Nuju Metru

The Wahi: Ko-Wahi is the region of Ice on the island of Mata Nui. It encompasses Mount Ihu, the largest mountain of Mata Nui, beginning in the north at the foothills of the mountain by Onu-Wahi and ending where the mountain merges into the Mangai Volcano, separated by the Tren Krom Break. The entire region is covered in ice and snow; the mountain is largely inhospitable, with only a few species of Rahi being able to successfully survive there. Among the more dominant features of Ko-Wahi are two massive glaciers, separated by a sturdy block on which resides Ko-Koro. The Drifts, massive, nearly featureless snowfields that experience almost constant storm, dominate most of the upper part of the mountain. The most hazardous section of the Drifts is known as the Wastes. Local landmarks include: -Mount Ihu: A snow-covered mountain in Ko-Wahi, and the largest of several peaks in the region. -The Drifts: Also known as the Wastes. A snowy region situated on Mount Ihu. Blinding blizzards come often, causing any who venture here to easily become lost, so Ko-Matoran use red flags to find their way. -The North March: A pass on the bordering the Tren Krom Break on the Ko-Wahi side. There is a cable car to travel from the slopes of Mount Ihu to Ta-Wahi. -The Massif: A small village at the foot of a great stone half dome with a monastery at its top, the Massif is a place of solitude that some Matoran call home. -Ihu-Koro: A small highland Koro, this is the main site for mining Rena ore. -The Academy and Hospital: A center for learning and aid, this pair of complexes is home to several great scholars and scientists who are happy to give their experience for others. New Toa can go there to become better heroes and the sick and wounded can be healed at the hospital. The complex is located a short walk from Ko-Koro and is also connected to the village by an underground ice passage. -The Dark Walk: One of six large tunnels dug by Makuta’s Rahkshi during the final days of his rule. Large enough to encompass a walking legion, it runs directly from the doorstep of the Koro down into Mangaia. Exudes a definite aura of odiousness, and is generally avoided. The Koro: During the days when Ko-Koro was led by Akiri Matoro, the Ko-Matoran built it into a veritable mountain fortress, a far cry from the humble monastic village from the days of Makuta. Tall walls, sprinkled with guard parapets, look out on the icy expanses around and define the village's edge. Massive bridges of ice, many of which are lined with small shops and tourist traps, span over a huge crevasse. These bridges connect the opposite walls of the village, and these walls are holed out for many more shops and living spaces. A central complex on a flat portion of the village, filled with domed huts not unlike those seen elsewhere on the island, serves as the Koro's trade hub. The towering Sanctum, once only a temple, was expanded into be a majestic citadel of ice that houses not only the ancient Wall of Prophesy but also living spaces and armories. But Ko-Koro is no longer in good hands. Akiri Matoro was assassinated, and not long thereafter an army of darkness, led by the Dark Toa Echelon, assaulted and overtook the Koro. Now, Ko-Koro is known as the village of evildoers, ruled by Echelon with an iron fist. Rogues of all varieties populate the Koro, trading words, wits, goods, and blows... when the tight security, imposed by Echelon, doesn't keep them in check. His cronies guard the gate at all times, allowing only those who state their name and business to enter freely. The damages dealt to the Koro's defenses during the battle have all, by now, been repaired, leaving it as formidable as before. The village is fueled by power siphoned from windmills that litter the extreme heights of the stronghold and other peaks of the mountain. These windmills power electric bulbs that light the village’s arches and buildings with white light at night. Wind electricity is also funneled towards powering an aural security system, consisting of a few large, crude microphones at the outskirts of the Koro that can be monitored from within the guard buildings. These allow the operators to hear approaching bodies even over the roar of icy storms.

The Wahi: Ta-Wahi, located near the southeastern side of Mata Nui, is the part of the island in which the Ta-Matoran work and live and Toa Tahu once resided. The skies always have a dark tint from the volcanic ashes in the air, and glowing lava pools and streams illuminate the earth with amber light. Its landscape is mainly charred jungle, a molten wasteland defined by igneous canyons and the slow trickle of lava from the powerful Mangai Volcano above. Local landmarks include: -The Charred Forest: A section of Ta-Wahi that was burned to charcoal by the Makuta in one of his early attacks on the Matoran of Mata Nui. It is easy to get lost, so several of the locals have marked paths among the trees, which can be seen only by a practiced observer. -Mangai Volcano: A volcano near Ta-Koro, which is situated at roughly the center of the island. The lava flows from this volcano spread almost directly north to the sea, leaving ashen wasteland wherever they go. -Tren Krom Break: A deep ravine, containing a lava river where Ignalu surfing competitions are often held. Turaga Vakama named it after the legendary figure Tren Krom. The ravine separates Ko-Wahi and Ta-Wahi, and is bridged by an ancient cable car. It is to note that the Ta-Koro Guard occupied an outpost here to defend against the Rahi threat during the days of Makuta. The outpost was abandoned when Jaller was forced to fall back behind the city, and it remains abandoned to this day. -Ta-Wahi Beach: The easternmost edge of the Wahi meets the sea with a relatively peaceful black sand beach. Seabirds fill the skies with their cries, and a jutting cliff to one edge bears an archaic telescope atop it, with which travelers can observe the heavens better than anywhere else on the island. -The Piraka Clubhouse: A bungalow built from scrap metal and driftwood, close to the stretch of beach where their stolen submarine made land, this is the hideout of the six Piraka. If the fence, the sign (“STAY OUT! Especially if you’re Reidak Thok Vezok”), and the dangerous aura don’t dissuade you from entry, then maybe you do deserve to die. -The Dark Walk: One of six large tunnels dug by Makuta’s Rahkshi during the final days of his rule. Large enough to encompass a walking legion, it runs directly from the doorstep of the Koro down into Mangaia. Exudes a definite aura of odiousness, and is generally avoided. The Koro: Led by Akiri Jaller, Ta-Koro is a unique city, built in the center of the Lake of Fire and in the shadow of the explosive Mangai Volcano. The Koro, built on a protruding rock above the lava lake, is comfortable despite its relative smallness. The villagers of Ta-Koro are reassured by their location and the security it affords them; Ta-Koro is quite possibly the safest village on the island. Ta-Koro is incredibly hard to attack not only due to its high walls and skilled guard, but also because it is impossible to cross the Lake of Fire without the use of a movable stone bridge, the controls to which lie in the Koro’s highly guarded gatehouse. The village has a central courtyard lined with shops and apartments. The Ta-Koro guard will not stand crime in the streets; those who break the law are confined in Ta-Koro’s dungeons, carved into the volcanic rock below the main city and guarded strictly. The great hall once used by Vakama now serves as Jaller’s abode. It is always occupied by a vibrant bonfire and the Wall of History, where legends have been engraved since before living memory. With the help of engineers from Onu-Koro, Ta-Koro learned to harness the power of the volcano. A geothermal energy plant powers the entire village. Pumps located underneath the city are constantly absorbing lava and hot fumes from below, funneling them into a power plant’s generator. Electricity, new streetlights, and intra-Koro transportation – a steady monorail wrapping around the outer ring, recently repaired to working order after a sabotage attempt – are all fuelled by the power plant. The Ta-Matoran have also started and dig into the dangerous Mangai Volcano for precious mineral ores like iron, which they then smelt. With this influx of innovation and industry, Akiri Jaller has expanded the military might of the village and has stockpiled vast quantities of weapons in its armories.

The Area: Kini-Nui is situated at roughly the center of the island of Mata Nui. On the surface, this area is a jungle of tall trees and chattering wildlife. The main superficial landmark is the Kini-Nui temple, an ancient structure that houses the Suva Kaita, one of the main routes into Makuta’s former lair, Mangaia. Most of the importance of the area, though, is deep below the earth in the sinister halls where Makuta once dwelled. Despite the evil being’s absence, this region is still tense; not only is it the most likely place to run into feral Rahkshi, but Mangaia also bears a residual aura that still makes the back of necks tingle. Local landmarks include:[/font] -The Kini-Nui Temple: a dome-like stone protrusion from the earth with four large spires extending into the heavens at each corner, the Kini-Nui temple is difficult to reach. It resides in a clearing in the jungle, and in the middle of its upper platform is the Suva Kaita. The Toa Maru closed the Suva Kaita after their defeat of Makuta. -The Amaja-Nui: A circular sandpit that was once used by the wise Turaga of Mata Nui to retell legends. It resides between a large, ivy-covered bust of a Matoran head and the Kini-Nui temple. Mangaia: Makuta’s former lair is a maze of dark passageways and huge chambers. It has several entrances: one below the Suva Kaita, one through the Suva Nui in Le-Koro, and six long Dark Walk tunnels branching straight from a central chamber in Mangaia to the doorsteps of each Koro are some to name. Even though the dark artifacts that used to inhabit the chambers of the caverns – many of which were unspeakable horrors – have all been long since destroyed or cast into the sea by the Toa Maru, a distinct air of danger still lingers down here. Lights carried by those either brave or stupid enough to descend into Mangaia seem to have less effect in its passageways than in other dark places, though there are some chambers illuminated still by blood-red lightstones. Makuta’s Rahkshi, no longer under his control, still tend to gravitate towards the dark places of the island, and there is nowhere darker than Mangaia. Several wild Rahkshi stake out their own caves and attack any who get too close, or who are unfortunate enough to pass them in the stony corridors. Some rooms are blocked behind thick doorways; whether such doors are viewed as invitations or as warnings varies on the explorer in question, but ominous sounds from behind them tend to drive most would-be enterers away. Sinister echoes seem to come quietly from everywhere. The main attraction that compels surface dwellers to enter Mangaia is what is assumed to be an ancient Vault that was used by Makuta. It is a huge, impregnable doorway – with no hinges, seams, or keyhole – that is situated in the middle of the deepest level of Mangaia. Rough maps sketched of the tunnels around it leave a huge cavity empty; the Vault, common sense dictates, must fill this void. A riddle is carved into the Vault’s smooth door implies that it can be opened, though none have yet succeeded: Across an endless ocean Beyond where minds can see My key lies in the open Where you will never be Beneath the brightest thunder Stand towers of the day The light may break asunder If night skies choose obey The red sign on black eyes Will lead you to your prize In the recent past, what seems to be a second entrance to the Vault was discovered; this entrance, though, can no more be breached than the impregnable stone slab below it. In the ceiling of the chamber where the Vault’s main door is housed, there is an opening large enough for a Toa to squeeze through, and on the other side of this aperture is a long, round-cut passage dotted with the open faces of geodes. The tunnel is not unoccupied; standing sentinel before its maw is a large and dangerous machine that calls itself the “Abettor.” Any who try to pass the Abettor by force are never seen again; however, brave souls have been able to question the guardian and escape with their lives intact. What exactly lies within the Vault is a total mystery, as so far nobody has managed to open it. However, according to tidbits gleaned from the Abettor – by now, these are common knowledge around the island – it holds some of Makuta’s potent old trophies, as well as “all the simplest power of the world.”

Two notes: 1) Some super cool concept art, wrought by our own super-skilled Vezok's Friend, has been added to the Dasaka Master Reference Post. 2) I'll be posting the location topics within the next few minutes. Only once I post in this topic again will the game be officially opened.

