RPG Forum Contest 26 Submissions

[Black Six]

RPG Forum Text-Based RPG Contest 26 SubmissionsAll RPG Contest 26 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 Friday, December 21st 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 Friday, December 21st 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.

[*]Waves of the South Alter Securi - Toa Levacius Zehvor[*]Descent - The Otter[*]The Jungle - CAPUA[*]Testing Conflict - Zarayna[*]Beneath Their Eyes - JL v2[*]Thirst of Carto-Nui - Jedi Knight Krazy[*]Dystopian - Giant of Lannister[*]Untitled - CaptainLepidus[*]Claustrophobia - Kryzath[*]Island of Pain - Lord of Adders Black[*]Frozen - Bounce goes Zakaro![*]Perpetual - Parugi[*]Brave New World - Toa the kid[*]Frontier - Clockwork Kineticist[*]Loophole - Legolover-361[*]Title - Author

Total number of valid entries: 15NOTICE: 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 December 21, 2012 by Black Six

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

Waves of the South – Alter Securi

The Second Chapter, by Toa Levacius Zehvor

 

Introduction

 

The Matoran Universe – a mysterious, barely tamed place; a place home to exotic lands, sanctuaries of peace, and unseen wonders. Though often travelled, it is very much unexplored. Yet the great lands of the north cannot capture the alluring beauty of the crystalline seas of liquid protodermis and the unexplored islands.

 

This is not the story of armies meeting on open field of stranded villagers trekking across Kio of wilderness. It is not the epic tale of good competing against evil. This is tale of the Yheyn-Seas, and the events that transpired there. It is a tale of daring heroes who dare challenge manipulative villains in search of new lands, and ancient treasures.

 

Perhaps you are a hero, or perhaps you are a villain. Maybe you’re not sure what you are. It matters little, for you have been plunged into this grand tales. The Yheyn-Seas are open to you, and great treasures await you and others similar and dissimilar to find them. In this struggle, you are not alone travelling the waves of the south.

 

History

 

The Imperial Age (IA) was the 14 Millennia span in which the League of Six Kingdoms ruled. AL (After League) refers to the time after its leaders vanished at the Battle of Metru-Nui, and PL (Pre-League) refers to the time before the rise of the Barraki, and progresses in an opposite direction from the others.

 

The following details the history of Yheyn –

 

Matoran colonization of Yheyn from an unknown place began 4,318 PL, not long after Mata-Nui brought life to the universe. Turaga Gauraur was the first Count of Yheyn and worked in conjunction with the islands combined judicial and legislative branch, the Justiciars. The island was peaceful until 3,100 PL, when heated conflict between the Justiciars and Gauraur led to his execution and their full and tyrannical power over the island.

 

The Justiciars were an enigmatic lot towards the end of their 200 year reign, building secret fortresses and bases across the Yheyn-Seas. At that time, an emissary of the Toa Council named Gremost quickly rose against the order with his own rebel army, overpowering their armies and killing their leaders. His forces toiled for decades to finish the job. The Toa of Earth claimed the title of Count of Yheyn and began construction of the massive Castle Sakrinil over the course of many decades.

 

Quiet millennia passed until 8,619 IA. Most of the Universe rested in the hands of the Barraki. Fear for their homes led to the leader of the twelve major countries in the eastern Southern Islands, including Yheyn, to meet on the central island of Everok on the sixth month of the year to forge an alliance.

 

This new confederation was the Southern Alliance, and consisted of twelve minor counties joined together to defend their homes. Their combined military force never saw conflict with the League, who focused solely on the north. But the trade agreements formed at this time remained. The Alliances benefits outweighed all opposition and the decision for its continuation was unanimous.

 

Yheyn was the smallest and the most isolated of the Island-Countries, Gremost tired of annual visits to Everok, where the twelve islands’ leaders formed a Council of Twelve. He appointed a foreigner named Vamden to become his Ambassador and, eventually, declared him his eventual successor. During that time, construction of the Simmering Palace began – more for show than as a place of residence.

 

It is the eighth month of 3,692 AL. The citizens still mourn the five hundredth anniversary of Gremost’s passing. Vamden controls the country under the title of Governor with Turaga Jovalik appointed to Viscount and controlling affairs from the city of Sakrinil while Vamden himself sits comfortably in Summering Palace.

 

Despite these minor changes, Yheyn has been a static place of the millennia. But with so much opportunity for adventure, how much longer could that last?

 

Current Events

At the time, Yheyn is undergoing numerous possible events which can be deal with. Certain groups of characters are already in the middle of their own events, but the following still remain to be dealt with -

 

Mining Rights: The Governor of Yheyn is offering a reward to any and all who are willing to travel south in search of a new island that can be used for mining, after the sale of those to the north to Ampora. The rewards for this are a cut of all profits, along with the clipper ship Star of the South, one of the fastest clipper ships in the Alliance.

 

Late Night Thievery: Hundreds of years ago, the thief Midnight went on a number of raids, along with stealing the Legion Scepter from Count Gremost. After that, they vanished. Now, though, someone - or something - has come back, and has stolen from a number of shopkeepers. A few groups are already out, trying to track this down. The thieves distinctive trait is having left a strange crescent moon imprinted in the walls of all who they have stolen from.

 

Finding the Legion Scepter: The Yheyn Rebellion and Vermillion Dragon have both been trying to uncover any information they can on the mysterious Legion Scepter artifact from the ancient past. Recently, the Rebellion has tracked it down to the island of Nibar. However, upon arrival in the old Overlook Courthouse on that island, they were attacked by a powerful adversary - almost everyone is dead. Perhaps, though, your character is one of the survivors, or a latecomer?

Atlas

 

Note from GameMaster: This RPG does not employ the canon Southern Islands map. It is located in the upper right leg of the Mata-Nui robot (south-east of the Universe), with Yheyn being the furthest south. The twelve large islands in this section range from Yheyn (about the size of West Virginia) to Everok (about the size of Utah) in size. Hundreds of minor isles dot the seas.

 

The Southern Alliance controls all known islands in the eastern chain of the Southern Islands. In order of size, these islands are Everok, Ampora, Wulfath, Riffia, Fanik, Nui-Vatur, Tiyark, Kigym, Ibrak, Aztara, Acirma, and finally Yheyn.

 

For now the primary setting of the RPG is the Yheyn-Seas – the area directly around and including the Island-Country of Yheyn. Yheyn is a minor part of the Alliance due to its small size and population combined with its isolation. At the speed of a standard transport ship it would take a 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

 

For the original, full size map, click here. It is much larger, and even with a fast internet connection could take some time to load.

 

The Island of Yheyn

Yheyn may not have the most environmental regions in the Alliance, but it is fairly impressive for its small size. Inhabitants reside in the southernmost area of the island, which is rich agricultural land composed of rolling hills and fields. Much of this area is connected by canals and railroads and dotted with small settlements. To the north of this is a vast dungeon that blocks off deserts, badlands, and mountains. Some regions are volcanic. The only hospitable area here is the central forest (Karda-Vir), and the lake found within – a common refuge for rogue Toa and criminals.

The railroads are a necessary eyesore. While Sakrinil is the source of many of them, one must make the final couple dozen Kio to Shimmering Palace on foot. They are relatively new constructions, and prone to malfunctions.

 

Yheyn has two major points of interest –

 

Shimmering Palace – Shimmering Palace is the current seat of power on the Island of Yheyn. It is composed of marvelous zoos and shining, marble buildings that glimmer in the sunlight. The palace proper is the home of Governor Vamden, and staffed with some six dozen workers and nearly twice as many soldiers, many being foreigners. While only the central complex is walled, the cities well positioned towers and asymmetrical buildings add to its defensibility.

The Shimmering Palace is open to all who don’t disturb the peace, but those who cause trouble receive the worst punishments here. Only a few pass through the palace gates, and usually only to speak to the steward or captain-of-the-guard – very few have the privilege of speaking to the Governor himself.

People of Interest – Governor Vamden (Le-Toa), Steward Onuks (Ta-Turaga), Captain-of-the-Guard Elain (Ga-Toa)

 

Sakrinil – The city of Sakrinil is the largest in the Yheyn-Seas, housing some fifteen thousand residents of assorted races. It doesn’t extend far inland, instead being stretched for Kio along the coast. The city is rather wealthy, and compared to other feudal societies has a rather well-to-do lower class. There are still a few hovels and ghettos in the city where the lowest rung reside.

Since the Justiciars fall, and the construction of Castle Sakrinil, the city had been Yheyn’s seat of power. With the construction of Shimmering Power, this is no longer so. Within the Castle resides the honorable Viscount Jovalik, and elderly Turaga who was previously mayor of a small village before his appointment to the current position by Governor Vamden.

Though not common knowledge, most with basic understanding of the cities politics know Jovalik acts as a figurehead; a puppet for the guildmasters and a scapegoat for Vamden’s bad decisions. For this reason, he is mocked by the upper class. The reasons are unknown, but his loss of being in touch with reality is attributed to a few failed assassination attempts.

All of Sakrinil save the upper area of the Castle is open to the public. Its large size and spread out guards make crimes easier to get away with, as long as the attention of the Toa isn’t drawn – anything that causes smoke will likely result in trouble. It runs off of a currency system of widgets, but most citizens barter.

People of Interest – Viscount Jovalik (Ta-Turaga), Steward Tselkar (Ko-Matoran), Captain of the Guard Morvalk (Fe-Toa)

 

The Yheyn-Seas

Though Yheyn is part of the Yheyn-Seas, it has been excluded from this last due to the presence of its own locations and comparatively greater size. The more important isles of the Yheyn-Seas are as follows –

 

The Six Lights – These six highly volcanic islands are off the east coast of Yheyn. They are inhabited only by Rahi.

 

Moroni – Moroni is a cluster of five isles south-east of Yheyn. The first, nearly twice as large as the others combined, is a barren wasteland with the mountain Smugglers Peak jutting out from it. The mountain is close to 400 Bio high, with a base spanning many Kio. Its name comes from the many criminals inhabiting its mysterious, ancient ruins – huge stone fortresses and archways that point to a proto-Matoran civilization.

The first two smaller isles are coated by tropical forests and common places for criminals to hole up. The other two – one volcanic, the other a rocky waste – are less often visited.

 

Effrah – Effrah is composed of mountain ranges on the north and south with a loose, temperate forest squeezed between them. The only point of interest here is the village of Port Green Peak, located on the coast of the southern mountain/forest border.

 

Dajon – Dajon is a mysterious island coasted in thick, verdant rainforests. Mountains rise from points on the west, east, south, and center. It is the most recently discovered island, and remains mostly unexplored. The only ‘civilization’ is a few research camps.

 

Nibar – Known as the Serpents Isle for its shape – a great, twisting ‘body’ ending with a ‘head’ – Nibar is considered a cursed place, as it was the ancient base to the Justiciars, whose ancient fortress, Overlook Courthouse, is nestled among the coastal mountains. Along the lower (southern) area of the ‘body’ is a mountain chain which continues into the upper section along the ‘belly’ to the east. Everywhere else is coated in rainforests, save for the ‘head’, which is highly volcanic.

 

Frumus – Frumus is the only place in the Yheyn-Seas independent from the Southern Alliance and Yheyn proper, and has been so for 300 years. It is composed of closely knit fishing and farming villages, the largest being Fisherman’s Rise alongside a seaside plateau. The diplomatic treaty between Frumus and the mainland allows continued trade between it and the mainland.

Frumus is mostly flatland along the western and southern area, and is famous for its massive and unexplained canyons. A small area of the islands north is forested, with a few mountains along the far, seaside edge. The Rebellion rarely pose a problem to those moving through this countryside, but there are some bad apples in the lot.

 

Kantis – The final island of the Yheyn-Seas, Kantis is the only ore rich island that Yheyn retains. The southern coast is mostly agricultural, and provides supplies to the miners, whilst the eastern coast is a mountainous area. The remainder is barren wasteland, rich in ore but not much else – and the ore is running dry.

 

Leaving the Map

 

Heading north, east, or west of Yheyn is simply unproductive. You could head east or west, but there’s nothing there. And going north would be too much trouble for all involved – and require the introduction of an entirely new map. The goal isn’t to spread players out over all islands in the Alliance, after all. For those wondering, Yheyn continues off the map for another sixty or seventy Kio of volcanoes, barrens, and mountains past the edge.

 

The south, on the other hand, is open to exploration. Yheyn itself has many mysteries, so any who are interested in pursuing the main plot of the story would be advised to keep characters near the mainland. But there are all sorts of other stories that can be pursued to the south. Two have been discovered so far –

 

Misty Island – The Misty Island is large – how huge is hard to say. The northern coast is splintered by numerous rivers that all head inland. The Island is constantly covered in thick mists that reduce sight. To the south, mountain peaks can be seen – perhaps a valley could be found? Most of the island is flatland with a few small pools of water and depressions occurring across the grass. The inhabitants are a strange race of flying creatures.

• PS (GM) – These creatures are of the Dark Hunter Poison’s species. This island is open to all, but you cannot return to the mainland if you go here.

 

Forgotten Island – This island is the home to two warring groups of a massive species, that of the Order of Mata-Nui warrior Brutaka. These beings are incredibly powerful physically, and also possess mask powers; the full extent of their abilities are unknown. Kheflekar and Astorond lead the two factions.

• PS (GM) – This island is open to those who discovered it last game only.

 

What else lies to the south? That remains to be seen by you, and revealed by me. Note that any island tagged open to all means that you can travel there at any point. However, the distance from then to Yheyn means that you may never return to the mainland.

 

Species

 

The following chronicles the most common species on the island of Yheyn and the Yheyn-Seas –

 

Matoran – The most populous species of Yheyn, who form some eighty percent of the population. Most are workers – fishermen, smiths, millers, etc. – though, while most Matoran aren’t soldiers, most soldiers are Matoran. They make the world run.

Turaga – The revered leaders of the Matoran, who for the most part serve as sedentary jobs such as priests, scribes, sages, librarians, or judges.

Toa – The most powerful sub-species of Matoran, who act as their warriors and defenders. Most Toa are member of the Toa Code following Toa Council, or the Xankah Order, a less stringent group that also acts for the greater good. Some choose neither – either rogues, or powerful political figures. For PCs, the first is the only alternative.

Prime Species – There are six Prime Species in the Matoran Universe, with two encountered on Yheyn – those of Pridak and Carapar, the High Primes and Great Primes respectively. High Primes are of roughly Toa size, and usually either red or white with a secondary color. Great Primes are wider than their kin, and somewhat taller, with dark colorations for their natural armoring, which is incredibly thick. They are strong and tough. Both species can use Kanohi mask powers, and are naturally adept at their use. While rarely the best in any physical attribute, they are overall the most athletically rounded as a species. Finally, they natural leaders, and often butt heads when together – such conflicts pushed away three of the other groups of Primes; those of Ehlek’s species are nowhere to be found.

Steltians – The Species of Stelt are the third most common, after the Matoran and Primes. They come in many shapes and sizes – the Leader, Guard, and Slave types the most prominent – and are often associated with the cities crime. Their war like natural is held in check by the Toa Council and city-guards, and most in Yheyn are more concerned with material possession than battle – the reasons many left Stelt in the first place.

Vortixx – The Vortixx are a species boasting incredible strength, second to all but those of a few Steltians. They aren’t a very common species, but make up for it in deeds – most are master business, artisans, or conmen; usually, they are a mix of the three. The most advanced technology on Yheyn is mostly based on Vortixx development, using steam and clockwork.

Zyglak – A major problem on any mostly costal area like Yheyn is the Zyglak. Their numbers are unknown; their hiding places are impossible to find. This barbaric yet cunning species always remains a step ahead of their adversaries. They are the only species the Toa Council has not deemed the Toa Code necessary to follow when dealt with.

 

Factions

 

There are many factions available in this RPG. Aligning yourself with one presents many benefits and problems. If you don’t like the ones presented, I encourage you, rather than remain neutral, to group up with other players and form your own.

 

Primary Factions

 

Southern Alliance – Any character in this RPG lives under the control of the Southern Alliance. Even independent islands or groups, such as Frumus, have their fate resting in the Alliances hands. It is a large and powerful group. It’s representative on Yheyn is Governor Vamden, and it is based from the Shimmering Palace. He ensures that it continues its purpose of defending the Southern Islands against all threats, within and without, and sustaining trade and commerce.

Symbol – Black twelve-point star on teal background, twelve golden arrows firing from of the twelve points of the star

 

Yheyn Traders Guild – Guilds are common in the Alliance, but the Traders Guild on Yheyn is easily the most powerful of its kind. The Traders Guild is composed of multiple smaller guilds and merchant groups, and to some extent controls most everything on the island. All wealth on Yheyn rests in its hands. The Guild is controlled by a Vortixx named Guildmistress Sarillia and is based out of the city of Sakrinil.

The Guild was created to keep all businesses on an even playing field. Those who work with the guild can look forward to being successful as long as they continue paying its dues and following its rules. Refusing to do so results in ‘accidents’. Still, some are resolute in their refusal, and succeed on their own.

Symbol – Pile of silver and gold on a brown background.

 

Secondary Factions

 

Yheyn Coast Guard – The largest military force on Yheyn, which defends the coast line against Rahi (or worse). All without a criminal record are welcomed by their leader, the Ta-Matoran Commander V. Redblade. They are based from Port Wardens Stone in Sakrinil.

Symbol – A wave rising from a red sea, a white sun in the blue background.

 

Toa Council – The Toa Council is an ancient order of Toa with chambers across the Universe. The one on Yheyn is among the oldest, with the ones on Everok and Nui-Vatur its only elders in the Southern Islands. In the ancient past, Toa were forced to join it or go rogue. They were to follow the Toa Code to the letter or risk punishment. From these policies emerged the Xankah Order – though Toa were still forced to choose one of the two.

Members of the Toa Council may fight for another faction if they present a good reason for doing so. Only Toa can be members of the council, which exists to enforce the Code and protect the security of the Universe. In Yheyn, it is based from the Council Chambers within Sakrinil, and is led by Toa Sorlan, a Toa of Magnetism.

Symbol – Three Virtues symbol (Unity, Duty, Destiny)

 

Xankah Order – The Xankah Order is only a few thousand years old. It was founded by Toa Precentus, who hailed from Yheyn as a Matoran. It follows the Toa Council to some extent, but also the writings of its founder in The Role of the Toa. Under its teachings, enemies can be slain if it means preserving innocent lives. Precentus has long since left Yheyn, though the Order base on Yheyn is very large – larger than the Toa Council – due to his former presence.

Like the Council, the Order allows members to work for other factions. Members are usually granted more freedom of action, but the Order is more selective about who their members work with. All members are Toa, and follow the goals of protecting Matoran at any cost, and rooting out evil wherever it hides. They are led on Yheyn by Toa Pearaldra, a Ce-Toa, and based from a complex to the west of Sakrinil, near the Coast.

Symbol – Silver claymore over a light grey map of the known Matoran Universe; light green background

 

Guild of Sages (NPC) – The Guild of Sages is composed of a number of Turaga. All who seek knowledge of forbidden or forgotten lore may speak to the Sages… for a price. Their only goal is to accumulate knowledge, which they house in their base, the Great Library of Sakrinil.

 

The Vermillion Dragon – One of the largest criminal organizations is the Vermillion Dragon. Once based off of Sakrinil, its original leader was killed by the Coast Guard, and it was dispersed. Many small bases are scattered across the islands, composed mostly of smugglers and riff-raff. Over the years, they have driven out or absorbed other pirating and criminal groups, granting the Dragon unsurpassed power over Yheyn’s criminal underworld.

The Dragon seems to exist for only one purpose – making a profit. Most of these criminals are known for enjoying it, and a few of these pirates appear at least somewhat good of heart, though the majority outshine them. Though their original leader and founder, the Steltian Nuvinus, is deceased, there are numerous others who have replaced him – however, the struggling for power has left the Dragon splintered, rather than a whole faction. These minor operatives have bases across the Yheyn-Seas, though the largest is believed to be in a set of ruins on the northern jungle isle of Moroni. All are hidden well, to keep them safe from operatives of the Coast Guard or the Alliance.

Symbol – A vermillion scaled Proto-Drake with glowing orange eyes flying over a purple background.

 

Yheyn Rebellion – Within days of Vamden shedding the title of Count and becoming Governor, a small organization now known as the Yheyn Rebellion was formed. It has sworn to ‘free Yheyn from the Alliance and execute their spineless puppet’. Many of the rebels were miners on the small mining isles to the north, who were sent back when Ampora bought the rights to them. Though most are natives, foreign aid is accepted.

The Rebellion is a splintered group, with no true ‘leader’ per-say. The closest thing to that is Eydarian, a High Prime, though many others exist; thus, the Rebellion is truly numerous groups with the same goal – secede from the Alliance, and execute Vamden for treason. As with their leader, they have yet to rally behind one symbol or one base, though most are located on Frumus.

 

Parties and Guilds

 

The term ‘party’ in this RPG refers to any group of three or more PCs working together towards a common goal, along with any NPCs who are recruited with pay or the like to join them. It is a term used mostly out-of game (OOG), but sometimes in-game (IG) NPCs will refer to a group as one. Most players will, at some point, join a party for their own interests.

 

‘Guild’ is a term used both OOG and IG. Most guilds are formed by NPCs, and very large. However, any group of fifteen characters (possibly less, given enough influence) with at least five players between them (this is regardless) can form a guild. Guilds are official groups IG, and major factions will seek such a group to join with them. If a guild manages to establish a suitable base to work from, they may begin recruiting NPCs to join them. However, with this comes the possibility of many enemies…

 

To form a guild, the following form must be filled out –

 

[b]Guild Name: Founders, Leaders & Positions (Characters/Users):[/b] Here, all PCs who founded the faction are listed, along with if they are still members and what position they serve in if they are. All who hold some form of leadership position must have its name listed.  [b]Members (Characters/Users):[/b] Here, all PCs and NPCs in the faction are listed. [b]Emblem:[/b] [alternatively Crest/Colors/Symbol or whatever] [b]Goals:[/b]

 

Character Creation & Gameplay

 

Waves of the South is best described as – a text-based, plot-driven, open-world, exploration/adventure RPG. It is under my control as the GameMaster, and any Co-GameMaster I appoint. Of course, what’s important is you – the player, and your characters.

 

To Create

 

I request the following form is used for your character sheet; changes may be added if they enrich the profile in some way. Otherwise, leave it as is – using another character profile from another RPG might be easier, but most are a lot more stretched out than this one, which makes it harder to see where everything is.

 

[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]

 

A note I feel I must make –

 

Kanohi Masks – Masks can be three things – powers, appearance, and equipment. When describing a character, two must mention the mask(s) they use, if any. The appearance is used to describe what the mask looks like. In the equipment section, the mask itself (and its powers, if it’s a custom mask) is listed.

 

Describing Custom Species – You do not describe custom species in the gender & species section. Their appearance goes in the appearance section (but better be good), and the powers go in the power section. Back story can go in the biography. Other notes might be made in personality.

 

Gender & Species – You can play as a member of either gender for any race or elemental affiliation. When this section is made, you must phrase it in that order – gender, and then species. When describing members of a race, such as Matoran or Toa, that has affiliation to any element, add the prefix (thus Male Ta-Toa); if none exists, just place ‘of X’ (Female Turaga of Magnetism).

 

Biology – I do not subscribe to the frequent belief that Bionicle characters are primarily organic. There is very, very little organic to their bodies. There are no children; all beings come into the world fully grown and matured, and just… come into it. They appear where they need to appear at, or just happen to blend into the world as though they were never missing. How, exactly, all of this happens, is up to debate; those who come cannot say for sure exactly what it is either.

 

Red Star - For the sake of this RPG, the Red Star broke after the League of Six Kingdoms were defeated due to such massive battles that happened. Bodies in the Southern Alliance are backed up compared to the rest of the universe, and all but a few remain for at least centuries; many for much longer. Most new Matoran that appeared (above) were created by Mata-Nui.

 

The following are character creation rules –

 

You may play as almost anything, including members of custom species or beings with custom elements, as long as it isn’t something that seems overpowered. Botars species, able to teleport anywhere instantly, and Makuta, for obvious reasons, are not allowed. Likewise, outlandish powers or combinations of equipment and powers will be rejected.

 

Equipment is limited to stuff appropriate to the time period – technology is very limited in Yheyn. Most advanced stuff is either steam or clockwork, though no steam ships are seen. Some pretty cool stuff is being made, including things you wouldn’t see in the real world; the year 1900 in the real world is about the limit of technology, but most of the stuff from that point wasn’t even there. Gunpowder is employed, mostly for cannons, though a few handheld weapons are used (uncommon, though, as they were deemed inefficient by most). Natural resources from Rahi and the local flora is in common use. While onboard a ship, few employ heavy equipment, as it often hampers more than it helps – lighter, more elegant arms and armor are often used.

 

The personality, appearance, and biography sections must all be well detailed. Personality needs to be at least fifty words, at the minimum. Appearance needs merely be twenty, but this can be reduced to zero if a link to a picture, or a small one, is provided; shape-shifters need to provide their most common/favored/default form(s). Your biography needs to be one hundred words, which is an incredibly short description – less than some of these paragraphs. Make sure to include your characters age.

 

Finally, keep this in mind – your characters are exceptional. There are some NPCs who surpass their abilities, but they are the minority. While the average player cannot fend off two trained Toa at the same time, this being an almost impossible task, they can take on much greater threats than the standard NPC. You are the movers and shakers, and this is your story.

 

You may have five (5) characters at the start; if you played in the first Waves of the South, you can have up to six (6) characters instead.

 

To Play

 

As a player of this RPG, you must abide by the following –

 

1. All BZP Rules and RPG Forum Rules apply. Attempt to use proper spelling, grammar, and post formatting. You won’t get punished for it, but it’s easier for everyone else. Just don’t use emoticons.

2. No godmodding – you must be willing to lose. If your ship is surrounded by four others, it’s time to accept defeat. This branches down into not doing anything overpowered, auto-hitting other players, or bunnying other characters; see the BZP RPG rules if you are unfamiliar with these terms.

3. Comedy and romance is allowed, but limited. Doing something humorous or cracking jokes is allowed, but don’t act ridiculous. Romance is allowed as long as it’s PG and can’t be construed past that – the original Star Wars trilogy is a perfect example, but going past that is allowed.

4. No posts made solely in OOC. That is what the Discussion Topic is for.

5. You may have a heavy influence on the story, but if you try to do something world-shattering, you better have a good plan for it – your plan to murder the Governor had best be foolproof.

 

Punishments are –

 

First Offense – Warning! You only get one, so stop now.

Second Offense – A character receives a debilitating injury at the worst possible moment.

Third Offense – One of your character dies, and the slot is lost.

Fourth Offense – All of your characters die – somehow. You can only make one more character to try to return to good graces… after a 48 hour ban. But if you continue…

Fifth Offense – Your last character is lost. Leave now, and never return to this RPG.

 

In order to actually play the RPG, you need to fill out the character profile and post it in the Discussion Topic. Once approved, you may post it in the Profiles topic; after that, 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.

The Waves of the South Wiki

 

Waves of the South has its own Wiki, believe it or not. The Waves of the South wiki has been wiped as much as possible of forums or the possibility of forums; the only thing on the site are the pages. Players may create pages for their own characters if they desire to. All BZP rules and the like must be followed, and any offenses committed on this other site will be treated as though they were committed in the RPG.

 

Almost anything about the island of Yheyn and most of the factions found on it can be answered in the pages of the Wiki. The same can be said for a number of other Alliance Islands, if you wish to include some of them in your biography. It is still not complete, but has everything necessary for the RPG.

 

Consider the Following

 

Travel takes time. Keep this in mind when island hopping. As soon as you leave, you immediately place your entire ship into a different ‘time slot’ in the world – the only thing that works differently is the mainland, as until the time of your return is met, you may not return to it. To pass time, have a little IC interaction on the ship when heading to or leaving a destination. It’s an RPG, so role-play.

 

At any time, if the majority (75%) of players who are active wish to advance into the future, they may do so, changing the ‘main’ time (mainland time) to that time frame.

 

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 (though don’t expect epic fight scenes at the right moments).

 

With that said –

 

Thank You,

Toa Levacius Zehvor

Edited December 3, 2012 by Toa Levacius Zehvor

[otter]

Descent

(Credit to Dovydas for the name.)

“It’s been about fifty years since the war. The Agori and the Glatorian fighting against their former Matoran allies, devastating bioweapons used from both sides. It rendered the surface uninhabitable, even for them...or so we’re told.

Now we’re forced to live down in a Metro system we built about three hundred years after the Great Spirit came to us. It covers about one-fourth of this continent...That’s about 1/2 million square miles of space. And then, when you take into account the fact that we can’t cover all of that space or else we might have far too many cave-ins...

That brings it down to about 29,000 square miles of space, down underground, with about twenty miles in between every station-1,450 stations. There are about ten tracks in each tunnel, all connected to each station. But all the trains are burnt out, unable to work anymore. We use them as housing and administration areas in the stations, now.

