I've recently heard about them and have no clue

They're the political/ideological organization that ruled the Aldmeri Dominion (Summerset and Valenwood) before Tiber integrated those lands into the Empire, and do so again after the decline of the Empire in the Fourth Era.
They represent the extremes of Aldmer beliefs, in that they're strongly opposed to Men and man's endeavors and want to return the world to the state of the Merethic Era. They think that creation is like a sort of prison, and that mortals are a step down from what they used to be.

http://www.imperial-library.info/content/pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-aldmeri-dominion is a description of the Dominion from the beginning of Tiber's reign, and you might search the Imperial Library for more info.

To relate to Skyrim, they're going to welcome Alduin's return, as they see him as Aruiel, their hero, savior, and liberator.

Oh thats interesting thanks guys so I guess there's a chance they will be semi-antagonistic in skyrim. They seem similar to Mankar Cameron and his ideologies.

That's really all that needs to be said.

So basically their the Sixth House Cult/Mythic Dawn of Skyrim?

nah theyre based out of summerset...but they have their ties.

Their the ruling government currently in the summerset isles. They have terrorist cells attempting to undermine the Empire outside of their territory. Also, we can't be certain the Thalmor will actually show up in Skyrim, even though they wouldn't oppose Tamriel going the way of a pound of bacon.

Well, I meant that they're basically the antagonist faction of SR. But I see what your saying

I think we're more likely to hear of the Thalmor through rumor in Skyrim.

E.g. - 'I hear the Thalmor have welcomed the dragon's in the land of the Altmer and Bosmer'

Something like that.

I hope for more direct involvement; I've frankly had enough of Oblivion's annoying and shallow rumor system.

There are certainly better ways of incorporating the Thalmor, and they're a thematically important enough element that they deserve inclusion in my opinion.

Er, okay lets involve them ? How ? They are a government from another province ? It doesn't matter how they're ideologies coincide with whats happening, it doesn't make them thematically important to Sykrim.

I honestly want to know the 'better ways of incorporating' them are. You want a diplomat to come to the leaders of the civil war and/or the PC and greybeards and say 'hey you know the whole business about Nirn being eaten and all that, you wouldn't mind letting that happen would you ?'

(Very weak premise to follow:) Short of 'Thalmor Assassin's' acting like Talon company Mercs or Regulators from Fallout 3, I don't see how you could include them.

not a weak premise at all, just cause theyre from another province doesnt mean they dont have agents working to accomplish their goals. and when an entire government wants the world to get eaten, and youre job as dragonborn is to stop that from happening, that seems pretty relevant.

Considering that the Thalmor wishes to fully remove Men and Men's God Lorkhan/Talos from history/creation, and considering that Skyrim is the ancestral home of Men, where they descended from Snow Throat, it actually makes very little sense for the Thalmor to not have agents in Skyrim. Ensuring Men never come down from High Hrothgar again in the next kalpa would be a top priority.

Id have disagree on that. They may be crazy extremnests but that don't mean they can be everywhere at once and meddle in every ones buisness. If this was a game bout summerset yeah, but given its about skyrim there's no reason for them to be there. Looks to me like the dominion would have more important things to do, like get rid of the central manish empire, that of Cyrodill.

Plus, less they have some corny mythic guy to forsee he dragon born, I don't see how their gonna know they even exist

Of COURSE they have reason to be there. Whether they will be or not is yet to be seen, but they definitely have reason and their inclusion would be clearly justified.

I think the Thalmor would drop everything they had at hands to stop the Dragonborn to do what he is doing, if they could or if they knew. Seriously, if Alduin (Auriel) succeds their job is done and they will become the higher beings they were before... Or thats what they think. But if he fails they will have to wait for thousands and thousands of years before, if ever, Alduin returns. But propably they wont get it...

Then ill just I hope their notincluded at all, honestly, the Thalmor are the ruling body of l the Aldmeri Dominion, id prefer they be kept that wy and not devolved into a mythic dawn wannabee doomsayers.

@Haresus, you think the Thalmor would drop everything to come after the dragonborn ? With the armies Of the Mede empire on their borders (not to mention if they 'dropped everything, they technically wouldn't be in power anymore and a more liberal government would take their place) ? I honestly can't believe what I'm hearing on this thread, I don't know whether to lol, or pick my jaw up off the floor.

same here.

All I'm saying is that they are very thematically relevant, and some involvement (in whatever way) could be justified.

And all I'm saying is that beyond a few very lame and thin plot devices like "Thalmor Assassins" as random encounters no involvement could really be justified without, say an all out invasion by sea to take advantage of the civil war, which is a poor idea in itself.

No. We don't know nearly enough about the world situation in the time of Skyrim to say what is or isn't possible.

What's more, inclusion doesn't have to be as dramatic or direct as you're suggesting.

Then what are you suggesting ?

The way (it appears) to be set up just doesn't make the Thalmors involvment logical. And from what we've read (the books) we know quite a bit about the world.

We know Cyrodill is under the Mede Empire, we know Morrowind is devistated, we know that the Aldmeri Dominion is recreated and under the Thalmor and we know that the Aldmeri Dominion and the Mede Empire don't get along.

I believe I've seen comments about assasination attempts and terror cells put in place by the Dominion to destabilize the Medes, so we know already that the Thalmor have their hands full trying to undermine the new central Empire of Man. I find it hard to justify involving them at all other than veild rumors and such. Giving them a presense in the new game just wouldn't be good, its about Aludin eating the world and out pc.going to stop him in the backdrop of a divided Skyrim ready to go to war with each other.

I'm very interested though in hearing your ideas though, but so far I'm inclined to side with Ryan on this one. So far I've not read anything that would justify theie involvment that doesn't make them into a Mythic Dawn copy. And that would blow.