#sahmad

[sandiaheadonline]

"History will tell you that I am a monster, a slaver, someone who made a living capturing my fellow Agori and selling them to the Skrall. I'd be a fool to lie and pretend I did not do those things; of course I did. But there is more to the story than just that, and there is one thing you need to always remember about history: the winners write all the books."

A Sahmad fanart I made! He's one of my favorite Bionicle characters and I love him so much. He deserved so much better, story did him dirty and in the end he saved people who shunned him and his tribe in times of need and people who he didn't even know. An amazing character 🧡

[binkybonkles]

GSB and Annona Headcanon time

Annona is a being from a higher plane of reality, and her forms that she takes aren't her at all, but "avatars" she draws into the world. The star-looking form that she presented to Sahmad that he described as

"Imagine staring directly into the sun, and the reddish streaks burned into your eyes, taking the shape of things too hideous to describe. Even when you close your eyes, look away, it makes no difference. You know you've seen something you can never erase from your memory."

Would be his interpretation of what would essentially be a stickfigure drawing Annona drew of herself in order for her to physically interact with Spherus Magna's inhabitants. This is also why she was able to hide for so long, she simply erased her self-insert from the planet and redrew her when necessary.

----

Within hours of the GSB being formed Zaktann's consciousness took control of it through sheer force of will, and through the shared memories of all of his body's components he gained a new perspective of the world around him, and mellowed out a bit

----

When Sahmad and the GSB/Zaktann fought Annona, Sahmad had his attention on her avatar, but Zaktann would have been staring off into the distance the whole encounter, but from Annona's perspective, it would be as if one stickfigure on her flip book turned to face the real her, while everyone else interacted with her 2D persona

Understandably that would make her nervous, but she'd go into full blown panic when Sahmad made his wish while not understanding what she actually was, and essentially turned her into a 2d drawing on a sketchbook forced to live out a linear timeline in a form that she wouldn't even consider "alive"

[randomwriteronline]

Metru Nui inhabitants (in collaboration with Vultraz and a pair of rahi-loving onu-matoran) and Bara Magna lads

[toa-kohutti]

so i discovered an important bionicle lore tidbit, and once again, greg misusing words has resulted in something very funny:

OnionShark asks: "Since Sahmad mistook Anonna for a male, is it safe to assume she has a masculine voice?" and greg answers: "She has an asexual voice"

so i guess:

[makutaservaela]

Timeline, Part 4

Lariska’s old gang of thieves steal a skiff from the Dark Hunters and find their way to The Other Side. They are captured by Dark Hunters as the Hunters commandeer the skiff and land it on the shore, but are freed by Zaani, Sama, Zaraki, and Baina, who had broken into the skiff out of curiosity. The kids bring the Vortixx to Lariska, who is shocked.

Lariska and Brutaka discuss the idea of her going with her thief friends on their adventure to locate Kimuri.

Fenrakk grows desperate at the lack of other dragons. Vezon and Tagon ride her as she explores the mountain range. As they enter the airspace over Kimuri, Tagon disables and falls, and Vezon doesn’t notice until it’s too late. He attempts to get Fenrakk to turn around, but she throws him off, and he falls in a pond.

Tagon’s mask is found by Avillus. She, half-disabled and fully unstable, panics, fuses herself to his chestplate, and curses his sonic powers to increase 10x, causing everything within a range of him to shatter when he activates them. He has no clue, and intrigued by the new “vision” his greater range now gives him, goes exploring, unintentionally shattering everything around him.

Servaela notices the shatter path and decides to investigate.

Vezon wipes out a Ga-Hungan village for his own amusement (unaware of what they are), and then notices Servaela in the distance. He breaks into the Hungan Great Temple and is apprehended. While on transport to the Hungan city, he ponders beheading the leader and declaring himself the Warlord. He recalls Servaela, and ponders taking her antidermis to use in enslaving the Hungans.

Avillus’ shatter path breaks Vezon’s transport vehicle, and he hides with a cloak and escapes.

Lewa, Tanma, and Vhisola approach Solek about her obviously growing baby bump. After misunderstanding Lewa’s teasing about what “Kopaka would think” (referring to her finding a new man), Solek presumes he knows it is Kopaka’s kid, and confesses. The three agree to keep it a secret, as Kopaka is obviously not currently in a state to deal with this.

Pohatu is testing out his new powers in the Phantoms’ base. He enters Kopaka’s dreams with Raia and realises that something else is there. Kopaka introduces him to the Spirit of Ice Kanohi, whom he has been naming “Kovohki”. Kovohki panics and forces Kopaka to wake up. Pohatu escapes the Phantoms’ base and sets out to find Kopaka. He is noticed by Lewa, Tanma, and Photok, who capture him and demand he tell them where he’s been. Pohatu explains he is here to help Kopaka, and Lewa identifies the asylum Kopaka is kept in as one in Onu-Mata. They agree that the Toa Nuva should meet up there in secret, and Photok and Tanma should gather the Toa Nuva there and keep everyone else’s suspicions down until the Toa Nuva can figure out how to proceed.

The Toa Nuva and Pohanu gather in Onu-Mata. Pohatu explains the situation with him, the Phantoms, Kopaka, and Kovohki. Pohatu then telepathically connects to Kopaka and realises that Kovohki is in Kopaka because her host mask was broken. He has the Toa Nuva obtain a spare mask for her to possess, and forces her into it. She grants herself a body, and Pohatu explains that she was afraid the Toa would destroy her after she witnessed them fight the Frost Wolves and the Queen of Ice. Onua promises that if she is not a threat to the innocent, they are not a threat to her.

The Toa Nuva agree to help find Kovohki’s home to make it safe so she can return. Pohatu tells the Toa how the Phantoms are hunting him, and that he will go into hiding until they are ready. They should speak to Sahmad when they are ready to go. Kopaka takes Kovohki to the Ice Realm so she can restore her energy among the ice elementals. Gali sets out to gather Takanuva and direct Hahli to speak to Sahmad, per Pohatu’s guidance. Pohanu enforces that Krika is kept out of the loop about this, due to his mistrust of her. 

Hahli has a talk with Baina and Zaraki about supervising the river highway in her absence, to keep them occupied, and assures Jaller that she will be back once she is assured this situation with Pohatu is handled. She stays in Pohatu’s hiding place with him to protect him.

The Toa Nuva set out on their mission, and Hahli returns home. Krika had found out, and berates them for the harm in which Gali could find herself, and Onua rants about “Takamahri”. Pohatu soothes the group by noting that this didn’t have to be a Toa Nuva mission- it could have gone to a younger Toa group, or Pohatu and Kopaka could have done it themselves, but that Pohatu had specifically asked for the Toa Nuva because he misses them.

The Toa Nuva continue their mission and find Bohrok tunnels that lead under the mountain range. They enter and follow the tunnels.

The tunnels lead the Toa Nuva to a set of great rooms, presumably an old Great Being lab. They come across a fast flowing river, and discuss how to travel it. While the others look for things with which to make a boat, Kovohki repeatedly tries to freeze over the river, ignoring Kopaka’s protests. She becomes frustrated that he “doesn’t have faith in her abilities” and creates a massive iceblock, successfully stopping the river. However, the block shoves against the tunnel walls and severely weakens the integrity of the tunnel. Part of the tunnel caves in on Kovohki, Kopaka, and Onua (who had jumped down to save them from the cave-in). Pohatu sets to work strengthening the stone walls, but the ice is pushing back too much. Gali climbs on the fallen rocks and reaches out to the water beyond the ice, summoning it to break through the ice. Takanuva tries to pull her away in time, but the oncoming wave washes both of them out, and Takanuva is hit by a rock and loses conscious.

The Toa panic about how to get to Gali and Takanuva. Eventually they settle on individual powers- Pohatu runs on the riverbed, Lewa flies over it, Onua swims with his Pakari to assist him, Kopaka convinces Kovohki to diffuse her body so he can carry her mask and surf, likening the surfing to snowboarding.