Now the various stations are self-governing, some even allying all together to form their own governments. Sharing resources-food, water, weapons. Everything necessary for life. Some stations, though, are filled with things that we don’t even understand. Things from the surface.

And the Energized Protodermis. The Great Spirit’s body itself has been...decomposing, pretty much. Turning into the Energized Protodermis that it was synthesized from. Leaking into some of the tunnels and the stations. Mutating or killing anybody who touches it. Those stations are the deadliest, and they’re inhabited by the deadliest. Criminals, mutants, rashkshi... All we know is that those stations are dangerous. The worst part, though, is that some parts of the tunnels or the stations were made using panels from the Great Spirit robot.

There’s a dangerous swamp above us, in parts. And everywhere, there are places afflicted by the decomposition. Some tunnels have leakage of Energized Protodermis coming down the walls, or springing up from the tracks, pooling, making crossing them nearly impossible.

Now the war seems about to start again. In the underground. We aren’t fighting about the energized protodermis, no. This is a war for eradication. The Matoran Universe species control effectively half of the metro system, the southern half, near where their Great Spirit lies.

We control the northern half. There is a single line government splitting us apart-the Avo-Kra line. The Line of Light and Shadow. Poetic, we know. We felt like that when we were naming everything. That line is the only surviving area where those from the Matoran Universe and those from our planet live in peace. Under their control are three large rings and the lines within, interconnecting like a figure-eight with an extra circle on the bottom, extending deep into the territory of each side.

Skrall patrol the rings, guarding their borders. They allow nobody with weapons through their area. Toa and Glatorian patrol the centre lines, maintaining a more strictly regimented force than the squads of Skrall patrolling the area. Matoran and the younger Agori work as craftsmen, producing the best items in the entire system, with the Turaga, elder Agori, and elder Glatorian maintaining a sort of council over the area.

They are the largest unified faction in the entire system, as well. In the North and the South-especially the North-various singular governments have formed, generally warring within. In the South, they are better unified, but it still occurs, especially with the Skakdi.

Fighting continues, one group trying to dominate another, some stations maintaining independence from any sort of government, others completely unexplored-or uninhabited. Some stricken by plague. Others are used as trash heaps, where somebody might find any number of salvageable items. Or something more dangerous.

Och, I’m rambling again. The tunnel madness gets to you, down here. Like there’s always somebody behind you, watching you, breathing down your neck. Sometimes they give you a sense of hostility, other times they seem almost benevolent, like they’re trying to help you. Some people like to believe that there’s a second metro system, interconnected but hidden from this one. I say it’s all a bunch of brakas dung.

However, we can’t be the only survivors. There were other places, shelters constructed, locked away from the outside world, natural caves deep underground, some elders have even spoken of majestic airships that could have been far enough away to avoid the battle. We can’t be sure about the last, though.

Still, if we can’t contact any of those caves or shelters, we’ll run out of supplies. If we can’t get back to the surface, somehow, we’ll soon run out of space. It’s only a matter of time. If we don’t kill each other, we’ll all die from starvation or from continued deterioration, leading to collapse. Some stations have already suffered that already, as well. Cut off by the collapse of the tunnel systems leading to them, or by the collapse of the station itself.

We’re running out of time. We need a solution.”

-Last known written transmission from Administrator Kalen, of Drokan station, before collapse, one year prior to this date.

War has broken out in the tunnels. The Northern section is torn apart, the Glatorian and Agori fighting against themselves, each group fighting in the name of ‘peace.’ The South isn’t much better off, as a Toa by the name of Vitiate moves his army through the stations, slowly taking over the area. Some stations at the farthest reaches are maintaining their independence, or forming alliances to fight against his growing Empire.

Only the Avo-Kra line and its territory have escaped this fate, Turaga Vakama, Agori Raanu, and Glatorian Ackar maintaining control over the Union, as their government is called. Everybody there lives most similarly to how they did on the surface, and both the North and the South do not dare to attack them-partially due to their much stronger military, and partially because they don’t want to destroy the last true remnant of civilization.

However, they are getting more and more desperate. Transmissions from the other shelters constructed, entire underground cities, have stopped coming through, and there is no word from the deep tunnels.

We are well and truly alone, and we are killing ourselves. We are down to only one thousand stations in good repair, and only six hundred forty-two of those are inhabited. And the number grows smaller every day.

We need a saviour, not a conqueror. A hero, not a demagogue.

And we have nobody.

That’s where you come in.

We need explorers. Fighters. Traders. Workers. We need everybody. And you, the players, shall fulfill those roles. In fact, you will even be able to fulfill the roles of being station heads, as a reward. You need only to fill out a profile for the RPG-and guess what. No approval needed, from a staff member, unless it’s a custom species. Make your profile, post it up, and head out there.

Profile template:

Name:Gender and Species:Faction: (Avo-Kra Union, Empire of Flame, Skrall Revolution, Arena Fighters, Agori Federation, Independent Station, Make-Your-Own [if you’re good enough]).Powers: (At least a two sentence description.)Skills: (At least a two sentence description.)Appearance: (At least a five sentence description.)

Weapons/Equipment: (PM me if you think you're going for something exotic here.)Personality: (At least a two sentence description.)Biography: (C’mon, people, I want a full on paragraph at the least. No less than six sentences.)

Faction List

Empire of Flame: The largest faction so far, controlling nearly all of the Southern Stations. Led by the Toa of Plasma known as Vitiate, it is a nearly totalitarian government, completely centralized. Nobody oversteps their authority unless they want to be killed. It’s dark, and dangerous, and thoroughly lacking in normal morals but completely controlled by strict laws.

It’s easy to go against the law here. But if you’re smart, it’s also easy to rise up rather quickly.

Skrall Revolution: Led by Tuma, the old Lord of the Skrall, this faction is composed entirely of Skrall, Bone Hunters, Earth Tribe Agori, and the recently-reformed Iron Tribe of Agori. They have an equal military presence to the Empire of Flame, only slightly less powerful than the Avo-Kra Union’s fighting force, though they control less territory...but they grow larger, day by day.

Arena Fighters: A criminal organization, led jointly by Strakk and Malum, and suffering by constant infighting. The only faction where the devolved Vorox and the Zesk are accepted as something other than servants, besides the Avo-Kra Union. They don’t have too much officially recognized territory, but they have a presence everywhere in the North.

Agori Federation: The last remnant of the old government of Bara-Magna, controlled by a small council of Agori. They have a sizable force of Glatorians working for them, seeing as they are the largest faction in the North, though there are still many more Agori than Glatorians there.

Independent Stations: Independent stations are everywhere out on the fringes, governing themselves, entering into and breaking out of alliances all the time. They generally don’t have much in the way of a military or police force, but everybody has to work together in order to stay alive, so there’s next to no crime.

Avo-Kra Union: By far the largest faction after the Empire of Flame, though it doesn’t control the most area. It’s population density is like that of Metru-Nui’s, and the inhabitants live like they would have on Metru-Nui. Going to work, having fun, just living life like they normally would have. There are three central lines, the Avo-Kra line and the two parallel to it, and then the outer rings. The rings, being the only way into the Avo-Kra Union and through to the other end, are heavily patrolled by squads of vicious Skrall, each with at least one elite commanding it, and the three centre lines are patrolled by the most well-trained, most well-equipped force of Glatorians and Toa in the tunnels.

Station/Tunnel Construction:

The Stations, and the Tunnels as well, are constructed on a five-tier system. The stations are about the size one would expect of a station in, say, the real-life Moscow Metro, for each tier, with stairs and elevators leading down through the tiers. The rich live on the top tier, and the poor on the bottom, with the others living in between accordingly

.

Each tier is supported by thick columns, holding everything up, arched doors leading out to the tunnels. The top tunnels are the only ones that are perfectly safe to travel on, while many of the lower tunnels-and tiers of the stations as well-are being flooded by water or by advanced protodermis. The empty pipes along the tunnels and in the stations, originally used to carry fuel for the trains, are now used to transmit vocal messages between stations, but you have to have very high priority to be allowed to use these...and some of them are broken, as well, a mysterious sort of screaming blasting out from the rifts. Something that could easily drive somebody insane.

Map

Submissions allowed. No naming the stations, please.

Rules

1. No Godmodding2. No controlling the heads of stations.3. No controlling the heads of factions.4. Follow the profile rules.5. Each person has a limit of seven characters, at first.

6. No OOC only posts in the RPing topic.

7. Follow BZP Rules guys. Srsly.8. I’ll add on when I add on, gosh darnit.

Punishments

Warning 1: Simple warning. Just don’t do bad stuff again.

Warning 2: Alright, you’ve done it again. I’ll be nice. I’ll give you another warning. Be careful, though.

Strike 1: Okay, that’s three times now. Here’s your first strike. One character suffers a grievous wound/dies, and you’re banned for three days.

Strike 2: Now you’ll learn I’m definitely not playing around. Another character dies, and you lose any empty character slots-including the one of the character who just died. Sorry. Oh, and you’re banned for two weeks.

Strike 3: That’s it. All your characters die gruesomely, in a spectacle for everybody, to show what happens if you break the rules too much. Also, you’re banned for life.

Summary

War in the tunnels, unsafe surface without the correct protective equipment. This RPG is all for your writing pleasure. Read the rules, make your profiles, have fun, yadda yadda.

THIS IS FOR THE PLAYERS.

NOT FOR THE STAFF.

GO OUT. MAKE YOUR STORY. MAKE THE TUNNELS.

TAKE CHARGE, AND HAVE FUN DOING SO.

Edited December 2, 2012 by The Otter

[CAPUA]

The Jungle

Welcome to Brachos Manago, I hope you enoy your stay

Prison Population: One-Thousand and Fourteen

Sincerely, the Warden

 

Long ago, before the Great Beings even thought of Mata-Nui, they were busy constructing an entirely different structure. Upon being finished, this structure became known as Brachos Manago. Floating in the middle of empty space and a truly imposing structure; the facility only had one person. It was designed to be a prison and hold even the most powerful beings. The prison was spawned after the Great Beings realized that they needed some place to hold all of the... less than desirable members of their species. The most destructive and reckless Great Beings were sealed into the prison in which all of the Beings had contributed too. It is filled to the brim with traps and ultimately, proves to be inescapable. As the passage of time flowed and Brachos Manago became even more successful, it's name spread throughout the universe. Criminals from other worlds were also sent to Brachos Manago and eventually, the Great Beings had found a place to hide their projects and experiments that had went wrong. Finally, the prison grew to such a size that it became silly to imagine leaving only one Great Being to watch. This was why the Great Beings came together once more and fueled their energies to create a new race. Silver giants who expressed no emotion, they were made from metal and nearly indestructible. These things, they became the guards of Brachos Manago, taking the name of Exast. The Exast existed for one reason and that was to keep the prison in tip-top shape. Even after the Great Beings eventually dissapeared and left the prison grounds to the Exast, they continued to serve loyally.

 

That was until the day came that the Exast grew dissatisfied with the measly job the Great Beings had given them. As the prison continued to stagnate, the Exast eventually decided to do something about the slow death of the prison. Sending out airships designed by the Great Beings, the Exast marched onto every single world that harbored a criminal and captured them. There were no trials or judges, Brachos Manago was the final designation, regardless of the truth. With new prisoners pouring in, the Exast continued to hunt criminals and bring them to the prison. It is there that in Brachos Manago, the inescapable death hole, that these prisoners have found a new life. The Exast don't care if they wander the massive facility or if they fall to the traps that only they can detect... Like in any prison, there are groups and power plays. Those who have consigned to this fate and have no intentions of escaping rally together and are intent on taking over the prison populace. Others seek freedom and plan a rebellion against the seemingly unstoppable Exast. As a new prisoner to Brachos Manago, you must find your place and choose a side for your about to experience, 'The Jungle'...

 

The World

The setting of The Jungle takes place in a single, confined location and that is the prison facility known as Brachos Manago. An ancient detention center designed by the Great Beings, it so far has proven to be inescapable. The main reason behind this is that Brachos Manago is simply massive in size. Somehow, they were able to insert multiple environments into the prison and no one has explored the entire prison. Mysteries lurk in every corner, along with treacherous traps that were placed there many years ago. They don't prove less dangerous though. However, the true danger lurks beneath the main 'floor' of Brachos Manago. The prisoners on the bottom are the worst of the worst, ancient immortal beings who threatened the lives of thousands. They're trapped for the time being, but these prisoners wait the day that someone will one day find them and give them freedom.

 

The Exast act as prison guards, apparently living and training on the top floor of Brachos Manago.

 

Thykos Mountains: These huge mountains cast a shadow over the rest of the 'Jungle'. They're considered the coldest place on the island so those who prefer the climate will often travel there. With numerous tunnels and caves, it can be easy to get lost or provide an excellent enough hiding spot if one knows the terrain. Of course, the tunnels aren't safe at all, though. They'll often collapse if a person moves around too much in them. The mountains are even less stable and avalanches have being known to be caused on the slightest noise. The Mountains are also haunted by numerous Rahi-like monsters, including a race of menacing Yeti-like beasts that have no problem with eating passengers.

 

The Rave: A brutal place and the one where the most vicious of the prisoners hang out. Even the Exast rarely check on this place since it's filled with every criminal that one can think of. A bowl which descends into the ground slowly, it eventually expands into an entire underground cave. In this cave, gladiator matches are regularly held and every sort of violent, criminal entertainment can be found. It's also an excellent place for information, if you can stomach it. The most dangerous thing about the place is that a field of spikes is directly behind the main cave. The huge stone spikes are perfect when someone wants to make sure a person is dead. One fall and you'll be impaled on a gigantic, one-hundred foot spike that juts out of the ground. Finally, another terror lurks here. Parasitic worms called Zoyfon are known to visit. They'll attach to those who aren't accustomed to the Rave, using their body as a puppet. The Zoyfon are an experiment of the Great Beings that were unleashed once the Exast let the place fall into disrepair.

 

The Brush: Filled with quite possibly the tallest trees one will ever, the forest is seemingly never ending if you become trapped in. While the trees appear to be harmless, numerous creatures live in them, including violent Ape monsters and a small group of Zoyfon who slither through the trees, crawling down to ensnare a sleeping target. The'yre an excellent place to hunt though, since some of the least dangerous animals is placed in the Brush. It is also not uncommon to find a camp or settlement in the middle of the forest. Many prisoners have comfortably found a way to survive the Brush by spending time in it. The evils of the forest aren't to be ignored, though...

 

 

Rules (And stuff)Alright, the rules here are pretty simple.Don't be rude to other players.No godmodding. That means that you can't be more powerful than everyone else. If you attack someone, give them a chance to dodge, block, etc. You also can't fight forever without being hurt. The longer you fight, the more mistakes you make, the more injuries you sustain.You can eventually wield multiple elements, if you wish, but not immediately.You can't just travel through several kio of tunnel in two posts.Punishments:1. A small warning.2. A severe warning and you're banned for 24 hours.3. One character is crippled and you're banned for a week.4. One character is killed, the rest are crippled, and you're banned for 30 days.5. All characters are killed and you're banned for life.Rewards:If you RP well and participate in important events, you could be rewarded with the ability to wield more elements, be given better weapons and armor, be offered a position as a helper of the RPG, etc. Also, proper spelling and grammar don't hurt.ProfilesName: AmnorSpecies: ToaElement(s): FireAlignment: EscapeeWeapons: ShivArmor: Hard hatKanohi: KomauAppearance: Tall, thin toa of fire.Personality: Generally compassionate and forgiving, however has no tolerance for injustice.Biography: Amnor was grabbed from his home village on Voya Nui, where he was friends with almost everyone.Profile form:Name: Something BIONICLE sounding, okay?Species: Due to the nature of the RP, custom species are allowed. Nothing crazy, though, it has to fit with the Bionicle universe.Powers: If you're a toa, you start out with one element. Participate in escapes and exploration and you'll eventually get more. Other species may also get additional powers.Alignment: You can be an escapee or a guard.Weapons: You obviously had them confiscated from you if you're an escapee and can only have a shiv, a shank or maybe a slingshot or something. Guards start out with relatively good weapons. Again, participate and you'll get better stuff.Armor: If you're an escapee, you'll have only a hard hat, which most people ditch anyways. Guards are usually well-armored.Kanohi: No Legendary Kanohi. Custom Kanohi are allowed, within reason.Appearance: This is what your character looks like.Personality: I think you'll find a combination of body and mind to be best in this RPG. Of course, you can be a cripple or an imbecile if you so desire.Biography: This is where you put your character's past, among other things.

Edited December 13, 2012 by CAPUA

[Grantaire]

Some people would fight, others would cry. Some would fly, others would stand.

But, some are neither; there are those who simply sit, emotionless. Is it any surprise that we are all governed by them?

 

When the world collapses around you, when any year you know it will fall: when tribes with power immense beyond imagining are filled with hatred against one another, there are many reactions taken. Some will try to delay the inevitable. Others, to flee it.But those behind the scenes, the ones who actually have intellect, they plan. They flee and delay, but with a plan that long outlasts the present.And so, as countries move to tear each other apart, the race known only as the Great Beings tranquilly create. But perhaps tranquility is only the surface, a mood made to improve the harsh future they forge, and the harsher future their creations must face.Toa are created as workers. Beings to run, and beings to indwell within what would become fast the hope of the world; the plan beyond the present, and in ways the plan beyond the plan.But there is more, as these Beings know; all that is rational is unstable, and therefore unstable must stabilize unstable. A balance to the seemingly perfect race they have is found in the element of threat, and so the races of Rahkshi are created, to balance and protect, and in dire necessity, to exterminate.But all things for these Beings must be tested, and for them, war and desolation is the setting they prefer.

-x-x-x-

As hostility builds up between the tribes of Spherus Magna, the Great Beings are engaged in what they do best: creating. Following their failed creation of a massive robot over 40,000 years ago, they have been plotting an improved form of it, a plan that has been sped up and reshaped in view of the inevitable collapse of the planet.Unlike the first robot, this creation will be powered by forces generated by living beings, who will dwell within. However, like all their creations, they deem it wise to proceed first with experimenting. With the first thousands of models of the chief species to be used, they have decided to put a check-force into play: Rahkshi. On the surface harmless, armored rahi, they are intended to be a force at the ready for any time that the designated protectors are helpless. So, in light of this duty, the experiment is designed explicitly to see what success they can operate this, and to what success their new creations can resist.They placed the first Toa in a massive cavern, set them to found a world for themselves. The Toa grew into villages and towns, growing in peace. Then, as the Great Beings saw their time running shorter and shorter as hostility built up more and more between the tribes of Spherus Magna, they abandoned their initial idea of a gradual test, which would have taken hundreds of years. They released hordes of the first Rahkshi, first into the region of stone, then into the others. Taken completely by surprised, the Toa were swept away by the invading hordes of Rahkshi. However, the wave soon became their savior as the prototype Rahkshi, instinctively bred for the hunt, lost whatever central command they had. They roamed the lands in bands of between a half dozen and several dozen, with sometimes lone Rahkshi striking out on their own. This came too late for the Toa to repel them, as they too were split into similar sized bands. As they fought back, their weakened power and physical abilities became more and more apparent. The land settled into a sort of deadlock anarchy, with almost constant skirmishes.Hope seemed to vanish in the drudgery of survival, until something happened that was not expected. A mysterious shadowy figure who swept through the land, with Rahkshi and Toa alike fleeing before him, struck with an overriding fear. He built a small tower in the center of the stone region, and little was heard from him. The Toa gave him the name of Makuta, which meant to them 'silent watcher'.Then lights began to appear in the roof, sectoring it. Dim at first, they looked like nothing more than lightstones. Two things happened; six of them--one in each region--lit up with the brilliance of a star, a glowing green, while another six lit up a blinding blue. Mental knowledge poured into every being, Rahkshi and Toa alike. For the Rahkshi it was only a dim message; namely that the green lightstones marked great power for the Toa, and that the blue lights marked power that could also be employed by the Rahkshi. To the Toa, however, much more was given: it was revealed that each brightly glowing green light marked the location of a Kanohi mask of power, that would both double their elemental and physical strength, but also give them a special power, and that each blue light marked a weapons and equipment cache.And that is where the past becomes the present. The world is in turmoil, and Rahkshi and Toa alike are after the mysterious masks of power; the Toa to utilize them, the Rahkshi to destroy them. Small bands are forming, and alliances are being made and broken. But everyone knows one thing; the people who attain the masks will attain an edge over even Rahkshi.

Gameplay

The inhabitants of this land are, unknowingly, the lab rats of the Great Beings, stuck in a land made specifically to test them in every way possible. Squads of Rahkshi prowl about, slaying any of the land’s inhabitants they can find. Separated into duos, ragged bands, and at best a few dozen people, the Toa appear to be in a never ending stage of impending defeat against their far greater foes.However, a hope has recently surfaced with the news of Kanohi masks of power, seemingly the only thing that can help the Toa hold out and restore stability. One of these masks is available in each region, and the Toa and Rahkshi alike are following the stars to their location. Equipment caches are also appearing, this time with both Toa and Rahkshi trying to capture their contents.

 

The story is yours to make, and the actions of your character may well shape its future.

Locations

The world is set in one main cavern, built like six joined domes. Each dome has its own particular environment, and in the upheaval, different groups of people are heading to each region. Recently, lightstones have appeared in the ceiling, lighting particular treasures. The walls of the domes are impassible and unbreakable, despite the many attempts of Toa, and even a few Rahkshi, to destroy them. Before the lightstones appeared in the roof, six massive moons light the cavern.Cache MapLocationsTerrain

Takuna

(Region of Fire)

The top left region is the fire region, cut off from the others by a thirty foot wide lava moat, impassible except for three arching stone bridges, two in the east, one in the south. Beyond it, the land is an almost inhospitable wasteland of mountains, constant rubble, spikes rocks at every glance, all interspersed with lava streams and rivers. In the center of the region, a mountain taller than the rest lies. Surprisingly, it is not a volcano, but instead is home to hundreds of caves of varying sizes, many of which have recently become inhabited. The region seems to be perpetually hot and dry, and is mostly inhabited by Fire Toa.

Leaytha

(Region of Air)

The bottom center region is, surprisingly, an underground jungle. The tree leaves and vines alike are a pale green, but aside from that it appears like any other forest. Massive trees rise far about the rest of the jungle in many places, and the inhabitants (mostly Le-Toa) have built platforms and defenses in them. Rahkshi here have taken more to flying, and many toa have retreated to the ground or lower levels where they are slightly safer. Marshes break the unending canopy of branches in a few places, and in another a grassy plain stands, the only on in all of the region.

Galicos

(Region of Water)

The most lush and fruitful, but also the most dangerous of all the regions. Galicos is made up almost entirely of green pastures and brilliantly clear waters, interspersed with trees and in a few places, forests. The entire region used to be agriculture and in many places, there still stand farms, some still in use. On the plains, cattle still can be seen in herds, while others are no longer watched. However, because of the presence of Toa farmers and shepherds, Rahkshi seem to be perpetually stalking the land, with small fights to be seen wherever one looks.

Poriun

(Region of Stone)

The desert region of the land is one of the loneliest places, but also among the safest. The unending sand is broken by rock formations her and there, and beings in this region dwell in caves and canyons, relying on any oasis nearby, as well as whatever game they can catch. The hardy fire and stone Toa mainly dwell here, and as Rahkshi do not stalk this region as much as others, more are flocking in. However, as more Toa enter, more Rahkshi will follow, and the original inhabitants fear that soon their refuge will not exist. This region is honeycombed with small, jagged mountains, as well as canyons. It was the region where the Rahkshi first appeared, and because of this was the most decimated. The most notable part of the region is a tall mountain around the center of the region. No Toa or Rahkshi dares go there, as the imposing sight of the Makuta’s tower is always visible, and few are insane enough to attempt to approach it.

Onuiro

(Region of Earth)

Once the true underground of the underground land, Onuiro is one of the most dangerous regions. On the surface it is a broad, flat land, darker than the other regions, with small huts poking up here and there, many now ruined, and more simply deserted. Underneath, a maze like tunnel system originally ran throughout the region. However, these tunnels were the focus of repeated attacks by Rahkshi of Disintegration, and as such few remain in existence, and the inhabitants of this region have been forced out into the flat, featureless land, subject to frequent Rahkshi attacks. Those tunnels that still exist are among the most dangerous places in the entire region: for although they are often being expanded, they do not have many ways of escape, and are frequented by Rahkshi, and new tunnels are usually destroyed as swiftly as they’re made. For the most part, Toa in this region use the tunnels for a quick place to get away to take a breather.

Koiare

(Region of Ice)

Almost equal in level to the Region of Stone in regards to population, the Region of Ice is clothed in a seemingly perpetual quiet. It is always cold, and snow mysteriously, and frequently falls, leaving the land in perpetual snow covering. The lighting is at twilight level, making the land stark and dreary. The Rahkshi in this region have become excellent stalkers, often ambushing their equally sneaky inhabitants of the land; mostly Toa of Ice or Sound.

-Factions-

Even in this turmoil, factions do exist. Of course, most are far too small to mention, but there are a few larger ones. Mostly, however, factions will be formed by the players themselves.

-The Order of Light-

With about fifty members, the Order of Light is among the most powerful forces in the land. They are led by the Toa Jehu of Galicos. Although they almost always need new members, the Order is relatively hard to join, precisely because of their purpose; in the downfall of society, many toa have turned to robbery, murder, and other unsavoury deeds. The Order of Light, as their name implies, enforce a strict code of morality within their ranks. They were among the first to react to the news of the masks, and many fear what will happen when they come in contact with those masks; those within the Order worry that they will be corrupted by the potential of power, while those outside fear that they will prevent others from attaining them.

Within the Orders highest ranks a secret is talked of, one which few are privileged to know of. But what everyone does know is this; something is brewiung within them.

-Species-

 

Toa

Standing about six-eight feet in height, Toa are clad in lightweight, slightly cut away armor that, while not providing perfect protection, offers almost unimpaired movement. The armor itself is weaker and thinner than normal armor, meaning a longsword could break through, even though a broadsword or knife would likely be blocked.The face of a Toa is metallic, almost as strong as the armor, with easily distinguishable features, vaguely human like. The color of the Toa's starting armor is decided by their element, and their face is tinted the same color as the primary color of their element. A Toa’s armor however, can be any combination of the colors of his element; for instance, a Toa of Water could be completely light blue, or a mixture of blue and light blue.Fire: grants elemental control over fire heat, as well as great resistance to heat and flame.Primary Color: Red.Secondary Color(s): Orange, Yellow, Grey or Black.Earth: grants elemental control over earth, as well as the ability to sense vibrations in the earth, limited night vision, and some increased strength.Primary Color: Black.Secondary Color(s): Dark Grey, Purple, or Orange.Stone: grants elemental control over stone, as well as limited resistance to heat, great strength, and terrible swimming skills.Primary color: Brown.Secondary Color(s): Tan, Black.Ice: grants elemental control over ice and cold, as well as great resistance to cold.Primary color: White.Secondary Color(s): Grey, Black, Light Blue.Water: grants elemental control over water and moisture, as well as great agility and speed in the water, above average speed and agility on land, very good wind, and the ability to hold in breath for a great deal of time, perhaps thrice the normal or more.Primary Color: Blue.Secondary Color(s): Light Blue.Air: grants elemental control over air, as well as above average agility and speed (faster even than water) as well as exceedingly great agility and aptitude in the trees.Primary Color: Green.Secondary Color(s): Lime, Black, Dark grey.Sonics: grants elemental control over sounds, as well as a heightened memory of sounds, above average (not oversensitive) hearing, and lastly an ability to sense changes in the immediate area via sonar.Primary Color: Light Grey.Secondary Color(s): Silver, Gunmetal, Dark grey, and Black.Plantlife: grants elemental control over plants, as well as agility and speed in forests and jungles equal to Air Toa. They also have limited resistance to many plant based poisons.Primary Color: Green.Secondary Color(s): Brown, Turquoise.

Rahkshi

Rahkshi are not creatures of themselves, but rather tough suits of armor controlled by the sluglike Kraata. Their build is similar to Toa, although a little more hunched over and reptilian. They have no sense of feeling outside of their Kraata, and thus can survive being dismembered. Their head and back plates, where the Kraata dwells, are thicker and tougher than the rest of them, for if their Kraata dies, they become inanimate. Their faceplate can be flipped open from the inside and, with some difficulty, from the outside. Rahkshi almost always use staffs, often bladed, although sometimes they may use better weapons that they loot.All Rahkshi have the ability to fly, as well as having one special power. Their power is weaker than a Toa's but does not rely on elemental energy.Disintegration: grants user the ability to fire pale, transparent blue beams of energy which, upon contact, reduces whatever solid in their path to dust like powder.Primary Color: Blue.Secondary Color: Grey.Fragmentation: Grants user the ability to fire pale orange rays from them, which shatters any solid in their path.Primary Color: Brown.Secondary Color: Grey.Poison: Grants the user to fire streams of highly deadly poison, which can vary, depending on the user's intent, from paralyzing to killing.Primary Color: Pale Green.Secondary Color: Grey.Chameleon: Grants the user the ability to change their color and transparency, making them able to blend in with any environment, or simply disappear.Primary Color: Green.Secondary Color: Grey.Heat Vision: Allows the user to fire beams of searing heat from any part of them, although stronger from their eyes.Primary Color: Yellow (Keetorange).Secondary Color: Black.Shapeshifting: Allows the user to change their shape, although their mass must remain relatively the same. They can also not change their texture from their basic form (in other words if they have basic, protodermis armor, they could not shapeshift into protosteel armor).Primary Color: Grey.Secondary Color: Lime.Illusion: grants the user the ability to make solid or nonsolid light based illusions; solid illusions taking more concentration than non solid.Primary Color: Red.Secondary Color: Grey.Elasticity: Allows the user to stretch any part of his body up to fifty feet: this ability is not instinctive, so although dodging is easier with this ability, it is not automatic.Primary Color: BlackSecondary Color: Grey.

