#zokzah

[sunderedandundone]

In which UrSkeks are actually very dramatic

So fam, I’ve been working really hard on the Twice-Nine, and it’s winding up being less of a survey of their crimes against UrSkekdom than it is a survey of UrSkekdom’s crimes against them. XD

SoSu the Philosopher: Was an incredibly psychically-strong and headstrong (probably not unrelated) young UrSkek whose passions often got the better of them, and while this was generally more disruptive than harmful, as we know, UrSkek society tends to consider disruption itself a form of harm. So at an unconscionably young age, they were forced to choose between Exile and Purgation (the editing of their personality and erasure of ‘problem’ memories), and while the therapy certainly seemed to have took, it must not’ve took that well, because they continued over their career (which was in all other aspects illustrious) to maintain a suspect interest in the reconciliation of their society with its discontents, which theories eventually developed into their infamous Heresy…and the Heresy itself committed the incredibly awful crime of proving attractive to a number of UrSkeks, particularly the young ones. Whom SoSu was accused of deliberately corrupting. Oops.

ZokZah the Presbyter: Their ‘crime’ was coming out of the Chorion (the UrSkek-spawning chamber, basically) with a natural tendency toward sadism [with a touch of masochism included] -- which a more tolerant society might have been able to help them better sublimate into their spiritual work, and/or channel into safe/sane/consensual activities; but Homeworld was not that society. As a result, their entire life story was one of ice-cold self-repression and flawless hypocrisy. They thought the Heresy might be their compassionate answer at long last. And it might have been, but obviously we can’t have that.

SilSol the Musician: Wasn’t spawned with anything especially wrong with them, except for being astonishingly talented which arguably is a bit of a flaw; but somewhere along the way they twigged to the fact that their perfect classless harmonious society that totally didn’t have power relations, totally DID have them. So they started studying this interestingly contradictory phenomenon the way most very intelligent people would have, with comparative sociology, which unfortunately involved a lot of consumption of ::whispers:: foreign cultural material from more primitive societies. And while yes we do study primitive societies, we’re not supposed to do it like THAT, and we’re definitely not supposed to put stuff we’re learning from them about how to influence and persuade other people into PRACTICE. And Crystal itself help you if you turn out to be good at it…even when you’re doing it for what you consider the best cause ever, like OH SAY A REVOLUTIONARY HERESY. (SilSol also had quite a fan base as a composer and performing artist, which did kind of the opposite of helping their case when trial time rolled around.)

GraGoh the Explorer: Was an unfortunate case of incorrigible juvenile delinquency, and Crystal knows the Eldest did what they could. When the young former Rigger from the outer colonies proved to be too rough-hewn and jostling for the refined precincts of Homeworld (they thought practical jokes were actually funny, for one thing), the Council decided to spare the rod and try to educate them in the graces by sending them to the Academy, where they were supposed to finally learn to be a proper UrSkek. And what did they learn instead? Heresy! Honestly. They didn’t even try to resist the slide into depravity; indeed, quite the contrary, they decided to become one of SoSu’s most prominent and enthusiastic disciples. So really, what else was there to do?

AyukAmaj and EktUtt: Fell in love. This may seem fearfully pedestrian to the savage likes of the Gelfling (and let’s not even talk humans), but in UrSkek society this is both an incredibly alien, hard-to-imagine aberration, and a crime against the ironclad obligation to love all one’s fellow UrSkeks fairly and equally. Like…absolutely fairly and equally. No matter what. No playing favorites. Yes OF COURSE love and friendship are high virtues among UrSkek, but again -- just not like -- that. What do you two think you’re doing, seriously, you don’t even have physical bodies to conventionally sin with but I guess where there’s a will, etc?

NaNol the Botanist: Was a spy. Not that they knew they were a spy, mind: UrSkeks don’t have spies, and if they did have them, what they were doing would not be spying. In fact the Botanist’s whole problem was they didn’t have any actual name or conceptual box to put the thing in that a few naughty Eldest were making them do -- especially to the plant-stored planetary-memory records they were supposed to be nurturing and protecting. I mean, it must be all right somehow, because it was Eldest asking; but then why did it have to be such a secret; but then why was it even their business, since it was records about stuff that happened eons before anyone they knew was spawned; but then if it didn’t really matter because it was all so long ago, why were they still being asked to -- **melts into quiet gibbering noises** But in any case…such a pity that it was their fellow Heretics that they eventually decided to confess their nameless burning sins to. More normal UrSkeks would have known enough to just shut up and do what they were told.

