#skillya

[vykker]

Oddworld Headcanon 2/?: Where do new Queens come from?

In Soulstorm we're introduced to the Keeper, a female mudokon who is a little old granny with an awesome and cute design. I was so delighted by her!! This got me thinking about 2 of my favorite things, Oddworld and Girls. We've known about the existence of queens for a long time, but where do they come from, and is/was the Keeper a queen?

When you start learning about irl animals and their queen systems you end up with a ton of interesting possibilities. For instance, you have queen bees, who are just regular female bees who were fed a special jelly [royal jelly] and put in a special, roomy honeycomb to turn into queen bees. However, hives may have more than one queen at a time, in which case the two young queens instinctively fight to the death.

Soulstorm leans heavily on the bee aesthetic for the keeper & the Sanctum where she resides. It could be that mudokon tribes produce multiple queens, but only the one with the strongest will/chosen by fate gets to become queen. Even though becoming queen doesn't seem so great to me as a human, to mudokons it's probably the highest honor one can earn. I imagine it would be crushing for a female to NOT become a queen, especially if it's something you've been hyped up about your entire life, have presented as being the highest possible achievement and so on.

But getting back to the bee thing- mudokons don't make honey, by which I mean, they probably don't have a chemical way of ensuring an individual is able to become a queen, in the way that bees can choose who gets to eat the royal jelly. [Though, if they could, you KNOW the industrialists would be selling it. I used to work at a store that sold royal jelly for like 50 bucks in a little jar. It was weird.] Thus, I feel it's probably random chance if a mudokon is born a "princess" or not.

Being born a princess does not ensure one will become a queen. The transformation into a queen is probably tied to ritual in mudokon culture regardless of whether it's pure biological randomness or not, and although it would be healthy for a tribe to have a few princesses as insurance rather than one, I also believe NOT being "picked" to be queen can be very depressing and alienating for them. This could be a possible backstory for the Keeper; either 1. she was not chosen to be queen, which she took as a personal failure for many years before devoting herself to becoming the Keeper; or 2. she fled from her tribe in order to NOT become a queen, and suffers from guilt now that her species' only surviving queen is being kept captive & she's way too old to become queen now.

Anyway, I believe you could apply similar logic to the other queen-centric races, HOWEVER, I think things are a little different depending on each queen's species and role in society. For instance, I imagine mudokon queens born of Sam would be highly sought after and prized. However, it would not surprise me if they all fail to become queens, just due to the industrialists failing at meeting their needs in captivity. Even if a princess were kept in relative luxury, being separated from the land and nature would prevent them from ever becoming queens.

I would imagine things as being similar for sligs- however, I personally imagine slig eggs being produced at a much higher rate, since it's mentioned that queen Skillya has 5 ovipositors, so maybe there's less stress around trying to find the next slig queen. Or maybe she can recognize what they are and keeps crushing them on purpose. I think Skillya would feel very threatened by another girl being called "cute" in her presence.

Now glukkons, I believe, actually have it worse out of all options. Lady Margaret is just one glukkon queen- there's implied to be more & its further implied that there are queen glukkons higher up the chain than her. However, I cannot imagine a glukkon queen choosing to share power with an incompetent daughter. Glukkons don't like to share power even in the best of times!

Thus, I believe that when glukkon princesses are born, the queen's in-house surgeons sterilize them temporarily, putting their reproductive organs on ice to completely eliminate the possibility of them starting their own lineages or hijacking the company. Competition between glukkon princesses is UNFATHOMABLY brutal. Whereas their brothers are just competing to become glockstars or whatever, the princesses are competing to become dynasty builders. Thus, a glukkon princess has to bust her ass from the day she's born to impress her mother & torpedo her sisters' efforts. Then, finally, when the current queen is too old to keep working, her favorite daughter is promoted to queen, uterus privilege no longer revoked, the vykkers thaw out her reproductive parts & put her back together again.

This would make Lady Margaret even scarier in my opinion- if her position as queen was not just pure happenstance, if she had to do absolutely atrocious things to her fellow princesses to get where she is today- you'd understand why she grasps on to power so tightly, why she refuses to forgive even the slightest weaknesses in her sons, considering all she has been through to get to where she is today. It would be rather boring if Lady Margaret became a queen just from a biological dice roll, right? Instead, imagine her as a vicious, power-hungry monster who FOUGHT to be queen, with a line of glukkon princesses below her, anxious for her to retire or die already so they can have the ultimate promotion- and she KNOWS it.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts. Since we met the Keeper in Soulstorm I am INCREDIBLY hopeful we will get to meet more girls in future games. I would especially like to meet a no-nonsense 80's style glukkon business woman with shoulder pads, I think I would die of happiness. What are your headcanons for Oddworld's queens? I really wanna hear them!!!

