Starkad the Smith

is a Nord smith. He is portrayed as a burly man with a bushy beard. He is strong, honest and good-tempered, although somewhat rough on his apprentice Aldoran whenever the Imperial objects to certain matters or is just dozing off somewhere.

Biography
The only things known so far about Starkad is that he comes from a line of master craftsmen who knew the secret of how to forge the bark of the ghost oak. Other than that nothing is known about his private life. He was born, grew up in Ekendal and has never set his foot outside the village other than collecting materials from Riften. He works in his smithy and takes great pride in his work.

The House of Troubles
Starkad marks his first apperance when he wakes his apprentice Aldoran violently from a secret nap on the loft in the smithy. He thereafter drags him out to the center of the village only to show him that Ekendal's ghost oak has mysteriously started to glow.

The next day he encounters Myling Frost-Song and Riamide for the first time. The newly arrived pair tells him and Aldoran of their plans to stay in Ekendal to study the strange tree in the village center. Starkad and Aldoran confirm their suspicions to each other about them finding it obscure that the oak started to glow just the night before a couple of "herbalists" arrived to investigate an otherwise extinct specimen.

The Regulators of Skyrim
Starkad was quick to accept the newcomers as permanent residents in Ekendal, even though he never let his eyes of them. This is proved when Myling leaves Ekendal for Riften to collect a book about the ghost oaks. He sends his co-worker and business partner Aldoran to keep her safe from the criminals of Riften, but also to keep Myling under observation, to see what Riamide and the young woman are up to.

Riamide later reveals her secrets to Starkad, telling him everything about Myling, her own identity as Meridia and the Umbramancer. Riamide expresses her anger over the fact that Starkad had sent Aldoran to aid Myling, not knowing that the Umbramancer could eventually find the Imperial as a suitable victim. He regrets his decision, but defends himself by saying that he couldn't have known that if Riamide hadn't come forth with the information at that moment. However, he is baffled by the news about Myling and agrees to do anything he can in order to help saving the soul of the young woman.

Appearances

 * The House of Troubles V
 * The House of Troubles VI
 * The Regulators of Skyrim III
 * The Regulators of Skyrim IV
 * The Regulators of Skyrim V

Trivia

 * Starkad is named after the semi-legendary Norse hero of the same name.