HakHom the Architect and YiYa the Builder: Didn’t know that the technical term for what they were was frenemies; they thought they were just friends. Who competed for the same non-virtual architectural gigs, which HakHom just happened to win more often than YiYa, which was also why HakHom ended up outranking YiYa. But of course there was never any trouble putting that behind them when it came time for them to work together hand-in-glove on the winning projects; Homeworld is a place of harmony after all, with architecture being one of a very, very few fields where there even was still anything resembling competition. Nor did YiYa carry any grudges against HakHom for dragging them out to these crazy salons and forums this weird Professor SoSu kept holding. As a friend, they were simply looking out for their friend’s mental and spiritual cultivation, and after all these were merely dialogues about how everyone, even the most erring UrSkek, could better be brought back to the bosom of the Crystal and the collective soul of their people through the transforming power of compassion and honesty. What was there to object to? And later, when the Eldest were investigating because apparently there was something to object to -- and they needed someone to infiltrate and report on the increasingly worryingly Heretical gatherings -- who would blame YiYa for assisting them with that high-minded work? Certainly not HakHom, who understood and deeply regretted their grievous sin in doing…well, there must have been something terribly wrong with the whole thing. Even if Professor SoSu did have both a sterling reputation and the high permissions as a Councilmember needed to access the Crystal for experimental rites if they deemed fit! And just because even after giving the Council all that help, YiYa still found themselves exiled right alongside all the unrepentant criminals, that was no reason to take out any frustrations on their old partner, who hadn’t exactly been in control of the proceedings either after all. Surely the Eldest had their good reasons…so…yeah. Definitely nothing there for either the Architect or the Builder to hold against one another in the immediate aftermath of their souls being torn asunder to set all the Twice-Nine’s ids free.

LachSen the Gnostic: Was an ex-cultist. No, I’m not joking. Although they’re scattered and vanishingly few, there are places even yet on Homeworld where some UrSkeks practice Heresies in the much more old-fashioned sense -- that is to say, disapproved spiritual rites and disciplines, which are generally holdovers from pre-Ascension cultures. Young LachSen’s group was no exception: indeed, it dated from that supremely turbulent era just pre-Ascension, when some UrSkeks fervently believed that through the practice of radical enough asceticism and self-lessness, their kind could attain a permanent ecstatic group consciousness, such as they had heard group minds from other worlds speak of with such reverence and serenity. (No wonder SkekLach wasn’t so keen on the Ascendancy…) This belief turned out to be more a denial of the UrSkeks’ own nature than even the ancestors of the Council of Eldest could tolerate. But LachSen’s group still stubbornly clung to this more-or-less impossible ideal, and to an ancient sub-Crystal of their own which gave barely enough energy for them to subsist on; but since privation was what they craved, that was fine. As they matured, LachSen found themselves questioning the group’s ways and eventually ran far away to Crystalgate City on the great peninsula, blending in with the other UrSkeks as best they could. But it was more difficult than they could ever have imagined, blending in with people from so different a worldview -- and they remained always torn in their feelings toward their old kin, their penitent, self-denying monkish side and their newly-discovered love of plenty and peace among the Crystalgaters. Thus, they were prime and easy ‘prey’ for a new Heresy, particularly one that claimed to embrace the lost and lonely, even the strangest of Deviancies…

ShodYod the Mathematician: TBD

SaSan the Marine Biologist: TBD. I’m not sure that Heresy was something she came into in the course of her work. She’s just such a strong personality at base. I expect her to be tricky.

VarMa the Seal-Bearer: TBD, but however they came to it, they definitely they would have been SoSu’s #1 fan and most loyal acolyte.

MalVa the Guide: TBD, although they would have been exposed to a lot of ‘foreign ideas’ in the course of their work, so that may be how they first got into trouble. :-) I have a tiny inkling they may even have been a bit of an anti-colonialist, which would be a problem for other UrSkeks even though other UrSkeks will swear up and down that they’re not even sort of colonialists. ;oP

TekTih the Inventor: TBD. TekTih was an Inventor, which kind of by definition meant they were a bit more ‘interferey’ than the average UrSkek, but that in itself isn’t quite enough to push a sib into Heresy, so I’m going to have to think about it some more.

UngIm the Restorer: TBD. However, there wouldn’t be much call for actual restoring work on other UrSkeks on Homeworld, the species having long since left death, disease and war behind. Therefore, they were likely either more of a veterinarian, or else had a history of traveling around on colony worlds, where again as noted, an UrSkek can run not only into disturbing concepts, but into disturbing events of the sort that flesh-and-blood beings are all too easily prey to. Which provides restoring work, of course, but not only that.

OkAc the Scholar: TBD, though it’s harder to think of places a Scholar couldn’t get themselves into doctrinal trouble than places they could. XD

LiLii: TBD. But – yanno – I mean, it’s LiLii. I have a feeling that like GraGoh, they may just have an unfortunate habit of annoying others, particularly with blurted-out inconvenient truths, and certainly they had a mischievous turn for an UrSkek.

[ben-the-hyena]

Some time after the movie's events back on their Homeworld

SilSol : May I ask you something personal ?

ZokZah : Oh, I suppose sure, what is it ?

SilSol : I have memories of UrSol in which UrZah confessed to me- to UrSol... that he loved UrMa even if it were unrequitted

ZokZah : ...yes... I remember...

