Tabby: Toa of Cats

IC: Takamaz led the way down a staircase, previously hidden by a trapdoor in the floor. It emerged into a large room, longer than it was wide. A total of of eight bunk beds-presumably intended for guests as well as the owners- lined the edges, built into niches in the walls. Each was made of metal. Most had mattresses, with a few exceptions on the right side of the room. Takamaz gestured for Xodor to take a seat on one of the beds, one of those on the right that had a mattress,before he sat on a mattress-free bunk opposite. "You've already said that you're a musician, and a Toa of Earth. But do you know your mask power, or have you ever used it?"

You're not the only one that's pulled the Psionics/Jedi stunt, or planned something close to it. My first imaged Toa characters were part of a team called the Toa Spherus. This included Thornak, an overpowered Toa of Light, Axana, a Toa of Lightning who made Rahi, much like Makuta, and Hikari (aforementioned Jedi Toa). Of the three, Hikari and Axana have survived to the current BZPRPG with some different incarnations. Thornak could have an incarnation as a blue Toa of Light named Gamma if I ever join another RPG. My first ever actual characters that I sat down and wrote something about, however? That probably dates back to when I wrote stuff about Neopets or even earlier, with mammalian characters from my elementary school years.

Bijackal shot a cable up the cliff, ascending with his Volo Lutu. Even though he was easily eight times the size of Sister, he surpassed her halfway up thanks to the efficiency of his Volo Lutu Launcher." If you had waited for a second, I would have offered a ride," he chuckled at the top. "Since they'll probably send the dehydrated kid down there back with us, I suggest we wait and talk for a few minutes." "Considering that people are crawling out of the woodwork looking for water the second we mention, 'being in the middle of nowhere.', we probably aren't ready. Give it a few minutes while I handle the medical attention for this guy." Miraul answered, turning his attention back to the Lestrin. Seeing him awaken, he promptly pried the blue-white warrior's mouth open and poured some water down his throat. "You'd best wake up."

OOC:To clarify, we are at the bottom of a cliff that has a cave in it's face. IC:Vilak noticed a blur, moving across the encrusted mud of the desert ground at incredible speed, and he reacted with his typical impulsive behavior, drawing his blades as he dashed towards it. As he moved at Kakama speed, the blur became clearer. "You dehydrated? I can't think of any other likely reason that someone would be crawling at superspeed. If you come with me, we just got some water."

IC:Divan gestured to the anvil. "I leave your assessment open-ended. Make what metal things you please, so long as you show your greatest skills. I will make any kind of metal you require, short of protosteel." With that, Divan created and handed Okajo a hammer. OOC:I suggest you do this part in one mildly long post. Just try for a few paragraphs. Feel free to bunny Divan for metal materials.

IC:"Some help around here could be handy when Axana is gone, so glad to have you." Divan answered. Addressing Xodor, he added, "Takamaz will start your training, not myself, since I have to assess Okajo. Okajo, come with me to the forge room." He gestured to another area with an anvil in the center. Takamaz gestured to Xodor, "This way to the basement. That where I'd do any training."

This is not a bad idea. In this year's plots having a lot of mercenaries at your command seems beneficial in village-to-village conflicts. Would Nuju be kind enough to add a post to the rules topic with such?

IC: Takamaz guided the new worker to Divan's workroom. Turning to him, he said,"This is Okajo. He'd be interested in working here part time when some of the team are away. If you don't mind, I'd like you to assess him on his skill in metalworking." "Sure. You know me-nothing I love more than metalwork." Divan smiled. In his hands he held a katana vertical, straight out in front of him, so that it would have passed between his eyes had you looked at him head on. His eyes were closed, as he focused his elemental power on making the edge razor sharp. Abruptly, he spun, slicing a bamboo plant being grown under an overhanging lightstone. He cleaved it neatly in two. "Excellent edge," he commented. "Okajo, meet your assessor-Divan, Toa Akiru of Iron." OOC:For your comprehension, Akiru is a Matoran word meaning "master of craftsmanship." It can also relate to general mastery of a subject. IC: "I should also introduce Xodor, Toa of Earth. Apparently, he's new to being a Toa and would like some training and guidance, something that I will take care of until you are available or until Miraul returns. " Takamaz added. Divan smiled, lowering the katana in his right hand, and offering his left in Toa salute. "Pleased to meet you."

