How to convince eastmarch?

[Voidlizard]

It doesn't give me the option only giving me the dialogue choice to join the stormcloaks, which I don't want.

 

[twolargepepperoni]

Vanilla dialogue overrides mod-added dialogue - so the very first conversation you have with Ulfric needs to be ran through in order to access that dialogue option. However, you don't need to join either of the Civil War factions to proceed.

I assume you mean the very first dialogue with him at least, where he asks who you are etc? If you've done this already and the dialogue option still is not showing, please provide a screenshot.

 

[Voidlizard]

Vanilla dialogue overrides mod-added dialogue - so the very first conversation you have with Ulfric needs to be ran through in order to access that dialogue option. However, you don't need to join either of the Civil War factions to proceed.

I assume you mean the very first dialogue with him at least, where he asks who you are etc? If you've done this already and the dialogue option still is not showing, please provide a screenshot.

It is the first dialogue with him but my option says I am here to figure the empire, does that lock me into the stormcloak path?

 

[twolargepepperoni]

It is the first dialogue with him but my option says I am here to figure the empire, does that lock me into the stormcloak path?

I believe the only surefire way to lock yourself into joining them is if you give Ulfric the Jagged Crown. If he gives you any miscellaneous quests, you should be able to just ignore them.

 

[Voidlizard]

I believe the only surefire way to lock yourself into joining them is if you give Ulfric the Jagged Crown. If he gives you any miscellaneous quests, you should be able to just ignore them.

Seems to have worked and it doesn't seem he even gave any quests