Okay obviously the fanfic forum might have been a better place to put this in but im new to the forums and was not sure where to post this so my apologies if it is in the wrong place.

So since my first two Skyrim characters are well on their way to saving the world, I want to make a third one. I have never attempted to roleplay a character in any game ever, so I really am not sure what I should do. I would like to eventually post reports of my RP on the forums, but want to get the hang of it first.

Basically I am asking how do I go about starting a roleplay? How do I roleplay a character? The obvious answer is to "play as the character would play" but Im looking for maybe some advice or tips. I plan on making a one-handed Nord juggernaut, so what would be a fitting backstory for him?

Why would a Nord be returning to his homeland? My initial thought was that he was a member of the Imperial Legions who was framed for a murder he did not commit and fled to Skyrim to join the Stormcloack Rebellion and get his revenge over the Empire. This is a pretty lame backstory though so if anyone has any suggestions I would be more than glad to hear them.

I have yet to do this one, but one idea you could go with is you are a spy for one or the other faction.

Stormcloak: You were an unofficial spy scouting the borders and watching imperial and thalmor movements in hopes the info you bring will earn you place in the ranks before getting caught and charged for illegal border crossing. Now apart of the stormcloaks you decide scouting isn't for you now you want to be a one man army a nearly unstoppable force for the cause.

Imperial Legion: Your imprisonment and execution was part of your cover however you failed to gather enough crucial info while in prison plus the capture of ulfric made you obsolete so you were lost in the system and were about to meet your death. However with events as they turned out you escaped still feeling the empire is worthy to serve you seek out the legion to get back in and retake your place among them to squash the rebellion.

bump.....little help possibly?

For the actual backstory, I do a few things first (besides race, class, gender, that kind of thing):

• Is he a resident of Skyrim, or did he come from another Province?
  
• What town does he live in (If he is from another province, what town was he going to?)
  
  • Note: If he isn't one who enters town a lot, pick a place on the map and describe it based on the surrounding features and landmarks)
• Why is he in Skyrim or what is his profession?
  
• What makes him decide to go on whatever quests he will do? Revenge? Glory? Retribution?
  
• What kind of gear will he use? You can gimp this all the way down to saying he only wears Imperial Steel or he only makes armor from what he kills.

From there just keep building on it.

I read another backstory where a young Nord was sent to survive in the wilderness for a fortnight so as to call himself a man, but when he returned to his village on the outskirts of Skyrim he found it burned to the ground and everyone killed. With this you could go for him returning to get revenge on the Stormcloaks, Legion or even dragons if you want.

Or you could have a warrior Nord who travels back to his homeland after hearing of the Orc strongholds in the area. Your Nord has always admired their culture and has trained for years to become a great warrior worthy of becoming bloodkin. Goal here will be to wander the land looking for all the Strongholds.

I played a character who was simply a wanderer. He cared not for his past, and his family had all but abandoned him. He felt like an outcast in the world and just wanted a fresh start somewhere else...

Unfortunately he was seen picking some mountain flowers along the same area that Ulfric Stormcloak was captured, and was put into a wagon to be beheaded...the story continues from there.