#skekyi

[skekheck]

I have a question regarding skekYi and skekHak. So I’ve read the Creation Myth comics, but I don’t think either of them are ever named. On top of that, on the wiki I see that skekHak is called the Machinist of Merchant, and that skekYi either never had a role or was the Steward. I gotta ask, where is this information coming from? Both their names and their roles because I can’t find them from any book materials.

I did a bit of digging to get the following information, but I'm not sure if this is complete or correct as the places I found them were barely sourced. If anyone knows where I can find the following or have additional information I can check out, please let me know!

With that being said, it's likely their names were canonized publicly on the official Dark Crystal website. They are the only Skeksis without titles. Strangely skekHak's other half, urHom, is the only one of the two pairs to have a title (he was called "the Carpenter"). To my knowledge, there is no official reading material that states which Skeksis is who. It likely may come from outside material, like interviews, though I have not found them if they exist.

In the J.M. Lee novel continuity, only skekYi died at the beginning. (This part I was able to find in Flames of the Dark Crystal so likely the rest of this paragraph can be found in that book or the other three but I don't have the time to verify.) SkekHak, on the other hand, survived and was known as the Machinist. He was responsible for remodeling the Crystal Castle to suit the Skeksis' tastes. SkekYi apparently is known as "the Deceased" in the novels, but I can't find where this is said (if it ever was).

It's been changed for AOR, though. In the Crystal Calls, at the 19 minute mark, there is a billboard with 17 out of the 18 Skeksis titles (skekGra is missing from the list). However, there are three unique titles we've not seen yet: Spy Master, Steward, and Merchant.

(This was pulled from the Dark Crystal Conjunction on Facebook (I believe)). The new Skeksis are highlighted in red meanwhile the original Skeksis from the movie are in black. So people have assumed the Spy Master is skekUng's original title (especially because it's so similar to Garthim Master). And we know skekGra was known as the Conqueror and later the Heretic so it's safe to assume Steward and Merchant belonged to the last two Skeksis. However neither Skeksis were given an official title designation and this could likely be retconned in future material.

Something to keep in mind is that the Dark Crystal's continuity is fickle. Everything is considered canonical yet is continuously changed and contradicting each other. So what is true in the tetralogy is not true for the AOR continuity and vice versa. Both may not be true for other reading material as well. It is mainly based upon which media you are referring to. You will also notice a lot of this is speculative so I would treat it as such until we get official confirmation. (Or sources are provided. This is why citations are important).

[cringenaynayturtletot]

Forgot my login to my dark crystal tumblr so this is going on here too lol

For a Native Thra au! So skeksis and urru originate from Thra instead of being an alien species. All of the skeksis are older than drawn, just wanted to draw them younger cause I love giving them so much hair and feathers.

Anyways! This is the royal family. I don't have names for the parents yes, but from left to right (And top to bottom), here are their kids:

SkekSo (Future heir/emperor obv), SkekPyre, SkekDili, skekMiri, skekHue, skekScya, skekPip, and skekHak. The next image is skekHak with his partner, skekYi. I have skekSil being their kid in this, so lil Sil is there, too.

[darkskek]

Round 2: Bonus

Due the uneven Number, i will allow one too make a come-back!

[chaifootsteps]

hc that in the very early years of the Skeksis existing, they very rarely let each other go much further than arms-length. After seeing SkekHak and SkekYi die, they come to the conclusion that if they stick together as a group they'd be able to stop any further losses. Only time gave them the bravery to have distance between them, that and the "firm knowledge" that "Skeksis Are Eternal".

Young Skeksis cuddle heaps are canon, Jimothy Henson phoned from the dead to tell me himself.

