What is your character's story?

[awf9495]

I know not everyone likes to roleplay beyond a game's structure, but does anyone else come up with any kind of back story for their character or even an in-game character arc?  My Breton, Kitara, grew up on the mean streets of Daggerfall.  She was raised in an orphanage and even though her caretakers were better than most, she was envious of others her own age. Not realizing that what she was really missing was the love of parents she never knew, she took to filling that unknown void with material goods. Of course, she acquired these material goods through sleight of hand. She found she was rather good at picking both pockets and locks, but wasn't good enough to never get caught and despite being given chance after chance by the orphanage, Kitara would not stop - she could not stop. With a heavy heart, her caretakers kicked her out and she lived the typical life of a beggar and thief for several years. One night in a dark alley, she attempted to pick the pocket of a rich nobleman who had dealings with the wrong people.  She was caught and it was kill or be killed.  With both the town guard and the shadier side of society actively seeking the nobleman's murderer, Kitara fled to Skyrim.

 

It is a pretty generic back story, but I needed to come up with some kind of justification for my character to do all of the horrible things they do as I will try and get some of the very worst out of the way (the most malicious of the Daedric quests, the Dark Brotherhood, feeding on tons of people as both a werewolf and vampire, etc.) before my character has some kind of epiphany and spends the rest of her adventures on the path of the righteous.  Well, almost on the path of the righteous.  As the saying goes, once a klepto, always a klepto.

[Remilia Scarlet]

My character, a Nord named Kylia, was born in a tiny village. Her parents and friends were murdered by the Imperials in a raid. She grew up as a begger in Whiterun and eventually joined the Stormcloaks for revenge.

[awf9495]

My character, a Nord named Kylia, was born in a tiny village. Her parents and friends were murdered by the Imperials in a raid. She grew up as a begger in Whiterun and eventually joined the Stormcloaks for revenge.

 

Nice!  What better motivation than revenge?  I went Imperials my first go around on the 360 so plan on checking out the Stormcloak side of things this time.  For Skyrim!

[Remilia Scarlet]

Nice!  What better motivation than revenge?  I went Imperials my first go around on the 360 so plan on checking out the Stormcloak side of things this time.  For Skyrim!

The true sons and daughters of Skyrim will never let the Imperials win!

[awf9495]

The true sons and daughters of Skyrim will never let the Imperials win!

 

Plus there was that whole "hey, this person isn't supposed to be on the cart, but let's chop her head off anyway" thing in the beginning.  I can see where that might cause a grudge.

[damon8r351]

Daughter of a Breton court mage and a Nord shield-maiden living in Cyrodiil, which is why she's pale like a Nord but is short and gets mistaken for a Breton because she takes after her father in stature. Took her mother's armor, her sword, and a horse to make her fortune in her mother's homeland. Got set upon by bandits while camped somewhere near the border and lost everything but the work clothes she was wearing under her armor. Was stumbling toward the nearest bit of civilization for help and fell in with Ulfric's troops who were also crossing the border. The Stormcloaks gave her a bit of food and allowed her to travel with them across for safety in numbers, while the Imperials were ready to remove her head just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hence the loyalty to the Stormcloak cause.

[awf9495]

Daughter of a Breton court mage and a Nord shield-maiden living in Cyrodiil, which is why she's pale like a Nord but is short and gets mistaken for a Breton because she takes after her father in stature. Took her mother's armor, her sword, and a horse to make her fortune in her mother's homeland. Got set upon by bandits while camped somewhere near the border and lost everything but the work clothes she was wearing under her armor. Was stumbling toward the nearest bit of civilization for help and fell in with Ulfric's troops who were also crossing the border. The Stormcloaks gave her a bit of food and allowed her to travel with them across for safety in numbers, while the Imperials were ready to remove her head just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hence the loyalty to the Stormcloak cause.

 

I like that each of our stories involve female protagonists and two are for the Stormcloaks (Kitara will be as well, even though I didn't include that in my backstory).  I imagine that your character eliminates every bandit she comes across with extreme prejudice after that encounter.

[Redgrave]

On the PS3 version I was an Imperial (I forgot what I named him though, it might have been Roan Fel named after the Legends Star Wars character) that traveled to Skyrim to help spread the influence of the Empire but since he wasn't officially in the Empire he got imprisoned with Ulfric's group anyway. After escaping the dragon attack he still wanted to help the Empire, but also wanted to master magic and eventually unite Skyrim under the Imperial banner and get a position to have the Empire become a magocracy so he can use his mastery of magic to get rid of Thalmer influence and return the Empire to it's former glory.

 

Not the best story I know. But if you let me be Imperial I'm going to do it especially for that extra gold findings. Plus at the time I saw the Stormcloaks as barbaric savages that needed a good hit of Imperial justice.

