Skyrim:Skjor

thumb|right|"Watch the eyes!" 
Skjor, a Nord warrior, is a prolific member of the Companions, the legendary group of warriors operating out of Whiterun. He is also a member of the Circle, a subgroup of Companions blessed with the gift from Hircine. While Skjor and the other members embrace their gift, Harbinger Kodlak Whitemane is attempting to find a cure, much to Skjor's dissatisfaction. He will give you the quest Proving Honor as well as a number of smaller tasks, but will ultimately meet his demise at the hands of some werewolf hunters during the quest The Silver Hand.

The headquarters of the Companions, the overturned vessel Jorrvaskr, is the oldest building in Skyrim, and Skjor sleeps in the living quarters between midnight and 8am. At 10am he finds a seat at the huge table in the upstairs area and enjoys a three-hour meal. At 3pm he exits Jorrvaskr and spends five hours practicing in the courtyard or relaxing on the porch. At all other times he can be found wandering around Jorrvaskr, eating, relaxing, or talking to the other members. There are several exceptions to this routine; see this section for details.

He wears a set of wolf armor along with matching boots. He wields a Skyforge Steel sword along with a hide shield in combat. He carries around a belted tunic and nothing else.

You will meet Skjor for the first time when you enter Jorrvaskr during the friendly brawl between Njada Stonearm and Athis. Skjor will run towards the fight, saying: "Are those two at it again?" He will then instruct the two combatants: "Come on now, watch the footwork. Keep your balance.", ''"Strike when the shoulder turns. He's giving you openings!" and "Watch the eyes!" If you have yet to meet any Companions, and approach him during the brawl, he will say: "Don't mind them. Just working out some issues, in the old way." and "Little blood to clear the air. Hope you have the stomach for it, outsider." When you leave conversation, if the brawl is still going, he may comment: "Keep a sharp eye about you and maybe I'll teach you to fight some day." or "Watch the blades." After the brawl, he will start his daily routine and will only greet you with: "Haven't seen your face before. I'm watching you.", "What now?", "I can't keep helping you with everything." or "You again?" He will, however, explain who the Companions are: "Ask any fool around here, and get a different answer. Mercenaries. Warriors of honor. Brothers and sisters of the blade. Drunken rabble. Take your pick. I've been here longer than most of them. Even I don't know sometimes. I just hope they don't kill each other." He will also tell you why he joined: "I learned the ways of the blade in the Great War. Nearly lost my life outside the Imperial City. I came home to Skyrim when it was all over. But I wasn't much good at anything other than fighting. Wandered around as a blade for hire. Was a damned good one, too. The money was good, and the women were good, and the drinks were good. But I was losing myself. My heart. I was lucky the Companions found me. Now there's a reason to be fighting. The honor of my brothers and sisters is worth more than coin. Of course, the money is still good. And the drinks!" When asked where he stands in the civil war he will answer on behalf of all Companions: "None of our business. There's no honor to be had in the squabbling of jarls." Lastly, you can ask him if you can join the Companions and he will point you towards Kodlak Whitemane: "So you think you have what it takes? Huh. Lucky for you, I'm not the one who makes that decision. Talk to Kodlak. Who knows, maybe he's in a generous mood."''

Skjor never mentions it directly, but it is quite clear that he serves as the aging Kodlak Whitemane's right hand, accepting new recruits and handling their training. The other members will often mention him, especially during their private conversations. Newcomer Torvar will ask Kodlak: "Well why do I have to listen to Skjor, then?" and will get the answer: ''"Skjor has been a warrior for a long time. You would be wise to listen to him. Any warrior that gets to be old is either fearsome or a coward. I'll let you find out which Skjor is." Torvar can also be heard talking to Farkas, eager to get into the field: "Enough with the training. I want to go fight something." Farkas will then respond: "No fighting just yet. Not till Skjor says so. We train now." When greeting you, Farkas may also admit: "Skjor says that I have the strength of Ysgramor, and my brother has his smarts." When you are a new recruit, the hateful Njada Stonearm will tell you: "I'm still trying to figure out why Skjor let you in in the first place." Njada can also be seen interrogating Aela the Huntress:

Njada: "I've heard some rumors... about you and Skjor." 
Aela: "And if you want to keep having ears, you'll pretend you didn't." 
Njada: "Is it not allowed?" 
Aela: "It's not exactly forbidden, but even so... it's not true. So that's that."