[ask-alf-oddworld]

I only chose Sam for the significance with her and Abe. But I’m really excited for the other two. Lady Margaret sounds scary, but I’m actually really excited for Skillya. She has a really cute design yet the idea of her eating her babies makes for an interesting and weirdly terrifying contrast.

For me it's a huge tie between Sam and lady Margaret, I wanna see abe happily reunite with his mom but I also wanna see what Margaret's deal was especially in relation to her trial with molluck

But what do you guys think?

[sunstar-of-the-north]

Name: Slig #18894 aka Celsiel (Cell-see-ell)

Age: 21 Years Old

Sex: Male

Gender: Man

Species: Slig

Bio: Slig #18894, much like the rest of his kind, have been reduced to working for the Glukkons. His job however is much less exciting compared to his brothers. He's a scooper for Queen Skillya, collecting her eggs to sell to their overlords. Even though this sounds like an easy job, it is by far one of the most grueling and mentally draining jobs for a slig. Having to deal with Skillya's constant berating and knowing what kind of horrific things the Slig Queen does to some of the sliggies, leaves #18894 developing guilt. He dreams of some day, getting away from all of this.

Extra Fact(s): #18894 is one of the rare cases of a slig living pasted 20. He also doesn't like to eat eggs of any kind...you don't wanna know.

[i-am-worm]

Inktober 52 2023 - Week 7 - ‘Odd’  D-D-D-DOUBLE BONUS

Slig chauffeur from Soul Storm.

That's him officer. that's the slig that stole the people’s hearts and minds.

EXTRA SLIG TIME

This is kind of a fan character, ‘Stu’. An albino slig from the scrapped bonus game that would have followed an albino slig escaping the birthing pool before being killed because of his abnormalities. YEEEEEARS ago me and @scifer​ did a few concepts and ideas for what this game would have been like and hoped to make a mock-up of what the game would have been like. But this was before the inviable tides of work and moving took away our precious time to work on such a project. We got more time now, but we usually do our own stuff, but I do sometimes wonder if it be worth us going back to doing more art.

You can see some of what we did here:

https://www.deviantart.com/sligstorm

and I recently realized we never uploaded the last of what we did or the start of our opening animatic either. It featured sligs sending their beloved queen Skillya fan mail (mostly bout their new guns, beating up Mukodons and how they hope she’s proud).

...mail of which would go down a chute into an incinerator to keep her butt warm. I need to get off my arse and put the sound and stills together and upload what little we started because I still think it’s very funny and worth sharing.

[bosskie]

Momma's Boy

Third page from my 'Molluck book'. For some reason, I felt like drawing Molluck with his mother, Lady Margaret... It wasn't something I planned, so yeah, this sketchbook/artbook/whatever is pretty much improvised but I'm trying to keep it somewhat logical... But yeah, it's still a fitting thing to draw!

I kinda wanted to redraw that portrait that could have been in Molluck's vault, according to the concept art. I'm not even sure how old Molluck is in this, I just tried to draw him as young and I suck at drawing the young... Man, why there ain't Gluk child concept art... While drawing this, it just came to my mind how I would have liked to draw a Gluk child with a Fleech like three years ago since they are Gluks' pets when they are young and then being flushed down the toilet before they eat their owners... Maybe Molluck also had a Fleech when he was little!

But yeah, I just kinda wanted to imagine them having a close relationship, he is her favourite son after all! We don't know what kind of mother she really is but I feel like she might be better than Skillya (Slig Queen), at least...

[a-table-of-fics]

Oddworld: Conar’s Ambition, Chapter 13, Draft 1, Part 8

“You’re sayin’ getting a time-out is like getting smacked around and shot?!”

“You ever hear of Slig Soup?”

“Slig Sou— what?”

“Yeah, why do ya think you only get the badass Sligs watchin’ over ya? They make sure the rest get the can pretty quick. Well, after the firing, of course.”

Conar made a sound somewhere between a grunt and a laugh.

“Mama always said we’d either be useful or tasty.”

“Oh my Odd,” Slim gasped.

“Yeah… it’s not great.”

“So, what now?” Slim asked. “I can’t imagine you’d be able to go back after all this.”

Conar said nothing, taking an intense interest in his Pime. His shaking hand went across Chairman’s side. What could he say? Mama Skillya was probably pissed, and he had nothing left to prove her wrong. Hell, what chance did he have to even reach Zeb, let alone rob him?

“What kind of question is that?” he finally demanded. “Once we’re… Once I’m rich enough, Mama’ll have to welcome me back! Especially once I get the best gun out there with my funds!”

“And… what about me?”

Conar finally looked up from his meal. Slim’s face was hard to read, with his large eyes remaining neutral.

“Well, I figured freedom was a great bit of payment,” Conar said, “but… would you wanna cut when we finally get Zeb?”

