The Thalmor and Empire both openly admit the concordat was just a stalling measure until the next war. The stormcloaks are fools who buy into passion over long term objectives and the eventually defeat of the Thalmor for nothing more then pride and belief. The empire is the only thing stopping the Thalmor from ruling Tamriel. Weakening it by losing Skyrim only helps the Thalmor. The Thalmor even admit Ulfric is an asset to them, as you can read in the Thalmor Embassy.

The Empire are thalmor puppets you say? That's propaganda that applies to the average nord to help Ulfric in his quest for power. If you haven't, you need to learn of the Markarth Incident. Ulfric is openly racist, condemns the dunmer to the gray quarter, and doesn't even let argonians live in the city. Nords even tell he goes too far. He only helps Nords.

The concordat is just a stalling measure, this is openly admitted. The fools who compromise the strength of the empire, support the Thalmor.

All hail the Empire!

Indeed
I'm quite puzzled that so much people don't realise this.

Yup. That's why I slaughter all Stormcloak soldiers (though not the peaceful sympathizers... I'm not a complete monster).

My first playthrough of the game I felt obligated to help the Empire considering past ES games they had been the good guys throughout.
I have to admit though the Thalmor are very annoying and having to be on sociable terms with them during the civil war quest line was agitating. lol
Considering I usually kill any Thalmor I see transferring people on the road.

But a coming war despite the concordat does loom eminent during the game it seems.

Legion can suk on my nutz.

When the stormcloak general asks me: "Why would an Elf want to help us?"

I answer: "Because I want a chance to kill Imperials."

Stormcloak General: "Well I can't blame you for that."

People wish to be in control of their own destiny, doesn't mean they'll be good at it. Assuming Ulfric knows another war is coming it would make sense to keep everyone else out of the important parts of what will be the Nord center of power. Maybe he's hoping to be neutral in the upcoming war rather than Imperial fodder. Maybe he just supported his friend and was thrust into a power he didn't want. Maybe he's just a one dimensional character in a story line that needed a bad guy without red skin.

Being an [censored] doesn't make him right or wrong on it's own.

As long as we all agree to kill the Thalmor transporting prisoners on the roads it's all good.

I only did it on my Nord for the achievements.

I liked the whole "free Skyrim" cause, but Ulfric is a jerk. You can tell he really does love Skyrim though.

You conveniently left out the part (In the very same dossier I might add) about the Thalmor not wanting Ulfric to win the war, in fact the Thalmor only want the war to go on, either side winning would hurt them in the end.

If the Empire wins, they'd be stronger, but still nowhere near ready to fight the Thalmor again.

If the Stormcloaks win, they would most likely attack the Thalmor as soon as possible, regardless of their chances, this would not help the Thalmor. Nords are without question great warriors and they have been shown to have a passion and drive that makes them welcome death (At the promise of Sovngarde) in battle. A warrior who does not fear death is someone you don't want to fight, an army of them is even worse. In addition, the Redguards, widely regarded as the best warriors in Tamriel are pretty pissed at the EMpire for throwing them to the dogs because they wouldn't just bow down and surrender to a group of genocidal fanatics. If a unified but free Skyrim decided to attack the Thalmor, I suspect the Redguards would do the same.

Now, two great warrior cultures are still facing pretty terrible odds sure, but the Thalmor would be greatly weakened by one, possibly two nations both with strong warrior cultures relentlessly attacking them.
If the Empire has a lick of sense, they will use this and resume fighting the Thalmor themselves. Even with great numbers, the Thalmor can not fight a war on three fronts effectively. Not to mention the resentment within the dominion itself from the families of everyone who was "purged" (ie murdered) by the Thalmor, which would likely spark resistance and sabotage withing the dominions territories.

Disregarding all of that, here's how I see it. The Empire let the Thalmor walk all over them, ban the worship of the god of man and legally murder anyone who refuses to comply. The Emperor is a coward, the Empire is a broken husk of it's former self and by allowing a group of religious fanatics to murder it's people it has betrayed everyone within it. That is not an empire I'm willing to support.

If anything, the rebellion in Skyrim should serve as a wake up call to the Empire, who has betrayed everything it stands for.

If the Empire is making worshipping Talos a crime then they truly are the puppets of the Thalmor and nothing more. A true Imperial would die before letting such a thing happen. No excuses.

The empire is crumbling. It is a shadow of its former glory, not worthy of being supported. Look at what the Redgards did, they fought the Thalmor to a stalemate, if the Empire had continued with the war, they could have won, instead, they wussed out.

ALmost every one in the Empire still supports Talos.


From Rikke, to Tullius to even Elisif.

And yet it is legal for Thalmor Justiciars to kill citizens of the Empire for Talos worship. Everything about the current Empire fills me with disgust. The Stormcloaks aren't perfect, not by a long shot, but they have a cause worth fighting for and they haven't turned their backs on their own people.

I agree, I try to wipe out the stormcloak camps, damnation to those invulnerable captains!

+1

I actually think that the Thalmor are OK with the Stormcloaks...


They both have a common enemy: The Empire.
United, they could win this war...
And the Thalmor could easily wipe out the Stormcloaks after that.

What's the evidence for Tullius? IIRC,

http://www.myfacewhen.com/267/

I fight the empire because I have self respect.

I strongly disagree, but this topic has been discussed to death and I just can't summon the enthusiasm to start it all over again.

On a somewhat related note, what evidence is there that Talos is even an Aedra? Was their any tangible communication from the Aedra that indicated this, or was it just a belief that sprung up?

This.

Let's be honest. Imperials are fools.

In Oblivion: Pray to Talos, receive blessing.

Surely he must exist unless one of the other Aedra has a sick sense of humor and gives everyone who prays to Talos a blessing too.

I'd say his altars granting blessings is a strong indicator.

I'm here to agree and disagree tbh.

Stormcloaks never did this to me.

1. Try to chop my head off.
2. Ban Talos.
3. Trying to rob me and when i say no....they try to kill me -.-
4. Trying to rob me again..
5. Third them they're trying to rob me!
6. I've had enough! No more robbing so i kill every emperium lapdog i can find -.-