END - G&T Contest #2

Nato G · April 12, 2016

So, apparently I'm an idiot who can't decipher the intricacies of timezones. Turns out the deadline was 3:am for me, not pm. Anyway, better late than never, here's Team Magma's planet:

Located deep in the heart of an aging disk galaxy, spins the little-known Alternia system, which rotates lazily around a pair of red dwarf stars. It’s home to a sizeable asteroid belt, a handful of colourful gas giants… and one rocky world on the outer edge of the habitable zone.

Welcome to Magnaris.

At first glance, this planet may seem like nothing more than a dim, desolate rock. A somewhat pretty rock, given its wraithlike rings – formed from dust and debris in the planet’s early days, and cerulean moon – the frozen world of Derse, but a bleak one nonetheless. It appears inert and barren, doomed to a dismal orbit around a mirrored pair of blazing crimson suns.

But first impressions can be deceiving.

Roughly one and a half times the size of our earth, and with the gravity to match, Magnaris is far from what one might call paradise. Dangling on the outer edge of the habitable zone, means the average temperatures are lower than our earth, but geothermal activity and the eclipsing orbits of the twin suns cause Magnaris’ overall temperature to alternate frequently. Small volcanoes dot its surface, and low-intensity earthquakes are an almost daily occurrence. But, despite the constantly varying lengths of its days, and the erratic, unpredictable weather that so often lashes its surface, there is still beauty to be found in this world’s ever-changing landscape.

The planet’s battered surface is largely covered in a singular landmass, with a handful of lakes and rivers scattered across its mountainous, rocky terrain. A wide, singular channel cuts up through the centre of the reddened landmass, practically splitting the continent from pole to pole, and a trio of inland seas are scattered across the continent’s surface. Its nickel-iron core, similar to earth’s own, generates a magnetic field to shield the planet from collisions with larger fragments of space debris, and wispy white clouds drift lazily across its skies.

Ghidora131 · April 13, 2016

A reminder for all teams: You have less that 2 hours to hand in your Flora and Fauna drafts.

Toa Smoke Monster · April 13, 2016

Complete Flora and Fauna list for Group Mountain:

*Variety lists specify versions of the animal or plant that differ significantly in some way from the "normal" kind. A special thanks to Rylinth Anderfel for helping keep the list organized. And thanks to all the team members for coming up with ideas.

Flora:

Astrapi Tree: A normal-sized tree with the unique property of having Super-Neon-Glowy-Sap. This sap can be harvested and turned into Super-Neon-Glowy-Syrup. Astrapi Trees grow in the rainforest, jungle, and mountain belts.

Brothillius: The common name for all moss-types on Scoria. Brothillius spreads itself across as many trees as it can find. Some varieties of Brothillius can be stewed and eaten accordingly, but most Brothillius will make an individual sick if they've stewed the wrong kind. This plant differs from species to species regarding texture, shape, colours, and taste. A tree covered in too much Brothillius will most likely die.

Chymos Tree: A smallish tree that is hollow. Tapping into a Chymos tree will reveal that the entire core is made up of a milk-like substance that can be drunk. Chymos Trees are harvested for this milk. If the tree is not completely drained, it will replenish its milk. If it is emptied fully however, it will die.

Dylumium: Dylumium are Scorian vines. They grow mostly where there are larger plants to latch onto, although some can live without support. Morrhiss is the most common type of Dylumium on Scoria. It has green star-shaped leaves, that turn yellow and orange in the autumn, and bears fruit from its purple flowers. The fruit is covered in a thorn shell; the thorns are venomous and poisonous. The fruit itself is edible, sweet, and has a soft, velvet inside once the red shell is removed from it. Morrhiss vines can grow in all climates except for the lava band. All Dylumium give fruit, but most of this fruit is poisonous and not to be eaten.

Gruk Root: A root with a strong taste that grows in the desert belts. Gruk is a staple food source for most desert dwellers, especially Ghwuls and Norlams. Gruk root is grayish-brown and lumpy.

Herculean Tree: A massive tree that towers over all, measuring upwards of 1,000 feet, with some even growing to over 1,500 feet. These trees are so huge and their bark is so thick that Matoran and Agori can easily build tree-houses onto the sides or carve dwelling places directly into the trunk without damaging the structural integrity of the plant. Herculean trees are too big to grow close together, so are naturally spaced out by at least several miles to allow their enormously long branches room to grow. Herculean trees grow only in the forest belts.

Illyda: A stunning flower, vividly colored and beautiful. Illiyda grows in the rainforest, jungle, and mountain belts, although a special variation grows in the desert belts.

Illyda Variations:

Desert Illyda: The species of Illyda that grows in the desert is hardier than the standard kind and grows in scrubby patches through the sand. This Illyda has thorns and differently shaped flowers as well as being less brightly colored. Most desert Illyda is burnt orange.

Lipos Tree: A tree that grows up for a short distance but then branches out drastically; Lipos trees are wider than they are tall. Lipos trees grow mostly in the mountain belts but can occasionally be found in the jungle belt as well.

Mesos Tree: The normal tree on Scoria that makes up the majority of the jungle and rainforest belts as well as being prevalent in the mountain belts. About the same as a normal tree on Earth, but a bit bigger.

Mesos Tree Varieties:

Fruit Mesos: Although these are rarer than the regular kind, there are plenty of Mesos trees that bear fruit. The fruit varies hugely between different trees, so you never know just what you might find.
Rainforest Mesos: This version of the Mesos grows only in the rainforest belts. It is different from the regular Mesos in that it bears coconut-style fruits.

Ohren: A juicy white fruit not entirely unlike a mango.

Phera: A sour pink fruit. It's like a pink lemon (for making pink lemonade!).

Phuldge: A parasitic mushroom-like fungus that grows on trees and drains their sap. It can be eaten, but if it isn't prepared properly it can cause stomach-aches, mild sickness, nausea, or general queasiness. Phuldge grows anywhere there are trees, but flourishes in the rainforest belt.

Phuldge Varieties:

Astrapi Phuldge: When Phuldge grows on an Astrapi Tree, it becomes Super-Neon-Glowy. This variety is sweeter than the others.
Chymos Phuldge: When Phuldge grows on a Chymos Tree, it becomes puffy and turns white.
Herculean Phuldge: When Phuldge grows on a Herculean tree, it grows double or triple the size of normal Phuldge.
Lipos Phuldge: When Phuldge grows on a Lipos Tree, it gains a yellowish tint and grows slightly smaller than normal.

Pold: A small red fruit that... okay it's basically a Tomato.

Polds grows in the rainforest and jungle belts and their seeds can be dried to make a good snack.

Reond: A Scorian flower variety.

Rouh: Scorian grass. Grows in any belt except the lava band.

Rouh Variations:

Desert Rouh: Short stubby grass. Desert Rouh soaks up moisture and is therefore a good plant to search for in the desert as you can cut it open and drink the collected water.
Rainforest Rouh: The grass that grows in the rainforest belts is much, much taller than the standard Rouh that grows in the jungle and mountain belts. This variety grows yellow flowers.
Ice Rouh: The grass that pushes its way through the ice at the edges of the polar caps is white and cannot be destroyed by cold.

Taka Bush: A bush that bears sweet orange berries. They will kill you if you eat them.

Tana Bush: A bush that bears sweet orange berries. They will not kill you if you eat them.

Can be distinguished from the Taka by the shape of its leaves and the way the berries grow over the leaves, rather than under them.

Vendrea: A spiky blue melon that grows in the desert and the rainforest belts. Vendrea requires heat to grow and gets very large.

Fauna:

Bruddooga: Bruddooga are about as tall as a standard toa, have one leg, and are the most popular kind of riding rahi on Scoria. The leg has a mouth on the end which can eat for the Bruddooga as it takes powerful leaps across the landscape. On top of the leg is a flat head with seven eyes that are equal distances apart around the rim. The colour of the head ranges from a light tan to a dark brownish black, while the leg’s skin is often between a white and a milky puce. The leg itself is covered in brownish-orange hair that also grows sparsely between and around the eyes on the rim. The leg is like a retractable tube. When the bruddooga goes to sleep, it appears to sink until its head is on the ground. This is because its leg has folded up against the bottom of the head. Without the retractable leg, natives would find it quite the challenge to mount a Bruddooga. These creatures can be eaten, but are mostly prized for their capability at being a steed. Bruddooga are native to rainforest, jungle, and mountain belts.

Brund: A fat, droopy dog about the size of a pony. Brunds give milk and eat plants, making them ideal farm animals. They have enormous ears that protect their heads from heat and have hardened shells on their backs that face towards the sun. Brunds live in the desert, jungle, and mountain belts.

Eld: A deer-like pack hunter that roams the forest and mountain belts as well as the polar caps. Elds are roughly the size of a wolf, have short, coarse fur, sharp, pointy antlers, retractable claws, and deadly razor teeth. Needless to say, they are carnivorous. Elds are edible, but hunting them is tricky business as their favorite strategy is to surround their foe and gore it with their antlers. Hunters may find themselves being hunted.

Eld Varieties:

Ice Eld: This is the variety that lives in the polar caps. These Elds have much thicker, shaggier fur than their brothers and can in fact be harvested for wool.

Faragutchi: Faragutchi are small animals that spend most of their lives under rocks and can only be found near water sources. If a creature finds a Faragutchi, they know that water can be found within a few miles. They are sphere-shaped, have a delicate membrane for skin and they store water in their tummies; which is why they are see-through. The average diameter of a Faragutchi is about five inches. When they do move, mainly to make a new home under a different rock or to get more water, they have special muscles to make them jiggle all over. Using this jiggling, they slowly bounce their way to a new home. This method of traveling leaves their fine skin very damaged and bruised, so Faragutchi don’t move often. They have little feathery wings on their sides that seem to have little use other than to attract a mate. They are edible, but they are typically consumed by those dying of thirst and don’t think that a water source can be reached in time. Faragutchi make their homes in the rainforest and jungle belts, or near the Major Lakes in the mountain belts.

