Abyss
There is nothing down there. No joy, no love, no light. Nothing but the drip of falling water and the pounding of hammers.
The stars. The nightlights of a darkened sky. For centuries they have done nothing but good for us. They guide us in our journeys. They light our path when we cannot. They foretell of things to come. For all time Matorankind has been enthralled by the stars.
Times have changed.
Makuta’s reign of terror swept over Mata-Nui. For over two thousand years the Matoran fought bravely against the Makuta and his Rahi. They were driven and slaughtered until only one option remained. Led by Ta-Koro, the Matoran escaped into the ground, leaving the lights of the stars behind them. There, they hoped, they would be safe from Makuta.
When they departed for the tunnels the Turaga combined their remaining powers to seal the island: no being of shadow could walk its shores. Makuta was expelled from Mata-Nui forever. However, the sheer exertion of energy killed the Turaga.
Under the guidance of Jala, Hahli, and others, the Matoran created an extensive tunnel network. They had all that they needed for survival. Slowly, but surely, those who remembered the world above died. The culture of years past slipped away. The Matoran became more technologically capable, and the Undercity became more advanced than even Metru-Nui.
What’s worse, they forgot the stars, they forgot Makuta, and they forgot the three virtues they had fought for. Five hundred thousand years passed in relative peace. Makuta was regarded as a mere myth. The Matoran lived in happiness and harmony.
Until, that is, one Koro went too far.
During one of their expeditions to find more lava, the Ta-Koronans delved too deep. They burst open an underground magma pocket. A pillar of molten rock burst through the cavern roof. The top came crashing down and the lava farmers struggled to escape. Only one survived.
The next Inter-Koro council meeting was tense. Reports of strange Rahi were surfacing all through the Undercity. There was a water shortage. One by one the Koros turned on each other. The Onu-Matoran refused to supply Ga-Koro with protodermis if they didn’t receive water. Le-Koro blamed the Rahi attacks upon the Ta-Koronans, because their miners had opened up a hole to the world above. Ko-Koro withdrew itself from the council without another word and Po-Koro was left to fend for itself amongst an emerging war.
Civil war has sprung up and you are caught in the crossfire. Whatever happened to Unity, Duty, and Destiny? The virtues are dead. You must rely upon your wits and your strength to survive. We have forgotten our past, the present is in shambles, and we might not live to see the future…
Playing the Game
» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Abyss is a six way civil war. You can take up arms as one of the drastically evolved Matoran and fight for your Koro’s sovereignty. Beware. Dangerous Rahi lurk below…
A Player Driven Story
Due to mishaps of my management of The Playground I have decided to ditch the memo system and rely more on a player driven storyline. This way, players will not be so confused if I have to leave for an extended period of time.
I will still start things off and make sure that everything keeps rolling. But that’s mostly it. The players are in charge of the game. If you want to dig to the center of the earth, by all means try it. Just make sure you have a lot of Ta-Matoran with you.
I would also like to point out a few differences between this and the cannon.
• The MU is a planet, not Mata-Nui.
• The Toa were never summoned.
• Matoran have much lower life expectancies
That’s about all I have to say here. Read on!
Locations
» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «In Abyss you have the entire interior of a planet at you disposal. Go exploring, mine new tunnels, dig for jewels or proto. There are several unexplored tunnels that you can use at your pleasure. There are also the more developed areas.
The Undercity: The Undercity is an extensive network of tunnels and caverns, linked by a network of Slides, powered by thousands of Generators, and lit by the glittering of millions of Lightstones. It is divided into three separate levels and further into six Koros.
Surface Caverns: The Surface caverns are the closest Undercity level to the Overworld. These caves are cold and damp. Water often freezes here. The Surface Caverns contain Ko-Koro and the majority of the Ko-Matoran.
Transition Caverns: Housing Po-Koro,Ga,Le, and parts of Onu-Koro the Transition Caverns represent the majority of the Undercity. They are much more temperate than the Surface caverns and therefore are the living quarters for most of the Matoran.
