Six Kingdoms: Rebirth - Gameplay

[Harvali]

IC Kanohi and Bode and “Collector” - Po-Koro

Collector thrust a broken Vahki staff into the mud, using it as a shovel. Slowly he hauled away the frozen ground, as Matoran pushed and shoved against the pinned door. Finally they broke through and a Matoran hurled out of the hut. She fell to the ground, panting.

”Toa Arkius thank — oh,” the De-Matoran glanced at Collector, “you came back.” The Vortixx looked away, and the Matoran pulled herself up, adding, “come on, there are a few wounded Matoran who were trapped inside. And don’t get any funny ideas.”

Collector did not respond, merely leaned in and scooped up the three Matoran in their large arms. They walked away from the Matoran of Sonics, headed back towards the gathered group of Toa and mechanical lawmen. As they did Collector overheard snatches.

They laid the Matoran down, letting medics rush to them, before clearing their throat and looking away. “My comrades, remember that abandoned fort we took refuge in? It would have been less close to that monster’s storm, would have come out unscathed, but it is still close by. Closer than Metru-Koro at least. It would be sturdier than most of Po-Koro at least, and more defendable. Though it may be slightly closer to the League.”

Kanohi nodded, though he let out a sigh, “Thank you. Maybe, maybe that would work. Sorry, thank you so much. It’s just, the cantrips, the walls, the mine, the field, the forge: Po-Koro was finally beginning to grow. And then, wiped out in a moment by a m-monster that didn’t even seem to notice us.”

Collector did not reply, merely walking away towards a group of digging Onu-Matoran. With a swing they thrust their sword into the dirt, ripping it apart, before pulling free a Ga-Matoran, her face purple from lack of air. They cradled her and carried her back to the main group, laying her down so the medics could tend to her. 

They remembered how they felt during the flood. They had been excited, eager to play at being a Toa, to save the Matoran. To make them their friends. And meanwhile Matoran had drowned and been buried alive. Screaming as they beamed.

How many Matoran had they failed? How many died without Collector shuttling supplies and news back and from Metru-Koro? The Matoran were right, they were no Toa, just a greedy conniving Vortixx who abandoned the Matoran for the mere hope of power.

They sighed and continued to pace the village, blooming for trouble. They passed by Matoran who were tiring braided rope to the few surviving Mahi of the village’s herd, attaching carts to them. Other Matoran were gathering whatever food, tools, and personal effects they could find to put in the cars, to prepare for whatever journey that needed to take. In one cart they stacked a number of salvaged disks and tools from the Forge, ore too. They were all preparing to move again. 

Collector sighed, it was as Kanohi said, a waste. As they walked a Ce-Matoran crying outside of a sunken hut. “What can I do to help?” They asked.

”It … it was all I had left of h-home. The Lightstone I used to flee the League.”

The Vortixx did not answer, nearest began to dig into the hut, shoveling away dirt with their barehands. The sludge began to slid back into place, so they thrust down their sword, freezing it. They resumed digging, ripping up the now solidified ooze with their powerful arms.

Finally as they dig light spilled into their face, they stood back up, and handed the Matoran the Lightstone. She bowed her head low and ran off, clutching it in both her hands. Collector meanwhile laid down, a bit winded from all the digging. As they propped up against the hut they resumed tinkering with the telescopic lens.

Meanwhile to Toa Varian, Toa Jutori, and Kilo, Kanohi asked, “wh-what do you think? Do you think this fort would be a good shelter? What is it like?”

OOC: @The UltimoScorp @pokemonlover360 @Toru Nui @Onaku @Snelly @Tarn

Edited November 10, 2020 by Harvali

[Nato G]

3 hours ago, Toru Nui said:

IC: Enra (Dead Forest, Ruins of Fire)

"We could try the place you came from, of course, but I’m guessing that’s got its own problems, right?"

IC: Xane - Ruins of Fire

"There was a civil war going on before we crashed, and I don't have much reason to think it would have stopped since we landed here," he replied. "Depending on which side we run into first, we might not be well-received... especially if the local raiders you mentioned have made themselves known." 

@Toru Nui

[Eyru]

On 11/8/2020 at 1:55 PM, Nato the Traveler said:

IC: Whisper - Grand Temple Ruins

"Perhaps," she said. "But many of the warskaks wield abilities gifted by my kind. Power won't deter them, they'll just take it as a challenge."  

IC: Taja | Grand Temple Outskirts

They walked quietly for awhile before Taja finally spoke again. "Then I'll make sure it's a challenge they can't overcome."

[Nato G]

IC: Whisper - Fau Swamp

"If that is what it comes to," she bobbed her misshapen head in a vague approximation for nodding. 

@Eyru

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Grime | Fort Nektann

“I’ve never left the garage except to look at the stars outside and play my squeezebox,” Grime replied softly as his free feet touched the stone and dirt floor. “I could show you a nice spot, but we drove by it on the way in. I lived in the rigs.”

ooc: @Sparticus147

 

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Water

Ollem fiddled with the dials, figuring out what each did as best he could. Quickly, he discovered how the left dial managed the left constellation size and focus, the middle did the same for the middle constellation, and finally the right dial controlled the size and focus of the right constellation. Each time a dial turned clockwise, the corresponding constellation grew larger. The inverse proved true. There seemed to be eight different sizes for the constellations.

The Administrator chimed in; “while the combined effect of the Virtues is a whole society, it is important to remember each virtue’s individual contribution. Many make up one. One makes up many.”

ooc: @Harvali, @Burnmad

Edited November 11, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Saybo - Toa of Water - Aurax

Location - Vahki Hive below Coliseum (4, 9)

With - (Great Being) Aurax

 

"The signal originated from this point." Nuparu raised a holographic hand, index finger extended to point out the green dot. "Approximately 6 kio above sea level."

The Matoran paused.

"Well within airship range."

Saybo paid attention to this, focusing on what might come next. He wondered if his Great Being and he were about to embark on another journey of adventure. The Eclipse was still outside the Coliseum, waiting for Saybo to return.

At the moment, he paused in his relaying of the liquid protodermis, as it seemed OTIS had ceased running for a bit.

The droplets always on the lowermost joints of his fingers caught the odd lighting of the area, noticeable really only to himself with how small they were. He wondered for a moment if someone else might be able to find beauty in the sight, but he quickly dismissed the thought. There was no need to waste brain power on something pointless.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~ @Eyru

 

IC: Sorilax - Aspect of Light and Silence - Aspects of Makuta

Location - Kini-Nui (7, 10)

With - Sala

 

Sorilax finished returning his scroll to his backpack and looked up at Sala, feeling slightly dizzy. He steadied himself on the Light table. It wavered slightly but held firm. In all his talk of changes, he had forgotten he had a new element. His inverted senses had given him a light headed feeling, despite not having one. Light may be much like Shadow in how Sorilax used to use the latter, but Light was still very much different.

Feeling the Light table, Sorilax smiled. Having the element of Light just felt… right. Like he finally was able to open his eyes and see the world after millennia of being blind. He tried to change the color of the table and it warbled before disappearing completely. Oh bother. Well, knowing most all of the intricacies of his old element didn’t exactly mean he knew how to control all parts of his new one.

He just grinned. He was going to immensely enjoy studying his new element. He couldn’t wait. But that was for later, right now Sala was asking for something.

"Wait a minute...Sorilax, the half-sphere, the one the Toa held, hand it to me. I want to see something."

Sorilax grabbed the half sphere of stone. It was beautifully sculpted. He could barely make out the tools marks. He handed it to his friend. A seagull cawed in the background even as a small gust of wind rippled the water around them.

Taking the sphere, Sala carefully approached the wall, before placing the half sphere within the socket.

Sorilax watched with caution. He still didn’t like what the writing on the floor had implied. And that poor, dead Ga-Toa certainly wasn’t a good sign either.
 

OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator

 

IC: Le-Metru Nuva NPCs - Various Species - Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Sidra, Uraborask

 

“Fire everything! Rip this thing apart!” Sidra’s voice roared over the downpour and thunder, reaching the audio receptors of the village guard that were just trying to cling to their trees and live. The time had come. They individually grabbed their last resort level 3 Kanoka, easily taking aim at the Untethered monstrosity in the glow of Torch’s fire.

With as great a precision as they could muster, Kanoka flew from lower tree branches that held guard posts. They struck the Grand Untethered with Weaken, Shrink, and Freeze powers, hoping against hope that Mata Nui would still deliver them on this strange island from what now assaulted them.

Spark slogged through the standing water that had mostly stopped being sucked into the sinkhole. He fired his pistol, the electricity of it jumping from the tip of the gun and arcing to the undead. “Take this, you loser!” He yelled, voice lost to the storm.

The LeviCart appeared from the path to the forging hut and mine. Beruv pulled it to a stop a safe distance from the pit. Accompanying Beruv in the cart, Wing held the five level 3 and 4 Kanoka Beruv had been carrying. With an accuracy born of years of practice, she flung them at the Untethered, the awkwardness of her mutations negated by the size of the target and her closeness to it. The last one, a level 4 disk of weakness, she threw with particular force, trying through willpower alone to kill the beast.

Torch built up his fireball into a burning furnace. Everyone in the clearing could feel its heat despite his efforts to keep it contained. It glowed a bright white, signifying the exact level of heat. As he grew it in size and heat, it became harder and harder to control. But he didn’t have to wait much longer. No more Kanoka flew from the sky, there was no more hope if he didn’t try to end it all right here and right now.

But he had a village to protect. Beings to keep safe. Torch raised his arms into the air, balled his fists as if he were grabbing something, and pulled.

The white ball of fire, now larger than the Grand Untethered itself, descended upon it. Water started to evaporate before the ball even made contact. Great swathes of steam rose up.

Spark scrambled to get clear, powerful legs propelling him away in the sludge. Beruv steered the cart back where she had come from, away from the fire’s destructive force. As Beruv steered them away, Wing looked across the clearing at Torch with concern as he sat on the lowered elevator. This was a lot of power to control and not just let loose. She hoped he would be okay.

The fireball continued to descend, hopefully spelling out doom for the unknowable nightmare that had assaulted the village in the trees.
 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Burnmad

 

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Nektann, Sidra, Uraborask, Apex, Morangad

 

Viltia merged with Nektann among the stars, not giving a thought to whether it was her body that remained or Nektann’s. Either way, he was now a part of her, not the other way around. She could feel his memories just like she could feel a tree pulling energy through itself, or how she could feel each leaf shivering in the wind.

With the merging came forgetfulness. But what she had once considered a weakness now became her strength. Her tendency to focus too hard on her powers was able to break through the fog of haziness, allowing her to remember herself.

That being accomplished, she found where Boss resided in her and relished in Nektann’s memories, savoring his experiences. She learned of Miserix, of Aspects, of Zakaz, of the savagery this Skakdi had done and led others to do. She saw multiple raids and horrible rituals. Her mind pushed back against her new love of all, with her hatred of Skakdi trying to resurface.

But then she found his emotions, his hopes and dreams. She felt them as if she were the one who had had them. In that moment, she was able to empathize with Nektann in a way she never would have been able to before. She felt his loss, he want for fresh life to spring forth. It aligned closely with her own feelings, and she knew she couldn’t ever hate Skakdi as much as she used to.

Her hatred was regressing. At least for now. At the moment she only wanted to help Nektann, to cut through the haze he had as a Tahtorak to help him where he couldn’t help himself. She was the only one who could bring about what he couldn’t. He had entrusted himself to her for the time being, and she wasn’t going to let him down.

She blinked giant red optics, her body heavy with the weight of thousands of Toa. No, not her body, Nektann’s borrowed one. The Fau Swamp lay sprawled before her like some miniature diorama, trees nothing more than twigs. The wind blew and a storm raged, but nothing affected her body.

Inside she felt the tumult of a storm, spewing forth with unbridled and never ending energy. It was an energy she could now tap into and control in a way Nektann, with his mental haze, never had.

Viltia experimented, trying to sense the plant life around her. The storm of energy inside her body provided her with immense power and she suddenly sensed every single plant for half a day's walk in a circle around her. Viltia smiled, the motion looking like a growl on her Tahtorak face. She would be able to help out Nektann even more than she had hoped.

With a glee at new life being made, Viltia regrew every tree and shrub and mushroom Nektann had ripped up or trod on in his mistaken search for a better island. She stopped off where the circle of dead plants began, though she wasn’t sure why she did that. A better island would start right now, with her, and it would be accomplished using his raw power.

Her mind turned to the rain. It felt weird, yet natural, to have the element of Water at her fingertips. She leaned on Boss’ ability to wield it, gleaning the knowledge from his memories before letting them rest once more.

The rain around her was an unintended consequence of the raging storm within her. But the storm, though unruly, could be contained. Her focus turned to it, commanding it to hold fast.

