Spoiler Stormcloaks or Imperial (Potntial spoilers).

I am interested in what you guys decided, please let me know the reasons as to your decision (if you decided to take a side). Here are mine in bullet points.

1) I immediately liked the idea of a free Skyrim. (+1 Stormcloaks)
2) As an Orc I was made Thane and awarded the Axe of Whiterun (Which was Orcish in design for me... fate?) (+1 Imperial).
3) Whiterun seems like a wonderful town, and the Nords have no problem with Imperial administration (+1 Imperial).
4) I met very few Orcs but one comment from one was "The Imperials have never troubled our kind" (+1 Imperials).
5) Ulric is likable (+1 Stormcloaks)
6) His advisers are not ( +1 Imperials).
7) The Stormcloaks are essentially racist (+1 Imperials).
8) The Stormcloaks have balls (+1 Stormcloaks).

My decision was Imperial, even though I like Nords more than Imperials, the war is unjust, and my steel cannot rest in its scabbard. A nord is a more worthy enemy to an Orc anyway.

Ulfric I did not like. He has more motives then just wanting to 'free' Skyrim.

I based all my decisions on the fact that the ?White Concordant? was to prevent the Empire from being destroyed. I just wish the stormcloaks weren't idiots. Ok so all of Skyrim is safe and all we have to do is hide our worship of Talos? Deal.

Ulfric merely used the basis of religion to fuel a rebellion and achieve his own selfish goals. All the Nords needed to band together and build themselves up so they can eventually repel the Thalmor from their land then effectively break the Concordant.

I feel if the story went any farther after Solitude, the Thalmor would be coming. What does Ulfric have? A few seasoned veterans and the rest are practically militia. As in wc3, militias fighting spirit only lasts so long

Both sides aren't good or bad, both have their flaws, this was probably done on purpose to even things out I suppose which is what I love about it.
Being new to this type of game, when I started I just randomly chose the Imperials because they seem sophisticated, advanced and civilised like Romans, so that's a reason I joined the Legion.
The other reasons, Ulfric seemed arrogant, racist and selfish.
On my next playthrough though, I'll join the Stormcloaks just to see how it pans out

Hmm interesting way to lay it out... i'll give your method a try! This was based on my initial playthrough:

Character: Khajiit, Female, Thief/Assassin

Helgen & Riverwood:

1) Why the heck am I on the chopping block? (+5 StormCloaks)
2) Chose to follow Ralof [StormCloak] out of Helgen instead of Hadvar [Imperial], why would I follow my captors? (+1 StormCloaks)
3) Befriended in Riverwood by Gerdur and Hod [StormCloak sympathizers] (+1 StormCloaks)

WhiteRun:

4) Battleborn vs Graymane feud - Battleborns are arrogant and were keeping Thorald Graymane as a POW, telling his family that he was dead (+1 StormCloaks)

Solitude:

5) Witness to another Imperial execution (+1 StormCloaks)
6) Learned that Ulfric murdered the High King Torygg, later revealed Ulfric honorably challenged him (+1 StormCloaks)

Windhelm:

7) Immediately greeted by two Nords, Rolff Stonefist and Angrenor Oncehonored, racially harassing "gray skinned" Dunmer Suvaris Atherton. (No judgment, yet)
8) Headed to the Palace of the Kings to join the StormCloaks, on the way, Brunwulf Free-winter gave me a potion for free, told me that it looks like I needed it. Befriended Brunwulf, learned that the racist attitudes of much of Windhelm is because of Ulfric. Crimes against minorities go uninvestigated. Most minorities forced to live in the Gray Quarter. Argonians not allowed to reside inside the city walls. (+5 Imperial)
9) More talk that Skyrim is only for "True Nords" heard in Windhelm. (+1 Imperial)

-- Left Windhelm, rethinking Stormcloak recruitment --

Markarth:

10) Learned of the brutality and savagery of Ulfric against the Forsworn after re-taking Markarth for Jarl Igmund, after several years of peaceful Forsworn rule. (+5 Imperial)

-- All things being now equal, and not wanting to further a cause that promotes racism, I joined the Imperials --

Upon completion of the Imperial questline, Brunwulf Free-winter becomes Jarl of Windhelm. After revisiting Windhelm, it was nice to see that he was taking strides to aid those in the Gray Quarter. Morale is better there.