Gali pulls Takanuva from the water, but her heart is overwhelmed and he’s swallowed too much water. Rather than letting her heart rest, she uses her powers to draw the water from his lungs, and then she collapses. He panics, not knowing how to help her. The other Toa arrive, and Onua administers his own heart medication to her, before finding that she has her medicine with her. Takanuva breaks down about how she had almost died because he didn’t know how to help her, and Onua shows him how to use an inhaler for Onua and Lewa. Lewa is shocked that Onua knows his dosage, and Onua responds, “Our strength rests in knowing our brothers’ weaknesses.” He offers for Kopaka to share his own physical maladies, and Kopaka remains silent.

Kopaka notices a dock down the tunnel, and Onua and Pohatu decide to carve a pathway from their current rock standing point to the land of the dock.

Radiak points out how it’s not fair that Gorast outranks him, as he earned his position through loyalty to Antroz, and Gorast has only been loyal since he gained kingship. Mutran suggests a summit should be gathered to decide on Makuta leadership. All Makuta save for Miserix (who doesn’t care), and Servaela (who cannot be found) are gathered, including Zaktan. Zaktan notes he has been studying the Mayeka, as its death power is by the entity, not by the life force, so it struggles to kill him and his protodites quickly.

[toa-kirhan]

While writing some notes for RoS, TPTB, and TYQ, I noticed an odd time discrepancy concerning a certain cliffhanger. So, I decided to comb over RoS, Sahmad’s Tale, TPTB, and TYQ to put together a more detailed timeline to help figure out when exactly everything occurs during those last two serials and where everyone is.

Helryx, Axonn, Brutaka, Artakha, Miserix, Tuyet, Lewa, Hafu, and Kapura all get cast out of the MU into space while Teridax is flying to Bara Magna. They’re then saved by Vezon who pulls them into the CGB’s fortress.

While they debate whether to free him, the BoBM occurs which takes several hours (the time it took Sahmad to travel north w/ Telluris and talk w/ Metus). Lewa gets bored and leaves after the BoBM ends, getting captured by naturalist Agori due to not receiving Mata Nui’s gift of how to understand their language.

Later that day (after the BoBM), Kopaka sees the GSB and Skakdi leave the MU w/ the Mahri and create a fortress on the coast of Aqua Magna while Sahmad, Telluris, and Metus (who travel to the Black Spike Mountains north of Roxtus) are captured by Annona. That night, the three of them are teleported w/ Anonna to outside the GSB’s fortress.

Annona feeding on the Skakdi causes the GSB to summon several nightmare creatures, breaking its hold on the Mahri. Sahmad and the GSB defeat her while Telluris dies and Metus escapes. Sahmad decides to return to the Iron Tribe homeland to pay his respects. The GSB promises they’ll meet again and that it and the Skakdi won’t be content w/ just their fortress.

At some point b/w the BoBM and the start of TYQ, Angonce observes the battle and its aftermath on his equipment. He goes to deactivate Marendar only to find that it has already escaped its vault.

After “many long nights”, Onua, Tahu, and Gali decide to send Gelu, Orde, Chiara, and Zaria north to Bota Magna to find the GBs and fulfill Mata Nui’s last wish while Tahu and Gali head w/ Ackar and Kiina to scout for a site for New Atero (Gali’s special mission that Onua mentions during TYQ and Gaaki during TPTB).

Days since the BoBM (Gaaki says that’s how long the evacuation of sea creatures from the MU has been taking, likely around the same time TYQ group leaves), Kopaka tells the Hagah to scout out the GSB’s fortress and find the Mahri before reporting back to him. If the Hagah run into the Mahri, it’ll be on their way there since they’ve already been freed.

Immediately after that, Lesovikk informs Kopaka and Pohatu about Karzahni’s breakout and goes after him. The two follow his tracks the next day and return Karzahni’s body to the camp as Tahu, Gali, Ackar, and Kiina return. They tell them they spotted Lesovikk heading north while on their way back.

Kopaka and Pohatu leave the next morning on mounts. After three days, they come across Tren Krom right after he is murdered, meet Gaardus, and are teleported to the Red Star.

Meanwhile, after “traveling for several days” on Sand Stalkers (also likely around the same time), TYQ group is captured by Kabrua. They are released outside the Vorox city the next day for them to be hunted. Gelu and Orde escape and find about the secret GB, while Chiara and Zaria are unaccounted for.

Some time after killing Tren Krom, Velika prepares a trap that’ll destroy the CGB’s fortress and kill everyone still inside, even though by this point, they were transported there around a week ago now (the only explanation I have is the CGB’s time manipulation power that he uses on Vezon in the Melding AU). Velika then starts carving a memorial for his victims.

Currently:

Helryx, Axonn, Brutaka, Artakha, Miserix, Tuyet, Hafu, Kapura, Vezon, and the CGB are at his fortress. Velika is outside the fortress. Lesovikk is 3-4 days north of the camp, likely near Tren Krom or the CGB’s fortress.

Gelu, Orde, Chiara, and Zaria are on Bota Magna outside the Vorox City trying to escape from Kabrua. Sahmad is likely on Bota Magna too (as is Lewa) or returning to the GSB.

Tahu, Gali, Onua, Ackar, and Kiina are still at the camp. The Hagah are likely 3-4 days away toward the GSB’s fortress, while the Mahri and Metus are likely nearby. The GSB is still at its fortress.

Kopaka and Pohatu are on the Red Star.

[pahrak-the-sinnoh-slizer]

Right of Law, Section XXXII

(In search of allies, Zaekura ventures into the least hospital place on the planet.)

Spherus Magna could be broadly divided into six regions.  Civitas Magna filled the majority of the southern hemisphere; the Valley of the Maze was situated near the planet’s north pole, with much of the area around it being colloquially known as the Northern Frost; connecting these two portions on opposite sides of the planet were Aqua Magna, the endless ocean, and Bota Magna, the vast forest; and between the sea and the jungle on one side of the planet was the great desert of Bara Magna.  For most, these five were all that mattered.  Few ever wished to speak of what lay on the side of the planet opposite Bara Magna.

“Valwahi” was the name this place had come to be known by.  Ravaged by the Core War, the immense wasteland was devoid of nearly all natural life and resources, a permanent smog constantly roaming the fragmented, dead earth that remained.  Even Bara Magna had more to offer than this dead realm.  The Great Beings had investigated it long ago, but quickly deemed any effort to utilize it fruitless and washed their hands of the region.  As a result, it became the perfect place to escape the Great Beings’ sight...so long as one could somehow find a way to survive it.

Zaekura’s eyes watered as she took in the bleak landscape.  She absent-mindedly adjusted the breathing apparatus strapped to her face, catching Antroz’s attention.  The Makuta said, “If you begin to feel unwell—”

“Just irritated,” Zaekura grumbled.  “I’ll deal with it.”

The Sand Lord followed behind the two of them, eyes fixed on the ground. “I never would have expected to return here.  To think this is the same land we fought so bitterly to claim all those years ago…”

“Little has changed in 100,000 years, if anything,” Antroz said.  “This place simply has nothing left to offer.”

“It’s worth being here,” Zaekura said.

“I won’t stop you, but I can’t agree.  The Valwahans are dangerous.  They’re the sort of people who relish the impregnable solitude of a horrid place like this over the relative comfort offered by Bota Magna.  While it’s true that some may feel they have no choice, the majority revile all the people of this world just as much as they do the Great Beings.  They have no stake in our conflict.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.  If we’re accepting Pridak’s help, then we may as well ask here too.”

The Sand Lord nodded.  “I find it hard to imagine we will be worse off.”

“Besides…our goal is a world where everyone can feel welcome.  That means giving them a chance to be a part of it too.”

Antroz hummed quietly.  A shifting chunk of rock up ahead set her on alert.  Throwing her arm out to stop Zaekura, she called, “Who’s there?”

