Keeper of Kraata

To make it simple, Dasaka have a caste-based society, which is mostly analogous to their Mata Nui equivalents, but doesn't always line up. Matoran are Dashi, Toa are Dasaka, and Turaga are Datsue, but the castes are more expansive. Top of the heap are Menti, the warrior caste. Rulership positions, such as the Rora (empress) and Toroshu (clan leaders) are included in this, and all members are either Dasaka or rarely Datsue. Below them are Dashi, who are the laborers. They are almost always Dashi (matoran) proper. Ringti are crafters and scientists, generally Dashi but occasionally Dasaka, though I play a Datsue who still identifies as a Ringti. Bottom of the pile are the Saihoko, who are the Archipelago's sailors and merchants. Tough lot in life, lot of discrimination from other people in Kentoku. Datsue generally exist outside the caste system, usually being essentially retired. The biggest difference with Datsue from Turaga is that they retain their full abilities, but lose their mask power; no Noble masks. I'd read over the first few posts of Kentoku for more stuff, including their Virtues and the disciplines. Currently, Kentoku society has been upended, with a huge portion of their population fleeing to Mata Nui as refugees or being left behind and facing an existential crisis.

IC: Cyrix - Gentry HQ The Toa Kalta glanced at Niici before taking the scroll and reading the message. ”Huh. It appears that our man is back at the Wise Man’s Archive.” He chose his words carefully; he didn’t want to shut the door on the Chairwoman’s face - yet, anyway. Syzygos was back… apparently. Had Priicu told him anything? Cyrix turned back to Saat, nodding in gratitude. “You can tell Priicu I’ll be back right away; I just need to make a stop somewhere first.” He didn’t stay to ask or answer questions. The Toa of Air grabbed his crossbow on his way out the door; he didn't have long. OOC: @ARROW404 @Emzee

IC: Raiyo - Ga-Koro Pier A month ago, Raiyo would have considered herself lucky. A housemaid like her, one who charitably could be called an attendant, mingling with the elite of the Empire. It was not her first time; as acting Toroshu Robalta's assistant, she accompanied the Datsue when coordinating the ships the Vilda had brought to the flotilla. Several times, Raiyo and Robalta had met with the Rora. Though today, she was alone; Robalta was getting the Vilda settled in. Even on strange shore with stranger people, she was surrounded by other Dasaka; few brightly colored 'matoran,' 'toa,' and even larger creatures that were just... going about their business. Just being people whose world hadn't ended. Head down, nod. It was surprising how Imperial Navy were so similar to the nobles she had been serving appetizers to during what seemed like another lifetime. But she was able to make her way to the Commodore; there was some sort of situation with the Chisaii Ryuu, and she didn't know all the details, but it seemed in hand now. Somewhat. "Commodore Ayiwah?" She had rehearsed her greeting in her head for what seemed like hours, and put all the conviction she could summon in her voice. OOC: @Vezok's Friend

IC: Askha & Somei - Hanaloi, Observatory Askha's hands reached out to hold her Mashtet token; they needed to hold something physical, and she wasn't as familiar with the Rahkshi's staff as she could have been for it to feel entirely used to its grasp. As she got to her feet in one swift motion, she sighed. .:I'll bite. What's your plan?:. Somei smiled faintly; she doubted a Dastana's word would change Askha's nature; something told Somei that they weren't done on Hanaloi yet. Hopefully, the price for it wouldn't be paid in blood. "We'll have to double back down the path south before going back to northern cove, though we should check with the Kaazi about that; the sun already sinks in the sky." IC: Hambra - Hanaloi, Forest The Jahagir crouched slowly, squinting at the poor creature. It was dying; an ill omen, and not easy to watch. She considered the bite marks. .:It looks like a kavinika got to it. But they aren't poisonous... and koshi are supposed to be able to hide from predators.:. On the ground, the koshi ceased moving. Hambra sighed; what ruin had been brought to her home? "I'll take you to the expedition," she said to Caana. "I left them at the Observatory, they should still be there." The Taajar stood and made to lead the way, but froze. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a small flash of blue out of the corner of her eye. All her scouts had already left. She glanced at the ronin Menti, and brought her free hand to her face to sign. "We're not alone." Illusion once again coated her body, and Hambra chose to let Caana view the change. To any other mind, the massive Taajar shimmered and disappeared. .:Come out. Who else goes there?:. OOC: @Goose @Mel IC: Ahri - Oki Coast, Abandoned Village As the now pair reached the outskirts of the Vilda settlement, Ahri crouched behind an ajar door. Raika's words echoed in his mind; Ahri used Mindarm to depress the trigger to test the spear; the dagger-turned-spearhead began to glow. Ahri's brow raised. "Good to know." As Ahri and Yuna ventured into the village, the scene they were greeted with was not one of wholesale destruction. Instead, the village looked like the arena in Sado after a particularly rowdy crowd had passed through; market stalls were empty if they were even still standing. The buildings were, for the most part, intact, if slightly overgrown and unmaintained. The village was built onto the water, with a network of piers in place to service vessels while imposing as little as possible into Oki's jungle; typical Vilda layout. Smoke rose from the central building in the village, an impressive multi-story wood structure. .:Raika, see anything?:. If there were any other Dasaka still in town, they would hear the ideatalk, and respond if they were Menti or Datsue. Hopefully, that was a good thing. OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp IC: NPC - Mashtet Chamber The stone trinkets were helical ridged constructions about the size of a Kanohi; in fact, they were surprisingly light for their size. Their surface was rough, but felt almost like dried wood; Vazaria realized that a good amount of the color on the figure was dust, almost a century's worth. They were hot to the touch, but less so than the rock around them. The ambient temperature from the heatstones seemed to be affecting these less, or it absorbed less heat, but it was still almost unbearable; each alcove almost served as a kiln. Vazaria's Rahkshi escort didn't seem to mind the heat; it seemed to have a resistance to heat, which it was currently exploiting by gather up an armful of the figures. Once it was full up, it turned to Vazaria and shrieked as if in confirmation. It then left the way it came, leaving Vazaria to find her own way back. OOC: @Nato G

