In Skyrim, the Empire is severely on the decline - an empty shell of it's former greatness - by the important question remains; When did this great Empire first start to slip down the slippery steep slope of decline? You decide, it will be interesting to see the result of the poll, and comments that you put below.

King.

The Simulacrum was the start of it. Jagar Tharn (the Usurper) had control of the Empire for a decade, and instigated conflict accross Tamriel for an unknown reason (though he was connected to Mehrunes Dagon in some fashion.) Most of these were old, deep-seated grudges between provinces (i.e. "Hey, Black Marsh... doesn't it make you angry that Morrowind has neither apologized for slavery, not stopped the practice? You should do something about that!")

With a continent-spanning Empire being purposefully run into the ground for a decade... well, it should tell volumes of how effective Uriel Septum was as Emperor that he managed to keep the whole thing together until he died in the Oblivion Crisis.

While it's true that had the Oblivion Crisis not occured, the Empire as we know it would not have fallen, the reasons for the fall in the first place were instigated during the Simulacrum. Hell, in Morrowind there's talk of pulling the Legions out of Morrowind due to ongoing problems back in the Imperial City- one issue was that a riot was forcefully put down after claims that Uriel's heirs were impostors planted by Jagar Tharn. While unlikely, the effects of the Simulacron were still being felt thirty years later.

Judging from the condition of the infrastructure in Oblivion, it was declining long before any of the above choices. The Imperial Forts are crumbling away, and the highways are overrun with bandits and dangerous wildlife. And if we look at the cities, we'll notice that their walls are more recently constructed, meaning that the local counts have retreated from the countryside and walled their cities.

I think the Empire started it's decline right about 3E38 when Tiber Septim died. When Pelagius Septim was assassinated three years later, it only demonstrated how in just a short period, the Empire had become filled with cracks. From there it began a slow, but gradual decent.

Good point

I forgot about that

An Era with a potential for distater only 38 years after it's start

I can't add much that hasn't already been said. All we know is that the Empire needs some proper steering in order to stop it from being destroyed. We need it to last atleast until the Destruction of the Aldmeri Dominion, that's a fact.


What would everyone on here do, how would you stop and reverse the decline the Empire is in?

I think the bigger question, more important than the Empire's point of decline, is what would it take for the Empire to rise again, be free of AD control, and unite Tamriel again under a banner of pride and freedom, rather than fear and tyranny?

That's a hard one... Settle a peace with Skyrim... combine forces and resources....hire Orcish and Redguard mercenaries... Lay siege to the Dominion!

(Gain Orcish forces by offically making Orsinium a province)

Destruction of the Dominion and another Emperor like Tiber Septim

And then the question arises...Who needs an Empire at all? Why should it exist?

And... Does it really still exist, or has it already fallen, and the various citizens now struggling to hold civilization together?

Do we need it to exist - Yes, for at the moment, a transition would shatter the provinces. A smooth transition of de-imperialisation (E.G - Like The British Empire) would be the only way for a smooth disbandion of Empire.

Does it still exist? Only time will tell, in retrospect.

Well, look at the situation, since the Oblivion Crisis. Skyrim in civil war, Black Marsh invades Morrowind, Hammerfell on its own against the "Dominion."

It doesn't seem to me that there's much of an "Empire" there at all.

You have a very good point. Uriel Septim VII would be turning in his grave

In looking at it that way, no, we don't seem very much like an 'empire'. We look more like warring provinces setting themselves up for one faction to gain ultimate control through conquest or political maneuvering....

The Simulacrum, Nerevarine Prophecy, Oblivion Crisis, and the Great War were all huge problems for the Empire, though the Nerevarine worked out okay for the most part. The Warp in the West was arguably a good thing, though. The whole region seems much more stable after the Warp than before it.

"Many Fall, One Remains"

We cannot allow that 'One' to be the Thalmor.

Yeah, good point. Good ole' Multiple Endings

Evil has a way of turning on itself eventually. The Thalmor have shown their claws, and in the process, their weaknesses. Even the smallest hammer can drive a nail with enough force behind it. Too many races wont stand for the tyranny of the AD and the Thalmor jack boots. I put my money on three above all, the Nords, the Orcs, and the Argonians. If they could ally together like what happened with the Ebonheart Pact, the AD wouldn't stand a chance.

If all able-bodied Orcs were conscripted to a war effort, I would put aside my passive lifestyle and do my duty for my race

They have to be willing to take up the axe and fight though, or we're just trading one form of tyranny for another. I wont pretend to be an expert on the Code of Malacath, but most Orcs I've dealt with are honor driven. We have to appeal to this way of thinking. Demonstrate how the AD is without honor, weak, and over all bad for the Strongholds, and Tamriel as whole. They'd fight then.

Use the concept of honour, AND make Orsinium a province as the icing on the cake

Send word back to Atmora and bring massive reinforcements. Or is Atmora lost to Tamriel citizens, atm? Problem is Atmora would still be the invading army. AFAIK, Tamriel was originally elven homeland. Hopefully the rest of the elves could overthrow the Thalmor and have someone like the Snow Prince rule over them instead, or someone more peaceable. Then again if the Thalmor really wanted to stir the pot, they could attempt an invasion of Atmora if they indeed know where it is.


I for one like how Bethesda took a different spin on Elves and made them the less popular race in a Token-esk universe. As a more Nord type person, I think Elves are overrated (my opinion), but the honourable Nord in me would also have to say, isn't mankind from Atmora the original aggressors here?

The Nords haven't been the kindest to the Orcs in the past though. I wouldn't be surprised if Orcs try to stay out of it, unless the Thalmor were threatening them directly.


How exactly did the Orcs lose Orsinium to begin with? Then again, Orcs are making a comeback since Daggerfall in part because of their support and truce with the Empire.

Hammerfell and High Rock sacked it, The Imperial Legion stationed there helped the refugees escape to Skyrim.

The orcs are of value to the legions

Our crafts and our soliders are legendary

King

Atmora is a dead block of ice since at least 1E 68,that when the last two ships full of corpses arived.

"The last invasion – if that is the word for two ships, largely laden with corpses, begging to make port – occurred in the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:First_Era#1E_68. The descriptions of the land these raiders had left changes radically over the years, leaving many to believe that it was gradually dying, smothered by frost. Expeditions to Atmora in modern times describe a place of permanent winter, with little life and no sign of human habitation. Whatever population did not succeed in fleeing to Tamriel doubtless succumbed to the ever-worsening climate many centuries ago."

Notice that, while Akatosh's intervention prevented the second part of the prophecy the first part is unfolding just as expected, the only way to bring Empire to it's former glory is to restore dragon blood (Dovakhiin) to it's rightful place as Emperor.