All at once, the downpour simply stopped. It was raining one second and the next nothing came from the sky. The clouds remained, as there was more to them than just her power. Then lightning struck and suddenly a light rain started up, this one completely natural.

The raging ocean inside her protested at the containment, but no harm came of it, so she ignored it. Now her mind turned to other matters. She had been in this swamp for a reason. What had it been?

Le-Metru? No, she had only been there once as a captured slave. But that was close.

Nektann’s hazy memory mixed with her loss of memory due to the shock she had been in threatened to cloud her mind completely. But she managed to break through.

Le-Metru Nuva! How had she forgotten?

But what about Le-Metru Nuva? Hadn’t they been in danger or something?

Something moved about in the sky, distracting her and allowing Nektann’s memory weakness to hide her thoughts of her village. It was an insect. She loved insects. She loved all life. But it was so small, she couldn’t tell what species it was.

She opened her massive maw, her voice spewing forth sounding like crashing waves combined with a roar that caused trees to tremble. Her words ruined the awe the sound of her voice inspired, “Hey there, little one, what species are you?” Her massive arm displaced the air in large quantities as she gently held out her hand, palm up, essentially asking Apex to land on her so she could inspect the tiny bug more closely.

 

OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Burnmad

 

IC: Cravious - Skakdi of Lightning - Zakazian

Location - Northern Desert

With - Whira

 

Cravious gasped as he felt his Kraata change shape, feeding him with more power. It felt like there was an elemental touch to the change. Maybe Shadow? Whatever had happened, his Kraata power had grown, as evidenced by him suddenly being able to feel the minds of Whira and the Nui-Jaga. He couldn’t read any thoughts just yet, but he could sense where they were at all times. It was a start.

So helping out Whira really did help him out. He smiled savagely in the dark of the cave. He couldn't wait for more.

The Nui-Jaga sounded like it was dazed and confused, chittering to itself. At least it didn’t immediately try to attack them.

Whira turned to Cravious. "Let us be off," she said.

Cravious looked in her direction with surprise and then a look of suspicion, “That’s it? We just leave it here? Isn’t it under your command or something? We have room for it on the Cube should we have need of it later.”

Cravious wasn’t about to let a potential new ally in their quest go to waste.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

 

IC: Hahvok - Za and Ja Krana of Ice - Independent

Location - Dead Forest

With - Marrow, Providence, Zak-Yak, Takadox

 

Hahvok looked with confusion at the tall blue one. His mind hadn’t suggested having any knowledge on Hahvok, yet he had called out the name of Hahvok’s species and knew where Hahvok had slept before awakening. Perhaps… the blue one could control and protect his mind? Hahvok wasn’t sure. Right now the blue one was thinking about almost dying to several things, so why his thoughts didn't linger on Bohrok, Hahvok wasn’t sure. Were Bohrok really that unimportant?

Hahvok wasn’t sure how to think about that.

Well. He still had to find his purpose. It didn’t matter what some random being said. He would know when he found his purpose, even if others considered it unimportant. Everything else up to this point had been clear as ice to him. He would find his purpose and accomplish it.

If this blue being wouldn’t help, then he would need to search elsewhere. Maybe following these other beings might help him. The first mind he had found had at least spoken with him. Perhaps he could start there.
 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Burnmad @Vezok's Friend

 

All five PCs in one post, and even most NPCs? I feel like I just unlocked some kind of achievement!

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis and Korruhn | Ambling Alp

It was late afternoon and the sun was turning redder the closer it fell to the scorched horizon. Curious shadows splayed across the vestibules of the Ambling Alp with the light beams danced across every surface like desperate arms urgently striving to hold its grasp on reality. Stannis knocked once at the door to Korruhn's pod. "It's almost time." He walked towards the cockpit.

The Toa arose at once from the bed, assembling the waistbelt kit and cloak he had set aside, and readied himself. He opened the door out to the observation deck, flooded with crimson sun and deep shadows. Stannis' footsteps could be heard to the left as he stepped to the cockpit. Following suit, Korruhn entered the cockpit and sat next to Stannis', in the co-pilot's seat.

"That's the spot?" He pointed toward the oasis.

Stannis nodded. He took hold of the control wheel and leaned in a little bit. "Have you ever flown an airship, Korruhn?" he asked.

"Speeders, yes. Airships, no." His hands moved to the controls with the same curious approach he would take in the epicenter of an ancient ruin. It all looked so foreign, and although he was inclined to want to learn now, he had never had the need before. Where speeders couldn't take him, the chute system would. And where those failed, his feet and a climbing anchor never did. Or at least, that's what Leklo would have said. "I presume you're going to show me."

"On the contrary," Stannis said, sounding a lightly disappointed. He was a luddite, and if anything had been proven in the hours leading up to Metru Nui's destruction it was that the old Wanderer was technologically inept to the point of near ignorance of machines. The smarter they were the more stupefying to him. He'd only ever piloted with the assistance of others and Vahki Unit BO-1337-Pilot, and he was very aware that the only time he had in fact landed the airship was in a dramatic crash that shattered a whole city block. He kept that bit of trivia to himself. "I was hoping you would show me. I possess an approximate knowledge of how to fly," he overstated, "but my knowledge is much more fuzzy on the matter of landing."

Korruhn couldn't help but chuckle at the scenario: Stannis, the thusfar infallible, asking a Cartographer from Ko-Metru for flying lessons mid-flight. Were the world not currently going to Karz in a handbasket, Korruhn would have greatly relished the opportunity to have a little fun with this. "Matoran were almost exclusively forbidden from piloting, aside from those of Le-Metru. I was lucky enough, with the nature of my position, to have access to the speeders."

An idea struck Korruhn. "Thankfully, though, if we can't find some sort of landing function on this gaudy craft, surely a little help from gravity will ensure a smooth landing."

"Yes, I suppose there's that," he said sardonically. "We are fortunate you at least possess your toa-given powers." He also withheld that the last crash landing, destruction and all, was with the assistance of another toa of gravity. Some truths were too frightening to know. 

"I programmed the autopilot to bring us here, but not to land. So. Bear with me. I would say things could 'get rocky,' but, well, I'm a toa of stone, so..." They always are, he finished in his head.

Stannis' sentence was intterupted as the oasis came into view. It was a gorgeous sight in such a barren desert wasteland. A crown of rolling hills covered in soft grass protected the area, a shallow depression in the earth, rife with rock and vegetation, with a clear, bubbling stream flowing quaintly through the middle. It truly was a sight. A ray of sun caught something nestled among the brush, it's shape inorganic and jagged, and it's surface battered and uneven. Korruhn couldn't quite make it out, but whatever it was, it wasn't natural. A town, perhaps? 

"Is that some sort of settlement down there?" he asked.

"One of many like it on this spot. This crowded speck of greenery is the only oasis of its kind in the wastes of Tren-Nui's north, and a highly desirable redoubt that has been contested for as long as anyone can remember. Presently, it is controlled by a Skakdi faction with their base built upon the ruins and scrap from its previous owners and the battles fought to conquer them. They call it 'Fort Nektann,' yet another Skakdi-centric moniker for a place that has held countless other names before."

"Indeed. And what are they like? What sort of welcome are we to expect?"

That was another thing Stannis was not sure about. His studies of the Warskak faction were distant as best and third-rate at worst, mostly from secondhand witnesses of its members given by Matoran survivors of the cataclysm. He knew Skakdi from the Ark, though that knowledge wasn't a helpful as he'd like—these people who had somehow found themselves on Xa had developed in their own way, battered and twisted by forces that hadn't existed on the Ark and adapted to fit a far more desolate and unforgiving land, and in the last ten days Stannis had not gotten a proper opportunity to introduce himself to them. Still, if they wee anything at all like their Ark-borne cousins, they were similar in enough regards to exploit.
 
"They live on a diet of fear and shows of strength," he explained. "War is in their blood, and their life is a game of survival of the fittest. We are likely to get a hairy welcome with fingers itching on triggers, and I expect they hate anyone who is a toa or resembles the indigenous populations. If we land within the confines of the fortress we will be destroyed, and if we park outside we will be surrounded and carved into meatcakes if we show ourselves as the toa we are." 

He banked the Alp—a little too much to be comfortable—in preparation for making a swooping landing. Already he could see the rabble within the fertile valley scramble as they noticed the screaming airship invading their airspace. Stannis gritted his teeth, frustrated of course but not at himself, rather at the piece of technology not quite doing what he wanted it to do.

"And so what do you plan to do to convince them that we aren't Toa?"

"I was thinking of using you..." Stannis said between tight lips of consternation, "as a decoy. The Skakdi have a certain... shall we say... ritualistic relationship with the Aspects of Makuta. And you, my friend, have the badges of Shadow to fool them with.And I am Stannis, the toa who made a bargain with you."

@Crimson Jester @Burnmad

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Fort Nektann

And the Ambling Alp jostled as a rocket exploded against it's underside. The locals were aware of the concept of airships, having fought off other flying Warskaks before in crude blimps or balloons. Rocky landing indeed.

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Whira: Nui-Jaga Nest

Whira snorted. "Of course we're taking the Rahi with us, Cravious," she said, as she gestured for the scorpion to follow her. The creature seemed hesitant at first, but soon began scuttling after her. "I wouldn't leave any of my followers behind."

The trio made their way back to the Cube. "Now that this task has been completed, where do you believe we could learn about the process of mask-making?" the Aspect asked.

OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC, Aurax: Vahki Hive

Aurax lowered his head down in defeat. He was glad that nothing had happened to OTIS, and that Ehlek had only decided to taunt him from the computer screen. But the warlord remained a ticking time bomb, and Aurax wanted to deal with it, sooner rather than later.

It would have to wait. It was getting late, and Aurax was tired.

He switched off the computer. "Thank you, Nuparu. I'll let you know if I need anything," he said. He began making his way back to the elevator. "Let's go, Saybo. I've got one last thing I need to do, and then we can turn in for the night."

OOC: @Kal the Guardian @Eyru 

IC, Atamai: Piraka Fort

"Until we meet again," he said to Leklo and the others. He had a feeling that the timer on his mask power was almost up, but he could still make it back to the Ruins of Stone.

Activating his mask, the scenery changed. He was no longer in the destroyed fort; he was standing outside of the Ruins of Stone. Happy to be out of harm's way, he sighed, and entered the temple.

Inside, he saw a familiar face: Zadred. She was examining the carvings on the wall. Upon hearing footsteps, she turned around.

"Atamai! You're back. Wait, you're hurt! What happened?" she asked.

Atamai sat down on the floor and leaned back against a wall. "Long story," he said. He waved one of the disks at her. "Look. I've got the Great Disks," he said. 

The Skakdi walked over to him and looked at the disks. "How did you manage that?" she asked. "I told you, it's a long story," the Toa replied. Zadred began looking at his wounds more, but Atamai held up his hand to stop her. "I'm fine," he said. He put a hand on his injured shoulder, and activated his elemental power. The wound that Axonn had inflicted on him began to close, until it looked like Atamai had never been injured. 

He stood up. "Mind helping me gather supplies to start a fire?" he asked the Skakdi.

***

The two sat around their fire, finishing the leafy food that Zadred had grown using her elemental power.

"So, you really think that whatever's behind the Nuva door is supposed to help people fight off those Rahi?" she asked him.

Atamai finished chewing his food before answering. "I'm positive. Which is why first thing in the morning I'm going to grab our friends, and we're going to find out exactly what the Nuva door is hiding."

He yawned, a little dramatically, and then laid down. "I think I'm going to go to sleep now. Goodnight, Zadred," he said.

"Goodnight," the Skakdi replied.

[EmperorWhenua]

1 hour ago, Unreliable Narrator said:

IC: Reliable Narrator | Fort Nektann

And the Ambling Alp jostled as a rocket exploded against it's underside. The locals were aware of the concept of airships, having fought off other flying Warskaks before in crude blimps or balloons. Rocky landing indeed.

IC Stannis | Ambling Alp

The old man's keen wandering-senses gave him a warning of impending danger, though he realized what it was a little on the later side than he would have liked and they both suffered the consequences of it. Thankfully, between his uncanny ability to detect threats and the wide range of view the cockpit of the Alp provided, he was able to clumsily avoid the brunt of the rocket's punch, though some damage had clearly been taken. 

"There went one of the landing gears, I think," he said. He was speaking calmly, though the world seemed to take a more frantic pace all around him. "Korruhn, we are about to land outside the gates of the fortress. You are an Aspect, you can control Shadows, and everything you do is because you have Hope. We are partners, in a sense, and we share our strengths." The airship spun around at a quickening rate as Stannis tried to take their descent, intent on landing in a bank of sand between a set of boulders. It was risky, but at the last second both toa used their powers to their benefit as the great stones slid away just so and the speed of their fall was curbed just so, allowing them to have a frightful, if altogether not disastrous, landing in a dune. 

