Ghosthands

IC "Aa-aa-ah," the stranger murmured. "So you are one of his. Funny, you don't seem like an Echelon kinda guy. Bit too...Matoran. Still, he always did find ways to surprise you." He pulled back his hood to reveal a young man's face under a Mahiki-shaped mask, and held out a hand. The gesture itself was non-threatening, but there was still a glimmer in those orange eyes that was difficult to read. "The name's Syrik. And yeah, you could say I was a tenant...maybe 'lodger' would be more accurate."

IC The stranger laughed. "Oh no, quite the opposite," he said. "You could say I'm...well, it's a long story. Ah, but where are my manners..." He made a lazy flick of the wrist, and Aerus found himself spun back upright just as abruptly as he'd been inverted, and lowered to the ground somewhat more gently. The stranger cocked his head to one side. "So...who might you be?"

IC A Toa stepped through the doorway. He was a stranger to Aerus: tall, hooded, athletic of build, gripping an unadorned Protosteel staff in one hand. Beneath the shadow of the hood, orange eyes widened briefly in surprise as they settled on the Matoran, then narrowed again as a smirk formed on the Toa's face. The man shot out one hand towards him, and Aerus felt an all-too-familiar force pull on his armour and his very bones. Elemental Magnetism hoisted him into the air by his legs to dangle, upside-down, above the desk. His cane clattered to the floor. The stranger advanced slowly, his left arm still raised, maintaining the field that held Aerus suspended. He moved with a gait that was confident and cautious at once; strong, but slow and deliberate, panther-like. "Well, hello there," he said calmly, still wearing that smile that was somewhere between amused and bemused. "Heard the old man was dead, but I wasn't expecting to find squatters down here."

IC In the study at the hub of Echelon's erstwhile lair, Aerus was shaken from his studies by a sound that should've been impossible. The door to Echelon's base had a lock without a keyhole. Beneath the door's smooth metal surface lay a hidden mechanism of bolts and levers, designed personally by the late Necromancer and only openable via the precise application of magnetic fields. Echelon had built Aerus a key of sorts: a contraption of wires and electromagnets that would mimic the magnetic fields he was able to create personally to unlock the door. It was hardly an impregnable barrier; a Toa of Iron, for example, would have little difficulty absorbing or warping the metal out of their way. But to do that they would first have to find it, and the base was buried in the depths of a remote glacier, its location known only to a select few. Of those few, only Aerus had the means of opening the door. He, and the dead Necromancer himself. And yet, from the hallway that led to the base's entrance there came a series of faint but unmistakable clicks and grinds. Then the deeper grind of the door sliding open. Then echoing footsteps, growing louder as their source approached down the long metal entrance corridor. They would soon reach the study.

IC (Ageru Kilanya) Kilanya was somewhat mollified by Arsix's answer. Hard numbers were what she needed, and when pressed, the new Rora had given them. Five hundred more troops would make a very significant difference on Odaiba, when added to the six hundred (or thereabouts) currently holding the line against the Rahkshi and Infected beasts. It was still not quite as many as she was expecting, particularly for a campaign to retake the island as Arsix had suggested, but it was a clear commitment and that would have to be good enough for now. The Dastana Rora's other words were less welcome — not because Kilanya disagreed with them, quite the opposite. Arsix almost could not have stated Kilanya's own views on Dasaka unity more accurately. To be lectured as though she were thinking only of her own clan...it rankled. It seemed especially rich when the Dastana's priority had so obviously been Iki, despite the paramount strategic importance of Odaiba, the island that fed the rest of Kentoku — which was the point she had been making with her previous remark, rather than the implication of "engorging themselves" with which Arsix had (perhaps wilfully?) misinterpreted it. There was no room for selfishness in this war council — but neither, Kilanya knew, was there room for pride. There was nothing to be gained from dwelling on the Dastana's apparent hypocrisy, much less arguing the point further. In practical terms, this was a satisfactory outcome: she would have the reinforcements she so desperately needed within the next few days. That was what really mattered. She rose from her seat at the table, and caught Dastana Jasik's eye as she made for the exit. She and the First Son had developed something of an unlikely rapport in recent weeks, despite their differences; he oversaw the defence of Sado much as she did for Odaiba, and he too had been wounded in that defence. Arsix had settled a little too well into the role of Rora; Kilanya found it easier to speak with the brother when she needed to coordinate with the Dastana.

IC (Ageru Kilanya) As she looked up from the projected map to the new Rora, Kilanya's one visible eye narrowed, albeit almost imperceptibly. The Toroshu was no fool, and the vagueness with which Arsix had answered her question did not escape her notice. Arsix hadn't been coy about the Dastana's numbers before the push to retake Iki. Why ask how many were needed — surely she understood the situation on Odaiba well enough to know that the Ageru needed any and all possible reinforcements? Kilanya's mind was not eased by Jasik's interjection either, as he brought the discussion back to Plangori Morie's interest in Rahkshi materiel before she could respond. The male even seemed to flatter her with a wink and an allusion to her experience. Were the Dastana twins trying to hide something? Arsix answering with a non-answer, and Jasik deftly steering the conversation to a more comfortable topic? Kilanya could not help but wonder just how well the campaign for Iki had progressed. She had been strongly opposed to it on the grounds that the Dasaka could not afford to split their remaining forces into a war on two fronts, especially while they were barely holding onto their foothold on Odaiba and its precious farmland (let alone her private bitterness at the Dastana securing their homeland while she fought tooth and nail to hold even a fraction of hers). But the twins would not be dissuaded, assuring her that the enemy presence on Iki was relatively low and the campaign would be over quickly, after which Odaiba would be the focus. But now that it was, Arsix was apparently being evasive. Were the Dastana hoping to keep a portion of their forces in reserve for some purpose? Or did they simply no longer have the numbers she'd been led to expect? Or were Kilanya's nerves, frayed as they were from week after week of fighting, getting the better of her? Whatever the case, it would be best not to jump to any conclusions, nor voice her frustration too directly. How appropriate for the Dasaka that even with demonic hordes at their gates, politics still reigned supreme... "What Dastana Jasik says is true," Kilanya said levelly, and tapped twice on her new Rahk-metal sode. "It is a formidable metal." She turned her one-eyed gaze back to Arsix. "But to give an answer to the Rora's question," she continued, "I can only say that I need as many as can be spared, because I can spare none. Every Rahkshi we kill at the barricades is one that cannot slaughter my people..." She decided a little directness wouldn't do any harm. "...as they work in the fields to feed yours."

That's fine for Zakaz native tech, especially since it's for a small vessel.

Traditionally, rowing and sailing have been the main propulsion methods, yes. Lesterin are natural sailors and maintain a strong tradition of building swift, elegant sailing ships with complicated rigging systems etc. They're very much in their "age of sail". Skakdi, on the other hand, have no shortage of powerful labour and so have favoured galleys for their simplicity and reliability. There is plenty of overlap and hybridisation between the two, of course. However, engine technology has been gaining traction recently (no pun intended) on Zakaz, especially with Avak's sonic-powered motorcycles being in vogue among certain warlords, so powered vessels are becoming more common (but still relatively rare and rather more difficult to build).

