Ghosthands

IC (Korero, Le-Koro) In a flash of white, the Toa Maru of Air was gone. OOC: Korero to Ko-Wahi

This is more of a subjective thing, but multiple people have remarked that the new site is very bright white and not very easy on the eyes. Is there any possibility of a "dark mode" being added?

I'M NOT CRYING, YOU'RE CRYING

IC (Ageru Dakte) "Of course," the Menti assented. Dakte had not been party to a mindlink before; to a Dasaka, one constantly linked to the mental plane and able to Ideatalk as easily as speak, it seemed a redundant concept. But he could understand the need for it, and the basic principle of how it would operate. When he felt Vakua's psionic presence tugging at the edge of his consciousness, he denied his instinctive reaction (to push back against and cut off the mental intrusion) and instead relaxed the barriers of his mind, allowing the link to form. To his surprise, it was a much more intimate connection than he had anticipated. He could sense the thoughts, emotions, even sensations (like the bitter cold of Ko-Wahi) experienced by the Kalta. Presumably, they could do the same with his. Quickly, he reasserted some of his mental barriers. Not enough to destroy the link, but enough for him to adequately control what passed through it. He still did not entirely trust these Toa.

OOC: Waking up the Infernavika side of things, and reacting to Kreigero's kerfuffle. IC (Lohkar, Infernavika) "Yasurek," Lohkar replied, with a mildly pained tone, "I was under the impression that you were the ship's lookout. In fact I was under that impression because I personally appointed you ship's lookout." He turned to face the diminutive midshipman with a sardonic expression, removing one hand from the 'Vika's wheel and placing it on his hip. "Keepin' that in mind, I rather think that it would be your job to tell me whether or not we are, in fact, 'there yet'." The captain bounced his eyebrows once. "No, midshipman," Lohkar said resignedly, turning back to the task of keeping the ship on course,"we are not 'there yet'. However, if you take a look across the starboard bow, you may notice that we are approachin' Three Brothers Throat." And sure enough, there was a break in the coastline ahead, though Yasurek could be forgiven for not having recognised it as their goal. A welcoming harbour it was not. Three Brothers Throat was a thin channel of black water amid towering cliffs, barely wide enough for a ship of the 'Vika's size to safely navigate. It sat in a deep fjord, flanked on either side by sheer rock faces that rose swiftly as one looked inland, and after half a mile already loomed high enough to hide a ship's masts from view — and further on closed entirely, becoming mountainside. The water was dotted with flat chunks of ice, drifting slowly seaward on some gentle current, for the Throat was known to freeze over in places. These were the pieces of old ice sheets, broken naturally or by those that used the Throat. It was a treacherous waterway, but a useful one. In it, a smuggler or pirate could sail inland unseen by Ko-Koronan scouts, and drop anchor in a place sheltered from winds and watching eyes — and more, for the Throat hid a greater secret: a tunnel, carved by subterranean rivers, that led yet deeper inland. Rumour had it that one could reach Ko-Koro itself via the underground passageways, but Lohkar had always thought that sounded a little too good to be true. If the Toa Maru's knowledge of the Throat was anything to go by, then the Guard knew about the tunnels and, most likely, was actively patrolling them. Until recent events, that is... "Find Gunner and our Toa friends," Lohkar instructed Yasurek. "The 'Vika's gonna need some help." The Lesterin's eye was suddenly caught by movement on the snowy slopes above the Throat. "What have we here...?" he murmured, reaching for his spyglass.

IC (Ageru Dakte) "Where I come from, snow itself is rare enough," Dakte replied. "I don't think I've never seen a...snow-storm? Is that the word?" The Menti had bought a thick cloak from a local Ringti ('Matoran'?) in preparation for the coldness of the region, and he tugged it tighter around his shoulders. "Whether it's normal I can't say, but it's not exactly growing on me."

