RPG Forum Contest 24 Submissions

[Black Six]

RPG Forum Text-Based RPG Contest 24 SubmissionsAll RPG Contest 24 Entries should be posted here. They will be added to the list as we get around to it; don't fret if your entry isn't on the list immediately after you post it.You have until 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, June 26th to submit entries.NOTICE: If there is a note by your entry saying that it does not meet the requirements, reread the Contest Rules and then send Black Six a PM if you are still not sure of what is wrong with your entry. You have until 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, June 26th to edit your post and fix your entry.Also, please be sure to check out the RPG Contest Topic for important updates and announcements.You can review others' entries in the Review Topic.

[*]Strike from the Shadows - Zarayna: The Quiet Light[*]Dusk Coliseum - Zacax[*]Waves of the South - Toa Levacius Zehvor[*]Desolation - Belthnor[*]Makutalypse - General Rocka's Bane[*]Troubles of Dawn - Toatapio Nuva[*]Kirse: City of the Great Beings - Pyrrhon[*]Transformation - The Lorax[*]The Shifting Sands - Kal the Guardian[*]Isolation - Kryzath[*]Scourge - Mr. House[*]Surrender Unto the Hive - Toa Zealokan[*]Fatal Error - Using Less Vorex[*]Goodbye Innocence - The One who is Gone[*]It Takes Two - Toa Fanixe[*]The King's Game - Ace of Skulls[*]Aloft: Castle in the Sky - Pit: Arrow of Light[*]Agori Trail - Man with the Hex[*]Title - Author

Total number of valid entries: 18NOTE: if you have an entry that is in violation of the rules and edit it to fit, please PM Black Six to notify the staff. Similarly, if you add a title to an untitled RPG, do the same. We are only human (well, okay, the jury's out on that) and are liable to miss the changes.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Black Six

[Grantaire]

Matoran die, the days grow colda piece of bread buys a bag of goldI wish we'd all been readyThere's no time to change your mindthe Hunters have come in the nighttwo toa lying in their bedsone hears a sound and looks abouther brother lies limp on his bedAn arrow lodged within his headI wish we'd all been readyTwo vahki walking up a hillone's shot and one's left standing stillI wish we'd all been readyThere's no time to change your mindThe Hunters have come in the nightnow’s your time to flee or fight

SummaryIn the year 3,500 B.G.C. the city of Metru Nui changed essentially: Previously a peaceful bustling city, it became in one single night a conquered land, ruled by the Dark Hunters whilst the toa guarding the city, as well as the active vahki not slaughtered fled to the coliseum, the capitol of the city. They made a desperate last stand using the extensive technology contained in that building's arena to fight off the first few attacks. However, such tactics could only work as a temporary measure, and therefore Naho, the toa Mangai of water, volunteered to flee the city to get help from other lands. This mission succeeded, and she brought back an army of over a hundred toa to relieve the other nine toa Mangai. Mysteriously, the Dark Hunters seemed to melt away after a bloody landing battle. The toa retook the island in a single day, even though in Onu Metru, Dark hunters fought a delaying battle. Nonetheless, the toa viewed the war as almost over, and matoran soon began to resume their everyday lives, save in Onu Metru where skirmishes still warred.The leaders of the now christened Metru Nui Protectorate, were bemused at the ease they had won, and tried to establish some fortifications. However, they were too later to repulse the counterstrike of the Dark Hunters: appearing out of nowhere and disappearing just as fast, they butchered and split portions of the toa forces, the remainder regrouping at the coliseum and the various chute stations of the Metrus, save that of Onu Metru, where few escaped. They found themselves in a situation they were completely unprepared to face; a war with few front lines, mainly composed of ambush and assassination. With their first duty to the matoran, the toa and the remaining vahki managed to herd the matoran into the buildings surrounding the chute stations, even establishing a beachhead at the Onu Metru chute station to do the same for the matoran there. With the help of the iron and stone toa the buildings were converted into fortresses. The Metru Nui Protectorate expanded the most forces in Ta and Le Metru, retaking those Metrus. And that is how it stands: The coliseum, Ta Metru, Le Metru, and the neighborhood around each Metru's chute station is held by the Protectorate, Onu Metru and parts of Ga Metru are held by the Dark hunters, and most everywhere else is a no man's land. In the outside world, most other nations remain neutral in the struggle, refusing either to side with the Dark Hunters or directly aid the Protectorate. This does not stop them from selling weapons, armor and other supplies to either side. The main ports are located in Ga Metru, as well as one in Le Metru and the ship owners will usually sell to whichever side is in control, regardless of any original orders. Because of this, there is constant, furious fighting over Ga Metru, especially the ports. The ships sometimes carry small groups of toa or militant matoran who have abandomned their homelands to aid Metru Nui. Of course, a great deal of mercenaries and brigands also have come, either offering a blade for hire or seeking to embellish themselves in the wartorn land. Locations

City MapTa MetruTa Metru is a largely industrial city, tasked with the production of kanoka and kanohi. The city is heavily developed with apartment buildings and factories taking up almost all available space. When the Protectorate launched their regrouping efforts, they especially focused on this Metru, activating literally every single Nuurahk and sending a great deal of toa into there as well. The Metru was retaken, but the Hunters hold most of the underground tunnels, and warfare is continuous. Nevertheless, the Ta matoran have resumed a great deal of their work, although now well guarded by toa and vahki. They have switched however to designing weapons, armor, kanoka, and of course masks, although not many of those. The Dark Hunters make constant attacks, making working here quite dangerous, and casualties quite heavily. Of especial interest is the port, the third one in Metru Nui. It remains for the most part under Protectorate control, despite almost constant attack on it.

Le MetruTechnology gone rampant. If you were asked to describe this Orwellian nightmare of a district in three words, technology gone rampant would probably be the three words out of your mouth. Then, of course, those words would be picked up by one of the thousands of little tiny microphones scattered in inconspicuous areas around the Metru and transmitted to the central vahki hive, filtered by highly programmed 'secretary' vahki, who would then deal with the message as fit. In short, if you do something you shouldn't, don't expect it to go unnoticed or unpunished.

Welcome to Le-Metru, one of the homes of the Protectorate war effort; due to its importance in testing war vehicles in the Moto Hub and other locations, the whole place has more bugs in it than a Nui-Rama hive, not to mention security cameras, automated defenses, a host of vigilant vahki, and various other security-minded goodies just waiting for a Dark Hunter to come and find them. The archive tunnels have been blocked and filled in, and remain that way. The Hunters as of right now have done little against this heavily fortified city.

Areas of interest are the local Vahki hives (there are three, instead of the usual one) and the Moto Hub, where most of the R&D for new vehicles is done. Toa Mangai Nidhiki comes here a lot in his spare time: if you wanted to plot, say, an astonishingly atrocious assassination attempt, this could be the place to do it.

Ga MetruGa Metru, like the rest of Metru Nui, has been battle scarred by warfare. The schools have long since been shut down, and even the Vahki guards at the Great Temple have been reassigned elsewhere, even though some dozen or so stubborn scholars have refused all efforts to move from the Great Temple. The Fountains of Wisdom have stopped running and parts of it damaged by the Dark Hunters. The whole district is silent except for the roar of the Protodermis Falls. The teachers have gathered all they could from the schools, taking it with them to their hideouts. Of all the Metrus, this one has been most affected by the war: war rages constantly around the two ports where most buildings have been demolished or gutted in the fighting. In this Metru alone the Protectorate does not have control over the vahki: the Dark Hunters managed to capture the vahki hive, reprogramming the Bordahk to serve them. Because of this, despite the best efforts of the Protectorate, the ports remain under Dark Hunter control. But not always; sometimes the Protectorate manages to launch a desperate attack, capturing a port for only a few minutes or hours, but often long enough to purchase much needed supplies.

Onu MetruOnu Metru is best known as the home of the archives, although these archives now stretch under almost the entire city. It is home to several lightstone mines. The Metru is largely covered in homes and apartment buildings. Since the start of the war, sections of the city have been reduced to rubble, especially near the borders. The Dark Hunters are in great force here, and few matoran, toa, or vahki dare to step far outside the safety of the Protectorate fortress.Po MetruPo Metru is dry and arid, and as of recently, even more quiet than usual. With all the Matoran in hiding, there are no carvers or assemblers to fill the air with chatter. Sculptures in progress sit in the Sculpture Fields, forgotten, and any Vahki production has ground to a halt, or been moved to Ta Metru. The Metru has a single city in central-south Po Metru, and the rest of the Metru is dotted with villages. Since the start of the war, few of these villages have sustained any damage aside from being deserted. The city however has seen its share of fighting, although it is still in relatively good shape.Ko MetruKo-Metru, also called the "quiet Metru," is the district of Metru Nui representing Ice. It is one of the western regions between the borders of Onu and Po Metru. This is the home of Ko Matoran who study, observe, and look into the future to predict and research prophecies by reading the stars above Metru Nui to discern the future. Since the Dark Hiunter invasion, it is quieter then ever. The chute stations have had knowledge towers erected about them, where the scholars continue their work, searching for signs of the future in the stars. However, vahki and toa are always on constant guard.The ColiseumThe coliseum is an island itself, separated from the rest of Metru Nui by a forty foot moat which is crossed by one bridge and six chutes. The island contains six chute stations, as well as the massive coliseum building. The coliseum itself has been turned into a fortress, and the ground about it is built of the same technology as its arena, making it a deadly booby trap for any invaders.

FactionsThe Metru Nui ProtectorateThe Metru Nui Protectorate is the government of Metru Nui as well as its inhabitants. Until recently they were in control of all of Metru Nui and were composed largely of matoran and vahki. Now however they are situated in the island's capitol and the areas around each Metru's chute station, as well as in Ta and Le Metru.

They are largely a land force, but they have been transforming the trademark airships of Le Metru into massive flying fortresses; both troop transports and bombers alike. As of now, their only use has been against the Dark Hunter's pirate forces

-Matoran: The citizens of Metru Nui, matoran are up to four feet in height, and possess neither power nor the ability to use Kanohi. They are typically not warriors, but instead serve as laborers of various kinds. In metru Nui, they are for the most part of the basic six elements, although a few immigrants of other elements dwell there. In the Dark Hunters, matoran are not common, but neither are they non existent.-Toa: The toa are the protectors of the matoran, and in Metru Nui serve as the bulwark of the defense. Standing between six and eight feet in height, they have control over an element and possess the ability to use noble or great Kanohi. They adhere to a strict code, which among other thing demands them completely abstaining from killing rational life.-Vahki: The mechanical law enforcers of Metru Nui, vahki number in total about a thousand in active number. They possess the ability to teleport disks from the vahki hive of their Metru into their mouthpiece, which is actually a specialized disk launcher. They also carry two staffs which possess twofold power; a standard stun bolt, and a specialized mind affecting power as well. They are divided into troops of six to eight, and there is a specific design of vahki for each Metru. Several squads of elite vahki types are stationed to defend the coliseum.The Dark HuntersThe Dark Hunters are a group of mercenaries of a number of different races and species, too numerous to be counted. For hundreds of years their leader coveted the island of Metru Nui, and recently sent a task force of several hundred operatives there. They control the archives and the tunnels that lead from it, thus allowing them to pop up virtually anywhere. The tunnels in the areas controlled by the Metru Nui Protectorate have been filled in as a defensive measure.

Since the start of the war, the Dark Hunters have been hiring mercenaries to add to their numbers, but their greatest hiring has been of pirates. These fiends patrol the waters, forcing incoming ships to dock at Dark Hunter ports.

-Vahki: In Ga Metru, the Dark Hunter have captured the vahki hive and reprogrammed the vahki of that Metru to serve them. All Bordahk therefore are members of the Dark Hunter Faction. Other models can be part of this faction, provided logical reason is given for how this is the case. The same goes for Bordahk being members of the Protectorate.

Staff CharactersName: Dume.Gender: Male.Species: Turaga.Faction: Metru Nui Protectorate.Kanohi: Noble Kiril.Element: Fire.Appearance: On the surface, Dume looks like an average turaga of fire; he wears a plain black robe over his armor, allowing only his hands, mask, and feet to show. It's designed to be able to be torn off in a single movement. Under it, Dume wears standard armor of red and black that offers near full protection. It is especially made, and is able to resist pretty much all non protosteel melee weapons. His vambraces are bulkier than normal, ending in a pair of miniature disk launchers at each hand.Powers: Dume has limited powers over fire which he uses in melee fighting, draining or increasing somethings' heat drastically.Abilities: Unlike most turaga, Dume is as physically fit as a matoran athlete, and is immensely skilled in various forms of combat. He is quite good at using his element and kanohi.Weapons: Dume has two miniature rapid fire disk launchers built into his vambraces, mentally triggered. They utilize a complex design of shrink and enlarge disks in order to fire full sized disks. He has almost a thousand miniaturized disks stored in his vambraces. By default, his left launcher fires freeze disks and his right fires weaken disks, but he can mentally program the disk design and power fired should he wish. He also wields a staff: a head shorter than Dume himself, it has a head shaped like a lightstone, while the base is shaped into a blunt point. It is a combination of a vahki staff, a flamethrower, and a simple melee weapon; the lightstone head produces blasts of flame, while the other end fires beams of the same energy used by vahki staffs; the particular power is again programmed in mentally, and both the flamethrower and vahki staff are activated mentally.Other Equipment: None.Personality: Dume is stubborn and fierce, as well as being rather solitary. Even though he is the ruler of Metru Nui, he remains on somewhat of a distant relationship with the matoran of his city. Even the toa Mangai themselves don't know him too well. What people do know about him is that he hates leading from behind; even after Thok attempted to kidnap him, and even after the bloody battle of the start of the war, the Mangai still are hard put to convince him to remain out of action.History: Little is known about Dume's past as a matoran or as a toa, except that he was a toa for several thousand years, in which time he and the team he led fought almost solely against wild rahi and (more often than not) Dark Hunters. During this time he saved the life of a matoran who would later become the head of his city's Toa Team; Lhikan. By 15,000 B.G.C. he became a turaga, and soon after that the ruler of Metru Nui. For some time his city did not have any toa to defend it, relying instead on first the kralhi and then the vahki to defend and enforce peace. However, when the kanohi dragon was awoken and set upon Metru Nui in retaliation for Dume's refusal to allow the Dark Hunters to establish a base on his island, the Toa Mangai were called in. After repulsing both Dark Hunters and dragon, they settled in Metru Nui. Almost five hundred years later the leader of the Dark Hunters began attempting more forcibly to take over the city, once even trying to kidnap Dume himself. After that, the turaga insisted on being outfitted with highly protective armor and weaponry, a task which ta matoran crafters gladly completed in record time. He retreated into the coliseum with the Mangai upon the Dark Hunter invasion, actively repulsing several Hunters despite the Mangai's attempts to restrain him. At length he was freed by the arrival of reinforcements. However, he and Lhikan promptly had to organize a defense against the Dark Hunter offensive. (Optional) Notes: Of all the toa, Dume has a closest friendship with Lhikan; first as his savior, then later his mentor, and finally his superior commander. They're practically the co leaders of the Metru Nui Protectorate, even though Dume is technically in charge. On contrast, he and Nidhiki are almost always at odds, at a few points almost coming to blows.Name: Lhikan.Gender: Male.Species: Toa.Faction: Metru Nui Protectorate.Kanohi: Great Hau.Element: Fire.Appearance: Awesome.Powers: Lhikan has command over the Element of Fire, able to create and manipulate fire. His many years as a Toa give him great experience with his element. He is known to have very fine control over his powers, able to burn tiny patterns into stone, a preciseness not too many other toa have.Abilities: Lhikan is a skilled tactician and leader, an able swordsman, and a skilled athlete. He also has honed his mental abilities to access both element and Kanohi to a high degree.Weapons: Fire Greatswords; they can be snapped together to form a combination shield and hoverboard.Other Equipment: None.Personality: Lhikan is known for having great patience. His caution was remarked upon by Nidhiki, when Nidhiki reminded him of how Lhikan once thought that smoke coming from something meant the return of the Kanohi Dragon. He also assigned several of his Toa to guard Turaga Dume during the Toa/Dark Hunter war instead of attacking the Dark Hunters directly. Lhikan does not shy from danger, a trait stemming from his abandoning of the fortress he originally guarded; he also dislikes speaking of this past.Lhikan is known for his protective and amiable attitude towards the Matoran of Metru Nui. When he is not protecting the City of Legends from evil, he can be found settling disputes and listening to the problems of the Matoran.History: Lhikan was a Ta Matoran crafter until he became a toa in 7,000 B.G.C. He owes his life to Dume, and is a close friend of the turaga. A little after becoming a toa, he was stationed in a Toa Fortress that was being overrun by Frostelous. He obeyed an order from his team leader to flee, taking the Makoki stone with him. This flight, combined with the loss of the Makoki stone, scarred him, and he resolved to never let such a thing happen again. He came to Metru Nui around 4,000 B.G.C to fight off a Dark Hunter instigated rahi attack. He and the team he led then settled down there. Five hundred years later, he was forced to imprison the toa of water Tuyet, after several murders she committed. When the Dark Hunters invaded, he and the rest of his team retreated to the coliseum to protect Dume. Even after reinforcements arrived, Lhikan assigned several of the most skilled toa as Dume's personal guard, despite the turaga's protests.

Name: Lariska.Gender: Female.Species: Unknown.Faction: Dark Hunters.Kanohi: None.Element: None.Appearance: Lariska is a limber being clad in dark blue-green armor, though her left arm is completely mechanical due to punishment from the Shadowed One.Powers: Extreme agility, at least thrice that of a toa.Abilities: Lariska is incredibly fast and agile, and can perform astounding acrobatic maneuvers. She has acute senses, able to sense even a Volitak user.Weapons: Daggers.Other Equipment: Unknown.Personality: Lariska does not like to rest, preferring to move around; she has been known to spontaneously start doing somersaults and backflips. She can be very quiet when huntingHistory: Lariska's history is virtually unknown. She is a Dark hunter and one of the leaders of the Dark Hunter invasion.(Optional) Notes:

Name: Nidhiki

Gender: Male.

Species: Toa.

Faction: Metru Nui Protectorate.

Kanohi: Great Volitak

Element: Air

Appearance: Nidhiki is a tall, dark green and black toa.

Powers: Nidhiki has command over the Element of Air, able to create and manipulate air and wind currents to a masterful degree; he's one of the best Air elementalists in recorded history. He is also skilled in parkour and is able to move his body across large distances with almost fluid-like gymnastics.

Abilities: Nidhiki is charming and skilled as a commander, often winning over battles by inspiring sheer courage and inspiration in his men by spurring them on with jokes and witty insults, often at the expense of the enemy. He's also got perfect command over his body; he is often called on to lead sniper teams, and his mix of sheer immobility, patience, and stealth has spelled doom for any number of Dark Hunters. This pragmatism and light-hearted demeanor, though, has put him at odds with other high-ranking officials, namely Turaga Dume.

Weapons: Air Scythe; this weapon has a hidden switch feature that can straighten the blade of the scythe into a sharpened head simliar to that of a Rakhshi staff, and it also has a blade that can jut out of the back end of the handle as well.

Other Equipment: None.

Personality: Nidhiki is charming and borderline seductive, often winning over loyalty from even the most staunchly grim troops with sheer likability and spirit. He is prone to making puns and witticisms at odd times, which draws the ire of some Toa and the sheer devotion of others. His squadrons are often those that are most volunteered for, and his missions are known for being about the most fun you can get in a bloodbath such as this. Despite this, however, his friend Lhikan must often pull him back on missions, as his sheer recklessness in battle has almost led to his capture multiple times. Turaga Dume has often called him out on this, considering the Toa of Air a security risk and often trying to get Lhikan to find a new, less brash lieutenant. As of yet, the Toa of Fire has refused, but for how much longer he can keep defending Nidhiki, no one can say.

History: Despite all his admirable and likable qualities, Nidhiki has remained oddly silent on his history. It is known that he spent his life as a Matoran and his early years in the Northern Continent, particularly the Tren Krom Peninsula, but other than that, he has not told even Lhikan of his early life as a hero. It is known that he had a rather flirtatious relationship with Toa Tuyet at times, and her arrest and the destruction of the Nui Stone is still a touchy subject for the Toa of Air; however, this has not yet come to affect him in any recognizable way, shape, or form...

Notes and CommentsI think everyone reading this will be at least faintly familiar with the era this RPG is set in. A lot of you will also know it well enough to see the little tweaks to the canon I put in. This RPG is not going to go according to the canon; if it did, everyone would know the ending, thus rendering the RPG rather boring. Now, I'm not saying that Nidhiki will not be a traitor, that elements of the canon will not be used. What I'm saying is that the story from here will be the invention of both the players and the Game Masters. Events from the canon could happen, or they could... Not. Don't judge future events by the canon, or you'll likely be proven wrong.This RPG is set in a war, which might make it seem two dimensional. However, there will be quests and the like officially started, and of greater potency, the players will be free to do what they will, within the limits of the story. Yeah, the ultimate goal is to win the war for your side, but there are innumerable ways to do that.

It's been commented that there are Dark Hunters and Toa Mangai we know little of, and it might be a good idea to allow people to play as them. I am willing to grant this, partly. You may not start out with one, but one may be gifted as a reward, or as an item gained through quest. Such events will be announced in the game.Lastly, I caution players to remember the setting they're in, and specifically the technology. I'm not going to outlaw modern style tech, but I advise that weaponry and equipment be made somewhat Bionicalized. Xian weapons are a good meter.

Players are allowed to play as vahki. Just remember, vahki are mass produced, that means that all vahki have two staffs, a disk launcher that teleports disks into it, and nothing else. The powers of the staffs are determined by the model of vahki. Please note though, Bordahk cannot be on the Protectorate side; the Hunters have captured their hive and reprogrammed them to serve them. If you are a vahki, and your model is reprogrammed, you must go with that programming. If the Protectorate capture the Ga hive and reprogram all the vahk remotely, you become a member of the Protectorate. This is the key difference between the vahki and the other species; the toa and whatnot are rational beings, the vahki are intelligent robots, nothing more.

Character CreationYou may have a max of six characters. Some species and masks and powers are strictly off limits, although they can be given as gifts (do not ask for them). Please note, A gifted canon character does not fill up a character slot.-Outlawed Kanohi: The Ignika, Vahi, Sanok, Mohtrek, Clairvoyance, Mask of Light and Shadow, Avohkii, Kraahkan, Rua, Aki, Olmak, Possibilities, all Nuva masks, Creation, Alternate Futures, and Adaptation are not allowed. Official staff characters (Not the private characters of staff members) may have one, and one may be given as a reward to a player or character. Do not ask for one.-Limited Kanohi: Elemental masks are allowed, but they may only have control over an element (no peace/rage etc) and the power level of the masks cannot be greater than the mask of gravity. Lastly, these masks cannot create toa. The Komau is allowed: it can completely control weak minded foes, but against average and strong minds, it has to fight for control, and can be somewhat resisted. Lastly, a Komau user cannot fight and use his mask at the same time.-Prohibited species: Makuta, Botar’s species, Agori, Glatorian and all other non MU species, Axonn’s species, Brutaka’s species, Dweller’s species, The Shadowed One’s species, and Vanisher’s species are all offlimits.-Limited Elements: The mind control portion of psionics works along the exact same lines of a Komau.Name: No canon or nonsense names (examples, Tahu, and to fheu4858).Gender: Male female, unknown, or none.Species: Protectorate forces are composed almost completely of toa, matoran, and vahki, while the Dark Hunters have soldiers of pretty much every race. Please note though, that no vahki Bordahk can be a member of the Protectorate, unless you can provide a feasible reason for them being so (remember, Ga Metru vahki are controlled by the Hunters).Faction: Please state your faction here. If non affiliated, simply put down 'neutral'.Kanohi: List your character's kanohi here, if he/she has one. Custom kanohi are allowed.Element: If your character is a toa, or another element defined species, list your character's element here. Custom elements are allowed. Appearance: Give a description or picture of your character.Powers: If your character has any powers, put them here.Abilities: A good swordsman? Archer? Athlete? Basically, what are the physical abilities of your character.Weapons: List whatever weapons your character has, and please keep within reason. No weapons that give you full control over an element, or something along the lines of an ULTRA COOL HAMMER OF DOOM.Other Equipment: Whatever other equipment (special armor etc) your character possesses, put it here.Personality: How does your character act? What's he/she/it like? Put it here.History: Write a brief history of your character.(Optional) Notes: Put down whatever else about your character that you'd like to.Blank profile:

[b]Name: [/b][b]Gender: [/b][b]Species: [/b][b]Faction:[/b][b]Kanohi: [/b][b]Element: [/b][b]Appearance: [/b][b]Powers:[/b][b]Abilities:[/b][b]Weapons:[/b][b]Other Equipment:[/b][b]Personality:[/b][b]History:[/b][b](Optional) Notes:[/b]

Rules-Absolutely no autododging, autohitting, or other forms of god moding.-Bunnying is illegal. No controlling other peoples’ characters without their permission.-Use IC for In Character portions of the post, and OOC for out of character portions. Do not post OOC only posts in the role playing topic! The discussion topic is made for them. Making an OOC only post will result in a warning, and if repeated enough, banning.-Please, use good grammar, and make your OOC and IC posts understandable. Bad grammar might not look bad to you, but it does for others.-Staff controlled characters are staff controlled characters, not NPCs. Do not control them without permission of the GMs.-NPCs are not target dummies. Just because they’re not PCs doesn't make them a lower life form. There are a limited number of troops for each side. Please, I don't want to see a hundred+ die in a few days.-Your characters cannot know your enemies plans in an instant, or know the exact power etc of an opponent unless they are told IC, or find out IC. Your character is not all knowing, although you may know something from reading another IC post not related to your character, or reading an OOC post or whatever.-Please act civil. Do not insult, degrade, etc other players.-Do not play only to win. The purpose of an RPG is to have fun, and interact. Any character, no matter how powerful, can be defeated. Going into an RPG with only the specific intent to get ahead and win will get you nothing but failure and a lot of annoyed people.-Respect staff rulings. If you have a problem with a staff’s ruling, take it up via PM with either that staff member or another. Do not disregard the ruling, start a temper tantrum over it, etc.-When you are dead, you are dead. Your soul cannot take over another body. Bam, it's over, your character's soul is in the next world, or has gone *poof* or whatever you want to believe there. Reincarnation is also outlawed.-There are times when death is unavoidable. Get used to it, your character is no more powerful than an NPC, you can die. It you're surrounded by a dozen Dark Hunters, and you have a broken leg and no powers, you're going to die. The meter is this: When staying alive falls under auto-dodging/invulnerability, your character dies.WarningsAny degree of warnining may be given repeatedly, or only once (for instance, for repeated infringement of a very minor rule a person might get two 5^th degree warnings, not 5^th and then 4^th degree warnings. In contrast a person might get temporarily banned, or permanently banned, with no previous warning, should the offense be serious enough) This, however, is at the decision of the staff, not the player. The levels of warning are as follows:5^th degree warningA simple warning, whether in the discussion topic, OOC portion of a post, or PM: nothing serious, just correct whatever you did wrong and don’t do it again.4^th degree warningA more serious warning, and one of your characters is temporarily incapacitated. Please stop breaking the rules.3^rd degree warningOkay, you’re getting on our nerves. One character is killed in game, and all other characters are unusable for a week.2^nd degree warningThis is getting old already. All your characters are butchered in game and you are not allowed to replace them for a week. This is your last warning.1^st degree warningYou are banned. All characters are killed, and you are no longer allowed to play. Any further posts in the story or profile topic will be reported or ignored. We really don’t want you here, go torment some other GMs.StaffZaraynaHead Game MasterTylerAssistant Game MasterAderiaAssistant Game MasterDovydasAssistant Game MasterKNIThe Henchman

Acknowledgements

I owe credit to a great deal of people for this RPG. It has to be the fastest one I've ever produced, taking only 2-3 days. I must credit Aderia and Spawn for supporting my idea of a Toa/Darh Hunter war when I first preposed it, and also for helping me with it; the profiles of Lhikan and Nidhiki are made by them, as are several locations. The RPG for most of its tim in being made had no name, and the credit for the name it now has goes to Kal Grochi. Lastly, I must thank the fans of CotD who have refrained from lynching me when I suddenly without warning withdrew that RPG. I greatly hope that this RPG will be as good, if not much better.

Edited June 26, 2012 by Zarayna: The Quiet Light

[ZTG]

Dusk Coliseum:

Deep within the black spike mountains is a coliseum, that the glatorian and agori dont even know about. There, lives a shadowy tyrant, known as Lokar, an ex glatorian with powers of shadows, a mistake made by the Great Beings, who captures agori and forces them to fight, and watch in hopes in one dying, or both, for his amusement. He was once a powerful glatorian, however, he met the great being Angonace, who gave the Sisters of the Skrall their abilities, and he used his new found powers to win a tournament for Tesara. He was banned for killing a glatorian in battle, this filled rage within him, and he slaughtered many agori. He was banished, away from the tribes, and away from Arena Magna. He was banished to the Black Spike mountains. With his heart filled with revenge, he constructed a coliseum, and captured agori and placed them to fight each other, as an act of vengance. However, a few months after the reformation of the massive planet, Toa have found this ancient coliseum on an exploration mission, yet have not returned...so you decided to go find them, and sure enough, you were captured by his machines and knocked out...you find yourself with other warriors, forced to fight for the shadowy tyrant's amusement...you must escape, but you have to survive in order to do so.

Character Submission:

Name: (keep it bionicle sounding)

Gender: (very self explanatory, just pick male or female)

Arsenal: (Up to six weapons either provided by Lokar or brought with them, choose only two for each match)

Species:

Elemental Powers: (if any)

Kanohi: (If any)

Brief Bio: (a little history on them and some info)

Weakness(es): (any weakness the character might have)

Appearance: (What does the character look like)

Skills: (Any skills or abilities this character might have)

Personality: (what is the character like?)

Note: The following are banned from the role play:Species:-Shadow One's-Makuta -Krekka's-Sidorak's-GBs-axxon's-Brutaka'sMask Powers:-Light-Time-Life-Shadows/Darkness-Creation-Reanimation-Any of the Makuta Mask Powers (Toa consider them immoral, sides Miserix's, and also they are OP for these battles)Elemental Powers:-Darkness-Life-Psionics (Full)-Life-TimePsionic powers can be used but only two, since this is like the most OP element sides Life and Time.

Locations:

The Main Arena:

The place where the action happens, it can hold up to four 1 on 1 matches, fit with many traps, along with the ability to change the environment to make the match more... interesting. The field is twice as big as the coliseum in Metru Nui, and the skies are blocked by a dome like roof that cannot be destroyed that keeps the warriors wondering when is it day or night?

The Keep:

Each warrior has his own room made of a special metal that prevents the usage of mask powers and no elemental power or weapon can leave a dent or scratch, however, all it has is a bed, and a barred window that looks into the Main Arena. It is more of a prison than a Inn.

Training Room:

A completely white room with the floor being black. Its filled with different traps, and flying platforms to 'aid' in the warrior's training. It seems almost like a white limbo if it weren't for the color of the floor. It is unaware of how big, wide or tall it is or if it even is endless, no one really goes that far around this limbo like room.

Rest before Death:

A giant room under the arena, meant for challengers to socialize. It's filed with seats, books, a small kohli field, tool sharpiners, and many other things to keep the competitors occupied. However it is heavily guarded by mechanical machines that are like juggernauts, designed to kill anyone who tries to flee without permision or by request of Lokar.

Claw Tree Forest:

One of the few places the challengers can go to outside of the Colieseum. Reaching out of this forest will cause the trees to grab you and keep you captive till guards come to take you back. Its used by the challengers as a way to always be on guard, due to the trees being able to grab anyone or thing at will. The trees are black as ask and the floor is as brown as dirt can be, and the skies are always covered by silver grey clouds, and nothing can stop these trees, they seem to have minds of their own and are immune to any powers thanks to Lokar. If the tree don't work Lokar has mechanical wolves that will tear your limbs off.

Healing Waters:

These special waters are outside of the coliseum, able to heal any wound. The waters a clear and pire, they skies are cloudless and blue as can be, and vivid green vegetation grows here, along with tall trees that are wide and strong. Its very tranquil and peaceful. Lokar though he had destroyed this hot spring in order to prevent warriors from healing, but a toa of water has found the remains as a small puddle and used her powers to recreate the spring. Lokar doesnt know about this...yet.

Shrine of the Fallen:

A graveyard like area for those who have died in the Coliseum, creates by the warriors. Like the Healing Waters, its peaceful, and has to be. Its meant as a place of respect, no one can fight here or train, this must be a place for respect and peace.

Mud Fall Hill:

A place for the challengers to relax. Its a place to mud surf and hangout after a long battle.

The Forge:

The place where the machines are made, under the coliseum and the Rest before Death. A giant metal furnace lies within in the center, with clockwork like machinery that creates machinery to either guard or kill the warriors, and piles of scrap and shells of the diseased warriors that are used to make the mehanical creations. It be a shame if it was destroyed...

Fatal Sentence:

Warriors that break the rules of a match are sentenced to their death. They are stuck on top of a nearly unbalanced rock with no tools, weapons and are stuck with braclets on their wrists that cancel out any powers, made of fragile red harden clay, surrounded by red rocky pillars down bellow, and they must survive an onslaught of attacks from a giant mech with a spiked mace that will either kill them or knock them off the pillar. There is a way to escape, that is by getting to the Dune Hawk at the other end of the platform, which was how you got there, but it's programmed to head back to the Coliseum. This platform will fall if it is not kept balanced, and will tilt, but so far it has not fallen over..

Match Variants:

There are several match variants Lokar has created to keep the matches more lively, and its always different, since he determines what goes on and who does it.

• [*]Regular: Classic 1 on 1.[*]Team Battle: Two warriors work as a team to defeat the opposing team[*]Survival: Survive against a giant robot that will 'kill' any moving target other than Lokar. Either work together to shut it off, or fend for yourself. Anyone 'killed' will be sent to their rooms where they will be recovered...maybe.[*]Free for all: Last one standing is the winner. Lokar says no cooperation, but really whats the worst that can happen?[*]Firefight: Survive endless waves of mechs with 5 other warriors. Last standing wins.[*]Quick Sand: The field becomes a huge quick sand pit, and you must stay up as long as you can, or fall into the hole and be teleported back to your keep. Keep a firm grip on the ground and your okay, for a while.[*]Race to the Flag: Thornax launchers appear from the walls and start shooting, and across the field is the flag you must retrieve and bring back. Stay quick, or have some shields with you.

Ranks:

Ranks are earned depending on how many battles you have won:

Rookie (Rank 0): No battles

Novice (Rank 1): 1 battles

Regular (Rank 2): 2 battles

Veteran (Rank 3): 3 battles

Professional (Rank 4): 4 battles

True Warrior (Rank 5): 5 battles

Champion (Final Rank): 7 battles.

The List:

Warriors will be placed on a list for Lokar to look at and choose warriors for it, along with rank of how well they have done.

The Staff of the Coliseum:

LokarGender: MaleArsenal: Dusk Sword, Eclipse daggerSpecies: GlatorianElemental Powers: ShadowsKanohi: NoneBrief Bio: An ex Glatorian who places warriors in a coliseum to fight for his entertainment.Weakness: Numbers, hence why he makes the warriors fightPersonality: He is cold hearted, crazed, mad and aggressive.Meta Gender: N/AArsenal: Chainsaw blade, Steel claw, Steel Dagger, Spiked Boomerang.Species: Robotic ToaElemental powers: N/AKanohi: Mask of Paralysis (haults the target for a minute)Brief Bio: Meta was designed to lead the machines and retrieve any runaways, and was programmed to be nearly invincible to any warrior.Weakness: His back is barly covered, strike it and he dies.Personality: He does not speak, he is loyal to only Lokar, and is very aggressive and will torture and runaway when he kills them.

Staff:

GM: Zacax

Rules:

-No godmodding

-No flaming or trolling or spamming

-Romance is limited to Glatorian and agori, but keep it low

-Help someone around if they need it

Violation of these rules result in suspension froom tournaments, or be banned from the RPG if rules are broken several times.These are the warnings:-1st: Small warning in OOC-2nd: Another warning stating what you did through PM-3rd: Banned for a day-4th: Banned for a week-5th: A PM statig you are banned from the RPG along with what you did to be banned.

Have fun!

Example: My Profile

Name: ZacaxGender: MaleArsenal: Proto-Shotgun, Wrench, Duel Fire-Ele Magnums, Fire Cutlass, Magma Blaster.Species: ToaElemental Powers: FireKanohi: Mask of Kanohi Copy (Shaped like a Hau, it allows the user to temporarily copy the user's mask power for a few minutes.)Brief Bio: Zacax was a Ta-Matoran in Metru Nui and worked at the forge. He was trained by Tahukama who taught him everything he knows. He is referred to as The Gunsmith, or Z, or the Apprentice. He prefers guns to swords and blades.Weaknesses: Passive Aggressive, Mercy, Slow, Not Physically Strong.Appearance: Red and black armor, black upper arms, red torso with Wong like spikes on the upper shoulders, red lower arms and legs with dark red knee pads, black upper legs with dark red armor, red feet, red hands with black fingers.Personality: Zacax is a vey kind and caring Toa with a sense of nobility and humor. However he is very passive Agresive, which leads to problems as well as his negativity of not being the Toa he can be. He will protect his friends, even near death.

Edited June 8, 2012 by Zacax

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

Toa Levacius Zehvor Presents

Waves of the South

IntroductionThe Matoran Universe – a mysterious, barely tamed place, filled with exotic lands and places of wonder. So many travelled, yet so much more left unexplored! Yet never has any solid land managed to capture the alluring beauty of the crystalline seas of liquid protodermis. It is here that our story shall be told.Our story is not of armies meeting each other on the open field. It is not one of stranded villagers struggling to trek through Kio of wilderness. It is not the story of heroes meeting an ancient evil. This is that tale of Yheyn-Seas, and the events that transpired there. It is a tale of daring heroes clashing with manipulative villains, searching for new lands, and ancient treasures.Perhaps you are a hero. Perhaps you are a villain. Or perhaps you don’t know what you are. It doesn’t matter – you have become part of this grand tale. The Yheyn-Seas are open to you, and great treasures are waiting to be found. It’s up to you and others both similar and dissimilar to find them. For you are not alone, travelling the waves of the south.History

Imperial Age is the span of 14 Millennia in which the League of Six Kingdoms ruled. AL is After League, the time after its leaders were seemingly ripped out of the world. PL is Pre-League, the time prior to the rise of the Barraki (which progress the opposite direction from the other two).

