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Revision as of 23:39, 26 July 2019

File:Dark Crystal symbol.GIFRaunipFile:Dark Crystal symbol.GIF
Raunip
Race "Aughrian"
Era(s) Age of Innocence
Age of Harmony
Great Division
Residence Aughra's observatory

Raunip, also known as Raunip the Heretic, was the son of Aughra, born before the arrival of the Fallen urSkeks. Like his mother, he was a friend to all the races of Thra, but he differed in that he viewed the arrival of the urSkeks with suspicion.

Appearance

Like his mother, Raunip had a flat nose, a thick mane of hair and a pair of horns. Unlike his mother, he had a thin body, had two, rather than three eyes, and had a tail.

Biography

I am not of the Crystal? I'm not even from Thra?

Raunip, upon discovering his origins, [1]

Birth

Raunipborn

Raunip's birth.

Raunip was born during the Age of Innocence.[2] He arrived on Thra via an organic meteorite, which was discovered by Aughra. Sensing life within the rock, Aughra moulded it into her own image.[1] However, it wasn't until after the Great Division that Aughra told him of his origins.[3]

Feud with the urSkeks

Meddlers and usurpers! Cast out by their own kind, exiled from their own world. And they would claim Thra as their own.

Raunip expresses his disgust over the urSkeks., [3]

When the Fallen urSkeks arrived on Thra during the first Great Conjunction, Raunip became increasingly embittered at the their "meddling" in the cultural development of the Gelflings and his mother, as well as their encasing of the Crystal in a vast fortress, which he saw as an act of appropriation. When he discovered that the urSkeks were in fact exiles from their own world, Raunip incited a mob of Gelflings to attack the urSkeks in their Castle, but was halted by Aughra.[3]

Role in the Great Division

Nine hundred and ninety-nine and one trine after they first arrived, the second Great Conjunction approached, and the Fallen urSkeks, with Aughra's assistance, were ready to return to their homeworld. They invited Raunip, as well as delegations representing Thra's sentient races, to attend the event. Seeing this as an opportunity to challenge the urSkeks directly, Raunip journeyed to the Castle with song-teller Gyr, Lady Kel, and the Podling Hotha. Raunip spurned the urSkeks' attempts at hospitality, and went into the Hall of Reflection, where he witnessed an urSkek lose its composure after hearing Gyr play a song from its homeworld. Raunip fuelled the darkened urSkek's rage further by mocking it.[1]

When the day of the Great Conjunction arrived, the urSkeks gathered around the Crystal, hoping that its rays would purify their spirits and transport them back to their homeworld. However, Raunip continued to mock the darkened urSkek, which gave into its darker nature. The darkened urSkek's fear and anger prevented its brothers from entering the Crystal's light, and each one of them was split into two new races; the Skeksis and the urRu. In the ensuing confusion, the urRu and the Gelfling and Podling delegations fled the Castle, leaving Aughra and Raunip behind. When Aughra failed to reason with the Skeksis, one of them attacked the Crystal, chipping off a shard. Mother and son escaped the Skeksis by climbing down the shaft below the Crystal, and journeyed to the centre of the planet, hoping to find the lost shard. Wracked by guilt, Raunip asked Aughra if she would remember him, to which she replied she always would, as he was her first and greatest creation.[1]

Raunip and Aughra would continue to search for the lost shard, spending more time within the catacombs and attempting to figure out which was the item that the sought to no avail. Unlike Aughra,who was single-mindfully on this sole task Raunip wished to reconnect with the Gelfings that he and his mother cared for. After he ventured from his home, he had discovered that the Gelflings and Podlings had forgotten them and that strange beasts now prowled the lands destroying everything in their wake. TO his shock and horror, Raunip learned that the Gelfings were associating themselves with the vain Skesis and encouraging them to make weapons and go to war against the creatures called the Mystics, blaming them for the attacks.

His words of a peaceful outcome fell to deaf ear so Raunip and a Gelfling journeyed to the Valley of the Mystics. What he found were a peaceful race of contemplatives and knew in his heart that they could not be the culprits. When the real culprits, encroached upon the Valley of the Mystics, a Podling named Kotha who was rescued by the Mystics, managed to communicate with the through Animal Soul Speaking. He learned of the plight of the creatures to which Raunip pitied them. After misunderstandings between the under-dwellers and the surface dwellers were cleared up, Raunip decided to guide them to a region called the Field of Fire, where they perhaps may find a way home.

Raunip is last seen in the company of a Fizzgig, recounting his tale. He declares that his mission was a success, however it came at a cost, half of his face was badly burned and he admits that he may not have long to live. While he laments he may never see his loved ones again, he resolves to continue for as long as he can, content that he wishes those that he left behind remembered him as he left, a soul seeking redemption.

Legacy

Despite her pledge to remember him, Aughra appeared to have forgotten about Raunip by the time of Jen's quest to find the shard, claiming that, other than the urSkeks, she was the only one to have witnessed the first Great Conjunction,[4] and later claimed in the Book of Aughra that "[of] the race of Aughra, [she was] alone, the first and last."[5]

Aughra may simply have decided there was no need mention Raunip or his involvement in the Great Division debacle to anyone else. Also, he is technically not an actual member of Aughra's race.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Froud, B., Dysart, J., Sheikman, A. & John, L. (2012). The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. II. Archaia. ISBN 978-1-936393-80-0
  2. The Dark Crystal - Mythology
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Froud, B., Holguin , B., Sheikman, A. & John, L. (2011). The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. I. Archaia. ISBN 978-1-936393-80-0
  4. Smith, A. C. H., & Odell, D. (1982). The Dark Crystal. Holt, Rinehart and Winston . ISBN 0030624363
  5. Froud, B. & Llewellyn, J. J., (2003) The World of the Dark Crystal. Pavilion Books. ISBN 1-86205-624-2

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