MasterweaverX

You know, the same question was asked in the last thread.

Part 4: Eirian The Eirian are not native to Okoto, but come from another region of the world. Once they traded with the Morehu empire, but it was rare that they visited Okoto itself; most Eirian were content to merely purchase masks of power or other artifacts in exchange for exotic goods. Some individuals did, however, leave their own society to live among the Morehu; typically they remained in the cities of the Empire, making a life as merchant lords and minor 'foreign' celebrities. One of the most famous of these was Kichigai, who would later be forcibly employed by Kulta the Skull Grinder via Skull Spider; the only other individual known of is Keikoku, the Eirian individual who encountered and spoke directly with the investigative team. Eirian are usually five and a half feet tall bipeds, although with the use of the size-enhancing Bull mask they can grow to eight feet tall. They appear to be meta-insects of some sort, with sectioned torsos and two pairs of arms; their fore-arms and lower legs are covered in thin plates of chitinous silver armor, which also gives a clawed appearance to their hands and the four toes on their feet. The central color of their body can, apparently, range through different colorations; Kichigai was forest green while Keikoku had an icy blue coloration. The face, when unmasked, is strikingly similar to that of a morehu, although with larger fangs and a chitinous covering. Eirian have the ability to forcibly slow their own body processes down, operating on smaller amounts of sustenance for long periods of time; this ability is apparently what allowed Kichigai to survive to the current day, although he was apparently driven insane during that time. From the description of Keikoku, the Eirian society appears to value cunning and honor to a high degree. Members of the Eirian nation are selected from schools for their roles at a young age; they are then trained to be the best they can within their field, with an emphasis on fulfilling their duty over any other action. Members of each caste decorate their chest with 'prizes' by literally pinning them into the chitin plates; while both Keikoku and Kichigai were of Warrior castes and thus decorated themselves with chains (and in Kichigai's case, bones), other castes are described as wearing fancy ribbons or tools of their trade as appropriate. Not much else is known about the Eirian in general, but Kichigai was described as 'disgraced' by Keikoku, carried a chained grasper that his caste apparently specialized in, and was forced to command the Skull Scorpios by Kulta after forcibly having a silver Skull Spider shoved on his face. Keikoku would not explain much about his mission, only that he was sent to see 'who would awaken'; shortly after the encounter with the investigative team, he vanished.

Part 3: Scorpios Skittering across the regions of stone and earth are small groups of dangerous predators, well adapted to the hostile climates they have claimed. They stalk their prey from a distance, watching for days as they determine the movements and methods of their chosen targets; when they are certain they have a grasp of how the victim thinks, they will arrange an ambush to make a meal out of their target. They are crafty enough, usually, to avoid attacking Morehu; the launchers and other tools that the villagers have, not to mention their large social groups, is enough to deter a Scorpio pack and convince them to go looking for an easier meal. Still, the armor of lone Morehu have been found in Scorpio nests on occasion, picked clean with not even bones left behind. Scorpios, as the name implies, resemble giant scorpions in appearance; six three-foot long legs support a compact core body, with a pair of arms in front and a six-foot long tail swaying behind. The core body has a yellowish carapace, with three black spurs jutting laterally across the back; similar touches of yellow can be found on the chitin on the arm and tail, but most of the Scorpio's armor ranges from black to silver. Each arm ends in a silver three-clawed hand, with the 'thumb' wide enough to act as a spade; this is used to dig nests out of sandy dunes or in the crevices of mountains. The tail is capped with a massive, bladed pincer, able to lunge forward, grapple prey, and drag them into reach of the deadly claws. A Scorpio's head is a nightmare for the Morehu; the upper portion vaguely resembles a villager's, but below the eyes is a sick assemblage of eight mandables meant to rip chunks off their victims. All this would be frightening enough on its own, but the Skull Scorpios used by the invading force are even more frightening. Their claws and tail pincer are edged with a red glow, which from observation was able to poison victims with necrotic energy. Each Skull Scorpio wore a Bull-Skull mask, which furthered their endurance and the strength of their grappling tails. Most disturbingly, their already incredible intelligence was heightened to near-sophant levels; they began to grasp tactics and the usage of technology, which gave them another dangerous set of tools to use and making them perfect elite agents. Thankfully, after Kichigai was defeated, they lost this ability and began to act as normal Scorpios again; while they retained the masks and claws they had gained, the warriors were able to defeat the Scorpios that came after them easily.

