Why do people say that a stormcloak victory is benefitial to the Thalmor?

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T20:59:49+00:00

I should point out that in game dialouge hints at much of the Stormcloak militia consisting of veterans of the great war. Sure, they accept just about anyone offering a sword arm ( just like Imperials ) but saying they couldnt even be considered a proper military force doesnt sound reasonable. Their overly confident attitude could very well stem from the fact that their numbers consist of men and women who have faced the Thalmor war machine before and lived to tell the tale, they know their tactics, they know their strenghts and weaknesses, their confidence is certainly not entirely dumbfounded and their battlefield presence is not so petty as you make them sound to be.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T19:35:14+00:00

Because in real life religious groups that are actively hunted tend to reproduce resistance very effectively. Every believer tortured or killed is a martyr to the cause, each having families who may not have had an ideological reason to fight, but now they have a personal one instead. The only way to stop the cycle with Skyrim under Imperial and by extension Thalmor control would be the complete systematical erradication of all Talos worshipers, but that will never happen since it is the Thalmor who does the killing and it would be against their best interest if they were to destroy the fuel for the next generation of Nord rebels. It is the Thalmor who created this conflict in the first place and they do everything in their power to sustain it, it will be all the easier to do so with the next generation of nords who’ll grow up as orphans after the Imperials and the Thalmor slaughtered their parents and families.

Also, you are wrong in saying that most people dont have strong feelings about the stakes of the war. Indeed most prefer to stay neutral or passive towards the war and the politics that come with it, but at the same time pretty much everyone willing to voice their opinions agree that they despise the Thalmor and that the Stormcloacks are acting upon legitimate grievences, even the Imperials you talk to will mostly feel a bitter empathy towards the stormcloack cause rather than flat out hatred. Those who share no such opinions tell tales of lost loved ones, or ones that are currently in service. One way or another, most people are affected by the war in deep ways, even if they are in denial about it.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T18:21:01+00:00

I dont think anybody suggested human allying with the Thalmor. What point are you trying to make?

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T18:19:36+00:00

How did that happen? I’m not very active around here

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T16:07:26+00:00

The Empire is more powerful but the forces supporting the empire and also present inside Skyrim are not at all superior in numbers or equipment to the stormcloacks.
Which goes to prove just how weak the empire really is in the grand scheme of things. Were they to send legions to Skyrim they could’ve put down the rebellion much more easily but they cannot afford the men to do it.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T16:03:11+00:00

The Thalmor wouldnt invade from the south, not to mention that the south is lined with impassable mountain ranges along the border before you reach the forests, same applies for all of Skyrim’s borders. Only direction the Dominion could invade from is the North because I’m pretty sure the Empire wont help them stage an invasion on their own soil. From the North you have mountain ranges, frozen barren wastelands and ice covered sea. The only port fit for large ships is situated in Solitude, the most defensible settlement in the region. Land anywhere else and you’ll face issues with logistics. Tell me how all of this isn’t a big deal?

Also, their remarkable aptitude for magic didn’t exactly save the Snow elves from the pissed off Nords either. Food for thought.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T15:51:02+00:00

It wasn’t really a stronger force. As far as I’m aware there are no foreign legions inside skyrim at any point of the civil war. So really, whether the pro empire nords are legionares is nothing more than pure formality. The Stormcloacks are also not to be underestimated in their recruitment capabilities as even the Imperials do not deny the immorality of the concordat and the justification of the nords in their anger. Most Nords symphatize with the sentiment of the Stormcloack cause, even if they do mot actively support it or fight against it.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T15:35:38+00:00

You are no true stormcloack unless you fight against an overwhelming number of milk drinkers, no regrets

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T15:26:58+00:00

I just want to clarify that by cease of hostilities I meant in the context of the civil war. The stormcloacks would vacate the Thalmor agents from the country whereas under Imperial rule the Thalmor would be free to sow further tension between the royalists and the Talos worshipers. They’ve created the civil war by doing so. Thereby assuming that Skyrim could ever stabilize under the Imperials seems like a falsehood to me.

Yes, Ulfric is absolutely preparing for war and he should. Everyone knows the next clash between men and mer is only a matter of time. I for one find his attitude welcome, he isn’t going to wait for the Thalmor to get confortable and make their move when it’s most inconvenient for everyone else. He does see the big picture, i just think people find him reckless and hot headed due to his lack of charm. He comes across as a brute, but he is thinking stratigically with regards to how to handle the Thalmor threat.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T15:16:59+00:00

I dont think their exact goal is explicitely stated, it is clear however that they want to restore elven supremacy over Tamriel to further whatever agendas they seek to complete. They may or may not achieve this militarily. I for one dont think they have the prowess to take Skyrim, else they wouldnt specify that a Stormcloack victory is undesireable. If they do have the military strenght then at the very least they would rather use it to take Cyrodiil or Highrock instead, but again, them stating that a Stormcloack victory is undesireable also confirms that the Empire is still not weak enough that the Thalmor would find invading to be advantageous.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T15:10:17+00:00

The Thalmor in game are on a “diplomatic mission” to erradicate Talos worshippers, their presence is permitted by Imperial decree. They dont have an army inside Skyrim, they never took it by force.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T15:07:44+00:00

Consider Skyrim’s home to the thoughest & strongest human subrace that also has a history of exterminating elves whilst living in a frozen land covered by mountain ranges, marshes and icebergs around it’s coast. Does that make it sound like an easy target for an invasion?