SilSol : Does that mean... you loved VarMa ?...

ZokZah : Yes... I loved Varma... I kept it for myself because he had eyes only for SoSu and I was content in just being friends... well... maybe it was not a good idea after all... but... past is passed. I... had 50 years to move on from his loss as my 2 halves. I have to keep going

SilSol : 2 halves... sooo... that confirms that SkekZok loved SkekVar too right ?

ZokZah : Yes... SkekZok loved SkekVar...

SilSol, sweating cold because he remembers very well SkekSil murdering SkekVar : Oh well, just wanted to make sure

[reikiajakoiranruohoja]

TDC Headcanon: The Twice-Nine and Urskekia

Since I've been working on the background and history of the canon urskeks for a good while, yet I have done nothing to publish this setting for others to use, here is my urskek headcanon post.

WARNING: The society I'm describing is extremely flawed and includes a lot of things that are traumatic in real life. Please take care.

Some of these headcanons come from conversations between @bogprincess-kira and me. So credit to her.

The Society

Society in Urskekia is best described as a recovering theocratic communistic state. While most current urskeks have grown in the collectivist society, many older ones still remember the old nobility.

Though the planet is now ruled by a council of urskeks of great renown, the old noble houses still have seats. The council is hoping the nobility will soon die out.

To replace the old monarchy and totalitarianism, the council has instituted mandatory orgies to produce new urskeks. This method ensures that family lines get mixed and the noble caste's blood purity is lost. This is why most of the noble houses still standing have resorted to more insular methods.

Outside the higher up politics, urskeks' are divided into castes. Though everyone, in theory, has equal treatment, there are distinct lower and middle classes born from the remnants of the old monarchy. This divide goes into the castes as well, with the Religious and Governmental castes being the highest. The vast majority of urskeks are in the Worker caste and are thus middle-class. There is no pariah caste officially, but Expendable Soldiers and Explorers often fill that role. Though everyone can in theory join any caste, the lower class rarely rise above the worker caste.

Though the urskek society prides itself on equality, it is only equal for those of able body. As the urskek ideal is collectivist, there is a strong push for unified looks and behaviours. The Great Crystal shines the same for everyone, so everyone must mirror its perfection. The urskek society practises eugenics as a matter of course, this practice dates to the days of the old monarchs. Being born disabled or becoming disabled are both markers of the Great Crystal's disfavour. There can not be a dissenting chord in the harmony and so many young urskeks are either culled or exiled.

Exile in general has become an alternative to the death penalty. Most exiles are expected to die, but those who survive or even thrive on new planets serve as canaries for society at large. Many formerly untamed worlds have become colonies of the urskeks. If the local aliens prove hostile, the army is sent. Though some noble families boast trained warriors, the bulk of the urskek army is made up of expendable soldiers thrown into the grinder. The modern urskek society considers itself above violence, thus most who fight in the armies are criminals or those with no other option.

As a theocracy, the urskek society reveres the Great Crystal which is the heart of their home planet. The Priest caste is seen as the voice of the Great Crystal and so holds a lot of political power. Many on the council are of the Priest caste. Any deviation from this faith is naturally seen as heresy and punished harshly.

Even though the society is harsh and there are many pitfalls, the vast majority of the urskeks live in relative comfort and keep their heads down.

The Education System

(Ages listed are equivalent to human ages.)

Urskeks spend most of their childhood with their parent(s), before being sent to learn a profession at a guild at age 7-10. Some youths go through entrance exams, while others are sponsored. Those who fail at exams or are seen as unfit for finer work are sent to become explorers or soldiers.

Regardless of the path, most young urskeks have a mentor they learn from. Only those in the designer or sustenance guilds learn from a collection of teachers.

At age 14, most urskeks are considered old enough to go into the workforce. The Priest caste remains acolytes until there is a need for another Priest.

After age 14, an urskek is generally expected to be self-sufficient and learn on their own. Though they are not considered adults until age 20, the graduate urskeks are not barred from most vices or events.

The Twice-Nine

Exiled 1950 trine ago from the capital city, the Twice-Nine are an eclectic bunch of urskeks from all walks of life and ages. What unites them, aside from their division and connection to the planet Thra, is that these exiles have formed a close-knit family with each other.

Twice-Nine in reverse order of age (given in human years);

YiYa (age of exile: 71)- YiYa was a high-ranking member of the council who was rumoured to be of old noble blood, though no house claimed him. YiYa was thoroughly corrupt and obsessed with his lineage. He was exiled when his crimes were brought to the public by SilSol.

GraGoh (age of exile:57)- A renowned explorer who grew jaded with the constant expansion of the urskeks. Never feeling part of the society, he took part in the resistance movement started by SoSu. GraGoh was exiled with his apprentices for the crime of heresy.

