Daniel the Finlander

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He snapped out of it. "Oh. Yes, go ahead. I will... return to the surface." Without providing any explanation, he turned around and went back the way he had just come, climbing the stairs with slow but heavy steps. Once he emerged back to the bright surface, he stood silently and looked at the ruins of the fortress. Despite all the destruction, some traces of the Brotherhood, unfortunately the worst ones, still remained. While he had previously believed that Ak'rei'an would help him find what he wanted here, now his faith was shaken. He had repeatedly told himself that his religious enlightenment had not happened as a result of the "Conversion", instead being a result of him learning about Ak'rei'an's past and the abilities He granted to his followers. Mata Nui was a dormant, absent deity, while he had been presented with proof of Ak'rei'an's presence. But if the proof was so convincing, why had the "Conversion" been necessary in the first place? He wanted nothing more at that moment than to leave the place, to forget everything about the Brotherhood and move on, starting a new chapter in the history of Ak'rei'an's faith. But for that, he needed the ability to present proof, like his converters had done. That's why he had come here, to be able to... Yet if he was a true believer in Ak'rei'an, did he need a guide or a book? If Ak'rei'an truly was able to grant such a gift to His most faithful followers, then surely all he had to do was to prove his faith in Him? He remained unmoving like a statue and waited for Joskander to return. OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

ill be honest, i was never a huge fan of the bara magna setting (even tho i got 5 sets from it), but the idea of rping as an ice tribe slave trader is tempting metus my beloved

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) As he stepped down the icy stairs, not worrying about slipping thanks to his innate connection to the element, he pondered about Joskander's question. "Well... at least Ko-Koro is still standing," he replied. "But I understand your point. The Brotherhood is not innocent... war is Karzahni. That is what we all must understand. Violence and destruction accomplishes nothing. I hope that from now on, the truth of Ak'rei'an can be spread with words of reason, not coercion. Maybe then followers of Mata Nui won't respond with such excessive force." After reaching the bottom floor again, he continued his search. While examining the crumbled walls, he saw something beyond them. A path led outside, into large black scorch marks. Clearly, something had once been there. Expecting Joskander to follow, he walked down the path and noticed a hole in the ground. Peeking down, he saw stairs that were mostly intact. Was this it? A secret passage that had been revealed by an explosion? Without saying anything, he rushed down the stairs, expecting to finally find the archives. But that's not what was down there. It was a conversion chamber. He froze completely, staring at it in horror. OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva) also ive been using this page as a source this whole time in case youve been wondering https://bzprpg.fandom.com/wiki/Blackrock_Canyon

IC: Oliphko (Onu-Wahi Tunnels) She hesitated for a moment, glancing at the tunnel, then back at Ferron. "Uuuuuh... I think I'll go see Onu-Koro one last time before heading out!" Quickly catching up to him with a sprint, she chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry about that, I'm no good at making decisions. So, uh, anything you wanna talk about while we walk? Or should we enjoy the echoes of the tunnels in silence?" OOC: @Geardirector

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He seemed to calm down a little and let out a lengthy sigh. "I understand. You have no stake in this matter. And I was not saying the Brotherhood was good or innocent, they certainly were misguided in many ways... but neither are the servants of Mata Nui perfect paragons of virtue like they claim to be. I came to realize that by myself, and the conversion only partially contributed to it. I hope one day, you'll realize it too..." He turned to look at the stairway. "Let us head back down and continue our search there" OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

IC: Oliphko (Onu-Wahi Tunnels) She nodded and smiled. "Sure, I'm always up to meditate more! I'm glad to hear you're up for it too." As they headed down the tunnel, she suddenly stopped at an intersection. "Umm... do you want me to escort you all the way back to Onu-Koro? Because if we part ways now, I can head straight to Po-Wahi." She realized her suggestion might've sounded insensitive, so she quickly continued: "I-I'm fine with going on a detour, though! I'm not in a rush to visit home or anything." OOC: @Geardirector

OOC: the search function is your friend. he hasn't really said anything, not that he knows much himself IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He let out an exasperated sigh. "That page was from one of the holy books of the Brotherhood, which had probably been stored in a library, office or a shrine. All of which are gone. The books tell about the history of the Brotherhood and the faith of Ak'rei'an as a whole. Do you realize what your fellow followers of Mata Nui have done here? They have tried to erase history and violently suppress those they deem to be heretics." Turning to face him, he glared into his eyes. "Look around yourself, Joskander, and tell me: was all this destruction justified? Was it moral? Was it virtuous?" OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

