Storn Crag-Strider

Storn Crag-Strider is the Elder shaman of the Skaal Village and the father of Frea. He lives in the Shaman's Hut, where he can be found at night.
==Interactions==
===The Fate of the Skaal===
Storn is met when returning to the village with Frea. The Dragonborn tells him of the vision at the Temple of Miraak. Storn's fears had come to pass, and he sends the Dragonborn to Saering's Watch, to find a Dragon Shout that Miraak learned long ago. Upon completion of that quest, he gives two more quests: "Cleansing the Stones" and "The Path of Knowledge."
===Cleansing the Stones===
After cleansing the Wind Stone, Storn tasks the Dragonborn with cleansing the remaining stones of Solstheim.
===The Path of Knowledge===
Storn will mention how the wizard Neloth asked about Black Books when he came to the Skaal Village. The Dragonborn is then tasked with heading to Tel Mithryn, but they can ask Storn what he knows of the books.
===The Gardener of Men===
After speaking to Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince will say that he will trade the last word of the Bend Will shout in exchange for the secrets of the Skaal. After talking to Storn, he will be conflicted over what to do, but ultimately decides to complete the deal with Herma-Mora in order to defeat Miraak. After reading the book Black Book: Epistolary Acumen, the Daedric Prince will appear and stab his tentacles through Storn. He will then absorb Storn's knowledge, and as promised, grant the Dragonborn with the third word of power. Storn dies in the process, and the villagers gather around his body to mourn his sacrifice.
==Dialogue==
Show: The Fate of the Skaal
In Skaal Village:
"So you have seen things, yes? My magic grows weak, and so does the barrier around our village. Time is short. Tell me what you know."
:I've seen Miraak. "Really? How?"
:Miraak is behind what's happening to your people. "How do you know this?"
::I read a book in Miraak's temple, and went somewhere. Miraak was there. "The legends speak of that place. Terrible battles fought at the temple. The dragons burning it to the ground in rage. They speak also of something worse than dragons buried within. Difficult to imagine, but if true... It means what I feared has come to pass. Miraak was never truly gone, and now has returned. If you could go to this place and see him... Are you like Miraak? Are you Dragonborn?"
:::I am indeed Dragonborn. "Then perhaps you are connected with him. The old tales say that he, too, was Dragonborn."
:::Miraak did claim to be Dragonborn. "That is what the stories say. You are Dragonborn as well, then. Perhaps you are connected."
::::What does it mean if we're both Dragonborn? "I am unsure. It may mean that you could save us, or it may mean that you could bring about our destruction. But our time here is running out. The few of us free of control cannot protect ourselves for much longer. You must go to Saering's Watch. Learn there the word that Miraak learned long ago, and use that knowledge on the Wind Stone. You may be able to break the hold on our people there, and free them from control."
:::::What do you know about Miraak? "Much of what was known has been lost to the ages. He was Dragonborn, and yet he served the Dragons. A priest in their order, highly esteemed and very powerful. Then he turned against them, becoming something they feared. He was defeated long ago, but it seems he was never destroyed."
:::::What do you mean, 'free your people from control?' "Some dark influence wields power over them, forces them to forget themselves and act against their nature. At first it was only during the night, but now every moment is spent building some strange shrine around the Wind Stone. I believe if the shrine can be destroyed, the Skaal will be free once more."
:::::Why do I need to learn a Word of Power? "Miraak is behind what is happening to our village, and so the knowledge he gained as Dragonborn is at the heart of it. You are Dragonborn as well. You too can wield this power, perhaps to a better end."
"All-Maker shelter you."
After clearing the Wind Stone:
"You have prevailed. I can feel it."
:Who or what is the All-Maker? "You are an outsider, and I don't know if I can make you understand. I will try. The All-Maker is the maker of all things, and it is from the All-Maker that life flows like a great river. As all rivers must return to the sea, so all life returns in time to the All-Maker. I know our ways must seem strange to you, but the nine gods of the Empire are equally strange to us."
:What is your role among the Skaal? "As shaman of Skaal Village, I serve as both a guide and a healer, as well as a keeper of traditions. I also remind the Skaal to live as one with nature and to honor the will of the All-Maker, so that we'll be worthy to join him in death."
:Your people are free. "So it is. You have proven yourself an ally to the Skaal, and so the Skaal shall be allies to you."
::What do we do now? "If you have released the Wind Stone and broken the hold on my people, perhaps you can do the same for the rest of Solstheim. I doubt it will fully stop whatever Miraak is doing, but it may slow his progress."
:::That's not enough. I need to stop Miraak now. "I cannot help with that. None here can. You will need the knowledge Miraak himself learned. You will need to learn more about this Black Book."
