[Spoiler] How did you guys go about choosing between Skelden and Karga?

[NewbieOne]

I ended up being a bit torn. From what I'd hard inside the game, it seemed the Skeldens were engaged in fishy business and there was something fishy about their takeover. They also appeared to be ruthless and cruel, and that's usually associated with the party who's in the wrong.

On the other hand, I also heard the complaints about the lawlessness and disorder back when the Kargas ruled the land, so I definitely didn't expect the Kargas to be some sort of white knights and at once very competent rulers. I was reluctant to judge too quickly.

But I wanted to talk to the rebels first. They didn't let me in. I checked with the walkthrough, and it turned out you needed a reputation point and those were hard to get without entering the camp — you had to help the Kargas (Eras) get inside the city (too momentuous a decision to make on too little knowledge), kill Hagrast Wisp, i.e. a man who was already leaving for the South and was no longer a threat, or free the Skeldens' prisoners and thwart their attack at the same time.

I jumped the fence, but eventually decided to reload because it looked too gamey, as in a clear exploit because it happened in the guard's plain view with no reaction. So I decided to go the Excavations and learn more about the Skeldens before making any decision to actively help the rebels.

I decided to first help the Skeldens with ethically uncontroversial, neutral quests such as taking care of wolves and groms, but began to feel meh about associating myself too deeply with the Skeldens before either going to the Kargas and jumping the fence (even more unrealistic as a man with reputation among the Skeldens) or helping the Kargas from the outside.

In the end, I became curious about how other players approached this conflict and went about choosing sides.

[HiFive]

I just like to try everything on a game, so I've had different characters help different factions. Choices matter on this game for lots of the quests, but they don't matter by the time you get to the ending. You get a different choice there.

[NewbieOne]

Well… I'm done with this part of the game, it seems.

So how it went for me:

Initially, I was wary of the Skeldens but also distrustful of the Kargas. I had the urge to go work for the rebels even before talking to the Skeldens, but then I kept reminding myself that not all is gold that glitters, quite possibly not everything is at seems, there are always two or more sides to the story, and so on. So I went to the Excavations before going to the Karga Camp. I decided to go and see with my own eyes. I didn't mind helping them get rid of wolves and groms, though I was hesitant to commit more fully due to the likelihood of having to turn against them later. Still, I went and talked to quest givers and learned about the House's less than legal dealings and, although they were not given in to unnecessary cruelty, not much hesitation in using quite brutal and unherhanded methods to achieve their goals. Moon's quest had me working with Giriza to gain entrance into Gorellion, and during that quest I found out more about whatever the Skeldens were doing. Finch told me everything, too. I eventually had to recover Moon's cargo from a rebel depot and didn't want to kill the guard, so I helped the rebel scout gain entrance to Tharbakin, so the Kargas would let me into that depot. And I decided I might as well visit their camp. I found them… not exactly civilized in the 'southern' sense, but none of the corrupt Skelden-style stuff (initially, at least). So… I had my mind pretty much made, just without making final decisions yet.

Notably, I was a little hesitant because Conn Kranach seemed to be working with the dwarves, who seem to have invaded the northern border, even hanging humans upon meeting them. I really hoped that was not a diversion plotted with the Kargas, bringing an external enemy into the kingdom in order to regain their (unfairly) confiscated lordship. There was a possibility, but then only a possibility, whereas the Skeldens' corruption was evident.

The last problem was whether to turn the evidence from Moon's house to Ultar for a lawful resolution but leave Maria behind and Ebrat alive to prosecute the attack against the Karga Camp, or free Maria and be forced to kill Ebrat. So… I freed Maria but used a teleport stone to get out of there without meeting Ebrat. Maria was free, Marcas (the guard at the camp) was alive, that had to do.

Ironically, because of avoiding the Ebrat conversation I remained a 'legend' with the Skeldens. And I'd never raised my sword against them, mostly just collecting evidence against them, evidence of actual crimes, not just some dirt for blackmail.

What's bad is I lost the opportunity to gain a skill point for killing Ebrat. This makes me think that perhaps I could have avoided talking to the Karga leaders, allowing my character instead to work for the Skeldens until working for the Skeldens was no longer possible. Ultar wouldn't be able to blame you. I do wonder what Ultar says if you kill Ebrat without having Ultar's quest.

[mikk011]

Every time I deal with these factions I think: "Skelden on one side, Karga on the other, me in the middle... The old man's right; there's money to be made here."

[*Logan*]

I allowed Skelden House to take over the Kargas by doing that side quest where we have the wife hostage.
I decided to leave her in the cage which prevented her husband from sounding the alarm which allowed the skeldens to apparently destroy the karga camp and I was able to just walk into the camp and get the artifact.
As far as I know they were the rebels and I have never been a fan of letting rebels win.