Voltex

THE WAR OF FIVE KINGS

It wasn't the longest conflict to engulf Okoto, but it was among the most devastating - and its aftermath will continue to impact Okoto for centuries to come.

But some fear that the War of Five Kings has left Okoto more divided than ever... and in the wars to come, they must learn to unite if they are to survive.

The War of Five Kings is not the longest conflict to have engulfed Okoto, but it is among the most total, and the most devastating – second only to the Long Night in both categories. Lasting for six years between 328 AE and 334 AE, the war is unique in that there were no definitive winners; however, as in any conflict, the losers are quite obvious. Taking place so shortly after the end of the Battle for the Dawn, the War of Five Kings was a direct result of the tensions that had been steadily rising across Okoto ever since the end of Voxumo’s Rebellion. The war was devastating to all involved, and its end resulted in the largest cultural shift since the formation of the house system centuries ago.

I myself was only a babe during the war, having been born shortly after the Battle for the Dawn. As such, I have had to hunt down reliable sources all across the island, some harder to find – or simply less pleasant – than others. I have heard rumors that this particular assignment was given to me on the orders of Khan Nato, who, if my suspicions are correct, disliked the Mask Maker I am named for.

THE WAR OF FIVE KINGS

THE FIVE KINGS

King ShadowVezon Raqmu, of Kamuk

First of His Name, Ruler of Kamuk, Protector of Stone

Having named Kamuk independent from the rest of Okoto and himself its King during the Battle for the Dawn, it is generally agreed that King ShadowVezon’s rise and Kamuk’s formation are responsible for the direction that the war took.

Kamuk remained neutral and loyal to itself for the entirety of the war, and was the only nation to do so.

King ShadowVezon’s primary advisors during the war included General Quin Galum, Vinheim Maran, Ahkmou Umrik, Toa Pohatu, Captain Hewkii Archean, and Lord Atakus Crustallus.

Imperator Sil Aodh, of Aodhiim

King of Fire

After taking power during the Battle for the Dawn following the unfortunate death of his predecessor Lord Burnmad Aodh, Imperator Sil wasted no time in proving his strength. He was named the first King of Fire less than a year into the war, and he reformed the Fire Region into Aodhiim as we know it today at that same time.

Aodhiim’s allegiances shifted a few times during the war, typically between the Water Region and Karamu, depending on which alliance could benefit the nation more at the time.

Imperator Sil’s primary advisors during the war included General Unit Ember, RG II Coal, General Valmai Ash, Efandril Aodh, and Vhisola Lurrun.

Makani Tekulo Briar, of Karamu

King of Jungle

Makani Tekulo rose to power soon after Imperator Sil, as a direct response to Aodhiim’s formation by the Protectors of Jungle. They soon re-formed as Karamu – named for the Titan Umarak – in their bid to maintain their new freedom and independence.

Karamu started off the war allied to Aodhiim, but that alliance quickly dissolved, and they remained neutral and loyal to themselves for the rest of the war.

Makani Tekulo’s primary advisors during the war included Chloe Saryian, General Piruk Lasang, Toa Lewa, and General Tarduk Boscage.

Terrorsaur Rayne, of the Water Region

Lord of Water, King of Poisons, Lord of Earth

Lord Terrorsaur’s rise is unusual in that his naming was intended to be temporary, as a stepping stone towards reuniting Okoto under the banner of a single King after the death of Pulse Vatten during the Battle for the Dawn. It wasn’t until after the war’s conclusion that the Water Region officially joined together with the North to form Agua Hielo.

The Water Region maintained a constant alliance with the North during the war, and held the loyalties of what few Earth Protectors still survived as well.

Lord Terrorsaur’s primary advisors during the war included Jed Corruich, Hahli Vatten, Nato Greavesey, Toa Kopaka, Luroka Qendroj, Toa Onua and Roodaka Conlectus.

Khan Onaku Greavesey, of the North

Hero of Dawn, Lightbringer, Darkslayer

As the last King to be named – nearly halfway through the war in 331 AE – Khan Onaku relied more heavily on his advisors than the other rulers. Although loyal to Hahli Vatten, he agreed that the time for all of Okoto to be ruled by a single individual had ended, and so re-formed the Ice Region into the North. At the end of the war, he resigned his position to become Lord Commander for the Knights of Ekimu.

The North maintained a constant alliance with the Water Region during the war, as well as what few Earth Protectors still survived, though it struggled with inner conflicts for much of the war.

Khan Onaku’s primary advisors during the war included General Nato Greavesey, Ehksidian Glacies, Toa Kopaka, Jed Corruich, Hahli Vatten, and Toa Onua.

THE WAR

328 AE

The First Siege of the Temple of Time

The War of Five Kings began in the early days of the year 328 AE, when Lord Terrorsaur Rayne of the Water Region and Lord Nato Greavesey of the Ice Region attempted to claim the Temple of Time for the Knights of Ekimu. Having already re-formed their military alliance from the War for the Throne, the two sent soldiers loyal to the Knights to siege the temple. These forces were accompanied by Luroka Qendroj, Toa Onua, and 100 Earth Protectors loyal to House Qendroj and the Knights.

