Sinister Undercurrent is the first quest in Skirk's Story Quest, Crystallina Chapter: Act I - Whispers Betwixt Stars and Night.
Steps[]
- Listen to Paimon's advice
- Look for Baizhu at Bubu Pharmacy
- Meet Baizhu in the back room of the pharmacy
- Take a rest in the back room of the pharmacy
- Go to Guili Plains to investigate
- Defeat the suspicious Rifthounds
- Investigate the surrounding area
- Follow Skirk through the Abyssal rift
- The player will enter a domain
Gameplay Notes[]
- During step 6, the time changes to evening (17:00).
- Leaving the area during this step will reset the quest's progress to step 5.
- During step 7, the time changes to night (19:00).
- Entering the Abyssal rift during step 7 will place the player in a Special Story Mode, which will continue into the next quest. Exiting the game during this mode before finishing this quest will reset the quest's progress to the beginning of step 7.
Dialogue[]
Quest DescriptionOn an otherwise ordinary day on the road, you suddenly feel a strange discomfort...
- (On obtaining the quest)
- Paimon: (TravelerTraveler)! (TravelerTraveler)!
- Paimon: Geez! You're like "space out" city over there! What's up with you today?
- Paimon: You feeling okay? Hmm... We've been traveling all over lately, so maybe you've come down with something... That's it — we're getting Baizhu to check you over.
- (Arrive at Bubu Pharmacy}
- Paimon: Huh, Baizhu isn't in his shop...
- Pedestrian at Pharmacy Entrance: Oh, you're looking for Dr. Baizhu? He's resting today, but he said to send any patients to the back room.
- Paimon: Ah, okay! Thanks! We'll head on through.
- (Enter Bubu Pharmacy's back room)
- Changsheng: Ah, looks like we have a special guest.
- Baizhu: (TravelerTraveler), Paimon, welcome! What can I do for you?
- Paimon: It's (TravelerTraveler) — (hehe/
sheshe) looks absolutely beat these days. (HeHe/ SheShe) has these huge dark circles around (hishis/ herher) eyes, like (hehe/ sheshe) hasn't slept a wink. - Paimon: And (hehe/
sheshe) keeps spacing out! You have to call (hishis/ herher) name several times before (hehe/ sheshe) snaps out of it... What do you think it is? Is (hehe/ sheshe) sick? - Changsheng: Oh? Is (TravelerTraveler) prone to sickness? I find this surprising.
I guess I could be...- I'm not sure...
- (Baizhu examines the Traveler)
- Baizhu: Very peculiar... In all the time we've been acquainted, this is the first time you've come to me with a health complaint. Come, let me take a look at you.
- Baizhu: Hmm...
- Paimon: Okay, Paimon does not like that expression, Baizhu... It's not serious, is it?
- Baizhu: Hmm, complexion is good, eyes are clear, breathing is steady, pulse is strong...
- Baizhu: Physically, you appear to be in good condition, (TravelerTraveler). In theory, your energy level should reflect that. You should be feeling right as rain.
- And yet... I do feel like something is "off."
- Baizhu: Hence my concern. A clean bill of health is usually a good thing. But, in this case, it likely means your situation is more complicated.
- Baizhu: Physical illnesses come with detectable symptoms that can be used to diagnose, medicate, and cure the condition. But afflictions of a non-physical nature... they fall outside a doctor's realm of expertise.
- Paimon: Huh? What do you mean, "non-physical nature"?
- Baizhu: Curses, dark magic... It's hard to say. It could just as easily be a simple case of mental fatigue.
- Baizhu: Why don't you rest here for a bit? Whatever it is we're dealing with, clues to your condition are sure to reveal themselves in time. Once we know the root cause, we can administer the right treatment.
- Changsheng: I've seen my fair share of mental afflictions. To start with, some calming incense, a good night's sleep, and a good meal will do you a world of good.
- Baizhu: In the meantime, Changsheng and I will review the relevant literature for afflictions that present with mental fatigue.
- Changsheng: *sigh*... Still, we're not experts on this kind of thing. I say, we should strongly consider calling in a specialist as soon as possible.
- Paimon: Oh... Must be a rare condition if not even Baizhu and Changsheng have seen it before...
- Paimon: Well, all we can do is take their advice. You look like you're about to collapse, anyway.
- Paimon: Just get some rest. Paimon will be right here by your side! Fingers crossed you'll be all better when you wake up!
- (Try to leave the room through the door, optional)
- Paimon: You should get some rest. Paimon can tell how tired you are.