For a moment, nothing happened.  Zaekura was just about to ask they move on when two figures stepped out from among the stone outcroppings ahead.

“I told you she’d know we’re here,” said an Agori with orange and gray armor.

“What a pity,” said the other, a Toa of Water wearing a Noble Kaukau with a long crack down one side.  “I was really hoping for a fight to kill some time.”

Moving Antroz’s arm, Zaekura stepped forward.  “My name is Zaekura.  I’ve come to speak with your leader, as he requested.”

“We know,” said the Agori.  “We’re here to take you to him...or loot your corpses if anything happens to you.”

“You’re wasting your time,” the Toa said.  “Our leader has nothing to gain from pampered Mahi like you.”

The Agori shrugged.  “I dunno, Gavla, could go either way.  He’s hard to predict.”

“Don’t be stupid, Sahmad, why would he possibly—”

“We’re wasting time.  Come on.”

Somewhat tentatively, Zaekura and her companions followed the two of them through a sea of shattered stones, the path that was stable enough to walk on winding back and forth until eventually delivering them to a small camp positioned under a massive sheet of metal.  A dozen or so people sat on crates and rocks watching the visitors, most of them Glatorian from the Earth and Iron Tribes.  Their glares were every bit as inhospitable as the region itself.  Right at the base of the metal sheet was a tent larger than all the rest, weathered and ragged but still standing strong. Sahmad sent Gavla inside, and she soon re-emerged with a Glatorian following her closely.  He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a square jaw and narrow eyes; his armor was thick, though noticeably worn and uneven, made of a multitude of disconnected plates colored black, brown, orange, and gray. Strapped to each shoulder was a curved black blade with red designs down their length, and around his neck hung a talisman of black stone with similar markings.  Plucking a Thornax from a plant next to his tent, he took a seat on a metal stool, leaned forward, and locked eyes on Zaekura.

“Hmph.  Surprised you actually came.”

Zaekura was careful to keep her tone even and clear.  “Am I right to assume you’re the one in charge?”

Not breaking eye contact, the Glatorian raised the Thornax and bit into it. It took a few seconds, but he eventually managed to sink his teeth into its tough hide and tear a piece off, chewing it loudly.  “What does it look like?”

“Of course.  My name is Zaekura.  What should I call you?”

He swallowed.  “Skrall.”

“...Then, it’s an honor to meet you, Skrall.  Thank you for your invitation.”

Skrall took another bite of the Thornax, still staring hard at Zaekura. “What do you want from us?”

“I wanted to see what you thought about us becoming allies.”

Several of the Valwahans laughed.  Skrall spit out a Thornax spike and sat up.  “Allies?  Really?”

“Yes.  We share a common enemy, and I think we both have a lot to offer one another.”

Skrall ate in silence for what seemed like hours.  Once he finished the Thornax, he tossed aside its remains and said, “My grandfather was the last surviving member of the Skrall people.  I carry that name to honor him, because he never got the chance to earn one of his own.  My grandmother was from the Iron Tribe, and my father was from the Earth Tribe.  Every drop of blood in my body has been rejected by you and your people.”

He stood up, taking one lumbering step forward.  Zaekura didn’t flinch.

“Why would I offer any help to you?”

His breath smelled like burning rubber.  Keeping eye contact with him, Zaekura said, “Because I’m the one who’s going to overthrow the Great Beings.”

Skrall threw back his head and laughed.  “Ambitious!  I have heard your war is going well for you.  But my ancestors also held on for a time.”

“Have you heard of what I am?”

“No. What are you?”

“I am a new Great Being.”

Skrall’s face went blank.

“I possess the same intellect they do.  They tried to kill me for it, because they know that makes me a threat to them.”

Skrall leaned back in.  “If that’s true...then that makes you a threat to us as well.”

Zaekura shook her head.  “Unlike them, I’ve learned to value those around me as people rather than as playthings.  I’ve made it my mission to help those wronged by the Great Beings in any way I can.  The only ones that have any reason to fear me are the ones cowering in the Valley of the Maze.”

Skrall’s eyes narrowed further.  After a few seconds, he sat back down, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands.  His eyes flicked to the Sand Lord.  “I see you believe her.”

The Sand Lord nodded.  “She has promised a bright future for the Vorox.  I have seen her lay the groundwork for it.  If my word means something to you, then let me assure you: Zaekura is a friend to those of us the Great Beings consider...undesirable.”

Skrall grunted.  He closed his eyes for a time, opening them to finally say, “Valwahans don’t make ‘allies’. We don’t care about your cause.”

“Alright,” Zaekura said.  “I just wanted to offer.”

“Of course...we could fight for vengeance. It’d be nice to say I had a hand in the Great Beings’ demise, and I know the Zyglak are chomping at the bit.”

Antroz shuddered.  “So this is where the Zyglak fled…”

Skrall sneered.  “Just what I expected.  You disappoint me, Makuta.”

Zaekura glanced between the two of them.  “Sorry, what are Zyglak?”

Skrall craned his neck, beckoning into the surrounding crowd.  Zaekura turned to see a large reptilian creature approach, their long snout lined with gleaming teeth, red eyes fixed on her with laser precision.  Antroz tensed.

“We are the Great Beings’ most hated mistake,” the Zyglak said, voice coarse and venomous.  “They created us without ever having meant to, and so shunned us in disgust.  Rather than granting us the mercy of oblivion, they infected us with a plague to ensure we would be hated by all, forced to keep far away from the grand society they were building.  Valwahi is the only place we can live in a semblance of peace.”

Zaekura’s eyes slowly widened.  “That’s...terrible.  How have I not heard about this?”

Antroz shifted.  “Discussion of Zyglak was...discouraged by the Great Beings.”

“How easily did you agree?” the Zyglak said.

Antroz started to say something, but stopped herself.  Lowering her head, she said, “I have no excuse.”

The Zyglak growled.  Zaekura said, “Wait, what’s this plague you mentioned?”

“Are you afraid as well?” the Zyglak said.  “There’s no need.  Our plague only affects organic protodermis, eating away at it until the host’s tissues are destroyed.”

Zaekura nodded.  After thinking for a few moments, she said, “I’ll need to take some precautions, but I should be able to study it no problem.  If you’ll let me take some samples, I can try to find a cure.”

The entire camp went silent.  The Zyglak stared at Zaekura.  She was just about to say something when Skrall laughed again.

“You’re an odd one for sure,” he said.  “Why bother?  Their curse can’t affect you—it’s  not your problem.”

Zaekura looked over her shoulder at him.  “Why should I need a reason to make their lives easier?”

Skrall kept laughing.  “An easy life, eh?  That doesn’t exist in Valwahi.”

“But without the plague to worry about, it’d be much easier for the Zyglak to leave Valwahi and find homes elsewhere if they wanted.  Maybe a place where they can have an easier life.  It opens possibilities for them.”

The Zyglak clenched their teeth.  “This...is a trick.  You only want to gain our allegiance!  The Zyglak will never fight for you!”

“Fine,” Zaekura said.  “I still want to help, if you’ll let me.  I don’t want anything in return.”

The Zyglak stepped back.

“She has already begun similar work with my people,” the Sand Lord said. “This is the best chance you will have, and it will cost you nothing.”

Skrall got up to pluck another Thornax.  As he started eating it, Zaekura turned and said, “While they think about it...you were saying you might want to fight for vengeance?”

Skrall tossed his meal up and down.  “...It’s tempting.  But all signs point to it also being suicide, and I’m only interested if I can live to enjoy my triumph.”  He yanked a Thornax spike out from between his teeth.  “We’ll pay attention.  Keep going at this rate, maybe you’ll be able to convince some of us.  Right now, though?”  He sat back down.  “I can think of better ways to die.”

“Alright,” Zaekura said.  “Thank you for hearing me out.  I hope we’ll be able to convince you, and that we’ll get a chance to meet again.”