Still weakened and recovering from the Battle for the Dawn in which they had lost Lord TL II Hinterland and General Smoke Monster Boscage, the Jungle Region looked for help from an unlikely place – their former conquerors in the Fire Region. Overseen by General Unit Ember, General Valmai Ash, and Tarduk Boscage, the combined Fire and Jungle forces formed the first military alliance between their peoples in the history of Okoto.

The siege lasted for most of the year, with neither side making much headway. Unbeknownst to the Water, Ice and Earth forces, however, Tarduk Boscage had been overseeing several technicians and engineers from Fire and Jungle as they attempted to finish and activate the ancient weapon within the Temple that the Mask Maker Nui had designed. In the eighth month they were successful, and they immediately fired the superweapon on the Earth Region.

The impact was devastating. Every single Protector in the Earth Region was killed instantly, and the Earth Region itself was rendered into the wasteland that would soon come to be known as the Barren. Luroka and his forces stationed at the Temple were now the only surviving Earth Protectors.

The Jungle Region wasted no time in seizing the opportunity for their own advantage. Under threat of having the superweapon fired again the enemy Water, Ice and Earth forces retreated. At the command of Lord Tekulo Briar, the Jungle Region then turned on their allies, threatening to wipe out the Fire Region for their actions during the War for the Throne.

The Beginning of the War

The Fire Region forces under General Unit and General Valmai did not bow to the Jungle Region’s threats lightly, but nonetheless began a retreat. They found themselves targets of hunting parties as they were pushed back to the Eastern Wall, but were unable to retaliate properly.

At the same time, Lord Tekulo sent the promoted General Tarduk to lead some of their army into the Water Region, to chase down those who had sieged the Temple. General Tarduk was unsuccessful in this venture, but his forces did manage to invade and capture the lands and peoples of House Corruich before the year’s end. House Corruich and their people were overpowered and enslaved by the Jungle invaders, with only one Water Protector – Jed Corruich, the Kingslayer – managing to escape.

Up north in the Ice Region, House Crustallus, deciding to take advantage of the military operation gone wrong, sent a member of their house to kill Lord Nato. Upset that Lord Nato had taken control over the region following the death of its former ruler – Lord FF Crustallus – during the Battle for the Dawn, they intended to replace him with another member of their house. The assassination attempt failed, and in retaliation, ordered House Crustallum to mobilize against House Crustallus.

With the rest of Okoto being consumed by chaos, at the recommendation of Vinheim Maran, King ShadowVezon Raqmu sent General Quin Galum with 200 soldiers to claim the Ancient City, naming Kamuk as the ruling nation of Okoto, with himself as Okoto’s King.

329 AE

The First Battle of the Ancient City

King ShadowVezon’s claim did not take long to spread across Okoto… nor did it take very long for someone to contest it. Lord Sil Aodh, having been named the Imperator of the Fire Region (now called Aodhiim), called his banners and marched on the Ancient City. In the first major battle of the war, Aodhiim’s forces, led by Imperator Sil and RG II Coal, routed the enemy, forcing General Quin to retreat with only ten surviving Kamuk soldiers.

One King Becomes Three

Having claimed the Ancient City, Imperator Sil named himself as the King of Okoto, though as with King ShadowVezon’s claim, it did not last long. The Jungle Region, under now-Makani Tekulo, re-named themselves as the nation of Karamu, while their forces took control over the remains of the Eastern Wall.

In the Water Region, despite his wishes, Lord Terrorsaur found himself nominated as Okoto’s King by Jed Corruich and many of the Protectors of Water. Luroka Qendroj and the remaining Earth Protectors did the same, accepting Terrorsaur as their King. The Water Region was not entirely united, however; House Lurrun wasted no time in declaring for Imperator Sil instead, and their head – Lady Vhisola – rode for the Ancient City to personally pledge her loyalty.

The Red Banquet

Having fought each other for nearly half the year without any major victories or defeats, House Crustallus and House Crustallum agreed to meet in peace to negotiate terms in a neutral location. Behind the scenes, however, House Crustallus had been contacted by Vinheim Maran, and offered assistance from Kamuk… which they accepted.

At the banquet, House Crustallus poisoned and murdered House Crustallum to a man. Every member of House Crustallum, every soldier loyal to them, every bannerman. Having finally extinguished their rival house, House Crustallus announced their loyalty to Kamuk, and to ShadowVezon as Okoto’s King. Lord Atakus Crustallus soon led his forces into Kamuk to assemble into their army under General Quin.

Following the banquet, the Ice Region collapsed into total civil war, forcing Lord Nato to pull his forces out of the Water Region entirely to focus on the conflicts in his region.

The First Battle of Vakama City

With the majority of Aodhiim’s armies commanding the Ancient City, the rest of the nation was left vulnerable. In the latter half of the year, Chloe Saryian led a force from the Eastern Wall and managed to capture Vakama City, taking out Imperator Sil’s primary seat of power within his own nation.