UngIm: (age of exile: 53)- A jaded field medic tired of the eternal war and wounds, UngIm joined GraGoh in heresy. He and his apprentice VarMa were exiled for this.

NaNol (age of exile: 41)- Already a sketchy figure as a sanitation worker, NaNol's poor impulse control caused him to 'accidentally' murder a friend. Seeing the signs of a serial killer, NaNol was promptly exiled.

ShodYod (age of exile:32)- A mild-mannered math teacher who ended up in a money-laundering racket. Mostly to feed his family. This was enough for an exile.

SaSan (age of exile; 20-ish)- One of GraGoh's apprentices, specializing in water planets. SaSan has deemed an acceptable loss due to her rebellious nature.

MalVa (age of exile:19)- the other apprentice of GraGoh, MalVa was deemed a lost cause due to his love of nature and feral behaviour.

ZokZah (age of exile:18)- A lower-class born acolyte, ZokZah was the second-in-command of SoSu's little resistance. Generally a sardonic and rebellious youth, ZokZah clawed his way up to the Priest caste by sheer determination. Harbouring a deep dislike of the noble class, ZokZha still stayed loyal to the highborn SoSu.

SoSu (age of exile:17)- A highborn child of an old noble house, SoSu's life was predetermined for him. That is until he and ZokZha butted heads and earned each other's respect. Being essentially a nothing to his parents and house, SoSu started espousing a philosophy of personal freedom. This led to his exile as a heretic.

LiLii (age of exile: 15)- One of YiYa's offspring, LiLii earned his exile by insulting one of the councillors to their face. During a mass.

SilSol (age of exile: 14-ish)- A war orphan who grew up in a 'naturalistic' orphanage outside the capital, SilSol was a gifted performer that took part in many religious masses as the head composer. An unfortunate encounter with YiYa and his public exposing of the councillor led SilSol to exile to quiet him.

EktUtt (age of exile: 14)- EktUtt was sent early to a prestigious school for designers and tailors. Though he was gifted in practical arts, he lacked a strong magic ability. Thus his education took much longer, long enough that EktUtt saw his more magical fellows burn out before graduating. EktUtt started to tutor these classmates in practical arts and was caught. For daring to think better than his teachers, EktUtt was exiled.

AyukAmaj (age of exile:14)- A rather average sustenance worker, AyukAmaj was exiled when he fed the poor more than their allotted amount.

VarMa (age of exile:13)- VarMa was seen as a dumb but strong idiot long before his exile. Thus he was tasked with helping UngIm on the field. He was exiled along with UngIm.

HakHom (age of exile: 13)- A young potential lawyer, HakHom was seen as too iconoclastic and rebellious to serve her role. Her interest in SoSu's resistance did not help. Grew up in the same orphanage as SilSol.

OkAc (age of exile:12)- OkAc was not only born a runt but also with a severely flawed vision. His parent tried to hide him, but he was eventually found out and exiled due to his disability.

TekTih (age of exile: 12)- Born a runt and after failing to put up muscle, was exiled for his disability.

LachSen (age of exile: 11)- LachSen suffered severe skin conditions and a weakened immune system. Once it was clear they failed to kick off the diseases, they were exiled. (OC-CelLoy (age of exile: 5)- SoSu's younger brother. Raised solely by SoSu. Exiled for leuticism as no creature that baulked from light could be an urskek.)

[skekshroom]

What crime do you think each Urskek committed to get banished to Thra to 'cleanse' themselves?

OOOHH I THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT. All of them were banished for heresy so lets jump into the ones i have so far:

AyukAmaj I want to say poisoned someone. Whether it be on accident or on purpose, he may have poisoned a high ranking official. HOWEVER. Alternatively I like the idea that there was a class discrepancy in food and drink. Certain castes were only allowed certain foods. However, AyukAmaj is a provider at heart, and who would he be to deny the poor and hungry food? Even when the only food available was high society. This act would be seen as heretical, and especially if he openly expressed that there should be no moderation in who is allowed to have what.

EktUtt was banished for some sartorial indecency. Urskeks I imagine have very strict dress codes, very specific to their trade, rank, class, etc. EktUtt was either bribed or otherwise coerced into tailoring clothes that did not fit into their clients class- or, my favorite possibility, created unorthodox clothing that fit into no boxes, simply for the sake of creative expression.

HakHom proposed a new style of architecture. An important building, perhaps a temple or political headquarter, kept collapsing. She had to build and rebuild it constantly until she urged to rebuild it in a new style, and this was seen as heresy to question the grand design. 

LiLii was a storyteller whose fables became more and more radical. They began writing less about the sanctity of unity and the wondrous nature of conformity and more about what would make the audience laugh or be entertained. What would make the audience feel free? While it was enjoyed by many, the higher authorities saw this as a detriment on culture itself.

SoSu proposed a new form of government: a system of local officials that would report back to a single one. She suggested that there would be above them an oligarchy of true rulers, but they would serve as well as figureheads. This would put the lurking government of Urskek society into the foreground, force them to be seen and force them to be put under public scrutiny. It was a crude display if the authorities had ever seen one, an insult.