The following is a detailed history of Yheyn –Matoran civilization first began to grow on Yheyn in the year 4,318 PL, not a great deal of time after the Great Spirit first illuminated the universe. Turaga Gauraur was appointed as the first Count of Yheyn, aided by the members of the islands judicial system, the Justiciars. The island was at peace until the year 3,100 PL, until the increasing cruelty of the Justiciars forced Gauraur to disown them. But the Justiciars were ready, and with superior numbers, they easily defeated Gauraur and executed him.Thus began the reign of the Justiciars. And so it would remain for 200 years, until Gremost, an emissary from the Toa Council, stood up to the order and struck quickly, overpowering their armies and killing off their leadership. For decades, the free Matoran of Yheyn who rallied under him toiled to finish up the job. Gremost then claimed the title of Count of Yheyn, and the Toa of Earth began construction of Castle Sakrinil, a project spanning the centuries.Quiet millennia passed until the year 8,619 IA. At the time, most of the Matoran Universe was in the hands of the Barraki. Fear for their homelands led to the leaders of the twelve major countries in the eastern Southern Islands to meet with each other on the central island of Everok on the sixth month of that year to forge an alliance.Thus the Southern Alliance was formed, a confederation consisting of twelve minor countries joined together to defend their homes. Whilst the combined military force would not see conflict with the League, who had been focused only on the north, the trade agreements formed over those six millennia remained. The wealth, fortune, and security offered by the Alliance made the decision for its continuation unanimous.Yheyn was both the smallest and most isolated of the Island-Countries. Gremost eventually tired of the annual visits to Everok, where the leaders of the countries convened in the Council of Twelve. He appointed Vamden, a foreigner, to the position of Ambassador, and declared him as his eventual successor. During that time, construction for the Shimmering Palace began – its purpose for show, not as a home.It is the year 3,692 AL in the Island-Country of Yheyn, and the citizens mourn the five hundred anniversary of Gremost’s passing. Vamden holds control of the country, not as Count, but as Governor, with a Turaga named Jovalik acting as viscount and in control of Sakrinil. Vamden himself sits in Shimmering Palace.Despite these changes, Yheyn has remained quite static over the millennia. But with so much opportunity for adventure, how much longer could that last? Atlas

Note from GameMaster: This RPG does not employ the canon Southern Islands map. It is located in the upper right (south-east) leg of the Mata-Nui robot, with Yheyn being the furthest south. There are twelve large islands in the section – ranging from Yheyn (about the size of West Virginia) to Everok (about the size of Utah). There are hundred of minor isles dotting the area as well.

The Southern Alliance controls the entire eastern chain of the Southern Islands – or at least, all known islands. The islands composing it are (in order of size) Everok, Ampora, Wulfath, Riffia, Fanik, Nui-Vatur, Tiyark, Kigym, Ibrak, Aztara, Acirma, and finally Yheyn.This RPG is set in the Yheyn-Seas – the area directly around and including the Island-Country of Yheyn. Yheyn is only a minor part of the Alliance, due in part to its small size and population, but also its isolation. At the speed of a standard transport ship, it takes a full week to reach Yheyn from its closest neighbor, Ampora.

Blue = Water /// Dark Green = Light-Medium Forest /// Light Green = Agricultural, Grassland

Grey = Mountain /// Red = Volcanic /// Brown = Desert /// Star = High Inhabitation

The "Moro" in Moroni represents 25 Kio (1 Kio = .85 Miles)

For the original, full size map, click here. It is much larger; I have pretty fast internet connection and it takes some time for me to load it.The Island of Yheyn Yheyn may not have the most environmental regions in the Alliance, but it certainly does for its small size. The southernmost, and inhabited, area of Yheyn is rich agricultural land, composed of rolling hills and fields. Much of the area is connected by canals or railroads, and small settlements dot the landscape. To the north is a vast jungle, followed by deserts, badlands, and mountains. The worst regions are even volcanic. The only hospitable area is the central forest of Karda-Vir and the lake found within. The railroads are considered an eyesore – a necessary one, yes, but unpleasant to view nonetheless. Many emerge from Sakrinil, but none are found within a couple dozen Kio of Shimmering Palace. They are relatively new constructions, and prone to malfunctions.There are only two major locations on Yheyn of interest –Shimmering Palace – Shimmering Palace is the current seat of power on the island of Yheyn. The palace is composed of marvelous zoos and shining, marble buildings reflected by the shining water it rests near. The palace proper is home to Governor Vamden, and is staffed by over six dozen workers and nearly twice that many soldiers, many of whom are foreigners. Though only this central complex has a wall, the cities well positioned towers and twisting pattern of buildings add to its defensibility.The Shimmering Palace is open for players to move about at their leisure, though causing any unwanted trouble could mean immediate arrest, or worse. Being allowed past the palace gates is a rare privilege, and speaking to the Governor himself is an honor most only dream of. In most cases, one will speak to the castle steward, or the captain-of-the-guard with regards to defense or military matters.People of Interest – Governor Vamden (Toa of Air), Steward Onuks (Turaga of Fire), Captain-of-the-Guard Elain (Toa of Water), see FactionsSakrinil – The city of Sakrinil is the largest in the Yheyn-Seas, housing nearly fifteen thousand residents of assorted races. It doesn’t extend very far into the land, instead being spread out across a massive distance around the coast. The city is quite wealthy, and even its lower class are considered better off than in most feudal societies. Still, there’s always a lower rung, and a few areas of the city are no more than hovels.Sakrinil had been the seat of power in Yheyn since the Justiciars fall, and the construction of Castle Sakrinil. Now, with the construction of the Shimmering Palace, that significance is gone. Within Castle Sakrinil resides the honorable ruler of the city, Viscount Jovalik, an elderly Turaga who was previously the major of a small village before being appointed in his current position by Governor Vamden.While not common knowledge, those with a basic understanding of the city realize Jovalik is just a figurehead, and has been slowly falling out of touch with reality. It is the guildmasters that hold true power. He is often used as a scapegoat for the Governors bad decisions.Sakrinil is completely open to the players. Its larger size and spread out guards make it easier to get away with crimes here, but causing major trouble is likely to result in it coming back around. It runs off of a currency system of widgets where international trading us concerned; otherwise, you better know how to barter.People of Interest – Viscount Jovalik (Turaga of Fire), Steward Tselkar (Ko-Matoran), Captain-of-the-Guard Morvalk (Toa of Iron), see Factions.The Yheyn-Seas Whilst Yheyn is part of the Yheyn-Seas, it has been isolated from the smaller islands due to having its own locations and its great size. The more important islands of the Yheyn-Seas that have been discovered are as follows –The Six Lights – These six highly volcanic islands can be found off the east coast of Yheyn. They are inhabited only by Rahi.Moroni – Moroni is a cluster of five islands to the south-east of Yheyn. The first, almost twice as large as the other four combined, is a barren wasteland, with a single mountain known as Smugglers Peak jutting out from it. Smugglers Peak is easily 400 Bio high, with a Kio spanning base. It receives its name from the many criminals inhabiting its ancient ruins – these huge stone fortresses and archways are the only signs of civilization prior to that of Yheyn.The first two smaller isles are coated by tropical forests, and also common places for criminals to hole up. The other two – one volcanic, one a rocky waste devoid of life – are rarely visited.Effrah – Effrah is composed of a northern and southern mountain range with a loose, temperate forest squeezed in between them. There are no locations of interest here, save for the village of Port Green Peak, located on the coast of the southern mountain/forest border.Dajon – Dajon is mostly coated in a thick, verdant rainforest, with mountains on its western, eastern, southern, and central points. It is the newest island to be discovered and is still mostly unexplored. The only ‘civilization’ is a few scientific camps.Nibar – The island of Nibar has been dubbed the Serpents Isle for its shape, a great twisting ‘body’ ending with a ‘head’. Along the lower (southern) area of the ‘body’ is a mountain chain, which continues into the ‘body’s upper section along the ‘belly’. The upper portion is coated in rainforests. The ‘head’ is another of the Southern Islands volcanic regions. Nibar is uninhabited, but was not always – Overlook Courthouse, ancient base of the Justiciars, is hidden amongst the coastal mountains.Frumus – Frumus is the only island independent from Yheyn proper and the Southern Alliance as a whole, and has been so for the last 300 years. It is composed of a number of closely knit fishing and farming villages, the largest being Fisherman’s Rise, located on a seaside plateau. The diplomatic break-off guarantees peace and continued trade between Frumus and the mainland.As far as geography, Frumus is mostly flatland along the western and southern areas, and is famed for its massive, unexplained canyons. The small upper region of the island is forested, with a few mountains on the far, seaside edge. It is located west-south-west of Yheyn.Kantis – The final island is Kantis, located west and a little north of Shimmering Palace. It is the only ore rich island that Yheyn retains. The southern coast is mostly agricultural, to supply the miners, and the east coast a mountainous area. The remainder is barren wasteland, rich in ore but not much else – and the ore is running dry.Leaving the MapSimply put, you won’t be going north, east, or west. You can, but there is nothing further east or west, and there isn’t much of interest to the north until you reach the other Island-Countries – and a week’s travel in-game would be far too long to do in the RPG. And for those wondering, Yheyn continues off the map for another fifty, sixty miles of volcanoes, barrens, and mountains.The south, however, is open to be explored. This is encouraged! There’s still a lot of room to fill out on the map, and a lot more sea to cover.It is for this reason that the southern area of the map remains incomplete. What islands are down there are known, and only to me. But it’s dependant on where the players go that they will be found – and what finding them might cause.SpeciesThis details the common species of the Matoran Universe and their existence on Yheyn and the Yheyn-Seas.Matoran – The Matoran are the most populous species of Yheyn, and composing some eighty odd percent of the population. Most Matoran are workers – fishermen, smiths, millers, whatever – though, while most Matoran are soldiers, most soldiers are Matoran. They are the ones who are described as making the world run.Turaga – Turaga are the revered leaders of the Matoran. Turaga, for the most part, hold sedentary jobs such as priests, scribes, sages, librarians, or judges.Toa – Toa are the most powerful of the Matoran species, and act as the warriors and defenders. Most Toa are part of the Toa Council, and follow the Toa Code, or the Xankah Order, which favors the greater good over its cost. A few, however, choose neither organization. Many of these have gone rogue; some are powerful political figures. For PCs, the first of these is the only alternative.Prime Species* – There are two of six ‘prime species’ encountered on Yheyn. These are those of Carapar and Pridak. Those of Carapar’s are much wider and stand a head shorter than a Vortixx, with dark colors for armoring. They have thick armoring and are both incredibly strong and tough, to the point that crossbows are called in as soon as they're spotted, as a normal arrow lacks the armor-piercing capabilities to get through; they are also highly resistant to the environment. Those of Pridak’s are of roughly Toa size, and usually either red or white with a secondary color. Those of this species are much more physically adept than any Toa, being able to move incredibly fast,and having greatly enhanced senses and strength. Both can use Kanohi mask powers, and are able to adapt to both adapt to new mask powers quicker, and use them at a much heightened level of efficiency. Many are natural leaders as well, meaning that only a highly charismatic individual can keep a large force together for a long time; the Barraki are brought to mind. Bickering has pushed the other Prime Species out; those from which Ehlek hailed mysteriously vanished.Steltians – The species of Stelt are the third most common species, after the Matoran types and prime species. They come in many shapes and sizes – the Leader, Guard, and Slave types the most prominent – and are often associated with the crime in the city. The war-like nature of these species is kept in check by the Toa Council and city guards, and the fact that many are more concerned with material possession than battle.Vortixx – The Vortixx are among the most physically powerful of the species of Yheyn,, second only to Steltians of the Slave and Leader classes. There are very few of them on the island. Most are master businessman, artisans, or conmen – usually a mix. The most advanced technology is that of the Vortixx, mostly based off of clockwork. Recent inventors have turned to using steam.Zyglak – A major problem on any mostly coastal area like Yheyn is the Zyglak. Their numbers are unknown; their hiding places impossible to find. Unlike Rahi, the barbaric but cunning species keeps a step ahead of its adversaries. The Toa Council has deemed lethal force necessary for them.

* To put it bluntly, members of Carapars species possess the equivalent of Limited Invulnerability of the 3rd level. Those of Pridaks move at about 20% Kakama power, sensory aptitude, and Dodge of the 3rd level. Both are strong; 20% Parakai for Pridaks and 30% in Carapars. In both cases, they are difficult to harm (though enough punishment will bring anybody down, and some things can't be dodged or resisted by anyone, especially when Toa get involved).

FactionsThere are a great many factions in this RPG at the beginning. Aligning yourself with a faction presents its own benefits, and its own problems. If you don’t like the ones presented, I encourage you not to remain neutral – instead, join with other players and build up your own!That marked as a ‘Current Event’ will be removed and placed in the Discussion topic if this RPG ever wins.Primary FactionsSouthern Alliance – Any character in the RPG lives under the control of the Southern Alliance. Even independent organizations or islands, such as Frumus, have their fate resting in the Alliances hands. It is also the largest and by far most powerful faction. If you mark this as your faction, you may change it at any time.Vamden is currently dealing with the fallout of sacrificing claims to a number of ore rich isles to the north. Being forced to pay for off-island supplies, and thus be subjected to tariffs, has made the Traders Guild (see below) testy. The clipper ship Star of the South, along with 5% of the profits, has thus been promised to any willing to travel south in search of new mining land. [Current Event]There are reports also that the Brotherhood of Makuta has sent a vessel south, and that their agent is currently docked in Ampora. [Current Event]Symbol – Black twelve-pointed star on teal background, twelve golden arrows firing straight from each star.Goals – The defense of the Southern Islands against all threats, within and without.Leaders – Governor Vamden, Viscount Jovalik, Ambassador Orgym (Onu-Matoran) [away from island]Base – Shimmering PalaceAllied with Traders Guild, Coast Guard, Toa Council Opposed to Vermillion Dragon, RebellionYheyn Traders Guild – Each country in the alliance has a Traders Guild; the largest and most populated can have two or three. Guilds form the basis of society in the Alliance, and the Traders Guilds are the most important of all. It is composed of multiple smaller guilds and merchant organizations. While limited on power to the Southern Alliance as whole, the Traders Guild almost certainly controls all wealth on its island.The Traders Guild was created to keep businesses from being more successful than each other. Those who set up shop under the Guild can look forward to being successful as long as they pay its dues and follow its rules. But those who refuse to do so often run into ‘accidents’. Some still remain resolute, and operate successfully in the city. If you are part of the Traders Guild, you must own your own business, but may also join another faction or create your own.Symbol – Pile of silver and gold on a brown background.Goals – Successful and profitable trade for the merchants of Yheyn, both with its citizens and with external organizations.Leaders – Guildmistress Sarillia (Vortixx), numerous othersBase – SakrinilAllied with Southern AllianceSecondary FactionsYheyn Coast Guard – The largest military force of Yheyn are those who guard its coast line against Rahi (or worse). All without a criminal record are permitted to join.Symbol – A wave rising from a red sea, white sunGoals – Defense of the Yheyn coastline.Leader – Commander V. Redblade (Ta-Matoran)Base – Sakrinil, Port Wardens StoneAllied with Southern Alliance, Toa Council, Xankah Order Opposed to Vermillion DragonToa Council – The Toa Council is the oldest order of Toa, and has chambers across the Matoran Universe. The one on Yheyn is one of the oldest, and only those on Everok and Nui-Vatur beat it in the Southern Islands. In the ancient past, Toa were forced to join it, or be considered rogue and imprisoned. Members must follow the Toa Code to the letter, or else risk punishment. Disagreements on this led to the creation of the Xankah Order.If a good enough reason is presented, the Toa Council may allow a member to fight for one of the other factions, doing as they see fit.Requirements – ToaSymbol – Unity, Duty, Destiny symbolGoals – Enforce the Toa Code; protect the security of the Universe.Leader – Toa Sorlan (Toa of Magnetism)Base – Sakrinil, Council ChambersAllied with Southern Alliance, Coast Guard Opposed to Xankah Order (non-combat), Rogue ToaXankah Order – The Order formed long after the Toa Councils conception, only a few thousand years ago. It was created by warrior Toa Precentus, who hailed from Yheyn as a Matoran. It follows the words of The Role of the Toa, a report accusing the Toa Council of value rules more than lives. It only loosely follows the Toa Code, allowing enemies to be slain if it means saving innocent lives. Though Precentus has long since left Yheyn, his presence allowed the Order to grow large enough on Yheyn that the Toa Council cannot risk open war on them.Like the Council, they will ‘loan’ out members. While the terms of the agreement are usually more lenient, though the Order is more selective of whom their members work with.Requirements – ToaSymbol – Silver claymore over a light grey map of the Matoran Universe; light green backgroundGoals – Protect the Matoran at any cost; root out evil wherever it hides.Leader – Toa Pearaldra (Toa of Psionics)Base – Coast 25 Kio West of SakrinilAllied with Southern Alliance, Coast Guard Opposed to Toa Council (non-combat), Rogue ToaGuild of Sages (NPC) – The Guild of Sages is composed of a number of Turaga. All seeking information about forbidden or forgotten lore may speak to the Sages, though often at a price.Goals – Learn everything.Base – Sakrinil (Great Library)The Vermillion Dragon – One of the largest criminal organizations is the Vermillion Dragon. Originally based in Sakrinil, it became dispersed after the death of its leader by the Coast Guard, and scattered across the smaller islands. They have many small bases across the islands, and are composed mostly of smugglers and other riff-raff. Over the years, they have managed to drive out other pirating groups or absorb them, granting the Dragon unsurpassed power over Yheyn’s underworld.Many members have grown interested in the legendary Legion Scepter, a supposedly magical mace wielded by Count Gremost until it was stolen by the legendary thief Midnight 300 years after he used it to oust the Justiciars. No luck so far. If it was to be found, however, it could turn a nice profit. [Current Events]Symbol – A vermillion Proto-Drake with glowing orange eyes over a purple background.Goals – Make a profit, and have fun doing it!Leaders – Nuvinus (Steltian Leader), many othersBase – Largest is on Moroni (N. Jungle Isle, ruins), numerous others; all hiddenEnemies of Coast Guard, Southern AllianceYheyn Rebellion – A very small organization that started up within days of Vamden appointing himself Governor. The organization has sworn to “free Yheyn from the Alliance, and execute the spineless traitor who supports them.” Many members were miners from the islands to the north, sent away after Vamden yielded those rights to Ampora. Most members of the Rebellion are natives, though the aid of foreigners is accepted. As they are a recently formed group, they have yet to rally behind any one symbol, and even their leader holds limited power.Like the Vermillion Dragon, they are seeking the Legion Scepter, believing they could use it to crush the Alliances presence in Yheyn. [Current Event]Goals – Secede from the Southern Alliance, execute Vamden for treason.Leaders – Eydarian (Prime Species [Pridak]), loosely connected othersBase – None, most members on FrumusEnemies of Southern AllianceParties vs. Guilds vs. [PC] FactionsThe term ‘party’ when used in this RPG refers to a group of three or more PCs who are working together towards a common goal. It is the most commonly used term, as most players will become a component in a party at some point (it’s dangerous to go alone, sword or not). Adventuring parties do not collect NPC allies.The term ‘guild’ is the only one used ‘officially’ in-game. It is created when a group of at least three BZPower members, and at least five characters, come together and form their own group. Such a guild is extremely small, and holds little power, especially when compared to true guilds, such as the Traders Guild. To become a guild, players must submit the following form –

[b]Guild Name:[/b][b]Founders & Positions (Characters/Users):[/b][b]Members (Characters/Users):[/b][b]Emblem:[/b] [b][alternatively Crest/Colors/Symbol or whatever] [/b][b]Goals:[/b]

The guild may of course grow over time, and also attract attention.At fifteen characters, and at least five members, the guild may begin garnering attention from one or more major factions, who will ask/demand their allegiance as allies. Players may at this time determine a base of operations, and NPCs may begin coming to join with them.If a guild ever grows to twenty-five characters (and at least ten members), the number of NPCs attempting to join increases further. From henceforth, it is a Faction*. At this point, a base of operations is a necessity. Players may place the faction as a joinable, PC run faction. However, the faction will begin gaining more enemies.* It is still a guild. Faction is the out-of-game term for it.Character Creation & GameplayWaves of the South is a text-based RPG. It is controlled by the GameMaster – that’s me, and – and any Co-GameMasters that I appoint over the course of the RPG. Of course, the person who’s really important is you – the players! So, how do you play?To CreateWhile I do not mind modifications if you deem them necessary, this character sheet fulfills all required functions in the RPG –

[b]Character Name:[/b][b]Gender & Species:[/b][b]Powers:[/b][b]Equipment:[/b][b]Appearance:[/b][b]Faction:[/b][b]Personality:[/b][b]Biography:[/b]

Character name is pretty self explanatory. It is, of course, your characters name. If s/he has a preferred alias, be it a codename or nickname, put that there.Gender and species are, again, self explanatory. Place both your characters gender and their species there. Keep in mind that the species list is not the only species that you can play as. For gender, there exist males and females of all elements, but the ratio is usually nine to one in favor of the canon one.Note: You can create custom species. Play as an intelligent Rahi if you feel like it! Assume a power limit equal to that of a Toa.Powers is where you place any powers that your character has that aren’t derived from equipment. This includes any secondary abilities, or improved physical abilities.Note: You can make up your characters powers if you want to. This isn’t the BZPRPG!Equipment is where all of your items go. Keep in mind with equipment that technology is limited – mostly steam and clockwork, though no steam powered sea vessels are used on Yheyn. There’s some pretty cool stuff being made, but in real world terms, anything after 1900, and a lot from before, isn’t going to be there. The creation of Kanohi masks is one of the most complex arts, though Kanoka are too rare a resource to waste on botched masks, and they are rarely made. Gunpowder is present, but used mostly for cannons, as handheld weapons using it were deemed inefficient. Natural resources, from Rahi and local flora, are commonly used.Note: You can create your custom Kanohi, and ‘immoral’ ones are opened up for use to all Toa, as the Brotherhoods betrayal has yet to occur. Any unique or semi-unique masks are banned, or any I feel are too powerful. As far as weaponry and stuff, it’s mostly rather mundane – Toa are known to use their powerful tools, but that’s about it.Keep in mind that heavy equipment is dangerous to use and hampers more than it helps when on board a sea vessel. As that is the most effective means to transport oneself between the islands, it’s safer to use lighter, more elegant arms and armor.Appearance describes what your character looks like. A twenty word (or greater) description will work best, but if you have an MOC or sprite of your character, you can post that instead. The image must be clear enough to see and make out properly. If your character is a shapeshifter, or has an otherwise malleable form, simply provide the most common/favored/default form.Faction is your characters affiliation. You may place your character in any you wish, unless they are restricted for whatever reason. Alignment (see below) does not restrict you from a faction, but it can put you at odds with other members.Note: As noted, or at least implied, above, a Toa character not in the Toa Council or Xankah Order is a rogue Toa, whoever they sign up with. They will be hounded as criminals. But hey, that’s what friend are for, right?Personality is how your character behaves. It is also here that you place your alignment. If you are not familiar with the Law/Chaos, Good/Evil alignment chart, look it up to figure out the one that best describes your character. You don’t need to be lengthy in your description, but can be.Biography, or History, is the final section. This is where you put your characters age and past. The bare minimum is fifty words, which is an incredibly small amount (the above paragraph is fifty-one).Keep this in mind – your characters are exceptional. They are the movers and shakers in the world, the ones that can actually make a difference. While outmatched by powerful entities and NPCs (such as many described on this page), they aren’t just normal NPCs. Of course, one person can only do so much. Fending off two Toa is regarded as an impossible task, without great advantages present.You may have five (5) characters at the start, and have the potential to be rewarded for excellent roleplaying with an additional one (1) character slot up to once, for a maximum of six (6) characters possible. There aren't very many people on Yheyn, especially not those as exceptional as PC's; the higher than average Toa to non-Toa population ratio adjusts this somewhat.To PlayAs a play of this RPG, you must follow these rules –RulesThe rules of the RPG are as follows –1. All BZPower Rules and RPG Forum Rules apply. Attempt proper grammar and spelling if possible – you won’t get punished for bad writing, but it’s easier for everyone when you use it.2. No godmodding. This means that, when in combat, you must be willing to accept lost. When your vessel is surrounded by four others, it’s time to accept defeat. This branches down into not doing anything overpowered, not auto-hitting anyone, and not bunnying (taking control of another players character without permission).3. Comedy and romance is to be limited. As a swashbuckling RPG populated by charming rogues, a little bit of romance is allowed – but only simple flirting. That’s it. Doing something humorous or cracking jokes is alright, but nothing ridiculous – throwing pies at people, for example.4. No posts made solely in OOC. That is why the Discussion Topics exist. Zero tolerance rule for this one.5. You have a say in how the story develops, but if I can see even one reason why your plan to murder the Governor of Yheyn is going to fail, I will exploit it. Make world-shattering plans as good as you can!If you don’t, you will be punished, as follows –First Offense – Warning! This is your only one – don’t keep it up.Second Offense – You will receive a debilitating injury of some kind to your character.Third Offense – One of your characters dies, and cannot be replaced.Fourth Offense – All remaining characters die. Somehow – I’ll make it happen. You can make one more character, and try to get back in good graces, after a 48 hour ban. If you persist…Fifth Offense – All characters gone forever. Leave now and never come back.In order to actually play the RPG, you need to fill out the character profile and place it in the Profiles topic. Once approved, you can begin playing in the main RPG topic, by placing posts in IC and OOC. Example –

OOC: The OOC section is where you state something to other players, out of game (or ‘out of character’). For example, “We’re looking for members in our group!” No post should ever contain only OOC information. If you are addressing another player directly, send a PM. Otherwise, post it in the Discussion topic instead.IC: (Character Name / Location)This is where you describe what your character is doing. Preferably in third person limited, but if you want first person I guess you can knock yourself out (not literally). If you know something OOC, but your character wouldn’t know it, do not meta-game (Ex. Lewa finds an ancient item. Suddenly, Pohatu knows where to find that ancient item, even though he never heard of it and was half the map away). You don’t need to format your IC posts heading as shown above – everybody does it differently. That’s just the one I use. All I require is that the characters (or characters’) names, and their location, are both noted.

It’s pretty simple, really.The GameMaster (GM)My job is a pretty simple one, really. In this RPG, I will not manifest my will into any PCs, but shall instead remain restricted to the following tasks, outside of obviously approving characters and punishing rule breakers –

• [*]Controlling NPCs named on this page when PCs attempt to interact with them. This also applies to extremely entities and similar[*]Timekeeper. Once I feel enough events have transpired to warrant it, the time in the RPG will change. Everything starts off at dusk (6 PM). I will then post to indicate midnight (12 AM), dawn (6 AM), midday/noon (12 PM), and dusk once more. The cycle then continues.

Co-GameMasters have only the power to approve characters and to punish rule breakers. I will select up to two, dependant on how busy I am and how much I need them. Other powers will be given as needed. This is not a lifetime office – after one has served for enough time, you will be honorably discharged and awarded a new character slot. And you can, of course, retire. During your time in office, all punishments dealt to you will be doubled, and breaking a rule will result in immediate firing.Consider the FollowingTraveling takes time. Keep that in mind when you go island hopping – you will not immediately appear at your destination. Dajon, for example, is half a day’s travel in-game from Sakrinil. Frumus, to the west, would take even longer; Kantis could take well past a full days time (though you would leave from Shimmering Palace in that case). During this time, don’t just be static. Plan with other characters on what your game-plan is. Have a little IC interaction. Try to toss somebody overboard after a heated debate. If there’s not any role-playing in an RPG, that's bad.On that note, what if most of the players are on long voyages at the same time, with only a few in the city, or doing other things? In that case, the majority can ask for the GameMaster to ‘jump time’ if you will, which would be the vast majority (80%) of active players voting to advance everything a full day, or more, into the future.Then you come upon the problem of travelling. A ship needs a crew. Three or four characters together can pool enough money/goods/loans to purchase a small sea vessel, and a few NPC hirelings to get it moving.One last thing – an RPG wouldn’t be very fun without PVP being an option. For this RPG, however, it is not the intended primary focus. Most (80%) of interactions advancing the story will involve role-playing, with lengthy discussion being possible. Lots of puzzles will be provided in search of ancient treasures (because what’s a swashbuckling RPG without treasure hunts?), and pretty much every riddle I can dig up, rather than super monsters.With that said –Thank You,Toa Levacius Zehvor

Edited June 22, 2012 by Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Oblitus]

=~---Desolation---~= Prolegomenon:The skies of Dhulet reflected the faded and dead color of the ruined city. The Chaemodra had finally attacked the grand city of the Vemori Kingdom. Dead Toa lined the corpse ridden streets, luring the bloodcurdling spawn of the Chaemodra to feast on their bodies. Destroyed machines and building littered the ancient city, flames clogging the sky. The Chaemodra Dmeria(leader) Kolovpts paced across the balcony of the towering Vemori Tower. The dead Vemori king, Isvot, lay limp on his throne, large shard of protosteel protuding out of his heart. Kolvpts laughed at the dead body."Your pitiful attempts at saving your weak kingdom were futile, Isvot. You should have seen us as the threat, while you squabbled with the D'mor. Now I rule." Isvot's eyes did not move a bit, still staring blankly at the Dmeria. Kolovpts came up to the dead king, and swiped the crown off of the body, crushing it with the Gauntlet of Vemori. Two Chaemodra, the Dmeria's leige(commander) and regent Urdur and Jolen, burst through the chamber doors."My Dmeria-," Urdur started, only to be swatted away by Jolen's powerful fist. "The city is in ruins. Our mission is complete. Should I command our forces to return to Hadrax?""Yes. And quickly. The D'mor and the bulk of the Vemori army are not far behind."_ _ _ __ __ ___ _ _ _ _ ____ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ ___ _ _ _ _ ____ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ That was one year ago. The Chaemodra are still at large, yet their massive power was quelled in the Battle of Hadrax, when the Coalition of D'mor and the Vemori Kingdom led an assault on the Chaemodran capital, resulting in the Treaty of Dhulet, which eventually shrank the military abilities of the Chaemodra. Dhulet was reconstructed, repairing most damages dealt when the Chaemodra demolished it. A new king, Makrith, pledged to eradicate to Chaemodra subsequent to the deaths of thousands at the hands of Chaemodra spawn. The Dmeria, Regent, and Leige: Kolovpts, Jolen, and Urdur, still lead the Chaemodra. Kolovpts, however, remains in the Castle Hadrax, where he plots to grow a new army with the help of an unsuspecting figure: Makuta Spirah. The shadowy Coalition of D'mor, the leading power in the land of Farhin, played out invasion plans on the rebuilding Vemori, who have refused to follow the ever spreading belief of D'mor, the supposed creator of the land. Summary:After a brutal war, the land of Farhin in the Southern Islands is in a state of chaos. The species-linked empire of the Chaemodra threatens the survival of the Vemori kingdom, the original ruling government founded by Vemori the Great. The Coalition of D'mor fights for the control of both governing entities, due to their belief in D'mor, their believed creator of the island. Influences on the island by the BoM and the OoMN have failed due to the isolation of the land. The only outsiders on the island were commonly lost merchants and criminals. Spiriah's appearance however, is cloaked in a shroud of mystery. What will be the fate of Farhim? You decide.

Locations:

(Political Map here)

The geography of Farhim varies between the ruling states.

North:

In the northeast, River Yrosi flows of out the deep canyon of Ghursa. Many have died trying to cross, deaths the result of the dangerous Rahi stalking the cliffs and the tall heights the canyon contains. Across from that area, the Rocky Plains covers through, attracting many underground dwellers, such as Onu-Matoran and other beings of that element. Next to the Rocky Plains, the fire region, refered numerous times as the Firelands. The giant volcano, Mt. Orbis, continuly erupts, bafflling the native Ta-Matoran. The northwest is a frosty wasteland, tall mountains dotting across the landscape. The three tallest peaks, Ceres, Shauel, and Qaltz, are rumored to hold anceint artifacts left by the old group of beings called the Architects, who have disappeared long ago in the legends. A rocky land resumes, which is also leads to the Vemori capital, Dhulet. The Vemori Tower still stands, acting like a beacon of hope to the ravaged people. The islands that stretch far out in the sea are rumored to house an abandoned OoMN outpost that contains of various weapons powerful enough to strike fear into the people of Farhim

East:

The East is a mixture of a tropical desert, were the major port city of Jlokaiw is located. The desert is home to outcasts and raging beasts, where many venture to, and do not return. The south is very similar to the northern ice caps, although many oddities roam the dry winters there, mainly the D'mor agents who normally banish violaters. Few inhabitants are sane enough to survive, with tempatures reaching more than an ice elemental can sustain. The D'mor prophets occasionally barrage villages on the Vemori border for their crimes against the Coalition.

South:

The southern portion of Farhim is mainly full of forests and coastal settlements. The capital D'mor is on the largest island on Farhim, Likras. The tree city is home to the forest creatures, namely Gukko and Ash Bears. Le and Ga Matoran are common residents of the region, apart from the hermits that are scattered across the forests. Lake Pyriil is the home of the sea beast Aseiad, the colossus fish that stalks it waters. Few have lived through a sighting, which usually results in the loss of limbs.

West:

The Chaemodra live in the Tyrol Desert, where the Chaemodra species originated. The Castle Hadrax is in the center, where the Chaemodra carry out their mischevious plans. The forests are still evident in the west, yet it is less dense than the southern forests. This area is the most least populated, and has the largest mixture of species that live there. However, the sky creatures, only known as Imnari, control the skies, effectively preventing a Vemori air attack on the Chaemodra.

Factions:

There are three major factions in the land of Farhim. This however, is a skeptical statement because of the growing power of independent tribal estates, which usually do not follow any major faction.

The Vemori Kingdom:

The Vemori Kingdom, headed by King Makrith, who controls it with an iron fist, is the leading faction in Farhim, second to only the Chaemodra. Citizens pledge their fealty to the King. While the kingdom is relatively peaceful, outbreaks of rebellion are often seen, resulting in their crackdom by the brutal Cravoh Guard. The military is the highest grade of all Farhim, along with the most effective armory in the catacombs in the Vemori Tower. Mining is a large operation in the Vemori Kingdom, which is relied on to trade in exchange for food. The national treasury is located in Jlokaiw, where rebellious citizens normally dwell.

The Coalition of D'mor:

The Coalition of D'mor is the first in landmass of all the major factions, along with the largest forest. The Council of D'mot is headed by the religious zealot Sermaskir, who does not show his figure publicly very often. Based in D'mor, the tree city is the settlement upon the sacred Heart of D'mor, where his ambiguous burial is located. The people are hardly motivated by their belief in D'mor, while non-believers are commonly executed. The Coalition has shaky relations with the Vemori Kingdom, who largely believes in the Great Spirit Mata Nui. The extent of Coalition's army is to the last sentient inhabitant, giving their numbers as an advantage against both factions.

The Chaemodra:

The Chaemodra were the first species created on the island by an unknown figure, possibly D'mor. Not much is known about the Chaemodra by commoners, but high ranking nobles and officials are aware of the Chaemodra's true intentions. Their ambitions dwell upon conquest of Farhim, and eventually, the entire Matoran Universe. Most scholars and appalled by the bold thought, but all Chaemodra-aligned beings are confident in their plan to takeover.

Tribal Estates:

With permission, a player may create their own faction in one of the Tribal Estates that are littered across Farhim. Details of the player-created faction must be detailed, and must have at least two or three other players in the faction as well. If you are planning for creating a faction, you will start out neutral until you are able to strike a claim. A faction application is down below:

Faction Name:Leader(s):Description of Government:Description of People:Description of Intentions:

Profiles:

(Under construction)

Name: Kolovpts

Gender: Male

Alignment: The Chaemodra

Powers/Abilities: Element of Psionics; Kanohi Komau

Species: Chaemodra

Weapons: The Gauntlet of Vemori: An energy empowered glove constructed and wielded by Vemori himself. It amplifies the powers the user has.

Appearance: Personality:Bio:

Name: Jolen

Gender: Female

Alignment: The Chaemodra

Powers/Abilities: Element of Iron; Kanohi Felnas

Species: Chaemodra

Weapons: A spiked mace, charged with the elemental power of Iron, scavenged from the peak of Ceres. Wields a protosteel shield, fitted perfectly for her own use.

Appearance:

Personality:Bio:

Name: Urdur

Gender: Male

Alignment: The Chaemodra

Powers/Abilities: Element of Air; Kanohi Volitak

Species: Chaemodra

Weapons:

Appearance:

Personality:Bio:

Name: Makrith

Gender: Male

Alignment: Vemori Kingdom

Powers/Abilities: Element of Plasma; Kanohi Calix

Species: Toa

Weapons:

Appearance:

Personality:Bio:

Name: Sermaskir

Gender: Male

Alignment: Coalition of D'mor

Powers/Abilities: Element of Plantlife; Mask of Clarivoyance

Species: Turaga(Presumed Toa by the rest of the Council)

Weapons: Powered Air Scythe, charged by the lightning atop of Mt. OrbisAppearance:

Personality:Bio:

Rules and Character Sheet:

Character Creation:

Each applicant is allowed to have four characters.

There are, obviously, restrictions to character creations.

Illegal Kanohi:

Ignika, Vahi, Mohtrek, Mask of Light and Shadow, Rua, Aki, Olmak, Possibilities, all Nuva masks, Creation, Alternate Futures, Mask of Aging, and any other unreasonable Kanohi are not allowed.

Illegal Species:

Makuta, Botar's species, Non-MU inhabitants, and any unreasonable custom species

Faction Species:

The Chaemodra are exclusive for only their own faction. They vary in size, and are dark creatures. Spikes curve around their body, enveloping them in a 'shell'. The Chaemodra have much better agility and strength of a Toa, but lack largely the mental skills, although they do have elemental powers. The Chaemodra spawn are the underdeveloped sub-species, normally the backbone of their army. Most, if not all beings, are Chaemodra, although defectors are common in their ranks. The D'mor and Vemori are not limited to any species other than the illegal ones.

Name:(What's your character's name? Be serious, for example, no 'Tahu' or We123h1)

Gender: (Male, Female, Unknown, or none)

Alignment: (Vemori Kingdom The Chaemodra, Coalition of D'mor, or Neutral)

Powers/Abilities: (What are your character's powers and abilites. No dual elements.)

Species: (Look above for the limitations on the species)

Weapons: (No over powered weapons)Appearance: (Be descricptive)Personality:(How do your characters act towards one another?)Bio:(What is your character's history on the island? Be thorough.)

Rules:

As a player of Desolation, you are entitled to follow all the rules I have listed here.

You will have three strikes:

1st: You will be warned by me personally when you have broken any of the rules.

2nd: If you continue your rule breaking, your characters will become injured and/or lose prized items.

3rd: Your final strike will result in all of your character's death and your access to the RP will be banned.

1. All forum rules apply.2. No god-modding. “God-modding” is when your character defies the reality of the RPG, such as calling upon Mata Nui to bestow invincible powers upon you.3. No auto hitting. “Auto-hitting” is when you damage another character without giving the other player a chance to post, saying the character dodged.4. Running the story: Making and running the story : If you can't adjust your story to let other people play, too, don't run it. 5. Any co-GMs I may install have equal authority as I do on any argument.6. Have fun while you play this!

