Skyrim:General Tullius

General Tullius is an Imperial General of the Legion. Originally from  , he was appointed Military Governor of Skyrim and tasked with crushing the Stormcloak Rebellion. Tullius firmly believes that Ulfric Stormcloak and his rebellion are a threat to the   which has to be eradicated, and that Ulfric is nothing more than a power-hungry usurper. Among supporters of the Empire, Tullius is commonly regarded as their best hope for victory. A very taciturn and serious man, he initially holds little interest in Nordic culture, viewing it as nonsense, but eventually he learns to respect it. Tullius also despises the Thalmor, and believes the Stormcloak Rebellion is a mere interlude in the Empire's real conflict with the  , even going so far as to remark that they almost make him want to throw in with the Stormcloaks. He believes the entire rebellion can be blamed on the Thalmor, who stirred it up to force the Empire to waste precious resources and soldiers. 

The General is first encountered during Alduin's attack on Helgen. He then relocates to Castle Dour in  . Depending on your actions, he may also appear at Windhelm (on one occasion) or he may be killed.

Tullius wears a unique armor piece: General Tullius' Armor, along with Imperial light boots and light bracers. He defends himself with an Imperial sword and bow, supplemented by twenty steel arrows. He also carries a belted tunic.

While he is planning in Castle Dour, you can speak to him on a variety of topics. You can ask him what it will take to end the war, whereupon he will state in characteristically blunt fashion: ''"Ulfric Stormcloak's head rolling away from his lifeless body." If you ask him what the Imperial Legion is doing in Skyrim, he will respond: "The Legion's always been here. Without us to keep order, the provinces would fall into barbarism and lawlessness. Especially Skyrim. Take for example, Ulfric Stormcloak and his little "rebellion". But rest assured, his days are numbered." You can also inquire whether he has always lived in Skyrim, to which he will reply: "I'm originally from Cyrodiil, sent here at the request of the Emperor himself. I'm often ordered to places with problems that need fixing. Now, while I'm certain this is all terribly interesting to you, I have important matters to attend."

 
Related Quests
Imperial Legion Quests












Other Quests






Quest-Related Events
Unbound
thumb|right|"But a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne."''
At the start of the game, you will be a prisoner of the Empire traveling in a carriage to the executioner's block in Helgen along with Lokir, Ralof, and Ulfric. When Tullius is informed that the carriage is entering Helgen, he will simply say: ''"Good. Let's get this over with." After you have arrived in Helgen, General Tullius will approach Ulfric Stormcloak before the executions begin:

Tullius: "Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." 
Ulfric: "(muffled grunts)" 
Tullius: "You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace."

During the executions, when a strange noise is first heard in the distance, he will ignore it and order his men to continue with the executions: "It's nothing. Carry on."'' When he first sees Alduin, Tullius' attitude will be much different than earlier and he will exclaim: "What in Oblivion is that?"

When Alduin lands, he screams: ''"Don't just stand there! Kill that thing!", "Guards, get the townspeople to safety!" and "Someone get the battlemages out here. Now!"

When you and Hadvar meet up with General Tullius, he will provide Hadvar with the order to retreat: "Hadvar! Into the keep, soldier, we're leaving!" Afterwards, if you choose to linger beside him, he will yell: "Run, you idiot!", "Thought I told you to run for it! Go!", "Soldiers, townspeople, and dregs into the keep!", "Everyone to the keep!", "To the keep! Move!", or "What? Do you want to be that thing's next meal? Into the keep, already!"

Diplomatic Immunity
He will only be at the Thalmor Embassy during this quest if you have finished the quest Message for Whiterun, and there is not a civil war attack going on. When met at the party, if you are in the Imperial Legion he may greet you by saying: "I wasn't expecting to see you here! I assume you have your reasons. Everyone does." or "Look around the room and you'll see what we're up against. Just between you and me, a lot of what Ulfric says about the Empire is true." or "I swear Elenwen holds these parties just to make the Empire look bad. Almost makes me want to join the Stormcloaks." or "The only reason I'm here is because my refusal to attend would cause a diplomatic incident." If you are a member of the Stormcloaks, Tullius may greet you by saying: "I need another drink." or "I don't remember seeing you at one of these before." or "Do I know you? I didn't think so."