IC:"Miraul generally manages our accounts, being that he's team leader. But you might be of some assistance to myself and Axana at the forge. Come in and I'll introduce you to Divan. Being a Toa of Iron, he can test your skills on metalworking quite well." Takamaz answered Okajo.

Guys, I noticed something about the Piraka-namely in the profiles topic. Nuju has added Zaktan to his character roster. And Reidak seems to have materialized with Sulov's player. I didn't read further, so I don't know who else has whom. This could get interesting.

OOC:I'll take you up on that offer... Roc was going to stumble on a Leva Bay trader's supply cache, but I'd much rather go with PC interaction. :POh, and can I have some detail on the members of your group, as, how many there are, physical appearances, the users who run them, etcetera?IC: [ Roc ] - Po-Wahi / Southernmost point of Leva BayThe sun slid lower, half-eclipsed against the far western horizon. The liquid coolness of the desert night began to fall, and with its touch came a slight surge of life through the tortured body of the Lesterin. His thoughts focused suddenly, and with the focus came the stark gut-wrenching realization of situation.Karzahni, I am about to die, am I not? Lost and 'lone in the depths of an island wasteland; of water, nary a blessed drop. Yea, death waits...There was a wind-polished outcropping of stone nearby and he leaned against it, wearily contemplating his looming fate. He felt a bitter aversion to the thought of dying; not death, not when so much work remained undone, so much life as yet unlived... but still, the thought of it brought an ironic comfort. It was an extraordinarily simple thing to die, to let it go, and surely there was no dishonor in admitting defeat, not against such odds as this? To lie down and rest forever in the shifting sand, that was--No.His teeth flashed in a silent snarl.I. Will. Live!And with that thought, as he lifted blazing sapphire eyes across the empty wastes, his unnaturally powerful vision picked up a handful of humanoid figures etched darkly against the lonely backdrop of desert and sky, at least a mile distant. Judging by the alert, startled posture of the nearest one, they had seen him as well, and the realization brought a jolting surge of piercing hope and savage triumph flooding through his mind and heart. He had battled the sea, he had battled the desert, he had battled death itself... ...and he had won. He chuckled once, the sound rasping grotesquely from a cracked and heat-dried throat, and then his mind shut down and the world went black. IC:Vilak gazed straight towards the being, his eyes protected from the brilliant heat of the desert sun thanks to his elemental power. "Looks like he just collapsed. Be right back." An orange-white blur shot across the caked and dried mud of the Motara Desert, picking up the downed being and zipping back with him. "Dehydration, I'd bet," Vilak suggested as he set the Lesterin down on solid ground. "I'll go get some water from the forge. Hikari, can I have some water bottles? We should get lots of extra while we're at it." She nodded, and kneeled, focusing her attention on making a total of twelve water bottles, three extra, just in case. With that, Miraul was off, firing his Volo Lutu onto the rocky outcrop from which the cave entrance emerged. Clambering up, he sped to Onu-Wahi, returning only a few minutes later. Pulling out a water bottle, Miraul asked,"Which is better for dehydration, pouring it down his throat or waking him up first? We don't want him to drown." OOC:Miraul to Onu and back in one post.

IC: This produced a hearty chuckle from Takamaz. Recovering, he answered,"I can offer you part-time work, at least, when parts of the team are on mission. For full time work, we'd have to wait for the rest of the team to come back to approve such a hire. But that does bring up a question-what skills have you in the working of metal or crystal? Or perhaps leatherworking, or another craft of some kind?" OOC EDIT:Miraul from Po and back in one post. IC: Rushing to a fountain intended for public use, Miraul quickly filled twelve water bottles at Kakama speed. and then took off to the forge, remembering one other thing he had forgotten. He rushed into the forge via the back door-it seemed to him that there was a customer in front. Then he grabbed the metal cable he desired, and paused to say one thing to Divan:"You'll have this back shortly. Gotta run!" A blur of gunmetal gray and black dashed out the door.

IC:Takamaz answered the door, surprised to find the Matoran he had just talked to. "You need something, I take it?"

