Tabby: Toa of Cats

Thanks!

IC: As the three Toa flew, they headed towards the shore of Le-Wahi, passing Lake Pala and the last bits of Pala-Koro remaining there. Turning to the south, they met the shoreline and flew along it. Cy, distracted by pulling a exuberant mid-air flip, nearly failed to notice something that would prove important. In the end, Vorok pointed out the abandoned canoe from behind, and Kivar swung Echo around, landing him on the shore. "This looks like a lifeboat-Marine in make." Vorok turned his head towards the shore. "Footprints-look fresh." Kivar commented.

Alright. I will cook up two or three more profiles soon. Antroku may remain as next in line for a male credit, if another person doesn't want to compete for it. Kughii, as expected, is difficult to compete with.

Any descision yet? Note I'll be gone this weekend due to lack of Internet, by the way.

I almost consider throwing in one of my lagging charecters into the Skakdi-Koro, simply for my amusement and his elemental powers. It would require breaking up the long-standing Ziraul-Tirax team, though... It also requires I have time to RP Tirax. I also totally think you should build it around the Piraka Clubhouse. Plus, having it right there in Ta-Wahi greatly increases the chance of large-scale conflict with the Ta-Koro guard. Which would be interesting to see indeed. EDIT:Also, I might have some spare assassins just lagging-but Echelon is somewhat suicidal to take on. Talk to me.

IC: Takamaz was a man who treated almost everything in a logical manner-he didn't pick up the hint at manipulation. To him, this was simply a question about his skills to be answered. "I don't routinely produce large scale machines as of yet-but I have a few designs and prototypes in the works, even if the market might be more limited than I'd like. Strictly confidential, I'll remind you." "You're lucky about the steam-that's something I've been thinking about for the past two months. Gearboxes and transmissions are some fairly routine math. Watercraft hulls-with research, it can be done-Divan will have to look into it. I take it you want to power some kind of ship with steam?" OOC:No problem-for your reference I will be out of town without Internet this weekend.

Vezok's ability really makes it best to face him with a Lesterin,Vortixx or something of the like. Kanohi are not something we've seen him copy. It also make throwing tons of characters at him a really bad idea.