 
Related Quests
Companions Questline
 
 
 
Companions Radiant Quests'''
 
 
 

Quest-Related Events
Take Up Arms
During the initiation quest Take Up Arms, you will witness Kodlak and Vilkas having a secret conversation about the 'call of the blood'. Apparently, Kodlak is gathering a small group of followers, but they will both stop talking when you get near, keeping their secret. Later on, when Eorlund Gray-Mane asks you to return a shield to Aela the Huntress, you will find her in her room with Skjor, both of them silent. When you hand her the shield, she will comment on your attempt to join the Companions, and Skjor will chime in. His dialogue depends on how you started the quest (see this section for details).
thumb|right|"I told you, this is the whelp that Vilkas mentioned."
Skjor: "You know this one? I saw him/her training in the yard with Vilkas." OR "I told you, this is the whelp that Vilkas mentioned." 
Aela: "Ah, yes. I heard you gave him quite a thrashing." 
Skjor: ''"Don't let Vilkas catch you saying that."

After questioning you some more, Aela will say: "Here, let's have Farkas show you where you'll be resting your head." Skjor will then fetch Farkas with a simple: "Farkas." Moments after, Farkas will appear in the doorway:

Farkas: "Did you call me?" 
Aela: "Of course we did, icebrain." 
Skjor: "Show this new blood where the rest of the whelps sleep." 

When he follows you down the hall, Farkas will explain on behalf of his fellow Companions: "Skjor and Aela like to tease me, but they are good people. They challenge us to be our best." Once he has shown you the room for the newcomers, he will explain how things work: "Come to me or Aela if you're looking for work. Once you've made a bit of a name for yourself, Skjor and Vilkas might have things for you to do."'' This finishes the quest and Skjor's three radiant quests will become available. Note that you will only have to complete one radiant quest before Skjor will call you in for Proving Honor. 

Radiant Quests
With Take Up Arms completed, Skjor will start to greet you differently, although not overly respectfully: "You still need to prove yourself, whelp.", "Are you looking for help with something? This is a busy time.", and "This had better be important." You can also ask Skjor what it means to be a Companion: ''"I wish more of our ranks asked such questions. I've started seeing the Companions as a kind of family. I've battled next to every man and woman here, and the bonds of sweat are stronger than those of blood. I would trust anyone here with my life, which is more than I'd say for the milk drinkers who raised me."

His radiant quests will now be available:

Escaped Criminal

In addition to giving the task, he will instruct you further: "At this point they don't care what happens to him/her and neither do I. Best to just kill him/her and be done with it." If you reject the task, he will comment: "We choose our battles, and you've chosen yours. Someone else can take care of it." If you accept, he will instead warn you: "Be careful. This man/woman is known to be dangerous." When you have dealt with the criminal, he will say: "Bit by bit, we bring honor to this land. And you've brought honor to the Companions. More importantly, some gold." or, if you have already completed one radiant quest: "Another job well done. Your payment is secure, and you have my thanks."

Family Heirloom
When you tell Skjor you are looking for work, he will say: "We have a bit of a sensitive matter this time. A wealthy family has... misplaced one of their heirlooms." or "Just in time. I was worried I'd have to do this myself. Some rich folk had a trinket stolen and they want us to get it back." He will then provide some information on the kind of place you need to go and what you are up against:

You can choose to reject the job, which will make Skjor respond: "Can't say I blame you. I'll find someone to take care of it." or "Not the response I was hoping for, but suit yourself." If you accept the task, he will be satisfied: "Good, good. These aren't the most glorious jobs, but they pay well.", "Move quickly so we can have this over and done with." or "We're trusting you on this one. Bring honor to the Companions." When you return with the heirloom, Skjor may react in three different ways: "Give it here. They've asked for the utmost discretion on this matter, so I'll make sure it gets to them. Here's your share of their reward.", "And it looks undamaged. They'll be pleased, I'm sure. And we're pleased with their money." or "Nice work with this one. You make us all proud."