The First Battle of the Western Wall

On the dawn of the new year, at the bidding of Vinheim Maran and new advisor Ahkmou Umrik, General Quin led 1000 soldiers from Kamuk and House Crustallus through the Barren, alongside Lord Atakus and Toa Pohatu. The battle that ensued at the Western Wall was a slaughter, with the few Fire Protectors stationed there slain to a man. With this victory, General Quin claimed both the Barren and the Western Wall as part of Kamuk.

330 AE

The Darkfire Campaign

With most of his army in the Ancient City and nearly all of Aodhiim now conquered by Karamu and Kamuk, Imperator Sil named his Council of Fire and called for an emergency meeting. Every member of the Council – General Unit, General Valmai, RG II, and Lady Vhisola – was in attendance, as well as another; Efandril Aodh. At the meeting, Efandril revealed that she had re-discovered the secret to the creation of darkfire, a highly volatile substance that had once given House Darkfire its name. Efandril was immediately named to the Council of Fire as the head of the new Pyromancer’s Guild, and told to oversee the mass production of darkfire.

What followed would become known as the ‘Darkfire Campaign’ – a six month period in which Imperator Sil abandoned the Ancient City to reclaim his nation. Three major battles were fought during the campaign, all of which ended in victory for Aodhiim: the Battle of the Eastern Wall, the Second Battle of the Western Wall, and the Second Battle of Vakama City.

The first three months were spent remaining in the Ancient City as the Pyromancer’s Guild produced as much darkfire as possible, while repelling attacks from Kamuk, Karamu, and House Glacies. After the three months, Imperator Sil decided that the darkfire they had produced was enough, and split his army into three.

The first group, led by General Unit and Lady Vhisola, was sent to take back the Eastern Wall and its surrounding territories. In the Battle of the Eastern Wall they drove back Karamu’s forces with ease, and began fortifying the Eastern Wall against further invasions.

The second group, led by General Valmai, was sent to take back the Western Wall and its surrounding territories. Lasting for an entire week, the Second Battle of the Western Wall was one of attrition, as General Valmai withheld their stores of darkfire. At the end of the week with the tide turned in Kamuk’s favor, General Valmai rode into the Kamuk camp under white flag, with a wagon loaded with every bit of darkfire that his forces had brought with them. Under the guise of surrendering, he met with the Kamuk commanders – and then set off the darkfire in the center of the camp. It tore through the Kamuk camp with ease, killing almost every soldier there. Both General Valmai and Lord Atakus died in the inferno; General Quin managed to survive thanks to the efforts of Pohatu, although the Toa suffered significant injuries in the process. The few remnants of the Kamuk and Crustallus forces retreated back into the Barren.

The third group, led by Imperator Sil, RG II, and Efandril, was sent to reclaim Vakama City. Led by the Imperator himself, the morale of the troops was high as they fought Chloe Saryian’s forces in the Second Battle of Vakama City, and took it back with ease without needing to use their stores of darkfire. Chloe Saryian and her surviving forces were taken prisoner, while RG II was sent to command the Western Wall after the death of General Valmai.

The Battle of Last Rest

The civil war in the Ice Region lasted for most of the year. With House Crustallum eradicated and most of House Crustallus busy down at the Western Wall, the war fell down to House Greavesey and House Nivis united against House Rime and House Glacies. When Imperator Sil abandoned the Ancient City, House Glacies – led by Lady Ehksidian – immediately moved in to claim it, abandoning the conflicts in the north.

General Nato wasted no time. Leading the forces of House Greavesey and House Nivis alongside Onaku Greavesey and Toa Kopaka, he met the forces of House Rime head-on at the emerging city of Last Rest. There, he obliterated the forces of House Rime with ease, re-establishing the dominance of House Greavesey within the region and ending the civil war in one move.

The Battle of the Temple of Time

Toward the end of the year, Luroka Qendroj and Onua led their 100 soldiers, as well as 100 Protectors of Water, to take the Temple of Time. Having received word of their plans, Imperator Sil took the opportunity to begin burning down the jungle near the Eastern Wall. With Chloe Saryian imprisoned and General Tarduk occupied in the Water Region, Makani Tekulo was forced to send Toa Lewa and Piruk Lasang west to defend against Aodhiim’s soldiers, while he led the defense of the Temple of Time himself.

Although suffering significant losses – with nearly all of their Water Protectors and half of the Earth Protectors perishing – Luroka Qendroj and Toa Onua managed to win the battle, claiming the Temple of Time for themselves.

331 AE

The Freezing of Fire

With Aodhiim slowly burning through the jungles of Karamu, Lord Terrorsaur grew worried about Imperator Sil repeating the actions of his predecessor, Lord Burnmad Aodh. In a bid to slow Aodhiim down, he called for Toa Kopaka to be sent to the Water Region. General Nato obliged, sending the Toa of Ice south.

At Lord Terrorsaur’s command, Toa Kopaka and Jed Corruich infiltrated Aodhiim through the Ancient City. The two made their way to Vakama City, where Kopaka used his powers to freeze over all of the darkfire that the Pyromancers had produced, dealing a significant blow to Aodhiim. As they escaped, they also freed Chloe Saryian, taking her as their own prisoner as they retreated back to the Water Region.

