Another world… Another time… In an Age of Conflict.
Eight hundred years ago the land was green; until the Crystal cracked. A new race appeared; the Skeksis. The new lords of the Castle of the Crystal governed over the land, but their cruelty and conceit has grown and their darkness spreads over Thra while they vie for higher positions and greater power under the light of the Dark Crystal.
This chapter presents an alternative campaign option in the War of the Dark Crystal setting: playing out the political machinations of the Skeksis as they gain power over the land and attempt to subvert another Skeksis’s influence to rise even further.
In an adventure or campaign in which the goal is usually setting up another player’s character for a downfall, it’s important that all players discuss and check in at regular intervals to make sure no one is feeling picked on and that all players are enjoying the game. Political games present a unique role-playing and game mastering challenge, and it’s important to ensure everyone is having fun.
The Court of the Skeksis
Skeksis are cruel, vain, and mischievous (or, as some would say, devious). According to canon, 18 Skeksis appeared from the urSkeks during the Great Conjunction. Two died in the confusion shortly after the separation. By the time of the movie, ten remained (and the Emperor died shortly after the movie’s start). During the War of the Dark Crystal, there were sixteen Skeksis, all vying for power in a system of political (and sometimes actual) backstabbing.
The pages of Legends of the Dark Crystal provides one example of how the Skeksis court fights within itself for power. skekLach sought to rise in the ranks by stealing the Gelfling essence reserved for the emperor, skekSo, but blaming the more loyal skekVar. When playing in a Skeksis campaign, the primary method for rising in power is to make oneself appear successful or dominant. This is often more easily accomplished by making another look like a failure or traitor.
Two Skeksis, skekHak and skekYi, died shortly after the Great Conjunction. Sixteen Skeksis remained to take power over the Castle of the Crystal. Some brief information and sample aspects are provided for the Skeksis below, but many of the details have purposefully been left blank to allow players the options of tweaking and playing a Skeksis as they best see fit. For more information on rules and statistics for a Skeksis, see Creating A Skeksis, below.
skekSo the Emperor
The Emperor should be one Skeksis not available as a player character. All other Skeksis rise in power through skekSo’s capricious favor. skekSo is loud and boisterous, known for shouting down enemies or thunderous singing above others in a celebration. As the centuries wore on, he has become more suspicious and disease has begun to spread across his body. But none can yet challenge him and all await his death.
Example Aspect: Heard Above All
skekZok the Ritual-Master
One of the most favored members of court, as skekSo entrusts the Ritual Master to read omens and prophesize. Most of the prognostication is purely pretend, as skekZok predicts doom and failure that he, in the end, is the one creating and setting up for others.
Example Aspect: Poeticule of Portents
skekUng the Garthim-Master
The commander of the Garthim is also the strongest, physically, of the Skeksis – after the Emperor, of course. skekUng delights in physical torment and can find pleasure in breaking the bones of the gentle Gelfling. He acts as a general, directing the mindless Garthim to wreak havoc by his order.
Example Aspect: Savage Sadist
skekSil the Chamberlain
Smiling and smarmy, skekSil has a tendency to hum or purr (or, according to his rivals, whimper) when in thought. The Chamberlain is a crafty liar who uses his cunning to make the emperor suspicious of others, and is always seeking information that might compromise those who might have more favor.
Example Aspect: mmmmMMMMmmm
skekTek the Scientist
It was skekTek who studied the wounded Crystal and harnessed its light to make salves of the Pod People and Gelfling. Later, he discovered ways to draw the essense of life itself, distilling it into a concoction that could temporarily rejuvenate. skekTek seeks position by creating new inventions that will delight skekSo, but none have surpassed the importance of those two endeavors that have come from the Crystal.
Example Aspect: The Power of Invention
skekAyuk the Gourmand
skekAyuk is never seen without food and drink; and rarely does he pause in his consumption – not even when speaking. When he talks he burps, dribbles drink, and sprays food. He boasts that he has a different menu for every feast, a different recipe for every occasion. All Skeksis are constantly hungry, but skekAyuk’s gluttony is focused solely on fine dining.