IC: Cyrix - Cultured Gentry HQ, Ko-Koro "I wouldn't want to keep you, then." Giving Niici a final nod, he turned to leave the way he came. The less people that saw that he was meeting with Niici the better. He was briefly confused when the ko-matoran approached him instead of the Chairwoman. "Uh... yes?" OOC: @Emzee @ARROW404

IC: Sydelia - Gardens District, Sado "Well, you certainly brought them to the right person." The Fursic glanced aside as she handed the basket off to several Dashi to sort according to her instructions. Indeed, if they had gone to one of the Dastana supply dumps, she might not have gotten her hands on these at all. Why was he here? He wasn't working directly with the Dastana and other Imperial guard remnants, or else he'd have turned his find with them. She looked down at her garb; none of the bloodstains were fresh, and she herself could use a bath. Still, she had seen worse (including from the Menti on the front lines). She made a show of tidying herself up and turned to their mysterious benefactor. "Who, might I ask, would you be that can grow such useful herbs in his backyard?" OOC: @Umbraline Yumiwa IC: NPCs - Mashtet Tunnels Vazaria's soulsword struggled as it bit into the outcropping, but between her and the Rahkshi's brute strength, the cracks that Vazaria formed expanded and with a crumble, the rock broke loose. The Rahkshi beside her rocked back as it heaved the boulder aside. With serpentine grace, it pressed against the exposed hollow in the stone wall, feeling around. It paused, and began clawing away the loose rock and dirt before punching through the stone to the other side; there was another tunnel. Now that there was a hole in the wall, it didn't take long for the Rahkshi to burst through. Somehow, the air on the other side was even hotter, though there were less natural heatstones jutting out of the walls here; instead, carved heatstone lamps as well as Vazaria's own soulsword provided the light for the fallen Menti to see. As Vazaria followed the Rahkshi further through the tunnel, the air began to remind her of an oven, or a kiln. Still, these tunnels were no longer only natural; the walls and floor had been bricked over. There were, however, still corpses; withered, but preserved. Instead of throngs of Dashi, however, scattered occasionally were the desiccated bodies of Menti, and by their weapons, they had been slain in combat. Some still had their means of death embedded in their bodies; many others had been severely lacerated and burned prior to death. Vazaria recognized the marks of a soulsword; indeed, she realized the walls were occasionally also marked by the characteristic burned cuts of a psychokinetic weapon. On several of the bodies, their armor was cracked where a hole split them open. The rahkshi seemed to quicken as the tunnel opened into a large chamber, and Vazaria realized that most of the bodies she had found had fallen facing away from this chamber; they had been defending it. The chamber was wide, but smaller than the courtyard Vazaria had passed through earlier. Even more heatstone lanterns were fixed into the walls of the round chamber, with many additional ones hanging from crystal chains from the domed ceiling high above her. The walls of the room were carved into alcoves, spiraling up and down throughout the chamber in hundreds, if not thousands, of alcoves. The brick path of the tunnel continued and raised into a dais at the center of the chamber; a single corpse lay there crumpled. This one was different, wearing heavier armor than any of the Menti that outside. Neither her o-yoroi nor her naginata, itself broken in half at her feet, had saved her; her face was a ruined mess underneath her broken Rau. Unlike the faded masks of the other Menti, this one's was different. It was blotched, discolored, rusty, much like Vazaria's own mask. The aquamarine Rahkshi, however, seemed to have found what it was looking for. In many of the alcoves, a dusty, round carved figure sat. The Rahkshi began pulling the figures out of the alcoves, each one about the size of a Dashi's head. It piled more than a half dozen in its arms before glancing at the fallen Menti, warbling. It went back to gathering the figures. Judging by the empty alcoves, it must have made three or four trips already. OOC: @Nato G

IC: Ahri - Oki Shoreline Briefly closing his eyes, Ahri centered himself. If he was to perform violence, then violence will be inflicted. If it is my time, it is my time; if I meet an enemy in battle, I will make sure they meet Zataka before I do. Finishing with forceful exhale, Ahri again opened his eyes. .:We enter quietly, stick to the docks until we-:. He glanced for a moment at Yuna, then away in guilt for not remembering her disability. "Better plan, Raika, you keep ahead and out of sight, but keep in contact with me via Ideatalk. Yuna, stay with me, at least close enough to hear each other without raising our voices. Raika can be our eyes and ears while we search for intact vessels." Ahri gripped the spear overhand over his shoulder; he could throw it or grip it in two hands to stab with it at a moment's notice. OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp

IC: Ahri - Oki Coastline "Uh... thank you?" Ahri took the cobbled together spear. In all ways, this was both Raika and Yuna working together to help him. He gripped the spear tight, before resting it on his shoulder. "I promise I won't use it any longer than I have to," he said to Raika. "I don't want to deprive your of your tools. And besides, we're Menti; our best weapons are our minds, and in my case as a Mindarm, the second-best is the environment. You'll get it back if you need it." The tall Dasaka squinted, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked farther along the coastline. In the distance, smoke rose just off the coastline. "Doesn't look good... but its definitely a town. Maybe a Vilda settlement." OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp

IC: Cyrix - Cultured Gentry HQ, Ko-Koro Cyrix stood, nodding in satisfaction. "Just that. We appreciate the cooperation, as well as your discretion." He offered his hand to shake. "My superior, Aelied, would like to meet you, though, in a more official capacity." OOC: @Emzee

