BZPRPG: Onu-Wahi

IC: Chronn

"That list of yours, it may list what was stolen, but look deeper. What do the items say about the person who took them, what do you know about the criminal, or criminals, based upon the information you currently posses?" I remarked, looking around the room as if bored, but beneath the facade, my interest had been growing.

"Think abut the scene they were taken from. Has badly had it been disturbed? Was everything thrown about and misplaced, or was it relatively untouched? That alone can tell you how the person thinks, and by connection what they would contain the items in if trying to quickly transport them." I smirked slightly, leaning back in the chair once more. "But no, I suppose I do not have anything more to say on the matter. You may be on your way."

IC: Ashiem"Great, there's a noodle bar right down the street."Giving the other Toa a nod, she turned and began leading them down towards the noodle bar.

OOC: And to think all those hours spent playing L. A. Noire actually turned out to be time well spent

IC: Khervos

I looked attentively, and nodded as Chronn threw me a bone, all I had to do was reach out and grab it.

"I'll keep those things in mind, goodbye" I said, and exited with no further bravado or pleasantries. I was feeling oddly... confident isn't the right word, more akin to arrogance than anything else.

It didn't matter, I had a burglar to catch, and justice to bring.

"Fear me, criminal scum, I will find you"

Deleted post

IC: (Elianne, Onu-Koro)

The sweet, sweet smell of freshly cooked noodles overpowered her when she entered the bar. It was like, after three months, spent in Karzahni, Elianne had just reached a very, very physical sort of heaven.

"Ashiem," she said to her, with a very serious face, "Are you sure you're not a divine spirit in the shape of a potato chip bag sent to deliver me from evil?"

IC: AshiemSilence. Ashiem's mind frantically tried to reboot itself in the face of the fungus', no wait, Elianne's question. It was absolutely ridiculous, like a poisonous toadstoll being edible."Uuhh ... Mushrooms?"Her metaphors were affecting her mind!

IC: (Elianne, Onu-Koro)

Evidently, there was only one way to correctly go around this clash of rhetoric.

"Sure."

There was only one response to Ashiem's silence after that statement, as well.

"Noodles with mushrooms are okay, yeah."

IC: Ashiem

"Um, good ... so do you want to order some?"

IC (Matan and Natan): The Skakdi gave each other a significant look and kept right on grinning, but this was a different sort of smile.

"Our normal rates are around 20 widgets an hour plus materials..." Matan replied, "but there might be something else you could do".

IC: Kehuri

"Bula juice canteens, check. Sun lens, got it. Dried edibles, yep. Drill and shield, never put 'em down. Explos--" He stopped as he remembered. He wasn't a miner anymore, so he didn't need explosives. "No explosives, then. Trenchcoat, wearing it. Widgets, can't go without 'em. Lightstones, yeah. Bongos, mhm. Alright, that ought to do it." With that, he slipped the small stuff into his many pockets, hung his shield and bongos on his back, his drill at his side, and slung his bag over his shoulder. The ensemble was cumbersome, but manageable. With that, he struck out towards the Onu-Le-Wahi tunnel.

IC: Demos

Huna weren't so bad, it supposed. Not near as fun as its Mahiki had been, but beggars can't be choosers.

Chyeah, as if it was a beggar.

But for some reason, every single Mahiki on the island seemed to have vanished. A fact that really, truly, majorly ###### it off. But it would make-do. it had to.

And to do that, it had to change. The Toa of Sonics wasn't who it used to be. Or who it used to not be. Demothi had been everyone, and no one. I*t had been people that existed, and people that didn't. It wasn't living in the same sense as everyone else. Because Demothi had been as real as it had not.

But everything had changed when it lost its Mahiki. Everything. That mask was more than a mask to its. It was one of two things that it truly was. Illusion and apathy. With illusion gone, it only had apathy left. Until it stole its Huna.

Half of its was completely dead. Half of its was reborn.

More soon changed. Its apathy gave way to anger. It cared whether or not people died now. Only now it actively promoted it. Ask anyone in the shady parts of Onu-Koro's economy who to go to for an assassination. The name Phantom is guaranteed to come up. They'll tell you how to contact it. 'Go to the top of warehouse 4-B in the old part of town and flip the stone in the corner upside-down, so the noble Huna engraved in it faces upwards. Return that day at midnight, and the Phantom will be waiting. Waiting for you to tell it who to kill.'

The stone was still mask-down. Nobody needed anyone killed today. That was okay. The time would come. It always did.