IC:"We are in the middle of nowhere-by my tracking vision this tunnel gets little use, mostly because of the cliff. If you had to climb up or down that every time you traveled Wahi, you wouldn't want to go on trips by that route often. It's basically why Hikari chose this place. Speaking of that tunnel, the powerless among us might want to hide up there while you guys do this part. Sister, care to climb?" "I guess we're all in, which makes six." Miraul answered hesitantly. At that moment, he spotted someone on the horizon. "Who's that?" OOC: Shadowhawk, Roc could run into us.

IC:"Yes, it's not to far away, so we might as well start walking." Takamaz turned, politely waving to Okajo and adding, "If you need anything, come and visit the forge." He beckoned for Xodor to follow. OOC:Bijackal may return shortly, depending on how long it takes for Zeal to start posting in Po, so, Okajo might get some more interaction soon, X.

IC: "Just two blocks that way. Only sign on the street made of lightstone." Takamaz pointed towards the hut that bore his business and sign.

IC: "Still perhaps worth investigation. If something is taking arms off-or worse-out in Ko-Wahi, then I think that might be worth having a Toa Team look into. I might be back in a few days, if you don't mind-Bijackal can start tracking then. Even then, I'm not refusing a Toa in need an arm. Xodor, would you care to come back to the forge? Divan and I will do what I can about teaching you things, though the best of the team is on mission right now. "

IC:"Not every Toa is called constantly or directly to combat, but I suspect there will be times when combat comes. The Master of Shadows has fallen, but a time may come when new threats arise, likely from his ashes. It is still wise to be prepared, but we can help you find your path in other ways as well." Takamaz answered. He then met the fist bump. IC: Turning his attention to the Matoran, Takamaz commented, "That's an odd place to find a one-armed Toa. If I had any leads, I'd try and find out why, just out of curiosity. Perhaps Bijackal's tracking vision could help once he returns from Po-Wahi. When did you last see this one, and where? Beyond the arm, what did they look like?"

Perhaps that Makuta's spirit is still alive in "the Legend" that Stannis sent him to? That helps explain how he's still talking. The fact that he's speaking in Mata Nui's thoughts almost makes me wonder if the Hiripaki is something that mimics Irrnak's vision power... If I recall correctly, the posts made vague references to them looking for some persons that sounded vaguely like criminal exiles from their homeland. The question is really which side we should favor, which is kind of a "wait and see" question.

Implies to me that the Dasaka are on the way, and in some capacity servants of Makuta.

IC:"At the very least, Unity is a good thing to have, vital to our success." Takamaz answered Xodar. "If you need help learning the ways of a Toa, the Akiru would be happy to help you-but at this moment, there is yet little for us Toa to fight against-the chief thing villages may need protection from is each other, as they lack the Unity that I earlier mentioned. As for the Forge, we make just about anything metallic or crystalline, and we engineer to meet the needs of our clients." Turning to the Matoran, he answered, "I don't believe one has, though I'm not the Toa who does most of the dealing with clients. Any reason why you ask? Say, what's your name, come to think of it? Sorry that I've been rude enough not to ask." OOC: Nope, no one armed Toa yet. If we'd had PC customers, I would have remembered it, because they'd be the first ones so far. I had better luck last year as a street vendor in Ta-Koro!

IC: The Fire Toa added, "Name's Takamaz. As to where I'm from, I woke up one day in the middle of the island, without much of memory and three friends to my name that didn't have memories either. In the long run, we wound up meeting three more Toa in the same position who remembered us. One turned out to be a little nasty and not so truthful, but the rest of us wound up becoming a Toa Team. And that's how I came to be the engineer at the Toa Akiru Forge, the business we run. So I don't really have a Koro that I yet consider a home."

IC: "Don't know what you're talking about-a fist bump is simply the Toa Salute. There's no fight here." Takamaz answered. "We also collided by accident, if that confused you."

IC: "I can't say I'm new to the Toa business, but I am new to the Koro. Takamaz. And you are?", the Fire Toa asked. He held out a hand in the fist-bump salute typical of Toa kind, though this was partially obscured by his flame claws, worn on the arm like a gauntlet.

The fact that it does bother visitors? EDIT: And non-Ice residents.