OOC: This was originally going to include a more detailed telling of Kilanya’s response to the Rahkshi invasion, including wrapping up some long-awaited character stuff, but it was getting far too long and self-indulgent so I will post that as a flashback at a later date. IC (Ageru Kilanya) It was difficult to find anything that had not changed in the Kentoku Archipelago since the assault of the Rahkshi. Buildings lay in ruins, even within the once-thought-impregnable Imperial Palace itself. Fields of crops on Odaiba were now smouldering wastes of ash and soot. Proud Menti warriors, once bearing the finery of status and rank, lay buried in unmarked graves. That which was not destroyed had been remade in the crucible of this unprecedented war, transformed to something that resembled the original, but was indelibly changed. Some bore new names: the Dasaka Empire had become the Dasaka Republic, the council chamber had become the War Room, Toroshu Arsix of the Dastana had become Rora Arsix. Toroshu Kilanya of the Ageru was still Toroshu Kilanya, and yet you would be hard pressed to find a living Dasaka in Kentoku who had changed quite as much as she had. Gone was the elegant stateswoman who had attended the Rora’s parties, who had pondered the balance of right and responsibility in the luxury of peacetime. As a crystalsmith must chip and carve away at their work, stripping away the unneeded crystal splinter by splinter until only the keen-edged blade remains, Toroshu Kilanya had been stripped down to a warrior. Her armour, once pristine and polished, bore the wear and scars of repeated battle (as did the skin underneath). No longer was it the elegant ceremonial set that had been her uniform of office: it had become practical, asymmetrical where it had been supplemented with scavenged pieces, and rough where it had been repaired without ceremony or filigree. Her face was grim, her back bent with exhaustion. Her hands lay together on the table as though still gripping her Soulsword. The most striking change of all was the deep scar that ran beneath a matching gash in her Kanohi Haunoru, starting in the middle of her left cheek and running up, through the eye socket, to terminate in her forehead. No gilded eyepatch for the warrior Toroshu: only a simple band of Ageru-green cloth was tied around her head to conceal the missing eye. For Toroshu Kilanya had not fled the Kentoku Archipelago as her Rora had commanded, despite evacuating as many of her people as she had ships for (barely a third). Nor, in the days that followed the exodus, had she heeded the pleas of her advisors to command the Menti of Clan Ageru from the relative safety of Sado. With the Ageru bearing the brunt of the assault on Odaiba, Kilanya had devoted herself to ensuring the line was held and her people defended, whatever the risk to her own person. The Rahkshi were fearless and relentless enemies, and to combat them, she’d had to become so as well. She knew her troops needed leadership; to allow morale to falter would be to invite disaster. So she stood amongst them every day she was able to, directing them personally when the Rahkshi raids came and fighting alongside them when the defensive lines broke. The sky-blue brilliance of her Soulsword and Haunoru-shield was the rallying beacon of the Ageru Menti. She had personally slain numerous Rahkshi, including two in the same battle that cost her an eye, when she’d become separated from her personal guard and been forced to fight the pair of monsters single-handed. Plates of the armour covering their curved backs had been cut away and hammered into a pair of sode that now adorned the Toroshu’s shoulders, curved gunmetal rectangles that looked oddly old-fashioned, harking back to the days when warriors wore broad leather plates for protection rather than the compact crystal of the modern era. Such a presence was she on the battlefield that there were now awed whispers among the troops of the Rakumetsu Toroshu: the Rahkslayer Toroshu. Kilanya was aware of the epithet, but it was cold comfort. It could not soothe her aching muscles, nor ease her wearied mind. It could not balance out the cost of this war. With every attack she lost more of her clan, her people. The death rate had slowed as they’d come to know their enemy, to learn their multitudinous powers and understand their tactics, but the creatures were simply too strong and too numerous for there not to be a steady stream of casualties as the conflict continued. The Ageru’s main settlement of Mahuika was lost; the home of her ancestors since Gestheru herself lay in ruin. It was simply too close to Koshiki; Kilanya had had no choice but to fall back to the old but defensible Fort Kizuno, near the western coastline and the bridges to Sado. Ageru Dashi farmed as best they could in the limited foothold the Dasaka currently maintained on Odaiba, and Ageru Menti held the line. The other remaining clans had bolstered their ranks, of course, but they were still stretched to breaking point. So, in a voice made hoarse by shouting orders and battle-cries, Kilanya said what she had been saying since Arsix had first established her war council: “I need more Menti.” There was a silence among the council at Kilanya’s words. The Ageru Toroshu’s personal action in the war effort — to the point of recklessness, some argued — was something of an elephant in the room. Her single eye was fixed not on Arsix, but on the projected image of her island home. “And so, while I am glad to hear this promise of reinforcements on Odaiba,” she continued, “I must ask exactly how soon, and how much of her forces the Rora is able to commit.”

Not at present, no. The Vortixx on Zakaz disappeared too long ago for any to have ended up on Mata Nui. Where the Vortixx on Mata Nui came from is, for now, a mystery both IC and OOC. Perhaps in the very oldest and vaguest of their myths, much like the Dasaka had myths regarding beings that sound rather like the Matoran/Toa/Turaga of Mata Nui. But on a practical level, no. As for other inhabited islands, a Vortixx homeland somewhere to the north is mentioned in the ancient stories of the Skakdi and Lesterin, but its precise location (if it even still exists, given what happened to the Vortixx themselves) is unknown.

1. There was previously a mysterious fog covering much of the ocean. This fog caused amnesia in those it touched, meaning that any beings who managed to travel to Mata Nui from elsewhere (or just appeared there through Makuta's machinations) did not remember their home or their prior lives (with some exceptions, most notably the Dasaka expedition). However, since the activation of the Vault portal, this fog has begun to clear in places, and Zakazian beings' memory has begun to return. This means that Mata Nui as a whole has only just learned of the existence of Zakaz, via a bunch of Skakdi and Lesterin all starting to remember it at the same time. Note that the reverse does not apply: Zakaz is not yet aware of Mata Nui. 2. Currently the only means of travel to Zakaz is via a long sea journey. Instantaneous travel between Mata Nui and the Kentoku Archipelago is possible in theory via the Vault portals, but this is likely to be highly dangerous due to the Rahkshi presence at both ends.

Meet the Broker. Attention, warlords. Want to trade in your fortress loot for something a little more your style? Need a shipment of guns fresh from the forges of Khy;Barr, or the resources and workforce to extend your fort? Looking for some intel on a troublesome rival? Attention, warriors and wanderers of all stripes. Do you need new weapons, or rare items? Information? Protection? Or perhaps you're just looking for a steady job that won't get you killed? Whatever you need to get ahead on Zakaz, the Broker can help you get it — for a price. Sure, you've got to ask yourself whether you can afford to go to him...but can you afford not to?

