FRIENDS.
Welcome to the introduction to The Rise of the Dragon King. I messed with Skyrim canon a bit, so here I'd like to explain what I've done.
FIRST: Go to my profile and open up my map of Skyrim. It's right at the top of the profile and pretty important to fully understand what's going on, in terms of borders and other things. When you've got that open in a tab, continue on my dear reader.
JARLDOM OF HAAFINGAR -
Ruler: Jarlessa Elisif I, the Rose of the Reach. Age: 21
Heirs: None
Spouse: High King Torygg Wulfblood IV - deceased.
Ruling family: Clan Wulfblood
Historical Allies: Hjaalmarch, The Rift
Historical Enemies: Whiterun, The Nordic Reach, Winterhold
Current Allies: The Nordic Reach, Hjaalmarch, Falkreathean Hegemony
At War With: The Eastern Marches, The Rift, The Pale
Imperial Ties: Strong
The Haafingarians are currently the strongest people in Skyrim - their own impressive army is bolstered by that of the Imperial Legion, Solitude Inlet is a bustling port of trade, and the capital's wealth is on the rise. Solitude is by far the biggest city in Skyrim, boasting a population of nearly 200,000.
It's the center of Imperial influence in all the Jarldoms, and the greatest roadblock against the unification effort led by Ulfric Stormcloak far to the east.
The current ruler - Elisif - the daughter of the Jarl of Markarth, one of the steps taken to ensure a good relationship between the historically hostile factions of the Haafingarians and the Westerners. She's still barely a woman and is on the throne due to the death of her husband, High King Torygg IV. Elisif could be in line to inherit the throne, depending on her success against Ulfric's efforts at unifying Skyrim.
Clan Wulfblood is in dire straits. Elisif and Torygg produced no heirs, so unless another Wulfblood marries Elisif - and fast - they could fall out of power from both the Jarlhood of Haafingar and their claim to High King. The Kaarstags or the Whitemanes would love to get their hands on that title.
The Emperor's son could also look to Elisif as a wife to increase relations between the two.
JARLDOM OF THE EASTERN MARCHES
Ruler: Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak III. Age: 54
Heirs: Ulfric(M), Age 25. Brandr(M), Age 16. Valinna(F), 13.
Spouse: Mikala, Age 41. Formerly of Clan Shattershield.
Ruling Family: Clan Stormcloak
Historical Allies: Whiterun
Historical Enemies: The Rift, Winterhold
Current Allies: The Pale, The Rift
At War With: Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, The Nordic Reach
Imperial Ties: Open Rebellion
Ulfric Stormcloak III is trying something ambitious that's never been attempted before - he wishes to unite Skyrim and cut off all Imperial ties. While Skyrim has always had the official title of "High King", Ulfric actually wishes to make something of it. Despite the title, the Jarls of Skyrim have always had plenty of autonomy. He wants to create a true Kingdom - lower the power of the Jarls and take true control.
In a strange paradox, it's the presense of the Empire that keeps Skyrim weak and divided. As long as the Jarldoms fight their little petty wars, Skyrim will always be a land of war unless a true government is established. If the Thalmor were to invade now, they would destroy the seperate armies of the Jarldoms. If the country works together as one, it could have a chance.
The Empire had always encouraged infighting the keep the Fatherland weak and under control. They encourage division. Ulfric encourages a Nord nationalist feeling.
The Eastern Marches and their citizens - "Marchers" - are strong as always. Ulfric used his powerful army to coerce The Rift and The Pale to his cause, and their combined their three armies into one force of 50,000 - the Stormcloak Army.
Clan Stormcloak is strong, as the younger Ulfric is already one of his father's top generals. He should make a fine King someday. His youngest daughter, Valinna, will be given to Harrald, Prince of The Rift, as she comes to age. Windhelm is the largest city in the east, with a population of around 80,000. The only competing clans in Windhelm are Cruelsea and Shattershield, both of whom are content to follow Ulfric's lead for now.
JARLDOM OF THE NORDIC REACH
Ruler: Jarl Igmund Pinehorn II. Age: 57
Heirs: Elisif, Age 21(Jarl of Haafingar). Roggard(M), Age 18. Hulgari(F), Age 13. Ergnin(M), Age 8.