The Dasaka Master Reference Post (DMRP) The Dasaka are the BZPRPG's Toa, Turaga, and Matoran of Psionics. They come from the Kentoku Archipelago, and as such their society and culture are very different from those of the Toa of Mata Nui. Below you'll find all you need to know about Dasaka history, culture, powers, and more. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Definitions Kentoku Society & History Three Virtues Castes Gender Imbalance Menti Powers Clans Individuals of Note Visual Aspects of Culture ~~~ 1. LIST OF DEFINITIONS Dasaka (DAH-suh-kah): the species equivalent of Toa, but also an umbrella name for the species as a whole. Dasaka individuals can be learned in up to four disciplines of the mind depending upon rank and experience. Dashi (DAH-shee): the species equivalent of Matoran, but also the name for the working class and the title for those in that class. Dastana (Dah-STAH-nah): a relatively new clan that is a conglomeration of merchants and businesspeople. Datsue (DAHT-soo-ay): the species equivalent of Turaga. These are revered elders who exist outside the social hierarchy. Generally retain some of the disciplines of the mind. Fursic (FURR-sick): an old and powerful clan with a history of insubordination. Kentoku (ken-TOE-koo): the archipelago of islands on which Dasaka society lives. Menti (MEN-tee): the warrior class, and the title for those in that class; descriptor for a being trained in one or more psionic disciplines. Ringti (RING-tee): the artisan class, and the title those in that class. Rora (ROE-rah): the empress of the Kentoku Archipelago; almost always a Datsue individual. The next in line to be Rora is known as the Chojo (SHOW-joe). Saihoko (seye-HO-koh): the merchant and nautical class, and the title those in that class. Can be abbreviated to "Hoko," an offensive term. Toroshu (toh-roh-SHOO): a member of the nobility with command over a clan. Second only to the Rora in terms of authority, though oftentimes the military clout of a Toroshu will be stronger than that of the Rora. Toroshu are usually Dasaka individuals. Umbraline (UMM-brah-lean): an ancient clan currently in charge of the Dasaka Empire. ~~~ 2. KENTOKU SOCIETY & HISTORY Civilization on the Kentoku Archipelago is a highly regulated matriarchal machine. From the Rora, the empress, down to the lowliest Saihoko fisherwoman, every Dasaka knows her place and her duty within the machine. Law is strict, but usually benevolent. Tradition and respect are highly valued. Society on the Archipelago is defined by bloodlines, which supersede almost everything else. Dasaka owe loyalty to their families, and as such society is divided into interrelated clans – made up of one or more families, each led by a female Toroshu – all vying for power. Blood bonds, courtship, and fleeting alliances define the political game among the notable clans, a game that is played beneath the watchful eye of the Rora. In the ancient past, though, the Archipelago was without a presiding empress. The Dasaka clans of ages ago were like prides of lions: wild, and led by warring males. Impulsive, quick to anger, and with little regard for the lives of their female soldiers, the warlords battled over everything from lands to mere swords. Though the warlords were strong - their mental powers were unconstrained by the modern disciplines - their haughty pride blinded them to the growing discontent of their subjects. Unified by the First Mother (who, legend has it, was in fact the Great Spirit Zuto Nui, descended from the sky) the Datsue elders of all the clans of Kentoku met in secret and arranged the overthrow of the males. There followed a revolution, and the first sovereign Council of Datsue assumed power. For a good while, a Datsue Council presided over all the clans. The peace that endured under the rule of the Datsue was uneasy, though; bad blood between the clans still ran deep, and the lieutenants of the old warlords were not without ambition. Using the Datsue's frailty, scholarly tendencies, and military impotence against them, these lieutenants turned the opinion of their clans against the Datsue Council, and cooperatively staged a coup. Thus, the first Toroshu came to power. Though they had scorned the Datsue's leadership, the Toroshu kept in place many of the Datsue Council's innovations that benefited them, including the subjugation of males, and the separation of the Menti Disciplines. It wasn't long before the Kentoku Archipelago was again split by war. The War of the Sea (so named because it was bottomless) was waged across generations, and many honorable clans perished in the struggle. When peace was finally reached, the remaining Toroshu decided to elect an empress, one who could act as arbiter for their future disputes and prevent such a war from ever happening again. The impartial matriarch of Clan Umbraline, seen by most of the Toroshu as wise and calm, was chosen; the ambitious Toroshu of Clan Fursic, whose armies had won the war, never forgave the insult to her family. The rule of the Umbralines has continued ever since. Punctuated here and there by Fursic uprisings and attempted coups, and the occasional inter-clan war, the age of the Rora has been one of prosperity upon the Kentoku Archipelago. ~~~ 3. THREE VIRTUES The Dasaka, like the Matoran, hold three virtues paramount. The Dasaka’s virtues, like the Dasaka themselves, might seem at a glance to be a warped reflection of what exists on Mata Nui. The Dasaka do not, in fact, revere the Great Spirit Mata Nui; they venerate a completely different Great Spirit, Zuto Nui, and they fear her sister, the evil Zataka. Zuto Nui's three virtues, the central pillars of Kentoku society, are as follows: Order – Always respect your place on the social ladder, in the family, and in the clan. Never go against the caste system or cause entropy in society. Power – Strive to be better than you are, stronger than you are; become as powerful and resilient you can become. Always act to improve yourself and your clan. Honor – Make your actions reflect positively on your clan and your fellow Dasaka. Give elders, betters, and teachers the respect that they are due. Be humble, be courteous, and be courageous. ~~~ 4. CASTES When it comes to loyalties in Kentoku society, family ties are superseded only by the Archipelago’s long-standing caste system. There are four castes in Kentoku society: Menti, Dashi, Ringti, and Saihoko. Menti (Warrior Class: mostly Dasaka, and the rare Datsue) The warrior caste of society, and the highest tier. While this entire caste is generally referred to as “Menti”, within this caste there are three further ranks: Rora, Toroshu, and Menti Warrior. At the very top of the Kentoku hierarchy is the Empress, the Rora. While the Rora retains unassailable authority in name and prestige, she has little actual military power, that resting chiefly in the Toroshu below her. In essence, the Rora is a figurehead of the Dasaka species, not its true leader. Nevertheless, what the Rora says carries much weight, as she can bestow punishments or rewards upon anyone she wishes. The Rora acts as an arbiter of inter-clan disputes. Immediately below the Rora in terms of political power are the Toroshu. They are the generals and the diplomatic heads of their respective clans. In practically everything, especially in war, Toroshu hold absolute power, as all Menti warriors are instructed to obey their Toroshu before all else. Under a Toroshu is generally a web of nobility and lieutenants. Menti warriors, the soldiers and guards of the empire, answer directly to their Toroshu both in peace and wartime. Menti warriors are trained in particular disciplines of combat to become deadly soldiers, the muscle of a Toroshu's power. A handful of Menti warriors serve the Rora directly as peacekeepers and guards on Sado. Dashi (Worker Class: generally Dashi) The second tier of society, the Dashi class is comprised of farmers and other manual laborers. Great value is given to those who work, so the simple farmer and peasant are the next-highest rank after the warriors and nobility. According to Kentoku ideals and work ethic, farmers are superior to artisans and merchants because they produce the food that all the other classes depended upon. The Dashi also make up the majority of the population, and therefore represent the near entirety of the workforce and taxable income. The lives of Dashi are simple and safe; it’s seen as extremely dishonorable (and impractical) to slay a Dashi. Ringti (Artisan Class: generally Dashi, and occasionally Dakasa) Third tier of society, the Ringti class is made up of skilled workers. Although artisans produce many beautiful and necessary goods, such as clothes, cooking utensils, weapons, etc, they are considered less important than the farmers. Even skilled weapon makers and boat wrights belong to this third tier of society on the archipelago.The artisan class lived in its own section of the major cities, segregated from the Menti (who usually lived in the Toroshu's castles), and from the lower merchant class. They usually live comfortably, as imperial quotas and tariffs regulate the supply and demand for goods, and a profit is almost always turned. The Dasaka individuals in the Ringti class are usually crystal smiths, who use their abilities as Mindarms and Soulswords to craft fine crystal objects, such as buildings and weapons. There is a specialized school in Sado that trains crystal smiths to apply Menti powers to delicate tasks. Ringti inventors are treated with fickleness by society. The Menti leaders are generally adverse to technological advancement, as it goes against tradition, but some of the more shrewd ones are willing to disregard this pride if a truly useful invention, such as the submersible, is created. Ringti generally have thick skin against critics, and so will celebrate these victories rather than wallow in their rejections.Saihoko (Merchant Class: generally Dashi) Merchants occupy the bottom rung of the Dasaka’s feudal society: traveling traders, shopkeepers, and even sailors are placed here. Merchants are ostracized as "parasites" that profit from the labor of the more productive peasant and artisan classes, and despite their essential role in society, most other Dasaka revile them. Not only do merchants live in a separate section of each city; the higher classes are generally forbidden to mix with them, unless on business. Nonetheless, many merchant families are able to amass large fortunes through their hard work and business sense, and force their ways into higher castes. It is common to insult someone by calling them a “Saihoko”, or even “Hoko” for short, representing the lowest of the low.Datsue (Outside class system) The Dasaka species equivalent to the Turaga exist as a general rule outside the caste system, having lived a long time and now retired from their previous careers to become respected advisers and holy women. Their elder status earns them freedom within the Archipelago, and they are free to pursue whatever they wish. While they are an integral part of the traditional Kentoku hierarchy, Datsue are simultaneously above and separate from it. They are the keepers of the history and knowledge on the archipelago, and the ones that perform the spiritual and symbolic ceremonies important to the Dasaka. The Datsue serve those who seek understanding and counsel. They help prepare new Menti for their training and give sage counsel to the young as well as the old. In times of great crisis, it is the Datsue who act as judge and jury, ferreting out the dishonorable and administering justice according to the ancient laws. Most Toroshu work in tandem with a Datsue, relying on the elders as advisers. ~~~ 5. GENDER IMBALANCE Female/Male birth rate – about 40:1 Because of the imbalanced gender ratio on the Kentoku Archipelago, males are rare; as such, they are highly prized within society as both reproducers and aggressive warriors. After a male is born, the Toroshu of his clan isolates him at a young age, sending him to Sado to be trained as a fierce Menti warrior. After extensive training – males are almost always taught in two disciplines of the mind – they are generally assigned as companions or bodyguards to high-ranking females. Only familial First Sons, the eldest males of prominent clans, escape such duties. Ironically, males have virtually no rights save those defined within their specialized role in society; male Dasaka are, due to their value, perhaps the most completely controlled by the caste system. The birth of a male in a family can instantly gain that family status; conversely, the death of a male prior to his apprenticeship will cast a family into the deepest shame. Most females will never have offspring, this task being either regulated to those higher in the caste system or saved as rare gifts for acts of service or bravery. To mate and bear offspring with a male is considered a great honor. ~~~ 6. MENTI POWERS Menti warriors fight using different psionic powers. To limit their warriors' strength as individuals (advancing the virtue of Order) and to turn their Menti warriors into specific tactical weapons, the ancient council of Datsue split Menti training long ago into several different disciplines. The discipline or disciplines a Dasaka will study depends upon her pre-existing affinities and aptitudes – tested at the beginning of her training – and on her rank in society. While no discipline is inherently better the next, students of each tend to believe their practice is the superior one.The higher on the ladder of power one ascends, the more schools are open to be learned. All Menti are trained in at least one school. With more experience and military rank, it is possible for Menti to attain a second discipline. Powerful, exceedingly rare Menti known as Battlemasters are proficient with three; only the heroes of legend were rumored to have been able to use all four psionic powers. The disciplines are as follows: Soulswords, Sighteyes, Mindarms, and Willhammers. Soulsword Discipline (Psychophysical Energy) Allows the user to harness psionic energy and, to an extent, use it in the physical world. A rudimentary and less precise Soulsword ability is to take psionic energy and whip it at foes, most often as a blunt attack. Fully experienced Soulswords, however, can form and mold the same raw psionic energy into a physical weapon, breaking the barrier between mental and physical attacks. The psychophysical weapon produced is made of shimmering, dripping and solid energy, and it can be used in lieu of a normal physical weapon. Soulsword students, however, must choose only one weapon shape to study, as an incredible familiarity with that weapon is essential to its effective use. Soulswords may only summon ONE psychophysical weapon at a time. Weakness of the Discipline: Soulswords’ training in recognizing and resisting other disciplines of the mind – the illusions of Sighteyes and the influence of Willhammers – is minimal, as most of their time is devoted to the rigorous endurance conditioning necessary to maintaining their weapons in extended combat. Soulswords are also rarely aware of the line between their reserves of physical and elemental energy in the heat of battle. Sighteye Discipline (Illusion) Allows the practitioner to create and maintain illusions that can fool all five senses. Sighteyes can make their enemies believe anything they wish by overriding the sensory receivers of that enemy's mind and replacing those feeds of information with fictional information. A Sighteye's illusions are utterly convincing when maintained properly, so much that they can fool the deceived into believing almost anything. A highly trained Sighteye can make themselves basically invisible by replacing their appearance, scent, sound, and etc. with other sensory perceptions. A Sighteye, however, cannot fully eliminate an enemy's senses, only change what they are sensing. Sighteyes can target multiple minds at once, though the more sets of senses they are fooling, the more energy it will take them to do so successfully. Weakness of the Discipline: Sighteyes, when performing convincing illusions, cannot move. To leave the mental plane long enough to even, say, take a step, would immediately break the Sighteye's projected deceptions. Mindarm Discipline (Telekinesis) Allows the practitioner to moving objects by mental force. This schools trains in the art of manipulating physical objects with the mind, and Mindarms are able to lift, push, pull, shove, or throw objects using only their mental prowess. Simple actions, such as throwing objects in battle, are very basic and take little concentration for a Mindarm. More delicate or complex motions, however, require more finesse and focus to be done correctly. Objects in motion, such as projectiles, also take far greater skill to manipulate than static ones. The larger an object that a Mindarm is trying to influence is, the more rapidly it will tire them to move. Limited levitation is possible to advanced Mindarms, who have the ability to lift and toss themselves in a controlled manner. Weakness of the Discipline: Mindarms have the most physically strenuous Menti discipline, since they are often involved in other bodily action at the same time as they are wielding their powers. As such, they tend to burn out relatively quickly. Willhammer Discipline (Mental Entry) Allows the practitioner to see into, enter into, and interact with the minds of other beings. A Willhammer can thus press their will upon others through honeyed thoughts, sheer force, or other forms of mental deception. Willhammers can project emotions, words, images, and subliminal thoughts into their minds of choice, and are as such the only Menti able to converse telepathically with non-Menti (such a conversation occurring inside the mind of the subject). Since Willhammers can more or less see what the subject of their power is thinking, they generally understand the best way to convince others to follow their will on a case-by-case basis. Willhammers can only affect one being at a time. Mental entry is, in its nature, a one-sided negotiation of wills; as such, it does not work automatically. Its power can be resisted if the entered mind has an abnormally strong will or sense of self. Weakness of the Discipline: Willhammers, unless extraordinarily skilled, are hardly ever able to convince their enemies to do exactly what they seek, even if their intended puppet has submitted to the Willhammer's wishes. Their discipline also requires much concentration, and as such restricts most bodily movement. Ideatalk (Telepathy) A minor discipline that allows the practitioner to communicate with other Menti. It is the first skill taught to every Dasaka during their training; as such, all proficient Menti have the ability to "speak" with one another via thought. Telepathic communication basically works like a radio: an individual will project the words/images they wish to communicate onto the mental plane, where others can selectively pick up the “transmission” with mental plane access. Every Menti (indeed, every sapient being) has a different "feel" on the mental plane; this is how when multiple Menti are communicating at once, they can distinguish different streams of consciousness from one another, or sense approaching beings on the mental plane. Telepathy grows more difficult and less accurate as distance increases. ~~~ 7. CLANS While there are dozens of families and clans that inhabit the Kentoku Archipelago, three stand taller than the rest: Clan Umbraline, Clan Fursic, and Clan Dastana. It is these three monolith clans that carry the most political clout, and the actions they take affect all other families in the Empire. Most minor clans loosely ally themselves to whichever of the three