BULiK

IC: Quoribay [Ga-Koro, Streets] Now, see, I was just as curious as ol' Baz-buddy was on Surdo's offer, but I also had a slight suspicion it involved me, threats of (and/or actual) violence, and some widgets - and a little more that couldn't be directly priced out into widgets - that Surdo mistakenly thought he deserved from me (the gall!) for some, uh, long stories from way-back-when that maybe I'll go into later. You know me and tangents - it's a sin that I cause over and over. Get it? Sin over Cos? None of you got that? And some people say I can't do math, Zataka's cheeks... (Did I say that right?) Where was I? Ah yes, potential threats of violence. Hence, my interjection. Dominate the verbal battlespace, as they say. "What if I told you about a job opportunity that would only require a couple days of work, where you'd gain a small fortune that could pay off any of your debts -" Yeah, I shot Surdo a glance. Even that backstabbing-scumbag-of-an-oaf-insert-expletive-of-choice-here could see the bombshell I was dropping between those lines. "- create a retirement fund rivalled only by Jaller's pension, and cement your status as a legend in the process. Would you be able to refuse that offer?"

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, The Drifts] "Mata Nui..." Kreigero whispered under her breath, stumbling as she felt the impact of the dragon's nearby landing. Even the Ko-matoran felt the rapid heat loss, and subsequent frost buildup. Kreigero had hunted many Rahi... but this was something else entirely. She opened her mouth and felt the crisp air bite her, as if the heat normally bottled under her shemagh had been sapped out from beneath the huntress. "RUN!" Kreigero turned around, knowing this was their only shot to escape. She did not want to stick around to find out if this Muaka was enough to sate the dragon's appetite. She saw Savrehn nearing a break in the snow bank. That would have to do. The huntress crossed over, her whimpering Hapaka following, and saw a barren downhill slope, at least as far as she could see through the intensifying storm and the dusk light. They just needed to get out of here as fast as possible... In an act of quick thinking, the trapper threw her circular metal shield down on the powdery snow, leaving a rotund impression with a satisfying crunch. The plan was as obvious as it was unconventional. "GET ON!" Three matoran and a Hapaka would be a tight fit... but given the circumstances... ~~~ The Muaka snarled at the interruption. It was the king of the mountain, this was its hunting grounds, and the strongest of all, its dark master, had seen fit to give it the strength to defend its territory. The two infected kanohi on its shoulders were badges of honor, of power, that this interloper clearly did not respect, and would thusly be punished for. The apex predator rose up in rage and meant to descend on the dragon with its jaws, but was rebutted by the icy breath of the mystix, turning away with a sickening cry. It felt the freezing burn in its lungs and the growing frost on its pelt, yet somehow was able to pool the energy to turn back and pounce into the air towards Lainai, claws and fangs outstretched. Fight or flight: the beast knew that running was not an option, and even if it froze mid air, the inertia could carry its claws and open maw to sink into the intruder, or at least break off the rapidly-forming ice upon impact.

IC: Quoribay [Ga-Koro, Streets] Can you believe this guy? Most people couldn't. But you know me - I'm not most people. ... Well, yeah, when you say it like THAT it doesn- To go Karz, and get me a fresh Salamander's while you're there. Ahem. Sorry. As I was saying, he asked Baz a question, and Baz answered. I was kinda curious about the answer of that question myself, at the time.

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, The Drifts] (Inspirational listening) Kreigero thought Hikaki smelled bad on the outside. The stench and the horizon her optics had been scanning consumed her sensorium to the point where, despite her intense focus on watching for threats (or more accurately, because of it), she was surprised by Savrehn's rope tug. She returned a sharp nod. He was right. They needed to keep moving. She kept her watch from the rear, trusting Savrehn to navigate in her stead. The snowstorm continued to be unrelenting, with visibility as poor as ever. Kreigero couldn't shake the feeling that someone - or more likely, something was watching them. The trio warily tread onwards for a few minutes. Just long enough for the adrenaline and panic to almost fade. Reyal began to growl. A few moments later, a howl resonated through the air, sinking the group's heartlights. The head of a Muaka peeked out from above a high snow dune to their left. The head stood still while the neck retracted back to its dangerously snug state - bringing with it the body that was previously hiding behind the landscape in a slanky, confident trot. It immediately became evident the large furrow of snow banks the group was naturally using to take cover from the worst of the storm was just as useful to the Muaka as a bottleneck for its prey. Nearby, to the group's right, there was a break in the snow bank. The plain beyond was remarkably smooth - curving slightly downhill for as far as Savrehn could see, which was admittedly not far in the belligerent weather. "Careful! Don't let it think we'd split up," Kreigero advised sternly, her focus maintaining eye contact with the beast. She took hold of her shield in one arm and lightly thrusted her spear in the Rahi's direction as a menacing warning. "Back away slowly. Don't provoke. Be strong. We've dealt with Muaka before, right Savrehn?" Reyal growled at the Muaka and stood his ground as Kreigero continued to rapidly slap together a plan. "When - if I say to run, run. Find us a way out, Sav; Atamai and I will keep it busy."