Ishi would also miss his arm, no doubt. Without further ado, I present to you my finished male. I do think the written piece only shows the side his youngest students will see, however, so keep that in mind. As students progress, they do earn more respect. It also doesn't quite reflect his personal interactions, which tend to be more reflective of his wisdom as a master martial artist. Antroku Male Dasaka(Soulsword, Mindarm) Kanohi Kakama Weapons Energy Saber:Created courtesy of his Menti training, this blade glows blue-green in color. Antroku is extremely skilled in the use of the blade, and able to fight with a degree of expertise matched by few other Menti. His blade is rumored to melt through solid rock, due to Antroku’s intense focus. Crystal Longsword-With a handle painted blue, but a blade translucent as glass, it is hard for the eye to follow even in the best of light. Intended mostly for use as a backup blade, Antroku uses it when he feels it is a better option than his Soulsword. Crystal Darts-small, translucent projectiles which Antroku uses his Mindarm powers to hurl with deadly accuracy. Don’t underestimate how much damage they can do. Kept in a leather bag on his waist. Sapphire Armor-Antroku requested this armor himself, and a skilled Ringti made it for him. It is chosen to stand out against the other armor common to Dasaka, which is often a translucent blue in color. His mask is painted to match this hue. Skills Swordsmanship- Due to his extensive training as a Soulsword, Antroku can compete with the best of them in swordplay. Antroku is skilled in both melee swordwork and the use of his energy blade, so it doesn’t matter which he competes with-he knows the advantages of both, and will use them to their fullest advantage. Melee Combat-As the head instructor on melee combat, Antroku of course knows this topic best. He is a martial artist by nature-his sword skills are an extension of this. He knows how to use both fist and foot to his complete advantage. He views the martial arts as the sixth discipline amongst the Menti-among most important the inner focus and calming of the mind that enable the clear thought of combat, and the will to make one’s body strong against all attack and offense. Kakama Usage-Due to his physical style of fighting, Antroku chose the mask he felt would suit his powers best, enhancing the condition of his body. It allows him to best foes quickly-important due to the taxing styles of both his mental disciplines. If necessary, he could use it to flee, though that would be a dishonor and not fitting of his status as a master of physical combat. Mindarm-Antroku is an above average telekinetic. His skill is not unmatched in this area, however. He can fight well with telekinesis, and is able to lift twice his weight without trouble. At three to five times his weight, tasks become somewhat to very taxing, and at six, they are quite exhausting. Antroku does seem to enjoy chucking heavy rocks at enemies, and also uses crystalline darts to great effect, shooting them at high velocity to damage his foes. He can lift himself, and generally throws himself upward where applicable, or hovers across a particularly dangerous obstacle. Manuscript Translation-In order to take full advantage of past martial arts knowledge, Antroku has acquired some degree of skill in translating ancient manuscripts to acquire old techniques and philosophies. Due to this ability, he can read and write archaic forms of Vulgar Taa, and talk with somewhat broken speech.. This is his only intellectual discipline. Appearance: Antroku is unique among the Dasaka because he chose to wear armor made of sapphires rather than the typical blue crystal. His Kanohi Kakama is painted a brown tone to match. His belt buckle bears a crest of Clan Diakura, the most outward sign of his loyalty. On his right, a small leather bag, with a crest of the same kind. Overall, Antroku is well muscled and physically fit, matching his status as an expert martial artist. His physical condition is overall excellent, but his mental disciplines of choice mean he tires much more easily than he would like, and somewhat unexpectedly. Antroku has sapphire colored eyes-his armor only further highlights this, making him seem quite handsome. His expression and demeanor seem to reflect a calm, meditative state of being. Personality: Antroku is calm at all times, as befitting a master of the martial arts, and disciplined, as holds with the Virtue of Order. He thinks things through, and does not often act on impulse. He serves as an instructor on the arts of melee combat, and teaches his students unconventionally, often dolling out physical attacks for lack of skill, disrespect or improper practice-he views this as form of battle conditioning, because a battle deals physical punishment, not just mental, and he often found students unprepared to handle pain and damage in the heat of battle. He also forces students in his most basic classes to remove Kanohi and not use powers in his classes expect some basic telepathy. It forces his students to fight in a weakened state, making them stronger and developing endurance, and teaches them what to expect in battle. Antroku’s students don’t generally look forward to his class, but many who have graduated are thankful for it, realizing just how physically strenuous battle can be, especially for some Dasaka disciplines. Antroku holds the Three Dasaka Values more equally than others of Clan Diakura, for each is important to him as a martial artist. Power is vital to the way of the warrior, but cannot be attained without the discipline of Order, and is worthless without the Honor to use that responsibly. While the tightly controlled social status of males has prevented some Diakura from teaching in the past, Antroku was permitted to do so for a very simple reason- No one is better at melee combat than he is. Antroku sought to learn melee combat at a young age because he saw an edge in it, something that few other Dasaka had mastered. His love of this technique results in him having far greater respect for the Taajar Culture than some might ever show, thanks to their focus on physical combat. They are perhaps among the few individuals who would be able to compete with him. However, his respect for them must be kept hidden due to his status. Through manuscript translation, he has learned to read and write an archaic form of Vulgar Taa, necessary to access some of the best information on old styles of martial arts. Because of his status as a male, and his unique respect for the Taajar, Antroku sympathizes with some of the lesser classes, feeling how confined they are to their roles. He hopes that there might someday come a change in order, but knows not how to bring it about. While he sees some potential for dishonor among the merchants, his private desire is to see the boundaries between the castes lessened. Overall, this discontention is one of the few things that could inspire his disloyalty to Toroshu or Rora. Weakeness:As a Soulsword and Mindarm, Antroku is prone to some lack of awareness as to his energy levels, and more prone to tiring due to the strenuous nature of his tasks. He is more reluctant to turn against those of weaker castes. He is not skilled at resisting Sighteyes, but his martial arts training has improved his sense of self and willpower, making him more resistant to Willhammers. IC:Antroku turned to a set of twelve students-this was their first day at the School of the Mind on Sado. As they filtered through the door, he turned to them, “Welcome to Melee Combat I, otherwise known as Bruises 101. Please place your masks and weapons in the pile. Note that you will not use powers for the duration of this class-you, yes, you, get your brain out of the plane.” He pointed at one student in particular. Another student spoke up,”Sir, if-“The second she said it, she knew she had made a mistake. Her speech was abruptly cut off as Antroku flexed a finger. She slammed into the padded wall behind her-no doubt it had been padded for a reason named Antroku. The student in question fell face-first to the floor, letting out a load groan of pain that made the whole class uneasy. One nearly moved to check on her fellow Menti, but a warning stopped them all. Don’t. “Lesson One:The battlefield deals physical punishments for no reason whatsoever. In order to prepare you for this, so do I. Past students nicknamed this class Bruises 101 because they leave with about that many bruises every day.” “Now, I know what you’re all thinking-how will we fight if we can’t use our powers? I hear students wine about that every semester. The answer is that you will use your fists and feet, nothing more.” “There are many good reasons for practices like these on the battlefield-for one, taking our Kanohi off replicates exhaustion. Thus, you will learn how to keep fighting even when you are tired beyond belief-trust me, this will happen. Battle offers no rest for the weary. If you ever run out of energy, if your powers prove ineffective, the tactics you will learn here are your last resort. Use them wisely.” “Pick a partner-and don’t pick someone you’ll hold back with. Because if you hold back, you'll fight me, at fully masked mental might.”

