Skyrim

[Maximus]

Are the nords supposed to be sympathetic? They seem incredibly racist and backwards.

Neither side is particularly sympathetic, but the Stormcloaks are way ahead of the Thalmor and their imperial lackeys.

[Caliga]

Are the nords supposed to be sympathetic? They seem incredibly racist and backwards.

I plan to side with the Empire this time.  My character (who is a big Redguard with long dreadlocks) don't have time for no creepy ass crackers.

[garbon]

Yeah I'm an imperial character and just last night joined up with the Legion.

[Maximus]

Quisling

[garbon]

Are the nords supposed to be sympathetic? They seem incredibly racist and backwards.

Neither side is particularly sympathetic, but the Stormcloaks are way ahead of the Thalmor and their imperial lackeys.

I generally side with the established order unless there is some reason the rebels are better.

[Maximus]

I generally side with the established order unless there is some reason the rebels are better.

I see the current state of the empire as basically Vichy France

[Maximus]

My current Khajiit hunter has not quite joined a side, but he's definitely more friendly with the stormcloaks.

[Queequeg]

Are the nords supposed to be sympathetic? They seem incredibly racist and backwards.

Neither side is particularly sympathetic, but the Stormcloaks are way ahead of the Thalmor and their imperial lackeys.

How far are you in to the game?

[Maximus]

Level ~20. In the main quest I have just been up the mountain. Haven't really started any of the other major story quests. Unless you count the dark brotherhood. I just killed Astrid.

[grumbler]

Neither side is particularly sympathetic, but the Stormcloaks are way ahead of the Thalmor and their imperial lackeys.

  [spoiler]The Stormcloaks are a creation of the Thalmor!  The whole rebellion is just a Thalmor false-flag operation designed to cripple the empire.[/spoiler]

[Octavian]

Bought all the DLC's during the steam sale.

Among the many mods I use I have recently installed Skyrim Redone except for the enemy AI and combat module. For that I use Duel Combat Realism. It's like it's a whole new game.

I stated a new game this time with a Nord.

Skyrim really is a great game Especially when playing it on the PC.

[Maximus]

Neither side is particularly sympathetic, but the Stormcloaks are way ahead of the Thalmor and their imperial lackeys.

  [spoiler]The Stormcloaks are a creation of the Thalmor!  The whole rebellion is just a Thalmor false-flag operation designed to cripple the empire.[/spoiler]

The "empire" could not be more crippled if the "emperor" was a Thalmor governor. Thalmor agents roam the empire with impunity, killing their political opponents at will and the imperials support them.

[garbon]

Skyrim really is a great game Especially when playing it on the PC.

Yeah, I first played it briefly on a PS3 and was not at all pleased. Now having picked it up also during the steam sale, I'm enjoying it a lot.

[grumbler]

The "empire" could not be more crippled if the "emperor" was a Thalmor governor. Thalmor agents roam the empire with impunity, killing their political opponents at will and the imperials support them.

      

Official Thalmor themselves say that the Stormcloaks are their tools and that Ulfric Stormcloak is their paid agent.

The Empire, in fact, fought a war against the Thalmor ()as you play more, you will run into mentions of the "Great War" which was the Empire against the Thalmor).  The Empire barely survived, and had to agree to allow Thalmor agents to "seek out Talos worshippers."  If you were correct, and the emperor couldn't be more of a Thalmor governor, the Empire would have surrendered.

The Empire is like Vichy France, and Ulfric Stormcloak is like a Nazi stooge trying to extend German control over Vichy.  Most of the "Stormcloaks" are probably just his dupes; it isn't clear how many others are Thalmor agents like Sotrmcloak.  What is clear, though, is that Stormcloaks do kill Imperials and weaken the Empire; they don't kill Thalmor and so indirectly strengthen the Thalmor empire.
The whole "Stormcloak is a Thalmor agent" thing is one of the cool bits of the whole story, and explains why the Stormcloaks don't seem to care about the Thalmor.

[Maximus]

As you say, the empire fought a war against the Aldmeri Dominion, and then surrendered becoming a convenient fiction that is de facto under Thalmor control.

Stormcloak is no hero, but I have yet to see anything to suggest he is working with the Thalmor. What I have seen is the temple of Talos in Windhelm operating openly, which makes it very unlikely the Thalmor are as free to operate there as they are in the imperial-controlled areas.

As for what the Thalmor say... surely they wouldn't lie.