Frelk: A large, bipedal lizard rahi that lives primarily in the desert and rainforest belts, but can be found in the jungle belt too. Frelk lizards travel by jumping long distances with their powerful legs and landing softly by using over-sized frills on the tops of their heads as parachutes to land softly and avoid disturbing the sand or dirt. Frelks eat insects, mostly Gubb beetles, which is why they must avoid creating disturbing vibrations in the ground while hunting. Frelk lizards are edible.

Gavar: The majority of the insect population of Scoria is made up of Gavars. Gavars are simple six-legged, six-winged bio-mechanical wasps. Although they themselves are not edible, their sweet, sticky excretions are. This amber gel can be harvested in fair quantities from Gavar hives and used as a natural sweetener in any dish that requires it. Gavars live in any region except for the polar caps or the water. There is a Gavar Nui of course; it's just a larger Gavar.

General Lake Life: All of the normal lakes, the ones with a bottom, are home to bottom feeders, eel-like creatures, and water plants that help filter the water and keep it clean. There are lots of fish in these lakes that travel by river from lake to lake. These fish can be any color and vary regarding size and shape although they don’t ever reach 20ft. Some smaller types of shark can grow bigger than 20ft., but this is unusual.

Ghwul: A dinosaur-sized Toad with thick leathery hide and blunt teeth for grinding plants. Ghwuls use their tongues, which are long, sticky, and hollow, to drink water by unrolling them from a coil inside their mouths and then sucking up the water elephant-style. Ghwuls can be eaten, but they are considered poor man's food as their meat is tough and flavorless. They are herbivores and make their homes in the forest, jungle, and desert bands of Scoria.

Ghwul Varieties:

Desert Ghwuls: These Ghwuls are the largest variety and are almost always sand or mud colored. Their skin is watertight to keep them hydrated for as long as possible and they eat the rough scrub brush that grows on the border of the desert belts. No desert Ghwuls live near the Marching Mountains.
Forest Ghwuls: These Ghwuls range from brown to dark green in color and are large enough to knock over small trees just by bumping into them. They usually make small clearings to live in and only leave to visit a watering hole or Major Lake. This is the most common variety.
Rainforest Ghwuls: These Ghwuls are the smallest of the three and are generally a sickly green in color with much smoother skin than the other two. They have longer legs and toes than the others and are light enough to perch on top of the larger trees, where they eat from the canopy. This is the rarest variety.

Grooklee: are 14ft-long birds, have long serpentine-like necks, possess three wings, and display a forked tail. They only make their home in the jungle and prefer to be a short flight away from a Major Lake. Though their favorite method of travel is flight, they are also adept swimmers, due to their forked tail and a third wing which is perpendicularly attached to their bellies. This wing is used to steer in the water while the other two are used to swim; the tail also helps the bird to steer so that the bird has a keen sense of balance and almost unequaled control. Grooklee fish in Major Lakes and also prey on smaller animals. They can’t breathe underwater, but can hold their breath for a length of time upwards of 15 minutes. Their feathers cover them from top to bottom except for two clawed, scaly feet and their beaks. As tropical birds, their colouring is bright and beautiful and their song is haunting. Grooklee are hunted for both food and entertainment purposes, as they catch quite a price as a pet songbird. Grooklee can be mostly found in the rainforest belts, but are also fairly common in the jungle. Grooklee can occasionally be found in the mountain belts depending on the season.

Gubb: A small bio-mechanical beetle that can be found in any region of Scoria, including the Major Lakes, polar caps, or lava band. Gubbs come in many forms: big, small, with extra legs, with extra pincers, etc. Matoran can eat them. Agori can't.

Hronkoe: There are many species of Hronkoe living in Scoria’s foliage, but the most notable of all of them has twice the limb count of the others. With six arms and two legs, the Mondo Hronkoe is an impressive sight. Its arms have an average of 3ft. in length, and its legs are around the 2ft. mark. It looks like a multi-armed monkey with a thick silver mane around its neck; the rest of its fur is typically a light brown to match the trees (every Hronkoe, species aside, has colours that blend in with the foliage around them). All hronkoe have tails and most of them weigh in around 13lbs; though the Mondo Hronkoe averages 20lbs. Generally speaking, most Hronkoe are nocturnal. They make good eating, but can be hard to find due to their colourings.

Korid: A bear-like rahi. Korids are big and tough, but make quite a meal if you can kill one. Just be sure no to let them get you in their jaws... Korids are omnivores and will eat just about anything. They can be found in any belt except the lava band.

Korrol: A serpent that lives in the lava band. Korrols have long muscular bodies built the same way Earth snakes are and have a similar jaw system as well, with the fangs folding in when the mouth is closed. Small sets of spurs that extend from just behind each set of scales along their belly help them attach themselves to the sides of the lava canal when resting, but they must be careful when sleeping because of the Marching Mountains. During the day, the entire Korrol population must migrate all the way around Scoria to avoid being trapped in the cooling magma. Those that fail simply become part of the Marching Mountains, which contain the corpses of all the Korrols that have ever died in the lava band. Korrols only leave the lava band to hunt in the desert belts, where they eat insects and other small creatures.

Norlam: A four-legged shark with huge, shovel-like claws that it uses to dig. Norlams are burrowers; they create large tunnel networks to live in and have multiple bolt holes for when danger is near. They also suffer from bad eyesight. They are amphibious and many live in the water, although these Norlams have less pronounced claws. Norlams can be eaten and live in all regions of Scoria except the lava band, although they are most prevalent in the desert and rainforest belts. Norlams in the polar caps generally have thicker skin and bigger claws.

Ploonbas: are large, flat fish with manta-ray like wings and tails. They can reach a length from nose to tail of 12ft, and can own a wingspan as wide as 20ft. They mainly feed on small fish and bottom feeders and can take out their prey with long barbs on the end of their tails. They live in lakes and large rivers, although there are a few very hardy species that can be found in the core. They aren't the worst thing to eat, but can be hard to catch.

Podi: The most common Scorian fish. Has dorsal and ventral fins, two tail fins, and four side fins, giving it great speed and agility in the water. Podi is good to eat, but hard to catch.

Quinooles: Small (4ft. avg. length from head to tail; 20lbs avg. weight), five-legged, sturdy cat-like creatures. They walk around on four thick legs with a smaller fifth leg attached to their abdomen. This special leg has a flat “foot” and is used for pounding the ground to scare off predators. If this doesn't fend off a would-be attacker, a Quinool will lunge and try to take a sizable chunk out in order to s trees.care the larger creature off. They are covered in dark brown fur, although albinos are known to exist. They have heads that are tuatara-like in shape, but have a wider mouth full of piranha-like teeth. A long tail keeps them balanced. They mainly travel in packs and the sound of their pounding can be deafening. Quinooles can be eaten, and they actually taste pretty good with some red sauce. They can climb trees with the retractable claws on their feet and they only live in areas with trees.

Quogalli: The sea-snakes that make their dwelling place in the outer edges of the core. They feed on fish and are formidable opponents. They can sometimes be caught in a Major Lake. When this happens, the natives rejoice because the average Quogalli can reach 110ft in length and become as wide as an average toa is tall. Quogalli can be poisonous, but most rely on their strength to capture prey.

Raktel: Raktels live only in the polar caps. They are tall and skeletal, walk on two triple-jointed legs, and have silver skin. The older a Raktel gets, the more it hunches over; young Raktels (Raklets?) stand straight while adult Raktels have a sever hunchback. Their arms are long and their talons ruthless. They are believed to be intelligent. Do NOT try to hunt a Raktel; you will probably die.

Raktel Variations:

North Raktel: Raktels that live in the North polar cap have elongated heads and blue eyes, which shine through their skin with no eyelids. These Raktels are faster than those in the South.
South Raktel: Raktels that live in the South polar cap have shorter, stockier builds and are much stronger than their North siblings. South Raktels are covered in spikes and have yellow eyes.

There are no "normal" Raktels, only North and South Raktels.

Scorian Whale:The whales of Scoria come in all shapes and sizes. Some have shark-like fins, pointed noses, and sharpened tails, while others might have blunter features. Their sizes differ from species to species. Whales can hold their breath for nearly a day but, when they do need to breathe, they have to surface at a Major Lake because of the lack of any other outlet. Rich in blubber and flesh, the whales of Scoria are a good catch for any native who is hunting for the benefit of their village’s food supply. Scorian whales are found only in the planet core or Major Lakes.

Sliffnobs: Four-legged reptiles and typically have a tail. They differ from species to species; some having more than one tail, some having more or less eyes than another kind of Sliffnob, and some even possess more internal organs. They all have scaly skin and never have fur or hair. They can be found in any warm climate. Many Sliffnobs have a venom of some sort that is either applied by their claws or by their teeth. They make good eating and many matoran enjoy keeping a pet Sliffnob. Nui Sliffnobs live only in the desert belts.

Turva: Gnat-like biting insects. They usually attack in swarms. Turvas live in the desert, rainforest, jungle, and mountain belts. They cannot withstand either extreme cold or extreme heat.

Legendary:

Kongelig the Ancient: This Kraken is a massive being the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else. He is akin to a sea-star and a squid at the same time for he has a massive sphere-shaped head to which are attached his plethora of eyes, his countless tentacles, and a gaping maw whose number of teeth and measure of width seem boundless. His squid-like skin and bonelessness account for his ability to make his home in the very centre of Scoria’s core and shrug off the weight of the crushing gravity. This skin is covered in large, heavy, bronze-golden scales that cover his entire body and all of his tentacles. These scales can fold in many different directions and don't bother him when he retracts his tentacles, giving himself the appearance of a strange ball. He hardly ever stretches himself to any great size as that takes unnecessary strength that is best kept saved; although rumour has it that if he wanted to, he could put an arm through a Major Lake and another tentacle through a second Major Lake on the other side of the world simultaneously. He spends most of his time meditating while letting gravity keep him perfectly suspended in the middle of the core. When he needs to eat after a long period of contemplative rest, he typically tries a few of the Major Lakes to see if he can find a Ghwul. He only recently started “fishing” for Ghwul; his formerly favourite food being a nice snack comprised of several dozen whales. The reason for this dietary change is that he found the Ghwul mighty tasty compared to his usual meal, despite their smallness compared to his ordinary fare. He catches a few Ghwul every couple of odd years and while he enjoys the delicacy, he is still stuck with whales as his main course and maybe a few other varieties of fish just for a change when needed. It is believed that Kongelig is capable of communication; although there is no history of his ever doing so. The natives all generally accept the idea that he is sentient as he has never, in known history, eaten or attacked a person or village.

