The Official RPG Planning Topic

[The Lorax]

Yes, you can play Nynrah Ghosts.

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

Just popping in here to toss an idea out, since the Contest Main Topic is kinda in the middle of a debate and my post would more than likely get overlooked.

But anyway, how do ya guys feel about a quite linear, 'questy' RPG styled around the group of characters venturing around to save the world and such. Just a bit more on my initial concept and idea to flesh it out somewhat:

-While the initial character creation would be somewhat limited, things would open up to more backgrounds and species as things progressed. At the start, things would likely be limited to 1 character of any kind as a part of an already-formed traveling caravan and then Matoran/Agori characters from the village things will start at. As they group heads into battle, Skakdi, Vortixx, and other such species would become more available.

-Total, players would be limited to 1 Toa character and likely the bar for using one would be high at first. Toa in this world are scarce compared to Glatorian, Matoran, and Agori.

-Mystery! As to what we're actually doing to save the world! Somewhat. People will likely figure it out before the end.

-Yes, this is not sandboxy, at all. Yes, this is limiting your options. I am forcing people to stay together in this group so that things stay active and constant. Perhaps, if this runs through to completion, then we can open the world somewhat.

-During combat, there will be opportunities to control the opponent so that I'm not always being the enemy. That makes things more active and fun, in the end.

 

So, yeah. Interest?

Zakaro

[sunflower]

Sounds like an interesting idea to me, at least something that I'd enjoy playing should it ever go up. That being said, have anything else on the concept (setting, general plot, etc)? I'm curious.

[Some Random Phrase]

@Zakoro

 

I would be very interested.

[The Lorax]

Sure, that sounds good to me. While I once would have had a problem with the unsandboxyness, I can't fault your reasoning on doing things this way. I've been thinking along the same lines myself.

 

Allowing for expanding character options as the game progresses seems like an interesting idea. I think one of the real strengths of having the characters in a pre-formed group would be that they already know each other, and we can just skip that week at the beginning of every RPG that is basically characters walking up to each other and introducing themselves in unlikely ways. They will already have a connection, even a strong one, and that could be great to write around.

 

You would have to be careful about how the expansion of the game-world proceeds, but I think the idea has potential. Even if it doesn't work too well, it's still worth trying, in my opinion.

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

Just popping in here to toss an idea out, since the Contest Main Topic is kinda in the middle of a debate and my post would more than likely get overlooked.

But anyway, how do ya guys feel about a quite linear, 'questy' RPG styled around the group of characters venturing around to save the world and such. Just a bit more on my initial concept and idea to flesh it out somewhat:

-While the initial character creation would be somewhat limited, things would open up to more backgrounds and species as things progressed. At the start, things would likely be limited to 1 character of any kind as a part of an already-formed traveling caravan and then Matoran/Agori characters from the village things will start at. As they group heads into battle, Skakdi, Vortixx, and other such species would become more available.

-Total, players would be limited to 1 Toa character and likely the bar for using one would be high at first. Toa in this world are scarce compared to Glatorian, Matoran, and Agori.

-Mystery! As to what we're actually doing to save the world! Somewhat. People will likely figure it out before the end.

-Yes, this is not sandboxy, at all. Yes, this is limiting your options. I am forcing people to stay together in this group so that things stay active and constant. Perhaps, if this runs through to completion, then we can open the world somewhat.

-During combat, there will be opportunities to control the opponent so that I'm not always being the enemy. That makes things more active and fun, in the end.

 

So, yeah. Interest?

Zakaro

 

I'm game. But the more linear the RPG, the more important the story and characters become - you'll need to keep that in mind at all times.

 

Further, as far as the "forcing" goes, you never want to stray into the realms of railroading. If I were to make a suggestion - there needs to be a "don't submit your character just so they can be contrary" clause; or, rather, all characters must have a reason to stay as a part of the group, either due to the characters themselves or some external force.

 

Allowing for expanding character options as the game progresses seems like an interesting idea. I think one of the real strengths of having the characters in a pre-formed group would be that they already know each other, and we can just skip that week at the beginning of every RPG that is basically characters walking up to each other and introducing themselves in unlikely ways. They will already have a connection, even a strong one, and that could be great to write around.

 

You would have to be careful about how the expansion of the game-world proceeds, but I think the idea has potential. Even if it doesn't work too well, it's still worth trying, in my opinion.

 

I can also add further support to that last part. While my execution could have been better, testing ideas like the Canary's and so forth confirmed my theories on adding new plot lines and the like for players to use in adding new characters. Continually adding new things to an RPG could very easily be a way to keep activity constant.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

Heh, yeah. After reading your posts I'm actually probably going to write myself up a timeline of sorts, just outlining the path the group'll take through the world, where things are 'unlocked' for lack of a better term, where certain events, plot twists and the like occur, and perhaps even a relative schedule for those things. One thing I am planning on including, as is becoming one of my mainstays almost, is a 'sidequest' type thing where someone else would take the reigns of the story for a while to work on their worldbuilding, GMing, and such skills, or just show them off, to help show people what they can do and such. Because, honestly, based on my personal experience and watching others, it can be tough to get an RPG going without having run one before. Once you have, people know you and your style and so are familiar, and so stick with familiar experiences that they enjoyed as to create more.

Anyway, back on topic here.

 

@Grav: Well, how much plot gets revealed is basically how much mystery to I want to create, how much I'd like people to know and the like, but the basic premise is post-canon, post-apocalyptic Spherus Magna. Things would start out in a small village with a trading caravan heading out, along with them a strange person with the oddest pet ever seen, and inviting some of the villagers to come along. You'd be able to start out as a villager or merchant, but eventually the caravan would die away to just leave the group of PCs going around to save the world, so it's not going to just be that. Included will be artifacts from the old Universe or even the Great Beings, a never-ending war field, tragedy, a plot twist I'm hoping to catch at least a few people with, and probably tough moral choices for certain characters along the way.

It's honestly a tough concept to explain without giving it totally away, so I might just blow the plot wide open as general knowledge in OOC and then reveal it IC relatively soon. It'll make working on it, easier, to be sure...