Skrall smirked.  “...Tell you what.  About a kio north of here you’ll find two Skakdi.  Let them know I sent you, and that I want them to send one unit back with you.”

“One unit…?  What—”

“You’ll see.”

The crowd murmured, until Skrall gave them a once-over, silently asking if anyone had a problem with his decision.  No one had anything to say then.

“...Alright,” Zaekura said.  “Thank you for your generosity, Skrall.”

Skrall nodded once, and then went back to eating.  Zaekura turned back to the Zyglak.  They still hesitated, one eye on her and the other staring blankly into nothing.

“How about this?  In a week, I’ll come to the border of Valwahi, near where Bota Magna meets the Northern Frost.  If you or any of the Zyglak are willing to let me take some blood and tissue samples, meet me there.”

The Zyglak grumbled, and after a few seconds they turned to leave.

“Oh: what was your name?”

They glanced back at her, but gave no answer, disappearing into the rocks surrounding the camp.  So, Zaekura and her party headed north.

“All things considered,” she said once they were out of the settlement, “I’d say that went pretty well.”

“Zaekura,” Antroz said, “are you certain it’s wise to take on curing the Zyglak?”

The only response she got was a sigh.

“I am not against helping them.  My concern is that if their plague spreads, it could put countless lives in danger.”

“I said I’d take precautions.  Don’t worry, Fangs, I know what I’m doing.”

“Hm. Even still…when will you have the time? I fear you may be taking on too much.”

“I appreciate that.  Honestly I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to pull it off, but I’ll figure it out. I can’t just turn them away.”

The ground slanted sharply, leading them up a tall stone ridge.  As they neared the peak, they could make out several figures gathered there: a Skakdi of Earth, a Skakdi of Stone, and half a dozen machines of some kind.  Just as Zaekura was about to call out to them, the two Skakdi shouted and picked up weapons.  The Stone Skakdi fired a blast from his.  Antroz moved in front of Zaekura and turned invulnerable, blocking the shot.

“What’s a Makuta doing here?!” the Skakdi said.  “And the Sand Lord?!”

The Earth Skakdi was already advancing.  Zaekura said, “Wait, wait!  Skrall sent us!”

Both Skakdi froze in an instant.  The one of Earth said, “Why would Skrall…is this some kind of trick?”

“Think, Reidak,” said the Stone Skakdi.  “How would a bunch of outsiders know about Skrall without having met him?”

The Earth Skakdi growled, slowly lowering his weapon.

“Sorry if we snuck up on you,” Zaekura said.  “We weren’t entirely sure where we were going: he just said to head a kio north to find two Skakdi.”

The Stone Skakdi came forward.  “Now why in Karzahni would Skrall send you to us rather than just crushing you on the spot?”

“He said he wants you to send ‘one unit’ back with us.  I’m guessing he means…”  Zaekura looked at the nearest machine.  They stood on two legs, just a bit taller than a Toa, each with two short arms ending in large, flat shields carved into a variety of intricate designs. Their bodies were round, and the front and top of their heads were covered with what looked like a curved pane of glass.  One turned its narrow eyes upon her, chittering through its large teeth, and then skittered off like a busy insect.

“He wants us to give you a Bohrok?!” the Stone Skakdi said.  “No way!  I just finished fixing them—why should you get to profit off of my hard work?”

Reidak nudged him with his elbow.  “Think, Avak.  Skrall will make a hammock out of your spines if you push him any harder.  But if you’re willing to die for just one Bohrok, don’t let me stop you.”

Avak snarled.  With great reluctance, he walked over to a Bohrok with white armor.  “Alright.  Take this Kohrak, then; it’s broken down more often than all these others combined.”

Zaekura tentatively moved closer.  “Okay…but, what exactly are these ‘Bohrok’?”

Avak was too busy grumbling to answer, so it was the Sand Lord who said, “They were used for mining and terraforming around the time of the Core War.  After the Melding, the Great Beings had them decommissioned.”

“And they should’ve stayed that way,” Avak said.  He popped open an access panel on the robot’s back and began to fiddle with the components inside.  “These stupid things weren’t built to last, but Skrall insists we keep ‘em running.  I’ll reprogram this one to follow you, but after that, you’re on your own.”

Zaekura nodded absently, closely examining the unit.  Its armor was badly-scarred and lined with rust; when she looked into its eyes, she saw only clouded, faint light looking back at her. Reaching out, she set one hand on its face.  “...You called this one Kohrak?”

“Yeah.  Uses Ice-based tech.”  Slapping shut the panel, Avak stood up and stalked off.  “There, done.  Get going before I change my mind.”

Zaekura took a few steps back.  The Kohrak whirred, stuttered, and then marched in her direction.  Zaekura grinned.

I guess I really can’t stop taking on new projects.

***

The meeting chamber held more than its usual share of visitors today. Despite this, only one sound could be heard: that of Angonce’s laughter.

“I mean really!  She outsmarted you?!  Hahaha, that’s j—hah hah, hah!  Oh!”

Ekimu glared daggers at him.  The Makuta at the rear of the chamber kept their gazes trained on the floor.

“That’s enough, Angonce,” Heremus said.  “There was no way any of us could have anticipated Ekimu would fail.”

“I beg to differ!” Velika said.  “What were you thinking, you dolt?  You let an agent of Zaekura roam free?  Let him compete in the tournament?  You let your chance pass you by!  Goodness, you even had two high-ranking Odinans there to help you, yet still—”

“Velika, please.”

“No, I won’t let this go!  Because of his blunder, we’ve almost totally lost our grip on Civitas Magna!  Now the people blame all of us for his recklessness!”

Ekimu removed his gloves.  “Velika. If you’ve got a problem, then let’s settle it.”

“Everyone, please!” Heremus said.  “Let us remain calm.  The situation is not as dire as you fear, Velika: many of Civitas Magna’s eastern districts still remain loyal to us, as does the whole of Atero.”

“And that’s hardly what’s most important here,” Seldoa said.  “Zaekura continues to evolve at an alarming rate.  We must do whatever is necessary to stop her now, lest we make the same mistake as Ekimu!”

Ekimu grunted.  Angonce said, “There is a point under that ranting.  We can’t afford to waste time.  I mean, for all we know, her mutation might be different from ours: who’s to say she won’t outpace even us if given enough time?”

Heremus shook his head.  “You’re jumping to conclusions, Angonce.”

“Frankly, Heremus, I don’t think you’re worried enough about our situation. They beat Brutaka!  That’s pretty scary!”

“Brutaka was only a prototype—you know we have far more potent anti-Makuta measures if we need them.”

Chirox and Mutran both looked up slightly.

Angonce ran his hands over his face.  “Ugh…fine, fine.  Aren’t you at least worried that they’ve tarnished the Odinans’ record?  I can’t imagine the Keeper was pleased to hear about this.”

“No, he was not,” Heremus said.  “But he did assure me that he would see to it that the matter is resolved, and our trust in him has never been misplaced before.  We should leave him to it, and instead focus our attention on reinforcing Atero’s defenses.”

Angonce didn’t object.  Ekimu said, “I’ve already recalibrated the Skull Spiders.  They—"

“Absolutely not!” Velika said.

“That reminds me,” Seldoa said.  “Chirox! Have you put the finishing touches on that project of yours?”

“I have, Lady Seldoa,” Chirox said.

“Very good.  Go wait in my laboratory.”

Chirox bowed and departed.  Velika then said, “Mutran, I want your input on something in a moment.  Gorast, you’re dismissed.”

Gorast bowed and exited the chamber, aimlessly making her way through the halls. Eventually, she stopped in front of a door and, after giving it some thought, stepped inside.  She peered through the glass wall and into Vultraz’s cell, missing the strange prisoner on her first glance.  He was huddled in the corner next to the glass, partially obscured by a control panel on her side, dead quiet and keeping his face buried in his knees.

“What are you doing?”

Vultraz looked up.  “Oh…it’s you…I thought that…”

Gorast tilted her head.  “I didn’t expect to find you looking so pathetic.”

