The Nordic culture being gutted is a crime that I will never forgive Bethesda for. They turned a really interesting and unique people into tall, pale, racist imperials who talk funny.
The way I always viewed Nords was that they had strong beliefs in honour, bravery, loyalty and respect for their traditions. They weren't racist in the way of "ew fucking greyskins breathing the same air as me" (funnily enough that was more how Dunmer acted) it was "these are the things I view as really important for living a good life and most non-Nords don't live up to it."
I always got the sense that if a Nord came across a Dunmer who was honourable, brave and loyal and didn't shit all over the Nord way of life then they would embrace that Dunmer like a brother. Sort of how the Imperial Legion was most opposed by Redoran, yet the Legion respected Redoran over the other houses. I imagine Nords would have a similar dynamic. iirc they (or at least their Atmoran ancestors) gave a Lavish burial to the Snow Prince even though he was the representative of a race that tried to genocide them, because they respected him as a leader and warrior.
I didn't get the impression that Nords were ever racist just to be dicks. They only hold it against other races if they infringe on their way of life.
In "Scourge of the Gray Quarter", which I mentioned above, the writer contrasts how the Dunmer in Riften have become contributing members of society unlike the layabouts in the Gray Quarter.
Also fuck Bethesda for removing the Nord Pantheon from Skyrim.
Aside from more niche deities that predate the Imperial Cult, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Those would take the form of folk religions (such as the Skaal and their "All-Maker"), rather than institutionalized churches.
Race-specific pantheons in TES are combinations of Aedra and Daedra using local names. Akatosh and Lorkhan are common to basically all of them, though each race has a different version of the myths.
The Nords call their favorite gods by their Nordic names: Ysmir (Talos), Shor (Lorkhan), Kyne (Kynareth), etc. Alduin calls himself the "Firstborn of Akatosh", and there are some who believe Akatosh and Alduin are one in the same.
It makes the world less interesting, doesn't make sense from a lore perspective and seemingly was done to appeal to the lowest denominator of Oblivion players.
The OG Nords that came from Atmora were the first humans in Tamriel. Imperials are their descendants and cousins. Tiber Septim was a Nord.
The Civil War is a symptom of Skyrim's postwar religious and cultural identity crisis. The Stormcloaks' position is "we didn't leave the Empire, the Empire left us".
