Skyrim’s famous city of Whiterun is home to two historic clans – the Gray-Manes and the Battle-Borns – locked in a feud relating to the Civil War.
Skyrim‘s famous Whiterun city is home to two clans with a long history of friendship and rivalry: the Gray-Manes and the Battle-Borns. The Gray-Manes and Battle-Borns have similar family ties and once shared the same values, but now the two clans couldn’t disagree more and have their hands tied to many of the biggest secrets in Skyrim’s city of Whiterun. And – depending on what Skyrim players agree with in the political world of Tamriel – it’ll influence their decision to side with one clan over the other.
Both the Gray-Manes and Battle-Borns are native Nords to Skyrim. The history books of Tamriel say they are descendants of the great warrior, Ysgramor, and his Five Hundred Companion army. It was because of their conquest during the Merethic Era that the Nords first stepped foot on Tamriel, which eventually gave birth to the Gray-Mane and Battle-Born clans. For a time, peace and friendship helped both sides of the family sustain a working relationship in Whiterun, but that would eventually change into a feud once civil war broke out in Skyrim. Said civil war came about following the White-Gold Concordat – the treaty that saw the Empire surrender to the Thalmor, who subsequently banned Talos worship throughout Skyrim.
Players can ideologically side with the Gray-Manes or the Battle-Borns depending on what side of the Skyrim civil war conflict they agree with – either the Stormcloaks or the Imperials. While both clans aren’t technically a part of either military group, each openly sides with a faction and specific members have enlisted in either army. The Gray-Manes support the Stormcloaks while the Battle-Borns’ allegiance lies with the Imperials, and both have their reasons for doing so.
The Gray-Manes Support The Stormcloaks In Skyrim
One of the major ongoing conflicts unfolding during the events of Skyrim is a civil war between the Stormcloaks and Imperials, and the Gray-Manes decided to side with the rebelling faction. The Stormcloak rebellion began after the Empire – at the behest of the conquering Thalmor – banned the worship of Talos, once considered a member of the Divines. The protagonist has the option to choose a side in Skyrim’s civil war, but the Gray-Manes remain loyal to Ulfric Stormcloak’s insurrectionists. Drawing on their ancient roots laid out by Ysgramor and the Five Hundred Companions, the Gray-Manes want to embody the warrior spirit and protect Skyrim and Whiterun from an outside entity they see as taking over. However, the Gray-Mane clan is not associated with the Stormcloaks militarily and only supports them in words, but there are instances in Skyrim when a family member, such as Thorald Gray-Mane, is known to be actively participating in the Stormcloak rebellion.
Another reason the Gray-Manes do not like the Battle-Borns is because of their wealthy status and belief that their wealth has come from supporting the Imperial Legion takeover. Family members in clan Gray-Mane live simple lives for the most part and stick to telling Nord stories at one of Skyrim‘s best inns, the Bannered Mare. There are also Gray-Manes in The Companions who use their ancient combat skills to protect other parts of Skyrim rather than joining in on the war or running businesses in Whiterun. The most famous, of course, is the famous Eorlund Gray-Mane, the best blacksmith in Skyrim, and arguably the most skilled to ever exist in Tamriel given his role with the Skyforge. Most of these attributes line up with the Stormcloak’s want for Skyrim, so it’s a no-brainer that the Gray-Manes would side with them in the civil war.
Skyrim’s Clan Battle-Born Still Believes In The Empire
Although sharing the same bloodline as the Gray-Manes, the Battle-Born clan could not be any more different from their cross-city rivals. And it was unfortunate too, because it was not always that way. However, the civil war in Skyrim saw the Battle-Borns take the side of the Imperial Legion. Unlike the Gray-Manes’ wish to rule Skyrim, they’ve tied themselves to Whiterun’s commander and military protection, obeying the laws set out by the Empire. For the Battle-Borns, it’s better to have predictable law and order rather than have constant tribal wars. Because of their connections to the Imperials in Whiterun – which is under the control of the Legion – the Battle-Born clan has more connections and the ability to run businesses. Although at times, some Battle-Borns feel forced to do what they’re told rather than being able to influence their own environment in Whiterun.
The Battle-Borns’ presence runs throughout Whiterun, with a humongous clan house that sits in the Wind District of the city. This clan house is a testament to just how much economic hold they have over the city. Family members like Bergritte and Alfhild Battle-Born own prominent businesses and land in Whiterun, including the massive farm located right outside the city walls. Clan Battle-Born’s connections are one of Skyrim’s weirdest puzzles to figure out, as their influence stretches far and wide. One of the main differences between the Battle-Borns and the Gray-Manes is also their will to fight. With a good proportion of Whiterun’s shops being owned by the Battle-Born, they’d rather stay away from a physical fight and run their businesses.
Both long-running clans in Whiterun have strong and weak attributes that make them who they are. Players will ultimately have to decide which clan they best match up with when choosing between the Stormcloaks or Imperials. Unfortunately, players can not join the Gray-Manes or the Battle-Borns like they can with the Stormcloak Rebellion or Imperial Legion while navigating. Skyrim‘s civil war. More than anything, it’s about reinforcing the fact that there is turmoil tearing certain parts of Skyrim’s population apart, even families who were once friendly with each other prior to the civil war outbreak. Nevertheless, if players wish to choose between the two clans – they should go with the one that best suits their play style or belief system within the game. Both clans have plenty of interesting aspects about them and make the world feel more absorbing. During free-roam, both Gray-Mane and Battle-Born NPCs will openly carry on dialogue conversations about the two clans’ long friendship and recent feud, although even settling the conflict will not be enough to resolve their differences.
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