Skirk/Storyline

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Last edit: Sparda0 at 2026-08-17 07:05:22 (UTC) (3 weeks, 3 days, 12 hours ago). If this was over two weeks ago, please contact the editor who placed the tag before removing it.

Skirk is a wandering swordswoman from the sea of stars and Tartaglia's master. She is the disciple of Surtalogi, one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah.

Personality

When she was younger, Skirk was a pure, innocent and adventurous child who dreamed of reaching the stars and exploring the universe, often skipping her classes to venture out in forests and nature, and she also really loved her parents. After losing all her people and homeland, and specially after being trained by Surtalogi, Skirk becomes stoic, apathetic, aloof and reserved, focusing only on training, becoming stronger and transcending her limitations. She avoids any kind of bonds or relationships, spending most of her time training on the abyss, choosing and preferring solitude. She is an experienced fighter, but her concept of "strength" is vastly different than that which others perceive due to Surtalogi's training. While she took in Tartaglia as a disciple, she didn't talk to him as much during their training and even after said training, barely communicated with him.^[6] However, she clarifies later on that she willingly avoids Tartaglia to avoid being too much of an influence on him, feeling that it would hinder his growth. Fighting against the All-Devouring Narwhal, which was an immense challenge for the Traveler, Tartaglia, and Neuvillette, was considered to be a short training session for her. Tartaglia, who has a considerable reputation in the Fatui as a fearsome fighter, states that he has yet to force her to use both hands in their sparring matches.

She only talks to those she considers to be strong,^[7] such as her master, the Traveler and Neuvillette. Only then is she willing to talk to others, claiming that she has nothing to say to the weak and sees herself as one "greater than humanity."^[7] This was due to her initial attempts to talk with others, resulting in many problems whenever she tried talking to others due to what she refers to as a "difference in common sense." While she acknowledges that living is a blessing, she notes that a person's death will turn their bonds into "curses," hence why she no longer wishes to return to the surface.^[8]

Skirk is also shown to be cautious about topics related to the Heavenly Principles and presumably shows disdain towards them, as she warned Neuvillette to discard the Hydro Gnosis upon realizing it was in his possession.

Appearance

Skirk uses the medium female model. She has pale skin, dull fuchsia-colored eyes with small black void-shaped pupils, and long, semi-translucent messy whitish-lilac-colored hair with purple undersides, and streaks fading cyan at the ends framing her face. Her arms and legs are prosthetic limbs made of purple and cyan-light blue colored crystalline Abyssal energy as her original limbs were irreparably damaged in her childhood. Her prosthetic legs reach her upper thighs and her prosthetic arms reach to her upper biceps near her shoulders. The arms are light purple at the bicep and fade to dark-purple at her wrists. She also has a small single fin-like appendage on her back.

History

Past

Skirk originally lived with her people in an unnamed planet which was tainted by the Abyss. They were able to tolerate it and even coexisted with it thanks to their ability to adapt to various environments, which bolstered their natural durability. However, they did not make use of their new powers.^[9] Eventually, a merchant ship from another planet visited them. Skirk was curious about the outsiders and spent most of her time thinking about the outside. The crew of the ship eventually deemed the inhabitants a threat and attacked her village. Skirk ran to her village when she smelled the flames and saw it under attack. Returning to her house, she found her wounded parents, who told her to leave them, teaching her a tune to remember them by.^[5]

Skirk fled the scene only to be attacked by two soldiers, resulting in her being severely injured and trapped under the rubble of a burning building. The commander decided that she would die from her injuries and left her for dead rather than finish her off. However, a third individual, a large, rat-like beast from another world, found her and dug her out. The immense pain caused Skirk to fall unconscious. To her surprise, Skirk found herself alive along with the creature and a man by a fire. The man asked Skirk if she wanted to live, and she nodded yes. The man quickly slew the beast, cooked it and shoved the food into her mouth.^[10] After recovering, the man allowed Skirk to ask a few questions. From him, she learned about the powers her people were not even aware of. Learning of this, she asked him if she could become stronger, and the man asked if she was sure. Skirk nodded yes, and the man began training her.^[9]

