Helgi

Helgi was born to a very traditional Nord family of decent means just outside Morthal. He grew up witness to the debates amongst his parents and other members of the family over the Imperial occupation of Skyrim, and at 20 he decided to enlist in the Stormcloak army, intent upon fighting for liberation of Skyrim and the territory's right to conduct their own affairs. While his father approved, this caused some stir among the extended family, especially his elder cousins Erikur and Gisli, who by that point enjoyed the privileges of involvement in Elisif's court.

As a few years wore on, though, Helgi felt himself unsure of his place in the civil war, and began to question the efficacy of the Stormcloaks' efforts - he himself still longed for an independent Skyrim, but the Stormcloaks were going through men at an alarming rate in opposition to the Empire and he watched more and more of their current and new recruits turn to violence against civilians. Eventually, on the eve of a siege planned on an Imperial camp, Helgi's fear of dying in vain with the Stormcloak army got the best of him and he snuck out in the night with only the clothes on his back. 

Unsure of where to turn, he took refuge in Solitude and Gisli took pity on him, allowing him to stay in her and Erikur's residence for a brief period of time - much to Erikur's distaste. However, sensing an opportunity, Erikur promised to set Helgi up with safety in Imperial territory if he did one favor for him: kill Elisif so that Erikur might become jarl of Solitude in her absence. Desperate, Helgi agreed. During his attempt, he was intercepted by the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, who had come to Solitude's court for his own unrelated purposes and as a result sought to keep Elisif alive for the time being. In response, however, Helgi was offered the opportunity to serve as an informant and later asked to become an initiative of the Dark Brotherhood.