VarMa was a diplomat tasked with finding a compromise with heretics. This was a setup to convict them of heresy, as they’d been displaying heavy sympathy towards fugitives- being the naturally compassionate person they are. The ploy worked, as they once again showed empathy over conformity, and they were taken into custody for their treason. 

YiYa was a schoolteacher whose lessons became radical. She was passionate about cultivating new members of society and at first, was very on board with the lessons of conformity she’d been conditioned to teach. But she began to encourage free thinking and creativity. This would be YiYa’s downfall.

ZokZah started a cult.

[skekzok-the-ritual-master]

18 for HC Prompts? 🗡

18) Do they consider others family?

[To be honest? No. There are people he admires (like skekSo), and people he considers useful and/or whose company he enjoys (like skekShod, skekVar, and skekSa), but he doesn’t think of them in terms of family, and he’d most likely turn on them to save his own skin if it came down to it. For all he talks about “us” and “ours” a lot, skekZok’s very self-centered, and doesn’t usually care about other people unless their wellbeing affects his own. Even when he was ZokZah, he tended to be pretty detached. 

That said, he isn’t totally incapable of caring about others. But he’s an overall nasty person, and it would take some pretty unusual circumstances to bring out another side of him.] 

[nerv-s]

designed tektih for creatures of thra au and redesigned zokzah to include both parts’ face shapes a bit better. also, this is my favorite urskek ship and you can’t stop me

[bogprincess-kira]

Response to @dork-crystal

Urskek Pokémon Types

This version is based on a lot of headcanon/AU, but I figured I'd throw my hat into the ring. Maybe the ones that don't match up to the original are secondary types?

SoSu: Dark

SilSol: Psychic

UngIm: Rock

TekTih: Electric

ZokZah: Ghost

VarMa: Fighting

EktUtt: Flying

AyukAmaj: Grass

OkAc: Ice

LachSen: Poison

NaNol: Steel

GraGoh: Fire

MalVa: Bug

SaSan: Water

ShodYod: Ground

LiLii: Normal

YiYa: Dragon

HakHom: Fairy

[liaswritesrobots]

Imagine catching the eye of ZokZah...

He'd be so haughty...

"You should consider yourself honored to have my adoration, as I normally would not consider even looking at any other creature, beside possibly a fellow urskek, in such light, especially one so primitive."

"lmao that's wild, can you move tho I gotta be somewhere?"

and then he just gets a look of utter offence

[shortpirateking]

As a fan of Skyrim I noticed that too with the Dovahzul and I think it's really interesting that SoSu would pretty much mean a sorrowful air and SilSol would pretty much be a soul of woe.

*spit take* HOLY--

I---

I’m dumb...I should have made the connection but I didn’t- 

but that makes so much sense?? Especially given how they came to Thra and such....

(also ZokZah means Greatest finite, which doesn’t seem to make sense, but given their halves were prophets of sorts, it kinda does??)

[papabirdurskeks]

For the HC ask game, skekZok?

SEND ME A CHARACTER AND I’LL DO THIS;

Oooo, skekZok!

Sexuality Headcanon: Pansexual

Gender Headcanon: Intersex

A ship I have with said character: I actually have him in an OT3 with skekVar and skekSo xD

I don't know why but I did like the interactions they had in the show with each other and even if Skeksis are constantly at each other's throats for power, he always seemed loyal and willing to follow along with these two while also maintaining a big say in what went down as well! He's definitely more of the brain between the three of them xD

Plus, I like to think they knew each other very well prior to the split and banishment which gives them more reason to be closer in ties to one another.

A BROTP I have with said character: I do see him being buddies with skekUng but its more like a casual friendship. Both of them have some vast differences in opinion and approach of plans but can come together in some points to really put their plans/thoughts to use.

However, skekZok is very weary and mistrustful of skekUng and doesn't like to hang with him too much.

A NOTP I have with said character: I don't really think I have a NOTP with skekZok honestly!

A random headcanon: As I mentioned before, prior to the split and banishment, ZokZah knew SoSu and VarMa and was one of the biggest supporters and allies to SoSu's plan of reproaching the Collective traditions and ways. Even if he knew that it meant banishment, he willingly followed alongside his friends to the very end.

His loyalties to skekSo stem from these long time memories of his former self and while he has ambitions of his own to become leader too he has never once questioned or thought to fully rebel against his Emperor due to those loyalties.

General Opinion over said character: Say what you will about him but he's actually one of my favorite Skeksis, my second favorite actually!

His design is both creepy and genius, giving off a sense of unease but mystery and want to know who this sneaky bastard is and that is further explored in the show to which made me love him more! He still retains that overall creepy vibe and I just love how he's done with the others' shit at times.

