The Legend of the Thirteenth Island!

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

Come my friends. Take a seat. Though this lowly tavern be filled with lolling drunkards and the stink of fish, it be a fine place for a story. Not a free story o'course, nothing round here is free. Just fill me tankard one more time, we'll consider that fair payment. Little bit more. Little bit more. There we go! Now let the sounds o' the sea wash over you as the tides of time roll you back through their inky depths. Let me tell you about...

The Legend of the Thirteenth Island!

These fair isles in the south have always been a little…lacking in the trivialities of law. The Barraki scorned to lord over us, lest their feet get wet on their high thrones. Axonn the Axe-Lord merely battled and butchered, he did not rule. No-one has cared what happens in this archipelago since the Great Beings first raised them from the ocean. Archipelago, 's a fancy word for a group of islands. That little fact'll cost you another tankard if you please. Thats a good lad. Anyway, laws. Don't exist in this part of the world. And lots of water and no laws, well, that means pirates. It just does. One of those facts o' life. Like how dropped bread always lands on the buttered side. In the end it turned into one o' them, whatchya call 'em? Vicious circles! Pirates sprang up, stole from anyone trying to get a toehold in the islands, forcing 'em out. Less people to enforce any hope of order and more people without a living meant more pirates. Meaning more pirate attacks. Meaning less and less order. And so on. 'swhy it's so much fun around here these days. A pirate's paradise. Least it was before the Brotherhood showed up, with their iron soldiers…

But before the shadow-slime, before the Barraki, before even the Axe-Lord, there was a pirate who…well he was a god amongst insects. Black Jaqkli. Ah, I see by the glint in your eyes that you've heard of him. As well you should. One of them tentacley types from up north, he was a master of all he surveyed. And with three eyes, thats a lot of surveying. He had loyal armies as his crews, an armada of battleships as his fleet. And the treasure? Oh the treasure! Powerful enough to go plunderin' the southern continent he was, stripping it of every last trinket and bauble. The piles of wealth he gathered were said to rival the sun for how they gleamed so.

But there were darker rumours about the god-admiral of the southern islands. Rumours that clung to him like seaweed to a corpse, that earned him the epithet 'Black'. Rumours about terrible bargains struck with things of horror and madness. Rumours about fell deeds of blood and ritual. Rumours that he'd found the secret of true immortality, or been given a fantastical new island obedient to his every whim, or been bestowed with the gift to charm minds and bend thoughts...

The first at least was proved false when a raid went wrong. The southern continent had grown tired of death arriving by sea and prepared a hefty defence. On that day it was shown that, black god of the sea or not, Jaqkli still bled like a mortal. Fearful for their admiral, his fleet withdrew but alas, his life had been spilt on the decks from a thousand wounds. It is said that, knowing his time was drawing near, he withdrew with his greatest treasures to that mysterious thirteenth island he was said to possess and, using the lives of all who knew its location as a sacrifice, caused the sea to swallow it up. Black Jaqkli would keep what was his even in the embrace of death…

There lad. Wasn't that a tale for the ages? Full of blood and drama. A terrible captain, a priceless treasure and a mysterious island. Not like the stories we get this day. Bah, that scoundrel LaYarteb may think himself a king of pirates but he's nothing more than a man lucky enough to have both brain and sword in a land where most have only one. Or neither. And this Zavarian from the Brotherhood who thinks himself some new new Axe-Lord, if he were here now I'd tell him to jump off the lighthouse of Golgarish! He makes no move that is not ordered down from his shadow-slime master, dancing on the strings his beloved Makuta pulls!

Hneh.

Another round of grog, there's a good lad.

Aye, 'tis a poor hand of card us civilised folk have been dealt. Just trying to make a living. But we got LaYarteb bleeding us of coin and food, and Zavarian trying to turn us into more clockwork soldiers. And both of 'em turning the place upside down for any sign of that treasure. Artahka help us if either o' the buggers actually find it...

The World At Large

The RPG is set in the Southern Isles of the West around 79,000 years ago, a chain of islands known for being beyond the normal laws and regulations of the Matoran Universe. To say this makes it a home for renegade and villainous behaviour is a gross understatement. There's piracy, smuggling, conquering, slaving and even a little bit of littering. The horror. Really, as long as the right people turn a profit at the end of the day, anything goes. Thats why, even after all these years, the treasure of Black Jaqkli is such a sought after legend. Possessing that vast wealth would give you power over that most motivational of forces; raw greed. Soldiers would fight for you, warlords would bow down to you, smugglers would bring you any object you desired...Everyone would be in your pocket, and you would be the most powerful individual in the isles. A god of gold in a world of avarice surrounded by your beggarly followers. Provided, of course, you can find it. And not fall victim to a thief or assassin since power brings as many enemies as it does friends.

The Isles

Xeros: The most northern of the islands, and one of the richest. Relatively speaking of course. It is close enough to the great continent of the south to trade with it, bringing in currency and gadgetry. This gives it great influence among the other islands thanks their great love of all things shiny.

It is ruled in a most civilised fashion by a parliament of Matoran, the industrious little fellows being the main power on an island with trade as its foundations. The Prime Minister of this little council is a chap by the name of Stepphry, a well-fed and portly from his habit of skimming off the top of taxes.

Skeres: This island used to suffer greatly from being little more than a stop-over point between Xeros and the Triplets. All the real wealth went to them, with Skeres forced to get by on scraps. Recently though it undergone a slight boom…as Hagah Zavarian has assumed control and made the place a base and staging point for Brotherhood activity, including establishing small garrisons in any settlement that swears loyalty. Now the place bustles and swarms with activity as the Brotherhood send in resources, supplies and troops...

Kron, Kair, Kaal [The Triplets]: The hub of all activity in the chain, as the three islands block the natural currents of the water, keeping things calm in the sea between them. It made for easy mooring and harbours quickly sprang up until all three coastlines were covered in the sprawl of industry. If the western chain can said to have any sort of capital, the Triplets is it.