IC The legs of the mighty warlord Krutann dragged in the dirt behind him. The manacles that bound his ankles clinked in rhythm with the strides of the two Skakdi who marched either side of him, gripping his rope-bound shoulders as they hauled him along the tunnel. Other beings, some Skakdi, some Lesterin, walked alongside, all of them armed. Some aimed their weapons at the captive warlord: not as a threat, since Krutann couldn’t see them through the bag over his head, but just in case the burly Skak did manage to break through his restraints and needed to be subdued once more. The warlord had long since exhausted himself from raging and struggling against the ropes and chains, and his roars and curses and vows of revenge no longer echoed through the tunnel, but even with him trussed up like a Rahi, they weren’t taking any chances. Hurried footsteps echoed up the tunnel from behind them: a second group, catching up. A Lesterin of their number jogged forward to the Skakdi leader of the first group, who turned his head with a grunt of acknowledgement. “Dealt with all of them?” he asked. “Aye,” said the Lesterin. “No witnesses.” “Good. Can’t have any of his boys getting back. Broker wants the story just right.” “Aye.” Their march continued through the dank tunnel, never pausing as they dragged the warlord Krutann deeper into the Warrens. *** Through his daze of exhausted, incoherent rage, it took Krutann a moment to realise they had stopped. He toppled forwards as the thugs who’d been dragging him dropped him to the ground, then felt their hands on him again as they grabbed and forced him into a kneeling position. He heaved on the chains and ropes binding his wrists together behind him and his arms to his sides, but there was still no give. The outrage! The indignity! It was unconscionable for this rabble to have captured a warlord of his stature. He would send them all to Kino-Ur with his bare hands for this. He would — Krutann’s train of thought was interrupted by the sudden sensation of the bag being pulled from his head. The dazzle of lightstone sconces was blinding after the dark of the bag. As he winced, squinting his eyelids near-shut and willing his eyes to adjust, a whiff of tabakk smoke wafted to his nose. His surroundings gradually became visible. He was in the middle of a subterranean chamber, carved from the burnt-orange rock of the Badlands. Along the walls stood beings like those who’d dragged him there: a mix of Skakdi, Lesterin, even the odd Kaiakan, holding an even more diverse variety of weapons and staring down at him dispassionately. Ahead of him was a sort of dais of rock, with steps carved into the front, leading up to a flat surface on which was placed a high-backed chair of black wood. On the chair sat a being, not quite in focus yet: a Skakdi, by his proportions, but by his size he was barely worthy of the name. A runt. A growl of recognition and outrage rumbled up Krutann’s throat as the runt came into focus. Lounging back in the chair, a cigar tucked lazily between his fingers, was Vrinak the Broker. His charcoal face wore a disdainful grin, one gold tooth glinting in the glow of the Lightstones. “Evening, Krutann,” he purred in his gravelly baritone. “I was wondering when you’d come visit.” Hatred breathed new life into the warlord’s aching muscles. He jerked his slumped spine upright and wrestled against the restraints once more (to no avail). “WORM!” he roared. “SPINE-SLUG! HEU:NII! I’LL RIP OUT YOUR HEART! I WILL FEAST ON YOUR ENTRAILS, YOU SPINELESS LITTLE SON OF A — “ The Broker rolled his eyes and gestured to a nearby Lesterin wearing one of their strange masks, who raised his hand. The mask glowed, and Krutann’s roars abruptly fell silent, even as the warlord strained his throat and gnashed his teeth. Eventually he stopped trying to voice his apoplectic rage, settling instead to glare at his captor with a look that could’ve burned through protosteel. “And here I was hoping we could have a civilized chat, ” the Broker admonished. “I’m disappointed. But then...you’ve taken to disappointing me lately, haven’t you?” He tutted, and took a deep drag from the cigar. He breathed out through bared teeth, the smoke hissing out from between them like the breath of a dragon. “Don’t patronize me, you little ####,” Krutann spat. “You are nothing but a runt, an insect. I am a true Skak:Dii! I am a god!” “Here I thought you valued my friendship,” Vrinak continued, as though Krutann hadn’t spoken, in a tone of mock sadness. “Was it not mutually beneficial? I had what you needed, and I never asked more than you could afford. How much of your fort was built with my stone? How many of your rivals did you crush with my steel?” “I don’t need you,” Krutann insisted. His bluster couldn’t quite hide the hollowness of the denial. “I NEVER needed you!” “Oh, but you did, Krutann,” the Broker replied, rising from his seat, tugging down his waistcoat and straightening out the collar of his coat as he descended the stone steps towards the bound warlord. “You did. And you didn’t like it, did you? You let your stupid pride get to your head.” The Broker’s golden eyes were predatorial, fixed on the warlord as he approached, taking another drag from the cigar. He stooped to bring his gaze level with Krutann’s, and blew a lungful of smoke into the warlord’s face. “It didn’t have to be this way, you know,” he continued, as Krutann coughed and spluttered. “I’m nobody’s enemy, Krutann. I’m not a threat — not unless you make me one. All you had to do was buy what you needed and get on with your glorious conquests.” The Broker shook his head. “All those warlords out there, all those rivals to your glory, and you came after me? Killing my representatives, raiding my caravans? Look at you, a great and mighty warlord, behaving like some two-bit bandit.” “I am Skak:Dii. I don’t need your deals. I take what I want!” “And look where it’s got you.” The Broker folded his arms, smirking down at Krutann with a dangerous glint in his golden eyes. “You should know there's always a price with me, Krutann. Now it’s time to pay it.” Krutann stared silently for a moment, then burst into hoarse laughter. “You talk too much, runt,” the warlord growled, grinning up at his captor. “You think you can threaten me? You think those men were all I had? Ri’Zokk’s on his way right now with the rest of my band, and when he gets here, I’m gonna turn you into a stain on the floor with my bare hands!” The Broker just smiled. “Ah yes, Ri’Zokk. He’s such a good lieutenant, isn’t he? Strong, loyal, smart…” The smile widened. The gold tooth glinted. “Smarter than you, it turns out.” The warlord’s brow furrowed, uncomprehending. “What’s that supposed to — “ The Broker clapped his hands twice. Krutann heard footsteps behind him, and craned his neck around to see who was approaching. From out of his peripheral vision, a familiar blue-armoured form hove into view. Ri’Zokk walked slowly past his warlord to stand at the Broker’s side. He folded his arms, looking down at Krutann. “Sorry, boss.” Krutann stared wide-eyed at his lieutenant. For the first time, the warlord looked uncertain. “...Ri...Ri’Zokk?” he stammered. “No...no, this can’t be. This can’t be! This is one of your Lesteri:Nii tricks!” he snarled, his attention back on the Broker again. Vrinak wore a wide, satisfied smile. “You see, Ri’Zokk understands the value of my friendship,” he said. “He understands who the real threats are, and who can provide what’s needed to deal with them.” As he spoke, the Broker pulled Ri’Zokk’s golden revolver from its holster at the warrior’s hip. The engraved metal gleamed under the Lightstone-light as Vrinak checked the cylinder. “And who are the real threats?” the Broker asked, placing the gun into Ri’Zokk’s hand. “Why, they’re men like Ri’Zokk.” He smiled. “Warlords.” Ri’Zokk looked down at him with cold eyes. As Krutann finally understood what was happening, and Ri’Zokk began to aim the gun, the captive warlord let out a great bellow and sprang into movement like a Skak possessed. He bucked and heaved, struggling in vain against the unyielding binds until his thrashing overbalanced him, toppled him over, and his own weight pressed his face into the dirt and he writhed there like a huge, spined worm. His impotent, anguished roars filled the chamber, until a single gunshot rang out and silenced them. All was still for a moment. Then the Broker patted Ri’Zokk on the shoulder and walked back over to the stone dais and up the steps, to settle back into his chair. “Now remember, you killed Krutann in fair combat, as I and all here present will testify as per our agreement. He was a mad dog, wasn’t fit to lead any more. You put him down, you’re in charge now, et cetera.” “Yeah,” Ri’Zokk replied. “They won’t question it. Writing’s been on the wall for a while now.” “Good,” the Broker said, and waved over a couple of his men in the direction of Krutann’s body. “Get those bindings off him.” Ri’Zokk stayed where he was, looking down at the fallen warlord with a frown as the Broker’s men cut off the ropes and unlocked the chains. The Broker looked on, studying the new warlord’s expression with that golden gaze. “Don’t feel bad about this, Ri’Zokk,” he purred. “Oh, they don’t make much of it in the great tales, but every warlord’s gotta compromise from time to time. Even Irnakk:Dii himself had to make a deal with the devil to get his power, if you believe the Nakihl, eh?” He grinned. “We all have to start somewhere. I have no doubt this is just the beginning of the glorious tale of Ri’Zokk;Dii.” Ri’Zokk looked up, and smirked. “Yeah. Yeah, I like the sound of that.” The Broker chuckled and sucked once more on his cigar. Ri’Zokk bent down and grabbed his dead boss by the spine, and began to drag the corpse away towards the tunnel that led to the surface. “Ri’Zokk…” the Broker called after him. The warrior stopped, and looked back over his shoulder. “I hope you’ll remember this, Ri’Zokk,” the Broker said, with a hint of warning in his voice. “Remember how this happened. How your old boss forgot the value of my friendship, and how he found himself tied up on the ground like a Burnak, with his replacement standing over him.” Ri’Zokk nodded slowly. He understood the implication perfectly. “Don’t you worry, Broker. Like you said, Krutann was a mad dog. He forgot how the world really works. I won’t.” The Broker smiled. “Good. Then you know where to find me.” Ri’Zokk trudged away down the tunnel, Krutann’s limp body trailing in his wake. The Broker watched him go, once again lounging back in his chair. When the warrior had disappeared out of sight and earshot, he beckoned to his majordomo: a tall Kaiakan, who until then had stood stock-still near the doorway that led deeper into the Warrens. The majordomo snapped his fingers, and a Lesterin hurried out and handed him a tray containing a crystal glass, a bottle of Seprillian whisky, and an ashtray. The Kaiakan ascended the steps and held the tray in position for the Broker, who stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray before pouring himself a glass of the whisky. “What did I tell you, Tarvun?” he asked with a satisfied smile, sinking back into the chair and swirling the glass idly with one hand. “All is as you said, Broker." “Yes,” said Vrinak the Broker, and took a long draught of the golden liquid. “Yes, it is.”

Good catch, thanks. That one's my bad; I rewrote the description for this arc, and wrote "eastern" instead of "western". It is indeed in the west of Le-Wahi, as the map shows. According to BS01 (and the old versions of the location topics) the swamp extends through most of the Le-Wahi jungle floor, but it's usually shown on maps as being mainly localised in the west, and I think we've tended to play it as though much of the jungle floor is solid ground.