[ask-alf-oddworld]

That all sounds great! I would definitely love to see all three queens we know of (Sam, Margaret, and Skillya). Seeing Molluck again would be good since it can’t just be left at him escaping to the Yayman’s, and I do remember reading somewhere this idea of him and Abe (reluctantly) teaming up which could bring about some very interesting interactions, and his knowledge would be very useful in a place like Nolybab, which from what we know the population is very Glukkon-heavy.

Things I would love to see in the Soulstorm sequel:

-Abe meeting Sam and it’s emotional

-Baby Abe

-Munch

-Buddy, he’s a Khanzumer so he’d be perfect in the next game (also in dear Alfs Buddy seemed to be really good friends with Alf so I’d love to see that bond)

What would you guys like to see?

[asameera]

Oddworld: Code 583 - Chapter 10: Room SB.322

WARNING: VIOLENCE AHEAD!

ooOoo

Night had long since fallen when Lure opened his eyes. His mind still foggy, he sat up slightly, shaking his head to chase away the sleepiness, which proved to be more difficult than expected. He stretched his limbs, savoring their flexibility and firmness. The dish he had consumed before falling asleep had to be stuffed with some damn vitamins, he still felt the effects of it. It was very pleasant.

Finally, he jumped to his feet, arched his back for a moment, cracking his vertebrae, and approached the windows. Through the glass, in the dark night dotted with stars, he could see the gigantic white sphere that lit the way. Despite the mask that enhanced his poor eyesight, the Slig struggled to make out the shape of the craters on the round surface. If he had the chance one day, he might buy himself precision glasses, like those held by snipers. But what would be the point? He was seeing the moon for the very first time in his life, and he certainly wouldn't get another chance. During his time at Slig Barracks, the pollution was so bad that clouds of smoke hid the sky, and when he had been transferred to Gottlieb Industriz, he had to take a train in a closed compartment without any windows. When his boss had asked him to accompany him to Nolybab, his attention had been taken up by his boss's mood and he had frankly not paid attention to what was over his head. And once he'd return to the factory, he would again be confined within these walls, in this small room, with her.

It was she who had spoken of the moon, he remembered now. This celestial body seemed important to her. Maybe he could at least ask her why? He squinted more, tried to identify the dark, blurred shapes. Some kind of spider? No. Then trees? Maybe not. Then maybe... a hand? Caught in doubt, he raised his own to the round surface. The four dark peaks matched the number of fingers, but it didn't seem to quite fit either. So he lowered his hand, almost disappointed. It would have been kinda cool if it had fitted.

He then looked down to the ground and suddenly noticed a whole complex of rounded buildings, strewn with white and green lights, as well as several control towers armed with projectors scanning the sky. He could even make out several advertising panels underlined by colored neon lights, which announced the newest products in vogue with the disturbing image of a Vykker on the poster. The Slig let out a swearing in his native language, feeling uncomfortable.

A purple skin that recalled the poisons they handled. Four arms as thin as dead shrub stems, punctuated by three long black claws. Three tiny legs that supported a naturally deformed body. A small, bulging belly, a back that seemed to go too far back, pulled by a protruding spine. A huge head that seemed to plunge forward, with a cephalopod skull reminiscent of the Glukkons. Very small yellow eyes deeply sunken in their sockets and disproportionately dirty lower teeth, which could be seen on the outside even when they closed their mouths. And of course, they were often adorned with an array of pharmaceutical or medical equipment.

Lure had never understood how anyone could make a sale with a face like that, although he probably didn't have any say in the matter - but still, they looked like evil chewing gum on legs! The Vykkers might be respected scientific researchers, but they still looked like mad scientists, ready to dissect you. In fact... they truly were mad scientists who didn't care about ethics or animal suffering - why would they, when the conglomerate they belonged to, as powerful as the Magog Cartel, didn't either? To tell the truth, they even played with it, with a certain sense of humor that displeased no one. Often, in a corner of the advertising poster, one could see the image of a small furry ball with big shiny eyes, stung on all sides with huge syringes, surrounded by a catchphrase: 'Many Fuzzles have been mistreated in order to bring you this product'.

At this sight, Lure understood two things. First of all, he was particularly sensitive to this black humor and couldn't hold back a chuckle, even though he knew that there was no joke in it. Nobody could really change at core. And then, if he was able to read so well, it meant that the airship was getting closer and closer to the complex. This was to be their destination. Just below the ship, the Slig spotted an Intern on a landing floor waving at them with two glow sticks. On the platform they were heading to was marked in capital letters 'SITE S - GATE B3'.

Yes, this was their destination.