::::Tell me more about this book, then. "Miraak had this? This does not look like something of the Dragon cult. It is a dark thing, unnatural. I would have nothing to do with it. But the Dark Elf Wizard, Neloth... He came to us some time ago, asking about Black Books. I believe he knows a great deal about them. Perhaps too much. Seek him out to the south. Be cautious, Dragonborn. There is something else at work here."
:::::What do you know about these Black Books? "Our traditions do not speak of them. But they and Miraak are connected. You read a Black Book, and saw him. And the book's power comes from the same dark source as that which corrupted the Wind Stone. But beware. You are mow walking the same road as Miraak."
:::::Why do you think this Neloth can help me find Black Books? "He also is searching for them. In fact, he has already found one. He showed it to me when he came here. It was very like the one you found in Miraak's tmeple. A thing of dark magic, not of the All-Maker."
Show: Cleansing the Stones
In the Shaman's Hut:
What happened when I Shouted at the Wind Stone? "The power of the Stone had been corrupted. It was the source of the influence that had taken control of the Skaal. Your Shout broke whatever evil will controlled the Stone, and restored its true nature as a conduit of the All-Maker's gift. Freeing the other Stones will diminish the whatever dark influence is spreading across Solstheim."
:Other Stones? "Yes. There are six sacred Stones – Wind, Water, Earth, Beast, Sun, and Tree. Through them the Oneness of the land is maintained. Frea saw that the Tree Stone now stands imprisoned in Miraak's new temple. I doubt you can free it until his power is broken. But you may be able to cleanse the other Stones. Even if this does not stop Miraak, it surely will delay his return."
After cleaning the Stones:
What happened when I Shouted at the Wind Stone? "The power of the Stone had been corrupted. It was the source of the influence that had taken control of the Skaal. Your Shout broke whatever evil will controlled the Stone, and restored its true nature as a conduit of the All-Maker's gift. Freeing the other Stones will diminish the whatever dark influence is spreading across Solstheim."
:I've cleansed the other four Stones. "I can feel it. The balance of the living land has nearly been restored. But while the Tree Stone remains under Miraak's influence, the natural order remains out of balance. And all can be undone if Miraak exerts his will again. You must continue on this path, and gather the knowledge you need to defeat him."
Show: The Gardener of Men
In Skaal Village:
"So, the dragons have returned. Well, the Skaal have survived worse."
:I spoke to Hermaeus Mora. He asked for the "secrets of the Skaal." "Hermaeus Mora... old Herma-Mora himself. So he is the source of Miraak's power. Of course. We have many tales of Herma-Mora trying to trick us into giving up our secrets to him. And now he comes again for what we have long kept from him."
::Herma-Mora? Why do you call him that? "That is our name for him - the Demon of Knowledge. He has always been our enemy."
::What are the "secrets of the Skaal"? "Ancient lore, handed down from shaman to shaman since the All-Maker first gave Solstheim to the Skaal. How to talk to the wind, how to listen to the earth - these are our secrets. Nothing of power or mastery."
:::Why would Hermaeus Mora want your secrets? "We know him as Herma-Mora, the Demon of Knowledge. It is in his nature to hoard secrets to himself. Their value to him is of no consequence. The very fact that the Skaal have kept knowledge from him has merely increased his desire to have it."
::He said it's the only way he'll teach me the final Word of Miraak's Shout. "So it falls to me to be the one to give up the secrets to our ancient enemy. I do not know if I have the strength to face him. The Tree Stone is still corrupted... the land is still out of balance. But with the other five restored... it may be enough. It will have to be."
:::You mean you'll give him what he wants? "Yes. The Skaal also tell of the day when we must finally give up our secrets. When Herma-Mora finally wins. As shaman, it is my duty to guard these secrets, but also to decide when it is necessary to give them up. I believe that time is now. If I am wrong, may my ancestors forgive me. Give me the book. I will read it, and speak to old Herma-Mora myself. I will make sure he lives up to his part of the bargain."
::::I hope you know what you're doing. (Give book) "That is my hope as well. I am trusting that you will make this sacrifice worthwhile."
If the Stones have not been cleansed yet:
"So, the dragons have returned. Well, the Skaal have survived worse."
:I spoke to Hermaeus Mora. He asked for the "secrets of the Skaal." "Hermaeus Mora... old Herma-Mora himself. So he is the source of Miraak's power. Of course. We have many tales of Herma-Mora trying to trick us into giving up our secrets to him. And now he comes again for what we have long kept from him."
::Herma-Mora? Why do you call him that? "That is our name for him - the Demon of Knowledge. He has always been our enemy."
::What are the "secrets of the Skaal"? "Ancient lore, handed down from shaman to shaman since the All-Maker first gave Solstheim to the Skaal. How to talk to the wind, how to listen to the earth - these are our secrets. Nothing of power or mastery."
:::Why would Hermaeus Mora want your secrets? "We know him as Herma-Mora, the Demon of Knowledge. It is in his nature to hoard secrets to himself. Their value to him is of no consequence. The very fact that the Skaal have kept knowledge from him has merely increased his desire to have it."
