Quote Originally Posted by veti View Post
Influence != Authority. The Dominion has (because it claims it and, damningly, the self-styled Empire does not dispute that claim) authority over what goes on in Imperial lands. The Thalmor have their own enforcers, their own prisons, their own torturers in Skyrim, who operate with the full-throated blessing and support of the supposedly-defending imperial forces. They have patrols across the land who will accuse and attempt to murder innocent passers-by with no trial or evidence whatsoever, and the legion supports them while they do it.

Oh sure, Tullius mutters a bit when he's sure no Thalmor are listening, but when Elenwen says "jump", all he says is "how high?"





"The terms of the treaty" are effectively rewritten on a regular basis to make sure they cover whatever the Thalmor happen to want. Justiciars into Skyrim? - that wasn't in the treaty when it was signed, but somehow it is now. Tullius to go to Elenwen's parties, to make sure everyone knows who's boss? "Thank you ma'am, may I have another?"

You're right on one point, that the de facto power of the Thalmor is quite small. But that hardly matters, when they have the de facto and de jure power of the Imperial legion doing their dirty work for them. That's the genius of Thalmor diplomacy, again. The "Empire" is psychologically so whipped, they're now actively participating in their own subjugation.
The Thalmor explicitly commit several acts that are beyond the scope of what the treaty allows them to do. In fact, a fairly significant majority of how they operate is beyond the scope of their authority, which is why you EG don't get a bounty when you fight the justiciar patrols unless you just attack them out of nowhere.