I'm working on the backstory of Orfeo Caelius, an Imperial musician who's decided to develop his magic skills a little more. My problem is why he choses to go to Skyrim of all places, in the middle of a civil war. On other characters (active or planned) I've used the following reasons:
-criminal background, fled from massive bounties
-falsely accused of murder, panicked and fled
-magically transported from our world
-come to join the Stormcloaks
-searching for a long-lost relative
-got lost during a hunting trip

So I want a different reason for Orfeo. I'm thinking that he might have heard of something interesting, or has a special reason to joining the College of Winterhold (haven't done that questline yet, that's one of the reason I've created him - another is doing the Civil War on the Imperial side), but I have no idea what. The library? A famous mage he wants to meet?
He's an educated person, so maybe he's interested in Dwemer ruins, but why go there NOW, during the war?
Or could he have come by mistake? How? And why doesn't he leave again as soon as he's out of Helgen?

Any ideas?

To get away from the politics of Cyrodill and the fighting between the College of Whispers and the Synod.

So, he goes to Skyrim to join the College of Winterhold where he can truly study and immerse himself in his craft.

He's a sadomasochist.

^This... except in my mages case it was to get away from all the politcal back stabbing of High Rock

I would give him a lifelong rival that he's had since childhood, and he's heard that he might be lurking around in Skyrim.

Good idea, but still - why now? With the war going on? Maybe some family issues could answer that, though. I think I can work something out from here. Thanks!

Well lets say he is related to someone at the college? nah that would be weird. or?

Hmm, no, that's not really him (it would fit my Dunmer witch, though, she's more of a holding-a-grudge type).


Imperial.

(I know, maybe not the typical mage race. My only Breton so far is a 2H warrior... Why stick to the standards? )

The news of the routing of the forces of the rebellion by Tulius at Darkwater Pass led him to believe a safe passage overland could be made, His family connections alllowed him to avoid the lengthy trip from the Imperial City to Bruma by teleportation. The walk into Skyrim was just a few hours from the Wizards Tower outside of Bruma, and most of that was downhill. He could not wait to get to Whiterun and rent the carriage to Markarth when the light struck him and he faded into the darkness.
As He awoke in the carriage, He realised the money saved by not sailing into Dawnstar would have made no difference to him in his current predicament. The infighting of the two schools of Magic had sunk to the level where what was happening was payback for not picking a side at all...

There could be an old friend of the family there, maybe? Question is, who?

Here's a good one... He comes to Skyrim because he's a Talos sympethiser. This also would weigh a decision to join the Stormcloaks.

Also, the College of Winterhold is a more attractive place to learn magic right now than either the Synod or College of Whispers, from what I understand. Both of those organisations are more about politics than advancement in arcane knowledge these days, from some of the Skyrim dialogue I get.

YEah exactly i like that! Also i didnt read carefully you already said you was a imperial,Edited the comment,And well i dont know who he might know there

If you on PC you can download the Alternate start mod. It's absolutly fantastic. Otherwise, why not escapism? Skyrim is beautiful, and quiet, and relativly out of the way. Perhaps he had no idea the war was going on. Perhaps he liked the idea of being a wizard shrouded in snow, being all badass verywhere he went. With lots of snow with him. I always got the impression that mages were power hungry.

Perhaps, given how Winterhold is such a small and backwater place these days, maybe he hoped the war wouldn't really reach there.

Got rejected from Cyrodil University of Magical Arts and Accounting.

have to agree. best mod i know. i just love how the WHOLE dragon thing is taken out of the game, if you wish so. even dialogues related to them are taken out, till you start a certain quest.


however.... i find it easy to roleplay a mage going to skyrim, because of the college of winterhold. it's the only real mageguild left, because the other ones are too busy with politics.

Agreed. It's a cold and inhospitable place ... but a perfect place to study magic in freedom without many distractions. I don't know how you could ever pursue magic in the Arcane University with the structured environment there.

Just don't treat any of the books in the Arcaneum poorly ... you'll risk being torn apart by angry atronachs.

You, sir, should join the Thieves Guild and do the numbers quests ...

Why not just keep it somple? He's in Skyrim to join the college, which from what I gather is one of the very best places to learn magic in Tamriel. The hostilities has really been going on for a long time, and though the high king was recently murdered there hasn't really beeen any real battles yet, at the College is remote and relatively secure from it (or at least that's what the mage can tell himself).

As for the family/friend of family angle no one will address you as such, which might damage the role playing. You could be Tolfdir's son (in Nirn children takes nearly all of their appearance/race from their mother) who he has no knowledge off and you can never build up enough courage to tell him.

1. He's a psijic spy.
2. He wants to go to the Winterhold college and learn (take your pick.)
3. He had a vision that the dragons were returning.
4. The chicks.
5. He wants to find all the dragon masks.
6. He wants to collect all the daedric artifacts, because he's a rotten-hearted blankety blank.
7. He's on a secret mission for the thalmor to collect magic artifacts from Skyrim to assist the thalmor war effort and further weaken the humans.

Hope this helps

you want to study the college and help with the war then you just suddenly discover you are dragonborn and you do the moot!

So many good ideas!

I'll probably go with some variant of the "The college of Winterhold is The Place To Study Magic and too secluded to be affected by the war" thing. And maybe he didn't even know how bad it was, after all, you'll get the conflict all explained as if you've hardly heard of it. If he's been living quite far from Skyrim (I imagine that his family's from Imperial City) that could probably make sense.

...And there you nailed him! (Though I think he might be interested in guys as well. I'm not sure.)

That Skyrim needs healers.