::He said it's the only way he'll teach me the final Word of Miraak's Shout. "So it falls to me to be the one to give up the secrets to our ancient enemy. I do not know if I have the strength to face him. With Miraak's corruption of the Stones... the Oneness of the land is disrupted, and our connection to the All-Maker is broken."
:::I'll restore the remaining Stones if that will help. "It may. It should. And I will think on what you ask of me, to decide if it is necessary, or just another of Herma-Mora's tricks."
If approached again:
"The land is out of balance. Miraak's power still corrupts the sacred Stones."
:Are you ready to trade your secrets to Hermaeus Mora? "No... I am still too weak to face him. It will take all my strength if I am to force him to hold to his bargain. You must cleanse the other Stones so that I can draw power from the All-Maker."
"May darkness never touch you."
After cleansing the Stones:
"So, the dragons have returned. Well, the Skaal have survived worse."
:Are you ready to trade your secrets to Hermaeus Mora? "The Tree Stone is still corrupted... the land is still out of balance. But with the other five restored... it may be enough. It will have to be."
::You mean you'll give him what he wants? "Yes. The Skaal also tell of the day when we must finally give up our secrets. When Herma-Mora finally wins. As shaman, it is my duty to guard these secrets, but also to decide when it is necessary to give them up. I believe that time is now. If I am wrong, may my ancestors forgive me. Give me the book. I will read it, and speak to old Herma-Mora myself. I will make sure he lives up to his part of the bargain."
:::I hope you know what you're doing. (Give book) "That is my hope as well. I am trusting that you will make this sacrifice worthwhile."
==Conversations==
===Miraak===
Frea: "Father! I have returned! There is yet hope!"
Storn: "Frea! What news do you bring? Is there a way to free our people?"
Frea: "No, but I have brought someone who has seen things... He has confirmed that Miraak is indeed behind the suffering of our people."
Storn: "I feared that it would be so."
Frea: "But how is that possible? After all this time..."
Storn: "I fear there is too much we do not yet know."
Frea: "Please, tell Storn what has happened."
===The Black Book===
Frea: "Father, you must not do this. That book is... wrong. Evil. Against everything that you have taught me my whole life."
Storn: "I must, Frea. It is the only way to free Solstheim forever from Miraak's shadow. There comes a time when everything must change. Nothing that lives remains the same forever. Do not fear for me, my daughter. This is the destiny that the All-Maker has laid out for me."
Frea: "I stand beside you, father, as always."
Storn: "I am ready for whatever the foul master of this book has in store for me."
Hermaeus Mora: "At last, the Skaal yield up their secrets to me."
Storn: "You... liar... gah! ... I won't... not... for you..."
Frea: "Father! No, stop!"
Frea: "Do something!"
Hermaeus Mora: "Dragonborn, you have delivered me the gift I requested. In return, I keep my promise, as befits a Prince of Oblivion: I give you the Word of Power that you need to challenge Miraak. You will be either a worthy opponent or his successor, as the tides of fate decree."
Frea: "Father! What have you done! Go. My father sacrificed himself so that you could destroy Miraak and lift his master's shadow from the land. Go, then. Kill Miraak. Do not fail."
Fanari Strong-Voice: "Goodbye, old friend. We will miss you, but do not worry. Frea will guide us well, thanks to you."
Deor Woodcutter: "Frea... I'm sorry."
Baldor Iron-Shaper: "I... uh... you'll be missed, old man."
Oslaf: "You always protected us. I hope you find peace in the next life. Goodbye, old one."
Aeta: "It can't be... please, All-Maker, send him back to us..."
Wulf Wild-Blood: "Return to the All-Maker, old one. The Skaal will never forget your sacrifice."
Finna: "May the All-Maker guide your soul to the next life."
Edla: "We won't forget what you did for us, Storn Crag-Strider. Walk with the All-Maker."
Morwen: "I don't really understand what you did, but I trust you did it for the good of the village. So... thank you."
Yrsa: "Oh... so terrible. When will these dark times be over?"
Tharstan: "By the gods... I've never seen anything like it... I, uh... I don't think this will go in my book."
Nikulas: "Frea... what happened? What was that thing? I thought the village was safe now."
==Trivia==
*After Storn has killed himself and he is resurrected with the console he will say, "No... he is too strong..."
**Additionally, his Editor ID in the Creation Kit may be replaced by HermaeusMorasFace2 or, if he has been moved from his initial position after dying, HermaeusMorasFace1.
*Storn wears a unique Skaal coat called the Word Chest, which cannot be obtained.
==Appearances==
*
de:Storn Fels-Schreiter
es:Storn Paso Montés
it:Storn Solca Dirupi
ru:Сторн Горный Странник
Category:Skyrim: Elders
Category:Dragonborn: Skaal Village Characters
Category:Dragonborn: Quest Givers