shadow pridak money gang Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 The Wahi: Ko-Wahi is the region of Ice on the island of Mata Nui. It encompasses Mount Ihu, the largest mountain of Mata Nui, beginning in the north at the foothills of the mountain by Onu-Wahi and ending where the mountain merges into the Mangai Volcano, separated by the Tren Krom Break. The entire region is covered in ice and snow; the mountain is largely inhospitable, with only a few species of Rahi being able to successfully survive there. Among the more dominant features of Ko-Wahi are two massive glaciers, separated by a sturdy block on which resides Ko-Koro. The Drifts, massive, nearly featureless snowfields that experience almost constant storm, dominate most of the upper part of the mountain. The most hazardous section of the Drifts is known as the Wastes. Local landmarks include: Mount Ihu: A snow-covered mountain in Ko-Wahi, and the largest of several peaks in the region. The Drifts: Also known as the Wastes. A snowy region situated on Mount Ihu. Blinding blizzards come often, causing any who venture here to easily become lost, so Ko-Matoran use red flags to find their way. The North March: A pass on the bordering the Tren Krom Break on the Ko-Wahi side. There is a cable car to travel from the slopes of Mount Ihu to Ta-Wahi. Obsidian Outpost: A building constructed around the Ko-Wahi end of the cable car by a now-defunct mercenary group known as the 'Outsiders'. Previously used by them as a base of operations and means of extracting a toll from travelers, it now lies empty following the group's collapse. The Massif: A small village at the foot of a great stone half dome with a monastery at its top, the Massif is a place of solitude that some Matoran call home. Ihu-Koro: A small highland Koro, this is the main site for mining Rena ore. The Academy and Hospital: A center for learning and aid, this pair of complexes is home to several great scholars and scientists who are happy to give their experience for others. New Toa can go there to become better heroes and the sick and wounded can be healed at the hospital. The complex is located a short walk from Ko-Koro and is also connected to the village by an underground ice passage. The Dark Walk: One of six large tunnels dug by Makuta’s Rahkshi during the final days of his rule. Large enough to encompass a walking legion, it runs directly from the doorstep of the Koro down into Mangaia. Exudes a definite aura of odiousness, and is generally avoided. The Koro: During the days when Ko-Koro was led by Akiri Matoro, the Ko-Matoran built it into a veritable mountain fortress, a far cry from the humble monastic village from the days of Makuta. Tall walls, sprinkled with guard parapets, look out on the icy expanses around and define the village's edge. Massive bridges of ice, many of which are lined with small shops and tourist traps, span over a huge crevasse. These bridges connect the opposite walls of the village, and these walls are holed out for many more shops and living spaces. A central complex on a flat portion of the village, filled with domed huts not unlike those seen elsewhere on the island, serves as the Koro's trade hub. The towering Sanctum, once only a temple, was expanded into be a majestic citadel of ice that houses not only the ancient Wall of Prophesy but also living spaces and armories. The village is fueled by power siphoned from windmills that litter the extreme heights of the stronghold and other peaks of the mountain. These windmills power electric bulbs that light the village’s arches and buildings with white light at night. Wind electricity is also funneled towards powering an aural security system, consisting of a few large, crude microphones at the outskirts of the Koro that can be monitored from within the guard buildings. These allow the operators to hear approaching bodies even over the roar of icy storms. Ko-Koro has suffered more upheaval than any other Koro in recent months. Akiri Matoro was assassinated, and not long thereafter an army of darkness, led by the Dark Toa Echelon, assaulted and overtook the Koro. Their occupation was broken only through the combined efforts of the Toa Maru, military detachments from multiple Koro, and various other heroic forces, and the city still bears the scars from both the original attack and the liberation. A new Akiri, Tarkahn, has since been elected and now pursues an agenda of increased militarisation, vowing to prevent Ko-Koro from falling to invaders ever again. To that end, the city's defences are being steadily increased, and a policy of mandatory military training has been introduced. Trade and collaboration with the other Koros has also been ramped up to support these efforts. Akiri player: @The UltimoScorp 3 4 Quote SAY IT ONE MORE TIME TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULiK Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 (edited) IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Central Plaza] A hooded figure crunched through the snowy streets of Ko-Koro, followed closely by a confident Hapaka. The creature's shorter legs pattered rapidly to keep pace with the longer strides of its Ko-Matoran master. Kreigero strode past the plaza's many makeshift memorials. Tablets and papyrus notes were posted to the walls of the courtyard. A handful of people stood scouring the walls for names of those they knew. Even all these weeks after the recapture, so many families and friendships were being dug out from underneath the avalanche of war. Many didn't have happy endings. A Cy-Toa looking for a Su-Lesterin. A grave number in different handwriting. A Ko-Matoran trader looking for his brother. A stranger's apology and a follow up address of a shoulder to cry on. An Onu-Matoran carpenter looking for a Po-Matoran Kohlii player. No follow ups. Kreigero wondered how long the Sanctum Guard would unofficially tolerate the graffiti. The mass reunions were a large part of reunifying the city, but the tracker was beginning to see signs of pressure to return to normalcy. Maybe not pressure to forget. Maybe not pressure to forgive. But to sweep it under the rug? To overcompensate with promises of the strength of the future? You didn't have to be a tracker to see the writing on the wall there. The drifter had some sympathies for her brethren in the big city - every time she came back from her hunts, she was both heartened by the repairs and saddened by the reliance on other Koros. It sickened her to see so many flock to capitalize on the suffering of her hometown. Many traders came from outside, setting up shop in what was practically free real estate like maggots in the corpse of the once-great Koro. Few businesses from before were left unscathed. When possible, Kreigero frequented those few remaining local markets from before the siege. The duo entered Rhanus's Inn, and the warmth of the many fireplaces was an immediate relief. The owner of the eponymous establishment glanced over towards the threshold. A skilled innkeeper never truly forgot a patron, especially a regular such as Kreigero. She didn't come often, but she always did in the end. Rhanus put down the glass he was cleaning and looked under the bar for something. The Ko-Matoran emerged from beneath the bar with a bowl and a chilled glass as Kreigero sat down. The bartender placed them on the counter in front of her and deftly grabbed a bottle of an amber liquid to silently fill the glass with. The bowl he subsequently filled with a pitcher of water as the tracker precisely placed a stack of widgets on the bar. Rhanus looked at the amount, then back at the hunter's tinted visor, his blue optics saying all that needed to be said. No game this time. Shame. He scooped up the stack of widgets, looking only mildly inconvenienced. Truthfully, he was just as happy to take Kreigero's widgets as he would have been her catch, however it wasn't a good sign if one of the best trappers he knew was running into trouble this often nowadays. Were the rumors true? Were Rahi becoming more aggressive? Kreigero took the bowl of water and placed it on the ground for her Hapaka to lap up with glee. Some Ko-Koronan patrons looked mildly disturbed by the slight but repetitive shlorping noise as the hound refreshed itself, but restrained themselves from complaining audibly to the traveler who had no doubt survived and defeated worse things than an insult. Edited August 29, 2021 by BULiK 1 Quote Visit www.BZPRPG.com to view my project of archiving BZPower's RPGs, and also access the BZPower Roleplaying Wiki BZPRPG Profiles - Ghosts Of Bara Magna Profiles Exo-Force RPG Profiles - Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse (Knichou, Berys, Arnex, The Taku, Exuze) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarn Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 (edited) IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn The front door of the inn opened again, not long after Kreigero had sat down. Another Ko-Matoran, wearing a distinct red scarf, a layer of snow across his shoulders and the top of his Kanohi. He wouldn't be there long. Just passing through. Savrehn shook the snow off before entering proper, then made a beeline for the nearest fireplace, taking in its warmth. He was quiet. The look on his Tryna was one of introspection as he focused his optics into the fire. Eventually, he glanced over his shoulder at Kreigero and her Hapaka, the repetitive shlorping beginning to grate on his nerves and interrupting his train of thought. They let animals in here? "Cute pet," he said. His voice had the same quality of the crackling embers. Edited August 29, 2021 by Tarn 1 Quote [BZPRPG] (shout out to max) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vezok's Friend Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC: [Agni - Ko-Wahi, Temple of Peace] The chill wind tore at the well-worn scarf, the ends flapping in the wind, threatening to untangle themselves from where Agni had wrapped the garment around his neck and lower face, to preserve at least a little bit of warmth while in the frigid Wahi. He could feel his elemental reserves dwindling just by maintaining a normal temperature. Normally he’d avoid coming here unless absolutely necessary. Which it unfortunately had been too many times in the recent past. And it was now. It wasn’t a casual visit. The Toa of fire stared at the cairn, piled up a foot from where he was standing, just a little ways away from the entrance to the principle temple of peace. Final resting place of one Joske Nimil. Kolhii champion. Toa of fire. Vanguard of the Maru. Victor over Heuani. His student. His friend. The story went that Joske had gone off alone to fight Echelon, leader of the remaining followers of Makuta. Apparently he’d found him - and paid the price. And nobody had known. Well, there was one. Shaddix. As if all the moral grey in the universe had come together and decided to become a real boy. Redeemed mercenary, killer, mark bearer. And then he chose to become a hero, just like Joske. And just like Joske, he’d confronted Echelon alone and then died. Only difference was that he managed to finish the job. The underground had stopped whispering the dark Toa’s name. He hadn’t said anything either, even when their paths crossed briefly back in Ta-Koro. No, in the end it had been Tuara who got stuck with breaking the news to Agni, like she didn’t have enough on her plate already. That led him to Cael who filled in the bits about Shaddix. She’d told him where to go, too. The rest came from rumors carried on the wind. Haven’t you heard? He blinked. His eyes burned. He wanted to do something, to say something, anything. Drop to his knees and cry. Set the memorial ablaze - the entire mountain. Use his mask to teleport himself over the nearest ledge. But the onslaught of emotions kept him frozen in place. Pain, anger, disappointment, pride, guilt. He’d tried to help them both. And now? “Karz it, kid.” ----- Agni didn’t know how long he lingered, but the sun was setting by the time he’d finally left the temple and cairn to head back home, taking the scenic route. Maybe the long trek would help him sort things out. He doubted it, but there was a non-zero chance. That feeling lasted exactly until cresting the first ridge from which he could see the entire eastern coastline of Mata-Nui. The Toa was certainly no expert on boats, but he knew a fleet when he saw one, especially one that glinted this much in the evening light. Crystal. Equal parts frustrated at the prospect of the island once again being plunged into chaos and thankful for the distraction, he activated his Kualsi, turned towards Mt. Mangai - and was gone. OOC: Agni from Ko-Wahi to Ta-Wahi. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULiK Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 8 hours ago, Tarn said: IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn "Cute pet." IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Rhanus's Inn] "Mhmm," came an unamused reply as Kreigero sipped her glass, the fiery beverage warming her internals. "Shame the Muaka don't see him that way." Reyal kept sloppily lapping up the water with gusto, oblivious to the conversation. There was no suspicious activity to distract him from his refreshment. Kreigero watched Rhanus silently walk to the back room. He already knew her usual requisition. Quote Visit www.BZPRPG.com to view my project of archiving BZPower's RPGs, and also access the BZPower Roleplaying Wiki BZPRPG Profiles - Ghosts Of Bara Magna Profiles Exo-Force RPG Profiles - Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse (Knichou, Berys, Arnex, The Taku, Exuze) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarn Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn He let out an amused Hmph and crossed his arms, focusing on the fire again. It wasn't long before Savrehn figured out something else to say. "Muaka probably think he looks tasty. I don't bring pets with me out there, don't need to draw attention to myself like that." The mountain man glanced behind himself again at the Hapaka. "What's his name? Bait?" OOC: @BULiK 2 Quote [BZPRPG] (shout out to max) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geardirector Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC: Mar (Drifts) The Great Comeback continued... Well, that's what I'd like to believe, anyway. It's hard to get a real beat on just what you're supposed to do that qualifies as success in your attempt to take out a new lease on life. Thinking about it in such grandiose terms makes me cringe, too, I can't really help the fact that I've always been a bit of a cynic. Either way. If I was going to find somewhere to make myself more "useful" in an altruistic sense, I'd figured Ko-Wahi was the place to be for the moment. Rebuilding and re-securing the Koro was a major undertaking, and the work done so far was impressive, but there was still plenty left to do. My goal was to see if I could do any of what was left. A career in the Sanctum Guard? Probably not, military life wasn't something I'd ever gravitated towards, but you never know. I'm breaking a fair few taboos at the moment, what's one more? Out in the snow-capped drifts, I decided to take away some of that directionless frustration by making a living the old fashioned way. I was never much of a hunter, but with Karv at my side, my chances were about as good as I could hope for them to be. I knew Ko-Wahi the best of any part of the island, it was the best place to start. Karv sniffed away ahead of me, looking for a trail that would suit our purposes. I was listening intently, so far nothing that beckoned... OOC: Mar is open out in the drifts Quote BZPRPG Profiles Nuparu-Ferron-Mar-Zelvin-Wiremu-Farzan-Mako-Krex-Tamachan-Sholix-Garn-??? Akiri Nuparu Posts: 1. 2. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULiK Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Rhanus's Inn] It was only then that it became worthwhile for Kreigero to look over her shoulder towards the stranger addressing her. Two could play at that game. "What's yours? Heckler?" the Ko-Matoran snapped back rapidly as she observed this talkative patron, gauging his reactions. Quote Visit www.BZPRPG.com to view my project of archiving BZPower's RPGs, and also access the BZPower Roleplaying Wiki BZPRPG Profiles - Ghosts Of Bara Magna Profiles Exo-Force RPG Profiles - Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse (Knichou, Berys, Arnex, The Taku, Exuze) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The UltimoScorp Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC Tarkahn - Ko-Koro With a deep sigh, the newly elected Akiri of Ko-Koro adjusted the cover on a nearby heatstone, rubbed his temples and peered over the collection of tablets and paper before him. Documentation had beeen an important part of his work before, but in politics it seemed never ending. Truth be told, Tarkahn was still trying to process the fact that he'd been the one the people wanted in charge. An Onu-Matoran, in charge of the City of Ice. He snorted derisively at the irony of it all. Still, it wasn't like he could do much worse in life. now he had more resources to put toward his own experiments, and burgeoning partnerships with several of the other Koro. He had big plans for Ko, too. The city had long been far too isolationist, closed off to it's neighbors. To that end, Tarkahn had begun the process of negotiating with Nuparu to bring the underground highways up to the city proper, the cool tunnels perfect for trade goods coming from the icy city to both Onu and Le-Koro. He'd also petitioned Nuparu to share the designs for the Exo-Matoran, arguing that with Rahkshi activity increasing, Ko-Koro would need the ability to build better defensive capabilities for itself. In truth, he didn't expect Nuparu to see reason in that regard, and to this end, had begun research into reverse engineering the suits using the one he had been given. Even now it sat across the room from him, half disassembled. The new Akiri hadn't stopped there, however. while his interest in the Exo-Matoran technology was in part a selfish desire for knowledge, it was an unavoidable truth that Ko's defenses were lacking. this being the case, he had spoken with a team of Toa, the Kalta, about becoming the Koro's official defenders. Additionally, he had negotiated with other Koro's to lead training exercises, ones that were now mandatory for anyone who lived in Ko-Koro(and open to outsiders as well for a modest price). In the future, should the city come under attack again, every person inside the walls would be able to assist in her defense. As a show of good faith, Tarkahn had released the secrets to the microphone technology that Ko used as an early warning system, and had negotiated with Po-Koro in particular to begin the process of connecting the two Koro with telegram lines, ensuring that communication to allies would never be unavailable. All of these measures had come with mountains of paperwork, however, and this, Tarkahn had not been prepared for. his eyes ached, and his brain fumbled over the weight of confounding legal terms for every tiny detail. He'd never been one for the three virtues, but this duty of his now..... well, it felt important. he felt important. And for a man with an ego such as his(though he'd never admit it), being important felt good. 1 1 Quote BZPRPG Profiles The Unofficial Guide to TBRPG Combat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULiK Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 (edited) IC: Vrill [Ko-Koro, Sanctum] A Toa of Crystal slowly walked through the many halls