In conversation, you can tell Tullius that it must be awkward for him, and he will reply by saying: "That's putting it mildly. The Thalmor invited me here to remind everyone that they can tell the Empire what to do. I would refuse, but I don't want to jeopardize the peace between us." You can ask him what he knows of the host, and Tullius will say: "Elenwen is a formidable woman. She lacks for neither cunning nor ambition. Now that I think of it, she would have made a fine Imperial general."

Joining the Legion
When you first enter Castle Dour you will find General Tullius and his second in command, Legate Rikke, deeply focused on the strategy battle map laid on the table in front of them, obviously worried about Ulfric Stormcloak and, in particular, the city of Whiterun and its stubborn jarl, Balgruuf the Greater. 

thumb|right|Rikke and Tullius
Rikke: "I'm telling you, Ulfric's planning an attack on Whiterun." 
Tullius: "He'd be insane to try. He doesn't have the men." 
Rikke: "That's not what my scouts report, sir. Every day more join his cause. Riften, Dawnstar, and Winterhold support him." 
Tullius: "It's not a cause. It's a rebellion." 
Rikke: "Call it whatever you like, General. The man's going to try to take Whiterun." 
Tullius: "Jarl Balgruuf..." 
Rikke: "Balgruuf refuses the Legion's right to garrison troops in his city. On the other hand, he also refuses to acknowledge Ulfric's claim." 
Tullius: "Well, if he wants to stand outside the protection of the Empire, fine. Let Ulfric pillage his city." 
Rikke: "General." 
Tullius: "You people and your damn Jarls." 
Rikke: "Sir? You can't force a Nord to accept help he hasn't asked for." 
Tullius: "If Ulfric's making a move for Whiterun, then we need to be there to stop him. Draft another letter with the usual platitudes, but this time share some of your intelligence regarding Ulfric's plans. Embellish if you have to. We'll let it seem like it's his idea." 
Rikke: "Yes, sir." 
Tullius: "You Nords and your bloody sense of honor." 
Rikke: "Sir."

When you first speak to Tullius, he will say: "Are my men now giving free   to anyone who wanders into the castle? Do you have some reason to be here, citizen?"
You can tell him that you have already met, in which case he will say: "Have we? Oh. Of course. You were at Helgen! One of the prisoners, if I recall correctly." You can also choose to simply tell him that you were at Helgen, in which case he will say "Right... Helgen.. One of the prisoners, if I recall correctly." 
If you exit the conversation at this point, when you resume it, he will say: "There something I can do for you? Perhaps direct you to the nearest prison..." 
You can tell him that you helped Hadvar escape, and that he will vouch for you, and he will exclaim: "Hadvar's alive? I hope that's true. He's a damn good soldier. But he hasn't reported in yet, so he can't exactly confirm your story. In the meantime, why don't you have a chat with Legate Rikke. I suspect we might have use for someone resourceful like you. Not many survived Helgen. Besides, I'm sure your being imprisoned was all a terrible misunderstanding." You can also point out that you could have gone anywhere, but came here to fight for the Empire (in spite of your attempted execution). Tullius will concede the point, saying: "I suppose that's true. Fine. Why don't you have a chat with Legate Rikke. I suspect we might have use for someone resourceful like you. Not many survived Helgen. Besides, I'm sure your being imprisoned was all a terrible misunderstanding." 
Speaking with him again will cause him to say: "Speak with Legate Rikke. She will determine if you are Legion material."
If you attempt to speak with him again after receiving your orders from Rikke, he will refuse to talk, saying: "I believe the Legate gave you an order. I expect you to follow it. Dismissed."

After you return from the task Rikke sets you, he can be heard arguing with her:

Tullius: "Tell me again, why I'm wasting men chasing after a fairy tale." 
Rikke: "If Ulfric gets his hand on that crown, it won't be a fairy tale. It'll be a problem." 
Tullius: "Don't you Nords put any stock in your own traditions? I thought the Moot chose the king. We're backing Elisif. When the Moot meets, they'll do the sensible thing." 
Rikke: "Not everyone's agreed to the Moot. You've been here long enough to know that Nords aren't always sensible. We follow our hearts." 
Tullius: "So what - Ulfric gets this crown and then suddenly he's High King?" 
Rikke: "No, it's not as simple as that, but the Jagged Crown would be a potent symbol for his cause to rally around. But, if we found it first..." 
Tullius: "And we gave it to Elisif?" 
Rikke: "In the absence of the Moot, it would further legitimize her claim." 
Tullius: "Perhaps... I'm entrusting you with what resources I can spare. But I'm warning you, if this turns out to be a waste of time and men..." 
Rikke: "It won't be a waste." 
Tullius: "Make sure you take the Auxiliary here. You can send him/her back when you get there and find nothing but old bones and cobwebs." 
Rikke: "The Stonefist's no fool. He's found the Crown. But we'll get to it first." 
 
