User blog comment:Thedoucheinthenorth/Reachmen/Forsworn - freedom fighters or terrorists?/@comment-3492791-20121218200120

Interesting that you dismiss the only information on the subject as "propaganda". Also "Some own land outside the city, in the countryside." No, actually only one does, and he is constantly trying to be driven off of it by both the Nords and Forsworn. In fact nearly all your information on this subject seems incorrect.

The Reach was originally inhabited the Bretons, noted as early as the the early first era, and was originally a part of High Rock until it was conquered by Tiber Septim in the late second era. Do to its location so close between Syrim and High Rock, and its wealth of silver, it was highly fought over, but eventually they reach a compromise (which lead to it remaining a part of High Rock for some time) that lead to a large amount of both Bretons and Nords in the area, eventually creating the Reachmen. After the founding of the third empire, the Reach was given to Skyrim. The Nords that came to occupy the reach considered the native reachmen to be "barbarians" and "savages", and thus treated them poorly and demoted them to being second class citizens. Any reachmen that tried to "assimilate" into the nordic population was treated with discrimination, intolerance, disdain, and superiority. The reachmen's culture and religion (which neither of which had to do with kill or raping of anyone) were stifled by the Nords, due to as stated claims of savagery and barbarism.

After hundreds of years being oppressed, a group of reachmen lead by Madanach retook the Reach while the Imperial forces were in Cyrodiil. During the rebellion the Jarl of Markarth, Hrolfdir attempted to negotiate with the reachmen that would later be known as the Forsworn, and was killed, passing the title of Jarl to his son Igmund. Let it also be stated that despite this, during the short time of the "independent kingdom"s existence, they were noted to be relatively peaceful and on their way to be established as a legitimate country by the Empire. Igmund at some point petitioned Ulfric to come with his army and liberate the city. After Ulfric took the city, he had every person that had not joined in the attack when he had breached the gates (including any child old enough to hold a weapon) killed for aiding the "forsworn". The surviving reachmen fled into the hills and became the Forsworn, while Madanach was captured and kept as an asset.

The Forsworn pursue a noble goal, but by no means does it warrant their bloodlust and rather indiscriminate violence. The issue is not that people support the Forsworn, it's about people that demonize the Forsworn while supporting the Stormcloaks.

What are the Stormcloaks' goals? Freedom of worship, freedom to practice their native culture, freedom from an oppressive government, and the right to govern their native lands. How are they trying to accomplish this? They have gone to war those that would restrict their freedoms and drive them out.

What are the Forsworns's goals? Freedom of worship, freedom to practice their native culture, freedom from an oppressive government, and the right to govern their native lands. How are they trying to accomplish this? They have gone to war those that would restrict their freedoms and drive them out.

Nearly any reason you can have to support the Stormcloaks or demonize the Forsworn can be applied to the other, and thus makes people into hypocrites.