[glitterfilledtrashcan]

.My starting date for this image was in February, I can’t believe it took me this long on and off to finish it. Another round of gelfling skeksis and urru which, like my first drawing of them, is their own clan rather than part of the specific one from the show. Basically always twins born that are considered as one person. Want more info about that/want to see SoSu, here’s the link to the first drawing: https://glitterfilledtrashcan.tumblr.com/post/631916487744077824/had-some-inspiration-to-draw-some-gelfling-au-for

I decided to do HakHom and YiYa because they’re related to SoSu in this. HakHom is SoSu’s brother. YiYa is their wife, and they’re SilSol’s parents, making Sil and Sol SoSu’s nephew(s). YiYa make and sell their own pottery, and HakHom are architects. Hak is more of an interior designer though, while Hom is more of the actual architect/planning side. Both HakHom and YiYa were killed before SilSol reached adulthood, but are obviously still alive at the age SIlSol is now in this

[holic-user]

My idea for a Dark Crystal AU

EDIT: Decided to call this 'Revived AU' because two of my friends suggested it.

I had this idea that all of the skeksis and mystics who died before the great conjunction had resurrected and they're younger.

My friend suggested that maybe an imprint of their essense was left on Thra so they poofed up

Maybe they have to wait for the next great conjunction to arrive. For the meantime, they must survive and find their place among Thra's residents. Oh yeah, there's gelfling survivors in this AU.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

skekMal would target Jen because he reminds him of Rian.

Jen: "I'm telling you that I'm not Rian!"

skekMal: "Nice try fooling me, I know that lying tongue anywhere"

So urSu comes to the rescue to save Jen (again). And while the two are fighting off Mal, the hunter felt a sense of deja vu as the two were able to push him off.

'Just like father and son'

Maybe Mal runs off after realizing that this mystic belongs to skekSo so he can't hurt him. Then urSu and Jen have a heartfelt reunion with tons of hugs. They'll be catching up and Jen would tell him all about Kira.

Tih, Sen and Ma would band together and follow urSu. Jen gets to meet Tih again. Sen and Ma meet Jen for the first time. Naturally they're very curious to hear the story that their master had raised a gelfling.

San just wanders the waters again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aughra would be ecstatic to meet urVa again, she would visit some of skeksis to nag at them. Maybe Mal is afraid of Aughra now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'd imagine the first ones to die to be unhinged. It'll be skekHak, urHom, skekYi and urYa.

Hak and Yi being crazy and are extremely deadly. They are more akin to beasts and speak in garbled talk. While Hom and Ya are despondent and have little awareness of what's going on. Any injuries they receive, they have little to no reactions to.

Hak and Yi actually hunt together so they're more fearsome to encounter than Mal. They're a deadly duo who communicate to each other without needing speech. The other skeksis didn't recognize these two at first.

Thank @ben-the-hyena for Yi's flamingo beak

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So would demand the other skeksis to follow him but they were like "Nah, we just resurrected so no way would we spend another lifetime following you".

This lead him to do some self reflection or him trying to come up with plans of getting his throne back. So far his only allies are Var and Mal to assist him. So and Var live with each other while So struggles to come with terms that this is his life now. Var is taking this in stride and is always there for the former emperor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

urVa is trying to discover the beasts who had been destroying Thra and killing indiscriminately. The mystic is wandering the woods to find the source.

Mal is trying to figure out what has been scaring off the other animals since his traps aren't catching anything for days. He found tracks that he recognized as skeksis.

Mal has been discovered by the duo, he couldn't believe that these two beasts are skekHak and skekYi. He tried calling out for them to cease or else. But they didn't listen and Mal couldn't hold them back. Then urVa comes to his aid and they worked together. They were able to fend off the two skeksis. While urVa and skekMal are nursing their wounds, they began conversing with one another with no venom between them. For the first time, they understood one another and slowly began the start of their friendship.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lach would be really sad that Ok wasn't there with her. She goes back to doing what she knows best: pillaging. Jen and Kira received reports that a rogue skeksis is seen riding away on a Phegnese with many Arduffs following her. She's a BAMF and I love her. Thanks @candythemew for the barbarian/pillager idea!