IC (Ageru Dakte, Ihu-Koro) "I'm coming," said Dakte firmly. "I am sworn to protect Vilda Soraph, and that is what I intend to do." :We should never have let her slip away,: he ideatalked to Mako. :I think you should stay, Datsue. If what they've said about this 'Ko-Koro' is true, it's too dangerous.:

IC (Korero, Le-Koro) Korero exchanged a grim glance with Kongu, then looked back to Rynekk. "Thanks for the intel, Private," he said, with a nod of appreciation. "You're not the first to tell me about this 'Antidermis' stuff, but it sounds worse with every telling. And to lose another Akiri..." He sighed and shook his head. "It doesn't change the mission, though. No matter what happens, no matter what powers we find ourselves up against, we are getting those hostages out of there." The Toa of Air closed his eyes for a moment, his mind's eye flitting through an encyclopaedic knowledge of the island for a suitable rally point. The best option duly presented itself. "Go to the Taiheke Ridge," he told Kongu. "The eastern side is out of sight of the Koro, but your scouts should be able to spot the flare. I'll send it up as soon as we get the hostages into the open." Korero began to walk away, already summoning a mental image of the Ko-Koro rooftops to feed into the Kanohi Hiko, but paused after a few steps, and turned back to face Kongu and Sisk. "Safe winds, my friends." The Toa Maru knew he was asking a lot of Kongu and the Gukko Force. Ko-Koro had become the most dangerous place on the island, even more so with the Legacy now undoubtedly on high alert, and they would probably be prepared for an attack from the skies. Which meant that in all likelihood, some of Kongu's people would not be coming back. Putting people in danger didn't sit well with Korero's instincts, but these were soldiers, and the lives of civilians were at stake. The Force were prepared for this. They all knew what they'd signed up for. Do you? Let's hope so.

IC (Dakte) :And of ours, perhaps,: Dakte ideatalked dryly from where he stood, arms folded, at the Datsue's flank. :This doesn't sit well with me, letting Vilda Soraph slip away and entrusting her safety to these 'Kalta' Toa.:

IC (Merror, Ta-Koro Guard HQ) Merror had been slow in following Jaller to the interview rooms, and thus heard what the Akiri did not: soft, almost furtive footfalls in the hallway behind him. He turned, just in time to see a hint of grey disappear around the corner. Towards the exit. Dorian. The veteran deduced it immediately. He recalled what Dorian had said about Echelon and the Vault, and how little he'd said about it since. He knew the young Fe-Toa was impulsive, and a lone wolf when it suited him. The answer was clear: he was going to confront Echelon, and no doubt he intended to do so alone, slipping away while the others were distracted with this whole Tuara mess. There was no time to gather the others; Dorian would soon be gone, Spirit knew where. But he should not have to face Echelon alone. So there was only one thing for Merror to do. OOC: Merror out of Ta-Wahi

From the gameplay rules:

Welcome (back). There's a couple of issues with the character you're describing, first and foremost that Kraata are not a playable species. Please read the first page of the profiles topic to make sure you understand the rules for character creation. Secondly, there are no 'distant Makuta'; in this universe, there is only one Makuta: the Makuta, and he's the eldritch god of darkness we knew in Bionicle's early years, not the latter-day Teridax of canon. The setting of the BZPRPG is different from canon in many ways, so read the New Player Topic carefully to make sure you're fully aware of them. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in here or PM a staff member. And have fun! EDIT: in answer to your second paragraph, the staff are working to bring us into the next arc of the main plot, which will also include a new area of the otherwise-mysterious world. But you're welcome to get started as soon as you're ready -- just make sure you bring your character in line with the rules and lore first.

They found a small cache of loot: masks, tech and a certain amount of Antidermis. I didn't have anything specific in mind, so PM me if you've got an idea of what you'd like your character to have retrieved.

IC [Raia Veyura, ISD Insight labs] "If he is after the holocron, then where better to look than in ancient Jedi sites?" Veyura opined. "If the records are correct, Ood Bnar was old enough to have visited the Dantooine ruins before they were ruins. Perhaps the pilot had reason to think he'd find a clue there. Or even the holocron itself." The Umbaran smirked. "But this is all academic. Why speculate when we have the pilot himself sitting in Detention, waiting to be interrogated?"