IC: Askha & Somei - Hanaloi Observatory Somei studied the trail left by the creature. She could only help but be clinical in this situation. "I think that thing was the source of discoloration I spotted on the camouflage outside..." She noticed that Mari had been addressing her. "Ah, yes, our compound. It's south of here, in the valley; we should be able to see it with the telescope..." "It is called the Observatory," Askha remarked before looking out the window onto Hanaloi. Her old home was down there in the forest... waiting. Askha inhaled, and pivoted the telescope on the compound, Her home was down there. And someone else had just visited. "I saw someone, I think a Dasaka, fly in," Askha said tersely. "I'm going to check it out, I'll be right back." Somei's eyes widened as she raised her hand to her niece. "Askha, wait!" But her warning came too late; the Mashtet Menti had already slouched into a crosslegged position as her Kanohi glowed. .:I'll be careful.:. * * * Askha's projected form swooped through the trees, ignoring the physical matter. As she approached where she knew her clan's fortress stood, she swung up; the walls were lined with carvings. In life, they had served as a source of beauty, a show of power, and a handy defense mechanism against others with Idens; on the mental plane, they were as real as the crystal and wood they were carved into, and in her astral form, Askha could only converse in Ideatalk by speaking. She didn't want to plow face-first into a wall. She came to a stop hovering above the courtyard to her home. Pangs of homesickness struck her to her core. There should be people here. Ringti having lunch, her father practicing with one of her sisters, Dashi attendants running to appointments. But there was no activity, so friendly bustle of conversations. But the courtyard was not empty. A Rahkshi crouched outside the gates to the main castle and a Dasaka with a muddy Kadin and ramshackle armor stood in the center of the courtyard. It made no move to attack, only staring at her. Slowly, Askha descended, attempting to keep very quiet. She didn't want to startle anyone, but... why was she still alive? “You’ve seen my thoughts. You know why I’m here. How can I help?” What? Askha's gaze shot to the Dasaka. A Menti working with the creatures? She'd heard of Menti going insane after being hit with the Rahkshi's powers, but none like this. Askha studied the woman as she looked around, being greeted by a second Rahkshi in the well. Askha didn't recognize her, but she detected no hint of madness. She narrowed her eyes; one more enemy in her home. But wait, what she had said... Askha looked over her shoulder at the purple Rahkshi that the traitor had been addressing, and had to stifle a shriek. It was staring right at her. Its eyes followed her movements. It stood, its monstrous gaze locked on her. She felt it in her soul, peeling away at her mind. Who she was, her memories of her Clan's home, her family... Somei... the expedition... "Lesson one: Defense." Her mother, Toroshu Kaetyo. "The best line of defense against a Willhammer is simple; its not to be a better Willhammer, or have an unbreakable will; its to not let them read your mind. When we hide, we use obstacles to block the sight of those who search, we strike first, or for the Sighteye's among us, we make them think we are not here." It took effort to remember her senses; Askha shot into the air like a firework, and sped back to the Observatory. Lesson one: be somewhere else. Rejoining her body was more violent than usual, and the Menti spilled across the floor, coughing as her lungs remembered how to breathe. "Askha? What happened?" Somei asked. She was packing her kit; Askha had to remember it had scarcely been several minutes, even though it had felt far, far longer. The younger Mashtet caught her breath. "It saw me... and read me... one of the Rahkshi." She slowly struggled to her feet. "It saw me on the mental plane and read my mind; I don't know how much was compromised, but it definitely knows about all of us. We need to move. And... there was a Dasaka there. She was working with them. They're doing something under our fortress." OOC: @Mel IC: Hambra - Hanaloi, Forest The Jahagir lowered her staff. "No," she said, a hint of displeasure in her voice, harsh, but still quiet. "Though making contact with the Kaazi was their first step, the expedition is primarily from Clan Dastana to secure Hanaloi's supply of lumber once again." Hambra broke eye contact, scanning the treeline. "Not that I blame them; while the Vilda eclipsed them, the Mashtet made their living before we even got here off the lumber of this island. If the mainland is having as much trouble as we are, an unsullied source of-" The Taajar stopped, tilting her head. There was a muted ringing coming from nearby; like a mix between a wind chime and a ghekula. Hambra glanced at Caana, holding a finger to her mouth. The Jahagir turned transparent; invisible, but allowing the outsider in on her illusion. She crept towards the sound, which repeated once. Together, the two discovered the source. Carefully lifting aside a fern's leaf, the two found the source of the noise. A small rahi, appearing as barely a set of arms and eyes over a leaf-like body, shivered on the ground. It bled from several bite wounds, and half its body was withered like a rotting plant. OOC: @Goose IC: NPCs - Mashtet Fortress The sounds of dripping water faded behind Vazaria as she crawled through the tunnel. The cool, moist air slowly became replaced by oppressive humidity. Eventually, she heard the Rahkshi in front of her scramble to its feet, and soon after spotted a faint light. As she pulled herself upright, she found herself in a tunnel that was dimly lit by what appeared to be fading lightstones. No, heatstones. The Rahkshi checked that she was still following, then began stalking through the tunnels, occasionally stepping on brittle refuse, snapping it beneath its feet. Vazaria looked down; the tunnel's floor was the rough but uniform stone of a volcanic tunnel, possibly worn smoother by foot traffic. They walking through desiccated remains of Dashi. The Rahkshi ahead of her halted at a huge rock growth with numerous heatstone outcroppings. The creature rested one of its claws on the stone to get a grip, and the remaining moisture from their trek through the tunnel hissed and evaporated as if from a pan; the Rahkshi was unfazed, seeming to consider the best angle to remove the stone. It crouched, kicking against the wall for leverage; nothing. Vazaria once more felt the gaze of Zataka's spawn as the cerulean Rahkshi glanced at her, warbling. It needed her help. OOC: @Nato G

IC: Sydelia - Sado Gardens The orderly gently took the basket and briefly looked through the contents before turning back to the ronin. Before she could vocalize any thanks, a Menti had already glided over and scooped the basket out of her hands, rummaging through it. "I thought I smelled something. Let's see... Odaiba poppy, we can turn that into incense and treat whole tents at a time." "I-I was taught that we make a tea-" "Which when properly rationed," the gaunt Menti replied, "can be administered to maybe eight patients, and it requires us to pour it down throats if they can't drink it. Trust me, smo... inhaling it has just a strong effect, if shorter. A fine tradeoff in our situation." As she rifled through the herbs, she already felt better. Less casualties were coming in now that the main onslaught of the Rahkshi had slowed, however, that meant that the gardens had a large amount of wounded that were going to be in a lot of pain, very soon. Even with Sydelia 'extending' supplies here, they were being stretched thin. The Fursic's eyes shot open as her breath stopped. "Volcanic Lotus..." A rare flower, one petal supposedly could put someone to sleep for a day with pleasant dreams. One heII of a downer. She wiped away some drool, disguising it by scratching at her mask. Carefully, she handed the basket back to the order and turned to the newcomer, carefully composing herself and hoping she wasn't too stained with dry blood. "Thank you, sir Menti; that was a very generous donation. Where did you find all these?" OOC: @Umbraline Yumiwa

