The Nold

IC(Ignitus and Xadah(The Inika)): As the volleys of flames and bottles continue to strike the Tarakava, our opponents, so fierce moments before, begin sinking back into the ocean. "Did we actually win this time?"

OOC: I guess we'll just pass it around to whoever's posting. IC(Ignitus, Xadah, and Rerus(The Inika)): As the Tarakava retreats into the sea, I can't help but think that was far too easy. "Whoo! Who wants to celebrate with some - ?" Of course it can't be that easy. "Kiron, hold your fire for a second! I have an idea!" Backing up to the opposite side, I get a running start and leap over the edge of the ship, praying that Mata Nui enjoys stupid stunts. Apparently, he does. I land squarely on the Tarakava's back, Vulcan in hand, and proceed to stab several times into the beast's neck. Apparently, Mata Nui gets bored easily. These attacks do little except annoy the giant lizard, and Xadah's continuing volleys of bottles are not helping. The Tarakava throws me off its back, and delivers a punch that would have reduced me to several pieces of a corpse, if not for my Hau. As it is, I merely fly under the ship, loosing momentum only when I'm on the other side. Fighting to remain conscious, I grab a vine in the hull created by Tuarn's earlier reparation. Vulcan sheathed on my back, I climb up similar plantlife until I can finally pull myself up onto the deck. "That... did not go as planned." Rerus helps me to my feet, and I go join Kiron to continue blasting the Tarakava with flames.

Funny. Vox, you aren't allowed to kill any of this guy's characters that he got as the result of several failed dice rolls. That'd be too easy. Hey, I saw an opportunity and I went for it.*returns to scheming*

If the killer's in Kentoku, PM me and I'll give you a list of characters I'm willing to have killed off.

IC(Ignitus and Xadah(The Inika)): "Son of a !" I reach the deck to find several rather nasty Tarakava attacking, Jarkale and Lai Lai sounding the alarm, and Tuarn trying to repair the ship faster than the angry Rahi could damage it. "Haha! You'll make a fine supper! I love seafood! Take that! And that too, you son of an illegitimate goat!" I turn around to see Xadah, drunk off his , hurling empty liquor bottles at the giant lizards. Seeing only one option, I hurl a stream of flames at the attackers, doing my best to roast anything above the water.

Sorry to take any attention away from Tyler's leaving, it's a huge deal, buuuuuuut... http://www.bzpower.com/board/index.php?showtopic=11183&p=641792 "Let all who will take this position rally behind me. And let all who will murder innocents beware."

IC(Moeru and Rida(Iki)): Blood. Smoke. Flames. Destruction. Murder. War. An entire island is being razed, Dasaka warriors crushing everything in their path. I wake up in cold sweat, and the first thought that enters my mind is that I need to talk to Rida. It takes me merely minutes to get ready, and soon I'm striding through Iki's underground paths, Kasai sheathed at my side. Despite her high position as Toroshu, Rida's never chosen to live in a large palace or anything of the sort. Rather, she resides in a simple stone dwelling like the average Mamoru citizens. I knock on the door to this home, but receive no response. .:Rida. Come out. Now. We need to talk.:. Her response isn't a clearly defined thought like most Dasaka's, but rather a clumsy transmission of emotions. .:Tired. Annoyed.:. Regardless, in a few minutes we're sitting in her home across a crystalline coffee table. "Rida, we have to. We can't just sit by and let them declare war on an entire race because six individuals ######ed them off." "Sure we can. And if we want this clan to keep it's good name within the Empire, we will." "No." I've never felt so sure of anything in my life as I rise from my seat. "No we can't. And if you don't take action, then ######it, I will." As I leave Rida's home, I can't help but wonder if what I'm about to do is wise. No, it isn't. Not even close. But I have to do it. Eventually I reach the Iki market. Though rarely of any importance, there are always some Dashi passing through for whatever reason. "Dasaka of Clan Mamoru!" I shout, standing in the center of the market. "For our clans entire existence, we have been loyal to the Rora and to Zuto Nui. There has now come, however, the issue of the island of Mata Nui and whether our glorious Empire will make allies with it's people, bring them to the heel, ignore them entirely, or destroy them in war and conquest. "Well, I stand before you to tell you that I am Moeru, brother of Rida, Toroshu of Mamoru. And I will not - indeed, I can not if I wish to maintain my conscience - fight in war against a land that has done nothing to ours, regardless of what a few ###### criminals may have done to us." I draw Kasai and stab the sword into the ground before me. "Thus, while I cannot dictate Mamoru's course - rather, that would be my sister's place - I wish for you to spread this news around the Archipelago: Tell them that Moeru, brother of Toroshu Rida of Clan Mamoru, will not fight with the Empire should they declare war on Mata Nui. Let all who will take this position rally behind me." I pull Kasai back out of the ground and sheathe it. "And let all who will murder innocents beware." OOC: Moeru open for interaction, be it assent or a challenge.