Zakaro

[Geardirector]

@Zakaro, have you considered re-entering Fallen from the Light? I actually rather liked that concept

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

Oh! Oh, that's right! I could always revamp Fallen into an RPG of this style, just having the characters going out on a search party or something to do that..

The thing is, Fallen would be a bit tougher to do something like, say, introduce new playable species along the way, while this new one I'm thinking up now provides many instances for that...

Herm..

Well then, I guess it's honestly up to you people. I could do either, but hey, whichever you guys prefer, ya know?

 

-Fallen

Pros: Already established setting, plotline, and characters, would just need modification to a more linear style and set-up. Plus, everyone has a reason to stay together: It's their best bet at getting out of that hole. Things are already written up.

 

Cons: Little opportunity to introduce new species as playable characters unless I go a bit more in depth with the revamp, perhaps create a few more towns for the other species as to allow for such things? Caves can be hard to make different form one another, but I think I can do my best to make that work.. No Glatorian or Agori.

-NewRPG

Pros: Designed around 'unlocking' new things as the adventure proceeds, epic quest to save the world. Plus, boss battles. Sorta. Gives ample opportunity for more species and character to be made as the story progresses.

 

Cons: Things are still mainly just ideas in my head and would be to be solidified into a document before the deadline, which could be a problem due to the overwhelming schoolwork I can have. Concept is a bit tougher to explain and isn't totally thought out and written down like Fallen.

 

So, there's a quick list I just threw up. Feel free to tell me your opinion here.

Oh, and also, I will need a Co-GM/Assistant who can be very active during July. If this wins, I'm not going to be active whatsoever during the majority of the month and so I'd like a few other people to be able to keep things moving at a decent clip.

Zakaro

[The Lorax]

From those pros and cons, I'd say go for the new one. If you're going to try this new mechanic out in a game, you should do it in a game that was designed for it, not one that had the new stuff tacked on at the end. That way, every bit of the new game can be made to point towards and enhance this new unlocking type of game. Trying to blend it in with something pre-established might interfere with it so that it doesn't turn out as well as it could have. In this case, I think the new stuff is worth the extra effort to do that.

 

 

And, while I'm here, I'll throw up the next couple of sections from Kojol's Legacy.

 

Important Locations:

 

 

Xia

 

The Vortixx homeland is commonly known as an “industrialised nightmare”, with every inch of space being crammed with factories, docks, warehouses and the mansions of the very rich. Since the war began, every factory on the island has been working around the clock to produce weapons, armour and ships, and this has made the pollution of the place, if possible, even worse. The sky is thick with dark yellow smog, the waters run grey-brown and everywhere the ground is coated with ashes and dust. Even this island’s famous mountain is looking sickly, with rockfalls and landslides becoming more common.

 

The Mountain dominates the centre of Xia with its bulk and ferocity. Once Makuta Mutran’s sentient pet rock, it turned out to have a taste for Xians and their buildings. Consuming anyone or anything that came too near to it, it grew in size over many millennia, becoming the mountiain it is today. It has become a rite of passage among the Vortixx to scale the mountain, and it is said that its peak is the only place on the island where space and fresh air may be found.

 

Castle Tarakona is Roodaka’s residence, turned seat of power. Even before she became ruler of Xia, Roodaka’s mansion was impressive, but now it has been expanded into a massive fortress with very tight security. Standing on top of the cliffs that form Xia’s northern coastline, the castle is a monstrous tower of metal and black stone, but it doesn’t only reach for the sky: it is delved down into the rock as well. These sub-levels contain Roodaka’s own personal weapons lab, a myriad of tunnels and secret passageways that stretch away under the island, and many other things besides. Some even claim that a giant freezer houses the kanohi dragon.

 

D.E. Inc. is the laboratory where Roodaka’s scientists and technicians researched and replicated the power-transferring viruses. It continues to produce the virus for use by Xian soldiers. It is only a few minutes’ walk from the gates to Castle Tarakona, and, understandably, is guarded as a matter of national security. If the secrets of that virus were ever to fall into the wrong hands, Xia would lose its advantage and likely the war.

 

The Transport Hub of Xia sits just south of the Mountain, and is easily the busiest place on the already crowded island. Goods, soldiers, citizens and messengers constantly hurry through it teleportation gates in a hustling, pushing, barely controlled crown. The gates themselves are tall silver arches, each connected to a computer terminal that programmes in the desired destination. The one drawback to this system of transport is that it is one-way. The gates are not capable of teleporting things to themselves, only sending them away.

 

 

Stelt

 

For almost all of its history, Stelt has been the major port in the north of the Matoran Universe. Most good traded between islands will pass through one of its three harbours at some point, bringing with them wealth and power. Unfortunately, where wealth accumulates, corruption often follows. Stelt has a reputation as a crossroads for the crooked, the desperate and those just looking for fast money. It has a reputation as a hotspot for criminal activity and depravity, but there are some who can turn this to their advantage.

 

Another hazard of Stelt is the constant infighting among its ruling species, the Murau. Constant infighting between their clans means that almost as soon as one clan gains ascendancy or builds a large structure, the others will unite briefly to tear it down. The only thing that seems able to unite all Steltians is their love for blood sports. Several coliseums are spread throughout the city, where both champion gladiators and slaves fight for others’ entertainment.

 

There are 4 main classes within Steltian society, organised roughly by species:

 

The Murau (Sidorak’s species) are the ruling class of Stelt. They control most of the wealth from trade through ownership of the harbours. They are organised into clans, each ruled by a lord. It is the fighting between these clans that has kept Stelt on the edge of anarchy for millennia.

The Murau all possess great physical strength, but have no other powers of their own.

 

The Matoran and other non-natives on Stelt form the middle class. They are tolerated and afforded some rights so long as they bring in good business and don’t interfere with the other classes too much.

 

The Rori (Krekka’s species) are the lower class, and are often used as guards or servants by the upper classes. These bruisers are enormously strong, but on the whole not that intelligent. Each Rori has a power that acts upon their own body, granting them abilities such as flight, water-breathing, enhanced speed or senses, invisibility… the list goes on.