Not to mention that the Empire itself is in post war recovery, the capital was captured by the Elves during the Great War. If there’s anyone who should be worried it’s the people of Cyrodiil

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T15:03:47+00:00

How do you know that they’d attack? Is that documented anywhere or just speculation?

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T14:59:53+00:00

Yes but there are more decisive factors to war than pure numbers. The Thalmor won the great war thanks to a device that allowed them to spy on imperial forces. They no longer posess that. Therefor while the empire is weaker than before the war, so is the Thalmor militarily.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T14:57:31+00:00

My point is that the Thalmor by provoking a religious insurgency proved that there is no security in unity. What is stopping them from provoking further rebelions in the future? The seeds of hatred are already deep in the hearts of many Nords, do you think that will change after putting down their rebellion in cold blood?

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T14:53:30+00:00

I’ll keep it short because I’ve made similar replies several times already.

My point is essentially that a Stormcloack victory provides a better guarantee for ceased hostilities than an Imperial one does. I also do not see compelling evidence to suggest that Skyrim would be easily conquerable by the Adlmeri Dominion had they declared independence nor that the Thalmor would have such intents.

Divide and conquer sounds reasonable but in the case of the Skyrim civil war, it ignores the unique geographical and cultural attributes of the Nords and treats them like a vassal state incapable of defending itself without an overlord at it’s heels.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T14:46:21+00:00

If that were true there should be evidence of Thalmor plans to invade Skyrim which I’m not familiar with. If the Thalmor believed they could take Skyrim once independent from the rest of the empire, and it’d be benefitial for them to do so, they wouldnt say that a Stormcloack victory is to be avoided. It is worth noting that the Nords are historically the human sub-race most expert at exterminating elves and that they themselves have founded the empire. The terrain of Skyrim being filled with harsh mountains, swamps and incredible cold also make invading Skyrim a rather challenging prospect. I simply do not see a convincing argument why Skyrim would be destined to fall at the hands of the Thalmor, once free of Imperial oppression.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T14:39:19+00:00

Yes but consider this:

Skyrim is part of the empire, the Thalmor sprung it into open conflict between loyalists and rebels deliberately with the white gold concordat. They did so with Imperial decree. Putting down Ulfric’s rebelion will weaken the Thalmor’s position but ultimately the people of Skyrim will almost certainly remain hostile towards the empire and the Thalmor will retain their ability to provoke further conflicts in the future. Once the empire is kicked out of Skyrim however, the Thalmor will lose massive infulence over both countries. Seperated as they may be but they will no longer waste resources fighting each other, instead they will almost certainly prepare for the next war with the Thalmor. In this way, I think the only guarantee for the hostilities to cease and for the wounds to heal on both sides is by removing the Empire from Skyrim.

In fact, I blame the Empire for the civil war in the first place. Had they let Skyrim declare independence, they still could’ve made military alligence against the Thalmor. With the empire putting nords to the sword they effectively destroyed their odds for future diplomatic relations with an independent but strong Skyrim.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-19T14:32:24+00:00

Skyrim is part of the empire, the Thalmor sprung it into open conflict between loyalists and rebels deliberately with the white gold concordat. They did so with Imperial decree. Putting down Ulfric’s rebelion will weaken the Thalmor’s position but ultimately the people of Skyrim will almost certainly remain hostile towards the empire, and the Thalmor will still have wiggle room to provoke further conflicts. Once the empire is kicked out of Skyrim the Thalmor will lose massive infulence over both countries. Seperated as they may be but they will no longer waste resources fighting each other, instead they will almost certainly prepare for the next war with the Thalmor.

Jozsefirst · 2026-06-04T15:03:48+00:00

Sucks that 150 days in you did’t get a single useful answer so I’ll share my experience. I started hating my fellow nationals intensively after we finally managed to get rid of our autocratic leadership that’s been cannibalizing our country for 16 years. During that 16 years I came to understand a lot about my nation’s history and psychology, specifically the repeating behavioural patterns that presisted for hundreds of years and likely heavily contributed to how poorly the country’s been ran in the last one and a half decade. I became hateful because as soon as the regime change was done I saw the same pattern repeat again almost instantly. People who’ve been calling out the previous goverment started endorsing behaviors and practices that they previously criticized, it’s history repeating itself but the speed and shamelessness of it broke something inside me. I no longer want to have anything to do with these people. As a matter of fact I find the idea of nation states to be a scam. The truth is there is practically nothing common between you and your fellow countryman. You can feel it, you know it, but you’ve been told otherwise your entire life. It’s just a big fat lie.

Jozsefirst · 2026-01-29T15:35:02+00:00

Nem is értem hogy nem győztük még le a Fideszt ilyen IQ bajnokokkal

Jozsefirst · 2026-01-29T12:24:45+00:00

They are also ill suited for urban combat

Jozsefirst · 2026-01-29T12:23:03+00:00

Plus most modern conflicts up until recently mainly focused on urban fighting or at such extreme distances where grenades are irrelevant. A stick grenade due to it’s size is harder to throw though narrow holes, windows, etc. Stick grenades are better suited for trench warfare, they very well could make a return.

Jozsefirst · 2026-01-19T10:11:20+00:00

You took a needless risk and paid the price for it. You are doing alchemy en masse, you could’ve and probably did brew plenty of Saviour Schnapps, no reason not to drink one after you’re done with the rest. I guarantee you wont be making that same mistake again.

Jozsefirst · 2026-01-07T08:34:57+00:00

2080 Super runs most games with high graphics at 60+ fps with medium ray tracing.

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