Spouse: Hreir, Age 39. Formerly of Clan Lawgiver.
Ruling Family: Clan Pinehorn
Historical Allies: Winterhold
Historical Enemies: Haafingar, Whiterun
Current Allies: Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, Falkreathean Hegemony
At War With: The Eastern Marches, The Pale, The Rift
Imperial Ties: Weak
The power of the Nordic people of the Reach - "Westerners" - are weaker than they're used to. Due to their past aggression against Haafingar and the native Reachman, the Empire levied heavy sanctions on them and took away nearly half of their kingdom for "free territory". They're not too pleased with the Empire, nor with any other region for that matter.
Clan Pinehorn is historically isolationist, and heavily anti-unification. They've allied with Haafingar and the Empire to preserve their autonomy and fight against the unifying powers.
Markarth is built out of a Dwemer ruin, and as such isn't very large. It holds around 40,000, but they have quite a powerful army and plenty of resources. They - of course - must deal with the native Forsworn who they just can't seem to stamp out.
Clan Pinehorn's power is waning while the Silverbloods are increasing their influence, selling their rich silver mines north to the Haafingarian nobles and south to the petty Colovian lords in Cyrodiil. As such, many expect the Silverbloods to make a move to take the famed Mournful Throne in Markarth.
INDEPENDENT JARLDOM OF WHITERUN
Ruler: Jarl Balgruuf Plainwalker VIII. Age: 36.
Heirs: Frothar(M), Age 11. Dagny(F), Age 9. Nelkir(M), Age 7.
Spouse: Ingrid of Clan Stormcloak - deceased.
Ruling Family: Clan Plainwalker
Historical Allies: The Eastern Marches
Historical Enemies: Haafingar, The Nordic Reach
Current Allies: None
At War With: None
Imperial Ties: Separatist
The ancient city-state of Whiterun and its surrounding landscape is the truest example of classic Nordic culture still in existence. The Jarldom is extremely independent - so much so that it's ignoring its historical ally's attempt at unification.
The petty kingdom itself had never truly allowed the Empire within its borders, as it boasts an independent army of 30,000 men - villagers, citizens of Whiterun, mercenaries, the Companions - anyone who will fight. Their considerable numbers have withstood Ulfric's pressures.
Balgruuf is an opportunistic ruler who used the strife created by Ulfric's rebellion to declare full independence. His people - the "Plainsmen" of the walled kingdom - are generally dissapointed with their ruler. Pressures from both sides have entered his great city, influencing the ancient and great Battleborn and Greymane families, causing them to fight openly and pine for the Jarl's ear.
The Empire doesn't recognize independent Whiterun anymore than they recognize Ulfric's Kingdom of Skyrim, but no troops will dare to march on the stone walls that surround the plains of the city-state. They'll stay independent for the foreseeable future.
JARLDOM OF THE RIFT
Ruler: Jarlessa Laila Lawgiver I. Age: 38.
Heirs: Harrald the Younger(M), 21. Saerlund(M), 18. Clarassa(F), 15.
Spouse: Harrald Lawgiver II, deceased
Ruling Family: Lawgiver
Historical Allies: Haafingar
Historical Enemies: The Eastern Marches
Current Allies: The Eastern Marches, the Pale
At War With: Haafingar, Falkreathean Hegemony, Hjaalmarch, the Nordic Reach
Imperial Ties: Strong
The Rift's support of Ulfric Stormcloak is not one of choice. When Ulfric moved 70,000 trained and professional warriors to the Rift's border, the Jarlessa had little choice to surrender. As the older sister of Balgruuf the Greater who was married off at a young age, she feels a degree of loyalty to her hometown of Whiterun.
Laila's actual control of the city - as has been typical of Lawgiver Jarls - is minimal. Maven Blackbriar is the matriarch of the strongest non-royal family in Skyrim, and she runs everything behind the scenes. Her connections to the Thieves Guild are either unknown to the Jarlessa or ignored.
The citizens of the Rift - the "Riftish" - feel a sense of loyalty to the Empire, but due to the rather harsh nature of Ulfric's obligatory Stormcloak Guard they rarely voice this. Riften's private army was folded into the Stormcloaks and sent to the southern border, ready to attack the Falkreathean Hegemony at a moment's notice.
