Stormcloak Soldier

"Talos guide you."

- Stormcloak Soldier

Stormcloak Soldiers can be encountered in. They are first seen during the Dragonborn's attempted execution. They are proud members of the Stormcloak Rebellion, in which Ulfric Stormcloak is trying to secede Skyrim from the Empire and crown himself as High King.

Background
The rebellion started when Ulfric Stormcloak and a militia group took Markarth back from the native Reachmen, who would later call themselves the Forsworn. In return for his service to Markarth, Igmund granted Ulfric and his men free Talos worship. When the Imperials returned from the Great War to restore order, they were refused entry into the city until they would allow free worship of Talos. Desperate to restore order and end the chaotic violence within Markarth, the Imperials obliged. When the Thalmor, the enemies of the Empire in the Great War, found out, they demanded that Ulfric and his militia be incarcerated, because Ulfric and his followers were blatantly breaking the terms of the White-Gold Concordat, under the Empire's consent. To avoid inciting another conflict with the Thalmor, the Imperials arrested Ulfric and his entire militia. Ulfric claimed that this showed the true immorality and weakness of the Empire, and is since referred to as the Markarth Incident. Ulfric was since also known as the Bear of Markarth.

Interactions
Stormcloak soldiers can be encountered throughout Skyrim. The Dragonborn can join the Stormcloak Rebellion and serve alongside them. The bulk of the Stormcloaks' major operations involve invading and occupying keeps, towns, and cities that were previously held by the Imperial Legion.

They also maintain camps located throughout the Holds. Stormcloak Soldiers move in groups of three, moving between their camps. They may travel the roads if possible but in open terrain such as in the plains of Whiterun, they may instead opt to move across the wilderness. These small bands travel throughout Skyrim, and make an effort to avoid hostile settlements loyal to the Empire. When encountered in friendly holds such as the Rift or Eastmarch, they walk at a leisurely pace and offer polite instruction and greetings when approached.

They are more irritable when traveling in hostile holds, such as Haafingar or the Reach. There, they move at a quicker pace and warn approaching travelers away with weapons drawn.

A single prisoner may be occasionally seen being escorted by three Imperial Soldiers. The prisoner may be freed or armed. The Imperial captors consider this to be aggressive and respond with lethal force.

Stormcloak Soldiers that are assigned to guard settlements are more tolerant than their comrades on the front lines. Stormcloak Soldiers can be male or female, are always of Nordic ancestry (though some look like Imperials, with dark skin and hair, but have Nordic accents) and are members of the warrior class.

Apparel and Weaponry
Unlike Imperial soldiers who are armed exclusively with Imperial swords and Imperial shields, they can be armed with a wide assortment of weapons, both one-handed and Two-Handed, which are typically made of steel and iron. Stormcloak Soldiers and Windhelm Guards wear a form of armor equal to that of what Hold Guards wear, called a Stormcloak Cuirass. The shields that the Stormcloaks use may be made of steel or hide. As such, they are better armed but less armored than their Imperial counterparts who use Imperial light armor, which has identical stats to the armor Hold Guards wear, or Imperial heavy armor, which has the same stats as iron armor. The Stormcloaks are an offensive force of rebels, whereas the Imperials are trained to be defensive and coordinated.

A Stormcloak soldier is the first enemy encountered in "Unbound", if Hadvar is sided with.

Quotes

 * "Talos be with you"
 * "Fight or die well"
 * "Talos guide you"
 * "Legion soldiers gleam like fresh fallen snow and clank like a kitchen. They head this way, we'll know it."
 * "I don't want some snotty elf telling me what I can and can't worship!" (Reference to the banning of Talos worship in Skyrim.
 * I'm a true Nord simple as that."
 * "I'll fight the entire legion myself if they dare show their face here."
 * "Keep your eyes open."
 * "We'll show those faithless dogs who this land belongs to."
 * "Damn faithless Imperials."
 * "Stormblade, it's an honour." (After completion of Battle for Solitude .)
 * "Next Imperial I see is dead."
 * "I long to be out there, with my brothers, waging war against the Empire."
 * "By the Nine, I hate the waiting, the goddamned waiting."

Quests

 * Civil War questline

Appearances
Soldat der Sturmmäntel Gromowładny_Żołnierz