Unreliable Narrator

If this is the pace everyone plans on keeping all I can say is we hit the kickstarter stretch goals: more puzzles, more characters, more plots, more ethical dilemmas!

IC: Reliable Narrator, Ko-Metru Hideaway From the cartographers perch on his icy branch he looked up into the room above and beheld a circular structure similar to the room he was in. A breeze from the outside blew against his face and the chill penetrated him despite his elemental aptitude. The wind hinted at another way out further up. A plinth was visible right at the edge of the bright glow from his lightstone headlamp.The smell of shellfish permeated the room. Scattered across the floor where bits of shell and the droppings of some unknown rahi as well as something vaguely resembling the inorganics of a matoran. With a brief investigation the Cartographer would note a slight concave dip to the floor, similar writing on the walls as the room below, and a door frozen in a thick sheet of ice hovering in the air thirty feet up. It spun slowly in the breeze. Investigating the plinth would reveal inscribed on its surface a short phrase; “ In unity, wisdom.” Below this phrase had been recently carved three sharp Towers inside a circle. Next to the graffiti were a sequence of numbers: 24 15 88 34 54. OOC: Congratulations @Crimson Jester you have reached the first puzzle for the Ko-Metru great disc.

IC: Rorzakh Response, Onu-Metru Streets Two vahki had bright purple marks along their arms and head, signifying rank in their squads. These rorzakh were colloquially known as mothers, in charge of the daily operations and point communication with the public when operating outside a vahki charging hive. One rorzakh squad mother stepped forward to analyze Nale Vella. Scanning lights flickered behind its dead robotic visual receptors. After a brief pause it said in rapid matoran; “Toa witness Nale Vella. You have clearance in this case. You do not have jurisdiction of this squad. You are to assist in returning witnesses to their work functions. Expect interrogation after work functions completed dependent on allegations.” The squad mother turned its attention toward where Stannis pointed. It barked an order in the unique dialect of the vahki and a rorzakh split from the pack to force its quadrupedal way into the crowd towards the source of the voice while saying, “surrender and report. Surrender and report.” Other members of the deployed two squads began dispersing witnesses and workers, poking resistant individuals with their staves to hurry the pace back to proper functionality. One vahki stood over the corpse of the broken maker. It showed no sign of care or interest in its creator’s death. If Knichou had any intentions of getting closer he would need luck on his side. “Airships do not require iStones for piloting. iStones are not necessary for work functions. Personal property will be restored. Retrieve and be escorted by Toa Vella to work functions.” Then, to the general public, it said, “This street is to be cleaned and the worker disposed. Return to work functions. Submit to questions when approached. For peace and the law obedience is happiness.” Perhaps luck was on his side after all. OOC: I think I got everyone's posts in this?

Today is the 21st, and that means only one week ago SKE was approved for play. I had no idea SKE would do so well, or that you all would turn out to show so much love for Bionicle RPGs. In the past week we've reached six pages of writing together, over 200 posts, and broke two pages of character profiles. The IC, Character Profiles, and OOC topics for SKE have been the top three featured topics on BZPower since launch. It's been so awesome to read the stories you are all making, and I'm exciting to see how this alternative universe of Metru-Nui concludes in March. I will continue to do my best to keep up with your breakneck pace for adventures. If you have any requests or plot ideas I want you to know I love hearing them. Here's to another few months of fun!

Nice update to her background. Morah approved, @Click

IC: Reliable Narrator, Ko-Metru Hideaway The Cartographer's footsteps crunched into the icy floor as he entered the hideaway. The sounds echoed deeper inside, announcing his presence to the unknown. His reflection walked alongside him in the icy walls, getting darker the further from sunlight he progressed. The slightest echoes of melting ice dripped from the ceiling, and the air was filled with clouds of frost as he breathed. The passageway he found was small -- a toa would have to duck to fit inside. The passage exited into a round antechamber far larger than expected, with barely enough light to make out the other side. In the center rose a tree of carved ice extending toward the ceiling, and the walls were carved with an unknown script. The ceiling domed, with slowly trickling rivulets of water running down the walls from a central hole at the top. OOC: feel free to explore further, @Crimson Jester

Hi @click, Morah is approved if you modify the profile to remove mention of the Order of Mata Nui. You'll see in character creation that PCs cannot start with affiliation to the OoMN. If you want to have Morah join, that's awesome and should be done in-character by tracking down a recruiter for your faction.