Part 2: Lord of Skull Spiders A shadowy figure stalks the myths of the Morehu, guarding secrets long forgotten. Hidden tunnels in the icy mountains; ancient ruins in the deepest jungles; legendary forges in the fiery lava flows; dark caves, mysterious islands, and abandoned fortresses. It's unclear whether there's only one of these beings, or many spread out all across Okoto, but there is a clear purpose to this creature's movements; it works to keep the greatest of the former empire's power out of the hands of the modern world. The investigative team has only seen the one that guards the great city of the mask makers, but that one creature is terrifying enough--a spider as large as the warriors who fought it, black and grey and streaks of glowing orangish red. Thankfully the warriors managed to throw the creature to the bottom of a deep valley, and the corpse, such as it was, was investigated thoroughly. From this, a general body plan was reconstructed, and the possible behaviors extrapolated. The Lord of Skull Spiders, so named because of its control of the Golden Mask of Skull Spiders, is an arachnid-like creature whose core body is about four feet long, possessing three pairs of two-feet long legs. Each of these limbs has a thumblike "claw" near the tip, assumed to be used for manipulation; the front pair has additional thumb-spurs on the elbow, which may or may not be used to bring captured prey closer to the mouth. A fourth pair of limbs is fused to the creature's abdomen in such a manner as to resemble some form of white blade; it is unclear what these two blades would be used for, aside from intimidation, but theories include protecting the rear or simply slicing at their own webs. Behind the web are another pair of white barbs, growing from red "shoulderpads;" it is generally assumed that these function as the creature's ears. The head of the Lord has six pairs of eyes; the uppermost pair seems to be the primary visual set, with the middle and lower pairs adapted to normal and low-light vision. There are also four large outer fangs, apparently for holding prey, and two inner fangs capable of injecting a dangerous venom. Most intriguing are the cheek-glands that can be used to spray webbing at the Lord's foes. Oddly, while the creature's limbs and bodies did have an orangeish red glow while it was in motion, the corpse examined not only did not display these attributes but also provided no explanation as to the source of the glow. Aside from the ear-shoulders, fangs, claws, and barbs, the creature's chitin was entirely black and grey on examination. Still, from the evidence and the body structure, it can be assumed that the Lord is incredibly strong, an ambush predator of some sort, and capable of a surprising degree of adaptability. Most unnerving, however, was the fact that it was using a mask from the Morehu's ancient empire; this implies that the Lord is, to some degree, intelligent, if not outright being sapient. It is entirely possible that the creature examined was not the only one of its kind.

Dangers of Okoto A Comparative Analysis of the Physiological and Cultural Distinctions Between Various Antagonistic Forces ---------------------------------- An introductory Overview After the initial report on the native sophants of Okoto, the preliminary investigative team discovered evidence of an invading force. Although they could not interfere directly with the situation, they were able to follow the actions of a group of warriors that the Morehu summoned, and furthermore capable of observing the various entities with which they battled, and furthermore had encounters with two individuals who, thankfully, decided against exposing them to the natives--mostly because they themselves were not willing to be exposed. What follows is a recount of the five various species, and their known behaviors: the Skull Spiders, the Lord, the Scorpios, the Eirian, and the Kaukino. Note that the last two names come from the individuals the investigative team spoke with, and are the only members of this list to be confirmed sophants themselves. There is also one last addition to the Morehu report, further detailed at the end of this. Part 1: Skull Spiders The Skull Spiders became a menace to the greater Okoto population after the Lord of Skull Spiders somehow obtained the Golden Mask of the Skull Spiders. Despite their name, Skull Spiders appear to be more closely related to the insect-like lifeformes of Okoto than the anthropod life forms; they only have six limbs, two of which are adapted specifically to lock into the telepathic "ports" of the Morehu and other creatures with similar structures. From what could be determined, the natural use of these limbs is to imbue the victim with a strong urge to protect Skull Spider nests; however, at the time of the investigation, the Lord of Skull Spiders was using the Golden Mask to alter that compulsion into destruction of Masks of power. The natural behavior of Skull Spiders is not clear, again due to the interference of the Lord, but from observation and conversation the swarming behaviors they exercised during the investigation is quite unnatural. Skull Spiders come in four known colors: Red, Green, Silver, and Blue. Red Skull Spiders appear to be the rarest breed, despite having the largest range of location; it is unclear at this time whether they have any unique abilities or are simply powerless mutants. Green Skull Spiders tend to make their home in the south-west regions of Fire and Earth; the signature coloring is given by a sub-dermal chemical which reacts to the presence of life forms, which allows the Skull Spiders to locate potential hosts even through the rock of the Earth region tunnels and the thick smog of the Fire region. Silver Skull Spiders prefer the northern Ice and Water regions, where packets of air in their carapaces lighten their weight to a point where they can move incredibly swiftly. The Blue Skull Spiders, whose coloration is due to the thickness of their shell, dominate the middle range of Okoto; while the ones in the Region of Jungle resemble other Skull Spiders aside from their color, the ones in the Region of Stone have a unique mutation that gives them a pointed, but non-venomous stinger tail. Of particular interest is the Skull Spider's post death usability. The body of a Skull Spider retains the telepathic compulsion that it had in life--anyone foolish enough to wear a Skull Spider as a trophy might very well find themselves with an urge to protect the nest of the creature, even if the creature had no nest. Furthermore, it is apparently possible to 'train' a Skull Spider to give a different set of instructions--indeed, one of the Eirian individuals the team observed had been forcefully put under the control of the Lord through use of a Silver Skull Spider. This alone makes the species incredibly dangerous in the hands of a determined or cunning individual; with the addition of the Golden Mask of Skull Spiders being able to somehow direct them, it is plausible that they were artificially created by some unknown force for just that specific purpose. Thankfully, the summoned warriors were able to remove the Golden Mask from the claws of the Lord, rendering them mere pests.

