Palm

IC: Tio I looked down at my hands once again, "I think I'm fit for it. Only way I'll know is if I try," I said before looking to Fionne, "Are you up for it?"

IC: Dastana Arsix - Obaida Arsix's feet gracefully carried her along the path. She appeared to almost glide in contrast to the small royal guard that accompanied her, giving the Toroshu an elegant almost ethereal appearance. Rarely seen without her twin brother next to her, Arsix was given a number of looks from varying Taajar along the road while she traveled to a more secluded land. Upon cresting the hill, Arsix stopped and turned her alien eyes upon Greywood Longhouse; the only piece of official presence the Taajar clans had - and all the way in the middle of nowhere no less. Arsix mused silently about this as she descended once more, down to the village. OOC: Hello Greywood village!

I'm working to catch up on all these posts, but I cannot devote mass time towards it. Over the next few days I'll get caught up before my full return on the 13th. I'll be going off what Kray says.

Speaking as the person who plays Kongu and as a result the Gukko Force and Rama-Squad, maybe I can help out here. My life became extremely busy since starting up the defense against the beetles. That tends to happen when you're a college student and final exams rear their ugly faces, whispering "I am worth most of your grade and I still cost money so if you mess up you mess up your grades and waste all your money." I diverted my control over the squads to two other players and was under the impression that things were being moved along. I haven't looked at Le in a month. I haven't been reading anything other than what has been sent to me or where I know other people need me. This is not a place I thought I was needed. Sorry it's worked out that way, and I understand your frustrations - which I think are somewhat justified. I'm sorry. You're right, it should have been dealt with, whether by me or other players who had been given Le-Koro control for the time being. However, it isn't as if this couldn't have been resolved otherwise. Just advancing everything ahead without waiting for groups at large (or the event at large) isn't conductive to effective play. There is a point when you drop other people and say "alright whateves, we gotta move ahead" but that point usually goes to be a number of months. If you were really waiting, try sending PM's around. Ask in GD what the hold up is or who you should talk to. PM Staff members even. Don't just go on without the rest of the topic. Had I been made aware beforehand that there was no responses on Le's end for anything, I could have done something about it sooner or diverted people in question to those currently running the Force. Now instead I need to read upwards of 30+ pages just so I know what's going on in order to help resolve the situation, but I don't have time for that because again - I have college courses to not waste my time failing. So if staff rules this poison legal (which I think they will, although they can feel free to hop in whenever to say otherwise) then we'll go with it. I've asked around a bit and the biggest area of concern is scale. How big is this cloud? Would it actually envelope the entire village? Those questions are the questions staff needs to know the answers to in order to make a ruling. That being said, it's perfectly fine to make decisions that impact the Force. That's part of player empowerment, so as long as everything is legal, I see no reason to move the cloud away. Just know that there are always repercussions for actions. That's not a threat, just understand the level of power we hold as players and the surrounding characters. What I do see reason now is to WAIT until proper responses can be made by the proper players. Not to mention staff who need to hop in for their say on the poison scale.

As far as learning more about the world, I'd rather hear Greg's thoughts on things instead of asking him to lay things out in stone (based upon our votes no less). Arbitrary masks are alright I guess, but ambiguity is a fan-fiction writer's GOLD MINE. Yes, they need structure, and yes they need world-building context, but the more limitations there are on a specific place, the less likely people are going to creatively come up with interesting ideas or write about those ideas. As an writer I enjoy looking at the places that are unclear. Like, what did Greg think about all the Makuta in the universe? What roles did they all play? What interesting characters could we create out of the 100 Makuta that existed at one time? And Greg coming in an making those decisions FOR me would be fine I guess, but it takes away the power of us as a community. Which is sort of ironic, cause it's our choice to do this or not. I can think of far worse things to canonize, but there's plenty of reasons not to. That's my two cents anyways. EDIT: That being said, there's a lot of cool stuff out there I wouldn't mind finding out more about.

Well obviously if you're doing stuff that requires staff permission (like destroying landmarks or other important architecture) then you need staff permission to do it at all. That goes without saying, or at least should. EDIT: Also, when I say just do it, I don't mean just do things on a whim. You obviously should think about it first (and if it isn't already rule-breaking), running things by a friend helps you figure out if your plan is functional or ok to do or not.