IC: Hambra - Hanaloi (Forest) .:You may not be friend to the demons, but that does not mean you are friend to the Kaazi. But... :. The ash bear moved toward the Menti, softly growling. Behind her illusion, Jahagir Hambra studied the stranger. She was calm; either she had nerves of protocrystal, or she knew something that Hambra didn't. However, she did indeed possess a Demon's staff; unless it was scavenged, she had slain one. She stepped back and dropped her Ash Bear form, holding her three-pointed Demon's staff as the ready. The massive Menti standing at full height was slightly shorter than when she had stood as an ash bear, but the resemblance had been repeated to Hambra many times. "We know of the destruction these.. rahskshi bring. My tribe has been decimated; I have three zrupgar remaining." She tilted her head, her eyes remaining narrowed. "I am Jahagir Hambra, of the Kaazi tribe. I would like nothing more than to purge this island, my home, of these creatures, but it is no easy task. I don't think we will have to do it alone, though." She studied the body language of the ronin. If she was to be trusted, her reaction to her next statement was vital. "Some Mashtet yet live. My zrupgar are with them and their... expedition." OOC: @Goose IC: NPC - Hanaloi (Mashtet Fortress) The scarred Rahkshi briefly glanced at Vazaria before continuing its vigil. From the well, the light blue rahkshi again poked its head up, warbling. Once the creature was sure it had the fallen Dasaka's attention, it crawled back into the well, scaling the mossy walls like a colossal, uncanny insect. Vazaria could see that the Rahkshi disappeared into a hole near the bottom, above the water line; whether it was a natural cave or a crude tunnel was impossible to tell from the top. Vazaria could feel the scarred Rahkshi's attention be directed elsewhere. It did not move, only turning its head to focus on another empty space in the courtyard. OOC: @Nato G

IC: Ahri - Oki Refugee Camp Yuna's comment didn't escape Ahri's notice, but he didn't say anything about it, only nodded. These two, these outcast, neglected members of Dasaka society... it couldn't have been a coincidence he was here. Providence of Zuto Nui in these trying times? Something else? "I agree. But I'd rather not swim, I've had enough of the ocean for now. If we stick to the coastline, we should find something; we might even find some Vilda to help." As the three began walking, Ahri paused to consider his lack of weapons. He eyed Yuna's sheathed katana at her side, then Raika's daggers. His eyes flicked to a stalk of dead bamboo still standing off the beach. The Mashtet snapped his foot in a low kick, eliciting a sharp crack as the bamboo twisted and fell. Before it hit the ground, Ahri caught the length of bamboo with Mindarm. As the three walked, he went to work snapping the bamboo to usable lengths and peeling off strips to use as makeshift binding. In a few minutes, he had fashioned himself some additional protection to his hands and wrists, and had himself a decent-sized stick. He hadn't said anything as he worked. When he saw Yuna and Raika's glances, he shrugged. "If you see a sword, I'll take it. I prefer straight swords to curved, though." OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp

IC: Ahri - Oki Refugee Camp The amnesiac shook his head. "I don't even know where I'd go; home, I suppose? I'm supposed to be castellan of the Mashtet fortress, I don't know what I'm doing on Oki. And my memories... it doesn't bode well for Hanaloi. Maybe it was Fursic attack, maybe it was this new threat. My clan needs me, but..." He looked at the refugees, then glanced at at Raika and Yuna. Raika's fear, and Yuna's uncertainty... it was nothing to be ashamed of, but if there was a true threat, if these creatures attacked the camp, people would die; perhaps them. He couldn't allow that. "Yuna, I didn't mean to sound dismissive, I've just never heard of a Menti being able to effectively use Mindarm to move water. I was just surprised." Memories surfaced, picking coastal fruit and mentally stacking stones. He didn't just know Mindarm, he had taught Mindarm. Ahri glanced to a cracked pot that was half buried in the sand. He reached out his hand, his will, and the pot lifted; sand streamed out of a hole in the bottom. "When I learned Mindarm, the easiest way to figure it out was to envision an invisible hand grasping your target. After you mastered the basics, you could try things impossible to do with your own body, even at range;" he punctuated this by stressing the pot along its fault lines, shattering it into four pieces; he reached out, letting the sand inside fall through his fingertips. "But something like sand is still exceptionally difficult. Hundreds, thousands of grains; the Dasakan mind just isn't made for such a feat." He tossed the broken pottery into a rubbage pile. "Hence, my confusion about the water. Water is... water, it can't even be broken down into particles; I've seen masters pull beads of morning dew, but never the ocean itself. You must have a very unique talent." OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp IC: Hambra - Hanaloi Jungle Using her Pakari, the Kaazi stomped the ground as she had her ash bear form lower itself back onto all fours. Under the illusion, she readied her own tri-tip demon staff. .:Possibly. It is my, and my tribe's, charge to defend this island, to ward off outsiders from the Mashtet's home and secrets, and I will not be the first to break the pledge we have honored for generations. Today, though, it also serves to save your life; the demons will not give you a chance to change your mind.:. OOC: @Goose IC: Askha & Somei - Hanaloi Observatory The young Mashtet tugged on the rope, hauling her aunt back in until she could see her to lift her with Mindarm. As the Datsue took over and gently floated to the floor, only then did Askha stare at the bisected worm. "What in Zat... Zuto Nui's name is that?" Once Somei was on the ground, she reached out and telekinetically grasped both halves of the slug's carcass. "It's head... I've seen it before. This isn't a rahi, this is a part of the Rahkshi. When their faces open, these are in there." Its brain? A parasite? Something worse? OOC: @Mel IC: NPC - Hanaloi, Mashtet Fortress The abandoned Mashtet fortress was slightly overgrown, but much of it looked untouched by time, as opposed to the small town around it, which was almost entirely overgrown and falling into disrepair. The only sign from the air that the occupants had been missing for years was a decaying Mashtet Carving on the top of the gate with the clan's symbol. Still, Vazaria could feel that she was not alone. As she lit down in the courtyard, the rogue Menti observed her surroundings. There was a central well in the middle of the courtyard and several smaller buildings, most of the doors shut. Tools were not strewn about, but put down as if their users had expected to pick them up after a midday meal. Stone stairs made their way to the largest building, where large gates with wholly inactive Mashtet carvings lay open. In front of the gate, on top of the stairs, a single Rahkshi crouched, its both hands holding its staff at rest. The rahkshi, primarily a light purple, turned its head as it studied Vazaria. It made no sounds; the Dasaka could see that its faceplate had been damaged by a soulsword, and what would be one of its lower mandibles was missing. Vazaria then sensed the Rahkshi on the mental plane; it looked at her in the physical world, but at the same time, it was probing her mind, her memories, her thoughts, what she had seen, her conversation with Zataka. In moments, it was finished; it hadn't bothered with subtlety, but Vazaria's willing (or already compromised) mind didn't take long to read. Behind her, from the well, a second rahkshi clutched at the edge, whickering as it peered over the edge at the Dasaka. It shrieked at her, then descended back into the well. The mind-reader stared at Vazaria. It glanced at the well, then back to Vazaria with mild interest. OOC: @Nato G