Name: Jehu of GalicosSpecies: Toa.Gender: Male.Kanohi: None.Appearance: A standardly built toa of Plantlife. His notable feature is that of an elaborate half-cape formed out of ltouch leaved grown together, ending just below his waist.Element: Plantlife.Equipment: An oval shield formed out of wood, light but touch and resistant against fire like most shields of Order members. He carries a rather ornamental military hammer at his side, although he is renowned for using elementally generated weapons in combat.Personality: Quiet and aloof, Jehu nonetheless is firm to keep himself away from the pitfalls of pride. Firm and yet merciful, h forms a character that many members of the order only hop to emulate.History: Jehu was a high official in the government of the now extinct republic that graced Leaytha. He drew a small force of fellow countryToa about him when the Rahkshi overran the land. At first merely a small resistance group it grew in power until it formed a formidable opponent to the Rahkshi. When Makuta came through the land, his focus changed. He sent scouts to follow the Makuta, and they never returned. From then on, he began to prepare his forces for whatever was to come.

With the appearance of the Kanohi, there is little telling what he will do.

 

 

-Caches and Kanohi-

Each (real time) week, six new caches and Kanohi will be added, regardless of whether or not the previous caches and Kanohi have been claimed. The general location of the Kanohi will be given by the lightstones, and shown in a grid-map. However, the Kanohi and caches will take a some small bit of finding.The contents of the caches and the power level (Noble or Great, with maybe even an occasional Nuva mask thrown in) and power of the Kanohi will be decided before they are announced. However, the players will not know their nature until they claim the item(s).-Teams-

Civilization is shattered, and enemies are many. Allying with other players is encouraged, and can entail being able to control NPCs.-Small teams. Probably the majority, these teams must have a minimum of two player characters, and a minimum of two players. The small team is entitled to 4-10 NPCs (given by the GMs), depending on the size of the team.-Large Teams. These must have a minimum of six player characters, and a minimum of four players controlling them. They are entitled to 8-20 NPCs, although in exceptional circumstances they may have more.-NPC numbers will be decided by the GMs, except for when a team wishes to have a number at or below the minimum for their team size.-Teams may be made up of either Toa or Rahkshi. In exceptional circumstances (and I mean, you’d better have a pretty darn good reason) they may be mixed, at the discretion of the staff.-Each player may have up to two NPCs not affiliated with a team; please list them in your post in the profile topic. You must have at least one PC in order to have NPCs.-Submitting teams. Once you have the valid format for teams submit it in the discussion topic like you would a profile, following the following format.Name: Whatever team name you want to give, if any.Team form: Small or Large.Alignment: Are they for the Rahkshi? The Toa? Other purpose?Player Characters (list any special position they hold): Who are the player characters on your tea? List their name, who controls them, and what position, if any, they hold.Player Leader: Is a specific player in charge of the team? If so, note here.Team Description: What’s your team about? For? Stuff like that.Team Backstory: How did your team get together?Affiliated NPCs: Give the details concerning the team NPCs in as much detail as you wish.

-Character Creation-

Profiles are to be posted in the discussion topic for approval. When approved, they are to be posted in the profile topic. There can only be one post per player in the profile topic. Players must post their character in the profile topic before playing; this is so that an accurate record is kept, and characters can be easily found. Each player may have up to four characters.-No Kanohi. Kanohi can only be gained through the Kanohi deposits or caches (although the second is likely to give at best an occasional Noble mask).-Only Toa or Rahkshi. These are the only playable species, unless you want to play as a Brakas or something. Not that I have anything against it, but yeah; no Skakdi or Matoran or anything.-Some elements are outlawed. Fire, Earth, Stone, Water, Ice, Air, Plantlife, and Sonics are the only elements allowed at this point.-Some Rahkshi powers are outlawed. Disintegration, Fragmentation, Poison, Chameleon, Heat Vision, Illusion, Shapeshifting, and Elasticity are the only allowed Rahkshi powers.-Without Kanohi, elemental power is weakened. Without Kanohi, generating their element depletes a Toa's elemental energy greatly, to the point where if, say, a Toa of Fire kept up a sustained blast of fire, they would run out of elemental energy within a minute. Aside from that, their power overall is halved. Lastly, a Toa, regardless of Kanohi, can only absorb their element in order to recharge elemental energy in limited amounts; a Toa absorbing their element could go from no elemental power to full or near full power within an hour or two, but not in a minute or two. Nuva blasts are outlawed, except with GM permission (if you wish to use one, you'd better have a good reason to present to a GM before you use it).-Toa Kaita are allowed. A Toa Kaita has the elemental energy of three Toa: meaning that if three maskless Toa united into a Kaita, that Kaita would have 1.5 times the regular elemental energy and power of a normal, masked Toa. The Kaita also combines all masks worn into a single Kanohi, which can have between one and three powers, depending on the amount of Kanohi wearing Toa in the union. They are also faster, stronger and more agile than Toa; their abilities are the combined mental and physical abilities of the three Toa in the merge. There are, however, two catches. The first is that the users in a Kaita must be controlled by three different players. Secondly, if the three are not unified, the Kaita will have a condition ranging from multiple personalities to downright mental collapse, or simple unmerging.Name: Please keep Bionicle, with no canon names.Species: Toa or Rahkshi only.Gender: Male Female, unknown, etc.Kanohi: List the Kanohi you capture here (no character may start with a Kanohi). Ignore this is your character is a Rahkshi.Appearance: Give a good description of your character or a picture. Keep in mind that all Toa and Rahkshi start out with the usual basic armor; that is, basic hand, arm, body, and leg protection, although not as well covering as plate armor, nor as strong.Element/Rahkshi Power: one power per character. And no, a Toa may not have a Rahkshi power, nor the other way around.Equipment: Keep weapons basic. Think of crossbows as the most advanced weapon you can have. If you get weapons and armor from caches, please list them here. No Protosteel weapons or armor are allowed to start off with, although they may be in caches.Personality: What is your character like? Please remember that Rahkshi, although rational, have much stronger instincts than the Toa.History: Keep in mind the setting from the character's perspective. If he's a Toa, then his memories are basically growing up in this cavern. A Rahkshi would only really remember being released into the cavern and wrecking destruction.Other Notes (Optional): Have anything you want to add about your character that doesn't really fit elsewhere? Do so here.

-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.-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. In short, no metagaming.-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 Rahkshi, and you have a broken leg and low elemental energy, you're going to die. The meter is this: When staying alive falls under auto-dodging/invulnerability, your character dies.-The staff reserve the right to stray from the canon. This can already be seen by some liberties in the backstory; the Core War developing slowly instead of all at once, the Great Beings creating Makuta, and some other things.-The lands are not safe. Remember how travel was in the Dark ages? It was considered a great achievement in one situation when a girl could travel the length of Ireland, wearing a golden ring, without being attacked. This land is even worse than those times. Rahkshi are everywhere, so traveling is a harrowing experience of dodging them, and trying to remain unnoticed. The Rahkshi tend to have it easier, but even so Toa will often attack lone Rahkshi, or Rahkshi traveling in small groups. The same rule applies: you are not all powerful, there is no such thing as police, and there are enemies everywhere. This rule greatly relies on players’ honor and honesty, as it isn’t the easiest thing for staff to regulate.

-Warnings-

Any degree of warning may be given repeatedly, or only once (for instance, for repeated infringement of a very minor rule a person might get two 5^thdegree 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.

Edited December 12, 2012 by Zarayna

[- JL -]

== Beneath Their Eyes ==

 

By JL

 

Intro

 

Humanity. The first race of sentient beings to traverse the planet they call, Earth. But as they evolved, they created. They conspired. They created. And what originally was a hobby for a bunch of kids turned into the creation of the second race of sentient beings: Beings made of Plastic, but existing just as humans do. Bionicles. Life force imbued into the most unique, created by humans. (Meaning, all the ones created by Lego that were mass produced? Whatever holy power it was that gifted the Bionicles, obviously didn't see them as unique.)

 

Well, they aren't really Bio-Mechanical, but there isn't any other good name for them. Plastics? I think not.

 

Years passed after their creation, and soon, they grew jealous. Were they to be played around by drooling little kids? Dropped on the floor? Muddied? Sat on? Melted? Bent? As Optimus Prime once said, Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. So why were the Bionicles all locked up, trapped, while the Humans, who didn't have the amazing supernatural powers of the Bionicles, get stuck? To the Bionicles, it seemed like they were servants; Alive, but only to each other; To humans, just toys.

 

And so, it began. Events transpired, and a single MOC decided that he had had enough of Humans treating him badly. And so, began a journey, between Bionicles and Humans, transpiring into a plot inducing changes as to who would be the dominant race on the beauty called Earth. But this single MOC didn't have a shared opinion. Humans being toys? Not really. Other Bionicles rose, idolizing Optimus Prime in the right way, and started the fight for freedom.

 

And that is where you come in. Are you a jealous MOC, helping the one who started this civil war? Are you a warrior, one who stands beside the idols of freedom and justice to all? As the plot of this story centers around the majestic little area called Red Sprint, centered in an english-speaking country, you will be the one who can change the fate of the world. But remember, that forevermore, Bionicles are always Beneath Their Eyes. And it must stay that way, until this fight reaches its apex.

 

Oh, and just a tip for y'all Bionicles: Stay away from Cats and Dogs.

 

== History ==

 

Bionicles are a technological, evolved race. (Because of the fact that humans had already developed But their history is very short. Created in 2001, the first ones emerged when creative kids broke apart their lego toys into pieces, and used it to build their own creations. By 2004, the world was already filled with these Bionicles, horrendously called by Humans as 'My Own Creations'. By 2007, many of the parts that Lego released for their Inika and Mahri toy sets were used for easy MOCS, and by 2010, the ending of Lego's Bionicle toyline, the numbers were massive.

 

Most MOCS were brought alive during the 2006-2008 sagas of Bionicle, including the MOC who started TACTICUS, a major underground internet movement that revolved wholly around Bionicles and their injustice by humans. When TACTICUS rose in 2007, a month later rose SONIX, a group of Bionicles who understood that without humans as a dominant race, Bionicles wouldn't exist. These 2 groups clashed for the next few years. As this happened, economy started to fail, TACTICUS having agents in major countries causing damage to human economy while SONIX trying to help the humans. In the end, though, very little humans actually knew that Bionicles were alive.

 

By 2011, TACTICUS and SONIX's leaders both know of each other, and their whereabouts: Red Sprint, a human town. Many operatives of TACTICUS and SONIX headed towards the Red Sprint area as well, as conflict there grew.

By 2012, tensions were already amazingly high; Many omens have told of 21/12/2012 as the date of the end of the world. Higher ups of TACTICUS and SONIX knew that this omen only pointed out the start of a new world, and many Bionicles thought that it would change drastically. This would not be true; It would only start to change.

 

== Red Sprint ==

 

Red Sprint is the location where the factions of TACTICUS and SONIX are both based in. It consists of a town, also named Red Sprint, a shopping mall, an apartment complex, forests, rivers, mountains, an ice-skating rink, town pool and lake. It is located in a valley, and the large-ish mountains surrounding it also have varying climates. While not hard for a human to exist in, Red Sprint is big. For Bionicles. Houses and streets also dot the area.

 

In the town, there are several points of interest. There is:

 

Mall - Where many supplies, shops, and food stores can be found. This is also one of the places where Bionicles can heal; The Toy Store there is considered to be a hospital for Bionicles.

 

Apartment Complex - Where a lot of rich humans live, many Bionicle sets can be found living here.

 

Town - Simply the area of the town, a lot of houses, random shops, food places, can be found.

 

TACTICUS Base - A house, number 212 on Green Run Street, that is one of the only houses run only by Bionicles. Very rarely do Bionicles know of its address; Most of the operatives of TACTICUS are contacted through the internet.

 

SONIX Base - Similar to the TACTICUS base, it is simply a house fully run by Bionicles. Very rarely do Bionicles know of its address; Most of the operatives of SONIX are contacted through the internet. It's address is number 117 on Infinity Road.

 

Beach - The southern edge of the Red Sprint area is a long beach, which borders the land and the pacific ocean.

 

Outside of the town is just a big assortment of less-explored lands by both Bionicles and Humans alike. If you know what a valley is, you'd know what is outside of the town. Except maybe there a bunkers, bases, and houses constructed.

 

 

Leaving Red Sprint? To the north is an airport. Chances are, you'd never get past Airport security. That can be skipped; Getting on a plane can not. However, they do have a big mall, and quite a lot of the cool stuff you'd find in an Airport. But a Bionicle cannot get on a plane and leave Red Sprint without sneaking into baggage. And when that happens, you won't be able to return. TACTICUS and SONIX love having Bionicles leave. They won't let you back in unless you are the top of their group. To the east and west of the valley, there are other towns and living areas. However, the highway leading to and from these places requires human cars, and actual humans. Unless you have one; Which you dont.....the only way to get to these places are through the valley. Unless, of course, you realistically acquire a car and a human. Somehow.

 

And to the south is the Pacific Ocean. If you really want to go into the vast expanse of water, nobody can stop you. Except the lifeguards. And there's nothing there.

 

There is, though, and island, which only the strongest of Bionicles have ever been to.

 

When travelling in Red Sprint, Be REALISTIC! Humans are everywhere, here and there, even though it isn't densely populated. In the mall, there is bound to be people. And Bionicles need to keep out of their way.

 

==Species==

 

Different types of Bionicle's exist. There are tons of species, due to the amount of Custom MOCs that humans have made. However, there is also a lot of similar Bionicles based upon Lego's different species. These include:

 

Matoran: Rarely existing, they do have physical battle prowess, but have no special powers. They are much less noticeable by humans.

 

Toa: The most prominent species of Bionicle's that exist in Red Sprint, they form up much of the factions and population. They all have elemental and mask powers, some even with custom powers thanks to their MOC creators. However, Toa of Light and Toa of Shadow are rarely found, due to the fact that they were either killed by TACTICUS or SONIX due to the amount of threat they possess. They are the most noticeable by humans. Powers not allowed: Light, Shadow, Any Mind Reading/Changing powers.

 

Glatorian: Stronger, Faster, and generally physically more powerful than Matoran, but nearly as noticeable to humans as Toa.

 

 

Skakdi and Vortixx have rarely been created in MOCs, and even less of them exist in Red Sprint. Most Skakdi and Vortixx have jobs for TACTICUS or SONIX, using their technological prowess to help in the faction's respective jobs around the world. You cannot be a Skakdi or Vortixx. (Exception: Custom Species)

 

Makuta are just about extinct. Too many MOCers/MOCists have been unoriginal, and made their Toa wreck their Makuta. You cannot be a Makuta. (Exception: Custom Species)

 

Nobody has ever really built Turaga. Neglected, the ones that were built really just pulled their own heads off.

 

Custom Species': They exist. If you want one, send RPG Staff a message. Skakdi, Vortixx and Makuta can classify as this.

 

== Factions ==

 

SONIX: Considered as the 'Good' faction, but not generally consisting of good Bionicles, SONIX is the faction that wishes to stop TACTICUS' plan, whatever it is. You can have a player be an operative, but being a top operative requires good RPing. If your character is good enough, he'll be approached. Much of SONIX's information is displayed on the internet; Most communication happens there. Anything relating to Bionicles, though, isn't. The Leader is named Sonik, Toa of Shadow. They have a base in the town of Red Sprint.

 

TACTICUS: Considered as the 'Evil' faction, but not generally consisting of Evil Bionicles, TACTICUS is the faction that wishes to flip the tables on the humans, taking over as the dominant species. You can have a player be an operative, but being a top operative requires good RPing. If your character is good (Or bad) enough, he'll be approached. Much of TACTICUS' information is displayed on the internet; Most communication happens there. Anything relating to Bionicles, though, isn't. The Leader is named Tiliux, Toa of Light. They have a base in the town of Red Sprint.

 

Freelancers: A Group of Toa who simply want conflict to end, they are simply led by someone who goes by the alias of 'Leader'. All Freelancers must be a Toa character. Freelancers can fight with or against other factions with good reason, but never with each other, although competition with each other is approved.

 

-Your own Factions-

 

A faction in this RPG refers to a group of 6 or more characters working together. They can either be part of another faction and work with them, or work alone with their own objectives. Once a working base is created, they can start recruiting NPC's to their cause. (NPC's must be approved by the Game Master first. Simply sending them a PM will suffice)

 

To create a faction, you need at least 2 players. One of the Out-Of-Game leaders must fill in the following form and PM it to a Game Admin/Master.

 

Guild Name:

Founders/Leaders (In-Game + Out of Game):

Positions and Ranks (Include what they do):

Characters (All Player Characters involved + Exact numbers of NPCs. List out their positions/ranks):

Goal(s):

Emblem (Optional):

 

== Gameplay and Characters ==

 

Beneath Their Eyes is a text based, open-world, plot driven sandbox action/adventure RPG. It is under the control of the Game Master (Me) and any Game Administrator appointed. However, it is rare that we will intervene in gameplay; And if we do, chances are we just want to play as well.

 

-Create-A-Char-

 

No, we're not creating Char Aznable. Here, gives guidelines and rules as to what you must do to create a character. First of all, here is a character profile that I would request you to use. It isn't required, but you must use something similar.

 

Name:

Gender:

Species:

Alignment/Faction:

Powers + Skills:

Mask:

Element:

Equipment:

Appearance:

Bio + Personality Description:

 

Now, on to customization and balancing.

 

Custom Species' are allowed, but you must send in their powers and abilities as a species to a Game Admin/Master. Chances are, we'll approve, but modify a bit of what you send in if we see it needs it. This rule goes on to Custom Elements, Powers, Masks and Equipment. Things you need to describe for a custom species: Powers + Skills (Include if they have elemental/mask powers) and appearance. Anything else, you can add as well.

 

Now, about Equipment: In this game, this will be quite different. We have normal things; Swords, Shields, etc. We have the things found in this game, like Keychain Baseball Bats, or Duct Tape, etc. Then we have special equipment. Toa are allowed 1. Matoran and Glatorian are allowed 2. Custom Species needs balancing; You can give a suggesting, and we will try in our best ways to allow it while keeping it balanced. Special Equipment, what is that? You may say. Well, here's an example. 'Flight Gear for a Toa' or 'Bike-like vehicle for glatorian' or 'Invisibility for a matoran'. Equipment can be many things; It just needs approval. Special Equipment isn't allowed; But if you have it, place it in 'Equipment'.

 

Pre-Approved tech (Glatorian and Matoran): Limited control over an element (Not Light or Shadow), Vehicles, effects similar to a Kanohi.

Pre-Approved tech (Toa): Effects similar to a Kanohi.

 

Now, one more thing: NPC's and PC's in this game are not weak. One Player Character (PC) can hold off an average joe NPC easily. A good PC can hold off several NPC's at once. But in a PC vs PC fight, be realistic. And remember; In a Staff-controlled-NPC fight, chances are, you need to try harder. Against a staff-PC? That's when you don't need to be so tense.

 

-Rules to play-

 

1. All BZP Rules and RPG Forum Rules apply to this game. Please use good grammar, spelling, formatting and punctuation.

2. No godmodding. Meaning no unrealistic things. Found a loophole in something? Feel free to use it. But you didn't? Then it's not ok for you to just 'win'. Bunnying, Auto-hitting, Meta-gaming and anything of the sort is not allowed unless you are doing it to a character whose player has allowed it.

3. No OOC only posts. If you need to do it, Discussion or PM are great ideas.

4. Comedy is allowed. Romance, a bit less. Nothing over the top.

5. You can create your own plots or influence the main plot, but you can't stop the main plot, nor can you have a crazy plot without planning and approval. No destroying major locations too, please.

 

Punishments for the violating the rules:

 

First Offense: Warning.

Second Offense: Unstoppable Karma.

Third Offense: Worse Karma.

Fourth Offense: All your characters, die, except one. This depends on your RPing. Your 1 character becomes your limit, and you are on probation until we deem you can continue RPing. This doesn't reset your offenses.

Fifth Offense: Say Bye.

 

The second and third offense punishments can come without a warning. If you wish to report another player, send a PM to an Admin/Master, and they will deal with the issue as they see fit.

 

Minor Offenses: These are when you violate the rules, but not in a major way. You won't take an 'Offense' mark that can cause you to get booted from the game, but you will suffer punishment on the first-second level.

 

 

-How to Play-

 

<IC: Character Name + Location>

 

<Post your stuff here.>

 

The above format is the one I would prefer you to use. IC tells us you are playing as the character, the character name tells us which one(s) and the location helps us determine where they are. You don't HAVe to use it, but it needs to be good. Please, your characters do not have Insta-Knowledge. Keep meta-gaming from happening. Things that might be widely known, such as, perhaps, something major placed on the News, can be known, but if someone else's character's decides that your character is going to be attacked, your character won't all of a sudden know it.

 

-Game Admin and Master-

 

In this game, I will control certain NPC's. This includes Sonik, leader of SONIX, Tiliux, leader of TACTICUS and 'Leader', leader of the Freelancers. If you want interaction from them, PM me. I will also have 1 Player Character made for enforcing the rules, and 1 Player Character just for fun. Both will be involved in the plot, somehow.

 

The Game Master and the Admins will simply make sure people obey the rules, and if they don't, punish them.

 

 

== And just some stuff you might want to read ==

 

Your Bionicle Characters live in a Human town. They are created by humans, and certain traits are taken from them. While we don't have reproduction in this game, we do have age, and we have food. All your characters need to EAT. Whether this is a Hamburger from McDonalds, or a 12 oz. Rib-Eye Steak from a 5 star restaurant, it is required. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are guidelines. You don't need them, but you need the food.

 

Time exists. The entire games life of 12 weeks might only be, In-Game, a week, but please, lessen the insta-travel.

 

And then, Puzzles and the Plot. If you want a big place in the plot, PM me. If you want to simply integrate your character into it, do it IC. But this game's plot doesn't revolve around PVP. It revolves around exploring. Adventuring. And while most of this you can do yourself, I can - And will, request or no, give your characters challenges.

 

 

And with that said....

Thanks in Advance

-JL

[Jedi Knight Krazy]

Thirst of Carto-Nui

 

It was six months since the drought began. Koriki shook his canteen, willing it to release just one more drop of life-giving liquid protodermis – or as most Matoran called it, “water”.

 

Koriki’s village of Le-Matoran had been hit the hardest, without a doubt. Their home on the north-east side of the island was a greedy forest that soaked up all of the moisture in the ground. The Ta-Matoran, on the west of the island near the volcanoes, struggled as well with the constant heat. The only village that had enough pure, drinkable water left was the Ga-Matoran, who lived near the lakes on the south-east side.

 

When the drought was young, the Ga-Matoran had happily shared their abundant resources with the other two villages, but as their supplies drained, the Ga-Matoran limited the amount that they shared. When the Ta-Matoran had begun to complain about their rations two months ago, the Ga-Matoran cut them off entirely. In response, the Ta-Matoran declared war. Now, even the Ga-Matoran’s water supply was beginning to dwindle, and they had sent repeated warnings to the Le-Matoran that they could not support their needs much longer.

 

But the Le-Matoran had one plan left – a sacred artifact of their people, symbolically kept for a time of need. No one had ever believed that time would actually come – or that they would be forced to give the artifact away.

 

Koriki looked down at the small sack he carried, careful not to touch the glowing Toa Stone within. Though the Le-Matoran had kept the Stone for a future Toa of Air to defend their home, their Turaga Lakkin had realized that a Toa of Water was what the entire island needed.

 

Koriki stood by the gates of Ga-Koro. “A gift for the Ga-Matoran!” he cried.

 

A whistling sound came from his right. He turned, curious what was making it. Just then, his companion fell to the ground, clutching the arrow in his chest. “Ta-Matoran!” shouted the captain, as the small part of Le-Matoran scattered to more tactical positions.

 

Koriki, lacking any weapons or defenses, as was traditional for a gift-bearer, simply fled. He heard another whistle. As he twisted his head to try to see where it was coming from, he tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground. The Toa Stone flew out of his hand, and without thinking, Koriki lunged to catch it.

 

Power surged through his body as his fingers closed around the Stone. “No!” he shouted as he felt himself changing, growing, gaining power. When it was over, he scrambled to his feet, still holding the now-inert Toa Stone. He looked at himself – he was a Toa… and he had just stolen the island’s only hope.

 

“Koriki!” called another Le-Matoran from several bios away, who hadn’t seen what happened. “Get back to the-ungh!” Koriki could guess why he stopped talking.

 

Filled with rage, he ran back into the open, where Ta-Matoran were slaughtering what was left of his party. Koriki thrust out his arm, willing the air around him to do the same. The Ta-Matoran flew backwards. The ones who weren’t killed by the force of the wind broke their spines when they landed.

 

Koriki looked up at the gate tower, where a Ga-Matoran stood guard. “You have doomed us all, Le-Matoran,” she said, and walked away. Koriki, unable to disagree, started his journey back home to tell Lakkin of his failure. No one would attack him on his way.

 

 

Location and Factions

 

 

Please excuse my horrible drawing skills...

 

 

Thirst of Carto-Nui takes place on an island called Carto-Nui – “The Great Ring”. It has faced a severe drought for six months and its three villages are on the brink of war.

 

Le-Wahi

 

The North-East side of the island is a large forest, home to the Le-Matoran. Since the drought began, the forest has gained a noticeably brown tint, but it is still a peaceful place – unless you have angered its inhabitants.

 

Besides the many dangerous wild Rahi that live in the forests, you would be wise to avoid the Le-Matoran unless you are on their side. They are cunning, stealthy, and agile. If everything goes according to their plans, you’ll never see them before you have a dagger in your back. In direct combat, they will fight ruthlessly to protect their dying home, without any thought to their own safety.

 

Though the Le-Matoran import some technology from Ta-Wahi and Metru-Nui, they generally prefer to keep their home natural, hiding mechanical conveniences deep in the heart of the forest where they won’t be visible unless you’re looking for them.

 

The previous water rations that the Le-Matoran received from Ga-Koro are pending renegotiations following the failed gift of the Toa Stone, and the Le-Matoran are not optimistic that the agreement will be favorable.

 

Ta-Wahi

 

The entire Eastern side of the island is a dark, volcanic region. There are two active volcanoes there, known to the unimaginative Ta-Matoran as Mount Northern and Mount Southern. Though Ta-Wahi is geographically larger than either Wahi, the Ta-Matoran stick to the center of the region, where there is less danger from lava flows.

 

The Ta-Matoran are industrial, forging powerful steam-powered machines. The other villages consider the use of steam power wasteful in the drought, but the Ta-Matoran are undeterred, though their latest machines are noticeably more conservative.

 

Attacking Ta-Koro directly is suicide. The automated defenses would destroy you before any Matoran even noticed you were there. If you evaded or disabled the cannons – and perhaps even avoided setting off the alarm – you would have to face an army of Ta-Matoran, each one with a thousand years’ worth of experience with a crossbow.

 

After being cut off from Ga-Koro’s water supply, the Ta-Matoran constructed a rudimentary liquid protodermis purifier, though it won’t work on seawater and leaves a bitter aftertaste. Some Ta-Matoran wonder if it would be wiser to seek a temporary truce with Ga-Koro.

 

Ga-Wahi

 

The South-East side of the island is a long strip of tropical beach separating the ocean and Lake Sedigo. Though the geographical space is limited, the Ga-Matoran have constructed several wooden docks over the lake and ocean.

 

The Ga-Matoran have constructed an impenetrable stone wall around their village, and prefer a Kanoka launcher for self-defense (though since Kanoka are expensive, they primarily shoot unpowered disks).

 

Ga-Koro is host to several liquid protodermis purification facilities, which makes them the only reliable source of drinking water on the island. If their village is attacked directly, the Ga-Matoran have vowed to destroy the purification facilities, dooming everyone.

 

The Ga-Matoran will part with some of their water supply for a price, but the deal will not be in your favor. Careful diplomacy with Ga-Koro is key to survival in this war.

 

Lake Sedigo

 

Lake Sedigo is located roughly in the center of island, is accessible from all regions, and is the only reason that the Matoran of Carto-Nui have survived this long. Even so, the water is starting to become stagnant and unfit for drinking.