Example Aspect: Insatiable Hunger and Voracious Appetite
skekNa the Slave-Master
The Slave Master is often quiet, outside of sneers and low hisses. Focused on making the slaves do his bidding, skekNa prefers to communicate by kicking and whipping the mindless thralls in the Castle. He has an ear for music and seeks out promising participants for his slave choir. Unlike most Skeksis, skekNa’s evil was present and apparent from the beginning.
Example Aspect: Unabashedly Cruel
skekShod the Treasurer
Simple of speech, skekShod communicates through bribery. He demands offerings from those seeking his attention and presents others with gifts when he wants something of them. His pockets are filled with coins and the War brings him only more treasure to hoard.
Example Aspect: The Promise of Payola
skekOk the Scroll-Keeper
Not only the smallest and finest-featured of the Skeksis, skekOk is the least honest. He constantly re-writes records to please another as his alliances shift from power to power. Despite being the record keeper for meetings, skekOk is typically the last to arrive.
Example Aspect: Changing History With Every Whim
skekEkt the Ornamentalist
skekEkt is the chief stylist and clothier for the court. While the paste he crafts of clotted blood and diamond powder have no magical properties, they mimic the appearance of youth for the aging Skeksis. When passing a mirror the Ornamentalist will often stop to admire himself and his fine clothing (finer than anyone else’s).
Example Aspect: Always the Best Dressed
skekMal the Hunter
The wildest of the Skeksis, skekMal is a brutal hunter who eats his prey. Even other Skeksis are trepidatious around the uncivil savage. He uses various traps and his lightning-fast speed to catch his prey. Few Gelflings know skekMal, but many have shared horror stories of “The Hunter.” None of his prey have ever escaped – at least not alive.
Example Aspect: Wicked Fast
skekVar the General
Though slowed by his heavy armor, skekVar is an expert in every form of weaponry. Favoring a huge battle-axe, the General commands darkened creatures under his control like he weilds his weapons. Lacking in subtlety and speed, but with a focus on massive damage, regardless of any crossfire.
Example Aspect: Weapon Master
skekLach the Collector
A masterful tactician, skekLach collects slaves for the Skeksis. When not managing the slaves directly, he busies himself with strategizing with skekUng to coordinate Garthim for the next raid. His cunning is not only used for the capture of Gelfling and Podling, it is often applied to framing others for betrayal or failure in order to rise in court. He is an obsessive hoarder; his chamber is filled with trophies of victories and objects he has collected from his raids.
Example Aspect: Compulsive Hoarder
skekGra the Conqueror
skekGra is rarely seen at court; he is far too busy leading a contingent of Garthim and slaves across Thra, looking for areas not yet censused or revealed by the Gelfling. When he does return to the Castle of the Crystal, he spends his time updating maps and using crystal bats to both scout and review the territories. While not as strong as skekUng, as armored as skekVar, or as fast as skekMal, skekGra prides himself as being well-balance in all physicalities. The Conqueror is single-focused and his lack of vision has kept him from rising in the emperor’s favor, regardless of his deeds.
Example Aspect: Sharply Concentrated
skekLi the Satirist
Delighting in savage mockery and physical humor at another’s expense, skekLi seems to have no enemies in the court of the Skeksis; at least, not until his wit is aimed at them. The Satirist makes himself look good, simply by pointing out the “obvious” fallacies of others. And once a new target is in his sights, the previous slights are quickly forgotten.
Example Aspect: Devilish Wit
skekSa the Mariner
Also known as skekCru (due to canonical differences in the Dark Crystal official Encyclopedia and Legends of the Dark Crystal manga), the Mariner, is in charge with the harvesting of sea life for the Skeksis banquets. He can be away from the Castle of the Crystal for nearly a trine, losing political power, but regaining it (and more) upon his return with new and exotic bounty to be devoured.
Example Aspect: Pirate Fisher
Creating A Skeksis
While Skeksis are stronger and larger than Gelflings, a Skeksis campaign should not treat them as equals. In a Gelfling campaign skeksis should be treated more as adversaries and plot points rather than built characters. In a Skeksis campaign character creation for Skeksis follows the same character creation rules as detailed in Fate Core, with 3 free stunts/powers and a base 3 refresh (allowing an optional purchase of up to two more stunts or powers). Like the other races in Thra, Skeksis also receive a free, racial power; theirs is Stoneskin. Skeksis skills come from the same updated skill list as presented in Chapter 1: Character Creation.
