So I've had it in my mind now to create a new Skyrim character. I've always wanted to create a "fallen hero", one who starts out pure and good, but falls into madness and evil. Kind of like Arthas from Warcraft 3, that's what I'm going for. So here's what I'm thinking:

Typical Nord warrior, full good guy who believes in honor and helping the weak, but has a mean streak against his enemies. Fully sides with the blades and kills Paarthurnax, believing he should pay for his crimes. While he respects the Greybeards, he believes they are wrong with the Way of the Voice, and that it was meant to be used. He goes on the main quest like normal, up to when Odahviing is captured. As he sleeps that night, he hears a voice whisper in his head that he fears he will lose to Alduin, as he failed to defeat him on the Throat of the World. The voice whispers of a weapon that he can use to destroy Alduin, and gives him an image of a door in Dragonsreach. He gets the key the next day, and finds the Ebony Blade inside, discounting the warnings in the journal because he feels the need is too great. He later uses it to destroy Alduin, and continues to use it for a time. He settles down, gets married, and tries to live a normal life. However, Mephala constantly whispers in his head, driving him mad until he finally loses this battle of wills and kills his wife with the blade in her sleep. This act drives him mad, and he loses the will to fight. From there, he vanishes, only appearing to kill those he once called friend to fuel the blade, who are found with looks of shock on their faces, but with no sign of the murderer.

From there, he joins the Dark Brotherhood, and uses his position as an assassin to find new souls to fuel the blade. He becomes a Vampire throughout the course of the questline, and later joins Harkon against the Dawnguard. That's all I've got so far, but I'm thinking of writing a redemption story that takes place in the Dragonborn DLC.

Appearence:

Pre-fall: Nord. Heavy Plate Armor, Steel Sword and Shield. Brown hair and beard, blue eyes.

Post-fall: Ebony Blade, Ebony Armor set, scar over right eye from fight with Alduin, Vampire complexion.

What do you think guys? I'd appreciate the feedback.

That's dark. I like it.

that's really good.

I was about to suggest the Dragonborn DLC as a way of redeeming himself. But you thought of that. The interesting bit though is the temptations of Dragonborn... the black books... the power he can learn. Can he control it? He will be able to do so much with the "blessings" of Hermaeus Mora...

I hope you share with us how this all works out.

Well, I have to admit I'm kind of borrowing from Warcraft 3, I absolutely love the character of Arthas. But I've put my own spin on it. For example, he only becomes a Vampire because of Serana, who is the spitting image of Lydia, his dead wife (in my opinion they look alike). Thus, he wants to protect her from harm, and in a sense she brings back some of his former self, and lets his humanity emerge. Ironic for a vampire. And he generally views Harkon as completely nuts, and agrees with Valerica on the Tyranny of the Sun prophesy. I'm kind of making him not really evil, but more of a Hero turned Anti-Hero. When he takes Harkon's place, he genuinely wants to protect the vampires, and views them as his subjects, and has no malice towards humans, just viewing them as food. As for the Ebony Blade, he basically falls and continues to use it because he feels that it has enslaved him. In reality, he only lost control in that one moment, and if he realized that, he could abandon the blade and return to his former life. However, Mephala is very subtle. You know that voice that tells you to do something you normally wouldn't do, what would be the harm? That's Mephala. He keeps telling himself he has nothing left, and essentially he wants to die. However, he continues to fuel the blade because he is basically a husk at this point in his life. It isn't until he meets Serana that he starts to "wake up", and in Dragonborn, he's going to see Miraak as an image of what he is becoming, a slave to a Daedric lord with no mercy. That's when he'll finally realize what he's turning into, and take control of his life from Mephala, leaving the Ebony Blade in Apocrypha to rot. Long post I know, and like I said I welcome any and all feedback. It's late, so I just typed all this in a sleep deprived ramble, but please let me know what you guys think.