 

The water levels have receded dramatically, such that some Matoran jokingly refer to it as “Puddle Sedigo.” That is, when they’re in a joking mood and not dying of thirst.

 

Some Matoran with mask scope modifications have commented that there seems to be something unusual at the bottom of the lake, but it’s still far too deep to investigate.

 

Your Role

 

The Matoran of Carto-Nui are unskilled in warfare and diplomacy and need someone to lead them. That’s where you come in: As a hero, or a mercenary, from elsewhere in the Matoran Universe, your job is to make sure your village has enough water to survive – by any means necessary.

 

You might also be a native Matoran of the island, promoted to leadership by your Turaga.

 

Each village has a limited water supply. This is measured in real time – for example, “Le-Koro has a week’s worth of water left.” When they run out of water, the village will have a certain amount of time to gain water before the entire faction is dead.

 

The Turaga of each village will place a number of Matoran under your command. You will start with five squad members – if any are killed, you will need to return to your village to pick up reinforcements. You may be put in command of more Matoran if you prove yourself in battle, and entrusted with fewer if you bring back too many bodies.

 

Or you might not be affiliated with any village. You might be here for your own reasons. Maybe you want to take advantage of the war to loot Ta-Matoran machinery or Le-Matoran spiritual artifacts. Whatever your reasons, if you don’t plan on getting involved, bring your own water.

 

As the war goes on, you may find that it gets more… complicated. The reason for the drought is still unknown, but few believe it is natural. And as Lake Sedigo vanishes, it may reveal things on the bottom of the lake which should have remained hidden.

 

 

Rules

• If you’ve been around here, you know the drill – no godmodding. In a nutshell, that means you must accept defeat when your character is in battle. Don’t assume that you can simply dodge or block every attack that comes your way.
• The godmodding rule also applies to your NPCS – Matoran are weak. If they get in a battle, there’s a good chance some of them will die or become seriously injured.
• Don’t metagame. Remember that your character probably knows much less than you do. You, in the real world, might have read about a stealth team sneaking up behind you, but that’s not a good enough reason for your character to suddenly turn around and shoot them all in the face. Similarly, if one of your characters knows something, your other characters won’t share that knowledge until they hear about it themselves.
• Don’t control other people’s characters without permission, even if they’re on your side! Don’t write their dialogue or dictate their actions. This includes attacking them and assuming that you hit – you have to give other players a chance to defend themselves. There is one exception to this rule – see the “Three-Day Rule” below.
• This should be obvious given the above rule, but you absolutely cannot kill other player characters or their Matoran NPCs without their permission.
• Don’t teleport. By that, I mean don’t go from one place on the island to another by ignoring travel time and obstacles in the way. Terrain and territory are important in warfare.

The first time you violate one of these rules, you will receive a warning and a minor injury on the offending character.

 

On the second strike, your character will be permanently injured.

 

On the third strike, the character will die.

 

Break a rule again, and all of your characters die and you’ll be banned from the game.

 

"More like guidelines"

 

Each of your In-Character posts should be at least three sentences long. I won’t enforce this rule, but you might receive a warning if you repeatedly post short responses that add nothing to the game.

 

The theme of Thirst is, well, thirst. Your Matoran need to drink water to survive, and depending on your character’s species, so do you. Don’t forget that while role-playing, and remember that your water has to come from somewhere.

 

Try to resolve battles amongst yourselves. This falls into the “no godmodding” rules – if it looks like you’ve been defeated, let a few of your Matoran die and retreat.

 

If necessary, I’ll help resolve a large battle where a lot is at stake. If you request my intervention in a battle and I deem my help unnecessary, you will find that it does not end favorably for anyone involved. *evil laugh*

 

Allowances

 

If you are interacting with another player character that hasn’t responded for three real-time days, you have permission (but are not required) to control their character and NPCs, as little as possible, to extract yourself from the situation and keep the game moving. This is the “Three-Day Rule” mentioned earlier. You still may not kill characters or NPCs.

 

The official locations on Carto-Nui are sparse, so feel free to make up and name new locations. I’ll keep a reference post updated with all the player-created places.

 

You're not constrained to the “All Ga-Matoran and only Ga-Matoran are female” rule of Bionicle. On Carto-Nui, it’s more of a stereotype than an actual rule.

 

Feel free to role-play your Matoran NPCs – add backstory and personality, even name them if you like! Just don’t get too attached – it is a war, after all.

 

How to Join

 

Invent a hero or a mercenary from anywhere in the Matoran Universe to help a village of Carto-Nui survive the war. This RPG sticks pretty close to canon and is set well before the Great Cataclysm. You can have multiple characters, but no more than 2 per faction.

 

Submit this form to the discussion topic. Once I approve it, you may post it in the reference topic.

 

Name:Species: [i’ll be liberal on custom species, just don’t be crazy and please no makuta]Elements and/or Powers:Mask (if applicable): [i’ll be liberal on custom Kanohi as well. No legendary masks]Weapons: Faction: [Please don’t just say “whoever pays the most”; if you’re a mercenary, of course that’s why you’re here. It’s up to you to decide who paid you the most]Biography:Personality:

 

Official Characters

 

Name: KorikiSpecies: Toa - EliteElements and/or Powers: Air. Because the Toa Stone that transformed him was a legendary artifact, his power level is comparable to that of a Toa Nuva.Mask: Akaku, Mask of X-Ray VisionWeapons: Koriki carries a dagger out of habit, but he rarely uses it.Faction: Le-KoroBiography: You just read it in the opening post, silly!Personality: As a Le-Matoran, Koriki was stereotypically talkative. Now, he is ashamed of the accident that made him a Toa and is simply focused on the task at hand. He seems detached from the world – as if he was merely a weapon.

Name: LakkinSpecies: TuragaElements and/or Powers: Air (Turaga)Mask: Noble Volitak, Mask of StealthWeapons: Lakkin carries what appears to be a simple wooden staff. Concealed in the tip, however, is a razor-sharp blade, which can be extended with the tap of a hidden release button.Faction: Le-Koro (Leader)Biography: Like most Turaga, Lakkin has led Le-Koro for as long as anyone can remember. Stories about his past are practically legend, but most suggest that he was a Toa of Air from the Southern Continent, and fought off a Nui-Rama swarm and a Dark Hunter with a Mask of Rahi Control. The most impressive part of these stories, if true, is that Lakkin never used his powers or his weapon against the Dark Hunter - after talking with him, the Dark Hunter simply left and was never seen again.Personality: Lakkin approaches problems logically and analytically. Though he may seem cold, he has a lot of compassion for his people – but he never lets his emotions get in the way of making the right choice.

Name: KerrisumSpecies: MatoranElements and/or Powers: Fire (Matoran – no actual elemental power)Mask: Matoran Suletu, Mask of Telepathy (Powerless)Weapons: Kerrisum, like most Ta-Matoran, carries a crossbow wherever he goes. In battle or in dangerous situations, he also carries a heavy handheld cannon which has been known to shred an Ash Bear in one shot.Faction: Ta-Koro (Leader)Biography: Ta-Koro has never had a Turaga. When his predecessor died in a lava farm explosion a hundred years ago, Kerrisum won the popular vote of the Ta-Matoran to act as honorary Turaga.Personality: Kerrisum is the non-Turaga leader of Ta-Koro. He has a hands-on approach to leadership and prefers to keep performing his Matoran duties in addition to making the tough decisions of Ta-Koro. As a result, though, some of his decisions are rather rash because somebody asked him what to do while he was in the middle of a project. He knows this weakness and is willing to change his mind should another Matoran convince him that he was wrong.

 

Name: ZullaSpecies: TuragaElements and/or Powers: Water (Turaga)Mask: Noble Calix, Mask of FateWeapons: Zulla carries an elegant metal staff with a glowing blue tip. It glows brighter as it gains a charge – it takes about two days to be fully charged, but this process can be sped up if the staff is kept near water. Once charged, the staff can shoot a powerful energy burst that can incapacitate an attacker, but this will drain its charge completely.Faction: Ga-Koro (Leader)Biography: Originally a Ga-Matoran of Metru-Nui, Zulla was sent to Carto-Nui to install water purifiers, long before the drought. When a Tarakava swarm came out of the ocean, she fled back to Metru Nui – only to find a Toa Stone delivered to her, along with a note requesting that she join the Order of Mata Nui. Zulla disregarded the note and sailed straight back to Carto-Nui, saving them from the Tarakava.Personality: Zulla is a compassionate and understanding leader, but if forced to choose between her people and an outsider, she will not hesitate to let the outsider suffer.

 

 

Summary

 

In Thirst of Carto-Nui, you will battle with an army at your side against other players to secure control of the precious resource of water - and uncover the cause of the mysterious drought which started this war.

 

Thanks for reading, and stay thirsty, my friends

 

- Jedi Knight Krazy

 

Edited December 9, 2012 by Jedi Knight Krazy

[Simulacrum]

-Dystopian-

“They’ve done rather well this year, haven’t they?” The speaker was haggard, his hands shaking slightly as he wrung them together.

“Who?” The source of the response looked equally fatigued, but in a different fashion, his frame gaunt and the bone structure of his skull visibly imprinted into his unhealthy face. His eyes, a shade of yellow that reflected his generally anemic appearance, were not nervous, but dispassionate, careful maintained so that not a single emotion would escape.

“The Bureau of Giving. Metal production up by 20%! We’re closer to winning this war than ever.” As the Matoran spoke, his hands began to shake worst than ever, the skeletal digits and distinct joints quaking. However, his eyes, just like those of his companion, were carefully guarded. The green orbs, sunken into his sickly head, looking like those of the dead, both at peace and utterly tormented, a façade of happiness and contentment.

“Oh, of course. Those Zakaz swine will be ground into the dust soon enough.” The other Matoran, his yellow eyes as unflustered as ever, looked downward to the newspaper lying on the table between, staring at it blankly as he read, never lifting it.

The obnoxious screeching of an alarm filled the room, and the Matoran, with machine-like movements, stood up, carefully placed their chairs back underneath the table, and exited the room with dozens of other Matoran, all of them looking utterly brain dead, as if someone had removed their biomechanical cerebrum and replaced it with a propaganda pamphlet.

* * *

They next day, the yellow-eyed Matoran was back, sitting at the group of tables designated to citizens of his area in the district of Ta-Metru.

There was a general air of anxiety and nervousness in the air as everyone politely spoke to each other, their mannerisms contrasting with their soulless eyes, and almost pre-programmed sounding voices. “Did you hear?” “Of course I heard. It is such a shame, our own citizens betraying us.” “I certainly hope that none of those terrible, hideous monsters try to get me to commit such a crime!” “We have to kill these swine quickly, they’re infecting our precious Empire!” “Don’t doubt in our Emperor, he will fix this. I’m sure he has it all planned, you’ll see.” “Well, most certainly he does. I’m just worried that more lies will spread to our district.” “Oh, you’re scaring me now. Sub-district 34 isn’t awfully far away from ours.” “Oh, I’m sure the Enforcers will be visiting the residences there.” “I think it’s better that way! More hangings, more morale boosting, that’s what I say.”

The yellowed-eyed Matoran stared at one of the Sub-District 36 tables several feet away, their loud voices carrying the topics of discussion across the room. There were few people sitting in his area, and all of them quiet, so there was no chance of a respite from the constant talking of the Sub-District 36 citizens.

Holding his head in his hands, the yellow-eyed Matoran began to sob, staring at the Sub-District 34 logo imprinted on the table, his hands shaking as they filled with his tears.

Summary:

Welcome to The Great Empire of Metru-Nui. We observe you for your own good, so that if an accident occurs, we can send someone to help you in a very small amount of time. Coincidentally, if you choose to be disruptive, we can remove you from public, until you learn to behave yourself. Surveillance is constant, with screens and security cameras watching you from every angle, not a single inch on the entire industrialized island of Metru-Nui free of observation. You, beloved worker, can seek “freedom“, and live a life of hardship and fear, or you can worship The Empire, your benevolent benefactor, and live a comfortable life.

The Empire is ready to support you and love you, but you must love it in return. Love nothing else, for nothing else is worthy of your love. If you are found wasting your love on another, we shall have to re-educate you, so be wise and adore us over any other. The Empire gives you everything, your residence, your food, and all we ask for in return is your absolute loyalty. Worship us as we deserve to be worship, with every atom of your bond and soul, and you will never want. Do not love us as we deserve, and there will be repercussions.

The Great Empire is ruled by the wise and benevolent Emperor, once called Dume, and he is the one who shall protect you from the terrible, blood-curdling horrors of Zakaz, and the trail of death it leaves in its wake. Below him, to share his wisdom and rouse you into working harder and faster, are The Six Elders, once known as Turaga, each one representing one of the six basic elements. Their names are Vakama, Nokama, Matau, Onewa, Whenua, and Nuju, and they are to be respected and honored, for each of them has control over an entire Metru.

We have the highest hopes for you, worker, but if you fail to meet our expectations, we would be forced to remove you, so that you do not taint your fellow labor force. We’re sure you understand the reasons for this, and we’re also sure you’ll try your very best to remain useful, but if you don’t, perhaps the Enforcers will have to pay you a visit. What are Enforcers? The are exactly what their name implies, a finished version of the “Vahki” prototype, the ultimate in protecting your peace and wellbeing, as well as the ultimate in capturing and terminating those who wish to be difficult.

Our soliders, brave, courageous souls, will rarely, if ever, seen by you. They travel rarely, and only in secure Chutes, and play no part in your work, so you have no reason to possess knowledge of them. There have been citizens too curious on the topic of our military than is healthy before. If you show signs that you are beginning to choose to join this crowd, a cell in a Re-Education center shall be prepared for your arrival.

One last thing on the topic of The Empire‘s Citizens; The Masses. You will meet them on the street, within the factory or bureau, and they are not to be feared. They might be taller, stronger, and faster than you, but they are not better than you. You are elite. They are to be ignored, and to be reported if they pause working. The Enforcers are more than capable of dealing with them, no matter the number of them, so do not hesitate to report them. Other members of The Masses may resent you for doing so, but what do they matter? They are mere proletariats, you are the middle, the comfortable height above grueling work and below the difficulties of ruling, they are the depths, the pits of existence.

We are at war with the demonic, vindictive barbarians of Zakaz. There is another island, Xia, but they have never acted against us, and they have never acted for the interest of Zakaz. We at war with the spiteful Zakaz savages, and no one else. It is wise to remember this, citizen, if someone tries to convince you otherwise. Remain faithful and report him to the nearest Enforcer.

All we ask of you, worker and citizen, is trust, obedience, and a good work ethic. These are all easy enough in theory, but some seem to find problems with them, and those who do so always end up trying to convince others that we ask for more, that we are not kind. Please, for your own good, do not listen to them. We love you, and all we ask for in return is your love and loyalty. If you do not agree with this proposal, there is a lovely Enforcer outside, I’m sure he could take you somewhere to clear your mind.

Locations:

Ta-Metru

The Metru of Productions, Ta-Metru is composed gigantic factories, with living quarters and mess halls scattered throughout the Metru, split up by Sub-Districts (Where citizens and The Masses take residence), numbered from 1 to 60, the lowest numbers being the darkest, dirtiest rat holes of The Masses, the largest being the most prestigious residences of the most efficient workers. The skyline of Ta-Koro is that of smokestacks and plumes of smog, with fire belching from the widest, most active of the industrial, utilitarian factories of gunmetal steel. The slogan of Ta-Metru is simple; “A busy Matoran is a happy Matoran, for quick work is rewarding work.”

Ga-Metru

The Metru of Re-Education, and the location of the Empire’s Navy, Ga-Metru is easily recognizable for its appearance, dozens of islands, sprawling with concrete builds, windowless and surrounded with several fences of barbed wire, as well as mine fields, if the structure is particularly important. There are few living quarters in Ga-Metru, all for Re-Educators, those who administrate the prisons and Re-Education centers, and those who keep them in working order. There are 36 Sub-Districts, no longer numbered for living condition, only for what island they are located on. On the Metru of Re-Education and the Metru of the Empire‘s Armada, there is an emphasis of belief in the Emperor for those being Re-Educated, and an emphasis for striving to be the strongest, most vicious being possibly in the Empire‘s Armada. The slogan of Ga-Metru reflects this well, “Trust in the Emperor, pride in the Elite.”

Le-Metru

The Metru of Law Enforcement, and the Metru of The Great Empire’s Military, Le-Metru is a massive military base, dotted with Enforcer hives, with everything connected by Chutes and surrounded by Airship ports. The Chute system of Le-Metru is put to maximum use, with Enforcers being transported across Metru-Nui constantly, and the Military able to reach wherever the need to be in mere minutes, either to fend off an attack, or to ready themselves for deportation. The Chute system has been modified slightly, requiring a pass, implanted in one’s organics, possessed only by the most influential citizens and the Military, to be used. As well as this, the Chute’s speed of travel has been increased, so that Enforcers can arrive even sooner, to quell any disturbance that arises. There are only 12 Sub-Districts in Le-Metru, for the only citizens allowed to take residence there, either temporary or permanent, are mechanics and Airship pilots. Four of these Districts are located directly next to Enforcer Hives, and these are, obviously, where mechanics live. The other eight are located on military bases, and serve as temporary residence for the Airship pilots who arrive with their cargo, and wish to rest for a few days. The Le-Metru slogan is simple and to the point, reflecting those who occupy the Metru of Violence, as some take to calling it. “For Peace and the Law.”

Po-Metru

The Metru of Chaos is what most call Po-Metru, the City of Stone. There is no true purpose for the establishments there, only randomly scattered businesses, surrounded by thousands of residence buildings, all of them ramshackle and in a state of serious disrepair. Where there were once deserts there are streets, monoliths and statues are now the cornerstones of the larger buildings, all signs of a previous setting has been assimilated into the current look of the Metru, creating a revolting mix of past beauty and modern hideousness. The dignified civilization of before is hidden behind the bestial violence of today in the streets of current Po-Metru, called by some The Metru of Brutes and The Metru of the Mad. Many of The Masses make their homes here, and thus it is not uncommon to be greeted with horrendous sights of violence when one awakes in the morning, roused by the sound of The Masses competing for the right to travel to the other Metru, on rickety Airships, no longer suitable for military use, and condemned to a life of carrying half-mad beings, having just survived the often fatal gauntlet of the street, to their places of work, brutal factories that, to them, are havens of cleanness. Every member of The Masses wants to reach these factories, and thus, the unofficial slogan of the Metru of Chaos, “Might Makes Right.”, describes their willingness to smash each other’s brains to bits in the name of a ride on the Airships rather well.

Onu-Metru

The Metru of Research, or The Metru of Information, or the Metru of Knowledge, Onu-Metru goes by several names, but all of them have one thing in common; Details. Onu-Metru keeps track of every word spoken, every movement made, every piece of media released, and it is more than ready to edit all of this information when ever correction is needed. All of this manages occurs in The Archives, a system of tunnels spanning the length and width of the entire island, and now, thanks to advancements in recent years, delving deeper than sane man would imagine going. The Archives hold more information than a mind could imagine, and all of it is easily available to the citizens who reside there. The residents of Onu-Metru rarely see the sun, and the are, shall we say, distorted. Their eyes are, at least three times larger than any other being found in The Empire, their bodies are shriveled and almost devoid of muscle, and their fingers have turned into long, bony claws, used both for digging and for typing on the tiny keys of the dozens of typewriter-esque information-translating instruments of their “inputs”, bizarre machines on which the “Unders” (The common name of the residents of Onu-Metru) write/re-write dozens of documents at once. The “inputs” span entire rooms, and connect to the Archives, which now resemble, in many ways, modern digital libraries and encyclopedias. There are only six Sub-Districts in Onu-Metru, each one representing a section of The Archives under other Metru, with otherwise literally no difference between the six. Onu-Metru, on the map, appears to be a dome of protosteel, a single dot of color on a landscape of post-apocalyptic, desolate black. The reason for the emptiness? As well as managing the details of a citizen’s life, Onu-Metru manages the details and the information of The Empire’s military forces, both land, air, and sea. Part of this military information is the effectiveness of weapons, from mundane pistols to explosive missiles of devastating power. The slogan of Onu-Metru “Thoughts can be dangerous, for The Emperor sees all.”, reflects the paranoia of the Matoran (and the mind-games that the local Enforcers enjoy playing) rather well.

Ko-Metru

The Metru of Entertainment and Diversions, Ko-Metru is the only Metru to have an official name with two components, and the only Metru to constantly cooperate with another, Onu-Metru. Ko-Metru resembles a bizarre mix of beautiful, translucent crystal palaces and cold, hard steel-gray skyscrapers, metallic framework connecting metal and glass additions to the gigantic Crystal Towers, and buildings, rivaling a Tower’s height, thin and stylized with square-shaped windows and absolutely nothing spherical, attach directly into the snowy, almost arctic terrain of the Metru. All of these structures have one thing in common: They are tipped with gigantic instruments reminiscent of antennas and radio dishes. Ko-Metru is the transmitter of entertainment and broadcasts for the entire island, sending news, and motivational speeches every where, leaving no space in The Empire without the latest news, the most recent military victory. Ko-Metru’s relation to Onu-Metru is simple: Onu-Metru receives the information first, corrects it and edits it for the citizens good, and then sends it to Ko-Metru, who sends it everywhere in its reach. The population of Ko-Metru is almost devoid of members of The Masses, instead almost entirely middle class citizens, all of them zealous for the message they are conveying. A message that could be identified by totalitarian by the youngest being, composed of little more than demonization of The Empire’s enemy and worship of The Emperor, yet accepted by thousands as truth, simply because after being told it so many times, they choose to accept it as truth, for doing otherwise, for even thinking of it otherwise, would result in their death. The slogan of this Metru is rather apt; “Obedience is Happiness”

The Throne

A monolithic structure rising several hundred, perhaps even a thousand, feet into the air, The Throne is a massive triangle, on each side, the monstrous, spiked Crown of The Empire painted in crimson on white stone, visible from hundreds and hundreds of feet away. The Throne connects the six landmasses of the Metrus, and serves as the motivational, morale-boosting symbol of The Empire, more terrifying and psychological than any flag, imprinting any who see it with a sense of smallness, weakness, and helplessness, things that only The Emperor, who, along with the Six Elders, resides in The Throne, can cure you of, as he makes his glorious speeches in front of this intimidating, cyclopean monument.

Character Profiles & Character Creation Information:

Name: (Please, keep it reasonably Bionicle-ish. I don’t want to see “Bobby” and “Johnny”, nor do I want to see “KillStealer169” or any other name with digits and a distinct chatbox feel)

Gender: (Should be simple to fill in)

Social Class: (Explained below)

Appearance: (At the very least, describe body coloring, basic appearance, and Kanohi design. I want at least four sentences.)

Occupation: (What does your character do? Are they skilled at it? Do they hate it, or do they adore it?)

Metru: (Sub-District as well, if applicable. You can describe whatever Sub-district you create, I‘ll confirm if it fits in with game world as I approve the profile.)

Personality: (What does your character think about their current situation? Are they becoming insane? Are they cold and manipulative, compassionate and kind? Do they like betraying their co-workers, do they attempt to spread their rebellious thoughts and opinions?)

Alignment: (Either Loyal (to The Empire), Neutral, or Rebellious)

Blank Profile:

Name:

Gender:

Social Class:

Appearance:

Occupation:

Personality:

Alignment:

Social Class

The way you fill out social class, comparable to Species in most other RPGs, determines the type of life your character lives, as well as his species. There are two Social Class available for players to RP, Workers, and The Masses

Workers: Once known as Matoran, Workers are the highest-ranking factory personnel, the information modifiers, the message broadcasters, the re-educators, the airship pilots. Workers make up around 20% of the Empire’s population, vastly overshadowed by The Masses. While in possession of somewhat-better living conditions than The Masses, they are watched very closely by Enforcers, seeing as they are the ones modifying the information that everyone accepts as truth.

The Masses: The Masses, on the other hand, are almost devoid of law enforcement, only bothered by the Enforcers when one of them shows hints of a rebellious nature. They are of Sidorak's species, possessing the height and physical prowess of an average Toa. The make up almost 80% percent of Empire, and are the hordes who work the factories, the mechanics and janitors keeping everything in working order, the residents of Po-Metru, the true workers of The Empire.

Alignment

I know this is a pretty simple concept, but I wanted to remind players of something. While Rebellious sounds like the obvious and only choice to most players who are reading this, I wrote Loyal there for a reason.

While it doesn’t sound very appealing, being a loyal, double-thinking citizen who loves nothing more than betraying their less “virtuous” companions definitely has its perks. For example, you might even gain access to greater power and influence if you are loyal enough.

The Loyal alignment would most easily be compared to Evil in any other RPG, so, if you feel the need to create a villainous PC, this would be the most intelligent option.

Character Approval and Character Profiles

Instead of the usual posting in discussion topic and all that, this RPG’s characters will be approved by PM, so once you’ve written out the profile, PM it to one of the GMs, and then post it in the profiles topic. As normal, only one character profiles post per player.

Rules:

1: All BZP and RPG Forum rules apply.

2: Me, Gravity/Frost Dragon, and thebeggerpie will be the Game masters (GM) for this RPG. If you have any questions, PM any of us.

3: Your character is not powerful. Remember this. You are a citizen in a totalitarian government, you can not punch an Enforcer (Unless you really want your character to get a tour of the Re-Education facilites), nor can you magically locate explosives to destroy The Throne with. While you are not powerful, you are also not powerless, for your character still has their mind. RP intelligently, have your character start a quiet, yet effective rebellion (If you are rebelling, that is), and, above all, remember how carefully you are being watched, and reflect this in your posts.

4: Do not treat the Enforcers as your personal military force if your character is of the Loyal alignment. If you report something, and it turns out to be untrue in any fashion, your character will be punished by the Enforcers, in a rather painful and physically damaging way.

5: Be considerate of other players. Below is a strike system, so you know how many tries you have before you are banned.

1: Another player reports you/I read one of your posts and find you being unfair and rude, I give you a PM of warning.

2: You continue, and thus you are punished (The punishment will depend on the situation), and I, or a fellow GM, gives you a one-week ban from the RPG.

3: You are banned permanently from the RPG.

6: If you and a fellow player have an argument, first take it to PMs, and then, if they refuse to cooperate and reach an agreement, PM me with the problem.

7: Please, try to keeping your spelling and grammatical errors to a minimum.

8: If you think there is a problem with the game, or the way the game is being run, please, send me a PM, and I will try to fix the problem.

Rewards

Yes, this RPG will have rewards. Do something I consider exceptionally intelligent or well-planned, and your character will get something to assist them. I won’t say exactly what the rewards will be, but I will say this much: If you’re planning to create a character that wants to earn a reputation, avoid the Enforcers, get promoted in The Empire, or harm/inhibit The Empire, you will want one of these.

Ending Notes:

Lastly, I want to say I am looking forward to what rebellions, schemes, and other ingenious things players are going to come up with, and, as GM, I hope I can help keep this RPG enjoyable and interesting. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

[CaptainLepidus]

After the Fall

Name temporary. What do you think?

 

Background

When times seemed tough, when the Rahi were advancing, when our defenses faltered, the Turaga would tell us a tale of the Toa heroes, who would travel to our island and save us from the hordes the Makuta had launched upon us. Hearing these stories, our proud defenders where energized, and would fight a while longer. We always believed our champions would rescue us.They never did.Years we waited, and still the Toa did not arrive. Even the Turaga began to lose hope. And as our courage faltered, so did our strength. One by one, our villages fell to the Rahi, who grew more powerful as our forces fell. The trees of Le-Wahi could be seen burning from all across the island; no one did not hear the sound as Po-Koro's glorious monuments fell to the ground and turned into dust. When Ga-Koro sunk, the Turaga realized that no hope remained. We survivors retreated to Onu-Koro and sealed the entrances with thick rocks. No one mistook the implications; Makuta's forces were sealed out, but we were sealed in. There was no escaping this stone fortress we had built for ourselves.Now, we eke out an existence beneath the surface. We will survive. But is life worth living without purpose?

Gameplay

Players play as a Matoran from one of the six villages of Mata-Nui. Each have individual skills and talents. The central idea behind the game is to survive & thrive underground. Periodically, major events will happen such as a Rahi breakthrough or a mine collapsing, to keep interest in the game. This is a game about co-operation and surviving as a team.

Locations

The entire game takes place in Onu-Koro and Onu-Wahi. There is no escaping the underground catacombs. This is a game where the environment should dynamically change as the Matoran use their various skills to enlarge Onu-Koru. Onu-Koro has been split into districts for the six elements of Matoran.Significant BuildingsLe-KoroFarmsAnimal pensKo-KoroTemplePo-KoroMonumentsGa-KoroUnderground poolsTa-KoroBarracksWorkshopOnu-KoroMarketMine EntrancesTuraga's HutTuraga Housing

Mechanics

I haven't thought out the actual mechanics of combat and the like, but it would have to be something very team-oriented, where each player can contribute but they have to work as a team.