- (Take a rest)
-
- (The Traveler and Paimon sleep)
- (The Traveler finds themselves in an Abyssal realm)
- (TravelerTraveler): (Where am I?)
- (TravelerTraveler): (There's a thick fog covering my field of vision.)
- (TravelerTraveler): (This feels more real than a dream, but too chilling to be real life. My breath freezes in my throat before I can even exhale it... It feels like my soul has been wrenched from my body and thrust into this strange and unfamiliar space.)
- (TravelerTraveler): (Whichever direction I look in, there's no end in sight. And worse than that... I think there's something in the fog, following me like a shadow.)
- (TravelerTraveler): (If this is a dream, how long till I wake up? And if it's not, then where in the world am I?)
- (An entity emerges from an Abyssal rift and attacks the Traveler)
- (TravelerTraveler): Oof...!
- (TravelerTraveler): (What in the... Something just pierced through the fog and stabbed me in the back. But, there's no blood...)
- (TravelerTraveler): (There's a strange light coming from the wound, and I see this familiar-looking spike retreating back into the darkness... Deep inside, it feels like a part of me is missing. And now another wave of fatigue is washing over me...)
- (The Traveler wakes up)
- Paimon: (TravelerTraveler)! (TravelerTraveler)!
- Paimon: Rise and shine! Time to wake up!
- (TravelerTraveler): ...
- Paimon: *yawn*... For once, you're making Paimon look like an early riser. It's already afternoon! Hopefully all that sleep did you some good. Feeling any better?
- Paimon...
- I need you to check if there's a cut on my back...
- Paimon: A cut? What, did you scratch yourself in your sleep? Alright, let Paimon take a look...
- Paimon: Uh... Nope! Nothing there... *gasp* Wait, did you have a nightmare?
- Paimon: Uhh... Okay, don't panic, umm... Paimon heard that dreams tell us what we need by showing us the opposite, so... if you had a nightmare, maybe all you need is something to cheer you up! C'mon, Paimon will treat you to something yummy!
- You and Paimon head to Wanmin Restaurant. Sensing that something isn't right, Paimon orders a bunch of dishes to cheer you up.
- Paimon: What? So in this dream, you were trapped in a weird place with thick fog everywhere, and then a spike came out of nowhere and stabbed you in the back?
- Paimon: Okay, well that's a new one. Are you sure it was a dream? 'Cause from the way you describe it, it sounds like you were really there...
- Paimon: But, then again, you woke up right where you went to bed. And you were definitely in a deep sleep this morning.
- I don't know what to make of it, either...
- Maybe it was just a very lifelike dream.
- Paimon: Then, it's decided. Paimon will stay up and watch over you tonight! If anyone tries to mess with you, Paimon will beat 'em up!
- Paimon: Or, uh... Wake you up first and then we can beat 'em up together!
- (TravelerTraveler): (Paimon's smile has a way of putting me at ease.)
- (TravelerTraveler): (But, what I saw is still bothering me. That dream was so chilling, and it almost feels like there's something watching me from some corner of the world even now...)
- (TravelerTraveler): (Something stabbed me in my dream, but when I woke up, there was no wound. Still, if I focus on that area, I feel a vague aching... almost as if, deep underneath the flesh, something is...)
- ???: ...Something is missing?
- (!!!)
- Paimon: Uh, did you just say something?
- You heard that, too?
- ???: The flesh remains whole, but the soul is incomplete. Left unresolved, the mind will wither away along with it.
- Paimon: Wah, what the... Wait! Paimon remembers you! You're Childe's master! Sk... ork?
- Skirk.
- Paimon: Right! What are you doing here?
- Paimon: The last time we saw you was at the Primordial Sea in Fontaine, right? But, then we left and never learned where you went after that.
- Paimon: Childe's been looking everywhere for you, by the way. What brings you to Wanmin Restaurant, of all places? You came here looking for us? And were you the one behind that hocus-pocus just now?
- Skirk: Tell me. What is it that you saw?
- (TravelerTraveler): ...
- Skirk: Tight-lipped, huh? I suppose that's fair.
- (If the player has not met Skirk yet, an introductory note appears on screen)
- Skirk — Void Star
A mysterious figure of unknown provenance, she claims to be a disciple of Surtalogi "The Foul" and the master of Childe.
Ice-cold and aloof, she shows interest only in beings of immense strength.
After you and Neuvillette defeated the All-Devouring Narwhal, she suddenly appeared before you and sealed the ferocious beast away within a special space.