Oh, side-note on this whole "negating Echelon's powers" (science aside, it's pretty clear where staff stands on that) I've seen a lot of combat appraisal for a number of characters recently (Dorian, Echelon, ect.), and although much of the praise is usually well-earned, I can't help but feel that's it's contributing to a mentality I think might become problematic. Each time somebody says something along the lines of "I'm gonna fight X character", it's usually met with a lot of responses like "haha yeah, you do that". Which I get. But I really do feel like that's discouraging, which we shouldn't be doing! We say it's encouraged that people to take back Ko (or something like that) but much of our discussion revolving around specific characters seems to say a bit of the opposite - especially when it comes to newer players. So I'll say a few things on this: If you aren't too invested, just do it. Seriously, most of the more interesting interactions I've had with people are when players "fight thuh powah" so to speak. A while back, somebody tried to poison the water supply in Le-Koro and attack the guard HQ. What spurred of it was some great responses from Le-Koro that nobody would have ever gotten a chance to play out or see if the situation hadn't arisen. This is good because it changes the pace of the game and changes the setting a bit. If you are invested, come up with a good plan, and then just do it. Yes, Nightfall are powerful - even without the added tech and powers - as they were created to compliment one another as a team, each one fulfilling some roles in combat that others might not. We saw this especially when there were attacks coming towards them from all sides, and characters had to swap positions or deal with certain threats. The design process for this team took a good while because we wanted to create an interesting cast of characters that could truly become a formidable threat (note how we wanted them to be interesting before being a game-piece in the RPG). But, while we planned out the team and planned out how taking Ko-Koro could work out, you can plan too. And it isn't that staff doesn't believe that - we know they do - but I just feel like it isn't said often enough. Some advice on planning: Try to avoid being super specific. Trying to figure out how to negate Echelon's powers is certainly a great idea in theory (especially considering how powerful those powers are), but in practice there are many issues. There are many other close members of his team - Rorg, Karnakie, Eisen, Agrona, and Kohra - all of which are willing to kill anybody that threatens a member of their team (not to mention their leader). Think about how to deal with more variables like teammates, and even consider that there's many followers of Echelon aside from his inner circle. Being a bit more general usually works a lot better when it comes to character(s) vs character(s). Don't just think about Echelon's powers. Think about the dynamic of your opposing team, potential situations, how to one-up the enemy ect. Not to say that something like this would be impossible, it's just very difficult. Tackle each issue that stands in the way of your goal the best you can.But yeah, don't let the powers of other characters get in the way of you doing something interesting. Do something interesting! Obviously, this doesn't mean you should just willy-nilly "LOL RANDOM WOW, ALRIGHTALRIGHTALRIGHT GONNA BLOW UP THIS NOW HAHAHA" because 9/10 it's really out of place and out of character (unless you've got a character reason, it's usually pretty darn annoying). just my two cents though i just hang out here, so take everything with a grain of salt EDIT: Another note here, I think I can speak for all of the Nightfall players that we want to see you try to break our characters. We didn't make them for nothing you know

That Griesk/Toros though. Real talk, he's cool. Looking forward to more opportunities to RP with him through Agrona, and maybe others like him eventually

IC: Tio I remained silent as the group began to move. This wasn't new for me, but there was something especially stark about my quiet demeanor as we walked across the strange land. It was clear that I was thinking hard about the sequence of events as I'd witnessed them. It wasn't until a few minutes had passed that I finally opened my mouth to my companions, "What does everybody remember?"

