Archive for February, 2009

Final Flight to Bara Manga

Bara Manga

In earlier times, Bara Magna was a section of a larger planet, and held a very advanced civilization. However, a cataclysm struck the planet, and fractured it into Bara Magna and two smaller moons that would orbit it. Fortunately for its inhabitants, only a minority was trapped on these two moons.

A species, the Skrall, which had previously inhabited a different area on the planet, were cut off from their home as a result of the disaster. They attempted to establish a camp in the Black Spike Mountains, but encountered an aggressive species of shapeshifters, who killed many of their number.

The Vorox and Zesk, already a reclusive tribe, gradually devolved into savages as a reaction. It also worsened the availability of the scarce resources of the planet, and helped create a need for a new planet-wide social system. The Agori, organized into tribes, began hiring Glatorian to fight in arenas for resources.

The Skrall, commanded by their only remaining leader, Tuma, moved away from the mountains, and into the previously uninhabited city of Roxtus. Tuma, observing the Agori social system, began to participate in it as well, as part of his newly formulated plan of global domination.

Landscape

The planet of Bara Magna is mostly covered by desert, and does not have any oceans or areas with large quantities of water. However, it does have oases and other typical features found in a desert.

Six known villages exist on Bara Magna:

  • Atero, the location of the Arena Magna
  • Iconox, village of the Ice Tribe
  • Roxtus, the previously uninhabited city of the Rock Tribe
  • Tajun, village of the Water Tribe
  • Tesara, village of the Jungle Tribe
  • Vulcanus, village of the Fire Tribe

Major Landforms

  • Black Spike Mountains
    • Skull Mountain
    • Dark Falls
  • Creep Canyon
  • Dunes of Treason
    • Hot Springs
    • Sandray Canyon
    • Sea of Liquid Sand
    • Skrall River
  • Great Volcano
  • Iron Canyon
  • White Quartz Mountains
    • Elbow Peak

Inhabitants

In addition to its dangerous wildlife, such as Rock Steeds, Bara Magna is home to the Agori, Glatorian, Skrall and Bone Hunters

A group of shape-shifters is known to inhabit the area north of the Black Spike Mountains.

Trivia

  • The words “Bara Magna” were part of an inscription on a wall in a tunnel deep under Metru Nui found by the Toa Hagah and Zaktan. The inscription was in a dialect unknown to the Toa and the words “Bara Magna” were the only words that Toa Bomonga could translate from the inscription.
  • Mata Nui should know of the existence of Bara Magna, but does not.
  • All the sapient species on Bara Magna are primarily made up of organic tissues, though frequently have mechanical implants within their bodies.

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Agori, matorans of another world

  • Agori are the villager-size 2009 sets.
  • Agori is a species name.
  • Tribes are made up of Agori, and not Glatorian.
  • Tribes of one color can recruit Glatorian of another color.
  • Agori can grow as old as Matoran.
  • Villages are in competition for resources.
  • Friendships are accepted among the Agori.
  • An Agori cannot become a Glatorian, but they are permitted to fight alongside Glatorian in arenas.
  • Leaders are elected to 250 year terms.
  • They can be removed from office at any time by an unanimous vote by the villagers.
  • Glatorian are not allowed to vote due to their financial interests.
  • The Sand Tribe and Rock Tribe do not follow this democratic system.

Atakus

Atakus in the Wastelands.Atakus as a set.

Atakus accompanied a Skrall to an arena match in Vulcanus. When he was approached by an Agori sent by Raanu to gain the Skrall’s assistance in fighting against the Bone Hunters, he openly mocked the Agori’s attempts to gain the trust of the other villages and told him that the Skrall’s loyalty was temporary and for sale. After paying with a large amount of Thornax, the Agori gained Atakus’ Mark, allowing him to find a Skrall and purchase its seal, proof of their new contract to fight for Vulcanus.

Berix

Berix in the Wastelands.Berix as a set.

One day, Berix journeyed far from his village of Tajun to salvage old armor to use in the arena. Unfortunately, he encountered the Bone Hunter, Fero, and his Rock Steed, who chased him through the desert. The Bone Hunter was about to kill Berix when he was stopped by Gresh, Strakk, and Tarix. Berix thanked the Glatorian but sadly stated he did not have a way to repay their kindness. Although Strakk complained, Gresh stated that saving a life required no retribution.

The group was then attacked by a pack of Vorox, but the battle ended soon after, when Malum signaled for the Vorox to retreat. Berix then parted ways with the trio of Glatorian. Tarix later caught up with Berix, and the two engaged in a discussion.

An Agori was tasked by Raanu to seek the aid of the Glatorian in defending the village of Vulcanus from Bone Hunter raids. When he traveled to Tajun, Berix encountered him and revealed that he had been accused of stealing an ancient spear from the Atero Trophy offering, and the entire Water Tribe was under suspicion. Eager to clear his name, he told the Agori that if he could find a way to make another Ancient Spear he could prove his innocence and the Glatorian Tarix would gladly aid in defending the fire tribe.

Berix then proceeded to help the Agori salvage the pieces needed to reconstruct a Spear, and his name was eventually cleared when the traveling villager gave the completed Spear to Tarix.

Metus

Metus in the Wastelands.Metus as a set.