Rescue Mission
Asking Skjor about work may net you the following information: "We've received a desperate missive. A citizen of [Hold name] has been kidnapped." He will then continue: "The Companions have been asked for assistance, and we shall answer. Particularly when the pay is as good as this. Get moving. I shudder to think what might happen if you're too late." With no option to reject the task, you will have to rescue said citizen in one of the nine holds. If the citizen dies during the mission, a return to Skjor will make him say: "Unfortunate. Let's be more careful next time." If you, however, rescue the citizen successfully, he will be more cheerful: "So I hear. You've brought honor to the Companions and yourself."

Proving Honor
thumb|right|"It shall be so."
After completing one radiant quest, your job providers, Aela the Huntress and Farkas, will point you towards Skjor when asked for more work: "Skjor was looking for you, earlier." When asked for a reason, their response will differ. Aela will answer: "He didn't say, but you'd better move fast. There's probably something I could find for you to do, but best to check with him.", while Farkas will say: "Don't know. He just said he needed to talk to you before you do anything else. I don't like making him angry, but there is some work for you if you want it." If you confront Skjor after talking to Aela or Farkas, his response will be: "I did. Your time, it seems, has come." If you have yet to talk to Aela or Farkas and go directly to Skjor, his response will be different: "Yes, and we have something special for you this time." He will then elaborate: "Last week a scholar came to us. He said he knew where we could find another fragment of Wuuthrad. He seemed a fool to me, but if he's right, the honor of the Companions demands that we seek it out." Two options are available; if you say will be honored to retrieve Wuuthrad, he will harshly say: "There's a fine line between respect and boot-licking, new blood. But I like your spirit. We've decided this will be your Trial. Do well, and you'll be counted among the Companions." If you pick the second option, he will say: "This is a simple errand, but the time is right for it to be your Trial. Carry yourself with honor, and you'll become a true Companion." Both options will make him point you towards your new Shield-Sibling: "Farkas will be your Shield-Sibling on this venture, whelp. He'll answer any questions you have. Try not to disappoint. Or to get him killed." The quest will then start and he will walk away. You can, however, ask him what Wuuthrad is, and he will provide a bit of background: "Wuuthrad is a relic of Ysgramor. Through that weapon, we trace our line straight to the first harbinger of   in this land. What fragments we have are displayed in honor, but we always seek more."''

When you return from Dustman's Cairn with the fragments in hand, all members of the Circle will be gathered on the training field behind Jorrvaskr, ready for the ritual that will make you a full member of the legendary Companions. Skjor will stand right next to Harbinger Kodlak Whitemane, and will observe as Kodlak and Farkas perform the ritual. At the very end, he will join the rest and say: "It shall be so." They will then go their separate ways and you will have to complete two radiant quests before Skjor will see you again, knowing that you experienced Farkas' transition inside Dustman's Cairn, and ready to make you a full member of the Circle.