 

The Mokai (Gladiator’s species) are the slave class of Stelt. They have almost no rights, and assigned menial tasks or used as entertainment fighters.

 

The Aki-Nui Coliseum is the largest and best-known coliseum on Stelt, with fights occurring from dawn each day until long into the night. It is administrated by the Lekal, Patu’s clan, and it was from among the fighters here that Patu selected his personal guard. The coliseum now forms the main armoury and training ground for Patu’s army, though entertainment fights are still held at the venue.

 

Keep Lekal is Lord Patu’s seat of power, formerly the headquarters of his clan by now for the entire government of Stelt. This tower of rough-hewn stone forms the eastern side of the Aki-Nui coliseum, a clever trick or architecture which has allowed the keep to avoid the ire of rival clans. Tearing down the keep would cause great damage to the coliseum itself, and since its lower levels are used by the coliseum’s staff, doing so would disrupt the daily battles, something no clan would ever wish to do. Since Patu’s takeover of Stelt, this pretence has mostly been abandoned, with extra fortifications being added and several shaky wooden additions being grafter onto the lower floors.

 

Stelt’s three harbours, known for convenience as Northport, Eastport, and Westport still see a steady flow of ships in and out of them, travelling almost anywhere in the universe. Eastport in particular has seenan increase in traffic thanks to Stelt’s weapons deal with Nynrah, but this has also made it a prime target for attacks by the Xians.

 

The Main Barracks for Patu’s army is a recent construction, built on top of the wreckage of Keep Tekiel. That clan opposed Patu during his rise to power, and paid the price, with their once-proud building being burned to the ground. The barracks is a rough place, dark, cramped and still smelling of smoke, but the soldiers don’t complain so long as their pay is good and their allowance of grog flows freely.

 

 

Neighbouring Lands

 

Zakaz is the war-torn homeland of the Skakdi race. It was once a productive land, but by all accounts is now a wasteland. After Spiriah’s experiments went wrong, the Brotherhood of Makuta placed a blockade around the island to stop the Skakdis’ civil war from spreading to other lands. While some Skakdi wish to leave and find a better life for themselves, very few from outside would think of breaking the Makutas’ blockade to get in – everything of value on the island was destroyed long ago.

 

Karzhani is a place that any sane being would stay away from until they had no choice. The ground screams at every step, and other land features include volcanoes that spew burning ice and waterfalls that are made out of dust rather than water. The whole place is scattered with statues made from Matoran who were too lazy to work. The land is ruled by the tyrant of the same name and his army of vicious manas crabs. They do not welcome visitors, nor ever allow them to leave.

 

The Northern Continent is a diverse and, on the whole, more friendly and fertile land than those around it. One region that provdes the notable exception is the Tren Krom Peninsula, a very hazardous territory. Here, there are large cliff faces lined with razor sharp spikes, acid falls, volcanic mountains, and dangerous Rahi, and the ruling Makuta is Gorast. Despite the deadly environment, the peninsula is populated by a number of Matoran settlements, with several different types of Matoran tribes coexisting. North of the peninsula is the huge caldera, Lake Taupo, and beyond that a number a large citys, all of which have a lengthy history of trade with Xia.

 

 

Characters:

 

To create a character, fill out the character profile below and submit it for approval. This layout is only a suggestion, so feel free to change the format and add or remove fields as you wish.

 

Name: Make it BIONICLE-sounding.

Gender: Male, Female, unknown, neither, somewhere in between.

Species: Something from the MU, or create your own custom species. No Makuta.

Faction: Xia / Stelt / Other?

Powers: If applicable to the character’s species.

Appearance: What do they look like? A MoC, drawing or description will do.
Equipment: What do they have with them?
Biography: About their life.
Personality: What are they like? How do they act?

Skills/Strengths: What are they good at?
Weaknesses: What are they bad at? What hurts them?

 

Xian characters can have up to two new powers gained through the use of Kojol’s virus. Alternatively, they can have up to two shots of virus to carry with them and use when they encounter an ability they wish to assimilate. One of each is fine too.

 

There is no limit on how many characters a player may control at a time.

 

Canon characters are playable by negotiation with the GM. The character does need to have a reason to be present and involved though. No matter how much anybody wants to play Tahu, that doesn’t change the fact that he is still asleep in the codrex at this time and will only be getting out if/when a Great Cataclysm occurs. Original characters are, of course, encouraged.

[Hiram McDaniels]

Some questions

is it ok for a matoran to transform into a toa?

How cani introduce my character into the story without disrupting what is already happening?

[Geardirector]

I'm afraid you're looking at the wrong topic here, Party. your questions are better answered in the BZPRPG News & Discussion Topic.

[Hiram McDaniels]

Ooooh! So sorry.

[Evex_Wolfwing]

The following is the result of a mad rush over the past day to make something for the contest. I've decided that I won't be entering after all, but figured I'd show you guys what I had made.

 

“So what happened?”

 

The Turaga, paused, closing his eyes. He didn’t want to tell the story, he had told it so many times. So many bright, young people, eager to set out and change the world. So many faces like hers, all dead.

 

“It went wrong. Worse than it was supposed to. We had mastered our mask powers, retrieved the Great Disks, been betrayed. The World ended, the ground shook, the sky went dark, and he laughed… But at the moment, when the Makuta revealed that he was responsible, that it he who was the mastermind of this scheme…"

 

The Matoran waited patiently for the elder to continue. She was eager to learn of the battles of old, and had not stopped to consider the horrors that the Turaga had seen, what he had lived through.

“The Morbuzakh was not dead. Or maybe it had died, but seeds for another had already been planted. It grew, so fast, so violently… This one was different. It cared not for us, not at first. It just grew and grew and grew. Towers fell, the walls of the Colosium shattered. All of those vines were converging on one point…”

 

“The Makuta,” she said with awe.

