Unreliable Narrator

IC: Miserix | Kumu Peninsula

Miserix stood on shaky legs. She staggered her form uneasily towards Korruhn, one eery jolting step at a time. They met a few paces from the rahkshi’s broken and scavenged armor. Its pilot, a small and dying kraata, struggled to escape her. She held it outwards, pointed towards Korruhn like a weapon. She knew there were shortcomings on both sides. Korruhn demanded justice and satisfaction. The small being she held outstretched from her wanted freedom. Neither would get what they wanted.

But she would raise them all the same.

“You must worship me,” Miserix said through Grime. Korruhn could feel her antidermis miasma swimming through the air around his own body now. “You must give yourself freely, as this poor little star does. They will save your life. It is only fair.”

And then she placed the kraata onto Korruhn with the strength of all her years and hidden power. She placed it where it would be most happy: upon his back, with a view of the stars. It bit deep into him, and drank its fill.

“Hello,” she began…

… and then it was done.

“Go,” Miserix whispered in Korruhn’s mind as Grime’s body slumped against his back. “Go and bring the broken Builder. Tell them he walked the path. They will understand. You must not reveal me, or all is lost. But know this: we must hope the one who lingers beyond is not yet who you think. Guard your heart closely. It will be your greatest weakness. If you do not, you will be bound to them in body and soul. Do not make idle wishes. Speak when spoken to, and be polite. You have just killed one of their children."

OOC: @Crimson Jester

@Onaku: Kargon is approved
@Sparticus147: Tihun is approved, as is his sub

@pokemonlover360: Patiwairutiki is approved

RULES UPDATE TO FAR SHORE ADVENTURES

Hey all, as part of Expansion 8 there has been a revision to how Matoran Principles work for Far Shore Adventures. While the design intention of the original version provided a little more freedom of choice, it was overly complicated and this new version is a more streamlined and (hopefully) understandable system. You can see it in the rules topic, and the main portion of the rules text that was changed has also been posted below:

Quote

 

Optional Matoran Principles

You may pick up to three of the optional prompts associated with Matoran Principles from the respective timeline (A or B) below for your Far Shore Adventure. You gain one additional piece of random loot from the Far Shore Loot Table for each successfully incorporated optional prompt. Once one of the prompts for a timeline has been used, it will be crossed off the list and is no longer available.

Once all of the principles are used in a given timeline, the next adventure will be run by a GM and will guarantee the Far Shore Makoki Stone as a reward.

 

I hope this change helps those who are wanting to try Far Shore Adventures, or who were a little confused about how to end them.

IC: Ehlek | Mi-Kiri

"A refresh wouldn't be that simple, would it?"

Approximately 40 - X NPC Skakdi, where X is equal to the number of MCs + PCs in the faction. 

The number of 40 comes from Boss's raiding party in SKR. 

@Snelly, I believe just a PC profile submission is sufficient. The Breed would be Toa Kaita.

Crucia approved

IC: Miserix | Kumu Peninsula

The worm struggled for freedom. Grime’s puppeteered corpse held it fast, squeezing the red and black flesh of the kraata like a lifeline. Its body pulsed and contorted, but it still could not scream. The crushing of the armor had removed that terrible power, and the kraata’s life slipped further away towards whatever death existed for such an abomination. But its eyes glittered with intelligence, and through it there could be no doubt someone was watching. Grime’s fingers pressed firmly into the eyes of the kraata, keeping its infectious mouth pointed firmly away. There would be no accidents.

Not this time.

The miasmic entity of Miserix spoke carefully, but confidently, through her puppet. “Do you willingly wish to prepare yourself, regardless of the horrors you must endure?”

OOC: @Crimson Jester, yes or no? The choice is yours: Korruhn can choose to be desecrated by Miserix, or he can choose to venture forth alone through the portal.

10 hours ago, Kal the Guardian said:

Hey, rules man, @Unreliable Narrator, for the Infectious Kraata Taboo, the part where they may be used as Heartlight replacements has changed since SKR. Here's the new version:

Does the Kraata still essentially function as a Heartlight, losing all prior properties, or would the Kraata retain the stage level it was at previously when used for Desecration?

An Infectious Kraata used in Desecration only replaces the heartlight component and is destroyed during the Desecration just like the heartlight would be normally. The Desecration is otherwise unchanged in its input and output. 

The new wording in Apocalypse is only for clarity and is not intended to change the power. 