Character Creation

Players can be a Matoran from Ta-Koro, Ko-Koro, Onu-Koro, Po-Koro, Ga-Koro, or Le-Koro. Each has it's own advantages. The Ta-Matorans are excellent engineers and can make complex mechanics. The people of Ko-Koro are the great thinkers and philosophers. Onu-Matoran know their way around the best and can dig, as well as being able to see in the dark. Po-Matoran can construct the best structures. Ga-Matoran are good at organizing groups and can swim the best. Le-Matoran can entertain others and plant crops the best. You can also choose a certain job. For example, you could have been a member of the Ta-Koran guard, or a Onu-Koran mining guild. Perhaps you were a great sculptor back in Po-Koro. The Matoran are talented, even if they have no powers or Great Kanohi. You can have up to 3 characters.

Rules

1. No godmodding; this means, you play as your character and your character alone. You cannot control other player's characters. You have a limited degree over NPCs, but only limited; you may give them basic actions such as fighting, but nothing else.2. No invincibility/super powers; Matoran of Mata Nui are fairly weak and their skill comes from co-operation and ingenuity. If someone stronger than you battles you, you will be defeated (unless you receive help.) If it's realistic for you to die, then please do die; it'll make life more meaningful for others and the game will be more interesting.3. No arguing with staff members. You may respectfully disagree but our word goes.4. Use "OOC" and "IC" to indicate when you are writing out of character or in character.5. Your characters may not have knowledge that they don't posses but you do. Unless they were at an event or have been told about it, they won't know about it.

Punishments

Each time you break a rule, you receive a punishment.1st offence: Gentle warning, your error will be fixed and a staff member will tell you what you did wrong. Everyone makes mistakes.2nd offence: It needs to stop. Your current character(s) are killed instantly, and a staff member will tell you what you did and how to fix it.3rd offence: You're making it less fun for others. Banned for the RPG indefinitely (appeals are allowed). Any post you make will be ignored. We won't bother to explain ourselves. Only administrators can enact this punishment.

Staff

You can apply here if you'd like to become a staff member. There are two ranks: moderator and administrator. Moderators may be promoted to administrators. Administrators may make big changes to the game and may command moderators, as well as being able to give out 3rd offence punishments. Moderators simply make sure the rules are followed. Moderators may have characters; Admins may control the major characters.Staff:CaptainLepidus - Administrator

Major Characters

"Major Characters" does not mean the most important characters, it just means the most famous ones. As in, the named characters from the canon. This includes:The six TuragaJaller - Infantry CommanderTakua - ChroniclerKongu - Animal masterMatoro - TranslatorKopeke - MeditatorHahli - Underwater explorerMacku - Underwater explorerHewkii - Kohlii playerHafu - SculptorAhmou - Merchant, (Makuta agent)Nuparu - InventorTaipu - MinerOnepu - Ussalry Commander(I'm probably forgetting some, please mention if you see any I'm missing.) Major characters won't be active much but they can drive the storyline. Major characters can only be controlled by Administrators.

Map

This is only a temporary visual aid.

Edited December 13, 2012 by CaptainLepidus

[av.]

Intro

 

Civilization is a sham. You can pretend to be ‘civilized’ all you want, but in the end it'll be meaningless. We can’t hide our own inherent instincts of our own personality, just as we can’t diversify them into different groupings of ‘civilized’ and ‘savage.’ There are no ‘civilized’ or ‘savage’ people, there are only people, judging others from a manner of perspective. We all act civil, but what purpose does it have, and why do we do it? We do it because people look on, because that’s how society works. If we see someone acting out, or breaking the norm, we condemn them because their actions don’t fit inside of our rounded corner world. But, what if you were to take all of that away? What if the thin façade of civility faded away, only to be replaced by what we once called ‘savagery?’

 

It’s a flawed perspective, based on commodities, current events, and influences to your attitude. For example, if things are going good, and you feel alright, if you spot a bloke running down the street, out of breath, you might hold the tram-door open for him, and maybe give him a couple of extra widgets or two. But if things are going bad and you’re desperate? Well, if that same bloke is keeping you from something, chances are you’re going to slam the door and step on the accelerator.

 

So, you can take your civilization and shove it. Out here, there’s only one rule, and that’s the rule of the wastes. Savagery is Civilization now, and there’s no place in it for people who disagree.

-R

 

-The above note was found at the Onu-Metru Massacre, stuck to a powerless Great Rau.

 

Summary

 

Prelude

We should have seen this coming. A year before the Outage, scientists working from the Coliseum had released an announcement that Metru Nui only had enough power to sustain the city for that year. Naturally, people grew alarmed. The Turaga quickly placated them by saying that the Toa were working on solutions, and then the announcement was largely forgotten.

 

They tried everything. The first thought was to harness geothermal energy by drilling deep towards the planet’s mantle. This unleashed far too much energy, and six Toa of Stone and Earth nearly exhausted themselves trying to close the tunnels properly. The second idea never got past the planning stages. It was suggested that lightstones be used as a new power source, and that mining would have to be increased. Under further inspection, the ground under Metru Nui was deemed too unstable, and that idea was scrapped. The third idea was to divert power from the chute systems directly towards the Coliseum, which overloaded the central Chute Station. The total death toll was five Matoran, six Vortixx, and three Nynrah Ghosts. The Metru Nui chute system was down for weeks, and approximately 2% of the reserve power was lost during that downtime. The final idea was to simply infuse Energized Protodermis into the power grid. It was the final act anyone had time to do before the final power left, and it failed catastrophically.

 

The Outage

 

To be blunt, everything exploded. Most of Metru Nui was run on a series of ancient underground power lines anyway, that carried purified Protodermis all through the city. The old metallic tubes that used to transport power across the city had existed for millions of years, with the most maintenance being cleanings and repairs of cracks if necessary. Most of the time, new pipes were added onto the lines, resulting in a mishmash of various different materials down in the underground. With nowhere to go but up, the tubes sprang massive leaks, and burst, causing massive damage to the city. The Outage consisted of two different events. The first event was the surfacing of the mutagenic protodermis that had formed during the Energized Protodermis/Protodermis reaction, but everyone expected that. The second even was much more social in nature. With the collapse of power, civilization itself collapsed. With no one to restore order, the city of legends became a dog-eat-dog world, where you could stab a man in the back while also having a conversation and the person you’re talking to wouldn't even bat an eye.

 

Aftermath

 

Ten years have passed since the outage, and the island still lies in ruins. The mutagen had tainted the city, and anarchy ran amok. The Toa tried to keep order during the early years, but even among them there was dissent. Things came to a head when an angry Toa of Fire killed his leader and collected his mask as a trophy. With no one to turn to, the residents resigned themselves to this fate, and scattered. Now, warlords run the street, and mercenaries are hired in the blink of an eye, each brute wanting to gain an edge over their enemies, be it for land, goods, or simply power. Widgets for the most part remain a stable form of currency, but Kanoka are the most sought-after commodity, because of their light weight and usefulness. Two years ago, the sewers became somewhat useable again. The mutagen is generally only ankle deep at its highest, and takes a long time to affect you, which is perfect if you need to hide from someone or get somewhere quickly.

 

The majority of the city is held by some group or another, and movement between group borders is risky, depending on the group in question. Ko-Metru is divided between two major camps, and three minor ones, but there is a general agreement between them that the Metru is off-limits to outside invasion. The two camps even worked together to repel a Ta-Metruan invasion, but resumed their fighting after the threat was dealt with. Metru Nui itself is shut off from the outside world, as many of the other islands in the underground refuse to even acknowledge Metru Nui as a sovereign island anymore. The island is on its own now, and judging by the current state of things, won’t be receiving external help anytime soon. Life nowadays is simple; Get up, put on a coat, stab a person if they try to break in, and go do what you can to stay ahead of the 8-ball.

 

Factions

 

The Gangs

Mercenaries, warlords, criminals, you name it. The Gangs are usually composed of the lowest of the low, and most of them have a first loyalty to themselves, and a second loyalty to stabbing you in the back. Each of the gangs are different, but most intra-Metru gangs are neutral. Ta-Metru for example is all under one warlord, but Ko-Metru has infighting between five different groups who all want to take control of the Metru. On the bright side, it means that if you crave power, half your work is already cut out for you. On the downside, if you're thinking of killing someone over something, chances are that 50% of the people around you are thinking the same exact thing. They're looking to deal with the Feds at some point, but infighting is generally more pressing then dealing with a group that barely fills the Coliseum.

• Ta-Metru
  • ​Ryoxin's armies run the district of Fire. They aren't a gang per say, but don't fall into any other classification. They probably have the strongest chance of reclaiming the island, but they'd need to get Ta-Metru under their full control before moving onto the rest of the districts.

  [*]Ga-Metru

  • The only known gang (and longest lasting) in Ga-Metru are the Sirens, who notably control two whole Ga-Metru labs. Hey, it's not much, but it's more then any of the other thirty gangs have. And with how often the other thirty break apart, reform, and get killed off, that's a big accomplishment in itself.

  [*]Le-Metru

  • ​The Monsters are the terrors of Le-Metru. The majority of them are normal species, but they're given their name for their, what some would call stupid, use of mutated residents of Le-Metru in their fights.
  • Disk Jockeys run like wildfire through the chutes. Oddly enough, the Disk Jockeys don't seem to be aggressive to outsiders, only the Monsters. For the most part, they sell Kanoka to other gangs on the island, and are usually seen playing Akilini.

  [*]Po-Metru

  • ​​Po-Metru's run by the Carvers, three gangs all under the unified control of three Toa of Stone that all hold a loose alliance in the District. If you need materials, you come to them and they'll set you up with it, for the right price of course. Despite their generousness, they take ownership of their Metru seriously, and often attack in an instant, even if they just hear a simple rumor of invasion.

  [*]Onu-Metru

  • ​The four major players in the District of Caves are; The Archivists, The Gun Runners, the Matoran, and the Underground. The Archivists are made up of the non-matoran workers, who operate both the Archives, and the Market around that area. The Gun Runners are the brutes, the worst of the worst. You need a weapon? Go see the Archivists. You need a weapon that won't leave you in the dust? Go see the Gun Runners. They modify and distribute only the finest weapons that Metru Nui has to offer, guaranteed to leave you five steps ahead of the competition. The Matoran are the new minority in Onu-Metru. Kicked out of their homes, all they want is their district back, and the brutes that profit off of the infighting gone. Most of them are more refugees then anything, but the classification still stands.
  • Finally, the Underground. They're given their own class, because they are their own class. They make up a multitude of different workers, mercenaries, and smugglers who thrive in the underworld playground of Onu-Metru, doing whatever they can, whenever they want.

  [*]Ko-Metru

  • The five Ko-Metru gangs are some of the most boring gangs you could ever imagine. What's worse is that none of them have gang names. They're mostly known by directional names, with the four gangs in the West being named after the four cardinal directions, and the East Ko-Metru gang being affectionately called the "Ice Cubes" by the rest of their brothers and sisters. Other then that, not much else is known about them, and for good reason to. Despite being so uncreative with their names, they're the most brutal gangs in Metru Nui. Try not to run into them, because even the mutated residents of the District of Screams know turn tail once they see white armor in their sights.

The Survivors

If you didn't die or join a gang sometime in the last ten years, this is your slot, baby. Most of these fools are wanderers without a cause, getting by on scrap parts and the occasional trade for services or parts to the gangs or the feds. Other times, they rebuild and start up small communities, hoping to bring back organized society back. Both the Feds and the Gangs are usually neutral to the Survivors, provided they don’t interfere with their territory.

 

The Feds

All that's left of the old world bureaucracy, conveniently under one figurehead, The Feds are the last of the old administration from before the outage. They all worked for the Turaga in some way or another. Most of them are scientists and Toa, while others are just ex-survivors who have no other place to go besides the gangs. The Feds are actively declaring that they’re looking for ways to get the power up in Metru Nui again, but face trouble from the gangs, specifically Ta-Metru, which doesn't want to give up its autonomy, and Le-Metru, who just slaughter anyone that comes into their land, the savage little beasties. Right now they lack the manpower to run a Metru, let alone take down the gangs, but time will tell.

Officially, the Feds are led by an elderly female Turaga of Earth, named Nyx, one of the last from the pre-Outage days. Turaga Nyx attempts to keep her government under control, but due to her age, is generally incapable of overseeing much of the Feds' operations. Because of this, many of the Toa try and gain others support, hoping to take control of the organization from the Turaga's control.

 

Important Information

Mutagen/Mutagenic Protodermis

Mutagen naturally exists inside the crust of Aqua Magna in caverns, and was discovered in an underground cavern just beneath the Pit of Aqua Magna. Natural Mutagen has been known to react strangely with Protodermis, while Mutagenic Proto is a result of mixing Protodermis and Energized Protodermis. After the Outage, Mutagenic Proto leaked from the power grid to the surface of Metru Nui. Most of the districts have materials that carry some form of Mutagen in them, but for the most part, the land is back to how it was before.

 

Every type of Mutagenic Proto can be purified and separated back into Protodermis or Energized Protodermis, respectively, but there's a catch. Most of the purification methods require a large amount of either energy, or innovation. Any supplies you use to refine the Protodermis will take away from the usable materials you have, and vice versa. On the bright side, there are other potential methods of purification, that haven't been tried. Whether you want to risk experimenting on materials is up to you.

 

Solid Mutagen

This type of Mutagen is usually found in Po- and Onu-Metru, although some have claimed that it exists in Ko-Metru as well. In this state, the Mutagen will corrode the small bit of pure Protodermis still left inside the solid, turning it fully into Solid Mutagen. Lacking the stability of the Protodermis, the Mutagen will usually crumble, making it useless for creating supplies and tools. The process is reversible, but only through a great deal of energy.

 

Liquid Mutagen

This is one of Ga-Metru's prime imports and exports. Because of the expansive pipelines running in Ga-Metru, the Mutagen did far more damage here than in any other district. The Mutagen has leaked into nearly every body of water in Ga-Metru, and polluted much of the clean drinking water that most of the city relied on. Sometimes, if the temperatures in Ko-Metru are warm enough, you can spot some Liquid Mutagen a brief second before it freezes again.

 

Molten Mutagen

One of the stranger off-types of Liquid Mutagen, Molten Mutagen exists close to the outskirts of Ta-Metru, where much of the heat from the Great Furnace is unable to reach, and where the Mutagen isn't affected by the extreme temperatures. Molten Protodermis used to supply the mask-makers with usable materials, but many fear that this has also been contaminated, and take their chances with their cracked masks instead.

 

Frozen Mutagen

Only found in Ko-Metru, Frozen Mutagen is a result of the frigid temperatures freezing Liquid Mutagen. For all intents and purposes, it's considered a form of Liquid Mutagen, due to it lacking the corrosive properties that Solid Mutagen has. The pure amounts of Protodermis are still inside the Frozen Mutagen, although trying to heat it up and drink it is still a generally bad idea.

 

Gaseous Mutagen

Spawned from a combination of sublimated Solid Mutagen, and experimental vapors from the Moto-Hub, Gaseous Mutagen is found in large quantities in Le-Metru. Common agreement is that it's mostly harmless on its own, but no one has found “pure” Gaseous Mutagen. Stay clear of the Mutagenic Fog covering the Moto-Hub, which will certainly affect you. Unlike the other types of Mutagen, a purification method hasn't been found. The Po-Matoran have suggested using a Poison Removal Kanoka, but no one has quite worked out how to shoot a disk at a gaseous cloud yet.

 

Locations

 

Metru Nui

The City used to be an island reserved for the Matoran, but everyone from all walks of life ended up on the island when the Outage occurred. At the moment, the population of Metru Nui (citizens and tourists alike) is estimated to be more then 50,000, decreased from the Pre-Outage statistics of 100,000. For the most part, the Matoran tend to stick together amongst themselves, while the other species go to do whatever work they can find. Most of the Nynrah Ghosts have been employed or enslaved, while many Skakdi are employed as mercenaries.

 

The island is its own little isolation bubble in the Universe, kept separate from the outside world because of apathy and inaccessibility. During the Outage, a mighty quake shook the area, and the Sea Gates connecting Metru Nui caved in. Both the Order of Mata Nui and the Dark Hunters thought to head up north and infiltrate the city, but were blocked off at the dome's edge. The two parties sought to clear the tunnels and gain access to the island, but lack the ability to do so.

 

Coliseum

Because of the numerous pipes that that used to run directly into the building, the ground below and around the Coliseum has been subject to the worst flooding in the entire city. The area between the Coliseum and the Metru is entirely flooded, although bridges and chutes remain above the water. The Feds have claimed this building as their own, although the claim is in spirit, as reaching the complex is nigh impossible. Few care, due to the massive amount of repairs that the building needs. Much of the lower levels and sublevels are flooded, and most people see the higher levels as the only things worth saving.

 

Ta-Metru

The District of Fire emerged from the Outage as the strongest of the six Metru, and autonomous to boot. The corrupt Toa Ryoxin, who killed his own leader, now runs Ta-Metru, and uses the Great Furnace as his base of operations, hoarding the power and energy from the giant machinery for himself, and occasionally his Metru. While the warlord is highly powerful, he is not omniscient about the goings on in his Metru, and his power is limited to areas that the Furnace reaches. To escape this, many refugees go to the outskirts, where instead of facing oppression, they take their chances with the mutagen, and invasions from other Districts.

 

The Great Furnace has an explosion of activity, now. Because the warlord’s army is strictly made up of Fire Toa, the Army is based here, and with it, all of Ta-Metru’s mask-makers, forgers, and crafters. Ryoxin himself uses the Furnace as his own palace of sorts, and many makeshift government buildings are set up here. Many makeshift camps exist around it, but because the area is so guarded by Toa, infiltration is like signing a death warrant.

 

Molten Mutagen isn’t a problem near the Furnace due to the area’s high temperatures. Once the pipes start to cool down away from the area, the Mutagen thrives. The outskirts suffer the most from the Mutagen, as the power lines in that area were some of the worst maintained on the entire island, causing dirt, scum, and buildup to mix in with the purified proto, in addition to the strange molten mutagen.

 

Ga-Metru

The District of Serenity is still the same, although the water isn’t entirely clean anymore. When the pipes burst, the Protodermis Canals were infected. Once the Canals fell, the city was doomed. Because they were designed to be the lifeblood of the city, they spread everywhere, into everything. Liquid Mutagen runs all over the district, and finding a source of clean drinking water is like trying to find a toothpick on the Southern Continent. But, because the Energy Feeding Points are tainted, people take their chances with the tainted organics like dirty water, and stale food. No one’s died or experienced any mutations yet, but the chances grow higher every day.

 

Territory here changes nearly every day. There are so many gangs squabbling with one another, it’s impossible to list all of them. No one gang here has a majority, but the fighting is generally kept to a minimum, as much of the best supplies can be found in Ga-Metru, as long as their whole. The Feds operate out of this district, and have a goal of trying to push further into Ga-Metru and claim the district as their own, but that goal is a long time coming, with recent numbers being so low.

 

The Great Temple is a wasteland. It lies in ruins, and holds no significance to anyone. For this reason, most gangs share an uneasy alliance here, and the ground is usually used for neutral territory for meetings between two groups.

 

Le-Metru

The District of Screams haunts the residents of Metru Nui. The minute you step into Le-Metru, your life has instantly become that much more valuable. The amazing technology inside the district has all been affected by nature, and much of it lies as scrap along the streets, shrouded in darkness and hidden from the city above. The Moto Hub’s structure was built to last, but the delicate pipes and systems weren’t nearly as structurally sound as the Moto Hub was. The Gaseous mutagen mixed with the experimental vapors and mutated the various workers inside into grotesque mockeries of their former selves. The Skakdi are the worst, and their screams can be heard echoing through the chutes, sometimes even into other districts. The blackish fog pours from the Moto Hub and blocks out the sun, shrouding the entire District in darkness.

 

The Chutes are dangerous, same as always. Many of the singular chutes are starting to fall apart, merge with other close chutes, or just run straight into the ground. Airships are still useable and many of the other gangs pay big money to have them recovered from Le-Metru. Salvage teams search the streets in waves, looking to make some easy money by supplying technology.

 

All factions regard Le-Metru as a wasteland. The cons far outweigh the pros, and most people regard the entire district as a lost cause. If the beasts could be dealt with, the place might be hospitable, but if even the Le-Matoran suggest leaving their own homes, chances are that it’s not worth the trouble. There are only two gangs in Le-Metru and neither of them have any permanent settlements in the district, nor a large enough power base to claim the entire Metru.

 

Po-Metru

The District of Stone is in the control of three gangs known as the Carvers, all working together in a mutual alliance. All imports and exports are controlled by them, and they usually work together to make a profit. Generally they sell high end Solid Protodermis to the Gangs, but have been known to take orders from the Feds, on occasion. Solid Mutagen makes up 20% of their total stores. One of their best cons was a shipment of Solid Mutagen to Ta-Metru, for use in the army that was desperately lacking supplies. The Carvers got their payment of course, but when Ryoxin learned about it, he ordered a boycott of Po-Metru imports. The Carvers were only too happy to entertain this boycott, and began funding invasions of Ta-Metru with the profits they had made upon the con.

 

The Sculpture Fields send shipments to various points in the city. The Po-Metru chutes are some of the highest maintained chutes in the entire city, necessary to keep profits coming in, and others out. The entire District is cut off from the other five by a hideous mockery of nature. The waterways surrounding Po-Metru are full of Liquid mutagen, and the only way to reach the Metru is by highly patrolled access points. Walls are built all around the district, and the District of Stone remains one of the friendlier Metru.

 

The Canyon of Unending Whispers is full of Solid Mutagen. Everything here is useless, and is often shipped as scams to the other districts. The roars of the occasional Rahi can be heard echoing from one end of the canyon to the next, and the only things that break the eternal silence are the voices of explorers or the rush of rocks tumbling down into the Canyon. At the North Rim of the canyon is the Edge of the Earth Bar and Grill, which is often the starting point for where explorers and miners meet.

 

Onu-Metru

The District of Caves has become the most popular district in Metru Nui. The entire Metru seems like something out of a 1920-1930 crime movie. In the Underground, entire pockets of civilization are providing the city with entertainment, refreshment, and more. The underground could be thought of as its own city, because of the large population. But on the streets, the gangs run wild. Just like Ga-Metru, there are too many gangs to mention, and they all want something from the District. Fights in the streets are all too common during the day, but once the sun goes down, the undercity lights up brighter than Las Vegas, delivering all form of entertainment to its residents.

 

With the end of modern civilization, the Archives have turned into the most lucrative business in the entire city. Most of the free Nynrah and Vortixx work at the Archives, and try to help out their brothers and sisters whenever they can. In the area just around the Archives, a Market was set up nine years ago, originally to just sell items and technology back to the Archivists. Within a couple of years, it quickly became the largest black market in Metru Nui, where a Metruan can get anything from weapons, to supplies, to scraps and food. Using the amazing technology inside the Archives, the two species began to construct new weapons out of old broken down items in the Archives, or from the scraps that the Metruan sold to them. Regardless, the Archives are the best place to go if you need to kill somebody.

 

The Lightstone Mines flooded early on with Liquid Mutagen, and were sealed off with heavy chamber locks. The interior of the mines look like a gold-tinted water world. Over the years, many fools tried to break into the mines, to steal some light stones. Without being able to withstand the Mutagen, they all died, and now their bodies lie in a glowing graveyard, forgotten.

 

Ko-Metru

The District of Slush is a fraction of its former glory, destroyed by the anarchy of years and years of fighting. The frozen mutagen has transformed the very landscape, destroying many of the Knowledge Towers that lined the skies. East Ko-Metru has nearly melted into nothingness, and all that remains are a multitude of ice sheets, floating on a mutagenic sea. Many of the sheets hold a Knowledge Tower, although the Ko-Matoran question how this is possible. Some theorize that the sheets are actually much thicker then they look, being able to support that much weight. The highly important documents have either been moved to West Ko-Metru, or fallen down on the landscape below, waiting to be snatched by salvagers.

 

Most of the residents of Ko-Metru now reside in the Western section. The entirety of the West seems as it was carved out of a glacier by the old Toa of Ice. Mio-thick walls of ice line the borders, keeping most refugees out except for at specific points. Much of the gang fighting goes on inside the walls. The cold, apathetic personalities of the Ko-Matoran have been shed, and five vastly different gangs jump at the chance to secure the Metru for themselves, ready to kill anyone who crosses their path in an instant.

 

Not much else is known about life behind the walls. Only Ko-Matoran are allowed in, and the ‘foreigners’ who live there resided there before the outage. The mercenary business runs rampant in the district and Skakdi march through the gates every day, looking to make good money.

 

Profile Format

 

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

Gender: Male, Female, Genderless, Not Specified.

Species: Any species is from the Matoran Universe is allowed. I’ve decided no custom species this time around. Sorry about that. A side note, there –are- more than just Skakdi and Nynrah Ghosts on the island, and I would love to see you all make a way for them to fit into the new ‘society.’ In addition, I’d love to see you break away from the traditional roles that I’ve given the above species. Have fun.

 

Appearance: What your player’s going to look like. Feel free to put as much or as little detail as you feel comfortable with.

 

Tools: What you have on your person, like Kanohi, Kanoka, Weapons, etc.

Powers: What are you capable of? Elemental, Vision Powers, whatever.

 

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

 

Mutations: This section is entirely optional. Feel free to have a mutation, but don't make it overpowered.

 

Faction: What's your place in this world? Are you simply trying to stay alive in this harsh world, or are you part of a larger cause? Are you a lone wolf, or do you prefer working with others? Or are you going to take advantage of this chaos and carve out a name for yourself?

 

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.

 

Rules and Consequences

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.

4. Have fun! If you can’t think of something to do, go invent something, it’s a big island after all.

5. 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. Ten's a nice round number.

 

Consequences

First Time- Warning

It was probably an accident this time around, no worries. You’ll get a slap on the wrist, and a reminder not to do it again.

 

Second Time- Punishment

I warned you once. This time, you’ll get a small mutation. If you’re good, it’ll go away in time.

 

Third Time- Harsh Consequences

Serious mutation time, this one being permanent for your character. This mutation will be dealt out based on whatever you did this time around. Your character will be hovering on the brink of death.

 

Fourth Time- Death

Your characters will die. You’ll be left with one, regardless of if you actually used two or not. Do try and keep this one alive, as it’s your last chance.

 

Final Time- Banning

You've had five chances, so there should be no excuses. Your character will die, and you will be banned if this happens to numerous characters.

 

Endgame

There’s more than one way to win this, so don’t worry. Although, that’s a long way down the road, all dependent on your actions of course. Don’t worry, whatever happens, there’s still a lot more story left to tell, even if you don’t fix things just yet.

 

Have fun. -Av

Edited December 12, 2012 by Kryzath

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

Island of Pain

 

Let us not mince words. You are a slave. You have been plucked from whatever walk of life you once came from, and are now little more than a product. Our product.We are the Shepherds of Flesh. We own you.The years have been good to us. With the Great Spirit asleep there is no-one to rein in the Brotherhood of Makuta, or the Dark Hunters, or any other of the similar but lesser organisations.Like us.We are slavers and there are always openings for slaves. Be it in the foundries of Xia, or the wars of Zakaz, slaves are always in high demand. Perhaps you were travelling. Perhaps you were cast out. Perhaps you were on the run. It matters not. Our agents took you, contained you, delivered you to us. And then it was simply a matter of what to do with you.We think the Island of Pain. Oh yes, the Island of Pain should suit you well. Where every shadow is cast by a beast trying to eat you. Where every flash of colour is an enemy tying to kill you. Where we have a team whose sole purpose is to make you die in the most agonising way they can think of.Have fun.

 

 

The RPGOh dear, it appears you've been captured by an organisation of ruthless slave-traders called the Shepherds of Flesh. And rather than send you to be a menial labourer or cannon-fodder, they have posted you off to their deadly island. Perhaps you were a bit hard to break, perhaps they're making an example of you, perhaps one of your enemies paid to have you sent there. Whichever. You are now on the so-called Island of Pain. And you are going to be hunted.For the Island of Pain is a game reserve of sorts. Apart from other slaves it is full of hazardous terrain and dangerous wildlife, along with the team sponsored by the Shepherds to hunt you down.Good luck.

 

 

Locations

The Island of Pain was artificially created by the Shepherds specifically for hosting their twisted games. It is roughly circular in shape and surrounded by a dome made of some kind of metallic shell to prevent slaves just swimming or flying away. The Shepherds sought to create as many different environments as possible to provide their 'guests' with a variety of combat scenarios.