 

“He was consumed in an instant. After that, the death began…” The Turaga slowly rose to his feet, leaning heavily on his cane. “The vines continued to grow. Faster, perhaps. Whole blocks were leveled. The Morbuzakh dove into the Silver Sea, spreading to the end of the dome. It tore into the wall, and grew, and grew, and grew…”

 

“Well, the Makuta snuffed out our light, and the Morbuzakh then brought it back. Its tendrils shattered the top of the dome, and light poured into our poor city. It was then, when it encompassed all, that it tried to replace us.”

 

“That’s when they appeared?” The Ga-Matoran asked, eyes wide.

 

“Yes, that is when they appeared. Hewn from wood and fiber, crowned by branches and growth, they emerged from the vines that were now our world. Those who survived now fought for their lives, as these giants tried to claim the world as their own.”

 

“And that’s how the war-“

 

“The war,” The Turaga of fire spoke, “Which I do not want to speak of. It was a long war, brave men, many far stronger and nobler than I, came from other lands to combat this menace. It went on the centuries…”

 

“But we won, in the end!” The Ga-Matoran looked proud, excited.

 

“No… No we did not win the war.” He silenced her outcry with a wave of his hand. “In the end, the world became quiet. The battles were not so frequent. Both sides exhausted their soldiers; we lost

the greatest of our numbers. Did we survive? Yes. Did they succeed in exterminating us? No. But, young one… Look around you, when you leave. Who controls this world? Who is the world made of? The Morbuzakh. The Morbuzakh won the war, and the giants may yet return. We just sit here, pretending we did well, and don’t think about what may happen, what will eventually happen.”

 

The Ga-Matoran stood up, and walked away. She left the old red and orange Turaga, didn’t look back. She refused to believe him. The war had been won; the giants had been driven back. He was a coward, he was afraid of the enemy. As she scrambled across the thick branches, finding footholds in their massive surface, she cursed the old fool. He was decrepit, senile. He must not have remembered correctly.

 

She stopped and looked around her. Trees, almost a mile wide, reached high, high into the sky. She couldn’t see the tops. Nobody could, the air was too thin at the top of the world. Below her was a fog, and branches for an unimaginable distance. They said that there used to be a sea, but the plants had long since taken in all the water. Now there was mud and swamp and horrible things at the bottom.

 

After a time she found her home again. It was hollowed out root that reared out of the ground at this point, miles across. Her people burrowed through it like ants, mining the hard wood to make tools, and farming the mosses that covered the bark.

 

She was angry at the Turaga because he said what she knew was the truth. She was angry because she knew that life had once been better that this.

 

She cried because she knew that this was not the world she had been meant to live in. She cried because the Turaga was right. They had not won, and after the war…

The World Became Quiet

It is the end of the world. Rather, it is long after the world ended. Mata-Nui has fallen asleep, and the Morbuzakh has grown throughout his body like a cancer. It keeps him alive, as it feeds in silence. It is a God now, indifferent to the beings that scamper across its many vines and roots.

 

It has been a very long time. Old growths have died and rotted, new growth has taken their place. The years are uncounted, and mortals continue to fight and love and die. Yet new life continues to appear. For long as Mata Nui lives, so will his children. Whether that is a good thing, or if they should have passed on, and let the new ruler of their world takes control, is questionable. This is an age that they are not meant for, a world alien to them, uncaring, unnoticing, and unforgiving.

 

The would-be residents still prowl. Giants of wood and leaf stride across the tangled branches. Living flowers and trees muse to themselves, and other strange creatures from other strange places have crawled into what was once the Matoran World.

What you must Know

· The plant life is for the most part immune to most Elemental manipulation. The Morbuzakh is naturally immune to fire and heat, and at this size ice and cold has no effect outside of a Nova Blast (which are banned). Those who control plant life have no sway over the Morbuzakh. The wood of the Morbuzakh is harder than steel.

· Toa of Psionic are incapable of making contact with it. It is there, in the background, but otherwise out of reach.

· There are plenty of other species of plants, most of which grow on the surface of the Morbuzakh. These are used for fuel and firewood, as well as crops.

· The tops of the trees cannot be seen, they stretch so far. If one where to attempt to climb to the top, they would suffocate long before they reached the top.

· Weapons nowadays are made from the wood of the Morbuzakh. Protosteel is incredibly rare, and such weapons are often passed from one owner to another, as are Kanohi Masks.

· Very few people from before the war are still around. You could probably count them on your hands.

 

Where we are

The Old City is simply the tangle of roots, fallen trees, and branches of the Morbuzakh. They are massive, some trees over a mile across, some roots larger than that. The dome which Metru Nui resided in has long since crumbled away, a thick lattice of vines taking its place, known as The Wall. One may try to burrow through and reach the other side, but then what? Either they enter what is left of the Matoran Universe, which is no better off, or they will be staring across an ocean of unimaginable size, held back by these same plants. These walls have expanded beyond the reach of the old dome, and the space that once housed the Old City now is around four hundred (400) miles across.

 

The Hill is the epicenter of the growth, an elevated point that fluctuates between fifty (50) and seventy (70) miles across. Countless generations of massive trees have grown and fallen, while the ground had been upheaved by the unthinkable large roots. The Hill is the only way to figure out where Metru Nui once was. Some buildings still have managed to ride the tide, and stick out of the tangle of roots. The Knowledge Towers are no more; the Archives are choked with the roots. Trees are thick here, and are at their largest. One in particular towards the south of the Hill, named the Everlasting King, is three miles across.

 

 

Carved into the Everlasting King is the Everlasting Kingdom. Ruled by an insane Toa of Plant Life named King Lorik the Merciful, the Kingdom is filled with mundane plants, all under this one Toa’s control, and unfortunate people who are not allowed to leave, and must try to make a living in the filth. Lorik is unusually powerful, ruthless, egocentric, insane, and rumored by some to have absorbed the power of many Toa Stones. He claims to rule the entirety of the Hill, but he lacks the manpower to back that up. The Rahkshi below challenge his rule, and he refuses to have anything to do with the Great Temple. The King often orders raids be done on various Koro in the Wanderlands, conducted by his Everlasting Army. Most other military forces prefer to call it the Mad King’s Army, a name less daunting.