** Just as a funny aside to this epic questline...

Everyone hates that Talos spouting Heimskr preaching in Whiterun right? As a supporter of Talos, he is by association, also a StormCloak, at least that's what I gather. If you complete the Battle for Whiterun in the Imperial questline, Heimskr's house, ironcially, is the only home that gets destroyed in the battle and is NEVER repaired. A "convenient accident" I'm sure

Im happy to kill storm cloaks and imperials alike. I haven't joined either side yet, but I've dwindled both their numbers on the open roads.

I have to admit to me Ulfric is really charismatic but I joined the Imperials because Ulfric and the Stormcloacks are really just racist jerks.

Ulfric is a power hungry war criminal who killed any able bodied man and woman during the Markarth incident even if they were civilians. He's power hungry and greedy. The entire rebellion is what the Thalmor want. The truth is only a united empire can stand a chance at defeating the Thalmor but all Ulfric is doing is prolonging the occupation.

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Stormcloaks

All people deserve religious freedom. Ulfric is the only leader offering it, the Empire surrendered theirs to the Thalmor. The burden is on the Empire to break with the White Gold Concordant in order to secure peace in Skyrim.

Not all Nords are racists (to say so is actually racist onto itself). Racism isn't remotely what i'm concerned about in this game. All the racism i've witnessed are personal attitudes from *some* Nords hassling non- Nords. I havent seen any racially- motivated physical violence. The most i've seen is Rolf ( windhelm NPC- nord) and his buddy verbally harassing a dark elf woman. I was offended and disgusted, so I served him up a delicously savage beat- down at the Inn later in the day. Highly satisfying.

It would only be my concern if Ulfric clearly decided to create policy outlawing/ persecuting non- nord races. Ulfric invited Dark- Elves into Windhelm. In my game i found that nearly all the buisness owners in Ulfric's city are Non- Nords. In time they'll be able to use the money they make to leverage for power in Skyrim. Nord culture is harsh. I think Nords expect other races to earn their respect by proving their worth in Skyrim.

Imperial and Nord unification isn't imperative to defeat the Thalmor. The Dovakiin is the game- changer. Like Talos, the new dragonborn can re-shape the world.

Also it has to be said- For the Empire to expect the Nords, a war-loving people that WORSHIP a God of War to sit down, behave, and surrender their most sacred of beliefs is just...... unwise.

Su8tle said:

Im happy to kill storm cloaks and imperials alike. I haven't joined either side yet, but I've dwindled both their numbers on the open roads.

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im doing the same thing with my new character ive done both quest lines neather is better than the other really, there both the same type of missions witch is odd. i just like killing them for the sport of it i set back and snipe them with my arrows what a joy!

Imperials wanting to chop my head off (+Stormcloaks)
Imperials ban worship of a deity (+Stormcloaks)
Stormcloaks being racist (+Imperials)
Empire obviously just buying time with the Dominion (+Imperials)

So I chose The Empire.

Considering the sheer number of morally questionable things* I had my Nord Getheric One-Eye do over the course of my first playthrough, I could never really raise too much moral objections to any racism endemic in the Stormcloak movement.

My second playthough as my Argonian shadowscale Orkee-Snadi forced me into a much more balanced approach that made me see how morally grey and complex both sides happened to be.

Right before I murdered the emperor in cold blood and ran away making a "whoop-whoop-whoop" sound effect.


*And my morally questionable, I mean doing whatever any scary totemic deity tells you to do without so much as a shrug. But then nobody would claim that a giant blonde barbarian man who liked to hit things was the sharpest tool in the box.

I support the Empire, not so much the Emperor but I believe in a united Empire. It is the only way forward against the Aldmeri Dominion, who, let's face it, are complete and utter twats.

Ulfric doesn't give a good enough case in my opinion. Fighting to restore Talos worship? Faith should come from the heart, like Legate Rikke said. It's not like the Empire wanted to do this, to accept the White-Gold Concordat, but they had to. Which is better, being completely destroyed and letting the Thalmor dictate the people of Tamriel completely, or survive and fight back one day to bring back fairness and prosperity to men and mer alike?

Brunwulf Free-Winter, Legate Rikke, some guy in Mistveil Keep and Alvar, Riverwood's blacksmith have the right idea in my eyes. Legate Rikke, worships Talos, not openly but she still has faith in him. Jarl Elisif has a shrine of Talos in her bedroom, and asks you to take Torygg's War Horn to a Shrine of Talos! Both are with the Empire! Enough proof that the White Gold Concordat isn't wanted even by people with the Empire.

