#gruenak

[anchasvtt]

Has anyone noticed this too?

[screeching-raptor]

I've been seeing multiple people post about the idea of a open world TDC game and while I looooove the idea I wanna say something. Playable Skeksis or bust. Actually, add playable urRus, podlings, arathim, urSkeks, and gruenaks. All with a different campaign depending on which species you pick.

I'm sick of games only focusing on humanoid species, I play WoW and they're all about humans and elves while having a huge range of fantasy species. Same goes for TDC, they have so many species which all deserve to be experienced first hand!

Not that it'd ever happen, but can you imagine how amazing that'd be?

[wizardmars]

gelfling/ gruenak art of Julian and Elim (gifts for @grayneko and @twigby-art for fueling my silly little thing).

I have never drawn a Gruenak before so trying to mix cardassian ridges with their creases was rough, but very fun! Kinda wanna experiment making Garak a rock formation like Lore because I think sketching “scales” into the rock would be fun!!

Also I did dousan elim on the side bc it’s funny

will absolutely be doing more eventually because I love gelfling facial structure

[chronivore]

Gruenak

Gruenak

Gruenaks were a sentient race of Thra renowned for their technical expertise and prodigious strength. During the Age of Harmony, the Gruenak

[illwilledomen]

SkekTek’s lab.

[sunderedandundone]

Possibly unpopular HC (Dark Crystal, Chamberlain)

SkekSil actually *does*...*mostly* want what's best for Skeksis.

[Because it apparently can never be posted enough: #allHCsarevalid. I don't invest any but the most minimal ego in my HCs and even your strong disagreement with them does not hurt me. Long as you're not an asshole about it and can distinguish reality from fiction. ^^]

[And because it tends to come up in discussions of antagonists: mentally walking in a character's POV shoes is not endorsement of that character's actions. It is in fact...writing. Convincing characterization of villains/terrible peoples absolutely requires the ability to reframe the story from their perspective, regardless of whether you ever actually write in their narrative voice or show a visible authorial attitude toward them, or not.]

[spoilers; CW for canon-depicted violence and general awfulness, etc]

Okay, so hear me out. Obviously Chamberlain's also an arrogant little shit who was driven to murderous rage when another Skeksis claimed their official spot at court as royal vizier, so I'm certainly not saying there's no individual ambition there.

But a Skeksis who *only* cared about *personal* glory would've taken credit for coming up with the essence-draining idea. (Chamberlain IS smart like Scientist!) Whereas SkekSil let not only SkekSo but Beloved Scientist think that Beloved Scientist had come up with it. The only selfish motive I can think of is if they were seriously worried the experiment would fail? But that seems unlikely. Seems much more probable that the C. wanted SkekTek to get credit, so that the Scientist never got SO high on the Emperor's shitlist as to end up actually incapacitated -- imprisoned, replaced with some numbskull, extreme maiming, exile, who TF knows. Which IS a valid worry, given that as calm and confident as 'So pretended to be at the Ceremony, SkekSil witnessed the Emperor completely and violently freaking out all over SkekTek about it just a few moments later (when they thought they were unobserved).

I mean, if SkekSil had told *SkekSo* their idea instead, so that it then had to be given to SkekTek as an imperial order, that'd be some shine on the Chamberlain's escutcheon sure -- but it would've made the Scientist look pretty darn bad at Sciencing, wouldn't it? ("The freaking court toady came up with our species-saving idea instead of you, Tek? Really?")

SkekSil's the only court Skeksis who ever acts in the whole group's interests (even counting the Emperor, who you could argue makes attempts to do so, but also completely, repeatedly sabotages their own agenda). Whereas all the others either just loaf about the Castle being deadweight, or wander into a situation specifically to make it worse (...*General* -_- ).