Edited June 7, 2012 by Belthnor

[Elrond of Rivendell]

MakutalypseFor so many years, we thought it was over. Makuta had been destroyed, and we thought we had won! We were so wrong - Turaga Jaller, now deceasedIncoming transmission from Toa KopekeEverything's gone wrong. We thought we knew everything. Makuta was dead, and we had triumphed. We should have known he would have had a backup plan. Makuta's body was dead, but his antidermis survived. He was fatally crippled, though, and had to begin living on a toa's life force and toa power. Tahu was the first to be controlled, and he tried to fight it. But makuta was too strong. Tahu is now a host of the most dangerous madbeing in the world, and he has a vendetta. Makuta currently has control of his original shadow powers, and cannot control any of the rahkshi powers. However, he is growing strong, and most of our efforts have failed to stop them. -transmission from Toa kopeke, five hundred years after the supposed "death" of makuta TerridaxHistoryThis story is set 700 years after the giant robot battle between Mata Nui and Makuta. Life continued on, with matoran and agori living together in harmony. The world was split into factions, each held by a selected member of toa:

• [*]

To Gali, the water of Aqua Magna, where she takes care of those mutated by the pit. [*]To Lewa, the jungles and forests of Bota Magna, where he learned to communicate with the biomechanical beings on the moon.[*]To Kopaka, the White Quartz mountains, where he has reformed the traitorous ways of the Ice tribe[*]To Pohatu, the deserts south of the black spike mountains[*]Onua was given free reign over the underground, making catacombs that stretch the world round.[*]Finally, Tahu was given the greatest responsibility. The city of New Atero, a metropolis that stretched the length of Vulcanus.

New Atero, the city founded by Tahu, has become a thriving metropolis, larger even than Metru Nui. Over the last 700 years, scientists have worked to understand the biology of agori and matoran, and how they relate. It turns out that the biology is so close, agori can become toa through toa stones. New inventions, powered by concentrated elemental powers, give the ability to access elemental powers. After the fist 400 years of adjustment, the world devolved into peace and contentment. The toa at first trained in case the skrall came back, but eventually became laid-back and lazy. Only the original toa trained. Tahu, now older but wiser, petitioned the toa to train, but no one listened. 100 years later, the fall came. A lone rahkshi, cloaked in shadow, stole an experimental tool called the Nui Blaster. The rahkshi was stopped, but at great cost to the toa. Mysteriously enough, the Nui Blaster disappeared. Tahu immediately called a meeting between the original six, to discuss where the rahkshi came from. That was when the end came. Makuta appeared, as the vortex he was. Quickly sealing off the exits, he encircled the six with a shadow hand, and began to suck off their power. The other toa he captured, but Tahu was a different. Makuta absorbed Tahu, but also consumed him, replacing Tahu's essence with his. Tahu then became the figurehead for the Makuta empire. Makuta took control of the area of Bota Magna, turning it into a death-trap of strangler-vines and acid grass. The toa, too weak to fight back, sat back and watched in fear as Makuta stole what they had worked for. The ruling council, headed by turaga Takanuva, was too busy bickering to get anything done, as makuta's shadow began to slowly sneak across the land.Characters and WeaponsSo who will you be? Will you be a Mata Nui serving toa? An adventurer? A mercenary? It's up to you! You have the availability to access several new characters, ones with strange powers and even stranger personalities.

• [*]

The original Toa-matoran-turaga cycle (general weaknesses: Matoran are weak and cannot access elemental powers, toa are not as strong or as fast as other species. Toa also cannot access elemental powers without recharging or they will run out)[*]The Skakdi, now at least partially civilized (Weaknesses: Most are strong but not fast, most are dumb and know only how to fight, their elemental powers can only be accessed by working with another skakdi)[*]Vortixx, still as greedy and power-hungry as ever (Weakness: Cannot access either elemental powers or mask powers, are more fast than strong.)[*]Steltians, from leader to slave class (Weaknesses: Cannot access elemental powers or mask powers, lean on the strong side.)[*]Baterra, now sentient. These characters still have their animalistic hatred of weapons (You cannot use weapons, as a rule.) but they are very strong, and have almost kakama level speed and almost Pakari level strength.[*]The bio-mechanical beings on Bota Magna are in-between the height of a toa and a matoran. They can access mask powers, but not elemental powers. (Weaknesses: elemental powers already explained, they are not as strong or as fast as a toa.

The weaponry of the day is very advanced, to the point that some characters can own weapons that channel elemental power. These weapons cannot control elemental powers, but can only fire elemental bullets. Characters can own these weapons based on size. The elements are put into the weapons as ammo (Like bullets) and can only access the original six elemental powers.

• [*]

[*]Side-arm weapons: can be held in one hand, like Colts and Smith and Wessons. These weapons can hold up to twelve shots, and you can use other weapons like swords with them[*]Medium weapons and rifles: These weapons can be held with one hand, with effort. These weapons are usually used by snipers and hunters. You can use other weapons with this gun, too.[*]Large sized weapons: these weapons are the kind that are very hard to handle, but are extremely devastating in a battle (Chain guns, machine guns) You cannot use other weapons with this elemental gun.

Each of the elemental bullets are interchangeable. The effects range from element to element:

• [*]

[*] [*]Earth powers cause earthquakes when shot into the ground. The ground will open up and swallow your enemy. When shot at the person, the bullet will explode when hitting the target, throwing dirt pellets at the user (The handgun effect is to create a small shock, the rifle will create a heavier shock, the chain gun will create a major earthquake)[*]Stone will explode after leaving the barrel, throwing frag everywhere (Amount of shards and size of shards varies based on size)[*]Fire will burn on contact (based on size of gun)[*]Ice freezes on contact (based on size of gun)[*]Water will throw a blast of concentrated water at the target (Based on size of gun)[*]Air is the most dangerous projectile, and also the most expensive to buy. The projectile, when touching the ground or any surface, will create a small vacumm. The effect (if hit in the head) will knock someone out.

The character sheet:Name:Species:Alignment:Weaknesses:Weapons:Story:Current Factions:Although you are allowed to create some factions, there are several existing factions you could join:· The order of Mata Nui: This group has become public, and this is the main guard for the good guys, most populated group with many NPCs· The Empire of Makuta: Second largest group, the evil side of the world, headed by Tahu, the current face of makuta.· The baterra are not a group, per se, but they are a close-knit group.· The Dark hunters are still a faction, although none of the original hunters are still alive.Ground Rules:

• [*]

The BZPRPG rules apply[*]Ask someone in power to approve your weapon, if it seems too complicated. The world has become technologically advanced, but some weapons could be considered godmodding[*]You can play for makuta, but not as makuta. Staff or I will be playing makuta.[*]You must go to the maze, and brave the dangers there (Get this approved first, come as a group of 4 or more or you'll die) to speak with Mata Nui. He may give you something for your troubles, though. [*]Random Chars will be kidnapped by shadows, and given as a sacrifice to Makuta. He gains one rahkshi power, and your char cannot be revived. This action may also happen if one of your chars is Metagaming, Godmodding, etc.

The goal, of course, is to defeat Makuta. You can, however, become a businessman, a mercenary, or whatever else you want. Have fun playing!

Edited June 7, 2012 by General Rocka's Bane

[Toatapio Nuva]

IntroductionA small island, unlike any other. It’s history hidden, entrance forbidden. One of a kind, they say.A haven.Looks can be deceiving.History of the Henkka IslandLong ago, before Mata Nui was put to sleep by the evil Makuta, the Great Spirit created a guardian and protector of Matoran, known as Henkka. But even before Henkka had come to being, a select group of Order of Mata Nui members arranged an island to be created. This island was created for the sole purpose of serving Henkka in his missions.The island was given strange abilities, such as being able to break into smaller pieces and then reforming, or the fact that it floats and moves constantly. The movement of the island is always towards the current location of Henkka. Only when Henkka is on the island, he can control its movement by will.Several Matoran live on the island. They are all special, so-called "Holy Matoran", created by Mata Nui himself. They are special because of their varying elemental afflictions and attributes. Each Holy Matoran is unique in terms of their element. While on the island, each Matoran has a duty to keep the island clean, tending to it and preparing it for when Henkka will arrive to control it once more.The Scenario today:Although Henkka hasn’t been on the island for centuries, the islanders believe he will someday return to his home and keep it safe from harm forever. The island has mostly remained peaceful, even with the absence of its mighty ruler. But recently, things have begun to change. New Toa have been brought into being, lots of activity has been noted near the Castle of Henkka, and a strange epidemic has taken hold of more and more villagers.The epidemic concerns all Matoran of Henkka Island. It has caused Matoran to experience memory loss and suffer from random moments of rage and violent behavior. Some Matoran have perished due to the disease, but most have begun to change into “zombie-Matoran”, losing their sanity and capability of thinking. Matoran tell a legend of a rare “Ruoki plant”, which might be able to cure the disease. No one knows where this plant can be found.Matoran have also discovered glowing gems in the earth of Henkka Island. Many Matoran have abandoned their friends and their villages to explore the island and dig for these magnificent gems, which enhance their possessors, giving them more strength and agility... even powers.There is a time of change going on in Henkka Island. As a native, what will you decide to pursue? Will you enter the Castle of Henkka and seek legends? Will you try and find a cure for the deadly epidemic or will you run away from your already contaminated friends? Or will you go on a hunt for the powerful gems to become better and more powerful? Or... will you just stay home and pray for the return of Henkka? This is for you to decide. Welcome to Henkka Island and the Troubles of Dawn.InformationRahiThe Rahi of Henkka Island are said to be sacred and far more important than even the Matoran themselves. There is a wild variety of Rahi beasts on the island. Some are unique and live only on this island, some are more common species that can be found anywhere in the world. Matoran avoid disturbing the Rahi because of the legends of their importance in the role of Henkka Island's destiny.The EpidemicThe Epidemic is a strange, contagious disease which is spreading fast among the Matoran of Henkka Island. It involves memory loss and increased aggressive behavior. Some Matoran end up dying because of the disease, while some are turned into mysterious Matoran "zombies".The Ruoki-plant is said to be able to cure the disease. Many Matoran have set off to find this legendary plant, but the task is not easy, for the plant has never been seen before on Henkka Island. Maybe it doesn't even exist?Matoran "zombies"Some unlucky Matoran are turned into Matoran "zombies" by the strange epidemic now ravaging several villages. The armor of these Matoran becomes pale and loses its color over time, making it entirely grey. After a Matoran has become a zombie, he or she will have lost all ability to think and feel. These zombies hunger for the power gems hidden underground, but are unable to dig them up. Therefore they will attack anyone who carries a power gem.No one knows if a zombie Matoran can be cured or whether the transformation is permanent. The zombie stage is viewed as the final stage of the strange disease. It's important to remember that not all that suffer from the disease are turned into zombies. The amount of zombies is not high yet, but if the epidemic spreads even more, that fact might change soon.Power GemsPower gems are glowing minerals found underground. These gems can enhance the skills and powers of whoever finds them. Some gems are more valuable than others. The unfortunate side effect of finding a gem is that it will attract Matoran zombies.The Map and GeographyHenkka Island is a relatively small island, but travelling from place to place can be really hard and dangerous. That is why Matoran from different villages rarely interact.Henkka Island hosts a huge variety of different climatic conditions and geographic features. The island is divided into several “zones” by rivers. One interesting feature about the island is that it can break and divide itself into smaller islands by the rivers. This allows the islands to pass through narrow rivers of bigger islands, for example. The island floats and moves all the time.A constant mist surrounds the island, preventing the locals from seeing what is beyond their home island, and preventing anyone outside to see the island itself.Here is a short description of each zone:1. This area is called the “Legend Centre” for reasons explained in the past. The most dominant feature here is the great hill upon which the Castle of Henkka is built. The castle can be seen from anywhere on the island. The first floor of the castle is open to anyone, but no one is allowed down to the cellars or the upper levels. This is because the castle has been meant to be the private castle of Henkka, the great hero.Near the castle there is a small, but furious volcano, that spills lava in the “Lava Pond”. Many fire-liking Rahi, such as Ranama and Infernavika, live around the pond.Also, near the castle, is one of the biggest villages of Henkka Island, called “Village of Heroes”, or “Toa-Koro”. The Matoran of this village see themselves as the chosen ones of Henkka, and they are very proud of it. They have a port on the shore. Although no visitor has come to this island for thousands of years, the Matoran keep the port in a good shape for the faith that Henkka will someday return and see their worthiness.2. The Great Forest area is mostly... well... forest. This section of the island has many Rahi living in it, and the nature is rich. The forest is also home to great mysteries, like the volcano that spits ice, along with the legendary Hidden Village said to be impossible to find. One village of this area is known well, though, the Lake Village. The Lake Village rests upon a small island in the middle of the Ruki Lake. Matoran get in and out of the village by boat.Many Matoran have entered this area in search of the Ruoki-plant, which can cure the epidemic.3. The Place of Rahi is a jungle, where many exotic and unique Rahi live. Some say that the mighty Keetongu himself lives somewhere within this jungle. Two big villages in this area have a special connection to each other. Many consider the Kaita-Koro to be one village, but the north and south parts of the village see themselves as independent. The north part of the village is surrounded by a swamp. The two parts are connected by a bridge over a chasm. There is an abandoned port near the village.The Kaita-Koro is facing a really dangerous situation. The epidemic has taken hold of most Matoran living in this village, and therefore other Matoran avoid visiting it. Those who don't have the disease are hard-pressed. They are not allowed into other villages because they might carry the disease. These unlucky Matoran remain in their village for now, but if more Matoran are turned into zombies, they might not be able to reside there for long.4. Ice Region, called Ko-Wahi. This area is plain ice and snow mountains. One very small tribe of Matoran reside here. They tend to be very pessimistic and unhappy at nature, which can be explained by the harsh conditions of the cold mountains. Their village is called Hilja-Koro. It means Silent Village. One extraordinary feature of this area is the Acid Volcano, which seems to have covered its surrounding with burning acid. Some brave travellers in the past have tried themselves by journeying to the Acid Volcano. Few have returned.Rumor has it that the Ko-Wahi underground is filled with Power Gems.5. This area of the island is called the Mata-Wahi, which means place of spirit. It’s as peaceful as an area can get. As opposed to the Matoran of Ko-Wahi, the Matoran living in this area, the village of Mata-Koro, tend to be really optimistic and happy. They are always ready to take visitors, but they don’t accept immigrants to live permanently in their village. Otherwise all Matoran would come here!GameplayIn this RPG you can play as either a Matoran or a Toa, living normal life or trying to solve the mysteries of the island. New events and important things are every once in a while announced through News Brick, a brick in the wall of Henkka Castle that is changed whenever news is received.Playing as MatoranMost Matoran on this island are called Holy Matoran. Holy Matoran do not share an element. Instead, they all have their unique elemental affliction, which you may decide yourself. It may be anything from Cardboard to basic Water or Butterflies! You decide. You may also decide the attribute the Matoran has based on his or her element, but remember to keep things simple and sensible. No invulnerability or teleportation, for example.Playing as a zombieAlthough unable to think or feel emotion, the zombie Matoran are still possible to play with. Keep in mind, though, that they lack any elemental attributes. You may also turn your existing Matoran character into a zombie if you wish.You may also create a "Toa zombie". These zombies are more powerful than ordinary zombies, but they cannot have elemental powers.Playing as ToaSince the Toa on this island have once been Holy Matoran, you may give them any element you want as well. However, Life, Time and Creation are forbidden. Do not give your Toa an element that would make him invincible! If overpowered elements are involved in the game, I have the right to deny them.Kanohi masks of Life, Time and Creation are not allowed. The Olmak is also forbidden.Custom SpeciesOn some occasions custom species may be approved.Character Submission Name:Species (Matoran of Toa):Element (explain the usage of the element here as well):Gender:Kanohi:Tools (max. two):Weakness:Biography and personality:Other rules:- No god-modding, flaming, trolling, etc. Quite self-explanatory.- Respect the other players- Any character who leaves the Henkka Island is doomed to a horrible death- (After those encouraging words,) Have fun!Created by:

Edited June 8, 2012 by Toatapio Nuva

[The Dark Chronicler]

This RPG is focused mostly on mental challenges, and while there will be plenty of fights and tons of violence, the mental challenges will be the most prominent part as the plot unravels. So if you don't like puzzles and trying to unravel mysteries, there is still going to be plenty of fighting.The puzzles with range from a very wide diversity, from coded messages, to finding hidden laboratories of the Great Beings. From maps that don't fully make sense without first finding their meaning, to cryptic clues in the actions of beings themselves. A large range of mental challenges have been made to test both characters, and those controlling them.Each of the puzzles will alter the story. Solving one and not another will lead to an entirely different ending than solving both or neither. What happens to the city, and how... is all up to the choices made by the characters. Will everyone live? Perhaps. Will everyone die? Maybe. The future is up to the players, and any choice could mean the difference between life or death for those within the walls of...

The History

Four ancient walls stand firm and resolute against the howling winds that sweep across the desert sands, no wind nor storm of sand will ever bring them down. For ten millennia they have baked in the heat of the sun as Solis Magna rises and falls over the passing days, each one no different from the last. The wall is a mighty shield against the world beyond, but even so, it is not needed to protect against anything but the desert storms. For many centuries, there has been no sign of life outside of the city, minus the desert creatures. No travelers, no enemies, only the relentless winds and blistering heat. The desert around them goes on for what seems to be a never ending expanse. It forms a natural barrier against any force that dares think itself able to invade, but reverses to prove itself incapable of being crossed to escape. Trying to leave means certain death in the desert, which to some, is preferred over the current state of their home. It is protection, and a curse.Welcome to the city known as Kirse, a place where heroes die quickly and violently, and the remains are just tossed aside for the creatures of the night. You either fight, or stand aside as others do the battles for you. Violence is a part of life, and on a good day, the population won't drop by more than one person. On a bad day, the desert creatures will eat very, very well. But, it hasn't always been a worthless pit filled with violence and death, there was a time when it had been far more, but those days were a part of the past that weren't coming back.The City was once a stronghold and the last defense for an entire species, well defended with most certainty. The war was raging across the entire planet of Spherus Magna, violence and fear spread like wildfire. The Great Beings knew that something was going wrong. The planet, they discovered, was going to be destroyed. They set upon a plan to save their world, but never got that far. The entire planet was shaken as fragments of its former greatness scattered across the cosmos. Two main portions fractured off and went into orbit around what was left of the planet, now called Bara Magna.The rage of war turned to the scientists that were the Great Beings. Why hadn't they stopped the destruction? Why hadn't they done anything? It was with that mindset that the survivors waged war upon the Great Beings. For a time, the Agori and those of the Glatorian species were loosely united under a single leader. His name was Kirse. He was a brave warrior who had proven himself many times in battle, and gained respect even among his enemies. It was under his leadership that they began their attack against the Great Beings, and with him, came the promise of victory.The Great Beings feared for their lives, and traveled for hundreds of miles to a place where they could hide. They created powerful walls around a mighty city. It was hoped that it would be enough to defend themselves against their attackers. A city built to be self-sustaining for the small population of the Great Beings. But walls could only hold an enemy for so long, before they collapsed around those they defended. They needed something more, something to help them fight back against the foes looming over the horizon.Machines were created, many machines, each with a different purpose. Machines based upon the Agori, only more powerful, called Matoran, created to help keep the city repaired. Machines based upon the Glatorian species, and given power over the elements, built for defending the city. Large mechanical scorpions, with great strength and dangerous poison, called the Nui-Jaga. And many, many others. Only one of the robot designs built had no purpose to its design, Brakas Monkeys, created by one of the Great Beings as a test. They did not follow commands given by the Great Being, or anyone else. They were created to be as close to fully alive as possible.But the machines could not stand against the numbers the Great Beings faced, and under the leadership of Kirse, the city was overrun. The Great Beings were completely wiped out, or so it was believed. The victors in the battle took the city for themselves, a trophy of their success, and named it after their great leader in battle. The machines were left to rust, for no one knew how they worked. But the peace that rose up with the conquest of the city, was not to last. Water and food supplies were not enough to keep the entire city alive, there had been a much smaller number of Great Beings, and the resources were more than enough for them. But now, the people faced the risks of starvation and dehydration.The violence was over, the bloodbath that had only served to vent their anger at what they had done had been completed. Now, in the aftermath of their actions, came realization. They had killed of what may have been the only ones able to save the planet, leaving them a dying world. Fear and regret formed, and the hatred they had once felt for the Great Beings turned into a fight against their fellow Agori and Glatorian for survival in a world they had created for themselves.The city fractured apart into dozens of small groups, each one desperate to get the resources needed to survive. The best skilled and well trained groups rose to power very quickly, amassing numbers and taking many of the resources for themselves. The need for survival divided them, and only a few could even tolerate the others.Then, among a small group called Nui Jaga, one of the members found a laboratory that had been hidden away long ago, one that had belonged to the Great Beings. Inside were creations that looked like the most horrific torture devices ever imagined, along with designs for the machines seen rusting away or still mechanically going about their tasks. Inside the laboratory were instructions about how to use the twisted devices to literally merge beings with the machines, giving them great power. According to the settings of the device, it had already been used multiple times. Some of the Great Beings were still alive, and hidden throughout the city.News spread quickly, and each of the large factions either threatened or traded with the Nui Jaga for some of the devices. Then, the Nui Jaga started selling off the machine blueprints. As the number of machines available to merge with dropped, the demand for the blueprints skyrocketed, and the Nui Jaga started to rise to power. The blueprints were divided up among the factions, with each one having access to different machine designs.Now, the small areas of farmland are starting to become less fertile, as the minerals are removed by the constant growing of plants. Water supplies are starting to run dry. The city is dying, having been abused for far too long, and those inside will die with it.

Summary

The city of Kirse stands in the desert, protecting the inhabitants from the desert and enemies. But there have been no outside enemies for a long time. The desert around the city is rough and unforgiving. It has proven virtually impossible to cross.The city is a dangerous place, violence is common and those who try to stand up against it are the first to wind up dead. But it hasn't always been this way.The story truly started when the Great Beings learned that their planet would be destroyed, but were too late to stop in from happening. That marked the end of the Core War.]The warriors of the Core War, enraged that the Great Beings had done nothing to stop their home's destruction, united behind a leader named Kirse, and began a war against the Great Beings themselves.Fearful, the Great Beings fled, and created the city in an area they hoped would be hidden from even being found. It was built so they could survive off of the available resources. But war was coming.The created machines to protect themselves, each with differing powers and purposes. From the powerful Makuta, to the smaller Matoran. All except the Brakas monkeys had purpose.The machines failed, and the city was overrun. The Great Beings were killed off, and the city was named in honor of the leader who had commanded its capture. But the Great Beings were lesser in number, and the resources could not support the new population. Food and water became valuable.Those who had followed Kirse now turned on each other, fighting for survival.Groups formed, each one working to keep its members alive. The powerful ones grew stronger, though there are issues between them.Then, a group named Nui-Jaga found a laboratory of the Great Beings, discovering devices that could fuse people with the Machines. They had already been used before, by a few Great Beings.The devices were bought and stolen by other groups, helping Nui-Jaga gain power quickly. Each group ended up with differing blueprints and machines.Now, the small areas of farmland are starting to become less fertile, as the minerals are removed by the constant growing of plants. Water supplies are starting to run dry. The city is dying, having been abused for far too long, and those inside will die with it.

The Resources.

Underground rivers run in small areas, and without them, there is no water anywhere for hundreds of miles. The price for water fluctuates, rarely the same for more than a single day. It all depends on who's in control at the time... and how generous they're feeling. Dehydration though, is not as common as you'd think. Somehow, water is getting into the city that doesn't come from the wells. Rumors say that under nightfall, caravans travel into and out of the town quickly, though if they're real, and who they work for if they are, is a mystery.Small farms are patched throughout the city, certain ones under the control of certain people. Though like the water, this can change in an instant. The food itself is bland, as the crops that are grown are what can grow fastest and produce the most food. Taste is not as important as survival. Crop harvest are sometimes burnt to the ground despite the value of the bland food, as for some, striking a blow at a rival is worth more than the lives of those who starve. As with water, there are rumors of food being carried in the mythical caravans.One of the most valuable items is also one of the most fought over. A simple, and unimportant item that only the rich and the best thieves can get their hands on. Spices, that give flavor to the tasteless food. Very few spice growers are in the city, and face fierce rivalries between them. It is one of the most profitable, but most dangerous ways to make a living.

The Factions

Nui-JagaA smaller organization that has taken an interest in controlling the smaller farms, which are often less defended than the larger. They have earned themselves a better name among the violence, selling food at the lowest prices of all of the other factions. Despite this, there are rumors that they are planning a takeover of at least one new water source. They are looked down upon by the larger groups as being barely worth their time and effort. The group has been slowly growing in size, as more and more people turn their support to the more reasonable dealings they are known for. Members are known for having a Nui-Jaga scorpion tattooed on them, to show their loyaltyNui-Jaga was formed by a group of friends banding together when they discovered the hidden laboratory of the Great Beings, finding a treasure of incredible machinery and designs. They started up Nui-Jaga, a small group far below the notice of the major factions. But when rumors spread about the discovery, they took center stage. At first, they started trading away their discoveries, but soon some other groups decided not to pay for what they wanted and to just take the machines. During these struggles, the Nui-Jaga lost several founding members to enemies.Then, for some reason, the attacks stopped and Nui-Jaga was able to rebuild itself. Poisoned Blood guard were seen in the area, but it is claimed by their leader that they were unconnected. Slowly, support for Nui-Jaga rose, and new members began to join the new face of courage. Some were inspired by the group's leader and sole surviving founder, Deveriis, while others joined due to the fairness which Nui-Jaga attempt to uphold.The FreerunnersThe Freerunners are not so much an organization intent on ruling over resources as they are intent on taking anything they want from the other groups. If a farm has been robbed of its crops, or a water supply suddenly having the stored water reserves emptied faster than they can be refilled, then it was more than likely the work of The Freerunners. They do not have the largest, nor the smallest number of members. They are hated by all of the other groups, Minus the Brakas. the only problem is that finding them is a challenge. They are divided into four groups, all loosely connected together. They have some of the steeper prices due to the risks they must face, but are easily able to delivers good at the expense of other groups. Freerunners are hard to catch, and rarely work in large groups. They have nothing to tell them apart from the normal citizens, and they prefer it that way.

​No one is quite certain how the Freerunners came into existence, though reports suggest it was not long after the Brakas balanced out the Nightguard's power. Rumors abound about the group, but the members in it really aren't speaking about it to anyone outside of their own ranks. Who formed it is even a mystery, and no one is certain if the current leader was even connected to the Freerunners before it began to gain strength. They are rather secretive, and trying to learn their secrets can prove dangerous.

It is known that they began their rise to power by leeching off of other groups, swiping away supplies and whatever else they could get their hands upon. They were at first a single united group, but division among ideas started a shift between them, forming them into four loosely allied groups all going by the same name. They consider themselves all part of the same faction, even if ideas aren't shared between them.

Poisoned BloodThe harshest group by far, and possibly the most dangerous. Whenever Poisoned Blood wants something, they take it. Many water supplies and plots of farmland have been permanently ruined by the violent and treacherous techniques of the Poisoned Blood. Razing farmland and poisoning water are only a few of the tricks held by the feared members of Poisoned blood. They are the smallest group to hold power, but need to trade with no one to get what they want. They control a good portion of both water and food, and completely control the trade of spices. Anyone who stands against them is likely to end up dead. The violence and bloodthirst with which they act is legendary, and is sometimes enough to cause defenders of resources to surrender without a fight. But whenever there is a fight, the Poisoned Blood are certain to leave a rather brutal battlefield behind them.Poisoned Blood was formed based upon the ideas of a former doctor named Virthee, who had seen death and suffering on the battlefield, and struggled to cope with the pain and agony war caused to the innocent. He allied himself with Cadias, who had been injured in a fight. The two worked together, creating the basis for what would over time evolve into Poisoned Blood. They decided that for peace to exist, all of those who fought would have to die, and if they began this path, they too would be upon that list of warriors who would have to perish. Virthee took the name of Moros, and began a plan of death and violence.Poisoned Blood started slowly, barely noticable in the slightest to those who loomed over it, but they began to grow. They were assisted along their path to power by another group of small size at the time, The Shades. With an alliance between them, the two were able to work together to reach power, destroying another faction in their rise to power. Afterward, they split apart, each with their own plans in mind. For now, the peace between the two still stands strong. The leader has proven strangely supportive of the Nui-Jaga, for reasons unknown.The ShadesThe largest faction in the city, but not necessarily the most powerful. The have a majority of the water locations under their control. They are made up of almost anyone who can prove themselves willing to join. The Shades are known for their numbers though many of their members are poorly trained and not really battle worthy. The don't charge as high as the Freerunners for their water to civilians, but members of other groups will feel a nasty sting to their currency. They often have to deal with other organizations for food, which they have very little control of. They are not a very strategic group, often trying to overwhelm enemies with sheer number. The Shades all have a mark somewhere on their armor to show their alliance, a golden Iden.The Shades were formed by Polumetis, a being who was secretly one of the Great Beings hidden within the city. He was forced underground, where he started a group of low level criminals that would work together to evade capture. For quite a while, they remained smaller in size, until they made a agreement and formed temporarily together with the Poisoned Blood. Together, the two groups began to rise in power, overthrowing Dormus Lost from its place among the powerful.The Shades and Poisoned Blood split apart, but still remain at peace with each other at the current time. The size of the Shades continued to grow and grow, and the faction quickly became the most populated of them all. One such reason is that the Shades offer free housing to their members, something not done by any other faction.NightguardThis faction was formed by the former guards of the city banding together to fight against the increasing crime the city was facing. But over time, they have joined those they once opposed in the battle for needed resources. They are of a smaller number than many of the factions, but are made up of skilled battlers and those who despite their current situation, still have the interests of the people somewhere in their minds. They own parts of both the food and water locations, but have been in decline with the rise of the Nui-Jaga. They are often the best trained soldiers of any faction, but old ways die hard and many will still go out of their way to protect innocents from getting harmed in the battles that take place throughout the city. They have an intense hatred of The Brakas.Nightguard was formed by the great hero of the battle against the Great Beings, Kirse. At first they were formed to keep order and law within the city, but as time went on, and public opinion of Kirse soured from the situation he had gotten them into, it was used to strictly control the people and hold off rebellion. Despite this, another group formed quickly enough to challenge the Nightguard, a group called The Brakas. They were the first two power giants, both with very different ideas of how the city should be run. As more groups took after the example of The Brakas, Nightguard's power began to weaken.Then, a new leader took over, named Reichenbach. He managed to stabilize the decreasing power of Nightguard, but rumors spread that he had murdered Kirse. A move that was met with a mixture of anger, and of gratefulness. As a new group. Nui-Jaga, formed, Nightguard began to once again lose power. Many of its properties were taken by the newcomers. The group has an unsteady connection to The Shades, exchanging training for the use of Shades to help defend their resources.The BrakasThe Brakas are made up of the low level criminals, con artists, thieves, and thugs for hire. They're the bottom of the crime totem pole, and have the least overall power out of all of the major groups,. They have reasonably good relations with most of the other factions, except the Nightguard, with whom they have a rather poor connection. They are made up of a basic number of beings, not low as the Poisoned Blood, or high as the Shades. They have small sections of the resources, but mostly have to buy from other factions to get what they need. They are the least organized of the factions, and do not hold their people to many expectations, other than joining and going through recruitment. It is not uncommon for a member of another faction to also be a member of the Brakas, minus the Nightguard. But when the Brakas leader calls his people together, it is a force to be reckoned with.The Brakas were one of the first groups, formed by a being named Lashon, and from the very beginning they opposed the Nightguard for power in the city. Lashon's group took over an area in Kirse where the machines had once been made, and began rebuilding the machinery into their own. From here, they began creating mechanical animals, known as Rahi. They began selling these Rahi to anyone who could afford to buy them, and earning themselves a nice profit, which was used for resources. The Brakas have a few requirements to join, but aren't as strict as other factions, or as welcoming as The Shades.The Brakas support any group that seems promising, and help them grow. Because of this, they have made few enemies in the city, though their crimes are considered a nuisance by most. They haven't grown in power, or lost power for a long while, and are just as powerful as when they challenged the Nightguard. Even then, they were not very strong. Even without power, they are highly influential due to having members in all factions minus Nightguard.

The LocationsNui Jaga's LairThe main base of the Nui Jaga, its defenses are not overly impressive. It lacks supported or strengthened walls in most places, formed out of buildings in the area, connected together by underground tunnels hidden throughout. Taking control of it would prove challenging, considering the mazes of tunnels. Civilians are not allowed inside, or near the base, and enemies seen in the area will be killed on sight.Freerunner OutpostsThe four bases of The Freerunners, none of them are defended very well, but they are hidden magnificently. There are traps set within each one, that are not visible from outside. And there is always at least a few Freerunners at each base. The only ones who know the location of these bases are the Freerunners themselves and those they trust most.The Fortress BloodThe headquarters of the Poisoned Blood, it is reasonably well defended. Strong walls have been put into place, along with nasty spikes anywhere that a potential attacker would try to enter through. But there are few guards, and often the guards will be away at times as well. The main defense comes from ghastly devices that give of an aura of fear to anyone near enough to them.AsphodelThe central location of the Shades, it is defended by large numbers of troops, though outside of that, its defense is rather poor. The inside of the base is mostly empty, the only furniture being the tables that the members eat at and the rooming for their people. It is also a very large base, descending deep down into the ground in order to house all the various members of the Shades.The WatchtowerThe fortification and base for the Nightguard, it is by far the best defended of the bases, having specialized military defenses. An imposing building with stained red windows and the occasional spike emerging from the walls. Strong, wooden doors stand at the front, and gargoyles shaped like twisted, warped Agori strike fear into the hearts of anyone who ventures too close.BeastworksThe most impressive buildings in one of the worst parts of town. It is poorly defended by a small number of guards, but the defense greatly improves when the guardian Rahi are taken into consideration. It is not only a base, but a factory which continues to produce Rahi for use in defense and transportation.The RuinsThe leftover remains of the siege upon the city of Kirse, they were abandoned when the city was captured, and still stand to this day. Whatever was left behind from that time still remains hidden in the crumbling ruins. To treasure hunters, there is always something interesting to find, but the risk of facing the creatures that have taken up living there is a deterrent to many.The LaboratoryThe Laboratory, discovered by Nui-Jaga, is a massive lab hidden under the ground. A building was built atop it to prevent theft of whatever could be found inside. When the lab was empty, it was abandoned by all but one being. The lab is now run by Kyrack, a being who through deals and an alliance with every group, has created a place where machines are created, and beings are merged with the machines.The BazaarThe Bazaar is the center of commerce in the city. Resources and item are sold and traded, along with proving a relatively safe area for all factions to converge. Usually in secret, major deals over resources between factions are generally formed here. Fights are not as frequent here as in the rest of the city, but that doesn't stop the occasional rumble.The InhabitantsWelcome to the wonderful and magnificent city of Kirse, we hope you enjoy your stay, no matter how short it is or how you end up dying. Be sure to prepare a will as soon as possible, not that the thieves will leave anything of yours left to be divided up anyway.You, are an Agori or a member of the Glatorian species, or perhaps a Skrall... for the current time, but that can change in a moment's notice. The machines the Great Beings used to defend their city, they are the future. Through a horrific process, which no one really wishes to go too far into detail on... you can use them to make yourself far more powerful.Are you trying to make a name for yourself as part of Nui Jaga?Maybe you want to just take whatever you need after letting others do the work as a Freerunner?Perhaps you want nothing more than to kill anyone who even thinks about standing in your way like those of Poisoned Blood?Maybe you want to work together with those like you to help rule, as do The Shades?Maybe you aren't as bad as you seem, and have been pulled into this, but refuse to give up helping others, like the Nightguard?Or maybe you just want to cause a little chaos here and there, and be a not all that bad person with a checkered past, because you're a Brakas?Or you could be a Brakas and part of another group at the same time!Except Nightguard.The Brakas hate the Nightguard.ProfilesHere is the basic profile Format:

Name: Remember, Bionicle-style names. Last names are fine. (Existing characters are not permitted. No Ackars, please.)Gender: Simple one, male or female, should be rather easy to choose.Species: For now, Agori (Including Zesk, Rock Tribe, and Bonehunters), the Glatorian species (Including Vorox), or Skrall (male and female), ... but soon... this may easily change. (When/if you are merged with a machine, that machine type will become your species)Appearance: This is what your character looks like, picture or text work. (If you use a picture, please link it instead of posting it)Faction: Current faction or none. (Changes when/if you join/change factions)Weapons: With what do you arm yourself? Maybe a sword, or axe, or pike. (Any new weapons have to be approved before you acquire them.)Primary Power: This is for the elemental or other primary power of a Character. (Will change if you merge with a machine)Secondary power: Same as Primary Power, only for mask powers, vision powers, or secondary abilities. Keep it reasonable! (No masks are off limits... but many will have severe power level drops. Kanohi can be used by all species with secondary abilities, as can vision powers)Personality: What your character is like, how they act, and how they think. (Please update this should your character change over time)Weakness: Yes, weakness. Everyone has one. (Most personality issues do not really count as weaknesses of this kind. Arrogance and things like that do not count as a weakness. Multiple personalities and weaknesses of that sort are indeed weaknesses depending on how they are used)Biography: The past of your character. What has lead up to who and where they are now goes here.

MachinesThese are the basic machines people can merge painfully with. A custom design can be made, but very few know how to do so. While this is a list of many machines, it is not a list of them all.Matoran: These were the mechanical workforce of the Great Beings. They are stronger and faster than an Agori, and have a secondary ability.Turaga: These beings were created to be slightly more intelligent than the other machines, and used to command them while the Great beings could remain safe within their city. They have a low level elemental ability and a secondary ability.Toa: These were the main fighting force of the Great Beings, and are more powerful than a Glatorian. They have an elemental ability and a secondary ability.Makuta: Very rare, and very powerful machines. No one has been able to replicate them, meaning the number available is very small. They have strength comparable to a Vortixx. They have three very low level Makuta powers, and a weak ability.Skakdi: Stronger than the Toa machines, but weaker in elemental powers. They were used as support for the Toa machines in battle. They have use of a weak elemental ability and a secondary ability.Zyglak: As strong as a Skakdi, these machines were used for defense, taking blows from elemental powered weapons and facing little harm. They are immune to basic elemental attacks and have the ability to produce poison for protection.Vortixx: Very strong, very fast machines. They were used for scouting, and could escape almost anything they were thrown into. They have a weak secondary ability.Lower Class Steltian: Incredibly strong machines, built for lifting and moving heavy objects with ease. They are powerful, and very tough, but they have no other abilities.Frostelus: Agile machines with great skill at traveling diverse terrain, having two legs and four arms. They can fire beams from their shoulders, with unique secondary ability effects. They are about as strong as a Toa.The Profiles

Despair's Profile

Leader, Nui JagaName: DeveriisGender: MaleSpecies: ToaAppearance: Tall, with emerald armor and bright green eyes. Has a black tattoo of a stylized Nui Jaga on his right arm.Faction: Leader of the Nui JagaWeapons: Simple, yet slightly elegant sword. Because it is rarely used and is well cared for, it is in excellent condition.Primary Power: Elemental control of Air.Secondary power: Kanohi Suletu (in the shape of a Mahiki), Mask of Telepathy. On almost constantly due to his habit of scanning the minds of everyone in the vicinity at all times. As such, he is extremely skilled in breaking into minds and spying on the thoughts of others without being detected.Personality: Deveriis is an enigma. At a glance he seems easy going, yet he is almost ridiculously cautious -- nearly to the point of paranoia -- due to the difficulties he has faced in keeping the members of his gang safe. He trusts very few people outside of his gang (the members of whom he considers to be akin to family), but still personally engages in the day-to-day business deals with outsiders that keep the group afloat. Despite these traits, he has gained the admiration and trust of his subordinates. He spends most of his spare time away from the head quarters, instead preferring to hang out in the nearby bar for most of the day.Weakness: Has a very difficult time trusting others, and his habit of leaving his Suletu on for extended periods of time can cause disorientation when in large crowds. Because of the time he has spent mastering the use of his mask and honing his powers, his swordsmanship has become quite rusty. Despite his cautious nature and the lengths to which he goes to protect himself (or perhaps in part because of these things), he has a difficult time accepting the fact that somebody could slip through his defenses.Biography: Originally a humble Glatorian, Deveriis was exploring the city with a small group of friends when they discovered the devices that enabled fusion with the machines. Deveriis, who had always disliked the rampant crime amongst the city's inhabitants, immediately saw the discovery as a chance to change things for the better. After much arguing, he convinced his friends to join him and the Nui Jaga gang was formed.His friends were killed by rival gangs during the next few years, leaving him as the only remaining founder.This fact, coupled with the manner of his friends' deaths, has fueled his determination to not only survive at all costs, but bring to fruition the plan that had been the friends' dream.

