So i started out as an evil character. Baine Wisphearth, his name was; lanky black hair down his back and one white eye, his face covered with scars. He used Necromancy to raise his fallen enemies to fight what once were their own allies. Instantly he headed to Windhelm, nothing better in his mind than to join the Stormcloaks in their quest for power.

As he traveled, however, he found himself under assault; the dragons began to attack. Such an affront to my character could not stand; Alduin had to die. Instantly the quest to destroy him became forefront in his mind, and he did not rest until his foe was banished, perhaps forever. But along the way, he met several characters, characters that had managed to redeem even their incredibly corrupted souls from darkest darkness. Slowly, Baine's heart began to change. And finally, in the place of the last battle, he stared upon his own death, and once again, change seeped into his heart.

He returned to the real world; no longer did he summon zombies to follow him while laughing; they were his servants, yes, but when it was time for them to die, he would kill them himself, feeling a touch of happiness at their faintly murmured "Thank You...".

On a whim, he decided to travel to Solitude, questing there to aid the Jarl, even as she was his enemy. After defeating countless undead and living alike, he returned to Solitude, happily accepting the ability to buy a house there, and spending almost every Septim he owned. And then the final change happened; He met Jordis, the Shield Maiden. With a voice almost as one with the Jarl, and resolve of steel and armor of hardened mountains, suddenly he no longer traveled the world alone. With him, across tundra and mountains, she followed; she would defend him from any enemy, regardless of size or strength, and Baine would watch on, amusemant slowly growing into affection.

Again the quests for the Stormcloaks began, as hundreds of legionairres fell beneath Jordis' blade, and when things began to look grim, Baine stepped in, wiping out all the enemies that had attacked her in nearly an instant, before turning to her and healing her back to the way she had been before.

"Thank You," was all she said, with a sort of earnest, innocent fervor. Baine stared at her for a long, long time.

But the battle must go on. It was too late to turn back now. And so came the final invasion, the destruction of the Imperials, and in the end, when the final enemy lay at his knees, the killing blow was made with mercy, not with hate. Baine pondered the fallen body for a long time before leaving four blue flowers nearby, symbols of the hope for cleansing and peace. And when the Jarl of Windhelm made his final speech, Baine stood not at his side, not behind him, but high atop a tower, looking down at the scene below. The countless dead, the screaming of widows, and the families frantically looking for lost loved ones. Behind him, as always, Jordis stood strong and resolute. She had followed him into this battle, and now, while her beauty remained untarnished, and her mind pure, there was a slight darkening behind her eyes. Something would never be the same, not ever again. Perhaps, in time, this battle could be forgotten...but it could never be undone.

Bain, I, and Jordis slowly walked from the scene, making the long, long, voyage back to High Hrothgar, where he sat and spoke with Argneir and his Master. But nothing they said could turn his heart.

It was only Jordis that finally turned his heart; one day, after many long hours of staring down at the Kingdom he had fought and bled for, Jordis approached him. Except today, something was different; around her neck hung an Amulet of Mara. Baine had known she had gone to Riften, but he had not known why; at the sight of the amulet, for the first time in many days, his heart rose, even if only slightly.

"Interested in me, are you?" he said, his voice dry from disuse, but the sarcasm and irony still hanging heavily on his words, his eyes refusing to meet hers.

She looked at him intently for a long minute, before finally his eyes locked on hers, "Well?"

She smiled, reaching up to stroke his cheek, "Yes. Why wouldn't I be? Are you--" she paused as he put his finger over her lips, sealing in her words.

"I've been up here for too long," Baine said, slowly, "And I've forgotten what I was meant to do. I've been trapped in the past, and I've forgotten about the present. No matter what I might think, Skyrim needs me. The world needs me." Slowly, he raised his eyes to meet hers once again, "But...I can't do it alone. The worst thing I've done is to forget about you. You're more important to me than all of the Daedra, all of the Aedra, even the rest of the world together. But maybe...maybe, together we can amend for what is past."

Slowly, a smile slid onto his face, and he stood, grasping both of her hands and brushing his lips against them, "Yes. I'll marry you. And together, we'll change this world; we'll change it for the better."

And Jordis smiled, and with it the clouds themselves cracked open and faded away, as the lights of the Aurora shone down upon them in all their glory.



The moment was only broken several hours later as a messenger sprinted up to them, breath heaving in and out of his lungs. Panting heavily, he managed to gasp out, "Thalmor...at the border! The Jarl of Windhelm needs your help, Dragonborn!"

Baine shook his head, "No, Skyrim needs our help. And so does the Empire, and even the Thalmor. All of Cyrodill will know of us before we're through. Are you ready, Love?"

Jordis set her sword in its sheath, determination, but happiness, covering her face. They turned towards Skyrim.

"Rejoice, all of Nirn...we are coming."

Anyone else ever had something like this happen? I had intended to be evil through and through, entirely out for myself, but by the end my character had been completely redeemed...and It was Jordis, and Jordis alone, that did it. I don't even know how exactly it happened. But now I fight for good, and am deeply distressed that I cannot undo some of the deeds that I've done.