SkekSil spins on a freaking dime to come up with the whole anti-Rian propaganda campaign, thus saving SkekVar and possibly SkekSo from almost destroying the Lords' good-guy image right there in front of Ordon. -_-

And instead of letting SkekTek suffer whatever someone else might come up with to inflict on them after the vial incident, the C. suggests a punishment that...while it's sadistic and violent and absolutely sends the message of "*Don't narc* on SkekSil, man. It ain't worth it!"...once again preserves the Scientist's ability to work. And again, I consider this a legit worry, because again, all the other Skeksis including SkekSo have more than demonstrated that Schadenfreude UTTERLY trumps common sense anytime they're in the mood for bloodsport. In the heat of that frenzy, it honestly might NOT occur to anybody else that "hey, if we take off a major limb or put SkekTek in a coma, that miiiiight cause a problem with our lifesaving essence supply lines!"

Again, someone only concerned about their personal prestige would've either kept silent and not risked speaking up in the scapegoat-of-the-moment's defense, OR spoken up to propose something *extra* diabolical -- just to teach foolish Scientist a real lesson. As opposed to reminding everyone that while suitable chastisement is needed, oh yes, Scientist is still Lord of Crystal, hmmm? So we arrive at balanced solution for all. ;-P [ETA as a side note: seriously, Tek, what *were* you thinking with that narc? You're supposed to be smart FFS! You could've kept your beak shut and *none of the others would ever have known* how Rian got out, or even that you lost your small experimental vial! So when you run straight to the Emp to report it, what the hell is SkekSil supposed to think but that you *actively* *wanted* to get *them* in the headcage with a Peeper beetle, or whatever? So of course they flip the script on you. I mean -- DUH. Any Skeksis with the brains to do so would've! You would've! -- Well, except that you legit seem to be the one Skeksis to whom it seemingly never occurs to just...LIE. Which IS remarkable.]

SkekSil *also* brings SkekTek the Gruenak. A crucial part of their own cunning plot to get their seat back? Why yes. But why Gruenak? It must have been a fair bit of trouble, getting down to whichever port it was to trade with the Sifa to buy an *extremely* rare type of slave. If all 'Sil had needed was spies in the lab disguised as 'help,' Podlings or Gelflings would've been MUCH easier. But no, they wanted these slaves to have technical ability. Which means they actually wanted the repair to go as well and swiftly as possible, and no hard feelings for friend Scientist. Who says you can't serve the Empire while also serving yourself (and by golly, you'll have earned it won't you, you debonair bell-voiced murderbird ;-) )...?

SkekSil is the one who Dares Summon the Hunter. Another part of the cunning personal plan, yes? -- well. Sort of. It's more like the backup plan. But SkekMal *is* by far the likeliest option for retrieving Rian IF you can't get any deluded Gelfling to turn him in first. And everybody else at the Castle did literally fuckall about that whole situation, btw. (Hell, SkekVar never offered any actual *plans* as SkekSo's new 'adviser.' SkekSo themselves had the one good strategy idea of raising the Arathim as mercenary troops.)

On that note: SkekSil was the only one still seeking an (::ahem:: ::scare quotes::) 'nonviolent' solution to things at that relatively late point in the story. Which, leaving all moral issues aside, 100% *would* have been the objectively safest, most comfortable and least self-sabotaging course for the Skeksis. (...Short of, you know, not doing the evil essence thing at all and seeking some other path, but.)

The C. saw that a hot war between the two species had genocidal potential, not just for Gelfling, but for Skeksis as well. ("War is END." They're.....not wrong.) At minimum, it'd certainly put paid to the Skeksis' longstanding, luxurious lifstyle!

That's why I've little doubt that if 'Sil had been Emperor, they'd have been more than happy to work out some kind of 'Faerie's yearly tithe to Hell' arrangement with Seladon. Which would still have been a parade of horrors, of course -- but wouldn't have, like, wiped out an entire species...who also happened to be the Skeksis' only real allies...and massively accelerated the Darkening and thus destroying the planet everybody had to live on, *including* the Skeksis.

