A mask-maker's personal touch

[Onaku]

So I've been thinking about kanohi for a bit, and then, something dawned on me; What if every mask, even those with the same powers, was different. Now, I don't mean different in a fundimental way (like the original nobles and their great 2004 counterparts), but rather in the details, the small things. Think of the Artakha Hau and the Lhikan one. They were in some ways very different, but on whole, they kept the same general concept. Now, this is of course easy to explain, because every kanohi was hand-made, carefully crafted by the skillful mask makers. Some of them may of course have prided themselves in keeping good consistency with Artakha's "originals", but I think many others may have found... a personal flavour, if you will. Thoughts?

[Voxumo]

I'm truthfully not understanding the.. question here. There's no question about it. If you have a multitude of mask makers all making the same mask, there is of course going to be differences from mask to mask, even if subtle. It's just like with any art, it is nearly impossible for someone to perfectly replicate a piece from scratch. I mean I suppose molds could have been used for mask making... but from what we saw, very little of, it did not seem that way. 

 

But yeah I do think mask makers were likely to add their own touch... 

[Kopekemaster]

Not sure if you were taking it this way or not, but I think he was meaning more in what the masks' powers are, not so much the looks of them.

 

I'm sure both could vary widely, though.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

My self-MOC wears a Kadin shaped like a Rahkshi head, maybe some actual in-story masks were shaped like Rahi faces to intimidate opponents.

[Irrie]

Not sure if you were taking it this way or not, but I think he was meaning more in what the masks' powers are, not so much the looks of them.

 

I'm sure both could vary widely, though.

In that case, there would have to be small differences in Kanoka disks of the same power.

[bonesiii]

I read the question, but didn't understand... I expected it to be about shapes, but the wording almost implies it's about powers.

 

Maskmakers can indeed make the masks in any shape they want, and stylizations are confirmed (like with Nuhrii).

 

Powers are identical from one Hau to the next, though. (Assuming no weird mutations or whatever become involved, like the difference between the malfunctioning Olmak of Brutaka and a normal one.)

[Onaku]

Well shucks, seems my carefully worded text wasn't very carefully worded after all. Yes, I meant the shapes and designs, NOT the powers themselves.

[Kopekemaster]

Why couldn't it be powers, though? Perhaps a somewhat-imperfectly crafted mask (imagine Vakama's attempts at the MoT, except assuming they could have actually been MADE with the lower disks) could have some impairment of power, or something?

As someone else said, nothing (well, almost) is ever completely the same.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

Why couldn't it be powers, though? Perhaps a somewhat-imperfectly crafted mask (imagine Vakama's attempts at the MoT, except assuming they could have actually been MADE with the lower disks) could have some impairment of power, or something?

As someone else said, nothing (well, almost) is ever completely the same.

 

A Hau that makes opaque shields.

 

A Huna that renders you invisible to most people.

 

a Kualsi that teleports you with a vague pattern, instead of where you want.

 

i think this theory is neat. :u

[Mjolnitor]

A Hau that makes opaque shields.

 

A Huna that renders you invisible to most people.

 

a Kualsi that teleports you with a vague pattern, instead of where you want.

 

i think this theory is neat. :u

 

A Mask of Fusion that says "TRANSFORM" aloud upon combining.

[Banana Gunz]

 

Why couldn't it be powers, though? Perhaps a somewhat-imperfectly crafted mask (imagine Vakama's attempts at the MoT, except assuming they could have actually been MADE with the lower disks) could have some impairment of power, or something?

As someone else said, nothing (well, almost) is ever completely the same.

 

A Hau that makes opaque shields.

 

A Huna that renders you invisible to most people.

 

a Kualsi that teleports you with a vague pattern, instead of where you want.

 

i think this theory is neat. :u

 

 

Well to me those sound more like imperfect masks rather than masks with custom/personal touches power-wise. Kanoka disks need to be combined very specifically for a certain power, so altering the formula should either ruin the mask, or give it a completely different power. Putting the disks together poorly could weaken the power... I guess.

[The 1st Shadow]

 

A Hau that makes opaque shields.

 

A Huna that renders you invisible to most people.

 

a Kualsi that teleports you with a vague pattern, instead of where you want.

 

i think this theory is neat. :u

 

A Mask of Fusion that says "TRANSFORM" aloud upon combining.

 

All of which sound like the mask maker was immediately fired due to incompetence.

 

As for the original post, yes, I do think that all mask makers had their own special touches to each design.

Edited December 9, 2014 by ~T1S~

[bonesiii]

 

 

Why couldn't it be powers, though? Perhaps a somewhat-imperfectly crafted mask (imagine Vakama's attempts at the MoT, except assuming they could have actually been MADE with the lower disks) could have some impairment of power, or something?

As someone else said, nothing (well, almost) is ever completely the same.

 

A Hau that makes opaque shields.

 

A Huna that renders you invisible to most people.

 

a Kualsi that teleports you with a vague pattern, instead of where you want.

 

i think this theory is neat. :u

 

 

Well to me those sound more like imperfect masks rather than masks with custom/personal touches power-wise.

