Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-209.7.3.188-20160303204000/@comment-26893431-20161028191358

Sports72Xtrm wrote:

1. To say that the Empire did not "enforce the ban on Talos" because they didn't arrest people who got caught seems like a ridiculous notion to me. It's like saying the guards are emphatically encouraging me to murder and steal so long as I don't get caught. I doubt that is truly the case. The Empire shut down the public shrines, and locked up anyone who preached the religion of Talos like poor Heimskr. This is explicitly enforcing the ban, case closed. Furthermore, publishing The Talos Mistake is going beyond what is necessary to appease the elves. They signed the damn treaty, acting as the Domninion's mouthpiece is completely unnecessary- which further highlights either their weakness or their subservience.

2. Shifting the blame on Ulfric for the presence of the Thalmor in Skyrim is a complete misdirect of the Empire's role in allowing them to enforce the Talos ban. The Markath Incident is just a convenient excuse for the Dominion, but even if it had not occurred, they could have easily highlighted any public Talos worship that happened as an excuse to bring Thalmor to Skyrim. They could have used Heimskr or planted a Forsworn as their own agent posing as a public Talos preacher as an excuse to enforce the ban and the Empire would still appease them by letting them into Skyrim because they are weak; if they were too weak to deny the Thalmor after the Markath Incident, they would still be too weak to deny them at any time. Thus, the Empire is responsible for the Thalmor's presence in Skyrim.

3. We could play blame game but the real issue is who's solution is best for the next war with the Aldmeri Dominion. Currently, the Stormcloaks would drive out the Thalmor presence by force. The Imperials would continue to appease the elves and allow them to stay in Skyrim. Whether you support the Imperials to avenge a slight by the Storkcloaks or not, it's still making a choice to support Thalmor presence and influence in Skyrim by supporting the Empire against the Stormcloaks. Personally, I fail to see how that's a good thing. 1. The Empire doesn't enforce the ban because they don't arrest Talos worshippers for worshipping Talos. Heimskr being imprisoned because of Talos worship isn't proven, his calling to arms and disrupting the order would've caused it. Also, what about the Talos priests in Riften and Windhelm? They don't get arrested.

2. No they couldn't have. They need evidence, and Ulfric was that evidence. Ulfric was their agent and informed them, which is why they suddenly found out about it. They couldn't have used anything to gain entry, for they couldn't communicate with anybody inside of the Empire. Ulfric is responsible. Do you blame water for being on your carpet after your glass fell, or do you blame the kid who pushed over your glass?

3. An Imperial Victory harms the Thalmor. The Stormcloaks will be weak after the Civil War and attacking the Thalmor Embassy is a declaration of war, so the Dominion would invade and conqeur Skyrim, with nobody to stop them.