IC: Quoribay [Ga-Koro, Streets] I didn't understand this skak at first - though luckily, logic and reason prevailed (albeit with a sizeable delay, after what I can only assume was maintenance to clear the cobwebs on the ancient gears you could almost hear churning while he thought) and any potential hostilities were averted for the time being. Didn't stop the fingers on my free hand from dancing their way around behind my back. At the very least, ol' Baz asked a perfectly dumb question that allowed me to pay Surdo's coldness back in kind, while retaining my diplomatic demeanor. "Well, for example, one reason to have a pseudonym would be so friends-" all that time later, I could still nail the delivery on Surdo's accent, especially with the way he spoke just a second before. "- can keep each other at a healthy distance. Sometimes it's professional courtesy, other times it's great for keeping two groups from awkwardly mixing. Keep work and play separated, y'know?"

IC: Vrill [Ko-Koro, Historical District, Wise Man's Archive] Vrill looked almost pleased with the results. At least, by Ko-Koronan standards of body language. He walked past the front desk in confident strides as the Matoran directed him to his target, swiftly arriving at the back shelves. They appeared to be overgrown with documents that were almost designed by committee specifically to be the most bland and unappealing that they possibly could be. The Cy-Toa could tell that this part of the job was going to be horrible, even for himself. Unfortunately, it was the best way to find leads in this instance, even if it risked consuming the analyst entirely. The detective wouldn't let this case end up like the last. Korzaa deserved better, especially in these times. Ko-Koro needed peace, struck by order, and order was founded on the same methodical willpower that Vrill would need to call upon in order to scour the veritable mount Ihu of legalese he was sure to encounter. The obsidian-clad Toa turned back to his guide through the literary and actuarial forest. "What are the most recent reports in there? Today? This week? This month?"

IC: Quoribay [Ga-Koro, Streets] There's a common misconception about preparedness. Some say you must be prepared for everything, and I agree. To a degree. "Expect the unexpected," they say. A perfectly reasonable adage. If you're a Matoran who wants to get caught. What they don't tell you is that the fastest way to end up in a jail cell is to get someone's attention, and the fastest way to gain a guard's attention is to look suspicious. So naturally, I pose the question: what's more suspicious than being on the edge, prepared for everything? You take a Ga-Koro marine - nay, the greenest Ga-Koro marine gal possible, with the most civvie of mindsets - and walk in front of that babe while looking over your shoulder while you're trying to expect the unexpected? Say goodbye to your freedom, ####-o. Right... sorry, forgot about that. Apologies, really. Honest mistake. Uhhhh as I was - right: So, that's why the true professional chooses to let his guard down, because by letting your guard down, you are letting your guard UP (raising your guard up? yeah. raising), and not one of those mindreaders that had been swarming the city that day coulda sensed me on edge because I wasn't. Stannis Maru himself could have stared me down with those dead eyes of his and seen nothin' but the lovable rogue I am - actually, scratch that, he wouldn't see the rogue bit, so... ah, I'll need to rethink that punch line. Where was I? Sunny day. Clear skies. High humidity. An enormous fleet of women converging on the road ahead of me. Mental shields at one hundo per-cent-ay. Just little ol' me, blending in amongst the crowd in the floating city of sheeple. Clipboard under one arm. Looking like I know what I'm doing because I do. Nobody would think twice about me, and to ensure that, I wouldn't think twice about anyone else. Even thinking once was pushing it, I had to make sure I looked like the average kohlii-headed sports fan from Po-Wahi. I am dedicated to my method method of tradecraft. That's why I allowed myself to take the fall. If I went full Cirque du Solis to save myself from any potential embarrassment, that would immediately make me suspicious, maybe even lead to one of my signature chase scenes that could compromise the entirety of my fledgling enterprise. I couldn't take such a great risk so early into my greatest operation yet - there simply wasn't enough time for me to lay low to let the heat die down if I saw it coming around that corner. I couldn't risk losing my big chance to make history. So, if you ever hear that Surdo hooked me off balance with the swirly end of his cane and sent me kissing the lilypad, THAT'S the full context of why I let that happen. Karz... it was such a surprise at the time to see him, of all people, in Ga-Koro, of all places, at the start of my big job, of all times. Sometimes, I think that I should have taken that as a sign, and walked away then and there. Even a dashing hero such as myself is challenged by fate and the karmic chaos of the gods, and it is exactly those doubts that tempered me from a Matoran of iron to a Matoran of steel. None of you know how steel is made, right? Uh. So. Anyways. I picked myself off the reinforced giga-lilypad, shaking my head back and forth to clear it. Give the appearance of recalibrating myself after a fall, like I wasn't ready for it all along. I'll admit, I was blinking my optics and wondering if somehow my audio receptors had been filled with water, because I couldn't believe who I was seeing or what I was hearing. How did he know it was me? Hadn't I changed my disguise since then? New Kanohi, new armor, new paint job. Perhaps my swagger is just too recognizable? Maybe the sad truth is that even a Kanohi Suletu couldn't tarnish a face this handsome. Perhaps my fatal flaw. As I picked up my clipboard and began to stand up again, I was looking up and darting the focus of my optics between the mother- Ahem, dusterlover, pardon me - and the frankenskakdi, trying to figure out their relation. From the sounds of things at the time, so were they. "Heyyyy... pal."