Onarax's Profile

Leader, The FreerunnersHasn't made one yet.

Pyrrhon's Profile

Leader, Poisoned BloodName: Moros, who was once called Virthee.Gender: MaleSpecies: ToaAppearance: Moros wears black armor with a bright red under-layer. He is thin, having chosen one of the least bulky Toa machine frames available. His armor has hints of purple along with the red and black. His joints are a dark purple, while in areas with multiple armor layers, the lower layers are dark red.Faction: Leader of the Poisoned Blood.Weapons: He carries no weapons, preferring to use his mask instead.Primary Power: Moros has the elemental power of fire, though he is not very skilled in it's use.Secondary power: Moros wears the Mask of Agony, which allows the user to bring intense pain upon another being through touch or direct eye contact. It requires knowledge similar to that needed by a mask of healing, in which Moros is quite well versed. Prolonged use of the mask's touching powers can kill victims, or seriously injure them depending on the user's will. It acts as almost a solid force on the being subjected to its power. Eye contact merely gives a painful jolt to the victim's body.Personality: He is very loyal to those he sees as allies, going out of his way to help them when they need assistance. He is rather bossy and short tempered, and he knows it. He is sometimes known for acting without thinking, depending on the situation. He was a distaste of taking part in violence, preferring to avoid it himself. He is somewhat laid back, but he knows fully well the risks and responsibilities of his position. Should someone he sees as a friend get themselves in danger, he will often personally get them out of it, which usually leaves quite a few bodies behind. He is willing to listen to others, but is even more willing to speak his own mind, unless the circumstances suggest differently.Weakness: He is not overly strong, and he lacks in his training with his elemental powers, to the point that he rarely uses them in fighting.Biography: Virthee was a traveling doctor caught up in the sweeping tides of war. As an Agori, he was mostly unable to help in the fighting, which was fine with him. He devoted every minute to helping save the lives of others. While working on the battlefield, he found a group of four siblings who had been orphaned in the fighting, and all of which seemed lost and trapped as their home became a war zone. Virthee helped them along, taking them with him as he traveled to help others.That was when war started striking not only those he didn't know, but those closer to him. The oldest of the children was struck by stray fire from an elementally powered weapon, charred to ash in a few moments, with no chance to save her from dying an agonizing fate in flames.The next to die was the second youngest child, lost in a heated battle and found dead as the dust settled, trampled by warring troops. Virthee spiraled into depression, feeling miserable as he continued on his quest to save lives from the violence of the war.The second oldest reached a point where he could no longer stand the inaction of the doctor. He wanted to end the war, end the bloodshed once and for all. He left, allying himself with the armies of the Elemental Lord of Jungle. Reports say that in battle, Kirgon bravely fought a path all the way to the Elemental Lord of Sand, and took him on alone. He lasted just over a minute in the fight. News of the battle reached the already depressed doctor, pushing him farther towards the edge.Then came the turning point in his life. In one of the last battles of the war, before the planet fragmented, Virthee reached the point where he had had enough. As one of the opposing soldier charged towards the doctor and the youngest child, intent on their capture as a possible bargaining tool, Virthee struck back. He drove a medical knife into the heart of the being, and continued to stab him in a fit of rage and anger. The youngest child, in horror, fled.Misery, there were no other words for what he went through as he continued saving lives and as the battles turned against the Great Beings. He liked helping save people less and less with each passing day. Rage and anger built up in him, and he realized one small thing he had missed. With every life he saved, it would only cause more to die. All he had been doing was fueling the war which had ruined his life.That was when people he tried to save began to die, wounded soldiers who had caused so much war, so much violence. It never crossed his mind that many of them had gone through much worse than he had, and were not connected to what had happened to him in the slightest. It was not their fault.So much blood had been lost by the end of the war, so many lives ruined by the violence. Those who embraced war needed to get what was coming to them, revenge for all of the innocent blood they had cost. The deserved to die by that blood, that poisoned blood, once pure but tainted by war, by violence. They needed to die by the blood of their victims.As the violence over resources began, Virthee was one of the first to begin forming his own group. He would put a stop too war, he would kill all those who went along that violent path, only then would there be peace. He knew the path he was taking would put him among those, the ones that would have to die for peace, but he decided that it was worth it. Giving his life so that others may live in peace, was not even a choice. He took upon himself the Name Moros, and Poisoned Blood began to grow.

BioBeast's Profile

Leader, The ShadesReal Name: PolúmetisKnown Name: Members of the Shades refer to him by 'Da Boss.'Gender: MaleSpecies: MakutaAppearance: Da Boss has a hulking body, similar to Ultimate Teridax's. (Picture Movie sized, and no wings - Pyrrhon) He wears a black hat and overcoat that covers his armor.Faction: Leader of The ShadesWeapons: Kanoka Blade (Reconstitute at Random)Primary Powers: Magnetism, Plantlife, QuickhealingSecondary power: Mask of ReboundingPersonality: Da Boss's Personality is Da Boss's personality. This is none of your business. Move along.Weakness: His weapon can harm his chances in a fight along with helping them. His mask of rebounding allows him to bring back his own non-exploding projectiles, but offers no defense, His magnetism is much weaker than a Toa's, as is his control over plantlife. (He is also rather bulky, making fighting smaller foes difficult at times - Pyrrhon)Biography: 'Da Boss,' was a renowned Great Being, known for his mechanical expertise. He spent most of the war tinkering with elemental weapons, figuring out how to enhance them. But then things took a turn for the worse. The planet shattered, Agori and Glatorian alike turned on the Great Beings, blaming them for the destruction of the planet, not knowing it was their fault in the first place.Da Boss was forced to hide in Kirse, and started working (Helping another Great Being) on a different kind of weapon. They were Nanotech (Not Nanotech - Pyrrhon) programmed, Metal, machines that were made to fight. But, this did not last. He knew better than the rest of the Great Beings that these Machines were not going to last, and that when they failed, the Great Beings would be as good as dead.Da Boss found a way out, by building a machine that merged the biological Great Beings, with the animatronics Robots, forming a 'Bionicle.' He merged himself with the most powerful robot he could find, and started a group known as, 'The Shades.'

Vorex's ProfileLeader, NightguardName: Reichenbach.Gender: MaleSpecies: SkrallAppearance: A mainly black Skrall, with not much armour and some red.Faction: Leader of the NightguardWeapons: Reichenbach carries a long, wicked sword, along with a small, sharp knife and a thornax launcher, which he conviently strapped to a sword, as well. He also carries a shield, in case his abundance of weapons fails him.Personality: Reichenbach is somewhat of an anti-hero. He has an anti-social personality, can be quite violent, and doesn't always stick to the rules of what the 'good guys' should do. He is obsessed with discovering the workings of the 'automatons', bringing down the other factions, and finding a way of creating new water.Weakness: Aw, c'mon, do staff char's really need weaknesses? (Yes Vorex, they do. Reichbeach, as a Skrall, lacks any powers, and is not as strong as most of the machine fused beings. - Pyrrhon)Biography: Reichenbach was not the original leader of the Nightguard, and some do not approve of him now being in this posititon (rumour has it that he himself killed its original leader).He was an outcast, banished from the ranks of the Skrall for unknown reasons. He took on the name 'Reichenbach', and decided to offer his genius as a 'consulting criminal'. During the two years he was in this position, crime levels increased dramatically.However, he then joined the Nightguard, claiming he had 'seen the light'. He appears to be telling the truth, despite his often... unusual... methods.

Te3e's Profile

Leader, The BrakasName: LashonGender: MaleSpecies: Lower Class SteltianAppearance: He wears large black armor that covers his whole body and he wears a black helmet. His armor and helmet have some gold designs on them.Faction: Leader of The BrakasWeapons: Primitive Electro Chute Blade prototype.Primary Power: Incredibly strongSecondary power: Remarkably toughPersonality: Some people might call him... eccentric. He has an obsession with Brakas monkeys, to the point of naming his group after those little Rahi. He is generous to those who he sees as hard workers or allies. He has a mild temper, and doesn't get angry very easily. He's open minded, and enjoys speaking with other Brakas Members and leaders of the other groups. He is friends with most of them, except the Nightguard whom he despises.Weakness: Despite his strength, he has shown no abilities of powers beyond it. He is a major target for all Nightguard members, as he has been a thorn in their side for as long as the Brakas have existed.Biography: This History is property of The Brakas, and is not allowed to be viewed by outsiders. The Security grade is: Leader only information. Have a nice day!

The Rules of the GameFollow the RPG forum rules and guidelines while playing the game!Other players have feelings too, try to be respectful.IC: Means that you are posting as a character.OOC: Means that you are not posting as a character.NO OOC: ONLY POSTS! The RPG game topic is for gaming. (I know some people have trouble with this one... and no saying 'will edit later' or things like that) This is not a punishable offence, just helps keep the topic clear.When fighting, remember that you aren't invincible. Avoiding every attack is not fun. (And even with a mask of speed or something similar, you are not invincible. Don't think you are, no one is invincible in this, not even staff)Don't try to GodMod... Vorex likes hurting people who GodMod. (And Vorex, just because you like hurting them... you are not immune to this rule. XD)Killing other players without their approval is not allowed. And don't take blows that should be fatal and then ignore them as though they never happened.When creating characters, be reasonable... Overpowed means out of playability. This goes for staff too.If you are going between places in the city, please don't just teleport. Unless you have quicktravel.NPCs are often just as tough, smart, and strong as your characters are. Killing a large number of NPC's is not allowed. (Yes, you are not superior to them, and staff are a bit less restricted by this rule, but not by much.)If something goes wrong... blame Pyrrhon for it.

Rule EnforcementFollow the rules!Breaking the rules will lead to a punishment or warning depending on the severity of the rule breaking. Breaking the same rule over and over will result in a worse punishment.Punishments range from simple warnings to being expelled from the game completely.

RewardsThose who follow the rules well and help out the staff might see themselves getting rewarded.These rewards can range from getting access to better Machines, like the Makuta Machines, to getting a special piece of Great Being technology.

The Evil Overlords (Staff)PyrrhonThe Leader. He is in charge of taking blame when things go wrong, and approving staff characters, along with the normal staff duties.Thanatos the Hamazing (Te3e)The Vanisher. He may not appear for days on end, but when he does... yeah, when he does appear, he might post.Toa OnaraxThe Roleplayer. He has past experience helping to run RPGs, a useful skill.Vorex: Shadow MasterThe Madman. He's the wildcard of the group, with Pyrrhon keeping him under control. He's good with puzzles.'Da Boss: BioBeastThe Swarm-Master. He wants to send NPCs out like pawns to die in swarms... he still has to follow NPC rules.DespairThe Writer. A writer of short stories with a skill for wording. He's excellent with descriptive details.

Staff HenchmenThe Backup with a taste for destruction, they help find rule-breakers and bring them to the staff's attention.HubertThe Peacemaker: He has a skill with people, and solving things peacefully... and destructively.Kal GrochiThe Technician: Good with the technology. He likes keeping people in line.CadiasThe Informer: Pyrrhon's main informant, and great with ideas and keeping things interesting.

Edited June 7, 2012 by Pyrrhon

[The Lorax]

Across the island, all was peaceful. Light was just beginning to creep into the dome. Birds called to each other, announcing the arrival of a new day. Insects hummed between flowers, enjoying the balmy late spring weather. It could not last, however. The idyllic scene was about to be broken by a terrible scream.It was a scream of horror, revulsion and fear, all rolled into one blood-curdling yell. Soon, it was joined by another, and another. All across this island paradise, hundreds upon hundreds of throats let out similar cries as they woke to find gruesome, twisted monsters in their villages, their homes, and even their mirrors.The Transformation had begun.SUMMARYThis RPG is set 72,000 years before the Great Cataclysm, on the Island of Zakaz.Maukta Spiriah has infected the entire island with a series of viruses that turned the native Skakdi from a peaceful, prosperous race into grotesque, vicious warriors. Chaos has erupted as the Skakdi awoke to find themselves in varying stages of transition, and only intensified in the next three days as the changes were completed. The government is trying to keep a lid on things, but are failing miserably, as officials are dealing with similar transformations to everyone else.In the tumult of the change, some have embraced their new nature and powers in an attempt to seize power. Chief among these is the former head of the law enforcement, a Skakdi named Nektann. He has gathered a group of criminals, rogues and power-mongers to take control of the island for his own ends. He has some competition, but as of now, his army is the largest rebel group.The Makuta himself is nowhere to be found, and many believe him to have left the island. The only sign is a squadron of Visorak he left to guard his fortress and prevent anyone from coming or going to and from the island.One thing is clear, however. Zakaz is now a very different place, and will be transformed even more in the coming weeks, months and years.How it is transformed is up to you to decide. Will you join the rebels, using you newfound powers to gain wealth and influence? Will you attempt to put down the rebellions and restore peace to Zakaz? Are you going to throw you lot in with the Makuta, and submit to whatever plans he has for the island?Whichever you choose, you will alter the fate of your homeland.THE STORY SO FAR:Day 0:Makuta Spiriah sends out his viruses to mutate the Skakdi race. They do not take effect immediately.Day 1:This marks the beginning of the Transformation. Overnight, the viruses have begun to take effect and the Skakdi’s bodies have started to change. After the initial attack of island-wide panic, they get together in each village as well as the capital to seek answers. It is revealed that the Makuta caused the virus, but not much more progress is made in any of the meetings. They soon break up out of fear, anger, and uncontrollable flashes of power.Day 2:By this stage, the Skakdi are looking mostly like their mutated forms. Everyone is in panic mode as more and more changes occur. There is looting and violence in the streets as everyone tries to hoard supplies or find a cure. Civilisation grinds to a screaming halt. Many buildings are damaged. There is little coordinated response from the Zakaz government because they are just as confused by the changes as everybody else.Anyone who tries to leave or enter Zakaz encounters Visorak. The island is cut off from the rest of the Matoran Universe.Day 3:The mutations are now complete. Nektann sees the way things are going and defects from the Avan to form his own faction. He releases several notorious criminals on his way out, and begins recruiting scoundrels to join him and seize power.Still reeling from the loss of one of their top men, the government begins to put together a response. Malok declares martial law, but the Avan prove too few to be clearly effective against such widespread disaster. Some quiet is achieved in the streets, but crime is still rampant, as every Skakdi fights for themselves or their small group. Most are beginning to gain some control over their powers by now.There is still no sign of the Makuta, but those loyal to him are a force to be reckoned with, as they defend his tower from all assailants and clamp down on any malicious or destructive activities in the surrounding area. They appear to be plotting something, but as yet, nobody knows what.Rumors are flying that a Skakdi of Quo-nari named Makan has (or has almost) isolated a cure for the Skakdi’s mutation. The respected, if slightly eccentric doctor was unfortunately killed in a riot in Quo-kuna, but his work still exists… somewhere. If it can be found, completed and used, there may yet be hope for Zakaz.All of the islands major factions are showing an interest in this. The Zakaz Government wants it perfected and used widely, Makuta’s Devotees want it destroyed so that the mutation is permanent, while various rebel groups want to obtain it because of the power it represents and to gain more influence on the island. It could be a powerful bargaining chip, and the warlords know it.Day 4: Beginning of the RPG. From here, events are (mostly) under the players’ control. FACTIONSAll across the island, beings are banding together for protection or in pursuit of their goals. The three most important ones are listed below.Zakaz GovernmentThe government of Zakaz exists to keep the peace and to make sure that day to day activities across the island run smoothly. Malok, the king, has supreme power, but most often has not used it. He finds that most conflicts can be resolved without resorting to that, and prefers to work with his subjects to find solutions. Under Malok, there are several ministers/advisers who oversee various areas of the administration, such as trade, law enforcement, security and dealings with other islands.Goals:

• [*]Keep order on Zakaz.[*]Find a way to cope with the Transformation or reverse it.[*]Investigate possible cures for the mutation. If any turn out to be useful, use it on as many Skakdi as possible.

Nektann’s RebelsThis group, led by the former head of the Avan (law enforcement organisation), is composed of individuals who have given in to their darker sides and are using their newfound powers to wreak havoc in the city of Atia. As yet, their influence is weak outside the city’s walls. What began as a group of criminals hungry for power is quickly solidifying into an army.Goals:

• [*]Subvert whatever the government is doing.[*]Gain more recruits.[*]Launch an attack on Atia and attempt to seize power.

Makuta’s DevoteesRight now, most of Zakaz hates Spiriah for transforming them as he did. It is well known that the Makuta was the source of the infection, but nobody knows the details of how or why he did it. This faction, however, includes many beings who are loyal to Spiriah, including his team of Toa Hagah. These beings go against strong public opinion, and believe that the Makuta of the island will provide a solution to their problems. They reason that the Makuta had a reason for mutating the Skakdi as he did, and do not know that the experiment went horribly wrong from Spiriah’s point of view, as well as everyone else’s.Goals:

• [*]Stop anyone trying to undo the Makuta’s mutation.[*]Await the Makuta’s return and maintain the faction until he does.[*]Convince everyone else not to kill Spiriah as soon as he shows his face.[*]Defend the Makuta’s fortress.[*]Exercise the Makuta’s will on Zakaz, whatever that may be.

Neutral CitizensIn the days since the Transformation began, most of the factions’ activities have taken place in the capital, Atia and the surrounding lands. In other locations around Zakaz, people are responding to the situation in their own ways, most often fighting for resources or trying to find ways to undo the effects of the virus.Goals:

• [*]Survive the chaos.[*]Do whatever your character wants.

Player Created FactionsIt is encouraged for players to create their own groups. If your character thinks they could go a better job than King Malok, great! Get some followers and mount a coup. If they think they can be a better warlord than Nektann, form a group and go take him down. If they hate Spiriah and live for revenge... well good luck on that one, but you'll need an awful lot of backup to take down the Makuta. It could happen though.If you want to form a group with a goal and a name, be my guest. The new faction will not, however, get any NPCs or vast resources. You can have a name and a goal, and even fortify one of your character's homes against attcks. Over time, these factions may grow to rival the main three if players put enough work into them.LOCATIONSHere are two maps of Zakaz. The first shows the island and the nari borders, the other only shows landmarks. Some important locations are described below, in the state they were before Spiriah released his viruses. All of the locations below are named in the language of the Skakdi, rather than Matoran. Note that the words used here are a little different, as the characters are all speaking a different tongue.Te-nariThe southern region of Zakaz is dominated by Mount Krahn. The volcano feeds numerous lava streams. It erupts so frequently that the sides of the mountain are completely bare of any life, as if even nature has given up trying to colonise the place. Further afield from the summit, however, volcanic ash provides excellent fertiliser to sustain forests and fields alike. The Skakdi of the region grow much of the island’s food. The forests are easily navigable for travellers, because occasional forest fires keep the foliage from growing too dense.Situated between two lava streams is Te-kuna, the village of fire. The buildings here are constructed from blocks of black volcanic stone.Ana-nariThis region of Zakaz is only inhabited underground, where a network of tunnels and caves are home to many Skakdi. Most of the tunnels are concentrated just north of Te-nari, but there are also underground roads leading to other places of note around the island, such as the other settlements. The tunnels are lit both by torches and a series of mirrors that reflect the light from the dome into most major tunnels.Irnakk’s Maw is a giant cave entrance that opens onto Te-nari, and where many of that region’s lava flows re-enter the earth. Many of the mirrors take daylight from this opening, and it is said that, when viewed from a distance, the glinting lenses look like flashing teeth in a gigantic, fiery mouth.Ana-kuna is the village of earth. The village is found within a giant cavern with two rivers running through it; one of water, the other of lava. The dwellings here are carved into massive Stalagmites, many of which reach to the cavern’s ceiling, hundreds of bio above. Ana-kuna is known for its mineral wealth and the skill of its craftsmen in making all sorts of tools, weapons and armour.Pi-nariZakaz’s region of stone is a vast canyonland along the southwestern coast. The Kona and Malana rivers flow down from Quo-nari and Lake Turano before joining at Furl Drop, a giant, multi-level waterfall that descends more than 500 bio to the floor of Mara Canyon, the largest on the island and home to Pi-kuna. After the joining, the river is known as the Karoro.Pi-kuna, the village of stone is recessed within the eastern wall of Mara Canyon. The vertical stone here has been worked into a huge collection of ramps, stairs and ladders that connect the many balconies of the stone village. Each balcony leads into a house or shop within the cliff face. The warm, orange-brown stone gives a cosy feel to the homes here, as well as a majestic view at sunset when the canyon is lit with bright lights and deep shadows.The Skakdi of Pi-kuna are adventurous and famous for their skills in combat, sports and survival. The harsh, dry landscape they inhabit provides few resources and harbours many dangerous rahi. As if those weren’t enough of a challenge, bungy jumping and hang gliding are available in the canyonlands, though notoriously dangerous for any who choose to join the daredevils.Also to be found in Pi-nari is Spiriah’s Tower. This is the Makuta’s base on Zakaz, where he works his dangerous experiments. The tower itself is built on top of a cylindrical spire of stone, so as to only be accessible by those with the power of flight or some other way to bridge the canyon. There is a bridge to the tower, but it can disappear in an instant, controlled by some mechanism with in the tower. As of the RPG's beginning, the bridge will not be there.Quo-nariQuo-nari is the mountainous, icy region of Zakaz’s north. High in the Pili Mountains, steep cliffs and ravines dominate the landscape. Glaciers are also a common feature in many valleys. The altitude and cold prevent many plants from growing here, but the hardy shrubs and grasses that grow here often have medicinal properties. Also rumoured to exist here is the jugo tree of legend, which is said to undo any wound or mutation. It is thought that Makan's elixir was derived from this plant.Quo-kuna, the village of ice, is the most isolated on the island. It is a quiet place, with most Skakdi preferring to stay indoors to do their business. The homes here are built from cement studded with heatstones, and packed closely together in order to give the outdoor spaces some protection from the cold and the alpine wind.Quo-kuna is not an industrial town – there are too few resources up in these frozen lands, but instead the people here make a living from their skills. Quo-nari boasts many doctors and healers, trained in the use of the region’s plant life, and is a haven for artists of all types. The peace and stunning views have inspired many great works, from music to sculptures and paintings.Gu-nariGu-nari is the region of water, and reaches from the north-eastern coast to Lake Turano, and the smaller Lake Roto. The region has a damp climate, and is filled with marshes, wetlands and wide fields. It is home to many of the island’s rahi, including heards of Tahtorak.The main feature of Gu-nari is the Awa River, which flows from Lake Turano in the centre of the island to the Silver Sea. The river runs clear and cool over the moist terrain, providing an easy way of travel for mariners, who both fish the river for its abundant food supply and ferry other Skakdi up and down the river.Gu-kuna, the village of water is situated in an underwater cave in the Awa River. Protected from outside attacks, the town is only accessible by swimming or airtight vessels that run on tracks along the riverbed. An air pocket allows the village to stay dry, if a little humid, and is kept fresh by a large skylight that also lights the settlement. The dwellings are built around the edges of the cave on solid ground. Most are constructed from wood, which is abundant in the swamps and forests above.Gu-kuna is the transport hub of Zakaz. The large port outside the Gu-kuna cave holds all types of boats, from large sailing ships ready to take on the silver sea or Lake Turano, to small rafts better suited to the swift-flowing canyon rivers of Pi-nari. For overland transport, Gu-kuna is the home base for domesticated Tahtorak, which are used as steeds for the Skakdi.La-nariThis region of Zakaz is a lush rainforest, the Rata Jungle, is often covered by curtains of swirling mist. The shining droplets reduce the visibility among the dark, evergreen trees, and can give it an unearthly feel, not to mention making it easy to get lost in. Between the gargantuan trunks, there is very little undergrowth. Instead, a thick layer of moss serves as the carpet. It can conceal dead trunks and pot holes, however, so watch your step.Some of the more remote parts of this rainforest remain unexplored. Strange tales are told of these regions and what beings might reside there. Some say ghosts, some say walking trees, while other describe beings alien to anything else in the universe.The La-nari forest overlaps with Ana-nari, with trees on the surface and tunnels beneath. Just who owns this part of land, however, has never been a problem – neither group wants to use the other’s area.The greatest feature of this forest is undoubtedly the forest monarch, Mahana. This giant tree reaches 50 bio above the rest of the forest, its canopy extending like a dome 100 bio across on top of the rest of the forest’s roof. More than just a big tree however, Mahana is alive and sentient. Her mind watches over the forest, wherever trees grow in La-nari. What she makes of it, however, is anyone’s guess, and communication is fraught with difficulty. Her thoughts are revealed in the swirling patterns and arcane symbols that are in constant motion across her bark. Some say that the pattern of these will predict the future, while others assert that the patterns of mist move in unison.La-kuna, the village of La-nari is situated a good distance from Mahana, because nobody had the guts or gumption to build anything too close to the revered tree, let alone it in. Instead, the wooden houses are built on the ground. They are well camouflaged, however, and unless one knows where to look, one could easily miss it in the mist.La-kuna Skakdi are known as builders and engineers. It is they who produce the great ships of Gu-nari and construct all kinds of buildings across the island.AtiaAtia is the capital city of Zakaz, and is neutral territory where beings of all elements and backgrounds meet. Almost surrounded by Lake Turano and the Awa River, Atia is a much larger city than any of the kuna. A wall surrounds the city, but the gates are always open, as the fortifications have not been needed in a long time. The city is a hodge-podge of architectural styles and cultures, allowing it to feel like home to all of its diverse inhabitants as well as highlighting the peaceful co-existence of so many in one place. Important places in and around the city include:Lake Turano, which is the largest body of water on Zakaz. The huge lake borders 6 of the 7 regions, and is a gateway for travellers, as well as providing water for much of the island.Mana Palace, where the King of Zakaz lives, rules and deals with the people. The current holder of that title is named Malok, a Skakdi of magnetism. The palace is the city’s largest building, a small tower built of a mixture of stone and wood. It lies in the middle of the city, surrounded by a park. Most of the palace is open to the public to deal with their king.Avan Headquarters is situated adjacent to the main gate of Atia, and serves as the fortress that Mana is not. Built from thick stone and iron, there are only two entrances. One is the main gate, the other a secret underground passageway leading into the palace. The large building towers over the small houses and businesses in other parts of the city, with several battlements equipped with projectile weapons. Inside, the place is a warren of various chambers used by Zakaz’s law enforcement, including a small jail.Traders’ Square. Just as the name suggests, this part of Atia is the commercial hub of both the city and Zakaz. Goods of all kinds are traded here, from food and water to medicines, tools, trinkets and weapons. The last is much less common than in other parts of the MU, because Zakaz doesn’t have much trouble aside from the occasional plague of rahi. Much of the trade that goes on here uses a barter system, but there is also a currency known as the grala – small gold spheres engraved with various symbols that signify their worth.Nektann's hideout is the base for this warlord and his criminal gang. The base is in what used to be one of the largest shops in the city, one selling fresh produce from Te-nari. Here, the villains are well supplied, but the design of the building and many exits make security a problem.ADDITIONAL NOTES ON ZAKAZTechnology LevelThe level of technology on Zakaz is greater than that of the Matoran on Mata Nui, but nowhere near Xia standard. The Skakdi can make some pretty cool tools and structures, but they are nowhere near modern day technology or the ‘magical’ technologies produced on Xia and Nynrah.The currency of Zakaz is the grala. These can be used like widgets to buy things in the markets of Zakaz, but most Skakdi just use a barter system. Gralas are small gold spheres engraved with various symbols that signify their worth. These are notoriously difficult to counterfeit.Mutated vs. Un-mutated Skakdi.Prior to the Transformation, the Skakdi were smaller and less powerful than they are now. They were shorter than most toa and had small spines down their backs. Their faces were more normal and their jaws were much smaller than the gruesome grins we saw on the piraka sets. They had the ability to use great kanohi, and also possessed the latent elemental traits seen in Matoran (heat resistance for Ta-matoran, lung capacity and swimming skills for Ga-matoran, etc), but stronger. If your character is not of one of the main species, you can make up the trait that goes with their element, but keep it reasonable.As a result of Spiriah’s virus, they have grown taller and stronger, their spines have enlarged and their jaws have sprouted huge teeth. They have lost the mental discipline to access the powers of kanohi, but have gained other powers.Chief among these new powers is the ability to use elemental powers to a toa level, but only when working together with another mutated Skakdi. Second is a vision power, such as X-ray vision or laser vision. These powers work by shooting beams from the Skakdi’s eyes, and whatever those beams hit is affected by the power. Finally, each mutated Skakdi gained a third power. These are highly variable between individuals, so be creative when coming up with your own unique powers. Be cautious in this, however, of over-powering. The pirakas’ abilities should be considered the upper limit here.The final and perhaps most disturbing change for the Skakdi is the transformation of their minds. While pre-mutation Skakdi were mostly calm, friendly sorts, Spiriah’s virus has given them an inclination towards high tempers and violent outbursts.This game takes place three days after the original infection, which took about that long to do its work and completely transform all the Skakdi. Most characters will still be getting used to their new powers, and will not be experts yet.GAMEPLAYIn this game, you will play as one of the inhabitants of Zakaz. This can mean that your characters can be Skakdi or other MU species that happen to be on Zakaz at the time.This is very much a sandbox RPG, so your characters’ actions will determine the course of events. Zakaz may end up much like it did in the canon universe; a war-torn desolation, or alternatively, it may turn out to be a very different place. Your actions will determine which and how. So have fun. Go visit Makan's house or take a look at his body. Pick fights over a bag of food. This world is just waiting for you to make it come to life.CHARACTERSMost characters in this game will be Skakdi. It is, after all, their island. Other MU species will be allowed, but bear in mind that they will be heavily outnumbered. If you can concoct a good reason for a non-Skakdi character to be on Zakaz, go ahead and play them. It is likely, however, that they may have been affected by the Makuta’s viruses in some way.The same applies to un-mutated Skakdi. These are playable if you can think of an excuse for them not to have been on Zakaz at the time of the infection, and also a way to get them back past the Visorak guards.As with any RPG, there are some canon powers that cannot be used. These include:

• [*]The legendary masks, for obvious reasons.[*]The olmak, avohkii, krahkan and mask of elemental energy, all of which are unique. There are none of these masks in existance other than the ones shown in story the canon.[*]The elements of light and shadow, because there are no naturally occurring Skakdi of light or shadow, and the shadow leech hasn’t been invented yet and won't be for thousands of years.[*]The mohtrek, because insta-armies are annoying.[*]The mask of undeath, because unkillable zombies are no fun.[*]The mask of mutation, because things can't be solved that easily.[*]The komau (great mask of bunnying), the sanok (great mask of auto-hitting) and the Mask of Clairvoyance (great mask of meta-gaming). While it is possible to use these responsibly in an RPG, I’d rather save everyone the trouble of sorting out how they should and shouldn’t be used within good RPing etiquette.[*]The mask of conjuring, because it is rediculously overpowered.

You cannot play as a canon character. Make your own.Each player can control up to five characters at one time, but I might be lenient here if someone has a really great idea for a sixth character that will enhance the RPG in some way.Fill out this character profile and submit it for approval. This layout is designed for a Skakdi character, so for other species it will need a bit of altering. Feel free to change the format if you wish.Name: Make it sound BIONICLE-ishSpecies: Something from the MU, but not Makuta.Gender: Male, Female, unknown, neither, somewhere inbetween.Alignment: Pick one from above, make your own, or neutral.Home Region: Te-nari, Gu-nari, Atia, traveller, etcElement: Only to be used with another mutated SkakdiVision Power: Heat, x-rays, etcThird Power: Be creative!Equipment: What do they have with them?Appearance: What do they look like? A MoC, drawing or description will do.Biography: About their life.Personality: What are they like? How do they act?Skills/Strengths: What are they good at?Weaknesses: What are they bad at? What hurts them?NPCsName: MalokSpecies: SkakdiGender: MaleAlignment: Zakaz GovernmentHome Region: AtiaElement: MagnetismVision Power: X-ray visionThird Power: Mind reading and limited telepathyEquipment: Crown and sceptre of ZakazAppearance: Malok is a tall but thin Skakdi whose armour is mostly gunmetal grey. His secondary colour is royal blue, and is displayed on his torso, hands and feet. The crown he wears is made of gold and is set with six stones in a circular pattern, each the colour of one of the main six elements. In the centre of the circle is a transparent diamond. Since his transformation, it doesn’t fit on his head too well.Biography: Malok has been King of Zakaz for a few thousand years now, and has overseen the growth of the Skakdi nation. He lives in Mana Palace in Atia, which is his seat of power. Since the Transformation began, he has tried to use his influence among his race to calm the chaos, but has not met with much success.Personality: Malok is a charismatic Skakdi with good people skills and considerable wisdom. He is the closest thing to a Turaga you are likely to find among the Skakdi. He tries to rule Zakaz as fairly as possible, and genuinely wants to see his people flourish. As for the Transformation, he has found the mental changes the most difficult. Anger and violence are the opposite of what he stands for, so having them become a greater part of his personality is very difficult for him.Skills/Strengths: Malok is an excellent speaker, and has a disarming style that makes other people want to agree with him. He has a quick mind and a strong will.Weaknesses: Malok is not a great warrior, though he can fight if the occasion calls for it.Name: NektannSpecies: SkakdiGender: MaleAlignment: Nektann’s RebelsHome Region: AtiaElement: WaterVision Power: Lightning visionThird Power: Physical Invulnerability. This means that he cannot be hurt by physical attacks like whacking him with a sword. Arrows will just bounce off him, axes will only get bent. He can hit whatever he likes and fear nothing. Energy based attacks, however, will hurt him. This invulnerability also extends to any weapon he uses.Equipment: A large scythe, which he wields will deadly strength and precision. This is not the crescent scythe seen in the set, but a different weapon. He also carries a dozen daggers and a mace as backup.Appearance: Nektann is much larger than the average Skakdi, muscular and well armoured. His appearance is much like the set, but he has not yet obtained his crescent scythe at this point in history. His weapon is still a scythe; just a different one.I picture him something like this MoC by Toa Cehk. All credit to the builder.Biography: Proir to the Transformation, Nektann was head of the Avan, the law enforcement of Zakaz. He did his job ruthlessly and efficiently, and under his watch, crime was low. He held great influence among the government, and was tipped by some to become the next King of Zakaz.On finding out that the Skakdi were being mutated into super-powered monsters, Nektann’s darker side took control and he took advantage of the confusion for his own gain. He set free many criminals and began recruiting many other Skakdi in a bid to seize power and rule the island. He has been unusually quick to discover his powers and how they can be used.Personality: Nektann is a ruthless being, using whatever force is necessary to achieve his goals. This made him very effective has head of the Avan, but now it makes him a nightmare to his enemies. He has embraced the dark side of his new nature, though his mind is still cunning and sharp as a dagger.Skills/Strengths: Nektann is a deadly warrior of great strength and skill, particularly with his chosen weapons. He is a quick thinker and has a devious, shrewd mind, as well as inside knowledge of the Avan and Zakaz Government.Weaknesses: Nektann is vulnerable to energy-based attacks, and is not particularly agile.Name: SpiriahSpecies: MakutaGender: MaleAlignment: Brotherhood of MakutaElement: ShadowKanohi: JutlinPowers: Spiriah has access to all 42 kraata powers as well as telepathy, the use of a shadow hand and the ability to infect kanohi. He has the ability to create kraata and, by extension, Rahkshi. Since he has not yet evolved into gaseous antidermis at this point in history, the process of creating kraata is slow and yields weak slugs.Appearance: Spiriah is a shapeshifter, so his appearance can change at will. For the most part, he will appear as he did in the set.Biography: Spiriah was created by Mata Nui along with the other Makuta from a pool of liquid Antidermis. He then became a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta, working on experiments with Rahi and creating breeds of them to populate the universe, though he lacked the skill in doing so. Following the Matoran Civil War, Spiriah was assigned to supervise the islands of Zakaz and Artidax.Spiriah saw potential for the Skakdi to be used as soldiers for the Brotherhood, and came to Zakaz to experiment on them. When he thought he had the right mix of viruses, he unleashed them over the whole island through the air and water, resulting in the Transformation. He then left the island, planning to return later to check on the results.Personality: Spiriah is arrogant like all Makuta, but unable to live up to this standard; he lacks skills in Rahi creation, and is deficient in leadership traits, acting more in the role of a follower. Though he aspires to greatness, he is incapable of achieving anything of significance.Skills/Strengths: He’s a Makuta. He has power beyond anything other species can dream of. Attack him and you die.Name: BanuaSpecies: ToaGender: MaleAlignment: Makuta’s DevoteesElement: GravityMask: Gold faxon in the shape of a kadin. This was presented to him by his former team mates on entering Spiriah’s service. The shape is to honour a past hero - JovanEquipment: Orbit Spear and Rhotuka Launching Shield

The Orbit Spear has the power to change the point where the gravity that affects the target originates from. For this power to be triggered, the spear must touch the target. For example, if a foe was touched by the spear, they might find gravity pulling them towards, say, a tree, rather than the ground.

His rhotuka have the power to cause explosions wherever they hit.