The Silver Hand
thumb|right|"This is no test, new blood. This is a gift."
After completing another set of radiant quests, the usual job providers will once again point you towards Skjor. Aela will say: "Still eager to please. This is good. Skjor may be right about you. He has something special planned for you. Better talk to him.", while Farkas will say: "Skjor was looking for you before. Talk to him before doing anything else." If you haven't talked to Aela or Farkas, Skjor will, when asked for new jobs, say: "Yes. I have something a little different planned this time." and, if you are pointed to him, say: "Yes, I have something special for you." Both options will make him proceed with: ''"But it's not for everyone to hear. Meet me in the Underforge tonight. We will speak more." When asked where the Underforge is, he will respond: "I forget that you've never seen it. Beneath the Skyforge, where Eorlund works. The door is hidden, but I will show you the way." After exiting conversation, he will only say: "Not now. The Underforge, tonight." At 6pm he will head towards the Underforge and will, if approached while on his way there, only say: "Not here. The Underforge. Come on." He will then wait for you near the entrance. At this point, Aela will also walk towards the Underforge. If Skjor arrived before Aela, he will only say: "Aela will be joining us shortly. Once she's inside, we can follow." Once Aela has entered, he will seek you out and ask: "Are you prepared?" When you ask about the place, he will explain: "Here's all you need to know. Jorrvaskr is the oldest building in Whiterun. The Skyforge was here long before it was. And the Underforge taps an ancient magic that is older than men or elves. We bring you here to make you stronger, new blood. Now let's move." If you say you are prepared, he will respond: "This is no test, new blood. This is a gift. Come inside."
thumb|right|The blood calls.
Inside the Underforge, you will see a werewolf standing in front of a fountain and Skjor will walk towards it, still talking: "I'm glad you came. It's been a long time since we had a heart like yours among our numbers. That pitiful ceremony behind the hall does not befit warriors like us. You are due more honor than some calls and feasting. I would hope you recognize Aela, even in this form. She's agreed to be your forebear. We do this in secret because Kodlak is too busy trying to throw away this great gift we've been granted. He thinks we've been cursed. But we've been blessed. How can something that gives this kind of prowess be a curse? So we take matters into our own hands. To reach the heights of the Companions, you must join with us in the shared blood of the wolf." He will then seek you out again: "Are you prepared to join your spirit with the beast world, friend?" When confronted with the idea that you may not want to become a werewolf he will say: "That is your choice. We will not force you. But to join the Circle, your blood must be as ours. Meet us here when you're ready." When you tell him you are ready he will say: "Very well."'' and draw his sword. He will then lift up Aela's paw and slit her wrist so her beastly blood can run freely into the fountain. Once it is full, he will only say: "The blood calls, brother/sister." and wait for you to drink from the fountain. This will make you black out and find yourself roaming the streets of Whiterun before passing out again.
thumb|right|The deceased Skjor inside Skyrim:Gallows Rock|Gallows Rock
When you wake up in the wilderness, Aela will stand near you and congratulate you on the transformation. She will then explain that she and Skjor have arranged a celebration, specifically to slaughter all Silver Hand members inside Gallows Rock and will invite you to come along: ''"Lead on. Skjor's already scouting ahead." Once you enter Gallows Rock, however, it becomes clear that the Silver Hand members use the ruin for executing werewolves, and in the first room, Aela will remark: "Look at this. Cowards must have locked the place down after Skjor charged in. You can taste the fear." As you delve deeper into the dungeon, Aela will comment: "Skjor's somewhere ahead. We need to find him." At the end of the road, she will start getting nervous, as Skjor has yet to be seen: "We're getting close now. Be careful. Their leader is a tricky one. They call him/her 'the Skinner.' I don't think I need to tell you why."'' Once you reach the final chamber and Krev the Skinner lies dead, Aela will discover Skjor's lifeless body on the ground and utter: "The bastards... somehow they managed to kill Skjor." She will sadly conclude: ''"He was one of the strongest we had, but numbers can overwhelm. He should not have come without a Shield-Brother. Get out of here. I'm going to make sure we got the last of them, and see if there's any information to be gotten from the bodies. You and I have work to do. The Silver Hand will tremble at our sight." She will then stay behind with Skjor in his final resting place, Gallows Rock, while planning a terrible revenge.

Back in Jorrvaskr, the members of the Companions are all shaken by the unexpected death of Skjor and will express their feelings: 

Kodlak: "This is... he should not have gone alone. Thank you for telling me. This is a day where our souls must cry, and our hearts will answer. Go. Grieve in whatever way you know." 
Vilkas: "Skjor... I always thought of him as invincible. Truly, one of our great fires has gone out." 
Farkas: "He was the one I looked up to. I need to find my brother." 
Vignar: "Tragic, of course. But, well. Fires go out. Others ignite. Skjor inspired many with his life. Perhaps his death can continue to inspire." 
Athis: "He has joined the honored dead. This will be a difficult time for us all." 
Njada: "Unfortunate. He was an excellent sparring partner. I'll miss our training sessions." 
Ria: "I... I can only imagine Aela's anger. I'll make sure not to cross her for a while." 
Tilma: "Oh my. He was always so kind to me. A bit rough around the edges, but a good man. I... I'll get his things in order." 
Torvar: "He did? That's... I'm surprised. I wonder who will replace him in the Circle?"''