IC: Vrill [Ko-Koro, Historical District, Wise Man's Archive] A toa clad in blackened, obsidian-encrusted armor appeared at the threshold to the Wise Man's Archive. Vrill looked at a sign under the business's name. 'The most peaceful spot in Ko-Wahi.' Hmm... The toa of crystal entered the building and looked around at the walls of tablets, scrolls, and books. There was a Ko-Matoran with a black Ruru waiting inside. Given this was the only other being in the vicinity, it must be the owner. The eponymous 'wise man'. "Hello," the blank-staring Vrill introduced himself coldly. "I'm looking for copies of public records."

IC: Quoribay [Ga-Koro, Dockyards] Even before I crossed the bay into Ga-Koro proper, it was hard to miss the new fleet. See, I'd heard of these mindreaders even before most of you lot - I'm in the know, so I didn't even need a quick rundown. But nobody told me they were ALL coming over. I tried to ignore the thought of them somehow mucking up my master plan. Luckily, none of the foreigners were on the ferry I took to Ga-Koro, where I was meticulously taking notes on my master plan, in the way that I do. The ride was short and uneventful, so I'll skip to the part where it began to go sideways, where entropy ran amok for better and for worse. So I was making my way towards the gate that anchored floating village to the shore (geez do I hate choke points, I can't even go into that right now). Little ol' me, just, y'know, strollin' down those lilypad lanes, minding my own business, and then the funniest thing happened...

