Ok, Bethesda wanted to have a spell that reduced your shout recharge time. I get it.

But, it doesn't make any sense from a LORE perspective. Every divine altar offers a clear, material benefit if you pray there. As I http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1448833-why-dont-the-thalmor-recognize-talos/, this is one of the reasons why, the TES unvierse, there is no dispute as to whether the Gods actually exist.

However, with Talos, it doesn't make any sense. The Fortify Shout ability is something that is only beneficial to the dragonborn. What happens if someone else prays there? Do they only get their diseases cured and nothing else? And, is wearing an AMULET of Talos, if you're not dragonborn, entirely pointless?

If that's the case, what's the point of other NPCs worshipping him? Recall that my http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1454968-why-did-sithis-force-cicero-to-be-keeper/ that people in the TES unvierse choose to worship various gods because they are offered straightforward benefits for doing so.

Talos is supposed to be the God of War, right? Wouldn't a more sensible benfit, in that case, be a temporary boost in weapon and/or armor skills? Fortify Light and Heavy Armor 10% each; fortify one- and two-handed 10% each. No need to fortify block, since Stendarr already does that.

Or, perhaps, a flat +50 bonus to armor rating, stacking with the Lord Stone.

Ya know, that kind of stuff that ANYBODY could make use of, not just the dragonborn, in order to entice people into worshipping him.

IIRC, Tiber Septim was also a dragonborn.

• No. The Way of the Voice is available to most, if not all (it requires decades of training, though).
• What I just typed answered that question, but in addition I know that one of the Greybeards wears an Amulet of Talos (Master Borri, I think).

• I like the idea of that actually. Perhaps there should be more bonuses. But you forget, gods give to mortals as they please, there is nothing (that I know of) that says that Talos should not give other mortals different bonuses.

Maybe the Dragonborn is the only one that gets the fortify shout effect from wearing the Talos amulet? It may have a different effect on other people. I always thought the amulets were more a declaration of faith, like wearing a crucifix or star of David in our world. That's why so many Stormcloaks wear them when they are obviously not using the Thu'um.

Because gameplay.

Lore-wise, I agree with the posts above, Talos could give different blessings to different people. It is supported by previous games: in Oblivion blessings boosted attributes which are gone now, so the effects were changed too. Most are similar, but there are certain differences like Zenithar (Luck -> better prices) or Talos (Strength -> shout cooldown reduction). While we're at it, I think the power granted in Morrowind with the Lucky Coin counts as a kind of blessing too. And that was Fortify Luck, normally Zenithar's domain.