IC (Korero, Le-Koro) The spirit of the Gukko Force, exemplified by Kongu and Sisk, never failed to reassure and inspire Korero. Though he and the Force were not officially affiliated (and indeed, Korero was the only Toa Maru who had never served in a Koro military) they shared a symbiotic relationship as protectors of the treetop city, cooperating wherever they could in their mutual duty. That reassurance touched him now, giving him new strength to face the dangers ahead. Whatever may happen, he could count on the windflyers of Le-Koro. He was about to give Kongu the rallying location he'd asked for, but stopped short as the unfamiliar Po-Toa approached. "Go on," he acquiesced, with a guarded nod. "But you'd best make it quick."

IC The Vortixx's grimace deepened as first Stannis, then Sulov arrived to flank their teammate. One Maru was a problem enough. Three together looked near insurmountable. There was silence in the room while he weighed up his options. On the one hand, the Matoran were clearly their priority, and the Toa Maru had a reputation for honour; they'd given their word that he'd walk free. On the other, they'd demanded he surrender both his hostage and his weapon, which would put him entirely at their mercy. The Nightfall's recent acts of terror had been designed to put the island's protectors under heavy pressure: was it enough pressure to make that honourable nature snap? In the end, there was only one choice. There was no way taking his chances against all three of them was going to end well. Still scowling at the three heroes, he slowly withdrew his arm from around the Ga-Matoran's neck and gave her a shove between the shoulder blades. She stumbled forward, running to the safety the three Toa represented. Next he withdrew a set of keys from his belt and tossed them to the sawdust-strewn flagstones between himself and the three Maru. Those keys would unlock the shackles binding their precious civilians. Finally — and with the most reluctance — he lowered his pistol, flicked the safety back on, and threw it to join the keys on the floor. Parting with that was hard; it had served him well, and proper weaponry was hard to come by on this primitive island. But he still had his sword and rifle, so he wasn't left defenceless. If the sidearm was the price of his freedom, so be it. "All right, Maru," he said, raising his hands to show no hostility. "You've had it your way. Now I go free, yes? Or is that reputation for honour just for PR?"

IC (Korero, Le-Koro) Korero's relief was visible as Kongu descended astride Ka, but he remained tense. There wasn't much time. "Ko-Koro," he said, keeping his voice low but urgent. "He was fighting one of the Nightfall — not just fighting, it looked like a duel. I don't know why, I don't know what he thought he was doing, this wasn't the plan — " The young Toa stopped himself, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to slow down. He spoke again more calmly. "I left to find my Sister and Brothers and bring them to Ko. Oreius wasn't there when we got there. We found — we think we found the location where they're keeping the hostages. The others moved on it, while I went to find Oreius. I just hope I got there in time." He glanced over his shoulder to where the Gukko Force medics were lifting his Brother onto a stretcher, then shook his head and looked back to Kongu. "I have to go back. The others need my help. But even with my mask, I don't know if we can get them all out in time. We might need an extraction."

Yep.