Deep Caverns: The only Matoran that can stand to live here are those of Ta, and a few dwellers of Onu-Koro. The Deep Caverns are filled to the brim with magma. It makes everything unbearably hot. Frequent accidents result in a high mortality rate for those who live here, and pockets of molten rock often burst unexpectedly. A very dangerous place indeed.
Slide Station: I bet you’re wondering right. “What the heck is a slide?” Well I’ll tell you. You’ve heard of chutes. You know what they do. Well a Slide is a chute, only better. You see, there is a certain magnetic mineral, that when dipped in EP becomes self perpetuating (like a bacteria. It copies itself).
Slides are created when this mineral is formed into a half pipe like shape, large enough for a Matoran. The duplication of the Slides are guided until they reach a destination. Then EP is poured along the slide, causing it to revert back to a non-duplicating state. To use one you simply pick out your destination and hop in the corresponding Slide.
Ko-Koro: The chilling air of the Surface Caverns fills the highly advanced realm of Ko-Koro. Icicles hang from the ceiling and Ko-Matoran run too and fro.
Generator Field: Thousands of Lightstone Generators power the Undercity. Lightstones are mined in Onu-Koro and then sent by Slide to the Generator Field. When Lightstones are cracked open they release bursts of energy. This is what fuels the generators. The field is more like a flat cavern with a low hanging ceiling that houses all the generators that the Undercity needs.
Thinking Chambers: Small, rounded caverns that are completely soundproof. They are often the best places to go and meditate or find answers to life’s most puzzling questions.
Sealed Entrance: The tunnel to the Overworld is blocked off by a seal that was placed there by the Turaga. Nothing can get in and out through that way. It is the place where the Matoran first came down into the Undercity.
Po-Koro: Heat from the Deep Caverns floats up to the higher levels and into the region of Po-Koro, making it the warmest area on the middle level by far. The sound of pounding hammers and the whir of machinery fills the air.
Hall of Sculpture: After completing the slavery portion of their right of passage, Po-Matoran must create a sculpture by hand, and place it in the hall. If it is deemed satisfactory, the Matoran truly becomes part of the Koro. The Hall is filled with sculptures big and small. It makes for an impressive sight.
Great Quarry: The Great Quarry one of the few mining areas outside of Onu-Koro and is the largest by far. This is because it is the only place where the minerals necessary to make Slides are mined. The Quarry is often a dangerous place with frequent landslides.
Arena: Situated in the center of Po-Koro, Matoran from all areas come here to test their skills. There are many events, such as swimming, fighting, and running. Every Po-Matoran’s dream is to make it big some day and become an Arena champion.
Ta-Koro: The sweltering heat, the flashes of light, the bangs and clanks of metallic protodermis being pounded out. All are characteristic of Ta-Koro. Magma flows are common, everyday affairs. When one lives deep beneath the earth one has to deal with it.
Foundries: New masks, weapons, and armor are pounded out each day. The gigantic metal structure is always hot to the touch. If an item isn’t satisfactory, they just tossed it back in the magma. A large majority of Ta-Matoran spend their day here.
Harvest Field: A wide cavern filled with molten rock. Lava farmers come there to pipe the liquid out towards the Foundries. The Ta-Matoran work by standing on the pipes, which are suspended several feet above the magma. If you fall, you’re a goner.
Lava Canals: Gigantic pipes used to divert melted rock away from the village of Ta-Koro and to the Harvest Field. They form a large loop around the city. Recently, though they have begun to crack. If they break the results could be disastrous.
Ga-Koro: Ga-Koro is known for its absolute tranquility. One just feels peaceful by simply standing there. You don’t have the hustle and bustle of the other Koros, just the calm flow of the river, and your own thoughts.
