Forums » Elder Scrolls

Just how strong IS the Dominion?

    • 1441 posts
    April 15, 2015 3:34 PM EDT

    While I do believe that a second Great War with the Dominion is likely to happen (And I hope its one of the main points of the next game), we have to think. The Great War lasted four, to five-ish years, give or take any lingering resistances. While it was a stalemate, the Dominion forces in Cyrodill were annihilated, the Imperial City was sacked twice, and a few of the Dominion's generals were either killed or captured. With this in mind, and how the Empire is in Skyrim (And the Emperor possibly being dead in the next game, or pretty old), both sides were more than likely weakened. In my mind, with the fact there seems to be a fair number of Altmer and Bosmer who either outright, or secretly disagree with the Thalmor or the Dominion as whole, we have to wonder, how strong are they? For me, I think while they are rebuilding, they are still a while away from their strength pre-Great War. What do you guys think?

    • 87 posts
    April 15, 2015 4:13 PM EDT

    The Dominion isn't just strong. It's...

  • April 15, 2015 4:17 PM EDT
    They're not that strong. Their biggest power right now is buffing and political games.
    • 19 posts
    April 15, 2015 4:27 PM EDT

    The Dominion are as strong as we allow them to be. Which is too strong. annddddd.... cue the controversy! 

    • 203 posts
    April 15, 2015 4:28 PM EDT

    I would say that they aren't that powerful and that they will have to take more care of what is within their own borders before expanding (this is a general rule for all the countries in Tamriel).

    What I mean by that is that there are indeed a lot of rumors about infighting and discontent within the dominion. You hear from Delphine (yes, she is a terrorist, not the most reliable source I'll admit), that the Thalmor are conducting purges amongst the Bosmer, which is never a good thing if you want a sustained control over the province, fear only gets you so far. On the other hand I don't think their control over Elsweyr will last a long time either. I mean, how long will it take for the smart race of the kahjits to discover that the Thalmor had nothing to do with the reappearance of the Moons?

    The fact that the psyjics have renounced Thalmor rule is a good indicator of the weakness of their grasp on even Alinor. I don't think they will stand for much longer.

    • 1483 posts
    April 15, 2015 4:29 PM EDT

    Too strong 

    • 1441 posts
    April 15, 2015 4:46 PM EDT

    Also, there are two Altmer, one an Imperial Legate (Which still could mean he is biased), mentioning, if I recall, the burning of a refugee camp b Thalmor, and one book series written by an Altmer, who mentions ethnic cleansings and the destruction of dissedents

    • 87 posts
    April 15, 2015 5:13 PM EDT

    Strange. It just says "Hefty (with unscented odor block)".

    • 15 posts
    April 15, 2015 5:16 PM EDT

    I think their warrior for warrior ratio is about the same as those fighting againt them. However, I also think they know / have something that might just change everything. Why else should they decide to start a war if they werent 100% (or as close to 100% as possible) to win? What this something they have, or know, or whatever is, I do not know... the heart of Lorkhan? Who knows?   

    • 203 posts
    April 15, 2015 5:17 PM EDT

    To be honest I'm not sure if the ethnic cleansing is a new feature of Altmer culture though, they have always been quite spot on when talking of maintaining their godly blood. Cleansings would fit right into their mindset.

    But yes, the Thalmor aren't as strong as everyone believes, yes they are strong but they have been slowly burying their own grave lately.

    • 78 posts
    April 15, 2015 5:19 PM EDT

    If they were strong enough to defeat the Empire, they would have done it. But they weren't and they aren't now either. They demanded the Empire to ban the worship of Talos because they already knew such a thing would cause a rebellion somewhere. They were pretty bold in the Great War as they outright opened a 5-year bloodshed; they had the power to do so then. Now they are basically dividing and conquering, which is a dead giveaway they don't have enough power to go on an open war. 