Ulfric's excuses mean nothing. He is a war criminal and power hungry, nothing else. The Empire is the only force that could possibly stand a chance against the Thalmor, Ulfric is prolonging the occupation and doing exactly what the Thalmor want, weakening the Empire. Only when the Aldmeri Dominion is destroyed can the White Gold Concordat be abandoned and the Nords can worship openly. Ulfric and the Stormcloaks can't do that.

Therefore I support the Empire. I've played through the Legion quest line twice and Stormcloak once, both are pretty much the same. I'm choosing not to on this playthrough because it damages parts of Whiterun and I live there

I'ma blatantly copypasta from another thread about this.

I'll be honest, I didn't know what the hell was going on when I started the game. But I wound up following Hadvar, who incidentally also seemed like a nice enough person caught up in less than ideal circumstances - as I got to know Legate Rikke, I would say the same about her. From there, I had the prompt to join the Legion and after some wandering and pointlessness with a hint of main quest, I did it. And I haven't EVER regretted it. While I do have sympathy for the Nords who wish to openly worship Talos and feel encroached on, I have never felt so satisfied in this game as when I was able to execute Ulfric. And bring both some hope of a unified land in the face of substantial common threats, and new hope for the marginalized groups as well. I couldn't believe the conditions in Windhelm and personally, I found the racism element hard to swallow. I was already pretty dead set in my decision to join with the Empire, but my decision was reinforced as I traveled. Obviously I'm not going to sit here and say all Nords were/are racist jackasses, because that would not even hardly be true. However, even aside from the racist angle, I could not justify Ulfric's push for personal glory, even despite the bloody skeletons in his closet. I'm glad for the new optimism in Windhelm among those for so long shut out, and even among those like the replacement Jarl, Brunwulf Free-Winter.

I loved (still do, actually) strolling into Windhelm and Dawnstar as my Imperial race Dragonborn character (main Xbox file). I love how it chafes people like Skald. Was happy to see him in the Palace of the Kings post-Civil War questline, lol.

Also, come on. The Imperials/Romans angle alone would have been enough to seduce me to their side. =P I'm a Roman historian, can't help it...

I've since acquired the PC version and have been playing as a Breton - again, I've chosen to side with the Imperials. It's interesting to play through the storyline as different races and experience whatever bias there is against them. So yeah, while I do have sympathy for the Nords who feel religiously/culturally oppressed, I've spoken to enough other Nords who agree that the cause for unification is just - and not even solely in the interests of keeping the Thalmor at bay. There are plenty of reasons to be seen in the faces of those in the "Gray" Quarter in Windhelm, and elsewhere. It's always seemed to me as well that the Empire was more biding its time than hopelessly acquiescing to the Dominion. I could be wrong and I know it all can be seen in different ways - but those are my reasons for fighting for the Empire, in a nutshell.

On my first play through I joined the Stormcloaks and never regretted anything in-game more. I grew to hate them so much I had to start another character, and since then I've slaughtered every Stormcloak I've come across.

As far as the bigger picture goes, there are no positives to joining the Stormcloaks.

I joined the Imperials. Why? The Stormcloaks are racists, they aren´t friendly with visitors, and Ulfric wants power, not freedom. The Empire rocks!

Imperials tried to behead me. +5 Storm
I escaped with Ralof, 1+ Storm
I liked the idea of free Skyrim. 2+ Storm
Empire is almost puppets of the Thalmor. 1+ Storm
Ban of Talos Worship, The first Dragonborn, who became a god, and formed the empire, and i am a dragonborn, and then the ***** empire just goes against him???? +10 Storm
Half of the StormCloacks are Racists +6 Imperial
Ulfric doesn't do anything involving Minorities +3 Imperials
Argonains not allowed in Windhelm. my char is an argonain. +1 Imperials
I Live in Libya and i experienced the Civil War down there, Rebels forver.....+10 Storm
Ulfric being very charismatic +1 Storm

I think that the whole Argonain and the Stormcloacks being Racist stuff could be changed, if a non-nord was the one who helped the Stormcloacks defeat the Legion and killed the Emperor.....they would change their mind, making them no more racist, but i am not sure if a Dragonborn could do anything about the Minorities.

At the end i joined the Stormcloacks, Ulfric wasn't power-hungry in the end since he decided not to declare himself High King of Skyrim until the Moot Decides, if he was Really that power hungry he would have just said:
I DECLARE MYSELF ******* HIGH KING, NOW GET RID SKYRIM FROM MINORITIES!