Haters of the Thalmor.

[GhostOfNumenor]

Well I'd like people to hate the Thalmor respectfully, and yes, I copied the OP here and changed Thalmor to Stormcloak. If this is not wrong then that thread clearly is it. I've had it up to here with all this rubbish.

Dude..it's a forum about a video game. Calm yourself down. Like I said earlier, to take any of this personally on here is just a waste of time. So if people have an opinion about something in-game, and you disagree, say so...but don't go getting offended over it.

[Chaos the N'wah]

Well I'd like people to hate the Thalmor respectfully, and yes, I copied the OP here and changed Thalmor to Stormcloak. If this is not wrong then that thread clearly is it. I've had it up to here with all this rubbish.

I don't care, two wrongs don't make a right. If you're going to whine about it, don't copy what you hate
You're not helping your cause by sinking to their level and plunging below it by swearing

[ArgonianDunmer]

It's not disrespectful to, it's disrespectful because it's arrogant, it's offensive to Germans, and there is no evidence presented that supports the claim that the Thalmor are Natzis. I am allowed to be frustrated when every second thread I see talks about how evil Elves are and how we should commit genocide against them. Maybe the haters of the Thalmor are the real Natzis, considering that fact.

You can tell me to calm down, but you're also the one who insulted me the most: Outside of those devout to all-things-Mer is a flame if ever I saw one.

ChaosDawns, the other approach doesn't seem to work, I've seen so many threads spiral into "Elves are evil" and people just continue in arrogance.

[GhostOfNumenor]

ArgonianDunmer, seriously...? Fine. I'm sorry. Please move on.

Which of the three did you vote for?

[ArgonianDunmer]

None, I'd prefer a more neutral option like, "I neither Hate nor Love the Thalmor - I leave them alone".

[Avron the S'wit]

Please, please, please do not spiral this thread into nonsense. If you find it offensive, please kindly contact the original poster and/or a member of the moderator team for review. But there is no need to get hasty within the thread itself - please let's keep these for discussion on topic only, if you would be so kind!

If there are any problems, please let me or another moderator know; we can be reached any time of day via PM. Otherwise, topic only from here on out, thank you!

[GhostOfNumenor]

The Thalmor don't represent any real beneficial roles, that I can see, in Skyrim. One is there posing as a diplomat, but torturing prisoners in secret under embassy grounds. Another is in Markarth trying to catch an old man simply for worshiping Talos, causing no problems to anyone. Yet another is trying to essentially garner all power for himself at the College, damning everyone else around him. And all the other nameless Thalmor are following their orders, towing prisoners in a land where they have no jurisdiction, or killing Imperials/Stormcloaks out in the countryside.

Essentially, they are represented as the bad guys, unless you're roleplaying as a sympathizer or agent of their ranks.

[Jeff]

I leave them alone and don't go storming through their embassies stealing precious documents, distrusting important functions, freeing prisoners and killing guards, and I don't go out of my way to insult them in conversation, and they leave me well enough alone.

...so you don't do the Main Quest?

[Arkhon]

(Sticking to the lore world)

I have nothing against common Mer but I really can't stand the Aldmeri Dominion and the Thalmor. I usually play one character from the very start to the "end" and I always play as a Redguard (Morrowind, Oblivion - because of the "Adrenaline Rush" and the bonuses to heavy armor and blade from the beginning) or the Imperial (Skyrim, because I thought that it would be cool to join the Legion as an Imperial plus easier to side with the Empire against the Stormcloaks..). In my game I'm a lawful citizen of the Empire, I'm always the 'good guy' and I play as a Imperial. I also side with the Empire (as I joined the Legion) to put down the rebellion but I agree with many legion soldiers (including General Tullius) who say that sooner or later the Empire will have to deal with the AD once for good. I hate this feeling when Thalmor pass me by; like they don't care but in real they hate me for not being an Elf.

[Frost Mage]

The Thalmor's opinions are very well supported, and so much so that it would be difficult sum it up without suffering from Carpel Tunnel syndrome, so let's just say I approve of the Thalmor .

[Arkhon]

The Thalmor's opinions are very well supported, and so much so that it would be difficult sum it up without suffering from Carpel Tunnel syndrome, so let's just say I approve of the Thalmor .

You approve of the Mer supremacy over the non-elves?

[Akiraka]

The Thalmor's opinions are very well supported, and so much so that it would be difficult sum it up without suffering from Carpel Tunnel syndrome, so let's just say I approve of the Thalmor .

You approve of the Mer supremacy over the non-elves?

There's already at least two other threads with more than enough rebuttal to anything that could be said here... Without resorting to copypasta, which would be so much easier, it really all comes down to one simple thing: a cycle of racial pride. I don't remember what what Cyrodiil was like pre-Alessia, but, it was my understanding that Alessia came in, went Manifest Destiny on the Ayleids, and the Imperial's trampling over every race they could subjugate began.
The Altmer, in the meanwhile, were busy primarily making war with themselves, but had managed, to my knowledge, largely avoid direct Imperial rule. When the Imperials did begin to encroach on them though, the Altmer fought back. In the heat of the war, their repressed anger at the frustration of knowing/ feeling their superiority was unleashed, and they decided as a race to just keep pushing.
They're aiming to do to the rest of Tamriel exactly what the Imperials had already been doing. The ultimate conclusion is that both sides are wrong. So if you want to hear someone say that the Thalmor are wrong, well, there you go.
What I don't get is damning of the Thalmor out of one side of the mouth, and praise for the Empire from the other (not directed at any one person, BTW).
Even more I'm surprised that a flame war is on the horizon over it

[Arkhon]

For me personally an interesting fact is that it is not the first time in history when Mer try to conquer the Tamriel. It happened before and once again Elves try to enslave non elves... Idea of elven supremacy which re-occurs every some eras...