...And I thought "Phase Four" would be the most significant thing to happen today.

IC(Ignitus): I put my hand on Kiron's shoulder. "Wasn't your fault," I say. "We gotta move forward." I take out Gravus' journal, staring at the blank black cover. I open it, flipping through the pages until I reach the charts. "We keep moving west until we find land. For Gravus." I step in front of the crew. "I can't begin to say what we'll find," I tell them. "But whatever it is, be sure that Gravus will guide our path from Artahka."

So... Anyone wanna interact with a washed-up military commander currently sleeping in an alley in Ta-Metru?

IC(Moeru, Rida(Sado Markets)): Why? Why is everyone so ready to destroy an entire species, an entire land, we've never even seen for oursleves, save six vile specimens? It doesn't matter, I tell myself. Your job is to be a warrior, not a freaking politician. Through these thoughts, I remain stony-faced and silent. Strong, like a good male should be. At this moment, I see my sister, Toroshu Rida, motioning that the time has come for us to leave. .:You're never going to get the hang of Ideatalking, are you?:. Her look of annoyance answers my question. .:Alright, alright. Let's go.:. On the boatride back to Iki, we discuss the possibilities that lie before us. "Do we really have the right to destroy an entire species in the first place?" "Of course we don't," Rida answers. "The more powerful clans, on the other hand, or the Rora..." "Rida." "I don't like it either, but whether or not the Empire has the right to do it, we certainly don't have the right, or for that matter the power, to stop anyone." "This sucks." "Yeah, it does." Later, at my underground home, I continue to ask myself the same questions. Do we have the right? Does the Rora herself even have the right? Do we have the right to tell her she doesn't have the right? These same thoughts swim around in my head for hours, until eventually I feel my eyelids getting heavier. And heavier. And heavier... Darkness. IC(Turi, Sokia, Kashikoi, and Yujin(Iki)): " it!" I growl as the crystalline sword I'm trying to shape shatters in my hands, the result of putting too much pressure on the blade. "That's it," I tell Sokia, "I'm going minediving." "Come on, Turi," she tells me. "You'll never learn if you don't stay and practice." "Don't care," I say as I sling the cord over my shoulder. "Kashikoi! I'm going out, be back in a few hours!" I call. "Okay, but don't blame us if there's no food left when you get back!" Comes the response from the kitchen, where Kashikoi's fixing something delicious for supper. I leave the underground hut, walking through caves for at least half an hour before I come to a deep mine I found last week, just to see someone about to dive. "Hey!" I shout, "This is my mine!" "It's mine now!" She shouts, and I realize it's Yujin, grinning crazily like always. "Well," I say, ginning as well, "I should at least get first dive. I did find it first." After we've jumped for a couple of hours, I tell Yujin I need to go eat supper and leave. Feeling like the world is once again at peace, I enter Kashikoi's home hungry and ready for something delicious. I can't shake the feeling, though, that something's... off. I look towards the bushes, thinking that something's watching me, but see nothing. I hope it was just my imagination.

Ignitus is there, and I was just about to post to ask for interaction. Funny how stuff works out that way.