leading clans best represents their interests. Clan Umbraline The Umbralines can trace their history, ancestry, and bloodline back to the creation of the Empire, and have held power for a long time. They are staunch defenders of the old ways, a voice arguing for conservative stability in an otherwise tumultuous political scene. Despite making up a minority (albeit a large one) of the Dasaka population, the Umbralines are unquestioningly the most influential of the clans; the current Rora, Yusanora, was the Umbraline family’s matriarch before her ascension, and although her current position separates her from the management of her clan, her favor is still felt. The Umbralines contribute a majority of the Willhammers to the Menti ranks (as this is their clan discipline). While not always adverse to change, the Umbralines are highly conservative, more willing to rely on tried-and-true customs and technology than new inventions and ideas. Umbralines tend to be the diplomats and mediators of the empire. Clan Fursic The Fursics are an old clan with a long history and an even longer list of grievances. Their family has had a grudge against the Umbralines for as long as anyone can remember; they’re resentful of the Umbralines’ power, and frustrated after several failed coups – attempted in the past – by members of their family (which more astute Fursics always try to distance themselves from, calling such acts of infidelity to the Rora “ancient history”). Though less populous than the Umbralines, the Fursics have twice as much land at their disposal, which is ironic since they do not have the numbers to properly care for and defend such vast territory. The Fursics provide to the Empire with many Sighteyes, as this is their clan discipline. Many Dasaka outside the family are convinced that it is through deception and cheating that the Fursics have come to amass and cling to such power within the Empire, even despite their notoriety. Fursics tend to be the informants and spies of the empire. Clan Dastana One of the youngest Clans to come to power, and one of the most unusual, the Dastana Clan are more of a confederacy than one single family. Originally a group of Saihoko, this family became so wealthy and powerful through their shrewd mercantile business and inventions (notably among these, the submersible) that over time they gained enough influence to buy their way into the upper clans. This above all else is the reason that other clans universally despise the Dastana. Nevertheless, there are few that would dare touch them: the Dastana hold the purse strings of the empire. They are neither the most populous nor militarily strong of the clans, but they control the merchant and artisan castes, and therefore hold the majority of the money in the Empire, forcing everyone to put up with them. The Fursics despise the Dastana, while the Umbraline remain cool, if not friendly, with them. The Dastana have, over the last few centuries, provided many Mindarms – their clan discipline – to the Empire, cleverly mated into influential families, and performed acts of political subterfuge (to rival even those of the Fursics) on their road to power. The Dastana tend to be the merchants, artisans, inventors, and moneychangers of the empire. Minor Clans Clan Ageru: This medium-sized farming clan contributes a very significant proportion of the Archipelago's food supply. The majority of the Ageru's civilian population are Dashi harvesters, who work and live on the clan's swathes of fertile land on Odaiba. The Ageru's prolific harvests give them a certain degree of political clout; an army, after all, marches on its stomach. The Ageru are an old clan; historically, they have almost always been firm supporters of the Umbralines and the Empire. Ageru philosophy puts a lot of emphasis on the old ways of honor, tradition, and dutiful service. Besides food production, Clan Ageru is also known for producing talented Soulswords; members of other clans are known to joke - though rarely within earshot of an Ageru Menti - that these Soulswords' skill can be credited to all that time around scythes and sickles. Agerus' discipline and skill earn them no small amount of respect; an officer is always happy to have an Ageru Soulsword under her command. Clan Leader Clan Daikura: The Daikura have devoted themselves to preserving knowledge of the Menti disciplines and passing the sacred knowledge on to successive generations. It is the Diakura who chiefly preside over the School of the Mind at the Yards on Sado, where all Menti are trained in the psionic disciplines. Since they own no land here (the school itself is a part of the Imperial Palace, and so is owned by the Rora; the Daikura, legally, are only its custodians), the Daikura must hold lands elsewhere in order to be recognized as a clan. Their territory is confined to a valley on the lower slopes of Mount Koshiki; it is a fertile area, and its farms produce abundant crops, fertilized by the old volcanic soil. At the head of the valley is their castle, Tarakona. Politically, Clan Diakura is conservative, though not quite as much as their Umbraline associates. They honor the virtue of Power most among the three, as could be expected of those who study the magical disciplines of their race. The Daikura have no clan discipline, since they must have members who are masters of each discipline in order to give instruction in them all. Clan Leader Clan Eiyu: An old clan of small size, the Eiyu have been, since their inception, a clan dedicated to melding philosophy and combat. Located primarily on Odaiba, their home there is a modest castle surrounded by enough farmland to sustain themselves and, if harvests are good, to take a little to market on Sado each year. The Eiyu's relative insignificance in most areas - economic, militaristic, and agricultural - would have confined their clan to obscurity long ago, had it not been for their distinguishing philosophies. The Eiyu are some of the most prominent scholars and philosophers on the Archipelago, and their theories about unity across the Mental Plane have led to the creation of their clan's most prized skill: the Twin Souls. The Twin Souls is a training method between two Menti Warriors wherein the discipline of Ideatalk is so heightened that the two practitioners, incredibly familiar in each others' minds, can respond together in battle with the speed of instinct. The Eiyu are, in their own words, scholars first, and warriors second. They never seek out a fight, though they are more than willing to defend themselves, and others, if need be. Clan Leader Clan Herupa: Clan Herupa is reputed for providing advisers, assistants and bodyguards for the other clans. Clan Herupa’s penchant for providing loyal subordinates to other clans has given them a respect of Order and Honor beyond that of other minor clans. The Herupa are based close to the southern end of Oki in a small complex large enough to hold the few Herupa families that live there. During the early stages of life, Herupa children are raised like anyone else in the Menti caste, and upon reaching a mastery of their skills as warriors, they are withdrawn from Sado and taken back to the Herupa compound on Oki. It is there they are trained to act to not only defend their masters, but to give aid and advice should they be required to do so. Upon completing this training, Herupa Menti offer their services to a master, who agrees to house them, treat them with respect, and pay them a set wage for their duties. In return, the Herupa clan member will then swear utmost loyalty to her new master, and serve that master for life. Herupa who betray their oaths of loyalty are invariably executed by their own clan in return for their treachery. Clan Leader Clan Hogo: This small clan serves as loyal retainers of the Rora's line, considering it their duty to protect the authority of the Rora and the treasures that lie within the Imperial Palace. Traditionally, the Hogo have tried to stay aloof of inter-clan disputes, the better to concentrate on this sacred duty. However, the Hogo's current Toroshu has taken a greater interest than her predecessors in the activities of the other clans, and for the first time in ages, she is directing the Hogo to become more involved in politics. As such, the Hogo are currently suffering a quiet crisis between those who wish to remain out of clan politics and those who fully support their Toroshu's actions. Although supposedly a neutral clan devoted to the Rora alone, the Hogo are most prone to taking the side of the Umbralines, seeing the Fursics as treacherous vipers. They are, though, slightly less conservative (or more pragmatic) than the Umbralines, and are willing to tolerate the Dastana for their contributions to the imperial treasury. Clan Leader Clan Kyoshi: An offshoot clan of the Dastana, Clan Kyoshi was once the clan that provided most of the Archipelago's theoretical scientific discoveries, covering everything from medicine to mathematics. However, with their current Toroshu on the brink of death and with no chosen heir, a war of succession has broken out within the once peaceful clan as to who should become the next leader. This has caused the Kyoshi, splintered into competing factions, to retreat as a whole from the public eye. Their clan is mostly made up of Ringti scholars who are renowned across the Archipelago for their discoveries; with the clan's current internal turmoil, though, most of these non-combatant scholars have gone into hiding. Clan Kyoshi is odd in that in addition to a given name and the name of the clan, members of the clan also usually carry a third name, their original family name. The inclusion of these names is to help the component families within the greater Kyoshi clan remember their individual histories... lately, of course, it's only helped the Kyoshi remember their own disunity. Clan Leader Clan Mamoru: The Mamoru are a clan dedicated to mining and shaping Crystalline Protodermis. The Mamoru reside principally on Iki - where they mine a majority of their marketable crystal - but also hold small settlements around the Archipelago near other mineral sites. Many Mamoru Dasaka choose to live below the ground, as they feel this brings them more in touch with the earth; other clans usually refer to such practices as "mine madness." The Mamoru do little to discredit these impressions; in fact, thrill-seeking young members of their clan notoriously entertain themselves by jumping straight down long mine shafts with only bouncy cords to save them from the mortal plunge. A fairly old clan, the Mamoru tend to favor the clan in power, as much of their crystal is bought for Imperial projects. Menti from this clan are typically disciplined either as Soulswords (to mine the crystals out of the earth) or Mindarms (to carry the mined crystals to the surface to be sold), and very few are trained for combat. Clan Leader Clan Mashtet: This insular clan, hailing from a small island north of Odaiba and Kozui called Hanaloi, was known in its heyday for providing the Empire with lumber. Most famously, Mashtet artisans utilized both the Mindarm and Sighteye disciplines to create their signature artwork: Mashtet carvings, precisely carved crystal, inlaid in wood, imbued with semi-persistent illusions which had to be renewed by a Mashtet carver annually. But, several years ago, the Mashtet compound was discovered completely empty. There were no signs of a struggle, nor any clues as to where the Mashtet people had disappeared to. Not even Mashtet clan members that were elsewhere within the Archipelago at the time of the mysterious event, such as training Menti or traveling Saihoko, can imagine what happened. Most of these Mashtet strugglers mourned before being absorbed by other clans. The number that have remained publicly Mashtet can be counted on one hand. Thus, Clan Mashtet is also known colloquially as the Lost Clan, and their old homeland Hanaloi is considered haunted. Clan Leader Clan Plangori: Made up of mostly dye artisans, Clan Plangori is a large but fairly weak clan based on Odaiba. Their village is located in the heart of the jungle, far from the prying eyes of other clans. They are known for creating the sumptuous dyed fabrics that adorn rich residents of Kentoku, and the less advantaged on special occasions. They also are the only Ringti who can produce the deep, superb colors that adorn the royal family. Though Plangori is an ancient clan with ties to Umbraline, their nature requires them to keep a neutral stance, as it is to their advantage to gain sponsorship from as many clans as possible. In addition, because they are so insular they are beholden to Saihoko to sell their work. The few Plangori Menti are trained as either Sighteyes or Willhammers, and are largely responsible for guarding the clans secrets from other Menti. The remaining members of the clan include Dashi, which breaking with tradition are often hunter-gatherers, and a few Saihoko merchants, who though generally looked down on have done very well for themselves. A few Plangori Saihoko act as clerks throughout the islands, taking orders from important clients and displaying the clan’s newest and most expensive works. Clan Leader Clan Roku: Clan Roku builds and maintains the Kentoku Archipelago's infrastructure. Roku architects and builders are widely viewed as the best in their fields, and the standards to which they hold themselves are quite strict. The Roku pride themselves on more than their craftsmanship, though; they also proudly uphold the three virtues of Zuto Nui, considering those to be the strongest foundations of all. Though Clan Roku's size is considerable for a minor clan, it is nevertheless seen as nonthreatening in the scheme of inter-clan relations. The Roku are known for their neutrality in political affairs; they are roughly split even between conservatives, who trust tried-and-true stabilities, and liberals, who seek to create a more beautiful universe. The Roku's scattered politics are enabled in part by the sporadic, constantly shifting dispersion of their clan, as their work requires members to "island-hop" for most of their working lives. Only a few Roku maintain their clan's ancestral castle on Iki and the University of Structure in the Towers of Knowledge on Sado. Clan Leader Taajar Culture: The Taajars are a nomadic people distinct from the Dasaka's dominant 'Imperial' culture. They live in fenced villages in isolated areas of the Archipelago, where they usually reside in wooden longhouses. Taajar warriors are highly trained in physical weapon combat - a rarity for Menti warriors - and bear exotic blades and armor; because of their temporal fixation, however, Taajar warriors are usually less practiced with Menti disciplines than their Imperial counterparts. The Taajar are primarily a trade-oriented people; a great deal of them live in tents outside cities or clan holdings to barter more easily. This affinity for trade, however, has relegated almost all Taajars to the status of Saihoko in the eyes of Imperial Dasaka. Other areas Taajars specialize in are the breeding of animals and glassblowing. They have their own language, Vulgar Taa, and are quite proud of their past. The Taajars have learned to live within the Dasaka Imperial caste structure, and can speak fluent "Common." In antiquity, the Taajars were a large barbarian hoard, who were defeated by the Dasaka in battle, and saved from destruction by the Rora. Since then, they have maintained a strict policy of neutrality in Kentoku affairs. Culture Creator Clan Vilda: One of the small clans on the island of Oki, the Vilda took it upon themselves long ago to protect Kentoku's endangered flora and fauna. The Vilda care little about the politics of the Empire so long as their arrangement with Sado stands: in exchange for supplying and caring for the Imperial Gardens' rarer specimens, Clan Vilda is given any foods or materials they cannot obtain on their own. The Vilda count among their number prodigious Willhammers who use their talents to communicate through images and emotions with animals. Many Vilda Willhammers form relationships with companion birds; they enter the minds of these birds and see through the animals' eyes, using this ability to scout surrounding areas for possible dangers. It is widely believed that that the Vilda practice strict breeding policies; individuals from the Vilda clan are amongst the most beautiful in the Empire, to the anger of many envious Fursics. The current Vilda Toroshu wants to make the clan wholly self-sufficient, should the opportunity arise. Clan Vilda's beauty, efforts to preserve nature, and general absence from the sullied world of politics have made them rather admired and appreciated by most other clans. Clan Leader ~~~ 8. INDIVIDUALS OF NOTE UMBRALINES Yumiwa (you-MEE-wah), Rora of the Empire Rayuke (ray-OO-kay), Umbraline First Son, Imperial Executioner, and brother of Yusanora Desdemona (dez-duh-MOE-nah), Yumiwa's sister Ayiwah (AY-wah), Commodore of the Rora’s nautical forces Yusanora (you-sa-NOR-a), deceased, former Rora of the Empire FURSICS Nera (NEE-rah), Fursic Matriarch, Toroshu, and a Battlemaster Kuno (COO-noh), Fursic First Son Sesseta (Sess-SEE-tuh), Nera's sister DASTANA Arsix (ARE-sicks), Dastana Toroshu, Jasik's twin sister Jasik (JAH-sick), Dastana First Son, Arsix's twin brother Sheika (SHAY-kah), The Dastana's hired Battlemaster Yomiken (yoh-MEE-kehn), deceased, former Dastana Toroshu OTHER Hanako (HAN-ah-koh), Yumiwa’s handmaiden, a Herupa Inokio (inn-OH-kee-oh), First Son of Clan Korae, tutor of Yumiwa, a Battlemaster Ikori (ee-KOHR-ee), Kuno's handmaiden, a Herupa Nurora (new-ROH-rah), Toroshu of a small and respected family, leader of the first expedition to Mata Nui Tsura (t-SUE-rah), Datsue with a motherly temperament and a wry humor, was on the first expedition to Mata Nui Nihi (KNEE-hee), Menti warrior who was chosen for the first expedition to Mata Nui, an Eiyu ~~~ 9. VISUAL ASPECTS OF CULTURE Vezok's Friend has done several artworks of the Kentoku Archipelago and its denizens, which should serve as good indicators as to the general nature of appearances in Dasaka society. The Kentoku ArchipelagoKentoku MapDasaka ClassesYumiwaKunoAyiwahDasaka Formal AttireKanohi DragonSubmersible Dasaka are all various hues and balances of blue and gold. How blue vs. how gold they are, what hues they are, and that sort of thing does not denote/align with caste. The visual way castes are distinguished is by their apparel; where high-ranking Menti will wear rich fabrics and intricate crystal armor - ceremonial garments - Saihoko generally clothe themselves in pragmatic water/windproof ponchos and the like. Colors worn by Menti are usually those of their clan. Almost all cloth Kuno owns, for instance, is dominantly red, because that's the Fursic color. The Umbraline color is officially purple, and the Dastana wear various tints of yellow. Minor clans usually have to settle for two-color schemes in their regalia, since single colors have almost all been taken by older and more powerful ones. The Rora and her family can wear whatever colors they wish, to reinforce the idea that they are separate from and above clan politics. White and black, though, are usually not among these colors. Here's what white and black generally represent in Dasaka culture, and how they're used: White: light, age, honor, sky, wisdom, discipline, Zuto Nui. This color is seen as female. Black: darkness, youth, power, sea, beauty, strength, Zataka. This color is seen as male. Unaccented white and black garments are traditionally only worn by their respective genders, and only worn for occasions of great ceremony such as the passage of power, the union of two individuals, or the eulogy of one who has died.

