what faction will you join and why

[OblivionDuruza]

Honestly, depending on how the game allows for it, I'd like to play a bit of each faction, although I'm specifically holding out for the Dominion and Ebonheart Pact.ZeniMax Online seems to have done a great job with the Dominion,drawing upon pre-Skyrim lore that depicted them in a more neutral light, even if it was somewhat riddled with Imperial bias (PGE1), and plus I've always been interested in the Khajiit culture and the province of Valenwood, not to mention the city of Alinor and the Summerset Isles as a whole. I also can't pass up the chance to return to Morrowind, and to see the mainland. Some of the screenshots we've seen of what look to be mainland Indoril settlements look breathtaking. I couldn't not wander over to take a look, and to do so it looks as though I'm going to have to join the Pact.

[thamoirthegreat]

They released some new info on the Daggerfal covenant:

Spoiler:

http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/08/more- ... -covenant/

[OblivionDuruza]

I love what ZeniMax Online is doing with the lore. Particularly:

And Orcish leaders, such as King Kurog, emphasize that the Orcs of Orsinium worship Mauloch, who absolutely isn’t a Daedric Prince at all, honest. It’s those other Orcs who worship the Daedra Lord Malacath.

[Skrofler]

Yes, it's refreshingly inventive isn't it?
Let's give some credit to Bethesda too though since, as Paul Sage said in an interview last spring, they have frequent lore meetings and Beth is okaying everything Zen does.

I like it as a fan of realism too. After all, you can go to any cult on Earth and ask around and believers everywhere will disagree on whether god is singular or dual, black or white, bore a son or didn't, and so on for ever. We already knew about the confusion over Trinimac versus Malacath. Some say Trinimac is dead an others that he is the true patron of the orsimer. Now maybe Mauloch turns out to be another name for Trinimac and not Malacath.

[toast123]

maybe Mauloch and Malacath are to halves of the same thing, like a person with multiple personality disorder

[OblivionDuruza]

I think it adds flavour to the whole idea of having alliances. I can see the Dominion being pretty unified, but I love the uneasiness that it hints at within the Covenant, what with the Bretons opposing the worship of the Deadra and the Orcs following a Deadra as their patron. I doubt it underlies deeper issues, but it's cool that ZeniMax has been realistic enough to say, 'hey, let's have the Orcs still worship Deadra, but lie about it to their allies'. At least, that's how it appears to me.

[Chaos the N'wah]

It should be interesting how the Orcish religion plays out, how they explain their worship (Real life heroes or actual deities) since...

Mauloch (Malacath): An Orcish god, Mauloch troubled the heirs of King Harald for a long time. Fled east after his defeat at the Battle of Dragon Wall, ca. 1E660. His rage was said to fill the sky with his sulphurous hatred, later called the "Year of Winter in Summer".

..could be disguised as a mortal hero risen to god status or simply venerated (either way adds to the animosity with the Nords)

I also wonder if any connection will be made with Malooc, Horde King; enemy god of the Ra Gada (Redguards)

[OblivionDuruza]

Now that there is a good find Chaos, I certainly hope ZeniMax is thinking along the same lines. Not only would it be great to see factional infighting between Crowns and Forebears in Hammerfell, but an uneasy tension between Orcs and Redguards centred around the Dragontails region would be quite the atmospheric design choice.

[legoless]

maybe Mauloch and Malacath are to halves of the same thing, like a person with multiple personality disorder

The Orcs might like to pretend that "Mauloch" isn't daedric, but it's obvious that he's their version of Malacath.

[Chaos the N'wah]

Now that there is a good find Chaos, I certainly hope ZeniMax is thinking along the same lines. Not only would it be great to see factional infighting between Crowns and Forebears in Hammerfell, but an uneasy tension between Orcs and Redguards centred around the Dragontails region would be quite the atmospheric design choice.