OOC:Don't apologize; it's a natural assumption. :)I don't think, though, that Nero would actually follow Rhea in; he knows she's quite capable of taking care of herself in combat, so there's really no need for him to be at her shoulder every second. Let's say he discreetly took up a position near the door, on the outside. Perhaps in a nearby alley? Out of Bijackal's range of vision, in any case.I'm going to assume you've already edited your post, and move on.IC: [ Rhea ] - Onu-Koro / Akiru ForgeRhea nodded politely to the black-armored Skakdi of Earth facing her, noting his quick, sharp gaze and vaguely canine features. In a way, he reminded her of Nero; the same subtle aura of the hunter-tracker, of belonging more to the wilds than the streets."Good afternoon, sir. I have certain matters of importance to discuss. Engineering, metalworking. Is there someone about who might assist me; yourself, perhaps?" OOC: No problem. Post edited. IC:"Being the tracker of the Akiru, I'm not the one for that kind of work-but Takamaz, Divan and Miraul should be helpful to speak with." He answered, beckoning them over. Miraul strode forward first. His person was fully decorated in throwing weapons of many kinds-expertise in that area was obvious. Also evident was his status as the leader-the others stood behind him, prepared to follow his instructions. His eyes held a hope and a strength to them, and the iridescent cyan held a soft glow in the dimly lit shop. Divan stood behind them, a sword of high quality on his back. There was no doubt of the Silver Toa-he was a Toa of Iron, a master of metal and it's shapes. Takamaz's mask was what marked him most outwardly as the engineer, the twin scopes of the Akaku zooming in and out to take in various details around him constantly. Miraul asked, "How can we help you?"

IC:Bijackal's eyes turned to the newcomer. By Toa standards beautiful, but by his own standards that was irrelevant. He was, after all, Skakdi, so what a Toa looked like didn't matter. What else he saw was more noteworthy. His expertise in tracking analyzed this Toa, and instantly noted subtle details about her movement-each graceful, but definatively orderly, controlled, to a high extent-in some ways like a soldier marching. Military, almost certainly. That might be good for buisness-it depended on if the order was personal, or came from higher up the chain. "Who are you?"

IC:"Extra ten widgets. No problem." Takamaz called to Vilak, and he took something like a pen out of a nearby drawer. "Don't look at this, whatever you do," he told Syvra. He moved in between the customer and the blade to ensure that didn't happen. Suddenly the pen sported a jet of plasma, powered by Vilak's element. He looked right at it, not incurring any harm thanks to the natural powers of his element. He held it close to the handle, etching in the requested design. Hikari emerged from Axana's forge with a water bucket-quite clearly intended to cool the blade down. The blade went through the cooling process and was then drained of any water to prevent internal rust. OOC:If that's all, feel free to do a short timeskip and say you paid.

IC:As Syvra left, Takamaz eagerly pulled out a some parchment and a metal stylus, which he dipped in ink. He set to work drawing the individual components of Syvra's blade, consulting The Complete Guide to Physics Miraul had purchased, checking to make sure the fluid mechanics would work correctly, running the checks at varying viscosities since there was no guarantee exactly what Syvra would be using. With the blade itself drawn, he passed that to Divan. He then set to work on the other component designs, such as the handle with buttons and the spring. Divan made the two protosteel blades before he went to bed that night-with protosteel being somewhat exhausting to make, Divan thought it best to rest between that and the rest of his work on the sword. The sword had not been easy, either. Making such a needle-hole in the blade was difficult, and several times he had Takamaz check the needle curve with his Akaku, shifting it as needed. The next morning he got up, and found Takamaz had stayed up late to finish the blueprints. After a little breakfast curtousy of Hikari, he got up and set to work on the last few components, easy compared to the two blades he had made last night. Takamaz awoke around nine-o'clock that morning, and he put the components together. They did a final few tests of the blade by pumping water through it-Takamaz then heated some of the surrounding air to eliminate any water clinging to the inside of the blade. With the blade completed, Miraul dropped by the inn and left a note for Syvra, telling him to stop by and pick it up. OOC:That's your cue.

