My initial knee jerk reaction was to side with Stormcloaks, given what happens in Helgen, but after doing some stuff in Whiterun, because of the dragon stuff, and going to Windhelm, I run into a snag. First there's the dude at the gate that's threatening to break into a woman's house at night, and torture her because she might be a spy. Or worse. Go into the Palace where Ulfric and Galmar are talking, and Galmar suggests running a sword though Baalgruf's gullet. The guy that made me Thane, and gave me his niece as a Housecarl. At that point I'm thinking is agreeing with Balgruuf, and "Siding with Whiterun". Granted he won't die if you side with Ulfric, but if it's your first time playing, and you're going in blind, you don't know he won't die.
So I look into it more. The main reason the Stormcloaks fight is freedom of religion. That's all fine and good, but it falls a little flat when you find out the Empire didn't want to do it, and didn't enforce it before the Markarth incident. It was more like "There's an official ban on Talos, but as long as you aren't pulling a Heimskr, and waving around your Talos Amulets, we're cool". It was a temporary measure, until the Empire was ready to shred the Concordat, and invade the Summerset Isles. The fact that Ulfric attacked the forsword leads me to believe he doesn't really believe in FoR on principle. Only his desire to worship the god he wants. Granted, the Forsword worship Daedric Princes, but so do the Dark Elves, and that's a playable race. Although the Nords do have a bad history with the dark elves too.....
Looking at the Jarls, in most cases I like the Imperial supporting one over the stormcloak one anyway. And a few Stormcloak supporting Jarls don't even like Ulfric. He killed Torygg, who considered him a friend, and planned to fight Balgruuf, who is no fan of the Empire, but apparently that doesn't matter. The guy is violent to people who could be his greatest allies, and was captured within months of General Tullius coming on scene. Not to mention he's pretty uch responsible for the Dragon Crisis happening. No True Nord would be ignorant of the prophesy of Alduin's return.
The Empire has problems, and it's really sad to see how far they fell once the Septims were gone, but I still imagine siding with them over the Stormcloaks. I imagine my character eventually becoming High King, possibly marrying Elisif, and enacting some changes within the Empire in exchange for my help against the Thalmor. That's work best if I help the Empire, rather than kill one of its best generals.
So I look into it more. The main reason the Stormcloaks fight is freedom of religion. That's all fine and good, but it falls a little flat when you find out the Empire didn't want to do it, and didn't enforce it before the Markarth incident. It was more like "There's an official ban on Talos, but as long as you aren't pulling a Heimskr, and waving around your Talos Amulets, we're cool". It was a temporary measure, until the Empire was ready to shred the Concordat, and invade the Summerset Isles. The fact that Ulfric attacked the forsword leads me to believe he doesn't really believe in FoR on principle. Only his desire to worship the god he wants. Granted, the Forsword worship Daedric Princes, but so do the Dark Elves, and that's a playable race. Although the Nords do have a bad history with the dark elves too.....
Looking at the Jarls, in most cases I like the Imperial supporting one over the stormcloak one anyway. And a few Stormcloak supporting Jarls don't even like Ulfric. He killed Torygg, who considered him a friend, and planned to fight Balgruuf, who is no fan of the Empire, but apparently that doesn't matter. The guy is violent to people who could be his greatest allies, and was captured within months of General Tullius coming on scene. Not to mention he's pretty uch responsible for the Dragon Crisis happening. No True Nord would be ignorant of the prophesy of Alduin's return.
The Empire has problems, and it's really sad to see how far they fell once the Septims were gone, but I still imagine siding with them over the Stormcloaks. I imagine my character eventually becoming High King, possibly marrying Elisif, and enacting some changes within the Empire in exchange for my help against the Thalmor. That's work best if I help the Empire, rather than kill one of its best generals.
Poe's Law: "Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing."
10 Christ-like figures that predate Jesus. Link shortened to Chris ate Jesus for some reason...
http://listverse.com/2009/04/13/10-chris...ate-jesus/
Good video to watch, if you want to know how common the Jesus story really is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88GTUXvp-50
A list of biblical contradictions from the infallible word of Yahweh.
http://infidels.org/library/modern/jim_m...tions.html
10 Christ-like figures that predate Jesus. Link shortened to Chris ate Jesus for some reason...
http://listverse.com/2009/04/13/10-chris...ate-jesus/
Good video to watch, if you want to know how common the Jesus story really is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88GTUXvp-50
A list of biblical contradictions from the infallible word of Yahweh.
http://infidels.org/library/modern/jim_m...tions.html