Editing Disney Villains Victorious: Gridlocked K/L/Rs (section)

== The Skeksis of Thra (Dark Crystal 1982) ==

King: The Skeksis

A race of avaricious avians born from the great division of the ancient urSkeks, the Skeksis
embody the cunning and ambition of their past selves without the kindness or restraint of the
urRu to temper it. As such, time transformed them into cruel and vicious conquerors who only
serve themselves. Beneath the Emperor, skekSo, the Skeksis struggled bitterly for dominance
until a myriad court of decadence took shape. Each Skeksis, of which there are less than
twenty, has their own role to play in managing their empire. In spite of their petty internal strife,
the Skeksis are united by an overwhelming fear of death. There is no limit to their methods to
subvert it. With the Dark Crystal opening portals to new worlds, the possibilities are limitless.

Land: Thra

Thra is wonderful, vast, and dangerous. It hosts deep grottos, searing deserts, deep, blue
oceans, and a variety of races living under the Skeksis' heel. Noble Gelflings and humble
Podlings are the most populous, having been manipulated by the Skeksis into subservience
many trine ago. Their abuse of the Crystal have caused a taint known as the Darkening to
spread, driving wildlife mad, plants to wither, and foul weather to blight the land. The Gelfling act
as the Skeksis' enforcers, living in cities away from the Darkening and honoring their lords with
tribute. The outlands are plagued by swarms of Arathim, who survived the loss of their
homeland by Skeksis and Gelflings hand. While dangerous now, in many trine more, the
Darkening may render Thra inhospitable. There were tales of an avatar of the land who wanted
to explore the stars and stands meditating in the vast wilderness of Thra. If she is awakened
she could prove a valuable ally in saving Thra.

Rule: Skeksis Conquer Death

Despite the Skeksis’ draining of the Crystal being solely responsible for Thra's strife, the races
under their sway are none the wiser. The Skeksis have hidden their misdeeds well. Gelfling,
Podling and much of Thra are still fanatically loyal to the so-called Lords of the Crystal, even to
the point of purging other races at the Skesis’ command. When the Skeksis demand "sacrifice",
few question it. Skesis can at best manage a sort of benign neglect; at worst, which they
frequently are, they are bloodthirsty, tyrannical and cruel. A handful of Outsiders entering Thra
might be able to stay below the attentions of the Skeksis, but drawing any sort of attention will
see them bound into the hierarchy, forced to submit unless they prove powerful enough to be
dealt with as individuals. Even so, the Skeksis are arrogant and ever-hungry. Any agreements or
deals last only as long as the Skeksis wish to be bothered; betrayal is inevitable. As the Skeksis
expand their reach into new worlds, any diplomacy will be short lived at best. In the end, nothing
matters to the Skeksis except that they thrive, indulge, and most importantly, survive.