- Skirk: You. I'll take a glass of wine.
- Chef Mao: Hmm? Oh, of course. Coming right up.
- Chef Mao: We make this one in-house — it's not too strong. Enjoy!
- Captain Wu: Chef Mao, I'll take a Grilled Tiger Fish over here!
- Chef Mao: Coming right up! *sigh*... If I knew we'd be this busy, I wouldn't have approved Shenhe's vacation...
- Skirk: At the end of the day, what happens to you is of little consequence to me. I'm not here to try and win you over. Trust me or not — the choice is yours.
- Skirk: If you want my help, now's the time to speak up. You have until I finish my drink.
- What do you know about this situation?
- Why are you here?
- Skirk: I was investigating an Abyssal disturbance in the area and happened to notice you.
- Skirk: Part of your soul is damaged, and the wound bears traces of Abyssal corrosion. Need I say more?
- Paimon: Neither of those things sound good...
- (TravelerTraveler): (Skirk seems to know something. And given what I've seen of her strength, I bet she can tell what happened to me.)
- (TravelerTraveler): (I don't know what her goal is, but in this moment at least, I don't think she has bad intentions.)
- Paimon: Well? Should we trust her?
- What do you think, Paimon?
- Paimon: She mentioned an Abyssal disturbance... Maybe that has something to do with what's going on with you. But, we could always find a different expert on the Abyss to help us out...
- Not on short notice.
- Paimon: Yeah, and that thing she said about your soul being damaged is scaring Paimon... Definitely something we should fix sooner rather than later.
- Paimon: Skirk's an interesting one, that's for sure. But from what Childe's told us, she doesn't seem... evil, at least.
- Skirk: 1, 2... 7... 10. That'll do.
- Skirk: Well? Have you made up your mind?
- (TravelerTraveler): ...
- (TravelerTraveler): What I saw was a dark space shrouded in a dense fog that wouldn't disperse.
- You give Skirk a brief description of your "dream."
- Paimon: So, that's all we know, Miss Skirk, um, ma'am. Can you help us?
- Skirk: So, you couldn't disperse the fog...
- Skirk: ...I understand. Come find me in the Guili Plains when you're done here. Oh, and I left cash for the drink on the table. Settle the bill for me, will you?
- Paimon: Oh, uh, okay... Huh?
- Paimon: She disappeared!
- You and Paimon quickly finish your meal and go to settle the bill.
- Chef Mao: Wait, hold on, you overpaid. Here's your change.
- Paimon: Oh, no, this includes the drink, so it should be the right amount.
- Chef Mao: I didn't think you two ordered a drink.
- Paimon: We didn't! It was that lady who came and sat with us, remember? You brought it out to her yourself!
- Chef Mao: You sure? I could have sworn there were only two of you at that table...
- Paimon: What?
- Captain Wu: Haha, what did you put in their dish, Chef Mao? Some kind of hallucinogenic mushroom? You've got them seeing things!
- Paimon: Seeing things? Wait, so neither of you noticed her? Young lady, about this tall, wearing a purple dress? She ordered a glass of wine.
- Chef Mao: Ohh... Now you mention it, that vaguely rings a bell. And it looks like I did open the wine jar, so... Haha, it must have just slipped my mind. In any case, that settles your bill. Come again soon!
- Lan: Chef Mao, check please!
- Chef Mao: Coming!
- Paimon: Okay, what was going on there? It's like they didn't remember Skirk being there at all.
- Paimon: Even Paimon was half-convinced we hallucinated the whole thing... But, that Mora she left for us was definitely real.
- Paimon: Ooh... This whole situation is giving Paimon the creeps... But anyway, she told us to head to the Guili Plains, right? Let's not keep her waiting!
Step DescriptionYou encounter Childe's master, Skirk, while eating at Wanmin Restaurant. She seems to be able to identify the source of your issues. Go to Guili Plains and talk to her.
- (Approach the marked area)
-
- (The time changes to evening [17:00])
- Paimon: Whoa, what are all these Rifthounds doing here?
- Paimon: Huh, looks like they're collecting something...
- Paimon: Let's go check it out!
- (After defeating the Rifthounds)
- Paimon: So, this is what they were collecting. It looks kinda like...
- God remains?
- Paimon: Yeah! What is going on here...
- Skirk: From the moment they are born, all beings with great power have an impact on this world. Even if their body is sundered and their soul extinguished, their influence remains.
