Who is The Skull Merchant in Dead by Daylight lore?

With the advent of the Tools of Torment chapter, technology comes to the world of Dead by Daylight. Armed with a two-pronged blade, this Killer monitors the battlefield, using her drone to surveil in secret. Using her technological tools, The Skull Merchant keeps an eye on Survivors, sowing confusion and paranoia in her victims. Despite her threatening persona, The Skull Merchant was once a young girl enamored with her father's stories. Come join us as we explain the lore of The Skull Merchant in Dead by Daylight.

The Skull Merchant's lore, explained

Adriana's humble origins

Adriana Imai hated when things got in her way. She deserved the top spot, she had worked for it, she was a prodigy. Adriana reigned as the highest-achieving student in her class for years, due to her brilliant mind and determination to be the best. Ever since she was a child, Adriana's creativity was fostered by her parents, with her father reading his self-written manga stories every night at bedtime. He believed the stories would take off, if only he could get them published.

Salvation came in the form of a business proposal. A local publisher offered to sponsor his stories, providing a modest set of royalties for his written work. Her father's dream finally came true, but it also consumed his life. He quit his day job, spending hours drafting new ideas and illustrating characters. Adriana's simultaneous success in the academics caught the attention of a prestigious school, and despite the looming cost of enrollment, her parents supported her pursuits.

Adriana was the best. She studied at a respected private school, she soared above her classmates' performances, everything was finally right. When her father lost his job and her family pulled her out of the academy, however, a well of envy brewed in her soul. Her reign as the head of her class was usurped by a male student, and out of quiet hatred, she stalked him each day. She learned everything about him. She knew where he lived. She could have killed him. Even though she caused no direct harm, a passion for torment planted itself in her gut.

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The Skull Merchant is nurtured into existence

Her father whispered stories of an anti-hero named The Skull Merchant. The fictional woman hunted her victims like prey animals, monitoring their every move with macabre drones. Whenever anyone stood in her way, The Skull Merchant cut them down like weeds, exterminating the competition. Adriana dreamed of that power, craving an unblocked road to the top of the food chain. With her sharp mind and drive for success, Adriana grappled her way to financial comfort, becoming a millionaire at 18 using unethical tactics.

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As she grew older, her money multiplied. When someone questioned her methods, she silenced them. She sought to embody The Skull Merchant, developing a cutthroat attitude toward those she deemed inferior. She set her sights on larger and larger pursuits, leaving a carefully hidden trail of destruction in her wake. On her final mission, she coaxed the manager of a fireworks company into a desolate area. She created drones resembling that of The Skull Merchant and set them loose, instructing them to search for the manager in the wilderness.

For hours, she hunted her victim, finally finding him in the company of witnesses. To prevent further complications, she drove her self-made blades into the manager's chest, chasing the witnesses with bloodlust in her eyes. Encroaching upon the forest, a deep and warm fog called her in. For a blissful moment, the world felt like her father's stories. The fog promised more. She entered without hesitation.

For more Dead by Daylight guides, come check out Who is The Blight in Dead by Daylight lore? here on Pro Game Guides.