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, The Drifts] (Inspirational Listening) The three matoran (and singular Hapaka) gathered their muster for the next leg of their excursion. After making minor preparations and shortly quelling any doubts, they set forth once more. The trio spent the majority of that evening trudging through the accumulating snow drifts, trying to dart between the few natural landmarks wherever possible. A trail of miniature red flags grew in their wake, with Kreigero placing another just before the prior one disappeared from view in the rapid snowfall. Whenever they looked back towards their origin, they would the large footprints from their snowshoes already obscured beyond recognition, caked by countless layers of fresh, powdery crystal. Soon, all pretense of geography was stripped from the landscape by the unrelenting barrage of the growing storm. The mountainside and the sky clashed, competing for dominance over which hue of white would be the canvas of the universe around them. If it wasn't for the snow pelting them like daggers from the headwind or the hardened snow crunching beneath them, it would be impossible to tell which direction was up and which was down. A compass felt as likely an indicator of the group's direction as intuition would be. Surely the drifts would end over the next hill and the relatively peaceful ice shelf would reveal itself... if hills could even be discerned from one another. There was no outline, no depth, that could give context for their optics - only a bleached void. The supply of red flags dwindled rapidly as the frequency with which the prior flag became no longer visible increased. The comforting notion that the markers would lead them home grew quaint. The winds howled with a rage Kopaka himself could not have withstood. Kreigero was characteristically silent, but if anything, the other two matoran grew uncharacteristically quiet as the weather dominated the conversation. Shouts and whistles became the main communication medium, with even the crystalline crunching underfoot barely audible against the torrent. Eventually, the sun began to set, slowly taking the already poor visibility with it. What little purple-orange light hadn't been leeched by the clouds started to wane slightly. The winds began to carry a whisper that could chill bone. Kreigero, with her youthful energy and mastery of the Wahi, had taken point. Around her spear was tied a strand of rope, spanning several bio, which Savrehn and Atamai had taken hold of or tied around their waists. It was a precautionary measure they agreed upon as the storm had intensified, meant to prevent the group from separating unintentionally. The historian behind the tracker and the mountaineer bringing up the rear felt the rope suddenly slack - Kreigero had stopped in her tracks. When they caught up a few bio, they could more clearly saw her kneel down. The group could smell what had previously been a Hikaki before they could catch a glimpse. Even Reyal seemed personally offended by the putrid stench, the Hapaka's snout twitching and squirming in a futile attempt to recapture the sharp smell of the icy air as an alternative. The dragon lizard had been skewered across its belly, entrails displayed for all to see. Claw marks were scattered across its scaly pelt, and the snow around it had clotted into a mottled brown of dried blood. The huntress stood deathly still. She tightened her grip on her spear, letting her compatriots take in the view for themselves.

>matau isn't alive anymore uh oh

We brought it back... An ancient tradition... Fan;Cast Balom BZIII;Cast In record time, the rebooted BZPRPG podcast has been recorded and edited (Under a week? What?) This pilot episode is a long one, and we'll smooth out the format and any technical difficulties as we go further, but it's a fun ride. When @Haman Karn: A Magical Girl, @Krayzikk, and I aren't referencing inside jokes, making memes, or licking batteries, we're answering many questions players have had about Zakaz's development, the lull in between Arcs, the philosophy of current day GMs regarding staff plots, player character power levels, foreign tech, and even talking about what favorite characters of yours we've been reading. Give it a listen when you have the time, and any feedback is appreciated! We're hoping to generate some discussion, and shed some light on some of the stuff that's happened behind the scenes. I want to also give a HUGE thanks to @Razgriz and @Ramona Flowers for elevating the concept of a post-reading-cold-open into another level with voice and musical talent, respectively.