The Archipelago: Kentoku Map The Kentoku Archipelago is a volcanic island chain situated to the far east of Mata Nui. The archipelago is comprised of five large islands with dozens of smaller ones scattered between them. Most of the islands of the archipelago are within sight of a few others and, despite the straits separating them, are easily accessible by bridges or quick ferries. While each island has its own unique climate, the general feel of the archipelago is wet and temperate; the volcano that birthed the Kentoku islands is long dormant. The majority of the islands' original terrain is flat grassland with rolling hills; where Dasaka civilization has not permeated, these calm natural landscapes are visible. On the archipelago, metal ores are exceedingly rare and valuable, but crystalline protodermis is in abundance; as such, most Dasaka structures and machines are made up of wood, stone, and manipulated (or “grown”) crystal. Many of the islands' native flora and fauna have been long since driven to extinction, or else domesticated, leaving very little wildlife on the archipelago. The five islands of note are: Sado (SAY-doe), despite being the smallest of the main islands, is capital of the empire. Over the centuries, Sado has been incessantly urbanized to accommodate the ever-growing city and Imperial Palace; at this point, almost all of Sado is covered with towering, elegant crystalline structures. The only undeveloped land still visible on the island is a small strip of sandy beach that runs along a third of the island. Centrally situated, Sado is next to Odaiba and within sight off all other islands save Kozu. From a distance, Sado looks like a complex gem, and its structures are oriented to catch the sun at all times of day and shine it back up into the sky, creating beautiful patterns against the clouds. Oki (OH-kee) is the most biologically diverse island in the archipelago, as close to a jungle as is possible in this climate, though severely lacking when compared to Mata Nui’s Le-Wahi jungle swamp or Ga-Wahi river delta. As most of the islands are deficient of animal life, this island is the largest remaining home to dozens of near-extinct plants and animals, the only other known specimens being in captivity in the gardens of the Imperial Palace. A thriving population of minor clans lives on Oki; they are generally ambivalent towards the politics of the empire, unless the sanctity of their island's natural beauty is brought into question. The Umbraline Clan hailed from Oki, and still carries weight in the island's day-to-day affairs. Odaiba (oh-day-BAH) is the largest of the five main islands, its landmass almost equivalent to the other four largest islands combined. Home to over a dozen minor clans, it is the breadbasket of the empire. Most of this island is involved in food production; fields, pastures and orchards sit on the island's gently rolling hills, dominating view and banishing most native flora and fauna. Odaiba's most interesting feature, however, is Mount Koshiki (Ko-SHE-kee), the largest and most intimidating mountain within the archipelago. In antiquity it was an active volcano, but now it is an extinct mountaintop, home to one of the few native creatures that pose a threat to the Dasaka: the Kanohi Dragons. The crater atop Mount Koshiki is a poisonous, stagnant lake heated by geothermal gases. Iki (EYE-kee) is terribly devoid of plant and animal life, even by Dasaka standards. This little island makes up for its barrenness in wealth of natural resources, most importantly crystalline protodermis and other precious minerals. Ores and gems flow out of this mining island, shipped from its many docks to the Imperial Palace to be refined and crafted; these sea-lanes are the lifeblood of the Dasaka economy. Not surprisingly, Iki is the Datsana Clan’s home island, and it is from here they were able to launch themselves not only into the imperial economy, but into politics as well. Kozu (KO-zoo) is unique in two ways: it is the only island not directly visible from the Sado, and it is completely controlled by the Fursic Clan. What they do there half the time is a mystery, but until any concrete evidence shows up of misuse of trust, nobody minds Kozu much. Kozu is unremarkable in landscape; similar to Odaiba, it's mostly rolling hills and grasslands, with a small, token mountain - another dead volcanic development - at one corner. The Imperial Palace: More of a city than anything else, the Imperial Palace is the jewel of the Kentoku Archipelago. Taking up most of the island of Sado, the city is hexagonal in shape, with six distinct sections forming the outer ring and the Imperial Residences at its center. Made almost entirely of crystalline protodermis, The Imperial Palace is a place of sheer beauty as well as defense, the only locale never to have been conquered by an opposing force in wartime. Lightstones line its elegant crystal corridors and glow both during the day and at night; it could be said that this place never sleeps. Local landmarks include: -The Imperial Residences: Located in the center ring of the Palace, this is where the imperial family lives, works, and presides. Spacious bedrooms, meeting halls, living quarters, and the Throne Room all are located within. Only high-ranking Dasaka are permitted entrance here. -Towers of Knowledge: The educational center of the empire. Home to the most prestigious of schools, the finest of museums, and the best libraries, these towers stand as the tallest pinnacles of the palace. Past, present, and future all collide here in unusual harmony; the silence of studying and research is at home next to the bustle of active discovery. The Dasaka's archives are also stored here, the annals of their entire cultural memory recorded within. -The Coliseum: The social center of the empire, it is here where all the major sports and other spectator events take place, everything from Paoro to gladiator combat to theatrical performances. There is always an event going on here, and considering the myriad of inns and eateries bordering it to accommodate the constant influx of Dasaka, it is the premier meeting and gathering place on Sado. -The Yards: Military stronghold and training facility. Here is where young Menti warriors go to be trained in the art of psionic and physical warfare. There are schools, training grounds, and instructors dedicated to each discipline stored within. In addition, the palace's docks are located nearby, so the Imperial Navy has its base of operation here as well. Besides the Imperial Residences, this is the most heavily guarded and fortified place in the entire empire. -The Wards: The massive apartment complex of the palace. Here is where most of the population of the palace lives and sleeps when not working, making it by far the largest section of the city. Most rooms are sparse if not comfortable, clean, and airy, and usually have two to three rooms, depending on the need. The wealthiest and most influential citizens occupy the penthouses on the top levels. Few Menti warriors live here, as their bunks are either in their barracks or other assigned areas per their duties. -The Markets: The economic center of the empire. Anything and everything is either produced here, sold here, or can be otherwise acquired here. More money and trade goods pass through this section of the empire than all the other islands combined, making the ideal place to do business. The upper classes prefer not to go here, as social order, stigma, and pride tend to keep them away from the lower castes. Still, one can find them here often enough, wandering the stalls on the hunt for special items (though the highest of Menti will usually send servants or couriers to do their business for them). -The Gardens: The massive park that takes up a large swath of the city. From a distance, the elegant layered gardens seem to hang in the air unsupported. A place of beauty and serenity, the gardens are valued therapeutically as places to seek peace and enlightenment. The rarest of plants, endangered species, and cultivating greenhouses spot this place; the gardens are proudly home to a large collection of flora and fauna that are extinct elsewhere on the archipelago. The gardens are sealed off to the lower castes; their values are reserved for the nobility of the empire. However, the healing centers below it are, by necessity, available to any needing assistance.