 

 

Toothy Bane: A series of mountains and valleys on the island's southern side. Jagged and unforgiving, their icy peaks stretch high into the sky, gathering snow as though they were scraping it from the clouds themselves.Haven Cove: Nestled away in Toothy Bane is the Cove. It is a perfect little beach, flat, white sands and gentle waves. There is only one path leading to the Cove, leading many to think it is also the perfect defensive spot. Their remains tell a different story…Shadowtangle: A massive forest that covers half the island, fed by meltwater from the Bane mountains. The canopy of the trees blocks the light, turning the world below into a permanent realm of twilight. This place is infested with ravenous animals solely there to eat you.The Yawning Sunder: The Sunder is a massive chasm that spans the length of the island. It severed Shadowtangle in two, and as a result the side facing the forest is one colossal waterfall as the meltwater drains into the abyss. The echoes of this waterfall are supposed to sound like the yawns of a giant, hence the name.Stony Leap: The only permanent bridge across the Yawning Sunder, in contrast to the numerous lesser and temporary wooden bridges. It is a formidable and impressive construction, made of solid stone with metal reinforcement.The Parched Wastes: When the Yawning Sunder bisected Shadowtangle half the forest was cut off from the waters that sustained it. It withered and died, turning into a dry and dusty desert. The Shepherds merely adapted this into a new environment for combatants, creating buildings that were purposefully constructed to be ruins. Watch out for these ruins, as they often conceal oases.The Shimmering Maze: At first this appears to be a lake, a flat expanse of shimmering blue. Its position in the north-west of the Parched Wastes means it is often considered a mirage. It is in fact a deposit of diamond, vast and brilliant. The Shepherds have drilled down into the crystal, creating a labyrinth of glittering catacombs.Ashring: A semi-circle of volcanic terrain around the Parched Wastes and the Shimmering Maze, reaching around the northern half of the island. The skies are dark with noxious clouds, the air is filled with a brimstone stench and the ground burns and boils. There are often slow-moving patches of lava bubbling from beneath the crust.Dragon's Roost: The largest volcano in Ashring, lava and sulphurous vapours constantly pour forth from its gaping crater. The Shepherds can apparently make it erupt at will should they want to provide a challenge for those in the area.The Dome: Surrounding the island, preventing escape by sky or sea. It is made of an unknown substance not quite rock, metal or shell but somewhere in between. The Shepherds project images onto the inside of the dome; snippets of action, the location of caches, and a huge map of the island. It appears to be impregnable, but supplies have to get onto the island somehow. As does air. And the waters inside are still affected by tides. It seems there is hope for escape yet…

 

 

 

EnemiesAs if the natural pitfalls and savage beasts weren't bad enough you will also have to contend with the minions of the Shepherds.Observers: Small and oval, rather like a metallic egg. A metallic egg with a massive camara lens for an eye, a propellor on the top for flight, and two sets of spindly extendable tentacles on either side. They buzz around the island recording the action, or noting where repairs are needed. They have no means of attacking and no defence other than running away, but there is no penalty attached to destroying them. So if one is trailing you, revealing your location to all, you are free to smash it.Caretakers: Robotic enforcers for the Shepherds, they are similar to the old Vahki units, but enhanced with Rahkshi parts scavenged from battlefields. They are sent out to plant caches, deliver rewards or carry out repairs. Their adjustments give them assorted Rahkshi powers, allowing them to defend themselves if necessary, though destroying a Caretaker will earn the displeasure of the Shepherds.Team Patronage: An elite team of six Toa sponsored by the Shepherds to hunt down slaves, receiving extra weaponry and equipment as payment of sorts. Formerly slaves themselves they banded together into an efficient killing machine, and became an official part of the games. If you kill a member of the team you take their place, so the Shepherds will often reveal their locations on the map they project in case you wish to challenge one.

 

 

Caches

The Shepherds want to give you a chance that is at least half-way fair, so they have their Caretakers plant caches randomly about the island. These can contain anything from a new weapon to medical supplies, and can prove most useful if you can find them. They may be revealed through an image, a placement on the map, or sometimes a riddle. They generally have a form of cloaking to prevent those with extrasensory powers locating them without effort.

 

 

Profiles

Fill this in and post it in the discussion topic. Once it is approved, it goes in the Profile Topic. You are allowed five charactersName: The name your character chooses to go bySpecies: You can't be a Makuta. Custom species are fineGender: Speaks for itselfAppearance: What do you look likePowers: What can you do?Weapons/Equipment: Keep in mind that, as you're a slave, you won't have anything too fancyBio: What happened in your characters past? How did they come to be on the Island of Pain? What are they like? What are their goals?

 

 

 

NPCsCharacter Name: LaeliusSpecies: ToaGender: MaleAppearance: Stately-looking but actually somewhat shorter than average. His armour is more gold than red, kept perfect and shiny by his heat powers searing off grime. His mask appears to be a Pakari, the grills studded with small jewelsPowers: Fire elemental powersWeapons/Equipment: Jutlin, Great Mask of Corruption. A pair of Great Scissors, long protosteel blades affixed to each other with a hinge.Bio: The coward. Laelius was a general in a great and formidable Toa army, one renowned across the southern continent for its mighty victories against its foes. However Laelius faced a Vortixx warlord who was smarter than he was, and could see his army being routed and slaughtered. Rather than be killed or captured he fled, turning his back on his troops. He was picked up by the Shepherds while wandering a lonely road, a dusty and destitute beggar.Character Name: ArillanSpecies: ToaGender: MaleAppearance: Appears as a Metru-style toa with dark green armor, mixed in some places to blend in with foliage. He also wears a black robe from a cache. Appears to have a Mask of Illusions. (Link)Powers: Has the elemental powers of air, with special training in the power of creating a vacuum.Weapons/Equipment: Mask is powered as a Kanohi Crast, the Mask of Repulsion. Wields a handmade bow from the Shadowtangle, though lack of proper tools to work with has rendered it rather ineffective as opposed to a proper one. He has a quiver that he holds 36 arrows in (keeping tally) made of wood and tipped with stone. Also has a staff, the only thing left of his former life asides from his mask, that holds a sword in it (though getting it out would require breaking the staff and pulling out the weapon). How the sword got into the wood is unknown, as it was not his. Has some antivenoms and a large skin for holding water. Claimed from Kadens corpse a Kanohi Hau, a Protosteel Tomahawk, and a Halberd.Bio: Arillan was once a woodworker, specializing in making weapons and arrows. However, as time passed, he grew bored of his job. It was then that his life took a twisted turn. The local toa had been poisoned by the Dark Hunters, and in order to defend the village, created six toa stones to create new toa. With no other way to determine the owners, the matoran chose to host a tournament for who would be the greatest warrior. Seeing the toa stones, however, he figured that there was no reason to split their power, and during the tournament he stole all six of them and took them to the suva, gaining all of the power of the former toa. By the time he was discovered, he had already left.Because of his corrupted motives, he found that his armor was darkened by shadow and his mask was of an immoral power. None of this bothered him, however. Only a year passed by the time he made his first kill - it was fun. After that, he spiraled down a path of murder, treachery, and corruption, going so far as to kill a Dark Hunter who had killed his target before he did. In retaliation, the Shadowed One called for his capture. That was when the Shepherds ofFlesh got word of him, and captured him only a few hours after his final murder.He is still able to make weapons from scratch. He is also a master archer, and can still take shots superior to all but the greatest archers even with the poor weapon quality he is using. He doesn't like alliances, and plans only on killing every living being he comes across, unless he feels a battle is to hard to win. Joined Team Patronage after killed AderynCharacter Name: JaxeniaSpecies: ToaGender: FemaleAppearance: The term armour really applies here. Jaxenia is covered in thick battle-armour, dull grey and heavily battle-scarred. Her mask appears to be a symbolic Hau, though it seems more like a helmet than an actual maskPowers: Water elemental powersWeapons/Equipment: Eypoxi, Great Mask of Suffocation. A long fishing rod she can use as a quarterstaff or unwind the reel to act as a barb-ended whip.Bio: The tyrant. Formerly a Chief of Police for a corrupted government on a small island. Jaxenia was personally responsible for the detainment and interrogation of those who did not show sufficient loyalty and devotion to the city-state. She grew in power and ruthlessness until finally the Matoran decided they wanted no more. There was a coup, and Jaxenia and her cohorts were driven out. Jaxenia herself was cast adrift on a raft with no supplies or way of steering. She was found half-starved by pirates and passed on to the ShepherdsCharacter Name: Blinding WhiteSpecies: ToaGender: MaleAppearance: His joints are ethereal and crystalline, coloured as they are translucent white. His armour is a shade of delicate snow-white. His mask has the semblance of a Matatu, draping over his head like mail with a lens staring darkly out at the worldPowers: Ice elemental powersWeapons/Equipment: Wocax, Great Mask of Blindness. Ice pickBio: The traitor. Blinding White never really got on with his old team. They squabbled and bickered, and never really got on with each other. Things were especially bad between Blinding White and the team leader, Blazing Red. Their conflict descended into physical blows in which Blazing Red and his fire powers came out on top. Humiliated and furious Blinding White waited until nightfall and murdered Blazing Red in his sleep. He chose to leave his village after that, no longer caring about it or seeing its as his responsibility. He was mugged on the road and found half-dead by the Shepherd's agents amidst the corpses of his assailants.Character Name: VertanSpecies: SkakdiGender: MaleAppearance: Vertan is clad in bright red, silver, and black armor. His head/spine is also red, and his eyes are scarlet. He has club-like hands that end in silver claws (shaped like Tyrant’s) and large feet (shaped like Gatherer’s) with three clawed toes, silver in color as well. Vertan also has this symbol tattooed on his right shoulder armor.Powers:-Fire elemental powers (in conjunction with another Skakdi)-Impact Vision-The unique ability to create and fire force bolts. He can also charge the bolts in his hands to make a bigger, stronger blast, though this process is rather slow.Weapons/Equipment:-A spiked, wooden club-Great Pigrit, Mask of Slowness (taken from Kuy'saz'ra)-clawsBio: Vertan was once a vicious warrior on Zakaz, often being one of the first combatants in battle. However, when the army he was fighting with lost, he was sold to the Shepherds by the enemy, mostly for being too destructive. They decided to put him on their island, where he could take out his aggression on other slaves. After killing the Toa Kuy'saz'ra he became a member of PatronageCharacter Name: JontanSpecies: Hybrid Demon-ToaGender: MaleAppearance: Short, brown and black, lean. He has piercing red eyes and a bright red tattoo on his mask. Has absolutely no signs of ever being scarred, bitten, or otherwise harmed. Carries a large jar filled with sand on his back.Powers: Sand, X-ray Vision via AkakuWeapons/Equipment: Large jar of sand; Akaku; sword and shield obtained from OuraBio: Jontan was genetically altered as a very young Toa. His body and mind were fused with a sand elemental, though pretty much everyone referred to it as a demon. This sand demon gave him extraordinary power, but also eventually drove him insane. Despite how fast an attacker moves, he seems to always get stopped by sand. He's even tried committing suicide before, but the sand has protected him. He has no friends, but tolerates Rastaque as a subordinate. Became a member of Team Patronage by killing Talpid

 

 

Rules

• BZP Rules apply, obviously
• No god-modding (e.g. controlling someone else's character, having your character do something impossible). And if someone god-modes against you, don't do it back, tell a Staffie
• This is a Text-Based RPG, so to join in you post what is basically a miniature story for what is currently happening to your character
• Don't bunny (meaning control extensively) other peoples characters without their permission
• No silliness such as suddenly firing cream pies from your Midak. Believe me, it's not as funny as you think
• Don't glory hog or continuously degrade someone else's character
• Use IC for In-Character and OOC for Out-Of-Charactere.g:IC: The Toa leapt from ledge to ledge, escaping the enraged RahiOOC: Hey Randommember1, care to join in?
• The Kraahkan, Avohkii, Ignika, Vahi, Tryna and Olmak are not allowed.
• You are not allowed any unreasonable elements (e.g. Life or Time) and Nova Blasts are strictly off-limits.

Thanks to Cipher for creating the map

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

(Credit to Shattered Mask Productions for the banner)

 

Frozen

 

Xia in Chaos!

The island of Xia, home to the Vortixx and major weapon maker of the Universe, has fallen into chaos when a huge snowstorm appeared out of midair atop the Mountain, flash-freezing the entire island and almost completely stopping all weapon manufacturing! The Xian Council, who preside over Xia, have sent out a call to all adventurers, promising a ‘great reward’ for the stopping of this freak storm.

 

The Skakdi raises an eyebrow after finishing the notice, posted on a tree in the middle of the village. ‘This would be a great way to get on the Vortixx’s good side,’ the being thinks, even as his thoughts are echoed in different ways by others across the Matoran Universe. Many will board ships, of air or sea, trying to get to this island and get this ‘great reward.’ Most do not give a second thought of the troubles they’ll face, or if there’s a deeper reason for this snowstorm. No matter their reasons, they all head for the frozen isle of Xia, where the weather isn’t the only thing against them.

 

 

Preface

 

“Remember, there are always things that come before other things, no matter who you are.”

 

Welcome to Frozen, where you will head into the drastically changed isle of Xia, either attempting to achieve the goal of stopping the snowstorm or just following your own path. Beware, though. There are many backstabbing beings here, ones who will not stop to grab a thrown dagger out of your back just to keep—or get—a slight lead.

 

History

 

"History? We're not Onu-Matoran, we don't have an entire zone of our island dedicated to history. Not that we don't keep track."

 

It has been around 500 years since the Great Cataclysm, and Xia couldn't be happier. Due to the Dark Hunter/Brotherhood of Makuta War, they have had constant business with both sides, with the Hunters providing a bit more than the Brotherhood. Vortixx have been making regular trips up the Mountain to prove their worth, with the Council keeping track of who was going up and who had come down. Other than that, not much has happened on Xia, until the snowstorm hit.

 

Locations

 

“Ah, Xia. The most polluted rock in the entire Universe. Bring a filter cloth, you’re gonna need it.”

 

The Isle of Xia has changed since most beings that were here once were last there. For one, the sky is half-visible and the air is somewhat breathable, due to most factories being shut down because of snow clogging the smokestacks, or the molten metal is running out. The streets, however, are filled with greenish-brown snow that begins to burn unprotected feet after a while, simply from Mountain run-off and general smog-filled snow. Few buildings remain active, most becoming sleeping quarters until they can re-activate the forges and assembly lines. Major locations include:

 

The Council Tower: Exactly what it’s named for, the Tower is the headquarters of the Xian Alliance. Reward-seekers must register here first before leaving on their quest, so that the Council can give the reward out to the rightful being. Located in the Northwestern end of the island, but a factory or two north of The Docks.

 

The Docks: The arrival zone for most of the reward-seekers and any other arrivals to Xia. A gang has formed there, much to the dissaproval of the Council, and are demanding payment to pass out of the area. Located in the West end of the island.

 

Markets of the Reward: Named for the fact that it sprung up for the one perpose of providing reward-seekers with the gear they need to tackle the Mountain, this marketplace is filled with snowshoes, acid resisting cream, and just about anything else you’d need for this quest. However, be savvy when buying, for there are many rip-offs and overpricing is rampant. Located in the South of Xia.

 

Dark Hunter Base: Everyone knows that there’s a Base for the Dark Hunters somewhere on the island, but no-one but Hunters and the Council know the exact location. Thought to be in the Southeast.

 

The Mountain: The main landmark of Xia, the point where the snowstorm swirls out from, The Mountain is where all reward-seekers end up eventually. And currently, they all end up in it. It has been growing at an alarming rate due to the increase in food, and the Council has set up a crew to daily shoot a missle at one side of it in an attempt to slow its growth. So far, that hasn’t proven effective.

 

The Mountain itself is more dangerous than ever: the slopes are slippery, the cold numbs every part of adventurers bodies, the acidic grass has transferred its qualities to the snow, burning and freezing at the same time, and yes, the rocks themselves still try to eat you. Though, one upside may be that the rumors of ‘the sky raining fire’ are either not true, or simply not happening because of the weather. Located in the center of Xia.

 

Testing Areas: The deep South of the island is barren, marked with many burns, grooves, and other damages. Since it was used for weapon testing in the past, beings are advised not to go there without proper equipment. The only allure for this location is the prospect of finding some prototype weapons to use, or perhaps some evidence for what’s really going on on the Mountain.

 

 

Factions:

 

“On Xia, there’s not many different people working against one another. You’re either with the Council, or running.”

 

With Xia being filled with Vortixx, beings known to be among the most backstabbing of spieces, only seconded by the Skakdi, one would think Xia would be a political mess. Not so. The Xian Council presides over Xia, regulating taxes and keeping people from blowing each other up. The business world, however, is a different story… Factions include:

 

The Xian Council: Main faction in control of Xia, they are the glue that keeps the island from devestating itself daily. Led by the actual Council, which is made of business leaders, they regulate Xia and keep it going smoothly.They are based in the Council Tower, and are the ones offering the reward. Subfaction: Xian Vahki Enforecment Force.

 

Xian Vahki Enforcement Force: Often called the XVEF for short, they are the police of Xia. Made up of only the best backstabbers, business people and strong workers, they somewhat enforce the law. Mainly when there’s a chance of major destruction.

 

Dark Hunters: The shadowy group that will do any job for a price, the Dark Hunters remain a force to not reckon with at all, if you value your life. Their base on Xia’s location is not known, but those needing something done can contact them through the Council.

 

Dock Deckers: The gang that has sprung up around the Docks due to inactivity of the factories and the prospect of profit from getting beings to pay a ‘toll’ to pass in an out of the Docks. Their name is derived from the fact that when someone doesn’t pay, they punch the money out of you until they’re satisfied. Their base is somewhere in the Docks.

 

Reward-Seekers: Not trully a faction in any regard but the fact that they share the same goal, this is the name given to anyone going for the ‘great reward’ offered by the Council. As such, they have no base.

 

 

Profiles

 

“Sure, you can try to sneak onto Xia. But know that no matter how you get there, once you’re on Xia, they will find out everything about you.”

 

To create your character, simply fill out form, and post in Disscussion Topic for approval. Once approved, put in Profiles Topic.

 

Name: (Bionicle-y. No Bob, or Lewa332.)

Spieces, Gender: (Self explainitory. No Makuta, Custom allowed.)

Faction: (Simple enough. Council is NPC only, XVEF is Vortixx only, Dock Deckers is mainly Vortixx, only different spieces if have a good reason.)

Equipment: (Weapons, Masks, Books, Bags, if they have it on them, put it here.) (No Legendary Masks, no Olmak, Avohkii, Kraahkan. Customs are allowed.)

Powers/Skills/Abilities: (Mask Power here, as well as elemental powers if any, any other powers. No Light or Shadow, Custom are allowed)

Appearance: (25 words or a picture.)

Biography: (50 words. It’s not hard, people.)

Personality: (50 words again. Still not hard.)

 

Blank Profile

 

Name:

Spieces, Gender:

Faction:

Equipment:

Powers/Skills/Abilities:

Appearance:

Biography:

Personality:

 

 

Rules

 

“On Xia, you better know what goes, and what doesn’t. The XVEF will get you if you don’t.”

 

Alright, down to the nitty-gritty of the RPG.

 

1. Be respectful. Basically, respect the GM, Moderators, and other players, and don’t God-moderator or bunny.

 

2. Use IC and OOC. OOC only posts go in the Discussion Topic. Also, if you don’t use any other distinguishing things (color or text style) please announce who it is you’re posting as. Where they are is also nice.

 

3. Keep your posts readable. That means, to the best of your ability, use good grammer, spelling, don’t post in a invisible color or really bright one, etc.

 

4. Keep the humor down, and romance even more so. This isn’t the Comedy forum. Besides, remember that your characters are constantly living in an enviroment that could kill them quickly. Also, nothing more than kissing. At the absolute most. Nothing too suggestive, either.

 

5. All BZP rules apply. Every. Single. One. (For this forum, for the forums in general, all the same.

 

6. Post your profiles in the Disscussion Topic for approval. Let’s keep the profiles topic nice and neat, please.

 

7. Please announce, in OOC or the Discusion Topic, when you are attempting a Mountain climb. Maybe make it bold, too. That way, we (the staff) know to control the Mountain.

 

8. And most of all, Have fun! It’s the entire point of the RPG, after all. Players who follow the rules may end up with rewards...

 

There’s 3 levels of rule breaking, described below.

 

Level 1: So, you’ve had a report of God-Moding, or maybe a bunnying report (After being told to stop). No biggie. You get a PM sent to you, or a post in the Discussion Topic addressed to you.

 

Level 2: After repeated instances of God-Moding or bunnying, or just plain being constantly rude to staff and others, you get yourself a level 2. The offending character (If there is one) gets hurt/killed (depending upon seriousity of it) and you get a PM sent to you. Possiblity of a suspension from the RPG.

 

Level 3: You’ve just plain been this rude, God-Moding troll that no-one wants to interact with because of your constant rule-breaking. You get all characters killed and are expelled from the RPG.

 

GM: Zakaro

 

Moderators: Constructman, Toa Kaithas

 

Have fun and enjoy.

 

Zakaro

Edited December 20, 2012 by Zakar0%

[Parugi]

Perpetual

A Dark Hunter, numerous Day Run contestants, the former leader of the Ring, even one of the Ringmaster’s old friends… The ‘heroes’ lay in ruins before Toa Lyxek and his band, all broken, torn down to the very last threads of their lives. They had stood in opposition to the Ringmaster’s plans, a small group among many. These had been the rebellion’s final hope, the only ones who truly stood a chance of stopping Ruaki’s resurrection, after the defeat of all the others in their respective battles, from the attempted destruction of the Director and the nanobot construct to the confrontation with the God of Death’s spiritual form.

 

And yet, in the end, they had fallen, overwhelmed by the power of Death.

 

They were a testament to the nobility of Lyxek’s goals.

 

The Ringmaster turned away from the defeated warriors, walking to the edge of the floating platform on which they had fought. Toa Kovian, barely conscious, barely clinging to life, watched the Toa of Sonics go, dread chilling him to the bone as he saw Lyxek raise his hands. From a vast hole in the sky, a product of Lyxek’s plans, a massive cloud of darkness emerged, a swirling vortex of white lightning and writhing, black tentacles. The cloud moved toward the snake-like nanobot construct that the Ring had so tirelessly worked to create, engulfing the hulking form for a moment before being absorbed into it.

 

Red lights shone from its eye sockets, signifying Ruaki’s return to life, even as the newly possessed body swung under Lyxek’s control.

 

The time had come.

 

“God Rhashahk,” Lyxek called. “The contract is fulfilled. Let us bring new life to this universe—life unending!”

 

Kovian struggled, raising a bloodied right hand toward Lyxek, though it fell to the floor of the platform as his strength failed him. The Toa of Ice found himself engulfed in a strange, bright green light as he finally succumbed to his injuries, the world falling into blackness around him, the sound of raging wind filling his ears before all went silent…

 

 

 

The chill sting of snow greeted him as he awoke some time later, his pale blue eyes drifting open—much to his surprise. Snow fell lazily around him, floating softly down from the glowing, blue and dark-gray sky above. Somewhere nearby, several small flames crackled quietly, though he felt neither particularly warm nor cold here.

 

Groggily, Kovian pushed himself up, pressing a hand to his face, immediately pulling it away when he realized that the deep gashes on it were gone. The Dark Hunter examined the rest of his body, finding that he had been completely repaired. Turning, he saw the unconscious bodies of his allies around him, all in perfect condition. The wreckage of the platform was scattered around the group, the vehicle half-buried in the snow, as if it had crashed there.

 

“He did it…” the Toa whispered, his voice shaking from the shock of realization. The Ringmaster had succeeded in his goals, had brought back Ruaki. What was more, he had done as intended: Lyxek had granted immortality to the entirety of the Matoran universe.

 

Death was no longer a factor—for better or worse…

 

 

Perpetual: A “What If?” Story

What if Lyxek had succeeded in his plan?

 

With the end of the Day Run, this was the question that lingered on the minds of many. Alternate universes had already explored the implications of his victory in resurrecting Ruaki and then failing to control him, causing the total destruction of the universe, but one idea was never addressed:

 

What if Lyxek had completely succeeded in his plan?

 

The answer is simple: Lyxek gained control over Ruaki and granted immortality to the inhabitants of the universe. However, his control fluctuated, causing the immortal factor to be… incomplete. What happened next is a mystery, as Lyxek and his crew vanished, leaving those who had gone to battle him to crash on the snowy plains of Kai-Nam.

 

Thousands of years later, Lyxek is still missing, and the face of the universe has changed for the worst. Millions of people have lost the will to live, and yet have no way of escaping their endless lives. Areas that were known for constant, violent war in the past have become living graveyards, with the worst of the worst being Zakaz. Factions have disbanded all across the board, their goals made pointless by the invocation of endless life.

 

None of this has been helped at all by Ruaki’s influence—at some point, it seems that the God of Death completely broke free of Lyxek’s control, and began wreaking havoc across the world, an unstoppable force prodding at the lives of those below him. Now he watches, creating chaos here, sending plagues into islands over there.

 

This is where your actions come into play. You are immortal, but you are still in danger. With the energy of the universe dying around you, will you attempt to find a way to reverse the damage that Ruaki has done, perfecting immortality and reinvigorating the universe? Will you attempt to drive Mata Nui toward a new world, one that will prove sufficient for the inhabitants of the universe to take, to get away from Ruaki’s chaos? Or will you search for Lyxek, for Ruaki, and find a way to remove the curse that has been placed upon your head?

 

Your choices are yours alone. Choose wisely, however, lest you make a precarious situation worse than it already is…

 

 

Immortality: Not As It Seems

The beings within Mata Nui have always lived for hundreds of thousands of years; as such, long life is not unusual to them. Yet, living in such a dangerous world necessitated the use of caution in life, as one never quite knew when a dangerous Rahi, a powerful Dark Hunter, or some new army might appear, bringing with them untold death and destruction.

 

Lyxek’s actions removed that danger—for the most part. Any person or creature, organic or robotic, that died after the events on Kai-Nam would return without fail, all injuries repaired, with only the horrible memories of their temporary death left as a reminder of what awaited them in the afterlife. Unsurprisingly, many beings were left with a newfound taste for danger, putting themselves into unwarranted danger simply for the thrill of it, no longer concerned with their mortal limitations.

 

What they failed to realize was that, even for immortals, death demands a price.

 

Over time, a pattern began to emerge. The first death brought no ill consequences upon resurrection. The second death brought a smaller degree of healing, as well as a temporary sickness, temporarily weakening the newly-revived being. The third death brought only minor healing of injuries, a permanent sickness, and failed to maintain the being’s ability to resist decomposition—muscles atrophied, limbs breaking off or forcing amputation. This is where most thrill-seekers and warriors stopped, their injuries forcing them to seek medical help, for fear of what lay before them in their endless lives.

 

However, there are always outliers, people too foolish to realize the consequences of their actions. Those who died a fourth—or, occasionally, a fifth, if they were of strong enough will—simply stopped healing altogether. Oh, their souls and minds remained anchored, but their bodies became useless, immobile—they could no longer move due to the damage to their bodies, their powers inaccessible no matter how hard they tried, their spirits trapped in shells inescapable, doomed to forever inhabit their place of perpetual demise, dying every moment only to return just as quickly. Their only hope of communication, their one remaining way to continue speaking with the living, is the occasional passage of a telepathic near their deathbed. No solution has ever permanently fixed their situation, making them a warning to all who have still found drive enough to function in this new world.

 

In short, despite your character’s immortality, he/she still has a limit on how much they can die. They will get weaker and weaker each time they get resurrected, and after the fourth death, they are considered “dead”—their body is no longer viable and their minds are stuck there. While they cannot do anything, you can still show their thoughts and such—possibly even con somebody into helping them find a new body to take over.

 

As a final note, remember that resurrection takes time. How long varies from individual to individual, ranging from mere minutes to several days, and the amount of time that transpires between life and death only increases with each death. The fact that you will heal--fully or partially--from lethal and nonlethal injuries following the loss of a battle, or the loss of your life, does not mean that you will be able to finish off your opponent immediately after your body returns to normal.

 

 

We Are Your Unwilling Salvation

One may wonder how the issues with immortality were truly discovered, if they are as horrific as described. The answer lies in Ruaki’s Vengeance: the Feranaki. Upon his return to full control—and, indeed, even before then—Ruaki summoned his demons to attack the people of the universe, something that only served to catalyze the degradation of the world. Many of the initial discoveries of resurrection’s side-effects following Ruaki’s return were directly caused by Feranaki-related deaths.

 

Nowadays, the Feranaki are no longer as large of a threat as they once were. The primary body is gone, with only pockets remaining in random locations, typically hidden away in forests or caves, waiting for the day when Ruaki gains interest in them again and calls them back to him.