Chamberlain is also the only one who tries to point out the existence of, y'know, *mathematics* to Skeksis. I.e. "Hey guys, if we eat ALL the Gelfling at max speed...then there...won't be any more Gelfling? To...make more Gelfling...? And then we're kinda...up shit creek on this whole 'Gelfling essence as our main survival plan' thing?"

In fact, SkekSil is pretty much the only one who dares even try to restrain SkekSo. ...Until it becomes obvious that that's getting exponentially less possible by the second, because SkekSo's truly off the chain now and not entertaining any more non-genocide options.

At which point, having now done the 180 because it's their only option for staying in a position of power -- and they are after all the *only* Skeksis with half a BRAIN left, so they *need* to be in a power position! -- SkekSil goes balls-out for it and comes up with the inordinately evil Garthim idea.

BUT which I will once more note, *is* the best survival strategy for Skeksis *AFTER* everyone else has gone and fucked up the situation to the point where war is unavoidable. Again, Chamberlain IS smart like Scientist; indeed, while I'm sure SkekTek's better with the mechanical ins and outs, SkekSil is arguably a better scientist on the innovation/creativity front. O_o Really, 'Sil's a creative little fucker for all the things they set their mind to, too bad those things are just so often terrible. (At least in this era.)

Long story short -- IMHO, SkekSil just doesn't act like someone only interested in themselves and their slice of office politics. They always have their eye to species survival, and also the question of "um but really no joke, what do we want the future to look like?" And they're willing to take an unusual (for Skeksis) amount of time/risk/labor to personally see to it, even as others sit inert. They even pass up visible opportunities to one-up when something more important to preserving Skeksis and their rule is happening. (Though of course, when it IS possible to help both Skeksis and Chamberlain, as it so often is, Chamberlain *will* devise the way!)

That's why my personal thesis of the character is a little bit off-gauge from the usual take: my take is that their ego/ambition shows up *not* just in their zillionty court intrigues, but in an actual vision (however fucked up I'm sure it is X_X ) of a Glorious Civilization and Eternal Empire they see themselves as building. This is the project that takes up what's left of their once-astounding creative powers: a Civilization to outshine all others *evar* -- which Chamberlain will have the personal satisfaction of knowing could never have happened without aaaallllllllll Chamberlain's trine of quiet THANKLESS work behind the scenes. :-)

And what's left of the *performer* in SkekSil even after the music is totally gone rests in this idea as well, that once they get all the cats herded and every last bit of furniture in place just so, all Thra will stand and cheer in primeval awe of what the Skeksis have achieved (that is, what *SkekSil* has achieved) on this miserable dirtball. While some direct personal credit will of course be sought...and while if the Imperial throne ever WERE somehow to end up empty O:-) , well obviously Chamberlain is the only non-idiot Skeksis to occupy it...what's most important to them is that what they've created, what they see as their very own Magnum Opus, be hailed with universal ecstasies. Heck, it might even become one of the most revered regimes in the realms of the Crystal! That'd be a nice tack-on for sure, hmmmm? (Hahahaha suck it, Homeworld.) :-)

[reikiajakoiranruohoja]

TDC-Essay: Intended morality vs written text

During Thra-Halloween, I caught an interview with the Riverhorse RPG staff about their TDC adventure book. Essentially, a Dark Crystal Tabletop RPG.

In it, the authors discussed how you could join the Deterge and treated it as a fun thing to do. They also spoke of skeksis cutting down a forest for logs.

These two things stuck with me because they showed how some writers treat the skeksis vs how they treat the gelfling and podling. One group is seen as a mustache-twirling bad guy and the other as jokes. The third group is just innocent good guys who are just a bit flawed.

Why I find this both interesting and frustrating, is that AOR and the movie both had much more nuanced than that. I have already discussed the gelfling vs skeksis one here, so I'll not repeat it.

