Okay, it's not the most original title...but I'm really excited about the brainstorm that struck some time last night (around the time of an actual storm, go figure). After going back into a few catalogs and reading a few character bios, I think I've struck on a decent origins story and naming system for the new heros.

The origins I'll save for now, because I'm still in the debating stages of a potential fic. The Alliance is almost wrapped up, and though I'll possibly be too busy working/studying to actually be able to write anything...I'd have the school year to actual try mapping the Inuva fic out. My last two Epics were sorta half planned/half written by the seat of my pants, and in The Alliance it really showed.

But that's not what today's entry is about. No no...today I've got the goods. I've got powers. After reading through the S&T thread and seeing what everybody liked and didn't like, I've managed to assemble a list of names and powers for the Toa Inuva.

At this time, I have very little to go on personality wise...I've got to go back to old material to see if I can't figure out how the two personalities differ and how that would clash in the merger. If anybody is familiar with this, advice would be appreciated.

Let me take a moment to prepare you for names. As you can see, there is no obvious connection to the names of the Inuva and the names of the two Toa that comprise it. Let me remind you this is on purpose. There is a rhyme and reason to the names, and with time (and a possible fic) it'd all come into understanding.

So let's begin!

Toa Wralta - Inuva of Fire

I picture Wralta as a average sized warrior, with features that resemble that of a dragon. The true embodiment of fire, his Kanohi would have the pointed snout and fin like extensions on the side. His weapon, a flaming Great Sword, would be held in two hands and would probably be one of the biggest to date in a canister set. His mask, the Kanohi Rica - Mask of Foresight, would blend his ability to defy Fate and "shield" himself from future troubles. Unfortunately, it's a Kanohi power that he would have trouble harnessing, as the Destinies he would be shown would be determined by the Kanohi, not Wralta.

Toa Luali - Inuva of Water

The Inuva of water would charge into battle wielding a trident. She'd be sleek, built for quick movement underwater. She'd be designed with a fish motif in mind, including both scales, and a gilled Kanohi. I also picture her having a shark fin on her back. She would wear the Kanohi Calas - Mask of Manipulation. Combining Gali's ability to grant breath with Hahli's detection skills, Luali would be able to "breathe" her own life into anybody in her sight...temporarily taking control of them. She can only do this for brief periods of time, as the possession essentially drains the life from Luali. If left too long, there is potential that she can be trapped inside a body.

Toa Enok - Inuva of Ice

Designed to resemble a barberian, Enok would carry long lance and appear slightly bulkier than the normal Toa. His armor would resemble animal hides, while his Kanohi would resemble a bear's mouth swallowing the Toa's head. With his Kanohi Lami - Mask of Divison, Enok could project a perfect copy of himself. Combined with his dual persona, Enok also could control the two copies individualy...though conflicts between Matoro and Kopaka occasionally would lead to conflicts between the two halves. Enok doesn't enjoy splitting himself, as his two halves aren't quite as strong as his full being.

Toa Slopa - Inuva of Earth

Perhaps the most interesting blend, Slopa would be a brute. He'd be a hulking design and carry a large hammer (I want a Toa of Earth to carry a hammer...I'm not giving up on that). He'd have the same slouching posture of the origina Onua design, and wear a Kanohi that'd look like a knight's helm with the mane of a lion. Slopa would wear the Kanohi Yala - Mask of Teleportation, combining Onua's strength to propel Nuparu's flight to new speeds. The only disadvantage would be that Slopa could only teleport to places he can either see or has seen before. Unlike the Kualsi, Slopa would be able to teleport living things with him as well, though it is unknown what limits exist on the size or type of creature.

Toa Greti - Inuva of Stone

With speed an agility in mind, Greti would be a less-armored figure than Wralta, but would be a similar body shape. His Kanohi would resemble a steed, with a molded unicron's horn. His weapons would be twin battle axes, about the size of a traditional Toa weapon. With his Kanohi Varia - Mask of Phasing, Greti would be able to move with both speed and precision. Used to it's fullest, Greti would be able to dodge objects at a molecular level, passing through them unharmed. To differentiate it from the Kakama Nuva, the Varia would also allow Greti to vibrate his molecules in order to absorb nearby materials. This would allow him to take on the physical properties of other objects (water, rock, metal) as long as they were solid.

Toa Gluko - Inuva of Air

Gluko would be the most interesting design. Having no actual weapon, Gluko would instead be hawk-like in appearance. His main feature would be his wings, which combined with his claws hands and talon-feet would turn him into an aerial menace. His Kanohi would be shaped like an owl's head, with the binocular-like circles around each eye. The Kanohi Avro - Mask of Telekinesis would seemlessly blend Telepathay with Levitation, allowing Gluko to project his thoughts on any object....moving it with his mind. The effort required to move various objects would depend on the size, the Avro's key weakness. It is believed that the Avro is precise enough in it's manipulations that the air itself can be bent to the user's will.

With these designs in place, along with the Mask Powers...hopefully the ball will get rolling on a potential Inuva fic or MOC that I may decide to do. I'm hoping to at some point draw out some sketches of these characters. And the designs though pretty close aren't going to be set in stone should I see a potential imbalance in detail between the characters.

But the Mask Powers are what they are. I was hoping to use a better name for the Rica, but "Destiny" in place of "Foresight" would've set off one of the filters.

Edit: I've since been reminded of a few existing Kanohi that share powers with some of the Kanohi Inuva. To correct this, the Varia, Yala, and Avro have been granted additional abilities.