THE FALKREATHEAN HEGEMONY
Ruler: King Siddgeir Kaarstag I. Age: 22.
Heirs: None.
Spouse: Varona, daughter of the Count of Bravil. Age: 17.
Ruling Family: Clan Kaarstag
Historical Allies: None
Historical Enemies: None
Current Allies: Haafingar, The Nordic Reach, Hjaalmarch
At War With: The Eastern Marches, The Pale, The Rift
Imperial Ties: Tense
No existing Jarldom has profited more from the outbreak of war than Falkreath. Once a tiny city-state, its territories are now vast and hold all of the Jerall border, reaching from Lake Honrich to the eastern Reach. It's all been undertaken by the ambitious Siddgeir, who tossed aside the old Jarldom and named himself a King.
Due to a wealth of resources now available and the monopoly on trade to Cyrodiil, the large state is quite wealthy. While their army isn't massive it's well-trained, armed, and resourced. They'll hold the newly won land from the Rift without issue.
It's quick growth and the declaration of King Siddgeir has caused the Empire to become wary towards its Northern neighbor. Should the new land declare independence in the vein of Whiterun, the Empire could do very little to stop it.
JARLDOM OF HJAALMARCH
Ruler: Jarlessa Idgrod Ravencrone XIII. Age 53.
Heirs: Idgrod(F), 22. Joric(M), 16.
Spouse: Aslfur, town commoner
Ruling Family: Clan Ravencrone
Historical Allies: Haafingar
Historical Enemies: None
Current Allies: Haafingar, The Nordic Reach, Falkreathean Hegemony
At War With: The Eastern Marches, The Rift, The Pale
Imperial Ties: Weak.
Hjaalmarch is the oddball Jarldom in Skyrim. Their society is matriarchal, and the title of Jarl is always given to the eldest daughter and not the son. Due to that breach in normality, the Ravencrones tend to stay in town.
Idgrod XIII threw in her lot against the Stormcloaks due to Hjaalmarch's historical isolationism. The hold has very little to offer in terms of resources and Morthal holds a meager 15,000 citizens and not many soldiers.
JARLDOM OF THE PALE
Ruler: Jarl Skald Whitemane V. Age 72.
Heirs: Throthgar(M), 41. Kodlak(M), 53 (disowned).
Spouse: Gravia, deceased.
Ruling Family: Clan Whitemane
The Pale is a backwards nation governed by a backwards man. Skald V is near senile, and his only legitimate heir, Throthgar, is nearly as addled. The people of Dawnstar claim that the divines damned them to insanity as pay for banishing the true heir - Kodlak - years ago. The disgraced son became the Harbinger of the Companions, and the Pale has only declined.
Their army is puny, and all of their important land is in the Falrand Valley far to the south, which more or less operates independently. This Jarldom is pretty irrelevant at the moment.
Winterhold is still technically one of Skyrim's Jarldoms, but they've lost nearly all of their territories to Ulfric's advances and the encroaching Whiteshore Pirates. The pirates aren't crazy, however - the College of Winterhold still stands, and it's still full of very capable mages ready to melt faces.
The pirates are quite well organized, and they run a sort of skewed democracy among their ranks. They can't truly be counted as a nation of any sort but they are a formidable naval force to the north.
So yeah. In review, Skyrim's more like a collection of petty kingdoms under the general banner of the Empire and High King rather than the strange sort of half-monarchy we see in the game. Also, I tried to make Ulfric less like Hitler and a bit more like Bismark; my goal was to make his cause actually mean something to me, since the one in-game is laughably shallow and dumb.
The yellow territory on the map is the half of the Reach that the Empire confiscated. It was LEGALLY set aside for displaced Reachmen, but the Forsworn really weren't accepting that. So Whiterun, Haafingar, and Hjaalmarch have "legally" occupied Reachman's Plateau.
The scale that I used is the same one from Daggerfall, which was fairly realistic. The area of the place is around 124,300 square miles, or about the size of modern-day Poland.
The money system will be as the same in the Savior of Nirn: 5 Septims to a Pelagius, 20 Septims to a Martin, 50 Septims to a Uriel, 100 Septims to a Mede.
I think that's all I've got to say. So, we shall begin.