Darlingverse/Skree

Skree: The Observant Echo (Updated)

Before Darling: Skree was a quiet, observant kenku child, perhaps nine or ten years old, who worked as an assistant in a dusty old bookbinder's shop in Waterdeep's Trades Ward. Though naturally shy and prone to keeping to himself, he found immense solace and a peculiar talent in meticulously mimicking the sounds and voices he heard – the creak of old leather, the rustle of pages, the distant clamor of the city, or a customer's specific inflection. He was a keen listener, often overlooked, and his world was one of precise replication.

Captured by Papa: One late afternoon, while carefully shelving newly bound tomes, Skree heard a strange, disembodied whisper, a sound unlike any he had ever mimicked. Before he could fully process it, a sweet, suffocating odor filled his small workspace, and a heavy, dark sack was pulled over his head. He remembered the terrifying sensation of being lifted and carried away, his carefully collected sounds trapped unheard within him.

Papa's Basement and the Void: His next fragmented memory was of chilling dampness and the metallic tang of fear in a stone basement. He saw other children, small and whimpering in rough cages, their terrified eyes reflecting the dim, flickering light. Skree recalled a tall, shadowy figure—Papa—moving with unnatural silence towards a nearby cage. Then, a blinding flash of visceral, silencing horror erupted, and the memory violently tore itself away, leaving a cold, empty void where the unspeakable truth should be. All that remained was a profound sense of loss and a chilling echo.

Life in the Darlingscape: The Collector of Sensations: When Skree awoke within "The Golem's Canvas," his inherent shyness paired with his keen observational skills made him the silent archivist of Darling's subconscious sensory input. He views this strange purgatory as a vast, shifting soundscape and visual tapestry, his purpose to collect, record, and sometimes replay the echoes of Darling's experiences and the faint whispers of the internal world. He often haunts the Whispering Echo Chamber, a place where every external sound and internal murmur can be perfectly captured.

   Closer To: Skree finds a profound connection with Zee, sharing a mutual understanding of stealth, observation, and navigating the quieter, often overlooked spaces within Darling's mind. He also finds a unique camaraderie with Pip and Jinx, appreciating their creative use of sound and performance, often mimicking their antics or providing unexpected sonic backdrops for their schemes.

   Antagonistic Towards: Skree struggles with Grut's booming voice and unsubtle movements, finding them jarring and disruptive to his delicate work of observation. He also finds Borin's rigid, unyielding nature difficult to understand, as it lacks the fluidity and mimicry that defines his own existence.