The whole of the Alp ground to a halt in a wash of sand and dust and then everything went still. The Wanderer seemed utterly unperturbed, adjusting a single setting on the console before getting up from the pilot's seat and making his way towards the exit ramp. Just before he punched the ramp's operation button, he turned to Korruhn and gave some final advice. "Use these Skakdi's fear to our advantage. Impress them, but don't threaten them. Use their superstition, not your aggression. And above all else: Follow my queues."

He hit the button and the ramp hissed out into the hot afternoon air. The Warskaks still hadn't emerged from their fortress to investigate, which meant they did't have any time to waste. "Any questions?"

@Burnmad @Crimson Jester 

Edited November 11, 2020 by EmperorWhenua

[Nato G]

IC: Corrivalis - Fort Nektann

The mimic could never remember his dreams.

He suspected what he dreamed of may have been his life before Zakaz, a history long since lost to him. He awoke each day with fleeting flickers of places and people flitting about the edge of his mind, accompanied by a sense of yearning and loss that he'd never quite been able to understand. 

Today, however, he didn't even have that as he lurched awake and rolled awkwardly from his hammock, the sound of a detonation overhead igniting his every survival instinct. He hastily donned his cuirass and snatched up his weapon, still tightening the straps on the chestpiece as he joined the growing crowd of warskaks outside. 

His heart quickened as he saw the airship sweeping in overhead. It wasn't the crude contraptions past skakdi had crafted, but the same kind of airborne fortress he and the others had encountered during the attack on the village. 

If these people had come to get their Toa back, they were going to be disappointed... 

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Saybo - Toa of Water - Aurax

Location - Vahki Hive below Coliseum (4, 9)

With - (Great Being) Aurax

 

Saybo nodded in compliance, dutifully following along behind his Great Being. The Toa of Water continued to keep the fear radiating off of Aurax in the corner of his mind. No feeling was going to best him, no way.

With the way Aurax moved as they walked to the elevator, Saybo could tell that his Great Being’s injuries should be healed completely by morning. That was very good. No doubt tomorrow would prove to be quite the trying day, and Aurax needed to be at his best to be able to rule his new kingdom.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

 

IC: Cravious - Skakdi of Lightning - Zakazian

Location - Northern Desert

With - Whira

 

Whira snorted. "Of course we're taking the Rahi with us, Cravious," she said, "I wouldn't leave any of my followers behind."

Cravious blinked in surprise. Oh. That made sense. He had just assumed she would throw away the Rahi. Interesting.

However he didn’t believe the part about not leaving followers behind. Even he knew you had to fire Skakdi from time to time. Okay almost all the time. Skakdi were horrible employees. Point being she had admitted to wanting power above all else, you didn’t get there without sacrificing a few pawns along the way.

On their walk back to the Cube, Cravious couldn’t stop marveling at seeing a Nui-Jaga up close. He watched how it walked, how its servos and connectors all worked seamlessly with each other. Things were much easier to study when alive. They somehow worked differently. Smoother, almost. It had to be the “organic” protodermis muscles. He would crack that some day.

The Nui-Jaga scuttled up the open garage ramp and Whira’s captivating purple optics glowed in the midst of her jet black face as she turned to face him. "Now that this task has been completed, where do you believe we could learn about the process of mask-making?" the Aspect asked.

Cravious’ mind immediately went north, “I have some hirelings up north working a mine for me. All Toa, Matoran, and a few Tiokaha that have remained hidden from the warbands all this time. Let me tell you, they are much better workers than any Skakdi ever will be.”

Cravious waved his hand in a dismissing motion at the short tangent, “I haven’t been able to get them to tell me how to make Kanohi yet, but perhaps there still might be something to glean there, especially with you along. At the very least we can pick up a ton more protodermis ore that they’ve been mining out for me.”

 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

[Sparticus147]

IC: Drukarus & Gore Fury (Fort Nektann)

“I could show you a nice spot, but we drove by it on the way in. I live in the rigs.”

"Then-" Was all that Drukarus was able to say before the sound of an explosion could be distantly, but not as distantly as Drukarus would prefer, interrupted him. With it, came the chatter of Skakdi and the pounding of their feet as they made their way out of the garage and readied themselves for whatever made the explosion or whatever the explosion was used on.

And joining the Skakdi mass as they geared for the hopes of a fight, Drukarus joined in as well, leaving Grimes to his own devices...At least till Drukarus at last gets an opportunity to speak with the Matoran in private.

Exiting the garage, Drukarus surveyed the aerial space over and beyond the spiked jagged walls, where several Skakdi were already stationed and pointing towards what appeared to be an airship, obviously of Metruan design, crashing in the distance, beyond where Drukarus could see. Looking amongst the crowd, Drukarus easily found the Skakdi he was looking for, as they were located next to the large war rig that Drukarus saw him sat upon back at the Tooth. Swifly approaching Barius, Drukarus spoke to the warchief, the hint of urgency in his voice.