Wall of Books: A gigantic wall of organized books. Each book is made of thin stone plates and then archived in the Wall. Making a book is a painstaking process of chiseling out each individual letter. If you break a page you have to start over again. This area serves as the library and archives for the Undercity. Several sleeping Bohrok had been found early on and their shells put on display at the Wall.
Great Temple: One of the first things that the Matoran did was build a temple to Mata-Nui. It is a large, cone shaped structure situated along the banks of the Endless River. Matoran from across the city come to pay their respects to the Great Spirit.
Endless River: A cool, calm river that flows down from the surface. No one knows exactly where it comes from, though some speculate its source is Lake Naho. In any case, Matoran are forbidden to travel up or down river, lest they “disturb the sacred source”. In recent times, the river has dried up, leaving the Undercity short on water.
Le-Koro: Le-Koro is the most humid of all of the section of the Undercity, as well it should be. It is nearby the Endless River and very close to the Deep Caverns. Therefore there is an abundance of subterranean plant life that thrives amongst the happy go lucky folks of the village of air.
Great Dam: Over the years, the Le-Matoran secretly constructed a dam across the Endless River. Thus adding fuel to the fire of war. It is a large structure that completely blocks the flow of the river. To stop their Koro from being flooded, they built a tunnel that diverts the water away from the Undercity and towards the center of the earth.
Forest of Stone: The remains of an ancient forest were long ago petrified by time. The Le-Koronans discovered it and painstakingly carved out each tree and plant. Now several kio of trees have been uncovered and more are being found all the time. The best estimates say that there are at least three hundred to seven hundred more kio of trees left.
Matau’s Mushrooms: Who in the world was Matau and why would someone name mushrooms after him? No body knows anymore, but they do know that the mushrooms along the river bank supply the city with large amounts of medicinal items and food. Some of the mushrooms reach as large as three hundred bio, growing bigger as the cavern erodes away. The Undercity does not have those fancy things like Metru-Nui where you can absorb energy from them. They rely on actual food and minerals for sustenance.
Onu-Koro: By far the largest of all six Koros, Onu-Koro stretches through the Transition and Deep Caverns, and out far beyond the Undercity. Its mines provide the city with the majority of its needs. You’ll find that it is among the busiest of Koros. The hubbub can be quite annoying if you are not from around there.
Great Mine: The largest portion of Onu-Koro is contained within the Great Mine. It is here that they mine such essential substances as EP, Proto, and Lightstones. Unlike the Quarry in Po-Koro, the Onu-Koronans have built an incredibly stable mine that has nary seen a collapse in millennia. Instead of relying on new fangled things such as Slides, they utilize Ussal Crabs to cart their rocks to and fro.
Plate Rift: At the edge of Onu-Koro is the Plate Rift. It is the site of the great collision between two continental plates. There have been frequent earthquakes in this area. Around here the mine has stopped expanding. Unless they can get through or around it somehow, progress has ceased.
Ussal Hatchery: While the rest of the Undercity uses slides, Onu-Koro still does things the old fashioned way. Ussals haven’t changed much, only grown larger and stronger due to selective breeding. This is the place where all the eggs are laid. Players may come here to receive an Ussal as a reward from the staff.
Factions
» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Ko-Koro
The only Koro to have maintained a semblance of neutrality in the war. The reason being that every Koro has to come to them for the Enhancers necessary for successful battle. Ko-Koronans like their peace and quiet. However, a small minority has sprung up that feels like they must protect Ko-Koro’s interests at all costs.
Ko-Koro is the most technologically advanced of all six Undercity Koros. It was Ko-Koronans who invented the Enhancers, the Slides, and the Generators. They can instantly shut off power and supplies to any other Koro with just a flick of a switch. Whoever controls Ko-Koro controls the outcome of the war.
Included Locations:
• Surface Caverns
• Generator Field
• Thinking Chambers
• Sealed Entrance
Ko-Matoran: Over time the Matoran evolved in their underground caverns. They became more adapted to their surroundings. The Ko-Matoran in particular have spent so much time exercising their minds that they have developed a form of weak telekinesis.