Despite this high standing lawlessness runs more rampant here than any other locale. The Triplets draw so many different cultures, beliefs and breeds of criminal that establishing any kind of official governance has proved impossible.

Dalarii: A blasted and ruined wasteland, torn asunder by the strife of war as a plough furrows a field. What started as the original pillaging of Axonn was continued by his would-be successors, by Skakdi warlords looking to make a name for themselves, by pirate kings seeking plunder…There is never a moment where someone isn't fighting someone else on the island. The current leading group is a band of Skakdi named the Sons of Krim, who got ahead of their competition by declaring allegiance to Zavarian and using the troops he sent to aid them to snuff out their opposition. If they gain real dominance on the island there's a worry the Triplets could be caught between two Brotherhood strongholds...

Morcka: Renowned solely for being the current preferred hideaway of the pirate LaYarteb. He has a small fortified harbour in the narrow neck to dock and repair his ships…though as everyone knows this it can only mean he has several more harbours elsewhere ready to surprise anyone who tries challenging him on home turf.

The inland of the jungle is mostly dense jungle (which LaYarteb exploits for construction) filled with hostile wildlife (which LaYarteb exploits as a natural defence for his bases) and odd localised storms (which to the best of everyone's knowledge LaYarteb has not found a way to exploit. Yet.)

Aubis: There are some scattered settlements here, but for one of the largest islands in the chain it is surprisingly bereft of life. Something about the tides in the area creates a flooding effect that swamps the island every few months, poisoning the land with salt from the seawater. Farms die, harbours are flooded…there is simply too little on offer to make living here worthwhile. It is a refuge for those who desire solitude and isolation. There is nothing here but crofts built on high ground and the odd hermit in a cave somewhere.

Recently the tidal floods have started washing up strange coins on the salty shores of Aubis. Old coins. Coins with markings not seen since the days of Black Jaqkli. The locals have tried keeping news of this within the island, but rumours that the hoard of Jaqkli may be resurfacing are hard to quash…

Axe's Rest: No-one truly knows why the dread Axe-Lord chose to end his campaigns. No warrior brought him low, no general outwitted him. But end the campaigns did, and it was here they ended. It was here that the warrior Axonn simply…disappeared, leaving his conquests to their own devices once more. His more loyal soldiers erected a small monument in the centre of the island as memorial to their leader; a map of the southern isles with an axe cleaving through them, its haft angling towards the sky like an elaborate sundial. A few of those soldiers still leave on the island, clinging to those shreds of hope that their general might still one day reappear...

Axe's Reach: So called because it is the furthest point the Axe-Lord got in his rampage across the western chain. The remains of his army's last camp are still buried in the sands and earth of the island, left abandoned when the leaderless legions dispersed. The islet has not quite recovered from the armies of Axonn's occupation, they drank its rivers dry and devoured every last scrap of food while waiting for their overlord to make a return that would never happen. So Reach remains to this day a largely bleak and barren wasteland.

Golgarish: When the fearsome Axonn descended on his rampage through the southern isles, this was where the last dregs of resistance chose to make their stand here and the entire island was transformed into a mighty fortress. The great walls and mighty towers now lie in ruins, toppled not by Axonn but simple time. Only the tallest watchtower remains, standing proud on the island's northern bluff, converted into a lighthouse to guide the path of ships. The lighthouse was recently bought by a Vortixx clan, who have established one of their own, a surly so-and-so by the name of VanDerBraad, as its keeper, charging a tidy sum to anyone using the tower's light.

Zo Halas: The last island in the chain, and the most mysterious. Far from the rest of the known universe this land is cold and lonely, locked in a permanent state of wintery decay. No-one has explored its autumnal forests, nor dared to live around its mist-shrouded coasts. It is nature's last uncut jewel in the the chain of islands.

Notes on Travelling

Ships in the southern isles do have sails, but rather than use them to catch winds the sails are in fact the single colossal leaf of a unique species of Vuata Maca tree. The still-living tree is formed into the ship's mast allowing its leaf to catch light and convert it into both power to move the ship, and a potential food source (though most ships prefer to carry a more nourishing supply). As result voyaging between islands by boat is a much more reliable affair, with the travel time represented in game with the use of paragraphs. One paragraph gets you from one island to the next. For longer voyages you could either split these travel paragraphs up individually, or test your writing skills and put them all in a single post, or any other combination you want. Just so long as they're there.

Factions

The Free Folk of the Southern Isles

~"No staffs, no axe!

No slaves, no tax!"~

Less a faction as such, more the group term for anyone living in the area who doesn't really belong elsewhere. Anyone who does a spot of pirating under their own flag, anyone who smuggles for coin rather than loyalty, or anyone just trying to make a (relatively) honest living. Most of the free folk want to maintain that 'free' part of their title and oppose the iron fist of the Brotherhood, but there are always those who see security where others see tyranny, and do their bit to help out Zavarian whenever they can get away with it

LaYarteb's Band of the Bloodied Blades

~"For profit and plunder, tear all asunder!"~

Anyone who swears fealty to the pirate known as LaYarteb falls under this banner. From the finest fencer to the dampest deckhand, all owe a cut to their captain, but get a fair share of the remains. While LaYarteb does look upon any attempts to undermine his authority…somewhat poorly, he generally sees to it that anyone toeing the line is treated fairly as long as they're part of his extended crew. And though he does expect people to ask "how high?" when he says "jump", he's usually happy to let captains with their own ships do their own thing for the most part, as trying to micromanage his felonious flotilla would take up valuable looting time.

