Bioni-lords Lecture: Origins
Entry posted by Pahrak Model ZX
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Here's the first of my lectures, the origins of Bioni-Lords. Even though parts of it are a little embarrassing, and it's not exactly epic or anything, I thought you might still want to know...ahem:
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
Actually it was the early 2000s, somewhere in the US I won't disclose due to paranoia. I was a kid in the age where Pokemon and Digimon were the big thing, but because my parents thought said shows were too violent my sisters and I weren't allowed to watch them, so...well, in my mind I had to come up with something to counter them. I came up with weird stuff like Claymon, Transformermon, Monstermon (before I realized that the "mon" in those titles was short for "monster"...), and, of course, Bionimon. Through the years the only one that really, really stuck was Bionimon, which saw several different incarnations which were all just kind of...there.
Eventually, after I was finally allowed to watch and play Pokemon (Gold version was the first I really got into...loved my Typhlosion...), I decided to make the next incarnation of Bionimon more defined--I gave each Bionimon types and stats, and a few got special effects (Tahu, Kopaka, and Makuta)--and put it on BZPower as a game. Said game was, of course, a complete rip-off of Pokemon: you would take your starter Bionimon, a Bionidex, and several Bioniballs, and have the option of entering grass to encounter wild Bionimon on your way to cities where you would take on the Gym Leader and win masks. I even thought up different types of Bioniballs, Nui Machines (think Technical Machines), and a bunch of sidequests, including one later on where you entered a different world and actually became the Bionimon.
Several members joined the game and seemed to enjoy it, and I also held a contest--the original list had only 119 Bionimon, and I wanted an even number. So, some members sent in designs for the 120th Bionimon, and in the end I chose one that towered over all others--Mairi, with an attack that could slay most Bionimon in one hit and an effect that gave it, effectively, twice the maximum HP. The game was rather short-lived, though; the Premier who opened the topic said he couldn't keep up and had the topic closed. Since I was younger at the time I was pretty angry, but I've since outgrown that--the closing of Bionimon is actually one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me.
I wanted to reopen Bionimon, but for some reason I thought that if I made another game exactly the same it would just get shut down again because the original one was. So I completely changed it. I took the idea of becoming Bionimon and expanded upon that, changing "Bionimon" to "Bioni-Spirits." I took away the need for Bioniballs as well, for these Bioni-Spirits would turn into glass Orbs filled with sparks of energy when defeated, and humans could then use these Orbs to merge with the Spirit and gain armor that carried the abilities and powers of said Spirit. I used islands instead of cities, "Element-Lords" instead of Gym Leaders, "Battlefields" instead of Gyms, and in place of masks I used "Ultima-Orbs," orbs that were entirely one color that activated the special effects of those select few Bioni-Spirits who had them and let humans use more than one Spirit in each battle. The idea of encountering Bionimon/Bioni-Spirits in the grass was taken out--Spirits would randomly appear on the bridges between islands and in the areas of the islands that were unpopulated. I even doubled each Spirit's HP and changed it to "Fusion Energy."
A new name was needed, of course, and I came up with "Bioni-Lords": "Bioni" for "Bionicle", "Lord" as in "Master," so the term roughly translates to "Master of Bionicles." That wasn't enough, however--I felt the need to protect Mairi, the first and, at the time, only Bioni-Spirit who was not designed by me. Mairi's creator bestowed the new name "Obscura" upon his Spirit, and one Premier Application later I opened Bioni-Lords: The Game here on BZPower. More contests were held and eventually I actually held a tournament or two, and I added in healing items and a few other tweaks to the system. Other members contributed more and more, sending in Orbs outside of the contests and, at one point, new Elements were even suggested. It lasted a while, but eventually I gave up on the game and it died...though I have been searching for a Phoenix Down to use on it as of late...
Early on during all this I decided to write a story to go along with Bioni-Lords, which was actually put on BZP before the game. Bioni-Lords: The Epic was originally very simple: a kid based on me, "Khadaz" (which is "Zadakh" beckwards, more or less; I was 12 at the time, so he was also 12), would go from island to island and gather the Ultima-Orbs, and since I needed something after that I made him the "Chosen One" (generic...), destined to defeat...hm, what could a generic final boss be called...how about "the 10th Level Bioni-Lord," since there are only 9 Elements? And his lackeys, the Team Rocket of this world, can be called..."the Shade-Gang"...yeah...I'll put up guest star forms just in case people get interested.
Quite obviously, the story underwent huge revision, since it went on for, oh...three years. I procrastinate, and then you throw in writer's block and...three years. Some story points were dropped, guest stars came in, my writing improved, characters got developed...you know, stuff like that. A lot of contributions were made by other people, and in the end Bioni-Lords became what I like to call my definitive work. Since I'm impatient, I planned out a whole eight book saga, but then with a litte encouragement and thought I cut three books out and came out with a five book saga. Right now, I'm on Book 2...but I don't think this one will take quite as long as the first, even with more islands and a frequently revesited Lost Continent.
There are a few points that can be expanded upon, but I'll save them for their own lectures. I think that about covers the origin of Bioni-Lords, so...thanks for your time; I don't want to keep you any longer, so off you go! Have a nice day! 
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