of the sanctum. While he had the route committed to memory, he was slowed down by his own sinking hesitation and the occasional signs of graffiti and damage being repaired throughout the facility. A door on his left. ' ' Vrill knocked lightly before entering. "Captain... it's... been a while..." Uncharacteristic restraint from the Toa who always seemed to act like he knew better than command what should be done. But that was before the fall. He stood in the threshold and looked around the Ko-Matoran's office before his optics reluctantly turned to his commanding officer's Hau. "Sorry it took so long to report back in... how are things?" OOC: @Visaru Edited August 29, 2021 by BULiK Quote Visit www.BZPRPG.com to view my project of archiving BZPower's RPGs, and also access the BZPower Roleplaying Wiki BZPRPG Profiles - Ghosts Of Bara Magna Profiles Exo-Force RPG Profiles - Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse (Knichou, Berys, Arnex, The Taku, Exuze) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarn Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 56 minutes ago, BULiK said: IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Rhanus's Inn] "What's yours? Heckler?" IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn He smiled sardonically to the fire, before turning around to face Kreigero. She could see it in the Ko-Matoran's optics--he was much older, and what experience he had gained in his time alive had clearly turned this old man bitter. Maybe a natural part of aging is eventually you get tired of having to be pleasant to other people. "You can bite back," Savrehn said, apparently pleased by this. He unwrapped his scarf and hung it from the fireplace to dry. He gestured towards the bar to get someone's attention only to realize Rhanus was gone at the moment and sighed. Flask needed a refill. The mountaineer walked over and sat beside Kreigero, placing his backpack on the floor beside him. "If you were anyone else I wouldn't give you the time of day," Savrehn said, not looking at her. "But I can tell you and I are cut from similar cloth. We've seen the Wahi, the mountains, the wastes...seen them for what they really are." He banged his hand on the counter a couple of times to get Rhanus's attention. Lousy. "Savrehn. The name's Savrehn." Quote [BZPRPG] (shout out to max) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the Finlander Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 (edited) IC: Dartakh (Ko-Koro) Soon after the "liberation" of Ko-Koro, Dartakh entered the town. It was in even worse shape than last time he was here, during the First Battle of Ko-Koro. The local inhabitants celebrated their victory in the streets, but all he felt was disappointment. He had missed out on the action, letting a perfect opportunity for paid work pass him by solely because he was feeling down. He shouldn't let his own feelings take control over him, but it was difficult to accomplish while intoxicated. But now his mind was clear, as was his purpose. He was in need of a job, and Ko-Koro was in need of defenders to prevent it from being conquered again. Surely they would have need for an experienced warrior such as himself? If they didn't, well, it was back to wandering the island and desperately searching for a job. His worst fear was that Mata-Nui would now enter a period of peace, as then he'd become useless. Violence was the only thing he was good at. He approached a local guard and requested an audience with the Akiri of the Koro, offering his services as a mercenary. Hopefully, the guard would relay his message, and the Akiri would give him a chance. OOC: @The UltimoScorp Edited August 29, 2021 by Daniel the Finlander Quote still alive somehow BZPRPG profiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The UltimoScorp Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 (edited) IC Tarkahn - Akiri's Office - Ko-Koro: "Akiri, there's someone here to talk to you." Tarkahn looked up, annoyance clear on his face at the interruption, but it fell away almost as quickly. he rubbed the brow of his mask, and nodded, "Yes, yes, have them come in." As the someone was indeed let in, Tarkahn could not help but to sigh internally. Dealing with people was not his strong suit, hopefully this would be over sooner than later. the being that came in was far from whatever the Akiri had expected, however, and a Sanctum guard came in alongside him. Which made a lot of sense, considering the Vortixx before him was about as loaded for war as one could conceivably be. After a brief moment, Tarkahn remarked drily, "I take it you aren't here to talk about trade routes?" Edited August 29, 2021 by The UltimoScorp 1 Quote BZPRPG Profiles The Unofficial Guide to TBRPG Combat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the Finlander Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 (edited) IC: Dartakh (Ko-Koro, Akiri's Office) Dartakh looked around as he was escorted inside the office. It already looked almost as good as new, with no signs to show that the previous occupant had met an unfortunate fate. As he turned to look at the Akiri, his potential future employer, he thought that the flimsy and bookish Matoran lacked the gravitas of a leader. In his opinion, only the strongest deserved to lead. But the Matoran had their own strange tradition of electing a leader and he had no choice but to respect it. His face showed no emotion at the dry remark. "No, I am not. Unless you need someone to protect trade routes. As you can probably guess from my equipment, I am a warrior for hire. I figured you don't want your fragile town of ice to be broken again. Well, offer me widgets and I'll break the skulls of those who threaten you or your people. I have plenty of experience and I once belonged to the ranks of the Outsiders. You may have heard of them." Edited August 29, 2021 by Daniel the Finlander Quote still alive somehow BZPRPG profiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The UltimoScorp Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC Tarkahn - Ko-Koro "I have. I also heard they weren't doing very well before they disbanded, so I'll take your words with a grain of salt." he stood, scooping up a screwdriver as he moved to the partially disassembled Exo-Matoran in the corner, and began tinkering. it helped him focus. "You say you have experience. Can you teach?" Quote BZPRPG Profiles The Unofficial Guide to TBRPG Combat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the Finlander Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC: Dartakh (Ko-Koro, Akiri's Office) He grimaced ever so slightly when he spoke of the Outsiders. It was true they hadn't accomplished much, and truth was unpleasant. He hadn't expected his previous membership in the group to result in a negative reputation rather than a positive one. His eyes followed the Akiri as he approached some kind of machine or vehicle, which certainly looked more imposing than the Matoran did. "Teach? Well, experience is the finest teacher. I believe mock fights are a good way to test and develop skills." He wanted to mention the initiation duels required to become a member of the Outsiders, but believed the Akiri would simply dismiss it. "So in a way, yes, I can teach. You want me to show rookies how things are done?" Quote still alive somehow BZPRPG profiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perp Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 IC: Safina - Ko-Koro Streets The perfect spot. Just enough shelter from the howling, icy gale the Wahi was known for, yet simultaneously just far enough away from the main streets of Ko-Koro that said gale drowned out the hustle and bustle of the city proper. The perfect spot for meditation. Meditation, and letting her Exo-Matoran recharge. The wind blew a smattering of snowflakes off the roof of the building she was sat cross-legged below, settling themselves across her face and the back of her neck. A chill briefly zipped down her spine, but she did not flinch, did not falter in her concentration. The wind howled again, and with it, far from here, so did the wild beasts of Ko-Wahi howl in unison. She was sure of it. Safina was old, but she would like to think her hearing, as well as the rest of her senses, were exceptional. But all the same, she might have just dreamt it in her trance again. Her mind had become… tricky, lately. An unpleasant thought she squirreled away, to be dealt with another time. The winds had also told her of the siege of Ko-Koro, the gleaming fortress city of ice where she now sat. To think that mere weeks ago, chaos had erupted here, dissolving the serenity she was now enjoying. How fragile of a peace we cherish, she thought to herself. In the end, she’d arrived too late to help retake the city from the Legacy occupiers, finding a slew of rubble, melting ice, corpses, and the displaced people of the Koro sifting through all three to make some sense of what had happened. It was as disturbing to her as it was tragic. But it was not long afterwards that they began to literally pick up the pieces of their lives, and rebuild. It had been a long, hard road for Ko-Koro. But when she had come looking to fight and finding none, she found a greater, more noble purpose - Ko-Koro was vulnerable as it was. To those who would see their home restored, security was of utmost importance in the meantime, while they rebuilt. But standing guard was not something Safina valued. Already, there were too many warriors making their steading outside the crumbled icy walls of Ko-Koro - another was not needed. Spare hands were the most valued, those who were willing and able to restore their home to its former glory. Safina, and B4, her Exo-Matoran, became the laborer and her workhorse, and a feeling of deeper satisfaction washed over her as she aided the