"It is an airship, one from the city in which I arrived here from...Evidently Barraki Pridak was not satisfied with simply allowing an emissary of your late predecessor from returning with a message."

~~~

As for Gore Fury, he too had his attention taken away as he saw the rocket fly upwards and nearly strike the airship that he too recognized as being one from Metru-Nui. Surprised and curious why such a vessel would be here as well, Gore was also left disappointed by the Warskak's immediate response to the ships approached, for a part of him hoped that all the Skakdi on this island were as fine enough chaps as those from the former Rig.

But Gore was no fool, and he knew Skakdi would be Skakdi, and so, directed his attention back to making his way towards the grey Skakdi he was headed towards when another, larger purple Skak evidently approached Barius with urgency. Realizing that he lost his opportunity, and that interjecting would be rude, Gore satisfied his curiosity with hopefully finding another talkative or interesting member of the Warskak...That was when he spotted an orange-clad entity, who although A for effort, could be discerned as being not a Skakdi but rather a mimic; which most certainly drew Gore to them.

Approaching Corrivalis, Gore spoke in his usual charming and unskakdi-like joyful tone, "Hey there buddy, it's been a bit since I've seen one of your kind. Hey, any idea what's happening? You know, with the explosions and all that?"

OOC: @Burnmad @Conway @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler

IC: Apex (Le-Metru Nuva)

As Apex waited for the Tahtorak's retribution to her challenge and call, Apex's senses felt an immense surge of elemental force being exerted by the Tahtorak, and as she prepared for the worst, she was left...Surprised. For all around Apex, nearly as far as the eye could see, life was given to the vastness of the Fau Swamp, as leaves grew green once more, roots reasserted their grips on the muddy soil, and stems and branches strengthened against the weight of themselves. Not only that, but the gale winds and furious rain, that which Apex only barely could fight against in her flight, ceased, till continuing once again in a more natural drizzle upon the land down below.

But out of all of that, nothing was stranger than when the 300ft tall monster before Apex raised up its clawed hand palm up, and spoke! 

“Hey there, little one, what species are you?”

Although the words came without apparent malice, they still came out as a growling bellow, not unlike Apex's own speech. Left absolutely flummoxed, with Apex not entirely sure what to do as she simply continued to hover for several minutes. Apex went back to her potential options, which were...Infinitesimally few. Apex couldn't fight the creature, for death was all but assured. She also couldn't manipulate it, for that already failed. And it seems her attempts at using Rahi logic to lure it away was mute as the Tahtorak now displayed a level of intelligence that Apex could never predict.

All that Apex knew for certain was that the Tahtorak could kill her, could not be killed by her, was intelligent, and seemingly...Peaceful and potentially even beneficial to the Fau Swamp itself. So, taking the lessons from her previous encounters with Morangad, Whisper, and Taja to heart, Apex landed upon the Tahtorak's palm and called up towards it.

"I am Apex, Aspect of Nature, that be true and absolute. And, I now demand of you, what is it that brings you to my domain, and why is it you have brought destruction yet now bring regrowth to it and equal, if not greater measure towards one or the other?"

OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Kal the Guardian

Edited November 11, 2020 by Sparticus147

[The Captain]

IC: Ultan; bruised and battered; ruined seashore fortress

Ultan had been laying in the mud, caked in black tar and earthly debris, oblivious to anything and all around him. Everything hurt, and his hearing and sight were nothing but a low vibratory drum. He had been making his peace that he would be blind and deaf forever when he faintly felt the sensation of steps approaching him in the mud. A dim figure loomed overhead. As it enlarged in size, Ultan realized they were crouching above him.

Their voice fell as if through a veil; Ultan could distinguish its tone before the exact words. It was a friend.

Clenching his fists, Ultan summoned what little strength he had to his senses, willing his hearing back enough to make out their message.

"I'm sorry... we have been such ... luck since you came looking for... It wasn't supposed to be... like how it has been. If you want to ... you can come with me, back from where we... I... we... unfinished there. And I would rather like your wisdom."

Straining to see beyond mere shape, Ultan determined that the speaker was Leklo. If he was alive, then they had prevailed. Perhaps. 

Ultan attempted to speak, but a gurgle of mud and soot came out instead. His Toa companion gingerly lifted him out of the mud, propping him up. Ultan's head rolled to one side, where he managed to spit out what debris he had left between his teeth. He took a breathe of clean air.

"Lead... on... Lek... lo."

OOC: @EmperorWhenua

Edited November 11, 2020 by The Captain

[Burnmad]

IC: Barius - Fort Nektann

Barius ground his teeth as the alarm was raised all around him. Quickly, he sighted the reason: A technologically-advanced airship, shiny and chrome, was speeding towards the general location of Fort Nektann. "One minute," he growled to the stranger with the hot rod, who had been approaching him, seemingly looking to speak with him. He craned his neck upwards, eye tracking the position of the bulbous airship passing overhead. His pupils dilated and his irises rotated as his vision power activated, magnifying his vision and allowing him to make out the intricate details of the approaching vessel. Curiously enough, he noticed two things: The airship only had a couple of people on it, and it only had one obvious weapon that Barius could make out.

But that was all he could see before the ship made its dramatic crash landing near the front gates. Free scrap, he thought to himself. Drukarus said some words next to him, but their meaning was lost in the heat of the moment. All Barius made out was 'Barraki Pridak', a name that meant nothing to him.

Already moving for the gate, he called out to the chaotic mass of Skakdi that was scrambling around him. "Be at the ready, but don't open fire! They don't seem hostile... yet."

Now separated from the Herculean strength of his ACR, Barius was forced to wait for the gatekeepers to operate the mechanism and open the gate. During that long moment, he activated his vision power again, and took a better look at just who had dropped out of the sky and into his front yard. To his surprise, he saw what looked like a pair of Toa preparing to disembark. He noted the vessel's ramp lowering into the sand, just before the sound of grinding gears brought his thoughts back to the gate beginning to move before him. Behind him, a small group of Skakdi had materialized. They held wicked weapons at the ready, faces locked in tense scowls; they knew none of the information that Barius had discerned, and had to trust in his order to hold their fire, rather than simply blowing the airship to smithereens from a distance. Trust was not easy for Skakdi, least of all the Warskaks.

OOC: We sure are getting a lot of visitors around these parts. @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Sparticus147 @Crimson Jester @EmperorWhenua @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Providence - Dead Forest

Providence clapped his hands together decisively. "Well, clearly we all have some interesting tidbits of knowledge to share with - or conceal from - one another. I, for one, am inclined to do so in a place where we aren't likely to be squished at any moment... I would be fine, of course, but it would be terribly inconvenient." He looked between each of the curious beings that had accumulated in this small clearing of the Dead Forest, waiting for one of them to suggest a better locale to continue their discussion.

OOC: @Vezok's Friend @Nato the Traveler @Kal the Guardian @Sparticus147

IC: Morangad - Le-Metru Nuva

Morangad stopped in his tracks as new information was deposited into his brain by the presence, which withdrew as quickly as it had come. The dialectical process of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis began within his mind: The obscene act requested of him, and the coveted reward that would be offered in exchange, versus the conscientious reluctance, the pre-guilt that immediately made him sick to his stomach. It remained to be seen, what new force would be born of their union, and what it might drive the Tiokaha to do.

Course changed, Morangad resumed his trudging through the swelling swamp waters. He was thankful that he wore such high waders. His new target was the pit in the center of the clearing, where a single figure gazed down at a hideous abomination that could give him everything he wanted.

His mind reached out to hers, not touching it, but merely gazing at the loose ideas that escaped it; the surface thoughts that could give away so little, or so much, depending on the moment you were looking at them. Part of him hoped she would be thinking about murdering children. It would make his decision much easier. But mostly, he just wanted to glean some understanding of what the thing in the pit was. Exactly what kind of being had planted its seed of perdition within his brain? What kind of being was he considering doing business with?

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water

Time to try Mahrika's suggestion, then: Making the symbol for the Three Virtues, out of the three smaller constellations of the individual virtues. In order to do that, though, they would have to overlap somehow-- or else drastically change shape, which didn't seem possible given the controls available. Maybe they would line up when they were all in the right shape? They each seemed like they translated roughly to parts of the larger image, as Ollem remembered it.

He tried turning the center dial until Duty's constellation - the one with a single star buffered on either side by nebulae - was crisp and in focus, taking up the center of the image behind the waterfall. The left dial he tried to make blurry and out of focus, so that the six stars orbiting together would look more like the single blob that occupied the center of the Three Virtues symbol. The right dial he also made roughly in focus, somewhere in size between the other two, so that the two stars would orbit around the central blob while remaining inside the bounds defined by the pair of nebulae.

OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

Edited November 11, 2020 by Burnmad

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Leklo | Ruined Fort Ruins

3 hours ago, The Captain said:

"Lead... on... Lek... lo."

"I'm no leader," he scoffed dismissively under his breath and immediately regretted saying it. 

He was a climber who almost always went solo. It was easier that way, in no small part because his risks were only his to bear under those circumstances and if his ambition and adrenaline enticed him to endanger himself or make mistakes he wasn't jeopardizing others along the way. The notion of having a companion was still foreign to him, and even the partnership he'd shared with Korruhn was limited in liability by their mutual adventuresomeness and balancing temperaments. But even in that duo, Leklo wasn't the leader—they shared in that responsibility as friends—and so the opportunity to show his leadership abilities was neither required or utilized. In the face of being given the mantle from Ultan he balked at the idea, but it wasn't because he didn't think he could do it (on the contrary, his qualities were doubtlessly auspicious to roles of responsibility) but because he was afraid.

It was then that Leklo realized his own foolishness. Mere seconds before he ruminated on how he wanted Ultan's accompaniment for his wisdom, and then immediately took the sage's short reply as inane blathering. Leklo quickly realized there was percipience in Ultan's answer, and the most shameful thing was Leklo already knew that what he hinted at was true. The Alpinist was afraid yet courageous, traumatized yet strong, and directionless yet assured. He was not a leader because he cared too much about how others could be affected, and that was precisely why he was best equipped to lead by using his acquaintance with danger and risk to help others, starting with Ultan... and ending with Metru Nui.

He would lead his friend, and he would do as much good for others he possibly could, or so the Spirits help him. He finished his thought at long last, whispering with confidence that time, "But I will be one. Come, Ultan, let me help you up and get you away from this place." There were many miles to go, and though their bodies yearned for respite there was none to be had just yet. 

The following moments were spent laboriously helping Ultan to the nearest speeder bike. A small medkit was stowed in the panniers, which held some small medicines to ease the pain they both suffered and a vial of [pure] water to restore a semblance of vitality. Leklo recovered one of his swords, and he slung it on his back while he hooked Korruhn's extant khopesh to his waist as a reminder of his lost best friend. The sun was just now cresting over the horizon beyond the Godhead and turning the morning sky into a dazzling mixture of blues and grays and reds—a storm was coming, by the look of it. With the sun's brightening halo behind them, Leklo and Ultan returned eastward, back towards the Ice Ruins, and the temple with the Administrator to find out what terrible secrets and powers were stashed below. 

He looked back only once, seeing the slowly shrinking visages of Atamai, the titan, and the Aspect. Before he turned his attention back to the road ahead, one curious realization occurred to him:

Korruhn's ghost was nowhere to be seen. 

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Nektann, Apex

 

The little bug hovered for a few minutes and Viltia’s mind wandered. She had restored the path of destruction Nektann had inadvertently caused in his search for a better island within half a day’s journey, but there was a long stretch of devastated island beyond her current reach. His footsteps could be seen out in the marshes as far as the optics could see.

And this Kio wide circle of dead plants that she was standing in, why were they all dead? Them remaining dead seemed important to her, but she couldn’t recall why. Then she noticed a singular spike of life. She couldn’t see it under the canopy, nor in the light rain at the start of the night, but she could feel it. It was a tree, and yet more. She couldn’t quite fully sense it, and it crackled with a broken energy. It… seemed sad and defeated, hoping to be restored to full life.

Viltia tried to use her power to fix it, but somehow it refused her, even though she used the raw storm of elemental power provided by her Tahtorak body. It stuck out in her mind, even with Nektann’s forgetfulness. She needed to help that tree later, restore it to full life and embrace its experiences. She couldn’t let herself forget it. She tried her best to focus on it so she would remember it later.

The small insect finally decided to land on her. She was so excited that the half alive tree was instantly forgotten. She pulled it close to her eye. It wasn’t a bug at all. It was some Rahi she had never seen before. It, well it looked like a ton of Rahi haphazardly mushed together. This swamp produced some really insane creatures. It didn’t matter, though, it was absolutely adorable.

Then it started to talk! That was so cool! She listened intently, barely hearing the cute little Rahi in the thunderstorm and due to the vast distance it was from her audio receptor as a Tahtorak.

"I am Apex, Aspect of Nature, that be true and absolute. And, I now demand of you, what is it that brings you to my domain, and why is it you have brought destruction yet now bring regrowth to it and equal, if not greater measure towards one or the other?"

An Aspect? Sorilax had warned of their corrupt and conniving nature, how he himself wasn’t to be trusted. Boss’ memories had taught her another view of Aspects]. Emotionally, they were very important to Skakdi, but sifting through Nektann’s memories devoid of emotional connections, they really were selfish and power hungry. She- wait, who was Sorilax? She tried to remember, but Nektann’s memory flaw kept the information from her.

Well, she would be careful. Maybe this Aspect could lead her to Miserix. Nektann wished to be reunited with her, and Viltia hoped to do so after helping Boss turn the island green again.

Her voice came out like the crash of a thirty foot swell in the deep ocean, “I’m Viltia, I’m borrowing this body to help out my new and dear friend Nektann, he’s…”

The little Rahi seemed agitated and let out a bellow that sounded like an adorable little growl to her. Did she say something wrong?
 

OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator Finally get to notice the Vuata Maca tree as Viltia. Man, that took forever to fit in naturally. It's been months.

[Void Emissary]

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

Parnassus matched pace with Barius, and as the warskaks around them gathered torches and lightstones to illuminate the path to the downed vessel, the Aspect gathered the dozens -- hundreds -- of shadows around themself. Half of the shades whipped and coiled around their legs as the great gates of Fort Nektann groaned open, black serpents collared by Parnassus' will; the other half crept up the Aspect's back and over their shoulders to form a mantle of darkness. It was not, perhaps, wholly necessary -- they stood flanked by dozens upon dozens of grizzled warskaks after all, and if that couldn't intimidate whatever fools crashed themselves here, little else could.

But Parnassus kept glancing over at Barius who, still favouring the wounds from his battle with Boss, nonetheless seemed to glow with his new power. The Aspect had always considered themself a master of fear -- the Aspect of Endless Horizons, they were. Dauntless. But they remembered the glimmer in his desecrated's eye when the tahtorahk's roar echoed across the Wasteland, and they knew what that glimmer meant:

With a power like that, what need does one have for Parnassus?

Call it showboating, call it drama: but the Aspect of Endless Horizons would play second-fiddle to no one. And so, they would prove their own power, their own wonder and terror, to the leader of their warband.

And so Parnassus, master of dawn and dusk, stalked next to their leader in the gloom, towards the poor fools who had landed in their grasp.

OOC: @Burnmad @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @EmperorWhenua @Crimson Jester

IC: Irna | Metru-Koro

"Kei--"

It came out as a strangled gasp as Irna caught the falling woman -- she was so tired. All of this. This entire week, this entire day, this entire hour. The Zyglak lifted Keitara up in her arms like she weighed nothing at all. She looked over at Skorm, perhaps the only other person in Metru-Koro who knew precisely what she was feeling at this moment. She felt like the ground was spinning out from underneath her, the smoke that still curled up from her new home burning her nostril and clogging her throat. Her head felt fuzzy and her body felt light, like she could simply have drifted up with the smoke into the sky, gone, gone--

"We should get her back to my home," she said, the weight of Kei's body in her arms keeping Irna on the ground. She glanced back at Mazor and, hesitating, jerked her chin in invitation and added, "We all need rest."

And slowly, wearily, cradling this strange woman who now, impossibly, seemed integral to her life, Irna made her way back home.

OOC: @TL01 NUVA @Keeper of Kraata @Smudge8

-Void

[Sparticus147]

IC: Drukarus (Fort Nektann)

Following after Barius towards the gate, Drukarus heard as Barius let out a cry and command to hold fire amongst the Warskak. Siding with the warchief in this moment, Drukarus followed suit and bellowed out to the warskak as well, giving them the same command to hold their fire in a voice honed to shout over the roar of Skakdi and Rahi alike the blast of weapons and elemental powers.

As the gates opened and the warskak lined up, Barius taking the lead, Drukarus made sure to position himself to Barius' right, just behind him. Maul ready in the event of the worse, with Drukarus having to defend himself or Barius if it came down to it, Drukarus looked on eager at what Pridak had brought before him, though he would have not been against the idea of blasting the ship into rubble, he understood the need to understand what has come to you first, and to determine whether such actions are needed in the first place.

But at the moment, Drukarus was content to watch and see how this played out, whether it was forces of the Barraki or another entity entirely, the former warchief would be satisfied remaining amongst the crowd, there to advise Barius if he were to accept it.

OOC: @Burnmad @Conway @Nato the Traveler @EmperorWhenua @Crimson Jester

IC: Apex (Le-Metru Nuva)

“I’m Viltia, I’m borrowing this body to help out my new and dear friend Nektann, he’s…”

At the mention of Nektann, Apex was left cold struck, for before her, in a form wholly unlike what she last saw him, was the one Skakdi she swore complete and utter vengeance against, now turned and twisted into a monster that Apex could not do anything more than lay a scratch upon it, if even that. At that moment, Apex's wrath burned at its brightest, manifesting in a roar akin to that of a great Kikanalo herd, for she had been robbed of her satisfaction and left with her mortal foe, beyond her strength and embodying what she hated the most about the Skakdi.

It was infuriating, it was frustrating, it was agonizing. And worst of all, Apex could not even relieve her emotions upon the one she wished to see dead more than any other...But, perhaps another could be made sufficient.

Coiling and yowling like a Shallow Cat that just lost its prey, Apex looked up towards the eyes of Nektann, not of Viltia, and called back in her fierce tongue. "You are Nektann? The warlord who once imprisoned me, now turned monster? Tell me Nektann, who has wrought such retribution upon you and put you beyond my grasp?"

OOC: @Kal the Guardian @Unreliable Narrator

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Nektann, Apex

 

The Rahi Apex finished it’s cute little growl and spoke once more, "You are Nektann? The warlord who once imprisoned me, now turned monster? Tell me Nektann, who has wrought such retribution upon you and put you beyond my grasp?"

How was Viltia supposed to answer that? In a way she was Nektann right now, but it was still her mind in control, she was pretty sure. What could she say? Well, the truth always worked for Viltia before, no need to stop now.

“I’m kind of Nektann, I guess? Well it’s more like he’s a part of me. The poor Skakdi was in such pain, full of loss and not able to remember much. So I merged with him to help ease his suffering and help him regrow the island. Let me check his memories real quick.”

Viltia didn’t have time to check distant memories and so couldn’t verify the imprisoning of Apex part, but knowing Nektann as intimately as she did, she wouldn’t put it past him. He certainly wasn’t the most morally upright being in existence, despite her pity for him.

His most recent memories were full of loss and regret, with little other emotions. Rage filled them too, but mostly Nektann’s mind had been too muddled to accomplish what he truly wished. Then she saw a volcano. Irnakk’s Tooth. Two Skakdi struggled on the ground, watched by Irnakk himself. It was an eerie scene. Boss’ vision sure was weird, not at all like her’s.

He fought with the one called Barius, one of the objects of Nektann’s rage and regret. BARIUS. She didn’t even need to connect to Nektann’s emotions to hate the Skakdi. He embodied everything that disgusted her about his race. If she saw him again, he wouldn’t be seeing her anymore.

Because she would kill him.

He would be dead.

But all for Nektann, of course, not just for herself. It was all for Nektann. Nektann needed the island to be green, to somehow clear his mind fog, to reunite with Miserix, and to be free from Barius once and for all. And she was going to help him do it, since he couldn’t do it on his own. Her own hatred had nothing to do with it.

Maybe.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been searching memories, but not too long she thought. “A Skakdi named Barius did this to him. Miserix performed the rite through Nektann and Irnakk watched from above as Boss and Barius fought, before Barius ultimately won.

“Now, as a Tahtorak, Nektann has a hard time remembering even small things and he is consumed with loss and rage. That’s why he’s so destructive. It’s affecting me as well, but I’m one step removed, so I can actually fight the feelings.”

The storm inside her angrily wished for release, trying to fill her mind with tsunamis and hurricanes. Who knew raw elemental energy could be so temperamental?
 

OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Whira: The Cube

"Very good. Take us to your mines then, Cravious."

OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC, Atamai: Ruins of Stone

The following morning, Atamai was up and ready to go. He had slept surprisingly well; perhaps the previous day's events had tired him out. 

One of the first things he did was to secure the Great Disks: He stacked the remaining five all up, then used his elemental power to create a metal box to surround them. "Don't let this out of your sight," he told Zadred, to which the Skakdi nodded.

"So, you said they were heading to a refugee village called Po-Koro?"

"That's right," Zadred replied.

"Well, since I've never been there, my usual teleportation programming for my mask won't work. I'll have to change the wording up a bit. I'll see you soon, Zadred."

Atamai turned and left the temple. Once outside, he pondered for a moment on his mask programming. He quickly came up with something:

"Mata Nui, grant me the power to teleport myself, other beings, and inorganic objects to places I have been, and to people I have interacted with. Let this power only work if I am physically touching the beings or objects I am teleporting, and let this power work if I have visited the destination prior. If I am teleporting to a being that I have interacted with, I must know this being's name. Amen."

There was an uncomfortable pause. Atamai wasn't sure if this new wording would be accepted by the Haonga.

Soon, though, the familiar voice rang out in his head:

"Input: Accepted"

Smiling, he pictured Jutori and activated his mask.

His surroundings changed, and he found himself standing in a village that had appeared to have sustained recent damage. He looked around and saw that he had appeared behind his friends.

“wh-what do you think? Do you think this fort would be a good shelter? What is it like?”

Kanohi? Thought Atamai. He hadn't seen the Matoran since the Cataclysm; he'd be happy to see another familiar face.

Approaching his friends, Atamai spoke up. "If you're talking about the Skakdi fort, there was an incident. It's taken heavy damage, and now there's... some kind of aura of shadow throughout the place. I don't think it would make a good shelter at this point."

He waved as his startled friends turned around. "Hey. I'm back. So what's this about needing to find shelter?"

OOC: @Tarn @Snelly @Harvali @pokemonlover360

IC, Aurax: Coliseum

Aurax said nothing on the elevator ride up. He was still brewing about his failure to remove Ehlek from the Vahki code. 

The elevator stopping broke his train of thought. The two Toa stepped out, back into the receptionist's office. 

Aurax walked up to them. "Hey, do me a favor and put me on the mic? I wanna broadcast a message to the whole city." The Vortixx moved aside and motioned toward the intercom.

Aurax took a breath and pressed the button.

"Citizens of Metru Nui. I've come to make an announcement. Pridak is dead. Ehlek has abandoned you. The League of Six Kingdoms is no more. Now, there is only the Kingdom. My Kingdom. 

"I am Aurax, your new king. Unlike the Barraki, I will not betray you. I will not abandon you. With my rule comes a new age. The spirit of the Barraki's leadership will live on. In my Kingdom, all are welcome. All are equal. No one will be persecuted based on species, and no species will be placed on a pedestal.

"On this value, my first act as King will be to allow the former denizens of Metru Nui back into this city. I know some of you may despise them with all your being. But my Kingdom is based on true equality. If you take issue with this decision, you are free to leave.

"But let it be known that violence will not be tolerated here. Anyone found engaging in violence will be subdued by the Vahki and thrown into prison.

"Pridak's failures have forced us all into a dangerous situation. Beyond the walls of this city there are many dangers that can mean the death of us. But together, we can survive. Together, we are the Kingdom. Tomorrow we will begin to rebuild this city, and we, the people of the Kingdom, will not bend to an island of doom.

"Together, we are strong. Together, we are the Kingdom."

With that, Aurax ended his announcement. He gave the secretary a sideways glance. "Prepare for any attacks on the Coliseum. Oh, and send some Vahki to move my ACR and the debris from Pridak's ACR to a room on this floor. I want to set up a workshop here. And one last thing: mind showing me to my new sleeping quarters?"

OOC: @Kal the Guardian @Vezok's Friend

Edited November 12, 2020 by ~Xemnas~

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis and Korruhn | Fort Nektann

Despite Stannis's efforts, the pleasure craft known as the Ambling Alp had immediately began it's death knell, sinking heavily to it's portside into an uncorrectable nose dive. The ship rocked the ground as it's nose glided into the earth, kicking up a cloud of dust and sand as it tore a short path across the arth before coming to a halt, nearby the settlement's gate.

Korruhn did not know what they were about to encounter, but if the trials and tribulations of the last weeks had proven anything, it's that he's far more resilient than he'd ever anticipated. No mere being could strike fear in his heart, lest Karzahni himself materialize in front of him. He bore the mark of the curse of shadow, and his eyes and arm vented shadow smoke more havily than ever, a combination of adrenaline and newfound confidence.

"I'm ready," Korruhn asserted, as he checked to ensure his gear was still strapped to his belt. "But before we go: what the karz is an Aspect? I've heard of Makuta, but not Aspects. I may want to know who I'm about to pretend to be."

Stannis slammed the exit ramp deploying button and the abscess recoiled away in a hissssss. Light and sand flowed in freely. Stannis, however, stood stock still, still processing what he'd heard. "You're a wily one, aren't you?" he remarked with a little chuckle at last. "Of course you don't know what an Aspect of Makuta is... If Sans didn't know until it was too late then you wouldn't, either..." He beckoned as he disembarked. "Come, I'll explain as we walk."

He described then, in vague enough details to be easy to swallow yet not so much that Korruhn was left bereft of content, that the Aspects were a tribe of djinn who dwelled far to the south and were used as patrons to the local populations. He mentioned that they were universally Shadow-wielders, and that they were all unique in appearances and specialized in their abilities. Morality was a fickle thing to them, and they thrived on the art of the deal, eagerly granting incredible powers to those who would sacrifice some small slice of themselves. He ended by stating, "One thing is true about all Aspects: They are cunning and deceptive by their nature. Darkness," he explained, "is a cloak, and these djinn hold the dagger."

"I can work with that," he replied. A swindler, a dealmaker, a shadow broker. The man behind the veil, beyond the void. He could work with that. "And these Skakdi? What do they fear? What do they desire?"

“I haven’t a clue about their culture as a whole, but individually, they have the same primal sensations the same thing everyone else does: The unknown, and the power to control it.”

Korruhn nodded. A universal desire, that was. "Well I suppose we'll go introduce ourselves to our misfortuned friends then, shall we?"

"We shall," Stannis said, activating the closure of the ramp once they were fully disembarked and waiting until it fully sealed. "I think the best strategy is the more subtly terrifying, don't you think? A knock at the door from someone you don't know can generate incredible amounts of anxiety, or, at least, that's what some Ga-Matoran said..."

Korruhn went first, exiting the tilted egress door of the ship, stepping forth into a dense cloud fo steam, hissing from cut hoses in the ship's ramp and door mechanisms. His shoulders and head held high, he began toward the door with a stride exuding confidence and power. He was not Korruhn, Toa of Metru-Nui. He was Korruhn, Aspect of Makuta, agent of the ancient dark.

The wind whipped his cloak as he approached the door without a word, and soon the pair were face-to-face with the scarred, misshapen scrap metal doors that stood between Korruhn, and whoever had the gall to ruin his ship. His melted, marred mask twisted into the subtlest of scowls. With his right arm, jet-black and angular, venting shadow smoke in a veil around his face, he formed a fist, and pounded on the door three times.

Bang. Bang. Bang. 

They were authoritative knocks from a being who's presence was not to be defied, and yet, thankfully, not unduly aggressive. Stannis had cautioned against being too forceful; an Aspect would use the fear of the Warskaks to their advantage, not bully them with sheer shows of force. The Warskaks were ash bears in their den; staring at them directly would provide a contest of might that the two men were sure to lose, but tiptoeing reverently while providing sufficient evidence of potential power could sway the opinion just so to become diplomatic capital. Stannis knew the concept well. He chuckled inwardly—guffawed, even—at the scene he had concocted. He, an Aspect charlatan in a toa's body, with an honest toa masquerading as an Aspect. Oh, if only Mata-Nui could have seen this! he amusedly thought.