Without the darkfire at their disposal, the Aodhiim forces invading Karamu were forced to retreat back to the Eastern Wall, as Toa Lewa and Piruk Lasang began to overwhelm them.

The Second Battle of the Ancient City

Again at the prodding of Vinheim Maran, King ShadowVezon and General Quin led troops to the Ancient City, where they battled the forces of House Glacies, led by Lady Ehksidian. The battle was a victory for Kamuk, and King ShadowVezon left the city under the command of Captain Hewkii Archean – though, going against the advice of Ahkmou Umrik, he refused to declare himself Okoto’s King a second time.

The Northern Invasion Begins

With the Ice Region divided and weak, Kamuk did not hesitate to continue the push. While Captain Hewkii’s forces invaded from the south, King ShadowVezon led the rest of Kamuk’s army to invade it from the west. With the forces of House Crustallus still following them and House Rime’s army in tatters, the Kamuk army was quickly able to seize control of the Rime, Crustallum, and Crustallus territories in the Ice Region.

General Nato was forced to retreat toward the lands of House Nivis, abandoning the Greavesey territories and Rollor’s Reach in a bid to resist the invading armies. He sent Lady Ehksidian south with some of her forces to summon Toa Kopaka back, before enacting his next gambit.

Khan Onaku Greavesey

Campaigning heavily, General Nato convinced the Protectors of Ice to name Onaku Greavesey as the so-called ‘King in the North’, and to rally behind him. Despite Onaku’s protests, the gambit was successful – so much so that the Protectors of Ice insisted that they rename their region in honor of their new ruler. The Ice Region became the North, loyal to Khan Onaku, the Hero of Dawn.

332 AE

Plans in Motion

Compared to the years before it, 332 AE was a relatively quiet year. The first eight months consisted of a continued stalemate in the North, the Ancient City remaining under Captain Hewkii’s control, the ongoing Second Siege of the Temple of Time, and the reconstruction of the Eastern and Western Walls in Aodhiim.

Behind the scenes, however, an alliance was slowly forming that would change the course of the war. In the Water Region, Lord Terrorsaur had finally submitted to Jed Corruich’s continued demands that they free his people from the control of General Tarduk. Reconnecting with the prisoner Chloe Saryian, whom he had worked beside during the Battle for the Dawn, Lord Terrorsaur promised her freedom in exchange for her help in freeing House Corruich.

General Unit and Lady Vhisola soon returned to Burned Harbor, the capital of House Lurrun, with a small force of Fire Protectors. After joining up with the main force of House Lurrun, they began planning to reclaim Chloe Saryian as their own prisoner. Their arrival did not go unnoticed, however; Lord Terrorsaur, Hahli Vatten, Roodaka Conlectus and Toa Kopaka soon met with them under the white flag of truce. In exchange for Aodhiim’s aid in freeing House Corruich, Lord Terrorsaur promised to return Chloe Saryian back to them… although he had no intention of doing so. After the meeting he met with Lady Vhisola’s heir, a Protector named Gavla Lurrun; Gavla pledged herself to the Water Region, in exchange for increased independence for her house. Lord Terrorsaur agreed.

It became clear that something big was happening once Lady Ehksidian arrived with her own troops from House Glacies to retrieve Toa Kopaka, but instead remained in the Water Region. By the end of the ninth month, the plan was complete – but Lord Terrorsaur still remained skeptical of the plan’s success.

Halfway through the tenth month of the year, the Protectors of Earth abandoned the Temple of Time without warning, allowing Makani Tekulo to reclaim it. Luroka Qendroj and Toa Onua led their troops back into the Water Region, where they were filled in on the plan.

The Battle of Riverrage

The Battle of Riverrage began with Chloe Saryian being welcomed into the capital of House Corruich with open arms by the Jungle guards, dragging Jed Corruich behind her as her supposed prisoner. After spinning a story about how she managed to catch the Kingslayer unawares, she met privately with General Tarduk – whom she stabbed in the throat, watching as he bled out on the floor.

Taking command of the soldiers and pinning the blame for his death on the Kingslayer in the chaos, Chloe opened the gates to Riverrage.

The Jungle Protectors never stood a chance.

What followed as less a battle, and more a massacre, as the forces of House Corruich, House Lurrun, the Water Region, the North, Aodhiim, and Earth all swarmed the forces of Jungle. With the Jungle Protectors leaderless, they were slaughtered to a man; the only Protector of Jungle to survive the battle was Chloe Saryian herself.

Both Vhisola Lurrun and Roodaka Conlectus perished during the battle – Lady Vhisola under suspicious circumstances, though nothing was ever proven – but otherwise, Lord Terrorsaur’s alliance faced no other major casualties. The battle had other consequences for the victors, however.