OOC: Jam between me and Mel IC: Hanaloi Observatory “Pretty, but nothing I would feed someone to Kavanika over,” Mari said, arms crossed as she examined the map. She looked to Fanai, who was carefully examining the telescope, and then back to Somei. “How far can you see from here?” Askha shrugged as she pulled out a length of silk rope from her satchel. "Supposedly, all over the Archipelago, minus Mount Koshiki's shadow. That part was filled in by our Saihoko and their escorts back in the day." Tying the end of the rope into a loop, she telekinetically lifted the loop around Somei's waist and gently cinched it. She lowered Somei out the window to begin her work camouflaging the blind surrounding the Observatory. "Also, I'm pretty sure we did feed someone to Kavinika at some point over this. I'm not sure if my mother was being literal or metaphorical, its a... popular form for Kaazi warriors." Mari was not listening to Askha--all of her attention was focused on yanking the elder mentally up at the slightest indication of danger from Fanai. Outside, the Datsue slowly rappelled along the side of the arboreal construction. Fortunately, the outside camouflage paneling was less intricate, as well as weatherproofed more. It required only a slight realignment of the shards in the wood and overview of the embedded illusion; these were very crude and up for interpretation; no artistry or suggested form, simply the suggestion of tangled branches matching the foliage around them. As she went about the work, shimmying along the line, she softly hummed an older tune popular back when she was a proper Ringti. .:The wood has held up, fortunately. Might need to replace a few planks, there is some sort of growth on some of the planks.:. Askha broke the silence. "Mari, are we going to need to make contact with that band of Taajar that camped out along the south edge of the island? If your Toroshu wants lumber, there's only so much the Saihoko and us can do. " Above them and out of sight, something waited. In the darkness of the branches, the gold and black of the slug was hidden from the light, the danger. But below, it sensed movement; voices. Prey. It slithered through the roof, leaving behind vile weeds in its trail, and unattached itself from the ceiling, right above the Dastana. OOC: @Mel IC: Ahri - Fishing Village The older Dasaka put a hand on Raika's shoulder to reassure them. "You... threw water at it? With an oar, or a bucket, or...?" OOC: @TL01 NUVA @ultimoscorp IC: Hambra - Hanaloi Her koshi zrupgar had been correct - there was another outsider on Hanaloi. Kaazi Hambra watched silently under the cover of invisibility as the strange Menti passed beneath her perch in one of the trees. Hambra recognized no clan insignia, but she was plenty unique, with her silver mail. She had already evaded the old traps as well as the new arrivals on the south of the island; she had a mission. And, judging from her direction, there was only one place she could be heading. The Jahagir frowned; she couldn't let this outsider get to the Mashtet's estate. She would be torn apart by the demons that guarded the place, even if her honor would allow Hambra to break her vows to the Mashtet clan. She shifted in the tree as she considered her options; her other zrupgar were still at the Observatory. Maybe it would serve her to be direct this time. Hambra slipped from the branch, landing several yards behind the Menti. As she rose from her crouch, she traded her invisibility for her ash bear form, snarling and standing at its full height. .:You have intruded on Hanaloi at a bad time, interloper. Leave.:. OOC: @Goose

IC: Cyrix - Niici's Office, Cultured Gentry HQ, Ko-Koro The Le-Toa leaned back, smiling assuredly. "Thank you. I can give you a description; Toa of Crystal, lean build not too different from myself, black crystal armor. Last I saw he was wearing a cloak and appeared to have a standard sword as his weapon; part of the reason I don't buy the 'wandering scribe' story. Wore an Arthron. The fact that there are not a lot of Cy-Toa active means that the search shouldn't be overwhelming. Priicu, the operator of the Wise Man's Archive, gave me the name Syzygos; I don't know if its an alias or not" He shifted again, glancing around the office. It was cooler in here than downstairs, probably owing to its occupant. "If he's a mercenary, he's probably worked a caravan protection job at some point; I don't think it would be too difficult to put out some feelers if you don't have your own lists. I'd also appreciate if you could quietly put out a bulletin to see if this guy is moving between Koros." OOC: @Emzee