Mata-Nuian location topics - that is to say, immediately playable ones - will go live later tonight.

(NOTE: The below content may also be found in the first two posts of this topic, for easier future reference.) CHAPTER II “Faith, it's an attractive concept... but it is a euphemism for slavery. If faith is a willingness to follow one's destiny, then it is the willingness to throw oneself, too pathetic to do otherwise, into bondage.” The Dasaka are coming. On the day when Makuta was banished by the Toa Maru, on the very day when the island of Mata Nui was freed at last from the oppression of its dark tyrant, a bejeweled island far across the expanses of the sea discovered, to its great surprise, a new world. Destiny is a titan with fingers as vast as islands. Ages ago, a council of wise Datsue philosophers theorized that the Kentoku Archipelago, the eternal motherland of the Dasaka people, could not be alone in the endless ocean. How, the philosophers had asked, could the Dasaka’s islands be the only dry protrusions in an inestimable sea? How could it be that the Great Spirit Zuto Nui had bestowed her great and infinite gifts exclusively on such a small portion of the world? Geographical and spiritual hypotheses, though, had not been the only tenants of the philosophers’ theory; the Datsue council had also reasoned that primeval stories, above all else, pointed to the existence of unknown lands. In the vague reminiscences of ancient legend, there were several similar tales of strangers who had visited the Archipelago, curious beings that resembled the Dasaka and Dashi of Kentoku, but as an imperfect reflection. In the legends, these beings had possessed powers unlike any the Dasaka had ever seen, been as colorful as the foliage of the Janu birds, and wielded priceless metal weapons. While traditionalists always dismissed the alien characters in these stories as creative inventions, the Datsue had argued that the consistency between the tales could not be coincidental, and that perhaps the strangers of the legends were something more than myth… that they had come from somewhere else. In their time, the theory of the philosophers’ council had been viewed with great skepticism, dismissed outright by some, used by others as a political cudgel against the sovereignty of the Datsue. As time passed, the revolutionary theory was buried by the continuance of war and tradition, reduced to an obscure joke, left alone as one volume among thousands in the libraries of Dasaka lore. On the day when Makuta was banished by the Toa Maru, on the very day when armies of Rahkshi had scattered and the sun had shone unfettered for the first time in a long time, the long-dead Datsue philosophers smiled from their graves. Lucky circumstance brought the Dasaka their first foreigners in an epoch. They had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. A Saihoko schooner on a routine fishing expedition had seen a pillar of smoke on the far horizon; curiosity had compelled its crew to approach. Upon reaching the source of the smoke, the sailboat had discovered a wooden ship on fire, nearly collapsed into the sea. Hanging on to splinters of its detritus had been six beings, the likes of which the sailors had never seen. They’d had heavy jaws, clawed hands and feet, and showy spines running down their backs, and they had been all the vivacious colors of Janu birds. The Saihoko craft had promptly saved and escorted these strangers, who had seemed very polite and grateful, back to the Archipelago; within hours, the six colorful beings had stood before the Rora. They had introduced their kind as Skakdi, but either could not or would not say anything about where they had come from, why they had been at sea, or how their ship had caught fire. Though some Dasaka had found the Skakdi’s selective recollections – and the incongruities in their details from telling to telling – suspicious, the general marvel and excitement felt by all had drowned out such concerns… for a time. It did not take long for the six Skakdi to show that their true colors were not as vibrant and pure as those of the Janu; it did not take long for their tendencies towards crime and violence to become apparent. The chaos that they caused and the damage they inflicted were extraordinary; within weeks, the six Skakdi had been sentenced to death on the Rora’s orders. But the six Skakdi had possessed abilities unprecedented by the Dasaka’s prisons, and had escaped on the eve before their executions in a stolen submersible. The Rora had ordered this stolen submarine searched for; vain though such a gesture had been, it bore unexpected fruit. On the day when Makuta was banished by the Toa Maru, on the very day when the Koros of Mata Nui had breathed sighs of relief, one of the chasing submarines happened upon something entirely unexpected: land. Lucky circumstance may seem contrived by Destiny. In the absence of Makuta, political enmity grew on Mata Nui, but it also grew on the Kentoku Archipelago. While the Vault was an issue of contention and dangerous possibility amongst the Matoran factions, the discovery of a new world served the same disruptive function among the Dasaka clans. Their debates were fierce. Some Toroshu clamored for exploration, weaving words of temptation and glory; others argued for isolationism, wielding fear, doubt and tradition as their devices. The rifts between clans – formerly as small as they’d been in a very long time – reopened with savage speed. A final compromise was officiated: the Dasaka would send one submarine to this newfound island, and upon its return – or lack thereof – they would have enough information to decide whether or not to pursue exploration and colonization. The mission’s crew was selected, and the submarine departed with all speed. After its diplomatic representatives met with Akiri Hahli of Ga-Koro, after they exited the Koro bearing maps of the island and a trove of information about its people and society, the Dasaka’s exploratory submarine returned to the Kentoku Archipelago. On the day when Makuta was banished by the Toa Maru, on the very day when Toa Stannis had felt such piercing uncertainty about the potential costs of his actions, he may have exchanged one aggressive power for another. The Dasaka are coming. … On the island of Mata Nui, meanwhile, tensions have – at least, for now – eased. When the six Akiri held council at the pinnacle of the Kini-Nui temple, many of the grievances that they had held against one another were exposed to have been insubstantial shades all along. Compounding suspicion and paranoia, above all else, had been to blame for the misunderstandings. How, the Akiri had lamented, had they been so foolish as to think one another capable of evil deeds? Why had they not simply met, face-to-face, earlier? The Akiri rediscovered their old friendships at that meeting, and all breathed a sigh of relief at the realization that the war for which they had been preparing themselves and their people would, perhaps, not come. When at last the summit broke, it was as though the Akiri had brushed a dark fog from their eyes; they returned to their villages proclaiming a new era of peace and goodwill, and professing their trust in the other Akiri, their firm convictions that all would be well again on Mata Nui. On the surface, the land knows peace. Below the surface, in the bowels of Mangaia, the dark fog sits close to the earth, and turmoil waits patiently for its time. By now, several beings of stout heart have journeyed into the heart of Makuta’s old lair to speak with the black-gazed Abettor. In a tunnel above the Vault – eerily round, its surface peppered with the sparkling faces of geodes – these journeyers have all been blinded by the same blue light and been asked the same questions. Those that attempt duplicity in the presence of the Abettor are slain; those who try to pass the metal behemoth uninvited meet the same fate. The Abettor douses their lives without hesitation and, even when set upon by a dozen Toa at once, without difficulty. Those who do not try to force past or lie to the Abettor, however, have been allowed to leave its tunnel unscathed… and bearing morsels of tantalizing knowledge. Some have even been given clues about what the powerful goliath guards. The Abettor has rumbled that while the Vault contains some of Makuta’s shady and mysterious devices, these are nothing compared to its real treasure: “all the simplest power of the world.” All the simplest power of the world… This phrase, above all else, has sparked a refreshed wave of relentless speculation, a fresh pang of shameful longing, among the people of Mata Nui. What could that power be? And how can it be unlocked at last? The rumors about the Vault come from everywhere and Nowhere, sweet as honeyed fruit and insubstantial as dark fog. A show of peace may have been made among the Koros, but all is still not well on Mata Nui. Around the island, corners of darkness coalesce and deepen. A necromantic Brotherhood slowly reconstructs its ancient fortress. Peers and mercenaries play dangerous and subtle games against one another. Former disciples of the great darkness are drawn back to one another. Five incompatible Skakdi whoop, giggle, and backstab as they turn the island into their playground. The sixth Skakdi, conspirator with the dark fog, knows something that the other five don’t. Makuta is gone, but he is not dead. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WELCOME TO THE NEXT PHASE OF BZPRPG 2013! Bienvenue, madames et monsieurs! I’m very happy to say that, after just a bit of game downtime, we can finally begin the second chapter of the BZPRPG 2013 Arc. All the behind-the-scenes work that the rest of my staff and I have been doing in the last couple of days is, at last, done; we’re ready to open the game to players once more. This second start is very exciting for me, because it marks the final revelation of something I’ve been keeping (mostly) under wraps for a very long time: the Dasaka! I’ll elaborate on how they’ll be integrated into the world of the game, and on other important points about the new chapter of the game, below. I. THE TIMESKIP As I revealed earlier, we’ll be resuming play in the world of the game after an IC timeskip. I can vaguely say that this timeskip is far shorter than the one that existed between the 2012 and 2013 arcs. Before you ask, though, I am not sure exactly how long this timeskip is… I don’t think I can be sure, what with RPG time and its usual wonkiness. Not knowing this doesn’t bother me; what I do know is what’s happened during the timeskip, and that – rather than petty labels of weeks, months, etc. – is what’s really important to pay attention to for the sake of maintaining realism in the IC world. There are two keys to help you along the path to playing the timeskip accurately. First off, all the location topics have been updated at least a little bit to indicate how they’ve changed since they were seen at the beginning of the first chapter of the arc. In most cases, this change is actually minimal; aside from the addition of a few locations of note, and the subtraction of some sentences, they’re almost identical to the first 2013 location topics. This said, you’ll still want to carefully read the topics, just so you don’t miss any of the small stuff that’s been shoved in there. Secondly, and most cohesively, there’s also the latter half of the above post, which summarizes the general changes on Mata Nui since the timeskip. Read through this again, just to be sure you got everything; that’s the new status quo, folks, so be sure you know it. But how, you might ask, does all of this timeskip stuff apply to my plots and characters? How am I supposed to know what to do with them? How much time has passed for them since the last things we remember playing? Where are they now? These are all good questions, and there is one elegant solution: it’s up to you. I can’t definitively say where every single narrative thread of the game should be found after the timeskip, not least because the latest developments in all those threads were lost in the dataclysm. But, more importantly, my job as head GM isn’t to tell you everything. The yarn of this game belongs to you, the players; you get to choose how to interpret the timeskip as it pertains to your stories. That idealistic babble having been said, if you have questions about the plausibility of where your characters will “re-start,” or you and other players disagree about where your interacting PCs should be, please feel free to bring these questions and concerns up with staff. We will give you as much help as we can, and give the final say on disputes. My advice for multi-player plots is to just let the first person to post decide the new status quo; it’ll be a fun curveball to find your character in an unexpected position, even if it’s a less-than-fortunate one. II. THE DASAKA As was so clearly stated in this chapter’s expository post above, the Dasaka are coming! Very shortly, Dasaka characters will be open for you guys to play. The particular details about how to get yourself a Dasaka – process, guidelines, restrictions, and whatnot – will soon be found in the second post of the profiles topic. Once the appropriate information has all been posted, and once I officially declare open season, you’ll be able to make Dasaka characters (within the set parameters) to your hearts’ delights. The Profiles Topic, though, isn’t the only place you guys will find details about the Dasaka and their society. There’s already somewhere you can read up. The location topic for the Kentoku Archipelago has been posted, and this is designed to be your one-stop place for Dasaka reference. In the Kentoku Archipelago topic, you’ll find not only a standard location description, but also a comprehensive reference post below it. This reference post outlines the basics of Kentoku society, includes resources like a dictionary of terms/pronunciation and a list of notable Dasaka individuals, and provides thorough descriptions of everything from the most notable Kentoku clans to the Menti disciplines of the mind. For now at least, there are no Dasaka on Mata Nui. Once Dasaka characters are open to create, they will be – at least for a while – confined to the Kentoku Archipelago topic. Look at the necessary period in Kentoku as a time to explore your characters’ places in the highly regimented Dasaka social structure; the Order of society is, after all, one of their prime Virtues. Dasaka characters will be able to go to Mata Nui in the future; the details of this will be fleshed out at a later date. III. OTHER NOTES As was announced earlier, Tyler Durden has joined the BZPRPG staff team. Please give him all the respect due to someone in his position, and feel free to PM him with your most frivolous inquiries. Since everyone played really nicely with native tech in the first chapter of this arc, I’ve decided it’s time to reward good behavior! PCs may now produce (and sell) original native tech items, as long as staff approves those items in advance. Koro-sized orders can still only be fulfilled by Onu-Koro, but since these turned out to be less demanded than I anticipated before, I don’t see this being much of an impedance for the accessibility of native tech.One of the biggest bummers about the dataclysm is that the products of all your hard work have vanished from existence, right? I know that’s how I feel… So, to ease the pain, here’s something: if you happen to have saved copies of important – and missing – posts that you want to remain on BZPRPG record for posterity, you can repost them. You may repost your lost gems – preferably in the updated copies of their previous location topics – with the header “LICK,” meaning “Lost In-Character Kontent.” This header is not to be used for IC flashbacks, and LICK posts must be regarded by you and others as entirely detached from the action going on all around them IC. LICK posts are not for interaction, just for restoring vanished content. The linking to – but not discussion of – BZPRPG-related artworks (podcasts, drawings, interpretive dances, etc.) is encouraged in the N&D topic, as such artworks are usually really fun and somehow inspiring. For those of you linking to your artworks, be sure that a discussion link is, if separate, also included. … Thanks for reading all of this. If you have questions about stuff, feel free to pose them below (if they apply to everyone), and I or other staff members will do our best to answer them here. Happy playing, everyone!