True to her word, the new Lady Gavla bent the knee to Lord Terrorsaur, ending the alliance between House Lurrun and Aodhiim. General Unit, stuck in now-enemy territory, was forced to retreat back to Aodhiim before his own forces could become prisoners. Lady Ehksidian and Toa Kopaka headed back to the North alongside Hahli Vatten and half of the Water Region’s army, to assist Khan Onaku in reclaiming his land from Kamuk. Chloe Saryian returned to Karamu, with plans of her own.

The Earth Protectors, unprepared for the massacre, were disgusted by the actions of their allies. Having grown sick of the constant war and death, they renounced Lord Terrorsaur, and vanished into the night.

333 AE

The Ancient City No More

The Protectors of Earth did not resurface for several months – and when they did, although nobody knew it, it signaled the beginning of the war’s end. Halfway through the year 333 AE, Captain Hewkii and every single Stone Protector in the Ancient City was killed in a single night. Their killers suffered no casualties.

Over the next week, Toa Onua reinforced the Ancient City’s defenses, as the Protectors of Earth prepared themselves for the battle that would inevitably occur on their new doorstep. At the end of the week, satisfied that they were ready, Luroka Qendroj sent out a missive to all the leaders of Okoto. He had renamed the Ancient City ‘Qendroj City’, in honor of his house, and claimed it for the Protectors of Earth as neutral ground. The Protectors of Earth wanted no more part in the War of Five Kings.

Makani Chloe Saryian

At the same time, Karamu was occupied with a political deadlock inside its borders. Chloe Saryian had returned, and immediately attempted to claim the title of Makani from Tekulo Briar. They spent the first half of the year campaigning against each other, but Chloe Saryian’s morally righteous message eventually won out, and she took Tekulo’s place as the ruler of Karamu.

The Northern Invasion Ends

In the North, thanks to the help of Lady Ehksidian, Toa Kopaka, and Hahli Vatten, the army of the North managed to push back the army of Kamuk, reclaiming the territories that they had lost. By the time Qendroj City sent out its missive, Khan Onaku had reclaimed his entire kingdom – including House Crustallus, who had suffered nothing but one loss after another under the rule of King ShadowVezon.

Beginning of the End

Having received the missive from Qendroj City, each nation’s eyes turned to the center of the island. Some rulers, pushed by their people, began marching on the central city. Some nations, pushed by their rulers, marched as well. The end results were all the same; Qendroj City was being surrounded on all sides, and the battle to come would end the war.

334 AE

The Battle of the Five Armies

By the time the year 334 AE dawned, the armies had all arrived, surrounding Qendroj City. It started with negotiations; lone soldiers being sent to Qendroj City or to the other armies in a futile attempt to peacefully work everything out. Unbeknownst to the armies and their leaders, Luroka and Toa Onua used this time to meet with Toa Lewa, Toa Kopaka, and Toa Pohatu in secret. The Toa, much like the Protectors of Earth, had grown weary of the war, recognizing that their true purpose was to protect Okoto – not help it destroy itself. Together, the five put together a plan, one that they all hoped would not become necessary.

After two weeks of stalemate, the battle began. It was chaotic and constant; there was no rest, and no trust. Alliances would form and dissolve within minutes. Kamuk against the North. Water against Aodhiim. Earth against Kamuk. Karamu against the North. The battle itself lasted for five days, as each of the armies surrounding Qendroj City were slowly whittled down.

On the dawn of the sixth day, Luroka and the Toa enacted their plan.

That morning, the North found all of Aodhiim’s darkfire – stolen by the Protectors of Earth – raging through its forces, burning through them like paper. Water found much of its army crushed under an avalanche of stone. Karamu found its armies and the land around them frozen in a single, destructive blast of ice. Aodhiim found its forces suddenly suffocating under tidal waves of earth. Kamuk found its forces strangled and torn apart by twisting, hostile jungle. Through four different elemental nova blasts – and enough darkfire to match the destructive power of one – the Toa and the Protectors of Earth ended the War of Five Kings with a single devastating move.

Of those who fell victim to the attacks, none survived. Only those lucky enough to be far enough away to avoid them – the commanders of the armies, and staggered, tiny groups of soldiers – remained.

With their armies destroyed, every ruler pulled back. In the silence that followed, some tried to have the Toa punished – but the Toa’s arguments that it had been necessary to save Okoto from itself ultimately prevailed.

The War of Five Kings had ended. There were no victors.

Aftermath of the War: Qendroj City

Naming himself Lord Commander of the ‘Earth Knights’, Luroka Qendroj ruled over Qendroj City alongside Toa Onua. They organized the remaining Protectors of Earth into a defensive force that could withstand whatever the nations might throw at them, and set up Qendroj City as a central location for trade between the nations. Thanks to the destruction of their armies, the nations accepted the easy trade route, leading to Qendroj City becoming an integral part of Okoto – one that no region would dare invade, lest they invite all of the others to strike at them with their full force.

Aftermath of the War: Kamuk

Shortly after the war, Vinheim Maran came forward with evidence of war crimes committed by King ShadowVezon and General Quin.  Thanks to his persuasive arguments, the evidence itself, the assistance of Ahkmou Umrik, and the population’s dissatisfaction with Kamuk’s losses during the war, his gambit succeeded. King ShadowVezon and General Quin were both assigned to life sentences in prison, and were soon transferred to the seemingly inescapable prison inside New Makuta City.