IC: Askha & Somie - Observatory, Hanaloi Askha and Somei fell in behind the Dastana as they climbed the length of the tree. ::Thank you, Fanai. I don't think we should be expecting anything, we never trapped the Observatory before; not many knew of it in the first place. But it was years before the Mashtet disappeared the last time I was here, they might have changed protocols.:: The rest of the climb was in silence, stopping only to rest wearied limbs; by the time the twisting ladder opened up, everyone was tired from the long climb. It opened into a wooden deck built around a round central table with several cabinets built into the walls. Great limbs of the tree had been built into the structure, and the side facing the rest of the Archipelago was built with a long viewing port, along which was a long-disused telescope mounted on a rail and stabilization platform Stretching as she set Somie down onto the deck, Askha audibly popped her back. "Alright auntie, you're up. Work your miracles." The former Ringti chuckled as she pulled several cleaning cloths and ointment from her satchel with Mindarm. "Let's see what the damage is. I'd suggest not looking directly at the work until I'm finished; if you're not trained, the process can be unsettling." She crawled up onto the table, looking it over. Hexagonal wooden tiles were set into the surface, each carved into a rough shape. She blew away the dust, and wet the first of her cloths with the specialist ointment, and started polishing each tile to a sheen. As she did, she focused her Sighteye on the precise inlay of crystal in each tile; these were a lot more precise than the some of the larger-scale carvings, even more precise than the carvings on her and Askha's tokens. They were meant to convey the exact same memories and thoughts, rather than a suggestion up for interpretation. She felt the vertigo as memories of the initial carvers wore against her psyche. She had long grown used to it; poor Sydelia had never been able to do it without throwing up. Not all Mashtet could be Carvers. As she went about her work, Askha went about checking the other features of the Observatory; she verified the telescope worked (after picking out some natural debris that had built up along the railing), and looking through the scroll logs. "The observers here kept logs which were transferred into the tunnels under our compound every month; looks like there are only a week's worth of records left," she explained. Reading though the last one, it seemed normal. Recording shipping movements from Kozu, Sado, and Iki, no unusual reports. Midday, the observers were recalled to the homestead by order of the Mashtet Toroshu, before normal observations resumed for several hours. "This was a few days before I projected here last and found them... I think my mother may have known something was going on." Somei was too busy to reply. Had her younger sister truly known the truth? It was unusual to recall observers, true, but it had been done before. Even just for a change of protocol. She had almost finished with the table; the hexagonal tiles had transformed into a full topographical map of Kentoku, projecting above the simple contours into a full three dimensions, with labels included. She sighed; the map was out of date, but there were plans for this. She opened a small cabinet on the side of the table and retrieved several replacement tiles; breathing life into each, she replaced Sado and Hanaloi. Their replacements depicted that Hanaloi had fallen, and that Sado was besieged. "This was our war room. The defense of Hanaloi when Clan Fursic fell upon us during their last uprising, troop movements, new constructions, we tracked it all here. Askha, I'm going to need your help with the camouflage walls." Askha looked over the table. "One last thing," she said, and started rummaging around in the cabinets for a token, she came out with a small one and handed it to Somei, who renewed the simple Mashtet carving on it, which projected text above it. The Mashtet frowned as she set the miniature down on the peak of Mount Koshiki; bright red letters projected from a blank flag: UNKNOWN OOC: @Mel IC: Ahri - Oki Refugee Camp "I wish I could say the same." The amnesiac furrowed his Hau and crossed his arms. The creatures that Raika had referred to earlier; thanks to her mental picture, he had a good idea of what she was talking about. It was totally unlike anything he had heard of; if they were rahi, the closest equivalents were mythical beasts like the fabled Artakha Bulls. But apparently, these were all too real, and much too clever for any rahi. "These creatures... do we know anything else about them? Where they came from, what their goals are? These don't sound like any normal creature under the sun." OOC: @TL01 NUVA @The UltimoScorp

IC: Cyrix - Cultured Gentry Headquarters, Ko-Koro Leaning back in the chair, Cyrix glanced out the window to the Sanctum. "I checked with Archives personnel; they hadn't seen anybody who hadn't checked in. I know the Toa is lying; I spotted him leave the Sanctum, he spent a significant amount of time at the Wise Man's Archive, apparently taking notes, and then left for Onu-Koro. Why use a private library? Why not the Sanctum's Archives, if he was on official Sanctum business? Why head straight out the gate when he was done?" He sighed, glancing back to the chairwoman. "And why send a Toa of Crystal? If the proprietor of the Wise Man's Archive is correct, he's a travelling copyist. Call me old-fashioned, but copying scrolls is hardly something an armed Toa is doing if it's his day job. That he's an agent of Onu-Koro is just my best guess right now, but something is going on, and I have been charged with defending Ko-Koro from any and all threats." Cyrix leaned forward, putting his hands together, mostly to warm them. "Aelied and I looked into the Cultured Gentry after we were appointed by Tarkahn. I had a lot of time to read when I was recovering from the battle; we know you were appointed by the board partially for being a Toa, and I know that the Cultured Gentry is elbow-deep in tech contracts involving Onu-Koro, that you are connected with current and previous Akiri, and I can bet that somewhere around here is a shortlist for mercenary operatives around the island. The Kalta would appreciate your cooperation with our investigation. Officially. Unofficially, I'd consider it a personal favor if we could look into this matter. If I'm on a wild rahi chase and this guy is a copyist wasting his potential, then I'll still owe you a favor, and on paper we can call this an exercise in private sector cooperation." OOC: @Emzee

IC: Cyrix - Cultured Gentry Headquarters, Ko-Koro As the Le-Toa entered the lavish (yet very empty) office, he forced the expression on his mask to remain neutral. Cyrix watched people; Niici talked to people. He was in her court, and it was up to him to make an effective case. "I'd say the reconstruction is going smoothly, at least." He pulled out one of the chairs opposite the chairwoman's desk and sat, pausing to gather his thoughts. "Madam Niici, I've come to you because I'm investigating some suspicious activity in Ko-Koro that may align with your sphere of interest. I have reasons to believe that some of the new trade policies that Akiri Tarkahn enacted when he took office are under investigation by another Koro. Nothing strange, but the person of interest was seen leaving the Sanctum, and there was no record of his entry in the Archives visitor logs. I suspect he's working with someone inside the Sanctum. I approached you to see if your organization was aware of any such investigation." OOC: @Emzee