The Brotherhood of Makuta

~"Order Over All."~

A new faction to arrive on the scene, and not an entirely welcome one. Having vanquished the League of Six Kingdoms, the Brotherhood of Makuta is seeking to secure its hold over the Matoran Universe by bringing the Southern Isles, last refuge from the long arm of the law, under their dominion. Its the only way to keep the rest of the world safe from lunatics like Jaqkli or Axonn. Under orders from the great Miserix, the Makuta Bitil has been put in charge of reigning the isles in and has sent one of his Hagah, Zavarian, over to lead the conquest. He has taken a zero tolerance approach to subduing the various outlaw groups in the Isles, using overwhelming brute force tactics to crush any opposition. Areas of the Isles under his control have any criminal element ripped up root and branch and annihilated, with the legitimate population smothered by increasing taxation to pay for his slow expansion. But many see the chance to make a living in peace without worrying about being stabbed or having their livelihood burnt down every other week as a good thing, and find their sympathies swaying towards the Brotherhood

Profiles

Character profile; there's no limit on how many of these you have.

Name:

Species:

Gender:

Appearance:

Powers:

Equipment:

Biography:

Ship profiles; you're allowed three.

Name:

Description: [What does the ship look like]

Arsenal: [What weapons does it have]

Special Modifications: [Does it have special hiding places for smuggling, some sort of energy storage to give it a boost for speed?]

Notes on Technology

As the RPG is set way back in the annals of history, a lot of the more fancy technology in a Bionicle setting simply hasn't been invented yet. Try to bear that in mind when writing up what gear your character owns.

On a similar note, Spiriah has not yet carried out his experiments on the Skakdi, meaning they lack the usual elemental and vision powers. But, taking a little liberty with standard canon, with no experiments their mental focus hasn't been lowered, allowing them to use Kanohi

Here be monsters!

Name: LaYarteb

Species: Vortixx

Gender: Male

Appearance: A stocky-built figure, the usual silver of a Vortixx replaced with gold as a symbol of his ever-increasing wealth. He lets the tubes and ornaments of Vortixx headgear hang loose around his face like steely dreadlocks. The fingers on his left hand are long twisted claws. He favours the usual tricorn hat and longcoat fashionable around the area

Powers: Can manifest a rhotuka from his left hand, capable of making the target magnetically repulsive. The more charge, the more repellant

Equipment: Cutlass, Fireworks Revolver, Rhotuka launcher built into left hand

Biography: A former slave from Xia, he led a few of his fellows in a daring escape. Daring, but not entirely successful. Not many of his compatriots survived. He and the survivors fled to the southern isles, where they'd be free of any repercussions except the odd bounty hunter. With their aptitude for mechanics they made a roaring trade devising and selling weapons. Until LaYarteb decided he wanted a larger slice of the riches on offer. He subtly encouraged his fellow survivors to fight amongst themselves, getting them to stab each other in the back (literally in most cases) until only he and one other remained. One other who conveniently vanished a few days later. This was when LaYarteb went from making weapons to using them, equipping a few thugs with some of his best equipment and setting them loose anywhere rich enough to pay them to stop. It didn't take him long to earn enough for a ship, and from there it was a simple matter of plundering to his heart's content. He took the pseudonym LaYarteb and made his flag a pair of Xs to make sure everyone knew what sort of person they were dealing with, at least if they were smart enough to figure it out, and just kept building his powerbase from there.

He's a tricksy fellow, fond of making deals but never sticking to them. He has no problem treating anyone who agrees to serve him fairly, but anyone who thinks they're his equal had better watch their back. And their sides. And probably their front too, can't underestimate the stopping power of a knife to the gut.

Name: Nightmare in Daylight

Description: Craggy and rough looking, all odd-looking angles and strange twists. It takes a second glance to realise they're all cosmetic; that the Nightmare is just as streamlined in the water as any other ship, its just the deck thats spiked. That the two masts aren't crooked, the sails have been placed asymmetrically. The whole ship is a thing of deceit and trickery, just like its owner

Arsenal: Eight fixed position cordak launchers, four pointing out from each side of the ship down in the lower deck. A dozen large impact crystal launchers on the upper deck which can be rolled around to fire wherever is needed

Special Modifications: A system of altered Skyblasters that redirect heat from the lower decks and force it into the water around the ship, creating a shroud of mist and steam that hides the Nightmare from view

Name: Zavarian

Species: Toa

Gender: Male

Appearance: A striking figure of red and burnished bronze, his mask in the shape of the classic Hau. Tends to wear a form of dress-armour that he thinks represents the splendour of the Makuta, and which everyone else thinks looks poncey.

Powers: Elemental fire powers

Equipment: Double-headed axe. Kite shield capable of summoning a power-negation rhotuka. Kanohi Kakama, Mask of Speed

Biography: Zavarian has been a Toa as long as he can remember, as far as his memories go he's had no life but the one he's spent serving Bitil. And since its the only life he can ever imagine wanting, he's fine with that.

While Zavarian lacks any real flair, preferring to just follow the orders Bitil gives him, he follows those orders with a certain methodical ruthlessness that is downright terrifying. If he's gets told to destroy a village, he'll reduce it rubble down to the foundations, if ordered to save a tribe he'll give his life to ensure not one of those Matoran gets so much as a single scratch. A man of extremes.