Vultraz chuckled.  “You don’t know the half of it, Makuta.”

He stood up then.  The lower half of his torso was nothing but skeletal supports, a frame of metallic protodermis tinged with green and dripping with acid that continued to steadily pick him clean.  Gorast blinked.

“In a strange way, it’s comforting to see you,” Vultraz said as he came closer. “I worked with my universe’s Makuta Gorast for quite some time, and you really aren’t all that different from her. Nice to see something familiar, I suppose.”

She clenched all four of her fists.  “I told you not to compare me to that wretched shadow.  All that matters is that she chose darkness, and I chose light.”

“If that’s true, then why does it bother you so much?”

She didn’t answer.

“Heh…don’t worry, I sort of get it.  If I saw another version of myself running around, and he was a hyper-devout sap, I’d be sickened.  Though, I don’t think it’d send me into an existential crisis like it seems to always do for you Makuta.”

“Shut up.  You don’t know anything about what makes a Makuta!”

“Seems like you don’t either.”

Gorast pulled back two of her fists, but stopped there.

“It is pretty amusing,” Vultraz said, slowly crossing his cell.  “You Light Makuta really believe there’s something innately special about you, something that makes you inherently better than everyone else.  Finding out that’s just not true completely shatters your viewpoint.”

Gorast stood there fuming.  “...No.”

Vultraz looked over his shoulder.  “What?”

“No, it doesn’t matter.  I’ve decided it’s not important.”

“What do you—”

Gorast punched the glass, but not hard enough to damage it.  “Your Makuta were failures.  Kojol’s a failure, Krika’s a failure, Bitil’s a failure…Antroz is a failure.  Yarion lost their nerve.  Chirox and Mutran just don’t care.  They’re disgraces to the title of ‘Makuta’, every last one…so what?”

She began to grin.

“So what if none of them could live up to the title?  All that proves is that they weren’t worthy.  That it isn’t something innate to all of us.  It doesn’t take away any of the title’s meaning.”

Vultraz rolled his eyes.  “Right. But I guess you’re innately worthy, is that it?”

“No, I’m not.”

Vultraz furrowed his brow.

“I’ve proven my worthiness.  I’ve fought, bled, clawed, and pushed my entire being to earn the right to call myself a Makuta.  Now that I see that, it just makes it all the sweeter.”

She turned her back to him.

“No one’s taking that away from me.  And if those failures insist on sullying the title I worked so hard for, then I’ll make them regret it.  I’ll show them how far beneath me they are…and make sure it’s the last thing they ever see.”

She left without waiting for a response.

[fascinatedhelix]

In Sahmad’s Tale, there is a brief line where Sahmad takes off his armor to wash himself off after a nightmare, which implies he was sleeping in it. So, yeah, that does kinda seem to be standard procedure if you’re not in a secure village.

I presume Mata Nui couldn’t remove his armour on Bara Magna. It would have disintegrated into sand as soon as he set it down if he did. I wonder if his companions were weirded out that he could sleep fully armoured. Or is that just a normal thing that travelling Glatorians do?

[bioniclechicken]

I know what you’re all thinking

Stop that

Right now

[sepublic]

Xian Characters, Features, and Landmarks (Pt. 2)

Karzahni- Karzahni is a delusional, questionably-sane despot in the Voymari District. A crimelord, he has –in addition to traditional thugs- amassed an army of orphans to do his bidding. He sends them out every day and night, scouring the streets of Voymari for small scrapes of riches and anything else of value that they report to him; Orphans who bring back better things get higher status, more food, comfortable rooms, and so forth.

           Of course, many other crimelords mock Karzahni for resorting to children, but nevertheless he is terrifying in his own right. Karzahni himself also has a penchant for ‘rebuilding’ people, taking them apart, modifying them, and grating mechanical limbs and masks and so forth. Many of his victims include people who have angered him, or just the general unfortunate homeless Xian; Regardless, Karzahni has modified many, turning them into horrific, shambling abominations with unusual proportions, too frail to be alive while also partially-mechanical.

           The sick tyrant enjoys this- He likes to build and craft, even if his materials are the bodies of people. Alas, he is somewhat frustrated by his inability to truly ‘fix’ someone, because to Karzahni he is doing a service, or at least trying to, by ‘repairing’ Xians he and others deem faulty. He tends to take his frustrations out not only on his twisted creations, but his own underlings and orphans as well. If in a particularly bad mood, he’ll tear apart a creation down to their most base parts, and/or feed them to his Manutri Penguins, which he has conditioned to be only carnivorous.

           The terror does not stop there, either- Karzahni possesses an uncanny ability to inflict powerful illusions on others, showing them ‘alternate timelines’, or so he claims, of things that could’ve happened to them; If something in their past, or another’s, turned out differently. Many times he has used this ability to torment and traumatize others, but Karzahni has also used this power to comfort himself with alternate timelines of victory, grandeur, and success of himself.

Because he dives so frequently into the subject of alternate timelines and what could have been, he is often dissatisfied and bitter over his lot- Not only that, but he occasionally has issues remembering what is or isn’t real, and will have to be reminded that what happened in one vision didn’t happen in real life. Sometimes he’ll randomly start talking to someone else that isn’t there, as if interacting with an alternate timeline; It is disconcerting to watch. Additionally, Karzahni uses his power to create simulations and predictions of events as he attempts to figure out the most optimal decision or strategy for himself. The exact accuracy of these predictions are questionable and seem to be somewhat rooted in the data he is aware of.

Karzahni wears unusual, green-and-violet armor. He has a mask that is a patchwork of various other elements, and he wields chains in combat that can lash around foes and rise to burning temperatures, searing through opponents. He has an unusual amount of strength and durability for Xian- Apparently, he has modified himself in the past as well. Even if one were to break through Karzahni’s powerful, demoralizing illusions, the tyrant himself is still a dangerous enemy to fight.

Whenua and Tehutti- These two roommates have a thankless, low-paying job as minimum-wage librarians and occasional tutors. Despite their poor wages and lack of appreciation for their work, these two have a vested passion for history and are eager to share their knowledge with others. With no prompting or personal gain beyond the satisfaction and triumph of it all, these two have pooled their lifetime’s earnings and savings towards expanding their simultaneous home/book store to include a ‘Xian Museum of History’, for any and all who are interested! No cost is required to enter and enjoy their exhibits, but unfortunately no one seems to be interested either…

Rorze- The warden of The Archives, Rorze is an Archives Vahki with the latest, most advanced AI programming in order to achieve maximum efficiency. Although all other Archives Vahki are specially designed to prevent any level of free will whatsoever, Rorze was ultimately granted the ability of sapient thought in order to enhance his leadership abilities and control over the Archives’ security. He constantly supervises every single step of each procedure, while inspecting all possible inches of his facility. Rorze has dedicated his entire existence to maintaining the Archives and protecting whatever is within- It was all he was made for, after all.

           Throughout the years, Rorze has subjected himself to new patches to ensure that his programming is completely immune to computer viruses, hacking, and other forms of tampering. After each update is installed, past memories and data are transferred to the new ‘brain’. Whether or not each version of Rorze is truly the same person is up for debate, but Rorze himself does not care. As far as he’s concerned, he has no allegiances or loyalty to anyone, and acts as a neutral party whose sole concern is preserving objects and even living creatures within the Archives. Because of his robotic, single-minded dedication towards his task, Rorze will do anything to accomplish his goals, so long as he is permitted; He is still technically beholden to The Powers That Be and those that he serves.