Arkius approved, @Onaku

OOC: “Victim” is being removed from play at this time. I have made the GM decision to rescind approval for the character post player discussions. When appropriate changes have been made, “Victim” will be allowed to return to play. IC: Vahki, Onu-Metru It had been little more than a minute since the assassination of Nuparu turned into a streetfight. Matoran scattered from the vicinity. Some watched in horror as the brawl unfolded from their homes on the upper stories of Onu-Metru’s stalagtite inspired buildings. Nuparu’s corpse lay on the ground, his robes frayed and bloodied by the attack. Something was clutched in his hand. Another faction joined the fray. The rorzakh, Onu-Metru’s version of the vahki, began to arrive on scene. They scuttled forward on all fours, barricading the street, forming a perimeter of stun staves. Two squads of six had arrived, with more on the way as their garbled communication receptors relayed the murder of a significant individual to the cluster’s communication hive. Seeing the vahki assembling, “Victim” disengaged from Stannis’ spear thrusts and dashed off into the alley. A pair of vahki gave chase, and the rest remained to secure the street. “Victim” would elude capture and slink back into the shadows to bide time. The remaining rorzakh recognized Stannis’ records of entry to Metru-Nui earlier that day in their logs. Two stepped forward, maintaining a safe but imposing distance to the toa of stone. “Surrender, Toa Stannis. Violence is prohibited. Return to work functions.” Another rorzakh scuttled forward and prodded Knichou with their staff. “Surrender, matoran. Violence is prohibited. Return to work functions.” IC: Brutaka, Silver Sea “Yes, you’re right.” The titan had come to appreciate Orieus’ long pauses and short sentences. It was like being given a polished gemstone instead of a rough hewn rock. “I’ll leave you to prepare for tomorrow then.” He parted ways with Orieus once they reached the liberated fortress, making his way up the ramparts and into the room where the generator for the hau-shield had been during the assault. Machines using kanohi was a new thing to Brutaka, and he wondered how the powers were accessed without adept elemental concentration. After a few minutes of poking and prodding he gave up. The fact of the matter was the technology existed, League engineers installed it here, and his tactics had to adjust for similar designs in the future. OOC: for Metru-Nui players on the island in the Silver Sea, you may start the assault via airship in your next post, or you may stall on that as long as you want.

@Crimson Jester, The Cartographer is approved.

IC: Brutaka (interacting with Oreius), Silver Sea Leaving Iona at the beach Brutaka went in search of another soldier. He found Orieus making his own way back to the liberated fortress on the hillside. Nodding in greeting, the two walked in silence in the same direction. Brutaka proud and towering, Orieus determined and hunched. Finally, Brutaka said; “I take it your fight was honorable.” He looked over his walking companion’s scarred armor. “You know I trust your council. Tell me: the next island is a short flight, three hours at most. Scouts say there’s a communications beacon hidden in the dense jungle on the southern side. If we can take the beacon, we may be able to gain access to the League’s orders. Our airships are still in good enough shape to make the flight, but the armaments are compromised until we can receive replacement parts from Metru-Nui. What do you make of the situation, Toa Orieus?” IC: Unknown Rahi, Level 7 Archives, Metru-Nui The psionic effects took hold, and as the chitinous tendril slowed its pull Jutori could free themselves with help from their friends. As it slowly slithered its way back into the dark, the party on level seven heard the violent hunting cry of another rahi slamming against its cage deeper down the hall.

Sometimes communication really is the answer.