OOC: Kehuri to Le-Wahi

IC - Aenarius:

Aenarius had gotten used to the lack of sunlight, but as he sat eating breakfast he couldn't shake the idea that it was still night. He wore minimal armor: cuirass, vambrace and cuisse, and sat a little slouched at his table in the inn where he was staying. His element had allowed him to find some work in the forges, but this was his day off, and he felt a little torn. To be true, he missed Ta Koro: the light and the heat, the familiar faces and locations, his work as a guard. But there was no going back. Onu Koro was as good a home as any, he felt, even if he couldn't quite convince himself to stay. Find a better job, move into a hut or room somewhere else...

He got to his feet abruptly. Sitting inside for long had never been his thing and, even if outside was technically as inside, he felt like moving. His hand on the everpresent mace, he walked out the door.

Outside, Onu Koro felt as it always did: like a city in the evening that had not yet shut down, but still churned on in need of rest. That feel had irked him to no end at first, but now he hardly registered it. He walked slowly, looking at the bridge ahead. He missed the beaches of Ta Wahi, but the stream that flowed through the Koro was a comforting and relaxing place.

IC (Matan and Natan): The Skakdi gave each other a significant look and kept right on grinning, but this was a different sort of smile.

"Our normal rates are around 20 widgets an hour plus materials..." Matan replied, "but there might be something else you could do".

IC: Ferron (Matan & Natan's)

Ferron raised an eyebrow as he studied the two Skakdi inconspiciously.

"Alright" he said carefully "what did you have in mind?"

IC (Matan and Natan): "It's to do with a new invention we've been working on" Matan explained "around this new electrical technology that's been developed lately. We've been waiting for a chance to test it out".

Moving into the corner of the workshop, he dragged out what appeared to be a large metal sphere on top of a sturdy rod, and set it up in the centre of the workshop. He opened a section of the pole to show what was inside. A band of elastic plant fibres was wrapped around a pair of pulleys running up and down the shaft. At the top pulley, the band came near to (but didn't quite touch) a collection of thin wires, which eventually ran up to join onto the sphere at the top of the device (which turned out to be hollow). The bottom pulley could be spung by a system or gear leading to a large crank poistioned just outside the main body of the machine.

OOC: Basically, its a crude Van de Graaf generator.

IC: Matan closed the section again and stood well back from the device, as did Natan. "I'll explain it in a moment, but for now, could you go over there and stand with your hands about so far away from the sphere?" He indicated a distance of a couple of fingersbreadths.

IC: Calkf

Calkf walked out onto the streets of Onu-koro.

OOC: Open for interaction.

IC: Ferron (Matan & Natan's)

Ferron wheighed his options. Theoretically, he had volunteered to do whatever they asked.

Ferron decided there was little chance he was going to die, so he might as well do as they said.

"Like this?" he asked as he assumed the position Natan had described.

IC: Khervos

The investigation continued.

After closing the door behind me at Dark C Investigations, I had gone over the advice Chronn had given me, perusing it like a series of streetlights on my way toward the identity of the culprit. The wind howled as I decided to go back to Ta-Koro to reassess the crime scene evidence, and hopefully finally put an end to this karzish case.

OOC: Khervos to Ta-Wahi

IC (Matan and Natan): "That'serfect" Natanreplied, and used his elemental power to make the crank spin wildly (he had discovered it wasn't wise to do it by hand) and the machine began to wind up, slowly producing a gentle hum of motion from its insides. After about 10 seconds or so, a small arc of electricity leapt from the sphere at the top of the device towards Ferron's palm.

This effect wasn't anything new to the Skakdi, but the reason they wanted to do more tests (without getting shocked themselves) was to find out how far away from the device they could get the spark to jump, and if the technology could be scaled up for more practical uses.

IC: Ferron (Matan & Natan's)

"YOW"

Ferron recoiled as he gripped around his hand, his right hand, thankfully, still feeling a stinging sensation from the jolt of electricity he'd just been hit with.

He massaged his hand as he looked at the two Skakdi, their natural grins suddenly appearing needlessly diabolical to him.

"What exactly's this thing good for?" he asked.

IC (Matan and Natan): "It produces small arcs of electricity, obviously" Matan replied, as calm as ever. "However, this is only a prototype device, and the range isn't very good yet. Now, would you mind moving your hand back a handspan or so for the next test? We need to determine exactly how far away the target can be before it doesn't work anymore."

OOC: If it makes it any better, this is far from the worst these two have done to a customer in exchange for their services. Poor, poor Auron... good times though.

IC: Ferron (Matan & Natan's)

"Alright" Ferron sighed and did as he was told.

Ferron sincerely hoped he wouldn't have to do this again. It was embarrasing, to be quite frank. Here he was, following a Skakdi's instructions about how exactly he was going to put his hand open for a bolt of lightning.

"Next time, I'll just pay them" he decided.

IC (Matan and Natan): The crank spun again, and after a slightly longer period of time, the tiny lightning bolt jumped out again, though it was much weaker this time.