 
50px|left
Reunification of Skyrim is an umbrella quest for several smaller quests, all leading towards total imperial domination of Skyrim. General Tullius will hand you the objectives while Legate Rikke will provide the quests. The order, or even the existence, of the seven possible quests can change depending on your choices during Season Unending. See this table for details. 

Regain the Pale
When you first return from the battle at Whiterun, General Tullius will promote you, saying: "By defeating Ulfric at Whiterun we have solidified the allegiance of the Jarl. Perhaps the Stormcloaks will soon lose heart for this little rebellion of theirs once and for all." He will then give you a leveled enchanted sword and say: "I'm promoting you to Quaestor. Take this blade, a symbol of your new station and responsibility. I'll keep an eye on your progress. The Empire rewards excellence, and so do I."
You can then request new orders, and he will tell you: "You'd be wasted as a regular soldier. I have special plans for you. You'll be of greater use to me with greater flexibility." He will then direct you to the next hold to be conquered: the Pale. "Make your way to our hidden military camp in the Pale. Rikke will have important tasks for you, and will need you when we reclaim the capital."
 
Regain the Rift
Upon your triumphant return from the battle for Fort Dunstad, Tullius will promote you to Praefect and give you a leveled shield (despite his dialogue) as a symbol of your new rank.
"Taking the Pale gives us another port in Dawnstar, and puts us within striking distance of Windhelm. That should make Ulfric a bit more cautious, eh? Battles are won by trained and disciplined men. Wars are won by talented and exceptional individuals. I'm raising you to Praefect. Take this blade, as a gift and symbol of your new rank. You've earned it."
When you ask for new orders, he will tell you that the Rift is next: "Make your way to our camp in the Rift. We have a few surprises for the Stormcloaks lined up."

Regain
When you return from the battle for Fort Greenwall, Tullius will tell you: "Taking control of the Rift was a great victory. Ulfric must be rather nervous with us so close to his  . You've come a long way. I don't think we could do without you. I'm hereby raising you to Tribune."
Asking for new orders will result in your next objective: "You're needed in Winterhold. Report to our hidden camp there."

Regain the Reach
This quest only occurs if you gave the Reach to the Stormcloaks during "Season Unending". Tullius will commend and promote you for your previous victory, and then tell you: "Hurry over to our military camp tucked away in the Reach. Ulfric's been enjoying those silver mines for far too long. And, soldier. You better help win me back Markarth, or die trying. It was your brilliant strategy to give it over to the rebels in the first place." 

Regain Eastmarch
When you return from the rescue from Fort Kastav, Tullius will congratulate you, and promote you to the highest rank you can reach in the Legion, Legate. "Now that we have Winterhold, I can garrison some troops there until I'm ready to march on Windhelm. I have come to rely heavily upon you. It is only fitting that you join the upper echelon. I am hereby elevating you to the rank of Legate. On behalf of the Empire, and myself, please accept this gift along with your new rank. Congratulations.''" He will then give you a piece of leveled armor. When you ask him what's next, he will tell you: ''"You've little time to glory in your accomplishments. We're gathering for our final assault on Windhelm. Report to our camp in Eastmarch."

Standard Dialogue
Tullius may use these lines anytime he assigns you a new Hold to conquer:

When you are ordered to report to a military camp, you can ask Tullius to be more specific about what you will be doing, and he will say: "You'll be doing whatever Rikke tells you to do.   I expect you to find creative ways to disrupt the Stormcloaks along the way."

He will dismiss you with one of these three lines:

"Gods be with you."

"For the Emperor!"

"For the Empire!"