 

Meanwhile, people are beginning to realize the parasite’s usefulness in the current situation. While the Feranaki are horrific creatures, there is a rumor going around that the fate of the Fourth Death could be avoided if the person in question is infected by an Infection Form. At the very least, the Immortal Factor seems to grant the “dead” a resistance against the Feranaki’s mind control, even if it does not stop the physical mutations caused by infection. While these theories have yet to be truly tested, word is that there is quite a bit of evidence to support them—so perhaps hope still remains for the trapped minds of the broken…

 

Feranaki come in a variety of forms, which are briefly described below:

• Infection Forms: Small, balloon-like creatures, with dozens of small tentacles spilling out from their undersides. Infection Forms are the root of all the others—they burrow into dead bodies to create the Common Form, and hundreds or thousands can join together to merge into the Breakers and Leviathans.
• Common Forms: Dead bodies reanimated by Infection Forms. Generally, they are a corpse—of any species—with numerous deformations forced upon their bodies, including the twisted movement of their head and neck away from their natural positions, the presence of an Infection Form protruding from their chest, and a mutated left arm that has been transformed into a set of massive tentacles. Always decaying, Common Forms have been known to be incredibly strong, with some possessing the elemental powers that they had in life.
• Breaker Forms: Massive, hulking creatures that stand roughly fourteen feet tall. Breakers appear to be made of plant matter, though in reality this is the combined mass of Feranaki matter, usually merged Infection Forms. For an unknown reason, Breakers are highly susceptible to fire-based attacks.
• Leviathan Forms: Leviathans are monstrosities. They stand forty to a hundred feet tall, with massive frontal legs that serve as their primary method of movement. Typically bearing large crests on their heads and massive jaws, Leviathans are incredibly powerful and difficult to destroy, particularly due to their regenerative abilities. They are able to “swallow” beings through openings on their feet, infecting them and ejecting them as Feranaki from their backs. Thankfully, Leviathans are very rare sights.

 

 

Who Are You?

The following is an admissions profile. Should you wish to join Perpetual, simply fill it out and post it in the profiles topic for approval.

 

Username: This will help keep characters’ owners straight.

Name: The name of your character. Keep it BIONICLE-ish.

Species: Custom species are allowed upon submission for review. Makuta and Karzahni/Artahka’s species are not allowed, at least not without talking to me about it first.

Gender: Obvious field is obvious.

Description: Separate paragraphs for appearance and personality, preferably. If you have a picture for your character, feel free to link to it as opposed to describing them.

Equipment: Your characters primary tools—weapons, doodads that help them do stuff, whatever is their equivalent of a Sonic Screwdriver. Just… equipment stuff.

Mask: Your character’s mask, if he/she has one. Anything but the Avohkii, Kraahkan, Olmak, and Legendary Masks are allowed. The Mask of Emulation and the Tryna will have limited powers because the former has been abused to no end in the past and the latter is somewhat not as useful here, given the circumstances. Custom masks are allowed with approval.

Powers: This covers your character's element and other powers. Anything is allowed, including custom elements, though Time and Life are not (the exception being if you have a power similar to Voporak's time field or Thok’s animation power.)

Vehicle: If your character has a vehicle, describe it—its appearance, its weapons, etc. If you have a picture, you can link to it. Some vehicles are also known to use above-average AI, allowing them to display Rahi-like behavior; if yours has such equipment, describe its personality as well.

Biography: Your character’s past—where he/she is from, whether or not they’ve died at all, all that jazz.

 

 

The World is Gone

The world is at your fingertips, changed as it may be, and so we will not go into great depth about the places you already know. However, below are descriptions of those that have been drastically altered, as well as locations that are not so easily researchable.

 

Metru-Nui

Perhaps through sheer force of will, Metru-Nui is perhaps the least affected island in terms of depression regarding immortality. However, Feranaki attacks were concentrated here during the initial outbreak, leaving much of the city damaged or destroyed and with few workers left with the strength to rebuild. Those that remain continue to quietly keep things running, in the hope that Mata Nui will see their suffering brought to an end.

 

Zakaz

Being a natural war zone, Zakaz very quickly transformed into a mass grave of the living. As soon as the addition of the Fourth Death was added by Ruaki, activity on Zakaz began to decline, until finally the entire island went silent. Visitors to the island now find themselves surrounded on all sides by endless corpses, the minds inhabiting them screaming out every moment. Almost as a mockery of their physical state, a group of travelers arrived several years later with the intention of setting up the weapons of the fallen as grave markers next to their owners’ broken bodies. The “tribute” has yet to be undone.

 

Kai-Nam

Already a quiet place, the snowy island of Kai-Nam is completely deserted now. Bad memories plague those who witnessed Lyxek’s plans unfold, and those who had lived there and survived Lyxek’s activities no longer wish to be there. The remains of the Day Run facilities, of the Ring, Guild of Tyis, and KNPD bases, and other notable locations, are still present, though have not been touched in years. A massive hole, slightly off from the middle of the island, marks the only entrance into the once-legendary Garden, a place now devoid of what life it used to possess.

 

Gynel

“The Place of Yearning,” as it is now called, Gynel was the original location of the Day Run—then called the Night Run. It was also the original home of the Feranaki, at the time prompting the Brotherhood of Makuta to blockade the island. Now, however, no ships surround it, and the land is devoid of any activity that is not affiliated with mourning. The decaying bodies of those that perished during the final Night Run tournament hundreds and hundreds of years ago, on the mountains and in the forests, serve as a painful, nostalgic reminder of what death truly means.

 

Stelt

Surprisingly, Stelt has possibly fared the best in the new chaos of the universe. Being a generally apathetic land to begin with, the inhabitants of Stelt simply don’t care about the ways in which things have transformed—in their eyes, the dread and dead bodies are simply another kind of trash to remove from the streets, not much different from what they had dealt with before.

 

Xia

There is no better way to destroy hope than by destroying the very foundation of society. This is something that Ruaki took to heart when he released the Feranaki, setting them upon the factories of Xia like a swarm of locusts in a field of corn. The entire island was razed, production ceasing to a total halt, the land becoming a phantom of what it once was. By destroying Xia, Ruaki effectively removed the world's market; for that reason, it is difficult to come by new, quality armor and equipment.

 

 

Rules

1. First and foremost, all BZP rules apply—as usual. If you haven’t read them, they can be found here.

2. To emphasize two specific parts from the above, do not spam and do not flame. For the uninformed, spamming is the posting of pointless messages—in this case, posts that don’t apply to the RPG. Don’t do it. Flaming is the intentional act of OOCly attacking or provoking another member. Don’t do it. You will be punished.

3. Heed the words of the staff. In the case that either you think a staff member has made an unfair call or they may have blatantly disrespected you, take it up with me and we’ll sort it out.

4. Don’t majorly control another player’s character unless they have asked you to. To be specific—A. Don’t kill another player’s character without permission; B. Don’t severely injure another player’s character without permission; and C. Don’t make another player’s character do something huge without—you guessed it—their permission. If you want to do that with your own characters, by all means go for it.

5. You must be approved in the profile topic before you begin playing.

6. Do not God-Mode or meta-game. For those not in the “know”: meta-gaming is, essentially, making your character know something that you only know OOCly – like, for example, reading a conversation between two characters nowhere near your character and then having your character know of it. God-modding is pretty much just playing unfairly in battle—never tiring, being impossibly strong, etc. Both are looked down upon, and neither will be tolerated, even against NPCs. As an extension of this, Nova Blasts are not allowed.

7. Please be realistic. BIONICLE and earth physics may not completely apply, but you can’t jump a mio into the air – it’s just not possible without help. Along with this, you may have a fast vehicle, but don’t zip off from one place to another in one post. And make NPCs act like they should—if you insult a Skakdi, you’re going to get attacked.

8. Please use the OOC and IC systems when you post. Examples of each are as follows:

IC: Toa Likil fell down a hole, breaking his leg.

 

OOC: helpplox.

 

9. I do not have a specific character limit in mind. Please do not attempt to create an abundance of characters if you cannot handle them, however. Further, if you prove yourself untrustworthy (such as by creating a boatload of ridiculously powerful characters,) I will not hesitate to cut them down and I will not hesitate to put a personal limit in place. So, stay logical—for both our sakes.

10. Be fair—establish yourself as a trustworthy person and act on that. By this I mean don’t purposely undermine someone else’s character just to win a battle. It’s a game; if you have to resort to OOC cheating to win a battle, then you’ve got issues. You will also be punished.

11. Have fun! Don’t take this too seriously—it’s a game. Games are games are games. They won’t affect you.

 

 

Emphasis On Death And Battle

I am going to say this once and once only: You will lose and you will die in this RPG. It is unavoidable. Completely. It will happen. Accept this now before the game starts. Having failed to get numerous people to accept the loss of battle in the past--in Day Run, in Night Ride, in Rise of the Rockets--the concession of defeat is one of my primary motivations for this game. While there are obviously consequences for losing and dying, as usual, the risk here is not as great as in some places, and not as lax as in others; therefore, there is no reason to not utilize the system based around death and loss that is a staple of this RPG.

 

So, having said that, I will request that you keep this in mind as you join. Do not make me force this on you, because I will if it comes down to it, regardless of whether or not I want to.

 

 

Non-Player Characters

My characters. This is mostly just so I have an example of what the completed character sheet should look like, and to give people an idea of what I might be planning.

 

Username: Parugi.

Name: Kovian.

Species: Toa of Ice.

Gender: Male.

Description: A Toa of standard height, roughly seven feet tall, Kovian wears light-weight, silver and white armor with crystalline, light blue accents. His white Kanohi Kova, shaped similarly to a Rahkshi helmet, is equipped with a removable telescope that allows him to view the world in several different light spectrum, as well as allowing him to scan individuals to give him select information on them. He wears bladed feet additions that allow him to traverse ice lands and mountains more easily. The Dark Hunter mark is branded onto the back of his right hand, a reminder of his past membership with them. Numerous scars cover Kovian's body, and much of his armor and muscle is noticeably weaker than it used to be, due to having experienced two regenerations. Further, his left arm has been amputated at the shoulder, in an attempt to stop the spread of the resurrection illness.Kovian is an extremely quiet individual. Having failed to stop Lyxek on Kai-Nam, Kovian feels that much of the current suffering in the universe is his fault; as such, he is very antisocial, going out of his way to avoid other people, in particular his friends and others who try to help him. Known to have been a death seeker even before the Immortal Factor came into play, due to guilt over killing at least two individuals, Kovian is very depressed over his current predicament.

Equipment: Kovian's primary tools--his double-bladed scythe and his shield--were lost several years ago, as was one of his plasma arm blades. As such, his only weapons are a pair of protosteel daggers and the plasma blade on his remaining arm.

Mask: Kanohi Kova, Mask of Chameleon. Acting in the same manner as a Level 6 Kraata of Chameleon, it changes the user's body texture and appearance to match the surrounding area, effectively camouflaging them from all but mental detection or extremely bright light.

Powers: As his species suggests, Kovian can control the element of ice, a power that he has virtually mastered by now. Further, he has secondary control over the element of Sonics, a power granted to him through events on his home island of Exa-Nui. Kovian is also proficient in hand-to-hand combat, though this is made more difficult now by his lack of a left arm.

Vehicle: N/A, at the moment.

Biography: Kovian's life has been one of constant tragedy. Years ago, he was one of the defenders of his home island, Exa-Nui. However, he was corrupted and influenced by Makuta Jaeda, leading to events that culminated in the destruction of the island and the death of several of his former teammates. Leaving as a traveler and outcast, Kovian experienced dozens of horrors around the universe, including his personal slaying of Jaeda a year before Lyxek's plans came to fruition--his next failure. Ever since the Immortal Factor came into play, Kovian has beaten himself up over his failure to stop the Ringmaster, realizing that he and his group had been the only thing standing between Lyxek and Ruaki's resurrection. Ever since that day, Kovian has traveled, drifting from place to place, trapped in his own guilt and despair. In that time, he has been killed and resurrected thrice, with the third resurrection resulting in the loss of his left arm--the starting place of his own decay.

 

 

Username: Parugi.

Name: Okena.

Species: Toa of Plant Life.

Gender: Male.

Description: Okena stands at the same height as a typical Toa, and has dark green eyes. Unlike most Toa of Plant Life, his armor is brown and dark green in appearance, designed to improve his ability to blend into the forest; in other areas, he relies on his mask to do the job for him. The armor on Okena's left arm is slightly bulkier than that of his right; the reason for this is that his left arm is mechanical, due to an accident while serving the Brotherhood of Makuta. However, the bulky armor has a secondary purpose as well, as a compartment within houses and hides his slingshot when it is not in use. He wears a leather belt around his waist; hung on this are several bags containing the ammunition for his slingshot and sniper rifle.

A near-silent individual, Okena is best summarized as being ice cold. He does not talk a lot, as he prefers the silence while he hunts, and he cares very little for those around him. While he has been known to ally himself with others on occasion, Okena would much rather be alone than in a group.

Equipment: Okena possesses a Brotherhood-grade composite slingshot, and a few bags on his belt each containing 40 metal marbles (made of a near-Protosteel-strength material) for ammunition, each of them about half an inch in diameter. Packing a remarkable amount of force behind it, the slingshot is built into the armor on his left forearm and can be hidden inside of a compartment on it, and is capable of inflicting quite a bit of damage even over long distances. He also possesses a powerful energy-sniper rifle.

Mask: Okena wears a scoped Kanohi Kova, Mask of Chameleon, allowing him to alter the colors of his body to turn almost completely invisible in any terrain. He primarily uses it during his 'sniping' sessions as a way to keep himself from being detected; likewise, his scope aids him in aiming, especially from a long distance. The mask is shaped like a Mask of Rebounding. Further, due to experiments performed on him by the Brotherhood of Makuta, Okena is an anaerobic being, and does not breathe like a normal person would. Instead, a device built into the back of his armor siphons sulfur and other electron acceptors from his environment and feeds them directly into his body, thus removing his need to physically breathe while also rendering his aim more stable. However, this forces him to rely heavily on the device for survival, as he can no longer breathe on his own; if it were to be damaged or destroyed, he would die soon after.

Powers: Okena possesses control over the element of Plant Life, and as a result also bears a vast knowledge of poisons and antidotes, as well as knowledge about numerous Rahi, thanks to his affiliation with the jungle.

Vehicle: N/A, for the moment.

Biography: An efficient, intelligent and emotionless individual, Okena was once a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta's primary army, operating as an assassin for them whenever they required the execution of their enemies. Okena was somewhat famous among his fellow officers for his effectiveness on the field; rumors stated that he could do anything from crush a small rebellion single-handed, to plant a head shot on a Fikou Spider from two hundred feet away using his rifle.After several decades under the Brotherhood's service, Okena volunteered for an experimental program that aimed to create more efficient soldiers; it resulted in the nullification of his ability to feel remorse and other emotions, as well as rendered him a better sniper by removing his need to actively breathe. Soon afterward, the Sniper defected, seeing no further reason to operate under the group. This resulted in a bounty being placed on his head. Having spent much of his life fighting those who sought to claim the bounty, the implementation of the Immortal Factor saw a drastic decrease in bounty hunters going after him, freeing Okena for what he does best: assassination jobs... not that they matter much anymore. Nowadays, Okena is simply trying to find a purpose in life.

 

 

Username: Parugi.

Name: Sanshou.

Species: Artanian.

Gender: Female.

Description: As an Artanian, Sanshou greatly resembles a Toa, being seven feet tall and fairly lean in comparison to many other species. However, her armor is completely black and is more aerodynamic than that of a Toa. She also wears a long, gray, extremely frayed scarf, which is wrapped around her neck at all times and covers her mouth, the ends of which hang down the left of her back and come to a stop just below her knees. Her eyes are a pale, glowing yellow. The bottom half of Sanshou's right leg is a mechanical replacement, caused by her second death at the hands of a Common Vortixx Feranaki, as the injury proved to be too serious to regenerate on its own.In terms of personality, Sanshou is a quiet and reserved individual, as well as relatively polite despite when you get to know her. She doesn't talk much, making her appear slightly unintelligent, but in reality she is extremely clever and calculating. What she does say tends to be short and concise, getting straight to the point. Since her failure to stop Lyxek, she has become more subdued than ever before, hardly ever speaking.

Equipment: Formerly a knife thrower, Sanshou has abandoned her former trade--post-traumatic stress caused by the events of Kai-Nam proved to be too much for her, affecting her ability to aim as precisely as she used to. Nowadays, she simply uses a curved energy sword, called the Silence, and smoke bombs.

Mask: Sanshou wears a black Noble Ruru.

Powers: Sanshou possesses no powers. She is, however, an incredibly acrobatic being, and is skilled with the sword. In the past, she was an expert knife-thrower, though her skills virtually vanished after Lyxek's victory.

Vehicle: N/A.

Biography: Sanshou was formerly a bounty hunter operating as a member of the Guild of Tyis, with her primary skills revolving around assassination; she only abandoned that life when she joined the KNPD on Kai-Nam, though even that proved to be a short-lived career. After being ousted from the KNPD, along with other Guild members, Sanshou joined in the battle against Lyxek, and was one of the group members sent to destroy the Director of the KNPD--or, as they found out, the other half of the Heart of Ruaki. Attempts to reason with the Director failed, and in the resulting battle Sanshou's close friend Sensha was killed, and others in the group injured, forcing a retreat. Sanshou fled Kai-Nam some time later, eventually taking refuge on Metru-Nui after years of traveling.

 

 

Thanks

This is just to issue a quick "thank you" to a few people, specifically the players in Day Run for seeing the game through over the past year and a half, as well as to you, the reader, assuming you read this entire entry.

 

And, heck, even if not, thank you for reading this message--it means a lot to me. =P

Edited December 17, 2012 by Parugi

[Toa the kid]

Brave New World Earth’s been wrecked. No denying it. We humans screwed around with our world’s delicate balance and it earned us a big-ol’ timeout in the corner from Mother Earth. That is to say, we were forced to flee the encroaching seas and polluted air to high ground and wait for the end. Of course, that wait was about two hundred years. Not because we all died, oh no, but because we were saved by some very nice neighbors. As the story goes, settlements around the world were met with spaceships full of cyborg-looking aliens who were led here by one of our old satellites, “Pioneer 10” I think it was. Now, these aliens were pretty peaceful guys, they established communications across the world and allowed the settlements to determine whether to accept the aliens’ offer. Their offer? They wanted to help humanity and bring the race to their homeworld, “Spherus Magna” or somethin’. Now don’t ask me how these guys knew how to speak the languages of the regions they landed in, ‘cause I don’t have a clue. In the end, about three fourths of humanity agreed to the rescue and left us all here alone. About two thousand years have passed since then and as things stabilized and died back down, we here on Earth have managed to get our space travel to the stuff of 20^th Century sci-fi and we’re going to take new planets to call home. We’re gonna make humanity glorious and powerful once more. It’s our destiny and we are going to achieve it.-Excerpt of an audio transcription of Scott Daren’s “We are the mighty Humanity” speech. June 14^th, 5573 A.D. In the time since Mata-Nui’s rebirth of Spherus Magna in the human year of 1752A.D, Spherus Magnans advanced in technology. Inhabitants of the Mata-Nui robot were given by the Mask of Life the ability to reproduce so as to not die out. With plenty of materials from the robot and the knowledge of the Matoran Universe’s inhabitants, space technology had developed by 2200, and interstellar travel was tested and possible by 2500. In 3100, the human space probe “Pioneer 10” crashed to Spherus Magna and the inhabitants, upon viewing the golden plaque and listening to the laser disc, pled to their leaders to make the given coordinates the first destination of their new Planetary Embassy Fleet. It was at this time that Mata-Nui was awakened by reasons unknown and advocated the mission. The motion was passed and the fleet launched in 3110. During the journey, Mata-Nui granted the crew of the fleet’s twenty ships the ability to learn any spoken language through contact with the speakers. In 3120, the Spherus Magnan crews evacuated the few hundreds of remaining human inhabitants of planet “Earth”, in what is now known as “The Second Great Rescue” by the chroniclers. In 3130, the fleet returned with Spherus Magna with humans (blessed by Mata-Nui with the same language gift as the crew) in tow. Many members of the ruling council were outraged at this unauthorized action, especially more so when they heard how these humans had nearly destroyed “Earth”. It was only through the careful actions of Mata-Nui that the council was convinced to allow humans a new home on this planet. Around 4144, an event began that became known as the “Great Blurring”, when the distinction between humanity and the original Spherus Magnans began to break down as revolutionary beings began to blend the art, literature, philosophy, and religion to produce great works of art. In 4500, the Council adopted the metric system and an official language that was a blend of Matoran, Glatorian, and human languages. In 4501, the council adopted a measure by popular demand that Mata-Nui decrease the natural lifespans of original Spherus Magnans, while increasing the humans’ natural life, the result was a shared average life span of about two hundred years. In 4550, a long-unbroken and largely-unspoken taboo was broken when Toa, Glatorian, Agori, and Human hybrids began to emerge. Discriminated against at first, they were gradually accepted into society. Now, in 5585, an Earthen human fleet has landed on Spherus Magna and, despite an external message of peace, their leaders possess a secret ulterior motive to conquer the planet and use it as a launching point for a galactic domination mission. Efforts are already being made by the Earthens in secret to manipulate the council and assassinate leaders. Even more troublesome is the rumors circulating that the Makuta has survived and is releasing rakshi and corrupted masks into the world again. The council has denied the rumors, but vitually nobody believes this as rakshi and infected rahi become more common. Will you and your allies be able to protect yourselves and loved ones from the rakshi and beasts? Will you be one of the Earthens planning the planet’s fall? Or will you try to uncover the Makuta and serve him? The world’s in your hands. The World of Spherus Magna

• [*]

Spherus Magna is ruled by a Planetary Council of 10 representatives, two for each Jurisdictional region of the planet. The representatives are elected every five years.[*]Each Jurisdictional Region is subject to the Council’s decisions, but has a fair degree of autonomy. Each Region has its own council.[*]The five regions are Embrox, Farendis, Golysav, Renwar, and Athens. Airships, water vessels, and chute systems connect the regions.[*]There are dangerous, unclaimed areas known as the “Badlands” where the bone hunters and Iron Tribe remnants dwell with dangerous desert creatures.[*]New Atero, founded by Toa Gali and Toa Tahu shortly after the Great Rebirth, is the capital city and located in Embrox.[*]

EMBROX Embrox is the largest Jurisdiction Region and the place where it all goes down. Modeled after the great city of Metru Nui, it is home to the Planetary Council, along with the agencies, boards, departments, administrations, and bureaus it creates. The city is also a thriving trade and industrial center where beings from all walks of life work, live, and play. To the east is the frigid White Quartz Mountains, where the people of New Iconox mine ores and gaze up at the stars with the planet’s largest observatory, the “Red Star Lenses”. However, the Region’s economic prosperity has made it a hotspot for organized crime; multiple gangs and syndicates work behind the scenes, making the slums a very dangerous place. The problem has grown so bad that the Regional Council has passed a motion allowing bounty hunters to capture criminals (Chaotic Neutral Players, take note).

• [*] [*]

New Atero: The planet’s capital city and a blooming industrial center. But be wary in the slums, for there are many people who’d do anything for a chance to steal the smallest items from you![*]Artakha Town: A relatively small city that focuses on repairing all manners of things. It’s a very friendly place and is good for a rest while you get your weapons fixed up.[*]Joga is a riverside town that focuses on academic pursuits. It’s cracked-full of smart-alecky scholars and archivists. Below the town lie the Second Archives, filled with Rahi specimens, artifacts[*]New Iconox is found in the freezing cold of the White Quartz Mountains. It is here that you can find descendants of the Ko-Matoran stargazers, still doing what they do best. Many in the town are nervous, for the Red Star Lenses have shown some very frightening possibilities for the future.

FARENDIS Farendis is a dangerous place indeed. Home to mainly Skrall and Skakdi, the law of the land is “Survival of the fittest”. The people who grow up here are known to be rough-and-tumble-types. The landscape includes the Black Spike Mountains and the surrounding wastes. Despite being ruthless and generally bloodthirsty warriors, the inhabitants are very skilled in business; a necessity to obtain food as very little land in Farendis is arable. The one sprawling city of Roxtus is home to the beings that have climbed to the top of the food chain and are now able to live it in the lap of luxury. Corruption, bribery, and blackmail may be looked down elsewhere, but if you can cheat 60 Kilograms from a merchant for the price of 40, you have a bright future here (Once again, Chaotic Neutral Players, take note)!GOLYSAV Golysav is a seaside Region home to the artists, craftsmen, writers, poets, sailors, and all free spirits. The people here are generally cheerful, welcoming, and good-natured. As it is the home of sailors and fishermen, the port cities by far have the highest planetary average of pubs and bars, where one can always go to hear the gossip, laughter, and tall tales; maybe make a few friends, too. Fishing isn’t the region’s only export; due to the high demand for alcoholic beverages by the pubs, the people of Golysav have developed their own unique blends and brands of wine, ale, beer, and whiskey (Drinks demanded not only by the pubs, but by other Regions, too). The fishing village of New Ga-Koro, located right on the Gali Peninsula, is a great place to be if you want employment. Just beware of pirates!

• [*] [*]

New Ga-Koro: A seaside village of fishing. It resembles much of the original Ga-Koro in structure, but you’ll find house-boats rather than huts. Fishing is the name of the game here. Well, the big game. The smaller game is piracy![*]Dron: Dron’s a brewery town. You can find plenty of drunkards around here (Perfect pawns and players to drag into your plans).[*]Sona: A seaside farming town that’s usually peaceful.

RENWAR Renwar is the home to those with fiery souls. If you value merit, honor, justice, and bravery, you’re probably from here. Renwar’s capital is New Vulcanus and the region surrounding it is filled with dangerous volcanoes that were re-ignited during the planet’s reformation. The people here have learned that teamwork and friendships are important if you want to survive the lava mines and furnace salamanders. Being group-minded, acting for yourself at the expense of others in danger is frowned upon. However, acts of heroism and self-sacrifice are praised more than anything else. A popular pastime is viewing and participating in the combat tournaments held in the New Vulcanus Arena. If you’re looking for allies in your quest for justice, this is the place to come first!

• [*] [*]

New Vulcanus: Designed like Ta-Koro, it lies within a volcano. The inhabitants here mine ores from the lava to export to other regions. The battle arena lies in the center of the city and is a favorite place of leisure for almost everyone in town.[*]Forge: The place where Kanohi masks are now smithed. It’s less a town as much as a large factory with living quarters.[*]Maderick: A desert village where the hunting is good and the food is finer. The giant sand worms here can be troublesome to catch, but their meat is the planet’s most delicious delicacy!

ATHENSAthens is the newest Region and was named for the most famous of ancient humanity’s cities. Built from unclaimed lands, it was the initial settlement and home to the humans after the Second Great Rescue. Now it stands as a monument to peace between species. Like Embrox, it is a great center of trade and people from all walks of life inhabit its cities. Its greatest cities are New Onu-Koro, New Le-Koro, New London, and New Detroit. Athens is the home of many radio and television stars and is the location of the great cultural crossroads. Its economy is varied and, due to its abundance of natural wonders like the Tesara Hot Springs (Now a spa resort), it has a great flow of tourists and is a great place to relax.

• [*] [*]

New Detroit: A bustling industrial center focusing on the production of transportation vehicles. It’s also a big music town with many big stars such as Dova Jackson.[*]New Le-Koro: New Le-Koro is a city hidden high in the trees of the revived forestsA trade rendezvous with airships flying in and out. It’s also the central hub for the Planet-Wide-Chute-System.[*]New Onu-Koro is an underground mining city. It has an extensive network of tunnels (Always shifting like the originals), and ships out raw ores and materials.[*]New London: A center of river trade and specializing in boat repairs.

Character Creation!

Name:

Gender:

Affiliation:

Species:

Appearance:

Mask: (If applicable)

Skills:

Tools:

Personality:

History:

 

GAMEPLAY There are several playable races:

• [*] [*]

Matoran: Beings from the Mata-Nui robot who are 85% mechanical biological and 15% mechanical. Matoran possess latent elemental powers and have a short stature. The Matoran are hard workers, but that doesn’t mean they can’t fight! Toa and Turaga are Matoran sub-species.[*]Toa are matoran who have been blessed with a toa stone and have access to their elemental powers. Toa have great physical strength, tall statures, and are able to access the powers of the Great Kanohi Masks. [*]Turaga are ex-toa who have given up their toa powers. Their stature is on par with matoran and their great masks have become noble masks. They have little physical strength, but make up for it in wisdom.[*]Skakdi are vicious beings, but powerful warriors. Altered on a genetic level by Makuta Spiriah, the Skakdi possess elemental powers, but can only access them by working in pairs. They also have vision abilities.[*]Vortixx are a shrewd race. With financial cunning they run the most efficient factories you ever did see. They possess a tall stature, great physical strength, and swift, intelligent minds.[*]Glatorian where the inhabitants of the first Spherus Magna and, after the Shattering, inhabited Bara Magna. As the Great Beings template for the toa, they have a similar physical stature. 85% of the Glatorian’s body is biological tissue and the other 15% is composed of mechanical implants. They possess latent, unusable, elemental powers, but make great warriors and can be awarded imbued weapons that unlock their elemental powers if they prove their worthiness in deeds.[*]Agori are beings similar to matoran in stature and similar to Glatorian in composition. As co-habitants of Spherus and Bara Magna with the Glatorian, they know the land and history best. With their size, they are swift and make great explorers and scouts.[*]Humans are entirely organic beings. Originally from Earth, they were evacuated to Spherus Magna in the Second Great Rescue. They possess physical strength below most species, but many skilled warriors can be found among them. And where strength fails, wit and knowledge can more than make up for. Due to their presence on the planet for only a few thousand years, humans are still only a minority of around a hundred thousand people.[*]Half-Breeds: Many human half-breeds have emerged on Spherus Magna in the last millennia or so. But they remain an even greater minority. As almost all half-breeds are nearly 100% organic, they are much more easily harmed by weapons. Half-breeds include:

• [*] [*]

Homo Sapiens Toa: Human-Toa hybrids, these beings possess greater physical strength than humans, but their elemental reserves are only half that of pure toa. However, being the offspring of two strong-willed species gives them powerful souls, making wiser and more open-minded. They are born with their bodies 100% organic, but as they hit puberty, parts of their bodies, varying anywhere from a forearm to everything but the head, utilize a complex biological procedure to transform food into metals and enamels to develop into mechanical elements with organic tissue (Like a goat or ram growing its horns). They can wear Kanohi, but can only control noble masks.[*]Homo Sapiens Glatorian: Human-Glatorian hybrids with great physical power. They have vast potential and always do their best. They are 100% organic unless they wish to undergo the Glatorian rite of passage that integrates mechanical components into their bodies. Like Glatorian, they can control limited elemental powers if granted an imbued weapon. Their skin color can vary based on the heritage of their Glatorian parent (i.e. Green skin from Tesarans, blue skin from Tajuns, pure white from Iconoxans, etc). [*]Homo Sapiens Agori: Human-Agori hybrids. They have a smaller stature than most humans, but have increased intelligence, agility and a heightened sense of curiousity, making them great scholars and investigators. Just don’t bring up their height!