Ghidora131 · April 13, 2016

End of Round 2

In the end, only Smoke Monster and group Mountain pulled through with their post anywhere near the deadline... And Ghidora forgot the proper timing again.

CHALLENGE #3: IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Thank goodness everyone's getting along on your planet. They've established territories and settlements for themselves, and are doing just fine - but they have no major cities. They've acquired the supplies from the vehicles they came in and have begun production on larger buildings, but the cities and territories don't have names and they're incredibly bland. Spruce it up a bit, would you?

Group Magma and Group Mineral still need to create the draft for the last challenge before they can turn the next one in. You have 46 hours, approximately.

Trijhak · April 13, 2016

FROM THE PHOSPHORIA BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL

FAUNA:

The Kray Kuto is a large, lizard like creature that lives on the surface and within the shallow caves of Phosphoria, especially in the Crystalline Ocean. Kray Kuto have crystalline-armored scales and claws, making them not only extremely durable, but also very capable at hunting. They are observed to have bio-luminescent blue-green patches on their bodies, which are theorised to be a means of communication between Kray Kuto, especially during the night - which is when they tend to venture forth and feed on anything they can find in their mostly barren habitats. They are large, muscular. and make for an outstanding barbecue, but they are difficult to hunt thanks to their hostile habitats, cunning, keen senses, and aggressive nature. They prey upon Arudo, Keguto, and Crystal Rodents, and are, outside of the Matoran settlers of Phosphoria, something of an apex predator.

The Arudo are large, grazing bovine-like animals that reside on the surface deserts and occasionally other similar arid climates. They resemble a cross between a cow, camel, and a yak in appearance, with their distinguishing feature being their large backs, where they store reserve fat deposits to last the desolate summer months on the surface. They mostly travel across the surface deserts in large packs, searching for oasises and rare food sources, and rest at night, though the largest in the pack will stay awake to keep an eye out for predators, including Kray Kuto, Matoran Scavengers, and Keguto. They are also commonly found at farms, being the closest equivalent to a Mukau on Phosphoria.

The Crystal Rodent is a prey species. Its specially adapted teeth can break apart crystals into finer pieces for chewing, and its jaws are one of its only two defences against predators, the other being a crystalline crest above the eyes to protect its head The species exhibits dimorphism, with males having brighter fur colours and smaller crests and females having duller fur and larger crests. Besides these features, Crystal Rodents are otherwise unremarkable and seen as something of a pest thanks to their tendency to chew on crystals. Their predators are Kray Kuto and Keguto, and they are often hunted for their crests and as a source of food, as they breed incredibly fast.

The Keguto is a small, but fairly dangerous predator of crystal rodents and other small creatures, though particularly bold Keguto are known to attack creatures much larger than they are. They resemble large spiders, except they have only six legs and are covered in an exoskeleton that mimics the crystals of Phosphoria. They also display a rare trait: they are able to 'phase', if not burrow, through crystal and 'swim' through it, and can tolerate the Crystalline Ocean even at its melting temperatures. Their bites can cleave through crystal, however, when cooked, they are edible. As a result, they are a delicacy on Phosphoria. Keguto, fortunately, hunt alone, and will go berserk upon sighting another Keguto, going so far as to stop hunting its pray and kill the other Keguto. Keguto are also not above eating one of their own legs if they go hungry. Keguto hunt Crystal Rodents, and are hunted by Kray Kuto. In addition, Arudo will eat Keguto, but only if they're already dead.

The many crystals of Phosphoria are also home to small, almost microscopic lifeforms that resemble jellyfish,called Karaihefeeders. They are most commonly found around Karaihe, the capital of Phosphoria, though they can also be found in water, and like Keguto, they also display the trait that lets them phase through crystals.

The skies of Phosphoria are often filled with flocks of bird-like creatures known as Karaihegukko. Instead of beaks, they have long crystalline proboscis, which are the entire length of their bodies, and their bodies are already half as big as a Matoran's. They have six incredibly thin and translucent wings, and they generally hunt Crystal Rodents and feed on Karaihefeeders within crystals. They are occasionally hunted for their crystalline proboscises, not to mention their feathers are often bright and vivid colours. Their meat is edible even when raw.

The few bodies of water on Phosphoria are home to creatures that resemble Karaihegukko - Karaihefish, except that in the place of six wings are twelve thick and opaque wings, and a much shorter crystalline proboscis. They are also signficiantly smaller, small enough to fit in a Matoran's hand. Like Karaihegukko, they are edible when raw.

Within the caves, many smaller creatures can also be found. Slug-like creatures that seek out hollowed crystals as shells are commonly found in wetter caves, while whole colonies of ant-like creatures with an acidic spit, a crystalline exoskeleton, and considerably longer legs can be found covering the walls of drier caves and sometimes burrowing through crystal, if strong enough. There are also snake-like creatures with crystalline exo-skeletons that can grow to be as large as a Matoran if left unchecked, which have no legs and are fortunately unaggressive, speculated to be larger relatives of the aforementioned slugs. In the deepest caves, the fauna is currently undocumented as no Matoran has ever gone down that far and returned, though there are rumours of bizarre crystalline creatures and undescribable entities.

FLORA:

The Makuta's Fist is a plant, that, well, resembles a twisted-looking fist with many 'boils' covering it (actually the equivalent of leaves), These 'boils' are hollow and trap light within them, allowing the Makuta's Fist to survive even in darker environments. As a result, it is commonly found within the caves of Phosphoria. During the Phosphoria's equivalent of 'spring', the 'fist' opens up into a palm, and on the edges of the 'fingers' are fruits aptly known as 'Makuta's Nails', which are edible. It is unwise to linger around the Makuta's Fist at the end of Phosphoria's equivalent of 'spring', as they are known to suddenly snap shut back into a fist - which will crush anything caught between them, including smaller plants that have quickly grown around them. Keguto have been known to be unwittingly making nests in the 'open palm' of a Makuta's Fist.

In the caves of Phosphoria, great trees known as Crystalline Aspen make up much of the foliage. With mostly white bark, they heavily resemble Earth's aspen trees. The main difference is their leaves, which are made of a luminous crystalline substance that comes in many colors, and they are also known to grow a solid crystalline dodecahedron that is edible to Matoran. As a result of this, efforts are being made to get them to grow on the surface.

On the surface of Phosphoria, masses of tentacle-like branches, complete with suckers, are often found growing upon the sides of mountains and very rarely, crystals. These tentacle-like clusters look like many different plants, but each cluster of 'tentacle branches' is actually a single plant each. A plant that, as a result, is aptly known as the Fool's Vines. These plants are poisonous when uncooked, and the suckers cause severe irritation when touched and uncooked. Crystal Rodents are immune to the irritating effects of the suckers, and have been observed to eat the Fool's Vines. Proper preparation of Fool's Vines involves cutting off the suckers and cooking them for a few minutes, after which point they are edible .

On the flatter surfaces and deserts of Phosphoria, a common sight is a clump of a moss-like plant, which is red in colour. This 'moss' is known as Burnmoss, as upon contact it causes a burning sensation, that, while a bit painful, cleans the surfaces of anything it touches. When light is shined upon Burnmoss, it goes transparent. Akudo are known to eat Burnmoss, and Burnmoss is used to create 'sponges'.

In the few bodies of water on Phosphoria, solid crystalline arches are commonly fine - but appearances are deceptive, as these arches are not actually crystals, but plants with a crystalline bark. These plants are aptly called 'Crystarches', as a portmanteau of crystal and arch. It is assumed they absorb minerals from their surroundings to survive, and Karaihefish are known to dig into them and make nests in their soft interiors, which are also edible.

Nato G · April 14, 2016

Since I still have yet to hear anything back from the rest of my team, I'm left with little choice but to post the few creatures and plants I'd written up myself, and continue on with the next challenge.

Titanshells – slow and docile, these gigantic, passive creatures are often mistaken for rocky hills, their nigh-impenetrable carapaces blending in perfectly with the landscape. They’re mostly harmless, simply slithering languidly along in large herds, and hoovering up minerals from the sandy ground. Although they’re difficult to kill, their shells make for excellent armour and weapons, and their bodies contain enough meaty flesh to feed a dozen villagers for a week.
Cyclophalopods – one eyed, tentacled creatures, these boneless beasties come in a variety of subspecies in a multitude of different sizes, and populate the colder waters to the far south and north of the Shattered Channel. Often eaten.
Chitin Hounds – large domesticated insects, similar in size to the average dog. They come in a few different varieties, ranging from vicious hunting companions, to submissive pets.
Pricklebush – small, cactus-like shrubs, common across the continent. Although they’re covered in pokey spines, their berries are quite delicious.
Scuttles – scavengers, similar in appearance to a fist-sized crabs, which are commonly found in the mangroves bordering the Emerald Sea. Sometimes kept as pets, but usually eaten.
Sandtraps – predatory plants that grow buried just beneath the surface of the desert regions. They grow beautiful smelling fruits and flowers that lure prey into range of their snapping jaws. However, if foragers are careful, the fruit of these plants are quite nutritious.
Lashwasps – aggressive, winged bugs with long, trailing stingers. Not much bigger than a Matoran’s fist, they’re more of a nuisance than a threat, as they frequently build their nests near water sources. For those brave enough to hunt them, however, they’re considered a delicacy.
Fangtrees – trees, commonly found on the shores of coastal rivers and inlets, their plump white fruit resemble thick, curved teeth.
Shadowraptors – very little is known about these predatory tunnel-dwellers, except that they’re big, hunt in small packs or family units, and that very few have been fortunate enough to encounter them and live to tell the tale.

Nato G · April 15, 2016

Challenge 3: In the Neighbourhood.