locals. The walls reformed. The houses were repaired. The dead were buried. She was now meditating, not only for her personal peace of mind, but in silent, serene prayer for those who had fallen, as she had done day after day while she was here. A deep breath in, biting cold air filling her lungs and sending another shiver through her, and then out again. B4 whirred behind her as some of its primary systems came back online. The unfortunate side-effect of Ko-Wahi’s weather and temperature was the effect that it had on her Exo-Matoran’s batteries, sapping them nearly twice as fast as in hot weather. And taking twice as long to recharge too, for that matter. whirr-click Another breath in, and another out. OOC: Safina open for interaction Quote BZPRPG Profiles | Map (Post) Art & Other Visualizations I've worked on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Visaru Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Korzaa could remember a time when she hated the Sanctum. It had been a stuffy place, filled with rules and decorum, with full of words and recitations that were to her understanding complete gibberish. Even when ‘translated’, the wall of prophecy always seemed more like poetry than any vision of the future, and she had hated poetry. But as she grew older, the restlessness in her spirit began to be replaced by nostalgia. Her work gave her plenty of action and logical thinking. Sometimes, as she sat in her office pouring over reports for her subordinates, she felt a longing to be back in the sanctum that she hated, surrounded by words that meant nothing to her and the silent tranquility of the scribes. By the end of her career, she was making weekly visits to the temple. She’d stand in the corner, reading the untranslated nonsense on the walls, hearing the murmuring of the adepts around her, and warmed by the crackle of the fire in the center of the room. Although she did not understand why, the stillness of the place gave her a sense of quiet peace. The tumult of her mind would would flatten, and she’d feel her anxieties drain from her, paling in comparison to the mysteries of the universe depicted her. It began to truly be a sanctum, a refuge from the tumult int he world outside. Seeing it now made her want to cry. Despite the Ko-Matoran’s best efforts, it had proven impossible to scrub all the blood out of the walls. The holiness of the place had been forever defiled, the words of the ancient sages now covered by the ramblings of mad Makuta worshippers. The energy of the place could not be recovered. It was a damaged, bruised, hurt thing, a reminder of the greatest failure of Korzaa’s life, and it no longer gave her soul the peace it used to. And if there was one thing her soul needed right now, it was a little peace. Peace had been quite conspicuously missing from the village in the past few weeks, and villagers and foreigners toiled night and day to restore the Koro to its former glory. They had to clean out the sanctum of the horrible things left behind by the old rulers, repair the damage done by the battle, reestablish a new government, and put the guard back together, all while working on Tarkahn’s plans to expand and improve the village. Korzaa had been working from sunrise to sunset every day trying to find her old records, make new ones, brief and debrief her soldiers, all while overseeing the hiring and training of a whole army of new recruits, as people from outside the Koro determined to keep it safe flooded in, and everyday civilians found themselves drafted into an army now the size of the entire village’s population. It was a nightmare of logistics, and the Toa standing in her doorway was just another item to add to her to do list. She raised her Kanohi to stare blankly at Vrill for a few moments, her eyes dimmed from her exhaustion and fatigue. Vrill took in her office before meeting her gaze. The room was as spartan and tidy as always, although alarmingly cluttered: neat stacks of ice tablets, some almost as tall as he was, surrounded her desk and lined the walls. Otherwise, the room was bare, even of chairs for guest to sit in. 5 hours ago, BULiK said: "Sorry it took so long to report back in... how are things?" Korzaa stared at him for a second, not entirely sure where to begin, what was relevant, and what he already knew. She settled on the most concise answer: “Busy.” She stood and placed the tablet she was poring over on the edge of her huge desk. “But I am pleased to see you still alive.” She took a few steps to pick up a blank tablet from a stack of them near the wall. “I am ready to hear of your travels. How did the mission go?” The task, given to him before the fall of the Ko-Koro, felt like it had been given in another world, its necessities and pressures completely different from the world they were in today. Still, information was information, and Korzaa would not let good intel go to waste. She raised her chisel to the blank tablet, ready to create another record that she’d have to find a place for. If I’m understanding things right, Vrill was on an undercover mission in another Wahi during the fall? That’s what Korzaa is asking about, to be clear! 2 Quote -------------- Tarrok | Korzaa | Verak | Kirik -------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The UltimoScorp Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC Tarkahn - Akiri's Office - Ko-Koro: "I need a great many things. If I were to hire you, you'd be one piece of a much larger contraption. I am not a warrior, I'm sure you can tell. But I know warriors, what they need, what they want. Dependable equipment. A hot meal. Good pay for bloody work. These I can provide." He turned to regard the Vortixx. "My people need guardians and teachers, not more occupying forces. If you can assist in training my people so they might defend themselves, I could consider hiring you. If that isn't something you can do, perhaps you know others who could. If not, then the most I can offer is Rahkshi patrols. The dark walks have become more active lately and the Rahkshi grow bolder by the day." Quote BZPRPG Profiles The Unofficial Guide to TBRPG Combat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Xemnas~ Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC, Atamai: Rhanus's Inn "We've seen the Wahi, the mountains, the wastes...seen them for what they really are." A lone Ta-Matoran at the opposite end of the bar sneezed. He worse a heavy scarf around him, and looked very out of place in Ko-Koro. He clutched a glass of ale closely. Atamai's Akaku zoomed in on the two Ko-Matoran. "How can this Wahi be more than snow? Besides the Koros, of course," he said bluntly. He took a sip of his ale. "Those are the only things worth seeing out here." OOC: @BULiK @Tarn imma join this convo lol Quote BZPRPG Profiles Ghosts of Bara Magna Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nato G Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC: Minnorak – The Sanctum Fear was an old friend to the Vortixx known as Minnorak. He’d faced it before, more times than he could count, more than he could even remember, given that his memories of life before this island were fuzzy at best. But the fear that gripped him now as he ascended the steps of Ko-Koro’s sanctum, without his weapons or shield, armed only with childish stubbornness and the bundle of papers and notes tucked under his arm… it was unlike any he’d faced before. He’d murdered monsters and men, weathered wars and women, but the arena of politics and promises he was about to throw himself into was one he’d never dealt with before. He’d never been a leader, never put himself forward to be the face of a negotiation. He’d only ever been the silent, scary muscle who stood behind others to lend weight to their words. But Zero was gone. Forger was gone. Veteran was gone. There was no cunning or charisma for him to hide behind, save whatever he himself could muster. For a moment, he almost turned away. It would be so easy to do as Zero had done before and simply lay claim to the outpost, consequences be karzed. She’d always been so confident, so certain that she could do whatever she pleased, and that confidence had certainly been convincing at the time. But as much as he’d admired the Skakdi, held her dear for all she’d done for him, Minnorak now saw her rash and irrational actions for the mistakes they’d been… and he wanted to do better. He wanted to make it work, to make it last. And that meant legitimising The Outsiders through more official channels. He reached the top of the stairs and approached the guard on duty. “I’d like to speak with the Akiri,” he intoned, wishing he'd kept his helm so his nervousness wouldn't show on his face, “I… don’t have an appointment, but I’m happy to wait.” @The UltimoScorp Quote Embers - A Bionicle Saga - Chapters/Review Ballads of the Bionicle - lore/character songs - Topic Class Is Out - A Farewell To Corpus Rahkshi - Chapters/Review BZPRPG Characters - Minnorak, Kain, T'harrak, Savis, Vazaria, Lash BZPRPG Mercenary Group - The Outsiders - Description - History - Base Ghosts Of Bara Magna - Ash Tribe - Precipere - Kehla, Somok, Skrall, Gayle, Avinus, Zha'ar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the Finlander Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC: Dartakh (Ko-Koro, Akiri's Office) Perhaps he did know warriors, but that didn't mean he knew Dartakh. The Vortixx grunted. "All I need is widgets. And for them, I'm willing to do any task you offer. Even pest control is better than no job at all." He wondered what it was like to fight a Rahkshi, having only heard tales from terrified Matoran before. They sounded like strong and dangerous enemies, so likely they'd be more entertaining to fight against than recruits or trainees. But at the same time, he was unsure if he really wanted to risk his own life