Welcome @keiththelegokid. Please read over the rules in player creation and if you have any questions reach out!

This week's Dark Hunter hits are out! Capture Knichou for questioning and eliminate toa Stannis.

IC: Dark Hunter Dispatch, Metru-Nui Small terminals in safehouses across Metru-Nui lit up with a faint green glow accompanied by an audible alert. A new set of instructions had been dispatched to the Dark Hunters stationed in the city of legends. For some, the names were fresh. For others, old grudges resurfaced. The dispatch read: Capture Artahkan matoran refugee Knichou for questioning. Eliminate Toa Stannis. Both seen armed in Onu-Metru. The matoran may know sensitive information. An old rival has resurfaced. The screens dulled after a few moments. The hit had been placed. It was only a matter of time now... OOC: technically still morning here!

@Toru Nui, all three of your characters are approved.

Oreius approved. Welcome to the game @Eyru!

IC: Brutaka, Silver Sea “And here with your troops you will stay. For now, meditate on what the three virtues mean beyond the toa code. What do they mean for society, or all beings? When you are ready to share, I’ll listen.” Brutaka handed over a small stone -- a pebble in his hand, a river rock in Iona’s -- with the symbol of the three virtues carved on its surface. The rock was polished smooth from being turned over in the hand. “When I began my rite of passage this stone was given to me, and now I pass it on to you. If you find yourself no longer called to a higher path, return the stone. Now, I have others to speak with about tomorrow’s assault. You’ll receive your orders this evening.” With that, Brutaka took his leave of Iona. IC: The Reliable Narrator It was a Sunday night and the game master Unreliable Narrator rested. He had eaten lamb vindaloo after a long day at work and taken some time to make a cup of ginger tea. The game master had a sore throat, being on the tail end of a horrid flu that had made him miss two days of work. A video played in the background showing an LA local DIY renovating her home. He idly flipped through the game master notes for a roleplaying game he had begun on Tuesday. He felt they were perhaps longer than they needed to be. Unreliable Narrator was unaware how popular this roleplaying game would become with his friends. He double checked the timeline of events, and began reading the exciting stories everyone had been posting since the morning’s assassination... No, wait, he was not resting. He was writing. He was writing posts! Posts that would do nothing for the plot, except break the fourth wall, and remind players that the next Dark Hunter hit would come out on Monday morning… and would be a player character… IC: Onu-Metru Archives, level 7 When Atamai said the records had been deleted, what they truly meant was that no records of any kind existed for the past three months. When compared to other floors higher and lower, it seemed like a strange pattern of absence. The elevator opened in a long and dimly lit hallway. While nothing seemed off, Vashni felt the presence of something bestial on the edge of her elemental range. As Jutori turned to speak with Atamai, something wrapped around his ankle. It was chitinous, slightly bumpy, and pulled hard. Unless Jutori grabbed onto something to steady himself, and fast, he would find himself pulled down a hallway of eerily flickering lightstones. OOC: Updated this post because I beat you all to the punch! Ha! Take that! I love you all!

@Baltarc, Aksa approved.

@Laval- Master of Energy, I'm sorry I didn't answer your question. I wanted to make sure I got to you. Reasons: Most RPGs outside of the main BZPRPG used to be quarterly. This is a one off campaign (unless people demand a second arc in April). More punch and shorter story means less overall time commitment (hopefully). To shake things up! Let me know if you want to know more about the thought process.

That's what I was going for actually.

You may have a small personal safehouse for your hunter. There is no central meeting space in Metru-Nui, but you may liberally create locations or havens used by them.

Since I am at work, creative liberty has been given. Will retconn if too much.

Nale approved!

IC: Something wet splattered against Knichou's face. Bits of inorganic material cut across his armor. Nuparu's face was gone. His body spasmed, twisting with the heat of the laser. His arm stretched out to grab Knichou's hand, his knees buckled. His last words to his fellow inventor: "there's not enough time-"