In the vacuum left behind by King ShadowVezon’s disgrace, Vinheim was elected as King. Not wishing to lose his edge, or allow his political skills to deteriorate, King Vinheim established a system of democracy within Kamuk, turning its new capital – Daggerfall – into the deadliest political arena on Okoto.

Aftermath of the War: Agua Hielo

Following the war, Khan Onaku resigned his post, preferring to direct his attentions to the task of protecting Okoto and safeguarding its histories as the Mask Makers had asked. General Nato took up the title of Khan in his place, and soon met with Lord Terrorsaur. Together, the two transformed their long-lasting military alliance into a union between their two regions. The nation of Agua Hielo was born from this agreement, with Khan Nato ruling the North and Khan Terrorsaur ruling the South.

As per her agreement with Khan Terrorsaur, Lady Gavla and House Lurrun were given an increased level of independence from the rest of the nation. In addition, Rollor’s Reach was soon expanded to include the entirety of the lands of House Greavesey, and named as its own independent mini-state by Onaku.

Aftermath of the War: Rollor’s Reach

After resigning his post as Khan, Onaku was named the Lord Commander for the Knights of Ekimu. The city of Rollor’s Reach was expanded to include all of his house’s lands, so that the Knights would have a place to themselves where they could live independently. Dedicating their lives to the task set before them – to safeguard Okoto and its histories – the Knights began training ‘Loremasters’, gathering the island’s histories and storing them in the Citadel.

In the writings of Voltex and some of the older Mask Makers, they found references to the Mask Maker’s homeland – an island called Ikir – as well as powerful artifacts and prophecies. Among the oldest writings, there were also numerous references to a so-called ‘Temple of Histories’, but despite their best efforts, they were unable to find the temple.

Aftermath of the War: Karamu

Advised by Tekulo Briar, Makani Chloe saw to the construction of a new capital, using the Temple of Time as its center. The new capital – named Hinterhall, in honor of the extinct House Hinterland – was one of the most technologically advanced cities on Okoto. Using the Temple of Time as a centerpiece for research, Karamu recovered quickly from the war.

Aftermath of the War: Aodhiim

Following the war, Imperator Sil focused on solidying his power and influence within Aodhiim. Determined not to allow the mistakes made during the war to be repeated, he commissioned the building of a new capital in the south, leaving Vakama City to serve as the primary storage location for the nation’s caches of darkfire.

He also oversaw the reconstruction of both Walls, which were built to be stronger and more resilient than ever before. With two new cities near each Wall allowing both to be constantly manned, Aodhiim continued with the militaristic regime that Imperator Sil had used during the Battle for the Dawn and the war. Aodhiim also loaned a small force to Qendroj City to help it maintain the peace, claiming it to be an act of goodwill.

Aftermath of the War: The Barren

The Barren was left as an abandoned wasteland following the war. Corrupted by Dark Energy, neither Aodhiim or Kamuk saw it worth their time to make an attempt at claiming any of the land, with Kamuk instead assigning border patrols to keep an eye out and Aodhiim heavily arming the Western Wall… just in case.

A NEW OKOTO

The War of Five Kings shaped Okoto as it has existed for the last thirteen years, and even if the island were to return to its roots and serve under a single ruler, I feel the status quo would largely remain as it is today.  But more than that, I worry that Okoto learned nothing from the war. The Protectors of Earth still survive on the knife’s edge of extinction. Kamuk still remains divided at its highest level, where Protectors vanish for what often seems like no reason at all. Karamu falls deeper into imagined plots and conflicts. Aodhiim brews darkfire as if they would suffocate without it. Agua Hielo desperately clutches onto the fading remnants of an age long past, rather than moving forward.

It might have been the deadliest war that Okoto has seen so far, but in the grand scheme of Okoto’s histories, the War of Five Kings is nothing more than a blip.

A storm is brewing on the horizon, and ancient powers are awakening.

There is only one war that matters.

REVIEW

I don't think you want to try anything with Le-Koro. It hasn't gone so well for Burnmad =P

It feels good to be Queen.

 

...And the pet names and loveydovey stuff was of a mighty cringe,

Are you questioning my life choices and gayness?

i think he was

you shouldn't stand for this

go to war with onu koro to prove him wrong

Line-crossing and flying crabs aside, I was reading through Episode 1 again, and I can't help but notice Elittra's... strange reactions to pain. Which makes me wonder, could she also be a masochist, in addition to being crazy?

Yes.

If you all want to cross lines, you can play hopscotch, you know.

we play "hopscotch" all the time in ta-koro

Let me know when your tests fail.

how dare you imply that bionicle crabs cannot fly

 

Is there an infected Hau yet? That's a pretty iconic one from the early days.

 

There was, briefly, three and a half years ago.

 

That's from the one April Fools prank, wasn't it.

I liked those spinnies, they were fun.