 

 

It would depend. Powers aren't necessarily perfect versus imperfect, it's more like some are better suited to certain situations than others. That Huna example could make a lot of sense if somebody wants to help out an ally but only let the ally see them (to avoid crossfire, for example).

 

Kanoka disks need to be combined very specifically for a certain power, so altering the formula should either ruin the mask, or give it a completely different power. Putting the disks together poorly could weaken the power... I guess.

Keep in mind that with functionally infinite possible combinations, there's bound to be some very similar powers. Usually topics talking about this idea tend to treat it as a negative, but it can be positive. A "selective concealment" mask could be just the thing a Toa needs in a particular situation. Wouldn't be the same thing as a personal maskmaker's version, as this is essentially random so they couldn't customize the power at will (although a Conjuring user could, if they are strongly familiar with the grammar system so they don't risk mental backlash), but they could do it indirectly if a similar power happened to be mixed. The shape-labels for a similar power might intentionally look similar on purpose, in fact, in some cases.

[Banana Gunz]

 

 

 

Why couldn't it be powers, though? Perhaps a somewhat-imperfectly crafted mask (imagine Vakama's attempts at the MoT, except assuming they could have actually been MADE with the lower disks) could have some impairment of power, or something?

As someone else said, nothing (well, almost) is ever completely the same.

 

A Hau that makes opaque shields.

 

A Huna that renders you invisible to most people.

 

a Kualsi that teleports you with a vague pattern, instead of where you want.

 

i think this theory is neat. :u

 

 

Well to me those sound more like imperfect masks rather than masks with custom/personal touches power-wise.

 

 

It would depend. Powers aren't necessarily perfect versus imperfect, it's more like some are better suited to certain situations than others. That Huna example could make a lot of sense if somebody wants to help out an ally but only let the ally see them (to avoid crossfire, for example).

 

Kanoka disks need to be combined very specifically for a certain power, so altering the formula should either ruin the mask, or give it a completely different power. Putting the disks together poorly could weaken the power... I guess.

Keep in mind that with functionally infinite possible combinations, there's bound to be some very similar powers. Usually topics talking about this idea tend to treat it as a negative, but it can be positive. A "selective concealment" mask could be just the thing a Toa needs in a particular situation. Wouldn't be the same thing as a personal maskmaker's version, as this is essentially random so they couldn't customize the power at will (although a Conjuring user could, if they are strongly familiar with the grammar system so they don't risk mental backlash), but they could do it indirectly if a similar power happened to be mixed. The shape-labels for a similar power might intentionally look similar on purpose, in fact, in some cases.

 

 

True, true, but at that point they're different powers/masks in my eyes, with very small differences. I would imagine most mask makers would make masks as the same as possible, because it's a product that they want to sell/distribute as the same as all others, except perhaps better quality and design, not different power. In the case of the huna, an imperfect one may have the power of "selective concealment", but I imagine it would not allow one to choose whom, for that goes beyond what the original mask was capable of. That could work for a nuva version or a different mask, but probably not a regular huna.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

In the case of the huna, an imperfect one may have the power of "selective concealment", but I imagine it would not allow one to choose whom, for that goes beyond what the original mask was capable of. That could work for a nuva version or a different mask, but probably not a regular huna.

 

 

yeah, that's what i was considering when i wrote that. they're "quirky" masks. not broken, but also not "perfect", y'know?

Edited December 10, 2014 by Rahkshi Lalonde

[The 1st Shadow]

 

 

It would depend. Powers aren't necessarily perfect versus imperfect, it's more like some are better suited to certain situations than others. That Huna example could make a lot of sense if somebody wants to help out an ally but only let the ally see them (to avoid crossfire, for example).

 

So, the Mahiki, then? Cast the illusion that you're not there, but only focus the power on your opponents rather than your allies. 

 

We know that the power of Illusion works this way. think back to '02, during the fight against the Bahrag. Pohatu and Onua were fighting illusions that he other Toa couldn't see. So, in a less direct sense, the power being suggested here already exists, just under another name.

Edited December 10, 2014 by ~T1S~

[Bedrock1]

We already know not all masks of a power look the same. Arthaka's designs became a standard template for looks, a universal code, but not one that was always followed. Lhikan's hau vs tahu's one was already said, but toa norik's mask of (enlargement?) Was in the shape of a noble kiril, and krakua's suletu was shaped like a hau. For convenience's sake, most masks followed Arthaka's designs so they could be easily recognised, but some custom orders and the like were common.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

Well, I think they introduced that concept with the Pehkui in 2005 due to it looking the same as the Kiril, did they not? Got them out of a lot of problems for sure. xD

 

-NotS

[ALVIS]

Well, I think they introduced that concept with the Pehkui in 2005 due to it looking the same as the Kiril, did they not? Got them out of a lot of problems for sure. xD

 

-NotS

 

'Course, then it created far more of them, since it implied the masks of the other Toa Hagah (ex. Iruini's Kualsi) weren't necessarily the standard shapes for those powers. That just causes all kinds of headaches.

[Boidoh]

I think Iruini's one was the standard shape, since Defilak had a green Kualsi.