IC: Ahri - Oki Refugee Camp The Menti crossed his arms as he followed Yuna's gaze. "You're right, but I'm worried they're not going to have a choice." This fishing village was clearly over capacity; people were sleeping in shifts, and something told Ahri that even if an invader never showed up, disease could rip through the village and kill more than if they were routed. His thoughts came to a halt when he spied Raika making their way towards himself and Yuna, shaking. As she gestured, he took his eyes off her, scanning the treeline. .:Raika, what's wrong?:. OOC: @The UltimoScorp @TL01 NUVA IC: Askha, Somei & Hambra - Hanaloi Observatory As the group approached the grove, the disguised Kaazi broke formation, searching around the trees, or resting against them. This was the boundary of one of the Mashtet's 'forbidden places,' and Hambra had commanded her warriors that she wasn't about to be the first leader to break it. It was unnerving seeing a rahkshi leaning nonchalantly against a tree trunk. The expedition Menti strode past them into the grove; there wasn't much in the way of undergrowth, as it had been choked out by the large trees. Scattered rays of sunlight dappled the carpet of leaves, and Fanai could make out a path of stepping stones leading to a massive central tree. The base of the massive tree could have held a comfortable Sado apartment; indeed, the path ended at a portal with a Dasaka-sized stone door. Askha turned to the others, smiling sheepishly. "Now, uh, just to let y'all know, in the old days we never told anybody about this. The Royal Executioner and the Empress were the only non-Mashtet to know about this place; normally, if anyone found out about this place, we threw them to the Kaazi, who then fed them to the kavinika." Behind them, one of the disguised Kaazi reached her arm past the tree that she leaned against, holding out a thumbs-up. "But," Askha resumed, "Desperate times and all that. Just try to keep this close to our chests. I know you're gonna tell your Toroshu, but if I could keep the secret through my cross-island tavern crawls, I like to think this can remain on the down-low." Somei cleared her throat. "Askha, can you help with with the doors?" "Oh yeah, coming!" The Menti spun on her heel and approached the door. The door was split in half down the middle, and in the center was a small slot. Sighing, Askha retrieved her Mashtet token, glancing at as she remembered when her mother had first taken her to view the observatory. She had only recently begun her training, and had been gravitating away from the Carver path the young Dasaka were started on. Her mother, the Toroshu, had told her that she would see the true power of the Mashtet. She remembered how her mother opened the door, and did likewise: she placed her token inside the recess in the door, sliding it back until the gear teeth caught on the backside of the token. Satisfied, she stood back holding out her hand as she focused her Mindarm; she twisted the token, and the mechanism ground slowly into its unlocked position. She and Somei braced themselves, and telekinetically eased open the doors, which rolled away to either side. Still with her Mindarm, Askha returned her token to its pouch on her belt. Askha once again picked up her aunt on her back. "Lotta climbing," she said as she cocked her head towards the steep, rail-like stair carved into a spiral through a partially-hollow trunk. "That's the only door through, so someone else can take the lead. We didn't leave traps, so it should be safe. I think." OOC: @Mel

IC: Cyrix - Ko-Koro The Le-Toa pulled his scarf back up as he left the Sanctum. Without much haste, he made his way to Aelied's Memorial Garden. He'd leave a message in the usual place for the Kalta's leader. The garden itself was a breath of fresh air, of a sort; when Cyrix pushed through the interior doors, he was greeted by warm humidity. A far cry from the cold, dry Ko-Wahi air; only downside was that the lack of breeze, but greenhouses could only go so far. Exotic ferns, flowering bushes, and small, fruit-bearing trees made up most of the grounds, and if Aelied didn't regularly make the paths clear, it would almost have been mazelike. The central plaza of the garden had several stone benches currently being enjoyed by several de-matoran; Cyrix mused that it was deafening effect beyond even the snow outside, while inside lacked even usual hum of activity from rahi. While ko-matoran locals generally never tarried long in the Memorial Garden, they still welcomed the donations of garden-grown food and herbs. Walking through the garden, Cyrix took in the life. Aelied cycled the plants every so often, so there were flowers he had never seen dotting the greenery along the aisles. One tree would always remain, a relatively large specimen with drooping branches and wide, thin leaves; he could never remember what Aelied had called it. To the former guard, it was the message tree. Making sure that he was hidden from sight, Cyrix plucked a leaf off the tree and used his stylus to scribe a quick message on it, pressing the script into the soft leaf. Then, he slipped the leaf, written side down, under one of the message tree's exposed roots. When he was done, he made his way out, only slightly faster than his meander in. Again, the Le-Toa considered his options. Leaving a bulletin for the gate guards wasn't an option; he didn't want to compromise the search by letting it get back to whoever had been meeting the Cy-Toa at the Sanctum. He could head straight to Onu-Koro, but besides the Cy-Toa himself, he would be even more out of his element... and, technically, his target would be more in his. He frowned, thinking back to the news archive scrolls he had peered through. During his reading, he remembered that there was a consortium of sorts dealing with merchants all over Mata Nui; they were headquartered in Ko-Koro, and had recently chosen a new chairman. Behind his scarf, he smiled as he nodded slightly to himself. There was a non-zero chance these people were involved in this case, if their resources were as they were rumored. Aelied had wanted the team to meet and greet with them on a formal level anyway. Parting the biting wind around him, Cyrix made his way out of the more austere quarters and into the well-restored financial district. The money Tarkahn spent was on full display; Cyrix wondered if the area was even cleaner than it had been before the Legacy had occupied the Koro. The building itself was more subdued than Cyrix had initially expected, but the care taken in the smooth architecture was subtle. Savoring one last breath of chill air, Cyrix opened the door and entered the Cultured Gentry Headquarters. The interior was comfortably heated by modest heatstone lamps; cool enough to not bother ko-matoran, but warm enough to not freeze over. The matoran doorman asked Cyrix to check his weapon; Cyrix obliged, sliding his crossbow off his shoulder by its strap and handing it to the doorman. The ko-matoran secretary swiveled in her chair as the Le-Toa approached. "Can I help you, sir?" "I'm Cyrix of the Toa Kalta. I would like to speak with Chairwoman Niici, if she's in." OOC: @Emzee

IC: Askha, Somei & Hambra - Hanaloi Northern Forest Hambra nodded, looking back into the forest. She whistled sharply and made a sweeping motion with her hand; "Move out," she spoke in Vulgar Taa, "Keep a perimeter around the outsiders." Her warriors, both big and small, nodded and spread out around the visitors, ranging far. The two Dasaka took up similar Rahkshi forms as before and prowled ahead while Hambra lead the outsiders and Mashtet through the underbrush, leaving the path behind. As they walked in silence, listening out for any signs of movement, Askha noted that Hambra's trail intersected and followed game trails every so often; there had been rumors in Sado that a strange madness was starting to come over rahi; were the local kavinika safe? As the underbrush gave way to mossy stone, the incline of their trek steepened. Near the peak, she spotted the distinctive grove that surrounded the Observatory. ::That cluster of old growth, there; we're close.:: OOC: @Mel