just to guard an unused tunnel. Either way, he needed widgets, so he had no choice but to accept any job that was given. OOC: @The UltimoScorp Quote still alive somehow BZPRPG profiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The UltimoScorp Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC Tarkahn - Akiri's Office - Ko-Koro: "In that case, consider yourself a paid agent. Speak to my Guard Captain, Korzaa, she'll get you situated. Train my people well, and you will be paid in kind." He waved the Vortixx out, and was about to breathe a sigh of relief at being done with talking for a bit when another Vortixx was brought in. "Minnorak, here to talk to you, Akiri," said the guard who escorted the man in. "Of course. What can I build for you?" The Akiri asked habitually, before correcting himself, "Sorry, what did you want to speak to me about?" @Daniel the Finlander @Whisper Quote BZPRPG Profiles The Unofficial Guide to TBRPG Combat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the Finlander Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC: Dartakh (Ko-Koro, Akiri's Office) He nodded and turned around to leave without saying a word. Despite his silence, he was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and had nothing to complain about. While training wasn't the ideal mercenary job, it was certainly much safer than active combat on the battlefield. As he was leaving, he saw a familiar face. It was the Enforcer, another fellow Outsider. He guessed he was looking for a job too. Not wanting to interrupt or delay anything, he simply saluted him as he passed by. Perhaps they would meet again soon, but for now, Dartakh needed to find his new commanding officer. A guard directed him to the Sanctum, so he headed there to look for the Guard Captain. Quote still alive somehow BZPRPG profiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WriterofReapers Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC: Lacertus - The Wastes Deep breaths. In— The freezing air tore into his lungs, spreading through what felt like his whole body as flesh screamed and metal screeched in sickening unison for a moment that seemed to stretch on for far longer than should ever be possible. Gasping, both for breath and from the shock, he reeled forward, into the waiting snow. After a few moments, the pain subsided, replaced by the familiar and numbing sensation of cold creeping through his limbs and biting at his flesh. Grunting, he slowly shambled back to his feet and pulled his cloak tighter. He should have listened to the Matoran, he should have waited for warmer weather, he should have prepared for the cold better, he should ha— No. He had put this off long enough. Besides, he couldn't risk forgetting any more of the landmarks. Speaking of... He glanced up at the cliff face, squinting through the snow and shivering in place. After a few moments, he found it: a vaguely X-shaped carving in the rock, though at this point it had partially been covered up by a layer of ice. Still, if that was it, he had to be close. And if it wasn't, well... At least he had given in to the Matoran's insistence that he leave flags as he went. It didn't guarantee he'd make it back, but it was at least a far sight better than hoping he could somehow wander back on his own. And for as cold as it already was right now, he really did not want to be around to experience the Wastes at night. He stepped forward, trudging through the snow one step at a time until finally, after what felt like and probably even was hours, he found himself standing in the shadow of the cliff. Pushing aside the thoughts of it being a bit taller than he remembered, he began to run his hand along its surface, searching, searching, searching for anything that would feel familiar. Something that would have given him reason to hope for a cave as a storm bore down upon him, something that would hearken his life's salvation and destruction. Something he could never forget nor forgive for as long as he was still ali— There. It was a narrow crack within the rock, almost invisible save for the glimmer of ice just within its mouth. He slipped inside, ears ringing at the sudden silence that overtook him the moment he was free from the wind's incessant grasp. There. It was barely even worth calling a cave, though the looming importance of it in his mind meant he struggled to downgrade it to the perhaps more accurate "large hole in a wall." Nevertheless, it was exactly as he remembered it—seemingly untouched by anyone since his last visit, though he didn't care to recall how long it had been since he first found this place. Too long, and too many mistakes ago. And here he was once again, to make one last mistake. One last bit of spite, and then he would be good to go. He pulled out a dagger and got to work, slowly chipping away at the letters carved onto the rock's surface. Little by little, his supposed purpose for existing was broken, cast into the snow to be forgotten by all and known by none. Painstakingly, he began carving his own message onto the rock. A meaningless tribute to his own existence, in the place where it ended and began anew. If someone else had truly been meant to find this cave and understand these carvings, well...that was not his problem. That was their destiny to figure out. He'd already sorted out his, apparently. But there was nothing to say that a destiny, once fulfilled, could not be scratched out and overwritten. He blinked, aware for the first time in hours of the screaming pain his body was in. He blinked again when he noticed the sunlight shining through the cave's tiny entrance. He stood up, staring at the message he had spent the night carving into the wall. There was certainly more he could have said, but somehow he felt it was enough. Besides, he needed to head back and deal with his limbs—the cold had unsurprisingly not agreed with them in the slightest, and knowing his luck he was likely already on the verge of getting frostbite in more than a few areas. As he stood at the mouth of the cave, he took one last glance back at the wall, nodding to himself after a moment's hesitation before exiting and beginning the trip back to civilization. Lacertus was here. 2 Quote ◇ Lacertus ◇ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeper of Kraata Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 IC: Aelied, Ko-Koro The elder Bo-Toa held his cloak close as he walked the streets of Ko-Koro. He smiled, looking at business; most were open again, many under the original inhabitants. He sighed, his breath fogging in front of him; almost all the damage from the occupation was repaired, or at least cleared. It was hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, he had been here; the change in atmosphere was palpable. Though the population shift from the dregs of the island back to majority matoran had been a part of it. He made his way into the Sanctum, to Akiri Tarkahn’s office. When the new Akiri had been elected, he had been surprised that Casanuva had put forth the idea that they should stay, and ask the new onu-matoran Akiri for an official place in the Koro’s forces. Cyrix later suggested, privately, that Aelied offer their services as servants of Ko-Koro, able to act in the Koro’s interests both domestically and across the island. Save for the cold, it was… pleasant having a stable base of operations, as well as access to resources and housing. He passed a heavily armed Vortixx as he walked up to Tarkahn’s assistant, who indicated that someone was with the Akiri at that moment. Aelied nodded in acknowledgement and entered anyway, ducking for the matoran-intended doorway. “Akiri Tarkahn, I…” Aelied started, then stopped, looking at the other heavily-armed Vortixx. He looked back at the doorway, then back to the mercenary, then back to Tarkahn. “I have a matter to bring to your attention, Akiri, when you are finished.” Aelied turned to Minnorak, bowing slightly. “I am Aelied, leader of the Toa Kalta and advisor to the Akiri.” OOC: @Whisper @The UltimoScorp Quote The times, they are a-changing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nato G Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 4 hours ago, The UltimoScorp said: IC Tarkahn - Akiri's Office - Ko-Koro: "Of course. What can I build for you?" The Akiri asked habitually, before correcting himself, "Sorry, what did you want to speak to me about?" IC: Minnorak - Akiri's Office - Ko-Koro "The future," he replied distractedly, pausing for a moment to watch Champion leave. It was good to see another surviving former Outsider, though this was the last place he'd expected to find one. "My apologies. I am Minnorak, a former founding member of the mercenary outfit known as The Outsiders," he continued, offering a partial bow as he turned back to the Matoran before him. He wasn't entirely sure what the proper display of respect was for an Akiri, but some measure of deference seemed appropriate. "I believe you're familiar with our organisation." @The UltimoScorp Quote Embers - A Bionicle Saga - Chapters/Review Ballads of the Bionicle - lore/character songs - Topic Class Is Out - A Farewell To Corpus Rahkshi - Chapters/Review BZPRPG Characters - Minnorak, Kain, T'harrak, Savis, Vazaria, Lash BZPRPG Mercenary Group - The Outsiders - Description - History - Base Ghosts Of Bara Magna - Ash Tribe - Precipere - Kehla, Somok, Skrall, Gayle, Avinus, Zha'ar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULiK Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) On 8/29/2021 at 3:53 PM, Tarn said: IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn "You can bite back," "If you were anyone else I wouldn't give you the time of day," Savrehn said, not looking at her. "But I can tell you and I are cut from similar cloth. We've seen the Wahi, the mountains, the wastes...seen