Pae: god holds a little white stone

OOC: Suggested listening IC: Pae The pair moved through the city, Pae feeling somewhat exposed without his cloak. Luckily, they weren't getting many looks. Pae silently fretted anyways. He would've taken to the alleyways if he didn't have Korzaa with him - still a bit weak from Jin's shockers no doubt. Yet she walked alongside him, wrapped in a warm cloak. She must be tired. Pae glanced back to see her face half obscured under his hood. She was watching the surrounding people intently, just like he. Pae returned to his own watching. As a child, growing up without protectors made life difficult and forced Pae to fend for himself. The world went wrong the moment he took his first step, slipping out of what could have been sturdy footing to something far more dangerous. He did this by predicting small events before they could occur. It made stealing food or clothes efficient. It also made defending himself much more manageable. It was a defense mechanism, born of fear. And there was plenty to be afraid of. He was good at it, but it never soothed him. Even if he could turn the clockwork in his mind off, he'd never stop fearing in his soul for his safety. He hid this well. So out of fear, Pae's eyes skittered to and fro, compiling as much information for his mind to process at once. From person to person his gaze darted, counting knives and other weapons or finding purses and estimating wealth. Pae was reminded quickly just how blissfully unaware these people were of the scope of the danger that would soon befall them. Ko-Koro was swiftly destroyed, and chances are that Echelon was marching out any that opposed the power of his church to be killed in the streets just like Korzaa - had she not been stolen from the village. This could be the next Ko-Koro, taken by force to be used as a weapon against the rest of the world. This could be the next Xa-Koro, wiped from history in a manner of minutes to be sunk beneath sight and lost forever. This could even be the next Pala-Koro, walls destroyed with the flip of a switch. The inhabitants were killed ruthlessly and without reason there. It was a power move by the whim of Heuani and his master Makuta. So much death, so much conflict, and so much reason to be afraid. They could have been followed. No matter how well he covered his tracks, they could have been followed. He could die here. Or anywhere for that matter. Korzaa too, nobody was exempt. Not even Kino. He felt his mind start to drift, wondering again - how could Vera Polzin lie (and lie so truthfully) about Kino's recommending him. He had so many questions, and not once in his life did he have the time to stop and ask them. It was anxiety inducing to say the least, never was there closure, and never was there a moment of rest. Something caught him off guard. In the crowd, a face turned into view. A face few could forget, and even fewer given the chance to recognize. Pae felt himself falter for just a moment. With the rhythm of his step stopping by half a second, he turned, craning to catch a glimpse of the grey eyes hidden amongst fools. There she was. Pae for the first time in years, let himself slip by speaking without concern, "Kino." He froze, as if the village of Ko, Xa, Pala, Ta-Koro would freeze with him. With a glance to Korzaa, Pae communicated simply to be followed. He pressed through the crowd, squeezing between the residents and market-goers. He felt his heart-rate increase as he took deeper breaths, focusing on the spot where she once was. Finally, in a great heave of relief, Pae emerged from the masses and stepped forward. "Kino." The world became calm, and for a split second Pae felt the simplest moment of rest as Kino Iho's eyes met his.

IC: Pae Pae nodded, "We await for my companions at the gates. If you are approached, I will take care of it." he turned around and begin refitting his equipment by tightening his belt and checking his supplies. He hated that he was the one cloakless and without disguise. Luckily for him, nobody really knew who he was in the first place. Unless of course there was anybody in the village that knew Pae during the assault on Pala-Koro - however few those people were. Once again, there would need to be some improvisation if an issue arose. Hopefully it wouldn't - Pae could quickly pick up a light garment from the market as they passed by it through the alleyways, "Reconnecting with the others means a plan can be put together to restore your village and people sooner." The pair began to move and as they reached the door to the warehouse Pae opened the door to the outside world; a bustling village. If Pae were one to indulge himself he would smile. This environment was just his type.

IC: Agrona With her bone knife, Agrona quickly and expertly (as if with practice) cut into the palm of Skulk's hand. Blood oozed out of the wound in the shape of an to hopefully scar, "Wherever you go or whatever you do Skulk," Agrona cooed, "You'll know that you are in my debt." Agrona began to tend to Skulk's wounds while he lay there on the Sanctum floor. She placed her hands on his chest and poured out energy into his body with a single thought. Heal. As the energy began to stitch together what was left of the Toa, Agrona hummed a little tune to herself.

Although this is a perfectly viable option, it's usually more fun and more interesting for another person's PC to interact with you! A huge strength of the game is being able to contribute to other's stories and for them to do the same to you. It's usually less fun to just play on your own - interacting back and forth with only your own characters. It's fine to do, but most people don't enjoy doing that (nearly as often anyways) as actually interacting.

IC: Tio I thought for a moment as I joined Lehti on the walk over, "No," My brow softened and I turned to Lehti as our feet padded the soft wet sand, "I think I need to see them."

IC: Pae Pae wasn't surprised. It sounded elaborate, and most importantly - clean. A perfect kill with no loose ends. He didn't wait to respond, "Good." Pae reached for his discarded cloak and handed it to Korzaa, "I'm reluctant to take you to the guard - it's impossible to know who may be involved in the murder of Matoro or the attack on your village. Until we know more, you'll remain disguised. Fair?"

IC: Agrona Agrona gave a cool response, accompanied with the light buzzing of insect wings under the cloak, "Interesting," she gave her a sideways glance before saying, "You may join our cause, unless the others object. There will be plenty of work for us soon." "Skulk," Agrona commanded with her bone knife still drawn, "Give me your hand and I will heal you."

IC: Agrona Agrona smiled, bearing sharp incisors, "Well," she took a step closer, "Dravennica," Agrona reached a finger out and slid it up along the Toa's side flirtatiously as she spoke, "You may have heard of me," around the small of Dravennica's back traced Agrona's finger, "But I have not heard of you." And on "you", Agrona pulled away her hand. Completing the rotation around the Ko-Toa, Agrona's skeletal figure towered over Skulk. She pulled out her bone knife as she prepared to heal to fallen Toa, "Tell me about the services you can offer."