I am a remarkably busy man at this moment. As such, I don't have time to explain the answer to the loss of two months' posted content as thoroughly as I want to - as thoroughly as I intend to - at present. I'm going to need more time to work, and I hope you will all be patient with me, because I can't reopen the game just yet. I can, however, assuage the concerns that have been voiced above about us repeating or replaying the lost months. I can tell you guys that we won't be repeating the two months we lost, two months that were fraught with inactivity, inter-player bitterness, and general frustration among the player base as far as I could tell. To go back in time would only make those things worse, and I personally see no value in repeating what is essentially ancient history. Instead of moving backwards, we are going to move forwards. In the coming days, I am going to initiate a timeskip into the near future of the BZPRPG world. The status quo on the island will be rather different than when last we saw it, and game elements that you as players have been waiting for will finally be introduced. The timeskip will involve the creation of unseen and updated location topics, an addition to the first post of this topic, and the introduction of new character possibilities. When these elements are all prepared, I will reopen gameplay. Personally, I am very excited about our chance to begin again, one chapter forward in the great arc of this universe. I hope you will all embrace the opportunities that our misfortunes have presented us with, too, and reenter this game with the spirits of camaraderie and joy. For the interim, you may continue post in this topic to speculate and whatnot about the changes that'll be made, or post in profiles to restore/update your characters, but DO NOT POST IN THE LOCATION TOPICS. These will be closed in the near future, but before that happens, please don't make my job harder. I'll be hard at work in my free time on the things I need to write and revise; if you have any questions (that aren't seeking details about the world after the timeskip!), feel free to PM them to me, and I'll do my best to answer in a timely fashion. Since it'd be better for all of us if I'm not distracted, though, you'd probably be better off directing inquiries to either EmperorWhenua or to Tyler Durden, who was promoted to BZPRPG staff during the downtime. Thanks everyone for your patience; within the week, I hope we'll be up and running again.

In the BZPRPG, I think that my first character was Grokk. He was definitely in my first round of charries, at least.

IC:Zaktan didn't ask Avak to move out of his way. Instead, his body dissolved into a green and gold cloud of swirling Protodites and surged upwards like a swarm of bees. Zaktan's particles flew through the porthole, passing gracelessly around Avak, battering him; as the mechanic Piraka tried to swat Zaktan's Protodites away, he lost grip of the ladder and fell into the submarine, his lower back striking with an unpleasant crackle on a waiting pipe. Avak groaned, but that didn't slow Zaktan down. Once he had passed through the aperture and into the salty air, Zaktan reformed soundlessly upon the wet, sun-soaking back of the submarine. Avak had not been mistaken; clear upon the horizon was a dark patch clung to by telltale clouds. It was undoubtedly land, an island, and it looked large enough to support plentiful life. Most likely, this was the place. Zaktan squinted in the face of the sea breezes and folded his arms as he looked across the surface of the ocean at the distant land. At full speed, their vessel could reach the island within a few hours. Zaktan could hear commotion and the sounds of feet on rungs below him. As he had expected, Avak was not the first one to the surface; having exclaimed that Zaktan needed to see something, and having then fallen unceremoniously back into the sub, he had arisen considerable curiosity in the other Piraka, who had considerable cabin fever to boot. Avak tried to get back up; Hakann stepped on his face, pinning him to the floor of the submarine, and made for the ladder himself. Vezok and Hakann subsequently quarreled about who would get to ascend first; a shoving match ended in Vezok's favor, and he was the first to join Zaktan on top of the sub. Thok, Zaktan noted, was the last to emerge. "Reidak would have loved this," Thok choked as he stepped out of the hatch, unknowingly echoing Avak's earlier sentiments. He wiped away an imaginary tear. "All this... open space. The dumb animal always enjoyed prancing around in open spaces." "He's sleeping with the fishes," Avak replied, before pausing significantly and smiling. "Or, in the fishes, rather." "Did you see him bite clean through that tentacle?" Hakann asked Vezok as he examined his nails. "I guess our poor pet monster was underfed." Vezok smiled back at him, relishing something. "Maybe. Once he finishes with lunch, he'll definitely be looking for dinner. I think you and Avak make excellent items on his menu." "He won't be alive by dinnertime," Avak countered irritably as Vezok started to laugh. "Don't see why you're laughing," Hakann snarled. "Reidak can't swim." "Neither can you," Vezok replied, suddenly dangerously cool. Hakann seemed to remember the results of their shoving match earlier, as he stepped away from the edge of the water a little too quickly. Vezok laughed again, more quietly. "That's right, fire boy, don't mess with me." "Get back into the submarine." Zaktan's insectoid hiss caught all their attention. "Dawdling here achieves nothing. I want to make it to that island before sunset." ... IC: If I coulda pulled up a monocle to reread the tablet I'd just been handed, I would've... Note to self: steal a monocle. Some tea to sip and spit would have also gone to good use. The ILF? That was interesting... This scruffy little Onu-Matoran, or whoever he really represented, wanted me to go get the leader of an obsolete fighting force. Admittedly, a general is the hardest guy in an army to discharge, so I agreed that this wasn't a simple job (and that I was probably the only one up to it), but I didn't get why Care-bear wanted him offed in the first place. Since the reported defeat of Big Scary himself, the ILF had become redundant, and it hadn't really done much to head off the growing (and extremely profitable) divisions between the Koros, either. What good - or, more likely, profit - could Care-bear see in getting rid of such a useless figurehead? "Before we delve into the specs of the job, I'll have to ask about payment," I told him, drumming the table with my scarred fingers. "This ain't gonna be cheap."

IC: My employer-to-be was a little guy. I could roll with that. While the noise in the Inn resumed, I swaggered over to his corner booth and bounced in, sliding my mug across the table with one hand and catching it deftly with the other just before it reached the edge, where it would have spilled into his lap. I took a sec to look at the Onu-Matoran. He was a scruffy tyke, with these green eyes that tried to pierce into my soul. Good luck with that, I haven't got one. As I took a swig of my drink, set it down, and smiled fully at him, showing off my gold tooth, I didn't break eye contact once. It was only once I'd smacked my lips that I looked up at the ceiling. "I've always liked the paneling up there," I informed him with all the air of somebody remarking on a piece of fine art. "It stays pretty, because it's too far away for me to punch." My eyeballs felt hot for a second, and then the panel above me cracked apart, raining little bamboo splinters on us. I'd been smart enough to cover the opening of both our glasses with my palms. My smile only grew wider; I removed my booze protection after he'd shaken the little pieces off his head, and took another swig from my own beverage. Remember kids, drink your fruit punch in moderation. Do as I say, not as I do. "Guess I never tried too hard to reach it, before now," I shrugged as I licked my lips. "You are Grokk?" he asked me, though it sounded more like a statement. "The one and only," I assured him, leaning back in the booth and trying to swing my feet onto the table. It was too cramped, so I settled for resting my knees against the table's lip. "Master merc, flawless shot, experienced assassin, freelance poet, aspiring taxidermist. You must be Caerus. Do you mind if I call you Carrie? How about Care-bear?" "I'd prefer Caerus." "Carrie it is. So, Carrie, our mutual friend has informed me you're looking for a little help on a job. What sorta job are we talking?"

I agree that the wiki would be a better way to do this. Less work for me, of course, but also more easy and accessible to immediately update with stuff like availability, testimonials, and etc. There are so many mercenaries in the game, after all.

IC: Didn't you miss me? Yep, thought so. You can't see it, but I'm smiling over here. Blushing, even; your flattery is overwhelming, oh-too-kind, and entirely necessary given who it's directed at. Magical me. Devotees of the Legend of Grokk will be wondering how I got out of the clutches of the great tense-confuser, Sue, and her collection of nutritious vegetables. You may recall that my most private mind (private, who am I kidding? You're all privy to VIP tours, like, right now) was being invaded most rudely. I was in a tizzy, untizzy I remembered my paper clip, chewing gum, Flipping Fusa, paper airplane, and the importance of using unrelated brute force. Needless to say, I got out alive, because here I am, talking to you... Nah nah, wait, don't stand up. I swear I won't go back into that weird metaphysical contemplation of my narrative style. Sit down; yeah, you. Now. Onto the real stor- Listen, skipper, I've got my eye on you, don't try leaving again. Stay. Good boy. So here I was, standing outside the Lavapool Inn, that hub of all hubs, the place that couldn't hold onto its bartenders for more than a few days - I take partial responsibility; whenever I went in, I made sure to steal a few widgets so the guy wouldn't have even balances come closing time - and was, despite its name, almost never used for its housing capacities. The Lavapool was a famous stop-and-shop for mercs and moneybags; I was there as merchandise. I'd been invited to a blind date. I just had a name to go on to find my new employer: Caerus... Care us... Bear bus... Share pus... I'd think of something. One of my feet opened the door saloon-style; the wooden doors slapped two bystanders in the tushies, and I'm pretty sure I fractured some of the woodwork. Third time I'd damaged the Lavapool door; I tried to do so every time I went in. Only failed once, that time when I came in through the bathroom window on a very important cutlery theft operation. It was only the spoon that kept me alive. That's not the point. I entered the bar in my typical fashion and drew very few looks. Most people in here were, unfortunately, accustomed to that kind of thing. I hate it when I lose shock value; it was unfortunate so many of these guys knew me. "Hey, Bovine," I said, punching a tall Vortixx who I recognized on the shoulder. "How's life? How's business?" "It's Bovoz," she frowned back. "And my business is none of yours, Grokk." "We-ell, sue me for caring," I shrugged. The tempers on some people, touchy touchy... "Listen, I'm looking for somebody here. Do you know a Caerus, Bovine?" "If I did, I wouldn't tell you." Her hand got close to her holster. That didn't worry me; I snatched it away and immediately twirled the much taller Vortixx like a dance partner. It was only once I'd expertly dipped her that she realized what had happened; seeing the dawning rage on her face, I let go, and she fell the short way to the floor. "Grokk!" she seethed. One of her buddies laughed, and I laughed jovially with him. "You need some dance classes, Bovine," I winked down to her. "Your footwork is sloppy." I patted her on the shoulder as she sat up and continued onto the bar. The bartender, a nervous-looking little Toa, approached me as I took a stool. "What would you like, sir?" he asked in a wavering voice. I love being scary. It's all in the dental hygiene. "Gimme four coconuts," I replied. A familiar face next to me caught my eye. It was a rugged-looking Toa, drinking himself into a stupor... with a straw. Who does that (aside from me)? "Twinkletoes!" I cried, attracting his attention. "Long time, no see buddy. You sure are downing them over there." "...Grug," he murmured back, putting his glass down with uncertain coordination and swaying on his stool. I started to spin on mine as he tried to rediscover the use of language. Every revolution, my head would watch him as long as it could whilst atop my rotating body, snapping back around finally when it couldn't train on him anymore. "...You... Grug, you look... Like..." "Like a top!" I prompted, watching him sway even worse as his drunken eyes tried to follow my dizzying movement. "And it's Grokk. With a K-K. But no third K, I've gotten that mistake before." "...Stop... moving..." "Only once you tell me if you know who Caerus is," I sang back. Before he could answer, he'd fallen into the bar in misery, sending his straw rolling over the edge of the counter. "Guess that's a no...?" I smiled encouragingly. "Rest up, twiddlethumbs. You look like you need it." The bartender returned and handed me my four coconuts. I stared at them for a long moment, then looked incredulously at the bartender, a scowl growing on my face. He shied backwards as I picked up the first coconut. I threw them all at him, punctuating my words with the splattering impacts. "I..." splat. "Asked for..." splat. "Five..." splat. "Coconuts!" splat. He ran away down the bar, covered in coconut juices. My facade of anger broke; I couldn't stop myself from giggling. I reached over the bar and filled my own glass with... Don't worry, kids, it was only fruit punch. I decided, though, that I'd had enough of playing around. It was time for business. I stood up on the bar next to twiddlethumbs' slouched-over body, and called out to the pub, gesturing with my slopping cup. "Who is Caerus?"

