Skinamarink

**Skinamarink** is a supporting (former) antagonist in the *Divine Comedy*.

A sinner and Overlord, Skinamarink rules over the toy industry and is known by the denizens as the "Toy Demon". He designs and manufactures all the toys for young demons but with a twist; the toys have a malefic sentience to where they can attack and injure any demon or sinner that they perceive as a threat to their owner.

Unlike most Overlords, Skinamarink is closed off from others and spends the majority of his damnation in his own toy factory which he uses as his home and base of operations. Skinamarink is also one of the somewhat "benign" Overlords in that he is quite friendly to others but a merciless and terrifying entity to his enemies.

## History

### Background

Skinamarink was then known as Stanley Ludwig and was a visionary and creative genius. Born in Chicago in 1901, Ludwig developed an early interest in toys. He took engineering classes as a boy and got a job as toy advertiser at the age of 18. He moved to California in the early 1920s, becoming more adventurous and saw to create a wondrous place known as Playtime Co. which was completed in the mid 1930s.

Ludwig devoted every waking second of his life to bring joy to children. However, this relentless work ethic came at a cost of his personal life, as his wife divorced him in 1930. Despite this, as well as the unfortunate death of his daughter Constance Ludwig occurring in the 1960s, Stanley never stopped creating. He revolutionized the toy industry and brought happiness to millions around the globe, with such a drive fueled by his desire to see his daughter again. His commitment to bring joy and happiness towards children led him to creating an orphanage for unwanted children, stating that a child should never be left unloved and should have someone to comfort them when they see a monster in their closet.

However, Stanley had a dark side to him, one which he hid from the public. He would take matters into his own hands when it came to children being harmed by others to where he not only murders them but goes so far as to mutilate their bodies and modify them into toys. His toys would also become more advanced as time went on to where he developed technology akin to a parabolic microphone that would be hidden in some of the toys to listen in on any private family matters that concerned the child and if they are roped into the abuse they suffered in order to enact his plan. Inevitably, he becomes the monster in the closet, but the one who protects the child.

### Arrival in Hell

Stanley, unfortunately, met his death at the hands of one of his own co-workers who sought to attain the ownership of Ludwig's empire. Because of his actions, Stanley was condemned to Hell, reborn as a demon made out of various toy parts. Despite his circumstances, Stanley was fueled by his ambition in making toys for children and continued his work even in Hell. The first toy he creates was a porcelain doll modeled after his late daughter and used as a means to cling onto his humanity.

Abandoning his original name, he now goes by Skinamarink, and reconstructs his factory from scratch while also growing in power, culminating in him becoming an Overlord. Feared as the Toy Demon, sinners that are pedophiles, molesters, and abusers in life towards children all know better than to be on Skinamarink's radar for they suffer a fate worse than death. Such a fate involves them being mutilated and repurposed as toys that mindlessly work in Skinamarink's factory to continuously produce toys. Despite his reputation, Skinamarink is rather friendly since he still retains his humanity and has even developed a close friendship with fellow Overlord Acrylic.

## Trivia

* Skinamarink's life as a human is heavily inspired by Walt Disney.