IC: Tio First things first, I knew this Toa. A part of me wanted to say her name, like squeezing my own palms to know I was real. On impulse, I repeated what I knew to be true, "You're Lehti." I remember turning away from Lehti to see four more silhouettes further down the beach. I wanted to answer her question, I wanted her to know that I had lost my memory. But all I could get out was a resigned, "Like everyone else?" At first when Lehti approached me I was hopeful that she could tell me what had happened, but to learn that we all knew nothing about the situation - I have to admit - made me somewhat fearful. I put my hands over my eyes and took a deep breath. I had to focus. First thing's first, reunite with the others. I looked back to Lehti and answered her question with a nod. Yes. I had lost my memory. Like everyone else.

IC: Agrona Agrona let out a quiet 'hm' before tilting her head, "This is Skulk," Agrona sort of kicked, pushing down on Skulk's shoulder so to knock him off balance out of a kneeled position. She looked to the Toa of ice, "And who are you?"

IC: Agrona Before the Toa could continue, Agrona lifted up a foot and planted it on Skulk's shoulder. She pressed down and spoke, her voice like dripping honey, "You offer your service?" Agrona let out a soft sigh and looked to Dravennica, "Then why is he bleeding all over the floor?"

IC: Agrona A voice was heard from across the Sanctum, "Perhaps he won't." With a few quiet steps Agrona made her way to Mortem's side and gazed sweetly at the Toa, "But perhaps he will." Agrona said dazedly. She smiled, and with a turn to Toros she spoke in a sing-songy voice - the beautiful tones reverberating off the bloodied walls of the Sanctum, "Toros, what do you think? Shall I save him?"

IC: Tio I awoke with my face on the ground. Upon instinct I pushed myself up, and in doing so I found that my arms were rather sore. In fact, I found my entire body was rather sore. Upon getting into a seated position I looked down at myself. I had a few minor wounds, but nothing too serious. Maybe just a few cuts here or there. It was comforting to feel in my body though, even if I had no idea how I got any of these wounds. I looked down at my hands before closing them tightly as if to test my own existence. Yep. All here. My comfort quickly left me as I became suddenly aware of water lapping at my legs and feet. There was something upsetting about finding yourself entirely unaware of your circumstances. Where was I? Without realizing what I was doing, I asked myself to check my belongings quickly. Battlements? My shield was still bound to my wrist, but my blade was nowhere to be found. I quickly scanned around and to my relief I spotted it. Only a few metres from me, sunk into the soft earth. I stood up shakily, carefully approaching it as not to pass out. I reached down and gripped it with my strong fingers. My Bag? Slung over my shoulder. No problems there. But was everything inside? Nav. Gear? I undid the clasp on my bag to open it, rifling around in the contents hoping to find my map and compass. Within I found a few writing utensils and a smaller bag with what I presumed to be some sort of ration - soaked in water. To my relief I found the compass, but when I found my parchments, they were sopping wet. The ink had run through it, leaving whatever was drawn on it completely unrecognizable. Med kit? No sign of it anywhere. Why wouldn't I have kept it in my bag? It must have been being used before...Before what? I had no recollection of any events occurring that brought me here, wherever here was. I took a deep breath, suddenly feeling rather alone. With a shake of my head I dismissed that thought. I had to get my bearings, sort out my memories, and figure out where to go from there. That was the most important thing now. I couldn't help but feel discouraged though, I had no idea why I knew what to do next. This wasn't going to be easy.

Hey guys, sorry I've been so slow to post. I know there's a lot of stuff going on that I'm a part of or need to be a part of, but I'm just really busy. College, personal life, extracurricular responsibilities have made me really busy and stressed out. I'll post when I can or manage to build the energy up to do, but don't expect too much from me over the next while.

IC: Pae Pae stared at Korzaa. He stared at her with hard discriminatory eyes, scanning for some semblance of a lie. It was likely that she was telling the truth, but what circumstance would she consider necessary to reveal this secret? He judged silently, staring until he realized how uncomfortable staring at Korzaa was likely making her, "Vera Polzin," he crouched down again getting and got close to Korzaa's face, "Wealthy, smart, and interested in saving people like you from people like Echelon," he got quietly intense, "Keep this to yourself or fear consequence." He paused, "I'm going to move you soon and meet with my comrades to discuss the next move. But until then, tell me what you know."