'Why are you killing us?' by Corporal Nobbs
'Stormriders' Interpretation by [http://shadaan.deviantart.com/art/Storm-Riders-385571424 Shadaan
Stormriders, or Riders, were a race of beings which lived in the deep ocean trench of the Ocean of Storms between Quon Tali and Korel.[1][2] They were isolationist and disliked foreigners and were known to attack ships crossing through their territory. For over four thousand years they lived in a constant state of war with the residents of Korel who had built the enormous Stormwall along the shore to protect themselves from Stormrider attack.
Fair skinned, with pale hair resembling the Tiste Andii,[3] they wore what appeared to be armour, which gleamed with sapphire and rainbow opalescence.[4] It shone like frost and they carried jagged-edged lances.[1] They could ride waves, which would curl into horse-like shapes beneath them.[5]
Their power was of sea and ice and seemed to be connected to Omtose Phellack, however Ieleen, the blind Falaran Sea Witch and pilot of the Silver Dawn, explained that, like Kaminsod, the Stormriders were from another realm.[6] Their sorcerers were known as Wandwielders.[7]
They often fought with lances and shields or swords so cold they burned to the touch.[8]
Both their origin and aims were shrouded in mystery, as they were generally feared and viewed as antagonists.
Stormriders were capable of speaking Korelan, which they learned from eavesdropping on sailors and those who guarded the Stormwall.[9]
In Night of Knives
The Stormriders attempted to take advantage of the Shadow Moon to advance against Malaz City with unknown intentions. On their way to the island, they crossed the path of the Rheni's Dream, whose crew was killed by the cold. The ship became encased in ice.[10] The Stormriders were delayed in the harbour by local mage, the Fisherman, until they killed him using an iceberg containing the frozen Rheni's Dream.[11]
After the fisherman's failure, Agayla and Obo managed to hold back the Stormriders until Tayschrenn arrived. Tayschrenn observed the magical work of the Wandwielders through his Thyr warren, and he was startled to see that "It appeared like a curtain of energy, a replica of the shimmering light that sometimes played above the northern night sky ... it cut a dividing line that ... did not end at the water but plunged downwards through it ... [to] continue unbroken, down through the depths of the cut into unplumbed crevasses, where he glimpsed a glowing heart of otherworldly ice."[12] With Tayschrenn's assistance the mages were able to successfully hold back the Stormriders from the island.
After their failure, one Stormrider was found dying on a beach by local residents. When approached, the Stormrider asked, "Why are you killing us?"[13]
In Return of the Crimson Guard
Stormriders were seen by the members of the Crimson Guard on board the Kestral as they were making their way to Stratem. Greymane commented that one of the riders appeared to salute Kyle.[14] Kyle proposed that, rather than him, they might have been saluting Greymane upon which the latter replied, "No. I told them to cut that out long ago".[15]
In Stonewielder
They gave Greymane the stone sword that earned him his name after he talked with them.[16]
The stone sword was used by Greymane during the second invasion of Korel, to destroy the Stormwall, which Greymane accomplished by plunging the sword into the Earth close to where the wall started.[17]
In Dust of Dreams
Ruthan Gudd's appearance seemed to change into that of a Stormrider as he charged the K'Chain Nah'ruk.[18] At the time, his thoughts were that, "This Stormrider crap had better work. But gods below, it does hurt to wear."[19]
In The Crippled God
Faradan Sort had forsaken the wall presumably due to an understanding between her and the Stormriders when she was herself a Stormguard.
Both she and Ruthan Gudd were present with the Adjunct's army due to the fact that the Stormriders wanted them there. Ruthan was invested with Stormrider sorcery which he could use, while Faradan seemed to know of their purpose. She said they 'are driven'.[20]
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 1, Chapter 2, UK PB p.87
- ↑ Stonewielder, Glossary
- ↑ Stonewielder, Chapter 12, UK TPB p.618
- ↑ Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 1, Chapter 2
- ↑ Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 1, Chapter 2
- ↑ "The ignorant speak of the winters of the Stormriders and the Jaghut as if they are the same thing. But that is not so. The Riders are alien. Not of this world. Indeed, some argue that in their original form they were of the frigid black gaps between the worlds." ―Ieleen • Assail, UK TPB, p.436
- ↑ Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 1, Chapter 2
- ↑ Stonewielder, Chapter 8, UK TPB p.443
- ↑ Stonewielder, Chapter 1, UK TPB p.69
- ↑ Night of Knives, Prologue, US TPB p.1-5
- ↑ Night of Knives, Chapter 4, US TPB p.146
- ↑ Night of Knives, Chapter 5, US MMPB p.232
- ↑ Night of Knives, Epilogue, US TPB p.282
- ↑ Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 1, Chapter 2
- ↑ Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 1, Chapter 2, UK PB p.88
- ↑ Stonewielder, Book 1, Chapter 1, US TPB p.69
- ↑ Stonewielder, Book 3 Chapter 12, US TPB p.576-578
- ↑ Dust of Dreams, Chapter 23, UK HB p.837/838
- ↑ Dust of Dreams, Chapter 23, UK HB p.839
- ↑ The Crippled God, Chapter 24
| Races | |
|---|---|
| Founding Races | Forkrul Assail (WateredH → ShrivenH) • K'Chain Che'Malle (K'Chain Nah'ruk) • Jaghut (IcebloodsH • JhagN) • Eres → Imass (T'lan Imass) → [ Barghast • Humans • Moranth ] |
| Thel Races | Thel Akai (Fenn / Tarthenal / Teblor / Thelomen Toblakai / TrellN) |
| Tiste Races | Tiste → [ Tiste Andii (Bluerose) • Tiste Liosan • Tiste Edur (Rulhun'tal ven'or) • ShakeH ] |
| Demons | From Aral Gamelon: Galayn • Kenryll'ah / Kenyll'rah • Korvalahrai From Kurald Emurlahn: Aptorian • Artorallah • Azalan • Dinal Others: Khalibaral • Sirinth • Venath |
| Other Races | Azathanai • Deragoth • Eleint • Great Ravens • Jheck • Stormriders • T'rolbarahl |
| ( ) = Sub-set of parent race → = Evolved into H = Human hybrid with parent race N = Non-human hybrid | |