 

At the center of the Hill the Colosium is buried. The many intertwining roots create countless tunnels, which twist and turn. It is inside the Hill where one may find many other buildings from the Old City. Other smaller growths eagerly fill in gaps, and it is not uncommon to see a person from long ago, caught by the growth. The vines now are one with them, and they are mercifully no longer alive to feel the agony.

Within the Hill lies the Grave of the Makuta, among many things. Within a massive hollow chamber, hundreds of feet across, the Makuta is frozen in time, caught mid transformation. His armored corpse, filled with long dead vines is a nightmarish menagerie of faces and limbs. While he is most certainly dead, Kraata have taken refuge here, living and breeding. Rahkshi dwell in this hole, free now to learn and grow, and worship their perished Father. It is said that Energized Protodermis is stored here by the Rahkshi, for use in their lifecycle. Other beings, in touch with the darkness within, will make pilgrimage here to join in worship of the Master of Shadows. It is in this wooden cavern that the Sons of the Makuta stand vigil, defending their home from the Everlasting Army. They are led by the Greatson, a Stage 7 Kraata who has proved to be the strongest and most cunning.

Deeper into the Hill lays the Great Temple. The Morbuzakh dared not touch it when it began its growth, but now it simply does not care. If it were to stir, it would crush the temple in an instant. This does not stop the faithful from traveling to the Temple, and the path is well lit, the wood polished, and the journey usually safe. The Custodians of the Great Temple are directed by the Fair Iliaz, a young Vortixx who only recently took charge after the Fair Duriga passed away.

Far, far below, what was once the sea floor is now the Evermire. What is left of the ocean is deposited here, along with horrible things. Rot has fueled the growth of many toxic plants and glowing fungus. The rot has poisoned the water and air, and to stay down for too long is to invite sickness. Almost no sunlight reaches this far down, with the breaching roots and tangled vines blocking it from view. One must make their own light down here, so a bizarre take on the bottom of the sea has come about. In the darkness and the fog, unusual creatures prowl, unseen except for patches of brilliant color that glow and lure in their prey, or unwittingly even greater hunters.

 

 

The Evermire is not without its people. Mutants and madmen live here, serving the queen of the poisonous land, the Archrex Krevikana. The Mire Wardens once were a proud order dedicated to preventing the creatures of the Evermire from reaching the surface, but the fell from grace long ago. Now they plot and scheme, but until now it never came to anything. In the past few years, they have begun to penetrate the Underwood. They are crawling their way to the surface, seeking hapless villagers to kill and/or devour, and not always in that order. Their new Archrex is far more monstrous than any that had come before, and has an appetite to match.

 

The Canopy lies above the Wall, an unusually dense thicket of branches that circle around the outer 50 miles of the Old City. In these thick branches many people have taken up residence, as have many creatures. Bandits often hide here, squabbling among each other.

 

 

The Wanderlands are everything between the Canopy and the Hill, a massive, relatively sparse area on the “surface” of the Old City. Most of the roots don’t rise above this elevation, and this is where most people live, burrowing into the roots or building on top of them. Some roots stretch several miles across. The Wanderlands take their name from the surviving giants who live there. The roots are covered with moss and parasitic trees, and on those roots that are large enough, it can almost seem like they are standing on firm soil, in the middle of a forest. Herd Rahi, and other strange fleshy beasts, roam on these surfaces as they consume the mosses.

 

 

Notable of the countless Koro is that of Serikoro, ruled by King Seric the Brave. The largest of the Koro, his village has transformed several miles of root into fertile ground and strong fortress wall. They have been able to hold off the Everlasting Army, and have gained the support of many smaller Koro. However, if a giant decides that these funny buildings filled by the mortals should be destroyed, then there is little they can do.

 

The Underwood is the vast distance between the Evermire and the Wanderlands. Three miles deep, it is a network of vines and roots which is mindboggling in its complexity and scale. Countless people, unknown to the Wanderlands, live here, as do countless creatures. To try to list the inhabitants and their villages in detail is impossible.

 

Those who are Worth Knowing

Name- King Lorik the Merciful

Gender- Male

Species- Toa

Description- An unusually large Toa, overly muscular and armored in green and blue. Truly, he looks more like some sort of titan, instead of a simple Toa. Horns adorn his shoulders and mask, and his mad eyes burn yellow. He wears the masks of other Toa he as slain, be they tied to chains or welded to his armor.

Mask- Kanohi Pakari, the Great Mask of Strength.

Weapons- The plants that grow in his kingdom.

Powers and Abilites- Elemental Control over Plant Life. Immense strength, already amplified by his Pakari.

History-

 

Name- King Seric the Brave

Gender- Male

Species- Toa

Description- A red and gold Toa of Fire. Tall and regal in appearance, her wears

Mask- Kanohi Hau, the Great Mask of Shielding

Weapons- Protosteel Longsword

Powers and Abilities- Elemental Control over Fire

History- Believed by some to be the reincarnation of a long lost hero, King Seric attained the throne after slaying the previous owner, a corrupt Turaga who often made deals with bandits and King Lorik. Under Seric the people of the now renamed Serikoro have made their humble village into the closest thing to a city seen since before the Old War, apart from the Everlasting Kindom.

 

Name- Archrex Krevikana

Gender- Female

Species- Unknown Mutation

Description- A massive, sinuous, bloated wyrm, appearing like the cross between the most grand of dragons and the most foul of deep sea creatures. Krevikan stands twenty feet tall, as large as some of the smaller giants. Black, scaly armor covers her body like the skin of a snake. She possesses many limbs, with a thick pair of arms and legs with dexterous digits that she uses to move about in a gorilla-like manner, four much thinner arms on her underside, ending in long talons, and another pair of arms erupting from her shoulders, that appear to be wings lacking in a membrane to fly with. She is far too heavy to fly at any rate, her underbelly seeming to strain against its armor. A long tail trails behind her, covered in serrated spines. Her head is a horrible mockery of a dragons, with many jaws snapping shat from odd angles, all lining her cavernous throat like a crown. Orange eyes are scattered about her head with little reason behind their placement. Gaps in the Archrex’s armor glow a brilliant orange.

