The guard is also an OC named SkekFih it was the occasion to design him
Now I talked of the Mystics in that AU, the Skeksis
Skeksis society, the Skeksis Empire, is an absolute monarchy and has aesthetics of Renaissance and Baroque Europe with touches of Middle East here and there. They are lead by the Emperor (whatever the pronouns, never "empress"), being Emperor from parent to elder child, but if the Emperor dies or abdicates with no heir, it is to whoever feels worthy of the throne to compete and oppose on a Trial by Stone. An Emperor is raised to reign however they want as long as the Skeksis remain the most glorious race on Thra as they all are raised to believe, whatever the way be it pacifist or not, listening or not. Emperors vary throughout history from veing nurtering to their people or, with the current one, dictatorial. Sure he was not the first one but during these 1000 trines of SkekSo's reign, the species got the reputation to be particularly even prouder, violent and selfish than they were already stereotyped as with his expansion politics leading up to many wars against Arathims, Gruenaks and later Gelflings in order to enlarge the Skeksis' lands. Skeksis are the most technologically advanced people on Thra having discovered electricity which led to their special carriages and, later, Frankenstein beast-like monsters calles Garthims. Again, that was not the first time an Emperor got proud enough to attack for the glory of their kin they always believed as superior, but just never for that pretext before, generally just because they felt offended, or against UrRu because both species have been hating each other for so long nobody remembers why, they justknow they hate how they act so slow, peaceful, vegetarian, Sirs know-it-all on Thra. There are villages, and 10 towns in total, 9 of them being ruled by Kings (neutral title like Emperor) who just like the Emperor apply the absolute monarchy system the way they prefer on their citizens, they only are demanded to avoid creating conflicts without the official approval and of course to obey the Emperor. Skeksis, even if there are good Skeksis, are otften respectful only of people of their own caste or superior while disdainful to the lower castes, being taught early status matter and to work hard to live... even if you will rarely become more than you are and even if you do chances are low to be that accepted by the upper class. Depending of the reigns, poverty, illiteracy and inequalities have varied. The current Emperor is not loved at all by the lower classes, especially for his cruel punishments, wars, personality cult and taxes to finance his wars and his courtier's luxurious lives ; rebellions are strictly punished. However they still all love how they are at least more powerful with the richest and biggest territories in Thra thanks to him and oppresses enemies like UrRu just the way they all were raised thanks to propaganda from a young age. Indeed, it's not for nothing the Skeksis Empire's symbol is the upside down triangle of Thra. They are the only true worthy race, they only bow to one person and it's Mother Aughra
The reason they act as the one chosen species of Thra is because of their religion thanks to ohfugecannada's idea. They believe they descend from gods fallen from the God who blessed Thra themselves and thus that it is their home and so why would they share. Or actually what the people think, the royals perfectly know it's fake but it is a well kept secret if it means asserting power their way. Aughra absolutely disapproves this but the royals, with all due respect to her, just quietly lead her out befoee she calls them out on their bullshit. But bah, it's THEIR reign. As long as they don't disturb the balance of Thra they can believe whatever they want. Their religion also consists in adoring life and seeing every good thing on Thra as gifts to them and do not believe the Gelflings are the closest to it. They do know they will join Thra when they will die, but they do fear death and thus live a life the most hedonistic way if they financially can to be sure to enjoy life as long as they can. When death comes, a certain rite must be respected to make sure the soul does not get lost. The Ritual Master cremates the body and then the funerals happen, a solemn ceremony with the people who knew the deceased, and as a grim chorus is sung by them, they do what we saw in the movie's deleted scene of the Emperor's funerals, all led by the Ritual Master. The Ritual Master also organizes many other similar ceremonies as the Ritual Guardian of Mystics, like newborn blessings, weddings, but also organizes ritualistic dances, Skeksis dancing whenever they can just like how UrRu chant whenever they can, and once in a while travels to Aughra herself and the Crystal of Truth to be honored by it and gets blessed by its glow. They also have the particularity to create their own blessing, festive or punishing rituals over anything and make them official
Much like Mystics, Skeksis do not have marriages and spouses but matehoods and mates. Their matehood ceremony however is not a real ceremony. As soon as a lover proposed and the other lover accepted, they can rush to the nearest Ritual Master whenever they want, even just after having said yes, and without any pampered looks and no guest, they just say yes, sign an official book, and get blessed. They are now mates and can celebrate how they want, start telling about it around them, are recommendes to do a matehood dance together, and of course the matehood night. Unlike Mystics, they are not necessarily required to be virgins until that moment since just like them they can reproduce only every 5 trines for 2 weeks, but it sure is the case for royals and religious figures. As if they obeyed, eh. Surprisingly, not only do Skeksis mate most of the time out of love, they usually mate for life, loving one person in their whole life rarely 2, hence why a heartbreak and a divorce are seen as legetimately tragical since chances are high the poor Skeksis will never love again. They can have had sex before that person and can still feel lust with others, they will only their mate
Like I said, Skeksis ovulate for 2 weeks only every 5 trine, their mating season taking place a trine after Mystics'. Like them, pheromones are crazy during that time, one must have a strong will if they don't want a child, hence why lots if couple are separated for these 2 weeks unless of course they want a kid or of course forget (uh oh). They too have a cloaca hiding a vagina but 3 penises instead of one with 3 heads, meant to be all shoved at once without pain for their Skeksis partner. For them too gestation lasts 2 trines, identifiable at 2 weeks. The mother(whatever the pronouns it's the pregnant one) too builds a nest in which the family will sleep until the baby will be a toddler, with lots of pillows, sheets, clothes, fabric blankets and comforting towels or clothes belonging to their mate with their scent. Skeksis livebirth as many skeklings as human and UrRu do with babies, so just one and sometimes 2 rarely more. The skekling, born naked, peep and chirps like a baby bird, squeaks like a desert frog and purrs, and already has a strong grip to hold onto their parents' (generally the father when the mother is done nursing with their 2 breasts and 6 teats and just wants to rest ; if the father has enough feathers of course) feathers and burry themselves into the warmth, sleeping there still gripping out of instinct, the parents know they can't hold in there anymore when the baby falls down dragging some ripped off feathers with them, again their bones are so solid so no real pain. Their first very fluffy dowb grows after some weeks. Then the development is exactly like in UrRu : the skekling starts walking and waddling around on their 4 after some unums, is weaned around 12 trines (forgot to precise, even if they start eating otherthings Urlings and Skeklings still nurse until they are toddlers for bonding reasons), starts walking on their 2 helped by their parents' tails around 20 trines, becomes a toddler around 26 trines, a child around 80 trines with an even flufflier down, and puberty starts around 250 trines when their down starts falling replaced by their definitive feathers and when they decide, depending of the pronouns they chose as a child or toddler, what voice they prefer by regulating at will their hormones. They are considered as adults around 400 trines.
Skeksis usually have very flashy feather, hair and scale colors but they often get dull with age with a risk of balding (more rarely the feathers, it's mainly the hair) Like UrRu like I forgot to precise again, they get menopause around 1000 trines, when they can finally enjoy mating season without any risk. With age, most Skeksis get flab and lose all the agility and most of the strength they had in their hopping/fighting/dancing days, often hiding their aging bodies from middle age with very wide clothes

The Dark Crystal and Skeksis © the Jim Henson Company
AU, theories and idea © dracocheesecake and me
Drawing and SkekFih © me