The only thing that makes them powerful is their stench. I'm now over 100 Thalmor decapitations and counting, so no... in my eyes, they're weak and pathetic.

As far as Bethesda contradicting their own lore: that's Bethesda's trademark. Example:

The lore once told us that Cyrodiil was a lush jungle.. then Oblivion was released with a retort that said otherwise. Then the lore junkies were up in arms about it.

Bethesda does not explain this.

In the biography of barenziah it mentions how it is much harder for elves to get pregnant but elves live for like 10 time longer then humans. This fits in with most other fantasy worlds in that humans are usually militarily dominant because they breed faster even though elves live longer so humans always have the overwhelming numeric advantage and also they are more physically well built. Elves often compensate with better quality weapons and more emphasise on magic but this is not enough.

So how can the Aldmeri dominion go up against much larger human armies. It does not make any sense. I think Bethesda got lazy and contradicted their own lore. It would make sense if elves bred at the same rate but they don't so....

Also people keep saying that Skyrim can't beat the Thalmor but Ysgramor managed to thrash the elves with much fewer numbers so that is another inconsistency.

Or, as I said, a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_image. If I were right, that would mean the Thalmor are ultimately working against their own goals. That would possibly also mean that Lorkhan managed to decieve them into working against their own goals. It could be that Mundus is a prison, not meant for man or elf, but for Lorkhan. Talos would then be the capstone, so that IF lorkhan ever managed to escape, there would be nowhere he could go but back into prison. (Because lorkhan's 'spot' in aetherius was being occupied by a mortal wearing his mantle)

Remember the heart was inherentely evil, which is why Dagoth-ur(evil) was so strong and the Tribunal(not evil) was so weak, and not just because Dagoth was camping the heart.

This still doesn't settle the issue of Shor, but I insist that Shor and Sovngarde were the result of the player's character being exposed to way too much "Nord nonsense" (if not a Nord themselves) and then plunged into Aetherius.

Or, as I said, a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_image. If I were right, that would mean the Thalmor are ultimately working against their own goals. That would possibly also mean that Lorkhan managed to decieve them into working against their own goals. It could be that Mundus is a prison, not meant for man or elf, but for Lorkhan. Talos would then be the capstone, so that IF lorkhan ever managed to escape, there would be nowhere he could go but back into prison. (Because lorkhan's 'spot' in aetherius was being occupied by a mortal wearing his mantle)

This still doesn't settle the issue of Shor, but I insist that Shor and Sovngarde were the result of the player's character being exposed to way too much "Nord nonsense" (if not a Nord themselves) and then plunged into Aetherius.

Fascinating.
So what the player character perceives to be Sovngarde is how his mind translates the unfamiliar concept of Aetherius to him.

It could indeed be that the Thalmor are doing it the wrong way, like the Dwemer.
Vivec certainly seems to think that the mannish view of Creation is more interesting.

Superior numbers of Imperials?? How so?? The Imperial ranks are once again being decreased by the senseless war against the Stormcloaks...which is what the Thalmor intended. Also, what provinces do they have left besides a handful of already weakened nations?? Cyrodill has lost their alliances with Hammerfell, Black Marsh, Morrowind, Elsweyr and Valenwood. The Thalmor have Alinor, Valenwood, Elsweyr as well as the entire nation of Pyandonea backing them up.

Well I think you're a loser for not having anything better do in the world and write this, and then slam bethesda calling them lazy for not getting their 'lore' right? Get a life bro.'

I was referring to the periods during the greatwar, years before the events in skyrim, while the empire still had staunch allies and a chance.

WGC was basically the Munich Agreement, an act of appeasemant towards the Aldmeri Dominion.

Anyone who says the empire is regaining it's strength is wrong, it is even weaker now than before due to Thalmor plots. The uprising in Skyrim is advancing Thalmor interest, that is true, but it is the direct result of accepting WGC. And there is no one else to blame other than the Emperor.

Bethesda does not explain this.

In the biography of barenziah it mentions how it is much harder for elves to get pregnant but elves live for like 10 time longer then humans. This fits in with most other fantasy worlds in that humans are usually militarily dominant because they breed faster even though elves live longer so humans always have the overwhelming numeric advantage and also they are more physically well built. Elves often compensate with better quality weapons and more emphasise on magic but this is not enough.

So how can the Aldmeri dominion go up against much larger human armies. It does not make any sense. I think Bethesda got lazy and contradicted their own lore. It would make sense if elves bred at the same rate but they don't so....

Also people keep saying that Skyrim can't beat the Thalmor but Ysgramor managed to thrash the elves with much fewer numbers so that is another inconsistency.