IC: Ferron (Matan & Natan's)

Ferron merely mustered a grunt as the second jolt of lightning crackled through the air and struck his hand. He recoiled slightly as the bolt faded away, a small cascade of sparks flitting through the air.

IC (Matan and Natan): "Allright, another handspan" Matan continued after seeing the result "But that one was weaker, yes?"

IC: Ferron (Matan & Natan's)

"Yes" Ferron replied as he examined his hand. Was that a mark he was seeing there...

IC (Matan and Natan): "You can use the other hand if you wish" Matan advised as Natan cranked up the machine again. This time, however, no matter how fast the band spun, no spark was produced. The distance from the sphere to the toa's hand was too great for the electricity to jump.

"Well, there's our limit then" Natan observed. "It's still pretty weak, but maybe we could improve it by playing around with the sizes of the components or the materials. That can wait for another time though. Thankyou for your assistance, toa."

IC: Ferron (Matan & Natan's)

"Goodbye, nice to do business with you" Ferron said and exited the shop.

"Now, let's see if I can find Zuria" he thought to himself as he walked through the streets of Onu-Koro. He needed some company, and a bite to eat. Plus, it would allow him the opportunity to show Zuriana something he'd been working on...

He took out the map of Onu-Koro that he still had from his last visit, and examined it. Eventually locating the diner that he and Krell had smashed up the last time they were there...

"Krell"

Ferron sighed, and looked up at the metaphorical skies to where Krell was hopefully having a well-deserved rest. Just because he'd come to terms with the kid's death didn't mean he still missed him sometimes.

Ferron shook the thoughts out of his head as he rounded the corner towards Zuria's hut.

IC: (Elianne, Onu-Koro Noodle Bar)

"Yeah, of course," the Toa of Lightning nodded, in another universe, where everyone in the BZPRPG is human, fiddling with her hair. Placing the order at the bar, she received a steaming bowl of mushroom-tasted noodle soup in two minutes. People were certainly quick workers here, considering Onu-Koro managed equipping the entire island with high-tech in just three months.

"You live here, I assume?" she asked, gulping down a spoonful of the noodles.

IC: Ashiem

"I only moved here recently," replied Ashiem, sitting down and taking a bowl of noodles and dumpling soup, handing over several widgets. "The Horseman Company was kind enough to give me a job; it's pretty well-paying."

She really liked the village; sure, she barely ever saw the sun any more, but it was cosy and never cold. Winter's effects could not reach below the island. She liked the people too - they were stubborn at times, but they were pretty welcoming to guests.

"So, what brings you here?"

Even though she doubted that she'd see her companion again, to her minor chagrin (The Toa of Lightning was really growing on her. Like a fungus. From the dark depths of Le-wahi.), she was curious on what Elianne's purpose was in the village of earth.

IC: (Elianne, Onu-Koro Noodle Bar)

Elianne slurped down a good long gulp of noodle soup.

"Well, I've been looking for my team. Five Toa, besides me. Merror, Skyra, Weta, Skeldan, Pirok. Haven't seen them for three months and then some now, and I've no solid way to contact them. So I've just been sort of wandering the island, hoping to run into one of them, I guess?"

IC: Ashiem

Ashiem nodded, delicately chewing on a dumpling, before swallowing.

"It would be easier if you had a place to start, I suppose."

IC: Calkf

 

Calkf walked out onto the streets of Onu-koro.

 

OOC: Open for interaction.

OOC: might as well.

IC - Aenarius:

He paused for a little while by the bridge, staring into the dark water. looking up he saw a figure approaching.

"A good morning, Turaga," he said, giving a respectful bow to the approaching elder.

IC - Caith:

Getting to Onu Koro had been Karzahni. Even worse had been finding his way around it. But those headaches he didn't register as he observed the small inn. Rather, a sense of victory prevailed: he had found his target. Said target was not here, and he would have to think of a strategy of dispatching him without drawing much attention.

For now he increased his hearing and sight, observing Aenarius from afar.

IC:

Onu-Koro had changed.

That much was obvious as Tarnok stepped out of the hospital, but it was still remarkable. Only three months had passed, and yet Onu-Koro had become the dominant industry on the island, with all others relying on them for technology and engineering. But that was not all of it; The spirit of the place had changed, too. The village had spent months languishing in its own grief and pain, suffering loss after loss, pain after pain, from bombings to assassinations, and even beyond. But now it was thriving again. People moved with purpose, with meaning in each step, going about their daily business.

They had not forgotten, however. None of them had forgotten what it had cost them to get this far, and the people that had payed in blood that they might get the future they sought.