Instead, I want to focus on things often left unsaid in both the fandom and the comics/extra material.

Let us look at the situation of the Thra-born species. There is this narrative I often see on Tumblr where the gelfling are the victims and the skeksis aggressors. Which is true. But not once have I seen anyone mention the podlings, the gruenaks or the arathim in these posts. It is only ever gelfling vs skeksis.

If I were cynical, I would assume that the other species are left out due to ruining the pure narrative people want for the gelfling. Because once you include the other species, it gets messy.

While gelfling are absolutely the victims of the skeksis, they are also the ones that benefit from the skeksis the most. Gelfling have seven thriving clans, a massive capital, a lot of autonomy within these clans and a lot of freedoms in general. If Essence was never discovered, they would have lived comfortably with the skeksis until the Darkening took over.

Podlings, though? They are seen as lesser by most gelfling. They are seen as jokes and not mattering much. The Deterge is meant to be a -funny- thing and an undignified punishment, because the podlings are dirty and therefore primitive. But since we have Hup in our cast, we get to see another side of Thra's politics. If you aren't a gelfling, you are disposable, you matter less and you best prepare for the worst because most of these mouse-elves don't even bother to learn your language. Let alone defend your rights.

In podlings, we see some good writing on unconscious discrimination. We are shown that podlings aren't just jokes and dumb, they are very aware of their place in Thra. Yet it takes the outsider Deet to call out something most surface gelfling blindly accept; podlings aren't just servants. It isn't that Rian, Brea, Gurjin or Mira hate podlings, but they just never questioned their own biases.

Arathim are another type of narrative showcase. These spiders have been chased from their homes and treated as outlaws by the empire. Their former homes are now the Grottan territory. Something most Grottan aren't even aware of.

AOR does a herculean task for presenting a group of hive-mind spiders, treating them as villains and then turning around and showing them allying with the gelfling on their terms. But also why they would dislike the gelfling in the first place.

With both the arathim and the gruenak, we get a strong implication that it was not just the skeksis who displaced them. Gelfling after all were in the armies of skekGra, skekVar and skekUng. Given the Grottan got the cave system, the gelfling clearly also enjoyed the spoils of war. Never mind few Sifa deciding to earn a few extra bucks by selling gruenak slaves.

All of this makes the narrative of AOR and TDC much more nuanced and realistic. The matters of the people of Skarith are complex and there is a lot of bad blood between them.

There is this unfortunate Tumblr habit of treating a narrative with opposing forces as oppressor and victim, good or bad, right or wrong. In these narrative limits, it is paramount that the right/good/victim side stay pure and clean of sin. Because if someone does a bad thing, this narrative demands that they then deserve whatever they get.

TDC does not do that, it doesn't let the gelfling be innocent or without sin. It does not let things be simple. Even if there are greater scope villains, you can still have a lot of interesting conflicts between Thraborn species without involving the skeksis.

I fully understand that the Deterge was meant to be a funny scene, and it is. But it also does the double duty as the sign of how the gelfling see the podlings. The purpose is to humiliate the lawbreakers, whether the podlings want to be washed or not does not matter.

AOR, like TDC in general, is not a story of simple good versus bad. Just because the gelfling -now- see the skeksis are trouble, does not mean podlings, arathim or gruenaks won't still hate them. And that is good writing.

[gelfbog]

dark crystal : age of resistance scenes as random pictures in my camera roll (spoilers obviously lol)

all-maudra mayrin death scene :

Skeksil @ Rian in the carriage :

Maudra Fara when Rian arrived at Stone-in-the-Wood :

Deet after The Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood :

Rian : well, what if you don’t have wings? :0

Deet : You’ll get smashed to bits!!!╰(*°▽°*)╯

Rian :

Skektek @ that Gruenak :

Rian, standing in front of SkekZok’s and SkekVar’s carriage :

Speak for the Dead / All-Maudra funeral :