A phegnese is this bird creature from the books. It's really cool!

Maybe OkAc visits her and they'll both be crying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sa and Tek are not on anyone's side, I like the thought of these two just bunking together since Tek needs some protection. It's nice that Sa can have some company that isn't out to betray her. Tek appreciates having a friend that isn't a dick.

Li and Lii, I know really nothing about them. Maybe they can be sassy neighbors or be dabbing on the others.

EDIT: I forgot to talk about Gra and Goh! They're so happy to be alive and together again. They often visit Jen and Kira, they recognized Jen as Rian's son. They're the fun uncles.

I see these two spending more time together and constantly hugging each other. Goh is happy to meet the other mystics and Gra is busy making fun of So's cruddy house.

[punkcalf-art]

SkekYi the Gardener 

Even though skekHak failed to choke out UrYa, the damage was already done. skekYi's vocal-chords were permanently damaged and now can no longer speak. Taking a liking to flora Yi was put in charge in maintaining the gardens.

Yi does not spend a lot of time with the others, especially not Hak. Yi uses sign language to communicate. 

[froody-matriarch-of-bleu-cheese]

My take on Skekyi, one of the first Skeksis to die after the Great Division.

Skekhak ruthlessly choked his Mystic/urRu counterpart, Urya to death, killing him by extension. 

[antiph]

YiYa the Young (or as I referred to them in a discord chat “YiYa the Yeeted”)

So, a discord chat I mostly bared witness to and scarecly participated in reminded me of some thoughts I have on a very particular UrSkek: YiYa

I actually have an AU where SkekYi and UrYa survive the strangling they get from SkekHak, as UrHom stepped into the line of sight of their Skeksis before the very angry and looking to cause as much hurt to others as soon as possible SkekHak could break poor UrYa’s neck in a death grip. SkekHom immediately pushes their Urru into the Crystal vent like they do in creation myths, and subsequently burns up all the same. This way, Yi and Ya survive, but all the shards still get the impression that what befalls one half so to befalls the other. That whole deal, y’know?

Anyways, UrYa gets dragged off by the other Mystics and they and their Skeksis counterpart suffer long term damage in the way that it renders them both mute for a really long time, due to both the physical and psychological damage. Being young and not nearly as innately weary and worlds-worn as the other Urru, they grow up to be a somewhat naive individual in their early years with the others, at some point beginning to venture off from the others more and more just to learn new things. Considering the perpetually calm aura that permeated the gang of Urru that later became the Valley Mystics—if not a bit smothering in how insensate it was—they were able to recover a wide range of vocal capacity much sooner than their Skeksis counterpart on account of how, well, terrible an environment the poor and equally damaged SkekYi had to put up with. Unfortunately, they never would be able to regain their forever untested capacity for multi-vocal chants and singing, leaving them incapable of affecting the matter around them with the magics the other Mystics could readily, though sparingly, utilize.

UrYa’s true saving grace and inspiration to better themself was born from that naivety that the most of the other Urru low-key judge them for—but in the sort of “I wish you would just listen to us, youngling” kind of way. Like the other vagabonds, they started to leave the nest for short periods of time, getting longer and longer as the trine stretched on, coming to learn from and live with the beings of Thra for trine at a time. The only difference between them and the others? Unlike UrVa or UrSan, at around 500 trine, they stopped coming back to the valley altogether.

SkekYi, poor SkekYi, was rendered similarly damaged as stated previously, but where UrYa was able to branch out from the group of Mystic’s too gentle to punish them and too impassive to stop them from leaving, SkekYi was given no such luxury. The castle was a cage they felt pressured to not leave, and rendered them too scared (and then, eventually, too bitter) to speak much aloud, partially due to resentment towards themself for this sickening fault of theirs that was a voice that wouldn’t come, and partially due to resentment for the elders that mocked a deficit that was beyond their control. They are a recluse, much like SkekShod, but with a subtle unease spread far and wide throughout the court, instead of just focused in on one individual in particular (*cough*SkekSo*cough*). They keep their head low and themself out of the way of others when it comes to petty squabbles, never engaging in any sort of gossip more out of disinterest than anything else.