IC: Cyrix - Ko-Koro The Le-Toa slid past the caped Ko-Toa on his way out of the library. He had an idea of what he was going to undertake next, but Cyrix figured he would confirm something first. A gust of frigid wind hit him, and Cyrix pulled up his scarf, breathing into it to warm it. He got the feeling that he hadn't gotten everything out of Priicu, something about his forthcoming demeanor and the matoran's own questions for him. No matter, he had enough that just a quick visit to the Sanctum archives would confirm his suspicions. The Cy-Toa had lied about, or at least obscured the fact, that he was leaving for Onu-Koro, and hadn't mentioned any business at the Sanctum, two facts that Cyrix was fairly sure about. Cyrix nodded in greeting to the guards posted as he passed them, making his way deeper into the Sanctum. He felt a pang of pride walking these halls, seeing the reconstruction since his infiltration in the final hours before the Koro was liberated. He was thankful to be even a small part of it. He entered the Archive, signing himself in. As part of the Kalta, he didn't need any permission, but the paperwork remained. All the other names on the list were Ko-Koro citizens or Sanctum officials he recognized; his mystery toa hadn't come through unless he had been impersonating someone. And Cyrix hadn't spotted him sporting a Mahiki. For his reasoning, he wrote that he was checking the list of missing artifacts from the Occupation. He had seen the list before; when the Kalta had been assisting reconstruction, Aelied had taken on the charge of pursuing leads to recover stolen items if they could be found. It fell fairly low on his list of priorities, but it was a task the Toa Kalta could pursue. Truthfully, Cyrix thought that if any were going to turn up, it was going to be in some of the preexisting ruins of Ko-Koro, rather than secreted off to Mangaia. Trinkets were likely added to some private hoards, and were more likely to show up in private auctions or stashed away somewhere. As he was going through the motions checking the list with descriptions, his breath froze as he realized something; the frozen droplets drifted down as the air stopped. If his quarry hadn't been here at the Archives, it was likely he was talking with someone else at the Sanctum. If he was an agent of Onu-Koro or similar, he might have been meeting with an informant; someone within the Sanctum's power structure. A functionary, a guard, some other official... He had to get to the bottom of this. But he had to keep this a secret, Kalta eyes only. He would have to tell Aelied, but he was still in his meeting; Cyrix would have to leave a message at the Memorial Garden. On his way out of the Archives, he glance at the volumes upon volumes of scrolls. He was glad it wasn't his job to categorize them; the scribes still weren't done with an inventory after the occupation.

IC: Skorm - Dark Walk, Alone When he saw the light, Skorm crept to a halt. Slowly, he eased off his power, setting the earth and debris down and recalling his light stone. He focused on the light as he capped his lightstone and activated his Huna. At least this was unlikely to be a Rahkshi; he doubted creatures of shadow would need a fire to keep light. But on the other hand, if this was matoran, why weren't they using a lightstone? As his eyes readjusted to the ambient light, the Ba-Toa prowled around the bend, keeping to the edges of the light where his shadow would not betray him. OOC: @Krayzikk IC: Cyrix - Wise Man's Archive The Le-Toa scratched at his Volitak. He was fairly certain his target had some sort of agenda now. Certainly enough to warrant further investigation. He doubted the librarian was obscuring any further information he could use. After sorting the material he had been reading neatly, he sat up, creating a small breeze that carried his newly minted membership card into his waiting hand. "I think I have all I need. If you remember anything, or if anything else comes up, please get in touch with myself or Toa Aelied." He ran over the next steps in his head. He would have to let Aelied know about all this when his meeting was over; he could do some investigation at the Sanctum to see if he could find any record of the visitor's business there. Maybe he could catch up with Aelied there. But... not with the Sanctum Guard. He knew the Cy-Toa had lied; if his suspicions were true, it could mean they were unaware of the threat... or, worse, someone on the inside was working with his quarry. This should remain an... internal matter. OOC: @ARROW404

IC: Askha, Hambra, Somei - North Hanaloi Somei composed herself, dropping the illusion from Fanai. Hambra shifted slightly as she did so to note the new appearance, but did not react with surprise as the other Kaazi did. The Datsue noted a softness in her expression that was quickly covered up again. The Jahagir shouldered her staff glancing up the path to the cove before turning to the Dastana. "My last zrupgar is watching your ship. Myself, three zrupgar, and less than a score of koshi zrupgar are the only forces the Kaazi have, and many more that we must defend. We are not leaving our home, not again. Zataka's sons, as you mainlanders are calling them, haven't pressed us since we tore apart their assault force in reprisal. The demons that have returned to Hanaloi have not tried to seek us out. But with your arrival, as well as Clan Kuychar on our southern shore, that might indeed change." Askha opened her mouth to object, then shut it to consider her response. "Jahagir, Hambra, you must have seen the destruction these creatures, the Rahkshi, have wrought on the other islands. These fiends have no other objective than to kill us, to drive us to utter destruction." The imposing Taajar crossed her arms, staring down at the younger Mashtet. Askha returned her defiant gaze. "Truly? That is not what we have noted. These Demons struck centers of possible resistance before sweeping across the land. In their wake, the land itself turns on survivors; savagery not seen in Rahi for an epoch seems to have been renewed. And certain places are fortified. We have recorded the movements of these Demons before we harry them; they are keeping us out of certain places on the island, just as they are protecting the peak of Mount Koshiki." The Mashtet Menti scrunched up her mask in confusion. "Protecting? What are you talking about?" A grim look came over Hambra's kanohi. "Rahkshi are going in and out of your old Mashtet compound daily. We don't know why; I dare not risk my scouts to find out." Askha let the silence hang while she thought. If this was true, it was a troubling development. She turned to Fanai and the Dastana Menti. "We need to get to the Observatory. It was on our list of things to secure, but it's probably the best spot to see what's going on." OOC: @Mel