Appearance: Banua’s primary colour is black, with gold and purple highlights in roughly equal parts. His tools, hands and feet are gold, while his upper limbs are purple. Also in this colour is the BoM insignia across his chest. He is a thin, wiry toa of about average height. His armour is made of precious metals.Biography: Banua is the leader of Spiriah’s Toa Hagah team. Before entering the Brotherhood’s service, he was one of the Toa Nynrah. He was chosen to become an elite guardian, and was assigned to Spiriah’s team, which he now leads. It is his job to deal with any threats to his Makuta’s safety.Banua has not had much to do with the Skakdi before, except for acting as a bodyguard during Spiriah’s occasional visits to Mana Palace. Generally, he has spent time in Spiriah’s tower when on Zakaz, but much more time on other islands.During the Transformation, he and his fellow Hagah were taken to a sealed-off chamber to protect them from any ill effects caused by the virus. He was left on Zakaz when Spiriah left to go back to Destral.Personality: Banua is a cautious leader, always giving situations due consideration rather than a quick, rash response that might lead to trouble later. That is not to say he cannot act quickly when the situation demands it, but it is not his preferred MO. He has a serious personality, and stays focussed on the job. He is not often jokey or jovial, but relies on others to lighten up a situation.Skills/Strengths: Banua is a good leader and a clever strategist. He is very loyal to the Makuta, and has great skill with his powers.Weaknesses: He does not have the physical strength to match most post-mutation Skakdi, so he prefers to fight at a distance. At close range, he could be beaten in physical combat.NOTE: Banua is one Toa Hagah, but the rest of Spiriah’s team are open for creation by players. If you want to play as one, make a character. Five players who want spots will get them. The other Hagah can also get some of the few powered weapons on the island (spears and rhotuka shields).RULESAll BZP rules apply, obviously.In general, don’t do anything that detracts from other peoples’ enjoyment of the game. All the usual RPG fallacies fall under this, such as god-modding, meta-gaming, bunnying, auto-hitting and the like. For more on these, see the BZPRPG, where you will find some great descriptions and more details on the subtleties of these.Use IC and OOC to separate what your character(s) do from you talking.Unlike in some other RPGs, there is no rule against wreaking huge destruction on the landscape. We know that in the canon universe, the island was turned into a barren wasteland by the wars of super-powered savages, so there is no reason not to pound a few landmarks out of existence if the situation requires it.Do not kill or injure somebody else’s character without permission. The same goes for (character) life changing events.No nova blasts or other apocalyptic, island destroying attacks. Destroy your immediate area: fine. Destroy the entire region or island: not fine.GMs have the right to do anything they see fit in the IC world. This includes punishments for rule-breaking and rewards for making positive contributions to the RPG.Please read all of the above before you start playing the game. It will help everyone out, you included. GLOSSARYThis is a list of all the terms I invented for this game. Most were made up on the spot, so this is to help myself and others keep track of them.Ana- – the Skakdi prefix representing earthAtia – the capital city of ZakazAvan – the law enforcement agency of ZakazAwa – a river in Gu-nari, flowing out of Lake TuranoFurl Drop – a waterfall at the meeting of the Malana and Kona RiversGrala – the currency of ZakazGu- – the Skakdi prefix representing waterKaroro – a river flowing through Mara CanyonKona – a river flowing from Quo-nari into Pi-nariKuna – a Skakdi word meaning ‘village’La- – the Skakdi prefix representing airMahana – a giant, sentient tree in La-nariMalana – a river flowing from Lake Turano into Pi-nariMalok – a Skakdi, the current King of ZakazMana Palace – Malok’s dwelling in AtiaMara - a canyon in Pi-nari, the location of Pi-kunaMount Krahn – a volcano in Te-nariNari – a Skakdi word meaning ‘region’Pi- – the Skakdi prefix representing stonePili Mountains – mountain range of Quo-nariQuo- – the Skakdi prefix representing iceRata – the forest of La-nariRoto – a lake in Gu-nariTe- – the Skakdi prefix representing fireThe Transformation – the changes wrought on the Skakdi by Spiriah’s virus.Turano – a lake in the centre of Zakaz. Edited June 27, 2012 by The Lorax

[Kal the Guardian]

I gasp. My head is reeling. My vision is blurry. My stomach is warring with my other intestines.I drop to my hands and knees, fingers feeling sand embrace them. My hands are swallowed by the sand and my legs sink deeper. My head is beginning to clear.I stop sinking and lift my head. My eyes see past the racing dots in my vision to spot a wasteland of gray sand surrounding me. My stomach settles and my body returns to my control.I stand upright and view my surroundings, searching my mind for what has happened to me. I was just teleported, but to where, and why?I can’t remember anything; nothing from the past week, if it had indeed been a week. Everything else I can recall perfectly, causing me to suspect a weak memory wipe of some kind.I look out to see the gray sand in all directions, just rolling dunes of it fading off into the distance. I squint as I try to look up into the sky, only to realize the whole thing is white and seems to be like a large, flat light found in most business buildings. So the whole sky is like a sun, and yet it is not blinding; just white. Where am I?Taking a deep breath and gathering my strength, I trudge forward towards the never ending horizon. Coming to the crest of my second dune, I look down to see a strange sight. Bathed in blood, a Toa much like myself is holding onto what seem to be a collection of papers. I rush to his side, suddenly feeling pain in my own side. Had I been injured recently?I drop to my knees beside the old Toa and flip him, as he seemed to have been crawling when he died. He surprised me by stuttering and suddenly opening his eyes, spittle flying everywhere. His heartlight shone brightly for a few seconds, then seemed to fade and dim, winking out a couple of times.Grasping his arm, I try to comfort him in his last moments through reassuring touch. “No,” he rasps, barely getting the word out, “We.. failed!” He slumped and I let go of him, observing the various injures he had. There… well, didn’t actually appear to be any.He opened his eyes again, causing me to jump. Grabbing the front of my armor, he managed to say, “…He is. Watching us. Always.” Looking off into some space behind myself, the old Toa used his other hand to feel his face, which was missing a mask, “This sand. It takes. Takes, everything.”He coughed and blood splattered the front of my armor. He moved to get up and I helped him, supporting him when we both got to our feet. He thrust the papers he still had clenched in his hands towards me, “Read them.. quickly. … And don’t. He- W-watch. Believe in the shifting sands.”This time he really did die, and I caught his body as it began to fall. Slowly lowering it to the ground, I closed his eyes, only to have them spring open again. Unnerved by his unclosing eyes, I quickly gathered the papers littered around and retreated to the top of the dune, weary of his body.Finally working up the nerve to look away, I found the first of the numbered pages. Taking a deep breath, I began to read.

My complete understanding of the gray, shifting sands.

How I got here, I do not know, nor does anyone around me. I was the first one, however, and found out much of the information you will read because I found papers, like these, in the clutches of a dead Matoran who I will probably follow to the grave, that is if you are reading this and not one of my colleagues.

This world, wherever we are, is a grid, and not connected to the rest of reality. Others will show up shortly, but many will not be your friends. It seems that whoever we were as beings before coming here is thrown out the window when the matter of survival is at stake.

25 squares to the grid. That is all you need to know concerning that. Here is a map, not that it will help much.

The center square is most important, but will not be unlocked unless you control 15 squares. What am I saying, ugh. I’m getting ahead of myself.

Welcome to king of the hill, my friend.

This is not a game, at least not one we were told to play. No, this is pure survival instincts kicking in when I told the others of what I had found when I acquired papers like you are now reading. We are stuck here with no food, no water, just the sand. There is but one small nugget of hope. Control the hill, and you can be free.

Oh, the eyes, behind the flat sun sky. They are there, believe me. They’re there, and watching us. Like stone rats in an experiment, that's what we are. By being good and completing the test, we are set free. Set free.

…

Uh,wherewa s I, om.

…

Sorry, psychosis. You can’t go past the grid. If you walk too far into the forever dunes, you just end up on the opposite side of the map. We are stuck on the grid. Teleporting doesn’t work. Flying doesn’t work. No matter how high we go, we can’t touch the sky. But.. the eyes. Oh Karzahni. The, ugh, need to hurry.

No escape. I wasn’t strong enough to win, only survive what happened after the winner leaves.

Ok, the grid. The squares. Each square is, well, big? A Matoran could walk it in a day. /from top to bottm or side to side]

eAch individual square is omh. Is, argh. One second.

Yhyttghty

Eh, each square has a circular pad of some indestructible material in the center. It is the size; only one being can stand on it at a time. When standing on it, you have the ability to change the terrain around you into whatever you want. Yes, whatever you want. This is only a onetime thing, so choose your terrain carefully. You will be defending this from those who wish to take it over by locating your Shaper, as I have taken to calling it. The terrain has to be natural. By having friends surrounding you when you use the Shaper, it rises up and they can place their hands upon it, perhaps honing the signal and allowing more complex buildings per being, but not per intellect. Smarts have nothing to do with it.

That is, no buildings unless you have friends to help you further shape your terrain. And be creative, you can’t create weapons, but you can create metal deposits. The more friends, and the more you are a team, then the more complex the shapings become.

The middle square’s Shaper will remain inactivated until one person, or team captain, has the ten squares I mentioned earlier. Then it’s a mad free-for-all to get to the middle square’s Shaper, because only one being gets set free. The rest are immediately caught in a massive kinetic blast that levels everything created during the game, either above or below ground.

Heh, some sick game, but I guess I put that term on it to begin with. After all, the eyes, the, the ey-

…

I breathed slowly, trying to process what I had just read. What exactly had I gotten myself into? A game of capturing territories that could be shaped to my will by standing on a Shaper? But only once, unless an enemy came and changed the terrain. It was confusing. The central square was locked until a single being or team controlled half the grid? How would that happen with how selfish the average being was when survival was on the line?And going off the grid into the gray sands somehow made you end up on the other side of the grid from where you went off it. The sky was unreachable and a flat infinite span of white light. And once a single person escaped by stepping onto the central square’s Shaper, everyone and everything else was blasted away, never to be seen again.Others would be coming soon, apparently. I flipped through several pages of mad etching about the eyes again. I must say, that did cause me to pause and look up into the white sky. Nothing.I looked down again and came to a page that made sense.

Now, I don’t know what this is, but I saw it in my papers long ago. These supposed rules are strange to me, but I understand the profile section, and as a way to ease my mind and get a better grasp on my team, I filled out and had my comrades all fill out the forms as well.

Rules

BZP Rules apply, all of them.No god-modding (e.g. controlling someone else's character, having your character do something impossible). And if someone god-modes against you, don't do it back, tell the Staff.This is a Text-Based RPG, so to join in you post what is basically a miniature story for what is currently happening to your character.Please, try to use good grammar. It helps everyone out.Use IC for In-Character and OOC for Out-Of-Character.For example:IC: The Toa glanced at his friend as he scanned the perimeter, looking for enemies.OOC: Hey Lewa34Dude, want to join us?Don't extensively control other people's characters without their permission.Don't injure another character without permission.Comedy is accepted, but keep it realistic and to a minimum. No random pie flinging contests.Don't glory hog or continuously degrade someone else's character.All characters are incapable of performing Nova Blasts.All major discoveries or story twists must go through me first.And most important of all, HAVE FUN! And pick fights with random people, everyone loves a good fight.

Profiles

Three Characters MaxName: (No official canon names like Tahu. It must be a Bionicle-ish name, not Bob or Toaofmuffins05)Species: (You know the drill. Custom is allowed if described in detail and I approve. No Makuta)Gender: (Male, Female, It, Non)Alliance: (Once in game alliances or teams or factions are made, edit this info in)Appearance: (A detailed description of your character or a linked picture)Weapons: (These were forged to channel one's power, kill, or destroy)Mask: (Custom is allowed. No Kraahkan, Avohkii, Vahi, or Ignika)Power: (Time and Life and any other unreasonable power is not allowed)Personality: (How does your character think and feel?)Biography: (Background time. Detailed biographies are welcome!)Empty Profile:

[b]Name:[/b][b]Species:[/b][b]Gender:[/b][b]Alliance:[/b][b]Appearance:[/b][b]Weapons:[/b][b]Mask:[/b][b]Power:[/b][/font][/size][size=3][font=courier new,courier,monospace][b]Personality:[/b][b]Biography:[/b]

And that’s that. Good luck with your journey. It appears mine has ended in tragedy.

Yours truly, ./ -=+3j*^^^> the EYES

I stared at the paper, clutching at it, re-reading it. I refused to believe what I had just been told. And yet, everything I saw corresponded to what I had read. My mind forced me to believe. My heart soon followed. And with that, I glanced up. What… eyes?It would be a long, slow spiral into insanity, and the others hadn’t even arrived yet.I sat down in the gray sand, staring out at the large sea of it; the morphing ocean of gray.

The Shifting Sands

Edited June 16, 2012 by Kal the Guardian

[av.]

Isolation

Story

Space. It doesn’t change, doesn’t shift with the winds, or fall under a heavy torrent of snow. It sits unchangeable; an eternal void. And it has stood, a vast eternal plain, for over 150 Billion years. During its birth, it created something out of nothing, and brought with it the Ultimate Gods, the Great Beings. And during this time, Spherus Magna was created, explored, and shattered. The planet came into being already in a habitable state, almost as if it was handcrafted to be the spark that ignited both life, and the Plan that would follow. 15 Billion Years passed until the Shattering, and after that, the Great Beings started to work on their Plan. This would be known as the Prime Cycle. From the Dark Cycle between the end of the Prime Cycle to the beginning of the First Cycle, experiments were conducted in separate systems from one corner of the universe to another. During this time, the planet Tharu was constructed.

By all expectations, it should have been the Ultimate Experiment, the Magnum Opus of the Great Beings. With all the technology and planning that went into it, you’d think that the system itself was supposed to be the finished product, not merely a prototype. In any event, it was supposed to be the precursor to the Matoran Universe, designed as a physiologic experiment to see if an isolated system could support itself for a Cycle without resulting in a cataclysmic failure, or the utter devastation of the planet. It was a fully synthetic planet, one of the first things the Great Beings ever truly “created.” The planet was built from the inside out, with the “Axis Mundi,” or World Core created first, to act as a control hub where the success or failure of the project could be measured. It was eventually decided to kill two Kahu with one Kohlii ball, and to test multiple projects simultaneously. So, a prototype AI was constructed, and given control of the Center. The rest of the “planet” was built thereafter, and everything from the weather to the night sky surrounding the planet was synthetic, and controlled by the AI.

Finally, the Crown Jewel of the Experiment was put in. To ensure that all evidence of the test was erased, a Purge Cycle was built into the base coding so that not only would the project be kept a secret, but so that the system could be kept on standby for future test trials, and that the buildup of errors would be purged away from the system after the time limit expired. After all, 15 Billion years is a long time, especially for a computer. You’d have to be idiotic to expect to go that long and not run into any errors. What the Purges would do is erase every memory everyone had about the last cycle, except for things like languages, motor skills, and the like, create a transparent “layer” of ground for buildings and inhabitants to live on during the purge, and then delete and reload the synthetic planet tiles underneath the temporary layer, reverting them to how they were after the Great Beings left the planet. Man-made creations would be untouched, due to the potential consequences that an accidental purge would have on a civilization if it went off before the scheduled time. A protosteel box was constructed and placed into the World Core by the Great Beings, which held a leather-bound journal that was to be updated with information telling future Cycles about previous ones, and what to do and be prepared for once a Purge occurred.

I'll put it bluntly for you. The Great Beings are not infallible, contrary to popular belief. Most of their mistakes were made in the First Cycle, but to be fair, you can't blame them. A cycle is a long time, and one can only remember so much information at any given time. Officially, the experiment was listed as "Successful, Completed, and Shut Down." This was true, to an extent. The First Cycle was successful, and since it was meant to only go on for one cycle, it was completed, but it was never shut down. The honest, blunt truth? The Great Beings lost the system. Yes, the results were transmitted every year as successful and the risk of cataclysmic failure was "Slim to none," but I know we were never shut down. Contact was lost with Bara Magna around 13.7 Billion years in, and eventually everyone just...forgot about us. Life continued on.

A civilization grew out of the initial experiment, and nations formed, lived, and died out. All of the present day Metrus grew out of absorption of neighboring nations, and it was eventually decided to unite the Metrus under one banner. Civilization evolved to begin using the feudal system due to the Middle Age level technology, and thus, the Tharuan Kingdom was created 30,000 years into the Second Cycle. Because it was the first area that the Matoran settled, the Valley of Lights was named the capitol of the Kingdom, and society continued on for the next couple billion years as normal. From a historian’s standpoint, the Valley and the Metrus evolved very differently. The Valley quickly grew to become a jewel of the Kingdom, where the nobility would reside. Everything related to the Metrus was shunned, and wealth and power became the traits that everyone looked up to. Meanwhile, the Metrus faced an entirely different story. Citizens here became the peasant class, and had to work themselves to death to scrape out a mediocre living. This culture difference split the regions, and some theorize it was one of the reasons that the “peasants” were so willing to go to take up arms against the valley later on.

But, even the well-polished systems can fail. One drawback of the Purge Cycles was that it had to erase massive amounts of data from the Core, as fast and efficiently as possible. This was not the safest idea they thought of. As it turned out, errors began to appear towards the end of the Second Cycle. Imagine waking up in the morning, walking outside to go catch some fish, and instead of seeing a calm blue rippling ocean, seeing a gaping hole in the earth, filled with wires crisscrossing the entire planet. The Kingdom quickly moved to damage control, and tried to placate the Metrus. Logically though, people are prone to extreme fits of panic when they step into a puddle and go falling into the wired guts of a planet.

Citizens in the Valley tried desperately to both solve the problem without needing to start a Purge Cycle, and keep the Metrus placated as well. But, we all fear that which we don’t understand, and when the world crumbles around you, you start to lose rationality fast. In the end, the Metrus gathered up their weapons, fought their way to the Valley, convinced the King to let the Cycle end, and descended to the Axis to initiate a Purge. It wasn’t our ancestor’s smartest idea, but it was our only option. Plus, there was always the hope that maybe the base code could be fixed through a system purge. So our ancestors descended to the Core, and began issuing a wipe, erasing everyone’s memories of the awful tribulations the planet was forced to go through. Fortunately, the brave heroes’ deeds would not be in vain, as a young scribe had the foresight to write down a record of the events that occurred, so that future generations would remember the “heroes” of the Second Cycle. So, the Third Cycle began and with the knowledge that a select group of individuals saved everyone, a Tournament was set up by the King in remembrance of the “Purge Wars.” (Matoran are notoriously bad namers.) Each Metru would send two Gladiators to compete for the honor of being named the Tharuan Champion.

So it went through the years until the beginning of the Fourth Cycle. You see, during the Third Cycle, the previous Queen had been a bitter, insane old Makuta, who had been cheated by a Vortixx peasant in the Tenth Metru, and began to plan for her eventual revenge, even if she wouldn’t be alive to see it. Being the Queen, she had access to the World Core, and replaced the Historic Journal with something of her own design. In this book, she wrote that the Arena Isle was used to punish specially chosen Metru Gladiators for their crimes against the “empire that I so lovingly ruled over for the Third Cycle.” The book attempted to delude the next “Emperor” into believing that the Metrus were responsible for the system errors, and that the Tournament could instead be used as a Massacre to hold off the errors until the next year. The next time the Queen’s journal was found was after the Purge, far too late for anyone to do anything to stop her influence from spreading. And thus, the Fourth Cycle began with a transition from Kingdom to Empire, and Tournament to Massacre.

As of the present day, Four Cycles have passed, and the Fifth Cycle is the current era. But nothing is right anymore. The Purge from Fourth to Fifth Cycles was terrible. In written records, it's said that the very core of the planet shook, the continents trembled, and the skies blacked out as a sound like a mashing of gears rang out through the planet. After the purge, the site where the entrance to the Axis Mundi should have been was gone. Even after miners were brought in from the Metrus to dig deep into the earth, nothing was found. Some believe the Axis simply vanished from the planet. During the Cataclysm, it’s theorized that something related to the Purge cycle messed up the base coding horribly. So now, the Fifth Cycle has gone uninterrupted for 45 Billion years, when we should be on the Eighth Cycle. All this time, massive errors continue to pile up, but the location of the Axis Entrance has been lost to us. Some people think that the Core might be on Ascension Isle. Each day, the errors get worse and worse. System flashes will randomly occur. Things so simple like the "sun" will periodically fizzle out, or shift colors. And occasionally, the land and sky will disappear, and be replaced with a wireframe instead of a cloud, or mountain.

From what I’ve gathered, the Empress is so concerned with keeping her power, that he’d rather watch the world around her crumble then initiate a purge and lose all of it. I've heard the stories. Legends talk about the Old Times, before the Massacre, and Ascension Isle remains the only unexplored place left on the system, and I'll bet that's where the Axis Entrance can be found. What really bugs me though, is, with what should be the Ninth Cycle coming up, and the Isle so close to the Valley of Lights, why hasn't there been a purge yet?

Oh well, I'll write more later. I have to get back to work, after all.

-Azibo, Scribe, Valley of Lights.

TL; DR

After the Shattering, a prototype for the Matoran Universe was built, to see if an isolated system would actually work, or fail miserably. This planet was called Tharu. It was fully synthetic, and had a prototype AI which controlled the entire planet from the World Core. To erase all evidence of the planet at the end of the experiment, a purge cycle was built into the “code” of the planet, which would occur every 15 billion years. The experiment was only supposed to last for one cycle, or 15 billion years. The Purge would make sure that nothing the inhabitants built got destroyed, and the Great Beings left a “non-permeable” box behind that they used to hold basically a big history book that got passed on from cycle to cycle. But, the Great Beings lost contact with Tharu, and so the experiment was called off, and the Second Cycle began. Eventually, the present day system of “Metrus” grew out of mass accumulation of other nation-states, and they all banded together to act as regions in a Tharuan Kingdom. Civilization evolved similar to Feudal Europe, and the Valley of Lights was named the capitol. Valley citizens were the nobility, while Metruans were peasants. One flaw in the Purges was that a “git-r-done” approach was used to make them happen quickly and effectively. Think of it like going through massive amounts of coding, being lazy, and just deleting entire sections to get done with it.

This caused errors in the code, which freaked Metruans out, and made them storm the Valley and force another Purge to hopefully fix the problems. And it did, which started the Third Cycle. Plus, because of some writer’s great foresight, all of this was written down, and a tournament was started to honor the “brave heroes.” For this tournament, the Metrus would send Gladiators to fight and see who would come out on top and be named Tharuan Champion. Towards the last days of the Third Cycle, this peasant Vortixx scammed the insane Makutan Queen, so she plotted to use the Purges to get revenge on the metrus. She replaced the history journal with something of her own writing that said that she was the Empress of the “Tharuan Empire” and that the Tournament was really a Massacre designed to punish the Metrus for creating the system errors. Gladiators would be forced to fight to serve as a sacrifice to ward off the errors for a year. The next time the Queen’s journal was found was after the Purge, far too late for anyone to do anything to stop her influence from spreading. In the present day, it’s the Fifth Cycle, except there’s a problem. The Great Cataclysm occurred during the Fourth-Fifth Purge, and this one was really bad. It messed up the planet code, and caused the World Core to be lost. An even bigger problem was that shortly after the Cataclysm, Purges stopped happening, and so now the Fifth Cycle’s been going on for 45 Billion years, when we should really be on the Eighth Cycle. Right now, the errors keep building up, but there's nothing we can do to stop it. And even if the Empress could, I think she'd rather doom the planet then give up even a percent of her absolute power.

Gameplay

"But why do I care?" You ask. Because it’s your job to fix the problems if you so choose. Or if you don’t, you get to represent your Metru, aka: try and stay alive for one more day. But, between you and me, I'd rather pick having to save the world over serving in the Massacre. On the bright side, only 24 people at the most can be Gladiators. On the downside, Gladiator selection is usually random, and it's a Last-Man-Standing competition. "Ok, so what can I do in both cases?" Man, with all these questions, you could be an interrogator. Alright, so. If you get chosen for the Massacre, you get to fight for the grand prize of...living one more day while the world collapses around you. But, it'll be hard. You have to pour all of your being into them if you even stand a chance to win. The terrain is brutal, and so are the enemies. On the other hand, if you choose to start a rebellion like your forefathers in the Second Cycle did, you'll have to start it under absolute secrecy. The Empress will execute any conspirators with no hesitation if she finds any resistance to her rule. After you get that started, you have to go find the World Center. Your best bet would probably be snooping around on Ascension Isle. Good luck getting there, though. All passage east of the Valley of Lights or west of the Edge is forbidden, not to mention it'd be quite the challenge, whichever way you go. The Edge is supposed to be holding the most dangerous weather on the entire planet, and the Isle is the most heavily guarded area on the whole planet. After you've gotten there, you just need to find the Axis, and you'll be home free. Probably.

"Factions"

The Imperials:

The main villains of this saga, the Empress rules over the Metrus with an iron fist. Any hint of rebellion is crushed without hesitation. You'll have to get past them if you want to get to Ascension. People over here, they’re dangerous. Some of them have grown up despising the Metru citizens; others empathize with the Metruans plight. If you manage to get here, be careful, even just walking around. You can’t trust anyone here. Many of them have grown up in the sheltered life of the Valley, and so they don’t know a thing about the real value of work, or how hard the life outside the Valley actually is. Don’t rely on them for any physical work, let’s just say that. There used to be a Grand University in the Valley, but it was torn down around the Third Cycle, and the effects have shown. Intelligence is viewed as unnecessary and material things are the only things necessary in most of the nobility’s minds.

• The Imperial Military, while once the strongest during the Makutan Queen’s reign, has now been tasked with guard duty by Empress Karora. Many officers feel that this is a waste of their time, and General Rasal himself stated that they had much better jobs to do then “playing babysitter for a bunch of painters, miners, and fishermen.”

The Metruans:

The Metruans make up the other 99% of the entire population. Everyone here, they’re looked at as peasantry, unworthy of the Noble’s time or resources. The situation here is the opposite of the Valley, oddly enough. Material things are viewed as nice, but somewhat unneeded, and the value of hard work and cooperation are at the forefront in most people’s thoughts. Sadly though, intelligence is still viewed as unnecessary, something that “you’d only need in the Valley. And you’re never getting there, that’s for sure.”

Gladiators:

You poor souls. You are the ones fighting not only to the death, but for your life. Theoretically, you could all band together against the gruesome Massacre to save all of your lives. But, the thirst for blood taints the arena, and honor, reason, and morality are hard traits to come by in the Arena.

Keep in mind, being a Gladiator is both volunteer-able, and a punishment. If I feel you've been a bad citizen of the Empire, to the Massacre you'll go. But more on that later.

Locations

Big maps, just a warning.

Region Map

Bare Map (For Less Clutter.)

Valley of Lights

• The Capitol sits in a lush, fertile valley, which is strange, considering the valley rarely sees the light of day ever since the "sun" shrank. Due to near-continuous darkness, the city relies upon artificial lighting and bioluminescent plants to light up the city. It is from here that the entire empire is run, as well as the Massacre.

• The Arena lies on the isle below the Capitol, but the land bridge between the two isles is heavily fortified by a large protosteel barrier called the Wall.

The Continent

• The Metrus make up 99% of the known, populated area. They’re all pretty similar, being how the continent isn't really that diverse in terms of environment. Their total area extends from the Capitol to the Edge, not counting the Archipelago.

• While not related to the continent per say, the Archipelago is still part of the metrus. The Twelfth Metru lies just before the Chain of Storms, and so the main island that makes up the archipelago has only been colonized up to the middle of the island, not that you could safely go any further.

The Expanse

Ah, the wilderness. Hope you're ready for a fight. Imperial Guards surround the Expanse, guarding against intrusion. Ascension Isle is the most important feature here. Everything else is just a small islet, rock outcropping, or ocean. The Expanse is defined as everything that’s not marked by a metru or Valley border. It stretches from the Eastern edge of the Continent, to the Western edge of the Archipelago, or the Chain of Storms.

• The Chain of Storms makes up the entirety of the Archipelago’s waterways. It’s named because violent storms often stretch from East to West, snaking through the skies.

• The Twin Rivers surround the main continent that most of the metrus are on. Most of the time, they rush fast to empty out into the Ascension Basin, but sometimes waterways can be found where the waters are calm, and inter-metru transportation harnesses these pathways. Another thing, if you’re ever navigating down the Twin Rivers, be sure to get off before you reach the Basin. If you can’t find a suitable place to disembark, ride the North River down to Metru 12. It was colonized this way, and you can usually find transport back to the mainland if you need it.

• Ascension Isle is the last place that can claim the title of untouched. The entire island remains as unmarked as the day it came into being, and is heavily patrolled by Imperial Guards.

Profile Format

Name: As always, no real world names and the like. You should all know this by now.

Gender: Male, Female, Genderless.

Species: All the usual Spherus Magna+Matoran Universe species are allowed. In addition, I will be allowing custom species, but if it gets too out of hand with powers and the like, you can consider that little gift taken away.

Appearance: What your player’s going to look like. Feel free to put as much or as little detail as you feel comfortable with. Here’s a note though, Metruans look different then people from the Valley residents. If I had to take a guess, I’d say that Capitol citizens look like nobility, or upper class citizens whereas Metruans look almost like peasants, due to the harsh treatment they all receive from the capitol.

Tools: How do you stay safe in the world? Tools can mean anything. Kanohi, Weapons, Supplies, whatever.

Powers: What are you capable of? Elemental, Vision, whatever. They all apply here.

Personality: A short summary of how your character acts, why he is that way, what makes them tick, etc. Short, mind you.

Allegiance: Who do you support? Do you agree with the Empress, that the Metruans are to blame? Or do you support the Metrus, who say that it’s the Empress’ fault for not trying to initiate a Purge?

Occupation: What is your purpose in the world? If you intend to volunteer for the Arena, state that here. Otherwise, just put regular jobs and such.

Biography: What was your life like? Explain what happened to make you get here. Feel free to be as creative as you want. It is another world, after all.

Important People

Name: Empress Karora

Gender: Female

Species: Unknown

Appearance: Karora takes her Emperorship in stride. She wears sleek, shining bronze protodermic armor underneath an elegant coat, along with the Crown that crown that adorns her head. The armor was specially designed under the design of a hundred Nynrah Ghosts, and is supposedly capable of taking massive amounts of damage without shattering.

Tools: Rhotuka Battle Axe, and a Black Fire Sword.

Powers: Iron, Gravity (Reports Unconfirmed.)

Personality: Karora is cold, calculating, and subtle, commanding her Empire through a combination of fear, natural manipulation, and subtle bribing, while also using any methods she can to keep her subjects in line.

Allegiance: The Empire

Occupation: Empress

Biography: Karora has been the Empress for almost the entirety of the Fifth Cycle. Under her reign, some of the most brutal, dishonorable Massacres have passed. Metruans are "encouraged" to help out their Gladiators to keep the sport going, and drag out their deaths. Born in the Third Metru near the Inhospitable Plains, Karora started from humble beginnings, and used her brilliant stratagems to rank up in the Imperial Military, where she got close enough to kill the former Emperor just before the Fifth Cycle started. Her enemies claim that in not starting a search for the Axis Mundi, she feels comfortable ruling over the world, even as it collapses around her. The Empress is notably paranoid, and never lets anyone into her personal chambers, preferring to meet with her advisors in a formal meeting hall. While she knows no one would be foolish enough to poison her, she still takes her meals alone when she can. The Empress is a highly intelligent individual, and some reason that her disgust with both the Metruans and the Nobility stems from the fact that she views them all as uneducated, and finds that society has stagnated too much for anything to change. She’s rumored to keep an expansive library in her personal chambers, and keeps a private observatory in pristine condition.

Name: General Rasal

Gender: Male

Species: Skakdi

Appearance: The general takes a utilitarian approach to his armor, and only wears what is necessary. A simple cloak hides his metallic silver armor, and any needed supplies are carried on a military belt.

Tools: Warhammer, and a Cordak Blaster

Powers: Fragmentation and Sonics

Personality: Rasal is a hot-tempered General, preferring to use military might to crush his opposition quickly, rather than to adopt the Empresses’ “wait and strike” approach to dealing with enemies.

Allegience: The Empire

Occupation: General of the Imperial Military

Bio: Rasal has been the General ever since the Empress herself started out as a low ranking officer. Because of his immense knowledge about Karora’s upbringing, he is kept under constant watch, to ensure that he doesn’t spill any of her secrets, or worse, use them against her in a military coup. In addition, Rasal is one of the only members of the Imperial Government who openly backtalks the Empress and Karora seems to either be indifferent to this, or understanding of it, for she lets it continue. The General refuses to take any part in personally guarding Ascension Isle, and spends his time mostly between his personal fortress in the Arte Mountains, and the Valley of Lights.

Name: Krym

Gender: Male

Species: Toa

Appearance: Krym wears specially designed obsidian armor, and easily towers over everyone, not with his height, but with his presence. His armor is unique, in that it features smoke like strands of white that shift around on the armor. He wears a silver Huna in the Hordika style, and his calm blue eyes shine from behind it.

Tools: A Magnetic Pulse Rifle, and Electrified Chains.

Powers: Twin elements, Lightning and Magnetism, but both are halved in their power.

Personality: While mostly cynical and dark-humored, Krym takes his job seriously, and puts defense of the World as his first priority.

Allegiance: The Metruans

Occupation: Game Champion/Shipwright

Bio: Krym was the champion of the 15 Billionth Massacre when the Sixth Cycle should have started. When four million years passed and the cycle never started, Krym became disillusioned with life, and started to hire himself out as a worker, doing whatever jobs he could. Eventually, he overcame his long bout of depression, and realized just how distorted and immoral the concept of the Massacre were, with the stench of bloodlust expanding over the entire arena, not to mention all the souls that must have died on Arena Isle. Talk has been secretly spreading, and those who know him say that he’d be a prime candidate for leader of a revolution, similar to how his ancestors ignited the Rebellion in the Second Cycle.

Warnings and Rules

Rules

1. All BZP rules apply, obviously.

2. No God-Mods. It’s no fun, and it ticks off other people.

3. Three characters is the limit. I seriously doubt you’ll need more than this. That’s one character for each “faction,” so you should be fine. I might adjust this later if I need to.

4. Have fun! If you can’t think of something to do, go invent something. It’s a big world, the possibilities are endless.

5. The World is crumbling around you. It’s the end of the world, so why not go out with a bang?

6. Silliness is ok, in light doses. You all should know what I’m talking about. The line between funny and annoying is a thin one.

7. Rule-breaking is frowned upon, and has consequences. If you can’t play by the rules, you don’t get to play at all.

8. One more thing, don’t control other people’s characters without their permission. Letting another character land a damaging hit on you is one thing, but straight up control falls under god-modding.

9. Profiles, Discussion, and the Game each have their own topic. Try to keep it that way, mmkai?

10. One last thing. With custom species, if you intend to join the Massacre, you must let the staff know in your species biography so we can decide if it’s fair to the Arena.

Consequences

First Time- Warning

It was probably an accident, so this time you get a slap on the wrist. Metaphorically. I'm not going to walk all the way to your house to slap you on the wrist.

Second Time- One Exclusive Trip to the Capitol

This time we're giving you a getaway to the capitol, but not to be pampered. You get to be thrown into the Arena for a punishment. Because it's your second time, you get a ration of supplies so you don't die. But, that's your final chance.

Third Time- Serious Injuries in the Arena

You will be in the Arena, seriously injured. You might be able to find medicine, but only if you really start playing by the rules. Chances for escape on this time are slim to none.

Fourth Time- Death in the Arena

And not in the honorable way. You will be shot by a firing squad, and tossed into the arena, where your corpse will serve as a warning by the Empire to coerce the Gladiators into behaving. Harsh? No. I gave you *four* chances to play nice. You deserve this.

Author’s Notes

Just to make this clear, the main focus of the RPG isn’t going to be the Massacres at all; it’s going to be about the need for a Purge Cycle. The Massacres are still a pretty important part of the game; they’re just not going to be the center point of the RPG. If there’s a big enough demand for it, I guess the Empress can maybe demand for more Gladiators to fight in the arena to settle her thirst for blood.

