The Empire, Skyrim and the Thalmor. Solution, Resolution and Perspecti

[LithiumPower]

The reason the Greybeards were able to instant-teach the Dragonborn was because as dragonborn you can absorb the ability directly. They inscribed it and you absorbed it like you do words from dragon walls. They/you couldn't do that for an regular student. But as I said, I would encourage a resurgence of the art generally.

 

I wouldn't pick a fight with the blades but I'm certain that if I sought to ally with the dragons, the blades would have a problem with that but I'd deal with that. Ideally I could redirect their focus and attention abroad to gathering intel for me.

 

The history of Nords and Dunmer I was referring to was the gift of Solstheim. I should have mentioned it. Yes, I am familiar with the historic animosity but I think the Nords' anger can be channelled towards the Thalmor instead of any race that could potentially be an ally a decade or two from now. The Dunmer aren't seeking to retaliate against the Argonians right away so there is no point in fueling that sentiment and I think House Redoran is and should be more focused on rebuilding and consolidating than a war with Black Marsh. I hope my actions on Sostheim would provide some lubrication for developing an alliance. Blacklight really doesn't have any other choice in allies.

 

Ulfric's reputation as racist doesn't really bother me, because it's not that entrenched - Ambarys Rendarr and Scouts-Many-Marshes notwithstanding. He's the leader of the rebellion and the nords love him - he's a symbol, like Martin Septim. They love the dragonborn too - but if I turned on him after fighting under his banner, it would disillusion a lot of people, many would be disappointed with me, many would feel betrayed and it would simply divide Skyrim all over again while gaining me very little traction anywhere. Last thing I would want is to be seen as someone who'd turn on a former ally. I doubt House Redoran gives a damn how wronged the patrons of New Gnisis Cornerclub feel.

 

His ambition, such as it is to be High King and unite Skyrim - that's fine. I don't want the Jagged Crown, I'll be setting my goal a little higher anyway.

 

I don't want to war with the Empire outright but the Empire once Skyrim secedes and Titus Medes is assassinated would be dying. By annexing Bruma, Cheydinhal and Chorrol - I'd just be stepping in before some Colovian warlord does. If I could achieve it by "convincing" the counts to join up, even better. And I'd just be helping Hammerfell do the same for the western counties.

 

[Echoside]

As I said I'm willing to agree disagree on matters of the Thu'um and the Dragonborn, as the in game lore is vague and insufficient to truly form accurate opinions.

 

The Blades are a near non-entity in this time period, crushed and scattered by the Thalmor and abandoned by the Empire they once served. Honestly, I would kill Delphine and Esbern and make peace or non-aggression with the dragons over mindlessly hunting them down. As I said with MQ done I think you could easily sway some of the dragon who think more in line with Odahviing.

 

While yes the Dunmer don't want revenge right away they are still going to want it, Dark Elves are long lived people(Neloth in Dragonborn DLC was a Telvanni magister in Morrowind over 200 years ago to give you an idea) and thought the Argonians as less then themselves before and now see them as invaders and destroyers. This matter will come to head no matter what and it would be better to draw your lines beforehand instead of possibly having one of your allies abandon you in the mist of a war.

 

Solstheim wasn't really as much a gift as a way to help stem refugees from flooding even more into Skyrim. Even in Dragonborn, Solstheim is still being ravaged by Red Mountian when the actual eruption happened 196 years before Skyrim's start. Giving them a ravaged island that has been raped of much of it's wealth beforehand isn't much of a mention in your favor.

 

Ulfric racism is well known, talk to Dunmer in Windhelm before the Civil War quest and after both sides winning. When the Imperials win they talk about how things are slowly changing for the better for them, while when the Stormcloaks win they are much less hopeful. These people aren't just going to stay and take it many will go back to mainland Morrowind and stories will spread of the Nords inhospitably. This damages your credentials as a possibly ally against a force they have no real fight with.

 

In my opinion, throwing your hat in the ring for High King hurts Ulfric more then you. When soldier speak of war they will speak of the Dovahkiin on the front line assaulting the enemy entrenchments with thundering Thu'um and when Bard's sing the tales of Tulius's death they will sing of how the Dovahkiin freed Skyrim of the Imperial rule by taking his life and crushing his men. This goes even further in reinforcing your image of being the Second Talos as you go from beloved and powerful general to Ruler. Even then I doubt Ulfric would throw much of a fuss do to his traditionalism(and the fact that he kill Torg cause he felt he was to weak to do what needed to be done), you've more then proven yourself as warrior and the simple fact you fought on the Stormcloak side shows that you are at least somewhat inline with his ideals. Plus you'll provide a far stronger image as a leader to foreign powers, the person who defeated countless dragons and even The World Eater himself with same kind of blood as the most beloved and revered leaders in history, that's some powerful stuff right that there.

 

"Titus Medes is assassinated" This is speculation until the next game, we won't know what paths the Dovahkiin chose until the next game comes out and it's history. I avoided bring in the guild quest lines into my reasoning for just that reason. However, killing an Emperor does not kill the Empire, Oblivion proved that.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Echoside

[PaskaAnkka]

Let's pretend i have claimed the Emperor's throne for myself. You know, dragon blood and all that.

The Thalmor wouldn't like that, so let's pretend that they have cut communications with Cyrodiil, and are gathering their forces for another war.

Let's also pretend i have Ulfric's head hanging on my bedroom wall and stormcloaks aren't a threat anymore.

 

First, i would:

 

1. Arm the troops with crossbows. Easier to master than traditional bows, they would make training new archers significantly faster.

 

2. Train soldiers in restoration magic. Have them provide first aid on the battlefield, decreasing the number of deaths from untreated injuries. The bretons might be useful for this.

