Haven't you people listened to the Imperials when they talk? I was just quoting them, Lol.

its because the empire is no longer its self, banning talos is like banning the empire, the people who truly care for the empire would appose the new way.

that said the balence is the fact storm cloak leaders are also [censored] and will c it all burn if nesseresary.

Hammerfall is doing a good job fighting the Thalmor all on its own. And they have no choice but to do so, because the Empire abandoned them.

The choices aren't to "Get rid of the Empire" or "Get rid of the Thalmor." The choice is to fight the Thalmor or not.

From torturers, executions, arrogant officers, the cluelessness of general Torvell about Nord culture, the oafs in the battleborn family, the banning of Talos....

They make it really hard to like the Empire

Alfrek killed the high king. Pick your choice. Would you go with someone who tried to killed you or your president? That's basically what it is

Cheers

I imagine the Empire will toss the Thalmor eventually. Ironically, and on another subject, Ulfric starts the war based on Talos, when in reality, leaving the Empire is more of a slap to the face to Tiber Septim than not worshiping him.

True colors? Because they don't want to lay down and give up important areas, while wanting more land from the deal? The imperials are the same way in that situation.



What exactly is thickheaded about him?



The empire is a puppet, too weak to fight them off so they submit to exist. The Thalmor are running the show.
They have purges and take anyone they want to for "questioning", many never return.
The nords fought and died for the emperor, and for what? So they can have the way of life changed? To throw away the hero Talos?
The empire was so weak that the reserve army of the Dominion steam rolled them, while the redguards held them at bay, refused to give up and kept fighting for years after the treaty. All on their own, while the mighty empire toppled like a house of cards.
The empire has been in decline for far longer than 200 years.


The Thalmor already took over, they run the show and the empire has to like it, the empire is bleeding men when it could have just let Skyrim go and made a treaty with them, and have secreat dealing with Hammerfell.



This.

All the thalmor i have came across seem to be dragging people out of skyrim to interrogate them for worshipping talos.

The imperials try to execute you, true.

But after you escape it's an imperial who leads you to saftey and the stormcloaks who are attacking you.

If you follow ralof, imperials attack you instead.

Seems like nobody noticed the Thalmor at the carriage to Helgen giving direct orders to Tullius.

OK I HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS, IT'S CALLED A WORK OF EXCELLENT WRITING!

http://www.gamearena.com.au/news/read.php/5107506

Read this article, it explains why the game is so well written and why the bad guy is not so obvious and makes you THINK.

I know sme people like a black and white world, but skyrim is complex and layered, thats what makes it so compelling.

I suppose I'm just a bit biased. I love the Empire and all it stands for. After fighting for it in Oblivion, I can't stand being against it with those bloody Stormcloaks and that power hungry murderer Ulfric. I enjoy wearing his clothes around, for what it's worth.

It can be the other way around depending who you choose to escape with

The Thalmor have a treaty with the Empire, albiet a one in their favor due to the Empire suing for peace first to spare their people more bloodshed. They do not control the Empire. Most Imperials are certain that the war will begin again against the Thalmor, its only a matter of time. The Thalmor and the Empire are still enemies.

Lol i always thought stormcloaks were evil tbh. murdering a king? that is really nice. haha Ulfric wasnt made to look good and niether were the Empire

The "just as bad" counterpart is arriving in Windhelm eager to join the cause, only to realize the Stormcloaks could give lessons to High Elves about the art of being xenophobic bigoted jerks. Then you do a 180° turn and go back to Solitude join the Imperials, who you've had time to find out are actually the nice, composed, open minded, tolerant, peace and order promoting faction.

I actually think the entire game leans very much towards the Imperials, atleast in my perception. It also doesn't seem to make sense to join the Stormcloaks if you're not playing a Nord, since most if not all of them are racist bastards.
Since the Nords are only 1 out of 10 races, I'd say having one out of only 2 factions be completely biased towards them seems a bit rediculous even if they are the indigenous people

I actually feel I have to make my next character a Nord just so he/she can join the Stormcloaks

They are in control, like it or not. The influence is everywhere.


You mean like when the empire kicked out Hammerfell, and they went on to fight the Thalmor to a stand still over years all by them little self's?



Correct, the empire is literally dead.
Talos founded the empire, and now they lay down and give up after getting steam rolled by the backup army, while the Redguards fight off the main army, with greater success.


I agree, you either fight the Thalmor, or you join them.
The empire would have been much better off to have underhanded deals with Hammerfall (Hammerfell? I forget sorry) and let Skyrim loose and form a treaty.
Instead they bleed men and supply's infighting.
They let don't even contact the Black marsh who basically told the Thalmor to kiss it, after they figured out what was going on.



The empire makes it hard to like the empire. They laid down and died, and then took a binding peace with them, abandoned the Redguards, and made the nords angry.



He killed the king to prove a point, and he did not shout him to death, even the widow lies about it along with her entire court, who happen to be in bed with the empire.
If anyone knew the truth it would have been the people in the high court who where there, they lied while Ulfric tells you the truth.
They are making a outrageous claim to deface the SC rebels, and lie to people.



The old empire is all but dead, the current empire is a shadow of its self, with leaders who are compliant with the elves want.
The have little to no power, be it standing army or political, they abandoned the redguards, and made the last powerfully province they had angry.

To help the Thalmor cause you need to not get involved in the civil war. As some of the documents you can find state, they benefit most from the war continuing.

Of course, not every khajiit may want that, my spellsword for example is born and raised in Cyrodiil, apart from apperance as imperial as they get :hehe: And the "nearly getting executed" part was a misunderstanding due to getting caught with the rebels, [censored] tends to happen in wars :shrug:

This all reminds me of The Pitt DLC for Fallout 3.

The problems is the imperials are general jerks and almost chop your head off because you were there and it would be a bother to fill out the paperwork it would take NOT to chop your head off after they went through the trouble it took to gather you.

On the other end the storm cloaks start off sounding like nice people but turn out to be a bunch of racist nord supremacists.

and why don't we want the elves to just take over and kill both groups?

Well, leaving it certainly isn't going to help its strength, now is it? We must fight for the Empire! bliviongate:

The Empire has ceded MUCH of its sovereignty to the Dominion. Do they directly control the Empire in its entirety? No. But you have Thalmor Justicars running around giving orders to some of the Legion, arresting Imperial citizens... Imperials I don't think are even allowed in the Dominion, much less allowed to arrest people or have any authority.



Not worshipping a god is a bigger slap in "His" face than destroying an Empire "His" heirs no longer control? They may claim to be the legitimate successors to Tiber's empire, but it's not.

Furthermore, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. There are similarities between Ulfric and guys like Hitler or Guevara, yes, but there are also similarities with George Washington...

Hammerfell only beat the Aldmeri back because of the Empire's help. The Imperial Army left behind an enormous amount of "invalids" to assist Hammerfell in recovering their territory. The Aldmeri also removed forces from Hammerfell to converge on the Imperial City, creating a great opportunity for the allied Imperial-Redguard forces. That's how they drove them back, they didn't do it alone as many insinuate.