 

Battle for Windhelm
When you arrive at Windhelm to help finish off Ulfric and his rebellion, you will find General Tullius giving an inspiring speech to the troops: "All right. It's time to deliver the final blow to the Stormcloak rebellion. You have all fought bravely, and sacrificed much to bring us to this point. Ulfric thinks he can hide behind the walls of his castle. But we will fight our way in and drag him out through the rubble to face justice. Because this is the end for them, the Stormcloaks will fight like cornered rats. They will be fierce and crafty. But they are no match for Legionnaires. You are the best and the brightest warriors in Tamriel. Professional soldiers, fearless and devastating. The Emperor will be paying close attention to what happens here today. Men who distinguish themselves will be well rewarded. Ready now! Everyone, with me! For the Empire! For the Legion!"
Once you make it to the Palace of the Kings, Tullius, Rikke, Galmar, and Ulfric will have a final confrontation:

Tullius: "Secure the door." 
Rikke: "Already done, sir." 
Tullius: "Ulfric Stormcloak! You are guilty of insurrection, murder of Imperial citizens, the assassination of King Torygg, and high treason against the Empire. It's over." 
Galmar: "Not while I'm still breathing, it's not." 
Rikke: "Step aside Galmar. We're here to accept Ulfric's surrender." 
Ulfric: "I'll never surrender Skyrim into the hands of a corrupt and dying Empire."	 
Rikke: "Skyrim doesn't belong to you, Ulfric." 
Ulfric: "No... But I belong to her." 
Tullius: "Enough! You are traitors and will die traitors' deaths. Stand down and face public execution, or advance and face summary execution by my hands. It matters little to me. Either way I'll be sending your heads back to Cyrodiil." 
Galmar: "Well? What are we waiting for?" 

All four of them will then draw their weapons and engage in combat, with Tullius and Rikke going after Ulfric while Galmar goes after you. When Galmar is dead and Ulfric is kneeling on the floor, Tullius will sheathe his sword and once again show how little he knows about Nord traditions:

Tullius: "Well Ulfric, you can't escape from me this time. Any last requests before I send you to... to wherever you people go when you die." 
Rikke: "Sovngarde... sir." 
Tullius: "Right. Well?" 
Ulfric: "Let the Dragonborn be the one to do it. It'll make for a better song." 
Tullius: "Song or not, I just want it done."'' 

Tullius will then hand you a leveled, enchanted sword, and ask if you want to be the one to kill Ulfric. If you refuse, Tullius will do it, but you will still get to keep the sword. When Ulfric meets his demise by either you or Tullius, Tullius and Rikke will discuss Windhelm's immediate future:

Rikke: "Talos be with you..." 
Tullius: "What was that, Legate?" 
Rikke: "Nothing. Just saying goodbye." 
Tullius: ''"Well, the men will be expecting some kind of speech. And we'll need to hand the city over to that Free-Winter fellow." 
Rikke: "Brunwulf. Yes, I've sent men to protect him and bring him here. Windhelm will need a government quickly if we are to prevent more violence." 
Tullius: "The Legion will be staying here for quite some time. I don't expect there to be any further violence."

They will then leave the Palace of the Kings and Tullius will give another speech thanking the soldiers for their service:

Rikke: "Attention! General Tullius has an announcement!" 
Tullius: "The rebellion is over. Ulfric Stormcloak is dead. His head will be sent to Cyrodiil where it will adorn a spike on the walls of the Imperial City. Let this day be a final warning to all who would still call themselves Stormcloaks. We are turning the city over to Brunwulf Free-Winter, an honorable and faithful man. Many of you will be staying in Windhelm to aid the Jarl in restoring order and stamping out any embers of rebellion that may still smolder here. In appreciation for your exemplary service, I am doubling your pay and compensation to the widows of your fallen comrades. I am proud of all of you. All hail the Emperor. All hail his Legionnaires!" 
(quietly):"I hate giving speeches." 
Rikke: "It wasn't so bad." 
Tullius: "I hope we haven't just created a martyr." 
Rikke: "There's bound to be resistance. There are many Stormcloak camps tucked away in the hills. They'll no doubt strike whenever and wherever they can. But without Ulfric to inflame their passions, they'll settle down and return to their homes eventually." 
Tullius: "I pray you're right, Legate. In the meantime, we'll continue to root them out and put them to the sword."