He has arrived in the southern islands with a force of Exo-Toa and Rahkshi donated by the Brotherhood of Makuta, along with whatever Toa, Skakdi, Vortixx and so on that he could recruit on the journey from Destral. From a fortified position on Skeres he sends his troops out on what he dubs "demonstrations" to annihilate pirate fleets, wipe out bands of brigands and so forth, to try and quash any potential threats and smooth the way for proper rule

Name: Velvet Glove

Description: An enormous three-masted affair, a great hulk of a warship complete with a cladding of armour. Its so large and heavy that its had pontoons affixed to the sides as stabilisers to stop it rolling over

Arsenal: Appropriately enough, fourteen Hagah Plasma Cannons emerging from the lower levels of the ship. The upper deck has a compliment of both firework rifles and Ghost Blasters as antipersonnel weaponry, since the Velvet Glove is tall enough to rain gunfire down on the decks of most other ships in the seas

Special Modifications: The stabilising pontoons have been made out of Kanoka protodermis and have properties similar to a Kakama, allowing the Velvet Glove to really move when it needs to

Rules

• BZP Rules apply, obviously.
• No god-modding (e.g. controlling someone else's character, having your character do something impossible). And if someone god-modes against you, don't do it back, tell a Staffie.
• This is a Text-Based RPG, so to join in you post what is basically a miniature story for what is currently happening to your character.
• Don't bunny (meaning control extensively) other peoples characters without their permission.
• No silliness such as suddenly firing cream pies from your ship's cannons. Believe me, it's not as funny as you think.
• Don't glory hog or continuously degrade someone else's character.
• Use IC for In-Character and OOC for Out-Of-Character.
  e.g:
  IC: The Toa leapt from ledge to ledge, escaping the enraged Rahi
  
  OOC: Hey Randommember1, care to join in?
• Legendary (eg. Time and Life) and unique (eg. Light and Shadow) masks are given a blanket ban, but other masks will be dealt with on a case to case basis

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Xeros)

 

I drew a long breath as I let my feet dangle off the pier, bobbing in the water like newborn Keras Crabs. My teeth methodically mashing on a piece of straw, with my one good eye peering over the horizon towards the world beyond, towards the Southern Continent, a mischievous little smirk stretching across the agile shape of my mask like a cutie mark.

 

Behind me, the citizens of Xeros went about their boring little daily lives as usual. Sure, Xeros was nice and all, but it could also be incredibly dull. The Triplets were at least exciting.

 

I had put up a note on a nearby signboard, declaring my availability for any sort of delivery to the Triplets, to Dalarii, or maybe Golgarish. Really, just about anywhere but Skeres.

 

Zavarian really had an awful lot of nerve coming here, I ought to give that guy a piece of my mind at some point, but for now I needed something to do.

 

I sent a flat rock skipping across the water as I waited, sighing quietly.

 

OOC: Alright, Rilvi's open

Edited February 1, 2014 by Dr. O

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

Dalarii. A dull little hourglass of an island. There used to be a settlement that rivalled Xeros there, but it had refused to bow the knee to Axonn and had paid the price. He'd had it burnt right down to the foundations, then had the foundations dug up and systematically smashed to rubble. An example to all others who would dare stand against his fury. Things had just downhill from there as petty pretenders and would-be warlords struggled to control that rubble like birds over crumbs. Centuries of conflict had turned the place into a torn up ruin of mud and broken stone. There was no settlement now, nor any farmlands or forests or mines, leaving the remaining gangs fighting more for principle than anything else. They even needed to ship in supplies of food or have their enforcers starve, something which had gotten considerably harder for everyone ever since the Brotherhood of Makuta had started imposing their taxation laws.

Harder for everyone except the Sons of Krim.

The blood-brothers of a long dead Skakdi warchief named Krim, the Sons had shown remarkable foresight for Skakdi and quickly allied with the Brotherhood, who fed them a steady trickle of supplies and weaponry. Steady, but enough that they were fast becoming the dominant force on the island. And this LaYarteb could not allow. The Brotherhood already held Skeres, if their puppets made a stronghold out of Dalarii then the Triplets would find themselves caught in a noose. Pirates did not have the resources or the patience to withstand the constant squeeze of a siege, especially not against the Brotherhood's vast and varied means. The only option was to prevent such a noose from ever being woven. Which is why the Nightmare in Daylight was now lurking around Dalarii's eastern coast, with a very definite goal in mind. The Sons had constructed a harbour around there, used to receive the Brotherhood barges, and had fiercely guarded it against their rivals on the island.

It was, however, less protected against attacks by sea.

Ah, there it was now. A rickety thing of wood and rope, little more than a trio of jetties spanning out from a coastal hub of sheds. Through his spyglass LaYarteb could see a few Skakdi, festooned in the scarlet warpaint of the Sons, going about their daily business. They had no idea what was about to hit them. A whistled a specific series of notes, a cue to the Toa of Water and Air in the crows nest to start their work. The pair had pulled this same trick dozens of times before and swiftly raised a cloying mist of vapour, that billowed forth to engulf the harbour, the hand of an immaterial god clutching the Skakdi's work in his fist. But the pirates weren't done yet. One of the mist makers possessed a Mahiki, and used the mask's ability to weave light to project an exact replica of the harbour onto the suffocating fog. Now the Skakdi would be acting blind...a disadvantage the gunnery crews of the Nightmare were fortunately free of.

 

"Prepare a landing party," LaYarteb hissed to his first mate, almost drowned out by the creak of gun ports opening. "I don't want a single board of that place standing by the time we're done."

 

By now the cordak artillery was armed and ready, aimed at the illusory harbour and by extension the real harbour behind it.

 

"Give 'em a broadside."

 

LaYarteb's grim chuckles were lost beneath the sound of four guns firing at once, and the explosions as the cordak bullets hit home...

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

[iC - Jelarax] - [Dalarii]

 

... at least, those other than one which happened to be aimed at Jelarax, and which was immediately grabbed by telekinetic force as it broke through the mist and hurled off to the side. It was going to be one of those days, wasn't it?

 

Immediately, the Broterhood associate realized this day was going from bad to worse. His previous knowledge of the locals in the Southern Islands had been considered enough to make him a good speaker to the Skakdi. This was most certainly not the case, as he found speaking to them little less enlightening than speaking to degenerates. Still, it could be worse... though he couldn't imagine a world where Skakdi were dumber and more war-like than these ones. No, perish the thought.