I'm going to have to do physioreports on the Creatures, aren't I? Looking forward to it. Might catch up on my other physioreports. I've only got the Morehu down--there's still they 2015 villains and toa to go!

Three questions: 1. Should I ask the admins to move this to the story section of the forums? 2. Would you like to see similar in-universe analysis documents of the Toa and the Skull Beings? 3. If I made an animated version of these, would it be best for me to apply to the BZPower you-tube channel with the series or simply post it up on my lonesome?

Part 6: The Region Of Earth Lava rarely falls west of the volcanic mountains, but the tectonic forces remain exactly as potent. The pressure of the plates and the underground magma flows have caused a landscape of dramatic plateaus and deep crevices, coated in a layer of heat-formed obsidian that can stretch as far as the eye can see. Step on the wrong spot, though, and the obsidian will shatter beneath you, revealing a hidden network of tunnels packed tightly with rare metals, precious gems, and hardy predators. It is in these darkened mines that the Earth Tribe Morehu make their dwelling. Members of the Earth Tribes are among the most muscular Morhu specimens on record, their broad chests and powerful limbs defined by muscle developed during their hours digging through the packed dirt and stone around them. The usual pattern of small silver scales on their chest and extremities is absent; thicker black scales cover the areas instead, as it makes it harder for dirt to get underneath and irritate the skin. At first glance, stone tribe Morehu seem to lack a secondary notochord, but it has in fact developed into a branched specimen, which allow them to translate the tremors they feel through their hands and feet on a far more subtle level than any other tribe; in the ever shifting darkness of the tunnels, this ability has saved many lives. The Earth Tribes believe that Okoto is, on some level, alive. The shifting tunnels are, to them, the writing of the island’s thoughts; they will crush the glowing purple gems they find all around their underground home and paint runic patterns on themselves as an interpretation of these mysterious messages. This same purple dust is painted into enchantments on the star drills their excavators carry, making them all but unbreakable. Unfortunately, whatever shattered the empire also crushed all the old forges in this region; the Morehu have stripped their elemental blasters and refitted them as chest-mounted rapid shooters, but beyond that and their drills they have lost the most of the old world. Still, they will strap chunks of raw ore to their shoulders to carry home and remake into throwing daggers, and they are aware that other tribes are beyond the mountains... they just wish to wait for the opportune moment to seek them out.