Pros:
• Ko-Matoran have weak telekinetic powers that allows them to move small objects.
• Ko-Matoran are more powerful at using Enhancers.
• Resistance to the cold of surface caverns.
Cons:
• Ko-Matoran are less physically capable in all areas. They are generally slower and weaker than most Matoran.
• Susceptible to the intense heat of lower caverns.
• Like most Matoran, their eyesight has deteriorated to the point where light is painful to the extreme.
Po-Koro
Work, work, work is the motto of Po-Koro. The village of stone was dragged into the conflict when the other Koros demanded the use of Po-Matoran slaves in battle. Po-Koronan representatives refused and instead called all Po-Matoran back home and away from the mines and workhouses. This enraged the other Koros, fueling the flames of war.
Po-Matoran are highly nationalistic. The will of their Koro Leader is above all other authorities. They will push themselves to death if it means fulfilling his wishes. Po-Koronans sell themselves as slaves as part of their right of passage. Whoever works the hardest is awarded, while lazy workers are publicly humiliated. They are often regarded as the least intellectual of the Koros, but never underestimate the sheer will power of a Po-Matoran.
Included Locations:
• Transition Caverns
• Hall of Sculpture
• Great Quarry
• Arena
Po-Matoran: Over time the Matoran evolved in their underground caverns. They became more adapted to their surroundings. The Po-Matoran strive to be the strongest, the best worker. Therefore, over time, they evolved into the most physically powerful of all Matoran. However, their mental discipline is woeful and so they are unable to utilize Enhancers.
Pros:
• Strongest Matoran by far. Po-Matoran have the strength of a Kanohi Pakari.
• They are able to endure without food or water for the longest time.
Cons:
• Only able to use one type of Enhancer.
• Like most Matoran, their eyesight has deteriorated to the point where light is painful to the extreme.
Ta-Koro
The blazing hot village of fire led the way down into the ground, but now is facing heated accusations. Since their farmers opened up a hole to the surface, Rahi flocked in and began attacking Matoran furiously. Now the other Koros have turned on Ta-Koro with a vengeance.
Amazingly though, Ta-Koro was the first to mobilize its army. Over the years the Ta-Koronans had developed a unique code, that one used by pounding the ground in rhythm using a small hammer. The messages can travel for miles, and every Ta-Matoran understands the code. Within less than an hour the Guard was ready for battle.
Included Locations:
• Deep Caverns
• Foundries
• Harvest Fields
• Lava Canals
Ta-Matoran: Over time the Matoran evolved in their underground caverns. They became more adapted to their surroundings. The Ta-Matoran are probably the least changed. They live in practically the same environment as before. Lava, foundries, heat, light. The only difference is that they’ve built up a hard skin that protects them from even more extreme environments and serves as a natural armor.
Pros:
• Resistance to extreme temperatures.
• Eyesight has not deteriorated. Light does not hurt them.
• Thick skin allows them to take quite a beating in battle.
Cons:
• Unable to see well in the dark. They must take a light source with them.
• Not very fast at all.
Ga-Koro
Ga-Koro has been experiencing water shortages for quite some time now. It appears that the underground river has dried up. This has made the whole Undercity desperate, and they accuse Ga-Koro of hoarding water from them. When the Onu-Koronans demanded water a fight broke out between the two groups that escalated to war.
The village of water represents the spiritual portion of the Undercity. Matoran of all Koros used to come and read books or sit by the tranquil water. The Great Temple is housed here. Being head of the Matoran’s religion, the Ga-Koronans exert great influence upon their subjects. Most of the Ga-Matoran believe that they will be blessed by Mata-Nui if they exterminate the other Matoran. Ga-Koro has the largest army out of all the Koros.