Hopefully not just dissident elements within their own faction, but also to "strength" the animosity with the other two warring factions, particularly the potential conflict between the Nords and Orcs from their pasts
(As the above mentioned and other interesting factors, such as the story around Orkey, 'old knocker', and his curse upon the nords said to have been thrown onto the orcs by Shor, in old Nordic beliefs)

[Marcus Vorenus]

Covenant, Breton all the way....

[Skrofler]

Woah! Back on topic all of a sudden. I'm calling the moderator on you.

I will likely join DC since I can fit most of my character concepts within those races and current polls suggest that EP will have too many players. I will have an argonian alt though.

[Frogmander]

Ebonheart Pact, not only are all my friends joining it too but that is what my top 3 favorite races are in..

[OblivionDuruza]

Woah! Back on topic all of a sudden. I'm calling the moderator on you.

If you mean Chaos and my discussion about why we would be tempted to join certain factions, I think you missed the "and why" portion of the thread title

Hopefully not just dissident elements within their own faction, but also to "strength" the animosity with the other two warring factions, particularly the potential conflict between the Nords and Orcs from their pasts
(As the above mentioned and other interesting factors, such as the story around Orkey, 'old knocker', and his curse upon the nords said to have been thrown onto the orcs by Shor, in old Nordic beliefs)

I certainly hope that this is in fact the case. If it is so, I think it will be more than worth investing the time to join all three, even if I am not all that interested in the Covenant for what it is as its own entity.

[Chaos the N'wah]

I could definitely agree that, for me, the Covenant will be more of a "join to find out about its individual parts" rather than the faction itself
If I had any passing love for the Empire, the Covenant seems to me like the spiritual successor (At least with their goals stated in the latest 'Alliances at War' video), but I'm not and will likely make an Orc just for their lore (And that of the majority of MMOs I've played, I play as Orcs if given the option)

[Shadowscale]

Ebonheart most definitely, the three most badass races!

[gamerboy]

ebonheart pact for shure. I keep imagining the companions, redoran gaurd, and shadowscales all fighting in the same battle and I just can't imagine that combo ever losing a battle.

[Achilles Septimius]

Wait a sec.... why isn't Imperial a playable race. I checked on the website and couldn't find what faction they are in.

I was upset about this when I found out there were no Imperials.

[thamoirthegreat]

Wait a sec.... why isn't Imperial a playable race. I checked on the website and couldn't find what faction they are in.

I was upset about this when I found out there were no Imperials.

Hopefully there will be a DLC or something that adds them as a playable race.

[Unionhack]

Were imperials even around back then?

I'm kind of confused about when imperials came into the picture, since you couldn't play one until Morrowind. I assume they're basically of the same descent as the Nords?

If they're not playable but they are around, I've no clue why.

[Avron the S'wit]

They did exist, but they weren't organized into anything but a few squabbling factions, if I'm not mistaken.

[enyamerT]

The Imperials are busy fighting amongst themselves and cutting deals with Mannimarco...

[Hissien]

Wait will there be any Ayleids to see? Because that would be really cool. But i think I am off by a couple thousand years......

[Chaos the N'wah]

Well...
Supposedly the Camoran Dynasty will be attempting to recapture its former glory by the time of TESO and it was said a lot of Ayleids exiled sought refuge with said dynasty (1E 243)
And the Sage Tjurhane Fyrre (an Ayleid) lived until 2E 227 (which is possibly the last well known documentation of the race that I know of)

So maybe?

[Tesknowitall]

Im gonna have to be an Altmer of the Dominion. Doesn't seem many want to go there because theyre absolute d**ks in Skyrim, but this is a different time and this is where they will be perfect leaders! They pretty much owned Tamriel at one point so im gonna be an Altmer!

I honestly am not a fan of the races of the other alliances - or how they mix up i mean. Like dunmer nord and argonian? Thats just an awkward bunch. Daggerfall pact is decent, while the Dominion works perfectly with the elves and the khajits.

Doesn't seem like many want to join the Dominion, maybe this will give me a better chance of being Emporer or 2nd in command thats fine too