Part 5: The Region Of Fire The southwest quarter of Okoto is on a tectonic plate being squeezed by two other plates from the east and north. It is therefore understandably unstable and, in fact, a volcanic mountain range runs through the center of the area. Molten slag from no less than three active volcanos pours into the eastward valley, creating a smoking and ever shifting region of lava flows, lakes of fire, and obsidian plains. Most people would never even think of stepping into the region, let alone living there. Most people aren’t Fire Tribe Morehu. Broad-shouldered and brave of heart, the Morehu in the fire region have adapted physically and culturally to their harsh environment. Their knees are unusually high, letting them sprint quickly away from surprise lava flows, although it does force them to take a wider stance to keep a normal balance. The scales on their hands are thick and black, letting them grab objects that are hotter than what other Morehu could endure. While they do have a secondary notochord, it is heavily compressed into the space between their shoulderblades; however, it does function as a rapid-fire secondary sensory interpretation lobe, giving the fire tribe Morehu increased visual acuity in the ashy clouds of their homeland. The ancient forge temples around which the Fire Tribes make their homes are mounted onto the sides of the volcanoes. It is here that the greatest power of the Fire Tribes is secured: mastery over the enchanted technology of the once great empire. The gauntlets they make here glow with deflected heat as a Morehu wears it; the boots do as well, but their lower portion is usually blackened by ash. However, the Fire Tribes don’t wear chest armor like other Morehu; they allow sweat to drip down their exposed chest, covering only their groin in a basic loincloth. Those Morehu that traverse the lava plains to gather precious metals for the forges have shoulder mounted elemental blasters and twirl paired flame swords to dissuade the dangerous few beasts lurking in the depths of the lava flows.

To be fair, none of the protectors have established genders either. It's implied that the online descriptions are for both genders, and the only reason we consider them all male is because they hired a male narrator/voice actor for the animations. Well, also every description of the Protectors so far that uses singular pronouns uses male ones. Really? Where are these descriptions? I could argue that technically male pronouns are considered gender neutral in some cases, but that would just be nitpicking.

Alright, even if it's a one-off, Lego has repeatedly recycled their own themes over the years and gotten a pretty consistent profit. Your argument is basically that if one iteration fails, all future iterations will fail. This is simply not true.

MLP G3 was near-universally regarded as a joke, even by its target audience. MLP G4 has rocketed to almost memetic levels of success. Your argument is... not entirely valid.

To be fair, none of the protectors have established genders either. It's implied that the online descriptions are for both genders, and the only reason we consider them all male is because they hired a male narrator/voice actor for the animations.

Part 4: The Region Of Ice The mountain range on the north edge of the Region of Stone shows many signs of being artificial; mystical glyphs cover every surface, ancient gates lie crumbling in deep tunnels, and the whole thing seems impossible to form naturally. Whatever the history, the mountains block the hot winds from the south from passing, leaving the region to the north to exist in sub-zero temperatures. Ghostly winds from the north wail through icy formations, and blizzards will fly throughout the land, flash-freezing anything caught on the surface. And deep within this tundra lies the Ice Tribes, a hardy and ancient splinter of the Morehu. Ice Tribe members are a stout and sturdy sort; their compressed bodies might make them the smallest of the six Morehu breeds, but they also tend to have the most endurance. Their legs are flexible enough to leap across the snow in search of stable ground, and their hands have a grip powerful enough to climb the icy cliffs of their homeland. A secondary notochord on their back gives them improved reaction speed, which is perfect for avoiding avalanches and moving quickly off of collapsing ground. The culture of the Ice Tribes is a strange dichotomy between philosophical pursuits and practical necessities. Their villages tend to be centered around rune-covered altars, and they are the ones most knowledgeable about the mystical side of the Empire, but their harsh environment forces them to attend to survival before magic. Every Ice Tribe Morehu wears a fluffy cyan coat made from the fur of bearded blizzard yaks, keeping only their feet uncovered to better feel the shifts in the snow they stand on. Many also carve thick armor from ice blocks, to better protect them against the creatures roaming the wastes. When Ice Tribe members go hunting, they carry an ice saw and attach a frost bayonet to their elemental blasters; the blizzards can hide terrifying monsters, so it’s always best to be prepared for a sudden melee.