Due to the rough conditions of Magnaris’ climate and terrain, there are very few permanent settlements on the continent. Most of the Matoran and Agori move around periodically, establishing camps in new areas every few weeks, in order to avoid straining the supply of natural resources.

However, these resources are sparse on Magnaris, so it’s not too difficult to guess where the nearest camps can be found.

Map.

Shattered Channel: The ragged break that cuts up through the continents from pole to pole. Many of the rivers and islands that edge its shores are home to semi-permanent fishing villages, nestled in caverns and islets sheltered from the elements. The channel is also frequently used by traders, ferrying goods from one side of the continent to the other, which is usually much quicker than taking the overland route.

Moonstone Marsh: While travelling convoys occasionally set up camp on the shores of this large body of water, the murky sky-blue water isn’t safe to drink without filtration, and as such very few plants or animals grow at its shores.

Jade Ocean: The North-most of the continents three inland seas, this gigantic freshwater basin is the site of numerous camps and villages, some built on the shores, others in caves or canyons on the slopes of the mountains further to the North. A large mine has already been established at the base of the mountains, with the metals and other resources gathered proving useful in reinforcing structures, and as trade goods. The western end of the sea is usually avoided, as occasional magma streams from the nearby volcanos flow into the water, making travel dangerous.

Spinel Lagoon: Loosely connected to the Jade Ocean by an underground channel, this lagoon fills up at high tide, bringing numerous creatures from the ocean with it. When the tide goes down, the water recedes, often stranding the animals in the shallower water and making them much easier to catch. Because of this consistent supply of food, a number of small permanent camps are scattered around the Lagoon’s edges, sheltered beneath dome-like structures.

Emerald Ocean: another of the continent’s inland seas, this ocean lies further south that the others. Its waters are green and murky, filled with moss and other plants. Mangrove forests sprout up around its shores, providing a bounty of food and shelter. Although there are a number of small camps and such distributed throughout the mangroves, a fledgling city has also sprung up in a cleared patch of trees, serving as a major trading post between the Emerald Sea and others.

Agate Ocean: The largest of Magnaris’ inland seas, the Agate Ocean lies far to the east, hemmed in by a natural border of dunes and rocky caves, with flat-topped plateaus lying further to the east. Unlike the other settlements, which are usually open to trade, negotiation, and cooperation, the people of the Agate Ocean aggressively hoard and defend their resources. Also unlike the other inland oceans, the Agate has a number of islands clustered in its centre, and it is here that its people have established their settlements – towering domes and underground caverns – dispatching small parties of hunters and fishermen every few days to gather food and other resources.

Amethyst Basin: Lying just beyond the ‘borders’ of the Agate settlement, the Amethyst Basin is home to a small, peaceful village. With only limited food and other resources, the people of the Basin survive by trading the clear, sparkling mineral water of the Basin with the caravans and convoys that pass through their territory.

Sapphire Springs: These hot springs are a popular destination for travellers, but very few camps remain there for more than a few days. Lashwasps and other aggressive insects seem to love the springs, building newer and bigger nests each time one is torn down, making it near impossible for any attempted settlement to be properly established.

Larimar Lakes: Nothing but a pair of small, unremarkable lakes nearer the centre of the continent, a large pseudo-city has sprung up here. This city serves as the trading hub of the entire continent, and the closest thing the island has to a capital, with groups from all corners of Magnaris flocking there to trade goods in the weekly markets. With supplies aplenty here, the people of the Larimar Lakes have begun expanding their interests beyond simple survival, into history, science, and the arts.

Toa Smoke Monster · April 15, 2016

The Cities of Scoria:

Important Locations:

*In order of importance

Beacon City:

The capital of Scoria is a giant air-town called "Beacon City". The city sits atop a colossal metal base almost 10 miles around with thrusters at the edges. These enormous engines keep Beacon City afloat even in the worst weather conditions and run on solar power. Scoria gets enough sunlight on a daily basis to ensure that the thrusters will never run out of power if it isn't trying to. Even if it they can't get enough sunlight for power, the engines can still maintain full thrust for several Scorian days. To protect itself and its residents from the burning intensity of the sun, Beacon City is built of heat-resistant materials and has a heat-shield around it powered by the solar panels. Ports on the side of Beacon City can be used to connect it to any Herculean tree with a dock built in or even build a dock while still airborne. It can also land on any flat surface large enough to accommodate with a set of thick trunk-like landing legs. Once every year, Beacon City will visit every settlement on the planet for inspection. Any towns considered unfit to remain in are evacuated and destroyed. Matoran and Agori are relocated with enough supplies to start over and Beacon City moves on to the next location. Once all inspections are complete, the city returns to the skies of Scoria and its citizens resume their daily lives. Only the most powerful or wealthy individuals have the privilege of life here.

Grooklees are often trained in other cities and then imported as mounts; Matoran and Agori can then use them to travel down to Scoria's surface and partake in trading or other activities. Grooklees only leave the city at night, when the sun won't turn them into flying steak.

Boalu Port:

Boalu is one of the cities that has sprung up around the Major Lakes in the jungle belts. The city is shaped in a sprawling semi-circle with the inner crescent nestling right up against the water's edge. Huge fisheries supply the entire village with plenty of food and even provide enough surplus to trade with some of the desert towns for minerals that can't be found in the jungle. Boalu is one of the largest cities on Scoria and is considered one of the most "upper-class". Boalu Port is divided up into three main districts:

The Residential District is where visitors can find hotels and locals can find their homes, all built into the trees of Scoria of course.

In the Industrial District of Boalu, at the top of the semi-circle facing off north into the jungle, one can find an aviary where Grooklees are trained and shipped off to Beacon City (and any other sky villages we might make later on), a stable-yard for Bruddooga, the central trading station where well-paved roads bring goods in and out of Boalu all summer long, several factories handling weapons and clothing manufacturing, and the barracks for the city watch.

The Market District is where merchants sell their goods to traders, locals, other merchants, or visitors. With enough widgets, one can buy just about anything one desires: clothes, food, toys, weapons, gadgets, jewelry, household appliances, or pets, just to name a handful.

The east side of Boalu is where the docks, shipyard, and Mayor's house can be found. The Mayor's house is the only other Herculean tree in the city besides the one the aviary is built into and is quite extravagant. The tree's base is used as a central gatehouse connecting all three districts. Although there are plenty of gates connecting the individual sections to each other, the gatehouse hub is the only place that joins all three at once. The roots of the Mayor's tree extend far into the water of the Major Lake and this is where the docks have been built. The shipyard builds canister and boats and the dock is where those wishing to travel can find captains or canister rentals to hire passage across the Lake or through the planet core. A large ferry boat transports Matoran and Agori citizens across from one side to the other where a hunting lodge and resort have been constructed. Most of the time, only the extremely wealthy or hunters who are short on time bother using the ferry. Most people just ride a Bruddooga around the edge until they find the lodge, although this takes considerably more time.

Boalu Port is one of the most important civilizations on Scoria, providing shipping lanes for all types of merchandise across both land and sea as well as having connections to the sky city/ies.

Ga-Leeko:

Ga-Leekoo is an underwater city attached to the underside of Scoria’s crust at the halfway point between a Major Lake in the northern jungle belt, and one of the two Major Lakes in the southern jungle belt on the side of the pyritohedron just south of the face where the former Major Lake is located, which places Ga-Leekoo close to the equator.This makes the city an excellent wayside point for all travelers who might have embarked on an underwater journey only to find that they forgot something. Ga-Leekoo has beautifully enchanting hotels that display the core’s ocean to customers. Using these hotels as home, voyagers are able to enjoy a rest while gathering the supplies they need. Many of these supplies are created from a proto-steel-like substance that regenerates from small nicks and scratches, “Saisei Steel”. This metal is mined off the bottom of the crust a few miles from Ga-Leekoo. The vein of steel regrows the metal taken from it as long as no pieces heavier than 15lbs are taken from it at a time. When traders stop by due to their own forgetfulness, they find that Ga-Leekoo’s policies make it so that the merchants can only trade goods; not just straight out buy the ones they need and move on. This allows Ga-Leekoo to collect needed resources such as Eluxxium ore and other goods they otherwise would have a harder time getting. The only exception to this are the animal merchants because Ga-Leekoo has no place for Bruddooga or other surface creatures. The laws of Ga-Leekoo are strenuous at best because of the constantly shifting populace. They do have a mayor and a sheriff to keep the city tidy, but sometimes that isn’t enough. Every now and then, outlaws will join forces and own the town; then it’s up to the Matoran and Agori who have guts and skill to root out the bad and put the virtuous in power again. Denizens of Ga-Leekoo feed mainly on fish.

Floren City:

Floren City is one of the other very large jungle belt cities. This city is not built near a Major Lake, but does have a decent water supply near by in the form of a swift moving river that runs down from the mountains and empties out into one of the rainforest belts hundreds of miles away. Floren City is triangular in shape with a Herculean tree at each corner and tall walls built from logs and metal sheets on each side. Each wall is broken up by a single gate and roads leave the city in all three different directions. Floren City has extremely good access to mobile weapons-production air-towns and several border factories, so hunters here are armed with state of the art weapons tech. Floren is, perhaps, the most well-armed ground settlement on the planet and has been built like a fortress. Corrupt government officials rule with an iron fist and crime is perfectly at home here. Were a war to arise, Floren City would be the best equipped to deal with it.

Po-Wahoo:

Po-Wahoo is a mountain village in the south. During summer days, the citizens take shelter in deep tunnel and cave networks dug into the mountains, and only come outside at night. These tunnels are comfy and well-lit due to light-emitting metal ore that lines the inner walls. The ore, Eluxxium, in the walls is left to itself because the villagers need it to see. Deeper into these tunnels, however, there are a few mines where this ore is dug out and given to the local metal smiths. These smiths use the ore as a trading good with other villages in return for other items of interest. Eluxxium fetches a high price from the transport industry as sub-canisters used to traverse Scoria’s core are built primarily from Eluxxium. Their other most wanted trading good is in the animal business. Known for breeding the best mounts on Scoria, travelers and farmers alike all want a Po-Wahoo bred Bruddooga. Rivers are plentiful and the village feeds itself mainly on fish; although migrating Grooklee can often be found at night during the summer.