Totems of Hircine
Even if Skjor is dead and gone, and Kodlak Whitemane spends the afterlife in Sovngarde, Aela the Huntress will keep Skjor's memory intact. Not only will she reject being cured of her lycanthropy, she will honor his memory by fulfilling one of his wishes, finding the Totems of Hircine: ''"Harbinger, I'd be honored if you joined me in my search. I had once heard Skjor and Kodlak talking about the Totems of Hircine. Simple-looking objects that could channel the powers of the werewolf in new directions. Once Kodlak began looking for his cure, I'd wager Skjor didn't bring it up again. But I was going through his things and found a book I had never seen before. All about the Totems. I've been talking to my sources around the holds, and think I may have heard where one of them lives. Want to come along?" During the three treks to various dungeons to claim the totems, she will repeatedly say: "The spirit of Skjor is with us on this errand. I feel him."

Conversations
thumb|right|"We all have different means to glory, Stonearm."
Skjor: "I've got a bad grip on my shield, could you take a look at it?" 
Njada: "I'm a warrior, not a blacksmith." 
Skjor: "Can't you just tell me if the grip is bad?" 
Njada: "If Eorlund made it, it's more likely you're gripping it wrong. Find me tomorrow and we can go over it."

Skjor: "Heard you had a bit of trouble near Solitude last week." 
Njada: "Just those same ruffians I was bringing in for the Shatter-Shields. So much wasted breath in that crew." 
Skjor: "I'm imagining you just standing your ground and letting them tire themselves out." 
Njada: "I'm telling you, it works. Let them ring their own ears on my shield, then scoop them up off the ground." 
Skjor: "We all have different means to glory, Stonearm. Well done."
thumb|right|"Are you prepared for tonight's hunt?"
Skjor: "All these younglings scampering around." 
Aela: "Worried one of them is going to take your place?" 
Skjor: "Some of them might try. But that's not what I'm worried about." 
Aela: "What then?" 
Skjor: "That they might get themselves killed." 
Aela: "By you?" 
Skjor: "They should be so lucky."

Skjor: "Are you prepared for tonight's hunt?" 
Aela: "I've been thinking we need to be more... discreet." 
Skjor: "There's nothing wrong with what we're doing." 
Aela: "You know the old man doesn't like it. Let's just not be too obvious."
thumb|right|"You're a strong warrior, Skjor."
Kodlak: "I don't mean to confuse you." 
Skjor: "It's not confusing... just frustrating." 
Kodlak: "You're a strong warrior, Skjor. Your heart is fiery and that serves you well in battle." 
Skjor: "Thank you, Harbinger." 
Kodlak: "But even the bravest of men consider their actions. I want you to survive long enough to take the mantle." 
Skjor: "Don't worry about me."

Kodlak: "Tradition is very important to me, son." 
Skjor: "To me as well. I think we don't see the same tradition at play here." 
Kodlak: "If you want to lead this pack when I'm gone, you have to see farther. Look closer." 
Skjor: "Well which is it? Look farther or closer?" 
Kodlak: "Come on now, boy, you know what I meant..." 
Skjor: "You speak in riddles sometimes."

Unused Dialogue
 : "I don't know who you've been talking to, but they were clearly mistaken. Especially for a new whelp, you should choose your words more carefully." and "A sensitive question. You may want to be careful broaching that subject with some. The old man and I have our differences when it comes to this. It's a blessing, given by Hircine. To worry about the hereafter means losing sight of the now. What do I care about Sovngarde? Give me the power to tear my foes as a beast of the wild, and I will savor it."''
There is a reference to this unused dialogue in Kodlak Whitemane's dialogue at the start of Blood's Honor.
 : "This is a place for warriors, new blood. What brings you here?" and "You might make a decent Companion yet."

Notes
After Skjor dies, Vilkas replaces Skjor as the quest-giver for his radiant quests. 
Skjor is in the faction  . This makes him chase you on sight when you have a high bounty in any given hold.

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