Void, me ol' mucker! You'd better be bringing Gunner back. The 'Vika needs someone to manage all the thankless stuff while Lohkar takes the credit for our GLORIOUS VOYAGE TO ZAKAZ

Staff Characters Vrinak, the Broker Species: Skakdi Gender: Male Element: Earth Vision power: X-ray vision Allegiance: Himself Appearance: Born a runt, Vrinak is smaller and slighter of build by Skakdi standards, but nonetheless commands a gravitas beyond his stature by dint of his demeanour and reputation. Charcoal and gunmetal in colouration, his typical choice of clothing is a cloth waistcoat under a long leather greatcoat, both gold-trimmed black. Like many Skakdi he sports a large chin, and an extensive and well-maintained set of teeth broken only by the occasional golden replacement. His eyes are golden in colour as well, and gleam with a sharp cunning. He speaks in a gravelly baritone. Weapons: The Broker carries no weapons openly, but it seems unlikely that a man of his paranoia is ever unarmed. Fighting style and weaknesses: The Broker lacks the sheer physical strength of a Skakdi warrior. As such, he uses his wits to avoid involving himself in open conflict, and relies on others for raw muscle. That said, the very fact that he remains alive and prosperous on Zakaz demonstrates an ability to survive that his stature and affluence might belie. Biography: Vrinak the Broker is a powerful man, but he is not a warlord, nor could he ever have been. To be born a runt on Zakaz is to have little life expectancy and no prospects, but the Broker is an anomaly: through cunning, patience, subterfuge, and (as he would have it) sheer will, he has raised himself from the lowest of Skakdi to a major player on Zakaz — albeit an atypical one. To survive, a Skakdi runt must find ways to make himself valuable to those larger and stronger than him, and few have ever done so as successfully as Vrinak. Possessed of a keen ear for secrets and a sharp eye for value, he made himself an increasingly valuable acquaintance to the ambitious and the paranoid, providing his ‘betters’ with resources, weapons, information — always at a reasonable price, but always for a profit. As his own resources and influence grew, he was able to employ first his fellow runts, then Lesterin and Kaiakans, then the more mercenary-minded among the Skakdi warriors. Operating out of the Warrens (a sprawling network of natural caverns and long-disused mines, beneath the southern badlands) he built an organisation of a size to rival any warlord’s forces. But the Broker is not a warlord: he has shown no desire to expand into new territories or conquer fortresses — or to put it another way, to make himself a threat to those who would. Instead, he continues to operate much as he always did (albeit on a far larger scale): as a “businessman”, commanding an island-wide network of caravans and seaships, trading in anything and everything of value. Be it information or raw materials, cutting-edge tech or simple reliable steel, the Broker is the man to go to. It is common for battles to be fought with the Broker’s weapons on both sides, for Vrinak will sell to anyone from the lowliest thief to the mightiest warlord. In fact — though none of them would admit it — most if not all of Zakaz’s self-styled warlords find themselves dependent on the Broker to some degree, and so turn a blind eye to his arming their rivals. Of course, Skakdi pride being what it is, there have been times when this tenuous arrangement breaks and a warlord becomes hostile towards him. But it seems these occasions are always short-lived: the warlords in question were soon overwhelmed by their rivals, deposed by their own subordinates, or met with unfortunate accidents. The Broker is nobody’s enemy, but his is a dangerous friendship to lose. Personality and traits: Vrinak the Broker is the pre-eminent “businessman” of Zakaz. His demeanour is typically jovial, seemingly generous and fair, but this affability masks the cunning and ruthlessness that are the cornerstones of his operation. Every conversation is a transaction, and every transaction is to be carefully manipulated for his benefit. To the powerful, he somehow becomes a resource they cannot operate without. To the lowly, he somehow becomes a patron whose debt they cannot escape, becoming part of a carefully-maintained web of contracts signed and favours owed. But despite all his power and influence, he shows no sign of higher ambitions. Amid the chaos of conquest and re-conquest, of countless warlords’ rise and fall, he remains a constant, playing the long game of survival. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Personal Characters Korero Species: Toa (Maru) Element: Air Gender: Male Mask: Kanohi Hiko, the Mask of Jumping Allegiance: Mata Nui, Le-Koro Appearance: Art by Vezok's Friend, third from the left Powers: Korero, as a Toa Maru, possesses a level of elemental power above the average Toa, and he has natural and instinctive control over it. He has inherited Lewa's skill, meaning that he has a level of proficiency above that of the usual Toa of his inexperience. The Kanohi Hiko allows Korero to jump between real locations in a flash. The Hiko allows for unlimited distance between locales, since it is not based on direct sight, but rather on images. The user can simply look at a picture of a location, or recall a memory of a location, and instantly "jump" there. If the location is unknown, then the picture must be explicit for the Hiko to work, for there is no room for error; any confusion in the moment of the jump will have grave and potentially mortal consequences. The user can also transport up to twice his or her own body weight with the mask, meaning he/she can jump with up to two other people or equivalent equipment. The Hiko does not allow for transportation through time or new dimensions. Weapons: Korero carries his Toa Tool, a pointed-oval shield of green and silver with a circle at its centre, on which is carved the symbol of Faith. He also possesses Lewa's legendary axe, which he retrieved from Mangaia. Fighting style and weaknesses: Korero does not possess much strength, so he relies on his speed and agility (coupled with the use of his mask and element) in combat. As his Toa Tool is a shield, most of his attacks come in the form of kicks and punches, although he can use his shield's sharp edges as a weapon. Plus, the shield can be thrown similarly to a disk, spinning at the target then arcing back to clip onto Korero's forearm. His main weakness is his relative vulnerability to physical brute-strength attacks. Personality and Traits: The Toa Maru of Air is known for his inquisitive and optimistic character, but he has lost much of his naivete and innocence in fighting Makuta and the following months. He is kind-hearted, and rather idealistic in his sense of right and wrong, and as he has grown more confident in himself, this has sometimes brought him into conflict with allies. He has a sharp mind, and an excellent memory. Biography: Korero was once a Ko-Matoran, an amateur archaeologist and historian who spent his time wandering the island searching for artefacts to discover and events to record. Everything changed when he met the Wanderer, Stannis, and joined his Company. Korero was revealed to be the sixth Chosen One, destined to become the Toa Maru of Air, and having transformed, he and his brothers and sister descended into Mangaia to defeat Makuta. Emerging victorious, they returned to their respective villages, and Korero was accepted as protector of Le-Koro. But this apparent new age of peace and prosperity was not to last. The newly-arrived Piraka attacked Ta-Koro, Korero and his teammates were on hand to fight them back, but the Chaotic Six managed to escape and deal significant damage in the process. A schism grew between the Maru, with Korero frustrated with Stannis' dishonesty and growing disillusioned with his leadership. Alongside his Toa-Brother Oreius, Korero infiltrated Ko-Koro during its occupation by the Legacy of Makuta, and helped teleport most of the other Maru in when the fight to liberate it began. As estranged as he had been from the Koro of his birth, seeing it under the thumb of the Nightfall shook him to his core, which was only made worse by the subsequent return of Makuta he'd been dreading since he learned they had failed to destroy him, only banish him from the world. He remains the valiant Toa Maru of Air, protector of Le-Koro, but inside he carries a burden of guilt and fear. Lohkar Species: Lesterin Element: Water Gender: Male Allegiance: Crew of the Infernavika Appearance: Lohkar's armour is blue (a mixture of different shades, from sea to sky) with yellow-orange highlights, shaped with fin-like spikes on the shoulders, and is sleek but durable. He wears a blue naval-style longcoat and two belts, one around his waist (on which he keeps his cutlass sheathed at his hip) and the other as a bandolier across his chest, carrying his pistol in easy reach. His face is (in his own entirely unbiased opinion) dashingly handsome, usually sporting a roguish grin, with bright blue eyes. His Lesterin head crests jut mostly downwards from the back of his head. Weapons and Equipment: Lohkar’s weapon of choice is a cutlass with a basket guard, its pommel tipped with a tooth from a Takea shark. With Volo Lutu launchers becoming more common and reliable, Lohkar has obtained one and bartered his old Grapnel Gun for a new piece of Foreign