As he and his companion stepped back from the great rusty gate to Fort Nektann he wondered how Aurax was doing. He saw through Aurax's eyes for an instant to pass the time. He saw the holoscreens in front of him, the microphone dangling to the side, and the receptionist Vortixx nervously twiddling nearby. Aurax looked at her a number of times. Stannis also saw the words being generated on the screen as the computers captioned the words Aurax dictated. The old wizard could not hear the new king's thoughts, but he could see them clearly enough.

When the speech was over, Aurax could hear an overwhelming voice in his brain, unmistakable for anyone else's but clear as a bell held to his ears, yet utterly silent to all but Aurax.

(Now-king.)

(Goooooooood. )

(  )

...

His mind snapped to current events when the jostle of gears and clank of levers heralded the opening of the gate.

OOC | Hellooooooo!

@Crimson Jester @~Xemnas~ @Burnmad @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Conway

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Le-Metru Nuva

The very world around Sidra and Othorak seemed to bend and close in towards them, as if gravity's center lay in the space between them. The world grew dark in the shadows of Torch’s controlled fireball. Those shadows ran from Sidra and clung to the Grand Untethered. The shadows seemed thicker on it, like oil instead of simply the natural response to light. The shadows glistened, and flickered, and danced under the control of something more than just physics.

The mesmerizing facsimile of Othorak’s physical form long ago lost the original color of his armor, most of the lime green and red fading into the melting pot of others that shivered and shook to uphold his individuality. The shadows played with his smile, turning a wicked sneer into a momentary expression of desperation and empathy. Only the top two thirds of him rose from the rest of the Grand Untethered, his consciousness alone elevated above the others in a moment of rare individuation. Despite this he had the same voice, the same mask, and the same terrifying wound across his skull. His palms continued to extend, and the shadows with them towards Sidra.

Sidra rejected his calls. The shadows stopped their advance. They pulled back towards Othorak’s form and the Grand Untethered. She rebuked the offer and denied her own deliverance. Sidra spoke, and Othorak melted under her gaze. She would not see him again.

The moment quickly shifted, the gravity of the moment passed, and Le-Metru Nuva attacked. Villagers threw disks and fired their weapons. They lobbed rocks and sticks into the sinkhole. Each impacting kanoka disk sent shivers through the whole of the Grand Untethered. Parts of it froze solid and turned dark with frostbite. Parts of it shrank comically small, leaving tiny limbs and miniature mouths to flounder in the rain. Other portions collapsed under their own weight. The silver threads connecting them became taught. Shocking electricity traveled down wires as Spark’s weapon struck true. Wing’s disk of weakening turned a shrieking face to a lax and tired complexion. 

As the great fireball descended, Morangad caught sight of what lay at the bottom of the sinkhole: something beyond what eyes could perceive. Morgangad’s psionic awareness allowed him to feel and see more of the Grand Untethered than just the physical. Something was very much alive among the dead. It was ancient, powerful, and both of the world and not. It felt like a force of nature itself. Perhaps it was a part of the intrinsic cycle of life and death? 

Arms pulled against the walls of the sinkhole as the Grand Untethered charred from the descending fireball. Faces cried silently in fear, in passion, in panic, and in rage. The Grand Untethered burned and writhed under the torture of fire. The smell of charred organics and inorganics alike filled the Fau Swamp even above the smell of rain, leaves, and bog water. The flames rose from it to catch fire to the soggy roots around. Black smoke filled the air.

The Grand Untethered began to sing with guttural tones. It sang in discordant voices, all singing different songs and different parts. Each song was unique, and each song only existed in accordance with the others. The hands atop of the Grand Untethered reached for the fireball. They extended their fingers towards it. They were moths to a flame, and the light called them home.

One of the hands touched the underside of the fireball. It burned away, turning to charcoal before it could finish its task. Then another touched, and another, until at last one hand grasped the bottom of the flame’s range. Torch found his own elemental energy siphoned out of him as a presence entered his mind. He felt deeply seen and fully drained, and he buckled to his knees to wretch into the swamp as his energy left him. 

The massive fireball became tiny, a single bead of compressed heat and potential floating mere inches above the hand extending into the air. Then it released in an instant as blinding light.

Grey steam rose from the sinkhole. 

A familiar being crawled out, her tall figure splashing through the water and her hands twisted above the water line in search of something stable to grasp. Her body burned and steaming, she fell forward into Sidra’s arms before the mercenary could protest. A single hand caressed Sidra’s chin. Sidra couldn’t look away. Should couldn't be here. How could she look away? How could she be here?

“I’m so… proud of…”

Lariska’s body melted into silver protodermis and dispersed into the waters of the swamp. A small silver orb rested at the bottom of the sinkhole.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler, @Kal the Guardian, @Burnmad, @Sparticus147

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Saybo - Toa of Water - Aurax

Location - The Coliseum (4, 9)

With - (Great Being) Aurax

 

Saybo pondered his options in concern to sleeping arrangements. On the one hand, he needed to keep Aurax safe at all costs and should watch over him all night. On the other hand, Aurax was a Great Being and didn’t need his help to remain safe. Only his physical vessel could be harmed anyway, not the real Aurax. But that didn’t stop Saybo from weighing his options.

He needed sleep, yes. But he had also been trained to be able to stay still and awake for days at a time if need be. Ultimately, he figured Aurax’s new terrifying-

No wait, that was just the fear talking, those weren’t actually his emotions.

Aurax’s new, not terrifying, power of fear would be enough of a deterrent to keep the Great Being safe for tonight. It would be better for Saybo to be at top power and well rested in order to better serve the new king.

But better safe than sorry. After the receptionist took Aurax to his sleeping quarters, he would find the closest available room to sleep in just in case.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

 

IC: Cravious - Skakdi of Lightning - Zakazian

Location - Cravious’ Protodermis Mine, North northeast Mountains (7, 7)

With - Whira

 

Cravious nodded, leading Whira up into the Cube. For a moment he wondered if she knew about his secondary mining operation to the west that he hadn’t mentioned, but then he dismissed it as being a term referencing the one mine he had mentioned, just in a different way.

As he ended the conversation, his mind shifted to other things. It was odd to feel all five of his hirelings’ minds and know their locations at all times. It gave him a sense of power, a sense of security, and a sense of control. He told Sagacious where to take them and then they were moving again.

He focused on his power, trying to turn it off like turning off his vision or unique power. All minds around him disappeared and a slow grin spread over his face. This was very good. This meant he would be able to turn it off should anyone try to force feed him mental data.

Two days passed as they made their way around or over large sand dunes. A couple times they had to change direction to avoid sand worms, but with Cravious’ X-Ray and Telescopic Vision, safety was easily obtained.

Several stops were made for the Nui-Jaga, as it had to go out and feed. But those stops never took long, the thing was a really good hunter. It was kind of scary, actually. Not scary to Cravious, of course. But… to his hirelings, he was sure.

Cravious would need to grab food for it next time he was in the Rig. If the Rig was even still there. He had doubted the Gadunka initially, but when the Skakdi over the radio wouldn’t shut up about the destruction, it made it very likely that all his investments there had been destroyed. And hopefully that good for nothing detective, too.

The dunes eventually turned to earth, which quickly turned to rock. Now they wound through mountain passes and traveled plateaus. It took a lot longer to go shorter distances. At this point Cravious made sure they weren’t followed, and they spent a day sitting and waiting in a dead end valley to see if someone had indeed been following their tracks. Luckily, it appeared they were in the clear. A couple hours later, they were parked at the base of a tall spire. There were several spires all around them, smoothly carved from solid rock and seemingly washed out by some gigantic force of water far in the distant past. Probably a Tahtorak if Cravious had to guess.

Mountains were around them, though they were nowhere near the height that Irnakk’s Tooth mountain range was. No snow capped anything here. The rocks were full of reds and yellows and browns and the air was still and seemed to suck their moisture out of everything it could find.

Cravious stepped down the garage ramp, breathing in the dry air. This dusty smell was so much better than the Rig. Even though it tried to clog his lungs, this was far more pure than the air you breathed there.

He went over to a small rock and reached down to it. Instead of picking it up, he twisted it. It turned with a metallic grinding noise. Two giant doors lifted from the ground, loud metal groaning noises filling the air. They opened to reveal that a large portion of the rock before them was actually a disguise. The doors lifted and then settled out to the sides.

Cravious savagely grinned, squinting in the bright light of the sun. He lifted a hand to shield his eyes and peered down. Several pallets of raw protodermis ore were prepared for them. Very good.

His employees waited like they knew they were supposed to. Cravious motioned for Whira to come join him as he descended several flights of metal stairs down into the hollowed out rock and the large room below.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

[Nato G]

IC: Sidra – Le-Metru Nuva

It was easy to forget how powerful Toa truly were.

They clung to their codes, chose peace and restraint over pragmatism and retribution. It had taken a thousand-year war to finally push just a few of them over the edge, but what those Toa had done to their enemies was nothing short of horrific.

Given that the abominations assaulting the village clearly weren’t alive in the traditional sense, perhaps it wasn’t too surprising that both Viltia and Torch had been willing to exert their powers far beyond what a meek, merciful Toa normally would. But Sidra was surprised nonetheless.

Her fury had been so focused on the thing in the pit that she’d hadn’t fully appreciated how much hotter and brighter her surroundings were becoming. But when Torch’s immense fireball came crashing down towards the sinkhole, engulfing the abhorrence within, she understood.

In an instant, Sidra’s world transformed from one of lashing rain and biting cold to one of crackling flames and blistering heat. She was buffeted backwards by the roaring conflagration, the ice underfoot evaporating, the surface of the mud baking into clay. The brightness of the fire blinded her, the strangely song-like screeches of the things in the pit filling her ears as she fell back. Despite wearing armour, being soaked from the rain, and having the sword of ice in her hands, her skin still stung, blistered and raw as if from severe sunburn.

She rose with a groan, forcing herself to stand despite her body’s protests. She couldn’t stop. Not now, not yet, not until she was sure the battle was over.

It felt like it was over.

Othorak was gone, nothing but the scent of burned flesh and acrid trails of smoke occupying the space where he’d once stood. The storm itself seemed to have surrendered, softening to a soothing breeze and gentle rain. The rumble of thunder had quieted, and a strange new sound echoed from far above, a distant voice muffled by hundreds of bio of height and foliage.

But something still rose from the steaming crater. Sidra brought her sword around, ready to defend herself… only to let it drop as the impossibly familiar figure collapsed against her. No. How- it can't be- She felt Lariska’s hand brush her chin, her touch and the words that followed them being far more tender than Sidra remembered her ever being.

“I’m so… proud of…”

And then Sidra felt her mentor evaporate in her arms, becoming nothing more than trickles of silver liquid that slipped through the cracks in her fingers, to be swallowed up by the swamp.

"Lariska? Lariska!" 

For several long moments, she just stood there, confused tears mingling with the rain tracking down her cheeks as she stared at her now-empty hands. She didn't understand. None of this made sense. She'd only seen the creature take on the forms of the fallen. Othorak was dead. She'd watched him die, she'd fought his corpse. But Lariska hadn't been dead... had she? Had something happened on Odina while Sidra had been in Metru Nui? Had the entire rest of the universe perished when the city had fallen from the sky?  

She slowly lowered her hands to her sides, and saw what lay beyond them, at the bottom of the blackened pit, a sphere of silver that seemed to be all that remained of the entity. How could such a small, innocuous thing be responsible for so much destruction? Was this the heart of the monstrosity, or some treasure it had been coveting? Was it safe to touch, or something to be buried and forgotten?

There was only one way to be sure.

Sighing, she took up her sword once more, and cautiously moved to pick up the sphere, wary of any final attack the abomination might attempt... 

@Unreliable Narrator

[Burnmad]

IC: Barius - Fort Nektann

Barius shifted his weight between his feet as the gate opened, finally revealing who their latest visitors were.

A Toa and... an Aspect? Curious. The Skakdi's face assumed its natural state: A grinning sneer. "Well, well," he boomed, "ain't every day you see one of the exalted, do-gooding Toa, consorting with a demon. What brings such an odd pair to my gates?"

As he spoke aloud, his mind reached out to his own patron. Parnassus, do you know the darkling? He thought.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Conway @EmperorWhenua @Crimson Jester

IC: Morangad - Le-Metru Nuva

"Wait!" The Tiokaha called out, making his presence known. He had missed his opportunity; he had hesitated, and so time and the circumstances had made his decision for him. The entity was reduced to ash... or, most of it was, anyhow. There remained in the pit a single remnant of its form; one which Morangad feared might hold greater power than its appearance belied.

"Be careful with that," he called down to Sidra. He knew he was a stranger to her, but he hoped she would listen nonetheless. For some reason, having just been considering her murder, he now felt a sort of guilty sense of concern for her well-being. "I sensed an ancient and powerful presence within that abomination," he elaborated.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Kal the Guardian @Sparticus147 @Toru Nui

[Harvali]

IC Kanohi and Bode and “Collector” - Po-Koro

Kanohi sighed, of course, he should have known it would not be so easy. Still he tried to put on a brave face and said, “Noble Toa, thank you for the warning. I am afraid Po-Koro has suffered a lot of damage. A great beast wandered past our village, and while it did not attack us, it radiated a torrent of rain. The village became a quagmire, the ground collapsed, and now I fear that the land is not stable enough to depend on. And since the Skakdi have already raided us once…”

The Fe-Matoran tapped his masks, trying to calm himself down with the rhythmic clicking of metal on metal. As he stimmed he looked over the newcomer, eyeing his orange armor. It resembled Kanohi’s own armor, but, but maybe…

Finally he shook his head, “you are a Toa of Iron, right? Not Stone?” Kanohi had briefly hoped this newcomer might be just an well armored Toa of Stone, in which case between Arkius and him, maybe the ground could be stabilized. But once again, no such luck for Po-Koro.

Still, he was Akiri, he had a duty to lead, “Well, do you know of a place we could make a home?”