 

Now, not only was he stuck on this spit of an island dealing with little more than a barbarian tribe, but they were under attack from someone. Now he began regretting his assumption that the mist was simply a coincidence; this was the work of Toa, or perhaps another of his kind wielding a similar weapon (he should be so lucky; civilized company was rare around these parts). The only other option was the Brotherhood, and that seemed more than a little counter-productive.

 

Origin of the mist aside, the magician supreme began twirling his staff and making all variety of motions at the sky overhead, asserting his control over the unnatural weather which was being created, calling upon counter winds to aid him as he began dispelling it. The supernatural nature of the winds made his attempts more difficult, but he was nevertheless making headway, and slowly restoring visibility to his Skakdi "allies."

 

"Not that I care, as long as I have a way off this blasted island."

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

Edited February 1, 2014 by Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

IC: Kras (Nightmare, Gunnery deck)

"Ahaha! Fantastic volley, I could hear the hits!"

Kras said to no-one in particular, grinning among the gunnery crew. He was one of the few that enjoyed this job, most being slightly fearful of the explosive weaponry. While the Ta-Matoran wasn't one of the current firers, his personal Blaster being on the other side of the Nightmare, he was watching over and helping to reload the Blasters on this side because he liked it.

Explosives were his thing.

"Want an'other one, Cap'n!?"

Zakaro

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

IC: "Aye Kras," LaYarteb answered, "Hit 'em hard and don't give 'em a chance to get off the back foot."

 

The Vortixx stalked towards the centre of his ship to check the landing parties. Two rowboats were being lowered, while a small group of Toa with Kaukau were preparing to dive straight into the waters below.

 

"Hurry lads, I want any artillery they try to bring in intercepted. Any damage they inflict on the Nightmare I'll inflict right back on you, understand?"

[The Lorax]

OOC: These are pre-mutation Skakdi, right? Spirah didn't do his experiments until a few thousand years after this game.

 

IC (Parehua): The words "landing party" had barely left LaYarteb's lips when the cook was climbing up onto the deck, knives jangling at his belt and his large sword in hand and a manic-looking grin on his face. "Aye-aye, captain!" he said with a quick salute, and vaulted over the side of the Nightmare, plunging towards the water below.

 

As he fell, he began transferring heat from his body into the sword, and quickly. In a couple of seconds, the enchanted steel was glowing red-hot while a thin layer of frost coated his armour. By the time he hit the waves, his feet were cold enough to freeze them solid on contact. he took a step forward, creating another patch of ice that quickly spread outwards to join the first, then another and another. The Tarore was flying over the water, creating an ice bridge as he went for the other crew members to follow him onto shore.

 

Ahead of him was a Haeron, twirling an ornate staff over his head, and repeatedly pointing the thing out into the harbour, towards where the pirates' ship was. Parehua could not yet see what effect this conjuration might be having, but by the look of it, it wasn't helpful. Glowing sword in hand, he ran at the staff-wielder.

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

[iC - Jelarax] - [Dalarii]

 

The haeron "magician" continued making his motions at the sky, continuing to manipulate the wind and mist. Eventually, he had succeeded in his set up, and released the final movement. The mist covering the harbor completely vanished, giving the Skakdi back their visibility and evening out the playing field.

 

Before anything like the mist could be reapplied, it was the Nightmare's turn to be attacked. The winds, previously lighter in order to simply move away the mist, suddenly roared errupted into a fury around the ship, creating a battering force that would make it difficult for the crew to press their assault.

 

As Parehua charged towards him, Jelarax lowered his staff and pointed it at the attacker. The motion was more for effect than anything else; it was his mind, not his staff, that he was employing as he struck out at the tarore with enough telekinetic force to throw back a tahtorahk.

 

"You should have stayed on your ship!" he shouted with a dark laugh.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

Edited February 2, 2014 by Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

IC: Kras (Gunnery Decks)

"You heard the Cap'n! Hit the landlubbers again, boys!"

Just one Blaster managed to fire straight before the winds struck, sending the other three shots astray, one nearly hitting a Skakdi while the other two disappeared under the water, detonating with wave-making rumbles. Kras narrowed his eyes, still grinning for whatever reason, though when he spoke it was with annoyance.

"Hold fire! No need to be wastin' the ammunition, takes a fair amount of gunpowder to make those ya know. Cool 'em down for now, and reload."

The cannoneer looked out to the duel taking place between the chef of the ship and whatever being was likely responsible for this. Nothin' better to do for now.

Zakaro

Edited February 2, 2014 by ZakarOh!

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

OOC: These are pre-mutation Skakdi, right? Spirah didn't do his experiments until a few thousand years after this game.

On a similar note, Spiriah has not yet carried out his experiments on the Skakdi, meaning they lack the usual elemental and vision powers. But, taking a little liberty with standard canon, with no experiments their mental focus hasn't been lowered, allowing them to use Kanohi

I added that after you asked the same question in a review

 

IC: The rolling rocked the Nightmare for a moment before the same Toa duo that created the mists used their power to dsiperse the winds and steady the waters.

 

"Kras!" LaYarteb, "Pick me some of your fire Toa, give them a burning rain."

 

The mists had been washed aside, but they had been enough to allow the early shock attack. But the flames and smoke a squad of decent fire Toa could create in a bombardment should cause even more chaos amongst the Skakdi and their allies

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

[iC-Jelarax] - [Dalarii]

 

"How many Toa does this ship have?" muttered Jelarax to himself. He began twirling his staff and channeling once more, focusing on doubling up his efforts with the winds, and now adding in rains (which would be heaviest around the ship). He realized that he didn't stand a chance trying to manipulate the weather enough to completely put a stop to the Toa in action, but he could at least delay them enough to give the skakdi a chance to regroup.

 

Not that it looked like they were doing much of anything other than freaking out. Truly, he was facing off against the most well armed ship in the Isles with the aid of the most incompetent barbarians in history. Getting out of this one would... not be easy. Not without anyone else from the Brotherhood showing up.