Part 3: The Region Of Water Overflowing snow from the icy northwest of Okoto is bushed back onto the island by the currents, forming a psuedoglacier just east of the great central mountains. Constant heat melts the snow into rapid streams and rivers; half of the northeast island quarter is a treacherous mess of swamps and deltas, and a good portion of the rest has already sunken into a collection of islands surrounding a small lagoon. It is here, on old boats and patched up barges, that one might find the Water Tribes living a fairly well-off life. Members of the Water Tribes have adapted fairly well to their surroundings, both culturally and physically. Their long legs have strong muscles and the scales on their feet are larger than average, resulting in a very flipper-like shape that gives them powerful swimming speed. This is only further supplemented by the sloped secondary notochord, which not only gives the tribe a staple curve to their look but also allows them to almost instinctively know how best to kick in the water; many Water Tribe members refer to this as “reading the tides.” While the arms of these Morehu are not as lanky as that of the Stone and Jungle tribes, they are just as flexible and help them direct themselves through the rivers and lakes of their home. Because of their location, Water Tribe Morehu were the least affected by the collapse of the empire and retain the largest knowledge base of their secrets. Many Water Tribe members have collaborated and taught others about the technologies and mystic arts that were once theirs, and they have succeeded in replicating that power to some level. The cyan swimwear they make is crafted from fish-scales, and the flowing blue outergarments are a result of a thriving textile market. What really takes the cake, however, are the Elemental Torpedo Blasters and Turbines crafted from old boats; Water Tribe Morehu use and wear these to scour the ocean floor for sunken relics of the age long past.

First of all, I'd see what sold in the previous generations, and more importantly, I'd look into why they sold. Hire a bunch of internet trawlers to do research and whatnot. It sounds callous, but you have to make a story that appeals to both the old and the young. And cool toys, too.

I had one of these lists... somewhere. Let me just find it. Ah, here we go!

I think it fits here. It's a nonfiction set of theories about the land of Okoto in a formal format. The Library is for fiction works. I don't see how completely making so many details that are not even so much as hinted at in the canon really qualifies as theories. If you can make up however much "headcanon" you like and then call it a mere theory, couldn't you just post any fanfic that doesn't contradict canon here just on the pretext that this is how YOU think things happened in between the "official" stories? To the point of "And then at the end after defeating Megatron and sending him back to his world, I think Gali and Tahu kissed, because the story never said they DIDN'T"? I don't mean any insult to this headcanon. But it reminds me less of a conventional theory and more of things like the book "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" or the website "Expedition One to Mata Nui", which although framed as reference works are clearly works of fiction designed to deepen their established fictional universes. It is too specific about its many, many physiological details to really be plausible as a mere theory about how the actual CREATORS of Bionicle intended the character designs to be interpreted — on the contrary, it feels more like the writer using his own creative thinking to craft his own hyper-detailed "hard" sci-fi version of the BIONICLE universe. Not to mention, as thoughtful as this headcanon is, it already contradicts some minor things that are known about the actual canon. For instance, not all Jungle Tribe villagers have sensor tails, because we've seen ones that don't in "The Legend" (the sensor tails are also attached to the ankles rather than the rear toes, but that's just nitpicking). I honestly think finding a place for this in the library forum would also allow it to get more meaningful feedback related to the writer's own creative contributions instead of just nitpicking on how plausible it is that this was the writers' intent, or where it does or doesn't fit with established canon. I wouldn't mind if this was moved to the library. I am incorporating a bit of world-lore into the entries, and it is meant as a theoretical outsider's perspective (as well as a way to justify all the minor differences between the Protector models). ----- Part 2: The Region of Stone The westerly moist winds rarely cross the great mountain range bisecting the island of Okoto, leaving the west side a mostly dry and trackless desert. Ruins of the once-great empire of Morehu are scattered everywhere, broken aqueducts slowly sinking into the sand and creating gaping canyons. On the northern tip of the coast, at the base of a massive crater sinking into the sea, lies what many believe to be the empire’s former capital. It is in this heartless, shattered corpse of a land that the Stone tribes scavange for their living. The Stone tribes are the only Morehu to lack a secondary notochord on their back; while this does make them slightly less physically coordinated than other tribes, it also makes them much hardier, able to go longer without food and water. Their scales are usually bleached gray from the constant sunshine, and they tend to adopt a wider stance to keep their balance on the shifting sands. do share many similarities with the Jungle tribes, being taller than average and having loose joints on their lanky frames. But where the Jungle tribes use their loose and lanky frame to move quickly around the branches of their homeland, the Stone tribes use it to quickly jump out of the way of unstable dunes and collapsing structures. Stone tribe Morehu do retain the deepest connection to the imperial culture, hoarding whatever artifacts from before the collapse they can find. In fact, the majority of the Morehu in this group are scavengers, wearing collected bits of metal plating and bone spurs over armor formed out of old pottery. However, they have also developed a process of mixing sand with a few crushed artifacts and making yellowish light-weight layered glass under-armor. This same substance can be found at the tip of their Elemental Sandstone Blaster, serving as an informal dual-tipped spearblade, and many Stone Tribe members have added launchers that can blast shards of the broken glass at the creatures roaming the wastes.

