The choice: Join Ulfric Stormcloak in Windhelm or General Tullius's Imperial Legion in Solitude. You can only complete one side per save.
Skyrim is at war with itself. Neither side is purely good or evil — the campaign is symmetric, so pick the cause (or the rewards) you prefer.
The Two Sides
Stormcloaks
Cause: Skyrim's independence and the free worship of Talos. Leader: Ulfric Stormcloak. Nationalist, but with a darker undertone toward the Dunmer and Argonians of Windhelm.
Imperial Legion
Cause: Keep Skyrim in the Empire and preserve stability against the Aldmeri Dominion. Leader: General Tullius. Order at the cost of the Talos ban.
Campaign Flow (either side)
- 1
Join & prove yourself
Enlist, then clear a starter dungeon (retrieve the Jagged Crown for legitimacy).
- 2
The Battle for Whiterun
Whiterun is the pivotal neutral hold. Your side either assaults or defends it — a large-scale battle.
- 3
Take the holds
Capture forts and win skirmishes hold by hold, weakening the enemy's grip across the map.
- 4
The Final Assault
Storm the enemy capital — Solitude (as a Stormcloak) or Windhelm (as an Imperial) — and end the war by defeating the opposing leader.
Finishing the Civil War changes which Jarls rule each hold and can lock some Thane quests, so many players complete side content first. The Season Unending peace council (part of the main quest) briefly pauses the war so you can trap Odahviing in Dragonsreach regardless of who controls Whiterun.
Named Forts & Letters
One fort battle on each side carries its own achievement (neither is the last fort before the enemy capital): Stormcloaks take Fort Sungard, Imperials take Fort Greenwall, and either one unlocks "War Hero".