[awf9495]

On the PS3 version I was an Imperial (I forgot what I named him though, it might have been Roan Fel named after the Legends Star Wars character) that traveled to Skyrim to help spread the influence of the Empire but since he wasn't officially in the Empire he got imprisoned with Ulfric's group anyway. After escaping the dragon attack he still wanted to help the Empire, but also wanted to master magic and eventually unite Skyrim under the Imperial banner and get a position to have the Empire become a magocracy so he can use his mastery of magic to get rid of Thalmer influence and return the Empire to it's former glory.

 

Not the best story I know. But if you let me be Imperial I'm going to do it especially for that extra gold findings. Plus at the time I saw the Stormcloaks as barbaric savages that needed a good hit of Imperial justice.

 

I think it is a good story.  Who knew that an Imperial would have a Napoleonic complex?  haha.

 

My first character was an Imperial as well, bright eyed and bushy tailed and eager to fight for the Empire. During his first skirmish in Skyrim, he was captured by the Stormcloaks and interrogated. He knew very little, but told the Stormcloaks everything to avoid torture. He had managed to free himself from his bindings and was about to escape when fate threw him in with Ulfric's lot. He would have rather met the headman's axe than reveal to the Imperials who he was and what he had done. He was prepared to meet the same fate as his captors when the dragon appeared.  After escaping, he did what he could to survive, not because he clung steadfastly to life but because he had no idea what else to do.  He fell in with an unsavory lot and quickly surpassed them all in the arts of stealth, thievery, and combat. So great were his skills that he drew the attention of those wishing for others to disappear. He did not relish killing others, nor did it weigh on his conscious.  He felt nothing - years of torturing himself over his betrayal of the Empire ate away at his very being until nothing was left.. This made him the perfect assassin and before long, none spoke his name aloud for if you knew of Pe Ell's* existence, you were probably not long for this world.

 

*Named after the assassin in The Druid of Shannara.

Edited November 16, 2016 by awf9495

[KhajiitWerewolf]

I don't have much of a story, only a basic outline. My character is a Khajiit, Dra'Raaja. Her mother was half Khajiit, half Nord. And so my character always felt ostracized from a young age. She had an abnormal fascination with history, and an insatiable hunger for knowledge and built up grudging respect as a scholar and wrote several books about Elswyr's ruins. However, her true passion was uncovering the history of the Dwemer, and so she set off to Skyrim where she heard there were many ruins. However just as she reached Skyrim she was caught up in the boarder patrol and arrested simply based on her race.

 

When she discovers she is dragon born it strikes up an interest in her Nord grandfather and the language of dragons. And if she saves the world while pursing that history, so much the better. She isn't above breaking the law in her pursuit of knowledge and always investigates any place that she thinks will contain bits of history.

 

Like most Khajiits she believes the Thalmor brought the moon back and is sympathetic to them - so she joins the Stormcloaks as they unbalance the Imperials and further the cause of the Thalmor. She greatly misses Skuma and always buys some from the local Khajiit travelers. And while she isn't above breaking the law in the pursuit of knowledge for her books, she will not resort to outright murder. Theft and breaking and entering aren't off the table. She'll even do the bidding of Daedra if it teaches her something new. However, as a scholar, she leaves most loot where she found it in ruins, and if she does take something, she documents it carefully and does not sell it. It makes for an interesting game following the 'always buy Skooma' and 'don't disturb the final resting place of ancient artifacts' rules. I will admit my understanding of elder scrolls lore is a bit spotty - but playing as a scholar I read all the books I find so I'm learning more and getting better.

[awf9495]

I don't have much of a story, only a basic outline. My character is a Khajiit, Dra'Raaja. Her mother was half Khajiit, half Nord. And so my character always felt ostracized from a young age. She had an abnormal fascination with history, and an insatiable hunger for knowledge and built up grudging respect as a scholar and wrote several books about Elswyr's ruins. However, her true passion was uncovering the history of the Dwemer, and so she set off to Skyrim where she heard there were many ruins. However just as she reached Skyrim she was caught up in the boarder patrol and arrested simply based on her race.

 

When she discovers she is dragon born it strikes up an interest in her Nord grandfather and the language of dragons. And if she saves the world while pursing that history, so much the better. She isn't above breaking the law in her pursuit of knowledge and always investigates any place that she thinks will contain bits of history.