them for what they really are." "Savrehn. The name's Savrehn." On 8/30/2021 at 1:44 AM, ~Xemnas~ said: IC, Atamai: Rhanus's Inn "How can this Wahi be more than snow? Besides the Koros, of course," he said bluntly. He took a sip of his ale. "Those are the only things worth seeing out here." IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Rhanus's Inn] Kreigero looked unamused behind her kaukau's visor as she saw the gristly Matoran whose gravelly voice mirrored his grating personality. The tracker watched out of the corner of her optics as Savrehn approached. Reyal became acutely aware of the incoming alpinist as well, the hapaka warily looking up from his drink to watch the approach. The curious hound sniffed in the direction of the backpack soon after it came to rest on the ground. Was there something in there? While Savrehn wasn't recognizable as someone Kreigero knew, his appearance told her all she needed to know about why he thought they were anywhere close to the same. Surely this loudmouth wasn't what the townsfolk saw herself as? At least she had some manners. Kreigero gave a curt nod at Savrehn's introduction, responding in kind. "Kreigero." A Ta-Matoran in a fireside booth towards the back of the inn sneezed loudly, before speaking up. It might have been considered an interruption, if it seemed to anyone nearby that Kreigero intended to speak further. While the patrons would never find out if she had any more words for the mountaineer, it was clear the second interruption of the afternoon was beginning to frost over her bubbly personality. Kreigero glanced towards Atamai, her unyielding gaze cold enough to send chills through the Akaku's fancy lenses. "Your Kanohi's magnification is keeping you from seeing what's right in front of you, firespitter." It was during that remark that Rhanus silently returned, carefully carrying a stack of assorted consumables. Dehydrated fruits, cured meats, a few flasks with dubious contents, other minor amenities that couldn't be scavenged easily on the fly in the drifts. Atop it all was a neatly folded copy of Mata Nui Daily. Good kindling in a pinch. He set them on the counter in front of Kreigero, who promptly downed the last of her glass in a swig so she could give the empty container to the innkeep with a grateful nod. Edited August 31, 2021 by BULiK Quote Visit www.BZPRPG.com to view my project of archiving BZPower's RPGs, and also access the BZPower Roleplaying Wiki BZPRPG Profiles - Ghosts Of Bara Magna Profiles Exo-Force RPG Profiles - Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse (Knichou, Berys, Arnex, The Taku, Exuze) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarn Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) 30 minutes ago, BULiK said: IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Rhanus's Inn] "Your Kanohi's magnification is keeping you from seeing what's right in front of you, firespitter." IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn He let out a coarse chuckle at that. She really could bite back. Savrehn looked over to the Ta-Matoran, the amusement on his face fading as he spoke, replaced by something more serious. "You don't understand," he began, "because you haven't seen what I've seen." Savrehn tapped two fingers against his chest in emphasis. "Felt it inside you. The mountains...rosy morning sky..." His optics began to travel across the room and upward, looking towards something invisible. Like he could perceive something outside the walls of the inn that the others present couldn't. "...it's not until you're out there, by your lonesome at night, huddled down and hoping you don't hear the crunch of snow beneath Muaka paws while you wait for that pink sky to come as the sun rises that you get it. You really get it. The Wahi...it's rewarding you, like it's honoring you for living another day out there." He scoffed at Atamai. "You don't understand it, because you haven't lived yet." It sounded like the ramblings of an old man, but there was earnestness to it. It was obvious something had touched Savrehn in a way that this Ta-Matoran could not comprehend. Perhaps the trapper couldn't, either. And maybe they never would. The mountaineer looked towards the bar again, grabbing Rhanus's attention. "Drink." OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~ Edited August 31, 2021 by Tarn Quote [BZPRPG] (shout out to max) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Xemnas~ Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 IC, Atamai: Rhanus’s Inn Atamai scoffed. “Muaka’s paws are padded to keep them muffled as they move through the snow,” Atamai said, retorting at the Ko-Matoran’s statement. He took another sip of ale. “You say I haven’t lived? I’m living right now. I’ve made my current purpose in life to preserve our knowledge and history. This Koro was very lucky that its Wall of Prophecy wasn’t destroyed when Makuta’s followers took over. I’m ensuring that what’s written on it will survive in the event of another disaster like that occurring.” The Ta-Matoran shifted in his seat. “If you think someone like me hasn’t lived, then by all means, show me what I’ve been missing.” OOC: @Tarn @BULiK Quote BZPRPG Profiles Ghosts of Bara Magna Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a goose Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Quote There is no time for a quick and painless death when it comes to spiders. The spider moves slowly, crawling, lifting each leg with great caution as it scuttles toward the fly. Meanwhile, the fly struggles, squirms, beats its useless wings in a futile attempt to remove itself from its silky, sticky cage. The spider just walks slower, taking shorter steps with its long, creeping legs, letting its prey know just how doomed it is. And then the real cruelty shows. The Fikou has two venomous fangs, used for injecting poison into its prey so it won't put up a fight as it's eaten. But some spiders don't finish there. Some spiders make their prey dance. They use the strings, they turn it into their own personal marionette. Allow me to introduce Echelon. Allow him to introduce his puppets. IC: Aerus (Echelon's Lair) A spider’s web is stronger and more durable than steel. Even the spider itself is easier to destroy, and after it has been crushed, its web stays on. It is not an abandoned home, subject to ruin and decay; no straggler can use it for shelter from the storm. In life as in its wake, it is an invisible, inescapable death, and the philosophy of whether it is better to be eaten alive or to be crucified and hung to rot is a question only for the flies. For the spider, the question might be whether its web is a legacy, revenge wrought from beyond the grave... or just a cruel joke on a creature that could not live up to its own weapon. But this, too, is irrelevant, because dead spiders have lost the luxury of opinions. Let it collect dust and corpses, let it find a new tenant - the spider, after all, is past caring. Did the spider think itself immortal? Did it carve a monument to outlast all else, expecting always to lie in its centre? The web is testament to the spider’s arrogance, then; nothing beside remains. Good ##### riddance, you lousy old #####. Better to be a cockroach. Better to be a viceroy than a king – no, better to be a treasurer. A crown is a painted target, a throne the gallows. Infamy kills faster and more surely than any blade or bullet. Ambition is death. Echelon outlived many an idiot king, but apparently not many enough to have learned that lesson. Aerus, on the other hand, had been a little more attentive. And Aerus had seen Echelon… change. How long, Aerus wondered, had he now been alone in this place? Certainly, he’d made occasional excursions - a Matoran has to eat, after all, and Aerus was no exception. Echelon’s network, too, had to be maintained, although in the Dark Toa’s absence his erstwhile assistant had had to pore over his correspondences himself. Hubris - that was Echelon’s fatal flaw, and it always had been. He had allowed Aerus access to his spy network, access to his correspondence, and even had Aerus file those correspondences, confident that the quiet Matoran would be unable to crack his ingenious code. It took a week. Observation was Aerus’ strength. Pattern recognition. With unlimited free time and no shortage of examples at his disposal, finding the connections was all too easy. He actually felt almost insulted by the degree to which his ‘master’ had underestimated him. Too much time around corpses, old man. And from there, the next steps began to become clear - there was no indication of Echelon returning to his lair, even before word of his demise had begun to spread. That left Aerus with a study full of encrypted journals, and plenty of motivation to decode them. And then there were… the medical matters. His pride had held him back from getting medical attention in Le-Koro, but pride is a finite resource. Aerus was dying. He was dying slowly, certainly, but dying all the same, and painfully at that. His mind and body were deteriorating around him, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. At least, anyone still living. There he was, surrounded by the life’s work of a mad old Necromancer with dreams of immortality. Aerus did not believe in fate; but if he did, it would be hard to argue that this was not providence at work. That was where it began - the long hours of study, journals piled high around him, copious notes on every recurring symbol or group of characters; Aerus’ very own Rosetta Stone, all to unlock the secrets of one man’s journals. In the end, as it often turned out, Echelon had the last laugh. Aerus had found the key - decrypting Echelon’s journals was a labour of loathing to which Aerus had dedicated his every waking moment, after all. The issue was that it wasn’t the only key. Every tantalising hint, every nugget of knowledge, led back to one place: the aged journals that were surely Echelon’s oldest. Aerus had years of information at his fingertips - knowledge about the Peers, about Krillactum and the Marks (a short-lived glimmer of hope for Aerus, who quickly learned that Matoran could not benefit from these in the same manner as Toa), things that some might have killed to know just a few years prior. But there, right there, not even all that long before Aerus had met Echelon himself, the cipher changed. Aerus had spent precious weeks slaving over a library of dead ends. Or, rather… mostly dead ends. He had an insurance plan now, courtesy of Echelon’s work. A last resort. Aerus had seen what the stuff had done to the Necromancer - he had gone from the cautious, secretive figure that Aerus had known, the only Follower of Makuta who had worked exclusively from the shadows and always emerged unscathed, to a reckless madman. A dead reckless madman. Better to be a cockroach. But the power he had wielded - the strength that it had afforded him. Those were undeniable. If all else failed, there was one thing that might save Aerus’ life, and in typical fashion, it had gone from a bountiful resource to a complete scarcity. But if he could just find some, even one vial… With just one vial of Antidermis, he might be saved. 