Included Locations:
• Transition Caverns
• Wall of Books
• Great Temple
• Endless River
Ga-Matoran: Over time the Matoran evolved in their underground caverns. They became more adapted to their surroundings. The Ga-Matoran are those who has evolved the most. They have grown webbed hands and feet, and are now amphibious. Their skin has also grown paler, and is more of a lighter blue.
Pros:
• Swift swimmers
• Able to breathe underwater
• Second best control over Enhancers
Cons:
• Slow land speed
• Webbed hands make for awkward weapon usage
• Like most Matoran, their eyesight has deteriorated to the point where light is painful to the extreme.
Le-Koro
If one group was the catalyst behind the war it was Le-Koro. They had secretly been preparing for it for years. They slowly built a dam across the Endless River, gradually ending the flow of water. Their Koro Leader pulled strings behind the scenes and reignited old feuds. When the war finally came they marched head on to Ta-Koro, but were repelled by an equally prepared Guard. Now Le-Koro is the largest Muaka in the room, the one that all the other Muakas want to take out first.
Le-Koro is situated along the Endless River towards the lower side of the Middle Caverns. It’s rather humid there compared to the rest of the Undercity; large underground mushrooms sprout up from the ground. Prepared correctly, these mushrooms can make a healing elixir or a deadly poison.
Included Locations:
• Transition Caverns
• Great Dam
• Forest of Stone
• Matau’s Mushrooms
Le-Matoran: Over time the Matoran evolved in their underground caverns. They became more adapted to their surroundings. The Le-Matoran, avid climbers on the surface, became even better at it over time. Eventually they developed tiny barbs on their hands and feet (like Geckos) that allows them to scale any surface at any angle. That and their trademark stealth makes them deadly assassins.
Pros:
• Able to climb structures and walls
• Smaller and more agile than the other Matoran.
Cons:
• Not very strong or durable.
• Like most Matoran, their eyesight has deteriorated to the point where light is painful to the extreme.
Onu-Koro
Onu-Koro’s entry into the war was because of Le-Koro. They told the Onu-Koronans that Ga-Koro was withholding water purposefully. Because of that, they refused to ship protodermis to the Ga-Koronans unless they received the same weight in water. When Ga-Koro refused, the Onu-Koronans attacked.
There are two ways people describe Onu-Koronans. One is: Angry hermits who just want to be left alone. The other being: Aggressive miners who also want to be left alone. Both descriptions would be accurate. Onu-Koro is an extensive network of protodermis mines filled with angry mining hermits who want to be left alone. Attack them and they attack you. Kill them and they kill you. They’re very fair in that regard.
Included Locations:
• Transition Caverns
• Deep Caverns
• Great Mine
• Plate Rift
• Ussal Hatchery
Onu Matoran: Over time the Matoran evolved in their underground caverns. They became more adapted to their surroundings. The Onu-Matoran just continued on the trend of evolution they were already on. Eventually they went completely blind. Their other senses heightened and they grew whisker like feelers. Their backs are hunched over.
Pros:
• Heightened senses other than touch.
• Feelers are able to sense any movement several feet away
Cons:
• They move awkwardly and slowly.
• Absolutely zero ability to swim.
Miscellaneous
» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Enhancers
Right now you may be thinking “Matroanz r booring!1 they haze noe powarz!” Well if you haven’t noticed, each of the Matoran has evolved some special attributes according to their species. Then you get the Enhancers.
Invented by a Ko-Matoran, Enhancers unlock small amounts of the latent Elemental Power present in every Matoran. They are small earpieces that resemble Bluetooth devices. What they do is amplify the Matoran’s brain waves and use them to control a specific element.
This element is not limited to any specific Matoran. IE: A Ga-Matoran could control heat. Rather, each Enhancer amplifies a certain brain wave for different effects. You can only use one Enhancer at a time, but can switch between them (like the masks in a suva) when you gain more. You cannot absorb the element that the Enhancers control. There is also one more limitation of Enhancers. You cannot create an element. It must be in the immediate area for you to control it.