Yi and Ya are, like I said, young. As in YOUNG, young. when they were split into themselves, they were discernibly younger looking and smaller than all the others by a fairly distinguishable bit. They did both grow, and eventually overtook some of their tinier peers in size, but remained on the small end of the scale even well into full maturity. While the Urru became bowed and hunched over in age, and the Skeksis began to lose more and more feathers and furs inexchange for wrinkles and blemishes, UrYa remained standing up relatively straight, strong, and lithe while SkekYi kept their feathers and took far longer for the detrimental effects of aging to set in.

Basically, YiYa was the equivalent of an UrSkek “Newborn” and while this didn’t really mean that they were a “child” so to speak, considering that I share a headcanon with a couple of others on a Discord chat that Urskeks are made from the get go to be the fully capable equivalent of a being that is cognitively adult, these newborn UrSkeks still require quidance in the form of teachers and/or personal mentors. YiYa was a new UrSkek whose first impression of the universe was that of SoSu’s, which fell along the lines of questioning authority. With this concept to be the first thing imprinted in the young and untaught UrSkek, YiYa was deemed to be unfortunately, irreparably “corrupted” and was sentenced to exile with the rest of the twice-nine. This is why I think they never had a title in the OG verse.

When it came to the sundering, where most all of the other Skeksis and Urru were severed into organic forms that already occupied the equivalent of beings that were just past “middle-aged” Yi and Ya resembled what their new species might look like as young adults.

Anyways, I wrote out my slightly more in-depth take on how things would go for Yi and Ya, but idk if I’ll share the rest unless someone wants to suffer even more of an personal info dump

[skekshroom]

Those HakHom hcs where *chefs kiss* got any about YiYa?

Tysm!! and ofc :)c

[YiYa Headcanons]

- Was known either as YiYa the Tutor or YiYa the Governess/Governor. I’m not sure which I like more but I lean towards Governess.

- The wiki said UrYa and SkekYi went by he/him but this sign wont stop me because I cannot read. She was YiYa the Governess, I am desperate for feminine urskeks and since we don’t know anything about YiYa its free real estate.

- UrYa would have become UrYa the mentor, a philosopher, the close friend to UrSu the Master and companion to UrSen the Monk. 

- SkekYi would have become SkekYi the Adviser, a court strategist and close comrade of SkekVar the General and rival to SkekSil the chamberlain as the Emperor’s most trusted counsel.

- She got along well with SaSan’s freethinking and individualistic ideals, less so with her more boisterous nature. Jock/nerd solidarity tho. She became a friend of SoSu, and had a very passionate hate-love with HakHom. They were like, to put it very lightly, banter buds.

- Her role on the homeworld was an instructor and teacher to young urskeks. She briefed them on societal expectations, the importance of the roles, regime, and structure. Not a nursemaid by any sense of the word, more of like a camp counselor, helping guide them to their perfect place in society where they’d spend the rest of their lives.

- However, her lessons began to drift more towards free thinking. She emphasized their freedom of choice in career more, until she began to imply that perhaps they didn’t want anything society had to offer, and that was okay. They could just exist, and that’s okay.

- Obviously, this was seen as heresy, and she got put in the hashtag naughty corner.

- She was a big fan of how carefree the gelfling were, and wished to return some of their ideology to her suffering homeworld.

[reikiajakoiranruohoja]

If the two dead skeksis (and urru) did not die, here is one version. From a friend’s AU called Fracture.

SkekHak is young, angry and prickly. But she holds justice as valuable and has good intentions. She is skekSil’s little sister-figure and holds his chaos back with her strict morals.