Tech: a Vortixx-made pistol. Its profile is similar to that of a flintlock, but it is in fact a high-powered plasma gun. It requires time to recharge, so can only fire one shot every few seconds. In addition, Lohkar owns an item known as the 'Magic Map': a seemingly-normal paper map of Mata Nui that can change its markings to display the user's location (and perhaps more, when the time comes). Besides these, Lohkar carries various mundane but useful items with him, including a compass, a spyglass, a knife, lockpicks, and the odd Stralix grenade when the mood takes him. Powers and abilities: As a Lesterin, Lohkar possesses no directly controllable powers; instead, his elemental energy manifests passively. This gives him increased agility and the ability to hold his breath for long periods of time. While not strictly a power, his advanced digestive system grants him a resistance to toxins such as poisons – a resistance which has been strengthened further by regular exposure to rum and grog. While wild and unpredictable, Lohkar’s fighting style is not unskillful: he is proficient with his cutlass in close combat and accurate with his pistol, but relies on mobility for his defence. When he can, however, Lohkar prefers to use his wit and cunning to win fights before they start, or avoid them altogether through subterfuge. Personality and Traits: Lohkar has been described as “the single most unpredictable creature in the Endless Ocean”, and with good reason. The Lesterin pirate captain has a reputation for extreme slipperiness and cunning. One nickname he has earned is “the Lohrak”, due to a combination of his name, his ferocity in combat, and his apparent ability to wriggle out of any situation. His behaviour is typically eccentric and carefree — but he is not without a vengeful side when the people and things he truly cares about are threatened or harmed. Despite his lawless behaviour, Lohkar does have moral principles, such as a hatred of slavers and an unwillingness to kill innocents, and his piratical tendencies are not due solely to greed, but also a deep passion for freedom and adventure. Biography: Lohkar is the infamous pirate captain of the Infernavika, a ship that he is somehow still in ownership of, despite at least two mutinies by past First Mates. He's tangled with the Marines on multiple occasions, but also helped them on others, even going so far as to almost die defending Ga-Koro from the Rahkshi horde and later serving as a privateer; he and his crew also assisted in the retaking of Ko-Koro. Currently, the crew of the Infernavika enjoy a pardon thanks to these uncharacteristically good deeds, but it's unlikely that Lohkar has actually reformed. Much more likely is the possibility that he's simply biding his time. Kilanya (N.B. Not fully updated for this arc.) Species: Dasaka Gender: Female Clan: Ageru Caste: Toroshu Disciplines: Soulsword plus Willhammer Mask: Kanohi Haunoru, the Mask of Focused Shielding Appearance: Tall and elegant, Kilanya is clearly a Toroshu. Beneath her glittering segmented crystal armour (which also includes, in places, valuable filigreed plate metal), her colouration is a mix of middling blue and indigo, trimmed with gold as often befits Menti warriors. Her mask is shaped similarly to the Hau, but more smooth-cheeked and flowing, and emanates charisma and nobility. Behind it, yellow eyes glow with the fierceness of a warrior and the intelligence of a general—she is undeniably both. Her livery of emerald-green cloth is worn both in the common waist-robes fashion (albeit shorter) and also as a pair of short strips, one draped on each shoulder. Powers: Kilanya is a powerful Soulsword, one of the finest Clan Ageru has ever produced. Her psionic weapon takes the form of a typical Dasaka katana, and is sky-blue in colour. She is also well-practised in the Willhammer art of mental entry, and of course Ideatalk. The shield created by her Haunoru is shaped like a polygonal kite-shield about twice as long as it is wide, and manifests with the same blue colour as her Soulsword. Fighting Style and Weaknesses: In battle, Kilanya makes use of both her psionic weapon and her Kanohi’s shield to great effect. A warrior using the physical equivalents of such weapons would be slowed down and restricted by their weight; Kilanya suffers no such drawbacks and is able to move as quickly and freely as if she were unarmed, while still making very real swings and blocks. Coupled with her excellent physical conditioning and skill, she possesses impressive versatility and agility on the battlefield. The energy required to sustain the blade and shield, however, will take its toll if battle is drawn out; and there are many elemental attacks against which she has comparatively little defence. Personality and Traits: Many things are expected of a Toroshu; honour, leadership, discipline...and Kilanya fulfils all of these. As a warrior, she is formidable. As a commander, she is respected by her troops. As a judge, she is said to be unwaveringly firm but fair. With all the responsibilities of a Toroshu and expectations of society on her shoulders, she keeps her kinder, gentler side well-hidden—but it does exist. Biography: Kilanya was born into nobility, the first and only daughter of the previous Toroshu, and under Clan Ageru’s rules of succession was thus earmarked from an early age as her mother’s heir. Not content to rest on the laurels of birthright, however, she went about her duties and Menti training with a determination and talent that left little doubt that she was the clan’s destined leader — even duelling and defeating her teacher in her year’s Tarakona Games. Despite Kilanya’s eminence, she does hold one well-kept secret: during her Menti training, she fell in love with a male of the same age, Ageru Dakte, in direct violation of mating laws. Her family, seeking to save her and the clan from this deep dishonour, managed to cover it up and avoid the shame that such a relationship would have brought upon them. To this day, not a soul outside Ageru’s most trusted knows of this. When her mother became a Datsue and retreated into the role of Matriarch, she took her rightful place as Toroshu of the clan. By this time her distinguished military service had earned her respect and also training in a second discipline: that of the Willhammer. As Toroshu, she has commanded the Menti of Clan Ageru admirably, but leaves much of the day-to-day civilian affairs to her mother and the clan’s Steward. When the Rahkshi incursion struck and Yumiwa ordered the evacuation of the Archipelago, Kilanya became the first Ageru Toroshu in generations to defy a direct order from the Rora. Unable to evacuate more than a third of her people, and unwilling to leave the rest unprotected against the demonic assault, she sent as many as she could on the Ageru's boats and remained behind to defend the rest. As a member of Arsix's war council, Kilanya and her remaining Menti hold the front line in a war unlike any the Dasaka have ever known. Dakte Species: Dasaka Gender: Male Clan: Ageru Caste: Menti Disciplines: Soulsword plus Mindarm plus Willhammer (in training) Mask: Kanohi Ruru, the Mask of Night Vision Appearance: As a Menti warrior, Dakte's his extensive training has given him an athletic build affording both strength and agility. His skin and armour are of a deep purplish hue, with modest silver highlights and sleek but sturdy crystal plating. For clan-cloth, he wears a dark green haori and a shoulder-cape of the same colour. His mask is shaped like a scopeless Great Matatu. Weapons: A crystal wakizashi and a handful of shuriken (in addition to his Soulsword). Powers: Dakte’s psionic weapon is a polearm; formerly a bo staff, he has re-trained to add a short blade to one end, resulting in a naginata. He is well-trained in his Mindarm powers as well, and is capable of using them with both power and precision. Having mastered these two disciplines, he has recently begun to learn the art of Willhammer (but remains a neophyte). His mask grants him night-vision, limited x-ray vision, and the ability to project a beam of light. Fighting Style and Weaknesses: Dakte has trained hard as a Menti warrior; he uses mainly quarterstaff styles for his Soulsword weapon, and is also a proficient swordsman. He has a particularly high level of physical coordination and dexterity which makes him a skilled melee combatant. At greater ranges, he uses his Mindarm powers and shuriken. While he is strong-willed, giving him a degree of resistance to psionic attacks, he does not yet have the full mental shielding of an experienced Willhammer and has little counter to a Sighteye’s illusions, not to mention that his physical defences rely on dodging and parrying. His tendency to use his Soulsword and Mindarm powers in tandem makes for a powerful combination, but a taxing one. Personality and Traits: Outwardly, Dakte is genteel and proper, if a little restrained or brooding; this is, however, a mask for his passionate inner emotions. He harbours a deep sadness and yearning for his lost love, and a resentment for the society that robbed him of it. His training and music are both in their own way outlets for his inner turmoil. Biography: Dakte is the eldest eligible male of the second-most-influential family within Clan Ageru. During his rigorous training as a young Menti, he fell in love with Kilanya, the daughter of the Toroshu; their love was young and passionate, but in