IC: Nichou [The Massif, Chapel] (Many weeks prior) "Connected to me as much as anyone," Nichou blushed after nodding along in agreement to Brykon's description of Stannis. While he appreciated Brykon's gesture, there was a part of Nichou that was uncomfortable with the association. The carpenter always tried to keep his humility in check - even though he had been an adventurer once, most delusions of grandeur had faded back to more realistic expectations. Nichou had faith that everyone had a destiny, though it oft worked in mysterious ways, and even if from his experience, some appeared to be more 'destined' than others. Not all destinies were created equally, but he considered it a fool's errand to attempt to compare them. It was as futile as saying one star was more important than another. Each star was uniquely incomparable, as was the unknowable and infinite complexities of each being's destiny. The stars were something Nichou treasured about life on the surface. Some shined brighter than others, and some constellations were known far and wide, but he liked to think that even though astronomers named some and astrologers tried to derive meaning from them, that did not diminish the beauty or meaning of the other stars or their uncharted asterisms. Nichou saw himself in that celestial tapestry - the Onu-Matoran's only apprehension about Brykon's statement was that the carpenter tried to avoid dwelling on where he himself fit into it. "You're right, I won't stay here forever," the craftsman answered after a brief pause. "When Ko-Koro is free again and the other guests here are safe to return, I will be leaving with them. I will help them rebuild, and afterwards..." Nichou trailed off for a few moments. He looked back down at the letter his hands had been fidgeting with as he talked. The craftsman folded it back up, the creases bending with ease for the hundredth time, and stowed it back in its pouch on his tool belt. "Afterwards, I'll try to find all of my friends who disappeared in the wars with Makuta and his followers." Aurax, Lepidran, Kyhra... they each had a destiny too. Each matoran shared a constellation with Nichou, even if their stars weren't as bright and as easy to pinpoint as Stannis's. Despite the somber topic, Nichou seemed to brighten up, almost, as if saying his plans out loud filled them with a strength and certainty that they had been missing in his prayers and ponderings. It was clear what he was saying was as much an answer for himself as it was a response to Brykon's question. "That's why I came here, initially - I had tried to reconnect with Stannis, as I had wanted to for a long time since Makuta's defeat, but... I got lost on the way there, and it lead to fulfilling work, learning new things, and meeting new friends that I never would have expected. I didn't know how the Massif would help me find what I needed to see within myself... but I knew that it would somehow, and it has. I think - I know - I'm ready to leave, ready to lead, to blaze my own trail that can help others." "I'm sure I'll also finish that original goal from all those months ago and meet with Stannis again, too. As you said, he may not always arrive when people want him to, but he has a way of appearing precisely when people need him to." "The Wanderer would appeal to the romantic side of sojourning to plead that if you found fulfillment and learning then you were never lost in the first place," Brykon said. He turned his ponderous face at the candelabras on the altar and stared longingly at them, as if seeing Mata Nui's face in each of their flickering flames, then sighed. "I think that's a crock of cow chips. You can't find your path if you're not hopelessly lost in the first place, and that's exactly what this home is for." "Yes, yes." Sigrus spoke for the first time in what seemed like years of meditative silence. "Sometimes you have to truly become lost to find what you need, yes." The camerlengo waited until both Nichou and Brykon's eyes were settled on him before speaking again. He was an able administrator, but he was a wayfinder first and foremost—he needed to roam and explore, and he already charted the whole of the Massif's many ravines and meadows to exhaustive reaches. It came as no surprise to the toa-protector that his trusted friend harbored desires to leave, but it did please him how Sigrus delicately chose this specific time to drop his intentions. "I would like to become lost again," he said. "I wish to leave with Nichou, yes." Brykon turned back to the carpenter and studied his reaction. Nichou's optics seemed to brighten at the idea. While he had not known the camerlengo by name until that evening, what he had learned about Sigrus in that short span made this prospect appealing. "Then it's settled," Nichou said with a nod to Sigrus. The Onu-Matoran stood up from the stone pew and offered a handshake to the wayfinder. "As soon as the war ends, we'll set out and..." Nichou paused, choosing his next words carefully. His first impulse was to associate Sigrus's desire to be lost again with wandering, but that word had connotations that Nichou did not want to bring up lightly. More importantly, was wandering even an accurate description? How would the carpenter define what he wanted to accomplish? Nichou knew his desire in his heartlight, but it took a moment for him to find the words that described it. "... discover truth, be it of the world, or within ourselves along the way. The trails of Mata Nui are meant to be tread by companions." "Is that alright, Protector?" Sigrus timidly asked the toa. The Massif had been his home for a long while by then and he was exceedingly valuable as a leader in the village, his absence would be felt. As camerlengo he was practically the mayor of the town. His deference was, however, matched by Brykon's. "Of course," he said with a single nod. "You know the rules as I do." It wasn't a rule as much as a common understanding: All were welcome to the Massif for refuge and rebirth, and by that same token all were welcome to leave whenever they wished and the only one . Stannis had left when he needed to when he was town leader and the sequence would surely continue with Sigrus. Brykon had no issue with people doing what they needed, and even if he did, his role was to protect the village, not govern it. Sigrus was chosen by his peers, and another would be selected in his stead. "Then so it is," Sigrus said with an excited little smile as he meekly looked at the sandstone floor. "I will be lost again but I will always be found. Thank you, Nichou. Thank you, Brykon. And thank you, Mata Nui," he said, clasping his hands together and giving a small bow with each acknowledgement. Nichou gave slight bows in return. "Thank you for accompanying me on the road ahead, Sigrus, and thank you Toa Brykon for ensuring our safety and helping guide us towards asking ourselves the right questions." His last bow was a solemn nod to flickering candles on the altar. "And thank Mata Nui, indeed. I think our prayers have been answered, and by no mere coincidence." The carpenter moved to the chapel's exit and opened the door while looking back towards Sigrus. "Let's get to work: with the Maru on the move, the war will be over before we know it, and there is much to prepare for." OOC: More from the jam to come.

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness] Kreigero glanced upwards as the other two matoran talked, a few snowflakes encrusting her kaukau's visor in the process. The clouds were noticeably thicker than before. The Ko-Matoran stood up and began to double check her gear. "Speaking of not doing anything stupid, we should keep moving. Cross the drifts before nightfall." It was best to not concern the Ta-Koronan. Some more snow was nothing she and Savrehn couldn't handle. It wasn't worth mentioning, that would only be counterproductive.