Le-Taro:

Le-Taro is a tiny village, consisting or only a few tree houses. Villagers here can find food and water in the form of berry bushes, small game animals, and a small well they have built on a natural spring. Le-Taro is poor, but peaceful. Le-Taro is important because it serves as a gateway between several major cities; roads crisscross through the middle of the village and the residents offer shelter to tired travels in their cozy inn.

Ko-Shanji:

Of all the Scorian regions few are as inhospitable to life as the frozen tundra of the southern polar cap. Yet here the Matoran and Agori have come who have nowhere else to go: rejects and outcasts from every corner of civilization who have nothing but their bond as exiles to keep them together. These criminals and beggars have come to the polar caps to make their homes.

Ko-Shanji is a rickety amalgamation of wooden boards and loose screws that doesn't even nearly approximate a town, but they make do with it. Food comes in the form of Korid meat and anything else the hunters can bring in, but even with the hunters working their hardest their is still a severe shortage. Ice must be carefully chipped away and melted to create water for drinking or bathing. Dozens die every week from hunger or cold. Ko-Shanji is almost completely isolated from the outside world; few even know it exists, and yet the town is always growing. Those who have been tossed aside from the rest of the civilized world all end up in Ko-Shanji one way or another.

Ko-Shanji has a single dock built out into the southern Major Lake where traders from Ga-Leeko or beyond sometimes stop by to barter for furs.

Less Important Locations:

*In no particular order at all

Canister Border Factories:

Factories constructed on the belt borders where desert gives way to rainforest, rainforest to jungle, jungle to mountain, serve as a middle ground between the desert or mountain mines and the central jungle cities. Eluxxium is shipped in from the mountains and refined in a cleansing plant before being melted in a great smelting pot with Protodermis and various minerals from the desert belts to create the alloy used in canister making. From here, the alloy is packaged in neat bricks and stacked in a Brund cart where it will stay for many days as it is slowly transported to the nearest city or port for distribution. Border Factories only house enough workers to operate the machinery and an overseer to ensure production runs smoothly. The working conditions vary from comfortable living to squalor and poverty between factories, depending on who built the outpost and where.

Life in the Desert Belts:

Several colonies have been settled in the desert bands, but the living there is harsh and only those who are truly dedicated survive the inhospitable climate and terrain. Burning heat, devastating sandstorms, and almost year-long drought are all constant problems for the desert villagers. Less common but still just as dangerous occurrences include quicksand or Ghwul migrations. Desert villages often have aquaducts built out from the rainforest bands to draw in water for crops and roads that connect them to other cities to help supply food when there is a famine. Poorer colonies sometimes must rely on hand-dug canals or the rare oasis to supply water and only have rough dirt trails to separate them from isolation and death.

However, life in the desert bands is extremely important to the settlers of Scoria as rare minerals and ores can be found here that do not exist in the other regions. The extreme heat and pressure near the lava band has given birth to tougher metals and richer supplies of fossil fuels than can be obtained from anywhere else on the planet. Almost all desert colonies are mining towns in one way or another; some drill for oils or gasses while other mine ore veins to extract the metals found there. Without desert settlements, colonization of Scoria would be a much more daunting task.

Life in the Rainforest Belts:

Surprisingly few settlements are built in the rainforest belts. The natural hot springs, abundant wildlife and plant growth, and warm climate seem at first glance to be a paradise.

But as we all know, looks can be deceiving. The rainforest is home to the most viscous insects and the aggressive plantlife on Scoria. Take three steps in and you'll have a nasty nettle burn, three blood-sucking Turvas attached to your arm, and a Gavar stinger embedded in your face. Towns here are few and far between and the residents have all strongly considered moving out at one point or another. The only settlements here are Border Factories and those to stubborn to move out.

Life in the Jungle Belts:

The Jungle Belts are the most colonized of any region. Villages are usually built as tree houses joined by webs of bridging and swinging vines. Settlements here range from the tiny to the titanic and anything in between. Huge walled-off cities like Boalu Port and minuscule hamlets like Le-Taro coexist in the lush jungles where food and water are easy to find and living is easy business. Jungle villages are usually built around one or more Herculean trees.

Life in the Mountain Belts:

Plenty of towns have been settled in the mountain belts as they are the second most habitable region on Scoria. These towns usually have mining operations set up as the mountains are rich with Eluxxium veins and precious stones. The mountainous terrain and chilly climate dictate a higher need for warm clothes and mounts such as Bruddooga so these are in high demand while metals and furs are the chief exports. Hermits wishing to separate from other people and live peacefully come to the mountain belts to make their homes.

Life in the Polar Caps:

Ko-Shanji is really the only town that has managed to survive in the wasteland of the polar caps, but there are a small handful of underground colonies in the northern cap that manage alright.

Life in the Air:

Beacon City may be the biggest air-town, but it certainly isn't the only air-town. Mobile watchtowers called "Lighthouses" drift across the skies near major cities, ready to warn of any approaching storms, and airborne weapons factories hover ominously over the jungle; research laboratories make forays into the polar tundras and airship docks receive smaller vessels when landing on the ground is impossible. These sky cities are constantly docking with ground stations or Beacon City to resupply or unload goods.

Flying is the second fastest method of travel (the first being water) on Scoria and airship caravans, consisting of moving Matoran families and merchants looking for trade, constantly roam established air routes. New settlements almost wholly depend on these caravans. These air merchants bring the ground settlements exotic goods created by the skilled workmen, who make their home in the many floating cities which inhabit Scoria’s skies and lakes.

Life on the Water:

Most of the Major Lakes and some of the smaller bodies of water have been outfitted with floating towns that mostly serve as mobile fisheries. Life here is simple and calm and boat visits from other cities are always welcomed with much eagerness as news cannot reach a water-town any other way. Major Lake dwellings receive lots of trade for reed baskets and fish.

Ghidora131 · April 15, 2016

End of Round 3

The Old Master began pushing his team to move - and it paid off brilliantly, shooting Group Magma up into the spotlight once more. Group Mountain prevailed as well, leaving Group Mineral to catch up.

CHALLENGE 4 - THE CALM

What - What is that? Out in space, a comet heads speedily towards your new world - and is torn apart by the gravitational forces of surrounding objects. However, these tiny chunks batter your planet and cause pandemonium in the citizens - you need an emergency army to help those that are trapped in dangerous areas, or to provide resources to those rebuilding your tattered world. How will you survive the apocalypse?

Team mineral still needs to place in their draft before they can place in the draft for Challenge 4. Hop to it, everyone!

Trijhak · April 15, 2016

Notable Phosphorian Cities

The old mining town of Helus is a traditional phosphorian mining settlement located underground, not too far from the surface. The main entrance is a massive seam in the side of a mountain, which leads down a path lit by Crystalline aspen to a large, deep cave where the main bulk of the town is located. A large, sturdy, spiraling path snakes around the edge of the city, getting narrower as it goes down. The top levels are filled with shops selling all manner of food and drink, as well as imported goods from various other cities. From above, a massive crystal ceiling illuminates the place with crisp, golden light. Below the bazaar is the residential district, where Matoran (usually Onu-matoran, Su-Matoran or Av-Matoran) reside, and below that is a small foundry where ores are smelted into valuable ingots, and made into various tools and decorations. At the bottom of the spiral path is a pair of elevators dangling over a cavernous abyss. Every day, workers commute down the abyss into the Corundus mines, where precious minerals and metal ores are dug out of the earth and shipped to all corners of the globe. The Main Icon of Helus is the large spiral structure that the town is built on, and is a large opportunity for speculation. The local legend is that it was once the bones of a giant crystal dragon, but most archaeologists believe it to be a natural structure. What exactly the spiral is and how it was formed is still up for debate.

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Karaihe is the capital city of Phosphoria, and the oldest Matoran settlement on Phosphoria, located in the north and one of the few surface cities. Its overall shape from above is that of a septagon, and in the very centre of the city is a structure leading deep into the ground known as the 'Eternity Stairs', which connect to various underground settlements. The Eternity Stairs are also surrounded by various farms, which provide food for Karaihe. Karaihe is also divided into eight districts, each laid out around the Eternity Stairs and its surrounding farms, with the 'Eternity District' being the eigth:

The first is the Turaga District, where the administration of Phosphoria is carried out by a council of Turaga, one from each major city. The most obvious feature of the district is the extremely tall building shaped like a mountain, in an attempt to blend in with the three major mountains surrounding Karaihe, which takes up most of the district's space. The remainder of the district's space is dotted with small buildings that serve other purposes, such as population count and documenting the features of Phosphoria.
The next district is the residential district of Karaihe, which, as Karaihe is the capital, extremely cramped. At ground level, the sky is completely blocked out by bridges between buildings and buildings too tall for their own good, and the result is some Matoran not knowing if they live above ground or in the caverns like the vast majority of Phosphoria's population. At the top of all these buildings is yet another structure, currently unfinished and almost touching the invisible dome covering Karaihe, meant to be the largest and grandest apartment building on all of Phosphoria. This district is mostly populated by Ta-Matoran, Po-Matoran, and the highest parts are populated by Le-Matoran.
The third district of Karaihe is a much more sparse and uncovered one, named the Phosphoria District. This district's borders are covered with ugly concrete walls; which isn't a good first impression to most; however, the district itself has to be covered with walls as this is where the scientists of Phosphoria, mostly Ko-Matoran and Onu-Matoran, attempt to study the native life, land, and phenomena of Phosphoria without being at risk of dangers like Kray Kuto. It is also the most expensive and quietest district to live in, as the views are not too dissimilar to that of Phosphoria's wilderness. Museums and other scientific buildings are often built here, as is Karaihe's reservoir, which is where its water comes from.
The fourth district of Karaihe is not as sparse, but not as cramped as the residential district. This commercial district is home to many, many shops, and as a result, while not the most cramped district, certainly feels like it at its peak hours. Many good are sold here, from the small, isolated farms both above and underground to other cities to other places within Karaihe itself. Many of the buildings, in an attempt to build them as quick as possible, are just large, ugly concrete cuboids in shape, though there are occasional artificial pools with Karaihefish and Crystarches, often accompanied by Makuta's Fists, in an attempt to break up the ugly concrete mass.
The fifth district of Karaihe somehow manages to be even uglier than than the commercial district, and is home to Karaihe's industry. Here, large factories and facilities are built, with their smokestacks piercing through the dome that covers Karaihe. Artificial crystals are made here, as is mining equipment and often the processing of what the miners find, and the materials used to build.
The final district was created in an attempt to be a facsimile of the Matoran Universe, created for those who were unsure about Phosphoria, and has an artificial ceiling as a result of that. It also has its own sub-districts, with its own commercial and industrial areas. It was made to be a copy of Metru-Nui, and it succeeded all too well - the 'Metru' District now wants to be independent from Karaihe, feeling that it is self-sufficient.

