» Tue May 08, 2012 6:49 am
It's still developing, but...
Caius Atorus is an Imperial, native of Skingrad County. His family is wealthy and aristocratic - he's had a good, scholarly, and diplomatic education. Being the second-born, Caius was never intended as heir and not taught much in the way of fighting. He was expected to simply administer matters of state for his elder brother, the chivalrous figurehead of the family.
Things changed when the Thalmor situation began to devolve. Following the Imperial treaty, they applied political pressure to Skingrad in the hope of annexing the region. This resulted in some minor skirmishes, unrest, and racial tension. Wary of another war, the Empire demanded that Skingrad reestablish the peace and make slight concessions. Within a few years, these concessions gave way to allowing Thalmor agents to arrest and execute citizens illegally worshipping Talos. Among those caught and killed was Caius' older brother.
Under suspicion of heresy with the rest of his family, Caius was persuaded to leave Skingrad for his own safety. His parents urged him to go north and cross the border into Skyrim. There, perhaps, further from the borders of the Thalmor, it would be possible to start over or even raise support to take back the Empire. Caius still had little training in combat and survival, but he accepted his role as a diplomat and set out to Skyrim via Bruma.
Soon after crossing the border, Caius ran into trouble. In a local tavern, he met a group of Thalmor agents, bragging about their recent raid on a Talos Shrine. As they described the slaughter, Caius lost his cool. He still had no real combat skills, but he had been given a couple of spell scrolls for emergency, and he impulsively chose to use one of these on the Thalmor agents. He not only injured his enemies, but accidentally set the tavern on fire. As the patrons escaped, Caius was arrested. Justice is both swift and harsh in Skyrim, and he was quickly convicted of terrorist acts against Imperially sanctioned agents and terrorism against the local township. Caius was sentenced to death.
Once the game begins, Caius' journey will be long and difficult. Again, he has few practical skills, and his immediate response to most things will be to run and hide. He will need to build his courage. He will also need to make contact with the political factions of Skyrim in the hope of finding support agains the Thalmor, but his allegiances will be tested. He is a loyal servant of the Empire and has difficulty with open rebellion, but he also recognizes that the Empire has become so corrupt that it may be irredeemable. His faith will also find conflict. As Dragonborn, he will need to follow in the very footsteps of Talos, which will cause him to reevaluate his view of the man and the god. Eventually, he will be forced to fight Alduin and his dragons, causing him to question his Imperial belief in Akotosh as the savior of the Empire. Along the way, Caius will doubtless have many side-adventures, fall in love, try to escape responsibility, etc. Tomorrow night, it begins.
