Spoiler Your decisions during "Season Unending"

[Chadonraz]

Spoiler tag just in case. If you haven't done this quest, reading further will spoil some parts.

Anyway, what the title says. There are several ways you can complete the quest, from blatantly favouring one side to remaining as neutral as possible.

In the past I've tried all three ways, however I've never done it after completing/starting a "Joining the [insert side]" quest. I usually end up with a positive score (score table) even if I'm being neutral, though.

Most recently I chose the neutral path, allowing Elenwen to stay (going to kill her now that she's no longer essential, though), exchanging Markarth for Dawnstar and then allowing the Imperials compensation for whatever massacre had taken place at Karthwasten. This left me with a final score of +1.

Prior to even triggering the quest I had decided that only two Holds would change hands; Markarth and whichever minor one was an option. If Riften had been taken over by the red team, Maven would've become the new Jarl... no thanks. Even if she practically rules that town as it is, there's no need to make it official. Not to mention I absolutely loathe her.
Dawnstar was perfect, so I'm happy I got that option. I like Brina, and she's definitely going to do a lot better than Skald did.


How has your Skyrim changed during this quest?

 

[Remington721]

Maven is a total-----and your right , I wish we could take her OUT.

 

[Wildroses]

Due to my tendency not to do the main quest and decision to do the Civil War on two characters, I've only played this quest once before on my first playthrough. As background, I had chosen to kill Madanauch and escape Cidna Mine solo, and was completely disgusted when I got out and the Silver-Bloods who had put me in there started fawning over me and saying: "Divines smile on you friend" and "My brother tells me you've done us a service. Thank you."

I'd read Ulfric's Thalmor Dossier, and threw Elenwen out because little as I liked the man, I perfectly understood why he did not want to be in the same room as the woman who tortured him. Ulfric said he wanted Markarth, so I offered Riften in return as it seemed a hold of equivalent size and value. By this stage I don't remember who got paid compensation for the massacre, probably because of my horror at what happened next.

Arngeir said that Laila Law-Giver would step down as Jarl and be replaced by Maven Black-Briar, and the Markarth Jarl would be replaced by the elder Silver-Blood brother. I hadn't realised having holds change hands meant the Jarls would also change. I was horrified that I'd helped two of my least favourite characters to Jarldom, and humiliated that yet again I'd unwittingly helped the Silver-Bloods.

While I was still sitting there stunned and miserable as everyone else walked off, Delphine marched up to me and said: "We know about Paarthurnax," an ultimatum which took me completely off guard. It was a pretty horrible quest all around.

 

[Rimfaxe96]

I always avoid that quest because... well yeah, read it up in Wildroses post. Sh!t's going down in the towns after that quests, so I rather just do the Imperial CW Questline and be done with it. Overall peace in all of Skyrim, even if I helped Maven.
At least she keeps her stuff to herself, even locked up her son who murdered someone. Maybe though she just feared that he could kill her in one of his rampages, but who knows...

 

[Chadonraz]

The biggest downside, IMO, is that no matter what you do, no matter who you're allied with, Riften or Markarth will always change hands.

At least it's not Thonar who becomes the new Jarl of Markarth, though. Thongvor is tolerable, unlike his brother.
And regarding Maven, there is one good thing about her being the Jarl: you'll never see her outside Mistveil Keep again (except maybe during the TG questline?).

 

[Rimfaxe96]

you'll never see her outside Mistveil Keep again (except maybe during the TG questline?).

True. She attended the ceremony in the Thieves Guild when I became the Master though and made a comment about it, something like "You better not fluff up, gurl".

 

[Mr Forz]

"Perhaps this would be a good time to get the Dragonborn's input on this matter."

-YOL... TOOR SHUL!

 

[shadowkitty]

My very first play through of the main quest I joined the stormcloacks, and had no idea there was supposed to be a peace treaty, because we had settled the civil war before I asked the new Jarl of Whiterun to trap the Dragon for me. Anyway I read about it online and thought it sounded interesting, so I did it on my current playthough.
Most. Boring. Quest. Ever.
I gave dawnstar to the Imperials because there was no way I was going to have Maven run Riften (Officially). Ulfric was mad at me for losing The Pale, which he liked to remind me about, often. And Delphine demanded I kill Parthy (which I flatly refused to do) who needs them anyways... All this just to trap a dragon... Think I'll stick with storming Whiterun in the future.
Maybe my next build (A male warrior) he will side with the Imperials instead, just for a change.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Skip it completely and make Maven Blackbriar High Queen of Skyrim. Now that's my idea of a good time. I LOVE YOU MAVEN!

 

[tx12001]

I finish the Civil War before the main quest so season unending never pops up

 

[LotusEater]

My decision is always to resolve the Civil War and skip that shell of a quest.

Having said that, the few times I did the quest I pile the deal in the Imperials favor because I can't stand Ulfric and love screwing him over.