Just before he turned away, Lure looked up one last time, but the moon had vanished from his view. He hurriedly retrieved the envelope that had slipped under his bed and walked to the locked door, ready to leave. The feeling in the pit of his stomach accompanied by a thud and a slight jolt told him that the ship had finally landed. Immediately, the door opened automatically in front of him.

“Please step out into the hallway and line up.”

Lure didn't need to be told twice. Nor did any other Slig for that matter. As if they had all been rehearsing the same choreography together for weeks, they had all stepped forward with the same mechanical noise, and were now standing as straight as possible, unmoving, waiting for orders. It all came so naturally, and that meant only one thing: the training at Slig Barracks had paid off. They were all good guys, shaped just right. They were all the same, out of the same mold. It was reassuring.

A little further on, Lure heard the gangway lowered and the cold night air rushed in with the dry sand. Lure would have gladly shivered, but now his entire genetic code remembered. He was a soldier, he was compliant, he had to show it. When the shrill voice ordered them out, it was as if a single entity had moved through all the security guards. Right leg, left leg, to the martial rhythm they knew by heart. One, two, one, two... no questions, no doubts, just an order in mind and blind obedience.

Although... Lure almost broke the chain at some point, when he heard a loud noise behind him and realized that the airship was taking off again. The rhythm within him was disturbed as unnecessary questions raced through his head. Why was it taking off again? Wasn't it supposed to wait for them? How were they supposed to get back? Was this normal? But he didn't say anything, didn't show anything. He continued to move forward and passed through the heavy automatic doors that invited them to enter a pale, sanitized world of white tiles and blinding lights.

The hallway stretched for several dozen meters before leading to a tiny office where a Vykker was waiting for them, obviously more busy flipping through files than greeting them. When the first Slig reached the office and stopped, all the others did the same behind, creating a long line that almost ended on the heeliopad. The Vykker didn't even look up from his work, but held one of his four skeletal arms straight out in front of him, claws open.

“The letter, please.”

The tone of his voice was as high-pitched as the airship's announcements, and Lure felt his eardrums protest. Did all the Vykkers really sound like that? If so, he was glad he wasn't working for them. He was more used to the loud, hoarse and deep tone of the Glukkons. Fortunately, the Vykkers employed mostly Interns rather than Sligs. Fortunately.

“Room SB-31. Next! Letter.”

As he went on, Lure could see the scientist repeating the same movements over and over. One arm to grab the envelope, a second to break the seal, while the last two were busy rearranging the files. The Vykker's disgusting yellow eyes took just two seconds to read the contents on paper before returning to his work.

“Room SB-36. Next!”

And as soon as the Slig left to make room for the next one, the purple creature tore up the letter before extending its claws again.

“Letter.”

The line moved on, nothing changed in this routine. Only five more. Nothing could be heard but the rustling of pages, the high-pitched voice, the tearing of paper. Only four more. The bright red through the lenses of his mask was hurting his eyes. Three. The sounds echoed, but beyond them was an amplified deathly silence. Two. He could hear his own blood pounding in his temples. One.

“Room SB-321. (riiiiiiiip) Next!”

Lure took a step forward and held out his envelope before the scientist asked for it. A useless gesture, because the Vykker didn't even look up to see him.

“Letter” he repeated in the same monotone, raising his arm.

Lure kept himself from sighing and adjusted his position to put the envelope between the black claws. Now in the front row, he studied the Vykker's behavior, tried to understand, to discreetly take a look at the words he had carried so far. But no other clue was revealed to him. Except for a tiny movement above the scientist: a camera seemed to follow the unfolded letter with its lens, as if it was recording the writings before they were destroyed. He wondered if someone else was reading through the object at this very moment.

“Room SB-322.”

The sound of tearing paper resounded within him, but the Slig was already heading automatically down the turning corridor, following the others he could no longer see because of the curve. As he took his turn, he found himself facing a multitude of doors embedded in the walls, arranged in a staggered pattern. The Sligs he had been following a short time ago had already disappeared.

“Urgh... what a gloomy place...”

While looking for the door indicated to him, Lure took the opportunity to listen, but nothing came to him. It was as if he was absolutely alone down here. He tried not to think about it too much as he found himself facing room SB-322. The slight hesitation he had was not enough, and he entered inside.

He immediately felt the difference. The air was warmer, iron atoms were floating in the air. The white had disappeared, giving way to a light gray. Or maybe it was due to the reduced light? The floor and walls were completely covered with uniform tiles, and between them all, the joints looked strange, as if dotted with dark stains that had not been successfully removed. The same kind of stains that one struggled to remove after emptying a load of bullets on a Mudokon. On the ceiling, pipes were snaking between the tiles, ending in faucet-like devices. On the floor, several black drains contrasted with the pale ceramic.

And at the center of the room, there was nothing but a metal seat.

“Sit down.”

