Ulfric Stormcloak

**Ulfric Stormcloak**, known by some as the **Bear of Markarth**, is the Jarl of Windhelm and leader of the Stormcloak rebellion. Ulfric supports Skyrim's independence from the Empire, which he believes has been corrupted by the Aldmeri Dominion and too weak to protect its citizens. Some describe Ulfric as a hero, while others label him an opportunist.

A veteran of the Great War, Ulfric's holds deep resentment of the White-Gold Concordat between the Empire and Aldmeri Dominion, particularly the ban of Talos worship. During the Markarth Incident, Ulfric marched soldiers into Markarth under the pretext that this action would re-legitimize Talos worship, but was eventually detained.

He is first seen bound and gagged, accompanying the Dragonborn and a few other prisoners of war while traveling to Helgen for their execution.

## Background

*"I fight for the men I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil! I fight for their wives and children, whose names I heard whispered in their last breath. I fight for we few who did come home, only to find our country full of strangers wearing familiar faces. I fight for my people impoverished to pay the debts of an Empire too weak to rule them, yet brands them criminals for wanting to rule themselves! I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing! I fight... because I must."*
―Ulfric Stormcloak[src]
### Early life

As a boy, Ulfric was chosen by the Greybeards to study with them at High Hrothgar. He trained with them for almost ten years and developed his skills in the Way of the Voice. He was to become a Greybeard himself, but his life took a different path when the Great War began in 4E 171.[2] Ulfric felt compelled to help the war effort and left High Hrothgar to join the Imperial Legion,[6] much to the disdain of Arngeir, who believed that the Way of the Voice should only be used for the worship of Kynareth.[2]

### The Great War

During the Great War, he fought alongside Galmar Stone-Fist and Legate Rikke;[7] however, he was captured by the Aldmeri Dominion during the Dominion's campaign for the Imperial City.[6]

While imprisoned, he was interrogated by Elenwen for information, under which they learned of his potential value (being the son of the Jarl of Windhelm), and considered him an asset to their influence in Skyrim. He was made to believe information obtained during his interrogation was crucial in the capture of the Imperial City in Cyrodiil, even though it had fallen before any information could be gained.[6] The *Thalmor Dossier* on Ulfric says he was then allowed to escape; whether he escaped on his own and the Thalmor were unable to apprehend him or if he was intentionally set free is not known.

### The Markarth Incident

In 4E 175, the Great War ended with the Empire signing the White-Gold Concordat, an act which banned the worship of Talos in the Empire.[8] During the war, the Nords lost possession of the Reach due to an uprising by a group of Bretons known as Reachmen.[1]

Igmund, son of the previous Jarl of the Reach, stated his family and their Imperial colleagues[9] sought help from Ulfric in ousting the Reachmen invaders. Igmund's father, Hrolfdir, promised Ulfric that if he re-took the Reach, then Hrolfdir as Jarl would allow free worship of Talos. Ulfric agreed and marched his militia to the gates of Markarth and retook the city, supposedly using the power of his Thu'um.[1]

The leader of the Reachmen, Madanach, was captured but was spared by prominent Markarth citizen Thonar Silver-Blood, as he was deemed more valuable alive than dead.[10] The surviving Reachmen fled to the hills of the Reach and became known as the Forsworn. As a result of the battle, later known as the Markarth Incident, Ulfric stationed a Nordic militia in the area to aid in keeping the Forsworn that had retreated from retaking Markarth. Hrolfdir initially kept his promise to Ulfric and allowed free worship of Talos for a time.[1]

When the Imperial Legion arrived to restore the rule of law, Ulfric allegedly refused them entry into the city until they also agreed free worship of Talos would be allowed. With chaos supposedly running through the streets of Markarth and the reports of deaths rising every day, the Empire had no choice but to grant Ulfric and his men their worship, thus jeopardizing the peace agreement with the Aldmeri Dominion.[1] Igmund however, implies that the Empire simply hoped that the Dominion wouldn't find out about the free Talos worship, and when they eventually did, scapegoated Ulfric and his militia in order to avoid incrimination and prevent a war.[11]

Eventually, the Empire rescinded the agreement due to pressure from the Aldmeri Dominion, and Ulfric and his militia were expelled from the city and imprisoned shortly after with Hrolfdir's help. This betrayal left Ulfric bitter towards the Empire and is considered to be the initial conception of the Stormcloak rebellion.[1][9]

### Jarl of Windhelm

His father Hoag,[12] the Jarl of Windhelm, usually referred simply as "The Bear of Eastmarch," died during his incarceration. Ulfric, his only son, was forced to deliver his eulogy via a letter that he had smuggled out of prison. Leaving prison, Ulfric returned to Windhelm to find the city in mourning. The citizens were said to have been calling out for justice and war against the Aldmeri Dominion. Naturally, they sat Ulfric on the throne and he became Jarl.[2]

After the death of High King Istlod, the Moot convened to elect a new king. During this Moot, Ulfric continually spoke about Skyrim's independence in terms just shy of treason. Eventually, the Moot had elected Istlod's son, Torygg, as the new High King of Skyrim.[13]

### High King Torygg

In 4E 201, after years of brewing resentment for what he and his followers considered the Empire's betrayal of Skyrim, Ulfric challenged High King Torygg to a duel. Ulfric maintains it was to show how weak Skyrim had become under Imperial rule. He also claims that it was a challenge of rule in the "Old Nord Way" and that Torygg accepted the challenge.[2] Others in Skyrim, such as General Tullius, denounced the act as murder and an attempt to usurp the throne.[14]

After Torygg's death, Ulfric fled back to Windhelm. Some time after this event, the Imperial Legion managed to ambush Ulfric at Darkwater Crossing in order to capture him. The ambush was successful and Ulfric surrendered himself without a fight.[15]

## Policies and beliefs

Much of Stormcloak doctrine stems from Ulfric's views that Skyrim should secede from what he considers a corrupt crumbling Empire; one that already is defeated by the Thalmor. After witnessing the deaths of an untold number of Nords who sacrificed themselves during The Great War, Ulfric considered the White-Gold Concordat treaty between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion to be a complete betrayal of the Empire's citizens.