IC(Ignitus[Ta-Metru]): Another alley. Finally, I decide to stop for the night and sleep here, as I can't afford anything better. Thus, I make myself as inconspicuous as I can against the building, make sure Vulcan can be drawn at a moments notice, and dare anyone to walk by. OOC: Ignitus open for interaction.

Please list me as "General Stonewall." IGNITUS Gender: Male Species: Toa Alignment: Chaotic Good Allegiance: None(yet) Homeland: Southern Islands Element: Fire Kanohi: Great Hau, Mask of Shielding Weapon(s): Vulcan, a Protosteel sword similar to a Roman spatha Other Equipment: Journal, Heatstone, 49 Widgets Dominant Hand: Left Appearance: A lean Toa of average height, with the overall look of a soldier. His armor is crimson with scarlet accents and a scarlet Hau, as well as a silver breastplate and silver greaves; this armor is covered in small scratches and scars from his old military career. Ignitus eyes are strange, dark emerald in some places and brown in others. Personality: Hot-tempered and aggressive, Ignitus is nearly devoid of true fear. After all the war he's seen, his only true fear is dying without any reason. Though once a loyal leader to his men, losing most of those same men has left Ignitus without a cause, at least for the moment. Skills: Ignitus isn't half bad at controlling his element of flames. He is a pretty freaking good tactician, at least when he keeps his head clear. His true skill, however, is swordsmanship. His sword, Vulcan, has been his as long as he can remember, and in that time he's learned to use it to great effect, nearly unmatched on his home island. History: Originally a Ta-Matoran on one of the Southern Islands, Igntius became a Toa shortly after the death of his hero, a former Toa of his island, in the Great Cataclysm. He filled in the twelfth spot of this team, the Toa Ardu, and eventually rose up to become its leader. It wasn't long after this that he and his team went from fending off the local Zyglak to fighting under Helryx against the Brotherhood of Makuta. Initially working to stop Brotherhood porgress in the Southern Islands, they eventually participated in the attack on Destral. This is where things started to go bad. Led by Ignitus, the Toa Ardu attempted to attack the Brotherhood through a break in their defenses caused by the attack. Little did they know that it wasn't quite unguarded. A group of Rahkshi, outnumbering the Toa Ardu nearly four to one and lead by a traitorous Toa named Erebus, was waiting just on the other side. The Toa Ardu were slaughtered, all either KIA or MIA except for Ignitus. Having fought Erebus one-on-one, Ignitus was left for dead by the traitor, more or less unable to fight due to a stab wound in his knee and appearing quite dead. But he wasn't dead. Not quite. Though he made it off the island after the assault, Ignitus was done fighting Helryx's fights. He also couldn't bear to return to his home alone, so he never went back. Over the years he made his way all over the Universe, without any true home. Recently, he finally found a ship to Metru Nui, and has now arrived, looking for some sort of freedom, and, if possible, a way to start anew. Weakness(es): Besides the obvious weakness to cold and ice, Ignitus' hotheadedness can cause him to charge into battle without thinking first. This is what brought about the catastrophe on Destral. His right knee is also weaker than his left, though he has learned to make this indiscernible, so that the only way someone could exploit this weakness without knowledge of the battle is sheer luck.

IC(Ignitus(on board the Inika)): I glance over at Gravus' Kualsi, next to his now-dried blood, and suddenly I have an idea. Without a word, I run belowdecks to grab a hammer and nails. After a few minutes of precarious work, I have the mask nailed securly to the front of the Inika as our new figurehead.

Nope. TPBM is either dead or alive.

