That really was short. It seems like so much more could have been done with it. Why was Miraak having people build around the stones? Who are the cult? Keepers of an ancient tradition, Miraak's thralls, our a new group of followers? Why did he turn against the dragons, and why didn't he choose to kill Alduin as he claimed he could have? How did the first dragonborn get his powers in the first place? What were the secrets of the Skaal? These are all questions I would have liked addressed.

Also, how exactly does Herma Mora expect you to serve him later? Is this something saved for ESVI lore perhaps?

During the period of time when http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon ruled over mortals, Miraak served as a dragon priest on the island of Solstheim. At some point before his death, he came into possession of a black book which in term lead to him in service of http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Hermaeus_Mora, the Daedric Lord of Knowledge and Fate, who taught him a http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Bend_Will. With this forbidden knowledge in his possession, Miraak turned on his dragon masters, using his power to devour their souls to become ever more powerful. According to http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Frea, because of his betrayal, the dragons sought him out at his http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Temple_of_Miraak on Solstheim and killed him for his treachery. After his death, he lived on in http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Apocrypha, the realm of Hermaeus Mora, until the time was right for his return.

Taken from http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Miraak

1. The stones power would help in returning to the phsychical plane.
2. Cult was worshiping him.
3. He turned against the dragons when he learned of the power he could achieve through absorbing souls.
4. He didnt have dragonrend
5. Eating dragons + Hermaus Mora/
6. Not sure about the skall, probably something to do with their magic.

There are indeed a lot of questions to be answered. I still liked the main quest though.

One is not born on his own accord. You're not dragonborn because you ate dragons.. and you're probably not the first dragonborn because your bros with hentai-Mora

Yes but you ( any dragonborn) grows in power from dining on dragons. Also... Hentai Mora

He seemed to imply that he chose not to kill Alduin. "I chose a different path," he says (if you had already slain Alduin). What path was that? BTW, was he ever really dead or just waiting in Apocrypha? If the dragons killed him, it kinda casts doubt on his capability to slay the dragon god.

He did die. But HM claimed his soul due to the deal of obtaining the forbidden knowledge. He sought to escape his fate. Hence being BF'ed at the end by a PO'ed Daedric Prince.

Edit: Also, technically you can die any way, falling off a cliff, etc. I don't think being DB implies impunity from death by dragon. Don't forget you yourself had to have the help from 3 others in Sovengarde, and even THEN, you still didn't permanently kill Alduin.

Edit two: It is possible he schemed it all from the start. Knew that he could escape his duties as a DB by being Herma's servant. Waited until the time was right, and, well, try to escape after you did his dirty work.

Interesting. Ironically, though, since we do absorb his soul, Miraak did get to escape Apocrypha. Just not in his own body.

I wonder if Miraak even knew how he became the first dragonborn. Maybe he was simply born with it. The game didn't really answer any questions regarding the mystery of the dragonborns.

There are 4 types of Dragonborn. He was one that avoided fate and instead tried to carve out his own destiny. But Vahlok Pwned him.

Miraak did not have to power to kill Alduin or he would have done it.

Miraak was defeated by one of the other Dragon preist's and his mask was taken and locked away.
and his temple became his prison and the dragon preist who defeated him became his jailer.
It's all explained in one of the side quests.

He's a little more powerful when we meet him though. Not sure how he could exit Apocrypha though to defeat Alduin..

The Shaman will tell you if you ask.

Oh. Well, he's dead now, so... I guess my next character to play it through will find out.

He doesn't exactly go into specifics.

yeah, valid points... I'd like to know why/how he got his Dragonborn abilities. And I'd like to know a bit of history behind these cultists as well... What drove them to follow him?

Probably a combination of Bend Will and the corruption of the land which is in turn tied to the people.