 

It was, however, starting to click with him. There was only one pirate this well equipped, and so willing to attack the Brotherhood. And that thought filled him with dread.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

[The Lorax]

OOC: So you did. Thanks for reminding me.

 

IC (Parehua): Parehua met the telekinetic force head-on, and it started to lift him into the air and drive him backwards before he transferred almost all of the weight and density of his sword into his own body. The weapon was now near-ethereal and light as a quill, but he himself was held firmly in place against the raging force. Unable to be moved, he waited it out until the Haeron turned his attention back to his incantatory staff-waving before returning himself to normal and pressing on.

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

[iC - Jelarax] - [Dalarii]

 

Jelarax gave a groan of irritation as Parehua continued moving forwards.

 

"Didn't you get the hint?" he shouted out as he continued moving his staff. As his channeling was based from the staff with only limited mental focus being required, he was still free enough to turn his telekinetic force back against the pirate once more, this time relying on, instead of a push, a powerful grip meant to hold the tarore in place and crush him.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

Edited February 3, 2014 by Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Xeros)

 

It became pretty clear very soon that there wasn't any use for me here. Not really all that surprising, I usually got most of my work about the Triplets anyway.

 

"Let's see if there anything exciting going on down south" I thought as I pushed myself off the pier, enjoying the familiar sensation of submerging in water. I poked my head up, grinning wackily.

 

"Avast, me hearties, there be adventure down south as the Lava Hawk flies" I gurgled, a few curious bystanders looking at me with faces comprised of equal parts worry and amusement. I nodded to them as a weak, light blue aura came to view around my mask, and an instant later I had disappeared in a bluish blur.

 

The Sapphire Streak was I, and I was about to prove it by running right past Zavarian's defenses yet again.

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

IC: Kras (Cannon Deck)

"Taryon, Vaque, Purus, you heard the Cap'n. Go help out up there, boys. Easy enough for me to man the stern-side Cordak, eh? Now, we've got calm waters, FIRE A VOLLEY!"

Kras himself swung over to the now-empty Cordak as the three Fire Toa left to head up to the main deck. Quickly checking it over, he nodded to himself and watched three Cordak projectiles sail towards the dock, and then he aimed his Cordak, glanced upwards, and fired towards the freaking-out group of Skakdi.

Zakaro

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

IC: With Parehua keeping Jelarax busy, and the Skakdi being too fractious to put up a proper fight, the Nightmare was free to fire on the harbour at Kras' discretion. Splinters of wood like the swords of duelling trees flew everywhere as the makeshift buildings erupted in gouts of flame and heat. LaYarteb knew that he couldn't hold the harbour himself, and had no desire to even try, and that if he just drove the Sons of Krim away they'd be back again in a few days. So his goal was to utterly destroy the place. It would force them into either rebuilding (which he could disrupt if he so chose) or finding a new drop-off point for their Brotherhood goods, and both options forced them to take time and resources away from the conflicts on Dalarii. They'd be forced to cede ground to the other tribes, and things would be put on a more even ground as regards to the war.

It wouldn't take much more to reduce this place to a smouldering ruin. Then they could raise anchor and leave before any serious reinforcements arrived

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC. Haki

Haki sat alone on the beach, sharpening his cutlass against a rock. Well, not quite alone, he did have a cask of rum (which he seemed particularly fond of). He scanned the horizon for the sight of any sail, seeing none, He took another swig of rum and went back to his previous task. "Not like a sharp sword is gunna' keep ya' from gett'in starved ta death." He muttered to himself. It was then that Haki witnessed the greatest calamity in the history of the Matoran Universe. He blinked, turned away, and looked back. No, it was really true. Haki sat back, pondering how to deal with the emphatic and deathly truth. The rum was gone. It wasn't like he hadn't experienced this before, he had gone a fill three hours without the stuff in a jail cell, but at least his cell mate had had a box of cigars. This was different, he was stranded on a deserted island, God knows where, with not a sail in sight, and no rum. He used his wind powers and briefly created a swirling twister on the small sandy island. There, he had it, he must make a signal, something that can be seen for miles. He grinned as his sand twister grew taller and taller, now using his full energy, a massive sandy tower, hundreds of feet high swirled in the air. "That should bring somebody, and more importantly some rum!" He said to himself.

 

OOC. Anyone want to come rescue this poor alcoholic from a deserted island? (Especially if you have some rum!)

Edited February 5, 2014 by Toa of Anarchy

[Geardirector]

OOC. Anyone want to come rescue this poor alcoholic from a deserted island? (Especially if you have some rum!)

 

OOC: I don't think I have any rum, but maybe this will do.

 

IC: Rilvi (Skeres->Deserted Island)

 

"YAHOOOO"

 

I yelled in triumph as my quick feet knocked up a trail of streaming water jets behind me as I, fueled by my Kakama, ran in a wide arc around my least favorite place in the Southern Islands: Skeres.

 

I had gotten very used to this method by now, swing around the island and then angle in on the next island instead. I could see the landmass like a thin line in the distance, and I could spy the silhouette of a ship on patrol.

 

"Tough luck, suckers" I yelled, fruitlessly, but it felt good to have said it.

 

I continued, steering towards the triplets when something caught my eye. I skid to a halt, a wave glinting in the sunlight in all the colors of the rainbow, and remained there bobbing in the water, suspended by my elemental powers.

 

A giant column of churning sand, clearly visible on the horizon. Someone had to be behind it, and where there was someone behind an unsual phenomenon, there was usually something exciting in tow.

 

So I took off towards the sand tornado wondering what might be the cause.

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki

Haki turned to see if any ships just might now be breaking the horizon. What he saw nearly caused him to lose control of twister. There was a Toa who appeared to be of the water element, was shooting along the water like a rocket. Haki frowned. It didn't look like the incoming Toa had brought any rum, or a ship that could carry him to safety. "Doesn't matter, atleast being a Toa of water she might quench this ghastly thirst." He continued to power the twister, not wanting the new arrival to lose him.