-Av

Edited June 11, 2012 by Kryzath

[Mr. House]

Scourge (Banner coming soon)"We're alone in this pathetic settlement. Cut off from civilization, from our homeland. And they won't let us go."It was getting darker by the minute, and the merchants were getting nervous. They were sent by the Turaga to warn the city of Vharus Nui hours ago, and although they were going, as fast as possible on the fastest steeds in the entire colony, but were only halfway there. The leader of the group cursed under his breath as the last glimmer of sunlight faded into the sea of trees. Grasping his rifle, he loaded a silver-tipped bullet. His uneasy companions did likewise, and they set to make camp. Yes, it was certain they would not live through the night, but a small bit of hope kept them from merely running into the forest to await their fate.-/-An hour has past, and there was still no sign of activity. The group's leader restlessly tumbled in his sleeping bag. The beasts could be anywhere, and could easily slit their throats. Why had he ordered only one person to guard the camp? Climbing out of the bag, he left his small tent and went outside. The first thing he noticed was the fire. The small, bright flame that had been built from branches near the trail was burnt out and looked abandoned, with its ashes simmering. The merchant he had ordered to watch the camp was nowhere to be seen, and rifle lying on the ground. Taking a revolver out of its holster, he cautiously went to the tent beside his."Arvun? Wake up! They took Kutrel!"Forcing the tent flap open, he saw a large hole carved out on the right side, and a pool of blood on the canvas. He was alone, with civilization miles away. Enraged at the loss of his comrades, he ran towards the forest to confront their murderers, the Rhahinzai, or Rahi-Matoran. He found it within minutes. A small Ga-Matoran mutated in a beastly form, covered in fur and clad in crude bronze armor, it looked at him with hunger, and lunged. He fired a silver bullet point-blank into its head. If the silver didn't kill it, the impact would. After the creature fell onto the ground. This triggered several growls from the dark, surrounding forest. The Leader of the ill-fated trip smiled as he accepted his destiny.Story: It has only been several decades after the Destiny War, and things have changed little. Civil War, fueled by a large number of tensions and the massive amount of leftover Brotherhood weaponry, has torn through most of the world. Faced with the Order's disbandment, and the looming, expansionist power of Artidax, the Turaga realized that war was almost certain.Lacking on supplies and resources (Namely protosteel) and thinking the markets too dangerous, the Turaga, influenced by wealthy merchants, chose a remote island, rich island, called Drustim, with massive deposits of natural protosteel, to colonize. All went good for about a year, and the city of Vharus Nui, once a motley collection of explorer's huts, became a boomtown. Naturally, the Onu Mining Corporation (OMC) sought to expand into the wild forests west of Vharus. Settlers trekked into the hostile wilderness, and soon established the settlement of Saltros. With a mine underneath the own, the protosteel, and an additional deposit of silver, was mined and shipped to Vharus. All was well, and it seemed that Saltros was a good investment.However, no one expected the Rhahinzai. Although settlers noticed the curious, moonlight-absorbing Plantlife, none, save biologists and botanists, paid attention to them. Things only started going downhill when large, unknown creatures began to rove the city's boundaries at night. Settlers assumed that it was wolves or some other creatures, and took little notice as the colony (Except some fringe communities) was safely walled. Nevertheless, after a group of hunters was found mutilated after a weeklong manhunt, and Protosteel caravans were massacred, that the city's small police ventured into the forest. They managed to discover the monstrous Were-Rahi who ruled the forest.The Rhahinzai, believed to be on the orders of the mysterious Chieftain, boldly raided the outer, unprotected ring of huts outside Saltros in the cover of night, and turned them into Were-Rahi. inner Saltros, protected by loosely governed militias, tried to send guarded groups of soldiers to Vharus in order to warn Metru Nui. None of them ever came back, and Saltros was alone in a sea of darkness.Now, with the Rhahinzai trying to find more ingenious ways to strike the colony during day, stored supplies are growing thin and any Toa of Plantlife are being worked for days on end. Friction between the Militias (Who have long since taken control of Saltros' defense from the inept government) and the Tyrian Mafia is running high. And on top of this, the crazed religious sect, the Order of Inika, strikes Saltros from within. In the meanwhile, many suspect that Vharus Nui, long hoped to save the settlement, has fallen to the Rhahinzai. Gameplay: As a sandbox RPG, players, for the sake of order, are confined to a single group of locations. Moreover, unlike traditional RPGs, factions are mostly controlled by the players, with the exception of the Tyrian Mafia and multiple large staff groups. This allows for extensive customization of all kinds, so you can make everything from Warrior-Scientists to Matoran snipers.Players are not allowed to have Modern weaponry (Explained Later), in order to keep excessive God-modding (Explained in Rules section) in check. This means no assault rifles, Guided Anti-Tank weapons, or anything controlled by computers. In addition, there will be no tanks and other armored vehicles. This is because you will be playing in a civilian settlement, not a full-blown military base.Factions: There are five main factions in this game. Four of the five are made up of individual sub-factions, which are allowed to make rivals, alliances and so forth. However, if you try to rebel against your main faction (Such as a Militia fighting another) you will be forced to branch out and go freelance. Another, the SMFG, is a NPC company.The Militia: The original Saltros Justice Department (SJD) was an inefficient, easily bought organization made of a couple of platoons of officers. During the years before the Were-Rahi attacks, they allowed the Mafia to flourish. However, without the SJD to protect them, the people of Saltros formed vigilante groups to deal out justice to the city's threats. In addition, after the SJD's corruption was revealed, the massive backlash against it caused the organization to disband, and let the Militias boom. This came just in time for the Rhahinzai attacks.By working together in a loose, scattered group, the Militias defended Saltros during the night, and earned the respect of the citizens. However, with pressure to raid to forest mounting, and tensions with the Mafia rising, it is likely that divisions will plague the groups in the future.The Militia, Mafia, and the Saltros Mining & Forging Group (SMFG) all partly control the city.Goals:-Defend Saltros, and protect the citizens from the Mafia.-Find and kill Were-Rahi spies who try to infiltrate the city.-Take down the mob. This will make the Militia's job easier, and decrease the daily body count.-Try to contact Vharus Nui, and see whether it has fallen to the Rhahinzai or is still alive and well.-Find out if there is a cure to the Were-Rahi's curse, and try to capture former settlers with it.-Form alliances with and create your own militia.-Take down the Order of Inika, and find out what caused Aihus to go insane in the first place.The Tyrian Mafia: Refugees from the civil war torn former Empire of Tyria, the displaced people naturally fled to places like Metru Nui, Stelt, and Artidax. There, they faced discrimination and unemployment, which caused many to drift into crime. Within years, the Tyrians controlled most of those cities' black markets. Therefore, when Metru Nui settled Drustim, they followed. By becoming the only criminal organization on the island, the mob rose to prominence.However, the citizens of Saltros, knowing that the mafia was probably in their town, tried to crack down on them, with little progress. The Tyrians, enraged at this action, continue to be a thorn in the side of the Militias.Goals:-Claw your way through the ranks.-Try to establish markets for illegal goods around the city, and get rich.-Bribe Militias to make your job easier.-Kill those who attempt to bring the Mafia down.The Rhaninzai: Scattered into packs, these cursed beings control the dark forest. Although they have little memories of how they came like this, the Were-Rahi are powerful and brutal. Led by enigmatic Chieftain, this loose confederation lives to terrorize Saltros. They are organized into two different sectors, the eastern hoard (Which roams the forests near Vharus Nui) and the West (Which currently terrorizes Saltros). There is also an elite NPC force of Were-Rahi dead loyal to the Chieftain. They, the Shadow Brigade, silences dissident and converts beings into Were-Rahi (How exactly they do it is unknown, as beings are drugged before transformation).Organized into packs, the Were-Rahi is allowed to form their own plans and act almost independently from the Chieftain. However, if one tries to rebel and try to oust him, or dig deep into subjects kept secret, the brigade will take them down. They live in separate camps, controlled by individual packs.Goals:-Either kill or capture the settlers. Send them to the Shadow Brigade if alive.-Attempt to form ties with possible criminal elements inside Saltros, they may prove useful later.-Some question the Chieftain's reasoning in the assault on Saltros, if you are not quietly opposed him, find out who these traitors are and kill them. If not, the Chieftain will probably send the Shadow Brigade to kill you.-Sabotage the silver mines. This will leave the city wide open for attack.-Try to create new weapons and armor to help protect Rhahinzai warriors from silver weaponry.Saltros Mining and Forging Group: Founded as a subsidiary of the much lagging Onu Mining Company, the SMFG is unofficially the government of Saltros. With the government having long since collapsed, the SMFG gathered together the heads of the Mine and the Blacksmiths to make a kind of pseudo-government. They control the water, food, and money supplies, and so are responsible for the people they effectively govern. Although it is not at all democratic, it is more reliable then the previous government, but has no real military power.The Order of Inika: Founded by the mad Turaga Aihus, the Order of Inika believe their founder is the reincarnation of Toa Matoro, and will do anything to reunite the universe under one banner. Brutal, sadistic and stealthy, the Order hunts down all whom they oppose, civilian or fighter. The members of the Order are mostly former government employees, who gravitated to their former leader during the Rhahinzai crisis.They are controlled from the Temple of Matoro, the former Saltros courthouse converted into a makeshift fortress, and where the Turaga preaches to his followers.Goals:-Convert or destroy the heretics that inhabit the city of Saltros. They are an obstacle to the Order's unification of the world.-To achieve those goals, smuggle in weapons and explosive, and use them to demoralize the population.-Kill Nheras, the leader of SMFG, and take over the company.-Sabotage the operations of the Mafia scum.-Guard the governmental section from Mafia and Militia expansion.-Try to make peace with the Rhahinzai. They will be destroyed when we complete our conquest of the universe.Militia/Pack Creation:Name:Members: (3 members required to make a faction official, while 5 gives 10 NPCs. 5 more per every member after that)Allies and Enemies: (Which groups does your faction agree or disagree with? And have you made any alliances with other groups?)Customs: (How does one get into your faction? Any special traditions they have?)Military Capabilities: (Things like equipment, tactics and skills go here. Please take note, no vehicles besides ussal carts and so forth.)History: (How was your group founded? And why?)Locations:Saltros: Stretching around in a star-like shape, and surrounded by thick timber walls, Saltros looks crudely made because it is. Founded originally as a mining camp, it soon attracted people of all types, from refugees to businessmen, who sought adventure deep in the wilderness. Due to this influx, it boomed into a large, though crudely made, city. It is divided into several sectors, each with its own purpose.-Residential Section: Filled with quickly made, three story wooden apartments and a great many huts, the Residential section is home to the citizens of Saltros, and most Militias.-Sector 8: Situated near the western walls, Sector 8 is home to the Tyrian Mafia. Rarely patrolled, Sector 8 is avoided by both the Militias and good-natured people. This has allowed the Tyrians to flourish, and build shops, bars, and other places of with criminal activity. Although most criminals of Sector 8 are content with their little slab of land, a growing minority has called for expansion.-Governmental Section: Near the middle of Saltros lies the Governmental Section, a mostly abandoned collection of buildings, which serve little purpose, aside from being home to the Order of Inika. The mad cult claims the section for itself, and has resisted attempts from both the Mafia and Militias to tae control of the section.-Lake Dume: Surrounded by wooden walls, this small body of water and SMFG is in charge of distributing it to the masses, is alive and well. Militias protect Lake Dume, given its importance, fiercely.-Market Section: Situated not far from the Residential area, the Market section displays the ever-dwindling supply of sellable goods, legal and illegal. It is also here where crafters and gunsmiths sell their wares to Militias and others wishing to protect themselves.-Lewa Park: Originally, a place for recreation and leisure, the park is now a massive farm. Manned by Toa of Plantlife who uses their elemental energy to grow food, they can barely keep up with demand, due in part that they sometimes collapse from lack of elemental energy.-Work Section: Populated by rich blacksmiths and gunsmiths, the forges that are packed densely in the sector churn out metal goods of all kinds. Supplied by the nearby mines, the SMFG controlled forges are the heart of Saltros, and employs the second most people in the city.-Mining Section: The largest and (Besides Sector 8 and the Governmental Section) most dangerous section. The Ming Section Streaches deep under the city, and provides it with coal, protosteel and silver. Because of its importance, Militias guard the mines 24 hours a day. Its large size makes it also a hiding place for illegal mafia goods, and the more remote areas serve as storehouses.The Forest: Dark and intimidating, most of the forest is covered in thick canopy in which no light pierces through. The unique Plantlife absorbs moonlight, and give an eerie glow. It is here packs of Rhahinzai roam and hunt the ever-dwindling forest animals. It is suicide for citizens of Saltros to enter it, and it holds many secrets.-The Trail of No Return: Remaining as a sad reminder of escape attempts, the Trail is littered with dead bodies, long abandoned campsites, and ashes of past fires. Since it takes more then four days to get to Vharus Nui, even the fastest runners are unable to make it. As the only link the colonists have to civilization, it is guarded day and night by Were-Rahi, who oftentimes laid traps to kill those who flee.-'Homeland': What the Rhahinzai call their Homeland is the place where they are created. Because they are drugged, none of them, except perhaps the Shadow Brigade, knows how it happens. What they all know, however, is that the Chieftain has some part in it.-Patches: Perhaps the only safe places in the entire forest, the Patches are small sections of forest not consumed by the forest canopy. However, without provisions it is impossible to survive within its safety. As those lucky, enough have a choice, either starve or be killed by the Rhahinzai.-The Place of Blood: The infamous headquarters of the Shadow Brigade. Although the transformations into Were-Rahi do not take place here (It's actually unknown where it occurs), torture, imprisonment, and executions take place here routinely. It is a large wooden structure sheltered under multiple huge trees.-The Camps: Scattered around the forest, these groups of hastily made animal-skin structures serve as home to the Rhahinzai packs, who remain in the shelter until it is time for raids.Vharus Nui: Founded by Metru Nui as a trading post, the huge city of Vharus Nui is among the largest in the region. It is lined with weapons factories, shipyards, and tall, high office buildings.Hailed as the Metru Nui of the south, it is filled with immigrants from across the universe. It is defended by huge walls, and has is protected by a large military force. The citizens of Saltros view this it as their only hope, but it is not known if the Rhahinzai have attacked Vharus, and if they were victorious.Character Creation:Name: (No human or canon names, but titles are fine.)Gender: (Male, Female or Unknown)Species: (What race is your character? Is your character a Toa, a Skakdi or a custom species?)Faction: (Any of the five factions stated above, or neutral. For those in Militias or Packs, state the main faction first and the sub-faction you belong to after that.)Weapons & Kanohi: (See notes below)Element/Powers: (Rhahinzai players must state the powers of a Rahi)Weakness:Homeland: (MU)Personality: (How your character behaves and acts)Skills: (What can your character do? What is He/She good at?)Appearance: (What does your character look like? Pictures, sprites or detailed descriptions all apply. Rhahinzai players are asked to include features of Rahi in their character)Bio: (Your character's history)Character Notes & Rules:-Keep biographies realistic, that means no being Lhikan's half-brother, or being the second Toa.-Elements of Life, Light, Time, Life, and Creation are banned. Psionics must be used with caution.-The following masks are outlawed: Ignika, Vahi, Mask of Creation, Mask of Mutation, Mask of Clairvoyance, Kanohi Avohkii, all Kanohi Nuva, Kraahkan, Mask of Light and Shadow, Olisi, and Mask of Elemental energy.-Masks that must be used with caution: Mask of Possibilities, Mothtrek, and Tryna. The Olmak is allowed, but Time traveling with it, taking armies out of it, and generally overuse of it (Which means you can't teleport into the bad guy's castle without permission) will get the offending character killed, or, if done multiple times, get you utterly banned.-Little-known (Dark Hunter) and Custom species are allowed.-Custom Kanohi are allowed, but do not go overboard.-Those that play as Rhahinzai are asked to use caution when picking abilities from Rahi to add to their characters.-Rahi Rhahinzai are not allowed to have powers from include Catapult Scorpions, Crystal Serpents (Sunlight harms Were-Rahi, so how are you going t channel it?), Kanohi dragons, Zivon, Kardas Dragons, Krahka, Protodites, Rahi Nui, Manas Crabs, Tahtorak, Toa Terrain Crawlers, and Visorak. Water rahi a rather useless (Considering their size, and the fact that there is not much water in the forest besides rivers and streams). You may also take traits from custom rahi; however, they need a glaring weakness.-Your characters must have a weakness.-Players who seek to be Toa Were-Rahi must choose between an unstable (Meaning that it works sometimes and goes haywire on others) Elemental power and a Noble Kanohi. If anyone complains about this, let me remind you that your characters have Rahi powers. In addition, Skakdi Were-Rahi is only allowed to a vison power with their Rahi abilities.-No extremely powerful weapons (Such as Mega-Sword of Ultimate Apocalypse or A EMP Missile Launcher)-No food elements. If you want to use those, go to Comedies or AIII. They have no place here.-Firearms are allowed, but only World War II and Early 1950s era weaponry. Assault rifles, guided missile launchers, and other such weapons are banned.-Great Beings, Gods, Great Spirits and members of Tren Krom's species are not allowed.-You may have unlimited characters, but please, keep them organized!NPCs: These Non-player characters (NPCs), controlled by staff members serve important roles in the RPG, and control the factions and/or sub-factions. There will be more characters if needed.Name: Colonel MetackGender: MaleSpecies: Fe-ToaFaction: Militia, Saltros Irregular CorpsWeapons & Kanohi:-Weapons: A pair of Protosteel swords with silver at the edges of the blades.-Gunmetal grey Kanohi VolitakElement/Powers: Iron Elemental powers, and Stealth Mask Powers.Weakness: Magnetism and surprise attacks. He may still be good fighter, but some of his senses have dulled down with age.Homeland: Confederation of The Zaru Isles, an island chain not to far from the southern continent.Personality: Metack is weary, determined and tough as nails. He will do anything to get the people of Saltros to safety, and defeat the Rhahinzai.Skills: Battle hardened from experiences in the Destiny war, Metack is an excellent fighter and a good tactician. He also is an okay blacksmith.Appearance: Beaten and scarred, Metack, despite his age, is still more physically fit then some of his younger allies. He is tall, with slightly worn gunmetal and black armor. Over that, he wears a pair of brown trousers, a long black trenchcoat, and a tall pair of black boots. He also has a black eye patch over his left eye. His remaining eye is dark green.Bio: Born and raised on a farm, the island Metack lived was raided often by Brotherhood Rahkshi for as long as he could remember. In response to this, the Turaga of the island used his energies to create six new Toa, Metack among them, to defend them all fro the threat. Within a decade, all but Metack were killed and Destiny war had erupted. Leaving his homeland behind, he quickly found work with the Order of Mata Nui, and was pressed into service. There, he became friends with a young Ba-Toa called Aihus. Although Aihus got the credit for the liberation of Nynrah, they remained friends for a long while. After the war, he retired to Metru Nui and started a profitable little workshop in Ta-Metru. He was just thinking of becoming a Turaga when the colonization of Drustim started, Metack, accepting an invitation from Aihus to join him, took the long journey to the island to start anew. Metack, who lived in a community outside the Saltros walls, was among the first hit in the Rhahinzai attacks. Barely surviving, Metack went to inner Saltros and witnessed the government (Which was under pressure because of corruption and the Were-Rahi attacks) collapse. But what shocked him the most was his friends quick descent into madness.Gathering as many people as possible, he formed the Saltros Irregular Corps, one of the largest Militias in the city, and strives to escape it.Name: AzGender: MaleSpecies: ToaFaction: The Order of InikaWeapons & Kanohi:-A 9mm SMG and a police-issue revolverElement/Powers:-Iron and GravityWeakness: Az is weak to Magnetism Toa.Homeland: Ta-MetruPersonality: Half mad and blindly loyal to Aihus. Az is willing to do almost anything to control Saltros.Skills: Az is a gifted detective and a skilled fighter.Appearance: Short, stocky and muscular, Az looks more like a thug then a ex cop. He has dark grey armor and wears a tattered police uniform.Bio: One of Metru-Nui's most gifted policemen, Az was chosen by the OMC to lead the SJD. However, Az was highly incompetent in the position. Thus, the SJD became an incredibly corrupt organization.Reeling from the trauma of the first Rhahinzai attacks, Az drifted to his former leader for protection. Among the first to accept Aihus's divinity, he was a founding member of the Order.Name Chairman Cendrik KytorikkGender: MaleSpecies: Ko-MatoranFaction: Saltros Mining & Forging GroupWeapons & Kanohi:-Powerless Dark Grey Kanohi Huna-Snub-nosed revolver kept in a holster inside his jacket.Element/Powers: NoneWeakness: Not good at anything, and is easily defeated.Homeland: Ga-MetruPersonality: Uncertain, naive and nervous. Cendrik has little idea how to run a company, let alone a government. However, he is shaping up to be a good leader, albeit an inexperienced one.Skills: He is a rather good shot.Appearance: Short for a Matoran, Cendrik has light grey armor and red eyes. He wears a specially made black suit, with a holster inside the double-breasted jacket.Bio: The second in line to take over the wealthy, power Kytorikk Arms & Aircraft Company, Cendrik lived life as a playboy in Ga-Metru, flaunting his wealth in expensive clubs across the city. However, his family pressured him to get a real job. Therefore, after some arguing, chains were pulled and he ended up the Chairman of the Saltros Mining & Forging group. Although he hated the city, he had no choice but to stay and run the company. When the fragile government collapsed, Cendrik found himself in control of most of the island. Instead of stepping down, he decided to live up to the family name and take charge. He takes little notice of anything outside his company, and so is not much of a threat.Name: Nheras, otherwise known as the 'Stiletto'Gender: MaleSpecies: ToaFaction: The Tyrian MafiaWeapons & Kanohi:-Kanohi Roden, Mask of Truth. Shaped like a teal Kakama.-Sawed-off Double-barreled shotgun, and a compact Submachine gun.Element/Powers:-Lightning, although his armor is Teal to disguise his element.-Able to know if someone is lying or not.Weakness: Overly ambitious and prone to making overly complicated plans, it is hard for him to adapt in many situations.Homeland: Tyria (Where he lived is now called the Kolida Republic)Personality: Power-hungry, ruthless, and sadistic. Without the other high-level mobsters to defy him, Nheras would probably try to conquer Saltros as his own little Kingdom. He also deals with traitors harshly.Skills: Nheras is good at intimidation, and can plan strategies very quickly.Appearance: Medium sized and stocky. Nheras has Teal armor, and blue eyes. He wears a dark grey jacket and black gloves.Bio: Raised in a violent, civil-war torn wreck of a former Empire, Nheras lost his family at a young age, and was 'adopted', so to speak, by a local gang connected to the greater Tyrian Mafia. Within years, he would rose to power, and effectively controlled his town with an Iron fist. Impressed, the higher-ranking gang members put him in charge of weapons trafficking, which made him rich. However, several revolutionary movements, enraged that he was giving weapons to their enemies, routed his operation out of Tyria. Nevertheless, Nheras managed to escape to Metru Nui, and reconnected with the Mob. The Metru Nui branch, aware of his brutal abilities, assigned him to Drustim on a boat of Tyrian refugees. When he wound up in Saltros, Nheras realized he was in heaven. With an easily bought government, a public hungry for illegal, hard to get goods, the Tyrian Mafia boomed.Now, with the Rhahinzai keeping the Militias occupied, Nheras continues to push for expansion, and will do anything to get it.Name: Turaga Aihus, the Prophet of DestinyGender: MaleSpecies: Ba-TuragaFaction: The Order of InikaWeapons & Kanohi:-Noble Mask of Charisma, shaped like a Purple Noble Hau-A semi-automatic pistol, tucked into his robes.-A pair of Toa bodyguards, Dyrrab and Karv. Armed with a Pump-action shotgun and SMG respectively.Element/Powers: Limited Shielding and Charisma powers.Weakness: Generally weak, Aihus has to rely on others to defend him.Homeland: what is now The Republic of Southern M'Rocktain.Personality: Unpredictable, fiery, and brutal. Aihus believes, in his own mad mind, the he is the reincarnation of Matoro, and that he is destined to unite the universe under Mata Nui's divine will. He is unable to accept any other viewpoints, and believes that all those who do not follow the order are heretics and must either convert or die.Skills: Aihus was once a powerful warrior and a skilled fighter and leader. However, after his descent into madness, it appears he has become a master orator, who can rally crowds into a near frenzy. He also seems to black out in certain moments, and receive so-called messages from Mata Nui.Appearance: Tall for a Turaga, Aihus is frail looking and wears purple and white armor. Over these, he has white robes. In addition, he has piercing green eyes.Bio: Aihus' early life if relatively unknown, however many believe he left his home on the island of M'Rocktain, and eventually wound up on Metru Nui. When the Destiny War broke out, he left the island city and joined the forces of the Order of Mata Nui. With them, he battled the Brotherhood on islands from Stelt to his greatest victory, Nynrah. Using his knowledge of tactics, Aihus routed a Brotherhood base with a team of Toa (Which included his friend Metack) and a platoon of Order volunteers. After several other victories, he returned to Metru Nui a hero, and within a matter of years, he was a Turaga and governor of Le-Metru. After a long stint in office, he left to head a settlement in Drustim, and with his friend Metack, he went to that far southern isle. His government, unknown to him, was weak and inept. The Turaga, happily ignorant, continued his routine of passing bills and giving speeches. Therefore, when his government collapsed, due to the Were-Rahi threat, corruption, and general weakness, Aihus was caught off guard.After that, no one really knows how he descended into madness. After a week or two holed up in his majestic home, he emerged and gathered as many former government employees as possible. After speaking to them with fire and charisma, he convinced many that he was the reincarnation of Matoran. Soon, a great many of the unemployed governmental workers flocked to the new Order of Inika, and loyally followed their former leader. Over a couple of months, he had a small, fanatical group of followers, who would do anything for him. The mad Turaga now controls the governmental section with an Iron fist, and is feared by the Militias and Mafia due to his random attacks, bombings and assassinations.Name: Gorlur, known more commonly as 'The Beast'Gender: MaleSpecies: Skakdi, with traits from an Ash BearFaction: Rhahinzai, Shadow BrigadeWeapons & Kanohi:-Huge claws, which can tear even another Were-Rahi in half.-Larger then normal jaws with large, razor sharp teeth.Element/Powers:-Night vison-Immense strength, and a powerful bite.Weakness: Due to some instinct, Gorlur focuses on objects in front of him with all his senses. Quickly and with enough bullets, he can be taken down from behind and on either side of him.Homeland: ZakazPersonality: Dead loyal to the Chieftain. Gorlur personally leads witch-hunts against suspected 'Traitor' packs, and takes pleasure-ripping thing into little tiny pieces. He also holds grudges, and will not hesitate to accuse enemies of plotting mutiny.Skills: Gorlur leads the Shadow Brigade with an iron fist, and is skilled at things such as torture.Appearance: Towering above even the tallest of Toa, and with arms nearly as thick as one, Gorlur is not one to mess with. He has glowing red eyes on an elongated Avak-like head, along with claws the size of short swords. His armor is a mix of burnt orange Ash-bear features and dark green Le-Skakdi traits. He wears a crudely made, thin bronze breastplate to protect from head-on arrows and blades (Bullets, however, can pierce through).Bio: A mercenary traveling from one island to the next, Gorlur eventually wound up on Drustim and came to live in Saltros, as a hit man for the Tyrians. However, the Rhahinzai suddenly raided the hut he lived in, which was outside the walls, and Gorlur was captured in his sleep, and drugged. When he awoke in the Homeland (He is one of the few that get to gaze upon it), the Chieftain himself transformed the Skakdi into a Were-Rahi, under circumstances he will never reveal. After the transformation, he was drugged again and taken away to the Shadow Brigade camp a changed person. After several raids, he rose to the position of leader, and began his reign of terror.He personally sees Saltros as a thorn in the side of the Rhahinzai, and will do anything to destroy them.Rewards: Simply, rewards will be issued out to players who RP extremely well, help other players, and assisting the staff. If you do these, you will be allowed to give a character of your choice a shiny new item. The items range from expensive prototype weapons to strong Rahi steeds. You pick which.Rules: As with every RPG, there must be rules.-Absolutely no God-modding. You may ask, "What is G-modding?" well, I'll give you an example.IC: Bob was losing a battle against Bill, he had to win. Firstly, Bob jumped up and destroyed Bill with the Spear of Destruction. Then, he raised a one million strong Flying Zombie Toa Army instantly with his Tryna, and charged at Bill's settlement. Dodging the rain of arrows, he destroyed it and the entire continent, and escaped into space, unharmed.First time God-modders will get a warning and asked to change their post. Any further G-modding will get you banned.-All members, whether new, or old, shall be treated with the same respect.-All BZP Rules apply.-Keep romance and humor limited. In addition, do make posts overly gory.-Do not flame or spam.-No Auto-hitting, this will get you a Level-3 punishment.-Punishments are simple, and will strictly enforced to keep RPG flowing smoothly.1: PM warning.2: Posted warning.3: I chop a character's body part off. style_emoticons/default/evilgrin.gif4: I kill a character.5: All characters are killed off.6: Banned one week.7: Permanently banned from game, and your characters are put in a pink dress, and sent to the realm of My-Little-Ponies for eternal suffering and tea.- Use in character (IC) and out of character (OOC) in your posts. Here is an example of how it works:IC: Bob swooped down, and dodged Bill's staff. Bob then stabbed Bill. However, Bill acted. He threw a knife at Bob, who fell, wounded.OOC: Anyone want to help Bob? He's wounded.-Don't kill any Player characters.-Don't control any player characters without the other player's permission.-Read Friar Tuck's Guide to Common Sense and implement.-If two or more players/factions cannot decide the outcome of battle, the staff will decide whom wins.Staff: To join the staff of Scourge, all you have to do is PM me and I'll give you a slot, somewhere. Co-GMs are allowed to make official factions and important NPCs.Game Master (GM): Justin Bieber is a Zombie! (AKA Robot Zombies from Mars, Xion, and many other Zombie-based names)Co-Game Master: OPENCo-Game Master: OPENAssistants: (To be appointed if needed)Support Banners: Coming Soon

Edited June 7, 2012 by Mr. House

[Techn0geist]

Toa Zealokan presents...

INTRODUCTION

01000001 01010100 01010100 01000101 01001110 01010100 01001001 01001111 01001110 00100000 01000001 01001100 01001100 00100000 01010010 01001111 01010010 01011010 01000001 01001011 01001000 00100000 01010101 01001110 01001001 01010100 01010011 00101110 00100000 01000011 01001111 01001110 01010110 01000101 01010010 01000111 01000101 00100000 01001111 01001110 00100000 01010010 01000101 01010011 01001001 01010011 01010100 01000001 01001110 01000011 01000101 00100000 01010011 01000001 01000110 01000101 01001000 01001111 01010101 01010011 01000101 00101110 00100000 01001000 01001001 01000111 01001000 00100000 01010000 01010010 01001001 01001111 01010010 01010100 01011001 00100000 01010100 01000001 01010010 01000111 01000101 01010100 00100000 01010111 01001001 01010100 01001000 01001001 01001110 00101110 00100000 01010111 01000001 01010010 01001110 01001001 01001110 01000111 00111010 00100000 01010101 01001110 01000001 01010101 01010100 01001000 01001111 01010010 01001001 01010011 01000101 01000100 00100000 01000011 01001111 01001101 01001101 01010101 01001110 01001001 01000011 01000001 01010100 01001001 01001111 01001110 00100000 01010011 01001001 01000111 01001110 01000001 01001100 00100000 01001001 01001110 01010100 01000101 01010010 01000011 01000101 01010000 01010100 01000101 01000100 00101110 00100000 01010000 01010010 01001111 01000011 01000101 01010011 01010011 01001001 01001110 01000111 00101110 .......Are you receiving me? I don't have much time, so listen. The Knowledge Tower Safehouse has been found, which means the weapons won't be making it to base, boys. We've held out for as long as we can, but the Keerakh just keep coming. I'm passing on command to Naareq, you answer to him now.This is Kolel signing off. Long live the Resistance........01000011 01001111 01001101 01001101 01010101 01001110 01001001 01000011 01000001 01010100 01001001 01001111 01001110 01010011 00100000 01010100 01000101 01010010 01001101 01001001 01001110 01000001 01010100 01000101 01000100 00101110 00100000 01010100 01000001 01010010 01000111 01000101 01010100 00111010 00100000 01010010 01000101 01010011 01001001 01010011 01010100 01000001 01001110 01000011 01000101 00100000 01001100 01000101 01000001 01000100 01000101 01010010 00100000 01000101 01001100 01001001 01001101 01001001 01001110 01000001 01010100 01000101 01000100 00101110 00100000 01000111 01001100 01001111 01010010 01011001 00100000 01010100 01001111 00100000 01010100 01001000 01000101 00100000 01010110 01000001 01001000 01001011 01001001 00101110

　　HISTORYAround four-thousand years ago, after the failed Krahli project, Nuparu was commissioned again to create mechanical law-enforcers for Metru Nui, and designed the eight Vahki models. One model was assigned to each Metru, with the Kranua and Kraahu occationally being deployed for emergencies.For one-hundred years the City of Legends prospered. However, this prosperity would soon crumble. A prototype Vahki, designated the Xorakh, similar to the mass-produced model, began to display odd behaviour. It would disregard communications from its superiors, and would even resort to using lethal force on law-breakers as it saw fit. The silver-clad Xorakh had gained sentience, and a hatred for its creators.It broke out of the Le-Metru warehouse it was being held in, violently subduing any guards that got in its way. Once inside the Colosseum, it gained control of the Vakhi Command Center, and by extention, the entire Vahki collective.Remotely uploading a series of directives to all Vahki, the machines rebelled, forming the Vahki Empire. The Xorakh selected one of each model to be his generals. Thousands died that night, and the Matoran found themselves in hiding, as Drones stalked the streets, searching for prey, and Reavers took high vantage points from which to pick off those unfortunate to fall into their crosshairs. But among the frightened and the mad, there was but one brave soul.Kolel, a Toa of Stone, proposed a resistance against the machines. Word spread to the various sanctuaries spread across the city. Then the day came when the sanctuaries took up what arms they had, and fought for control of the city that was once theirs.The Vahki had won the battle, but they had not won the war. The newly named Aki-Nui (Great Valour) Resistance had held their ground, and managed to take Po-Metru and Ga-Metru, fortifying the two districts. The borders between these two districts and the rest of the city had become a no-mans-land, Resistance snipers guarding against enemy attack. But Kolel has since gone missing, and his second-in-command, Naareq, has taken charge.Around ten years ago, a small faction led by the Skakdi, Kyir split off from the Resistance in a bloody show of madness. They called themselves the Jutlin Sect, and they worshipped the Vahki as their benefactors.War had shattered their minds to the point that they believed that the only way to survive was to side with the very machines trying to kill them. It didn't work. But still they persist, trying to get on the good side of the Vahki. Propoganda broadcasts over their coms-frequencies, day and night. One phrase stands out in particular.

'Surrender unto the Hive!'

Three factions, fighting for the fate of Metru Nui. It's your choice how it all ends.　SUMMARYOkay, so in an alternate Metru Nui where the Makuta never put Mata Nui to sleep and Toa were in abundance, a single prototype Vahki(the Xorakh) gained sentience, took control of the Vahki(and I mean ALL the Vahki), and screwed everyone over with his new army, then the Xorakh and his generals took over the city. A toa named Kolel created a Resistance, and they've taken back Ga-Metru and Po-Metru. Then some nut-jobs who decided that they liked the Vahki(even though the Vahki hated them) said 'Peace out, guys!'(not really), called themselves the Jutlin Sect, and made their home in the Onu-Metru Archives. Basically, there is only war, life sucks and chances are you'll probably be killed by a sniper of some description. Have fun.　FACTIONSVahki EmpireThe result of the Xorakh uploading directives and his own programming to all Vahki, the former law-enforcers began to hunt down all organic beings in the city. A hive-mind* of unfaltering, unremorseful machines. So far, three variants, aside from the Kranua and Kraahu have been seen:DRONE: Standard Vahki Variant, armed with a Stun Staff specific to each Model. Some carry their own custom-made equipment as well as the Staffs.REAVER: Long-Range Sniper Variant, armed with a APKA (Armour-Piercing Kinetic-Acceleration) Rifle, as well a melee weapon of their choice.HOWLER: Heavy Assault/Demolition Variant, armed with (and named for) a Pneumatic Wrecking Arm, along with as a weapon of their own choice.Aki-Nui ResistanceFounded by Kolel, a group of beings dedicated to wiping out the Vahki and taking back their home. Ga-Metru and Po-Metru are the Resistance's main base, though they've set up safehouses all around the city. On the defensive, they are being pushing further back into their territory.Jutlin SectA collection of madmen who believe that the only way to live in the warzone is to join with the Vahki. They've yet to get the Empire to stop their attacks on them. The Sect has even resorted to attack the Resistance alongside the Vahki. Led by the dangerous and completely insane Brother Kyir, who has brainwashed them to his will.

SUBFACTIONSSmaller, player-created factions within the main three. To be updated when there are actually some.

*Hive-mind: loose term, really more a information sharing network than an actual hive-mind. Vahki are completely independent, but will follow orders without question unless defective.

　MAP

VAHKI EMPIRE TERRITORYColosseumConverted by the Xorakh and the Six Generals into a 'Supreme Hive', no one has ever infiltrated it before, and due to the legions of Vahki on guard, it appear that none ever will.Ta-MetruIt is here that the furnaces run around the clock, constantly producing Vahki components, which are then sent to be built.Le-MetruFormer vehicles factories were retro-fitted and turns into Vahki assembly lines. It is here that the saying 'Kill one, a dozen more take its place' becomes manifest.Ko-MetruSeeing as machines do not believe in prophecy, Ko-Metru has become a training ground for all sorts of Vahki. Knowledge Towers are used to train Reavers, silent-but-efficient Vahki snipers.AKI-NUI RESISTANCE TERRITORYGa-MetruLike Ko-Metru, the water district was converted into a training ground for soldiers. Schools still remain, and those born into the war are taught a basic history of the city, amongst basic survival skills.Po-MetruTo the Resistance, this is literally home. Sheds, shacks, and huts have been hastily built in the Sculpture Fields, and snipers line the Canyon of Unending Whispers, which serves as the border between Po-Metru and Onu-Metru.JUTLIN SECT TERRITORIESOnu-MetruThe only home of the Jutlin Sect, most of their living quarters are located in the holding cells of the Archives, the Rahi that lived in them now gone. Tuning in on com-frequencies will yield only propaganda and praise to the Vahki.　CHARACTER CREATION

Okay, so here's how making a character works. You create a character using the following template...NAME/DESIGNATION:(What is the name of your character? Please, no canon names)SPECIES:(What species are you? Toa, Matoran, Vortixx, Skakdi, Vahki, or even custom species?)GENDER/MODEL-VARIANT:(Self-explanatory/Which model-variant of Vahki are you?)APPEARANCE:(What do you look like?)FACTION:(Vahki, Resistance, or Sect?(If Vahki and in Resistance or Sect, please state 'Defective' in Species))POWERS/ABILITIES:(What powers do you have?)EQUIPMENT:(What's your loadout? Bear in mind, Resistance and Sect will have limited tech*)PERSONALITY:(What are you like as a person?)BIOGRAPHY:(Who are you, and who were you?)....And then my co-GMs and I will look at and approve of or suggest improvements for your character. In the words of Doc Brown, 'It couldn't be simpler!'NOTES

*Limited tech; melee weapons, weak ranged weapons. Nothing too fancy, guys.

Custom species already approved in the BZPRPG are permitted.

If you wish to create a custom species, please make it within reason. Same goes for custom Kanohi.

Illegal Kanohi include the Ignika, Vahi, Avohkii, Kraakhan, Mask of Creation, Olmak Sanok, Komau, Mohtrek, Clairvoyance, Aki, Rua, Tryna, and Mask of Possibilities.

Illegal Species include those not on the list above.

Illegal Elements include Light and Shadow.

A maximum of five characters is allowed.

Vahki characters are not required to speak in Binary Code.

　STAFF CHARACTERSNAME:NaareqSPECIES:ToaGENDER: MaleAPPEARANCE:Tall and slender, White Armour with Red trimFACTION:Aki-Nui ResistancePOWERS/ABILITIES:Elemental control of IceEQUIPMENT:Kanohi Mahiki, Mask of Illusion. Wolf-Fang LongswordPERSONALITY:An intravert, prefers to keep to himself. A capable leader.BIOGRAPHY:Second in Command of the Resistance, after Kolel went MIA, Naareq was announced the new leader. He's been dealing with a lot of stress ever since.　DESIGNATION:XorakhSPECIES:VahkiGENDER/MODEL-VARIANT:Xorakh Prototype-EmperorAPPEARANCE:Silver Armour with Dark Blue highlightsFACTION:Vahki EmpirePOWERS/ABILITIES:Standard Flight Ability, Paralytic KanokaEQUIPMENT:Staffs of Madness, able to completely destroy the target's mental functions, sending them into insanity and catatonia.PERSONALITY:Cold and ruthless, sadistic towards organics.BIOGRAPHY:A Vahki Prototype, the Xorakh gained control of the Vahki forces and took over the City of Legends, with the sole intent of eradicating all organic life.

NAME:

Brother Kyir

SPECIES:Skakdi

GENDER:Male

APPEARANCE:

Rusty Orange armour, a large scar running down the left side of his face.FACTION:

Jutlin Sect

POWERS/ABILITIES:Elemental Control over Plasma (when paired with another Skakdi). Spellbinder Vision.

EQUIPMENT:Modified Staff of Suggestion, used to keep his subjects under his command.

PERSONALITY:Stark-raving mad, an abolsute fanatic when the Vahki are involved.

BIOGRAPHY:The founder of the Jutlin Sect, he one day stumbled upon a disabled Zadakh. Taking its Staff of Suggestion and modifiying it, he gathered those mentally weakened by the war, and 'suggested' that they spilt off from the Resistance.

　RULES

First of all, all BZP rules still apply.No auto-hitting or god-modding.

No bunnying. Other player's characters are exactly that, and not yours to control. This is especially true of staff characters. They are not NPCs for you to control.

Clearly define IC (In Character) and OOC (Out Of Character) posts. That said, no purely OOC posts. That's why we have a discussion topic.

NPCs are not cannon fodder. They are capable warriors, and will put up a good fight. Armies will not fall at your feet. In fact, you're more likely to fall at their's.

No metagaming. Your character does not automatically know everything.

No trolling or flaming of any kind. This will not be tolerated. Insults directed at other players will also be grounds for punishment.

Respect the staff, for their word is law. If we disagree with you, it's likely for a good reason.

And most importantly, have fun!

PUNISHMENTSNow then, those who say 'I'll do what I want, thank you very much,' that is wrong, and the following will happen if you step out of line.FIRST OFFENCE: Your first and only warning. Heed our advice at this point.SECOND OFFENCE: One of your characters will be greviously injured.THIRD OFFENCE: One of your characters will die, and cannot be replaced. You essentially lose a character slot.FOURTH OFFENCE: All of you characters will die. You may create one more if you wish to gain favour with us again, after which we will restore your other three slots.FIFTH OFFENCE: You will be permabanned from participating. Please, don't let it come to this.Also, just a bit of house-keeping, please use good grammar. Just a pet peeve of mine. You won't be punished for using bad grammar, but it is strong disadvised.

