I don’t know very much about the lore of TES (although I have played morrowind and oblivion), can the community help me out with this backstory? I have a bunch of TBD factions and groups and was wondering if anyone had suggestions for me.

Name: Altus Venifus (I’ve used the same name since Might and Magic)

Race: Nord

Positive Traits: Tactically Aggressive, Educated, Physically Imposing and Rare Combat Leader

Negative traits: Quick to Anger, Elitist, Mild Sociopath, Scarred from War

Age: 30

Class Name: Unknown (What kind of character is this?)

Primary Skills (w/ most Perks): One handed Axe, Destruction, Heavy Armor, and Illusion

Secondary Skills (w/ some Perks): Alchemy (Potions Only), Smithing (Heavy Armor and Weapons), Enchant (Focused on Improving Armor and Weapons)

Backstory: Father was a Captain in a TBD Army (not sure where Altus comes from in TES, but it is a different land than Skyrim). He was sent to war when Altus was 6 and never returned (presumed KIA since his unit was ambushed). Mother worked as an assistant healer in (TBD castle or location).

At 11, Altus was sent to a military academy to learn to be a Soldier, where he excelled due to his natural athletic gifts, intelligence and leadership abilities. His studies focused on the art of combat (Heavy Armor and One hand Weapons).

At 18 he was sent to serve in an infantry company, where he was wounded in combat multiple times and received multiple valor awards.

At 21 he received a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant and was sent to the war college (TBD Location) to learn destruction magic. While at (TBD academy) he realized that illusion magic could provide him extreme battlefield manipulation and he was approved for dual study.

At 26 he receives command of his first infantry company and his unit of 3 officers, 55 infantry, 25 bowmen, 10 battle mages, 5 healers, and 10 sappers who were able to hold off a much larger invasion force. The battle cost him 106 lives, but the (TBD) enemy lost well over 500 men.

At 29 Altus resigned from military service due to battle fatigue. Due to his Nordic heritage he was recruited by a mercenary company to provide long term reconnaissance and potentially military covert actions against power players in the land of Skyrim. His first mission was to lead the infiltration of the Skyrim border with 5 other covert operators. Their secondary objective was to establish themselves as power players in one of the Skyrim guilds.

He was betrayed by one of the members of the infiltration team who sold the infiltration team out to the (TBD) Skyrim authority in return for a pardon of previously committed crimes. Altus was able to kill the betrayer, but in doing so he was captured by the authorities and sentence to die. As he sat in prison (or wherever the game begins) he thought to himself, if I get out of here, I’m on my own, and owe no allegiances except for those I choose to make.

Hmmm, the name sounds a little Imperial... Maybe you want to play a Nord with Imperial heritage? Anyways I think most of your story makes sense. My suggestion is making him serve the military in Skyrim (His homeland possibly?) and then retire and leave for Cyrodiil. That way last part of your story will make sense and you will get amazing RP possiblities and connections with other NPCs.

Thanks for the constructive input. You have a good point about the imperial sounding name (it is based on latin). My backstory are always based on an outlander during the first playthrough, because i don't no anything about the game, people etc... I will have to look into cyrodiil history for towns etc.

This is less of a lore critique and more of a character one. There are some (imho) contradictions /inconsistencies with the character that make him less believable.

The first is that he's mildly sociopathic, yet later we are told that he's war weary. A sociopath would have very little moral dilemma with the business of killing. It just wouldn't grind their soul and cause weariness like it would for someone of more sympathetic nature.

Second, would a man who leaves the legion from battle fatigue look to join mercenaries? Wouldn't a battle fatigued soul look for something far from the battlefield? Wouldn't a mercenary group overlook someone who was professionally, physically, or emotionally disinterested in combat?

Also not a lore critique but since only 2 men survived the defense wouldn't/shouldnt they have more impact on him. Idk just makes sense 2 me that if only 3 men withstood an onslaught like that that they'd stay close