Dasaka society it could not last. It was covered up by their respective families to prevent a scandal, and Dakte was whisked away to Sado to keep it from ever resurfacing. He could not be given a role in court or as a bodyguard; this would bear too much risk of encounters with Kilanya, and so (unusually for a male) he became a master in the Yards, teaching the ways of the Menti Warrior and continuing his own training. Dakte was chosen to join the second Dasaka expedition to Mata Nui as a diplomatic guard and training specialist. Striking up a rapport with Vilda Mako, he began to learn Willhammer from the Datsue. He helped fend off the crazed Labelle and her Parakuka 'pets', and later fought alongside the Toa Kalta in the battle for Ko-Koro. Since then he has returned to Ga-Koro and continued his training under Mako, setting him on the path towards becoming a Battlemaster. Sahkra Species: Lesterin Gender: Female Element: Air Mask: Kanohi Huna, the Mask of Invisibility (only worn when needed) Allegience: Herself Appearance: Sahkra is of average height, with a limber physique well-suited to climbing and moving fast. As a Le-Lesterin her natural armour colouration is leaf-green with red accents, with a shape evoking willow leaves at her shoulders and the tips of her head-crest, the seven points of which arc down from the back of her head until they point almost straight downwards. Her eyes are pale green. She typically wears a large bandana over the top of her head (recently joined by a pair of dust-goggles) and a wide sash at her waist, both red and patterned in a traditional Lesterin motif. Her Kanohi Huna usually resides in her backpack or hangs at her belt when not in use. Personal effects and belongings: One Zakaz-built motorbike — unfortunately only a knockoff of the sonic cycles popular among certain warlords. Lockpicks, kept hidden on her person. A grapple gun analogous to the Volo Lutu of Mata Nui. A pack containing various other supplies. A seven-stringed Lesterin khyleh, on which she enjoys strumming and finger-picking in her free moments. Weapons: Zapper (Foreign Tech): A small device, about the size and shape of a pocket pistol, that Sahkra keeps concealed under the sash at her left hip. Ordinary scraps of rubber inserted into the bottom of the grip are converted into pellets of an adhesive gel, which the device is able to imbue with an electrical charge. Up to three of these pellets can be stored at any one time. When the trigger is pulled, the device fires one of these gel pellets with enough velocity to stick it to a target within about 10 metres. With the flick of a switch, the user can then set the device to shock mode, in which holding down the trigger will activate the gel and release the stored charge(s), delivering an electric shock strong enough to incapacitate a fully-grown Skakdi if fully released (which takes about four seconds). Alternatively, the trigger can be held down when firing the pellet, in which case the pellet will immediately activate upon contact. Two long daggers, one concealed in each boot. A Najin revolver worn on her right hip — though this usually serves only as a deterrent or a last resort. Powers, abilities and weaknesses: As a Le-Lesterin, Sahkra is able to move with a preternatural speed, and hold her breath for long periods of time. She avoids open combat wherever possible, specialising instead in stealth to avoid such situations, and speed and agility to escape them. When fighting is the only option, she relies on speed to avoid attacks; if this is countered and she is forced to take hits, she will go down quickly. Personality: Sahkra usually exhibits a friendly, casual and laid-back demeanour, with a playful sense of humour and a penchant for sarcasm; but all of this often masks a laser-focus on her goals, which she will pursue no matter how much she has to lie, cheat and compromise in order to do it. Biography: Were you to meet Sahkra on the streets of Seprilli Port or in the inn of a Zakaz settlement, you would gain the impression she was a courier, transporting messages and packages from point to point across the lands of the Zakaz and the Lesterin. This is not untrue, but neither is it her only occupation: she is in fact a professional thief. Growing up an orphaned urchin on the streets of Seprilli port alongside her brother, Sahkra quickly learned to steal to survive. She and her sibling became quite the pair of artful dodgers, but as the two grew to teenagerhood she was unable to persuade him to stay on Seprilli, and the two parted ways. Now alone, she nevertheless continued to ply her trade, learning to operate solo — in fact she found she was even more effective without her brother’s often-brash approach, free to pursue her own forte for stealth. But no thief is perfect, and after one unfortunate slip-up she had no choice but to flee her home for the mainland of Zakaz, where she managed to acclimatise surprisingly quickly. Treatment of Lesterin on Zakaz was not so different from treatment of guttersnipes in Jukvere, and if anything, she found the Skakdi easier to rob than her own people. Enough time has now passed for her to safely return to Seprilli, but she has continued to work primarily on Zakaz, using courier work as cover for her thievery. With her sharp mind, agile physique, and Kanohi Huna, Sahkra is perfectly suited to cat-burglary, even stealing from warlords when the opportunity arises. But as skilled as she is, she is hardly prosperous; she carries more debts than she cares to admit, some of them to very dangerous people indeed. For a Lesterin on Zakaz, the price of freedom is high. Merror Species: Turaga Element: Fire Gender: Male Allegiance: Mata Nui Mask: Noble Kanohi Calix, the Mask of Fate Appearance: As a Turaga, Merror is smaller of build than he was as a Toa and appears stooped with age, but is still far from frail. His natural armour colours are dark red and silver, and he typically wears grey Turaga's robes, suitable for travelling. He has kind green eyes which, despite his aged appearance as a Turaga, carry less pain and weariness than they did when he was a Toa. Weapons: Merror carries the Badge of Office into which his Toa Tools were transformed: a staff as long as he is tall, with a head similar to the Firestaffs used by other Ta-Turaga, through which he can channel what remains of his elemental powers. Powers, abilities and weaknesses: With his transformation into a Turaga, Merror's elemental powers have dwindled; he can still conjure flames and, if pressed, cast small fireballs, but any greater displays of power are now beyond him. However he does remain physically capable, in part thanks to his Calix. His strength is reduced, but he retains all his long-honed skill in combat, and is able to hold his own using his staff or, if necessary, hand-to-hand techniques. Besides his mobility (which is also somewhat reduced), he lacks in defence against ranged or elemental attacks. Personality and Traits: As a Toa, Merror was an upstanding and compassionate individual, albeit with an overly rigid sense of morality by which he did not shy away from judging others. He was wracked by deep guilt for his failures, and a grief for those he had lost. As a Turaga, he has mellowed, and found an inner peace: he remains firmly on the side of good, and unafraid to try to keep others on the straight and narrow, but has become more understanding and forgiving; wiser, perhaps. His wry sense of humour now comes out more often, and he enjoys playing into the "grumpy old man" stereotype of a Turaga. Biography: Formerly a veteran Toa, Merror has seen and done a great many things in his time. Long plagued by survivor's guilt over the deaths of his original Toa Team, he strove to atone for his failures and mistakes for many years, saving and helping people wherever he could. But all too often he could not, which only added to his burden of guilt. As a result of his grief, he clung to the Toa Code, and refused to kill under any circumstances; and holding others as well as himself to the same rigid view of morality. He insisted in sparing even undeniably evil Toa such as Echelon, despite the harm they would undoubtedly go on to cause. In time, Merror began to realise his inflexible view of the Code was causing harm, and began to reassess his principles, becoming more forgiving and accepting of others' choices. When Dorian set off alone to face Echelon in the Vault, only Merror noticed him leave. He tracked Dorian to Mangaia, and arrived in time to witness the young Fe-Toa's victory and the death of his old nemesis. But this victory came at a price: not only was Makuta himself freed in the process, but Dorian had been mortally wounded, and despite Merror's attempt to get him to a healer, the young man began to die in his arms. In this moment, Merror realised his destiny was to save one life: Dorian's. He relinquished his Toa power to heal Dorian of his wounds, and so became a Turaga. Syrik Species: Toa Gender: Male Element: Magnetism Mask: Kanohi Kualsi, the Mask of Quick-Travel Appearance: A tall man of athletic build, his natural armour coloured grey, black and gunmetal, with bright orange eyes. He often wears a dark grey hood, and a cape of the same colour over one shoulder, concealing his left arm, around which his chain weapon is typically wrapped. His Kualsi is shaped like a Great Kanohi Mahiki. Weapons and equipment: A protosteel quarterstaff, his Toa tool. Both ends contain a