Idris- A grumpy, surly overseer, Idris was placed in charge of a field of Airweed and its workers after the past overseer and his hired guns mysteriously died, obviously killed by The Beast. Hired specifically for her apathy on the subject, Idris doesn’t particularly care that other workers are at risk of being devoured by The Beast each day they work; Xia’s harsh climate for workers has taught her to be similarly callous. Still, when three masked strangers appear, offering to help find and kill The Beast –and for free no less!- she can’t help but take the offer. Even if their help is on the condition that Idris herself attend the mission…

Fero- Amongst the Bone Hunter clans, one is led by the persistent, vindictive Fero. Fero is the leader of his clan for obvious reasons- He is a skilled, cold fighter who knows when to cut his losses, when to retreat, and when to strike suddenly from the cover of the sands, or the darkness of night. Like any successful Bone Hunter, Fero is a patient individual, and he has led countless raids on villages, caravans, and so forth. His clan has amassed a wide variety of goods and weaponry to sell, alongside prisoners to keep or sell off as slaves.

           Fero knows that he is human, just like anyone else, but he manages to get around this by being an incredibly stealthy and skilled hunter. He is an intelligent strategist, knowing exactly how to track footprints in the sand, find resources, or take advantage of the environment to swiftly ambush enemies. He has led various guerilla attacks on past opponents and emerged in victory in the process, and is experienced in the realm of survival in any circumstance. Fero himself wields a hand-held rail gun, and rides atop his personal Rock Steed Skirmix, with rider and steed having known each other their entire lives. Skirmix is fiercely loyal to Fero, and would die for him- And should he die, Skirmix intends to go down alongside him. Skirmix is intelligent and understands Fero’s harsh orders well.

Berix- Travelling across the arid sands of the Baran Desert are Water Merchants, who will sell precious stores of water or replenish them to thirsty travelers. Among them is Berix, a heavily-cloaked, hooded figure who keeps himself cool with mechanisms and air-conditioning units underneath his pack. Despite Berix’s rough, coarse demeanor and voice, he is still trustworthy; He is a man of his word and will not try to scam or take advantage of his customers.

Berix is also a scavenger and collector, and with his supply of water is able to make extended trips out into the desert, hoping to dig up neat artifacts to keep. One can barter for water by trading him a unique item of some sort. Berix owns quite the collection of knick-knacks, some gathered from corpses, or found in the sand, or sold to him; Others bought directly from the market. There is some suspicion towards him having killed or robbed for his collection, but he maintains that he is totally innocent.

Berix wields a sword for self-defense, one that has an edge etched with carvings in the shape of sharp waves. It is a keepsake from the past, one of the first things he found in the desert, and an item he treasures and cherishes. In addition, he also has a shield that doubles as a wide, double-edged sword.

Perditus- Perditus is a frequent champion of Zakaz’s brutal races, riding his own Thornatus V9 into victory. Amongst its modifications are an Exsidian front, an improved engine, a rail-gun, and a few Force Blasters. Outside of his races, Perditus will frequently ride across Zakaz’s deserts, and will offer rides; For a price, of course. The longer the trip, the higher the pay. For someone of his title, he is of course a skilled and quick-thinking driver, able to outmaneuver bandits and Bone Hunters on the fly.

           Perditus himself is a mysterious figure, often wearing a racing helmet that obscures his face. There is even a bit of a rumor going about that he is a serial killer, but nobody can know for sure. Outside of his Thornatus, Perditus keeps a rapier on himself for personal defense.

Sahmad- Riding across Zakaz atop his chariot, pulled by a Spikit steed is Sahmad; A ruthless, nihilistic bandit, smuggler, and poacher. Armed with a powerful whip, as well as a rail gun merged with a blade, Sahmad has made a living not only robbing helpless travelers, but also hunting and selling even endangered species- Attached to the back of his chariot is a wheeled cage that he keeps animals in. Poached animals are kept in line with brutal whip-cracks as Sahmad gathers them, before eventually selling them off. On the side, he helps carry cargo of questionable legality across the Baran Desert.

           Supposedly, Sahmad was once a member of the decimated Iron Tribe- Apparently, members of the Iron Tribe one day found themselves unable to dream when asleep. This predicament began to spread amongst others, with those afflicted soon going mad as they could not sleep; Rest had no effect on their addled minds, which became unable to recover and sort through the events of each day. Victims of the ‘Dreaming Plague’ eventually could not fall asleep, and died of exhaustion.

           Naturally, neighbors of the Iron Tribe reacted in fear, and worked to shun the group. It eventually got so bad that the Vahki, normally scarce in Zakaz, were called in to quarantine and contain the entire tribe. Sahmad escaped the quarantine, traumatized after seeing his loved ones die, and became an outcast- Others in Zakaz feared he had the Dreaming Plague and would spread it to them. As a result of his trauma, Sahmad has become an embittered, nihilistic individual who sometimes wonders if his cruel crimes are his attempts to lash out at the world that had forsaken him and his people so?

Telluris- A mad, brilliant inventor, Telluris was also another survivor of the Iron Tribe after the Dreaming Plague wiped it out; Although he and Sahmad didn’t really know each other back then, nor do they interact much in general. Still, a general kinship between the two is still there, as they both share the same trauma and have also been shunned by Xia for their association with the Dreaming Plague. Once, Telluris partnered up with Sahmad, believing that if they colored their armor a dark-blue, people wouldn’t recognize them…

           It didn’t work out, and his armor has remained a rusted-orange since. Yet despite his eccentricities, Telluris is nevertheless a brilliant engineer. On his own, he scavenged parts for and created the Skopio-XV1, a massive four-legged mech with treads built into its limbs. The Skopio has a ‘stinger tail’ equipped with powerful cannons and other weaponry, such as a targeting rail gun and Force Blasters. Telluris himself rides on the back of his Skopio, and has grafted mechanical bits into the back of his head that let himself plug cables leading into his Skopio, enabling a more accurate and precise control over it.

           Perhaps to get back at the world that hurt him –or just because- he rampages frequently around Zakaz, attacking villages, settlements, bandits; Anyone that comes across his path. His Skopio-XV1 is unmatched in firepower, and can even fold up to assume a faster vehicle mode as well. Telluris is paranoid, believing everyone has it out for him, and aims to take over all of Zakaz with his personal weapon. Thankfully, his own madness inhibits his effectiveness- If Telluris were fully sane, he likely would’ve taken over Zakaz by now. One has to wonder if he didn’t totally avoid the Dreaming Plague…

           Between the occasional rampage, Telluris will suddenly calm down and become peaceful in order to visit markets to buy parts and tools from. He has a hidden garage where he performs maintence on Skopio, which he seems to treat as a living creature and beloved pet of his, often talking to it. Damage against Skopio is a personal affront to Telluris, who believes that people are hurting his precious creature, and he will retaliate tenfold for such an action. Between his sudden mood swings and genuine brilliance, Telluris is a dangerous, volatile character that is hard to predict.

Tuma- Once a slave, this towering titan of a Xian has risen to fame and glory as an esteemed Glatorian. Operating in the Baran desert, Tuma is intimately aware of his place and status in society, and knows that the villages of Zakaz see gladiators like him as nothing more than a tool to use; And he is familiar with indignity and dehumanization of slavery as well. Initially a slave-fighter, Tuma earned his freedom after winning countless battles with his unusually potent strength and huge frame.

           Now an independent master of himself, Tuma has become dissatisfied with his lot in society, and still feels like a puppet. To remedy this, he has begun to make recent alliances, hoping to establish a ‘Glatorian Monopoly’ of sorts; Him and other like-minded Glatorian have begun to make deals with one another, purposely losing fights, or choosing jobs, according to the needs of one another. Members of this ‘ring’ of individuals will make alliances, giving out recommendations to one another, and helping to recruit new fighters and training them.

           With his lieutenants Stronius and Branar, Tuma hopes to control the gladiator system that many villages in the Baran desert rely on. Ideally, his network of gladiators will collaborate and coordinate with one another, scheming to lose or win matches with each other, reject offers and services unless at a proper price, strike for better conditions, etc. With Tuma at the top of this Glatorian Monopoly, Tuma hopes to rule the Baran desert by proxy of having control over its gladiator matches, which decide the majority of its political decisions and conflicts. With his wealth as a champion, Tuma has also set up betting offices, and employed his fellow Glatorian, whom he essentially commands, into collecting on debts, as well as accepting matches that he deems beneficial, and in general swaying the events of the arena as he pleases.