The man introduced himself as Surtalogi and Skirk was subjected to incredibly harsh training that broke her body. At the end of each session, her body was restored, and eventually both her arms and legs were replaced by Abyssal energy. Skirk witnessed Surtalogi defeat all sorts of enemies, and she then asked him another question; why he had saved her.^[11] Surtalogi told her that he had done so on a whim, though in reality he had done so after Vedrfolnir had prophesied he would have an apprentice. Surtalogi also revealed that because he was so strong, he believed there would be nothing worth fighting in the future. Believing he had taught her everything she knew, Surtalogi admitted that he would return one day, taking all she held dear, making her realize that in order to protect what she had, she had to become stronger.^[12] Through Surtalogi, Skirk also learned of Vedrfolnir and Rhinedottir, and given how he spoke of them, she believed that they were all trying to achieve some form of perfection.

Later on, Skirk asked Surtalogi how he had become immensely strong. He gave her a short explanation, and now curious, Skirk traversed the stars. Before she left, Surtalogi taught her the Seven-Shifting Serpent technique to allow her to conceal her powers in Teyvat, which she did by manifesting them as Cryo.^[13] Eventually, Skirk arrived at Surtalogi's home planet of Teyvat. There, she met with Alice, the Sustainer of the World's Borders. After a short conversation, Alice allowed Skirk to enter Teyvat, but under the condition that she not interact too much in its affairs. Alice also advised her to listen to her heart and enjoy life, which she could sense was sincere and caring.^[14][15]

While in Teyvat, Skirk would become acquainted to Dori, selling her rare monster carcasses, often at low value as she only needed enough Mora to get by.^[16]

Skirk would also come across a young Tartaglia after he fell into a rift leading into the Abyss when he was escaping from wild monsters. Deciding to take him on as her own disciple, Skirk taught Tartaglia how to adapt to the Abyss over the span of three months before sending him on his way.^[17] She would maintain some form of communication with him, but mostly avoided him as she felt that he would be too attached to her if she oversaw his training and not wanting him to be killed before his prime.^[18] Some time later, Surtalogi tasked her with finding Anacharsis.^[19]

Present

Version 4.2

Skirk eventually discovered that Surtalogi's pet, the All-Devouring Narwhal and her disciple were having a fight in the Primordial Sea. When she realized this, she made her way there, only to find that her master's pet had been defeated by Neuvillette and the Traveler. Using abyssal power, Skirk shrank both into an orb before opening a rift and tossing them inside. She then expressed exasperation that her master's pet and disciple had been fighting each other while she was gone, having wanted to spend a few days sparring with the beast as a warm-up session. Acknowledging their strength, Skirk asked them if they knew about Surtalogi, though no one did. She then asked about Vedrfolnir and Rhinedottir, of which Paimon recognized the latter. Since the narwhal had used its strength fighting them, the Hydro energies it had would leak into Fontaine, fulfilling the prophecy. Neuvillette sent them back while he spoke to Skirk.^[20]

Seeing the Hydro Gnosis in his hands, Skirk recognized it as the remains of the Third Descender and urged him to get rid of it, as she felt it would bring misfortune if he held onto it. Neuvillette took her advice and asked about the Third Descender, but she did not know. She did promise to ask Surtalogi if she had the chance, and would let him know through Tartaglia once she got an answer.^[21]

Version 5.7

The Traveler and Paimon would later travel across Liyue when they began having chest pains. A visit to Bubu Pharmacy failed to yield any results, prompting Paimon to treat the Traveler to a meal at Wanmin Restaurant. Skirk soon joined them and ordered some wine, examining the Traveler and realizing a part of their soul had been torn. She asked them to meet her in Guili Plains before disappearing, using her powers to make everyone except the Traveler and Paimon forget she was there. When they arrived, they found riftwolves exhuming god remains and eliminated them. Wondering who was behind the mess, Skirk agreed to help them restore their soul if they helped her identify the culprit. In order to prepare themselves, Skirk brought them to the Abyss and subjected them to harsh training, which the Traveler noted improved their strength.^[5]

