I've been on a restartitis binge lately. Typical. It's not that I don't like any of the characters Ive made, i like em all. It's just...they're all missing something. I take time to RP, I conjure up some details on their story, and have at it. Hell, I even just started writing an entire backstory to one last night, because I thought it'd help immerse me, and invest time and emotion into the feet I'm slipping into. But even with that long backstory that I slaved over, I still can't play that character. Because all the one's Ive made are lacking one common thing: an overarching goal.

(TL;DR: I can't think of any core motivations for my characters.)

I had one, a while back. An archmage who made it his mission to exterminate all "illegal" magic users (vampires, necromancers, wizards that prey on the innocent). It was a lot of fun, doing Dawnguard, and actually going into caves and crypts with a purpose.

Since then, I can't think of anything better than "The Companions quest will drive me," or "Join the College, that's a good motivator!" But I've done all that. Now I think to myself, "Well yeah I'll join the Dawnguard, but then what? It's an element to my character, but where do I go from there if I don't want to actually complete the questline?" I wanna get creative. Lets get weird. Good, evil, crazy, boring, I'm pretty much open to any playstyle now.

So I'm asking you guys to share some goals and motivations that you set for your characters that give you in turn the motivation to play them. I'm NOT asking for builds or questline suggestions. I'm not asking for answers like "You should make a paladin/assassin/mage/etc," or "Do the Thieves Guild," but rather for you to share your thoughts and experiences in your RP's, and what kind of goals you set for your character. What keeps them going? What do they hope to accomplish in their journey in Skyrim? It can be anything. Just help a dude out.

(TL;DR: I can't think of any overarching goals for characters. Help me.)

I'd say the longer you want the story to last, the lower you have to start. If you RP a rich noble right out of Proudspire Manor or a seasoned knight there isn't much room to grow.

Also, if I want to play a long time I don't overthink my motivations. I just plant the seeds with a bit of history and personality, and let the story grow from there. I tried to RP a Thalmor agent once, but only did a few quests and that was that.

One of my favorites started out as a common thief, no more interesting than Lokir who of course went to the Thieve's Guild, got caught up in the Dark Brotherhood because of her talents, but deep inside wanted to be good. When she grew more powerful and confident and could live the life she wanted, she wanted redemption and went off exploring and doing good

My longest and current run was really just someone on a carriage who got caught crossing the border. And she knows way more about Skyrim than anyone possibly could or even should, possibly even that it exists only as much as a dream. In that, she wants to find purpose, to keep the dream alive, to live forever... basically keep me playing so our world doesn't end. It's oddly surreal, since she and I both want the same thing and are aware each of other's roles in each others worlds. Maybe this isn't really an RP since I treat her as her own person, distinct from myself but still in some ways a part of me.