After the war is over, you can ask Tullius whether there is anything more that you can do for the Legion, and he will tell you: "Ulfric is dead and his army destroyed. There's not much more I could ask of you. The gods, however, I suspect, may have plans for you elsewhere. That said, Stormcloak true believers are still operating out of hidden military camps in the hills. If you encounter any on   travels, kill them. With luck, they'll soon lose heart and return to their homes and families. If not, we'll be forced to put them all to the sword." If you ask him whether he will return to Cyrodiil now that the rebellion has been put down, he will say: "No, I suspect Skyrim to be my home for many years. Can't say I'll ever get used to the damn cold, or understand these Nords... but I've come to respect them. The harshness of Skyrim has a way of carving a man down to his true self." Finally, you can ask if there will be peace now that Ulfric is dead, and he will reply: "The fiercest of the remaining rebels will continue to harass us, but by and large, the people here desire peace. What I'm not so sure about is the peace we've made with the Thalmor. But we'll keep that between the two of us, alright?"

Battle for Solitude
If you side with the Stormcloak rebellion, you will have no choice but to participate in the Battle for Solitude alongside Ulfric Stormcloak and his second-in-command, Galmar Stone-Fist. After a long and exhausting battle in the streets of Solitude, you will finally reach Castle Dour where you will find General Tullius seated on a chair in disbelief, while Rikke will stand up, prepared to fight. After a heated discussion between Ulfric, Galmar, and Rikke, both Rikke and Tullius will engage in combat. Once Rikke is killed, Tullius will surrender himself:
thumb|right|"This is it for you. Any last words before I send you to Oblivion?"

Ulfric: "This is it for you. Any last words before I send you to Oblivion?" 
Tullius: "You realize this is exactly what they wanted." 
Galmar: "What who wanted?" 
Tullius: "The Thalmor. They stirred up trouble here. Forced us to divert needed resources and throw away good soldiers quelling this rebellion." 
Ulfric: "It's a little more than a rebellion, don't you think?" 
Galmar: "Heh." 
Tullius: "We aren't the bad guys you know." 
Ulfric: "Maybe not, but you certainly aren't the good guys." 
Tullius: "Perhaps you're right. But then what does that make you?" 
Ulfric: "You just said it yourself." 
Galmar: "It makes us right." 
Tullius: "And if I surrender?" 
Ulfric: "The Empire I remember never surrendered." 	
Galmar: "That Empire is dead. And so are you." 
Tullius: "So be it." 
Galmar: "Just kill him and let's be done with it already." 
Ulfric: "Come, Galmar. Where's your sense of the dramatic moment?" 
Galmar: "By the gods! If it's a good ending to some damn story you're after - perhaps the Dragonborn should be the one to do it." 
Ulfric: "Good point."

At this point, you can either choose to kill General Tullius yourself, or allow Ulfric to do so instead.
Either way, it is the end of both Tullius and of Imperial rule in Skyrim.

Combat Dialogue


Notes
He is voiced by Michael Hogan.
The version of General Tullius that is used in The Battle for Windhelm is actually a different NPC (baseid  ), and does not carry a bow or arrows.
For the quest Missing In Action, he has some unused dialogue regarding Thorald Gray-Mane's release from Northwatch Keep. You could tell Tullius you need a prisoner released from Northwatch Keep. If you are a legate of the Imperial Legion, Tullius would have said: ''"The Thalmor? Do you have any idea what you're asking? I can only imagine the headaches this is going to cause... Here, take this. Assuming they even honor it, you should be able to get your prisoner out." Tullius would have then given you an Imperial order to show to the Northwatch Guard at the keep.
General Tullius also appears in the Heroes of Skyrim card expansion for Legends''.
During the quest Unbound, General Tullius appears to have a conversation with Elenwen when he enters Helgen, but they do not actually speak. Unused voice lines exist in the English version of Skyrim, but only for Elenwen. Tullius' dialogue can be found in the German version of Skyrim. Found below is an approximation of how the scene would've played out in-game. The subtitles don't actually exist in the game files, so they were made from scratch and, as such, might not appear punctuated 100% like the developers had envisioned.
:Elenwen: ''"General Tullius, stop! By the authority of the Thalmor, I'm taking custody of these prisoners."
:General Tullius: "Ambassador Elenwen. I guessed that you wouldn't want to miss an execution."'
:General Tullius: ''"Do you know my guest, Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm, once a candidate to Skyrim's throne, traitor of the Empire?"
:General Tullius: "If you want Ulfric alive, you'll have to take him by force!"
:Elenwen: "You're making a terrible mistake..."
:General Tullius: "I will put an end to this rebellion here and now, rightfully in my position as Legion General."
:Elenwen: "Your Emperor will hear of this. By the terms of the White-Gold Concordat, I operate with full Imperial authority!"
:General Tullius: "All right, let's go."''