I'm on my first playthrough with Skyrim, and I'm trying to RP a loyal Imperial Nord who still worships Talos. I figure this because the Empire is still the best chance against the Dominion, and therefore the best chance of maintaining Talos as a mythopoetic force. But the quest structure feels like going Imperial means going anti-Talos.

Is there any way to reconcile this sort of position?

Plenty of people in the Empire still worship Talos, there is no conflict.

Just remember that in your roleplay, it must remain a secret.

Join the Stormcloaks.The White-Gold Concordat already did too much damage. There already people who truly believe that Talos is no Divine.The longer the Empire waits to fight the Thalmor the more unlikely it becomes to return to the worship of Talos.

Ritual Disembowlment at the Talos Shrine in Windhelm upon completion of the Civil War Questline.

If you want the Empire's perspective, talk to Sybile Stentor, the court mage in Solitude. She gives a succinct explanation about why a loyal worshipper of Talos might serve the Empire. Additionally, it's believed by many that Ulfric is just using the Talos issue to further his own ambitions. Your character could find that offensive. I'm RPing my Imperial as a loyal believer in the Nine, but he fought for the Empire.

Finally, you could simply RP that your character was disgusted with Ulfric because of how he treats the Dunmer, the Argonians, and the children of his fallen soldiers. My Redguard was a Stormcloak sympathizer until he met little Sofie in Windhelm.

Eh? Not really, up until Ulfric started making noise the Talos ban went heavily unenforced in skyrim and as far as we know Cyrodiil and High Rock are still not enforcing it or really caring about it, just don't do it in public.

Hell, Whiterun is at the start of the game still part of the empire, it just hasn't given the empire full support, and there is a preacher talking about Talos worship. He doesn't get any heat from the local guard or anyone.

Also, remember that the Aldmeri did not ban Talos worship because they cared about who a bunch of hairy, belching, mead-swilling Nords worshipped. They did it to break up the Empire. An indepenmdent Skyrim serves Cyrodiil to them on a platter. And probably, in time, the rest of Tamriel.

All one year (or less) until the Thalmor intervened in Markarth.

Why are people who know better still using these arguments?

And if the imperials win, he talks about having to bribe the guards and is supposed to be imprisoned.

As to the OP, just embrace being a two-faced milk drinker.

They did it to weaken Talos. Weakening Talos serves their ends.

Makes sense. I'll speak to her, see what she has to say.

Which is made easier by the break-up of the Empire. If the Empire isn't there with its own laws, then the Dominion can enforce its own. The two go together in my eyes.

Wow! Didn't take long for this thread to get de-railed!

On topic: There's no reason why an Imperial can't worship talos.

Imperial law is enforcing the Talos ban.

Derailing is all well and good, so long as it's amusing.

In a related unrelated note, if the LDB is a Shezzarine (debatable, but bear with me), then your actions could be seen to be backing up Talos in an indirect manner.

Only because of the terms of the White-Gold Concordat. In the event of an Imperial victory over the Dominion, all its statutes will likely be overturned, if only because excessive patriotism would demand all things Thalmor be got rid of.

Although I'm really not sure that'll happen. Without the LDB to solidify whatever result s/he chooses (as happens with TES protagonists), the Dominion will probably overrun Skyrim and go even further into the removal of Talos from the Mythic. Which will lead to a countdown until the series gets a reboot next kalpa, or Landfall.

I think it all depends on the demeanor of the character you're trying to play; if they're hot-blooded and reactionary (hence susceptible to Stormcloak jingoism) I think they'd side with Ulfric, if they're a bit more reflective and logical they can weigh up the pros and cons of each side and really are free to choose either (the Empire has a point that it may be better able to fight the Dominion united, but the Stormcloaks obviously also have a point that by choosing to openly worship Talos they remain idealistically uncompromised). Your character's underlying personality and potential backstory really will determine what is more appropriate in these instances.