well, that got pretty steamed pretty fast, tell me, what does the incessant need to argue against gender-identity-inclusive plastic robots feel like? Most of us do it to examine sociological constructs in an environment that we feel will not react with hostility to such an examination. And also for fun.

Well, they could be transelemental.

I think it fits here. It's a nonfiction set of theories about the land of Okoto in a formal format. The Library is for fiction works. Morehu is maori for "Survivor." At least according to google translate. As for the scales... I didn't mean that they were visible on the actual models. I picture a lot of little scales on the hands, feet, head, and chest around the size of a fingernail. Larger scales, like maybe the size of a coaster, would be everywhere else. Also, I meant to say that their chest armor is modeled after their actual musculature--you know, like how the Roman Legionaries would have chestplates shaped like a human torso. You'd think that if they had scales, they would appear in the animations or the models, correct? Also, the odds of Lego using Maori words for a species name is rather unlikely. However, I think it is unlikely that they will assign a name to this species, so yours might be as good as any. I'm running off the assumption that both the animation and the models are hypersimplified. Compare the Tahu Nuva model to the Mask Of Light CGI model, and you'll see a number of differences.

I like this theory to explain the mask-wearing, although AFAIK that this hasn't been confirmed anywhere. Cool way to incorporate the set's mask connection. Morehu is maori for "Survivor." At least according to google translate. As for the scales... I didn't mean that they were visible on the actual models. I picture a lot of little scales on the hands, feet, head, and chest around the size of a fingernail. Larger scales, like maybe the size of a coaster, would be everywhere else. Also, I meant to say that their chest armor is modeled after their actual musculature--you know, like how the Roman Legionaries would have chestplates shaped like a human torso. ------------ Part 1: The Region Of Jungle The southeast portion of Okoto is dominated by a vast rainforest with a variety of plants, trees, and vines that grow to create a difficult to navigate living maze. There are remnants of farming villages out on the eastern plains, but evidence suggests that some unknown enemy drove the inhabitants away from this area ages ago. This is only further supported by the Jungle tribes living in the deepest of the rainforests, hidden high above the predators that roam below. Jungle Morehu are generally above average in height, although it is not uncommon for them to stalk in a hunched posture.. They also have a secondary notochord on their back, like most other Morehu; in fact, their notochord is among the largest and most developed, giving them increased acrobatic acuity. Most of the Jungle Tribes have very flexible joints and lanky proportions, assisting them in quickly maneuvering around their homeland’s environment. When compared to the other tribes, the Jungle Morehu might seem at first to be among the most technologically primitive; their underarmor consists of yellowed bark, with portions of covered in shimmering leaves, and only the warriors wear the metal chestplates often seen in other tribes, alongside a single shoulderpad. However, every Jungle tribe member has specialized “sensor tails” tied to their rear toes, which allow them to detect vibrations in the vines around them so they can quickly react to potential dangers; this, in combination with the long-range Air Elemental Flame Bow their warriors carry, make them almost impossible to track in the wild homelands, and there is some evidence that they keep the best of their technology at home.