The voice came from the ceiling. It was different from the unpleasant tonality of the Vykkers, from the deep and threatening tone of the Glukkons, from the nasal sounds of the Sligs, from the whining of the Mudokons. It was a feminine sound, welcoming, pleasant. Motherly.

He had the feeling he had heard that voice before. It sounded like his protegee's, well, almost. There was something different about it. But he couldn't put his finger on it.

“I'm so happy to see you again. Sit down, you must be exhausted.”

The Slig complied while staring at every corner of the ceiling.

“Er... I'm fine, thanks. Do we know each other?”

There was a small crystalline laugh and Lure gulped. This time, he was sure of it. It was subtle, and if he hadn't lived with Asameera for the past few weeks, the nuance would have been completely lost on him. When she spoke or laughed, even when she was sad, Asameera's voice was warm, sincere. The laughter that was echoing in this room right now was exaggerated, superficial. It made him uncomfortable, and he decided to get up in a second.

He didn't get the chance.

A series of straps shot from the backrest and slammed into his waist and torso, pinning him to the seat. Leather handcuffs sprang up from the armrests and legs of the seat and shackled his arms and feet. Above him, a spotlight turned on, flooding him with its harsh light, blinding him halfway. Taken by surprise, he yelped, struggled, but only the same laughter filled the room, a little more real, rejoicing in his helplessness.

“Hey!” he shouted, as outraged as panicked. “What the fuck?!”

The laughter decreased a little as the stranger spoke again, the voice dripping with wicked joy.

“Don't worry, you'll have all my attention in a few seconds. I'm almost done with your brother.”

“My...? What? Hey!”

“In the meantime, let's see what your file says... '583. Responsible for arson blah blah blah significant property damage blah blah blah numerous victims blah blah high treason...' Mmmm... you have indeed outdone yourself!”

Lure couldn't believe his ears.

“Huh? But... what are you...?”

The wheels clicked into place, enough to finally understand what he was doing there. The fright made his adrenaline level rise so high that he thought his heart would give out.

“I have nothing to do with it!” he screamed. “I'm a security guard, I wasn't even there at that moment! Hey, you hear me?! It wasn't me! I was with her when it happened! I couldn't be elsewhere! Check it out!”

The invisible being royally ignored his plea.

“Ah... they are all looking for a way to blame someone else. It's unfortunate for you, but I read right here that there are many testimonies against you. And the seal and signature are authentic, so...”

“They're lying! I couldn't! It wasn't me! Gottlieb must know! He couldn't...!”

“Gottlieb judged you guilty by sending you here. I would ask you not to sue your employer, it's embarrassing.”

“B-but...”

“Silence!”

The order clashed like a whip, authoritative and implacable. The air suddenly left the distressed Slig's lungs, leaving him speechless and helpless. How did it happen? Why did it happen?

Suddenly, a whole section of the ceiling opened up and something slowly descended before Lure's terrified eyes. The scream that wanted to escape from his throat remained stuck in his paralyzed body. He had heard of them before, but never in his life had he thought he would come across one of these abominations.

The thing looked like a huge, fully mechanical spider. As a body, a white television screen covered with parasites blinked intermittently. On each side of it, there were black robotic arms with circular saws, claws, scalpels, syringes... Lure was so horrified that he couldn't count them. He could only see the blood still fresh on the instruments of torture, as well as the splatters on the screen. Above the device was a bright white halo, like an aureole, to signify that it belonged to the good side of Quarma and to make people forget about its horrific side - to no avail. The thing was held in the air by a huge mechanical arm that came out of the ceiling.

A Guardian Angel. Or, more commonly called, a Shrink.

The screen blinked faster and faster and a silhouette appeared. The outlines and features of the being were light gray while everything else remained white, making the image difficult to read. Only the cruel little eyes of the creature were piercing him with a threatening bright red. However, at that moment, Lure knew exactly who he was dealing with, his instinct told him all too well.

“Y-you're the Queen...” he stammered.

Inside the screen, the five little tentacles of the female Slig's snout twitched in a satisfied smile. A ring set with a huge glistening stone was surrounding one of them. Her little eyes were highlighted with mascara and slender eyebrows had been added with a pencil. A headband adorned with a flower was embracing the top of her bald head. Lure could only see her face, unmasked, but he could tell she was huge. Really huge. Like the monster of his nightmares.

“Uh uh!” she purred, fluttering her eyelashes, a huge fat arm readjusting her headband. “You may call me Skillya, my little one. You will forgive me for not coming to meet you in person, but my condition prevents me from moving myself. Fortunately for us, the Vykkers allow me to borrow one of their Shrink so that we can communicate. Convenient, don't you think?”

She was smiling, looking like she was having a good time, while the blood-covered robot kept levitating in front of Lure, circular saws all out and running. Slig sank into the back of his seat in a vain attempt to get away from the blades.