”We — hack — aren’t going. Po-Koro is our home, no outsider is gonna make us leave—” A Matoran of Plasma started to speak up, before being slugged by a Ga-Matoran. He fell hard, even as he coughed up more globs of mud. 

Kanohi sighed, “Supaka is … many of us are tired of having to flee from village to village, trying to find a lasting home. I … do you know of a way we could mend our village’s grounds?”

“I … I can reach out to my master,” De-Matoran spoke up suddenly, “maybe he will have advice, or be able to protect us.”

Kanohi sighed, “I … it’s Ulkarr, right? He … he helped us rescue a Matoran once, he knows this island more than any of us, he’s from here. It … just advice. Do not ask to make deals or sacrifice any of us who are dying from the storm. We-we will need to take care of the dead, that’s another thing.”

Bode nodded and focused his thoughts. Telepathically he spoke, “Master, Po-Koro has managed to survive, the beast is gone and so is the rain it brought, they have both traveled south. But now the ground is weak and the village devastated. And Master, some of us are dead as well. D-do you know of a place we could take refuge in? I think you said Metru-Koro has survived, but could we find sanctuary there?”

Elsewhere Collector worked to assemble the telescopic lens. Though their arms were thick with muscles, they moved their fingers with the precision of a flutist, carefully adjusting and tweaking the lens. Slowly fitting the lens in place, tightening the mechanisms, testing the sensors. Not just sensors for seeing things with the lens, but a telescopic lens had to be able to detect some of the desires of its wearer. Otherwise, how would the machine know when to focus, and when not to?

They held the lens to their eye, focusing it. The machine shifted slightly, but not much else. It was too tight. They sighed and began to tweak the telescopic lens, loosing parts of it so it could extend and open up like a proper iris.

They held it up to their eye again, the lens adjusted more now, perhaps slightly too much. And it’s image was a bit blurry. They popped out the individual lens, cleaning them out, before slotting them back in in a different order. They retightened the device, not too much but enough to be stable.

As Collector looked through the telescopic lens once more they sighed. They … they had not tinkered on something besides their bike for a long time. They winced, hopefully it and the rest of the company’s vehicles had survived the storm. They should check, after they have done what they could here.

They sighed and shoved upright, they would do more fine tuning on the lens later, but for now it was working okay, and they were more rested. And as they walked across the village they could hear Matoran crying for help. They took great strides towards the sound, readying their Kanoka Blade as they walked. Hopefully, this was one Matoran they would not fail.  

OOC: @~Xemnas~ @The UltimoScorp @pokemonlover360 @Toru Nui @Onaku @Snelly @Tarn

Edited November 12, 2020 by Harvali

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Whira: Protodermis Mine

Whira followed Cravious down the stairs into the mine.

OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC, Atamai: Po-Koro

Atamai's telescoping eye zoomed in on Kanohi. 

"Yes, I'm a Toa of Iron. Wait, Kanohi... what kind of beast are you talking about? Do you know what it looked like?" he asked. If Kanohi had seen a creature like the one that the Aspect had shown him, then Atamai knew that everyone on the island would be in danger.

OOC: @Harvali @pokemonlover360 @Tarn @Snelly

[Harvali]

IC Kanohi and Bode and “Collector” - Po-Koro

Kanohi hesitated, this Toa knew him? He … was this a Toa he knew as a Matoran? One of the group that had gone to Dume’s office? He swallowed, that did not matter as much, “It was hard to see, the thick rain distorted it. I … I believe it had a crest with many horns and spikes, thick legs, I believe it walked on four legs and had a long tail. And it’s size…”

He thumped his masks, trying to focus his thoughts. Finally he said, “it was hard to tell from far away, but it looked taller than a fully grown Knowledge Tower, and longer than the reach of Po-Koro. If … you know the massive … head we came from? Maybe the beast would be the size of one of the head’s eyes.”

The Fe-Matoran spoke firmer now, “one thing I am pretty sure of though is that it did not purposefully flood and sink the village. It just walked on past, never stopped, it was too busy heading south. I … I am not even sure it was aware we were here.”

”Kanohi?” Sucordak approached, “”we have recovered what disks you and I have crafted. The Forge of Vakama is still ruined, although,” the Matoran of Plasma paused to eye Kat and Atamai, ”maybe these Toa could mend it.”

”Maybe,” Kanohi admitted, “But … the ground is still unstable. Arkius drained it, but the underground water will erode the ground, much of the homes have sunken, and we would have to rebuild huts from scratch. I … but if the fort is damaged then we cannot take refuge there.”

Kanohi paused, “I have a foolish question. My homeland never developed the technology of Kanoka. I only learned that disks were reusable during the invasion of Metru-Nui. My question is, can disks of regeneration mend any inorganic material, including the ground? Or only materials that are synthetic? Some of the heroes who helped us in the crisis came here originally seeking a Great Disk of Weakening, they hoped me and Sucordak could forge it. It was beyond my skill level, I have only managed to craft low level disks of regeneration. But … if we could make a Great Disk of Regeneration, could we restore the ground, strengthen it back to how it was before the storm?”

Elsewhere, Collector wrenched a Matoran free of the mud, and cradled them in their arms. They slowly laid them down besides some Ga-Matoran medics, before wandering away as they pumped mud and water from the small person’s lungs.

The Vortixx was a greedy monster. Just like their people. When they had returned to Po-Koro, a they were upset that the Matoran had flourished without them. They should have been supportive of their friends, not made it all about them. Then in the storm they were excited to help, cheerful, even as Matoran died and drown. And only now did they realize what had happened to the village, and how much of it was their fault.

There was a cry, and they sprinted towards the sound. As the Vortixx charged they could see a chunk of ground collapsing, the crumbling land carrying a hut with it. Quickly they thrust their Kanoka Blade down, plastering the ground together with ice. 

As they soldered the land together they called out, “Hurry, Matoran. Get to safety.” The Vortixx pulled free their blade and struck another patch of ground, sealing it together even as a Matoran poked their head out of the hut.

”Help,” the Onu-Matoran pled, “my charge can’t walk.” With a simple nod Collector bent on one knee and stretched their free arm inside the hut, before grabbing a bedpost. They slid the bed towards the door, before scooping up the Matoran and lifting them into their arms.

They cradled the injured Matoran, sheathing their Kanoka Blade, even as the Onu-Matoran ran out from behind them. Collector followed after them, walking away even as the hut completely collapsed into the rushing underground river that coursed below. 

OOC: @~Xemnas~ @The UltimoScorp @pokemonlover360 @Toru Nui @Onaku @Snelly @Tarn

[Nato G]

5 hours ago, Burnmad said:

IC: Morangad - Le-Metru Nuva

"Be careful with that," he called down to Sidra. He knew he was a stranger to her, but he hoped she would listen nonetheless. For some reason, having just been considering her murder, he now felt a sort of guilty sense of concern for her well-being. "I sensed an ancient and powerful presence within that abomination," he elaborated.

IC: Sidra - Le-Metru Nuva

An exasperated laugh escaped Sidra as she stopped before the sphere, and glanced up at the newcomer. "You don't karzing say?" 

Shaking her head, she bent down to take up the sphere in her gauntleted hand. 

@Burnmad @Unreliable Narrator

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Cravious - Skakdi of Lightning - Zakazian

Location - Cravious’ Protodermis Mine, North northeast Mountains (7, 7)

With - Whira

 

Cravious led Whira as they wound their way down three flights of stairs and many steep steps. The room they ended up in was a square that could house a three by three of Cubes two Cubes high. In short, it was massive. All of it hewed from the rock.

Near the stairway was an elevator with no apparent power source. There was an odd handle that stuck out of what would have been a motor. Cravious went over to it and grabbed the handle, his Lightning element visibly flowed from him and into the machine. It was obvious the handle had the same technology that other tools had that allowed Skakdi to channel their elements without another. The elevator, batteries now charged, rose up.

Cravious turned away, leading Whira across the space, past minecarts, pickaxes, shovels, and a couple piles of scrap parts. They stopped before the rock wall on the far side of the massive room. Cravious felt the wall as a distraction, his foot finding a small rock in the wall near the floor and pushing it in. No need to give Whira all his secrets.

Once again a hidden door slid forward from the wall and moved to the side. A long and dark tunnel greeted them. Cravious pounded a button just inside the passage and a row of lights slowly lit the interior. He motioned Whira to follow him and started talking as the door closed behind them.

“Only Sagacious, and now you, know that I have non-Skakdi workers. Long story short, I saw Matoran slaves worked far better than Skakdi, but nobody would sell any to me. So I took matters into my own hands and went looking for some yet to be discovered camp. You see,” Cravious held up nine fingers, “By my estimations in addition to talking with the beings here, only nine tenths of the population of this island is Skakdi. There are far more other species than you would think upon a quick glance.”

Cravious held up a single finger, “Ah, but here’s the catch, they can hide really really well. They can hide from vision powers and Mesi alike. But I’m not like other Skakdi. No way. I found this group struggling to survive up here in these mountains. They didn’t want to become my employees at first. We had some great fights about it.”

He grinned widely while he remembered the battles, “The things a Toa can do with his element, it’s crazy. It’s their honor that did them in though, as soon as I offered a 1v1 combat tournament and they accepted, I knew I had them.”

Cravious waved his hand in the air, “Anyway, one thing led to another and eventually they caved in. Now they mine ore for me and in exchange I keep them hidden and well supplied.” He nodded to himself, “They are way better workers than Skakdi. You wouldn’t believe it. They can produce double or sometimes triple of what a Skakdi might. Might be the best investment I ever made.”

They reached the end of the tunnel to find another large room, though this one was much smaller than the first. It looked to be some type of common area. There were chairs and a few tables off to the side by what looked to a cooking area. There were many shade dwelling plants and a few small cactus set around the room. The ceiling was painted blue, with a yellow sun around one of the main lights. The walls were painted green and brown, depicting a Zakaz that hadn’t been around for some time.

There were many doors that led to other rooms. One was open and Whira could see a surprisingly spacious living quarter with doors inside to even further places. The air also felt clean, which was unexpected this far underground. A vent could be seen in one corner, which meant there were probably more around. Cravious had gone all out, it seemed.

And indeed he had. With as brutal as he was in some regards, his greed led him to be gentler in others. He had found through experimentation and observation that happy, free workers worked far faster and more efficiently than angry slaves. And more speed and efficiency meant more ore, which meant more vehicles and weapons, which meant more money. And that’s what life was all about, after all.

Near massive double doors that looked like they could be locked or barred five different ways sat a black Toa working on a minecart. It seemed one of the axels had broken and he was attempting to repair it. He had one wheel removed and was working on the next.

A couple Matoran and a Tiokaha were either eating or lounging around the common room. One Matoran looked up and saw Cravious. His face carried no surprise at the sight and he just looked back down at what he was doing.

Cravious hit a button at the end of the hall, turning off the lights behind them in the passage. He turned to Whira, “Any questions?”

 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

[Void Emissary]

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

No, Parnassus replied. There is darkness here ... and I do not understand it. It is young, yet it is old, also. Wild, yet tightly leashed. And I cannot find the source of it. It blankets the both of them.

If Barius were to turn his head, he might see the Aspect's black mantle trace a single thread up to the hilts of their swords. He might see a tremor in the demon's hand as they looked at these two newcomers: this nightmare in ivory and this ancient demigod. Parnassus had not been shaken by the sight of a tahtorahk rising above the horizon. Nor even were they shaken by the nature of this new darkness that stood before the gates. No, what truly shook this Aspect of Shadow and Fear....

Barius, I know all my kin, Parnassus said. And I do not know them.

OOC: @Burnmad @EmperorWhenua @Crimson Jester @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler

-Void

[Eyru]

IC: Tuakana | Fortress Ruins

The others left. One by one and two by two. The blackened earth remained, and so did they. So did the suffering one. 

They approached. Knuckles to the ground. Swing forward, plant feet. Their armour loomed over the fallen Axonn like a statue carved of stone. Their unseen eyes looked down. Their unseen mouth twisted sounds into syllables. They spoke.

"You suffer, young one." It was a statement, not a question. "You need help."

OOC: @Unreliable Narrator

 

[EmperorWhenua]

15 hours ago, Burnmad said:

IC: Barius - Fort Nektann

Barius shifted his weight between his feet as the gate opened, finally revealing who their latest visitors were.

A Toa and... an Aspect? Curious. The Skakdi's face assumed its natural state: A grinning sneer. "Well, well," he boomed, "ain't every day you see one of the exalted, do-gooding Toa, consorting with a demon. What brings such an odd pair to my gates?"

IC Stannis | Fort Nektann

The deceiver stood barely a step behind Korruhn and surveyed his welcoming committee, methodically and evenly panning his gaze left to right and resting his damnably grey eyes on each person only an instant before moving on. Korruhn was brash in his physical assertion, all muscle and pulsing shadow, glower and gloom, and Stannis looked decidedly meek by comparison, clothed pauperishly in his ragged cloak that looked almost ash grey in the harsh wasteland sun and leaning heavily on his spear that made him in his hunched posture look shorter than Korruhn. At a glance he would have easily passed as a beggar or slave, and yet... 

The evidence on the contrary was there. It was in his eyes, that gleamed knowingly like vast holes of mercury that swallowed everything in their depths. It was in his hands, their sinewy grips holding the weapon with vicegrip strength. It was in his posture that, while slightly stooped, was firmly grounded and unshakable. There was no mistaking the man in the cloak as anyone's underling, and unassuming as he was Stannis did not have to show his power outwardly, a notion at least Barius picked up on in his leader cunning. 

"Truthfully, we have come, somewhat chaotically as we did, to find something an old friend of mine left for me here—nothing more, nothing less," he said carefully, "My companion is the Aspect, Korruhn. I am called Stannis." 

@Nato the Traveler @Burnmad @Sparticus147 @Conway

Edited November 13, 2020 by EmperorWhenua

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Axxon | Destroyed Piraka Fortress

“What could you possibly offer me?” Axxon asked, each shaky word echoed softly over the lake with great pause between them as he gasped for air. The ruined titan barely heard the conversation occurring after his defeat. He spent the time concentrating on staying alive. Axxon knew how hypocritical he became with each ragged breath. For so long he thought honor mattered above all else. He decorated himself in the pageantry of honor, and bore those badges and sacrifices with pride. Now, confronted with his own perpetual death, the pain of mortality proved too great. 

Honor meant nothing. His function meant nothing. He just wanted a moment without pain to think. A dark shadow loomed over his broken body and promised aid. He knew better than to agree, but what better choice did he have? He’d hear the shadow out.

OOC: @Eyru

 

IC: Reliable Narrator | Le-Metru Nuva