Mask- N/A

Weapons- Her many fangs, talons, pummeling fists, and whip-like, spike covered tail, as well as her immense weight.

Powers and Abilities- Further reinforcing her draconic themes is her ability to breathe an oily fire

History-

 

Name-

Gender- Female

Species- Vortixx

Description-

Mask-

Weapons-

Powers and Abilities-

History-

 

 

Name- Greatson Arunahk

Gender- Identifies as Male

Species- Rahkshi

Description- An ornately armored Rahkshi of Darkness, clad in Red and Black, with gold trim and decorations. A Stage 7 Kraata dwells within the armor. Large shoulder plates, long, curved talons. Massive, jagged spines embroidered in gold cover his entire back.

Mask- N/A

Weapons- Double headed Stave of all Rahkshi.

Powers and Abilities- Stage 7 Kraata Power of Darkness, the ability to Infect Kanohi at will. He has the strength and durability of a Rahkshi, and the cunning of a Stage 7 Kraata. Able to speak Matoran, albeit with difficulty.

History-

 

Name- The Giants

Gender- Unknown if they have a gender.

Species- Unknown, “Giants”

Description- Towering creatures made of plant matter, with a thick shell of wood. They don’t follow a completely set body plan. There are those who stand a mere twenty feet tall, and some are over 80. Some look like long limbed mockeries of a Toa or a Skakdi, with crowns of braches and many moving braches making up a mouth. Some are squat and wide, with long arms branch off into many forelimbs at the elbow. Some walk on two legs, some on four, some on three, some on hundreds. Some look like bizarre insects, others like a bull. They may have many eyes, or they may have none. Despite these differences, all are kin.

Mask- N/A

Weapons- Whatever natural weapons they have, be they claws, fangs, or fists of wood. Some may carry clubs made from the branches of the Morbuzakh.

Powers and Abilities-The giants are made from the same wood as the Morbuzakh and prossess Herculean strength and vitality. At times they seem immortal to all but the most vicious of attacks.

History- The giants who fought in the war long, long ago are not all gone, just as the inhabitants of the Matoran Universe are not all gone. They wander the roots of the Old City, in the Wanderlands. For the most part the giants ignore the mortal inhabitants, but from time to time one will take notice, and bring it upon themselves to exterminate the much smaller beings. These attacks are short and brutal, and none in recent memory have been stopped. The giants have not forgotten the war…

 

Those who have Banded Together

Sons of the Makuta

The Everlasting Army

The Serikoro Guard

The Mire Wardens

Without Allegiance

Perhaps you are a mere bandit, traveling from town to town, stealing livestock, taking valuable resources to sell later, or even killing for money. Perhaps you are a wanderer, going about aimlessly. Perhaps you are from the Underwood, without allegiance, and just now have decided to see what is going on in the world above you. Maybe you are a scholar, rummaging deep within the Hill to salvage whatever you can. Whatever you are, whoever you are, if you are without allegiance to the greater powers, then this is where you are.

 

Who you are

So, you want to join? Fill out this here paperwork, then. All profiles must be posted in the Discussion Topic first for approval, before posting in the Profile Topic. You are to post once in the Profile topic, and new Characters should be edited into the original post, so the Topic isn’t cluttered. No limit on the number of characters you can have, though I think it would be best to stay reasonable. I doubt most of us here could handle twenty characters running around.

 

Name- (Self-explanatory. Please, keep names Bionicle sounding. No names from existing characters.)

Gender- (Self-explanatory. Male, female, none...)

Species- (Matoran, Toa, Skakdi, Vortixx... Original species are allowed. All characters must be from the Matoran Universe. Makuta and species native to Bara Magna and Bota Magna are not allowed.)

Description- (What your Character looks like. A written description, MOC, or drawing will do.)

Mask- (Optional, only one. Original masks must be approved. The following masks are banned- Avhokii, Komau, Mohtrek, Mask of Clairvoyance, Kraahkan, Rua, Aki, Olmak, Mask of Charisma, Olisi, Mask of Possibilities, Mask of Mutation, Vahi, Ignika, Mask of Creation. If the character has an Element, Kanohi such as the Gaari are not allowed on them.)

Weapons-

Powers and Abilities- (Powers you wield, how strong or fast you are, etc.)

History- (A short biography of your Characters past, personalities... who they are, in short. Stuff that is to outlandish, related to every major Bionicle character, and such is not allowed.)

 

The Rules of this World

Like it or not, rules are needed, and that applies here also.

1.) All your typical BZP rules apply here as well.

2.) No God-Modding. Controlling other peoples characters, spamming, flaming, and such is also frowned upon. As much fun going Super Saiyan, unfolding an A.T Field, or using your Bankai is, it has no place in RPGs.

3.) Good grammar and spelling are encouraged. I know that this isn’t a strong spot for some people, but please, try your best. Besides, only good can come from trying to improve.

4.) Killing off other peoples characters is forbidden, except when you have been given permission to. Random NPCs may be dealt with as you feel fit, though I ask that you be realistic about it. Also, if you wish to kill off one or more of your characters, please, inform me ahead of time.

5.) Use IC and OOC in your posts. For Example;

IC: Person1 whipped around, sword draw, looking for the source of the sudden noise.

OOC: If anyone would like their character to be the source of the noise, feel free to introduce them.

 

 

6.) The winner of a battle is determined by you, the players. Strategy, foresight, good RPing, all of this helps. If you and your opponent(s) are unable to decide a winner, one of the staff will decide.

7.) As a RPG, you have freedom. But that doesn’t mean you can change the plot. You’re not going to go on a quest for the Vahi.

And...

8.) Enjoy yourselves! I spent a lot of time on this RPG, and I hope that everyone here can enjoy it.

I’m not kidding. Have fun.

Now. >:C

 

The Consequences

Trust me, I don’t want to have to do this. But should the need arise, there will be discipline.

