Skyrim - The Elder Scrolls V

[Double A]

So... why did the elves go homicidal crazy in the first place?

 

[DaemonDD]

Because they realized that they had enough power to attack the empire really. It was also because they hated the fact that a human was one of the divines, and they wanted to ban Talos worthshipping from the empire in order to reduce his state to that of an ancient hero instead.
It really wouldn't be so bad if they weren't set on killing everyone who disagreed though. It's mainly their attitudes towards anything but high elves that I really don't like. They even openly say it to you if you're asking for information or something.

 

[Maniacal]

And if the Stormcloaks succede in breaking Skyrim away from the Empire, it further weakens Tamriel's ability to stop a Thalmor invasion as Skyrim and the Empire wouldn't be working together very well if at all. Although unless they bring in DLC about that it won't affect your character in Skyrim.

 

[Love]

It's interesting in how they will deal with these choices in future games. Such as the civil war and

Spoiler :

destroy/not destroy dark brotherhood

 

[schlaufuchs]

So... why did the elves go homicidal crazy in the first place?

There are a number of reasons, really. Kraz is much better versed in it than I am, but one of the main reasons the Mer hate Talos/Tiber Septim so much is that the figure is associated with a character in Mer lore who is directly responsible for the Mer losing their true immortality

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

It's interesting in how they will deal with these choices in future games.

Well if the other games aren't set or partly set in Skyrim then it wouldn't matter much.

 

[uat2d]

And if the Stormcloaks succede in breaking Skyrim away from the Empire, it further weakens Tamriel's ability to stop a Thalmor invasion as Skyrim and the Empire wouldn't be working together very well if at all. Although unless they bring in DLC about that it won't affect your character in Skyrim.

What do you mean? The Empire will just continue to bow down to the Thalmor, even though everyone wants to continue fighting!

http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Hammerfell

4E 175 — Hammerfell leaves the Empire after rejecting the White-Gold Concordat.

Titus II renounces Hammerfell as a province of the Empire to preserve the treaty after the Redguards oppose ceding their lands. The Redguards see this as a betrayal, and a lasting bitterness between Hammerfell and the Empire is sown to the delight of the Thalmor. Hammerfell continues to war with the Aldmeri Dominion for the next five years.


4E 180 — The Second Treaty of Stros M'kai is signed.

Having been fought to a standstill by the Redguards, the Aldmeri Dominion completely withdraws from Hammerfell.

 

[Double A]

So, what, they're Televanni, but even more power mad and racist?

 

[schlaufuchs]

What do you mean? The Empire will just continue to bow down to the Thalmor, even though everyone wants to continue fighting!

Again, you can't really blame them. They just finished getting their asses kicked by the Thalmor, from the perspective of the Empire, they were lucky to get off with just the White-Gold Concordat. In the post-war period they probably weren't in very much of a position to enforce their will over Hammerfell who didn't want to end the war (much like with the Stormcloaks, it's very obvious they don't really grasp the full weight of what is going on outside of their own little desert. They had to release Hammerfell, or risk further infuriating the Thalmor, at a time where the really, REALLY can't afford to do something like that. Anyone who genuinely dislikes the empire probably hasn't done much research on the history of the 4th era and is just going on the basis of the (extremely biased) opinions of the separatist Nords.

Hell, the Empire dude says it in the very first town: "What the Stormcloaks don't realize is the Empire is the only thing keeping the Thalmor from taking over Skyrim"

 

[Evie]

One thing to keep in mind about that timeline. The reason the Redguard were able to withstand the Aldmeri is because the empire had bled them dry (the army occupying Cyrodiil was entirely destroyed by imperial forces) (bleeding itself even drier in turn) in the war that led to the concordat in the first place (apparently, Hammerfell did not commit its full force to the empire).

And given that the Thalmor notes explicitly on their dossier on him that they want Ulfric rebelling, it's hard to see how his rebellion is all that effective against the Thalmor.

Really, though, on the Thalmor, the choice is basically between a Gestapo-Run French Resistance, and a Vichy France (that's choke-full of Oscar Schindlers). I just hope at some point not too far away we get a DLC or even TES VI that involves the Dragonborn going Inglorious Basterds on the Thalmor.

 

[schlaufuchs]

And given that the Thalmor notes explicitly on their dossier on him that they want Ulfric rebelling, it's hard to see how his rebellion is all that effective against the Thalmor.

The notes also state that it isn't in the Thalmor's interest for the rebellion to succeed. I think the rebellion could be successful if the Dragonborn oversaw a speedy conquest of Skyrim, and if that rebellion somehow turned into a larger reconquest of Cyrodiil (à la Tiber Septim v. 2.0, which the Dovahkin is repeatedly put forward as in the main arc), the Thalmor's situation could be greatly put at risk.

Spoiler :

In fact the above is also pretty much the best way to justify killing Paarthurnax if you opt to do so after killing Alduin, as a fully recovered Blades will be infinitely more useful in the context of reestablishing the empire than the dragons could ever be, regardless of whether or not Paarthurnax manages to bring them all under his wing.

But yeah, I'd definitely love to see some DLC that adds some Mercrushin' in the form of attacking the Thalmor. That and a bring Winterhold back to its former glory are the ones I'd really like to see. My roommate also wants to see a join the Forsworn subarc, and I agree. That would be rather fun, especially since it makes no sense for you to basically be the instrument of the revitalization of the rebellion and yet you're still "kill on sight" status for the vast majority of the Forsworn.

 

[Double A]

I'm fairly sure that if a guy can take down Alduin, he can lead a bunch of bloodthirsty Nords to victory over a bunch of evil hippies.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Are there more than 30 Crimson whatsitnamed in the Blackreach ?
I accidentally one of them and i'm done with about 3/4 of exploration.

 

[Yui108]

Isn't the empire basically restricted to Skyrim and Cyrodil now anyways? Hammerfell is in rebellion and occupied, and all the mer regions are independent or destroyed right?

 

[Double A]

What about High Rock and the uninvaded half of Morrowind?

And, um, Solstheim?

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Huge relevant map:

Spoiler :

 

[Double A]

Cyrodil looks desolate compared to everything else.

Oh, wait, it was desolate.

 

[Love]

Well if the other games aren't set or partly set in Skyrim then it wouldn't matter much.

I was thinking more of dark brotherhood since it's the last branch.. But I guess you're siding with them anyhow since destroying them is not as obvious as joining.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Anyone know how Azura's Star works? I did the quest and was given it, but its not trapping souls.

 

[Lord of Elves]

Cyrodil looks desolate compared to everything else.

Oh, wait, it was desolate.

Cyrodiil is heavily implied to be an agrarian heartland, outside of the major metropolitan areas. The "desolate" effect you're seeing is more likely the forests being chopped down for comparatively-large scale farming, than anything else, or certainly any lack of arable farmland (which as I said, is quite the opposite of the situation).