User blog comment:Cyrice1/Stormcloaks or Imperials/@comment-24.44.53.151-20120710151129/@comment-24.44.53.151-20120711182650

Well it technically was a fair duel in the old Nord sense.

It was considered murder to the Imperial citizens and government because they had the influence to pass it off as murder. The Imperial government has stereotyped and discarded a lot of traditions carried on by the other races so of course they would never accept a duel under old pre-Empire rules. This ignorance can be seen by General Tullius, for example, he sees the Jarl system as nonsense (even with the Counts of Cyrodiil being similar) and his unfamiliarity with Sovngarde.

It would be unfair for such an ignorant government to run a "united" people when they wouldn't even bother to understand and immediatley stereotype the Nords. As an Elder Scrolls player, starting at Oblivion, I thought the Nords were all drunken barbarians until Skyrim came along. Now the Nords are one of my favorite races and I gladly play as a Nord. That was because Oblivion took place in Cyrodiil. Now I respect all the races for what they have to offer, even the extinct ones.