Karaihe itself lies in the shadow of the three largest mountains of Phosphoria, and is tinted either red, purple or teal depending on the time of day, and illuminated by the glowing crystalline tips of those mountains at night. The largest of those three mountains has been carved into half-way up, to create a crypt that buries the deceased, as burying the dead beneath the ground is out of the question thanks to Phosphoria's numerous caverns. Karaihe is also encased in a dome of a crystalline-based compound that keeps out water and other liquids, though this does not mean that Karaihe has no access to water - there is a reservoir in the Phosphoria district that provides the entire city with purified water. Karaihe also lies next to the edge of the Karaihe Valley, an extremely deep valley half-filled with water, which has many cave entrances in the sides. Due to this, there are many paths constructed to enter these caves, and these paths are in tubes in the case of the Karaihe Valley ever flooding. The water in the Karaihe Valley often reflects the crystalline tips of the mountains, and this also illuminates the surrounding areas, including Karaihe. There is also a large bridge across the Karaihe Valley, which leads to the large strip of land north of the Crystalline Sea. This land is dotted with much smaller settlements, and isolated farms that are nowhere near as well protected from the dangers of Phosphoria.

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Grisial is an underground city shaped like a vertical pentagonal cuboid, located beneath the Crystalline Ocean. Its defining features are how it is a multiply-levelled city, having five levels, with the third middle level having the bulk of the population, the highest level being the quietest and home to some of Phosphoria's elite., and the lowest level being the home to the mining industry. The second and fourth levels, respectively, are home to the (other) industries and commercial buildings. Running through the edges and the centre of Grisial are large, crystalline pillars that support each level, and each of these crystalline pillars are surrounding by tubes made of the same material that encases Karaihe - during the times when the Crystalline Ocean melts, part of the molten crystals flows down and lights up the tubes, which makes for a spectacular sight. The cavern Grisial is located in is also much bigger than most others, as Grisial only takes up 10% of its space. The cavern itself, and Grisial by extension, are extremely important, as they are one of the safest ways to get past the Crystalline Ocean and access the surface below it, without the dangers of molten crystal or the life that might be there. As a result, the vast majority of trade going from north to south or vice versa must pass through Grisial.

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Aboveground, on the land south of the Crystalline Ocean and directly connected Grisial, is the city of Ostium. Ostium is an outpost city, mainly dealing in hunting, gathering, and agriculture. It is an extremely important city, as it is one of the main gateways between Phosphoria's surface and underground, and perhaps the most important city in the south of Phosphoria. Thanks to being more remote than the other cities, it is often dusty and a harsh place to live, and a very attractive city to those who need open air and love the outdoors. Ostium is also perhaps the biggest agricultural power on Phosphoria, and the most notable of the outpost cities. Due to this, it is also where new species are examined and discovered.

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The southernmost city of Phosphoria is the city of Pefriog, and one of the smaller cities. Unlike Helus, Karaihe, Ostium, or Grisial, the city is neither a surface city or an underground city - it is a hybrid of both. The top of the city lies in an artificially created ditch, which makes the city look half-sunken from the surface, as the city is surrounded by a 'moat' of water, although calling it a moat is a little generous. It is easily accessed from the surface, and also the underground. The bottom half of the city lies at the top of a large cavern, suspended by various crystalline stilts and concrete ramps, and if it were not for them, it would almost look as if the city was either flying through the cavernous ceiling or falling down through it.. Pefriog also boasts a mountain directly in the centre, which means that if the mountain were to somehow be removed, the city would resemble an oval with nothing in the middle but a hole into a cavern. Pefriog, like Ostium, is an outpost city, and Pefriog is significantly smaller than Ostium. Pefriog is also relatively unimpressive compared to even Ostium, as not much of importance goes on in Pefriog compared to Ostium. As a result, the two cities share a rivalry. Pefriog would like to be a gateway between the surface and the underground, however, the cavern Pefriog sits half-in and half-above does not currently connect any other caves that lead to Ostium or any northern cities.

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Phosphoria has few surface cities, thanks the surface generally being harsher than the underground, and those that are on the surface tend to be in the north, above the Crystalline Ocean. The strip of land south of Karaihe and north of the Crystalline Ocean is dotted with a few small farms and the occasional village, however settling there is discouraged thanks to the proximity of the Crystalline Ocean and the wildlife. Few settlements are located south of the Crystalline Ocean, and those that are tend to be outpost cities, or settlements not worthy of being called cities. Most of the cities and other settlements are located underground, in caverns either large or small.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Electromagnetic Pulse

Nato G · April 17, 2016

Better to be a few hours early than several hours late, I figure.

* * *

Space Rocks Hate You

On our earth, there is only a 1 in 74,817,414 chance of being killed as a result of a meteor or asteroid impact. But Magnaris is not only much bigger than the earth we know, but also far more sparsely populated. As such, the statistical likelihood of incoming space debris striking anywhere even remotely close to a populated area is negligible. And even if it did, the people of Magnaris faced near-daily earthquakes, vicious wildlife, and erratic weather. How bad could a few space rocks be?

That was why it came as quite a surprise when an asteroid fragment not only slammed right into the centre of the trading hub in the heart of the Larimar Lakes, but did so with enough force to utterly demolish the domed structures and brutally decimate the city’s populace.

It took weeks for word to make its way back to the other major settlements about what had happened, but in the face of the colossal interruption to trade that the disaster represented, the other settlements were quick to react once they were aware. The people from the south brought timber and supplies from the mangroves and forests where they made their home, while those from the north brought mined metals and other resources to help with the relief effort.

The smaller settlements found ways to contribute as well, the people of the Amethyst Basin offering up what little goods they could afford, and independent traders passing through the site offering their wares at heavily discounted prices. Only the selfish settlers of the Agate Ocean remained neutral, keeping to themselves as they always did.

Within only a few short months of the disaster, things had more or less returned to normal. The Larimar Lakes were once again the centre of trade and commerce on the continent, the markets sheltered beneath newly reinforced domes. A network of messenger outposts were established across the continent, each one housing a nest of ant-like Chitin Crawlers, which came to serve both as mounts and beasts of burden to ferry messages and materials between settlements. It seemed like things were finally looking up for the people of Magnaris. But come nightfall, many still looked up to the stars with dread, uncertain of what other cruelty the gods might have in store…

Edited April 17, 2016 by The Old Master

Toa Smoke Monster · April 17, 2016

Well, here's the draft for Group Mountain. At least I got it in on time.

When Comets Strike

Scoria is no stranger to dangerous natural occurrences, as it is partly a volcanic planet. However, nothing could prepare it for fragments of a comet suddenly striking its surface. But since the planet is in a pyritohedron shape, only a couple sides of it actually take on any debris.

The city that takes the most damage from this occurrence is Le-Taro. However, since it's location is a point of a crossroads with other major cities on the planet, word travels fast that the city is in need of assistance. While food and water are easy to find in the Jungle Region, where Le-Taro is located, it still needed other supplies to help rebuild its buildings. Other ground villages, along with the other major city in the region, Floren City, are easily able to get the supplies Le-Taro needs to recover from this disaster. Beacon City and the other floating cities respond to Le-Taro's call for help as well, easily traveling over to the settlement to assist in its recovery.

Aside from Le-Taro, only a couple other villages take any damage, but the floating cites easily check on them to sure they're okay and get them any items they need to rebuild. The only other damage done to the planet is primary contained in the Jungle Region itself. Many trees were knocked down by debris, and a few of them even caught fire from the impact of said debris. But with Beacon City hovering over the region, its residents easily notice the fires in the distance and send out scouts to warn any villages, towns, and cities that could be affect by the flames. And with Scoria also being a planet partly of water as well, the Matoran and Agori of the Jungle Region, along with those assisting them from other regions, are easily able to put out the fires before they cause any real damage to any settlements.

Overall, Scoria may not have been ready to be hit by comet debris. But with its floating cities and fast acting residents, as well as with its watery environments, the planet is easily able to bounce back from the occurrence. Within a month or two, business is back to its usual self on the planet, leaving Scoria's residents hoping that something like this doesn't happen again.

Trijhak · April 17, 2016

Group Mineral was really stumped on this one.

How To Avoid The Apocalypse On Planets With Lots of Caves

Phosphoria has one big advantage against comets that split up into pieces and then pierce its atmosphere: caves. Lots and lots of caves. Thankfully, for Phosphoria, the majority of its settlements are underground, and as thus, will not be as impacted by the events of the comet impacting upon the surface. Thus, of course, when news reached the Turaga representing the various cities of Phosphoria, an evacuation of the surface was ordered, so that everyone could hide underground. During said evacuation, the inhabitants of major surface cities like Karaihe and Ostium were given priority, with the smaller settlements; most of which weren't cities and had only a few inhabitants comparatively; getting what was basically the short end of the stick as pieces of comet completely annihilated them, cursing the fact that they'd either been left behind accidentally or deemed not worth saving. In some ways, they were right on both counts.