“Er... yes, yes, Y-your opulent Majesty, very convenient...”

“You know, I'm very happy that you and your brothers have arrived at this time. You'll be able to join me for dinner.”

“Oh I... I'm very honored, Your... er... imposing Highness but... uh... I, I ate a little while ago so I... I wouldn't want to impose myself any further...”

Once again, she gave him her crystalline laugh that sounded so fake. Lure felt as if a storm of ice had just swept into the room.

“Come on, don't be silly, kid! There's a place for everyone. Look, look!”

Her puffy face disappeared and instead a long table took its place on the screen. About thirty plates were spread out on it, and several interns were already walking around, ready to serve the first meat dishes. But there were no guests yet. The Slig blinked as one of the Interns finished seasoning the dish first and gently lifted the plate to bring it to the end of the table, to the forefront of the screen. He placed it between two hands with enormous fingers, which Lure guessed were the Queen's.

“Thank you my friend! Uh uh!”

Then the screen flashed back to Skillya's face, who was already biting into two pieces at once while making an appreciative sound.

“Mmmm, not bad! It tastes pretty good, but I'd like to think you'll outdo it.”

“Out... outdo it?”

There was something very hypnotic and disturbing about watching her gulp down her food. Lure couldn't help but remember that day in the lunchroom, when he was offered the meat cooked over a flame. The meat of his colleagues who had died in the fire. And Gottlieb's comment.

'It's some kind of tradition'.

“M-majesty... the thing you eat, it's...”

She smiled broadly at him.

“Your brother of course!”

More and more meat was served on the plates.

“You, and all the others, who had dishonored your employers, who had dishonored me and made me suffer, you will all join me.”

Suddenly the Shrink spread its multiple robotic arms and turned its circular saws to full power. Skillya's red eyes flashed with resentment and sadism.

“On my plate!”

Panic struck him as the Shrink was about to pounce on him and tear him apart alive. He pulled on his arms, wagged his tail frantically to activate his legs, put all his strength and desperation into freeing himself, but the straps only dug deeper into his flesh and ribs, the bones in his arm creaked under the thick cuffs, and the components of his mechanical prosthetics sizzled with agony. Tears of terror escaped his small eyes and flooded his face under his mask, blurring the vision of horror before him. He felt the first blade close to his muzzle and his nerves gave out completely.

“NO! NO! HELP! MOMMY HELP!”

He could barely hear the voice over his own screams and the screeching of the saws.

“Shut up! Don't call me that! Do you really think I'm going to help you because you invoke that pathetic word? Who do you think I am, you little fool? I am your Queen, and nothing else!”

“Don't say that! You can't be her! You can't!”

“Where did you think you came from? Are you stupid?”

The spinning teeth sliced into the flesh between his shoulder and his neck. Lure screamed, more in fear than in pain. A stream of hot blood spurted onto his own face, visor and muzzle. He could already feel the saw cutting painfully into his bones.

“NO MOMMY NO! PLEASE! WHAT HAVE I DONE? WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG? I'LL FIX IT!”

“What have you done wrong? I'll tell you.”

With that, Skillya stabbed her son's prosthetic arm with the scalpel blade. A spray of sparks flew out of the cut and made the room flicker like a strobe light.

“You were born.”

She turned and turned the blade without realizing that she was chopping metal and not flesh.

“And I will never forgive you! I'll never forgive any of you!”

Lure's body began to convulse as his mother, no, his Queen plunged the saw deeper and deeper through his collarbone. There was nothing left to do. Through his empty mind, transient with pain and nothingness, he managed to see her image. She was smiling at him, her hands on his belly, softly speaking his name.

Lure.

He wanted to see her.

Lure.

He didn't want to die.

Lure.

He wanted to continue living his miserable existence, to be able to see her.

“A... Asameera!”

The desire to see her again filled his being, pressed hard on the spot the saw had not reached yet.

“Asameera!”

She was looking at him with her sad and compassionate eyes.

I would have been sad if you had been killed.

He didn't want to make her sad!

“SAM!” he screamed.

The rest happened in a flash. Literally.

There was an supernatural flash and lightning fell from the sky directly on the Guardian Angel. The screen cracked and snowed over in a cacophony of static and high-pitched screams as Skillya roared in surprise and rage. Then another bolt of lightning struck, then another, then another, still on the same target, pushing the abomination away from the half-unconscious Slig. The lights on the ceiling exploded and shards of broken glass were blown in all directions. With a long distorted bestial scream, the screen exploded and the Shrink's supporting arm gave way. The robotic device crashed to the ground with a thunderous ruckus. The last sparks lit up the room dimly as the robot's carcass began to release whistling smoke.

