So. I enjoy making life difficult for myself.

I want to play through multiple TES games, with the goal of playing as an Atlmer with the desire to return to the Dawn.

I would have made this elsewhere, but I want the advice of the lore buffs and those that know more about the Altmer than I do.

I am think the games for the character will be Battlespire, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim. Bearing in mind i'm on the PC and can mod the 'world' enough that while unable to change history, I can 'do' things that are not intended by the game. I can also carry through stats via console commands to maintain the growing power of a sorcerer.

My main problem is bending the heroic bent of the main stories to a Thalmor-style character. Any ideas?

Battlespire could just be the young character spying on or looking for something within the Battlespire. Morrowind, joining the Telvanni and taking the back path (after getting Corpus for the agelessness) for selfish reasons might work, but in Oblivion we actively work against the Mythic Dawn. Not sure what I can do/'mod' there to make it work. Unless I skip it of course. Skyrim is easier, because I can stop Alduin since resetting the kalpa is not on the to do list, and I can just ignore the Civil War as the Dominion intends.
Al
so, I liek to read the books that fit the character. What books would be good to look for on this character?


Thoughts? Heylp?

The Thalmor don't just want to end the world, but prevent mankind from ever resurfacing again. All the threats to Nirn thus far wouldn't have prevented mankind from reappearing, including the Mythic Dawn. You can easily justify it as saving the world just so you can properly destroy it later.

While I'm not sure it's the kind of mod you're after, there is a mod for oblivion about joining the Mythic Dawn after the MQ and leading them to conquer Cyrodiil. ("Servant of the Dawn" is the name, I think) If you just want an excuse to do the MQ though, perhaps your character could simply find that Camoran is doing things in all the wrong ways, with his dealings with Dagon and all. Perhaps he thinks that it won't actually accomplish the objective, or at least, not in the way he understands it.

Maybe due to Mankar is not a pure Altmer, and your Altmer character thinks Lord Magnus-Dagon-Auriel needs a better champion like himself?

Dispatching Mankar would not close the gate. But your Altmer character failed as he didn't realized Martin would directly sacrefice himself to become an avartar of Akatosh.

Morrowind, joining the Telvanni and taking the back path (after getting Corpus for the agelessness) for selfish reasons might work,

Like Ancano of the College of Winterhold questline, you could be there to observe and potentially steal magical secrets from the Telvanni. As far as the Main Quest goes, Dagoth Ur is using the power of Lorkhan, the greatest enemy of the Altmer, to make everyone mind slaves to his will. The Thalmor would not like that at all.

but in Oblivion we actively work against the Mythic Dawn. Not sure what I can do/'mod' there to make it work. Unless I skip it of course.

Don't worry about that. The Mythic Dawn and the Thalmor wouldn't get along very well. The Altmer mainstream culture looks upon daedra as padomaic and not to be trusted - even evil - and hence wouldn't take too well to the fact that Mankar Camoran is offering all of Nirn to Mehrunes Dagon. In addition, Crystal Tower, the most sacred symbol of the Altmer, was destroyed by Dagon's forces.

Skyrim is easier, because I can stop Alduin since resetting the kalpa is not on the to do list, and I can just ignore the Civil War as the Dominion intends.

Well yeah, resetting the kalpa would start the world off from square one...and there wouldn't be a Thalmor at all. Also be sure to destroy the Dark Brotherhood.

Thanks for the thoughts. Anything more anyone can add that they think would fit the theme? Certain NPCs that need to die? Factions that should be joined/avoided?

Well first thing's first, Mankar believes that the Altmer worldview is BS.

My character is one I've played through the games, and I've written him down as someone who starts out as Thalmor, only to find the Thalmor view untenable, and becoming the hero that Tamriel requires.

Also, you are going to want to skip Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. Mantling Pelinal or Sheogorath probably isn't great for your character.

Yeah. Even on my Dunmer playthrough (Arena - Skyrim, eventually) I chucked downloadable companions at the questlines that didn't fit. One became Sheo and another the Crusader, while the PC was just along for the ride. But I think an Altmer character would avoid both entirely, yes.