IC One more door stood between Leah and the hostages she sought. In the room beyond, the guards' captain — a lone Vortixx mercenary — had heard the unmistakable sounds of his last two men getting being dispatched by the unknown attackers. He cursed viciously under his breath. This was supposed to be a nice, quiet posting. Although the Legacy had warned him to be vigilant, he hadn't counted on the free Koro having the guts to risk their citizens' lives, or their operatives having the smarts to find the warehouse. But clearly he'd been wrong, and he needed a ticket out of here. He cast his eyes around at the Matoran that surrounded him, chained to each other and to metal rings in the walls and floor. The multitude of colours showed that among them were citizens from every Koro, many of them women and children, huddled together in fear and apprehension at the sounds of battle above them. The captain's gaze alighted on one Ga-Matoran, a little taller than the rest and thus closer to his own height. She'll do. He knelt down to unlock the shackles around her ankles while leaving those around her wrists in place, then dragged her unceremoniously to her feet. As she whimpered in fear, he tucked a forearm around her neck and with the other hand drew his sidearm, positioning her in front of him as a meat-shield. "Shhhhh," he hissed in her ear, slowly backing away from the door and pulling her with him. "I'm getting out of here alive, and as long as you don't do anything stupid, so are you. You don't wanna die, do you?" "N-no! Please..." she whimpered as he held the pistol to her right temple. "Of course you don't. So make sure whoever comes through that door understands that." *** On the roof of the warehouse, the Le-Lesterin sentry yanked down on the lever. There was a hissing of compressed air and whirring of pumps, and after a few seconds a rising siren tone began to blare out of the device's horn-shaped apertures. The klaxon echoed across the Koro, reaching the ears of Legacy guards from the gate to the Citadel even over the howling of the blizzard. The alarm had been raised. His duty done, the sentry turned to return to the fight — only to find that the trapdoor was gone. No, not gone: it was as if it had never been. In its place were simply wooden boards coated in snow, indistinguishable from the rest of the roof. The Lesterin looked around in confusion. He'd seen some strange things since the Legacy took over Ko-Koro, but this was on a new level.

OOC: Korero and Oreius from Ko-Wahi IC (Korero, Le-Koro) The citizens of Le-Koro were by now accustomed to a white flash of light heralding their Toa Maru's arrival, by virtue of his Kanohi Hiko's teleportation. Usually this was an inspiring sight: a reminder that the spirit of the legendary Lewa lived on in their new protector. This time it was decidedly more grim. The Toa of Air dropped out of thin air a metre above one of the Koro's main platforms, hitting the wooden surface in an unedifying tumble. Screams rose from onlookers as they saw the second form that had appeared with him: Oreius Maru, barely conscious and bleeding from several deep wounds. Two guardsmen rushed to the scene. "Toa Korero! Is everything — " "Get me a medic!" Korero shouted hoarsely, then caught one by the arm as his comrade hurried away. "Is Kongu in the village? I need to speak to him. Now."

IC (Korero, Ko-Koro square) The wind picked up further. The flurries of snow fell more violently, whipped this way and that by violent gusts. What had been a blizzard now felt like a hurricane: people struggled to keep their footing against the air that battered at them. Some staggered, some slid, some fell. With unnatural precision, the winds drove half the crowd one way, half the other, cutting a path through their ranks to the battleground at the centre of the square. Above the howling of the wind, another sound became audible: a scream of rage. Korero Maru came hurtling out of the snow, sprinting full tilt through the parted crowd. With an animal roar, the Toa Maru released control of the winds and instead sent a battering ram of air hurtling at Eisen. It caught the Toa of Iron squarely in the chest and flung him away like a ragdoll. Freed from the driving winds, the crowd were regaining their footing. Weapons were being drawn. The long barrel of Rorg's rifle was rising to catch him in its sights. Korero knew he had seconds at most. With a leap, he closed the distance to Oreius. His outstretched palm landed on red armour, slick with warm blood. He chose the destination instinctively: Le-Koro. Home. The snow around them, on the ground and in the air, gave way to a brighter white. OOC: Korero and Oreius to Le-Wahi

As far as I can tell the blizzard should still be in effect. Stannis summoned it to cover the Maru's attack.

IC Guards who had just managed to struggle to their feet were send tumbling again as Leah's walls of water surged through the room. The crests of the waves reached the catwalks, throwing off the Vortixx's aim as they fired — sending energy bolts crackling into walls, floor, and one unfortunate guard on the ground level — and forcing the Toa to dispel his lightning or risk electrocuting his allies. Leah's path to the door was unopposed for now. The Lesterin sentry, meanwhile, was already halfway up the ladder, and the water swept harmlessly by below his feet. He scrambled up the last few rungs, through the trapdoor, and up onto the snow-blanketed roof. A large object lay ahead of him, swathed in a tarpaulin which he hastily yanked off. Revealed was a boxy piece of Onu-Koronan tech, a jumble of pumps, pipes and cables with a trio of funnel-like appendages at the top. He reached for the lever that would turn it on.