SkekYi is the reason why the 18 were exiled, and he is a HUGE bastard and manipulator. ‘Donator’ to skekLi’s and skekLach’s genes, an ex-Councillor of the Urskek homeworld of Korphir and bad influence for skekSo and co.

[sundcred-and-undone]

o p e n

The haggard sounds are not sobs. Skeksis do not weep, they caterwaul and wail, and usually skekYi would make more of a show. But this is not to draw attention, this is because she cannot stop. The despair and the terror, always a dull ache in her bones (as it is with all skeksis, really, ever present) but now it eats at her body more so that the terrible pain in her eye.

Eye socket, she corrects sullenly, punctuating her shrill exclamations with a bout of mad laughter.

Only a thin cloth is tried not-so kindly around the wound, and more is to come. skekHak, oh poor skekHak. She would never forget the sight of it.

[darkskek]

Round 1

[ben-the-hyena]

I sketched them 2 months ago. My version of SkekYi (whom I HC using she/her pronouns thanks to a RP blog here) and SkekHak if they had not died and had been able to age like the others. That is until season 2 since apparently there will be a Steward and a Merchant and we all think they might be them and if so my entire HC and bio for them in my Natives AU would be destroyed. In the meantime, in that AU, she is the king (genderless title for them) of the second biggest Skeksis town and he is her consort also known as the Torturer who is also her protective bodyguard

In the Natives AU, UrRu and Skeksis not being linked, SkekHak is seen as a national hero by his species for having been able to murder not one but 2 Mystics. For that, the young Merchant he was who had found himself loving to cause pain and kill when he caught a thief got chosen to be the next Executionner in the court of the old single king of the town (town is the second biggest after the capital. Reminder each town has a king. He comes just the same day young SkekYi comes for her first day as the Steward determined to use her apparent kindness to actually manipulate, preferably the king to become his friendand become his heir or maybe since afterall he's old have him die in an "accident" and try winning the trial to the crown. The 2 have a love at first sight. They find each hot, and the more time they spend together, they absolutely love each other's sadism on others, flirting by making her torture prisonners herself by holding her very close for instance as he guides her hand. It doesn't take long before they make love in the torture chambers after he had blinded pierced the eardrums of a prisonner so he wouldn't hear and see them and doing so just excited her more. She is (ON THE OUTSIDE) very sweet and polite and generous as well as bubbly, chatty and easily gushing while he is quiet, lookibg almost always somber and he practically only speaks to her or about her but they complete each other perfectly and are a very sweet couple her calling him tons of sweet names and him kicking or worse anyone who lacks her respect

After trines of dating, SkekHak finally proposes SkekYi to become his mate. She immediatly jumps at his neck and agrees... but she reallt wants a wedding gift. Becoming king. Because after all the poor king is so old and sick... why not help the kingdom have somebody more competant and help him rest sooner, right ? Pouty face. SkekHak, determined to give her the best gift ever and also not minding (in fact loving) murder at all, doesn't hesitate and suffocates the old heirless Skeksis with a pillow in his sleep the next night. Since he was old with asthma, nobody suspects murder. Now SkekYi can have the throne... but someone else wants it too. Not Trial by Stone because that's only for the throne of the Emperor but another kind of trial that require strength which I didn't think of yet (I ACCEPT SUGGESTIONS) has to take place, but SkekYi is not the strong type. So SkekHak one way or another helps her cheat and she wins. She is now King. She orders her rival to be executed, she and her darling become mates, he swears to always protect her and make sure people show respect to her, "my king" as he now calls her almost each time he ends a sentence. She becomes a giggling pile each time he does even if she insits she wants him to be her equal and not to serve her