Another side-note, game staff reserve the right to severly injure or kill PCs for plot purposes.

Welcome to Surrender Unto The Hive, and I hope you enjoy playing!

Edited June 26, 2012 by Toa Zealokan

[a goose]

Banner made by BulikINTRODUCTION:The room is cold, and sterile. The walls are blank, apart from a door and a small speaker, and there are lights built into the ceiling.“Hello! Allow us to introduce New Spherus Magna, the perfect holiday destination! We have it all here. Do you want to hang-glide? To feel the ocean spray on your face? Or maybe you just want to lie back in the sun with a good book? No problem! We have everything you could possibly want, and more!“If you close your eyes, you will be placed in stasis for the next three months of the six-month journey. After performing certain exercises due to legal requirements, you will be returned to stasis, and the journey will be over in a flash! See you soon!”- - -Three months later:“Greetings! You have been in stasis for NINETY-ONE days. Due to legal requirements, you must now walk around the cubicle twice before you can return to stasis! Thankyou for your co-operation.”- - -Another three months later:“GreeTINGs! yOu HAvE beEn iN staSIS for NINE-NINE-NINE-NINE-NINE-ZZZzzz...”The lights flicker, and go out, the only illumination in the room a small red bulb on the front of the speaker.“Hello?” The voice now on the speaker is natural, not produced by a computer like its predecessor. “Look, if you’re alive in there, you’re gonna need to get up now. There’s a door on the wall facing you. It was electronically locked, but I’ve had to reroute the power. In a few seconds these speakers will go off too, but-“The light on the speaker flicks off instantly, and the room is in complete darkness. The door opens easily, and the corridor outside is lit by a dull, flickering light in the ceiling. There’s a small, circular window to the right. Through it, the sky is violet, and the sand black. The plants are dead, and the water seems poisonous. The ship is in a clearing, closed off on all sides by withering trees. There is a small group of people below, and there’s an open door next to the window, and there are steps leading down to where the group is standing. One of the members of the group, a grey Agori, seems to be in charge. As you approach him, he looks over at you, and gestures at you to join the group, before beginning to speak...- - -Welcome to New Spherus Magna.Oh, were you expecting some kind of paradise? Too bad.What’s that? You want a refund? I don’t think you’ve quite caught on to what’s happening here, mate. You’re on a planet, quite literally in the middle of nowhere, and it’s been devastated at some point or another by an apocalyptic event which the brochure just so happened to forget about. And you’re stuck here.Oh, and the locals? They like us alright. The same way that one might like a steak, only they can’t be bothered cooking and/or killing us before they start eating. No, I’m not exaggerating. I was on the last ship that came here, and I’m the only one from it who’s still alive. But don’t think that I got out perfectly fine – one of them got my right hand. This one’s here’s a mechanical one I built myself out of scrap from the old ship.But that’s beside the point. Now, first things first, I’m going to put a few rules in place: if you leave the clearing on your own, it will result in death. If you leave the clearing in a group, it will result in death. If you leave the clearing in a small group led by me, you may only suffer crippling injuries if you’re standing close enough to me, but for everyone else, it will result in death. If you stand too close to the edge of the clearing, it will result in death. If you push someone else out of the clearing, it will result in a dissatisfactory remark on your permanent record, immediately followed by death.Is the whole death thing cleared up then? Good.Now would probably be a good time to tell you that, even if you do stay in the clearing, you’re going to die anyway. They’re scared of the ship at the moment, but soon enough they’re going to get brave. We’ll have to get them before they get to us, which will unfortunately mean that most of the party sent out will die. But if we defeat them, we can – no, we will allow the others to survive. But it’s not time for that yet. For now, you can just get used to each-other’s company and build up defences around the clearing.If you want to know my name, I’m Keuirce. And, as I said before, welcome to New Spherus Magna. I hope you enjoy being here. Because you’re sure as Karz not leaving.- - -THE STORY:You awaken on a strange ship, with only just enough power to keep a few flickering lights on. The ship was made to take you to New Spherus Magna, ‘the perfect holiday destination’.Only something’s gone wrong, and this isn’t the place you expected to arrive in. Although it is definitely New Spherus Magna, something has gone wrong with it – the sand is black, the water and sky are purple, the soil is grey and the plants are white, withering and dying, just like the planet itself.Oh, and by the way, for the time being, you’re stuck here.It’ll be quite a while before another ship arrives, and you have no idea what’s on that planet with you. Unfortunately, one of the survivors from another ship – an Agori named Keuirce – does. And they are not friendly...The force driving the story here will be the players. Now, this just seems like your ordinary RPG at the moment, but there is a twist. Your characters are in constant and real danger. If you put your character in danger, chances are, they will die. And your characters will almost always be in danger.There is a general outline for the story, but there are two possible endings depending on your actions as players. To put it simply, there’s a ‘good ending’ and there’s a ‘bad ending’.Your main goal, as you are told in the introduction, is surviving long enough that another ship can arrive to save you. Of course, there is another objective: there’s a volcano, not too far away from your clearing, which is where Keuirce’s ship crashed. If you can get there, you can take pieces from it in order to repair you own ship, and get away from New Spherus Magna.Of course, it’s not going to be anywhere near as easy as I’m making it sound here...- - -LOCATIONS:THE CLEARINGThis is where your character will start out, and where your ship landed. It's surrounded an all sides by withering trees. The aliens are scared by the ship at the moment, but they should soon build up enough courage to go in.THE FORESTA dark forest, filled with dying trees. There is a lake in it, visible from the ship, but the water looks poisonous. Aliens lurk throughout it, so it's very dangerous to go in.THE VOLCANOThe aliens' base of operations, and the site of Keuirce's ship. The place is swarming with aliens, so going in would be suicide. THE HOTELWhat's a holiday destination without a hotel? Well, we have one, right next to the lake. It is one of the few places that isn't swarmed by aliens, making it perhaps more terrifying than any of the locations that are. After all, if the scary aliens are scared of whatever's in it... you really wouldn't want to go there. It goes for miles underground, and they say that strange noises can be heard at night. Talking noises. Like a lot of voices. Talking. But no life. At all. Keuirce even built a life scanner, but there's nothing.Obviously, people think it's haunted. Are they right? I guess there's only one way to find out...- - -CHARACTER CREATION:Alright, here’s the interesting part: creating your character!You can choose from any sensible species. The allowed masks are pretty much any mask except the Mask of Creation, the Ignika, the Vahi, the Olmak, the Olisi, the Krahkann, or the Avohkii. You can have custom species or masks, but they have to be approved. No canon characters, please. All characters must be posted in the Profiles topic, and approved by staff, before you can play as them. Here is a basic profile layout:Name: Your character’s name.Species: Your character’s species.Gender: Your character’s gender, male or female.Personality: What is your character’s personality like?Powers: Your character’s elemental powers (if applicable).Kanohi: Your character’s Kanohi (if applicable).Appearance: Here’s where you describe what your character looks like.Equipment: Weapons, armour, shields... you name it, it goes here.Biography: Your character’s history.Weakness(es): Yes, your character has a weakness. All characters have weaknesses, including staff characters.Feel free to add more detail if you wish.STAFF PROFILES:Using Less Vorex:

Name: KeuirceSpecies: AgoriGender: MalePersonality: Keuirce is pessimistic, but brave and intelligent. He does not, however, subscribe to the opinion that everyone is going to get out alive.Powers: N/AAppearance: A grey Agori of reasonable height, with blue eyes.Equipment: A silver helmet, and a small metal knife. He doesn’t think he needs anything more.Biography: Keuirce was on the last ship to arrive in New Spherus Magna, and is the only survivor out of all its passengers. He was attacked by the planet’s inhabitants and lost his right hand, but used parts from the old ship to build himself a mechanical replacement.Weakness(es): As an Agori, he has no elemental or Kanohi powers.

Kal Grochi:

Name: KalSpecies: ToaGender: MalePersonality: Grim and foreboding.Powers: Toa of PlasmaKanohi: Mask of Time Dilation-makes time appear faster or slower to the wearer.Appearance: Green armour instead of orange, sort of a thin, pastel green underarmour/skin.Equipment: Special curved hilt with a button on it-emits a blade of plasma, a smaller version of mentioned weapon with a straight hilt, knuckle-plate knives which extend from the knuckle plates on his armour when he forms his hands into fists.Weakness: Easily annoyed/thrown into rage, paranoid.Biography: He doesn't tell.

Doctor Wotz:

Name: Trakuda Caliduran "The Diplomat" RomaSpecies: Ko-ToaGender: MalePersonality: Forever an outgoing, light-hearted Toa, Trakuda has never been like his fellow ice beings. In fact, he's never acted very much like anyone on Spherus Magna. It is a common misconception that Trakuda takes nothing seriously, but this fallacy is overwritten by his determination and sincerity in battle. His loyalty rivals even that of Toa Pohatu, and although multiple experiences in his rarely-mentioned past have taught him to be cautious of the world's perils, he retains his love for exploration and adventure. He loves company and attention, often acting silly and unpredictable to put on a show for his companions. When he does feel negative emotions, however, they get to his head, causing him to act antsy and brash, occasionally causing him to rush into situations far out of his league. In his travels he has discovered a deeper and more philosophical side of his personality.Powers: NoneKanohi: Great Aki, the Mask of Valor (Shielding, Speed and Strength)Appearance: Essentially this, but with navy blue in place of red, and bone white (like Thok's) instead of grey.Equipment: A jetpack/wing attachment/flight-thingy device that looks like this (minus the giant robot it's attached to, and the huge guns), a Gatling gun that is concealed by a pair of armour plates on his forearm, a deployable wrist blade on his other arm, and an axe. Yes, that's a lot of stuff, but he has an Aki so shh.Biography: Trakuda's history is a nightmare. Documents of his existence date back to the birth of the MU, but he insists he was born on Metru-Nui. Only one Matoran was ever courageous enough to step up to the challenge of documenting it, and was later found dead, with his own palm impaled in his face. No one bothered to try after that point, and Trakuda became famous for being an anomaly in history. Many nicknames have been attached to him throughout his travels, but the most famous is "The Diplomat", which was born from his astonishing ability to talk. A lot.Weakness(es): Unlike most Toa, he lacks any elemental powers. As mentioned previously, he has a tendency to charge into situations beyond his control.

RULES:All the normal BZPower and RPG Forum rules apply. Check them in the topic if you don’t know them already. Along with those, we have the common sense stuff. Don't godmod. Don't use Deus Ex Machinas (that's my job). Don't try to control other people's characters. Don't control aliens. Don't post until your character has been approved. Don't do anything stupid that you know that I wouldn't approve of just because I didn't mention it here.The consequence... is... loss of weapons and memory for your character. Then, you lose a limb or vital organ. And then you die. The rules will be enforced by the staff, who are listed below:Using Less Vorex: The evil overlord. He is in charge of all the other staff, and therefore is the only one able to smite and/or kill staff characters. Pretty awesome, right? He also has a tendency to kill PCs who put themselves in danger, but only when the situation calls for it.Kal Grochi: The insane guy. Vorex hired Kal because he felt like it, and because Kal would increase the awesomeness of his RPG, with lightsabers, and other really cool ideas. Also, unlike Vorex, Kal can only kill PCs if he gets permission from Vorex.Doctor Wotz: The guy without a title. He has the same powers as Kal, except he was hired due to the comedy aspects of his writing. Vorex decided that they needed someone who could write funny stuff, other than him, on the staff, because it’d mean that there would be Vorex smitings, Kal smitings, and Wotz smitings, even if they didn’t happen all that often because everyone was too scared of them.

Edited June 25, 2012 by Using Less Vorex

[Evex_Wolfwing]

“Now, about that reservoir...”Strao furrowed his brow, resting his elbows on the wooden table he sat behind, fingers interwoven. The Toa of Stone had been wondering when this matter would be brought up.The orator, a Toa of Water clad in elegant blue and silver armor coughed slightly then pulled out a new tablet. She read from it, her silky voice weaving through the air. Strao noticed several of his fellow Senators recline in their chairs, only half paying attention to the actual words. She went on, reciting a long list of numbers that served no purpose but to the complicate the otherwise simple matter, and stated arguments both for and against the reservoir’s expansion.She set the tablet down and stretched. The Toa then looked around the room. “Well,” she began, “who shall start?” Strao sat straight in his chair, eager to get to the point. The blue armored Toa turned her yellow eyes on him. “Well, buddy?”Strao blinked.“Buddy?” Her voice was no longer smooth and silky. It was rough, brutish, slurred. A man’s voice. “Hey, buddy, wake up. Yah sleepin’ too much.”Strao’s eyes snapped open.Reality came crashing back as he heard the sound of cell doors opening, many cell doors, each time getting closer. A thick bodied lower-class steltian crouched over him, his simple, dull eyes filled with childish concern. “Hey, buddy, wake up!”Strao sat up in his cot, blinking several times. He mumbles something incoherent, still half asleep.“Buddy!?”“I’m fine, I’m fine...” the Toa of Stone muttered, shaking his head, “Not all that awake yet...”“Don’t scare me like that! I thought they got you in yer’ sleep also, like ol’ Noritar!”Strao stared at the steltian, a man by the name of Geratin, he remembered. For a moment he was confused, then he saw the thing outside of their cell, the black monster that passed for a man, and he remembered everything.“They’re getting to me, Geratin...” Strao got out of his cot and walked up to the cell’s door, waiting for it to be opened, “I guess you’ll have a new cell mate in due time...” Strao stared into the eyeless face of the thing, and he imagined that it stared back, despite the lack of eyes. A foot taller than Strao himself, black and silver, with spindly limbs, long talons, spines on its back, and a long skull that ended in a pair of swaying tentacles, the monster turned its imaginary gaze to the jailer that came and unlocked their cell. The insignia of the Brotherhood of Makuta was carved into his chest. He himself did not look at the eyeless thing, he was as uncomfortable with it as Strao was.“Don’t say dat...” The steltian looked at him with childish concern, “Ya’ll be strong... yah stronga’ than me...”Strao restrained a chuckle, but didn’t respond. The jailer and the monster lead them into the hall, where other prisoners stood in line, with more monsters stalking behind them. Occasionally they directed their focus on a single man or woman, at which point they would converge, huddled around them, tentacles twitching. When they dispersed, that person would be fighting back tears, restraining a scream of hopeless terror.It was because Strao was strong that he would fall. They would break him, as they had so many others. Those things; the nestari, the jailers called them, they would break the prisoners down. Silent horrors with what seemed to be limitless psychic potential, they could delve into your mind without you even knowing. They had made many men and women go mad in the past, and they would continue doing it.The warden stood on the railing above them, glaring down at the prisoners with poorly restrained malice. The black and red vortixx was flanked by four rahkshi on each side, and a single nestari at her shoulder, tentacles twitching. They never said anything, the nestari, at least not verbally. If anything that made them all the more terrifying.Once all the prisoners were lined up, the vortixx cleared her throat. “Nothing special today, my darlings,” she hissed, “You’ll continue your work on the west side. Don’t think about taking anything back to your cells. You know that it won’t end well for you.” The many nestari shifted excitedly, looking forward to defiling the mind of some poor fool. “Speaking of which...” All the nestari turned their eyeless gaze upon a single green armored skakdi, who immediately began to sweat.His punishment never came. There was a sudden shift in the nestari’s posture. They were nervous, silently muttering to each other. The warden noticed this, as did the jailers and the jailed. The vortixx immediately grew uneasy; much of her authority came from the fear the nestari instilled.This was followed up by an explosion, an explosion of such magnitude that the whole prison shook. Dust fell from the ceiling onto their shoulders, and many of the walls cracked. The prisoners were uncertain, unable to decide if they should run or not. The warden whipped around, staring wide eyed at the nestari behind her. It stared back, as it said something to her through telepathy.Another explosion rang through the halls. The warden turned and ran, her rahkshi guard on her heels. The nestari were for a moment confused, uncertain. The jailers, realizing the potential for rebellion, quickly readied their weapons. “Alright, you lot, get back in-” the black and orange Toa never finished his sentence, as Geratin’s fist shot out without warning. The jailer was sent flying into a wall where he went limp, sliding down to the floor.Strao made a break for it, with many following behind him. That was the last time he saw Geratin, as the steltian was swarmed by the nestari. From then on everything was a blur, twists and turns down dimly lit stone hallways. They came across other prisoners, though he didn’t pause to count how many. Any jailers that they came across made no attempt to stop them, preoccupied themselves. The nestari put up more of a fight, but they were swept aside by the growing tide of bodies, only managing to take one or two down with them each time. Explosions and booming roars from outside mixed in with the shouting and screaming.Then suddenly it was bright. Their feet touched gravel, then grass. Six nestari stood in their way. Some lunged forward, others hung back and began to harness their psychic potential. All were trampled to death. The fear they had for those dark fiends didn’t seem as terrible in the bright light of two suns. As the prisoners ran, they remembered who they were. Innocents, convicts, warriors of justice, rouges, brave men and women who had fought for the Light, thieves, it didn’t matter. At that moment, they all stood as one, strode as one. The prisoners of the Destiny War fled into the forest, feeling hope for the first time in years...

Goodbye Innocence

WELCOME...

...to the beginning of something big.

In the days leading up to the Destiny War, there were mutterings of dissent among the few remaining Makuta. They began to wonder if it was truly wise to go by Teridax’s plan. They realized that in his place, almost each and every one of them would likely go mad with power and turn on their Brothers and Sisters. At the Convocation of the Makuta, it was decided that this power could not be trusted to a single being. New orders were sent out, and the forces in Karda Nui withdrew, though not before overpowering the Toa Nuva and capturing the Kanohi Ignika. Helryx’s group was intercepted and either killed or taken prisoner, while Teridax’s essence was torn from the body of the Great Spirit through the combined psychic might of the Makuta.

No longer held back by Teridax’s orders, the Makuta quickly swept across the Universe. The Ignika was placed in a pocket dimension until further notice so that it would not destroy all life in the insuring warfare. In three months the Destiny War was over. The Order of Mata Nui was hunted down, its members either killed, mutated into horrific beasts to hunt down their former allies, or fled into the far corners of the Matoran Universe. The staff of Artakha was seized, and is currently in a state of continuous use, holding the Great Spirit’s body together. The Shadowed One was executed, and his Dark Hunters absorbed into the ranks of the Brotherhood. The remaining Barraki disappeared, and despite the Brotherhood’s efforts remain unaccounted for.

With the universe under their control, the Brotherhood of Makuta now prepares for a greater invasion. On the surface of what was once the island of Mata Nui construction has begun, though of what is currently a well guarded secret. More Makuta are being created every day. The Rahkshi have been improved upon, and many other species have been created for the sole purpose of serving the Brotherhood.

But now, in Karzahni, things have changed. From seemingly nowhere Vezon and the Kardas Dragon appeared, wreaking havoc on the prison faculty the Brotherhood operated there. While Vezon has vanished and the Kardas Dragon is mortally wounded, many prisoners have escaped and now are regrouping.

This is your part. You can side with the escapees, and fight for a better future. Or, you can join the Brotherhood, and hunt them down.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you.

LOCATIONS OF SIGNIFICANCE

PLAINS OF KARZAHNI: The Karzahni of old was wiped clean of all landmarks when the Toa Nuva fought Makuta Icarax. Its former ruler was driven into a vegetative state by Makuta Teridax before his demise. What was left was a blank slate, a lifeless world.The Makuta may be conquerors and murderers, but they are also the sowers of life. The Karzahni of old was swept aside for a vast grassy plain, dotted with tall, wild forests, and vast mountain ranges, all this surrounding an inland sea.As inviting as it sounds, Karzahni remains one of the most dangerous locations in the Matoran Universe. This ecosystem was created to support some of the most dangerous Rahi in existence, in a food web of carnage. If anybody ever escaped, as they have now, they would have to deal with these beasts.THE FOREST OF DEATH: A cliche name, perhaps, but accurate. Surrounding the prison camp of Tau-Noi, the Forest of Death is where the Escapees have found themselves. While it may seem to be safe and quiet at first, many creatures lurk within.THE INLAND SEA: Well over a mile deep and dark all the way down, the inland sea is a highly corrosive body of water, full of strange things that shouldn’t have any right to survive in such a deadly environment. For the most part the creatures of the Inland Sea keep to themselves, but anyone foolish enough to swim in it will quickly be ripped to shreds.THE MOUNTAINS OF ICARAX & Mt. QUNDOW: Surrounding Karzahni are the towering peaks of Icarax, named after the Makuta who used to watch over the realm. Much of the mountain’s sides are covered in moss and the odd tree, though the tops are covered in snow. From this snow comes meltwater that seeps into the ground, ultimately feeding the Plains of Karzahni.To the north is Mt. Qundow, a dormant volcano. While not the tallest or steepest of the Mountains, it is the most treacherous, with an unstable surface that will easily give way.The Mountains are the only way in or out of Karzahni for those that must go by foot. Access tunnels do exist, but these are well guarded. The guard themselves whisper rumors of a great dragon which sleeps within the mountains, bound by arcane arts practiced by one eyed monks. Naturally, the Makuta dismiss such superstitions.TAU-NOI: In the past, Karzahni was a land of fear and hopelessness. This is something that hasn’t changed.After the Brotherhood released all restraint and conquered the Matoran Universe many men and women were left in its wake. Political enemies, resistance fighters who hadn’t been slaughtered, genuine criminals. All needed to be dealt with. At the time, they considered themselves lucky when they learned that they would simply be sent to concentration camps rather than be executed.Within a month, they wished they had been shot.The Brotherhoods prisons and labor camps are called home by the nestari, a hive minded race that had originally hailed from the farthest of the Southern Islands. They are monsters, hardly men, that delight in the suffering of others. With their psychic powers they make life for the prisoners unbearable. No secrets can be kept, no dream untainted by terror.In Karzahni was built the largest of all the prison camps; Tau-Noi. Until mere hours ago, it was one of the grandest monuments to suffering ever constructed. Now, the entire east wing is rubble, and much of the remaining structure is unstable. Many inmates have escaped, and more are finding ways out. The guards forces are strained thin, and the nestari are being forced to leave the dark hallways they are so deadly in to venture into the vast open Plains of Karzahni.Tau-Noi, and all of Karzahni are under the jurisdiction of Makuta Bitil.

ALLEGIANCES

The Brotherhood of Makuta: The ruling force of the Matoran Universe. The Makuta are easily the most powerful species in the Universe, and without Makuta Teridax holding them back, they have no reason to restrain themselves. Teridax’s plans have left the Matoran Universe undesirable in the long run, so now most of the Makuta are focusing on how to leave it.As it stands, there are no official leaders in the Brotherhood. However, Antroz, Mutran, Icarax, and Krika appear to have banded together for the time being, and being some of the most senior Makuta, their words do have weight. Within this group Antroz appears to be in charge, with Icarax as his attack hound of sorts.The Brotherhood’s servants are of every imaginable species and background, many joining willingly, others out of fear, or having been blackmailed. Much of the military force is comprised of Rahkshi in the mainlands, though the Brotherhood is still using Visorak in the Southern Islands to quell what resistance remains.The servants of the Brotherhood in Karzahni are mostly jailers of Tau-Noi, though plenty of soldiers are present also, many having recently arrived with Makuta Bitil. Bitil’s presence means that everybody now answers to him, though the few Makuta he brought with him aren’t without authority of their own.It should be noted that there are those who have turned their backs on their Brothers and Sisters. Gorast has been missing ever since Teridax was killed. Chirox recently went into hiding, taking several younger Makuta with him. Tridax attempted a foolish coup, and as punishment he has been stripped of his powers and bound to a suit of Exo-Toa armor, to serve as a lowly guard. And Miserix never joined Helryx's group in this Universe, leaving the question to the few who know he lives... where is he?The Escapees: This isn’t so much a faction as a catch all for the people who escaped from Tau-Noi, and now must try to escape from Karzahni. Every imaginable person can be found here. All are worn down, many still in shock. The weapons and Kanohi they are using are often not their own, but rather were stolen during the breakout. Leadership is being contested at the moment, though the two who are drawing the most attention are the Toa of Stone Strao, and the skakdi Rahnok. The former simply want to focus on escaping, and looks for a brighter future. The latter seeks vengeance, even conquest.That isn’t to say others are trying to get their own followers. They are divided, and many are still subdued, easily ordered around. Before anything else is done, they need to pull themselves together.Rahkshi characters can't be part of the Escapees as of this time.

SPECIES & CREATURES OF NOTABLE IMPORTANCE

The nestari

The nestari hail from the farthest reaches of the Southern Islands. They were isolated from society, with only the occasional explorer making contact with them. Such people would rarely return, as they often would quickly be driven insane, then slaughtered. Only rumors existed of the nestari, and these tales never reached the continents or Metru Nui.The nestari are a hive minded race, operating through a psychic web created by each individual. The closer to the center of this synaptic a nestari is, the more powerful its psychic powers are. Non-nestari within this web are know to become easily stressed even when the nestari pay them no heed. On their own, a single nestari’s powers are weak, and it is easily frightened, being cut off from the synaptic web. However, the more nestari are present, the stronger and more varied their powers become. Mental Blasts, Mind Control, Telekinesis, Memory Alteration, all of these are powers the nestari can access as their numbers grow. In truly large numbers they have been know to be able to make men and women drop dead from sheer terror. Even without their psychic powers, the nestari still have terribly sharp and strong talons.Despite their lack of eyes the nestari appear to be able to see the world around them perfectly fine, though they seem uncomfortable with bright lights. The manner in which this is accomplished is unknown. They also are completely mute, incapable of making a single sound. These things make them appear emotionless to others, making them all the more alien and frightening.How the Brotherhood of Makuta convinced the nestari to join them is unknown. It is likely that they used their own powerful psychic abilities to subdue them, and assert themselves as leaders.The nestari are a non-playable race.

Rahkshi-Nul

In the years since the Destiny War the Makuta have been hard at work improving their Sons. The Rahkshi of old are no more, replaced by the superior Rahkshi-Nul, though they are still simply called Rahkshi by most. In addition to their natural power, a Rahkshi-Nul are physically stronger than a Toa, have more acute senses, often have another power, sometimes control over an element, sometimes something more unique, and on occasions another kratta power. Most Rahkshi-Nul command their Kratta Power around stages 3 through 5.Rather than a suit of armor controlled by a worm-like creature, the Rahkshi-Nul is a true biomechanical being. Their appearance is highly varied even among members with the same power. For the most part they generally follow a humanoid body-plan, hunched over, with a snake-like head and spines running down their back. The weapons they carry are also incredibly varied now, and are no longer necessary to use their powers.Rahkshi-Nul are sentient, though their minds are limited. They generally excel at fields relating to combat or mechanics, but have little grasp of politics or morals.Rahkshi-Nul are a playable race.

Rahkshi Prime

The Rahkshi Prime are far larger and more powerful versions of the Rahkshi-Nul. They can command an Element in addition to the strongest version of their power, as well as a host of other abilities. Tactical geniuses, the Rahkshi Prime are few but deadly, and the appearance of one on the battle field is a dreaded sight.The Rahkshi Prime are a Non-playable race.

Synapse

The creatures the Brotherhood refers to as the Synapse are gigeresque creatures, fused to the place they were born. Little more than vast brains with a vestigial body resembling a Rahkshi headed Toa, the Synapse are the Brotherhood’s main method of communication, and psychic warding. The Synapse prevents those who are not allowed from teleporting out of their considerable range, nor sending telepathic messages outside. Their range is expanded by Nodes, pulsating, fungal structures that grow from the ground. Despite their vast psychic potential, they have very little sentience, and are completely enthralled to the Makuta and any other psychic allies of those titans.The Synapse that dwelled within Tau-Noi has been greatly disturbed by the destruction and breakout. And while the presence of the nestari has never upset it, the proximity of one of Makuta Bitil’s underlings, Makuta Xynlos, makes it frightened.

INDIVIDUALS OF NOTABLE IMPORTANCE

Name - Makuta BitilGender - MaleSpecies - MakutaAllegiance - Brotherhood of MakutaDescription - Tall and wiry, with broad shoulders, Bitil is clad in yellow and black armor. His mask makes his face seem long and narrow, with a thin mouth set in a constant grimace. Two horn point straight upward from his cheeks. His mask looks as if it has a crimson visor, hiding his eyes. Clawed hands.Mask - Kanohi Mohtrek, the Great Mask of DuplicationWeapons - A Terror Lash, and Long Talon. The Terror Lash is an organic whip, a living creature psychically enthralled to Makuta Bitil, which will turn on any other person who tries to wield it. It is a ten foot long tentacle, covered in barbs and small, leech-like mouths. On contact it will drain energy from its victim. The Long Talon is a protosteel blade, much like what Bitil wielded while in Karda Nui. Protosteel claws.Powers - All of the considerable powers of a Makuta.Abilities - The vast strength, physical and mental, that is customary for his kind.History - Contaminated by the Mutagen from Karda Nui, Bitil was relocated into a new set of protosteel armor, and cleansed by the gestalt psychic might of the Makuta. And yet, even with new armor, new weapons, and 100,000 years of experience, the others still shunt him to the side. Bitil was put in charge of the prison of Karzahni, a great insult to him. He wanted to be on the front, making decisions, fighting rebels. Instead, he must oversee those who have already been defeated.With the recent prison break, Bitil has rushed back from Destral, eager to finally have battles to fight. Denying any of his Brothers and Sisters the right to set foot in his domain, other than those few under his tutelage, Bitil is the one the escapees should fear most, as he will pursue them to the ends of his realm, all too eager to eviscerate them.Five young Makuta have accompanied Bitil to Karzahni. The enigmatic twins, Torok and Turuk, the hulking cyclops Renva, the prideful, yet cowardly Salok, and the monster, Xynlos. All were chosen for either their loyalty, or the ease with which Bitil can bully them into submission (Salok).Name - TisrahkGender - FemaleSpecies - Rahkshi PrimeAllegiance - Brotherhood of MakutaDescription - A dark green naga with a tan underbelly, covered in protosteel scales. Long, hollow fangs and an unhinging jaw add to her serpentine nature. Orange eyes with long, horizontal slits for pupils. She is a good thirty feet long, four arms, the second pair at her waist where legs would be on most. Her spines are but small nubs.Mask - N/AWeapons - Constricting tail, Laser Crossbow, injecting fangsPowers - Sleep, via contact, Elemental Control over Sound, Vertigo inducing stare, venom with properties similar to what one would call a “truth serum”.Abilities - Powerful, constricting body, more than capable of crushing the life out of a Toa. Her hands and underbelly have a microscopic texture similar to a gecko’s feet, allowing her to slither across walls and ceilings. Acute senses, particularly hearing.History - After the failure of the previous warden to contain the outbreak, Makuta Bitil put one of his own Rahkshi in charge of the faculty. Like most of her kind, Tisrahk has little interest in anything not related to combat. As Bitil predicted, her frustration has lead to her brutalizing the remaining prisoners, which along with the angered guards, the ever present nestari, and the sudden uneasiness that has accompanied the arrival of Makuta Xynlos have brought many prisoners back into submission... though there are those who are made more resolute.Name - StraoGender - MaleSpecies - ToaAllegiance - EscapeesDescription - What was once a handsome man is now gaunt and rough, though something of his old self has retuned to his eyes, bright orange. Clad in brown and silver armor, which he will clean as soon as he gets the chance. Wears a black Pakari.Mask - Kanohi Pakari, the Great Mask of StrengthWeapons - A war hammerPowers - Elemental Control over StoneAbilities - The strength and durability of a Toa of his kind.History - Once a senator in a wealthy nation of the Northern Continent, Strao was forced into hiding when the Brotherhood invaded, and finally captured several years ago. What happened in Tau-Noi isn’t completely clear to him, as his mind has forced him to forget much of it, and the nestari themselves had played with his memories to amuse themselves. All that matter to him now is that he has escaped. Strao hopes to escape Karzahni now, though exactly how such a miracle could be accomplished...Name - RahnokGender - MaleSpecies - SkakdiAllegiance - EscapeesDescription - What was once a muscular frame is now skeletal, as he, like so many others, has suffered in Tau-Noi. Clad in Brown and orange armor, with a golden chest plate. Like all skakdi his face is warped into a malicious grin, though his skin in pulled tight over his skull now, and his orange eyes are sunken.Mask - N/AWeapons - A protosteel pickaxe, the sort that was used in the prison itself.Powers - Elemental Control over Stone, which can only be used in conjunction with another skakdi. Forcefields, Laser Vision.Abilities - The natural strength and durability of his race, enhanced by his Elemental affinity.History - While Strao ruled his land alongside many others, Rahnok scrounged the streets. Rahnok had suffered in Tau-Noi for almost as long as the prison has existed, much of his past life stolen by the nestari. He is eager to leave Karzahni, like Strao. Unlike Strao, who will gladly team up with others, he demands total obedience, hoping to raise an army to fight the Brotherhood, and take the universe back... though he wouldn’t necessarily let it go himself.

PROFILE FORMAT

So, you want to join? Fill out this here paperwork, then. All profiles must be posted in the Discussion Topic first for approval, before posting in the Profile Topic. You are to post once in the Profile topic, and new Characters should be edited into the original post, so the Topic isn’t cluttered. No limit on the number of characters you can have, though I think it would be best to stay reasonable. I doubt most of us here could handle twenty characters running around.Name - (Self-explanatory. Please, keep names Bionicle sounding. Also, no names from existing characters.)Gender - (Self-explanatory. Male, female, none...)Species - (Matoran, Toa, Skakdi, Vortixx... Original species are allowed. All characters must be from the Matoran Universe. Makuta and species native to Bara Magna and Bota Magna are not allowed.)Allegiance - (Brotherhood of Makuta, Escapee, or neutral/rouge)Description - (What your Character looks like. A written description, MOC, or drawing will do.)Mask - (Optional. Original masks must be approved. Nothing overpowered.)Weapons - (No Magical Sword of Monster Slaying with +90% Critical Damage and +5% Health Leech or Nuclear Missiles or Lance of Longinus or... well, you get the picture. Keep is reasonable.)Powers - (What powers your character possesses. Control over an Element, Vision based powers, etc.)Abilities - (Natural abilities, such as enhanced speed, strength, endurance, etc.)History - (A short biography of your Characters past, personalities... who they are, in short. Stuff that is to outlandish, related to every major Bionicle character, and such is not allowed.)

RULES & CONSEQUENCES

Like it or not, rules are needed, and that applies here also.1.) All your typical BZP rules apply here as well.2.) No God-Modding. Controlling other peoples characters, spamming, flaming, and such is also frowned upon. As much fun going Super Saiyan, unfolding an A.T Field, or using your Bankai is, it has no place in RPGs.3.) Good grammar and spelling are encouraged. I know that this isn’t a strong spot for some people, but please, try your best. Besides, only good can come from trying to improve.4.) Killing off other peoples characters is forbidden, except when you have been given permission to. Random NPCs may be dealt with as you feel fit, though I ask that you be realistic about it. Also, if you wish to kill off one or more of your characters, please, inform me ahead of time.5.) Use IC and OOC in your posts. For Example;QuoteIC: Person1 whipped around, sword draw, looking for the source of the sudden noise.OOC: If anyone would like their character to be the source of the noise, feel free to introduce them.6.) The winner of a battle is determined by you, the players. Strategy, foresight, good RPing, all of this helps. If you and your opponent(s) are unable to decide a winner, one of the staff will decide.7.) As a RPG, you have freedom. But that doesn’t mean you can change the plot. You’re not going to go on a quest for the Vahi.And...8.) Enjoy yourselves! I spent a lot of time on this RPG, and I hope that everyone here can enjoy it.I’m not kidding. Have fun.Now. ):<

Trust me, I don’t want to have to do this. But should the need arise, there will be discipline.

1.) A warning.2.) The offending character(s) will be injured in-game.3.) The offending character(s) will be killed. Taking the time to think things over is recommended, before making a new character.4.) Temporary ban from the RPG. Offending characters(s) will be killed. Now would be the time to decide whether this is really worth it.5.) Permanent Ban from the RPG. All remaining characters will be dealt with as the staff sees fit.

STAFF & CREDIT

GM: The One who is Gone (please, call me Evex)First of all... Captain. Yes, THE Captain. It was his work that first made me take an interest in Roleplaying. I have always wanted to create something epic like he has. I hope I can come close.One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. I have no other words on that matter.The Silence from Doctor Who. If you have seen them, you’ll know why I’m mentioning them. (or will you...?)Warhammer 40000, for the war-y stuff and psychic-y stuff.And Bionicle. Because to this day, it remains my favorite world to tell a story in.

Edited June 27, 2012 by The One who is Gone

[Toa Fanixe]

It Takes Two (Withdrawn)

Metru-Nui. City of Legends. Home of the Matoran. Place of peace and tranquility. Until Makuta came.

Makuta has terrorised the city and its inhabitants, infecting Rahi and Matoran and sending them to fight against the Metru's. He has devestated the Chute Transportation systems, and it is rumored he behind the disappearances on the roads between Koro's, for no Matoran bandits could be so elusive. The Vahki have been sent to combat the Dark Spirit, although they have failed. Most are now scrap metal, with only a few still helping Toa guard the Metru's. It seems that there is little hope. The Matoran recount the Legends of the Toa Nuva, how they fought Makuta with the aid of Takanuva and seemingly defeated him, granting the Matoran access to their homeland. But those days are long gone, the Toa Nuva and the Toa of Light long dead.

But then something amazing happened. A Toa of Fire stood up and declared he would not take it anymore. He has organised his fellow warriors and those few still functional Vakhi into a veritable army. They are small, not nearly as large as Makuta's- but under this Toa's guidance they have been strong. Not long ago they were able to free over a hundred Matoran from Makuta's darkness, with only one soldier being injured. They are a rag-team, yes, but they are only hope for the Matoran of Metru-Nui. The Toa's name is Jerden. His army is the Light of Mata-Nui.

There is word that the Mask of Light has returned from its slumber in history. There rumors abound, each Matoran knowing a friend who knows a friend who know's where it might be hidden. It seems Makuta has heard these rumors as well- There have been sightings of Infected travelling the City with no apparent purpose, although it did seem like they were looking for something. Jerden hopes he and the Light of Mata-Nui will findthe Avohkhi first. It may very well be the only way for them to truly fight and defeat Makuta once and for all. The Matoran call him their savior- And Jerden would rather travel to Karzanhi than let them down.

Of course, all that happened over 4000 years ago.

Today Jerden rules Metru-Nui and the Matoran. Jerden has grown more powerful. He has gained new abilities, although the extent to which is unknown. No on is sure how, and he keeps his secrets guarded closely. There are many that still see Jerden as good. A benevolent leader even. He was the one to defeat Makuta after all, and under his rule those Koro's that remain have grown quite vibrant. The buildings are more beautiful than before, and those that work hard or serve Jerden well can look forward to long, prosperous futures. The Coliseum has grown into the Palace, permanent residence of Toa Jerden from he rules the City and also conducts his own experiments. Officially the experiments are for the betterment of Matoran- of couse, the conspiracy theorists say otherswise.