OOC:I'll let you know when. Depends on real life schedule. IC:"250 widgets is reasonable considering the materials and custom engineering you're requesting." Takamaz answered.

IC:"No major reason to think that would better the integrity-but protosteel is pretty tough. I'd suggest making a replacement blade for this just in case, even though that ups the cost. That pretty much covers what we need to know in order to design your blade. Because your request is unusual, it may take a little while to get done. Would you care to come back tomorrow?" Divan asked.

IC:"That seems good to me. The other thing I note is that the button's position is a little awkward unless you plan to use that blade backhanded. So we'll work out a way to fit that button into a spot where your thumb can push it-the safety I'd bet we could do as a knob on the handguard. Takamaz, Divan, anything else I should note?" Miraul asked. "That hole down the middle is a bit of a risky proposition. Could compromise the integrity of the blade. What do you want this thing made out of?" Divan asked, his tone just a bit skeptical of the design.

The second question is one that's indeed a little confusing-I don't think it was clarified very well in their topic. I think the Menti can turn into Datsue, but the Dashi may forever be Dashi. We'll let staff clarify that. It could be that Dashi to Dasaka is a change somewhat/majorly prohibited by social norms.

IC:"Divan, Takamaz, come take a look at this." Miraul called to two Toa, both a Toa of Fire and a Toa of Iron. "These two are our metalworkers and engineer. They'll figure out what it will take to make this thing. But one ethical question that I must ask-your blade is designed to use venom or poison. That in itself may not be wrong-but the kind could be. What do you intend to use?"

IC:A Toa of Air flew through the sky, barrel rolling in sheer euphoria. He entered into a power dive, the jungle below zooming towards him, a green fuel for the adrenaline rush that powered his love of the skies. "Freedom like this," he thought,"is what I live for." As the jungle grew dangerously close, Cyclonis, the Green Tornado, pulled up sharply at the last second, flying parallel to the canopy, disturbing a flock of birds that had landed nearby. There was a series of clicks and whistles between them and another, who fell in alongside Cyclonis. A Gukko flew, not quite keeping pace with the raw power of Cy's Kadin. On it's back, a Toa of Sonics rode along, a friend of both bird and beast. He smiled, shouting to be heard above the rush of the wind, "You should quit scaring the birds, my friend." Kivar turned his attention back to the jungle he loved, taking in what never ceased to amaze him-the beauty of the jungle. From the flowers to the fruit, from the leaves to the stumps of the forest floor, from the insects to the insectivores-he treasured them all. A rich canopy of noises flowed from each and every places, quiet and beautiful, but never too loud for his sensitive ears. Below, a darker being lurked, anticipating the return of his friends. A very small gap in the canopy of the rainforest revealed the passing Gukko to him, and he dashed forward with such vigor that one could have scarcely believe their eyes, if there had been anyone to watch-such was the nature of the Calix, that said to be the Mask of Fate. The energy of the run became a series of impossible leaps as he bounced between two trees, his power rendering him of such little weight that he have done so without any effort at all. Reaching the canopy, he sprung up and above, it impossibly high were it not for the fact that he was a Toa of Gravity. He floated gently down onto the back of Echo, the Gukko Bird of whom Cy and Kivar were both fond. He sat back to back with Kivar, and he didn't speak-he didn't need to. Vorok was a man of many words only when the occasion called. Kivar smiled warmly. "Good to see you, friend." "The same to both of you, my fellow Toa Phantoka. Where to today?" "Wherever the winds of Destiny take us, my brothers, and wherever the sound of Duty calls." Cyclonis answered. OOC:Curious as to what's going on with Tuara, Cael, Utu, Skyra, Lear, etc.-it seems to be the only major ongoings in this topic at the moment. May I ask a summary? If it involves lots of Nui-Rama angry-buzz, then Kivar is ever-sure to hear it.

IC:Miraul recalled the past few months, remembering them well. With the peace between the villages, the Akiru Forge had been doing booming business. While they were still doing mostly weapons, furniture, and small machines at the moment, Takamaz had been working on several other important, and perhaps marketable, designs. From what Miraul had seen, all of them looked promising-though some had markets that would make them better to sell to villages and organizations than individuals, considering price and usage. Miraul's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door-those were growing ever more frequent. He zoomed over to the door, pulling it open before a third tap could be made. "Miraul at your service. How may I help you?" OOC:A word of caution-the name of your weapon may alert Miraul and the Akiru as to your former connections, considering that they may have helped in the raid on Darkmine. For safety reasons, I suggest you call it simply "the Thorn", at least until you leave the building. Congratulations on being my second IC customer.