6 Quote [BZPRPG PROFILES] Nikarra - Kaelynn - Ronan - Muir - Donal - Aerus - Montague - Kira - Koura - Learu - Alteora - Fuacht - Caana - Nessen - Merrill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULiK Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) 9 hours ago, Tarn said: IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn He let out a coarse chuckle at that. She really could bite back. Savrehn looked over to the Ta-Matoran, the amusement on his face fading as he spoke, replaced by something more serious. "You don't understand," he began, "because you haven't seen what I've seen." Savrehn tapped two fingers against his chest in emphasis. "Felt it inside you. The mountains...rosy morning sky..." His optics began to travel across the room and upward, looking towards something invisible. Like he could perceive something outside the walls of the inn that the others present couldn't. "...it's not until you're out there, by your lonesome at night, huddled down and hoping you don't hear the crunch of snow beneath Muaka paws while you wait for that pink sky to come as the sun rises that you get it. You really get it. The Wahi...it's rewarding you, like it's honoring you for living another day out there." He scoffed at Atamai. "You don't understand it, because you haven't lived yet." The mountaineer looked towards the bar again, grabbing Rhanus's attention. "Drink." OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~ 9 hours ago, ~Xemnas~ said: IC, Atamai: Rhanus’s Inn Atamai scoffed. “Muaka’s paws are padded to keep them muffled as they move through the snow,” Atamai said, retorting at the Ko-Matoran’s statement. He took another sip of ale. “You say I haven’t lived? I’m living right now. I’ve made my current purpose in life to preserve our knowledge and history. This Koro was very lucky that its Wall of Prophecy wasn’t destroyed when Makuta’s followers took over. I’m ensuring that what’s written on it will survive in the event of another disaster like that occurring.” The Ta-Matoran shifted in his seat. “If you think someone like me hasn’t lived, then by all means, show me what I’ve been missing.” OOC: @Tarn @BULiK IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Rhanus's Inn] Kreigero began to take the supplies she bought from Rhanus. Her large snow white cloak parted further and Savrehn could see the array of pouches, straps, and tools on her natural armor underneath. It was almost beautifully chaotic - clearly organized with intention, but so personalized to be otherwise indecipherable. The Ko-Matoran began to routinely tuck each item away with ease. While Savrehn spoke like he was slowly drifting away from reality, he had spirit, and Kreigero agreed that his love for the Wahi itself was not misplaced. As Rhanus gave Savrehn a nod and began to turn back to grab a fresh ice-cold glass, Kreigero made the bartender pause for a moment when she stopped stowing her supplies to raise a hand with her index and middle finger outstretched. Two drinks. Rhanus gave another nod and complied, grabbing a pair of glasses and pouring them full with a graceful precision afforded by years of practice. Reyal jumped up on his hind legs expectantly, and with a sigh, Rhanus grabbed an icy saucer and poured some of the amber liquid inside, which the hapaka lapped up with joy. Rhanus and Kreigero didn't even look surprised. The trapper merely took a sip of her beverage. Kreigero chuckled lightly at Atamai's self-aggrandizement. He was the real hero, of course. But the pretentious lava-bones at the other end of the room clearly failed to ask himself the big question; if the Wall of Prophecy couldn't predict the invasion, or Makuta's return, what was the point of working so hard to preserve it? Those fools, looking to the stars and the ancestors instead of the enemy at their gates. In their quest to find the fair lady Destiny so she could save them, they always forgot survival wasn't mandatory. The Ko-Matoran saw an opportunity, however, and cut straight to the point. No need to waste more time "Why?" On 8/29/2021 at 9:14 PM, Visaru said: It was a nightmare of logistics, and the Toa standing in her doorway was just another item to add to her to do list. She raised her Kanohi to stare blankly at Vrill for a few moments, her eyes dimmed from her exhaustion and fatigue. Vrill took in her office before meeting her gaze. The room was as spartan and tidy as always, although alarmingly cluttered: neat stacks of ice tablets, some almost as tall as he was, surrounded her desk and lined the walls. Otherwise, the room was bare, even of chairs for guest to sit in. Korzaa stared at him for a second, not entirely sure where to begin, what was relevant, and what he already knew. She settled on the most concise answer: “Busy.” She stood and placed the tablet she was poring over on the edge of her huge desk. “But I am pleased to see you still alive.” She took a few steps to pick up a blank tablet from a stack of them near the wall. “I am ready to hear of your travels. How did the mission go?” The task, given to him before the fall of the Ko-Koro, felt like it had been given in another world, its necessities and pressures completely different from the world they were in today. Still, information was information, and Korzaa would not let good intel go to waste. She raised her chisel to the blank tablet, ready to create another record that she’d have to find a place for. IC: Vrill [Ko-Koro, Sanctum, Korzaa's Office] Vrill stepped into the office, optics darting towards the myriad tablets and occasional scrolls from other Koro - Korzaa's cruel punishment for working her way to the top. The Cy-Toa could feel the pain and exhaustion in her voice, and see it behind her Hau. He leaned casually against the wall to the side of the door, arms crossed. Where to begin... "You no doubt already know by now, but the Hand of the Akiri and High Vizier Ambages is dead. Slain by one of Echelon's lieutenants during the occupation. They say that apparently the Hand was trying to negotiate a deal of some kind, but we'll never truly know. At the very least, he died taking a great risk for Ko-Koro, and in retrospect, maybe that's comforting." The officer paused for a moment. A moment of silence grew naturally as the thoughts of both Sanctum Guards drifted to all those who were lost. The feelings of regret and loss were inescapable to any enlisted man or woman. "There are, however, some rumors I looked into beforehand, and there are some loose ends and... coincidences in the Massif that don't make sense. I couldn't find his escorts, Guardsman Zurec and Guardsman Ardor either..." Vrill gave a frustrated sigh, his frown turning even more grim at the thought. "Mata Nui knows where they ended up in this debacle. The only other lead - the Polzin spy - has completely disappeared in the chaos as well." It was clear the detective's spirits were low. Any straight faced assessment of his investigations would conclude they were a utter failure. Vrill always wished the facts lined up, that a bigger picture could be formed from which meaning could be derived, and lessons could be learned. But this was one of those cases that kept coming back to Vrill when he looked at the bottom of his glass. A failure against the entropy of the world that drove him to do better next time. "I... wish I had more to report... but in summary, I don't think this case is getting any less cold." Edited August 31, 2021 by BULiK 1 Quote Visit www.BZPRPG.com to view my project of archiving BZPower's RPGs, and also access the BZPower Roleplaying Wiki BZPRPG Profiles - Ghosts Of Bara Magna Profiles Exo-Force RPG Profiles - Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse (Knichou, Berys, Arnex, The Taku, Exuze) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WriterofReapers Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 IC: Lacertus - Ko-Koro "What do you mean you don't have the part? I can literally see it right there. That's the bolt I need. You have it." The Matoran stared back, eyes colder than even the Wastes, and said, "Well we're out of that at the moment." Lacertus glanced at the Matoran, then the part, and then back at the Matoran. For a brief moment, he considered simply storming out of the building, swearing to take his business elsewhere—and then he remembered that his half-broken, half-frozen, and almost entirely broke visage was hardly the kind of customer someone would regret seeing the back of. Sighing, he