I sided with the Empire also, and I still feel 99% confident I made the right decision.
But, the ban on the worship of Talos still rubs me the wrong way, although I understand that is a result of some treaty with the Thalmor, the White-Gold Concordia? And the Thalmor strike me as being shady, meddling, and arrogant...
So I've helped defeat Ulfric and the Stormcloaks, but I'm left wondering, will I have a chance to throw out the Thalmor as well, and nullify the White-Gold Concordia, or at least the ban on Talos-worship? Does anyone know? Do I get a chance to go after the Thalmor?

While I prefer the Empire and consider them the lesser of two evils, I would say that neither is truly evil or good. Both are corrupt to some degree and both exercise practices that are generally regarded as malicious. One imposes a ban on a certain faith, so no freedom of religion in that matter. And the other holds a staunch ground that everyone not a Nord are inferior, which is racism.

But the thing is, the Empire at the moment, are puppets. If they hadn't signed the peace treaty, Talos worship would most likely still be allowed. While the Stormcloaks, they are being racists because they are, they aren't forced to opress the people, they choose to opress the people.

By signing the peace treaty, the Empire hoped to gain some time to build up the strength to crush the Thalmor. The Stormcloaks are preventing this.

I think both the Empire and the Stormcloaks are wrong for different reasons. Which is why I am not picking sides.

The Emperor Made the ultimate sacrifice of being look upon as a traitor and as a elven puppet for the good of his people that alone made me Loyal to the empire

And? Ulfirc is a Thalmor asset, for god's sake, it doesn't get more puppet than that.


If they hadn't signed the treaty there likely wouldn't have been an empire left at all.

I don't get the Thalmor hate any ways, Tiber conquered Summerset by unleashing WMD... don't you think the high elves might want to stamp out his worship/memory as pay back when they were in a position to do so?

O, u so funny!

But seriously, I hate all of them. My main wants to ravage all the armies and take control himself.

Remember though the Nazis started out the same way. They didnt start executing the Jewish populations of Europe until the 1940s, this was also a nation who became a military power during their time, but they had the same general philosophies the Stormcloaks held during their rebellion. I am sure, if in their timeline the Imperials were defeated they would have either started purges, just like the Thalmor or started evicting people en masse. By how Ulfric Stormcloak let his citizens treat Dunmer in his city has ripples in exactly how the Nazis started.

I hate elves with a passion in this game. I find 99% of them arrogant and sly.

Only reason im joining the stormcloaks is because i hate the thalmor so much. Wish there was more of them to butcher.

The Stormcloaks only come across as racist because of how they have been treated recently, its all the hate at once. Also i hate ulfric and his second guy.

As my first character is a Nord and very old-school type at that (Talos is pretty much the Main Man), there's no question about joining the Stormcloaks, although I do see that many are corrupt and just pure bastards, Ulfric being the worst. I just hope that after Ulfric is coronated, I can whack him in honorable battle and take the crown myself. To purge all the bastards out and make a treaty with Imperium. (unlikely that this can happen in game, but its what my character would want to do)

Imperials are not the fluffy angels either, although I do understand why White-Gold Concordia was signed. I think they should have been more ready that banning Talos will have far-reching consequences. Maybe they were ready, as they didn't enforce the new rule very harshly, but I guess they didn't foresee that Thalmor will send their own "inquisitors" to Skyrim.

So instigators of the whole conflict between Stormcloaks and Imperium? Thalmor. And of course they have their own reasons.
All those "race cards" played out by different factions are just to control the masses and give them something to hate.

Bethesda did good this time to paint political situation in more gray paint. My next char will be imperial

There is a loading screen that says something like: The stormcloaks are afraid their Nord way of life is being threatened, and the Imperials see Skyrim as part of the empire.

That reminded me of China v. Tibet.

So Im on the side of the stormcloaks.
Also, my Altmer has no love for the Thalmor, as they see him as impure and an outcast.
The Imperials are pretty much Thalmor thralls.

What I object to is calling a faction that many players will join Nazi. This will leave many players, my self included, Nazi-by-association.
Other than that, if you have some really good reasons as to why a Nazi-allegory is fitting then use it. However, this view is anything but self-evident. If you are comparing the way the Dunmer are treated in Windhelm with the way jews were treated in Germany in the 30's - then you are extraordinarily wrong.
Claiming that the Stormcloaks would do this or would do that if only they could is of course pure conjecture.
Please play through the Stormcloak questline and then tell me when they act in such a manner that they deserve the label Nazi. Keep in mind that if you find an act that is worthy of the title "Nazi", any other state currently doing the same thing would then fall under this category.