           A Glatorian strike and unionization is much-welcomed, and needed. Many gladiators have benefitted from what Tuma has brought about, and the concerns that some villages have on Tuma are not exactly out of the goodness of their hearts, or for the safety of society. Still, Tuma must not let the power and greed get to his head… It seems that gladiators who refuse to join his alliance tend to get bullied into submission, or find themselves out of a job as other members of the network will take job openings and positions from them. Tuma must beware becoming the tyrant that his masters were, and continue providing power to his fellow gladiators instead of oppressing them as well.

           Born with unusual genetics, Tuma towers over most and wears black-and-green armor while wielding a massive sword, shield, and additional blades on his back in combat. Even though he is older than most gladiators, he retains his peak strength, height, and stamina, and stories of this ‘titan’ have spread across Zakaz. Some have interest over the secrets of Tuma’s body…

As a result, groups in the past have attempted to kidnap Tuma for their own gains. Tuma has resisted such efforts naturally, and is used to Exo-Toa Baterra being sent in to spy on him and his actions. Tuma is not open about his Glatorian network, and the Baterra have been sent to keep an eye on him. Unsurprisingly, this kind of surveillance has made Tuma somewhat paranoid, but rightfully so, and he remains sharp-minded as ever to avoid any mistakes.

Metus- A silver-tongued businessman and merchant, Metus has since become a recruiter in the Baran desert. He works to spot out potential fighters and introduce them to the gladiator system, as well as recommend combatants amongst villages, settle disputes, and so forth. Metus has a good eye and nose for potential, able to scout out a potential Glatorian amongst a group, and grant them the funding, investment, and support they need to reach success.

           Metus himself was once a trader in the northern-kingdom of Iconox, only to lose everything within the crossfire of a war he wanted no part in. He does whatever it takes to survive, and will gladly sell out anyone else. He is untrustworthy, and while his recommendations are often good, he has also been caught giving villages poor fighters or else granting dishonest advice. On the side, he makes sure to place his bets well and carefully, and has amassed some wealth as a result.

Metus hopes to get in on Tuma’s planned network of Glatorian and gather a share of the riches, yet is also reporting intel and data to Baterra spies as well. Tuma doesn’t trust him of course, but Metus is insistent on getting a hand on the stocks and treasure; He aims to one day become rich enough to truly leave Zakaz behind, perhaps starting his own business in Stelt…

Surel- An aged veteran from the same conflict that robbed Metus of his livelihood, Surel was left wounded and dying on a blood-stained battlefield. But amidst the White Quartz Mountains, she found salvation in a pack of Iron Wolves that tended to her need, helping protect Surel and bringing her food as she recovered.

           Now, Surel is a leader of this Iron Wolf pack, and leads them on hunts in the White Quartz Mountains, off the fringes of the kingdom of Iconox. She is mostly crippled from age and old wounds, and walks with a limp and walking stick; But armed with a dagger, she can be lethally fast, taking down and gutting an enemy in seconds. She knows how to conserve and utilize her strength well, and with her pack of Iron Wolves by her side, Surel is a lethal opponent and not one to cross. She has no interest in Zakaz’s politics- She has long ago rejected the battlefield she almost died in, and now intends only to live a life of hunts alongside her trusted Iron Wolves.

The Sisters- A cult of powerful telepaths and mind-readers, this all-female (trans-inclusive!) coven of ‘witches’ lives in a desolate forest, somewhere along the borders of Zakaz. They worship a deity named Annona, and their exact intentions and plots are unknown. They prefer to live to themselves, occasionally venturing out in their forest for supplies, and have used their mental abilities in the past to place others beneath their thrall- Such unfortunate victims are not only robbed and used as proxies to gather more materials, but are occasionally even harvested for their body parts.

           The Sisters perform many unusual, arcane rituals. It is unknown to outsiders what they have planned, but evidently they seek to one day find Annona, whom they attribute the cause of their powers to. Attempts to infiltrate the group and learn their secrets have failed; They can sense intent and faultiness, and even Exo-Toa Baterra have been caught by them. Rumor has it that they can even perform magic, and the gladiator Tuma has an unknown connection to them that he’d rather not talk about. Things are apparently uncomfortable between him and The Sisters…

The Kraahl- In the darkness of night, people have spotted them- Darkened, cloaked figures who can be sighted briefly, only to suddenly blip out of existence as if they were never there to begin with. The Kraahl, as they are known, have been known to access areas under heavy fortification, somehow teleporting across massive distances with no one able to catch them. The Kraahl are cryptids in Zakaz, and known to occasionally appear to gather resources for themselves. Attempts to plant cameras and trackers on the things they steal have failed, with signals abruptly ending entirely once the Kraahl disappear. Where are these mysterious people going? Where do they come from? How do they have their power? Attempts to understand and decipher their strange, teleporting abilities have failed.

[sahmad-the-hunter]

No Rest for the Weary

The trail was devastating to look at. Fields, farms, roads, houses, all torn to shreds, gouges ripped from their forms, with mottled, silvery flesh seething over the rubble. Here and there, the flesh rose into a bulbous mass, before bursting its seams and releasing vapors into the air. This was the fate of the houses. Those who had lived within them fared worse.

As he drew nearer the trail of destruction, the stench hit him. Another Agori might have retched or fainted at the smell of it, and there was no small part of him that didn’t feel the urge. But Sahmad only drew up the cloth around his nose and mouth and lowered the latch on his helmet, pinning the face-mask there, before continuing. It was hideous, to be sure. But not so disgusting as the thought of letting this creature run wild any longer.

In the fifth of the ravaged houses, he found a single Agori, a woman, laying the intact half of her torso against a dented wall. She was breathing - slowly, and reluctantly, filled with fumes as the house was - and when Sahmad picked over the rubble and peered into the room, she stared back at him. Her eyes had long since lost the will to live; in place, they burned with a light he had seen before, the mark of madness.

She lived long enough to tell him what he asked. It had been through here, of course. That much was clear. And from what she had heard from the whispers in her skull, which he had learned not to ignore, she thought it was heading east. There was a good stretch of wilderness in that direction... but at the pace it was going, judging by this village, it would hit the next town before the week was out. He wouldn’t let that happen.

Sahmad left the crazed woman to die, and emerged from the house, adjusting his armor and coat. Checking the sharpness of his blade, the fullness of his ammo belt, and the stiff crack of his whip, he turned towards the trail of writhing flesh, adjusted his cloth mask, and set off.

The work never ends, he thought to himself, following the aberration at a healthy pace. Just the way I like it.

[legend-as-old-as-time]

On the heroes' side, Varian's fate was never officially revealed. Word of God / Mr. Farshtey has said she's still trapped but alive in a stasis pod in the destroyed GSR.

Varian's rhotuka power is sleep. And she's a toa of psionics but sup-posedly the Shadowed One created contigencies for that.

But could he have foreseen somebody like Annona? Annona who can grant psychic powers to others?

For this, I assume that Sahmad's Tale ended differently or that Annona broke free from that separate world. In this case I also take Mr. Farshtey's headcanon that Annona is female / female-presenting.

I've been wondering if the Bionicle story team was setting up an reality-warping / dream arc on Spherus Magna. Making the characters and the audience question the nature of reality, dreams, perception, and how they interact.

Also the idea of desires and wishes and to make things real that you want.

From the GSR, the Shadowed One with the sleeping virus entered, as did Voporak with the Vahi. Mata Nui said to have had dark dreams while he was in his coma. And then there's the Golden-Skinned Being / Irnakk who can make dreams into reality.

On Spherus Magna, we have Annona who's a reality warper, feasts on dreams, and created the Dreaming Plague.