 

 

We could freeze the fire.

And then set that on fire.

Then tell wasp to attack the fire.

what do you people have against fire

here I was worrying about earth of all things and you guys are sitting in ko-koro plotting to destroy me ;__;

 

*Snip*

 

*snip*

 

You know, I've always felt like these games lacked a real player villain.

Hence my... humble contribution.

 

Ehh... Elittra doesn't seem that much like a villain yet. I mean anyone can kill, and anyone can be sadistic..

You know, I've always felt like these games lacked a real player villain.

Hence my... humble contribution.

 

 

The Loremaster

 

Meet Voltex Aodh, Grand Loremaster for the Knights of Ekimu (a title that he despises). Assigned to record the histories of Okoto following the Battle for the Dawn, he has completed his task just in time for the first stirrings of the coming storms.

 

yeeeeeet

This season is certainly lining up to be interesting, I'll wait for more past the prologue that gives shades of the interesting stuff to come...

There's plenty to come. There might be less chapters, but there's a lot to them I think.

Even though it's only just the prologue, already I am excited for what LnHVII as well as what BZPGOTSIII have to offer.

Already, the new vibes from this short prologue (as well as what little I know about GOTSIII) already show a rich new era of Okoto developing.

The Loremaster

Meet Voltex Aodh, Grand Loremaster for the Knights of Ekimu (a title that he despises). Assigned to record the histories of Okoto following the Battle for the Dawn, he has completed his task just in time for the first stirrings of the coming storms.

FOREWORD: THE LOREMASTER

To whomever might be reading these records, I share the humblest of greetings with you, and hope that these histories shall serve you well. With the Mask Maker Voltex having vanished following the Battle for the Dawn, the recording of history had fallen by the wayside. Between the War of Five Kings and the Magical Crisis, this was something that the Knights of Ekimu could no longer tolerate.

I suppose I must give you my name. I am Voltex Aodh. My mother named me for the Mask Maker himself, after he saved her life during the Battle for the Dawn. I was born shortly after the battle’s end in late 327 AE, and my childhood was spent being sheltered from the War of Five Kings thanks to the efforts of my mother and the Mask Maker, who watched over me in disguise as a father figure. I have no great achievements or titles to my name, aside from the title of ‘Loremaster’. The Lord Commander of the Knights has seen fit to appoint me as the so-called ‘Grand Loremaster’, leader of all Loremasters across the island, but I cannot stomach it. I am not worthy of being a grand anything; were it not for Khan Nato forcing the task of assembling these histories upon me, I doubt it would have occurred to the Kingslayer to name me to such a role.

These histories have occupied me for the past five years. My mother passed away during the Magical Crisis, and lacking the warrior skills that are so prominent and revered in Aodhiim and my house, I decided to journey north and join the Knights. I was sworn in as a Loremaster in Training and sent back to Aodhiim to serve under the Council of Fire, and was soon visited by my namesake. He came with grave warnings about a war to come, ancient powers awakening, and another Mask Maker that would soon arrive on Okoto. I returned north to share his worries, and was rewarded with Khan Nato assigning me to record everything of significance on Okoto since the Battle for the Dawn.

It is now the second month of 347 AE, and the task is finally complete. It was a dangerous and often frustrating task, for I have only recently entered my nineteenth year, and began this task in my fourteenth. I have had to wade into the viper’s nest that is Kamuk, and evade the political machinations of King Vinheim and his rivals. I have translated the drunken rambles of Khan Terrorsaur, forced my presence on Lord Onaku, and interrogated Khan Nato. I have insulted the Kingslayer and Toa Kopaka. I have debated and argued with Lord Commander Luroka. I have disobeyed direct orders from Imperator Sil, and balanced on the knife’s edge that is any conversation with Makani Chloe. Recording the War of Five Kings and the Magical Crisis has forced me to survive repeated interactions with all of the most dangerous individuals on this island, with my mind and the words I speak as my only weapon and defense.

Most of them are lost, now, in the politics of their nations and of Okoto. They have forgotten what united them together during the Battle for the Dawn, and few have acknowledged the sudden appearance of the Elemental Creatures and Keetongu.

I have watched, listened, and learned as the Mask Maker bid me. There is a war coming – the Great War – and I begin to fear that even if Okoto can be reunited, we will be too weak to survive it.

Ancient powers awaken, and the Barren stirs. All I can do is pray.

Everything before this was just prelude.

REVIEW

Honestly Tex, the fact you don't understand why others, other than Nato and Luroka, would be upset with your and burnmad actions shows that continuing is a lost cause. As such I'm fine to drop it as well.

 

 

As to you Burnmad, I was comparing your anger at being at risk of dying in S2 to Luroka's anger here.. I don't understand why you brought up the end of S1.

he brought up the end of S1 because to this day you still complain to me about letting Jed kill you, despite having it explained to you repeatedly the many near-impossible rolls he had to succeed in order for the situation to turn out as it did.

I have already apologized to Nato, and intend to apologize to Luroka once we've both had time to settle and cool off from this - I do not need to and will not apologize to the rest of you, who were not involved.