 

3. Reform the Blades using the best men from the legion, have them hunt down all hostile dragons and have them act as both spies and elite soldiers.

 

Little things like that.

 

Let's move on to a larger scale:

 

5. Start negotiations with Hammerfell about reuniting with the empire. The only reason they declared independence was because they opposed the Concordat. The redguards would propably be happy to help me fight the Thalmor threat.

 

6. Offer support to resistance movements in Valenwood and Elsweyr, and expose the Thalmor ethnic purges in Valenwood to the general public.

 

Morrowind is devastated, and the dunmer have no love for the empire. With the possible exception of ebony and malachite ores, i don't think they have anything worthwhile to offer.

 

And then the fun stuff:

 

7. Ally myself with whatever dragons i can. Especially Durnehviir's necromancy skills should be quite useful.

 

8. Have a bunch of bosmer resistance fighters perform the necessary rituals and initiate the Wild Hunt against the Thalmor.

 

9. As a last resort, for when the legion is destroyed and the Thalmor are knocking on my front door, use Serana's blood to corrupt Auriel's bow and threaten to blot out the sun forever. With the entire world as my hostage, even the Thalmor will have to listen.

[Echoside]

Let's pretend i have claimed the Emperor's throne for myself. You know, dragon blood and all that.

The Thalmor wouldn't like that, so let's pretend that they have cut communications with Cyrodiil, and are gathering their forces for another war.

Let's also pretend i have Ulfric's head hanging on my bedroom wall and stormcloaks aren't a threat anymore.

 

First, i would:

 

1. Arm the troops with crossbows. Easier to master than traditional bows, they would make training new archers significantly faster.

 

2. Train soldiers in restoration magic. Have them provide first aid on the battlefield, decreasing the number of deaths from untreated injuries. The bretons might be useful for this.

 

3. Reform the Blades using the best men from the legion, have them hunt down all hostile dragons and have them act as both spies and elite soldiers.

 

Little things like that.

 

Let's move on to a larger scale:

 

5. Start negotiations with Hammerfell about reuniting with the empire. The only reason they declared independence was because they opposed the Concordat. The redguards would propably be happy to help me fight the Thalmor threat.

 

6. Offer support to resistance movements in Valenwood and Elsweyr, and expose the Thalmor ethnic purges in Valenwood to the general public.

 

Morrowind is devastated, and the dunmer have no love for the empire. With the possible exception of ebony and malachite ores, i don't think they have anything worthwhile to offer.

 

And then the fun stuff:

 

7. Ally myself with whatever dragons i can. Especially Durnehviir's necromancy skills should be quite useful.

 

8. Have a bunch of bosmer resistance fighters perform the necessary rituals and initiate the Wild Hunt against the Thalmor.

 

9. As a last resort, for when the legion is destroyed and the Thalmor are knocking on my front door, use Serana's blood to corrupt Auriel's bow and threaten to blot out the sun forever. With the entire world as my hostage, even the Thalmor will have to listen.

 

1. Reasonable

2. Sure but would take time and they would have to have the potential to use it.

3/7. You'd hunt dragons then ally with them? How does that work? I think the Blades might not be too keen.

5. No the Empire released Hammerfell from it's hold because they refused to abide the White-Gold Concordant and kept fighting the Thalmor. He did so to keep the tenuous peace between the Aldmeri and Empire. Another words the Empire abandoned them to fend against the Aldmeri.

8. Valenwood was sealed off for 70 years during the formation of the Aldmeri Dominion... Good luck with that,

9. That would just make people hate you(well except vampires) and garner support for the AD.

[RighthandofSithis]

I think another issue with the Wild Hunt is that the Bosmer refuse to even talk about it. I would not count on them using it against the Thalmor.

 

Also, this talk of Ethnic purges. While it sounds applicable, do we have any evidence of this? 'Rising Threat' suggests such purges have a more political reasoning behind them, and characters such as Malborn and Dephine have been targeted for purges for political reasons.

[Echoside]

I think another issue with the Wild Hunt is that the Bosmer refuse to even talk about it. I would not count on them using it against the Thalmor.

 

Also, this talk of Ethnic purges. While it sounds applicable, do we have any evidence of this? 'Rising Threat' suggests such purges have a more political reasoning behind them, and characters such as Malborn and Dephine have been targeted for purges for political reasons.

 

I'd say it's as much political as racial, the High Elves have always seen themselves as higher then the other races, even other elves. The Blades represented a major threat to the Aldmeri via their tactics and knowledge, while Malborn would be seen as a rouge if not traitor.

 

The Thalmor are basically the High Elvish Stormcloaks with less morals and even less noble intentions for the world.

[kradus]

I believe the empire only works as a buffer if it remains intact. Cyrodill by itself would fall pretty quickly to an overwhelming enemy force before any such leghty plans could be put to practice. And the dominion army would only have any significant losses if it was presented with an actual challenge.

Basically, you need to work with what troops you have now, and whatever alliances you can forge, because the Dominion is at the gates.

Edited February 27, 2013 by kradus

[RighthandofSithis]

I believe the empire only works as a buffer if it remains intact. Cyrodill by itself would fall pretty quickly to an overwhelming enemy force before any such leghty plans could be put to practice. And the dominion army would only have any significant losses if it was presented with an actual challenge.

Basically, you need to work with what troops you have now, and whatever alliances you can forge, because the Dominion is at the gates.

 

ALDMERI AD PORTAS!

[kradus]

Pfff I can use translators too.

[RighthandofSithis]

Pfff I can use translators too.

 

Actually, it wasn;t meant to be a simply translation, it was meant to be a joke.

 

'Hannibal ad portas' was a phrase used by Roman parents to scare their children. Hannibal being the (in)famous Carthaginian general.