Malvolio: the idea

For the past couple of months I've been playing a character I developed with an extensive long-term purpose in mind. I tried to think of a way to role-play a character that might legitimately pursue multiple quest lines.

I came up with a Dunmer I named Malvolio. I chose Dunmer because of what seems to me to be a racial tendency toward evil. I also wanted to demonstrate, for my own edification if for no one else, that even the most wicked can receive grace.

The name is from a shakespeare play. It means "evil wishing". I chose it because the meaning fits what I intend to do with the character, the name is consistent with Dunmer names because it is built around L, M, and V, and it sounds like a real name rather than something made up.

My plan is for Malvolio to undergo deep character transformation that motivates him in directions entirely different from his original goals. He began as a wicked, angry, malicious person.

I started him out as just a brawler who joined the Arena for the thrill of bloodshed. He joined the Theives' Guild primarily as a method for paying off bounties without losing stolen goods, but also because I wanted to obtain and keep the Boots of Springheel Jak.

Because many of the daedric shrine quests are clearly evil in nature, I have been unwilling to complete some of them with other characters. Malvolio provides an opportunity to complete them all without deviating from character.

I intended for him to complete the Dark Brotherhood quest line, but later, for an as-yet-undetermined reason, repent of all his wicked ways to ultimately become a Knight of the Nine and complete that quest as well as the Main Quest.

At this point, Malvolio is the Arena Grand Champion, the Gray Fox, the Listener, and the Madgod. I thought Shivering Isles could very likely provide the impetus for repentence or some trauma(s) that might turn him completely around. I'm convinced that it will. But having completed the main quest, I believe I did it too soon. He is only level 14 and has many Daedric quests yet to complete. I will revert to a save before going far into the SI main quest in order to complete daedric shrine quests (and anything else I'd like him to complete while thoroughly evil) before pursuing the SI main quest. Some of the daedric shrine quests in addition to experiences in SI could easily explain trauma that could lead to Malvolio's repentence.