1.) A warning.

2.) The offending character(s) will be injured in-game.

3.) The offending character(s) will be killed. Taking the time to think things over is recommended, before making a new character.

4.) Temporary ban from the RPG. Offending characters(s) will be killed. Now would be the time to decide whether this is really worth it.

5.) Permanent Ban from the RPG. All remaining characters will be dealt with as the staff sees fit.

 

The Staff, and the Musings of the Author.

Game Master – Evex_Wolfwing

 

Once again, I present to you a work of Post-Apocalyptic Fiction. Seems to be the only thing I can think of for these RPGs. I’ve wanted to do a RPG in an overgrown forest for many years now.

This world that I have created, and the story for it, is inspired by Dark Souls. It too has a quiet world, where a prosperous age has passed on.

 

[Athmos]

Has there been any "BIONICLE IN SPACE!" RPGs?

[Geardirector]

Oh, there's been a few of those. Off the top of my head Techna and Voyage of the Requiem IV comes to mind.

[Athmos]

Hmm, I'm gonna have to look those up. Thank you!

Edited May 29, 2014 by Athmos

[NorikSigma]

Oh, there's been a few of those. Off the top of my head Techna and Voyage of the Requiem IV comes to mind.

Odd, they seem to be some of the most well-known ones too.

[The Lorax]

There was also Era, as a space-y RPG. It's more recent than the other two, but both of those ran their full terms, and Techna even went for a second season. It makes sense that the games that got played out in full would be remembered the best.

[Silvan Haven]

Era was going fine until the forum went down for a bit. After that people had trouble coming back to it. i would love to see another one like it though.

[sunflower]

Yeah, ERA pretty much got screwed over by the forum downtime. That, and I learned my lesson with space RPGs concerning the amount of people we have active in the contest RPGs. That being said, can totally re-make (NEW AND IMPROVED~) should there be sufficient demand.

[25K Now!]

Darkspace guys.

 

You cannot mention Space RPGs without mentioning Darkspace.

[Athmos]

Had this idea for a RPG:

 

 

Basically, Energized Protodermis is never found on SM, preventing the shattering.

 

But the Element Lords have fallen into a cold war(pun intended.). This begins to heat up, and the players can play as either: diplomatic leaders, trying to prevent war; spies, destroying the other Element Lords war-plans; or soldiers, fighting where they need to win.

 

I was toying with the idea of having all of the element lords as a faction, but I think I'll close it down to only a few playable sides(not including those lone wolves.).

 

Just a bunch of ideas now, but I'm hoping to get a story together soon.

[The Lorax]

If not EP, what would the element lords be fighting over?

[Athmos]

That's an excellent question, Lorax, and I have a pretty good answer.

 

All of the ELs could be described as arrogant, cocky, or prideful. All of them desire power, to put it bluntly.

 

The idea is that the ELs reach the point that they believe their lands are too small. So, bit by bit, the ELs begin annexing(or otherwise conquering) smaller lands around them, and eventually snowballs into a desire for the other ELs lands, but all are waiting for one spark to set it all off.

[25K Now!]

Interesting. There haven't been many RPGs focused on that part of Bionicle. So conflict between the ELs eh?

 

What of the MU though. If there was no Core War, what happens to the big bot?

[NorikSigma]

Yeah that would have to be reworked a lot.

[Athmos]

Interesting. There haven't been many RPGs focused on that part of Bionicle. So conflict between the ELs eh?

What of the MU though. If there was no Core War, what happens to the big bot?

The MU never comes into existence, as there is no need. However, the GB do build Toa Prototypes to try and quell the war. However, only 1 in 75 are sentient; the rest are warriors obeying the will of the GB. No other MU species exists.

[25K Now!]

Interesting. So Toa are but robots?

[Athmos]

All but a few. You can "roll" to play as one of the sentient Toa, though. They are slightly weaker than regular Toa as they are prototypes.

 

Beyond the sentient Toa, no MU species is playable.

[25K Now!]

Huh. I would expect Matoran to be, seeing that they seemed to have come first. Maybe there are proto-Matoran drones? For work?

[Athmos]

I'm slightly bending the physics here. Because the GB had more time to experiment and not worry about the Core War, they were able to create the Toa without Matoran, the chicken without an egg, if you will.

[The Lorax]

And the Baterra? The normal GB creations for stopping an EL-led war? Do they exist in this universe?

[Athmos]

And the Baterra? The normal GB creations for stopping an EL-led war? Do they exist in this universe?

 

No, they don't.

 

The Baterra were created to stop the Core War, but that never came to pass. The plans they had were put aside as the GB continued to work on other things. When the war broke out, the GB, instead of using old plans, decided to create a new warrior to quell the fighting: Toa.

 

I reasoned that, since the GB liked creating things, why use an old design when they could create something new?

[The Lorax]

I've got a bit of spare time to be writing things up for RPGs before term goes back, so I'll put this out there now as a question for future contest entries:

 

What do people think about playing canon characters?

 

Obviously we all like a few BIONICLE characters. If we didn't, we wouldn't still be here playing BIONICLE RPGs. And since we like them so much, we might want to play as them. On the other hand, we are very protective of our character customisability. Any game that tries to take that away withers under a hailstorm of negative comments. I've tried to put the option to play a few selected canons into a few of my recent games, but I wonder about taking things a step further.

 

What about a game with a whole faction made up of only canon characters? They would be the characters we know and love, but not quite themselves, like they had been imagined by someone viewing the real ones personalities through a warped lens. There would be a storyline reason for this, and I think it has the best chance of getting the best of both worlds: customisation of our favourite characters while keeping their cores. There could also be an option just to play them straight and unwarped, but in a different faction. Original characters would, of course, have their own parts to play in the game, just not in the faction of twisted canons.

 

So yes, I'm really wanting to discuss two things here. One, your opinions on playing canon characters in general, and the game setup I've roughly outlined.

[Ghidora131]

Ok, I thought I might take a whack at this, with a story I planned out only to some extent.

Here goes.