Tribes of Okoto A Comparative Analysis of the Physiological and Cultural Distinctions Between Six Island Tribes ---------------------------------- An introductory Overview The island of Okoto is host to a number of unique species, including at least one extant sophant race and possible a number of others. It is, however, this singular race that is to be the focus of this research document, as most future contact with the world is expected to happen with them. The villagers of Okoto, who call themselves Morehu, were at one point in their history part of an island-wide empire of great wealth and mystical power. However, due to the mishandling of an artifact and the resultant tragedy, most modern Morehu live in scattered tribes on the island. These tribes are affiliated with the region of the island in which they live; the Jungle Tribes live in the Jungle Region, the Stone Tribes live in the Stone Region, and so on. Morehu are carbon-based reptomammals with metallic compounds throuough their body, most notably in their bone structure. They have an average height of 4.5 feet, exhibiting a basic bipedal dual armed body plan with a singular head and no extended spine. Their hands have five digits, one of which is opposable; while this is also true of their feet, two of their digits have fused into a large “middle toe” and the opposable digit is usually used for balance. The smaller scales on a Morehu’s hands, feet, head, and chest usually appear silver, but as they grow larger on the limbs and main body they take a more blackish hue. The musculature of their barrel forms a distinct synthetic abdomen appearance, with a circular pattern over their heart and piston-like veins running from their ribs to their pelvis; almost all Morehu wear chest armor that mimcs and exaggerates these natural qualities. Morehu faces can best be described as a strong-jawed, hollow cheeked scowl with their eyes exhibiting refractive qualities and ranging from ice-blue to pale yellow in color. Their diet, while technically omnivorous, appears to be mostly plant based with the occasional lucky kill thrown in. This is largely out of necessity rather than preference, as the infrastructure for supporting different diets has collapsed with the empire. While they do have a noselike bone, the nostrils are rather simple; a combination of scent organs and taste buds can be found on complicated structures located on their cheeks. The hearing organs of the Morehu are drumlike enclosed ears, located just under a pair of “port” organs that allow limited telepathic contact. Most Morehu will consistently wear masks to protect these “ports” from access, and a number of masks actually incorporate a level of telepathically controlled mystical power. While the above is true of all Morehu populations, the varied regions of Okoto have resulted in minor divergences, both culturally and physiologically. The following sections are designed to elucidate on these differences, and furthermore examine the reasons they exist. ((The above is the first part of a seven part series, based on close observation of the Protector models.))

Why only two genders? Let's go full sci-fi and say every elemental tribe is its own gender identity! Seriously, though. I would start with the "Gali as the only girl" ratio for the toa, but I might make a couple of the others deliberately androgynous--Lewa and Kopaka come to mind, due to the Toa Kiata, but I'm not sure. I'd also unlock gender restrictions series-wide--any character could be of any gender--and provide an even split on the micro-line, maybe making the firemodel female. This would let me see how the market reacted, so if the moment was right I could later reveal that, "oh yeah, Lewa was a girl that whole time, wasn't it obvious?" In general, if I pulled characters from previous generations, I'd only genderbend the ones that would make sense--usually ones without sets, but sometimes others--and I would slowly spread toa gender ratios around so by the end of my generation run the number ended up mostly even.