During the Cometclysm, as it is now known, the only casualties were that of the smaller surface settlements and the entire city of Pefriog, which almost literally fell apart after being hit by several comet fragments. The crystalline, almost invisible dome that surrounded Karaihe was shattered, which also knocked down about 30% of the city and killed the vast majority of those stubborn enough to remain, believing that the comet was a message from Mata-Nui or a giant conspiracy that everyone but them knew about and was obviously faked, which they promptly stopped believing mere seconds before they died via comet. In addition, the comet's fragments caused the Crystalline Ocean to unexpectedly melt and temperatures rose across the entire surface for a few days, as well as flinging 'drops' of the Crystalline Ocean into entirely different places, creating entirely new formations of crystals when the surface cooled down.

Beneath the surface during the Cometclysm, those Matoran that were successful evacuated were conscripted into mining for resources, so that the damage could be quickly repaired upon the end of the Cometclysm, and that the resources would be there. That was the intention, anyway, though some suspect that the Turaga had hidden some of the resources gathered during this time away for their own personal gain.

Upon the return to the surface of those who had previously lived there, the first places to be rebuilt were Karaihe, as it was the capital, and Ostium, as an important outpost and gateway to the southern surface. Cartographers were also hired, as the Cometclysm had significantly altered some parts of the surface terrain. Pefriog was considered a lost cause, although a large group of Matoran lobby for another city to be rebuilt above its remains. For those who lived underground, it was if nothing even happened - they didn't like the surface-dwellers much, and the surface-dwellers didn't like them much. But for the surface-dwellers, it was a month of worrying about the surface - hysteria remained among the populace for about three months after, which soon died down after the Matoran got distracted by a new craze of domesticated Crystal Rodents, and forgot about the Cometpocalypse. Those who died, mostly those in the smaller surface settlements, were honoured by the Turaga with a new crystalline monument south of Karaihe, which is already covered with various bits of graffiti speaking of unmentionable things.

Ghidora131 · April 17, 2016

End of Round 4

Smoke poured from the Toa of Monstrous Smoke as he stood on his finalized planet, gazing into the distance. He and his team, along with the other teams, had survived everything thrown at them so far, and ended up with beautiful planets that were covered in life and civilization.

That joyous moment of intellectual pondering was abruptly cut off by the sky suddenly darkening and spots of sickly green flashing on and off.

CHALLENGE 5 - ALIEN INVASION

My lands! my stars! my chocolate-covered bars! A group of sinister-looking aliens has decided to destroy your planet, leaving it as nothing but rubble in space! As the citizens evacuate in their own ships, taking the animals with them, It's your job - you duty - to get on board and confront the source! But it isn't gonna be easy... You'll need an army powerful enough to knock back any attackers. But remember: no violence! you'll have to either evade your opponents or find some other way to take them down calmly. They're armed in the stereotypical alien invasion vehicles and weapons, so no death stars or implosion bullets.This is the final challenge, so give it your all - and good luck!

This round will last until 1:00 P.M. EST (usa) on Wednesday. Violence is considered to be anything that harms another person(or in this case, alien invader), so if you're looking for specifics on certain qualifications or if a certain technique would be considered harmful, just ask in the team PMs.

Nato G · April 18, 2016

But come nightfall, many still looked up to the stars with dread, uncertain of what other cruelty the gods might have in store…

Well... Alien Invasion wasn't quite the answer I was expecting...

Trijhak · April 18, 2016

I'm confused

What exactly does this particular challenge have to do with the worlds we've created?

Edited April 18, 2016 by Electromagnetic Pulse

Nato G · April 18, 2016

It does feel like a bit of a let down that our final challenge is basically to "evacuate and abandon the planet you've invested all of this time and effort into worldbuilding, and find a way to fight off some random aliens, without violence."

Our last challenge was already fairly violent, given that it consisted of space debris smashing into major population centres.

Ghidora131 · April 18, 2016

It does feel like a bit of a let down that our final challenge is basically to "evacuate and abandon the planet you've invested all of this time and effort into worldbuilding, and find a way to fight off some random aliens, without violence."

Our last challenge was already fairly violent, given that it consisted of space debris smashing into major population centres.

You don't have to evacuate it unless you can't beat the other teams in counteracting the invading forces.

Nato G · April 18, 2016

Ah, okay. My bad.

Nato G · April 20, 2016

Magnaris’ Last Stand.

Part 1 – The Invasion Begins.

The invasion began in the north, the attackers making landfall on the open plains that stretched between the volcanic mountain ranges to the east and west. Their slaughter started with the extermination of a titanshell herd and the group of Agori who’d been hunting them. They pursued the survivors to a camp at the foot of the mountains, and worked their way south-west from there, systematically destroying the isolated camps and villages they came across as they skirted the mountain range.

Days later, when they finally reached the Spinel Lagoon, the aliens quickly came to realise that they’d lost the element of surprise. The messenger system, established months earlier in the aftermath of the asteroid disaster, had conveyed word of the attacks to the Jade Ocean and its surrounds. Preparations were already underway to mount a defence. Unable to combat the invaders directly, the people of the Lagoon had gathered up all of their food, water and belongings, abandoned their homes, and retreated into the network of caverns, tunnels, and mines that stretched beneath the mountains. The empty homes they left behind were riddled with traps – pits and tripwires and hidden animal snares – to further delay and demoralise the attackers.

By the time the attackers finished razing the villages scattered around the Lagoon, executing the few stubborn stragglers that had remained behind, the primary settlements surrounding the Jade Ocean had already been mostly evacuated. Using fishing barges and the like to ferry their livestock and belongings to the far shore, the civilians scattered to the south, east and west, headed for the Larimar Lakes and the Emerald Ocean, or catching more ships across the Channel towards the Sapphire Springs and Amethyst Basin, evacuating the coastal fishing villages as they went.

Only a few small brave bands remained behind, sheltering in the concealed caves and tunnels, and emerging periodically to wage a guerrilla war against the attackers. They harassed the enemy supply lines, sabotaged their dropship landing sites, using the wildlife and terrain to their advantage to slow the aliens down as much as possible. They lured enemy troops into Shadowraptor dens, goaded them into lashwasp nesting areas or sandtrap fields, and stampeded herds of animals through their campsites. Between their efforts, the nearby volcanoes, regular earthquakes, and the erratic weather, the attackers found their advance facing constant delays.

Word of the invasion arrived at the other settlements long before the refugees themselves did, the messenger system once again proving its worth. Strategy discussions were already underway at Larimar, with even the introverted Agates sending a few representatives to join in the talks. A consensus was reached: to continue with the guerrilla tactics, and stall the enemy advance for as long as possible. The aliens would have to cut their losses and leave eventually.

After all, the invaders seemed to have only a single mothership, so their troops and resources had to be limited. While they had the technological advantage, they were significantly outnumbered, and the people of Magnaris knew the terrain far better than their enemies did. The settlers would be able to keep up their defence far longer than the invaders could maintain their offence. Logically, the only possible outcome in the long run was an enemy retreat.

But some were not satisfied with this strategy alone, expressing concerns that it would take too long, that they’d lose too many people, or that the enemy might manage to call for reinforcements. So a secondary motion was devised, one that would, if all went according to plan, bring the alien invasion to a screeching halt, and end the conflict once and for all.

Part 2 – Eat Your Heart Out.

The Old Master had seen this all before. Thousands of worlds and civilisations, rising only to fall at the cruel hands of nature’s wrath or ruthless invaders.

But not this time.

He’d made this planet. Flawed, imperfect, dangerous. But people had still come, Matoran and Agori arriving via spaceship to settle the savage world. And not only had they survived, they had thrived. They’d learned the patterns of weather and earthquakes, tamed the wildlife, built a prosperous civilisation up out of the stone and dirt. Even when the stars themselves had sought to destroy what had been built, the survivors had banded together to rebuild.

It was beautiful to behold.

But now… now these invaders sought to wipe that all away. Out of jealousy, spite, greed, or simple stupidity, he wasn’t sure. It didn’t matter to him. He clung to the hope that his planet, his people, would live to see another dawn, and thousands more after that.

He’d had enough of watching worlds fall. Now he wanted to see one rise.

* * *

The plan was simple. And stupid. But perhaps, just stupid enough to actually work…

A single airliner-sized ship – one among many of the transports that had originally brought the settlers to Magnaris in the first place – lifted off from the crowded shores of the Larimar Lakes, heading towards the alien mothership, which hovered in a rough orbit around the frozen sphere that was Derse. With Ursus Wielder Pahrak at the helm, the ship carefully navigated through the rings of Magnaris as it came in for its approach.

“You think they’ll go for it?” One of the crew asked nervously, already starting to wish that she’d stayed back on the solid ground.

“Their forces are stretched thin fighting a battle they can’t be sure they’ll even win,” someone else replied, “They might be stupid, but surely they’re not dumb enough to ignore an offer of surrender?”

Closing in on the mothership, alarms began to blare as the transport vessel’s scanners registered multiple weapon locks. Flashes of panic flitted through the crew, but to everyone’s relief, no shots came. The hangar bay of the alien vessel gaped open like a hungry maw, and the pilot reluctantly manoeuvred the vessel inside.

Armed alien troops – hunched and jagged like Baterra, but with the more organic appearance of Glatorian – swiftly moved to surround the vessel as it landed, weapons primed to fire. Once landed, the dozen crew stepped out into the open, arms raised in a sign of surrender.

“We wish to speak with your leaders!” One of the Matoran called out, “To negotiate an end to this conflict.”

“You die, we win.” An alien spat, raising their weapon, “You die now.”

“Your leaders clearly think otherwise,” an Agori countered, trying to appear brave in the face of the alien rifle being pointed at their face, “Or they wouldn’t have let us on board in the first place.”

The baterralatorian said nothing, just glowered at the group while one of its superiors spoke to someone over her wrist-mounted comms unit. “Our glorious leaders wish to speak with you,” the superior finally conceded, holstering her firearm, “They’re on their way down.” The other alien looked disappointed, but lowered its weapon nonetheless.

“We’ve brought an offering,” the Matoran who’d spoken earlier gestured to the ship behind him, filled to the ceiling with pallets of fresh foods and water, “We can settle our surrender over a feast.” Rider/Phillips and a few others stepped back into the ship, beginning to drag out the food-laden pallets, as well as chairs and tables. After a few moments of hesitation, a handful of aliens holstered their weapons and moved to go help.