• Custom species: Beings of unknown origin! Firebreather? Mer-toa? Half-Kane-Ra mutant? Just run your character by the staff for approval before you run around with a time-traveling toa of leprechauns.
• Note: Glatorian may be rewarded for their actions with an elementally imbued weapon. This reward can only be offered by staff.
• Every game has rules, now here are yours.
  • No god-modding! You don’t control the universe, so do only what your character is capable of! Let others enjoy the game!

  Toa: I will kill you!Skakdi: No you won’t!Toa: *Kills the skakdi without a fight, ruining the game for the skakdi’s player*

  • [*] [*]
  No Dues-Ex-Machinas! This might fall under god-modding, but I want to make perfectly clear that your character cannot spring a trip on an opponent that you did not write your character setting earlier.[*]Control only your character. Don’t write for other players’ characters! It’s just rude! If you want to say what everybody does, go write a fanfic! NPCs can be controlled by you too at times, but just remember that they’re people too! You are NOT going to have your character walk into a town and see the entire population has been murdered![*]Don’t kill other characters! Your characters can die, but P.M. another player before you shove a spear through his/her character’s heart. [*]You are not invulnerable! You may not want to die, but when your character has no strength to run, depleted powers, and is facing a bone hunter on a rock steed, you’re coming out with permanent injuries at best. Whether you go blind, lose a leg, or become paralyzed, you’ll have to find a new role for yourself. If, for story purposes, you want your character to die at the hands of another, PM that character’s player and ask him/her.[*]Romance is allowed, but keep it PG! Anything past “Frenching” is going to earn you a strike![*]No mounts! NPC bone hunters can ride things like rock steeds, but you can’t! It makes things a bit unfair.[*]Have fun!

This game’s penalties run on a 3-strike principle. But I’m no monster, and neither is the staff. Newbies to RPGs will get some lenience and a notice of what they did wrong.Strike 1: You are given a warning. Don’t repeat yourself.Strike 2: You are suspended. In order to not disrupt any players, your characters will all be K.O’d for the period of your suspension.Strike 3: Your characters are killed off. You’ve been given enough warnings , but you disregarded them.There are a few banned elements, Kanohi, vision powers, and rakshi for fairness purposes.Kanohi you cannot use:ScavengingCharismaIntangibilityPossibilitiesMutationGrowthAvohkiiClairvoyanceEmulationCreationOlisiSuletuKomauIdenGaraiAvsaTrynaMohtrekKraakhanRuaAkiOlmakIgnikaVahiVision Powers you cannot use (“Limited” powers can blind your character if used excessively):X-RayThermal (Limited)Thermal Imaging (Limited)Elements you cannot use: Light ShadowRakshi that will not appear: Disintegration Adaption Sleep Density Control Darkness Shape-Shifting Mind Reading Teleportation Rahi Control The toa elements of Psionics and Gravity are permitted as long as they are used FAIRLY! All that in mind, go at it and head out on a grand adventure!

Edited December 17, 2012 by Toa the kid

[Techn0geist]

Clockwork Kineticist presents...

INTRODUCTION

MAYORAL CANDIDATE DEAD

Larek Nakadaam, a candidate for Mayor of the Cluster, was found dead in his Module after a fatal hull leak. Authorities are not treating the death as suspicious, as Cerem was in possession of a out-dated FA-50 Module, with a 10% chance of hull leakage. An investigation is underway.

'My heart goes out to the friends and family of Mr Nakadaam,' said Felrin Cerem in a press conference today. With the death of Larek Nakadaam, Cerem will begin his fourth consecutive term as Mayor by the end of the week. More details to follow.

HISTORY

So, I can presume if you read that little news article up there, you've found one of our Info Kiosks. If so, welcome to the Cluster, Drifter. We here are very hospitable people, friendly, welcoming, and usually armed to the teeth. We have our various reasons. But where are my manners? I'm Korel Klatak, and I'm in charge of the Information Centre. Before you jump in, you'll probably want to know how we got how we are. Now, where in the Great Void is that brief history article... ah! Here it is.

'One Thousand Years ago, the Great Spirit Mata Nui-' We can skip this bit, it's kind of boring. 'They ventured into the stars aboard the ship, the Kualsi Nui (Great Traveller). Resources dwindled, and soon the Kualsi Nui was on the brink of chaos. Then, salvation arrived in the form of a large asteroid. Miners were sent to the surface, and soon, they discovered a large volume of Protodermis inside the asteroid. With this abundance of resources, the passengers and crew of the Kualsi Nui built modules in orbit around the asteroid.

'A majority of the Modules were linked up to each other, creating a total of three Space Stations. The Kualsi Nui was positioned into a stable orbit, and her engines were powered down for the last time, becoming the Parliament of the newly-named Cluster, and Seat of Office for both Mayor and Council.

'From time to time, The Cluster will find Drifters, beings presumably sent from Spherus Magna to look for us. Long since out of communications range with their home planet, the Cluster takes them in, and they become one of the community.'

Now, as you can see, things aren't quite as peachy as they could be, what with Mr Nakadaam dying. He's not the first, either. This is where you come in. You can make things right. Or you could make things worse. Doesn't affect me either way. I'm simply the Info Guy.

SUMMARY

If you didn't bother to listen to all that, let me sum it up for you; So basically, there was a ship that left Spherus Magna for reasons of mrrrph. They were running out of stuff, they found an asteroid with lots of stuff, and set up shop here. Pretty simple.

FACTIONS

Civilians

Pretty standard, these guys, like myself, run shops, engage in fights for convoluted reasons, and generally mill about, doing their own thing.

Space Marines

It's a pretty cheesy name, but it describes exactly what they are. They are the occupying military force of the Cluster, protecting us from terrorists and occasionally removing a rogue space-rock from existence. Strict, but not overly oppressive.

*REDACTED*

SUBFACTIONS

Smaller factions created within the main three. To be updated when there are actually some.

MAP

Now, you see, due to the ever changing orbits of our various Stations and modules, there can be no definite positioning, therefore, no definite map. However, I am able to give you a brief summary of each Station, and hope that you can familiarise yourselves with their outer hulls.

Kualsi Nui - The Government

The only main Station with a stable orbit, the former Starship now serves as our Parliament, our Council Chambers, and our City Hall. Try not to get too close to here unless a Cluster-wide meeting is called. The Marines love a bit of target practice.

Caelus Station - The Market

Fairly self-explanatory. Here, budding entrepeneurs link up their Modules and try to earn a living. The Info Centre is located here, should you require anymore help from yours truly. I warn you, though, these shopkeepers are master hagglers. Take my advice, three-hundred-and-fifty widgets is way too much for a ThrusterPack heat-sink.

Bothynus Station - The Barracks

This is the station were newly recruited marines are trained in the use of weapons and hand-to-hand combat, all in a Zero-G environment. The training regiment is tough, but I hear the food kills more people than the live-fire course.

Astrum Station - The Community

If you're looking for the space equivalent of the slums, you've got it. Essentially a mass of low-end modules hooked together, prone to leaking and/or spontaneous combustion. Most of the residents of Astrum Station are fairly friendly, but there are a few cutthroats here and there. Don't worry, you'll know them when you see them.

Po-Magna - The Great Stone

The Asteroid that has provided resources the Cluster for well over one-hundred years. Half of the surface is covered in a pressurized Bio-Dome and dedicated to growing food and crops, the other half for factories. A vast expanse of mines snake throughout our Great Space-Rock, and there are hardly any signs of resources dwindling.

GENERAL NOTES

Some of you may be wondering what a Module is. Well, Drifter, allow me to explain. Modules are small, cylindrical craft that are a hybrid of vehicle and home. The front third is dedicated to piloting and regulation of life support systems, and the back is filled with... well, whatever you want to fill it up with. But make sure everything's bolted or magnetised down. No gravity here, folks. Even the higher-ups don't have that luxury.

Now, most modules orbit independent of Stations, but if you really want to link up to either Caelus or Astrum, every Module comes equipped with course-correction thrusters and a Mag-Link in the airlock. Don't think you as a person are disadvantaged, though. Every Drifter is immediately equipped with a course-correction ThrusterPack, and a Respirator custom-fitted to your face. Your stupid, stupid face.... is this still on?

Hello, Clockwork Kineticist here. I'll be taking over from Korel here, taking you through the Out-Of-Character (OOC) stuff.

CHARACTER CREATION

Okay, so here's how making a character works. You create a character using the following template...

NAME:

(What is the name of your character? Please, no canon names)

SPECIES:

(What species are you? Toa, Matoran, Glatorian, or Agori?)

GENDER:

(Self-explanatory)

APPEARANCE:

(What do you look like?)

FACTION:

(Whose side are you on?)

POWERS/ABILITIES:

(What powers do you have?)

EQUIPMENT:

(What's your loadout?)

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!'

SPECIES GUIDE

Toa

The Warrior class, they are often seen in combat roles, usually as Guards. The only species capable of wielding elemental abilities. However, some Elements may be suppressed by the vacuum of space, and use of Elements in modules is extremely dangerous, and usually last resort.

Matoran

The thinkers of the population, they are mostly seen in laboratories and workshops, inventing and tinkering with tech. Physically smaller than Agori, but slightly more intelligent.

Glatorian

Proud warriors, they once fought for the Tribes, and work alongside the Toa. Whilst physically stronger and more skilled with weapons than Toa, they lack elemental abilities.

Agori

The working men, they take on the task of physical labour. Larger than Matoran, but of average intelligence.

NOTES

All characters are have a standard ThrusterPack and Respirator, so there's no need to include that in the "Equipment" section.

If you wish to create a custom Kanohi, please make it within reason.

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 Sand, Rock, Light, and Shadow.

A maximum of five characters is allowed.

NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS

NAME

Felrin Cerem

SPECIES:

Glatorian

GENDER:

Male

APPEARANCE:

Smaller than an average Glatorian, wearing the red armour of the former Fire Tribe.

FACTION:

Civilian

IDEOLOGY:

Dweller

POWERS/ABILITIES:

A few basic fighting skills.

EQUIPMENT:

A Staff of Office, could make a good impromptu weapon.

PERSONALITY:

A coward, not very assertive, despite his position as Mayor of the Cluster.

BIOGRAPHY:

The events surrounding the four octennial Mayoral Elections since Cerem was first elected have been treated by some as extremely suspicious, but most put it down to coincidence and paranoia. However, the truth may be much darker than even the craziest conspiracy theory.

STAFF CHARACTERSClockwork Kineticist

NAME:

Korel Klatak

SPECIES:

Toa

GENDER:

Male

APPEARANCE:

Thin, blue eyes, grey armour.

FACTION:

Civilian

POWERS/ABILITIES:

Elemental Control of Sonics

EQUIPMENT:

A Warhammer for basic self-defence

PERSONALITY:

Cool and calculating, very precise about his actions

BIOGRAPHY:

Once a drifter, now the head Historian of the Cluster. A lack of social interaction throughout his life has rendered him somewhat inept with people.

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.

Game Staff reserve the right to injure (severely or otherwise) or even kill player characters for purposes of plot.

And most importantly, have fun!

PUNISHMENTS

Now 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 grieviously injured.

THIRD OFFENCE: One of your characters will die, and cannot be replaced. You essentially lose a character slot.

FOURTH OFFENCE: All of your 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.

It is also strongly advised that you use good grammar, simply because it annoys the heck out of me. Please use good grammar, for the sake of the forum's collective (in)sanity.

Welcome to Frontier, and I hope you enjoy playing!

Edited December 18, 2012 by Clockwork Kineticist

[Legolover-361]

An RPG by Legolover-361

* * *

"Time travel, unlike a lot of people seem to believe, is not impossible. It is very much possible; only, it isn't easy to, to attain. I mean, think about it -- its, uh, its complexity could be construed as a safety mechanism. If time travel were simple to achieve, half the imbeciles who surely exist elsewhere in the universe would have discovered it and -- well, would probably have wrecked the space-time continuum by now."--Doctor Kora Ph.D., De-Matoran theoretical physicist at the Mata Magna Institute of Science and Research and technological advisor to Mata Nagna's Council, during a televised interview before his speech to Mata Magna's security forcesSirs and madams of our great land's security forces, I would like to open my speech by saying every set of rules has a loophole somewhere; you just have to look hard enough.Take, for instance, the set of rules governing the behavior of existence. You know them as the laws of physics. I say "laws" understanding that many people insist quite fervently that laws are meant to be broken (which is why you, ladies and gentlemen, have your current employments).The commandments of the universe -- thou shalt not defy gravity, thou shalt not travel faster than light, thou shalt not travel back in time, et cetera -- are not set in stone. Toa of Gravity and Toa who use a Mask of Levitation or Mask of Flight defy Spherus Magna's gravitational pull all the time; Toa who use a Mask of Speed aren't affected by the friction generated through their acceleration. How are time travel and inter-dimensional travel, then, so impossible to comprehend?Let us review the facts. Several citizens, at least two of whom suspected criminals, have disappeared in the forty-two days during which these crimes have occurred. Most of our thankfully small number of convicted criminals have vanished from their jail cells without a trace. Who's to blame? Not the jail guards, who reported no disturbances and have not said a word contrary to their insistences that they don't know what in Karzahni happened.Also, gentlemen -- and ladies -- I must confess to you a secret. The Kanohi Vahi stored in our Matoran Universe Museum is a powerless copy. The true Vahi has remained in a laboratory for the past millennia. I was one of the few to study the mask extensively.We, the other scientists and I, were attempting to create replicas of the mask through synthesis of protodermis. About fifty days ago, we succeeded for the first time. Two days later, my colleague, Doctor Scorum, disappeared with the original Vahi, the copy, and the tools we used to forge the second Vahi. He had told us the day before he would be embarking on a weeklong vacation. When he didn't return after that week, we looked for him and didn't conclude he must have been the Vahi's thief till we were certain he had actually disappeared.Sir, our project was meant to be completely secret. We-- Yes, ma'am, we did in fact contact security. We placed five elite security officers on the job. We did not, however, make an announcement because we wanted to keep panic to a minimum-- Sir, I never said the security forces would be the ones panicking, but releasing the secret of the Vahi to so many people at once would have-- No, ma'am, I can't tell you if we're running other secret projects, because the word "secret" implies--Stop! Please, no more questions! I can't answer them all right now! If you want to speak to me further, I'll be in contact with the Turaga overnight, so I should be prepared to answer questions then. No, sir, we are not keeping you in the dark; we just can't tell you everything. It's for everyone's good.Ahem. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and good night.

* * *

Excerpts from a reissue of A Brief History of Mata Magna, by Glatorian Professor Ondramus, a pamphlet provided to all citizens of Mata Magna:Dating systems are listed in years BRF (before reforming) and RF (after reforming). [...]After the Matoran Universe was destroyed during Spherus Magna's reforming, the species of the Matoran Universe joined with the Glatorian and Agori to rebuild and expand Spherus Magnan society; this period of almost four hundred years -- from 0 RF (zero years after reforming) to 387 RF -- is called the "Golden Age". During the Golden Age, many aspects of life on Spherus Magna underwent evolution: all concepts of different "tribes" were abandoned, arena battles became a popular sporting event, and the fields of science and technology expanded rapidly. The Spherus Magnan year was scientifically defined by 5 RF: thirteen months, each with thirty days, each day twenty-four hours. Most of the Order of Mata Nui was assimilated into the ranks of the new security forces, though Helryx, Axonn, Johmak, and several other warriors disappeared.The first major event of the Golden Age, starting at 0 RF, was the construction of a new city. Named Mata Magna ("Great Spirit", directly translated as "Spirit Great") as a homage to both Matoran Universe and Spherus Magnan languages, it began as an impromptu fortress and over the centuries grew to accommodate over fifty thousand individuals. Other, much smaller cities formed across the face of Spherus Magna, the vast majority within a two hundred mile radius of Mata Magna; some served as outposts, while others were built around a specific need such as farming or mining. "Mata Magna" came to be a term to describe the network of cities in this area of Spherus Magna, and the crux of the country was termed Central City.Enemies of Mata Magna retreated beyond the two hundred mile radius and were held at bay by armed patrols and armed citizens. [...]The second major event of the Golden Age was the Survey Magna, the Great Survey. In the year 13 RF, our fifteen-man expedition teams, led by Ackar, Kiina, Gresh, and Gelu, set out to the north, west, south, and east respectively and formed maps as they went. All teams lost lives due to strife both environmental and sapient in source, but the majority of explorers survived and reassembled on the opposite side of Spherus Magna. When the expeditions returned to Mata Magna, they and expert cartographers sketched a comprehensive map of the reformed Spherus Magna, the first of its kind. [...]The third major event of the Golden Age, the First Skrall Siege, began in 111 RF. An organized army of Skrall, led by Stronius, laid siege to two neighboring outlying Mata Magnan cities. They laid siege to the cities for a week before armed forces from Central City arrived, captained by the Toa Nuva. The Skrall were driven to a mountain range east of Mata Magna. [...]In 215 RF, the Toa Nuva were elected by popular vote to become the leadership panel of Mata Magna. They in turn appointed several Glatorian, among whom were such names as Ackar and Gresh, to be their advisors. Kiina declined her offer, preferring to remain a high-ranking officer in Mata Magna's armed forces. In 216 RF, not even a year after the election, the Second Skrall Siege occurred: a force of Skrall, accompanied by a few Bone Hunters and some dissident Matoran Universe races, destroyed a mining colony in the valleys to the southeast of Mata Magna and captured the colony's companion city. Refugees from the city evacuated to Central City but were tailed by patrols aligned with the Skrall, mainly Bone Hunters and snipers; many evacuees died, causing the evacuation path to be known as the Trail of Blood.Kiina and Ackar led a counterattack, splitting their forces to attempt to flank the Skrall. Kiina's force was counter-flanked, and in the ensuing battle, Kiina was wounded badly. An upstart Toa by the name of Ena assumed control of the force and, after a tactical retreat, ambushed an enemy patrol in the night and rushed to the mining city in time to reinforce Ackar's struggling army. After the Skrall were repulsed, Kiina resigned from her position as general and accepted the Panel's offer to become an advisor.However, the Skrall continued a string of attacks, focusing mainly on supply convoys and innocent travelers. The Toa Nuva became personally involved, leading small squads in a one-year bout of guerilla warfare against the Skrall's army and eventually killing half their forces. The Skrall retreated again, this time more permanently. Upon their return, during a celebration wherein they were championed as heroes, the Toa Nuva became Turaga. [...]In 387 RF, development of Mata Magna's colonized areas lapsed, only continuing in regular maintenance. The Toa Nuva felt the country had grown too large and so restricted any growth; however, they did encourage settlers to seek new land around the planet to colonize. 391 RF marked the first launch of an unmanned space vessel: a rocket that released an artificial satellite into a stable orbit above Mata Magna. In 392 RF, a second and third satellite joined the first in a rough triangle, allowing more rapid radio communication across Mata Magna. As of 410 RF, there are ten satellites scattered around Spherus Magna; seven are above or nearly above Mata Magna, while three form a very wide triangle to allow radio communications with settlers on the other side of the planet. [...]A list of important technological innovations:271,018 BRF -- powered vehicles150 BRF -- artificial lightstones (M.U.)25 BRF -- walkie-talkies (M.U.)11 RF -- computers127 RF -- handheld computers198 RF -- first protodermis transport chute on Spherus Magna321 RF -- completion of most of the Mata Magnan transport chute system, providing easy travel across Mata Magna[...][Editor's note (7 / 29 / 412)A few quick notes about the rash of unsolved crimes occurring:The majority of "suspect-less crimes", as they're called, have happened in Central City. Only two other places -- the mining city Olford in the valleys southeast of Mata Magna, and the seaside harbor-city Ga-Koro-Nui (meaning "Ga-Koro in Spirit") on the shore of the eastern sea -- have suffered similar crimes. The principal suspect behind the crimes, Scorum, was born in Olford, and Ga-Koro-Nui has a very large population of Matoran and Toa compared to other species, but otherwise there is no information about why only Olford and Ga-Koro-Nui have been struck.Please report any and all suspicious activities by telegram to the Panel (call number 101) or the Department of Security (call number 01-801).If you would like to join your local City Watch, please contact your local security office (your local area code, suffix -801), and they will guide you through the process.Thank you, and please stay safe.-The Editor]

* * *

Excerpts from The Traveler's Brochure: a Guide to Mata Magna, by Agori trader and explorer Kyry:[...] Mata Magna can be a confusing place -- where do I rent a room? where do I eat? how do I get arrested most quickly? -- which is why I'm writing this travel brochure to introduce in brief outlines the various areas of Mata Magna. I've been everywhere (either literally or vicariously), and my goal is to ensure you don't go everywhere but do know where you should go.So grab your handheld tablet computer, a suitcase with four too many pairs of undergarments, and a chute transport ticket, if not literally then in your imagination -- let me take you on a flyby of Mata Magna.[...]Central CityBig. Flashy. All the lanes adjoin at perfect right angles. You would be forgiven for leaving Central City thinking cities can be manufactured in factories. Central City is by far the largest city of Mata Magna and contains the largest population, even without counting the tourists who fill the hotels in the city. It's surrounded by a fifteen-foot-high metal wall with four gates (one each north, south, east, and west), so technically Central City should be called Central Fortress-City. The city is crisscrossed by protodermis chutes, some of which lead to other cities entirely, making Central City effectively the crux of Mata Magnan transportation.Noteworthy locations:--Panel Headquarters: Nearly bombproof one-story building where the head honchos sit, one of two semicircular buildings within the loop Central Lane creates in the middle of Central City. Guarded. Guided tours are available with advance reservations.--Department of Security: HQ for security officials, the second of the pair of semicircular buildings within the plot of land looped by Central Lane. One story above ground, but three underground floors have been reported. Guarded, so don't loiter. No tours, so don't ask for any.--Market Square: The Central Attraction of Central City. Buy and sell wares here. Must have traders' license to sell; must have money to buy.--Matoran Universe Museum: Museum with artifacts from the Matoran Universe, naturally. Located on the block directly north of Central Lane.--Launchpad: Where rockets are launched, naturally. There's a manned mission planned for within the next ten years, says the Panel, but some people claim they said that ten years ago. Guided tours readily available. Tourists also readily available, not that you want them.[...]Ga-Koro-NuiSecond largest and most awkwardly-named city of Mata Magna. Located on the eastern border of Mata Magna, which is also the western shore of Aqua Magna. Home to numerous hotels, casinos, and people trying to trick you into buying a timeshare. Tourists enter and exit this city like the tides. The large harbor is home to two large cruise ships: the Infinitesmal (ironically named because it's the bigger of the two ships) and the Celebration. Wade through the water, tourists, or both; your choice.Connected by chute to Central City.Noteworthy locations:--Harbor: Piers and fishermen and boats for rent and whatnot. Go check it out. Seriously.--Hotel District: The whole western one-third of Ga-Koro-Nui consists of hotels, period, and yet vacancies are still quite rare. If you think you're lucky enough not to lose money (ha), check out the two hotels slash casinos flanking Casino Lane, one on each side. A trivia tidbit: the street has been nicknamed "Misfortune Boulevard" -- three guesses why.--Coconut Island: Quite the attractive spot for sunbathing. Located half a mile offshore; about a mile widthwise and half a mile lengthwise. Can only be reached by boat.[...]OlfordDinky, dusty, and gray: the polar opposite of Central City. Worry not about tourists. Small buildings, mainly living quarters, surround a purification plant and three major mining sites. Olford is surrounded by a ten-foot wall because its residents rather like their heads between their shoulders instead of mounted in Skrall bedrooms. Visit if you need time away from those pesky tourists.Not connected by chute to Central City; you have to hitch a ride with a travel convoy.Noteworthy locations:--Mining Sites Alpha, Beta, and Theta: These mining sites are arranged in a rough triangle (read: "triangle if you squint and tilt your head; best results if you're drunk"). They're all built into mountains. They are small, two-story pillars that are built atop spider-leg foundations that form a canopy above a mining tunnel. Each pillar holds two lifts that carry personnel and equipment into the mining shafts underneath. Alpha is the northernmost, Beta the easternmost, and Theta the southwesternmost.--Purification Plant: Where minerals are sorted and purified to be shipped across Mata Magna. A three story tall square building. Minerals are transported to the third floor via pumps and manual labor to be sorted from "waste" material; they then travel down to the second floor, where they are further sorted into minerals of varying kinds; and finally, when they reach the first floor, experts examine the minerals and use various rooms in the building to test and prepare the minerals (for example, carving diamonds or ensuring "coal" isn't actually a black rock someone got through the sorters as a practical joke) and then load them for packaging and shipping. Guided tours available but infrequent.

* * *

News alert on Channel 10 News:We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this important news bulletin.In light of New Mata Nui's current situation, Turaga Tahu has initiated an emergency census to keep track of all citizens. All citizens of New Mata Nui will need to fill out the below form. If you do not submit your form promptly, you will be tracked down by security officials and may face legal trouble up to and including a month of imprisonment.

[b]Name:[/b][b]Gender:[/b] (he / she / it)[b]Species:[/b] (Toa / Matoran / Glatorian / Agori / robot / etc.; custom species are allowed, but they must be from the Matoran Universe, and you must describe the species' traits)[b]Kanohi:[/b] (if applicable)[b]Appearance:[/b][b]Powers:[/b] (if applicable)[b]Weapons:[/b] (if applicable)[b]Abilities:[/b][b]Weaknesses:[/b] (your character must have at least one)[b]Occupations:[/b] (official and otherwise)[b]Personality:[/b] (brief summarization)[b]History:[/b] (please don't write two pages' worth of history; keep it as brief as possible)

Some interest groups are already claiming Turaga Tahu is violating New Mata Nui's citizens' rights by collecting and cataloguing private information, but he and the other Turaga have remained in adamant support of instituting new security measures.Said Turaga Gali at the announcement of the emergency census, "We can't leave our citizens in danger when we can do so much more. [...] We intend no ill will toward New Mata Nui's citizens and will ensure your information is treated with utmost confidentiality."Doctor Kora of the New Mata Nui Institute of Science and Research gave a speech last night to security officials, but as of now we are not able to acquire any details.Now to Ms. Alana for the weather...

* * *

Rules and Guidelines:1. Your character is not invincible. No god-modding or impossible stunts. Your characters are not gods but mortals, so be prepared at all times for your character to die.2. Respect others. Treat others fairly, as I'm sure you would wish to be treated.3. No player is allowed more than six characters.4. Respect the GMs. The head GM of this RPG is Legolover-361, and the staff are Gravity, [placeholder for other potential staff members]. Because they run Loophole, respect their judgement in this RPG.5. Not all Kanohi powers are allowed. Banned Kanohi are the Mask of Life, Mask of Dimensional Gates, Mask of Shadows, Mask of Light, Mask of Creation, Mask of Elemental Energy, and Mask of Time.6. Not all species are allowed. No Makuta, Kanohi Dragons, or members of Botar's species.7. Loophole is not a competition but a group story. Don't think you can "win" Loophole, because you can't. As the roleplayers, your role is to populate the world of Loophole and advance its plot. There are secrets to be found in Mata Magna if you look hard enough or if you're lucky enough.8. There are punishments for breaking the rules. Your first offense will earn you a warning. Depending on the severity of your second offense, you may be warned or temporarily banned. All subsequent offenses may warrant a warning, a temporary ban, or (provided the offense is very serious) a permanent ban.9. Have fun! Edited December 20, 2012 by Legolover-361