I've completed the main quest in Skyrim, and now i'm wondering which side to join in the civil war.
Is it true that Empire is allied with Thalmor?
If it is, then I'll join Ulfric Stormcloak's rebels.
the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim
I've completed the main quest in Skyrim, and now i'm wondering which side to join in the civil war.
Is it true that Empire is allied with Thalmor?
If it is, then I'll join Ulfric Stormcloak's rebels.
Best Answer
It's a bit more complicated than allied...
The short version is this: A few years back, there was a massive war between the Empire, and the Aldmeri Dominion, the latter is a kingdom of Elves, in which the Thalmor are basically the government, the army, the secret police, and the mages guild all rolled into one.
The Empire lost. Badly. The treaty that was signed to put an end to the war included a number of terms which were less than favorable to the Empire. Among them were the outlawing of Talos-worship throughout the Empire, and the allowing of Thalmor ambassadors, mages, and soldiers to inspect Imperial lands, and ensure that the terms of the truce were being adhered to.
So, while it's true that the Empire isn't actively at war with the Thalmor, and indeed, the fact that the Empire allows the Thalmor to wander about Skyrim killing Talos worshippers is one of Ulfrics primary grievances, calling the two allies is something of a stretch.
Indeed, if you end the Civil War on the Imperial side of things, General Tulius will remark
Meanwhile, if you follow the Main Quest, at one point you'll get to raid the Thalmor Embassy and read their logs. Among other things, you'll learn that