foot-long blade that can be extended or retracted via his elemental power. A belt of metal throwing knives, worn across his chest. Two ceramic-bladed daggers made entirely of non-metallic materials, sheathed at either hip. A 7-foot protosteel chain, wrapped around his left arm. Powers, abilities and weaknesses: Syrik could almost be called a living weapon. He exhibits excellent physical conditioning, high intelligence, and is greatly skilled not only in the use of his various weapons, but also his element and Kanohi. Despite his freewheeling demeanour, the precision with which he wields his weapons and powers hints at a far more rigorous training than any simple Xa-Koronan mercenary could have hoped to receive. While his offensive capabilities are substantial, he relies on his mobility (especially his Kualsi) to avoid anything he can’t block. If he is subject to concentration-disrupting or mind-affecting attacks, he will be left vulnerable. Personality: Syrik’s demeanour is mercurial: at times he may be an affable conversationalist, a dispassionate professional, or a vicious assailant. But behind his capricious facade he is an extremely driven man, willing to risk everything in pursuit of his agenda. Biography: A Fa-Toa going by the name “Syrik” appeared in Xa-Koro a few years before its destruction, and quickly built a reputation as a highly efficient mercenary, albeit an enigmatic one. Talking a lot but saying little, even those on friendly terms with him would find they had been told contradictory stories of his past. When pressed, he would seemingly just spin another. But regardless of his origins, he seemed perfectly at home in the lawless Koro, and was happy to take any manner of job without compunction so long as the pay was good. But in time, that began to change. In the final year of Xa-Koro’s existence, his colleagues and patrons found to their surprise that Syrik was getting more picky about the jobs he took, less blase about the ethics of his line of work. It was as though the once-callous Fa-Toa was going soft. That changed abruptly following Xa-Koro’s destruction, after which Syrik appeared to suddenly reverse his apparent moral awakening — if anything, his contemporaries thought he seemed more ruthless than before. Nobody dared ask why: there was a rage in Syrik’s eyes that his affable facade could not hide. But during the Legacy’s occupation of Ko-Koro, despite the transformation of the city of Ice into a merc’s paradise, he was nowhere to be seen. Indeed, his fellow soldiers of fortune have seen no trace of him since. His whereabouts and his reasons for shunning the captured Koro are anyone’s guess. Tazera Species: Dasaka Gender: Female Clan: Ageru Caste: Menti Allegiance: Dasaka Empire Disciplines: Soulsword Kanohi: Miru, the Mask of Levitation Appearance: Tazera is a Dasaka of average height, middling-blue colouration with orange eyes, and athletic build. She wears her green clan-cloth as a bandana around her forehead, and sports a relatively plain navy-blue officer’s coat. Her crystal armour is relatively light; heavy armour on board ships is widely considered impractical among Dasaka. Powers and Tools: Soulswords’ psionic weapons come in many shapes and sizes; most are blades of some description. Tazera, however, favours a more esoteric form: the Soulwhip. This flexible lash of energy has greater reach than the average psio-weapon, at the cost of control. For this reason, she carries a short crystal boarding axe on her person, and also the obligatory sailor’s knife. She is, of course, fully proficient in Ideatalk, and in the use of her Miru. Fighting Style and Weaknesses: Tazera’s Soulwhip has greater reach than the average (non-polearm) melee weapon and can thus be very useful for keeping opponents just outside melee range, and can also be used to wrap around weapons and yank them from the user’s grasp. If enemies do close the gap, however, she will often be forced to switch to her boarding axe. She will often use her Miru to aid movement in combat, and in combination with her Soulwhip and suitable surroundings, she can use it to perform various aerial maneuvers and stunts. Years as a sailor have made her strong and resilient while still light on her feet, but she is lightly armoured compared to the average land-based Dasaka soldier and must rely on parrying and dodging to defend against attacks. Personality and Traits: As Commodore Ayiwah’s lieutenant and first mate, it’s small surprise that Tazera is a stickler for discipline. Despite her reputation as a hard taskmaster, she is not unduly cruel or sadistic — she simply expects as high standards of her crew as she does of herself. She commands by example, and being the experienced sailor and warrior that she is, that example is a good one. Hers is a fiery personality by all accounts, whether barking orders on deck or holding her own in battle. Tazera holds a fierce loyalty to Ayiwah, having more than once refused promotion in order to continue to serve under her. Biography: Born into the Menti caste, Tazera undertook psionic training from an early age. She first distinguished herself in the times around the last of the Fursic rebellions, serving on one of the Empire’s ships; it is not coincidence that it was then that she first met Ayiwah. The two (bunkmates at first, then comrades-in-arms and soon firm friends) fought bravely against the rebels, thus getting themselves noticed by their superiors, and Tazera has remained by Ayiwah’s side ever since. Tazera was assigned to the Mata Nui expedition, continuing to serve as Ayiwah's first mate. Since their arrival she has mostly remained aboard the Chiisai Ryuu to coordinate the vessel's guard and upkeep (with the exception of an abortive foray to Ko-Wahi in search of the Piraka), but has had the occasional opportunity to go ashore and partake in the unfamiliar island's culture. She has not let her hair down as much as some of the crew have, but nevertheless shows a cautiously curiosity towards the Mata Nuians and their island home. Azha Species: Dasaka Clan: Long (outcast) Gender: Male Discipline: Soulfire (Dragon’s Scales, Dragon’s Heart) Mask: Kanohi Pakari, the Mask of Strength Appearance: A powerfully-built male of above average height, his natural colourings are dark blue, silver and black, with eyes of the same electric blue with which his Soulfire manifests. His upper body is typically unadorned save for minimal natural armour, baring his muscular torso and arms, which are nicked with scars; relics of past blows that went unblocked. On his lower body he wears black pantaloons that sit loose above the knee and are bound tight below it, and usually goes barefoot. Weapons: None. The only weapon Azha needs or wants is his own body, bolstered by Soulfire and Kanohi. Powers, abilities and weaknesses: Skill, discipline and ferocity combine to make Azha a formidable practitioner of Soulfire. In combat he favours the Dragon’s Scales for both offense and defence, with his already considerable physical strength boosted by his Pakari. As a result, although his blows lack the piercing capability of the Dragon’s Teeth, they more than make up for it in sheer bludgeoning power. Typically he wreathes only his arms and lower legs in the Scales, though he can extend them further with moderate effort, and his lack of physical armour grants him mobility his size might belie. In a pinch he is capable of coating his entire body, though the mental exertion required renders him near-immobile, so this is generally a pure defensive ability and one he rarely employs. Additionally, his extreme focus of will makes the Dragon’s Heart a natural fit, granting him protection against mental entry. Altogether he is an extremely dangerous adversary in close quarters, however his fighting style is entirely focused on hand-to-hand combat, which may be exploited by opponents that can keep him at a distance. Biography: The Long do not lightly exile one of their own. But in the case of Long Azha, it became inevitable. From childhood he was recognised as a prodigy in the art of Soulfire; seldom had even the Long seen a student with such a single-minded determination to improve his own abilities. But with that absolute focus came a callous focus on strength above all else, a brutality towards opponents and a disdain for anyone who could not stand toe-to-toe with him. Things came to a head when, during a Naffir tournament, Azha refused to hold back the force of his blows and killed his opponent, followed by two more monks who tried to restrain him. It took the skills of Soulfire master Long Shunkyou himself to eventually subdue him. Charged with the indefensible deaths of three fellow Long, Azha was cast out from the clan and the Taajar as a whole. Even as an exile of the Taajar, an outcast among outcasts, Azha remained undeterred in his search for Strength. He wandered the Archipelago, taking work where he could find it for the sake of food and shelter, but craving combat against worthy opponents above all else. Some travellers of the Archipelago tell tales of a strange Taajar, a wild monk, whom they met upon the road and who invited them to ‘spar’. Those who accepted his invitation would soon regret it…if they were fortunate enough to survive. Personality: Azha is a man of singular focus. Strength is the means to fight. By fighting, one gains Strength. This is the cycle of survival, the wheel of life and death. Can anything else be said to matter?