[OblivionDuruza]

Arkon, you have to consider that the Mer have been oppressed for 3 Eras, ever sine the original Empire of Mer was sundered by an uprising of Men and invaders from across the seas. Tamriel was the Mer's first after all. So from that standpoint I see their justification, just as I see the Alessians' justification for rebelling.

I couldn't agree with Akiraka more. I don't entirely support the Empire or the Dominion, per se, but in my opinion, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, the Thalmor are not so different from previous orders of Man, like the Alessian Order for example. It's all Man v. Mer and I'm really not content with jumping on either bandwagon, which is why I see the Thalmor as the way for Mer to reclaim what was taken and the Empire as the best hope for Man to survive as it is.

...so you don't do the Main Quest?

Yeah actually, I've stopped just before Diplomatic Immunity, I still have access to shouts, but I've already done the Main Quest on another character so I don't feel like I really need to bring back the Blades. they've become very bitter and spiteful of late.

[adamly]

I acually like the Thalmor. Sure they arrest talos worshippers, but in truth Talos is a crappy god that does not deserve to be worshipped. I dont believe in all of their beliefs though; the Thalmor have no right to kill and torture people for worshipping talos. I align myself with the Thalmor unless i see them torturing civilians.

[Iaius Amaius Heron]

Every time I meet Thalmor on the road, I introduce myself and confess I'm a Talos worshiper.

I align myself with the Thalmor unless i see them torturing civilians.

Spoiler:

You haven't gotten very far in the main quest, have you?

[Choicemade]

Could there be a 4th option - dislike Empire, Thalmor and Stormcloak?

I find the undertones of imperialism, absolute monarchies, dictorships and the worship of various deities a bit too much in TES.

I say bring on a revolution!

Nazeem will be first against the wall with an arrow to the face.

[Giordano]

The Thalmor don't represent any real beneficial roles, that I can see, in Skyrim.

There is the issue here.

I think we all can agree, that the Thalmor shouldn't be on this super anti-Talos crusade in human lands.

HOWEVER

I don't think we should commit a mass D-Day invasion into Summerset Isles for the sole purpose to re-annex, or worse commit genocide against the altmer.


People here are just seeing what is Imperial politics and countering it with the mass slaughter of the altmer (which may or may not support their government, the Thalmor).


Summary: I think we all can agree the Thalmor anti-Talos agents in humanlands are bad and should be kicked out. I don't think this warrants another Great War over 'revenge' or genocide.

[OblivionDuruza]

Nazeem will be first against the wall with an arrow to the face.

Choicemade wins an internet, and Giordano has a point. I don't think there are many people who actually support the Thalmor's enforcement of the banning of Talos in Skyrim, but that doesn't call for all out condemnation of the Altmer or the Thalmor.

[Red Guardian]

I dislike most of the Thalmor (some were surprisingly not really snobbish, I remember 2)...

But I do want to roleplay as one, the problem is... How?

Speaking of which, do you get a bounty for killing one of them outside quests?

[OblivionDuruza]

You don't get a bounty if they are hostile and attack first.

To roleplay as one, don't progress far in the Main Quest, acquire some Thalmor Robes etc. or Elven Armour and try not to get in their bad books. Use a Calm effect to simulate revealing your Thalmor identity if they do become hostile and maybe do the College of Winterhold and possibly one side of the Civil War, although go out of your way to make life hell for both sides.

[Red Guardian]

Spoilers about what you just wrote:

Spoiler:

Do the College of Witnerhold but stop at a certain point you mean? Because Ancano dies, and he's a Thalmor, too.

Interesting. I think Civil War with the Imperial Legion fits better, or maybe a Thalmor could join the rebels just to weaken the Empire and in context Skyrim too because I don't think the Stormcloaks have a really good defense... (plus, the Empire has more allies) and that would make things easier for the Aldmeri Dominion.

All Hell's gonna break loose, you had a nice idea! I believe this playthrough will be quite fun. Thanks!

[OblivionDuruza]

Likewise:

Spoiler:

For me, I can sort of rationalise completing the College by saying that Ancano had gone rogue or overstepped the mark, and you were there to clean up the mess, undercover of course. But going part way works too. I do tend to go only part way a fair bit actually, particularly with the Companions.

As for the Mian Quest, either works, or at least I can rationalise either, although I agree, the Empire is probably the 'safer' or more likely option, particularly as the Stormcloaks would be might suspicious of an Altmer in the ranks.

Anyway, I hope you have fun with it, don't forget to visit Ondolemar in Understone Keep!

[Avron the S'wit]

The Thalmor's opinions are very well supported, and so much so that it would be difficult sum it up without suffering from Carpel Tunnel syndrome, so let's just say I approve of the Thalmor .

You approve of the Mer supremacy over the non-elves?

Not really any different than the Marukhati Selective branch of the Alessian Order, which was against all non-men back in the early eras (and probably still around today; cults never go out of fashion).

It's not really whether or not you like or dislike the Thalmor. Sure, I dislike them greatly and never run from the chance to hack 'em into bitty pieces (they started it, I promise), but they're pretty darn intriguing, and anyone who can bend the Empire, albeit a faltering one, gets a little respect lore-wise. Besides, everyone needs a bad guy, eh?

[Crepe the Ashlander]

I am rather neutral with the Thalmor, I won't got out of my way to kill the Thalmor, but they are still annoying. They are rather akin to the Alessian Order, so I know they may be thinking they are getting the men back for all the things they did to the Mer, although two wrongs don't make a right. Plus that Thalmor guy in Markarth is like my best friend now or something what with all the 'There is no better pleasure...' and all the flattery.