Ulfric also seeks to become the next High King, as he believes there has not been a "true" High King in Skyrim for generations, and that previous kings were puppets that were hand-picked by the Emperor. Some Nords feel that his opposition to the White-Gold Concordat and the banning of Talos worship in Skyrim is simply a facade for him to gain more supporters to gain his true goal of becoming High King of Skyrim. Asking Ulfric how he became Jarl of Eastmarch, however, will reveal that he is very dedicated in following the ways of traditional Nord beliefs. He says that the throne he sits on is Ysgramor's and his father's, rather than his, and that he only hopes he can do both of them proud.

Furthermore, Ulfric's dialogue with Galmar Stone-Fist reveals that he does not relish the lives that will be lost in his rebellion and is considerate of the Nord families who will lose loved ones in his civil war. Even so, Ulfric feels he must see his quest for Skyrim's independence to its final conclusion as he sees the Empire as an inept parasite that continues to bleed Skyrim dry to recoup their losses from the Great War that they chose to surrender in. He also sees the Empire as an obstacle which is preventing his people from ridding his homeland of Thalmor influence. In addition to his qualms about how the Empire's politics are affecting his homeland, he also resents the Empire for what he sees as unjustly criminalizing the Nord people for desiring to rule themselves and disregarding the sacrifices of all the soldiers who fought in the Great War by appeasing the oppressive demands of the Aldmeri Dominion.

With several of his policies being nationalistic in tone, many non-Nord and some Nords consider Ulfric to be prejudiced. He is believed by some to have sequestered the Dunmer population in Windhelm to the slums of the Gray Quarter and the Argonians to the assemblage off the docks, issuing a decree forbidding the Argonians from living within the city's walls, contrary to his father Hoag's more "soft" policy, however this hostile belief toward outsiders is shared by much of Windhelm's populace. Dialogue with Niranye—an Altmer who lives within the city—actually suggests that it is the Dunmer who chose to live in the Gray Quarter due to being "too proud and naive to understand the way things truly are." Similar comments are made by Belyn Hlaalu, a Dunmer who owns property in Windhelm.

Pleas from Dunmer citizens often fall on deaf ears, leading them to believe he has nothing but disdain for them. Some even claim Ulfric refuses to send aid to the Khajiit caravans and non-Nord towns that have been raided by bandits. Dialogue shared between Ulfric and his steward Jorleif indicate, however, that he does not attend to the issues in his city because he is too preoccupied with the Stormcloak Rebellion and the greater issues of Skyrim to worry about them, saying it is the guards' jobs to deal with such issues. He also allows non-Nords to live peacefully in Windhelm and own businesses, including Altmer and Imperials. He also allows a Dunmer, Belyn Hlaalu, to own a successful farm in the outskirts of the city, and employ an elderly Nord woman.
Ulfric admits to having fallen from the Greybeards' strict teachings about using the Way of the Voice for anything other than the worship of Kynareth, however he still believes that his Thu'um should not be used lightly and rarely uses his training. He also still refers to Arngeir as "Master Arngeir," despite not training with them for a number of years

## Interactions

### Execution at Helgen

*"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. You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace."*
―General Tullius[src]
At Helgen, Ulfric is among the prisoners awaiting execution along with the Dragonborn. He can be identified easily by the cloth he is gagged with, preventing him from using the Thu'um to escape his captors. He is scheduled to be executed when a dragon, later revealed to be Alduin the World Eater, attacks the town. Ulfric escapes his execution and survives the dragon attack with the help of his men, and returns to Windhelm to resume his office of Jarl. When the Dragonborn meets him again, they discover that he and his Stormcloaks plot to gain control over all of Skyrim, an act opposed by the Imperial Legion.

### Stormcloak Rebellion

*"So it begins."*
―Ulfric Stormcloak[src]
If choosing to aid Ulfric in the Stormcloak resistance, the Dragonborn is sent to Korvanjund to retrieve the Jagged Crown. Ulfric's second-in-command, Galmar Stone-Fist, believes the relic will secure his claim to the throne. Retrieving it, he sends the Dragonborn to the neutral city of Whiterun to deliver his axe, a symbol of challenge, to Balgruuf the Greater, the Jarl. Balgruuf, reluctantly refusing to side with the Stormcloaks, returns the weapon to Ulfric. Not long after, Ulfric sends the Dragonborn to help his Stormcloaks assault Whiterun; when the city is conquered, he secures Stormcloak control by stationing Vignar Gray-Mane as the Jarl there. To expand the amount of Stormcloak-controlled territory in Skyrim, Ulfric sends the Dragonborn to the various other Imperial-controlled Holds to free them in preparation for the assault on Solitude.

### Thane of Eastmarch

Upon completing a personal task for Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, the Dragonborn is offered a place in his court as Thane of Eastmarch. However, a Thane needs to be known by the Jarl's subjects and therefore the Dragonborn must complete a series of tasks for the people of Eastmarch. To become Thane, the Dragonborn must purchase Hjerim, a previously condemned estate in Windhelm, and have completed "Blood on the Ice."