He's been a favorite of mine since I first saw the film as a kid and to see more of him was a definite plus! :D

Overall, I love this creep xD

[plummyplums]

Some UrSkek thoughts/ideas, cut cuz it's long

skekOk the Scrollkeeper + urAk the Scribe = OkAk the Historian

These roles are quite similar; people who write and record things. Thus, this one was easy for me. OkAk would be the one who recorded and knew all of UrSkek history, and would likely have a large library.

skekAyuk the Gourmand + urAmaj the Cook = AyukAmaj the Chef

These roles go hand-in-hand, one who eats and one who cooks. Thus, I went with the logical mix; a Chef, one who improves and creates new dishes. They would obviously be the chef of the UrSkeks, providing meals for the others.

skekGra the Conqueror/Heretic + urGoh the Wanderer = GraGoh the Explorer

While I was tempted to make GraGoh an artist due to their shared interests during AoR, I went with their official titles, both known for traveling. I think GraGoh would be the type to be constantly finding new places, meeting new creatures, and relaying the things they learn to the other UrSkeks.

skekHak the ??? + urHom the Carpenter = HakHom the ???

Unfortunately, we don't know what skekHak's role was. Thus, I can't combine their roles as I did with the others. For them, I speculate that skekHak would have ended up being some sort of craftsman or builder, and it would have extended to HakHom.

skekUng the General/Garthim Master/Emperor + urIm the Healer = UngIm the Leader

After the deaths of skekSo and urSu, skekUng took over as Emperor of the Skeksis. I'm not sure what their role would have been before this, as I can't find any real comparison between them. Maybe a Medic? Like, a battle medic.

skekLi the Satirist + urLii the Storyteller = LiLii the Entertainer

Though we've never seen them, these two were also easy for me. In my mind, Lilii was the one who would come up with humor and stories to entertain the other UrSkeks, based on the halves' titles.

skekVar the General + urMa the Peacemaker = VarMa the Strategist

In the case that the UrSkeks would ever have to fight, it would come down to VarMa to figure out what to do. They're a master negotiator, but also skilled in battle when need be. All in all, they would be the one to figure out how to best face a conflict.

skekNa the Slave Master + urNol the Herbalist = NaNol the ???

Honestly, I have no idea what to do with these two. Their roles seem completely unrelated to me. If y'all can come up with something for them, let me know, I'd be excited to see.

skekSa the Mariner + urSan the Swimmer = SaSan the Sailor

Similarly to GraGoh, SaSan would be a constant traveler, the only difference being that they focused on the sea.

skekLach the Collector + urSen the Monk = LachSen the ???

These two seem like complete opposites. Honestly, I'm not sure what to do with them. Maybe something to do with sorting or rating.

skekSil the Chamberlain + urSol the Chanter = SilSol the ???

While I can't quite figure out exactly what I'd want their role to be, with their titles being so different, but I know that they were likely an assistant to whoever bore the title of Leader. Perhaps something to do with speaking, due to skekSil's tendency to mess with people through words.

skekSo the Emporer + urSu the Master = SoSu the Leader.

They were the original leader of the UrSkeks, before the role was passed to UngIm with their death.

skekTek the Scientist + urTih the Alchemist = TekTih the Researcher

They spend all of their time trying to learn new things, trying to find information about the world around them. Unlike GraGoh and SaSol, however, they don't travel, instead researching through books and experimentation.

skekEkt the Ornamentalist + urUtt the Weaver = EktUtt the Tailor

EktUtt was likely the one who provided clothing for all of the UrSkeks, and in my mind, were the most materialistic UrSkek. They like high-quality clothing that tells a story and expresses the wearer.

skekMal the Hunter and urVa the Archer = MalVa the Warrior

MalVa was likely one of the physically strongest UrSkeks, fighting/killing for food and to protect the others when needed. They likely worked closely with ValMa, both dealing with battle more than the other UrSkeks.

skekYi the ??? + urYa the ??? = YiYa the ???

Legit have no info on either of them. No idea what they could've done.

skekShod the Treasurer + urYod the Numerologist = ShodYod the Mathematician

They're a master of math, with their accounting skills moving to skekShod. If UrSkeks had a system of currency, they totally were the one who handled it.

skekZok the Ritual Master + urZah the Ritual Guardian = ZokZah the High Priest

Their titles are near exactly the same, so I treated that as ZokZah being extremely ritualistic and focusing on tradition, moreso than any other UrSkek.

[enlightened-crystal]

For the Dark Crystal Fans:

This one here has been going back and forth in my mind for a while, so I thought I might as well just go ahead and present it for your validation.

So, The Dark Crystal is my favorite film ever, and Blade Runner is another movie that I really enjoy. Both of them came out in 1982, so naturally that made me want to do a mash-up of the two.

I give you: THE CRYSTAL RUNNER AU! 

Essentially it’s the plot of Blade Runner with Dark Crystal characters, but with a few changes in order to make it a bit more interesting.