This is truly a glowing recommendation given that the page for Scrimblo Plimbo exists

While I absolutely agree that this is important info and appreciate the kind sentiments, I do want to pop in to clarify ahead of time for @Harvali's sake that he and I have already chatted about this over discord and I'm aware of his concerns. To clarify further as to why Harvali is worried despite awareness of BZPRPG.com's archive - in its current state, it only has an archive that is several months out of date, and doesn't have the automatic backup functionality - currently every update to the archive has to be manually performed, which wasn't much of a problem when the forum was relatively inactive/the only activity was a game where the many-topic searches bzprpg.com can do extremely efficiently aren't necessary, but given the BZPRPG is now firing on all cylinders again, an automated backup system has become a new priority. I planned to get that implemented sooner, but work on wiki.bzprpg.com (AKA bzprpg.wiki), revamping the website's aesthetic be more dark mode, and updating bzprpg.com/search to allow for searching by users has taken precedence until now. Given those features have now sufficiently matured, my current plan is to, at the very least, get an updated archive live next week, and ideally fully implement automatic daily or hourly post archival in the process. We'll see how that goes, and I'll be sure to keep people updated as to progress when it occurs.

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness] Optics shifted in disbelief. A test was required, but Kreigero couldn't think of an adequate test (maybe if she had photographic memory this would be an easier feat, but alas). The Ko-Matoran sat silently, observing.

IC: Nichou [The Massif, Chapel] (Many weeks prior) "How do you think this war with the new Ko-Koro will end?" Nichou paused for a moment, the Onu-Matoran visibly reconsidering his own question. "You see, I could count on one hand how many skirmishes I've been adjacent to. Understanding a battle is beyond me, let alone a siege or a war or.... whatever we're calling what's happening in Ko-Koro. You're a Toa, and not just any Toa - you're our Kaitiaki. You've kept these threats at bay, you understand the situation more than the gossip of the occasional merchant." "No matter how much I've built here to help the refugees, there are always those that ask when they can go back, or if there is news of their friends who are trapped inside, and I never have an answer. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I am here, but... sometimes I think about these grim details and I feel... lost." "Happy refuge can be... intoxicating," Brykon said. "Placid solace is healing to the soul, and that is the currency we function with here. And when the wounds are sealed and the scabs fall off, we send the people back into the rest of Mata Nui with renewed appreciation for all of life's misbegotten brambles. People can go back when they decide they are strong enough to deal with the darkness out there. For now, they're safe here." The toa-protector of the Massif rested his head on a burly fist. "Last I heard from my spies, there were forays coming from the sea and the alpine passes, led by Reordin and Stannis. The firespitter had gone ahead—I'm not sure what Oreius hopes to accomplish by himself, but it's doubtful he'll find it on his own terms. You can't out-muscle anyone out of Ko-Koro, you have to carve them out with strategy. But news from the koro has been all but choked to stillness. All the word I hear comes from the Wahi, everywhere but inside the town." Nichou looked almost surprised at the mention of spies - to think the reassuring Toa-protector of a haven like the Massif managed spies was initially a shock. Within a moment, the surprise visibly wore off, as Nichou concluded that such a network was necessary for Brykon's duties. After all, how else could Brykon have the information necessary to coordinate a defense, or answer questions like Nichou's? The Onu-Matoran's optics shifted towards the floor as he parsed the information. The Toa Maru were making their move... or, moves. Nichou hoped their different approaches were part of a larger strategy, but in his heart he knew it was a fool's hope. Rumors of their unity waning since the attack on Ta-Koro were confirmed by these actions. "That's good news. Hopefully despite their... lack of unity, the Maru can free those trapped inside the Koro. The lack of news from inside the Koro itself has been disheartening - when I arrived here, I was corresponding with a friend inside. His last letter arrived when the city was in lockdown after the assassination..." Nichou thumbed a pocket, pulling out a worn parchment, neatly folded. He unfolded the letter, took another glance at the words inscribed within, and sighed. "I haven't heard anything since, and not knowing the fate of yet another friend nags me to no end. It is, at the very least, reassuring to know that I’m not alone in my blindness to what goes on behind Ko-Koro’s walls." "Certainly not," Brykon said. "But I'm sure the Maru will succeed where others have failed. What they lack in Unity they more than make up for in Duty... and stubbornness." Nichou chuckled, his own faith in the Maru bolstered by the Fe-Toa's confidence. "Of course." "I'm sure the only reason Ko-Koro hasn't already been recaptured is the Maru deciding the best way to intervene, and finding the proper timing to do so. If their assault has begun, Echelon's reign is already at its end." He nodded slowly and agreed with a long Mmmmhrrmmm. "You know Stannis well enough. That man has a certain sense of timeliness—it's never convenient for anyone, but it usually best for everyone. Most people write him off as a fraud or charlatan, some think he's actually some divine puppet, but I think neither is true. He's a Believer, and strong enough sense of Faith can lead to all manner of things." "What will you do next, builder Nichou?" he said, looking a bit more alight as he swerved the conversation back to the matoran. "You won't stay here forever. Fate's strings are too connected to you." OOC: To be continued, and much sooner than the last delay. Decided I'd jump the gun and take the time to format and get a good chunk of it out early, @Caedast, thanks for the wonderful jam so far.