Counterparts
While they will likely be unencountered in a Skeksis campaign, every Skeksis has an urRu counterpart. Once the beings known as urSkeks were complete. After the last Great Conjunction, they were split into two races. The Skeksis are the personification of their destructive, cruel and aggressive impulses while the urRu are the personification of their creative, healing and passive impulses. For every Skeksis, there is a corresponding urRu and the death of one means the death of the other. For this reason, and that the urRu have shielded themselves in the Valley of Stones, Skeksis do not come into contact with the urRu. However, considering their counterpart can be helpful during character creation. Think about a positive facet and a negative facet of a feature; this defines the core being of an urRu and their Skeksis counterpart. In some cases, that feature may be opposite or opposing, but in other cases, one is a darkened mirror to the other.
Aspects
As standard with the Fate Core system, Skeksis in War of the Dark Crystal will have a “High Concept,” summarizing the overall premise for the character and a “Trouble,” giving the character a specific weakness or overriding desire. Rather than using the standard Phase Trio as written, War of the Dark Crystal suggests the following elements for the remaining three aspects, which are different than those written for Gelflings and Pod People:
- Phase One: Post-Separation This aspect phase is related to the the darker side of the urSkek they once were; their Skeksis side. It may be related to personality or a physicality (or, possibly, both). If seeking inspiration it may also be helpful to consider the virtue of their urRu counterpart. skekMal the Hunter is “Wicked Fast.”
- Phase Two: Position This aspect should be an echo of what their title in the Skeksis court is. This will often correlate or complement the character’s High Concept. skekTek the Scientist would have “The Power of Invention.”
- Phase Three: The Court The final phase aspect should relate to how the character interacts with others; be it other Skeksis or “lesser races.” skekNa the Slave-Master is “Unabashedly Cruel.”
New Skeksis
If playing a Skeksis campaign, it’s recommended to ignore some aspects of canon by allowing players to introduce new Skeksis. Episode 2 of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge had its competitive puppeteers do exactly that, crafting new Skeksis that had returned to the Castle of the Crystal following centuries of living in a particular environment. A new Skeksis does not have to be a former outcast, but the idea that the environment changed their overall form could generate ideas when creating at their position in court or outlook with others, fodder for aspects phases two and three.
skekEer the Spymaster
High Concept: Seeker of Private Knowledge
Trouble: Malcontented Introvert
Post-Separation
Conspiratorial Manipulator
The Skeksis Spymaster uses the secrets of others and makes up some fictional secrets to build elaborate conspiracies. His goal is to make the other believe everyone else is against them and only skekEer can be trusted. skekEer’s counterpart is urGron the Teacher; while the urRu shares knowledge as examples for learning, the Skeksis hoards and twists knowledge for personal use.
Position
Uses the Shame of Others
skekEer not only manipulates hidden truths and fabrications to build a power-base, he also indulges in blackmail. Like his conspiracies, the blackmail evidence needn’t be real, so long as others might believe it then it can be used against his target.
The Court
Easily Overlooked
For a Skeksis, skekEer does not stand out. He is neither the smallest, nor the largest, he is not the most cunning or the most bestial. If a Skeksis could be described as drab, it would be him. As such, he is often forgotten and easily blends in. While the Spymaster may use this to his advantage in gathering information, it often keeps him from rising in favor with the Emperor.
While skekEer is mentioned briefly in the Legends of the Dark Crystal manga and is listed on the Unofficial Wiki, he is not mentioned in any other books and is not considered canon.
The “average looking” Skeksis, skekEer has the position of Spymaster in the court. He seeks out secret hiding spots of the Gelflings and shares them with select members of the court with whom he seeks alliance. Much of his time, however, is spent finding the secrets or making up plausible secrets of the Skeksis court itself as he seeks to elevate his own political ambitions.
Base Refresh: 3
Total Refresh: 2
Skills
Great: Burglary
Good: Deceive, Stealth
Fair: Investigate, Lore, Notice
Average: Athletics, Mechanics, Provoke, Will
Powers & Stunts [-0]
Power: Stoneskin [Free Racial Power]
Power: Camouflage [Free]
Stunt: Always a Way In [Free]
Stunt: Lies Upon Lies [Free]
Stunt: Mind Games [-1]
Stress Tracks
Physical 00
Mental 000
Social 00
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