21/2 Dead Characters. Howdy, y'all! I haven't posted in BBC for as long as I can remember... but when the MOCing bug bites, it bites hard. Sometimes there's nothing more fun than pulling out the old BIONICLE bin. Certain Brickfair acquisitions of mine - some useful new elements I bought, custom-painted parts, and prototypes from years past - only spurred on my desire to create. I can take this opportunity to point out that the custom-painted elements seen below (I Sharpied the Piraka spine myself) were done by MrCod. On to business. I've made three MOCs, all of which are based on past and present BZP Role Playing Game (BZPRPG) characters of mine. You can see them below: From left to right: Grokk, Uhuraz, and Heuani. Characters are built to scale with one another. These three are characters near and dear to my heart. The BZPRPG, being a text-based role playing game, is wholly driven by the interaction of characters, and these three have been some of my favorites to interact as over my years in the game. I hope you'll permit me to indulge myself a little as we go, and tell you a bit about each of the characters as they crop up.We can start with Heuani. (NOTE: The linked names of characters from here on out lead to their respective Flickr Galleries, where higher resolution versions of all the images below can be found.) Heuani, Toa of Shadow. Sword is a prototype element; mask was custom painted. In the 2012 arc of the BZPRPG, the world of the game was very similar to Mata Nui in the BIONICLE canon in 2001. Similar, not identical; instead of triumphing over Makuta as they did in canon, the Toa Mata failed, because one of their number betrayed them at the crucial moment. That Toa, once he submitted himself to serving Makuta, was warped into the hateful persona of Heuani. He also died at the end of the 2012 arc. Heuani was a dark and seductive presence. He was defined by his statuesque, lusty beauty, his honeyed words, and the dangerous shadow powers that Makuta endowed him with. He was armed with a crystal flamberge and a Kanohi Felnas, both of which he used to devastating effect against dozens of his enemies and captures. He was at once alluring and repulsive. Vezok's Friend made a stunning artwork based on my descriptions of Heuani, capturing his enigmatic nature and appearance admirably. His artwork was my basic reference for my MOC of Heuani. There was no suitable piece for either a humanoid Felnas - Heuani's face had to be more attractive than Gorast's head! - or for the crystal flamberge, so I am very happy that I was able to have Heuani's mask specially painted to resemble VF's art. Heuani's sword here, while neither transparent, double-sided, nor ripple-bladed as it was in the game, was one of the coolest pieces I had, so I thought it'd have to do. Building challenges: getting the shoulders right, beefing up the thighs, torso stability. As good as he was at working for Makuta, Heuani's true calling was always to become a supermodel. Next up is Grokk. Grokk, Skakdi of Gravity. Gold tooth was custom painted, spine was Sharpied. Included with Grokk is his Fusa Flipper, a wind-up toy. Grokk is the only character I've had for my whole time in the BZPRPG (2009-2013). He's the only character in this topic that hasn't died yet. If there's one distinctive thing about Grokk, it's his narrative voice. He is written in 1st person, which isn't altogether unique in the game; however, Grokk's blend of bad puns, incessant self-promotion, fourth wall breakage, and stray thoughts is generally distinguishable when it appears. Grokk is prone to whimsy, loves casual crime, and takes immense pride in his mouthful of "pearlies." Grokk's childish behavior, however, is belied by a conspicuous absence of moral relativity or empathy. He carries a Zamor pistol, and he's an excellent shot. The reference for Grokk is several artworks I've done of him, most recent of which can be seen in my Av and Sig. He's the smallest and the simplest of the MOCs in this topic; I wanted him to be stable and playable. The little gizmo at Grokk's feet is a Fusa Flipper, which is a small wind-up toy that Grokk stole for his enjoyment during the current arc of the game. Building challenges: retaining torso flexibility, incorporating more brown, making a vaguely kangaroo-shaped contraption at the right scale. Towards the end of his photo shoot, Grokk discovered that he could, in fact, take pictures of himself: "#selfies #lol @dorshaddix" Lastly, there's Uhuraz. Uhuraz, Makuta. Bleeding head is a prototype element; cape comes from a Darth Vader figurine. Makuta Uhuraz the Merciless was a character I played before the reboot of the BZPRPG. Uhuraz was one of my first characters; he was a fairly basic "big bad," but he was a load of fun to write. He ended himself at the close of the 2010 arc shortly after realizing his dreams and rediscovering his conscience. True to the first in his bloated list of titles, Uhuraz was merciless. He was a savage hunter, prone to fits of destructive rage; armed with titanic brute strength and a heavy flail, his wrath often resulted in broken bodies. For all his power in the temporal world, though, Uhuraz's true power lay in his mind. Uhuraz was a masterful manipulator of the mental plane, especially when it came to attacking other consciousnesses. Uhuraz, supremely confident in his might-means-right world view, wanted to become a god. The head Uhuraz is holding belonged to his former mentor and enemy, Master. Master was also a practiced wielder of psychic energies; when they dueled one another, Uhuraz gained the edge over Master by deciding that the pain in his head was arbitrary. Because Master wore a Kanohi Crast, and I wanted to use that gorgeous prototype somewhere, it bleeds symbolically in Uhuraz's claws as 1/2 of another dead character. Blood droplets may have been a bit much... This is maybe the fifth update of my Uhuraz MOC, which has been at a few Brickfairs, but hasn't seen the light of the internet since it was much older and inferior. Building challenges: attaching the fingers to the ball joints, restructuring the leg armor. Let it be noted that "The Incredibles" had it right: several times during the shoot, Uhuraz's cape succumbed to my fan and pulled him the ground. Thanks everyone for looking! If you made it all the way down here, I'm surprised by your patience, and flattered by your interest. Comments and critiques of all sorts are appreciated.

Nuju's 12K Post Spectacular has been reserved for some very interesting characters.

IC: The fishes didn’t like the metal capsule that swam through them in the deep water. It was too big, too strong, and too fast for their tastes. Something about its shape looked predatory in their lidless eyes, and the churned-up water in its wake was dangerous; many fish had nearly been sucked in and devoured by the capsule’s merciless, rotating fins. Schools of silver guppies parted for the gigantic mystery fish, giving it a wide berth as it plowed on through the sea. Sunlight, blue-green at this depth, bounced off the shell of the capsule. The submarine stayed close to the sea floor, bashing every now and again through a reef. Every time this happened, the rough coral scratched against the smooth outside of the vehicle, and the shrill, prolonged noises of collision were amplified on the inside of the craft. Most of the crew of the submarine winced at the sound; only two, the one amidst all the pipes and levers and the one sitting in a niche of the cramped cabin, remained composed in the face of the noise. The others all pressed their palms to their ears and yelled at the one behind the valves. “Stop it!” roared a particularly loud member of the uncomfortable ones from his seat along the wall, “Or I’ll come up there and tie your neck around one of those pipes!” “Avak!” hissed another one between his teeth, his eyes squeezed shut and hands throttling the pole he sagged against. “Do you want to find out how quickly I can separate your jaw from your face?” Avak, the one behind the pipes, scowled back and, for good measure, steered the sub into an even larger coral structure. The hull’s screams were even worse; all the complainers were reduced again to covering their ears and groaning. Even the one in the niche, previously unmoving, flinched at the cacophony; it was a strange flinch, one that seemed to happen simultaneously across his whole form. As the coral-on-hull screeching grew higher, his flinch became more pronounced, so much so that it seemed for an instant as though he was trying to leap out of his own body. Immediately as the shrieking stopped, the flincher stood up and strode to Avak. All the rest of the crew, including Avak, watched wordlessly as he stepped over their maze of limbs - it was a small submarine, not big enough to hold all six of them comfortably - and onto the raised section of the cabin where Avak operated the submarine’s altitude and directional controls. One of the others, who had been leaning into a round portion of the wall, sat forward to get a better view; he smiled and sighed, as if settling in to watch an amusing Kolhii match. A thick, L-shaped pipe stood in between Avak and the flincher, but this didn’t seem to faze the approaching being. Rather than moving around the solid pipe, the flincher approached through it as easily as though it had been air. When parts of his body touched the pipe, they seemed to disassemble momentarily into particles of dark dust, reforming again into his face, knees, torso, and shoulder once those body parts were clear of the pipe. It was as though the flincher was composed of fine sand, sand that had loosened momentarily to let the pipe sift through. None of the others looked surprised by this, but Avak's wide mouth tilted a little. The flincher returned Avak's resentful gaze with his own impassive one; Avak looked away first. The flincher's face - and the rest of his body, for that matter - was subtly flickering, as though he was personally captured on a film infinitesimally grainier than the reality around him; it was difficult to watch for too long. The flincher's silence eventually cued Avak into speech. "I'll stop once Reidak gives it back," he pouted, still avoiding looking into the flincher's face. The one called Reidak, who had been sitting restlessly - his long corded legs had been splayed in an anxiously bouncing V - stood up hastily to answer Avak's accusation and banged his head on the underside of an equipment hook. The others guffawed, and the smiling one's grin only widened. Reidak turned on him and growled like an animal, seemingly none the worse for wear after his head injury. "Wipe that smirk off your face, Thok, or I'll-" "You don't scare me, Reidak," Thok sneered. He rested on a bench between two crates of rations; in his lap was a large metal tool, at one end of which was a curved pickaxe. He leaned back into the wall again and resumed rubbing a whetstone needlessly along the weapon's sharp edge before continuing. "If I wanted to be shouted at by a Brakas in a cage, I would have visited the zoo." The one who had threatened to make a bow tie out of Avak's neck cooed ironically. "Iceman can burn," he intoned softly, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Hakann, Hakann," Thok shook his head sadly, his smile in place as always, though hardened. "Always attempting to undermine my clever-" But Thok was interrupted by another terrible shriek. Avak had taken advantage of the distractions to steer the sub once more into a reef; the hull bounced and almost tipped this time, throwing Avak from his controls and forcing the others to grab on to any purchase they could find. Outside the submarine, a school of fish scattered, and a shark that had been tailing them darted away in frustration, narrowly avoiding being hit by the sub itself. The coral scraped the underside of the sub, slowing it, but momentum kept the vehicle moving forward nonetheless. Avak, slightly dazed from impact with the L-pipe, did not make it back to his controls in time to stop the submarine from sliding forward through the water and into a waiting chasm. "Pull us back up!" Hakann shouted angrily as they began to plunge downward. His words were drowned by an anguished roar from Reidak, who hated confined spaces enough when they weren't sinking. The rift in the ocean's surface was deep and sudden; through the reinforced crystal portholes of the submarine, everyone watched the water darken gradually as they clutched on for dear life. The one who leaned against a pole barely kept his throttling grip when Thok fell into him from above. The tip of Thok's sharp, now airborne weapon barely missed Hakann's hand as it embedded itself in his bench. General chaos ensued - dominated by shouted accusations, attempted blows that only destabilized the instigators, and Reidak's bestial wailing - and continued until the plummeting submarine landed on the sea surface at last. It hit the bottom with a soft thud in a cloud of disturbed sand. The blue-green sunlight was gone; outside, the ocean was only blackness. The lights on the inside of the submarine were bright as ever, and the portholes' yellow luminescence spilled out to reveal only the settling sand. There was an instant of communal relief once the sub stopped falling, but a divided atmosphere returned almost immediately. The crew was about to start fighting once more, until a penetrating hiss silenced them all. The flincher, who was the only one already standing again, was the source of the hissing, and his red eyes moved deliberately from face to face, daring the others to speak. None of them accepted the challenge. Satisfied, the flincher wheeled on Avak, who was just pulling himself up from the floor, and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. The flincher's fingers were all too solid, now; he lifted Avak roughly to his feet, holding him with both clawed hands. "Pathetic," the flincher whispered in Avak's nervous face. His voice was unsettling; it sounded like a swarm of wasps buzzing in tandem, a thousand voices that didn't quite align. Despite himself, Avak shuddered. Those slowly shifting eyes stared calmly into him; the horrible voices continued. "A selfish pursuit of your own interests, a disregard for the well-being of your fellows," he said, voice raised to its normal volume. "These, Avak, I have come to expect from you. But at the risk of your own skin... I'll confess I am surprised, even impressed, by your... daring." "Zaktan," Avak said as levelly as he could to the flincher, trying to pry Zaktan's hands off of him. "Reidak-" "Stole one of your trinkets," Zaktan hissed back, his lips parting to reveal a humorless, serpentine leer as his hands tightened. "I know. And even though your little devices are your only friends, I never knew they meant this much. You could have broken the submarine's hull and killed us all, including yourself; did you mean to die in a desperate bid for revenge?" "I knew what I was doing," Avak spat back. "I know this thing's limits; I'm the only one who knows how to operate it. We would have stayed level if Hakann hadn't distracted me-" "You're going to try and blame me for this?" Hakann broke in, scornfully incredulous. "It's you who lost control of the sub." "It's your fault we're down here, Avak," agreed the one pulling himself back up his pole. "I swear that I'll tear out your jaw-" "Shut up, Vezok," Avak grunted. "Sheesh, haven't seen you this close to exploding since-" "I'm not about to explode," Vezok said levelly, undermined in his claim by the steady wringing motions of his hands around the support pole and his clenched teeth. "Vezok," Thok interjected, his voice reasonable and his face still a mask of enjoyment, "I'm sure you wouldn't agree with Hakann if you'd heard what he said about your marksmanship the other day-" "-He what!" "-I... what? Thok!" "You heard me! Terrible, he said-" "I'll kill you!" "Just wait for me to kill him!" Reidak's deafening roar put an abrupt stop to the argument. His hackles were raised, his black spine flexing ominously. The others watched him cautiously; for all their bravado, they didn't want to provoke Reidak into one of his fits of destruction in an enclosed space. He collected himself quickly, though, and spoke calmly even as his clawed feet tapped the floor with excessive energy. "We need to get out of here." "Give me my gun," Avak countered from behind Zaktan's grip, "And I'll be more than happy to pull us up out of this ditch. Smooth sailing, honest to karz. Just give it to me. Now." "He can't," Hakann snarled dangerously, turning quickly on Reidak. "He pushed it out through the airlock yesterday. I covered for him." "It was fun," Reidak growled back defiantly. "You enjoyed it, too." "That isn't the point." "I spent weeks on that gun," Avak sulked. "If he can't give it back, then I won't get us out. It's that simple. Unless somebody wants to shove him out the airlock, too, in which case we can be on our way." "I volunteer," Thok grinned. "What do you say, Reidak? Nice, open space, the ocean-" "Shut up!" "Quiet," Zaktan hissed, and there was quiet. "Avak, you seem to think yourself in a position to negotiate what happens to this submarine." "...Yes," Avak replied, though he gathered from Zaktan's tone that there was a card he'd forgotten. "I'm the only one who knows where the depth controls are." "Correct," Zaktan assured him, buzzing sinisterly. Zaktan's flickers became more pronounced as he let go of Avak with one hand. He stretched this out behind him, bending it towards the front end of the sub. There was a pile of items there; six Zamor launchers, crates and crates of spheres, and an assortment of other tools; Thok's pickaxe, still embedded in the bench, was the only one missing. On the top of the pile was a golden-colored weapon. As Zaktan's hand reached for it, this weapon dissolved into particles just as Zaktan himself had done when passing through the pipe earlier, only it didn't solidify immediately. The weapon, a cloud of golden dust, flew through the air like a swarm of locusts until it reached his hand. There, the weapon reformed, revealing itself to be a Three-Bladed Scissor, the prongs of which were now inches from Avak's throat. Avak laughed, as if relieved. "You can't kill me, Zaktan," he said. "You'll never know how to get this sub moving again." "We'll keep pressing buttons until one works," said Vezok, rolling his eyes. "Who said anything about killing you?" Zaktan countered, ignoring Vezok's remark. "This is a small submarine, Avak. The controls are all localized to a region only a few bio square. Navigating requires you to be able to reach all of them, yes?" Avak, uncertain of the direction this was going, nodded. "Not a large space. In fact, I don't think your legs would be necessary for traversing it. It doesn't matter much to me if you keep them." The three scissor blades flexed like fingers as he moved the weapon down towards Avak's knees. "Fine," Avak conceded. "Let me go, I'll get us moving." Zaktan obliged, and the six all returned to where they had been before the fall. Thok made a point of removing his pickaxe from the bench before Hakann sat; Reidak started pacing the tiny space, unable to stop moving; Vezok decided that the pole had not brought him much luck, and took to sitting on the floor instead; Avak returned to the jungle of valves and dials, flicking a few to check their pressure; Zaktan returned to his shady niche. The submarine started moving upwards. A second later, it lurched back downwards, as if pushed deeper by a strong current. "Up is that way," Hakann said to Avak as he pointed with one finger. "That wasn't me," Avak murmured. Something thudded against the side of the submarine. "What is that?" groaned Vezok. One of the port holes was completely obscured by what looked like the sucker of a squid's tentacle. The Piraka weren't having a good day.