This is interesting to see. Unfortunate that we lost data-and I was looking forward to the battles in Onu. We'll have to decide the outcome of that. But this is a good opportunity to get some characters rolling again. Since the Inferno has been stagnating on a Marine ship for months, I'll get them rolling and do something that was a long time coming-split up that organization that lacked Unity in the first place. Takari and Makkan will join the other Toa Phantoka at last. A Dasaka may round out that five man Toa team. Vilor and Matatu will vanish, and Ziraul and Tirax will do the same. When they return, I don't know. Depends on how long my upcoming new profile format takes me. Which is another good think about the update-I have fewer excuses, except time shortage, to avoid working on my new expanded form. The Toa Phantoka, as mentioned, will be the old three man team joined by Takari, Makkan, and a Dasaka. They will not stick to the Red Star Voyage. I just couldn't stay involved with that group thanks to my schedule. They decided to help supply you guys, but have left to do other work-whatever that may be.

IC: "Understanding of the Virtues is given mostly by experience, but I will give you what wisdom I can. I think that, for the moment, let's focus on Unity. Unity is important to Toa for chiefly one reason-we can do more together, watching out for each other, than apart. If you work with other Toa, you have people to watch your back, to build you up when you're down, to depend on. There are a lot of benefits to Unity, and I can't possibly list them all. But maintaining Unity isn't always easy. Every Toa has responsibility in Unity. Unless every piece plays it's part, then the whole will Shatter." Takamaz paused, and then continued. "Within a team, creating Unity requires that you spend time together, to bond. Support each other both in the times of peace, and the times of war and adversity. The another part of creating Unity is to manage conflict. Sometimes people don't get along. To put it in musical terms for you, one of the keys to it is creating harmony-not a principle used by Le-Koro, I suppose-that's where you studied music, isn't it? But they do have another important one-Faith. Trust in your comrades will see you through many a day. Our enemies have tried to break our trust of one another-amongst the Akiru, that is. Perhaps this was Makuta's back-up plan as well, with the Vault and it's riddle. Unity is the foundation of the other Virtues, and if it is broken, the others fall apart. Guard Unity, and hold it near and dear to your heartlight." "I know that there is one other principle that plays a part, though I don't understand it's workings in Unity as fully. Purity. The best advice I can give-don't be Poisioned by the lies of your enemies. That can break a team apart."

IC: "We're at where we want to be, I think, if there aren't any other wanderers in the desert. As to the end, I think Zeal is the best one answer that question, because it has to do with him." Vilak answered.

IC:"Not at all odd. Lots of people show up on this island, washing ashore with little memory of where they came from, and no one seems to know why. I myself woke in an Onu-Wahi tunnel with no memory. Thankfully, I met Bijackal. As for the shipwreck, not one I know of. If you want, perhaps Bijackal could help you search for it when you are recovered, being a tracker. May I ask your name? And your kind? You seem just a bit different from any Toa on this island-did you lose a mask in the shipwreck? I'm surprised you made it this far from the coast without the strength of your Kanohi." Vilak offered a hand to Lapidru, since he had yet to get up.

OOC:Whoops, double quote. IC:"Akaku. Handy for engineering. Replaced a broken Mask of Biomechanics.As for yours, I think I know, but Divan is the one to teach you, or Miraul, when he returns." Takamaz answered. "I think we will focus on two or three things today: The Virtues, the Code, and elemental control." OOC:Adding Divan segment, as promised IC:Divan took the dagger, carefully examining it. A second later he moved at superspeed, slicing through the air as the blade flopped and wiggled. As it did so, it made a noise, somewhere between a whistle and a wobble. "I've seen blades that look like this before, for training. They make such a noise to tell if they've been swung fast enough. It might be useful for Xodor to practice, but not for sale. Can I see you craft a more traditional blade?"

IC:"Sorry. I was hoping you were awake enough to swallow. Here's some water for you. Drink plenty of it. Vilak, I presume the crawling guy needs water?" Receiving a nod, Miraul passed another water bottle to the Toa of Stone. "We should get you both out of the desert. In your condition, a place where you can go to rest up and stay hydrated is ideal. Do you care to go to Onu-Wahi for a while? Also, my apologies for failing on introductions. I'm Miraul, and these are Vilak, Hikari, Axana, Dekuna, and Zeal. Bijackal and Sister are the ones in the cave up the cliff."