Well, here this goes: IGNITUS Gender: Male Species: Toa Alignment: Chaotic Good Allegiance: None(yet) Homeland: Southern Islands Element: Fire Kanohi: Great Hau, Mask of Shielding Weapon(s): Vulcan, a Protosteel sword similar to a Roman spatha Other Equipment: Journal, Heatstone, 49 Widgets Dominant Hand: Left Appearance: A lean Toa of average height, with the overall look of a soldier. His armor is crimson with scarlet accents and a scarlet Hau, as well as a silver breastplate and silver greaves; this armor is covered in small scratches and scars from his old military career. Ignitus eyes are strange, dark emerald in some places and brown in others. Personality: Hot-tempered and aggressive, Ignitus is nearly devoid of true fear. After all the war he's seen, his only true fear is dying without any reason. Though once a loyal leader to his men, losing most of those same men has left Ignitus without a cause, at least for the moment. Skills: Ignitus isn't half bad at controlling his element of flames. He is a pretty freaking good tactician, at least when he keeps his head clear. His true skill, however, is swordsmanship. His sword, Vulcan, has been his as long as he can remember, and in that time he's learned to use it to great effect, nearly unmatched on his home island. History: Originally a Ta-Matoran on one of the Southern Islands, Igntius became a Toa shortly after the death of his hero, a former Toa of his island, in the Great Cataclysm. He filled in the twelfth spot of this team, the Toa Ardu, and eventually rose up to become its leader. It wasn't long after this that he and his team went from fending off the local Zyglak to fighting under Helryx against the Brotherhood of Makuta. Initially working to stop Brotherhood porgress in the Southern Islands, they eventually participated in the attack on Destral. This is where things started to go bad. Led by Ignitus, the Toa Ardu attempted to attack the Brotherhood through a break in their defenses caused by the attack. Little did they know that it wasn't quite unguarded. A group of Rahkshi, outnumbering the Toa Ardu nearly four to one and lead by a traitorous Toa named Erebus, was waiting just on the other side. The Toa Ardu were slaughtered, all either KIA or MIA except for Ignitus. Having fought Erebus one-on-one, Ignitus was left for dead by the traitor, more or less unable to fight due to a stab wound in his knee and appearing quite dead. But he wasn't dead. Not quite. Though he made it off the island after the assault, Ignitus was done fighting Helryx's fights. He also couldn't bear to return to his home alone, so he never went back. Over the years he made his way all over the Universe, without any true home. Recently, he finally found a ship to Metru Nui, and has now arrived, looking for some sort of freedom, and, if possible, a way to start anew. Weakness(es): Besides the obvious weakness to cold and ice, Ignitus' hotheadedness can cause him to charge into battle without thinking first. This is what brought about the catastrophe on Destral. His right knee is also weaker than his left, though he has learned to make this indiscernible, so that the only way someone could exploit this weakness without knowledge of the battle is sheer luck.

IC(Ignitus(on board the Inika)): I nod. "Gravus was a soldier before all else. I may never fully remember our days spent on Torren, but I know that he would rather have died free from tyranny than lived forever in subjugation. He wanted little more than his freedom, and he got it, if only for a short time. May Mata Nui rest his soul, and may he watch over our voyage from Artahka." We carry his body over the rail and drop it into the sea. "Vale," I say as I watch the flag and the body sink into the ocean.

IC(Ignitus(on board the Inika)): When dawn comes, I turn to the gathered crew. Behind me is Gravus' body, wrapped in a flag bearing the symbol of the Three Virtues. "Anyone got any final words?"

OOC: 1000th. IC(Ignitus(on board the Inika)): I nod again. "Then into the sea he goes. But first..." I walk over to Gravus' body, staring into the dead eyes of my last link to Torren. I remove the black Kualsi from his face, covered in small scratches from hundreds of battles. No. Not my last link to Torren. I remember what Oriak said. Do you know what you are? Can you're oh-so-righteous conscience bear the weight of the lives you've taken? The men you've killed in cold blood? I was - and possibly still am - a monster, nearly as vicious as the one I just executed. No. Ausar is a monster. I am Ignitus, not Ausar. I rule myself, not the savage I once was. I am mine. And Ausar is gone. "We'll wait to bury him when the sun rises," I say, turning to the crew. "That'll put some distance between us and Oriak's corpse."

I prefer to hope we're not sailing straight towards the successors to Makuta.

Thanks, that's what I figured.

Does anyone know if the Dasaka have an equivalent to the Toa Code?