I'm trying to RP a new character and I'm having some block on thinking up a character with no family to be tied to. I want my guy have all previous ties to his past severed so that he can make completely new relationships in Skyrim, but I still want to have enough background to give my character depth. I'm planning on playing an orc as neutral good and I just don't know how to make a good backstory to tie into his current predicament as being captured on his travel into Skyrim. Any suggestions from those of you who role-play often?

If you are siding with the stormcloaks, then perhaps the Thalmor killed your family?

Your orc was part of a strong hold somewhere in cyrodil, but they were wiped out by the thalmor during the great war. You manage to escape with your life but were the only one. Vowing to avenge your fallen family you kill all thalmor you see. This would work and you could change any little details you want

Purged by the Thalmor? That's always a good excuse. Or if he's an orc he could be raised as a Cyrodiil, but after having his family killed by bandits, decided to join one of the orcish strongholds in Skyrim.

Got double ninja'd

well here I was thinking you were referring to the letter you randomly get from a courier say someone in your family died....

I was wanting to know a little more on this..

to be on topic, you could be like a certain NPC who had their family slain by imperial drunks. live in the wilderness and live off of the land.

He just got released from his service with the Imperial Legion. Having nothing left for him back home, he sets off to Skyrim to establish his new life as a civilian. And then he runs into some really bad luck.

Remember that orc society in the Strongholds is polygamous so a lot of young males would be forced out so the chiefs would be able to marry the extra women.

If that doesn't work for you your father might have gotten old and decided it would be in the best interests of his Stronghold to go out in an impossible fight to make room for a younger, stronger chief to take his place. There's even a random encounter in the game with just that scenario. If your mother/mothers decided to go along with him that would leave your sisters which it would be taboo to marry.

Your father was chief of the tribe, but did something dishonorable. Who knows, maybe your mother was in on it too. You came to Skyrim to get away from the bad name your family has elsewhere - make a fresh start.

After your tribe in the Summerset isles was scattered by an attack of the sloads, your mind was somewhat damaged. You now seek peace by joining something orderly, the imperial legion.

The orcs would have been purged by the Thalmor circa 4E004ish from Alinor. Otherwise excellent.

I do like the sload mindraqe too!

The Chief is dying and sends out several younger ones to prove they are worthy to take over from him. Bring honor to the stronghold and come back with a fortune to help build up the stronghold to become chief yourself.

That still gives you the choice of who you fight for, so long as it brings honor to the stronghold and you make a stack of cash in the process.

Why not something along the lines of your Character falling in love with someone from another clan, or species even, and his family finding it unacceptable. A feud started between the rival clans and your love was killed in the process, by a member of your family, so you left to come to Skyrim to start anew. You were distraught, drunk, you got into a fight with some Imperial Guards, hence your capture. As for your family, they're dead to you, but maybe not in the literal sense.

Your Orc Clan was wipe out in a ambush by Bandits, you are the only one to escape. After witnessing your people butchered and fed to Horkers (some alive) you now set out with the goal of ridding Skyrim of all Bandits and Horkers.

eaten alive by kittens

a mammoth droped from the sky and crushed them

Their father was a soldier posted in Skyrim who fought for the Imperial legion and they'd always been raised proud of what a great warrior he was and how he died bravely protecting some travellers from bandits. However, on her deathbed from chronic brain rot, his mother reveals that father actually died being stabbed by Khajit in a dispute over the value of some less than pure moon sugar. Mum concocted the story of his valiant death to protect her young son from the shamful truth. It turns out dad was actually the inside man for a band of Khajit dealers peddling their wares among the troops who were often bored hanging around waiting for some action. The family were run out their stronghold in shame, drifing into poverty, disease and early graves. This explains the sudden move to a hovel in an unsavoury corner of Cyrodil when he was a boy. Determined to restore honour to his name, the orc decides to journey to Skyrim and make his mark looking for brave deeds to perform to build a real reputation similar to the false story he'd been told about his father - he'll work as a sellsword, look to help out random people against powerful foes or fight in the war - anything to make his mark and earn respect - but as himself, leaving the ignominy of his father's drug dealing ways and pointless death behind him - nobody needs to know about that.
However, just as he's crossing the border, there's a little misunderstanding with some over zealous Imperials patrolling the border who seem a bit resentful their attempts to go through his gear led to some broken noses and it now seems they've set him up as being one of Ulfric's boys...

Your family didn't die. Your father framed you to save his own hide. Your mother died when you were 3. Your brother was an arrogant [censored] that left home as soon as he could and never returned.

These are all really interesting stories and I really appreciate the input.

I really like this because I like to believe that the orcs have a strong sense of pride and competition for prestige and honor. That's definitely something that might be interesting to fall on. I always find it hard to get my characters to accept a fetch quest or do a favor for someone because it wouldn't seem practical, even though I want play through that quest/misc objective. My character having to mentally make up for the faults of his family and redeem his honor seems like a good motive.


I always like a good dramatic story like this because it adds depth to the character. I'm beginning to flesh out my character and these suggestions are all really helping my decision making

Your family were killed by the hold leaders for heresy and your own head is on the line. The stronghold found out your family turned away from Malacath and wished to favor a different Daedric lord because they did not want to be classed as "outcasts" from the rest of the world any more.

Orcs have become accepted by others, they fight alongside you, trade with you and even allow you to own homes in their towns. Orcs have become valued allies because of their tough warrior skills and strong weapons and armor. There are even non-Orc bloodkin in the stronghold so why should you be considered outcasts now? Malacath would have you cut yourselves off from the rest of the world and forever remain outcasts.

After escaping the stronghold after the slaughter of your family, you reach Skyrim but even though you are trying to curb your natural aggressive nature, you got into a fight with some drunken Imperial soldiers and got arrested for being a Stormcloak sympathiser, (a trumped up charge made by the soldiers who couldn't beat you in a fair fight).

This would give a reason for activating shrines at various temples not dedicated to Malacath while you figured out which Daedric lord is more suited to modern Orcish life.

My Hunter was born to a Nord father and Dunmer mother in skyrim. Shes sent off to the arcane university by her parents after setting a crop alight. She ends up in prison for decimating the convoy she was with when bandits attacked. She lives through the oblivion crisis, being name the Champion of Cyrodiil afterwards. After rooting out the last Mythic dawn, she returns to skyrim but divine/daedric intervention captures her in a state of limbo. 200yrs later she returns and gets captured by the imperials.

Upon returning to her home, she finds it under new ownership. The owner tells her that the widow that lived there was abducted by the thalmor 2months prior. Her father being a nord would have die of old age.

Hope you can draw inspiration from that....and its a fairly brief summary, more detail in the full story minus the return to the farmstead.

I played an orc.

In his background he and his twin brother were rivals to become the next chief. When the time came to choice the late chief's First wife demanded that they fight to the death for the honor. My character refused and was banished from the tribe. He went to Skyrim to find an Orc wife and start a new tribe. He eventually married Borgakh the Steel Heart. There wedding is something the Temple of Mara still talks about...

http://burhenn63.deviantart.com/gallery/34321880#/d4lac3y