User blog comment:CzechMate/My Views on the Civil War/@comment-17114085-20140329190953

I'd like to point out a few things.

1) The Thalmor have not only been arresting but also kidnapping and torturing Nords in Skyrim. Though some can argue that the Empire doesn't consent to this I will simply point out there is a clear example where the Empire authorized the kidnapping of a Nord citizen of the Empire just because he was suspected of being a Stormcloak even though he had nothing to do with them.(Eorlund Gray-Mane's son)

2) Prejudice against Khajiit is a universal Nord thing, not really a Ulfric thing or a Stormcloak thing. It can be argued what level of prejudice he has against the Dunmer and the Argonians. All he does to the Dunmer was ignore them most of the time, since they just keep bothering him to renovate the Gray Quarter even though he has no obligation to since it is private property no public. He did however make a decree that forbade the Argonians from living in the city, though the motive for this is unknown. Some have argued that it was for their own protection (Brunwulf) others state it was to actually give them a place to live since some claim they were homeless before being given the Argonian Assemblage. Ulfric has not shown any prejudice against Altmer, Imperial and the other races. Which is strange since those two races are the main races of this enemies.

3) The Empire, at the time of Skyrim (4E 201), only consists of Cyrodiil, High Rock and Skyrim(half of Skyrim technically). Morrowind left soon after the Oblivion Crisis and the Red Year. Hammerfell left after the Great War. Though you are right it is crumbling.

4) If the Empire does go to war with the Dominion you can bet that the Nords will be right at their side helping to crush some Thalmor skulls. Even if the Stormcloaks win the Nords will still help out even though they might not like the Empire anymore. It ultimately comes down to "The enemy of my enemy is my friend.".

5) The Empire did betray Talos. Talos is the patron god of the Empire. He, Tiber Septim, was the one thar created the Third Empire. To forsake Talos is to forsake the very soul of the Empire.

6) The Empire that we know from all the Elder Scrolls games is the Third Empire. The Third Empire was created by Tiber Septim on the late 2nd Era. When he conquered all of Tamriel it started the 3rd Era. The previous Empires, the Second of Reman Cyrodiil and the First of Alessia, did not conquer all of Tamriel. The Second Empire was close, they only needed Morrowind left, but it fell before it could conquer all of Tamriel. So what I am trying to say is that the Empire has only been around since the late years of the 2nd Era, the other Empires had nothing to do with the current Empire, the Third Empire.