Setting

• The Skarith Land of Thra, 2019. The UrSkeks arrived on the planet a thousand trine prior and completely overhauled the place into what it is now: a futuristic  land full of flying cars, synthesized food, and most importantly, Replicants.

• The UrSkek Foundation specializes in creating Replicants for cheap labor. Models are based off all of Thra’s creatures, meaning that there’s Gelfling, Podling, and even UrSkek Replicants running around, doing the bidding of their masters until their lifespan runs out.

• When a Replicant goes against its programming, the police send out special investigators to retire them using specially-made crystal shards. These officers are known as Crystal Runners.

Characters

• Jen (Rick Deckard) - Retired Crystal Runner (or at least trying to be). He is called in again when four out of six escaped UrSkek-type Replicants begin running rampant throughout Thra.

• Kira (Rachel) - Assistant to SoSu, the CEO of the UrSkek Foundation. After meeting Jen, she questions whether or not she may be a Replicant, despite having memories of being raised by Podlings.

• Aughra (Gaff, the Origami Guy) - Keeps to the background, providing miniscule clues to Jen and Kira while also dropping hints that she knows who’s a Replicant and who isn’t.

• SoSu (Eldon Tyrell) - CEO of the UrSkek Foundation. Passive and diplomatic, yet enigmatic and somewhat prejudiced towards non-UrSkeks.

• TekTih (J.F. Sebastian) - Genetic Designer for the UrSkek Foundation.

The Replicants

• UngIm (Roy Batty) - Leader of the rogue Replicants. Desires a longer, if not eternal, lifespan for himself and his companions.

• SilSol (Pris) - UngIm’s second. Has a knack for manipulating through persuasive means.

• ZokZah (Leon) - The most violent member of the group. Often resorts to threats to get what he wants.

• EktUtt (Zhora) - The first of the group to be found. Secretly gained employment as a dancer in a dive bar in order to earn currency for the rest of the Replicants.

Other

• As part of my own special twist on the story, the lifespans of UrSkek Replicants don’t indicate when they die, but when they split into their individual halves. After they become divided, the Skeksis and urRu halves will begin to rapidly age and eventually perish after a time.

• Additionally, instead of a mass genocide, the Gelfling population ended up becoming swarmed with Replicants, resulting in no Gelfling knowing if they are truly a real person or not. 

• Garthim are used as a last resort against Replicants or to even get rid of rogue Crystal Runners.

Well, there you have it. I’m not sure if everybody’s ever even seen or heard of Blade Runner before, but I had fun coming up with this AU, and hopefully soon I can post a few sketches I did based on the idea. 

Please feel free to add your own ideas if you like! 

[ben-the-hyena]

ZokZah watching VarMa trying to chase his tail : I can't not fuck him

SkekZok watching SkekVar trying to smash a cube in a star-shaped hole : I can't not fuck him

UrZah watching UrMa sitting on a branch he's sawing : I can't not fuck him

[reikiajakoiranruohoja]

A group of youing urskeks.

[skekshroom]

People of Thra reacting to Tostino’s Hot Pizza Rolls

thank you

Loves them, breathes them, regards them as the elixir of life: skekSo, skekVar, skekSil, skekZok, skekOk,skekLach, skekEkt, skekAyuk, skekTek, skekGra, skekUng, skekShod, skekNa, skekMal, skekSa, skekLi, skekHak, skekYi, urGoh, urAc, urSen, urSan, urSu, urZah, urSol, urVa, urHom, urYa, urMa, urUtt, urAmaj, urNol, urYod, urTih, Brea, Seladon, Mayrin, Tavra, Onica, Deet, Hup, Rian, Gurjin, Naia, Amri, Kylan, Rek’yr, Periss, Tae, Seethi, Ethri, Laesid, Mera, Fara, Argot, Krychk, Cadia, Ydra, Jen, Kira, Hup, Aughra, Raunip, SoSu, VarMa, MalVa, SilSol, ZokZah, ShodYod, EktUtt, AyukAmaj, LachSen, OkAc, TekTih, GraGoh, NaNol, SaSan, LiLii, HakHom, YiYa, UngIm, Leto, Freckles, Ordon, Shoni, Kensho, Thurma, Vala, Lolly, Adeth, Belleg, Lahr, Danevay, Aiyanna, Neffi, Hana, Erimon, Harle, Saluna, Jarra-Jen, Toolah, Fiola, Asheka, Cindrah, Nita, Fire That Stays, Fizzgig, Bennu, The Peeper Beetle

doesn’t like them: tolyn, who is immediately executed for this transgression

[skekzok-the-ritual-master]

Muse Labels

Idea adapted from museinspo’s navigation page !! RULES :

bold the 𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖘 that serve as the most distinctive traits of your muse, traits that would immediately be apparent to other people.

bold & italicize the 𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖘 that serve as your muse’s hidden traits, traits that someone else would perhaps have to discover in order to find out about.

repost, do not reblog !!