 

 

Bionicle rpg: Return of nui

 

Toa have died over and over and over again, in an attempt to protect Mata Nui. Something has told me that

Mata nui will be killed, and the universe shattered. unlike many Matoran, and my own toa team, I know that we

came from somewhere else, that the universe known as our Great Spirit is constantly moving... Alive... And I am

not the only one that knows this. My toa team has been officialy assigned by helryx, and I, through my training,

have become the greatest sound toa of all time(not being selfish, I just am).

 

Makuta have trembled beneath us, and all OoMN members respect us. But we are up against a certain type of foe,

with fighting even the Makuta do not know. Recently I have run into an old friend, Makuta Maldraxx, and we

showed our friendliness towards one another. But that does not matter.

 

 

What matters is that Mata Nui is in an eternal coma, one which only the mask of life can break. It is not our destiny to

Save Nui from extinction, but to clear the path of those who will.

 

 

 

And, you are those Toa.

 

 

Mata Nui is in your hands, BZPower members.

 

 

 

 

So, that's it. I am playing Toa kihohiki, most powerful sound Toa of all time, and you are the rest.

There are only 7 more roles to fill, and anything is possible. One thing I should note, you may get

a crack at some of the enemies(Makuta, Dark Hunters, Rahi, Natural events, etc.) if the come up in

the storyline.

 

Now here are the rules:

#1: No super masks or invincibility.

No Toa may die without my word on it doing so, but no Toa may never feel pain or be affected by

anything placed in the story.

#2: Play it nice.

Respect the other Member's thoughts or ideas, but don't make it hard on other players when you post

your section.

#3: Pre-selection.

You may watch the storyline unfold in the hands of your fellow users, but don't post something in if you

are not part of the cast and crew. You may comment mid-story for critique, but no altering the storyline.

#4: No run-ins.

This story fits sideways with the actual BIONICLE storyline, and meeting other important characters is

impossible(Toa nuva, Teridax, The Shadowed One, etc.).

 

#5: Have fun!

 

Pm me if you wish to have a spot as a Toa! I will not post this until we have seven participants.

 

We currently have seven spots open.

[The Lorax]

Pm me if you wish to have a spot as a Toa! I will not post this until we have seven participants.

 

We currently have seven spots open.

 

OK, to begin with, you won't be posting this until it wins a contest. There are a lot of people who would like to post games and we can't have them all, so contests are held every 4 months to pick the best ones. Only after that happens can you start recruiting your players.

 

Now onto the actual game itself:

 

The Return of Nui... Nui who? Do you mean Mata Nui? Metru Nui? Mata Nui the island? The Nui Stone? The Rahi Nui? Or is Nui alone the name of something else in your game, like this new Toa Team? Some clarification would be nice.

 

I know that we

came from somewhere else, that the universe known as our Great Spirit is constantly moving... Alive... And I am

not the only one that knows this.

 

 

That's a pretty big secret of the BIONICLE universe for your character to just know. Is there any storyline explanation of how he came to know this? It would be great if there was. Canonically, I could count on one hand the beings who might have known that, and they aren't the types top share the secret.

 

 

Makuta have trembled beneath us, and all OoMN members respect us. But we are up against a certain type of foe,

with fighting even the Makuta do not know. Recently I have run into an old friend, Makuta Maldraxx, and we

showed our friendliness towards one another. But that does not matter.

 

 

If it doesn't matter, then why are you saying it? This game could do with an awful lot more information on what exactly these Toa are trying to do (prepare the way for the Nuva, but how? What do the Nuva need?) and how they got the job in the first place (the Order had a rule against having Toa members). But instead of telling us the stuff the does matter, why is this what you put in? I won't even go into how they could be friends with a Makuta when they and all their Order buddies are currently in a massive war against the entire species.

 

What matters is that Mata Nui is in an eternal coma, one which only the mask of life can break. It is not our destiny to

Save Nui from extinction, but to clear the path of those who will.

 

 

Actually, it was the Toa Mata/Nuva who were destined to wake him up. The Mask of Life was to stop him from dying (and eventually worked out that it could do the waking up as well, from the right place, but nobody knew that, so they wouldn't be trying to use the Ignika when it was lost in Karda Nui and the Toa Nuva were already on the job.

 

There are only 7 more roles to fill, and anything is possible.

 

 

This is where I think the game all falls down. The story could work with a bit more fleshing out, but if this gets entered into a contest, this part will turn away a lot of voters. Generally, ropeplayers on this forum want games with a lot of diverse options and characters for them to play. Here, you have a limit of only 7 players, and they all have to play Toa characters on this one team doing this one thing you have set out for them to do in a vague sort of way. Compared to almost every other game that gets entered, that makes your game incredibly restrictive.

 

If you wanted to bring in more character options, maybe players could also act as Brotherhood of Makuta agents sent to stop these Toa, or other Order agents fighting in the Destiny War.

[Ghidora131]

The lorax, thanks for your excellent critique.

 

To begin with, Toa Kihohiki is showing an immence deal of sarcasm when he says "friend".

Makuta Maldraxx is a hated enemy of his.

Also, Toa kihohiki is held in great esteem in the OoMN, not specifically meaning he is working through them.

 

To put it into proper perspective, I must thank you in telling me this so I remember to write my storyline

in the Epics section. I can explain a lot more there.

 

Finally, it is named the return of Nui because of Mata Nui, who will return much, much later as a....

 

(Can't tell you that yet.)

 

Thank you for you patience, i'll go make that story.

[silo]

Got a few ideas...whens the next contest? Also, is the winning RPG allowed a maximum of one location topic, or can the RPG have multiple location topics like the main BZPRPG?

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              -Silo

Edited August 11, 2014 by Silo

[GSR]

Ordinarily the next contest would be in September, but there's some pretty major overhauls in the works.  Look for more info in the coming weeks!

 

And general policy is that non-BZPRPG RPGs have one game topic and one discussion topic.

 

EDIT: ...And a character profile topic.  Thank Lorax on the next page for reminding me of the obvious.

Edited August 11, 2014 by GSR