Lore:Silt Strider

Silt Striders
	A Silt Strider (Dragonborn)
Type	Beast
Range	Morrowind, Solstheim
Appears in	Morrowind, Skyrim, ESO, Legends

Silt Striders are giant arthropods, which can be up to 60 feet tall. They are used as a means of transport in Vvardenfell and in the Telvanni Peninsula by manipulating exposed organs and tissues. Silt Striders are a resilient species whose tough carapace helps them survive the adverse environment of the island.^[1] Silt Striders survived the Ash Blight that exterminated many of Vvardenfell's native creatures, such as the Cliff Strider.^[2] However, their numbers would eventually dwindle due to the coming of the Red Year, when the eruption of the Red Mountain killed most of them and destroyed their native habitat.^[1] A small population of the creatures was imported to Solstheim.^[1]^[3]

Biology[edit]

Silt Striders are very docile creatures, without many predators.^[4] They are very hardy, and well adapted to the harsh weather of Morrowind.^[1] Silt Striders have special glands that produce a unique musk, used to attract mates.^[5] Silt Strider mating is described as involving "awkward flailing" and is known to be dangerous if one gets too close.^[6] Silt Striders start out as larvae, but eventually encase themselves in a tough cocoon to mature.^[1] Silt Hoppers are a smaller variety of Silt Strider. It is unknown if they are young Silt Striders or simply a miniature species.

Cultural Uses[edit]

Their limbs can be attached to ships for deep sea fishing; while their young's legs can be used for fishing rods.^[7] Silt Hoppers are used as a mean of transport by Ashlander tribes.