Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-209.7.3.188-20160303204000/@comment-30338220-20161102004556

The Beautiful Princess Ashley wrote:

Blademaster Jauffre wrote:

Terawolf119 wrote: I by prefence belive what I do, and I believe that both sides will merge at the end at unite against the Thalmor I do not think that only one side will win against the Thalmor both sides will be needed to fight agaisnt the Thalmor, no matter how much you argue I know im right, I do not need to waste time on someone so blind about the truth, and the truth is that both sides will be needed, neither are better than the other, my case closed, I will always oppose the Thalmor in any shape, size, or form, peroid. The Empire won't back Skyrim because the Empire isn't ready for another war yet.

The Thalmor back the Stormcloaks, so no, you don't 'oppose the Thalmor'. In fact, an Imperial victory harms the Thalmor, a Stormcloak one doesn't, care to explain that? both victories harm the thalmor, the imperial victory was mentioned specifically as it's the only victory that would have been caused by the events at helgen. an imperial victory would probably harm them more than a stormcloak victory though. If the Empire Won: Before long, the Thalmor will come to Tullius and ask for Skyrim, and Tullius will be forced to oblige. The only thing that can keep those goddamn elves away are strong-willed nords with freedom to fight for, instead of dominion. Not some wimpy empire who bows at the whim of a bunch of arrogant elves. Thalmor: We are much better than you and we will take control over all your provinces now. Imperials: But of course, I'm sorry if I got in your way. I live only to serve you mighty elves.

At least the stormcloaks have something to fight for.

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Some Facts and Crap...
 * Adrianne Avennici, the blacksmith, says that the Stormcloaks refuse to buy from her because she's an Imperial. She says that if not for being marri​ ed to Ulferth, she'd have gone out of business.
 * Hulda, who runs the Bannered Mare, says that there's a fight almost every night amongst drunken Stormcloaks and that many of them don't pay for their drinks. I feel like Carlotta Venecia also complains of being harassed, but this might just be my memory combining her original favor with Hulda's complaints.
 * Olfrid Battle-Born says that his family has been harassed and threatened since the Stormcloaks took over. They try to report it and they get threatened more.
 * Heimskr's pretty jacked about the Stormcloaks winning at least. He's having a great time.
 * Also, if you go to the basemant of the Blue Palace and speak to Jarl Balgruuf, he'll mention that none of his three children have been seen since the siege.

Yeah and the Fan club is called "I hate the Dragonborn FC" with Balgruuf the Greater as president. They go to the Blue Palace? Wow, the deposed Jarls get crammed into Windhelm's little palace if the Imperials win. Nice digs. To me, it seemed like more people were unhappy that the Stormcloaks winning the war. I tried the Imperial storyline and nobody was really all that affected by the war. Except all of Talos' priests (but Heimskr for some reason) mysteriously vanished. What, you mean all those Talos Worshippers who will be messily and/or executed by Thalmor deathsquads suddenly 'disappeared'? Now theres a shocker. My money s on even distribution between quiet executons and desperate fleeing. I guess that's pretty much how it goes with civil war. Ether way about half the people are pissed. Yup. The game is designed so that there is no real 'right' answer, because it would be a pain in the behind for the Devs to sort of storywise later. They learned their lesson with Daggerfall. Either the Thalmor will be crushed in DLC or offscreen or we will fight them in the next game with only vague refrences to the events of Skyrim, of clever wording that leaves what happened unclear. Or the Thalmor win either way, but I don't see that happening. Talos and Snow Throat become more powerful, and this hurts the Dominion goal of Unmantling Mundus. An Imperial victory does not strengthen Talos, making the Dominion World Destroying plans much easier. The victory in Skyrim of an anti-Imperial force also gives a little thing called Hope to other anti-Dominion forces, and an Ally who is willing to fight the Dominion. Bingo was his name-o.

People put entirely too much trust in the Empire rebuilding and then kicking the Thalmor back to Summerset. It probobly stems from nostalga and the fact we effectively live in a global 'democratic' Empire in most of the West (and to many, it feels like it will and could never topple. History tells another story.). Its different in TES because it doesn't matter how much backing the Empire has if it doesn't have Talos, and more so that Snow Throat is weakened without him. Ysmir and his 500, and the armies of the faithful in general, are where the power is in TES. Also, whoever has the Hero?/Dovahkiin.

I'm still trying to fits Wulfs words in Morrowind into all this. 'Time for a change'. Perhaps the Thalmor are going to practically suceed, Talos feeling his time has passed, but it doesn't turn out how they expect. Or maybe the Mede Empire si the change he was talking about, but from Skyrim I don't see that as being the case, because if it was in any worse a state it would implode on itself - and just well might anyway after the events of the game.