 

Like most Khajiits she believes the Thalmor brought the moon back and is sympathetic to them - so she joins the Stormcloaks as they unbalance the Imperials and further the cause of the Thalmor. She greatly misses Skuma and always buys some from the local Khajiit travelers. And while she isn't above breaking the law in the pursuit of knowledge for her books, she will not resort to outright murder. Theft and breaking and entering aren't off the table. She'll even do the bidding of Daedra if it teaches her something new. However, as a scholar, she leaves most loot where she found it in ruins, and if she does take something, she documents it carefully and does not sell it. It makes for an interesting game following the 'always buy Skooma' and 'don't disturb the final resting place of ancient artifacts' rules. I will admit my understanding of elder scrolls lore is a bit spotty - but playing as a scholar I read all the books I find so I'm learning more and getting better.

 

I like how you not only have created a unique background for your character, but it also effects how you play.  I guess that is the difference between a scholar and a treasure hunter (aka thief) as I loot everything that isn't tied down and sell sell sell.  Kudos for reading all of the books!  I just don't have the time or patience anymore but I read quite a few of them in Oblivion.

 

I am opposite of you as instead of playing to a story, I create a story to match my play.  I mainly play the good guy in video games, but I want to do absolutely everything in Skyrim and needed some kind of justification for my character to do the plethora of things that are dark and terrible.

[Verrthey]

Ok so he was going to get his head chopped off then a dragon attacks then he escapes and does all the trophys

[awf9495]

Ok so he was going to get his head chopped off then a dragon attacks then he escapes and does all the nobles' trophy husbands and wives

 

Just made your story much more interesting, you scandalous rogue you.

[LinuxSteven301]

Male Nord , Thor Odinson. Sent from Asgard to free the stormcloaks from the oppressing Imperials by decree of the All Father.

  Asgard / Sovngarde 

  Dragonborne / Thundergod. 

  Carries only Volendrung aka Mjolnir

I was torn though with either going with Red hair after the traditional myths of Thor but instead went blond prob due to influences from Marvel comics.

 

I'm about 200 hours into the game but stopped short of horn for the greybeards. My intentions are try to complete the civil war but avoid the dark brotherhood till after I've won. Then with  war over hopefully I won't lose my trusty Shadowmere as I was forced to leave  Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr  in Asgard.

Edited November 27, 2016 by LinuxSteven301

[RabbiAndy]

My character is an Orc named Negan who was almost executed at the beginning for a crime he never committed until the dragon arrived and he escaped. Making his way across Skyrim, he seeks to return to his home in Largashbur to meet with his fellow Orcs. On the way he befriends a blacksmith Alvor in Riverwood and learns the smithing trade where he crafts weapons, tools, and armor for others. Upon returning to Largashbur, his fellow Orcs reveal that they were the ones who sent him off to be executed. It turns out they knew he was Dragonborn and a high bounty was put on him to have him turned in and killed. Enraged, Negan kills the traitorous Orcs whom he once grew up with and takes their most prized armor and weapons with him. He decided to return to Riverwood, but beforehand, enrolls in the College of Winterhold to learn useful magic. After a scheming Ancano tries to destroy the college, Negan stops him and earns the title of Arch Mage of Winterhold. Now with a powerful set of armor, weapons, and magic, Negan sets his way back to Riverwood but is shocked to find that a vampire attack occurred when he was away. He finds that Alvor is killed, and this sets him off the deep end. He swears vengeance on the vampires and seeks to avenge Alvor by joining Dawnguard and he becomes a feared vampire hunter. Eventually he sets up his own group of feared warriors and seeks to gain control of his own region, fiercely protecting his group but showing no mercy/compassion to outsiders.

 

I always enjoyed creating origins stories for villains and how difficult circumstances and tragedy can turn any normal citizen evil.

[Oobedoob S Benubi]

On 16/11/2016 at 6:18 PM, awf9495 said:

 

I know not everyone likes to roleplay beyond a game's structure, but does anyone else come up with any kind of back story for their character or even an in-game character arc?

 

 

I do come up with a backstory when a game is as open as this with little info on the main character (and I have several table top RPG characters with extensive back stories), but I usually don't think about one in advance. It's more of an "I get to know more about the character when I play" type deal, with me justifying in-game decisions based on what I feel like would be a good background justification for such a choice.

 

For instance, I just started Skyrim again after an absence of five years or so. I made a Wood Elf, Banderlas. Seeing as he starts the game crossing the south border, I've decided he's from Valenwood. I decided beforehand that I would be either good or chaotic good. When walking to Whiterun from Riverwood, I was attacked by an assassin while I hadn't done anything against anyone. So, my wife and kids were murdered by the Dark Brotherhood while I was away because someone wanted to take our land. Dark Brotherhood hadn't found me yet but I found the bodies of my wife and kids, I killed the people who gave the order and I'm now on a quest to wipe the Dark Brotherhood off of the face of the earth.

 

Hey, I said I was "good", I never said "nice".