The Aldmeri Dominion are so powerful because their people have such long lives. If you were to live for several hundred years then you would become very powerful, not only you you be far more skilled in magic, but in almost every aspect of life. And, as so many have said before me, the Empire needs to unite against the true enemy. I also feel that the Thalmor plan for attacks better, invest as well. Not many people would invest in something that will payout in 100 years if you will only live 70. But the Elves, they will bide their time and wait. I hate the Elves. If I lived in Skyrim I'd devote much of my life to fighting the Thalmor. The bastards don't let other races do what they want (no praying to Talos).

Or, as I said, a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_image.

No-one has ever beat the Khajiit on home turf.
Same goes for the Bosmer.

Defeat the leadership of the Thalmor? How?
Youd have to sail for Summerset. On seas controlled by ancient mage-lords.
Divine's only know what happens if you veer into that eldritch mist.
Even if by some sheer luck or providence the remainder of the fleet finally saw the crystal shores, what is to keep them from moving the islands out of the way (again)?

No, it is a question of organisation.
The Mede Empire has lost Hammerfel, Skyrim is in the grip of a civil war, the Thalmor are cool as a cucumber and have everything under control. The Khajiit love them and the Bosmer do not dislike their new importance.

Amen. Adding: if one is still harboring doubt of what a little defense magicka can do after this, consider the peculiar phenomenon which happend in Winterhold. According to history, some 90% of the hold decided to go the way of Atlantis. And so a horrific catastrophe reduced a once flourishing city, that rivaled the likes of Marakath and Solitude, into a backwater village. Yet the Mage's College was able to survive completely unscathed....

No-one has ever beat the Khajiit on home turf.
Same goes for the Bosmer.

Except the khajiit - The Bosmer lost land to the khajiit during the 5 year war, which they lost ;p

But they're on the same side now so woe betide their enemies

Amen. Adding: if one is still harboring doubt of what a little defense magicka can do after this, consider the peculiar phenomenon which happend in Winterhold. According to history, some 90% of the hold decided to go the way of Atlantis. And so a horrific catastrophe reduced a once flourishing city, that rivaled the likes of Marakath and Solitude, into a backwater village. Yet the Mage's College was able to survive completely unscathed....

Your the one making this comparison; the Roman Empire occupied territory twenty times the size of the Dominion.

I was referring to the periods during the greatwar, years before the events in skyrim, while the empire still had staunch allies and a chance.

WGC was basically the Munich Agreement, an act of appeasemant towards the Aldmeri Dominion.

Anyone who says the empire is regaining it's strength is wrong, it is even weaker now than before due to Thalmor plots. The uprising in Skyrim is advancing Thalmor interest, that is true, but it is the direct result of accepting WGC. And there is no one else to blame other than the Emperor.

Oh, jeez...Someone else who doen't know what they are talking about. The signing of the WGC wasn't a "mutual benefit for both parties"...The WGC is the same exact ultimatum that the Thalmor tried to force of Titus Mede II the first time, right before the Great War. When Mede II signed the WGC, his strongest ally, Hammerfell, was dropped from the Imperial alliance. This instantly destroyed relations between Cyrodiil and Hammerfell...which means the Empire is even weaker than it was before the war started and they are now down one more ally. Hammerfell was one of the Empire's last hopes tin defeating the Thalmor...which is exactly one of the reasons why the Aldmeri Dominion wanted Cyrodiil to lose Hammerfell as an ally in the first place.

In other words, when Mede II signed the WGC, he basically handed Hammerfell over to the Thalmor and lost the trust of the Redguards. Political relations between these nations are forever marred. Mede's decision will also serve as a warning his other allies that the Empire cannot be trusted. He's already turned on Hammerfell...so what's stopping the Empire from betraying the other nations as well? This is the type of 'conspiracy' that the Thalmor planned on developing between the remaining nations of the Imperial alliance once the WGC was signed...No one can fully trust the Empire and the Empire's relationships with it's former allies are possibly severed forever.

The signing of the WGC was beneficial to both sides in terms of letting the armies regroup and rebuild...but was infinitly more benficial to the Thalmor in the long run. As of right now, the Empire has no means of rising up against them.

The only thing that makes them powerful is their stench. I'm now over 100 Thalmor decapitations and counting, so no... in my eyes, they're weak and pathetic.

As far as Bethesda contradicting their own lore: that's Bethesda's trademark. Example:

The lore once told us that Cyrodiil was a lush jungle.. then Oblivion was released with a retort that said otherwise. Then the lore junkies were up in arms about it.