Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-26213507-20150715194939/@comment-26356342-20150925223943

Bronkiin wrote: Regardless of racism, what reason would an Orc or Dunmer have to join the Stormcloak cause anyway? For the Orc, Skyrim is their home. If the Stormcloaks were smart they'd use that to their advantage. Like I said, everyone is willing to protect their home from threats. The Dunmer, Like I stated above, promise them better lives in the new world they plan to build with the Empire gone. As it stands now there's no intensive. Its not just about Talos, it's about freeing Skyrim from Imperial rule, and keeping the threat of the Thalmor out of their province. Talos is a good motivator for the Nords, but they could stand to do more to get others involved.

You also say there were only racial tensions because the Nords were left to govern themselves. Note Nords as opposed to Stormcloaks. You could argue that the only reason there are racial tensions in Morrowind. Racial tension is a racial problem. Nords will always be suspicious of Dunmer, Dunmer always suspicious of Argonians etc... Semantics, By Nords, I was specifically speaking about the Jarls, who happen to be nords, and follow old Nordic traditions. Which apparently include being suspicious of everyone, and confused/angry at the unknown. Acting that way only further fuels the fire, thats how we ended up with the Thalmor...

It sounds like what you're actually saying is that it's not that the Stormcloaks are racist per se. It's that Nords are racist and therefore shouldn't be able to govern themselves. In fact this is exactly what you're saying: "I know I'd feel on edge if a bunch of Nords with pro-Nord agendas suddenly gained independence". I.E they need a superior race to show them how it's done: the Imperials.

Whoa whoa, I never said anything about a specific race should be charge of anyone, This whole argument has been me talking about tolerance... Youre the one technically arguing that the racism is ok. What I'm saying is it wouldn't hurt for Skyrim to embrace the Empire's Philosophy of mixing the races together. For the record I typically play Breton, so yes... a faction of pro-nords barbarians, who can't answer "no" when asked if they hate non-nords, gaining more freedom to impose the laws they want, which will no doubt be just pro-nord ones, would scare me, as Bretons are just elfy enough for the Nords to hate them for no reason.

It is obvious why the WGC would stop many Nords fighting for the Empire isn't it? The same reason that caused the rebellion in the first place... Talos worship.

So wait... If the Empire wins, thers still somehow half of skyrim who doesnt agree with them and wont fight. But if the Stormcloaks win, everyone who was fighting the stormcloaks will reluctantly take up arms for the cause? How does that add up?

I don't quite follow you argument on trade and economy. When will "Skyrim lose its entire economy"? Skyrim has been a major part of the Empire for over 500 years. It's not as if being independent would mean everything will transition smoothly. A lot of the business owners are Imperial aligned. A lot of rules changes, taxes change, anyone trading with Skyrim would no longer be trading with the Empire, it'd be trading with a foreign power, which is fine for placed like Morrowind where the Empire was a foreign power, but if they were already trading with Skyrim and suddenly the taxes change, get raised, or imperial protection disappears, land owners change, theres tons we can't even speculate on. The bottom line is Skyrim's entire economy is based within the Empire, and if they leave theres a huge period of confusion followed by taxes, and new contracts. And as I've said before Skyrim isnt rich with tons of resources that make it self sustaining while it's transitioning to independence. Who owns those mines once the Imperial Aligned owner is arrested? who pays the miners? from what gold? does the original owner just lose all those assets? theres a lot to account for. and If you're somehow suggesting that Balgruuf is aligned to the Empire over chests of gold, that were given to him because he made a fuss over the WGC, you don't know Balgruuf very well.