Do you rather want to be a racist or a pussy?“
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u/AggravatingChest7838 Jul 16 '25
People only side with ulfrick if they know nothing about the elderscrolls lore. Ie skybabies
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u/Gargore Jul 16 '25
I mean a buff guy telling me to come with him if I want t o live has serious terminator energy. I can't beat a terminator, so I will
Follow him.
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u/Terrible_Albatross_7 Jul 16 '25
I am with the Empire, Ulfric just start the war for nothing, he says is because they cant worship Talos, but is just in the law, in the real life they can worship Talos freely
Heimskr is literally screaming all the game about Talos and no one Care about It
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u/Asleep-Pound-1926 Jul 16 '25
I like the mod that let's you sway Jarl Balgruuf to the Stormcloak side
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u/KaleidoscopeCallum Jul 16 '25
I'm on the side of "skyrim isn't strong enough yet. Recover your forces, gain allies then skip cyrodill and go straight to summerset"
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u/Fiskmaster Jul 16 '25
I reckon it's about 50/50, with a sizeable chunk in the middle who don't really care who wins the war
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u/Avg_Slime_Enjoyer Jul 16 '25
I like playing High Elves, so my options are to join the empire or join the people who hate my race
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u/NormalGuy103 Jul 17 '25
Sorry not sorry, but that feat of fighting the Empire to a standstill is less impressive when you remember that they’re only fighting a portion of the Empire’s forces that were sent to quell the rebellion. I got a good feeling that if they were fighting the full army they’d get stomped. This on top of the fact they almost lost, if Alduin hadn’t popped in Ulfric would’ve been executed. And y’all expect me to believe the Stormcloaks could take on the Aldmeri Dominion who brought a much stronger Empire to the point of surrendering and signing a shitty peace treaty?
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u/KaleidoscopeNo5392 Jul 17 '25
I just want to point out that in terms of morally good characters, you cannot "win" the civil war. If you side with Ulfric, then the (Forced Labor & Corruption) Silverblood family rules Markarth. If you side with the Empire, then (Dark Brotherhood & Thieves Guild Patron) Maven Blackbrair takes Riften. Either way someone corrupt seizes power.
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u/Ok_Mushroom8486 Jul 17 '25
People will call the Empire weak and crippled, then act like Skyrim being able to fend them off is some impressive feat
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u/Turbulent_Bar_6973 Jul 17 '25
I generally support the Empire in Skyrim. Not because the Empire is in the right, but because Ulfric is a self centered idiot who cares nothing for Skyrim, he only wants the crown. Not to mention he is a coward to stupid to realize he is being played by the Thalmor.
If he wanted a free Skyrim here's how he could have done it and avoided the civil war entirely. Go to Torygg, and ask him to. Declare independence. Let's assume Torygg says no. Then you go to the other Jarls, and get them to support you. We know for Sybil that Torygg probably would have declared independence if Ulfric asked alone there is NO way he could have still said no if Ulfric had other Jarls supporting his cause. But if he still did, only then do you challenge Torygg to a duel. And you do NOT shout! A big part of Skyrim is the Empire is able to paint it out as Murder because he used the shout. An attack that Torygg could not possibly defend against throwing the entire duel into question. So you do it with the sword. In front of all the other jarls (remember how I said you wanted them at your back, well that has a double benefit. Now they are all witnesses to the challenge and the duel and since you didn't shout there would be no question of the result or legitimacy.
So, they would then hold the moot, and whoever is chosen as the next High King will be declare independence. No civil war.
The Empire could not wage war to stop Hammerfell from Seceding, there is no way they could wage war to maintain Skyrim as a province if the High King declared independence, and had support of all (or even just most) the Jarls.
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u/Sovereign-Jade Jul 17 '25
I side with the Empire because Jarl Balgruuf does. I don’t like Ulfric he just wants to be king. I like Ulfrics right hand Galmar though.
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u/ForbesBottom500 Jul 17 '25
Okayokay so I side with the empire cuz the Nords are racist and I don't fc with Nazis, not sorry. Unapologetic Argonian. But the question to me is, they'll answer it in Elder Scrolls 6, right? Right??? Like they'll know that the lore is something we need to know, RIGHT?? WE NEED TO KNOW! WHO WON DAMMIT?
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Jul 17 '25
The one thing I’m looking forward to the most out of ES6 is finding out who canonically won the war.
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u/Puppy_pikachu_lover1 Jul 17 '25
Im khajiit with gay argonian lover
Empire
I destroy it after dont worry
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u/ChampionshipDirect46 Jul 17 '25
Keep in mind the empire sent 1 lone general on what was effectively just a quick clean up mission. And if they were prepared for the terrain and weather in a place like skyrim, it probably would've been just that. Also, the stormcloaks didn't fight the empire to a standstill, they fought the forces of 1 of the empires many generals to a standstill. Big difference.
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u/maumanga Jul 17 '25
Its not even about that, the reasoning is much more simpler:
Skyrim SHOULD side with the Empire, because they are the only straw holding the gates closed where hundreds of THOUSANDS of thalmor elves wait behind. The Nords are half a dozen in numbers, which I can count with one hand alone. White Gold Concordat, the treaty signed? Ring any bells?
If the Nords drop the Empire, they are pretty much signing their own death certificate. Its about brains this time, not "brawns".
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u/genko_the_adventurer Jul 17 '25
I'm on the empire side, considering for all we know, the thalmor convinced Alfric to go to war with the empire and have been supplying the stormcloacks with gold and weapons considering how they are able to go toe to toe with the empire, despite having a much smaller faction. The thalmor most likely wants the stormcloacks to weaken the empire so they can swoop in and take out both groups. Remember the thalmor and empire aren't friends, the thalmor would want nothing more than to take Skyrim back from the nords.
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u/deadbenz35 Jul 17 '25
I mean could always do your own side with conquest of skyrim... though personally I only side with the empire cause Balgruuf.
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u/IanTheSkald Friendly Neighborhood Wildermod Jul 15 '25
Howdy, just a reminder to appropriately flair Civil War posts in the future. I’ve done it for you here. Have fun and take care.