[randomwriteronline]

woe/rejoice. agori (and by extension glatorian) hcs be upon you

Agori exhibit subtle sexual dimorphism differently depending on which tribe they belong to (i.e. lebori males have brighter plumage, fezeri females are larger), while their bone structures are essentially identical. Gaquri are the only tribe able to naturally alter their bodies' production of their estrogen and testosterone equivalents. Actively transitioning and/or intersex individuals of any tribe can present dimorphic traits of one sex, traits of both sexes, muddled traits, or none at all

Their breasts are placed in the pelvic area, like horses, and the nips are the only visible part. To prevent chafing, lower garments have soft reinforcements at hip-height

They have short, nubby tails which have survived across their evolution despite having lost their original size and purpose. their movement is very limited and usually unconscious; since they remain the same length during all stages of life, they appear to "shrink" the more a person grows. children use them to better balance themselves when learning to walk

With the exception of Basari's and Fezeri's, Agori ears are very flexible despite their small size and can lean in almost all directions. Their shape varies across tribes

Their senses aside from touch are generally keener than humans'

Agori clothing tends to prefer function to form and does not have significant differences between masculine and feminine styles, although it wasn't always the case before the Shattering

Together with hugs, kisses and handshakes, each tribe has a unique display of affection or greeting pertaining to the head and/or face: Lebori preen each other, Gaquri rub cheeks together, Koniri gently nip ears, Fezeri butt the top of their heads, Basari scratch each other's nape, Potori shove temples against one another and Tapyri press the other's hand to their forehead. The gesture's intensity is usually toned down when done to someone of a different tribe to avoid discomfort or pain

If an object is in an enclosed space like a house, a vehicle or a box, Agori will point to it with their chins instead of their fingers

Vorox and Zesk still communicate in an extremely simplified version of a strict Basari dialect, although the phonetics had to be heavily changed to adapt to the shape of their mutated mouths. Malum has learned it and is currently the only fully sapient being somewhat fluent in Bara Magna Basari

Other tribes tend not to know Tapyri have hair

Koniri fur keeps warm, but becomes stiff in great quantities; Lebori down feathers are very soft, but struggle to retain heat on their own; Potori wool offers great insulation in most climates, but risks growing mold easily when humidity increases

After they (almost) went extinct, the sturdy carapaces of dead Bara Magna Fezeri were pillaged to make very durable high quality armor. because of this there are no intact pieces or Fezeri remains left, and the few plates that have survived since, no matter how worn or outright broken, are either made into family heirlooms or sold at exhorbitant prices. Sahmad has a large number of them (almost all buried) as he made a habit of targetting and capturing anybody who wore them specifically

Tapyri are unique when it comes to cleaning since their protective mucus naturally catches dirt and other particles for easy removal, meaning they only need to scrub or peel it off. Gaquri, Koniri and Potori take water baths while Basari, Fezeri and Lebori take dust or sand baths

Agori children are addressed with the pronouns ti/tir until they choose their own. its highly unusual for someone to use ti/tir for tir whole life, and the set is often used as a playful jab when a person exhibits childish behavior

Pregnancy is a very taxing endeavour: the process takes around a year and a half, but the parent's body will additionally need two or three years to recover from the strain of the experience as a whole, during which it will be physically unable to produce the necessary material to make another child. sudden spikes in stress or a constant stream of it during pregnancy is almost sure to produce a stillborn, and its very easy for older individuals to simply not have the energy to make it through childbirth once the time comes. this used to not be a problem, since Agori are very long lived and the whole planet was full of them, but the Core War drastically reduced their numbers and the hazardous conditions produced by the Shattering all over the planet made for a very dangerous environment to attempt having a child in, so births became extremely rare in the 100 thousand years before Mata Nui's return. the so called "children of Bara Magna" (which include Gresh and Berix) are few and far between, commonly having significant age gaps from one to the other

A wide number of male MU beings is perceived as feminine or adjacent by Agori, partly due to sexual dimorphism not being A Thing for most species, partly due to voice and countenance: Tahu, for example, is considered to be very lady-like. in his specific case this perception might however be also affected by the fact that he was modeled after Ackar, who used to be much more overtly femme in his youth* (check tags)

this is what ive got so far. peace and love on spherus magna.

[de-sterren-nacht]

"History will tell you that I am a monster, a slaver, someone who made a living capturing my fellow Agori and selling them to the Skrall. I'd be a fool to lie and pretend I did not do those things; of course I did. But there is more to the story than just that, and there is one thing you need to always remember about history: the winners write all the books."

[makutaservaela]

I've lost all of my maps of Metru Nova, but this is a map of The Other Side for the time being. It's located in the Bota Magna portion of Spherus Magna. I will update the map as they add new locations or explore the land more. - The Ice Realm was artificially created by an Ice Elemental, hence why there's just a random valley of ice in the middle of a desert.

The Bohrok villages are located underground around where the Po and Onu Matoran villages are.

In the coloured legend, the yellow is Matoran territory, and the red is Makuta territory.

The names (Lariska, Avak, etc) are where their homes are located, in the same vein as the "[name]'s cave/palace/tree". I don't know why I listed Lariska's as just hers, since she lives with Brutaka.

Axonn's home isn't listed in the map, but it's to the west of Ta-Kuta

Sahmad lives in the woods to the East of Ga-Mata.

The Matoran travel to the different villages by river highway run by the Ga-Matoran.

To the East of the mountain range, off-map, is a location called Kimuri Valley. This is where the Great Beings dump their trash creations to be recycled at a later time. The mountain range itself is littered with little caves and tunnels full of Great Being things, and is implanted with devices that turn off Kanohi and Elemental powers, preventing access. Only Servaela and Mutran know of the presence of the valley. Lesovikk also lives there.

Edit: for some reason, the map has trouble loading. Idk why.

[coldgoldlazarus]

Bohrok-Kal: Nuhvok-Kal, Pahrak-Kal, and Tahnok-Kal are now male, and Kohrok-Kal, Lehvak-Kal, and Gahlok-Kal are now female.

Toa Hagah/Rahaga: Norik & Bomonga remain male. Gaaki is now male, and Iruini, Pouks, and Kualas are now female.

Agori/Glatorian/Skrall: Stronius, Tuma, Berix, Metus, Strakk, Vastus, Ackar, Raanu, and Sahmad remain male, and Kiina remains female. Atakus, Tarix, Gelu, Gresh, Tarduk, and Malum are now female. Mata-Nui is now agender but vaguely mask. The Vorox, Zesk, and unnamed Skrall, being legion, are all across the spectrum.

Rebalancing the genders as patch notes:

Toa Mata/Nuva: Tahu, Pohatu, Onua remain male, Gali remains female. Lewa and Kopaka are now female. (As is Wairuha, by extension.)

Takanuva is now transfemme.

(Chronicler's company: Kapura, Hafu, and Taipu remain male, Macku remains female. Kopeke and Tamaru are now female.)

Toa Metru/Hordika: Matau and Nuju remain male, Nokama remains female. Vakama and Onewa are now female. Whenua is now transmasc.

(Diskfinders: Ahkmou, Ehrye, and Nuhrii remain male, Vhisola remains female. Tehutti and Orkahm are now female.)

Toa Inika/Mahri: Jaller, Matoro, and Hewkii remain male, Hahli remains female. Nuparu and Kongu are now female.

(Voya-Nui Resistance: Garan, Piruk, and Kazi remain male, Dalu remains female. Velika and Balta are now female. Velika has been temporarily nerfed, pending further review.)

Piraka: Reidak, Hakann, and Vezok (and by extension Vezon) remain male. Zaktan, Avak, and Thok are now female.

Barraki: Pridak, Kalmah, and Takadox remain male. Mantax, Ehlek, Carapar, and Nocturn are now female.

Makuta: Teridax, Mutran, Bitil, Icarax, and Spiriah remain male, Gorast remains female. Antroz, Chirox, Vamprah, and Krika are now female. Miserix is agender.

Glatorian and Hagah will be modified in a future patch.