Tagged by:  @thehereticaldeserthermit said anyone who wants to! 

Tagging: Also anyone who wants to! 

SkekZok the Ritual-Master

the academic. » a teacher or educator.

the activist. » someone who fights for social change. 

the addictive. » someone who has addictive tendencies eg. drug use. (Some of his more masochistic habits.) 

the aesthete. » appreciates beauty and art.

the allegiant. » the follower. 

the anthomaniac. » strong love for flowers and nature.

the aquaphile. » someone with an enthusiasm for water.

the artisan. » skilled in a particular art or craft.

the astrophile. » lover of the stars, space and astronomy.

the baby doll. » cute and innocent, loves to be spoilt and cared for.

the bellwether. » the trendsetter (typically in the fashion world).

the benefactor. » a sugar daddy or sugar mama, tbh.

the benevolent. » someone who’s well-meaning and kind, caring.

the bibliomaniac. » bookworm. has the desire to collect and read books.

the black sheep. » considered the disgrace of a family or group of people.

the cataclysmic. » violent, someone bad or unwanted.

the celebrity. » someone of a high and public profile.

the comic. » the comedian/literal meme.

the connard. » jerk.

the contingent. » someone who relies on others for comfort.

the contrite. » the apologetic.  

the coquette. » flirtatious women.

the credulous. » naive.

the crepehanger. » pessimistic.

the crestfallen. » sad and feeling low.

the crimson. » heated or aggressive; anger.

the despondent. » in low spirits from loss of hope, disappointed.

the diligent. » workaholic.

the dirtbag. » prone to creating disturbances and breaking the law.

the ecclesiastic. » a religious muse.

the ecdysiast. » a strip-tease performer.

the epicure. » a food enthusiast.

the facade. » someone who hides behind a mask.

the fallen angel. » someone who falls from a high point in their life. (As ZokZah.)

the feeble-minded. » foolish or dull-witted.

the fervour. » someone who experiences intense emotions and feelings.

the fighter. » someone who is regularly getting in fights and/or a boxer.

the gregarious. » sociable and fond of company, known to gossip.

the grifter. » a con-artist or thief. (The false divinations and powers he’s claimed in the past.) 

the hacker. » gains unauthorized access to electronic devices.

the halcyon. » optimistic and carefree in their lifestyle; a free spirit.

the hoyden. » the tomboy.

the icarian. » spontaneous and adventurous; also a free spirit.

the impecunious. » having little or no money.

the impious. » showing a lack of respect for god or religion.

the insurgent. » rebels, stirs up conflict, goes against the norms.

the intangible concept. » a mystery in a person.

the isolato. » someone who lives in solitude.

the lost soul. » someone who has lost themselves or their sense of purpose.

the lothario. » a man who can be alluring and seductive.

the luminary. » the leader.

the malingerer. » easygoing, lazy, childish.

the magnate. » wealthy and influential business person.

the miscreant. » criminal.

the muse. » an inspiration to those artists.

the muso. » a keen fan of music.

the mystic. » interested in spiritual mystery.

the netizen. » frequent internet user, perhaps a vlogger/blogger/insta famous person.

the paracosmist. » the dreamer.

the paradox. » contradictory.

the pastiche. » the result of an event in their life, typically a tragic or traumatic one.  

the philanthropist. » someone who promotes wellness in others and takes care of them.  

the philophobe. » fear of love or commitment.

the phoenix. » rises from the ashes after a tragic event/losing themselves.  

the polymath. » someone with a wide range of knowledge, know it all.

the pristine. » pure, innocent, unspoiled, uncorrupted.

the prosperous. » successful in material terms.

the pyromaniac. » person with an obsessive desire to set things on fire.

the recluse. » shy, reserved, withdrawn. often seen as ‘the loner’.

the reticent. » not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.

the reveller. » the party-goer.

the runaway. » someone who’s run away from their family or home.

the savant. » a distinguished scientist.

the solicitous. » someone showing interest/concern. anxious.

the southern belle. » a country gal (not limited to ofc).

the southern gentlemen. » a country guy (not limited to ofc).

the sovereign. » supreme ruler, queen bee.

the sybarite. » someone who is fond of luxury (rich or not).

the sycophant. » uses people to gain advantage ; a leech.

the tenacious. » not readily changing their course of actions or principle - to the book.

the thespian. » actor/actress or drama queen.

the traveler. » pretty self explanatory !! they love to travel the world & rarely stay in one place for too long.

the trendoid. » a trendy person. someone who keeps up with today’s memes and pop culture.

the urbanite. » someone who lives in the city.

the utopian. » someone who is idealistic.

the vainglorious. » vain, boastful, full of self-pride.

the vindictive. » someone who seeks revenge, someone who does not easily forgive.

the vixen. » an alluring woman who’s often of dubious moral character.

the zealous. » passionate about a pursuit or cause b; opinionated.