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness] Kreigero gave Atamai a nod. He wasn't a complete fool after all. The water in Kreigero's thermos lid soon began to simmer and boil. She picked up the lid after wrapping her hand in her cloak for insulation, then poured the water through a filtered funnel into her flask, leaving the other two matoran to continue their line of conversation.

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness] The Ko-Matoran nodded as she scooped more snow into the water of the lid. "You might even say we train each other. What we have learned, and what you -" Kreigero turned her head towards Atamai, using this as an opportunity to teach a lesson to the firespitter. "-have yet to learn, he knows from instinct. A Toa would need several Kanohi and years of training to reach a similar proficiency." "Even if they did, I'd be shocked to see a Toa as loyal as Reyal." Reyal was attentively sitting upright atop the rocky outcropping that the group had taken shelter beside, scanning the tundra ahead. The Hapaka's ears perked up as its name was mentioned - from the tone of Kreigero's voice he knew he wasn't needed, but he turned his head back towards the group regardless. The glint in its optics was unmistakable - he already knew he was the topic of conversation. The hound recognized this as that thing Kreigero did every once in a while when conversing with strangers. He gave a bored yawn, licking his lips and sighing with a visible puff of air before he turned back towards the howling winds. Kreigero reached into one of her many pouches and withdrew a strip of dried jerky. She made a click with her mouth and unceremoniously tossed over her shoulder, which Reyal caught mid air with glee. He turned around and feasted on his prize, tusks kicking up some snow in the process. "It's a mutually beneficial partnership, yes."

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness] "Yes," Kreigero agreed. "We'll need all the energy we have once we enter the Drifts." Even for a seasoned hunter who knew to mark her own path, the characteristic lack of landmarks and shifting snow dunes of the Drifts were a challenge. Their path was taking them through the drifts and towards a large ice shelf that Kreigero hadn't been to before. Based on the general vague geography she recalled from visiting nearby regions, there would probably be good places to make camp on the other side, but the Ko-Matoran didn't trust Atamai to not bungle the Drifts shortcut without a pit stop beforehand. The huntress marched over towards a snow-capped rocky outcropping and staked her spear forcefully into the ground. She wedged her shield into the ice near the rock wall, creating a minor yet perceptible buffer against the biting winds. She sat down and leaned against the wall with a crunch. "Rest. The Hapaka will watch." Kreigero unscrewed the lid of her heatstone thermos and scooped nearby snow into the canister's cap. She rested the tin near the exposed heatstone, and soon it began to melt into fresh water that would top off the flask she took sips from.

Why not post it as a flashback in one of the BZPRPG topics?

IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Outlands] "Perhaps your small talk will draw one near," Kreigero half-joked. It was the first time she had spoken up in some time. The huntress was off to the side, almost as if she wasn't walking with the other two matoran, but merely on the same road and in the same direction and at the same relative pace. If either of her fellow travelers had asked earlier why she was further out, she had muttered about it having to do with something called spacing, whatever that meant. Reyal trotted casually alongside her as the three matoran trudged through the snow. He was alert, yet looked almost aloof, as if the matoran were slowing the hapaka down and he was the real king of the drifts. Occasionally he wandered to sniff something in the snow, but he always fell back in line as the group progressed.

what if i'm a ga-lesterin

well, this makes my job as the person with characters that will be making seprilli's biggest tabloid publisher easier (oof) (I need to make my zakaz profiles still)