You've doomed us all, you filthy Stormcloak.

Praise Talos.

Banishing the worship of Talos is the only way to prevent war with the Thalmor.

So we have a war with the Imperials instead of the Thalmor? Seems redundant.

I've only ever played Skyrim and bits of Oblivion, but why do they want to ban the worship of Talos?

I've only ever played Skyrim and bits of Oblivion, but why do they want to ban the worship of Talos?

I believe because Talos was once a mere men who, because of his deeds, ascended to become a god. So after his death people believed he was a god and started worshipping him, not because of his deeds, but because he was once like them, so other people could become a god to.
I guess the reasons why the Aldmeri want to ban him is because he was just a men.

I've only ever played Skyrim and bits of Oblivion, but why do they want to ban the worship of Talos?

Talos is revered as a man who ascended to the Imperial/Nordic pantheon, which is why the formerly Eight Divines were then the Nine Divines, or the Eight-and-One.

The Thalmor are fanatics who reject the idea that a man can become god, they say that Talos did not ascend to godhood after his death and find it blasphemic to worship him as an equal to their gods. Since they were in a position of power after the attack on the Imperial city they could enforce the ban of Talos worship. But initially Talos, as a man and as a god, was as important for the Imperials as for the Nords.

the problem with the OP, is that it's not made to be that type of game. The game is so big, that they had to make some sacrifices in the graphics and physics department to make up for the endless story lines that are in the game.
Skyrim is a sandbox game, which means you can do literally whatever you want. The "main story" is just something to help you level up. There are literally tons of quests and stories in the game. You can craft your character however you want, and do whatever you want. There really isn't supposed to be a set storyline that skyrim follows, kind of like the GTA series.

So we have a war with the Imperials instead of the Thalmor? Seems redundant.

The Stormcloaks were the ones who started the war. It was completely unnecessary, and seems a bit selfish.

Skyrim is a sandbox game, which means you can do literally whatever you want. The "main story" is just something to help you level up. There are literally tons of quests and stories in the game. You can craft your character however you want, and do whatever you want. There really isn't supposed to be a set storyline that skyrim follows, kind of like the GTA series.

I disagree. Morrowind had a great main story and main quest line, plus many other side-quests and a whole world to discover on your own. In Skyrim they simply didn't put so much focus on the main story, but it isn't supposed to be just a decoration.

The Stormcloaks were the ones who started the war. It was completely unnecessary, and seems a bit selfish.

I personally like the position of Lt. Rikke. Tullius has only disdain left for Nord traditions which is why I despise him. Ulfric is racist and eaten by revenge and ambition. Rikke however recognizes the importance of the Imperial/Nord coalition, yet still honors Nord traditions and even secretly reveres Talos.

Skyrim is a sandbox game, which means you can do literally whatever you want. The "main story" is just something to help you level up. There are literally tons of quests and stories in the game. You can craft your character however you want, and do whatever you want. There really isn't supposed to be a set storyline that skyrim follows, kind of like the GTA series.

And now we come to my biggest qualm with Skyrim.

I think it's been said before, but Skyrim falls right on its face with its quests. In its predecessor, Oblivion, there were was a "whodunit" quest, haunted houses, undercover missions, the absolutely superb Dark Brotherhood bonuses (felt like such a boss getting the bonus for the Valen Dreth mission), all around just varied and interesting questlines. The worst quests were the ones that required you to go into the Oblivion Gates, because they were samey and bland and just not interesting-looking when compared to the landscape of Cyrodiil.

Skyrim has a tendacy to want to keep you in its dungeons. Jarl's bounty quests, Companion initiations, various Civil War missions, even the MAGE'S GUILD gets dungeons! What's up with that?

You can have all the cool mechanics in the world, but if the game pushes the player into a boring place to use them most of the time, then they become all but null.

-Chillz

morrowind was bigger longer and better than any of TES they got lazier as the series progressed

I'm very sorry to say, but there are no atheists in the Elder Scrolls universe. Imperials and Nords revere more or less the same deities, and the Thalmor only ban the worship of Talos, acknowledging the other Eight Divines (part of their own pantheon). Thalmor are best compared to the Inquisition and religious fanatics.
Maybe you should check this.

Okay, maybe not full atheists but semi-atheists, since they respect the Thalmor, banning Talos to prevent another war. But if you can say that one side is better than the other, then you are wrong... If you complete the Imperial questline, and I'm pretty sure you did. *SPOILER BEGIN* the finishing speeches of Tullius will make you think "I should've go with the Stormcloaks", as he says to Ulfric "Time to go wherever your people..go when they die!" This phrase made me mad because Sovngarde actually exists and there's a proof by finishing the Dragonborn main quest, and yet he doesn't believe that Sovngarde exists...and Legate is the only Imperial I respect since she says "Talos Guide you", yet Imperials banned Talos worshiping.*SPOILER END*

And no, you're not forced to choose a side in the game.

Actually yes...if you want to complete the Civil War questline, there are some players who want to complete ALL the quests. That's the second main questline, the first being Dragonborn.

morrowind was bigger longer and better than any of TES they got lazier as the series progressed

Yes but sadly the graphics are outdated which gives no feeling that you are there. I know there are mods that drastically improve graphics but it is still not that good. Come on..we are 2012.