Tarkahn, played by @The UltimoScorp

Two problems there imo: it looks wonky, and it's not very futureproof, because if another location is added in that area I'd have to move it again. I think transparency should do the trick. EDIT: I think I'm happy with this version. Any thoughts?

I shied away from that because in adding further locations we'd inevitably end up with some of them covering up the region labels (or vice versa), but I suppose I could make the latter semi-transparent to compensate. I'll give it a try!

Nicely done! Big improvement on the previous iterations. I especially like the rendering of Ta-Wahi — as cool as the official bird's-eye images were, I never thought they quite did the lava and volcanic terrain justice. This one definitely does.

So, I heard you like maps... Regions Locations Blank version Please note that these annotated versions are by no means finished and complete — the locations map in particular will be updated regularly to add further points of interest, particularly player-created ones such as forts and other settlements. Whenever you have a location you'd like to have added to the map, let me know. We want to build the world of Zakaz together with you guys, and I hope these maps will help bring it to life. A huge thank you to @Vezok's Friend for creating the art for the original proposed Zakaz map way back, and for working at short notice to overhaul it into the official version you see here (not to mention putting up with my nitpicking while doing so). VF has been helping us visualise the world of the BZPRPG since long before I joined the staff, and it's always a pleasure to collaborate with him!

Don't worry, we're not moving settings entirely. Zakaz is just an addition to the game-world, and Mata Nui and the Kentoku Archipelago will still remain as playable locations. I'll PM you about the Discord.

Since we're already getting requests for more information on the other species of Zakaz, here's an extra mini-reference-post for you: The Lesterin The Lesterin are the main inhabitants of Seprilli, and are not an uncommon sight on Zakaz (though to the Skakdi they are rarely a welcome one). They are of similar height and build to Toa, but longer-limbed and more gangly in proportions, possessing distinctive crests that jut from the back and/or top of their heads. Their shoulders sport similarly jutting armour, typically carved and decorated to reflect their elemental affiliation. Lesterin are able to wear and use Kanohi (though they do not need to), and possess innate elemental energy. Unlike the powers wielded by Toa and Skakdi, the Lesterin’s energy manifests passively, granting them characteristics according to their element (generally recognisable by their colouration): Fire (red/orange and black): resistant to extremes of heat or cold, heightened speed Water (blue and yellow-orange): able to hold their breath for exceptionally long periods of time, heightened agility Air (green and red): able to hold their breath for exceptionally long periods of time, heightened speed Stone (brown and white): skin resistant to being cut or pierced, heightened strength Earth (black and dark red): resistant to pressure or crushing, heightened night vision Ice (white and lime): resistant to extremes of heat or cold, heightened dexterity Lightning (blue/white and gunmetal): resistant to electric shocks, heightened reflexes Magnetism (gunmetal/black and orange): surrounded by a magnetic field which resists magnetic pulls, strong internal compass Plantlife (blue/green and yellow): immune to poisons, able to gain energy from sunlight Iron (metallic and brown): skin resistant to being cut or pierced, heightened endurance Sonics (silver/grey and light blue): enhanced sensitivity and range of hearing, able to project voice at unusually high volumes Plasma (white/orange and light grey): almost complete resistance to heat, heightened agility Gravity (purple and copper): resistant to pressure or crushing, able to lift heavy objects as though they were much lighter Crystal (light blue/white and green) enhanced range and acuity of vision, glow slightly in dark places similarly to Lightstones Lesterin’s bodies are also more efficient at processing toxins than most species, giving them a resistance to poisoning (and, as can be seen at any watering-hole on Seprilli, a high tolerance for alcohol). The Lesterin may lack the physicality of the Skakdi, but they are a skillful and cunning people. Natural sailors and shrewd traders, their mastery of seacraft and talent for bargaining grant the people of Seprilli a degree of freedom and prosperity even under the Skakdi’s theoretical dominion. Lesterin society has no caste system, but its mercantile nature gives rise to stratification nonetheless. Most work as labourers and craftspeople, either selling their wares or working for a wage; a large contingent are individual traders, buying and selling goods within Seprilli or trading with the mainland; and a fortunate few become wealthy merchant princes, operating their own companies (typically fleets of trading ships, selling to the Skakdi) and reaping the profits. Seprilli Port is governed by a theoretically meritocratic body known as the Assembly, made up of roughly two dozen councillors and chaired by a Speaker. A seat is reserved for the master of each of the Guilds, each of which represents the interests of one of the major professions: Traders, Fishers, Shipwrights, et cetera. Other important persons, such as the Sages of the temples of Mata Nui and Artakha, or the delegate of the Kaiakans, are also guaranteed seats. The remainder are to be granted yearly to “the most recognisedly upstanding members of society” — in practice, these are almost always controlled by the most wealthy and influential of the merchant princes. The Assembly provides a laissez-faire degree of law and order, mainly protecting against piracy and representing Seprilli to whichever warlord has most recently decided it falls within his domain. On Zakaz proper, many Lesterin are kept as slaves of the less scrupulous warlords. Free Lesterin can most often be found in wandering caravans, roaming from settlement to settlement and trading goods with the locals. It is common to see an encampment of Lesterin traders not far from the larger towns and fortresses — no self-respecting warlord would let them inside his gates, of course, but most will begrudgingly accept the opportunity of their wares. Of course, not all Lesterin are peaceful and productive members of society. Their natural talents can just as easily be turned towards various forms of thievery — most quintessentially, piracy. The seas surrounding Zakaz are rife with marauding ships, preying on any traders that have the misfortune of encountering them. On the mainland, Lesterin bandits are a menace to the less well-armed Skakdi travellers; and anywhere there are valuables to be stolen, Lesterin dexterity makes for excellent pickpockets and cat burglars, many of whom are thought to be members of a shadowy ‘Guild of Thieves’. The pirate port of Zarrava on Zakaz’s northern coast is a haven and neutral ground for buccaneers and land-based scoundrels alike and, ironically enough, is one of the few places on Zakaz where Lesterin and Skakdi can be found living alongside one another in something resembling friendship. The Kaiakans In another world, they might have been called ‘Steltians’. The Kaiakans are a race of imposing but powerless beings known for their large stature and talent for hand-to-hand combat. The Eyries near the peak of Seprilli are the only known Kaiakan settlements, and are home to a number of traditional clans that subsist mainly by hunting the beasts of the snows and the Khacha forest, eking out a humble existence amid the bitter cold. Kaiakans cannot use Kanohi and have no elemental abilities, but what they lack in powers they make up for in physicality, possessing greater strength and durability than even the average Skakdi. Despite their small numbers, they are known across Zakaz for maintaining a culture of ritual combat that makes them formidable fighters. Many Kaiakans leave the Eyries to work as guards, mercenaries, and other occupations where their physicality is an asset, particularly among the Lesterin who lack their raw strength. Some do this to provide for their families in the Eyries, while others do so purely for personal gain. Either way, their skills make them highly valuable to those able to secure their services. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Similarly to the ZMRP above, this post will become part of the Seprilli location topic description when the arc goes live. Please address any Lesterin-related queries to me (@Ghosthands) via the communication channel of your choice. It's been a pleasure to see the interest the Lesterin have received since I first created them, and I'm delighted to finally get to flesh out their culture and society in this new setting with you guys.

IC [Tallik Vao, The Mossy Badger] The Twi'lek took a deep breath. "Well," he said. "If we're in this together, we'd better all be on the same page. I don't know much about what's going on, but I'll explain what I can. That NR guy back on Taris gave me this — " he drew the device from his pocket and held it level for his companions to see " — before the Inquisitors got him. Told me to protect it. All it's displayed so far is coordinates, which is why I had us go to Dantooine..." As he spoke he glanced at the chip's viewscreen. The numbers had changed. "...and now it's pointing to a specific location here on the planet. Somewhere outside the city, to the east. And that's all I know." Even as he said it, he felt foolish. Following this breadcrumb trail was a colossal shot in the dark, and now he'd arguably dragged others into the same mess he was in. But it was the only chance he had of finding a way to save Cy. As he'd said to Kaal, he knew this was what he had to do. "I might know someone who can help us get ourselves a landspeeder discreetly, though. If he's still here."