Originally, this started as a gen2 update of my self-moc, which... I don't have access to at the moment. But with the parts left over, I decided to make another... and then another... and then another.... Well. four sets went in... Four MOCs came out. This is Vzzlalzvzszmmzch, which translates literally to "Makes Net Out Of Air," but most people who know him call him Masterweaver. He'll buzz through Okoto on occasion, offering to trade with the Protectors, and has garnered a reputation as something of a con man which he will laughingly deny. His species has a natural talent for languages, able to speak in any tongue they hear, and as a result Masterweaver has a number of rare and exotic artifacts which he stores, somehow, in a secret pocket dimension. Of course, a traveler in this day and age should be armed, and Weaver's spear launcher is certainly a threatening weapon, but he does not seek out conflict... only friendly customers. The original Masterweaver self-moc was built mostly out of Suukorak, with a few other interesting pieces. Vahki launchers as a two-pair of wings, rahkshi feet, a central body assemblage to keep the thing vertical... I ended up with a white dragonfly look. The gen-2 sets don't support as thin a core body as I would have liked, but I think I pulled off that lean lanky look I wanted. Of course you can't go dragonfly without the wings; I tried to actually make the wings have a gear function so they could buzz, but I couldn't figure it out so in the end he just has a pair of big drooping half-ovals. It's not bad, though. One of the biggest challenges was the head. The first version was suukorak's foot, fangs, and eyes arranged around a single socket joint. I didn't have access to that for this, though, so I had to figure out how to make the basic shape with what I had. Kopaka's long armor as the "nose: was easy, but figuring out the eyes and antennae took a little bit of doing. I had to used the guurahk staff to keep the outer antennae in a v-shape, then I added silver inner antennae to keep the guurahk staff from sticking out, then a pistoney silver armor piece as a helmet... it worked out pretty well, all things considered. The biggest change from the original was the weapon. Masterweaver's always been a trader, and in the original model that meant he had some pretty unique tools in his arsenal--a combo rhotuka/kanoka launcher, a zamor launcher/meelee weapon, a bottomless backpack.... For the update, I decided to slim down his armory and give him only one multipurpose weapon. It's an axe! It's a spear! It's a fully functional launcher, complete with a sighting rod for long-range sniping! Yeah, I had fun with this bit. And so we draw to a close on Masterweaver. On to the next MOC! Most of Okoto's protectors will wear only the basic masks of Ekimu, but a rare few earn the right to equip some of the more exotic masks of power. Whether by acts of valor or ages of wisdom, these Turaga Warriors are the elect few chosen by their villages to guide their citizens, given golden armor as a sign of their rank and considered only below Toa in their bravery. Most Turaga craft specialized tools to help channel their new powers; Turaga Pelagia here has built an ice fan, which she uses to freeze the hordes that attack the village of water. The ice blaster, equally functional in or out of water, channels the great power of the Mask of Ice into a spray of frozen crystals or a zub-zero fog as Pelagia sees fit. It's not as elegant as some other, more classical toa weapons--sometimes the turbines get jammed, and the stabilization tubes are a mite problematic to manuver around--but if it works, it works, and Pelagia has shown a great mastery of her new-found ability. And even without the icy power of the mask, the blaster can function as a potent defense, knocking back smaller rahi with a gust of air and disorienting the larger ones long enough for the Turaga to come up with a plan. Pelagia, once just an elderly boat-runner, earned her new position when she plowed through an attacking horde of Tarakava sharks. She's still getting used to her new duties, but she's eager to be the best Turaga warrior she can be! The Blixeen are newcomers to Okoto, first appearing from deep tunnels in the Region of Earth. Exactly what their purpose is hasn't been made clear, as they don't speak the language of the Protectors, but these ant-like critters are busily carving out new tunnels and gathering resources for their own ends. They don't appear to be inherently hostile, as they have let protectors by unharmed, but those that penetrate too deep into their diggings will hear the chant "Blixeen, Blixeen, Blixeen," in unnerving wispy voices... shortly before they are swarmed by the metallic creatures. The Blixeen have scale-like plates all over their bodies, giving them the appearance of wearing an armored dress. This, in addition to their large digging claws, makes an individual Blixeen very difficult to take down. They also have a pair of incredibly sensitive antennae, which not only alerts them to subtle shifts in the earth around them but also appear to act as some form of long-distance receiver, allowing them to hear each other through their tunnels at incredible distances. It is always wise to remember: no matter what seems to be the case, a Blixeen is never alone. One of the Blixeen was coaxed into handing over their sawshooter to a protector for a short while. The protector was only allowed to examine the object for ten minutes before the Blixeen took it back and left, but in that time he noted the complicated inner machinery and mysterious circutry. The sawshooter appears to be used as a rock carver, shield, melee weapon, and ranged weapon. Of particular note are the regenerative properties of the saw portion; as the protector watched, a large crack began to mend itself, binding together with bluish strands. How this works is, as of yet, a mystery. The Blixeen remain a mystery, even to those who try to make contact with them. Perhaps one day they will be understood... but for the momen, it is best to leave them to their tunnels. Long ago, a cult of Protectors attempted to make themselves powerful and immortal, with disastrous consequences. To this day, their skeletal remains can be spotted sprinting through the mountains, endlessly screeching as they chase after the living in hopes of bringing them into the fold. These Tainted ones never venture into the villages themselves--they could be taken down easily--but prey on the lone travelers through the mountains, lurking in the shadows until they can burst forth and surprise their former fellows. Tainted ones, despite their curse, remain ever cunning craftsmen. False masks adorn their limbs and faceless skulls, used to lure the unwitting and over eager into an ambush. The creatures usually carry a basic club, carved from the rock of the mountain itself, to defend themselves and beat their victims into unconsciousness. It is the glowing ceremonial dagger, though, that most travelers should truly beware; through it the Tainted curse can be passed, leaving the protector to slowly rot and transform into a monster himself. A grim reminder of a bygone age, the Tainted ones are as mysterious as they are deadly. Do they still retain intelligence? How do they make their tools? These questions are unlikely to ever be answered. And there you have it. Four sets in, four MOCS out.