Locating the culprit's hideout, Skirk and the Traveler descended into the domain and met with the entity in person. She realized that the entity was interested in the Traveler because of their ability to purify abyssal energy, only to be impaled and having some of her power taken away. Fortunately, she was able to recover the missing soul fragment. Realizing the entity had powers similar to her master's pet but was certainly unable to beat it, Skirk demanded to know if they knew "The Foul." The entity became enraged and attempted to collapse the domain on them, but they were able to escape.^[22]

In order to restore her power, Skirk underwent meditation in Bubu Pharmacy, and the Traveler, curious about Skirk's past, ventured into her dreams. They found a creature that explained that it was Skirk's emotions, explaining that whenever Skirk faced weakness, she simply shuttered her emotions in her attempt to reforge herself. The creature wished to appeal to Skirk, but Skirk refused, believing that it was weak. It was only until the Traveler interjected, claiming that its ability to stand before her was a sign of its strength. Accepting the Traveler's reasoning, Skirk accepted her shuttered emotions and they returned to the culprit's domain.^[23]

Battling the entity once again, Skirk intentionally allowed it to steal more of her powers, causing it to overload and shatter, revealing a Khaenri'ahn man inside it. The man introduces himself as Skofnungr, a friend and follower of Surtalogi who wished to meet him again for their battle. He explained his relationship to her before asking her to put him out of his misery. Skirk declined, instead deciding to take the power he had stolen back to their rightful owners, which would destroy the corruption that had been bringing him pain. Skofnungr agreed to her terms and Skirk completed the deed before leaving the domain with the Traveler. She told them that she would need to practice training alongside her emotions. The Traveler then asked if they would meet again, which she did not know, but hopes that at the end of their journey, they would meet in a reborn world full of peace.^[24]

Luna I

Skirk eventually made her way to Nod-Krai, finding Dori there. Having trained on some Radiant Beasts, she was about to sell her some Radiant Exoskeletons when the Traveler and Paimon ran into them. Paimon was surprised to see they would meet again, while Skirk felt that it had been a long time since they last met. Dori offered Skirk 6,000,000 Mora for the exoskeletons. Skirk instead took half of that, asking Dori to give the other half to the Traveler and Paimon in food and supplies before opening a rift and leaving.^[25]

Trivia

• Although her origins are from beyond Teyvat's borders, Skirk is "not yet worthy" to be classified as a Descender according to her master, instead being considered a "trespasser."^[26][27]
• Despite originating from another world, Skirk and her people are still refered to as human.^[23]
• Excluding the Traveler and Dainsleif, Skirk is the first playable character whose elemental power source comes from the Abyss, rather than from Visions, Moon Wheels, Stellar Linchpins, an Archon's former Gnosis, or the authority of the Seven Sovereigns.
  • As she does not have a Vision, she uses the power of the Abyss to mimic Cryo-like abilities in nature.
• It is unclear whether the quotes within Childe's Archive description are narrated by Skirk or the Tsaritsa.
• Skirk wears the artifact Deep Gallery's Distant Pact in her hair.
• During their previous sparring session, Skirk only used one hand to fight Childe. In her voiceline, she remarks, "He's improved — next time we spar, I might even use both hands," indicating that Childe's earlier wish for her to fight him using both of her hands remains only partially fulfilled.^[28]
• She gets Mora for items she needs by occasionally selling rare monster carcasses to Dori, who was introduced to her by Alice.^[29][30]
• Despite being categorized as a Medium Female Model, her height is higher than the average model of the same category.
  • Prior to her playable release, she made an appearance in the Primordial Sea during her encounter with the Traveler and Neuvillette in The Opera of Noirceur and Blancheur, harboring the same height as other Medium Female characters in the game. She was then redesigned for her playable model to become taller.^{[Note 1]}

Notes

References