myrdred Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Can anyone come up with a legitimate reason, envision a non-retarded character, who runs off with the guy who is a member of the army that was moments away from CHOPPING YOUR HEAD OFF instead of Ralof? It's bothering me. A lot. The only scenario I could come up with so far that had me entering that door instead of the other was one where I did something legitimate like running away from everyone and the dragon at top speed, hoping there was more space to run past that door (before anyone got there to show me there even was a choice between two people) and darting inside because I had nowhere else to go. Normally I'm all for choice, even bad choice, but this one makes me think someone at Bethesda was stoned when coming up with the intro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phentex Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handofbane Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 For that matter, there is really no reason to go in the keep with Ralof, either. You are given a bad choice between the guys who were just trying to execute you, or the guys who are Skyrim's Most Wanted (and the entire reason you got arrested in the first place). The smartest choice would be to climb up the gate, hop over the wall, and run like hell away from everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachdonin Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Um... the guy spoke up on your behalf, apoligised for the assinine captain, and was still willing to fight by your side even knowing that you were a criminal (though of what we don't know). Plus, he's legion, and they can be trusted to do the right thing in the end. I'd side with him over a rebel any way. Then again, i'm a loyal subject of the Crown to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myrdred Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) ^2 - There is a reason to go with someone. You're tied up, unarmed, and there's a dragon killing everyone. Pretty good reason to want allies, want someone to cut your ropes, and all that stuff. Even if the alliance is only a few minutes. That they're on the most wanted list is true, and if it weren't for the dragon it'd give people pause. But I'll take someone on the most wanted list who hasn't shown himself to be a nutcase over ANY person, no matter how many times they say they're sorry, who was going along with my beheading. ^ Spoke up on your behalf? "He's not on the list, should we still kill him?" isn't exactly giving me warm fuzzies. For all I know he just hates paperwork. Nor does his "Sorry, I'll send your corpse home though. Don't hate me, k?" help. If the legion is so trustworthy and does what is right he'd have put a stop to your execution, not gone along with it. The game makes it clear that your morality is totally up in the air. The only reason you're in custody is that you were unfortunate enough to stumble onto the grounds of this ambush. The only reason you even have a chance to go with him at all is an act of god, essentially. So no, he has nothing in his favor over Ralof. As for the "I'm a loyal subject" that's what I meant by retarded reasons. Essentially the only reason you can imagine is "I'm so brainwashed I'd rather go with my would be beheaders than a Nord who thinks they're jerks." The epitome of retarded Player Character syndrome. Please, can someone come up with a GOOD reason? Edited November 23, 2011 by myrdred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachdonin Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Well, let me ask, what reason do you have to go with Ralof? He's a rebel, their the reason you got arrested in the first place, he's really no more cordial towards you than the Imperial is. Neither of them are good choices. The differance, of course, is to Ralof you are a fellow escapee. To the Imperial (whose name i keep forgetting) you are an escaping prisoner who by all rights he should put down, but he chooses not to. He gives you a second chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myrdred Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 (edited) Ralof didn't attempt to kill me. The Imperials did. No more reason is needed for any sane person. But to further the argument: To Ralof you are a fellow escapee from a group of people who are unjust. Unjust in his eyes. And unjust to you. As I mentioned earlier, the backstory of the dragonborn PC is left totally open except for one fact: You were crossing the border at the wrong place and the wrong time. That's it. Nowhere are you actually guilty of a crime before the game starts. You might envision that for your character, but you could simply be a traveler. It's stated outright that they have no info on you, no reason to believe you are in league with their enemy. Yet they still sentence you to death. You watch them take their enemy and refuse to give him a trial, just go for the kill. They are shown to be unforgiving, unfair, brutal killers. Maybe the Stormcloaks are as well, that's left up in the air. I'll grant that. But when given a choice between a guy who probably sees you as a potential ally, or at least not 'his' enemy and the enemy of his enemy, and a guy who was about to accept that you be beheaded without cause, who would the sane man choose? Known evil vs complete unknown. I choose unknown every time. Anyone with more than a few functioning brain cells does. That's not to say the Imperials are actually evil. Just that they've been evil to you. In this one instance. But it's all we have to judge them on at that point in the game. NO sane character could go with the Imperial, and it bothers me there's even an option. So I'm hoping someone creative will come along and make up a story where it makes sense. Edited November 23, 2011 by myrdred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcvss Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 He's a rebel, their the reason you got arrested in the first place, Wrong!!!! He or the stormcloaks aren't the reason at all. You happened to be in the wrong place at a akward time. You make it sound like the legion and the stormcloaks had a plan just to get you nicked. Big BS! he's really no more cordial towards you than the Imperial is. Wasn't he now? Than what was the little chat in the wagon all about? Seemed to me like he was at that point more of a friend then the legionaire knowing you werent supposed to be there and still didn't stop the beheading. Neither of them are good choices. Hmmm... Imperials fighting to keep Skyrim enslaved into their empire. Stormcloaks fighting for what WAS theirs and SHOULD remain theirs. Yeah indeed very bad choices. The differance, of course, is to Ralof you are a fellow escapee. To the Imperial (whose name i keep forgetting) you are an escaping prisoner who by all rights he should put down, but he chooses not to. He gives you a second chance.Second chance changes nothing about the fact that he didn't put a stop to the captain executing an innocent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederov Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 If you hesitate on choosing who to go with, the imperial will say that he will cut your bonds free once inside. I figure that is a moment of hope and trust that this guy isn't as evil as his bosses. That's how I roll play it. My first character was a Nord and I went with the Stormcloaks (and joined them too) cos hey the imperials oviously can't be trusted and they are evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored417 Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I initially went with Rolof, mostly because it seemed to me like the imperials might be trying to trap me. I eventually ended up serving the empire though. Something about the Stormcloaks rubbed me as a bunch of ignorant and racist revolutionaries (especially how they treat my elven kin, I'm an Altmer mage). Plus I've always been a fan of the empire, and definitely don't want them any weaker losing Skyrim. The Thalmor would have a field day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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