[Geardirector]

OOC: Just pointing this out, you should probably post Haki's profile in the profile topic.

 

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

"Nice hat"

 

I was standing uncomfortably close to the guy (trouble with the brakes, you see), looking over this strange Toa of Air who, by the looks of things, had gotten himself stranded. I smiled at him.

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki

Haki grinned at the newcommer. "Well, thank ya' kindly lass!" Replied Haki with a tip of hat. "Ya know, I've been stranded on this cursed little islet for well nigh 3 hours now, and the sad thing is, I happen to be fresh out of rum. You don't happen ta' have any do you? I will pay well of carse. Or, would you be able to, run along and fetch a nearby lugga' to help meself' off of dis' harrible' little dune?"

 

OOC. oops, forgot it was approved XD

Edited February 6, 2014 by Toa of Anarchy

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

"I don't have any rum, I'm afraid, but I could easily get you both that and a ship methinks"

 

"So, you've been stuck here for three hours? How did that come about?" I asked, curiosity evident in my one good eye.

[Toa Of Anarchy]

OOC. Ha ha, since you asked for it

IC Haki

Haki was suprised the Toa had even bothered for his story. What was this? The wee lass was asking for his story? This was to great a opportunity to pass up! Now another great hero (for what else would she be coming to his resuce like a princess in shining armor) would know his incredible tale (mostly true of carse'). Besides, as everyone knows,the story teller is usually able to get some rum out of the deal. With these thoughts in mind he turned to the Toa of Water. "Ya' see here lassy, I've gone without some rum now for well nigh thirty days and nights thanks to being stranded on this blasted place. And my throat is so dry I can scarse' get me words out. *cough cough* Ya'understand'in me lassy.

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

"Well, I don't have any rum, obviously, but would some water do? I have plenty of that I'm not even using." I replied.

 

"Just give me an empty bottle or something"

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC. Haki

Haki handed her the empty rum bottle on the sand. "I think this ought ta' do the trick. If I'm lucky it still might have the taste in it."

 

OOC And since I forgot to mention it earlier, the twister ceased long ago. XD

Edited February 6, 2014 by Toa of Anarchy

[Geardirector]

OOC: I assumed as much

 

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

I propped a finger against the bottleneck, and channeled my elemental powers in a light drizzle filling up the bottle that still carried a fragrance of its earlier contents.

 

"Here ya go, sport" I said as I handed the bottle back to him. I then propped myself against a nearby palm and looked at him expectantly.

 

"So, how's about that story?"

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki.

Haki peered into the bottle, the water was a brownish color because of the rum residue. Cautionously he took a swig. It wasn't too bad, considering it was only the color of rum.

"This ought ta' tide me over very well, tanxs' ya' very much. Ah, I suppose ba'fore we git' started I should tell you who I am. I am Captain Haki Tiu of ta'Tiwha Peara ta' greatist' ship in all ta' southerdn' coast. And you are?"

Edited February 6, 2014 by Toa of Anarchy

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

"Name's Rilvi; fastest messenger and courier in all the isles" I replied.

 

"Hmm, Tiwha Peara was it? I actually think I've heard that name before a couple times, but not recently"

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki.

Very nice ta' meet ya' Rilvi, and yes, I bet you have heard of her, maybe me tale might jog your memory. Very well then, I'll assume you want the full story? The whole "Cuento" ya'? Of carse ya do, jist' git' yer'self settled down thar and get ready for ta' tale of ya' life time.

*Narrator Voice* It all started back before I had a ship, before I even had one piece of silver in me pocket. But I had drive, I had determination, I didn't care who were gunna' stop mah, no rules no nuth'in was gunna stop me from be'in succesful. Thats why I left be'in a Toa in ta' ferst' place, too many rules. Ya' can't do this, ya' can't do that, no don't where that mask, of carse' ya can't kill 'em. Nearly drove me mad. So, I left me Toa station and went to go seek me fortune in the southern islands. But, like a fool, I decided not to take the long way around Karzahni and sail close in ta' it. Well, as ya' might expect, the ship I be sail'in on be captured by Karz's servants. Thought we were agents of the Ord'ar of Mata'er-Nui or some strange thing. Spy'in on 'im, 'gunna report 'im. I tried to tell him we j'ist wanted ta' git' by, but he warn't listening. J'ist when we was about ta' git' me head chopped off, I offered the old devil a deal, if he war' ta' give me a ship and a crew, I would come back and give him all I had gott'en, and then he would consider meh' a fine man. "Oh no." He says, "I don't want yer money, I want yer soul." "Me Soul?" I says. "What would ye be want'en wid'me soul?" He just sat thar look'in at me, I thought I was done fur, when suddenly a ide'er popped in'ter me head. "Eh, old devil, I don't want ta' lose me soul, not j'ist yet. But if ya' give me a boat and a crew, I'll go pirat'in. I'll come back in 20 years, and give you ALL I have. How 'bout that?" And the old demon says ta' me aft'er think'in fer' a bit. "20 years is too long, you have 10." I says "Thats a fair deal." So he gave me the Tiwha Peara, and a crew composed of his miserable retches (not one of them war' ship worthy in the least but I was no man ta' complain.) Just as I war' 'bout sailed away he says ta' me, "If ten years come and yer ain't 'ere, I 'av me'self a little pet that admires the taste of Toa." So I sails away. I gits' me'self a bett'ar crew at Xia, and I suppose ya' knows what happens next. I happen ter' have hiered and bunch of thev'in rascals. They mutinied of carse' and maronned me on this deserted rock. Lucky for me, this is a little depot for a rum trade'in line, so I helps me'self to all I wants, and I'z jis't ran out when yer' pretty face happened by. I only got 3 days left to recover my ship, or else old Karzy will think I've split on 'im, and send whatever devilery he has cooked up aft'ar me. But I suprised that he ain't sent it off before." Haki took out a curious compass. "Ya' see, while he was all bend'in over me, tak'in all tough and mean, I notices a small compass hang'in by a chain on his chest. I pick-pockets me'self it, think'in it jis't might me useful. Well, the ridiculos thing about that compass, is that it didn't point N'arth. So I thinks it be junky, but jis't follow the arrow, what am I supposed ta' do? Well, I soon discovered something very special 'bout that compass." At this point, Haki took a long draft from the rum bottle, and then continued. "I finds out, that it don't point n'arth, it points to whatever you want most! Gold, a ship, land, rum, anything! So thats me tale, I must find me ship soon, or I'll be a gonna'. What think you of that me fine lass?"