- (Skirk walks toward two Thundercraven Rifthounds approaching her and freezes them with a stare as they are about to attack her)
- Skirk: Gods are the most common example of that. The remnants of gods who fell thousands of years ago remain buried deep within the earth, carrying within them a warped will and a dark curse.
- Skirk: Together, these remnants form what you call "god remains." And it appears that some of those sealed here were dug up and removed. There are traces left, but they're fading fast.
- Skirk: ...What are you doing?
- Paimon: N—Nothing! Just wanted to make sure you were, um, real...
- Paimon: She's definitely not a ghost, (TravelerTraveler). Paimon poked her and she's solid...
- After you left the restaurant...
- The other diners acted like you were never there.
- Skirk: Your life hangs in the balance, and that's what you're fixated on? Strange set of priorities...
- Skirk: It was just a trick to avoid being perceived. If someone notices me, those memories are erased, simple as that.
- Skirk: Unlike you, I have no desire to establish a connection with the world. The weak and the lowly have no right to remember me. They're lucky they only have a few missing memories to show for it.
- Skirk: Now, can we please get back on track?
- Paimon: Okay! Um, where were we...?
- Paimon: Right, the god remains! So basically, there's now less of them here than there used to be, right? Isn't that a good thing?
- Paimon: In our experience, god remains are one-hundred percent bad news. A lot of terrible things have happened because of them!
- Skirk: Maybe it's a good thing by human standards. But, power doesn't come from nothing, and it doesn't just disappear for no reason.
- Skirk: The remains aren't just gone — they were taken.
- Like part of my soul was taken?
- (The time changes to night [19:00])
- Skirk: Very clever, (TravelerTraveler). You aren't the only one who had something taken from you. There are victims like you everywhere — the only difference being, you can speak, and the remains cannot. So, it went unnoticed.
- Skirk: Something similar happened in Sumeru. Within the span of one night, countless Consecrated Beasts were slaughtered, and a large amount of the god remains buried in the desert went missing.
- Skirk: Of course, god remains are just one of the targets. The culprit is chipping away at sources of power all over this world, including the Stella Fortuna above.
- Paimon: Wait, you mean... the stars?
- Skirk: Mm-hmm. Forty-two of them have died out in the past few months alone.
- Skirk: In Khaenri'ah, people believed that powerful individuals have corresponding Stella Fortuna. Even should that individual fall, their Stella Fortuna would not disappear, but gradually evolve into a new constellation.
- Skirk: Yet now, stars are disappearing from the skies entirely, and it's not hard to deduce what's happening to the power they contain.
- Skirk: Something has been leeching power from this world like a parasite steals nutrients from a host. And, now, it's no longer satisfied with the remains of the dead — it wants you.
- Skirk: This time, it only took a fragment of your soul. But next time? There's no telling how far it could go.
- But, why me?
- Skirk: No one knows. All I know for certain is this — getting back what you lost will not be easy.
- Skirk: Considering how much power this entity has stolen, it must be a god-level being by now at least. But, that's not the real concern. Souls are fragile things, and yours could easily be crushed if you go up against it.
- Paimon: Um... So, you're gonna help us, right?
- Skirk: We're going to help each other. You are my ticket to uncovering this thing's true identity.
- Paimon: Well, great! You seem super strong, and you know a lot about the Abyss, so Paimon will take it!
- Thank you.
- Skirk: Don't get all mushy on me. All I'm doing is helping you get back to normal after a sudden crisis.
- Skirk: And, I should warn you, getting mixed up with me can have unforeseen consequences. We're on very different journeys. You don't want to be in my debt, trust me.
- Skirk: You help me uncover the truth behind this entity, and I'll help you recover what you lost. This is a transaction, that's all.
- (Skirk opens an Abyssal rift and walks inside)
- Skirk: You would do well to remember that. Now, come along.
- Paimon: Yeesh... You'd think she'd be a little friendlier since she's agreed to help us. But nope, she's just like when we met her in the Primordial Sea... So cold...
- Paimon: Well, whatever! If that's how it's gonna be, then she doesn't deserve our friendship! What she does deserve is a super embarrassing nickname...
- Paimon: Ah, Paimon's got it! "Frosty the Lavender Melon"! Hehe, serves that ice queen right.
- Paimon: Anyway, the important thing is that we get that piece of your soul back! So, let's follow her and see what sort of plan she's got!
- (Enter the Abyssal rift)
- Paimon: Whoa, this place is way bigger than Paimon expected! Where are we?
- Skirk: This is where I live. I suppose it's the closest thing I have to a "home" here.
- It seems more like somewhere in the Abyss?
