I need to add one more thing. Backstories; make the game play the back stories. Stormcloaks are xenophobes but in Skyrim you can be the most hated High Elf and still become Ulfric’s right hand man. That’s complete BS, I know they did it that way so nobody would get their feelings hurt. If you’re going to come up with some weird or unpopular backstory follow through with it, when they don’t it ruins the immersion. In fact I think all RPG’s should incorporate this because that’s life. Don’t like it don’t buy it or play it. I’m talking about life not a game.

Tbh, Morrowind should be totally unplayable as an Argonian if they went all the way with this. I also feel that the stormcloaks are only xenophobic to a point, after all, the high elf merchant in Windhelm who rambles about the importance of fitting in is treated very well, and the Hlaalu farmer is as well. If someone shows clear and practical use, they won’t turn them away. Particularly if Ulfric himself endorses you, and you have, ya know, an ancient power the Nords place as incredibly culturally important. That said, yes, there should be much more dialogue or small shifts to quests.

I totally disagree with you. The Nords blame High Elves for everything that’s gone wrong in the last millennium. Narnaye or whatever her name is, is a very shady, possibly a smuggler and if she smuggles stuff in from Cyrodel for the Stormcloaks that’s reason enough to keep her around. She’s useful until she isn’t. Dark Elves and Argonians are treated worse than slaves. When was the last time you played the game and heard a Stormcloak yell “Skyrim is for everyone no matter your race, gender, or sexual preference!” No they yell “Skyrim is for Nords!”. So Nords should only be allowed to join the Stormcloaks, again Bethesda doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

^ they're trying to make an alliance with the bretons though, and i can imagine they'd also accept redguards who want to stick it to the empire after bring betrayed during the war. Enemy of my enemy and all that.

I don't think the fact they are seeking an alliance with the bretons proves they are more accepting of other races than they appear, think it's more desperation for military assistance, I mean they contemplated trying to get a dragon to help them.

^ if they're desperate for military assistance, why would they refuse soldiers of races they don't hate all that much?

^Such as?

^ such as bretons or redguards. there is absolutely no reason why the stomcloaks would refuse a dragonborn of these races.

The only races they would realistically reject are all Mer and all beastfolk.

Again, the general populace of Windhelm respect her. They have no issue with her, zero thalmor accusation bullshit. That’s not just some evil scheme. Yes, the primary focus is on preserving Nordic culture. Just like, ya know, folks in India’s colonial era were talking more about preserving Indian culture than about also preserving British culture in their country. That doesn’t imply hatred was built into the Indian independence movement, actually, but people love to paint on modern politics and western cultural dynamics to these games rather than using a rational historic lens. Some stormcloaks are clearly discriminatory, but it isn’t nearly as universal as folks like you seem to want. Have to look at the thalmor for that, who are transparently fantasy nazis.

All of which is aside from the fact that if Ulfric says you’re in, you’re in. And no one in Skyrim bar the greybeards knows the power of shouts better than him. Of course he’s gonna let you in.