IC: Oliphko (Papa-Nihu Reef) "Oh, umm... alright!" It was true, Ferron had more important things to do than to spend all day with her. While disappointed, she was also somewhat relieved that he didn't propose combat training or something else like that. "Well, let's head back to Onu-Koro then. I'm... not sure what I should do myself. Maybe I'll go visit Po-Koro..." She exited the cave and saw the ocean again. This time, it didn't make her feel uneasy in the slightest. Water was just another element like stone, and part of a greater whole. Meditating with Ferron had made her realize that. "And, uh, by the way... thank you for this. Just thought I should say that." OOC: @Geardirector

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He nodded. "You make a good point. I suppose we have a long search ahead of us..." Sighing, he went ahead, and quicly realized just how devastated the fortress was on the inside. Most rooms had been blown apart, and nothing but crumbling piles of ebony stones remained. The ruins were empty and eerie. Finding the offices or at least their former location could prove to be impossible. Eventually, he found a broken stairway that led to what remained of the second floor. It seemed dangerous to climb, as if it was about to collapse at any moment. Defying the heat of the desert, he took a deep breath and channeled elemental power to reinforce it with ice. "Try not to slip," he told Joskander and climbed up. Once he was on top, he saw nothing but burnt rubble, as everything above had collapsed. But among all the ruin, various damaged items were scattered, such as torn papers and pieces of furniture. He examined it all, expecting Joskander to help with an extra pair of eyes. Most of the second floor was gone and every step was accompanied by a loud creak, sounding like it could collapse at any moment, yet Dahkapa had faith in Ak'rei'an and remained calm. Eventually, he found a charred piece of paper. Reading through it, he quickly recognized the text. "This is a page from one of the Books of Makron and Orkov, I presume... not what I am looking for, but..." He appeared to get emotional for a moment, but quickly steeled his expression and put the paper in his bag. Turning around, he shook his head. "We'll find nothing here," he said bitterly, his words seeping with poison. "Let us head back down. Only something underground could've survived this kind of zealous hatred." OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

IC: Oliphko (Papa-Nihu Reef) "Well, that's good to hear! This was a productive meditation session," she said in a chirpy tone. As Ferron headed towards the exit, she followed after him. "Sooo... what next?" she asked. "Training of some kind? Or do we head straight back to Onu-Koro?" OOC: @Geardirector

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He didn't respond at first as he looked at the ruins and pondered. "That's possible. Though think of the archives we did visit, in the Sanctum. They were encased deep within the ice. Perhaps the archives of this fortress were built in a similar fashion?" He turned to look at Joskander. "In any case, talking any more won't progress the search. Let us start investigating. Should we search the offices, or try to find a downward staircase of some kind?" OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

any news about that

IC: Oliphko (Papa-Nihu Reef) She nodded excitedly as she also stood up. "Yes, yes. Not only did I try that but I also mimicked your pose. And... I felt some strange similarities between the stone and the water around us. Now the dampness doesn't feel so bad and I am more in touch with my element!" There was a slightly awkward pause. "So uh... what about you?" OOC: @Geardirector

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He nodded. "Yes. The Brotherhood had many ranks, and I imagine those higher up in the hierarchy knew many secrets. I was anointed as a mere knight, so there was much that was not shared with me. This is in fact one primary reason why I am now trying to find the archives. Although I also imagine the Brotherhood wanted to keep their knowledge safe from outsiders as well." Glancing at the devastation around him, he sighed. "Though maybe everything was destroyed or looted. I pray to Ak'rei'an that at least something remains intact." OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

IC: Oliphko (Papa-Nihu Reef) She continued to meditate for a while longer until she, too, opened her glowing orange eyes. Ferron was seemingly no longer meditating either. "Oh, how long have you been waiting? I... kind of lost track of time. It was a good meditation session, better than I expected!" OOC: @Geardirector

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He frowned, pondered for a moment and finally nodded. "I suppose you're right. These ruins are quite the maze, and there might be unknown dangers. Perhaps I am just used to doing things alone..." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "In that case, I wonder where we should explore first. Where would've the Brotherhood kept its important tomes? It must've been somewhere secure, hidden from sight. Like for example, under the ground. Maybe we should look for a stairway or some other passage?" OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) Dahkapa surveyed the ruins for a while, then shook his head in frustration. "Unfortunately, I did not find detailed information about the layout of the fortress. I wish to find the archives, or what remains of them. But at this rate, it might be impossible to find them..." At that moment, he wished he had a Kanohi Akaku. "Should we split up so we can cover more ground? I doubt there's anyone or anything else in these ruins that could pose a danger to us." OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) He nodded, somewhat thoughtfully. Joskander had experience that could be useful, even if it sounded like he was rusty. Maybe it was a good idea to bring him here after all, so he could help Dahkapa find what he was looking for. "Consider this a nostalgic venture, then," he said as his eyes scanned the edges of the canyon. They narrowed and he pointed not too far away with his finger. "There, a way down into the canyon. The followers of Mata-Nui who destroyed the fortress likely used it too." He headed down, expecting Joskander to follow him, and descended into the shadowy ravine. The ruins appeared even more imposing from a closer distance, even if they were reduced to a pile of dark rubble. They had a lot of work to do. "I do not know how thoroughly the place was looted by the attackers, but I hope we find something. No, I pray to Ak'rei'an that we find something, so our lengthy journey was not in vain." Without saying anything else, he walked to the remains of the fortress and started to explore them. OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