Among them was Tarnok's own squadron. Many had lost their lives, and the others were otherwise incapacitated. Only two remained on active duty, one was Tarnok himself, and the other was Gavarm. In a way, one other was still present; Sulov had returned a hero, a Toa. One of the only ones, in the Onu-Matoran's opinion, who truly lived up to the title. But he had remained his own entity, he was Onu-Koro's Guardian now, not a member of the Ussalry. And that was as it should be.

Lost in his musings, the Onu-Matoran began his route through the city, watching for any signs of trouble. The village had thrived, but with success, there was always crime.

Always.

OOC: Open for interaction.

IC-Dendron:

"Is it just me, or is this village seeming more robotic to you, Tarnok?" Dendron asked the Onu-Matoran, who he'd seen walking from the hospital. "What with how much extra technology is being made? I'm wondering just how detrimental this will prove to the general outlook people have."

IC: AarThe Ussalmatoran worked his way back towards the HQ to see where he could be of service. Since joining the Ussalry, he'd been enthusiastically doing his best. It quickly became clear that this was what he's been meant to do. Fighting and defending suited him much more than striking rocks. He saluted another Ussalmatoran he recognized to be Tarnok, and continued on his way.

IC: Zuriana

Ferron noticed, as he approached, that Zuriana and her neighbours' huts were quite different from the huts in their vicinity. Instead of the usual earthen domes, these ones were carved directly into the cavern wall. All that was visible of each were doors of various colours, dulled by years of dust and wear, and little portholes, from which shined welcoming orange light. It was quite unlike anything Ferron had seen before.

Inside, Zuria had just put the kettle on for a cup of tea when a knock echoed through to the kitchen doorway. At first, she found it irritating that someone would knock at this hour. However, upon opening her door (purple, her favourite colour), all of these irritations were immediately forgotten. For there, at the door, was Ferron, Toa of iron, whom she hadn't seen in quite close to three months. "Ferron...?" She muttered at first. "Is that really you?"

IC: Ferron (Zuria's Hut)

Ferron crouched down to the Matoran's level. Taking in what little of the interior he could glimpse from behind the chubby Matoran.

"Hello, Zuriana" he said, with the first real smile he'd managed in a long time "sorry I couldn't come earlier"

Ferron really had wanted to go see Zuria before, but all the stuff that'd been happening had cropped up so quickly that it was hard to even get any breathing room.

IC: (Elianne, Onu-Koro)

"It would certainly help, yeah."

IC: Zuriana

Zuria gave a little bow of the head. "It's absolutely fine, Ferron."

Looking past her, Ferron spied a lantern-lit hallway with curved wooden walls, a tiled floor and various wooden boxes, chests and cupboards. The whole hut seemed to be a small network of tunnels made livable, only just big enough for a Toa to fit inside (although their heads would scrape the ceiling). A small chandelier hung from the ceiling just inside the doorway.

Zuriana's eyes lit up as if remembering something. "Oh! Where are my manners? Come in, come in," she exclaimed, stepping aside to allow her friend inside.

IC: Thentyle

The orange and black Toa of Earth began asking local Onu-Matoran about work opportunities, or if help was needed. Unfortunately, all the work seemed to be taken by the Matoran and despite his superior strength to them it was insisted that he wasn't needed right now.

"Why don't you just ask one of the shops or something?" one of the many people he'd asked responded. "I'm sure one of them might have something, but there's no work for you here.""Bother." Thentyle muttered. He'd returned to his home and found it had changed beyond recognition, but could not sieze any opportunities. Reluctantly, he leaned against a hut in the middle of the Koro, beginning to think to himself.I want to help people...But what should I do if there's nobody to help? The last thing I want is to run around Onu-Wahi and become bored or something....A thought began snaking its way into Thentyle's mind. It was completely unimaginable to him, yet had a strange appeal.

Why not create a situation to save Matoran from?

It was an idea, even if he didn't like it. And the more Thentyle thought about it, the more seductive and enticing it became. Maybe...just a small pitfall or something? Surely that couldn't hurt. It would be fine...right?

OOC: New character arc - "Thentyle's Hero Syndrome"

OOC: I'm sensing a little Tolkien inspiration here

IC: Ferron (Zuria's Hut)

Squeezing through the entrance was a little tricky, but Ferron managed to maneuver his massive frame through the door and into the hallway where he just managed to stand upright. He avoided the chandelier as a smell hit his nostrils; the smell of warm food being slowly done over an open fire.

"Good timing, I'm starving" Ferron said as he wringed his hands expectantly.

He left his satcel by the wall as he looked towards the source of the smell.

He made a quick note of reaching into his satchel and gripping gently around the trinket he'd brought. Hand-carved from a lump of iron of his own creation. Using his powers, he gathered an imprint of the trinket deep within him, so that he may quickly call upon it later.

"Cozy place you have here" he added.