For centuries, she builds herself the reputation of a generous, good monarch, being very nice and courteous and not rising that many taxes or making too harsh laws. However, if you dare contradict her or still beg for more time despite how she gave you some already brcause you can't pay your debt or suggest something else, her eye will twitch but her smile not fade, and she will kindly tell you to follow her consort somewhere with any pretext like if you need money he brings you to the treasure room, or to explain you in details why it's not possible, or give you a tour. In reality, he will beat you up until you come back with a very unsettling smile and articulate like he ordered you that you changed your mind after all and that you thank her for her generosity. Really, she and SkekHak are good only to each other, as well as their son who was spoiled rotten and is evil with the servants to his parents' approval, and as well as their grandchildren

If I ever write the fanfic on Brea and Lore's (who is an UrSkek son of SkekGra and UrGoh and brother of GraGoh) quest for him to go back to his family after years of being believed to be dead by them but being actually a slave traded from place to place, these 2 would have an important antagonistic, role but in case I write it, I say nothing because spoilers

The thing on SkekYi's head covered in black bands is her hair, it's white and very long and she keeps it in place with lots of black ribbons, while the things on SkekHak's back helps him store his torture tools

[crystalsundered]

“You’ve already taken too long, skekLach. Hurry.” (skekYi)

        “snnnrrk. ugh.” they dab at their inflamed nasal bridge as they slowly trudge up to the carriage. “all right, all right.” 

they despise everything about the Emperor’s new decree. it made sense to have skekOk begin touring Thra for the tithe; he is their records keeper, after all. furthermore, skekYi is a diplomat and welcomed by all the clans. skekLach, on the other hand, is neither of those things. they are merely a Collector that helps sort the tithe once it has returned and hoards the most rare and odd for themselves. they should be in their chambers, bundled up, nice and safe. not traipsing across inhospitable terrain in order to breathe in Ha’rar’s wretched mountain air. 

it was not always this way. they once took great delight in studying Thra’s flora and fauna first-hand. but that was before their illness, of course. 

“why do i have to go again?” they moan. “i’m supposed to be in the castle. not out here–” they sniffle. “all this traveling will wreak havoc with my pustules.” 

[skekheck]

Now you gotta make a tier list for skeksis least to most receptive to skritches.

SDFGHJ Okay here you go:

SkekHak and skekYi: No one can give them scritches because they're fucking dead.

SkekSo: To give the Emperor scritches, the scritcher must fill out a form and wait a few months. If they're lucky, they'll get a reply back with a big NO and watch as skekSo gives his own pitiful, lonely self scritches.

SkekVar: Doesn't want scritches from anyone BUT skekSo. Ends up never getting scritches at all.

SkekNa:

SkekMal: Very much like a feral cat: doesn't like to be touched most of the time and only wants affection on his terms. But he only lets urVa give him scritches. Anyone else will find their hand bit off.

SkekZok: Doesn't like receiving scritches unless it's part of some ritual. But the scritcher might get roped into something more nefarious, like getting their fingers ceremoniously chopped off. So is it really worth it?

SkekOk: Difficult to give scritches to. He'll say he'll want some but then swats the hand away saying he doesn't. But will beg for them at random times anyway.

SkekUng: Will allow scritiches if he's beaten in hand to hand combat.

SkekLi: The scritcher will be able to give skekLi scritches when they listen, and have to laugh, at several hundred of his jokes.

SkekShod: He appears before the scritcher in a booth asking 1 cent per each scritch.

SkekEkt: Loves scritches, but he'll get very angry if the scritcher messes with his make up.

SkekTek: This man needs constant TLC for all the abuse he endures. Just don't give it to him while he's working he'll get mad.

SkekLach: She says she doesn't care, but is thankful for the scritches. Just wear gloves.

SkekAyuk: Loves scritches, especially after a meal.

SkekSa: She has the Sifa line up to give her nice scritches. Simply adores the attention she gets.

SkekSil: As the resident bitch of the Castle, he loves scritches. He'll let out satisfying "MmmMmms" during the scritches. He might even do the scritcher a favor in return.

SkekGra: The only Skeksis that deserves scritches. He will actually barge into a room and demand them. But expect doing it for hours and multiple times a day.