This is a good point and helps me with the decision of who to side with. I'm sure not happy with the banning of talos worship but it was that or the elves would just keep it up untill the empire did lose outright, millions dead or enslaved, the empire didn't have a hell of a lot of choice.
The Stormcloaks and Ulfric however have a choice whether or not to treat other races like crap just because they're different and they've made their choice very clear.

On an aside i'd want to thank bethesda for a freaking awesome gaming experience, traveling Skyrim and basicly learning empire = bad, stormcloaks = noble nord heros i finally headed to Windhelm to find other races forced to live in filth, harassed and insulted. Shocked I figured well perhaps Ulfric is being manipulated from seeing how bad things are, he's busy with the war after all, men's lives are in his hands. I head to the palace and i was freaking appalled at what I overheard, i had no idea what i was going to do, who to side with.
That's when it hit me, this was a completely fictional situation, in a completely fictional world but with this flood of emotions that events and these characters elisited from me it was like I was really part of it. Totally awesome. RPG gaming as it should be.

They apologized.

Well, to all of the people out there who keep calling the Stormcloaks racists etc. I am a woodelf, after 45 hours of gameplay I decided to join a faction. I don't like the Empire for many reasons, the biggest on is that they are puppets of the Thalmer that want to conquer all of humanity and are maybe responsible (don't know for sure, this is only a rumor so far in my playthrough) for the return of the dragons.

So, I decided to go to the Stormcloaks, I had the same thoughts as you that they are racists etc, and I thought to myself "Hey, if they don;t accept me then i'll kill'em, right?) but surprise, surprise. Ulfric and the Bear dude (forgot his name) looked at me and asked me why do I want to join. After I explained that Skyrim is my home too and I want to fight for it and more than that i want to kill the Thalmer, they had absolutely no problem in accepting me to their cause. I rose up the ranks and now am a respected and valued member of the Stormcloaks (me, a WOOD ELF!).

And Ulfric surprised me also, every time we need to attack a city\fort etc. he has moral dillemas, he is afraid of how many people will die because of this war and the orders he gives. He really cares about his people, the rumors you hear about him are pure propaganda from the Imperial scum. I haven't finished the whole questline yet, I may still be wrong about him, but so far, the stormcloaks are not the racist, nazi bastards you all consider them.

Cheers

Its a video game, its no different then playing the Nazis in Battlefield 1942. I am not calling people who join their side Nazis. Its a video game. I am just stating a comparison between the policies of Ulfric Stormcloak and Adolf Hitlers NAZI party. If you want to call me extrodinarily wrong you can. There are tons of bad things you can do in the game. Its a VIRTUAL reality, not real life. It allows a player tyo explore options he or she wouldnt socially consider in a world with real, physical repercussions.

If you want, I can compare how the Imperials at the beginning of the game can be compared to the early French 1792 revolution, where average criminals with no violent background were sent to the chopping block because their neighbour didnt like them. Or that the Empire is a glorified urban melting pot? I never said anyones assessment of the Imperials as "bad guys" are wrong. I simply pointed out that the Stormcloaks have similar negative undertones. Remember this is a video game, not a basis on your personality.

I leave for a few days and come back to find that this topic is on fire and that someone took the liberty of making a second thread for me.

._.

Well, thanks!

(is the OP btw)

I fell in love with my savior Hadvar. Wish you could marry him

in one of the books, I forget the name, it states that the Empire was given an ultimatum by the Thalmor, they refused. THis lead to the War. After some years of fighting, The Thalmor controlled the main Imperial City in Cyrodil. The Empire Mounted a last ditch counter offensive and drove the Thalmor out of the city and weakened the Thalmor to the point of wanting to negotiate with the Empire, rather than demanding outright surrender. The deal offered by the THalmor during negotiations was roughly the same as the one initially offered before the War began, but this was the best that the Empire could hope for because of the weak state which they were in. In addition, the Empire had to state that Hammerfell was no longer part of the Empire because they (Hammerfell) did not want to negotiate with the Thalmor. THis brings us to our current state of tenuous peace. The Empire is in no position to challenge the Thalmor, and thus had to agree to their demand to ban Talos worship, amongst other demands.


If the Storm Cloaks were to be successful in with their revolution, the Empire would be so weak ( losing an important province, Skyrim) that the Thamlmor would invade again and take over the Empire. After the empires defeat they (thamlmor) would overtake Skyrim, because Skyrim alone could not hold off the Thalmor.



So, Yes the Empire are the good guys. They are the only thing between freedom and living under THalmor rule. Who knows what the THalmor would do once they get total control, maybe they would kill all the Nords if they could.

I wouldnt worry all that much about the Talos worship issue. Sure its part of the White Gold Concordant, but enforcement is up to the Imperials. And judging how I dont see the boots on the ground of the Imperial armies enforcing it. Talos would be re-recognized by the Empire after they restart and win the war agaisnt the Thalmor.