The End, Shlolmo

IC: Reliable Narrator | Kumu Peninsula

Everything reduced to a red haze. Korruhn’s violence ended before he realized it was over, his powers over a fundamental force of the universe stripping his enemy to pieces. He didn’t feel the lacerations as miniscule bits of metal blasted outwards from his kill. He just felt the primal rush of rage, and the weight of his dying culture whipping at his heels. He kept fighting, tearing, biting.

At last the drumming in his head eased enough to see clearly. His hands were slick with silver blood -- his own and his enemy’s. One of the eyes on his right arm had opened, its sickly golden pupil gazing back in acknowledgement of Korruhn’s brutality. There was no doubting it: Korruhn could never return to the society he protected. He was too far gone into the void. He was too sick to return.

Something squirmed inside the battered and dismembered armor of the defeated rahkshi. It wriggled and whined, but having been half crushed could not find the energy to scream one last time. The kraata was dying, and it struggled and twisted its body like a fish out of water…

“It’s not too late,” said a voice behind Korruhn. It came from Grime’s mouth, although the jaw was slack and the head hung low. The impaled matoran’s body dangled limply from the shaft of the rahkshi’s spear. A green mist poured slowly from the corpse as Miserix began to work Grime like a puppet. Even in death he consented to her power. Grime’s dirt-covered hand reached out towards Korruhn. 

“Give us the worm, and we shall guide you in the darkness where you’ve so far walked alone. You will need us, for the one who waits across the threshold is capable of more than you can possibly imagine.”

OOC: @Crimson Jester, Korruhn has survived this fight, although he suffered greatly. The rahkshi staff of Power Scream (stage 4) is his to claim as his own. Great job allowing your character to take the hits.  

IC: ? | ?

more

This is an accurate statement, and I love it. 

Kanohi are items/equipment.  Wearing kanohi and using them is a breed quirk or other ability depending on the way a character accessed them. 

Yes, GMS can take control of Kaita ACRs.

What's new as of *checks watch* a few minutes ago:

• Kaita ACR rules have been added to Expansion 8. Thanks for your patience. The expansion is still not complete, because we got a few more "addendums" to make!
• New Map

@Harvali, please provide a different physical flaw for Ollem. His breed quirks make the current flaw irrelevant. 

That is by no means complete. If your character has been approved by a GM, you're good to go. 

EDIT: it's now up to date.

New Room, Who DIs?

Hello, all! A quick note from us GMs. We've been shuffling around some roles and responsibilities given our availability. Please see the new roles below:

• @Eyru: provides NPC posts and Reliable Narrator descriptions, answers most PMs
• @Vezok's Friend: provides NPC posts and Reliable Narrator descriptions, answers conduct related PMs
• @Unreliable Narrator: Systems and Rules design, narrative design, answers/responds to PMs requiring lore/rules attention

While we all work together on plot hooks for Apocalypse, I'll be turning my focus from day to day posts and handing over control of NPCs to the other GMs so I can focus more on providing rules, systems, and lore! Please feel free to still tag me in posts in OOC if you have questions.

IC: The Administrator | Elemental Temple Ruins of Air, Earth, Fire, Ice, Stone, and Water

“Great Builders, I am proud to announce you have reconnected me to the six elemental temples on this island. As part of my increased network stability, I have discovered a new room within each temple. Allow me to open it, but I warn you to be careful: it looks very much like an office,” said the Administrator as one of the walls within the final room of the temple began to shift and open up. There was no grinding of stone, no sounds of mortar being crumbled. In this suva world one wall simply changed.

Looking through the open triangular doorway you see a large circular room with a domed ceiling of stars and a round sand pit at its center. A small flight of stairs leads you down to the stone floor, which is warm underfoot. There are two tiers of tan sandstone bleachers ringing the perimeter of this space, providing ample room for a small village to hide during an emergency. The sand pit is an amaja circle -- a storytelling place of the builders. Set next to the amaja circle is an open chest with five carved gemstones of different colors. A sixth stone of porous igneous rock carved in a different and more angular style than the gemstones already rests in the center of the amaja circle.

The Administrator spoke again; “I believe the Builders used this place during times of danger, and in times of war. Perhaps it would be effective against those monsters made by the Great Spirit of Nightmares. I am still installing some of the necessary update patches, but it should be online and functioning shortly. I would recommend getting acquainted with the stones by the sand pit: they seem to affect the local environment outside this temple.”