began to run through supplies he still needed, weighing their costs against how much longer he could get away without having them. Rope? There was still a bit of that in his bag, right? And it would probably hold for a little bit longer. Probably. And that was certainly more than he could say for some of his limbs. His little trip outside the village "Look, I don't have a lot to spare, but I'm happy to pay whatever you—" Thud The Matoran and Lacertus both glanced down at the floor. One of the fingers on his left hand had fallen off. "...So, as I was saying, I could really use that bolt." The Matoran's icy gaze softened, and he shifted in his seat. After a few moments of deliberation, he said, "I get that you need it, but I really can't sell it. But what I can do is tell you where I got it. There's a mechanic in Onu-Koro who sends parts up here every few months. It hasn't been too long since the last delivery, so I wouldn't hold out any hope of the next one arriving any time soon. But if these things are really that hard to find Maybe it would be a little easier to find if you all weren't content with half the buildings in the village melting from so much as a sunny day— Lacertus reached down and grabbed his finger, taking a deep breath to calm himself before standing back up. "That'll have to do. I appreciate the help." Slipping the finger into his bag, Lacertus gave one last nod to the Matoran and exited the shop, shielding his eyes from the glare as he stepped out into the street. If there was a mechanic in Ko-Koro who could help, he had not found them, and at this point he did not have the time to keep looking. Regardless of whether Onu-Koro was the only place he could find what he needed, it was obvious he'd have to climb down the mountain at some point if he wanted to repair his limbs. Well, better get going before the rest of me falls apart. Quote ◇ Lacertus ◇ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geardirector Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 OOC: attached listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddTUT9Qhy2M IC: Mar (Obsidian Outpost) Perspective's a funny thing. One the one hand, I was unlucky enough to find myself deep into the icy wastes by my lonesome self save Karv, when the winds blew up and a Blizzard came roaring in. They often did up here, something I was loath to be reminded of. It had then been quite a stroke of luck that I had found shelter, and not just any old shelter, almost a tiny fortress, even. A trail of signal flags, halfway uprooted and buried by successive snowstorms, lined the way, for those aware enough to spot them. I felt at least a little bit proud that I was counted among them. It was well inside, winds howling like mad Kavinika around the walls, I could pick up a dropped lightstone from the dilapidated wall, and take the time to reconnoiter and get my bearings. It was then I realized I was at the site of the cablecar line between Ko- and Ta-Wahi. There it was, plain as day, lying unused across the hall from the entrance I'd made it through. "Guess we've got the place to ourselves, boy" I muttered to Karv. The Kavinika was sitting dutifully nearby, not giving off any indications that there was any signs of life save the two of us. Molten frost dripped from my mask as I shivered my way through getting a fire going in the big observation tower at the top of the outpost. Luck smiled upon me once again I found some leftover supplies and even some not-inedible food stores that still remained. Whomever had built this place clearly once intended for it to last. Funny how plans don't always work out like that. I sat back in a corner, the flames flickering to life before me as my eyes followed the whipping trails of snow and ice that roared past the windows on every side of me. The savagery of the elements was always something to see and hear, just not something I often had the time or patience for. Trying something new, once again. Karv curled up close to my legs, finally satisfied he had a decent place to sleep for a little while as the fire spents its life keeping us warm. I couldn't agree more... 1 Quote BZPRPG Profiles Nuparu-Ferron-Mar-Zelvin-Wiremu-Farzan-Mako-Krex-Tamachan-Sholix-Garn-??? Akiri Nuparu Posts: 1. 2. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Xemnas~ Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 IC, Atamai: Rhanus's Inn Atamai snorted. "Why?" he repeated back to the Ko-Matoran. "Perhaps I've been intrigued by the conversation the two of you were having and now I want to see if a couple of iceheads can show me what's so great about the snow." OOC: @BULiK @Tarn Quote BZPRPG Profiles Ghosts of Bara Magna Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The UltimoScorp Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) IC Tarkahn - Akiri's Office - Ko-Koro: "I am, though not all of what I've heard was good. I suppose you've also come for work, like your former coworker, then?" @Whisper Edited August 31, 2021 by The UltimoScorp Quote BZPRPG Profiles The Unofficial Guide to TBRPG Combat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULiK Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) IC: Kreigero [Ko-Koro, Rhanus's Inn] Sip. Silence. Still packing her bags, not giving Atamai even a glance. "Why would escorting a liability like you be worth my while? Certainly not just to prove my point." She wondered if stoking the Ta-Matoran's temper could pay off. Edited August 31, 2021 by BULiK Quote Visit www.BZPRPG.com to view my project of archiving BZPower's RPGs, and also access the BZPower Roleplaying Wiki BZPRPG Profiles - Ghosts Of Bara Magna Profiles Exo-Force RPG Profiles - Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse (Knichou, Berys, Arnex, The Taku, Exuze) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Xemnas~ Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 IC, Atamai: Rhanus's Inn The Ta-Matoran snorted in indignance again. "Why not? You Ko-Matoran love to prove points," he said flatly. "Plus you were just going on about how if you haven't gone out into the snowy wilderness you haven't lived. You're clearly an experienced mountaineer- doesn't it burn you up inside to see someone who hasn't yet lived by your definition of living?" OOC: @BULiK @Tarn Quote BZPRPG Profiles Ghosts of Bara Magna Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarn Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 IC: Savrehn - Rhanus's Inn "I said that," Savrehn corrected. He took his drink and, after a moment where it seemed like he would down it all, instead produced his flask and a funnel from his backpack and refilled it. The Ko-Matoran then placed the empty glass back on the counter. "History doesn't matter out there, in the wastes. It's what happens in the now, right in front of you, that does." He got up from his seat and retrieved his belongings, his red scarf now wrapped around his neck again. He was fine with being a guide, helping people to see the beauty out there. Understand it. But this Ta-Matoran had rubbed him the wrong way. "You should go out there alone. Don't need us. Maybe you'll learn how to listen out for a Muaka, then--if it doesn't maul you first." Savrehn nodded to Kreigero, happy to have met someone who might have seen things the way he did. Warmed the old man's heart a bit, like the liquid in his flask did. The mountaineer almost walked out then. Stopped right at the door, though. Could feel the cold air seeping in the cracks. Could just leave. No, this didn't sit right with him. Boots refused to take another step. "How much you carry?" He asked the loudmouth firespitter without turning to face him. "If you bring too much, you just weigh yourself down with junk. Bring too little, and without the right experience you walk right into your grave." OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~ Quote [BZPRPG] (shout out to max) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wotz Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 IC: Kahlynn (Not terribly far from Obsidian Outpost) My red armer stiked out in the blizerd lik-- Nah, that sucks. Scribble that out... My blud red armer stiked out in the blizerd like blud Yeeesss, that's more like it. Vicious. Carnivourous. How do you spell carnivourous...? "Hey, GAK!" Kahlynn roared over his shoulder. "How do you spell, CAR-NIV-A-RUSS?" Gak did not reply. He shrugged and returned to his scrawlings. blud red canivrus blud wiv sharp teef cuverd in blud Okay, maybe a bit too much blood. You can have too much of a good thing. "HEY!" he bellowed, "HEY! GAAAAAKK!" Discarding the stone tablet he had been carving, he stormed out of the cave and into the snow. In his rage, he initially didn't notice the blizzard and powered a good ten meters from the cave before the realisation set in. Oh, yeah. Pulling the parka close around his chest, he yelled again, louder than before. "GAAAAAAAAAAKKKKK!" A sudden, sharp pain in the toe made him stop in his tracks. "Mata, bleedin'--" he looked down to find "...Gak?" lying in the snow, a heap of parka. It looked like he had been there for hours. "Idiot." He kicked him again: frozen. Like a rock. Sighing, Kahlynn knelt down and, with a degree of care unbecoming of his manner, used the slightest amount of his heat vision to defrost his companion somewhat. Then, he rolled him over and began to drag him back towards the cave. Yeah, the cave. He looked around. Where the B. A. Brakas is the cave?! He could faintly make out at least one triangular red flag in the whiteness, recognisable as the kind used by Ko-Koronans to mark their way in the harsh climate of the Wahi. This was the only landmark he could see, so by proxy he hauled Gak's limp, damp frame in its direction. "HELLO?? ANYONE OUT THERE?" 1 Quote D U N E W O L F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.