Alternate Main Quest

[Razakel]

One thing that bothers me everytime I start a new game without using an alternate start mod is: Why the hell do I care about saving the empire?

I've just been in a dark prison with nothing but straw for a bed and rats for company for a crime that I don't even know I commited! And I'm supposed to love the Emperor and go on this epic mission for him? No thanks.

 

While there are mods out there that let you delay the main quest or just ignore it, wouldn't it be nice if there was a "bad guy" option for a main quest?

When you're given the Amulet you can just pawn it off to Baurus, tell him where he can stick it and be on your merry way.

 

Baurus then goes about doing the main quest the player otherwise would have and over the next month or so becomes Champion of Cyrodil. Martin still sacrifices himself and Tamriel is still saved but you didn't have to lift a finger. If there's a job worth doing - someone else can do it.

 

Instead, while Baurus has been closing shut the jaws of Oblivion, you've been making a name for yourself in the Dark Brotherhood or the Thieves Guild or just randomly robbing and murdering your way around Cyrodil. When your infamy is high enough and enough time has passed for Baurus to have completed the Vanilla main quest you're contacted by a shady person with an interesting proposial which is where the alternate main quest would begin.

 

So what would the quest involve? Well what happens when a King dies and leaves no Heir? A power vacuume. Civil War? Nobility falling all over each other with claims to the throne? Other nations invading? There are a lot of possibilities.

 

The player would act as an agent for whichever force or faction wants to take over the Empire and in the end be richly rewarded or betrayed or perhaps be the betrayer and claim the throne from themself?

 

It's just an idea I've had floating around in my head for a while because I really REALLY hate the main quest.

[kayancct]

The civil war idea sounds good, but there seems to be no real aim or purpose in the beginning, just doing side quests? Maybe it can be like you've committed a really serious crime and king lets you out bla bla bla, then you pawn amulet to baurus, after that you're free to walk the lands of cyrodil, but because people already know and hate you for your said serious crime, you have to start over a new life(quests), take a new identity(quests) maybe with the help of some 'guardian angel' NPC(quests). Then you can start your badassery quests.

 

Just a suggestion though =) I too don't really like how you're given so little choices in the game