Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-11649650-20130708015531/@comment-143.43.206.25-20130920211702

Assuming he is the default nord in the Iron helmet everyone finds next to the sleeping bear?

He's either a spellsword or a mage since he starts the game with restoration and flames.

As a spellsword, he uses whatever he can find in addition to magic. Since the empire tried to kill him, he's probably a stormcloak, but the helmet means he prefers heavy armor to the standard issue uniform. It is just after the great war, so he hates the Thalmor as much as anyone in the empire. He returned to Skyrim at about the same time as the civil war, so he's probably interested in that, but he came alone so he's likely a mercenary without a family to tie him down, and may even be an orphan. Following the stormcloaks means he is not merely suspected of being a rebel, he's assaulted and killed several officers of the imperial army during his jailbreak. Therefore he is a criminal, though not necessarily by choice. He's an anti-hero who will kill a dragon and expect no more reward than the villagers not telling the imperials which way he went afterwards. He joins organizations, but does not really become "one of them," which is why he tends to take leadership roles in whatever organization he joins. Best guess? He finished the main quest up the point the Graybeards told him to go around gathering words, finished the civil war for Ulfric Stormcloak, then finished the main quest. Discovering the Thalmor journals on Ulfric in the Embassy, he would have returned from Sovengarde in search of redemption, heard of the orphan trying to summon the dark brotherhood, killed Grelod the Kind in order to improve the lives of other orphans, and then died trying to kill Astrid in the shack rather than any of the three prisoners.

As a mage, he was likely on his way to the College in Winterhold. The people of the empire are not exactly comfortable with magic, but they are not as superstitious as the traditional Nords. He followed Hadvar out in order to clear his name, but wouldn't risk going to Solitude in case the Governor himself was less forgiving. He was, however, greatful to Hadvar's uncle, and wouldn't leave until he took the message to the Jarl. Once in the palace, he would have met the court wizard, who would have directed him to Arcadia, the local priests, and the college itself. Completing a few quests show that he doesn't need to fear the priesthood, but trying to fight hagravens will convince him that he has a lot to learn. He'll head to the college before attempting Bleak Falls Barrow, probably by carriage. Whatever he was before, since coming to Skyrim he's become extremely cautious, and it shows in his response to the Tolfdir choosing safety. He would not have taken the necklace from the wall in Saarthal until he was a higher level spellcaster familiar with a variety of enchanted items. Once inside he would have had to deal with the druagr and the idea that he may have accidentally doomed the world. However, by facing the challenges of Labryinthian, he regained his confidence and went on to lead the College as the New Arch-Mage. However, reality was warped in the process, even more so if he adds use of the elder scroll on top of it, so this is not canonical.