Skirk in Genshin Impact is Tartaglia's mentor, who first appeared in the Fontaine storyline. We have little official information about it, which only fuels the interest of players and encourages them to build various theories. In this article we will collect and systematize all available information about the mysterious girl, and also try to guess what weapon and element she owns.
Name, image and character of Skirk
Before the full release of Fontaine's story, the name Skirk was familiar to players from Tartaglia's lines and history. Having run away from home, a 14-year-old boy ended up in the Abyss, where a “mysterious sword master” drew attention to him. In 3 months, the master taught Ajax martial arts and instilled a love for battles, and after 3 days, relatives found the boy with a blade in his hand in the real world.
Like many characters important to the plot, Skirk has a telling name and is based on a mythological character. There are several versions about who exactly became her prototype, but the most popular is Scathach, the heroine of Scottish folklore who taught the legendary hero Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn himself is similar to Tartaglia in his passion for battle, which appeared at a young age.
In the chapter “Prelude of White Dews and Black Waves” we learn from Child some details about his mentor. He describes her as silent, strict and mysterious. Skirk explained the decision to train the young man by saying that he awakened “something” – Tartaglia himself associates this with the whale he saw in a dream when he fell into the Abyss.
In the chapter “Masquerade of the Guilty”, Nevillet and I go into the Abyss to fight the All-Consuming Narwhal. After the victory, we meet Skirk herself and learn that the narwhal is the pet of her mentor, the Fel Knight Surtaloga, but it is Skirk who has to look after the whale. In addition, we can form a more complex opinion about the girl’s character: she “has nothing to talk about with weaklings,” but after our victory we can talk to her on equal terms. She also mentioned that Surtaloga and Reindottir's goals are similar: they both seek “some form of perfection.”
After we leave, Skirk tells Nevillet that she has lived in the Abyss since childhood and has not returned to the surface. She calls the reason for this the curses into which all a person’s connections turn after his death. It is unknown how Skirk herself ended up in the Abyss, and whether she meant her own death or something else.
In addition, Skirk revealed to us the secret of the hearts of God – they are the remains of the Third Descended. She promised Nevillet that she would find out who this Descendant was and give Hydro the information, so that the sword master would still play an important role in the plot.
As for theories, players often speculate on the topic of Skirk's abilities. She appears, reducing the whale to a small particle and throwing it, along with Tartaglia, into a portal of sorts. Let us also remember that 3 months of Ajax’s training passed in 3 real days. It is impossible to say for sure whether this is a feature of the Abyss or the work of Skirk, but in the second case we can assume that the girl has incredible power comparable to the Archons.
Skirk's appearance
So far, we can only see Skirk’s appearance in the game in cut scenes, but insiders have given us the opportunity to look at her model from all sides. So, the girl has an average female model (like Hu Tao or Furina), wears a black and blue bodysuit with open sides and back, and also something like a purple cape on the left side.
Skirk's arms and legs have purple and blue shades – and, apparently, these are not elements of clothing, but her skin, like Harlequin's black hands. In addition, on the back we can notice small fins, which can also be seen on some melusines.
Skirk has red eyes with a small, unusually shaped pupil. Interestingly, neither she nor Tartaglia have glare in their eyes.
Skirk has long light lilac hair. She wears an unusual accessory near her left ear that looks like some sort of blue feather – it is unknown whether it is a separate part of the costume or a growth like her fins.
Skirk release date
We can only judge this topic from the testimony of insiders. So, in November 2023, UncleSH reported that Skirk will not appear in versions with Fontaine. Some players suggest that the sword master will only become playable in the final patches of the game, when we explore the Abyss or Kaenri'ah. One way or another, you shouldn’t hope for its release in the near future.
Weapons and the element of Skirk
Since there has been no official announcement of the game Skirk yet, it is impossible to say exactly how the girl fights.
Based on Tartaglia's skills and his history, it is logical to assume that Skirk uses blades in battle – in the game they can be replaced with a one-handed sword.
By the same token, one might think that Abyss Girl has the Hydro element, but players have differing opinions on this matter. It is very likely that Skirk wields an unknown element not yet represented in the game – the power of the Abyss or the Void; There are similar guesses about the Dainsleif element. In one of his lines, Tartaglia, along with the eyes of God and Corruption, mentions the “heretical teachings of the Abyss” as a way to make himself stronger – perhaps these are the teachings that Skirk follows. Players have also noticed similarities in Tartaglia's combat skills with Hydro Void Heralds, as well as Shadow in the Devouring Narwhal.
Skirk Voice Actors
You'll probably see some familiar names here – voice actresses from all languages ​​have already been cast participation in HoYoverse projects:
- English – Kat Protano (voiced NPCs from Sumeru, Setaria, and Lini as a child)
- Korean – Seo Dahye (voiced Qingque from Honkai: Star Rail)
- Chinese – Xie Ying (voiced by Ke Qing)
- Japanese – Mamiko Noto (voiced by Durandal from Honkai Impact 3rd)