These are the different types of Enhancers.
Heat: The ability to control heat allows dominion over both ice and lava, albeit in a round about way. You can reduce or increase the amount of heat in any area at any given time. Technically, if you had the materials available, you could create fire.
Water: This is pretty much self explanatory, and functions like a Toa of Water’s power would. You can draw moisture from the air, or control existing pools of water.
Air: Also very obvious what it does. Control over air. This does not grant flight.
Ground: This is a combination of both earth and stone elemental powers. You can control both types at the same time. This is the only Enhancer that Po-Matoran can use.
Enhancers in a nutshell:
• Four types: Heat, Water, Air, Ground
• You start with one and are rewarded others at the discretion of the staff.
• You can only use one at once
• You cannot absorb the element
• You cannot create your element. You must use it while it is around you.
• Po-Matoran can only use the Ground Enhancer.
I think that covers everything on the subject of Enhancers.
P.E.A
A P.E.A is a Personal Evolutionary Ability. Basically if you were a Toa this would be your mask power. It is your own creative idea for skillz and powarz for your Matoran. You can be as creative with these as you like, up to a certain extent.
The rules that govern P.E.As are as follows:
• No control over elements. Enhancers already do that.
• Keep it within reason. You as a player should be able to tell when a P.E.A is g-modding or not. Please don’t make me tell you.
• You must have a backstory that explains how you got your P.E.A If it is not satisfactorily explained I will ask you to re write it.
• Only one. That’s all you get per character. Choose wisely.
Weapons and Tech
More advanced than Metru-Nui means exactly what it says. You can go as sci-fi as you want with your weapons and technology. Lasers and nanotechnology are common in the Undercity. However, there is a limit to all things. If your weapons are deemed g-moddy you will be asked to tone them down. Remember, you are only allowed what you can carry easily.
Ussal Crabs
As a reward players may receive their very own Ussal Crab. Over the course of the RPG your crab will advance from egg, to juvenile, to adult. Ussals are like an extension of the player and are governed by the same rules that PCs are.
Perhaps there are other vehicles that players may earn….
Joining the Game
» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Profiles
You may have 3 characters to start. To submit your profile, post it in the Discussion Topic for approval. Once it is approved you may post it in the Profiles Topic.
[b]Username:[/b]
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Faction:[/b]
[b]Matoran Type:[/b] (Matoran type does not have to correspond with your faction)
[b]PEA:[/b] (Like a mask power. Keep it within reason.)
[b]Enhancer:[/b] (Only one to start)
[b]Weapons:[/b] (As many as is possible for your char to carry)
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Bio:[/b]
Rules and Rewards
• All BZP rules apply.
• No G-Modding: For newer players this means that you can’t do anything outside of the realms of reason. No flying Ussals for example.
• No Spamming: This is posting anything inside the RPG that does not relate in some way to the RPG.
• No Flaming: Seriously, nobody wants to hear you rant about everything from cheese to pie. If you feel angry don’t take it out on us. Go throw a temper tantrum somewhere else. If there is a dispute, take it up with the staff and we’ll try to sort it out.
• Distinguish between IC (In Character) and OOC (Out of Character)
• Do not act like staff and reprimand other players. We as staff have probably noticed these problems and are getting to them. There is no need for you to do our job. If you feel there is a problem with a certain player then PM staff and we will take care of it for you.
• Follow all staff rulings without argument.
• Players are obligated to give recaps or answer questions when requested. This is less of a rule and more of general RPing etiquette.
• Do not control other PCs (Playable Characters) without permission of the player.
• Do not kill PCs without the permission of the player.
• Do not create NPCs (Non Playable Characters) without explicit permission from the staff.
Rewards: For being a good RPer you could get one of many things.
• Extra Chars
• Ussals
• Vehicles
• Enhancers
• Weapons
Punishment: I hope I don’t have to deal this out. I will punish you based on the context of the offence.
Staff
Exo-Fat
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