But the savior is not all he was cracked up to be. He rules with an iron fist, forbidding any to question his authority. Matoran disappear into the shadows in the Koro's themselves, never to return. Any who demand to know what happened to their loved ones are taken away and imprisoned. Onu-Koro, Le-Koro and Ko-Koro have been destroyed, although no one is quite sure how. Some say it was during the war, others that Jerden caused the devastion. Either way all three regions are a wasteland now, dangerous to enter and forbidden as well. The whole area is simply called the Onleko Wasteland. Permits are required to use the roads between Koro's and to legally move around the Island. A few groups were formed to demand Toa Jerden step down, created an elected council to rule the City of Legends. All members were hunted down and killed. No one says so, but the bright say that free speech existed only with Makuta.

There are new rumours now, among those that live in the shadows and despise Toa Jerden, of a technology that can unseat the ruler of the Light of Mata-Nui. Not much is known, other than that its is extremely dangerous, both for Jerden and whoever seeks to weild it.

Summary: The game takes place on Metru-Nui during two time periods, one in which Toa Jerden leads an army against Makuta and the second in which Toa Jerden rules the City of Legends. Depending on which time period your character is in, you can join different alliegances. The time period with Makuta in it is known as MT for short, and the time in which Jerden rules is JT. If you play in MT you'll be able to discover how things came to be as they were, and your actions may have a veritable effect on the future i.e. JT. If you play in JT, you'll be able to discover where things are going and help mold the unknown future into what you want it.

MT: You can either join Makuta and and help him defeat the Matoran. Your first main objective will be to find the Mask of Light and bring it to Makuta, away from the Matoran. Or you can join Toa Jerden and his army, the Light of Mata-Nui as they try to dislodge Makuta from the Island. Your first main objective will likewise be to find the Mask of Light. Or you can do pretty much whatever you want. Start a company to profit from the war, make your own army, whatever floats your boat, really.

Note: As a great Doctor sometimes explains, there are certain fixed events in time, events which must and will always happen despite any time tampering. In this RPG, Jerden must reach Makuta at the end of MT. This means that neither he nor Makuta can be killed beforehand, so that takes care of that little problem.

JT: You can either join Toa Jerden's Light of Mata-Nui and help police the city, and try to stop rebels from finding the unknown technology that may be the key to Jerden's defeat. You can also make your own group of rebels with other players and try to bring down Jerden, searching of the unknown technology as your main weapon. Or, again, you can do whatever you want.

Unknown Technology

This tech will have to be unlocked by you guys, the players in JT. If you organise yourselves well and quickly, it shouldnt take more than 2 weeks. Although I won't reveal all the details about it, it will allow you to enter a sort of stasis, during which time your consiousness is transferred to MT and an identical body created for you there. Basically time travel. So go ahead, fall in love with someone from the past, try to shoot Jerden before he rises to power, destroy a Metru (at your own risk) and try not to destroy the Time-Space continuum with countless paradoxes. Unless of course, you're into that kind of thing.

Basically, Unknown Technology, MT and JT are tools that allow you to create a time-spanning and time-travelling stories of epic proportions. So get to it!

Note: Some Matoran and Toa have theorized that the Unknown Yechnology, whatever it may be, may have something to do with why no other species has made contact or stepped upon Metru-Nui soils. Although its unknown to them, suffice to say that the island is Time-Locked, which will be explored further in the RPG.

Player Profiles

Everyone is allowed to have 2 characters at any one time, and its up to you to decide if they're in MT, JT or one of each. Custom species are not allowed, although Custom Abilities, Abilties and Masks must be pre-approved. Try not to be over-powered, or your character wont be approved

Name:

Species: (Toa or Matoran only)

Appearance:

Gender:

Element: (Bionicle Elements except Life,Light, Shadow, etc)

Mask:

Weapons:

Abilities: (Fast, Strong, Smart, etc.)

Alligiance:

Description:

Weakness:

Time Period: (MT or JT)

Rules:

No Spamming

No double posting within 12 hours

No auto-hits

No godmodding

Most BZP rules, really

You can only kill your characters, unless stated permission from another player

Punishments:

First offence- Warning

Second offence: Short RP ban (12 hours or so)

Third offence: Long RP ban (Nearly a week)

Fourth offence: Perma-Ban

Staff: I'll be looking for staff early on, so if you'd like to be part of the team, just ask

Name: Makuta

Species: Makuta

Appearance: Unknown

Gender: Male

Element: Shadow

Mask: Mask of Shadows

Abilities: All Makuta Abilities

Alligence: Himself

Description: ???

Weakness: Light

Time Period: MT (JT?)

Name: Toa Jerden

Species: Toa

Appearance: Tall and muscular, your typical Ta-Toa hero. Wears red armor and more than a few scars on his arms. In JT thin dark lines run through his skin and amor, and he wears a black cloak.

Gender: Male

Element: Fire

Mask: Hau

Abilities: ???

Alligence: Light of Mata-Nui

Description: Coming soon.

Weakness: Bad puns and rather dislikes the cold, espically Ko-Toa

Time period: MT and JT.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Toa Fanixe

[HamboneKablooey]

Sorry for the big spacing. My computer is acting funky on me. If someone could help fix the spacing, I would appreciate it.

The King’s Game

Congratulations! You have been chosen for the esteemed honor of competing in the King’s Game! Welcome to Isla Del Sol, where you will be spending the remainder of your time during the Game. The goal of the Game is simple. Survive and Kill. You and an unspecified number of others will be free to traverse this mighty island and harvest its resources. Build camps, fortresses and citadels to rise up and become the strongest being on the island. When you have built your empire, wage war with the other contestants and become the best. Think you’re the strongest? Venture to the Castillo del Rey and challenge the King himself.

To escape, you must win. To win, you must kill the King. Let the Games Begin!

The object of this game is simple: recruit allies, harvest natural resources, build you empire and take down King Solar. But you are not alone on the island. Others will try to topple your control and take your place on top.But the other contestants aren’t the only thing trying to take you down. Beware the sinister Harvester, an agent of the King who hunts down the weak and removes them from the game. Beware the seven Dukes of the Island, who stalk each of the environments and will try to put an end to your progress. And above all else beware the King, who will send down flaming meteors from his castle to cause chaos and destroy your hard work.Rules:· You may select one of the seven biomes to settle in (see below) or remain a nomad and travel the island freely.· Recruit other contestants to build your army and expand your hold over the island.· Fighting with other characters is encouraged, but fighting must be fair, no auto-dodging, auto-hitting, and above all else, no god-modding. The use of any of these will result in a warning, and repeated use will result in expulsion from the RPG.· You may have as many characters as you like, but when one of your characters dies, they’re dead for good. No redo, no blank slate characters, and no regeneration. Once you’re dead, you’re dead.· If you are killed in your base and have no other active characters in it, it is taken over by the invader. You can’t create a new character if one dies just so you can keep your stuff. If you want to take it back, do the same ting to the invader.· On that note, you are not allowed to magically appear inside someone’s base. You have to try and break in, and they have a chance to retaliate. (see below for different base types)· The Dukes are very powerful, and as such difficult to defeat. You CAN kill a Duke, but it won’t be easy, and if you manage to the other six will be after you at full force.· The Harvester is powerful, and replaceable. If you kill it, the King will send a new one. However, if you defeat it in battle, it will likely retreat before you can kill it and leave you alone for a while. It is one of the island’s traps, albeit a living, thinking trap.· Until you’ve built up your empire, don’t go after the King. He’s generally stronger than you, and if you challenge him, you will likely not succeed. Build an army, come at him full force, and your chances are much better.· The Game is over when the King is killed. Until then, you CANNOT LEAVE THE ISLAND. The seas are guarded by a multitude of traps and monsters.· You character MUST have a weakness. You are not invincible.· Keep an eye out for Secret Keepers. They will give useful information about various things on the island, for a price.· Play fair, have fun, and feel free to ask questions and offer suggestions.Making Your CharacterYour character is a Toa. You get one of the listed Elemental Powers, one of the listed Kanohi Masks and any weapon you choose to focus your power.Profile:Name:Gender:Element:Kanohi:Weapon:Personality:Weakness:Allowed Elements:FireWaterAirEarthStoneIceLightingSandSonicsMagnetismIronPlasmaThe GreenCUSTOM ELEMENTS MUST BE APPROVED FIRSTAllowed Kanohi:HauKaukauMiruKakamaPakariAkakuHunaMiruRuruMatatuCalixSanokArthronFaxonZatthPekhuiKualsiKirilCUSTOM KANOHI MUST BE APPROVED FIRSTBiomes:Forest: Trees, various harvestable herbs and plants, collect wood, etc. Good tree cover.Desert: Plains of sand. Cacti offer clean water. No cover.Bay: Secluded bay on the eastern coast. Offers clean water and fish. Some mountain cover.Cliffs: High, rocky area. Offers strong stone for building. Good mountain cover.Swamp: Wet, marshy area. Offers various mushrooms and some fish. Good tree cover.Plains: Flat area, good for building and fighting. Few resources. No cover.Arctic: Cold, unpleasant. No resources. Some mountain cover.Volcano: The home of King Solar. His castle sits atop a volcano in the center of the island. Guarded by Flame Giants. Cannot be settled in.Staff controlled CharactersName: King Solar.Gender: Male.Element: All things hot and fiery. (Not a Toa)Kanohi: None. (Not a Toa)Weapon: Flame whip.Personality: King Solar rules Isla Del Sol with an iron fist. He is cruel, hot-tempered and very intelligent. He is also arrogant, and very twisted, bringing untold numbers of people to his island to fight and die for his amusement, using his own fiery traps to often kill them himself.Weakness: You don’t need to know just yet.All Dukes are Male and do not wear Kanohi.Name: Duke of the Forest.Element: Controls the forest. (Not a Toa)Weapon: Tree club.Personality: Stoic, arrogant and cunning. He uses the forest to his advantage, hiding in the trees and dropping down on his enemies. He can wrap roots and branches around his body to form an armor suit.Weakness: Fire.Name: Duke of the Desert.Element: Controls the sands.Weapon: Giant Kunai.Personality: Ever moving, creating sandstorms in his wake. He is cold, calculating and a bit of a coward, but powerful nonetheless. He would prefer to hide behind walls of sand than fight.Weakness: Water.Name: Duke of the Bay.Element: Controls the waters of the bay.Weapon: Trident.Personality: Calm and peaceful, he is the only Duke who will openly help players, often throwing fish onto the shore. However, he will not tolerate violence on his shores, and will attack any who fight near the bay.Weakness: Ice.Name: Duke of the Cliffs.Element: Controls the rocky cliffs.Weapon: Razor shield.Personality: Strong and silent, he challenges anyone who ventures to the cliffs. He is honorable and respects those stronger than him, but can be arrogant towards those who are weak.Weakness: Water.Name: Duke of the Swamp.Element: Controls the waters and plants of the swamp.Weapon: Twin swords.Personality: Fun loving and playful, he treats each battle like a game and hates losing, often pouting and retreating into the swampy waters.Weakness: Fire and Ice.Name: Duke of the Plains.Element: Controls the winds across the plains.Weapon: Chakrams.Personality: Arrogant and vain, he sees all the plains as his to rule as he pleases, and he punishes anyone caught wandering the grassy hills.Weakness: Fire.Name: Duke of the Arctic.Element: Controls the ice and snow of the arctic.Weapon: Greatsword.Personality: Cold and calculating. He always analyzes opponents before attacking, and moves with quick, cautious strikes. He seems to be curious about the contestants, and will help those he finds interesting.Weakness: Fire.Name: Flame GiantsElement: FireWeapon: Fists and flame breath.Personality: Angry and violent guards of the volcano biome. Never talk, always growl and roar loudly. Attack anything that moves.Weakness: Water and Ice.Name: The Harvester.Gender: Unknown.Element: Kinetic Energy. (Not a Toa)Kanohi: None. (Not a Toa)Weapon: Giant extending scythe, blade can swing down and become a spear.Personality: Devoid of emotion. The Harvester’s sole purpose is to hunt down and exterminate the weak. He hides his face beneath a steel mask without holes for his eyes or mouth, so he never has any facial expression. His movements are slow and fluid, but can become deadly fast and lethal. The Harvester will fight anyone it sees as weak, and if defeated it will retreat and leave the winner alone for a time. It is unknown how many there are, since when one is killed the King sends out another.Weakness: You don’t need to know just yet.

Edited June 16, 2012 by Ace of Skulls

[Blessed Blade]

In a world covered by endless jungle; one city rose above the rest.No, literally, it floats. In the sky. What do you mean it can't be true!? Where do you think we are, on the surface? No, we're in that city, right now! ... Ah whatever, just let me tell the story, or is that too much to ask!? ... Okay fine, you narrate then, I've had it. I'm tired of being criticized so much!...A world, surrounded by jungles consisting of trees, rocks and vines. Ancient cities, ruined due to the test of time. Former Glatorian and Agori, reduced to nothing but beasts. Giant biomechanical dinosaurs that wish nothing more than to eat you. Oh, and the warmechs, can't forget the warmechs. This is the Surface; the name given to the wide-reaching area of the world that has trees spreading as far as the eye can see. Sure, there is a lake; if you can even call it that; and some streams, but really, trust me, the majority is jungle.However; the surface is too dangerous for the ordinary citizens. Therefore, travel to the surface is a heavily bureaucratic decision. Red tape and all. How do we survive, then, if we can't travel to the surface? This is our city; the city in the sky. There are many names for the city, given by those pesky Vorox who try to eat us when we go to the surface, and by the beasts, but everyone who knows of our existence, knows us as the City in the Sky.Long ago, the world was struck by a rather large, and rather powerful earthquake. The Great Beings had no idea what to do, so they therefore created this city, and floated it into the sky. However, all the cities on the surface were lost, destroyed by neglect and the earthquake. It is said that this world; known now as 'Bota Magna' was once more diverse than trees, trees, and more trees. However, I'm not entirely certain if I believe that. However, these ruined cities; they have ancient technology inside them, said to be designed by the Great Beings themselves. Not many people know of the contents of these ruins, however, as they are said to be guarded by giant constructs; and few people return from an encounter with them... And the people who do; are too scared to say much of anything, or die shortly afterward from wounds obtained in a fight.We still attempt to gather ancient relics from these ruins, however. But, not everyone agrees, which leads to large shouting matches eventually; and that's not even getting into the Air Pirates. You know, thinking now, it might actually, in a way, be just as dangerous here in the air, as it is on the ground.There's more to this story, but we should probably end it here, the elders are getting slightly annoyed at us for spreading this knowledge... Try to help spread the word, though. Let the rise of the Machines happen again.After the Shattering caused Spherus Magna to split into three separate worlds, a city was built on Bota Magna, and then lifted into the sky. All the cities present on Bota Magna eventually crumbled, either due to the Core War, or general disuse. This RPG takes place at around the same time as the Great Cataclysm in the Matoran Universe, and the central point is the floating city a mille above the trees, which is a gigantic city which is split into seven sectors, the middle one containing the titular Castle In The Sky. The Surface is littered with both ruins of ancient cities, and outposts made by either the Intelligent Vorox, or the Bestial Glatorian/Agori, who didn't make it to the City in the Sky.The Great Beings are said to have built both the City in the Sky, and some of the ruined cities, or at least the technology in the Ruins. It is said that the Great Beings walked the world of Bota Magna as well, even after the Shattering, though actual proof of that has never been found.The main draw to this RPG, would be exploring massive ruins, and fighting giant constructs, bio-mechanical dinosaurs, and the Intelligent Vorox, among other potential threats.GeographyThe entire planet is covered in mostly jungles, but there are some points where this is otherwise. There are a few mountain ranges, and these are noted on the map, along with a massive lake (now the largest standing body of water, and the size of many saltwater seas). The central region of this section of the planet is a dune covered desert stretching over some fifty thousand square mile, and surrounded by a ring of mountains. Other than that, it's just rivers and jungle.Ruins of Bota-MagnaMap of SurfaceThe ruins were once major cities spread across the landscape during the reign of the Great Beings. The foundations were crafted in the ancient past, when the Great Beings directly involved themselves with the planets people, before growing more reclusive and entering isolation. Many of these cities were destroyed during the Core War, the Shattering, or a combination of both. Whatever the case, they are mostly unfit for civilization, and most are far too large for the entire population of the Castle in the Sky.Each ruined city shares a number of characteristics - a coat of arms used to display a creature held special by that group, and a colossal creature of enchanted stone and ancient technology that wanders through the ruins or surrounding area; some peaceful, other seeking to destroy intrusions. From descriptions given, they are best described as being based off of the cities own coat of arms. They are highly dangerous according to all who have fought them, even those who were seemingly no larger than the wildlife.(Note - The buildings in these cities are massive, with twisting stairways leading to isolated, apartment sized rooms. Some major structures could hide an army behind them, and hold a couple of them within. The area the cities cover averages at about 1000 square miles each; still but a fraction of a percent of the forests total coverage!)Voruntund is a southeastern island, lying on the opposite side of Lake Vorunt from its sister city Voruntand. The city is composed mostly of domed buildings, as many that were once controlled by the Water Tribe are, and is present in some of the buildings on the City in the Sky, to match tradition. The symbol was the Gryphon, a Great Being created hybrid of a Bearded Jungle Howler and a Silver Forest Eagle. It likely once housed around forty thousand beings.Iztriliador is located in the southern areas of the known regions, and is mostly composed of towering boxy, stone buildings covered in stone and hanging moss. The city is incredibly small as far as the old ruins go, and may have only a couple dozen thousand. It was a home to the Iron Tribe. Its symbol is an enigma, appearing only as a red eye with a black pupil; a colossus has never been spotted here. The symbol is odd in a different way, as it appears on the walls and doorways of the ruins, which seem to have maze-like patterns to them.Ohmvold is located in the central-northwest and was another apparently small city, likely having only thirty thousand at a maximum. The entire city is surrounded by a huge, circular wall, and a massive keep dominates over it. The building are a hodgepodge of shapes. The symbol was the Rock Rat, a small creature able to gnaw through solid rock. It is believed to have been a city of the Fire Tribe that was the destroyed towards the beginning of the Core War. The interiors are lined with torches, which are oddly still lit; it is said that they were enchanted by the Great Beings themselves.Voruntand lies opposite of Voruntund along the shores of Lake Vorunt. Its structures are designed the same way as those in Voruntand, though much more plentiful, and with the presence of a trio of intimidating triangular pyramids with their top points removed. The symbol was that of the Talon Snake. This massive Water tribe city was a major one during its existence, and likely housed over ninety thousand inhabitants at one point. Inside the ruins, at least one segment seems to flood at one point, seemingly, though the technology there appears to still work.High Fane was a great temple dedicated to the ancient gods that the Agori worshiped before the coming of the Great Beings. The temple was abandoned prior to the Core Wars beginnings, and a great wall was constructed around it to prevent entry. There are numerous buildings surrounding it, in a variety of shapes - unlike those in Ohmvold, though, they follow a pattern in location, suggesting that all tribes once came here. The exact details of this cities symbol are unknown. It likely housed some fifty thousand inhabitants. The interior of High Fane has been theorized to be constructed out of sandstone, or a similar material.Pheosus was a city crafted by the Skrall and the Rock Tribe of Agori who served them. It is composed mostly of great towers, though many now are spread out across the ground rather than still standing. Its symbol was the Tusked Jungle Howler, a great cat with two large horns on its face. It likely housed some forty thousand inhabitants. There are many spikes lining this city, as well as the interiors of the buildings.Narcesti was another Rock Tribe city, with the same basic structures of its Pheosus. A notable difference is that the towers were made shorter, and connected by massive bridges that formed an intricate cobweb leading to the central tower, which had no surface entrance. The whole design suggests some sort of military defensive purpose, forcing enemy armies to clamber towards the top through thousands of Skrall warriors in close combat. The symbol was the Green Razorclaw, one of the smaller biomechanical dinosaurs crafted by the Great Beings with a clawed foot and a vicious appetite. Currently, most of the bridges have decayed and the towers fallen, making the central tower nearly inaccessible (nearly). It appears as if there is also some sort of anti-technology field or something surrounding the tower, as any airships that try to approach crash shortly afterward, with the survivors claiming odd things started to happen.Quetzilidriat was a city of the Jungle Tribe, and is found in the far northeastern reaches of charted Bota Magna areas. It was a small city, housing only thirty thousand or so inhabitants, and had the symbol of a Red Jungle Hawk, a massive bird of prey found in the forests. The cities structures are mostly large arches and bridges connecting to tower, similar to Narcesti, though with the incorporation of the surrounding jungle. This makes it a very odd place to navigate. The city is split in two halves, each on opposite sides of the river. Vines surround the majority of the objects in here, with moss growing on some things too; it's hard to tell if this is from neglect, or by design.Resedomanadia is the oldest city on Bota Magna. Its name translates to 'resting place of the dominator'. The structures here are varied and generally small in comparison to the rest of the planets constructions - they are much older than the others on the planet by at least fifty to sixty thousand years, including the High Fane. In that ancient past it was the capital of all of Spherus Magna; now, it is mostly claimed by the forests. Due to the terrible damage it has sustained, it is impossible to say how many may have resided here; likely, it was some seventy thousand beings. It is said that the central building contains the tomb of the cruel warlord who ruled here. The symbol is believed to be a Jungle Bat. It is unknown what is truly here, if anything; or if anything is even intact.Vizarana was known as the City of Blades, and is the most structurally secure city on the planet. Rather than an animal, the Rock Tribe inhabitants of the city (who use the same structures described in Pheosus) used the sword as their coat of arms; the bladesman their symbol of power. The city likely only held some forty thousand inhabitants. The interior is one of the oddest after Iztriliador; as the interior looks like it was just built a year ago, if that, even though it was obviously built way before the Shattering.Dragon's Fire Tower is the second tallest structure on the planet, a single tower in the midst of the last desert on the planet. It rises close to 2500 feet into the sky, and has a square base of nearly twenty square miles on its own. Some thirty thousand inhabitants may have lived in the tower, which bore the symbol of the Fire Dragon, a magnificent species of beasts that once resided in the Bara Magna region of the original, unbroken, planet. It is said that this tower has the potential to reach to another world.Unbroken Citadel was a city of the Iron Tribe, having the same structural designs as Iztriliador. Unlike the rest of the Tribe, the loss of Dreams never occurred to the people of the Unbroken Citadel, and they lasted into the Core War. When the War began, the inhabitants fled to the massive citadel in the center of the city and sealed themselves in behind its indestructible walls. When the Rock Tribe reached towards the end of the war, their entire army could find no way to break through the defenses. So instead, the Elemental Lord of Rock added to them, and sealed the defenses so its inhabitants could never leave. The Citadel remains unbroken even today, much like its coat of arms, the Vorunt Battle Tortoise. It is also likely filled with dead Iron Agori. In its heyday, the city housed some hundred thousand inhabitants, and was a major city. It is unknown what the interior looks like, but it is suggested that whatever it is, is shiny.Apprenshian can be found along the banks of the rivers to the north, and bears the coat of arms of the Plated Crab. It was home to some forty thousand inhabitants of the Water Tribe at the peak of its existence, and has the same design features as other Water Tribe cities. The inhabitants were said to be rather eccentric, as it is implied that Arkara was a descendant of the Water Tribe members who lived here.Jagged City, formerly a major city of the Rock Tribe, is found in the rocky wasteland surrounding the western mountains. It is surrounded by imposing walls, and within these walls rise numerous spiked towers which give the city its name. Some of the towers are still intact, though the Shattering destroyed some of them. Below the towers are many square buildings using a hybrid of Rock and Iron Tribe designs. The coat of arms is the Jungle Lurker, a six-legged spider with a small body and huge, long legs. If the name and outward appearances didn't already give it away, the interior walls look almost like they were broken, as there are jagged edges everywhere, and what appear to be cracks; however, this is simply the design.Babeldoran was the largest structure ever crafted, asides from the robotic forms of the Prototype Robot and Mata-Nui. It rises close to 4000 feet in the air, and is divided into two parts. At the base is a massive structure with a twelve mile diameter rising some 1000 feet, at which point the tower begins in the center with about half the width. Unfortunately, unlike Dragons Fire, this tower was unable to stand the shattering, and collapsed to the ground, shattering across the desert sands. The structure housed some fifty thousand inhabitants initially, and bore the coat of arms as the King Desert Longwing, a dragonfly like creature on Bara Magna noted for the spiky 'crown' on its head. It is said if you head to the very top of the non-collapsed portion of the tower, you can see what appears to be blue colouring all the time, even if the sun's setting and the sky should be red. It is said that this is a glimpse of another world.City in the SkyThe City in the Sky is a very large location, being essentially 7 cities, but connected together by integral bridges and steel beams, and other similar constructs. It has some natural components, likely added in by the creators of the city, however, most of it is rock or iron based.The actual city is allowed to stay in the air, due to an anti-gravity system, which is rather advanced for anyone to create; however, it is present. This anti-gravity system is present on the underside of each section of the City, however, the generator for it, is present inside the Castle in the middle of the floating island. This is powered by an energy source found in and around the ruins, and appears to also somehow be present in the Biomechanical Dinosaurs, which adds a subliminal reason for the Rite of Passage ceremony.Sector 1 - DwinheimDwinheim is where the citizens of the City go to practice sky diving, for the most part. Along with trained birds being present, Glatorian and Agori can also practice sky diving with bird-like machines, which are also used for travel to the Surface. In addition to that, this acts as a dock for the airships that are used to get around the city, and travel to the Surface. Dwinheim is more or less unoccupied, aside from a building or two that function as an inn, and a shop to get different things.Sector 2 - YksfoltYksfolt is the market centre of the City, more or less; they have elabourate buildings designed to get your attention, as they attempt to peddle off good that may or may not be usable and needed for either day-today living, or travel to the Surface. With the Rite of Passage ceremony season starting up again, people are much more willing to try and pawn off items that are actually useless for travel to the surface, so remember to be careful.Sector 3 - DrileivDrileiv is the education district; where the citizens go to learn different things, such as swordplay, or just generally things about the world and it's history and such. There is a dojo for the aforementioned swordplay lessons, and also a shooting range for practicing with a bow.Sector 4 - GnylonGnylon is the manufacturing sector; this is where the materials for use are made. Mostly it's just processing shops and such, but the Glatorian and Agori who work here, make the materials for later refinement. This is more of a natural area, compared to other places.Sector 5 - RiaklaRiakla is the entertainment district; where Agori perform music, or the Glatorian battle each other in arenas to please crowds and such. For those interested in the entertainment provided, this sector never really stops.Sector 6 - Larlak is the housing section of the City; where the majority of the citizens sleep. This is typically known as the residential area, though, of course, that is not it's true name.Sector 7 - The CastleThe Castle is where the Council of Elders meet, and due to that, and the fact that the generator for the entire city's anti-gravity systems is right underneath the Castle, very few people are allowed inside the Castle, or even near the sector itself. The castle has a circular design, and the outside is covered with patterns of gears, that move. It is theorized that these are, in fact, actual gears necessary for the Castle's correct operation, however, that has not been confirmed.Ruins, Monsters, and YouAs has been said before, you can explore ruins in this RPG. Aside from the typical dangers associated with dungeon crawling and ruin excavating, please keep these dangers in mind, handily written by one of your fellow dungeon crawlers:1. There are many large 'constructs' across the surface of Bota Magna. Typically there's only one per ruin... However, there could always be exceptions to that rule, so be cautious, otherwise, you might end up as part of the ruin's victims. We keep a list, you see. Thanks for the idea, Arkara.2. Vorox. Before, they were all peaceful. Or, at least, more peaceful than now. However, they got this odd notion that the entirety of Bota Magna belonged to them. Good going Arkara. So, now, they try and kill anyone who steps on their territory. Hence, they'll try and kill us the moment we travel to the surface, provided they know we're around. Therefore, at least make an attempt to not attract the attention of the Vorox. Otherwise, unless you're traveling alone, or killing a Vorox clan member is a task assigned to you, you're more likely to have one of your teammates kill you than one of the Vorox; out of frustration.3. Bio-mechanical dinosaurs. I have NO clue who thought having those around was a good idea, but I think it was partly Arkara's idea. So, yeah, big, scary, liable to eat you rather than look at you. Recommended course of action, stay away from at all times.4. Warmechs. Oh the Warmechs. Yeah, we managed to at least convert two of them to be on our side... But that left about 100 or 200, if not more, still on the Surface, ready to kill everyone in sight. ... And it even took a good number of our group to convert one of them. Nice work in causing them to target us, Arkara. Yeah, if you see one, run as fast as you can. If you're lucky, you'll get incinerated by the ultimate attack it has before it has a chance to try and torture you with those beam thingies it uses.On that note, there are indeed other things aside from those; normal creatures that were native to the Jungle have decided to move into the ruins, so your opponents aren't merely the overpowered things that lurk around down on the Surface, you get to deal with their cousins too.However, all hope is not lost! Occasionally, and I mean occasionally, you might discover a handy capsule labeled 'genetic experimentation: keep away'. If you ignore the warnings on that, you might just have a chance of gaining experimental powers, that, while not all that powerful, might still make a difference in the fights. While raiding these ruins, of course, you might run into some technology no-one has ever seen before. While this has a restriction of one per player genetic group(whatever that means), it is still usable, and is likely a good choice to fight with. However, these are also very rare, even rarer than the poiso- err, genetic material... Yes, genetic material, that's what I meant, why would I mean anything else? ... Right. The tech is rare, and you might not actually find anything; but if you find a second piece of tech, and you're the only one around, you can always hold onto it, and give it to someone else later. You just can't use them both at the same time, as advanced technology attracts the constructs, which is just as bad as it sounds.FactionsRemember how the Pirates and disagreements were mentioned earlier? Well, this is pretty much the detailed info on that... Also, there may be other factions present, including personally created ones, however, that only happens with staff approval, and of course, players can be Neutral to all factions.The FaithfulThe Faithful are a group who are dedicated to the Great Beings; they hold them in high regard for apparently creating the City in the Clouds, and helping with the technology that is used in the City. However, they do not agree with the Machine's motives, in effectively raiding what they perceive to be the Great Beings' old homes on the surface, just to find new technology. They go along with some raids, however, if only to gain more info on the Great Beings, and to keep the City, well, in the sky.The MachineThe Machine is the name of a group who care more about technology and machines, than anything or anyone else. They highly disagree with the mantra of the Faithful, at times calling them ancient relics themselves, for holding onto old beliefs which they consider to be worthless. They wish to excavate advanced machinery from the ruins, to expand the City, and make it entirely mechanical, caring more about the machinery in the City than the nature present on it.The Air PiratesThe Air Pirates are a group of raiders and thieves, who typically attempt to attack airships headed to the surface, however, they are also somewhat present on the City in the Sky, however, they are more subtle there. They are more or less made up of Skrall and Bone Hunters, who have left the City in the Sky willingly; however, there are other members as well, who might not have left the City, or might not even be Skrall or Bone Hunters.Rules1. IC and OOC are required, except in the discussion and profile topics. Please keep all OOC-only discussion to the discussion topic, if at all possible.2. Obey all rules of the site; which should go without saying.3. No killing other PCs without permission. That said...4. If you get into an impossible situation, then chances are, you're going to die. Not saying you can't try to survive, and I'll admit your chances of survival increase if you're in a group, but... If you're stuck, trapped in the air, and are currently flying toward a biomechanical dinosaur's mouth with the only airship that knows you're in trouble crashed nearby, then chances are you'll need to make a new character. It's unfortunate, but that's all you can do, because...5. There is to be no god-mode inducing here. Do not slice a tower-sized construct in half, in one strike, by yourself, facing it head on, without getting a scratch. It's just not cool. And if you manage to somehow miraculously get elemental powers, don't abuse those either.6. There is a limit of 5 characters for now, that might increase at a later date, however.PunishmentsThis is what happens if you ignore the above.1. You get a PM warning, telling you to stop that.2. You get a public warning, reminding you not to do that, and your character has an unfortunate event occur.3. Why did you keep ignoring things? Your character's dead, make a new one, and keep the rules in mind.4. Your character's removed, and you're not getting the slot back. Last chance, too.5. Well, hope you had a nice time in the RPG, because you're outta here... =/Profile SheetThis is a requirement for joining the RPG; if you don't fill this in, well, you can't play. Remove all the stuff in parenthesis when filling in the profile.Username: (Your BZP name)Character Name: (Self explanatory, what does your character call his or her self?)Gender: (Also self explanatory, is your character male or female?)Species: (Pretty much obvious, however, despite this being a Bionicle RPG, there are no MU species present. You can pick to be a Glatorian, Agori, Skrall, Bone Hunter, and possibly some other things, such as maybe a Vorox, but those might be case-by-case approvals.)Faction: (The Faithful, The Machine, The Air Pirates, neutral, or something else?)Equipment (What does your character start off with? A stick? A sword? Please note that the technology can't be too advanced, if it is, it won't be allowed. More advanced tech might possibly be found in the game.)Bio: (What's your character's past?)Appearance: (What does your character look like?)Aloft StaffHost: BladeCo-Host: Toa Levacius ZehvorCreditsI must thank the following people, for the help they've done, or offered for working on my first Bionicle RPG on here.Toa Levacius Zehvor: I'll say right now, he pretty much thought up the base descriptions of the Bota Magna locations(as well as the names for the ruins). He's also the person who created the map, and suggested the name for the Machines; and for all his help, I thank him very much. =DKal Grochi: Grochi suggested a few storyline things I might consider, and came up with the name for the Faithful. For that, I thank him as well. =DKal The Guardian: Kal was the one who created the title banner for the RPG, and so I thank him for helping with that. =DToa Onarax and Krayzikk: They both offered to help, and if it wasn't for me not wanting to be swamped by mass amounts of personal messages, I would've accepted that help, so I thank them for the offers. =DAnd finally, anyone who said they would vote for Aloft in the Contest, thanks a lot, everyone! =D

Edited June 26, 2012 by Pit: Arrow of Light

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

Agori Trail

A harsh sun beats down on them. Burning sand whisks around them. Their only water is the salt sweat on their brow, their only company the long shadows that stretch from their feet. These are no gleaming Glatorian marked for battle, these are humble Agori, merchants and traders all.These are the true heroes of Bara Magna.The villages depend on the merchants. Their trade route are the veins of the planet, their goods precious lifeblood. Water from Tajun, food from Tesara, raw metals from Iconox, weapons from Vulcanus…without any of these the villages would swiftly crumble. Two influential merchants, princes of their trade, have banded together in common cause, uniting their wealth and resources to form one of the largest trade ventures seen to date. The burden of safeguarding this cargo now falls to you. Good luck, brave traveller, and godspeed.The PremiseA convoy of merchant caravans is making the long journey from Tesara to Vulcanus bearing goods and supplies. You, the players, are travelling with them. It will be up to you to keep the convoy safe and secure. Your choices will shape the journey; what route do you take? Do you risk using extra supplies to scout further ahead or take a chance that you can fend off any threat that comes your way?The MapPlaying the GameAn RPG, for those not in the know, stands for Role Playing Game and involves the players (that would be you, dear reader) making posts in which they control characters. Its like writing a story except you all play a part. In Agori Trail you are a member of an upcoming journey from Tesara to Vulcanus. Whether you are trader or warrior you will need to ensure that you survive the journey and with as much of the goods you're supposed to be delivering as possible. It is a bit more linear than other RPGs, but this is to put more focus on the characters you create.ResourcesRemember that stuff you're supposed to be guarding? Here's how to keep an eye on it.FOOD: HighWATER: HighMETAL: HighMATERIALS: HighFRUIT: HighFood and water will be used up simply through travelling and scouting, you will need to make sure you replenish them. Metal, materials and fruit can only be lost to raids or disasters.The ProfilePost these in the profile topic. Once approved there you can begin RPingName: Species: Gender: Appearance:Equipment: Personality: Biography: Other: Your name should be obvious. You're on Bara Magna so keep it appropriate to that setting.For species, you're pretty much limited to Agori or Glatorian. If you can give a good enough reason as to why, I might allow Skrall or Vorex.Gender is pretty self-explanatory, male or femaleLikewise appearance, its just what your character looks like; the colour of their armour and style of helmet etc.Equipment is what weapons or tools your character has. Elemental-powered weapons are allowed, but one element per character.Personality is how your character acts and behaves.And biography is what your character has been through, their personal history.Other is just for any quirks or miscellanea that don't fit into the other categories but you'd like us to know all the same.NPCsName: ScoranSpecies: Agori (Jungle Tribe)Gender: FemaleAppearance: Lighter leafy green body with darker bottle-green limbs. Pale blue eyes stare out of a three-pronged half-helm. She does not have the hunched, quadrupedal appearance some Jungle Tribe Agori have, believing it makes her look unintelligentEquipment: Thornax launcherPersonality: Scoran is bluff and blunt, speaking her mind regards of your opinions. She could hammer a wall down through sheer force of will, in fact this is often what trying to haggle with her resembles as she breaks down your resistance by simply refusing to give you a word in edgeways. A benefit of always speaking her mind, though, means she is always speaking the truth. Scoran is known for rarely, if ever, lying, and its this trustworthiness earning peoples loyalty more than her sledgehammer bargaining tactics saving her money that have given her the position as one of Bara Magna's most successful merchantsBiography: Scoran served as a quartermaster during the Core War, where she first developed a head for numbers and figures. When the war ended she decided to turn her skills to the trading which was becoming rife across the new world. Nor did she let little things like bandit raids and Bone Hunters get the better of her venture; she got in touch with some of the Glatorian she'd served as quartermaster, calling in a few favours to get them to act as guards. With these veterans escorting her traders she become known for being reliable and trustworthy, allowing her to expand her interests. As the leading merchant for Tesara she has spent much time and effort in organising and funding this plan for a larger convoy.Other: Tends to tap her feet or fingers when impatient (which happens…a lot)Name: JeshinSpecies: Agori (Fire Tribe)Gender: MaleAppearance: Red body, hands and feet, orange limbs. Eyes that appear cold despite being coloured fiery red. Continues to wear the helmet he used when riding Sand Stalkers, the kind tapering to a point out the back of your headEquipment: Fire shield (shaped like a flame and can emit waves of heat on demand)Personality: Jeshin is all silence and whispers, he'll sit saying nothing until you've twisted yourself in knots trying to keep up both ends of the conversation. He'll maybe make a few well-placed and well-thought out comments that will subtly nudge you in the right direction, making you believe ideas he's suggested are your own.Biography: Jeshin started out working for another Agori trader, simply driving the Sand Stalkers. From there he gained responsibility over keeping the Sand Stalkers, and from there he became the navigator, telling everyone where the Sand Stalkers needed to go. And from then on he was basically running the operation himself. He rose to be a major player in Vulcanus, so was the logical choice to take part in the trading venture.Other: Actually fairly young, by Agori standardsRules

• BZP Rules apply, obviously
• No god-modding (e.g. controlling someone else's character, having your character do something impossible). And if someone god-modes against you, don't do it back, tell a Staffie
• Don't bunny (meaning control extensively) other peoples characters without their permission
• No silliness such as suddenly firing cream pies from your power sword. Believe me, it's not as funny as you think
• Don't glory hog or continuously degrade someone else's character
• This is a Text-Based RPG, so to join in you post what is basically a miniature story for what is currently happening to your character
• There is no limit on the number of characters you can have, but try not to bit off more than you can chew.
• If you have an elemental charged weapon, you have to stick with the six tribal elements I'm afraid.

Join the caravan, travel alongside your fellow player, and enjoy the experience!