    Problem is, they made the Empire walk into a shadow of fear; the Empire is basically too afraid to do anything, as they believe the Dominion can crush them. So, even 30 years after the Great War, the Empire is still in ruins, unable to even take down a minor rebellion (such as the Forsworn who took over Markarth and the early years of the Stormcloak rebellion). They lost Hammerfell and Skyrim (even if the imperial forces win the civil war there, pretty much all the nord warriors who would normally join the Empire in the war to come, will be dead as almost all of them turned rebels), so that leaves Empire with a very small amount of forces and that's exactly what the Dominion wants. 

    For me, the Empire died with the Septims, so I don't really care what happens to it. Never been a huge fan of empires anyway. They can all die fighting the Thalmor for all I care. That would probably weaken the Thalmor further and then we nords could have the chance to swoop back in and crush them much easier. With both the Empire and the Thalmor gone, we could just form a new Empire featuring Skyrim, Cyrodiil and the Summerset Isles. Damn, Ulfric could become the new Talos if he'd play his cards correctly.

    • 1441 posts
    April 15, 2015 5:28 PM EDT

    As in, resurrect the Nordic Empire of Ysgrammor when manly badasses with huge beards cleaved their foes in twain with a battleaxe and Shouting down kingdoms?

    • 87 posts
    April 15, 2015 5:36 PM EDT

    Assuming you meant to say "bluffing".

    • 78 posts
    April 15, 2015 6:04 PM EDT

    Exactly, dude. Exactly.

    • 743 posts
    April 15, 2015 6:50 PM EDT

    Finally, someone who agrees the Empire died with the Septims. I wish I had the option to "like" a comment.

    • 17 posts
    April 16, 2015 7:30 AM EDT

    Never underestimate the dominion. This will be your only warning.

    • 35 posts
    April 16, 2015 10:37 AM EDT
    I'd say that the Thalmor will get real desperate if they lose any connection with Skyrim, and try to gain a hold in as many provinces as they can. Then they'll make the mistake of stepping into Black Marsh, making all the Argonians a little bit annoyed. As soon as the Argonians get involved with this you know that shit is about to go down.

    Nah in all seriousness if they were really as powerful as they would have us believe they wouldn't need to manipulate provinces to turn against the Empire, the could just destroy the Empire, there and then.
    • 649 posts
    April 16, 2015 10:55 AM EDT

    Why waste soldiers when you can get your enemies kill (or weaken at least) each other?

    • 78 posts
    April 16, 2015 12:35 PM EDT

    They seemed pretty straight-forward when starting the Great War. High Elves are a prideful race. They wouldn't count on such devious strategies unless they absolutely had to. 

    • 17 posts
    April 16, 2015 12:38 PM EDT
    We are most proud, yes.
    But we are proud of our magical mastery and our cunning minds, not our lack of barbarian brute force.
    Brain > Brawn
    • 1441 posts
    April 16, 2015 3:39 PM EDT

    Though a mix of brains and brawn is quite dangerous. Anyway, elves, at least Altmer, have a reason, as they have more time to perfect a craft, but then, so does a non Mer mage

  • April 16, 2015 7:55 PM EDT
    Nah brah, those Altmer run a mean gym. Why do you think they hate Talos so much? Only room for one Iron Church with these dudes.
  • April 16, 2015 8:26 PM EDT

    Iron Church? That reminds of Swole Acceptance with their Iron Temple and their gods: Brodin All-Spotter, Broseidon, and a few more I can't remember.

    • 253 posts
    April 17, 2015 12:50 AM EDT

    This picture basically sums up how straight up ballin' the Dominion is.

    • 6 posts
    April 17, 2015 9:17 AM EDT

    I dont think the dominion are strong or as strong as they were pre great war, but I do think they are powerful enough to finish the empire, due to the rebelion in skyrim and the scaring of the empire (empire still seems a bit "patchy" even after 30 years). Then again the dominion are still struggling to control Hammerfell which is showing weakness, but like the empire, there main forces might be readying for an attack at the border to cyrodiil