“What about those?” One of them asked, once the food and drinks had been dragged clear.

“Those?” One of the Agori chittered nervously, following the alien’s gestured towards a stack of large crates crammed into the back end of the ship, “J-just some old… equipment… and stuff… We didn’t get a chance to get it all out before we packed the food.” The alien, apparently accepting the explanation, shrugged and headed back out of the ship.

The alien’s leaders arrived shortly after, seating themselves across from the representatives from Magnaris, while the rest of the ship’s crew, and alien guards and crewmen cautiously mingled at the other tables. “I am curious,” one of the leaders spoke up, gulping down a glass of milky water, brought from the Moonstone Marsh, “Why a feast?”

“You want our resources so badly,” ShadowVezon replied, carefully picking a regular berry out from a bowl of poisonous ones, “You can have them.”

About two thirds of the food that had been brought along for the feast was like that – toxic, overripe, rotten, poisonous, or just plain bad for the stomach, although most of it still tasted just fine. It’d taken weeks of trial and error for the settlers to figure out which foods were safe to eat.

The rest of what they’d brought for the feast was perfectly normal, mixed in with the bad stuff so that the representatives from Magnaris could still engage in the meal without arousing suspicions. Having lived on the planet for close to a year now, it was easy for them to tell which foods in the selection were safe to eat, and which weren’t. The aliens, on the other hand, wouldn’t.

Negotiations dragged on for a while – the aliens mostly pushing for a totally unconditional surrender/slaughter – until one of the leaders excused themselves to go to the bathroom. Followed by another. A third insisted she needed to go lie down for a while. The fourth openly threw up all over the fifth, who threw up in turn, and then the floodgates opened. Within minutes, the hangar was filled with sick aliens, some stumbling blindly about, or scrambling on top of each other to reach the nearest restrooms, while others simply slumped in their seats, groaning and whimpering.

“Now?” ToaTimeLord asked hopefully.

“Now.” The Amaztastical Lynn nodded.

The pair rushed back to the ship, cracking open the extra crates and spilling the fighters hidden inside them – about a hundred of Magnaris’ finest hunters and warriors – into the hangar. With most of the aliens barely able to stand, and others stuck squatting on toilets, or bent over puking their guts out into the bins, they didn’t put up much of a fight.

Once the prisoners had been secured, the soldiers scoured the rest of the ship, locking up the non-essential crew they encountered, and posting guards on the bridge and engineering teams to make sure they kept the mothership airborne. Once the vessel was secure, the triumphant troops of Magnaris contacted the alien army on the ground, informing them of the successful infiltration and capture of their home base.

Isolated and alone on an alien world, with no supplies or support, facing a fight they couldn’t possibly stand a chance of winning, surrender was inevitable.

Part 3 – The Aftermath.

Over the weeks that followed, the alien mothership and prisoners were stripped of their weapons and any other useful technology, with the troops being forced to help rebuild the structures and settlements they’d destroyed before being allowed to return to their now-harmless mothership and leave the solar system with both their lives, and what little dignity they could salvage.

The cities of Magnaris continued to grow and thrive, with even the conservative Agates finally opening up their borders for trade and communication. The crewmen and soldiers who’d helped take over the mothership, as well as the guerrilla fighters who’d survived the delaying effort against the enemy advance, were praised as heroes. A few aliens even decided to stay on Magnaris, eventually earning the trust of the populace and becoming effective contributors to society.

Magnaris had survived, and with the technology taken from the defeated aliens, their civilisation could advance to greater heights of prowess. The next time alien invaders came knocking, they’d quickly come to regret their decision.

Whatever the universe sought to throw their way next, the planet and its people would find a way to endure.

It was what they did.

* * *

Elsewhere, an ancient being sat upon a throne of swords, watching the fledgling legend of his precious planet unfold. It was, of course, none other than the Old Master.

And he was smiling.

Edited April 20, 2016 by The Old Master

Toa Smoke Monster · April 20, 2016

And here we go, one more time:

Newcomers

It had only been a month since Scoria had recovered from being struck by the comet fragments when they showed up. An alien species unknown to the Matoran or Agori, using technology that was never seen before on Scoria. The aliens, who oddly enough spoke the same language as Scoria's residents, send out a booming message across the planet. They were going to wipe the planet clean of any living beings and start over themselves on it.

Many of the current residents across the planet were obviously upset about this news. Some wanted to evacuate before the aliens began their attack, in the hopes that they could find another plane to live on. Others wanted to fight the aliens, stating that this was their planet, and they weren't going to give it up to some extraterrestrial bullies with big guns. Regardless of where each individual stood on the situation, everyone knew time was short. It was only going to be a matter of time before the aliens would made their move, so a decision had to made fast.

An emergency meeting was held in Beacon City, with those sides of the argument giving their peace. Either side was willing to budge on their opinion on the issue. Just when it looked like the meeting was about to fall apart, one lone Agori stood up and proposed an idea that none of them had thought was an option. And he proposed it with one simple question:

"Hey, why don't we just ask the aliens if they want to live with us peacefully here on Scoria?"

The entire assembly looked at the Agori as if he had lost his mind.

The Agori, undeterred from the looks he was getting, went on to say that since the Matoran and Agori species has arrived on Scoria, and were not born on it, they were technically aliens to the planet as well. "Having a third race join us on Scoria would make some sense I guess, if looked at that way." One of the leaders of Beacon City admitted when this point was brought up. The Agori also pointed out that Scoria had more than enough planetary space on it for all three races, plus it would mean that the Matoran and Agori wouldn't have to leave a planet they had worked so hard to live on. After much debate, the leaders of the planet decided that the idea was at least worth a shot.

So messengers were sent visa Grooklees to the invaders, inviting them to one of the Herculean Trees Villages closest to both sides of the conflict to negotiate terms for a possible truce. To the surprise of some of the leaders of Beacon City, the aliens agreed to meet at the meeting. Three of the leaders of the alien race met with the leaders of the Matoran and Agori in the center of the village. What followed was one of the strangest negotiations to ever take place on Scoria.

While the alien species, which the Matoran and Agori later learned were a sort of organic sub-species of the Baterra, were capable of speaking the Matoran and Agori languages, it soon became obvious that they weren't the brightest beings in the known universe. They had indeed come to Scoria to colonize it, but they hadn't realized that the Matoran and Agori had already claimed it as their own. The Baterra, not having anywhere else to go, then decided to try to scare the currect residents off of Scoria, which was why they had made their threat when they arrived to the planet.

The Matoran and Agori leaders then explained to the Baterra that there was plenty of room for everyone on Scoria, and that if they agreed to lay down their arms and live peacefully on the planet, which mean not destroying any part of it, they could stay and co-habit the planet with them. The Baterra thanks their hosts for the offer and said they would take this deal to their other leaders and give them an answer soon.

The Matoran and Agori didn't have to wait long. Two days later, the Baterra send out word that they agreed to not cleanse the planet and live with the Matoran and Agori peacefully, if they would have them. Once all the terms were settled, the Baterra ships landed in the deserts and began allowing its crew to exit them. With the Baterra came all new kinds of fruits and food, as well as different kinds of technology that brought many upgrades to what was already on Scoria. Many kind hearted Matoran and Agori showed their new neighbors the ropes of how to survive on such a planet as Scoria. Both sides found that they actually had a lot in common, which made the transition of all three species starting to live together that much easier.

Overall, it took a couple of years for the Baterra to settle in to their new home. It was an adjustment for everyone on the planet, as some adapted to the change better than others. But as they had done many times before, the residents of Scoria pulled through this challenge. Eventually a time came when all three species had shared all their technology, foods, and customs with each other, starting a long time of peace on the planet. And while none of them believed that the peace would last forever, as threats were bound to rise against them, they also knew that they would take on whatever challenges were ahead of them together.

The End

Ghidora131 · April 20, 2016

End of Round 5

~

As the three beings met in the usual way to decide the winner, a severe dilemma came up between them:

There was no middleman.

Without a mediator, there could be no unbiased judging of the contest. The Old Master growled, blaming the two others for not remembering, while Pulse argued with him and Smoke Monster noticed a lazy imbecile lounging in the back. He grabbed him and said "Here's the mediator."

Ghidora, with no Idea why he was there, was dropped on the floor and given the command to judge the teams fairly.

---

"Well, you all put out an incredible amount of effort into this." He glanced at the three planets, as the Baterra-like enemies swarmed over Phosphoria. "Although I can't say I'm too impressed with how the final challenge was displayed, I do think you've gone way over my expectations on the other rounds. You 18 have done a glorious job."

"Sadly, there can be only one winner."

He pointed to Pulse with a slight look of disdain. "Team Mineral produced the most late entries and was under the quality of Magma and Mountain, although they still did a fantastic job nonetheless. As for the other two, it was extremely close in regards to the quality and the amount of effort. Each team had critically important members with real-life issues blocking them, and each team did flaw in different ways with each challenge. Both of you led your teams well, and helped majorly with the process of the drafts. A few switching of players and you'd be unstoppable."

The Old Master twitched nervously, cold sweat running down his face, while the Toa of the Monstrous Smoke billowed even more fumes from his shoulders, his eyes glancing around cautiously.

A withered wrist was grasped and lifted into the air.

"Er, ignore that." Ghidora threw the disembodied hand and grabbed The Old Master's wrist instead. "Team Magma has won by a hair. Congratulations."

Team Magma is the Winner

A big shout-out to Team Mineral and Team Mountain for coming so far!

All Players are invited to Magnaris for a celebratory party.

Well, that was extremely exciting! All of you went above and beyond my expectations in that game. I was expecting much simpler drafts, but the amount of time you guys put into it really impressed me. Thank you for playing!

If you liked the game, I'd be very appreciative if you voted for it in BZPower's Games and Trivia contest #2. Now, go check out some of the other entries, and have a great day everyone!

~Ghiddy-Guy-Person

Vicarath · April 20, 2016

Good game, everyone! High-fives all around!

END - G&T Contest #2

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