Just before he lost consciousness, the Slig thought he heard wings fluttering nearby, then a familiar voice calling his name. Then his head dropped completely to his chest and he heard no sound any more.

ooOoo

...

I really, really, reeeeeally hope you’ve enjoyed it!

First: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/asameera/691287639162290176?source=share

Previous: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/asameera/693472918491070464?source=share

Next: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/asameera/694116763177189376?source=share

[cecil-mudokon-defunct]

((I KNEW I had seen a design like that somewhere before!))

[ask-alf-oddworld]

She probably spotted some delicious newborns!

After Oddworld released some concepts for Skillya the Slig Queen I had to draw her <3 She probably sees a really tasty dish or something

[vykker]

Oddworld Headcanon 4/?: The Tragedy of Queen Sam

It's often suggested that if you want to write a good story, you should imagine the worst thing that could happen to a character, then write it. But what if one idea could be the worst thing that could happen for EVERY character? It's well known that Abe's mother Sam was supposed to be in Munch's Oddysee. She would have been held captive in Vykker's Labs, before the story pivoted just to Abe rescuing Labor Eggs. They even got as far as rendering Sam. However, it's never explained where the story would have gone after she'd been introduced. With this in mind, here's my theory/headcanon/wild speculation that Queen Sam was supposed to die at the end of M.O.

1.Sam is ancient and severely depressed. Sam has a ton of concept art, and each piece emphasizes the fact she is not doing well. Here she is smiling, but her eyes are exhausted and pained. Here she is with a hair piece resembling a halo, but imo, it also looks like a noose being lowered over her head. The official Art Of Oddworld Inhabitant books says this about Sam: "We got to portray a likeable earthy grandma quality". Abe is an adult, sure, but not so old that you'd expect his mother to be a grandma already- her elderly status seems to be the earliest design element they wanted to emphasize.

She's also shown to be exhausted and depressed, which is why we have so much cool art of the Shrinks, which are AI's designed by Vykkers Labs to serve as therapists and companions to treat her depression. Also, while looking for more info about the Shrinks, I learned that apparently they were originally called Angels. So Sam was to be surrounded by angels? Of course, this could've just been to make her seem more saintly. But aren't a lot of saints martyrs? Anyway, back on topic...

2. Sam is trapped. I find it interesting that in every piece of art, Sam is deliberately shown sitting on a raised, immobile platform. Often times, she's even in chains. Some of the concept art includes the scenery around her platform, but there's never any sign of a trolley or crane or something that the player might use to save her [or the characters could use in a cut scene to save her]. If the intention was for the player to move her, you'd think there would be concepts for how this might be done, but from what I can tell, there aren't.

Her immobility is NOT a result of her status as a queen, either. The other queens we have been shown- Skillya and Lady Margaret- have concept art displaying how they may be able to move, albeit with extreme difficulty. But still- some thought was put into these queens being able to move somewhat. Sam deliberately cannot.

So she's immobile. But couldn't this mean that Abe wasn't going to save her in Munch's Oddysee, but just meet her instead? While this is a possibility, I think it would be an Odd™ choice. For one thing, it seems like a waste of time and assets to put a complicated character like Sam in a game and not have her do anything. They could have had Abe learn about Sam through some other means, then vow to save her. Like maybe he can relay a few messages to her through the Shrinks? Or something else? But no, clearly, he was meant to meet her in the flesh. So would he have met her in person, left, THEN come back to save her? Would it have been a race against the clock for Abe, considering her advanced age and declining health? Maybe! But I don't think so, and here's why:

3.Sam has accepted her inevitable death. You'll notice that in each piece of concept art, Sam is never shown to be sad. Her eyes are kind and her expression is soft. Not only that, but in most depictions, she's shown with her arms outstretched. She is made to look placating and serene.

I think Sam knows that the end is near for her, and has made peace with this fact. Why? Because she met Abe. She knows that Abe will save their species. She knows that, by sewing his mouth shut as a baby, she succeeded in keeping him alive long enough to reach adulthood and fufill his role as savior. I think finally getting to meet Abe is a massive comfort to Sam; not only because of her believing that her species will be saved, but knowing that she has done her job and can finally pass on and rest. And I think she even tells Abe this, too. She sends him on his way warning him that she knows her time is short- but that she has accepted this- and this is the catalyst for his next adventure: Find a new queen!

4.Sam dying would be the worst thing that could happen to every character. And because of this, it would make for some incredible storytelling potential.

Abe would lose his mom. It would be absolutely devastating not being able to save her. To meet her ONCE and have her pass away shortly after? ABSOLUTELY heartbreaking. Furthermore, if her dying wish were for him to find a way to save their species- that would be some powerful incentive for him, not that I think he really needs it, but still.

The surviving mudokon scrubs would suddenly be a finite resource. It would be harder than ever for them to run away.

Some factory owners might even try to kidnap wild mudokons.