OOC. This story may or may not be completely true.

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

"Whoooa"

 

Either this guy was nuts, or probably favorite person in the world right now.

 

"That was a cool story. Could I see this compass you mentioned?"

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki (Deserted Island)

"Well me dear lass, I will I knows that ye won't go sail off with it in ya'r fancy mode of trav'al?"

[NorikSigma]

IC: [Zarrick]- [Dalarii]- [The Gauntlet of Order]

 

The Toa of Gravity stalked the deck of his ship. It was cruising south on a heaing the inhospitable wasteland of Dalarii.

 

His coat billowed in the wind. Two days ago, he was ordered by the Supreme Commander, Pacification Forces, Brotherhood of Makuta, Western Chain of the Southern Islands Theatre(as Zavarian was officially known) to investigate a lead on LaYarteb's location. Two days, three islands, three dead Mercenaries, one sunken ship and one tortured Vortixx later, Zarrick had gotten news that LaYarteb inyended to pacify Dalarii and the Brotherhood Outpost on it. Zarrick had no illusions that the Sons of Krim would nit be able to survive a ground landing, and so Zarrick had stockpiled on Plasma and Cordak Rockets to take out the pirates while they were at sea.

 

The Rahkshi on look out stalked over and hissed at him.

 

"Understood," he nodded. He turned to the bridge and entered.

 

"Increase speed. Increase rudder to left, 15 degrees."

 

The ship turned.

 

"Rudder midships. Full speed ahead."

 

The Gauntlet leaped forward towards Dalarii.

 

As the ship broke through the mist, Zarrick could see and hear explosions ahead. He looked through his spyglass and spotted a rough looking and odd-angled ssip bombarding the harbour. A Haeron was on the shore battling a green and heavily-armoured Tarore.

Zarrick recognised the gold and stocky Vortixx on the ship. It was LaYarteb.

Zarrick immediately made his way into the lower decks and into a large room where the gunners were stored when not in battle.

He flipped a switch near the door. The tubes opened. Nine Rahkshi stepped out.

"All hands to battle stations. Arm the Cordak Blasters and start channeling Plasma to the Hagah Cannons!" He ordered.

Soon the guns were armed and ready. The Nightmare, preoccupied, did not notice until the ships were in range.

"Pull hard left! Fire all Starboard Weapons!" Zarrick shouted from the deck.

Four Cordak Blasters and four Plasma cannons opened up in the direction of the Nightmare.

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

IC: Splinters the size of a Tarore's arm flew from the hull of the Nightmare in Daylight as the Gauntlet's attack hit home. Infuriated by the audacity of some two-bit Brotherhood brown-noser to attack him, LaYarteb signalled again to his two Toa in the crow's nest, and another mist was swiftly raised to obscure the Nightmare from sight. As the cloying fog spread out, almost as if trying to devour the Gauntlet, the Nightmare began to slowly move around to flank Zarrick, once again using a projected illusion to tell them where their foe was.

 

"Kras," the piratical Vortixx ordered, "Hit 'em with a broadside as soon as we're side-on to 'em. Try and go for their masts, leave 'em dead in the water."

[NorikSigma]

IC: [Zarrick]-[Dalarii]-[The Gauntlet of Order]

 

Zarrick concentratted and increased gravity in a tiny spot away from the ship. The fog swirled and gathered into a ball, revealing the Nightmare trying to get a broadside.

 

"Helmsman, rudder left. Increase speed," Zarrick ordered the. Rahkshi. He was going to put his broadside against the prow of the pirate ship. In other words, 'crossing the T'.

 

"Starboard gunners, fire a volley!" The Toa ordered. A second barrage of projectiles flew towards the Nightmare.

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

"Oh,don't worry about that. I don't need a compass" I replied, flashing a mischievous grin.

 

"Ye ough'ta gimme some trust ere, matey"

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki (Deserted Island)

Haki grinned at the impersonation of his accent.

"Very well me wee lass, 'ere ya' go." He said and held out the compass to Rilvi.

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

I accepted the compass excitedly, peering at the needle as it bobbed back and forth, before spinning in wild circles a few times, eventually settling pointing right at me.

 

"The karz does that mean?"

Edited February 12, 2014 by Geardirector

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki (Deserted Island)

"E'der ta' thing ya' most des'ar be 'dar way, or ye' most luv' 'yerself. Not that unusual in all of ya' arrog'ant y'ung wipper snappa's that value dem' 'salfs da' most." I wonder ware' the nearest bottle of rum be?" He held out his hand for his compass.

[Geardirector]

IC: Rilvi (Deserted Island)

 

"Yeah, sure" I replied sarcastically as I handed the compass back to him.

[Toa Of Anarchy]

IC Haki (Deserted Island)

Haki ignored the skeptical remark. He watched as the arrow of the compass turned round and round. He followed it with his finger as it did so. "Ah ha!" Shouted Haki. "Over Thar' be the neer'est bottle of rum!" He pointed due east. "Assum'in that be what I be want'in most! So, I've told ya' my story, what be yers me fine lass?"