The heat from the fireball’s explosion dried the mud pouring into the sinkhole, creating a solid depression Sidra could easily clamber down into. The thrown sticks and kanoka disks mingled with the other detritus pulled down during the fight. In the center of the sinkhole amidst a small puddle of glowing silver protodermis floated the silver orb.

Sidra picked it up.

It fit perfectly in her grip, as if made for her. Her fingers nearly touched as they curled around its surface. The silver orb felt lighter than expected, and small raised lines ran across it. She could feel the lines pressing into her hand. The lines, she discovered, were the raised edges of individually shaped pieces held together by some unknown interior mechanism. The pieces turned easily, gliding against each other without a sound. Manipulating the orb’s shape provided a sense of calm. It could be molded into a cube, a pyramid, and even a hexagonal prism. There were many possible shapes. Each shape provided its own cozy mood. 

Viltia merged with Nektann. The villagers defeated the Grand Untethered. Le-Metru Nuva survived the night. Dawn would rise again over the village, and they would rebuild no doubt stronger than before. However, no matter how great the feelings of success in the face of impossible odds, something stayed with them from that fateful night: a poem all remembered but never heard read aloud.

 

One silver thread

Two bodies dead

Three broken yolks

Four severed heads

Five promised lies

Six scattered stones

Seven stars torn

One world born

 

OOC: Congratulations on overcoming the settlement challenge for Le-Metru Nuva. Whenever you feel it makes sense, you may perform the time skip as promised. I believe you've earned it. @Burnmad, @Sparticus147, @Kal the Guardian, @Nato the Traveler

[Sparticus147]

IC: Apex (Le-Metru Nuva)

“I’m kind of Nektann, I guess? Well it’s more like he’s a part of me. The poor Skakdi was in such pain, full of loss and not able to remember much. So I merged with him to help ease his suffering and help him regrow the island. Let me check his memories real quick.”

Apex did not ask for this being Viltia to speak to her, she asked for Netkann...But perhaps...He wasn't able to answer her. Perhaps, like this Viltia says, he is loss to the monster he has become. Deep down, Apex didn't want to believe it, she simply wanted to assume that the warlord was simply being petty. But with how the entity, Viltia, spoke, Apex could not help but believe them, believe that the one they sought vengeance against was gone.

But Apex could at least feel solace in one fact. Hearing how Nektann was in pain, how he was suffering, how he was alone, slowly losing himself, it reminded Apex of the same pain she experienced...It reminded her of the same pain she felt...Help him regrow the island. Was that a goal of this Viltia, simply using the strength of the Tahtorak to achieve a goal. Or was this a goal of Nektann, one that he held before his transformation? No, there was no way that the Nektann she knew would turn such a leaf.

“A Skakdi named Barius did this to him. Miserix performed the rite through Nektann and Irnakk watched from above as Boss and Barius fought, before Barius ultimately won. Now, as a Tahtorak, Nektann has a hard time remembering even small things and he is consumed with loss and rage. That’s why he’s so destructive. It’s affecting me as well, but I’m one step removed, so I can actually fight the feelings.”

Barius. Apex will keep the name in mind. But what got Apex's attention was the mention of Miserix, a confirmation of what the young Whisper had told her earlier and a foretelling of the strength in which the elder Aspect has claimed since Apex's imprisonment. But amongst the names, the one Irrnak, meant the least, as Apex did not register the Skakdi and their abhorrent culture and practices.

But regardless, as of present, the threat of Nektann remained.

"Tell me, oh Viltia. If you're goal is to help in this island's restoration, do you believe yourself strong enough to hold command over the creature?

OOC: @Kal the Guardian @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Drukarus (Fort Nektann)

As the two beings approached, Drukarus could feel the darkness that swathed around the near-black clad entity, who cut a figure that Drukarus could not help but see as intimidating. But it is one thing to look intimidating, and to be actually intimidating. And appearances are barely half of it. Drukarus also felt the darkness that came from Parnassus, obviously an equal attempt at being just as intimidating if not more.

The other figure was also an odd sight, obviously a Toa, and an old one at that. But like Drukarus himself, there was a great strength behind that age, with eyes that had seen many times, both great and terrible, and with the grip upon their staff and their stance, they were just as keen for battle as the Skakdi that faced them. From here, Drukarus could not discern whether they were from the League or not. Although Pridak's campaign sought the destruction of those who followed Mata-Nui, the sight of a Toa was not wholly unknown amongst his legion, so conversation would only reveal where they stood, as introductions were made.

"Truthfully, we have come, somewhat chaotically as we did, to find something an old friend of mine left for me here—nothing more, nothing less. My companion is the Aspect, Korruhn. I am called Stannis." 

Stannis, that was a name that resounded squarely within the former warchief's mind. Stannis, it was a name that carried age, strength, and mystique. And it was one to hold caution to. Leaning in closer to Barius, Drukarus spoke in a soft, quiet voice as to keep his word privately between the two, but an intenseness was evident in it, as what Drukarus said was more than just advice, it was a warning.

"Stannis...I recognize that name, they were a figure of great significance from my old world...They went by many names, Prophet of the Great Spirit, Wizard of the Maru, the Eternal Wanderer...They are known for their wise words...And their seemingly supernatural abilities..."

OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Crimson Jester @Burnmad @Conway @Nato the Traveler

[Nato G]

IC: Sidra - Le-Metru Nuva

For a few quiet moments, Sidra's pain - both physical and emotional - seemed to wash away as she turned the sphere over in her hands. With the motions came an unnatural calm, and comforting words, words she couldn't recall having heard, but that glided through her mind like a familiar recital.

One silver thread... the sphere's seamless components clicked and shifted. She got to her feet, and started to clamber out of the pit. Two bodies dead... the smooth edges became sharp, all edges and corners. She glanced around her as she fiddled with the strange puzzle, taking in the broken branches and blackened ground. Three broken yolks...

This didn't feel like a victory. This didn't feel like peace. 

This was just another battlefield. 

Four severed heads... with one final twist of Sidra's hands, what had previously been a sphere was suddenly a cube. But despite the perfect shape, it didn't feel finished. The pieces could still move, and she didn't have the patience for puzzles. Not right now. She had to make sure everyone else was alright. Five promised lies... She stowed the cube in one of belt pouches as she reached the crest of the crater and pulled herself out.  

Six scattered stones... Her exhaustion and frustration came flooding back the instant she set aside the strange device. None of this made any sense. What had been the intelligence guiding the undead? Had it come all this way just for her, or was it just a coincidence? Why had there been nothing left of something powerful except for a single, stupid puzzle? She had innumerable questions, but no way address any of them. Seven stars torn...

They'd won. They'd survived.

But they hadn't learned anything.

She spotted Spark's lightstone rifle where she'd left it, and moved to pick it up. She hoped he'd survived the battle. And Torch. And Wing. And especially Viltia. They weren't indolent Matoran living it up in some shining city, or brutal warlords bent on conquest. They were simple, decent people, setting aside history and prejudice to focus on pulling their weight and doing their best. They hadn't deserved this.  

And if it was somehow Sidra's presence that had brought the abominations to their door, then they didn't deserve her, either.

One world born...

[pokemonlover360]

IC Kilo-M9 - Po Koro:

Elsewhere in the village of Po-koro a machine continued its work. Before any progress could be made on its objectives a large rainstorm had washed over the still-new settlement. The source of the sudden weather change had been all too apparent. Whatever the creature that strode across the horizon, it didn’t match any archives records. Speculation on the entity’s identity had to be put on hold however, as the desert village had most certainly not been waterproofed in any capacity, a fact only exacerbated by the tunnels just beneath the surface. The flimsy foundation and muddy terrain had created a great many problems to overcome when it came to rescuing the imperiled citizens. The machine did not mind the challenge. These conditions were no threat to its survival, which left it with only one task to focus on.

So it was that the automaton carried out its duties, retrieving as many matoran as possible in as efficient a route as it could manage. It avoided the areas its allies focused on in order to maximize efficiency, pulling villagers from the muck with relative ease. The gripping claws on its limbs splayed out to increase stability in the moist terrain while its stamina was effectively unlimited. There was no care displayed for property or possessions of those it rescued; all that mattered was preserving lives. Even as the rainstorm subsided the steel guardian continued its work while the others began to regroup. It listened in on its allies discussing their next plan of action. Expected suggestions were raised.

What was unexpected was the sudden appearance of Atamai. As the last matoran in the current sector was safely retrieved, the machine took stock of its ally. There was something aged about the toa of iron; whatever had happened on his journey had had a significant effect on him. There would be time for that later. Presently, the toa’s arrival meant that he might have succeeded in his quest to retrieve the discs. That would change things. The Spear still needed retrieval, but for now the best course of action was information.

“Based on prior experience with weakness kanoka, regeneration kanoka of significant power should be sufficient for repairing village foundations,” the machine theorized as it marched over to its allies. There was a piece of wall from a damaged hut in its arms, and as it continued it began carving into the slab with one of its protodermis digits. “Regardless of possibility of foundation repair, this area is unsafe for long-term living. Hostile forces are already aware of village location and know that defenses are limited. Tunnels underneath also unresolved point of possible attack. Current situation is untenable. Evacuation is advised. If no suitable independent location is currently known, transport of civilians to Metru Koro will likely be most effective until a new site for Po Koro can be located. Civilians have resided in this village for about 2 weeks. Emotional attachment should be minimal. Psychological effects can be minimized and dealt with after transport.” The mechanical enforcer paused for a moment and handed the slab of rock it had been working on to Atamai. From its memory banks the machine had carved a rough sketch of the creature the village had witnessed in the distance. Between the machine’s sketch and Kanohi’s description the size of the entity could not be truly conveyed, but with any luck these descriptors would convey the information to the toa of iron properly. “A sketch of the creature observed near the village. Based on distance from village and relative height, entity is similar in size to a small mountain. No records exist in database. Direct combat is not advise.”

After letting its word sink in for a moment before moving to another pressing topic. “Ally Atamai, were you successful in your task?” the machine asked, referring to the iron toa’s disc quest.

OOC: Too tired for colors. @~Xemnas~@Harvali@Onaku@Tarn@Snelly@The UltimoScorp@Toru Nui

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Water

Ollem and Mahrika considered the best way to form a single constellation from the three present.

The leftmost constellation of Unity was pushed all the way to the eighth rank. It hovered small and out of focus behind the falling waters. The center constellation of Duty was pulled to the fourth rank, where it showed pure and crisp as an evening sky. Destiny was placed on the sixth rank, hovering just out of focus. The overall impression looked like a skakdi’s doodle of the three virtues symbol. Mahrika and Ollem knew something was not quite right yet.

“I see your passion for the virtues is paramount, great Builders. You truly think above the minds of even those who originally designed this trial. Perhaps simpler thoughts hold greater truths?” The Administrator's voice seemed a little different. Was he becoming bored? “Dear Builder Mahrika. I have seen you clutch yourself in thought many times. Are you ill?”

 

OOC: @Burnmad, @Harvali

[Crimson Jester]

IC: Korruhn, Fort Nektann

The air at the oasis fortress was the opposite of what you'd expect of a place so lush: acrid, thick and oily, leaving a fine, greasy sheen on nearly every surface of the fort. Wind entered the oasis from the desert outside with great stride, pushing dust through the small valley, howling high-pitched shrieks as it passed through the gaps in the walls of the haphazardly-constructed buildings, clinging to every greasy surface of the encampment. Two of Korruhn's fingers touched the gate door, and swiped, leaving a mark in the dusty grease. He looked at his fingers, observing the dust with curiosity. He wiped his fingers with his thumb, and returned to the scene before him.

They were an odd band of beings that stood before him, and Korruhn made a point to lock eyes with each as he assessed them. Most were Skakdi, but a few were not, and although Korruhn had met Skakdi prior at Metru-Koro, he wasn't sure how he yet felt about them. The first Skakdi was short, but hearty, with a Mata Nui-awful shirt worn over his armor, and a strange pair of light-dampening lenses over his eyes. The second was huge, a stone mountain in of himself, clad in black with strange, purple marks adorning throughout, and he bore a ramshackle collection of armor and furs. The third member of the welcoming party was a more ambiguous species, and although he looked more Toa than Skakdi, his spiked armor and broad shoulders betrayed his allegiance to the Skakdi. The Shadowed one, clad in road-worn red and gold armor, brooded silently on something, surely attempting to place the other Shadow beings before him. And the leader, the speaker: a Skakdi himself, this one was huge in an entirely different way to the second. Each ounce of mass equated to the strength of a horse, and his scarred, grey flesh indicated a life that had seen many battles. He was surely the leader.

Korruhn strategically chose not to address any of the welcoming party at first. He did not fear these feral beasts, no matter their size or appearance; nothing could compare to the foul beasts residing on the Far Shore, the land of which Korruhn was now Emmissary.

His cape billowed in the wind, although his body stood stark-still in the silence at the gate's entrance, feet planted shoulder-width apart, hands at his sides. Eyes still slowly scanning and observing the meager fortress these fellows had created. He would take his time addressing the crowd. They needed time to formulate their own opinions, let their minds wander. Let the fear of the unknown slowly creep into the back of their minds, and invade their thoughts, until they squirmed. His eyes turned to their leader.

"Hm," Korruhn let a brief amount of air out of his mouth as he looked over their leader again. His eyes and head moved as he assessed him, looking him over as though he weren't even there. His half cloak still dangled lazily at a forty-five degree angle, flapping in the wind, and his hood obscured his melted, golden face. Korruhn's eyes, more a sickly pale yellow than the blue they used to be, pierced the darkness within the hood. Suddenly, the eyes turned to Barius' face, as though he was suddenly aware of him staring back, awaiting an answer from the Accursed One. One of his squires approached from his side, and spoke something softly into his ear, out of earshot of Korruhn and Stannis. Korruhn smirked from beneath the darkness of his hood.

"Seems I'm here for ship repairs now." His voice was as smooth, sincere and friendly as could be managed with his natural voice. He paced, a couple steps to each side, his posture strong, but not hostile. "It's a wonderful thing I seem to find myself in the company of an affable band of the mechanically-inclined, don't you think?"

OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Burnmad @Conway and I probably forgot someone