-snip-

I would have found some IC reason. Showing the rest of them Vakama would have happened regardless, and it'd be easy for Elittra to become paranoid that some of them might attempt to spread the info to undermine her... particularly the person who controls a network of spies.

The blackmail plot allowed me to make my move E1 instead of E2 or E3.

We could keep arguing about questionable actions and throwing around legal terms all day, but then we'd all hate everybody in this game and not want to play anymore. I say we have Tex and Burnmad acknowledge that they upset Luroka with their actions, drop the matter, and move on.

I understand why both Nato and Luroka would be upset.

I am less understanding as to why all of you feel the need to try and lecture Burn and I, when the only two who should be complaining - Nato and Luroka, in case it wasn't obvious enough - have, so far, have said their pieces and moved on (albeit, Luroka's was... less than BZP-appropriate off-site, but still somewhat understandable).

If I can visit this topic without finding yet another person calling me out on this, I will be happy to drop the matter, and proceed with a gentleman's agreement not to do this in the first round in the future.

 

It is at this time I am going to announce that I am resigning from this game. It was fun creating a character to use for all of 5 minutes. Let me know when the next game's up so I can waste my time again.

Burnmad, Tex, I'm very disappointed in you.  Look at what you two have done.  You've made Luroka upset, and all because you just had to keep him from betraying you.  Breaking the rules and metagaming to save your own characters' skins... is this what you've come to?  Apologize to Luroka.  N O W.

 

Alright, so a couple things in response to this post first.

1-Luroka has a history of betraying people in other games, but especially in these games, and in Bara-Magna, his betrayal blindsided everyone he was allied to, and threw us for a loop for a couple rounds, as well as impacting the rest of our game. Now, that is exactly what a betrayal should do - but in these sorts of games you need to be able to trust the players you're allied to, and I couldn't trust Luroka.

2-The entire point of these games was to create a game where meta-gaming would drive the plot. It's why in the very first game I made sure to highlight the idea of the 'Backdoor PMs'; if someone learned something OOC or had OOC motivations for a move, so long as they could provide a good IC justification, it would be alright.

3-This really could be a part of Point 2, but I'll say it here: no rules were broken.

I do have to say I am very disappointed in both Tex and Burnmad. Trying to kill a character in a game such as this, where it can last for over a month, over such little things as "Oh he's betrayed us in the past." is childish and petty beyond the normal level of what I would expect for these games.

 

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with killing folks in these games, but doing it episode 1... That's just rude. Unless of course it's in self-defense, as in they attacked first, but that doesn't seem like the situation here. I'm really disappointed in your lack of an ability to separate IC and OOC. You both should be ashamed of yourselves quite frankly.

 

 

I mean frankly if such a stunt had been pulled in Bara Magna, in regards to characters I was handling, and I knew the root of the plan was based in ooc misgivings, I would have been quick to bring in npcs to prevent such nonsense.

And now a few more in response to this one too.

1-Is it a bit petty? Perhaps. But as I stated above, Luroka has a history of betraying people, particularly in these games, and he has a history of doing it suddenly and without warning. There was no chance that I was going to trust Luroka at his word that this time would be different, so I took steps to prevent the risk of it occurring again.

2-I will again reiterate that one of the major points of these games when I created them was that if you could provide appropriate IC justification for moves being made due to OOC reasons, then it was totally fine.

This is also the reason why I never introduced a set of hard rules. These games are meant to be as open as possible, limited only by what the players and hosts can think up. I had both IC and OOC reasons to turn on Luroka, and then I managed to give myself an opportunity to play it out.

3-Don't question Nato's capabilities as a host here. You haven't seen the PM, and you haven't seen how I set the scene. We were in my character's private residence, with the front door locked (three times), and in a soundproof cellar (which was also locked, using a key only my character had). The only NPC Nato could have used was Vakama, and he was chained to the wall by all four limbs and severely weak and injured already. Bringing in NPCs or causing some random event to prevent me from fulfilling my plans would have been a cheap move.

It also almost didn't work, and might have actually failed if Luroka hadn't quit. His character is stronger than mine, and had already managed to crack my character's mask; another solid hit would have broken it, and it's already been established by Nato that losing your mask in this game would be just as crippling as it was in canon. Had that happened, it's likely that my character would have either been imprisoned or killed, as Burnmad's character would have recognized the changing tides.

I stand by my decisions, but I'd like to apologize nonetheless, since I know the situation with Ta Koro last night would have been a sucks situation for any GM to have to deal with. Particularly so early in the game. So for that I will apologize, Nato.

Wait, Vakama's there? Way to spoil a potential plot twist, guys.

Vakama being my prisoner isn't much of a plot twist. Most people already knew it was a thing.

the more i hear about the horrors of ta-koro the more scared i am to go there.

we're a friendly bunch when we aren't murdering each other

Nah, it's loads of fun. I was just showing them my latest work of art when suddenly Kuan tried to attack me, the fiend.

you broke bzp

I don't think Elittra has children, so if she dies I'll have to be some total newbie.