OOC: Congratulations everyone on unlocking all of the NUVA puzzles in the Elemental Temple Ruins. I'm excited to see which characters become NUVA in the temples that have yet to be used, and I look forward to what comes next. See Expansion #8 as it continues to roll over over the rest of this week. Tonight's update: the Power Scale and Amaja Circles.

@Tarn Rose approved. To allay your confusion: based on your profile of her, Rose is an MC and her job is to be a fighter on the Taku. 

It sounds like psionics has precedent in Bionicle canon for creating illusions in two ways: by projecting images using the power of one's own mind, or by altering the perception of a target. These are unique variants, and I can understand the confusion regarding both, so I think your question is well warranted.

Riteborn Kanohi Dragons are immune to all psionic effects. In the instance of a projected illusion, this monster would simply see it is an illusion rather than be fooled. In the same vein of immunity, a Kanohi Dragon could not be perceived through telepathy as they immune to the effects of telepathy as it is a psionic effect.

If the psionic effect directly targets a kanohi dragon it fails. Illusions would fail, as psionic illusions are not visible to anyone but those effected and are a form of mind control. Throwing something with telekinesis does not directly effect the kanohi dragon and would work. 

@Kal the Guardian, I can assure you the rewards provided accurately reflect the number of rolls and that I didn't totally miss adding the results for rolling a 16 until you called me out. Totally accurate  

@Harvali, I could see the Krana Xa allowing for some pretty intense deductive thinking.

@~Xemnas~, I agree the twist for Kohara's Far Shore Adventure felt a little difficult, but I'll give you the roll for a well-made attempt. Please see below for the loot Kohara acquires from her adventure (rolled a 1, 2, 4, 14, 17, and 19):

• Any wounds Kohara suffered during her Far Shore Adventure remain when she returns. I suggest finding a healer.
•  Kohara has become afflicted with Void Sickness. Please see the rules in Expansion #3 for how to adjust her profile.
• Her regular body armor has been upgraded from the durable material of any protoderm to now be made of Protosteel. Protosteel armor can mitigate the impact of many forms of physical attack, and is more up to the challenge of withstanding a crushing blow.
• Rahkshi Staff of Magnetism. This staff is imbued with the Kraata Variation of Magnetism and can be used to channel similar powers as a kraata at stage 4.
• Kohara has learned the Taboo Rite of Desecration. Please see Expansion #3 for the appropriate rules.
• The muaka that Kohara fought in her Far Shore Adventure has followed her across time and realities and is now her pet/mount. It is friendly to her despite their past "disagreements" and will do its best to follow her simple commands.

Hey it's been long enough for this to not be a double post!

@Toru Nui, Ostrox earns the following from his Far Shore Adventure (Rolls were 7, 12, 4, 16, 11, 12):

• Ostrox's Mantaxian armor has been upgraded to a protosteel material. You may update his profile to reflect this fact. Being a stronger material, protosteel can mitigate many forms of physical attacks with its increased material durability.
• Purple Krana Bo, which allows Ostrox to see in the Dark when worn. If worn he connects to the collective swarm mind of all other krana wearing MCs and PCs in Six Kingdoms (I believe that's just Kal the Guardian's bohrok at the moment).
• Ostrox gains one psychological flaw of your choice along with a Laser Drill two handed tool. The Laser Drill allows Ostrox to concentrate on a target he can naturally see and try to hit it with clods of earth. If the attack lands, the target is knocked to the ground and must struggle to free themselves from the earth.
• Cordak Blaster, see Skyra if you ever need more ammo.
• Twin protosteel knives
• Great Kanohi Mask of Telepathy

IC: Ehlek | Mi-Kiri

Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. The closest star is approximately 92.96 million miles away. We exist both at the same time and in different times depending on the relative perspective of our position. Neurons fire approximately 200 times per second. Each neuron communicates with approximately 1,000 neurons each time it fires. We are physically composed of different forms of protodermis: a substance that reacts to the influence of natural forces and can, when activated, change things as it sees fit. This substance, like any physical substance, is mostly empty. We are not even conscious that we are mostly nothing. 

We are not individuals. We are not a collective. We are the carbon from the copy. It’s dangerous existing. At any moment we will be cut from the narrative of time. It’s dangerous being immortal. We are destined for pain.

Take a single second. Divide it in half. You now have half a second. Do it again. Now you have a quarter of a second. Keeping dividing by one half until you reach zero.

...

We’re zero.

What’s one?