Munch would not be assisted in traveling to Ma'Spa, because his Mudokon allies have their own problems to deal with. He would have to take the gabbiar there by himself.

Vykker's Labs failed to keep Queen Sam alive... oops! This would bring to question everything else about how they operate, and I do NOT imagine vykkers take kindly to being scrutinized.

The industrialists are now cut off from their labor supply. Their ENTIRE ECONOMY is based on an endless supply of easily replaced labor. Imagine the panic. Imagine what lengths they would go to find a replacement. They would tear the whole continent apart!!! They would tear EACH OTHER apart!

Lady Margaret- who is dying herself! - now has to deal with THIS shit!!?? And since it's been said that Margaret's own grandmother is currently frozen and is only thawed out for emergencies- well, this would be one hell of an emergency! Can you imagine her fury?

As the population of worker mudokons stagnates, who would have to step in to fill the gaps? Where would the glukkons get new workers from in the mean time? Would it be the sligs? Would Queen Skillya be put into overtime laying eggs? We know she already hates doing that. Would it be some other easily exploited species? Would THEY grow to resent the mudokons?

And who would the Industrialists blame for Sam's death? Well... who do you think?

So anyway, that's my theory. It doesn't really mean anything and with Lorne being on twitter and all it's possible there's been some lore shared that would disprove this theory. But still, I figured i'd share it and see if anyone else had reached the same conclusion or had any ideas. At the very least it's an interesting What-If. It would have made an incredible cliff hanger ending for Munch's Oddysee if it had happened, that's for sure!

[magog-on-the-march]

SKILLYA

WHO SHE IS

She might look cute here but her appearance is deceiving.

Gigantic and extremely ferocious, she spends a majority of her time suspended in a special pool that helps her give birth more easily. She is a sharp contrast to Sam - Skillya sells her babies knowing exactly what kind of lives they’ll lead. While on the surface they’re less oppressed than the Mudokons they torment, no reasonable Mother would allow her children to live in such conditions.

Gluttonous and cruel, she loves to be surrounded by her favorite foods and adorns herself with flashy jewelry.

SELFISH MOTIVATIONS

Skillya sells the Sligs as security workers and directly benefits from it. The explanation for her behaviour is simple - she hates her children.

The birthing process is so painful for her that it fills her with a deep hatred towards those she considers responsible. Her anger surfaces in other, even more unusual ways, too - it isn’t uncommon for her to eat her children as soon as they’re born, just as pay back for the suffering they cause her during delivery.

NATURE OR NURTURE?

Maybe the Sligs inherit their Mother’s mean streak, or perhaps this goes some way to explaining their sadistic behaviour. On top of never having known any love or affection, the Sligs also have to deal with the fact that if they don’t scramble away fast enough when they’re born their Mother might just eat them alive.

Everything in Skillya’s lair is tacky, from the mismatched pillows she demands be constantly fluffed to the ugly lamp shades and the general mess. She isn’t known for her elegance. She’s always at risk of being crushed by her own weight and, like the Mudokon Queen, she can’t move unaided. She also spends her days surrounded by television screens, a huge tray of food in front of her, but the only pain she has to numb is the physical one.

(x)

[alienguardian]

Bless Farzad for giving us this beautiful lady

[ohfugecannada]

Queen Skillya as described in dear Alf and the Oddworld wiki:

Has zero maternial attachment to her Slig offspring, has no moral qualms about giving them away to the Glukkons as security/slaves for profit and punishes them for disobeying their Glukkon superiors by cooking and eating them.

Queen Skilla in the Farzad Varahramyan concept art:

[oddclan-askblog]

28 for the Oddworld ask game!

Which character from the lore do you hope shows up in the games?

Queen Skillya of the Sligs. Seems like she'd be a very sassy and mean character. I'd love to see how Abe and Alf interact with her. Especially if the got to do so after meeting Queen Sam (just to slam down how much worse the Slig queen is lol.) Also 3D modeled baby sligs would be cute af.

[a-table-of-fics]

21 and 22

Oddworld Ask Game

Do you have any headcanons?

My main one is actually going to come into play in my fic, or so I hope!

You see, the official story is that the Sligs were useless pond scum until they made a deal with Glukkons for cybernetic parts. Given how many of them are sold off by Skillya at birth, I don't think this is the whole story, if it's really true at all. I think this is propaganda to make Sligs grateful for their place.

Do you have any AU ideas?

Unfortunately, I do not have any, per se, but alternate scenarios would be fun to witness. What would happen if the Glukkons never retreated to dark magic, or attempted to reconcile with the Mudokons today? What if the Wolvarks started trying to find jobs in East Mudos? What if Munch never met Abe?

All of these are fun ideas, but I haven't gotten around to really thinking about this, I'm afraid.