Having just added handheld Patero Launchers to the Living List, I'd like to remind all of you that the Living List is always open to suggestions, and that I welcome your ideas! For more info, please check the first post of the profiles topic.

IC: The Gukko rider returned to Le-Koro with Nuparu's message in her satchel. She landed her bird deftly, dismounted, and handed the letter to her supervisior, exchanging it for a new charge. She was in the air again quickly with the replacement package; meanwhile, the supervisor packed the letter into a small tube, and deposited the tube into Le-Koro's system of courier pipes. The message quickly found its way to Akiri Kongu. Akiri Kongu, I shall be happy to attend the council you've proposed. I will be present to represent the perspectives of my Koro. For my security, choice members of the Ussalry will accompany me, though I can assure you that they will not be the inciters of any violence. Thank you for proposing this meeting; I believe that it will be an enlightening and benefical one.

IC: Even nowhere holds spirit. The sea stirs. Yes. The waves are an ever-flexing image of the sky, and they shimmer with its blue happiness. The sea is darker than its surface. The depths hold the true nature of the endless water. In blackness, hurricanes are born as subtle currents. You stir the depths. I must, for you have reduced me to subtle currents. Such currents are immaterial, for my people are not a sea. Do not delude yourself. Each of them is a drop of water in an ocean as corporeal as the looking-glass of the clouds. Drops of water do not dream, or love; they have no freedom against the tides. Your people's freedom is a tide, and it shapes as readily to my touch as dark waters do. Peace yet endures. This is but the calm before my storm breaks upon the beaches of your precious island. The first ripples already wash ashore. You have great faith in your currents. Yes. Though I slumber, my influence lives on. Even the smallest currents are still beyond your power. Of what influence do you speak? My dormant hands are not without fingers. Your fingers betray you, then; they bend to the soft influence of my waves on the sea floor. A wave on the sea floor tosses up sand. My champions are not blind. In that case, they are excellent imitators. You still hold rage towards them. Does this surprise you? It does not. Rage is no stranger to your voice. Rage is power. Rage is blindness. You are welcome to embrace it. The sea holds more than water and memories of the heavens. It also holds monsters. Do you mean to intimidate me? I do not fear you. You do not fear harm, but you fear harm to those you love. I have my own fingers, champions. My people are strong. My fingers shall be a vice.

IC: The following is the excerpted from a documentation of inter-Koro dealings. The following transaction was negotiated between Akiri Nuparu of Onu-Koro and Akiri Matoro of Ko-Koro through a written correspondence. These letters were borne by Gukko riders. The negotiations were finalized during a private meeting between Akiri Nuparu and Ehrye, a courier acting on behalf of Matoro. The transaction summary was submitted by Akiri Nuparu. Resolution of negotiations between Onu-Koro and Ko-Koro are as follows, and are henceforth official. Onu-Koro provides: The resources, engineers, and skill required to construct ten "Ice Tarakava," vehicles designed for riding atop snowy surfaces. These treaded machines, steered with parallel ski blades at the front end, can seat one passenger and one driver each, and have capacity to draw small cargo sleds. The vehicles are equipped with rechargeable batteries. Repair services for the vehicles, should they become necessary, shall be negotiated for on the occasion of their occurrence.The resources, engineers, and skill required to construct refueling stations for the "Ice Tarakava." These stations, linked to Ko-Koro's mountainside wind turbines, shall be equipped to load the batteries of the aforementioned vehicles. There will be two stations in Ko-Koro, and two more at satellite locations to be decided by Akiri Matoro.Two dozen additional "Ice Tarakava" will be supplied to Ko-Koro upon satisfactory completion of services negotiated.A small arsenal of Patero Launchers, projectile cannons powered by compressed gas. The Patero launcher consists of an elastic bladder that is inflated full of air by a hand pump, a projectile barrel, and a rapid air release mechanism. This simple launcher can fire lightweight rounds without much accuracy, but over long distances. Onu-Koro shall supply Ko-Koro with Patero launchers of two varieties: A handheld sort small enough to be wielded by an individual operator, and a larger artillery howitzer.Ko-Koro shall be responsible for creating rounds for their new launchers. Onu-Koro receives: First access to discoveries made in the Ko-Koro academy. Such discoveries, should they be applicable to engineering projects, will be made ready to Onu-Koro's engineers. Onu-Koro engineers will be given unrestricted access within the academy.Access to the subterranean tunnel network around Ko-Koro will be given to Onu-Koro's engineers and Ussalry members as they request it. Nuparu's Notes: Profitable transaction.

IC: The following is the excerpted from a documentation of inter-Koro dealings. The following transaction was negotiated between Korsu, acting on behalf of Akiri Nuparu of Onu-Koro, and Akiri Kongu of Le-Koro. The transcript was recorded and summarized by Hofi. Resolution of negotiations between Onu-Koro and Le-Koro are as follows, and are henceforth official. Onu-Koro provides: The resources, engineers, and skill required to construct a new set of discreet vacuum chutes between Le-Koro and six proximate outposts. The tubes of this new layer to the chute system shall be much thinner and faster, as they are designed to transport message capsules. These tubes will mostly exist underground, out of sight, with delivery and reception stations protruding above the surface. Tubes will run from a central Le-Koro terminal to the satellite locations; tubes linking the satellite locations to one another will not be included.Fifty specially fabricated message capsules.Repair and expansion services for this system, should they become necessary, shall be negotiated for on the occasion of their occurrence. Onu-Koro receives: Aerial services from the Gukko Force. These free services include cross-island message carrying on behalf of the Koro, and aerial transport for members of Onu-Koro's Ussalry and engineer forces upon their request.The establishment of a "Gukko pad" location on the surface of Onu-Wahi. Here, Onu-Matoran will be able to rendezvous with Gukko fliers to either send and receive messages, or to commence their flights. Matoran who are not enrolled by the military or engineer divisions of the Koro will still have access to transportation and courier services from the Gukko pad, but must pay a fee to the Gukko's flier if they wish to use these services.A lump sum of highest quality disassembling air gliders - with safe-carry backpacks for their component pieces - and multicolored signal kites. Hofi's Notes: Wet stay in Le-Koro; while trees withstood storm, Onu-Koro's representatives were less stalwart to wind and rain. Akiri Kongu invited his guests to a music festival held under the stars before rain began. Korsu praised the skill of the musicians, and Wiremu, consulting engineer, marveled at the delicacy of some of the instruments. Negotiations were straightforward and polite, though Kongu stressed his desire for this to be a secret project. Korsu requested that the bottoms of the gliders be painted by Le-Koronan artisans either pale blue or black.

Thank you, Varren, for asking two questions I was gonna address, anyway! The memos themselves are not public, really; it's just my fun way of notifying you players of location changes/new tech through an IC device. Whether or not the Akiri of the Koro wants to publicize the results of the diplomacy is up to them; however, things like the presence of a railroad, in the Po-Koro case, can reasonably be assumed to be common knowledge as they're highly visible. Basically, use common sense about what your character would know. To answer your second question, the changes described in these kinds of negotiation posts (of which there will be more in the future) can be considered to take place effective one week OOC after they're posted. On the one hand, I didn't want to concern myself with thinking up different rolling OOC dates for the results of certain dealings, but on the other, to have their results effective immediately -the easiest course of action- would eliminate a few, well, fun possibilities... One week is an arbitrary marker, but I think it's reasonable.

IC: The following is the excerpted from a documentation of inter-Koro dealings. The following transaction was negotiated between Korsu, acting on behalf of Akiri Nuparu of Onu-Koro, and Akiri Hewkii of Po-Koro. The transcript was recorded and summarized by Hofi. Resolution of negotiations between Onu-Koro and Po-Koro are as follows, and are henceforth official. Onu-Koro provides: The resources, engineers, and skill required to construct one "Iron Mahi" locomotives. This locomotive will have the ability to tow cargo cars in its wake, and will be powered by solar panels. Repair services for this locomotive, should they become necessary, shall be negotiated for on the occasion of their occurrence.The resources, engineers, and skill required to construct a single line of tracks for the "Iron Mahi" locomotive. This cross-desert track will run from a central station in Po-Koro to a station at the Po-Wahi/Ga-Wahi border. Each end of the track will be looped, so that the locomotive can traverse the track from either destination to the other.The construction of other stops along the track shall be the responsibility and liberty of Po-Koro; however, the construction of new or extended tracks for the locomotive shall be forbidden unless further negotiated with Onu-Koro. Onu-Koro receives: The unrestricted right to mine on and under Po-Wahi lands. Minimal taxes paid to Po-Koro are dependent on cubic bio extracted.A lump sum of glass lenses and bulbs, as well as a future discount on glass manufacture.A lump sum of preserved Rahi meats, as well as a future discount on meats. Hofi's Notes: Long voyage, but short stay in Po-Koro. Korsu and Akiri Hewkii conversed in private of Hewkii's hut; periods of off-record negotiations acknowledged to exist in transcript. Hewkii expressed desire to "open" his Koro at last. Wiremu, consulting engineer for Onu-Koro, expressed interest in returning for a Kohlii match in future. Weather exceedingly dry.

Three things: 1) The winner of the Mangaia contest has been selected and notified of their victory. I'll be passing them instructions soon. 2) I'll be away from the forum Tuesday through Saturday or so. If anything urgent arises, please bring the problem to EmperorWhenua. 3) I would like for the group of Operation Codename: LOTG to please write your characters' profiles and send them to me. Emphasis on traits and mannerisms.