background:
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. Ulfric felt compelled to help the war effort and left High Hrothgar to join the Imperial Legion, much to the disdain of Arngeir, who believed that the Way of the Voice should only be used for the worship of Kynareth.
The Great War
During the Great War he fought alongside Galmar Stone-Fist and Legate Rikke, however he was captured by the Dominion at some point before they took the Imperial City. While imprisoned, he was tortured by Elenwen for information, which he eventually gave up. Although he gave them this information after the Imperial City had been taken, the Dominion falsely led him to believe that the information was used in the sack of the White-Gold Tower in Cyrodiil. Ulfric was then allowed to escape prison and he returned to Skyrim. He was also a distinguished war hero during the battle for the Imperial City, but the details of this were never mentioned.
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. During the war the Nords lost possession of the Reach to uprising, by a group of Bretons known as Reachmen.
Igmund, son of the previous Jarl, took it upon himself to seek help from Ulfric in ousting the Reachmen invaders. He promised Ulfric that if he re-took the Reach, then Igmund 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.
The leader of the Reachmen, Madanach, was captured by Igmund but was spared by Thonar Silver-Blood, as he was more valuable alive than dead. 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. Igmund kept his promise to Ulfric and allowed free worship of Talos.
When the Imperial Legion arrived to restore the rule of law, Ulfric 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. Eventually, The Empire rescinded upon the agreement due to pressure from the Aldmeri Dominion, and Ulfric and his militia were expelled from the city and imprisoned shortly after. This betrayal left Ulfric bitter towards the Empire and is considered to be the initial conception of the Stormcloak rebellion.
Jarl of Windhelm
His father, the Jarl of Windhelm, known 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.
High King Torygg
In 4E 201, 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 formal duel in the "Old Nord Way" and that Torygg accepted the challenge. Others in Skyrim, such as General Tullius, denounced the act as murder and an attempt to usurp the throne. After Torygg's death, Ulfric fled to Windhelm. Some time after this event, the Imperial Legion managed to lure Ulfric into a trap at Darkwater Crossing in order to capture him. The trap worked and Ulfric surrendered himself without a fight. General Tullius ordered Ulfric to be sent to Cyrodiil to face trial, but there was a change of plan and instead it was decreed that Ulfric be publicly executed in Helgen, only to escape when Alduin emerged and burned the town to the ground.
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. Ulfric felt compelled to help the war effort and left High Hrothgar to join the Imperial Legion, much to the disdain of Arngeir, who believed that the Way of the Voice should only be used for the worship of Kynareth.
The Great War
During the Great War he fought alongside Galmar Stone-Fist and Legate Rikke, however he was captured by the Dominion at some point before they took the Imperial City. While imprisoned, he was tortured by Elenwen for information, which he eventually gave up. Although he gave them this information after the Imperial City had been taken, the Dominion falsely led him to believe that the information was used in the sack of the White-Gold Tower in Cyrodiil. Ulfric was then allowed to escape prison and he returned to Skyrim. He was also a distinguished war hero during the battle for the Imperial City, but the details of this were never mentioned.
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. During the war the Nords lost possession of the Reach to uprising, by a group of Bretons known as Reachmen.
Igmund, son of the previous Jarl, took it upon himself to seek help from Ulfric in ousting the Reachmen invaders. He promised Ulfric that if he re-took the Reach, then Igmund 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.
The leader of the Reachmen, Madanach, was captured by Igmund but was spared by Thonar Silver-Blood, as he was more valuable alive than dead. 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. Igmund kept his promise to Ulfric and allowed free worship of Talos.
When the Imperial Legion arrived to restore the rule of law, Ulfric 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. Eventually, The Empire rescinded upon the agreement due to pressure from the Aldmeri Dominion, and Ulfric and his militia were expelled from the city and imprisoned shortly after. This betrayal left Ulfric bitter towards the Empire and is considered to be the initial conception of the Stormcloak rebellion.
Jarl of Windhelm
His father, the Jarl of Windhelm, known 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.
High King Torygg
In 4E 201, 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 formal duel in the "Old Nord Way" and that Torygg accepted the challenge. Others in Skyrim, such as General Tullius, denounced the act as murder and an attempt to usurp the throne. After Torygg's death, Ulfric fled to Windhelm. Some time after this event, the Imperial Legion managed to lure Ulfric into a trap at Darkwater Crossing in order to capture him. The trap worked and Ulfric surrendered himself without a fight. General Tullius ordered Ulfric to be sent to Cyrodiil to face trial, but there was a change of plan and instead it was decreed that Ulfric be publicly executed in Helgen, only to escape when Alduin emerged and burned the town to the ground.
policies and beliefs:
Much of Stormcloak doctrine stems from Ulfric's views that Skyrim should secede from what he considers a crumbling Empire that has already submitted to the Thalmor. After witnessing the untold number of Nords who sacrificed themselves during The Great War, Ulfric considered the White-Gold Concordat to be a complete betrayal of the Empire's citizens. Ulfric also seeks to become the next High King, as he believes there hasn't been a "true" high king in Skyrim for generations, and that previous kings were puppets that were hand-picked by the Emperor. He is not an opportunist, but the chance at becoming High King certainly appeals to his substantial ego.
With several of his policies being nationalistic in tone, many non-Nord and some Nords consider Ulfric to be prejudicial. He sequestered the Dunmer population in Windhelm in the slums of the Gray Quarter and the Argonians to the assemblage off the docks, issuing a decree forbidding the Argonians from living withing the city's walls, although some Stormcloaks say that this was a measure to keep the Dunmer and Argonians from fighting each other. 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. However he lets non-Nords live peacefully in Windhelm and own businesses, including Altmer and Imperials. He also lets a Dunmer own a succesful farm in the outskirts of the city, and boss around 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.
With several of his policies being nationalistic in tone, many non-Nord and some Nords consider Ulfric to be prejudicial. He sequestered the Dunmer population in Windhelm in the slums of the Gray Quarter and the Argonians to the assemblage off the docks, issuing a decree forbidding the Argonians from living withing the city's walls, although some Stormcloaks say that this was a measure to keep the Dunmer and Argonians from fighting each other. 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. However he lets non-Nords live peacefully in Windhelm and own businesses, including Altmer and Imperials. He also lets a Dunmer own a succesful farm in the outskirts of the city, and boss around 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.