- Skirk: It is. I brought you here because time flows differently in this place.
- Skirk: I don't know how much Ajax has told you, but when he fell into this space, I mentored him for three months. In that time, only three days passed in the outside world.
- Paimon: Ajax... Oh, right! That's Childe's real name. Yeah, Paimon remembers him mentioning something like that...
- Paimon: So, a month here is equivalent to one day in the outside world? That should mean we're safe from that power-hungry soul-snatcher for now, right?
- Skirk: Yes, well, I didn't bring you here just to show you around. In the outside world, (TravelerTraveler) could be attacked at any moment. But, coming here has bought us quite a bit of time.
- Skirk: Now, we just need to figure out how to investigate that place you saw. The one full of fog.
- Skirk: Both your description and the Abyssal disturbance I felt point to that space having some connection to the Abyss. It could even be a domain similar to this one.
- Skirk: The thief who stole that fragment of your soul is hiding there. But the Abyss is a chaotic and turbulent place. If we want to pinpoint their location, we need to see what that space looks like without the fog.
- Skirk: Abyssal power can grant a special form of sight. Have you ever wielded Abyssal power before?
- No.
- Not that I'm aware of.
- Skirk: Okay, do you plan to learn?
- ...For now, no.
- I'm kind of at odds with the Abyss.
- Skirk: That tracks. All the information you have suggests the Abyss is something sinister, and that Abyssal power is a wild and dangerous force that always spells disaster.
- Paimon: And you're saying that's not true?
- Skirk: Depends on your perspective. Floods and hurricanes take countless lives too, but if one day you gained the power to control them, what was once a calamity is now just another tool in your arsenal.
- Skirk: I'll respect your opinion, though. Just means we have to turn to the second-best option.
- What's this?
- Skirk: A little Abyss Crystal that contains my power. Wear it on your head, and we'll be able to perform dream-mirroring when we fall asleep.
- Paimon: ..."Dream-mirroring"?
- Skirk: It means experiencing whatever the other person is dreaming. Everything they see, think, and feel.
- Skirk: Since you haven't studied the art of using Abyssal power and have no plans to jump in the deep end right now, I'll have to do the investigating for you.
- Skirk: With dream-mirroring, every time you slip into a deep sleep, I'll see with my own eyes whatever scene plays out in your mind. Then, I can guide you through the dream environment and we'll take back what was stolen from you.
- Paimon: Huh... You make it sound so simple!
- So all I need to do is... wait?
- Is there anything you need me to do?
- Skirk: Tough to say. This is an unprecedented situation for both of us. Even assuming we do manage to find where this entity is hiding, like I said, getting your soul fragment back won't be easy.
- Skirk: To play it safe, I need to give you some special training first.
- Paimon: Wait, you're gonna teach (TravelerTraveler) some of your martial arts?
- Paimon: Does that mean... the next time we see Childe, we have to treat him like our senior!?
- Skirk: Do as you want. For my part, I don't see you as my disciples.
- Skirk: You're already a pretty good fighter. All I'm planning to do is build on your current skills and train you for the specific scenarios that I think we might face.
- Skirk: But that's enough talk. If you're ready to do this, then come with me. Time might be more lenient here, but that's no excuse to waste it.
- Paimon: She moves fast... Paimon can hardly keep up with her.
- Paimon: So, "special training," huh? Kind of a rare opportunity... With your skills, there's not a lot of people qualified to train you.
- Paimon: The last time something like this happened was probably... "Anti-Raiden Shogun Training," right? Feels like a lifetime ago.
- Paimon: Skirk seems pretty strong too though. Remember how she said that the All-Devouring Narwhal was just her master's "pet"? Huh, maybe we really will learn something here!
Soundtracks[]
No Soundtracks match the category selection.
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Sinister Undercurrent | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 暗涌 | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 暗湧 | |
| Japanese | 暗流 | |
| Korean | 암류 Amnyu | |
| Spanish | Una corriente tenebrosa | A Dark Current |
| French | Sinistre courant sous-jacent | Sinister Undercurrent |
| Russian | Скрытое течение Skrytoye techeniye | Hidden Current |
| Thai | คลื่นใต้น้ำ | |
| Vietnamese | Sóng Ngầm | |
| German | Unheilvolle Strömung | Sinister Current |
| Indonesian | Arus Bawah yang Menyeramkan | Sinister Undercurrent |
| Portuguese | Corrente Sinistra | |
| Turkish | Uğursuz Akıntı | |
| Italian | Sentori sinistri |
Change History[]
Released in Version 5.7