OOC: joskander and dahkapa from ko-wahi IC: Sir Dahkapa (Blackrock Canyon) The journey had been long and arduous. After leaving the Sanctum, the two Toa acquired some provisions and headed off into the long and winding tunnel that led to Onu-Koro. Recently it had been blocked off while Ko-Koro was occupied, and even now the Ussalry patrolled the dark passages. Nevertheless, the two were allowed to travel freely. They passed by Darkmine, another former base of the Brotherhood. However, it was not abandoned and was actively used as a fungi farm, so nothing could be found there. He found it ironic how the followers of Mata-Nui, who hated the followers of Ak'rei'an so much, had resurrected the lifeless caverns into a place of life and sustenance. After resting at Onu-Koro for a night (though there was no difference between night and day underground), the two continued towards Po-Koro, emerging from the tunnel into the bright desert of Po-Wahi. Dahkapa felt like he was out of his element once again, but it was still not as bad as Ta-Wahi had been. When they finally reached the village, they could take a break from walking and travel on the Iron Mahi across the Motara desert to the port of Ostia. After acquiring supplies one last time, the two headed out northeast, walking along the rocky coast. At last, there it was: A shadowy canyon, filled with crumbling ruins and piles of bricks. In a way, it was a symbol of the Brotherhood and its state of decay. Yet Dahkapa knew that death was only the beginning. He turned towards Joskander, who had followed him all the way here. "We travelled such a long distance just for this. Do you regret coming along?" he asked with a slight smirk. OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

just to make sure, its fine to "fast travel" across multiple regions right? in this case from ko to po @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)still alive btw, ill make a post soonish

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Sanctum) He simply nodded, though inwardly felt good that he wouldn't have to make such a long and dangerous journey alone. He had always been a loner, and though he wouldn't call Joskander a friend, he had to admit it was still pleasant to have company. "Alright," he whispered again, "suppose we'll get some provisions and head straight to Onu-Koro via the tunnel. From there, to Po-Koro, then to Ostia on the Iron Mahi, then finally north along the coast to the canyon." He glanced at the guard who was watching them. "So, let us go then," he spoke, now loud and clear. OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva) up to you if you want to rp each part of the trip or if you want them to teleport straight to po-wahi/the canyon.

OOC: who doesnt love writing when working/studying and then writing some more during free time IC: Sir Dahkapa (Sanctum) "Ah. Well, you won't have to come with me there then, if you do not want to experience all that again." He showed the map to him and pointed at the northernmost tip of Mata Nui. "I'm thinking of paying a visit to Blackrock Canyon," he whispered. "See if the fortress still standing. I'm afraid it is the only place where I can find what I'm looking for. And if there's any members of the Brotherhood still there... well, I hope I'll be able to convince them of the error of their ways." He paused to let the information sink in and rolled up the scroll before putting it back on the shelf. "I've never been there myself, though I've visited Po-Wahi before. Nevertheless, I doubt I'll need to borrow this map. The canyon can be reached by just going north along the narrow cape. It would be a long journey, though." "Do you want to stay here?" OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

any news about dark walk questline continuing

IC: Sir Dahkapa (Sanctum Archives) Dahkapa heard Joskander's words as read the tablet. He was right, of course, that even he wasn't free of bias. But did that mean he was blind to truth and reality? He hoped not, and after all, he did not outright reject the words of Mata-Nui's misguided followers, neither did he believe that Brotherhood was flawless. He wanted to give everyone their fair chance. Yet many did not want to give a follower of Ak'rei'an a fair chance. Perhaps Joskander did, or perhaps he was merely trying to appease him while in truth rejecting his beliefs outright. He snapped out of his thoughts and continued reading. But soon he frowned. This wasn't good enough. After he placed the tablet back on the shelf, he took a scroll and spread it open. It appeared to be a map. "I'm afraid I cannot find what I'm looking for here. I did find something else that could be useful," he said while examining the map. "Say, Joskander, have you ever been to Po-Wahi?" OOC: @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)