OK, I can justify siding the Stormcloaks

[MidbossVyers]

There was another discussion about why a Dark Elf would side with the Stormcloaks, and there were some pretty good reasons listed. Similarly, while most of the Forsworn are Reachmen and Reachmen sympathizers, there are also a few like Borkul the Orc who admire their killing skills. But who, in any race, would side with the Rieklings in Dragonborn during the Thirsk quests and for what reason? It has been proven that they are snow goblins rather than degenerate snow elves (would love a quest where you can protect a bunch of Falmer who have maintained/reclaimed their sanity from human hunters or bandits), so there isn't even that much pity factor there.

[UrgeNexus]

You can justify siding with anyone, it all depends on what kind of person your character is. My characters tend to favour the Empire because most of them are forward-thinking and rational, rather than impulsive and passionate. That being said, I have had characters who who heartedly believe the Stormcloaks are the way to go. I even sided with the Forsworn on one character purely out of spite. In short, all the various sides are completely justifiable, it all depends on the character justifying it.

 

I haven't played Dragonborn yet, but my character knows nothing about the Rieklings and little to nothing about the Skaal. Who he sides with depends entirely on the impression he gets of each side when he gets there. it doesn't matter what I think, my character is the one who decides.

[Rennn]

You can agree with political ideals without agreeing with the manner in which they are presented.

The Forsworn, for example, actually have some moral ground to stand upon since their land and beliefs were taken from them. However, that does not necessarily justify their methods.

The same can be said for Stormcloaks and Dark Elves. Dark Elves could support the sovereignty of the Nords in Skyrim without supporting the drunkards that shout racist slurs.

 

Rieklings, however, do see pretty unlikeable to me.

[Lachdonin]

Rieklings, however, do see pretty unlikeable to me.

 

That all really depend son if they continued with the Morrowind implications that the Rieklings were of Falmer stock. I haven't done the quest in question (hah!) so i can't make any real judgements on it.

 

As for siding with the Stormcloaks, it really depends on if you can detach your personal beleifs from that of your character. I, myself, would never side with the Stormcloaks, as i don't hold their values particularly dear, particularly not at the expense of what the Empire stands for. I also don't like their hipocracy, stagnant tradition thumping, or all that hair.

 

Still, that doesn;t mean i can't play a Character who agrees with them. I just have to burry my own beleifs really, really deep... and only play for an hour at a time.

[MidbossVyers]

Riekings being Falmer were retconned. Now, Rieklings are just the Skyrim version of Cyrodiil's goblins, and those blind mutants on the Skyrim mainland are the true Falmer, save for the two, now one you find in the Dawnguard DLC. Again, if they were Falmer, even when disfigured and half-mad, I can still align myself with them out of pity, but Rieklings, snow goblins, don't seem to have any positive or even pitiful traits.

[Lachdonin]

Riekings being Falmer were retconned. Now, Rieklings are just the Skyrim version of Cyrodiil's goblins, and those blind mutants on the Skyrim mainland are the true Falmer, save for the two, now one you find in the Dawnguard DLC. Again, if they were Falmer, even when disfigured and half-mad, I can still align myself with them out of pity, but Rieklings, snow goblins, don't seem to have any positive or even pitiful traits.

 

Rieklings being Falmer was never, technicly, canon, but rather the hypothesis of a single Altmer scholar. Still, without knowing more about the quest line, i can't really make a judgement on who to side with... Though if Thirsk is still a mead hall, a battle between drunk Nords and snow-goblins doesn't leave very appealing options.

[MidbossVyers]

Just like a battle with a silver-obsessed mafia and a bloodthirsty native tribe.

[fraquar]

Empire seems more concerned with doing anything it takes to maintain their seats of power than building a strong coalition. Pretty much impossible for me to side with them.

 

From selling the Redguards of Hammerfell and the Nords of Skyrim short

to

Allowing the Thalmor to do whatever they please in Skyrim

to

Balgruuf basically just wishing both the Empire and Ulfric would just leave him alone so he can enjoy the fruits of the Empire's spoils at his fellow Nords expense.

 

Weak, the whole lot of them.