For a game that came out over two years ago, I'm still a big fan of Skyrim. The free-form classless leveling system opened the boundaries for more freedom in an already liberated game in which you were not bound by levels bookended by cinematics. It was up to you to craft the story of the Dragonborn--Bethesda just gave you the set pieces to do it.
The sad truth is that Skyrim's story isn't as compelling as it could be. One could argue it's due to narrative limitations imposed by the sandbox nature of The Elder Scrolls series, but I don't believe Skyrim was built with story in mind. Skyrim is in itself a viking-inspired playground with glory to be had and foes to be driven forth. The main quest is just a guideline, and an underwhelming one at that. But the hundreds of hours I sank into Oblivion, Skyrim's older brother, didn't give me high hopes for its successor's main quest. It's a reservoir of fantasy trope runoff, siphoning whatever might be popular. A lot of it is regurgitation, but the player's actions don't have to follow suit.
My first character was a Redguard that I lazily named "Prisoner" with a long terrorist beard and a great bundled mane of dreadlocks. For nearly ten levels, I disregarded improving his hit points and focused solely on improving his stamina. Near the end of his tale, he could sprint great distances, wielding two delicately crafted one-handed axes. Dragons would fall before him with only three spin attacks from his axes. Prisoner thirsted for blood and cared not how he got it. He fought alongside the Stormcloaks despite their xenophobic platform to whet his appetite for carnage. To put it simply, Prisoner was a psychopath and he will forever be remembered in the canon of The Elder Scrolls as the one who slew Alduin the World Eater.
At that point, the narrative is out of my hands. Yes, I killed the World Eater but only because the objective sat at the top of my quest journal. Is that why Prisoner did it? No, he did it to explore a monster's insides. Threat to mortals or not, Alduin's death by Prisoner's hands was by no means a noble deed. But Skyrim the game doesn't care. I had to be a big damn hero and save the world.
Not this time. In the upteenth I've started a new character, I've decided to reclaim my ownership of Skyrim's narrative. It will not be hijacked by the game's prescripted main plot. I will avoid the main quest like the fantasy equivalent of the plague. Right after I escape the raging dragon in Skyrim's opening, I'll head to Riverwood and collect whatever supplies I'm offered. But I will not head to Whiterun. I will not inform Jarl Balgruuf the Greater that his town may be threatened by the return of winged horrors with scales. I will not shout as dragons do, regardless if I am the Dragonborn.
There is no achievement built into the game or Steam for this. By avoiding the main quest and the path of the Dragonborn, I forfeit any true conclusion to the game. Alduin, the almighty butthole of a dragon set to gobble up the world, will not taste my blade because I will ignore the call for as long as mechanically possible. This may prove more challenging because, though the game is designed in such a way that my enemies increase in level as I do, it is also designed to balance with the player's ability to use dragon shouts. But I will not use them.
In doing this, I seek to change the ultimate narrative of Skyrim. For all intents and purposes, if my character is the fabled "Dragonborn," he will not know about it. Though the name my escape the lips of those I meet, my character will not know. This is, after all, the purpose of the open-world game: strip of the player of a linear path. Not only allow for diversion but mandate it. It is not destination but the journey. And if I need a destination, the Ebony Warrior shall serve as a final boss. His defeat will not affect the game's main quest. It is only at level 80 that my character my encounter him, and as that is the level cap it is fitting that I should fight him last.
Considering the fact that the highest level any of my characters are at is 56, I'd say it's going to take time.
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