Metus travels all over Bara Magna in order to find a Glatorian who will fight in the arena for his tribe. His main job is traveling to promote Glatorian matches and recruit new fighters. He also dreams one day to fight beside a strong Glatorian for his village.

Once, while in Vulcanus, he was arguing with Raanu about the latter’s want of a Glatorian. Metus insisted that no one would ally with the Fire Tribe if it meant fighting a Skrall.

When an Agori sent by Raanu to seek help from several villages for Vulcanus arrived in Iconox, Metus approached the Agori and accused him of trying to step in on his business. He believed the Agori was seeking some kind of personal gain, but offered a deal in exchange for the location of a desert spring. The Agori readily agreed and gave Metus the location. Metus bestowed Iconox’s Favor upon the Agori and told him to seek out Strakk who would give him an audience with it.

Raanu

Raanu in the Wastelands.Raanu as a set.

Following the exile of Malum for crimes in the arena, Raanu found himself in a desperate search for a Glatorian to fight for his tribe. His village found itself without defense from the Bone Hunters and unable to defend claims in the arena. The Skrall took advantage of this, claiming the flame geysers north of Vulcanus. Unable to challenge their claim, he beseeched Metus to find him a Glatorian to do battle for the territory. Metus’s response was that no Glatorian would fight for him-not if it meant fighting a Skrall.

As his village suffered from daily Bone Hunter raids, Raanu in his desperation turned to a helpful Agori to seek out Malum and ask him to return to defend the village. Malum was unwilling to return, but he instructed the Agori on a way to unleash the Vorox on the Bone Hunters, distracting them and temporarily alleviating the raids on Vulcanus. Raanu was awed by the courage shown by the Agori and rewarded him with an Honor Badge to let all know of his deeds. The leader then sent him to Tesara to seek out both Tarduk and the Glatorian Gresh, to see if they might have a way to save Vulcanus. The Agori later returned with a document that contracted several Glatorian to defend the village from the Hunters – Raanu praised him for his efforts and gave him the highest Honor Badge available as way of thanks.

Tarduk

Tarduk in set form.

Tarduk was tasked to be one of the Agori maintaining the Arena Magna in Atero for the Glatorian tournament there.

Tarduk recently found himself as an intermediary when an Agori came to visit Tesara on behalf of Raanu to request the help of the Glatorian Gresh. He promised to introduce the Agori, but doubted his prowess, not believing he was tough enough to endure the undergrowth of the jungle. He asked the Agori to present him with an artifact, an ancient scroll, to show his ability. When the Agori did so, he happily presented him with an Honor Badge and showed him the way to Gresh.

The ancient scroll presented to Tarduk made him very happy, and he was eager to spend time deciphering its meaning to see if it would provide insight into their ancient past.

While searching for treasure near the city of Atero, Tarduk found a metal tablet that showed strange symbols and a map showing the Red Star. Desiring to seek out the location, he persuaded Crotesius, an Agori of the Fire Tribe, to help him round up an expedition.

Zesk

A Zesk in set form

Following the disaster on Bara Magna, the Zesk and the Vorox regressed into savages, eventually becoming little more than beasts. Thereafter, they were often forced to fight in arenas by other Agori.

Whilst on a quest to find a way of defending Vulcanus, an Agori went looking for a Zesk to test his Thornax Stew on, on the advice of the Glatorian Malum. He found a Zesk hiding in the sand, and avoided attack by quickly feeding it some of the stew. Satisfied, the beast spat out a musky-smelling ooze, the distinctive odor of which would identify him to Vorox as an ally of the Sand Tribe.

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Glatorians, Gladiators of Bionicle

I am currently grouping them as Toa.

Glatorian

  • Glatorian is a title given to those who are hired by villages to fight in arenas as well as other work.
  • All Glatorian are unique in appearance; no two Glatorian look the same.
  • Glatorian work for the Agori.
  • The Glatorian fight each other in arenas.
  • Depending on how badly one disobeys the arena rules, one can wind up exiled to the wastelands.
  • A Glatorian wins a battle when the opponent is rendered unable to fight.
  • There can be any number of Glatorian in a battle depending on the match rules.
  • The Glatorian utilize explosive fruit called Thornax as weapons.
  • Glatorian have tribe preferences in terms of working regularly for certain tribes.
  • Glatorian make various earnings for winning battles.
  • Glatorian can grow as old as Toa.
  • Friendships are accepted and expected among the Glatorian.
  • To be a Glatorian, one must be physically capable of winning a fight in the arena, and a village needs to trust that one can do so, since they are paying for one’s services.
  • Glatorian ride mounts called Sand Stalkers outside the arena.
  • Glatorian have the first right to claim scarce resources.
  • In the arena, participants rely purely on physical strength, tactics, and weaponry.
  • Before the disaster, Glatorian were soldiers.
  • There are less than one hundred Glatorian on Bara Magna.
  • They have had military training and they continue to train with each other.

Gresh

Gresh in the Arena.Gresh as a set.

In order to claim rights to an oasis, the Jungle Tribe sent Gresh to fight the Rock Tribe in the Vulcanus arena. While traversing through the deserts with Tarix and Strakk, Gresh encountered the Agori Berix fleeing from a Bone Hunter. Gresh intervened, saving the Agori’s life. Though outclassed by the Bone Hunter in strength, Gresh and his allies managed to defeat the Bone Hunter, forcing it to flee. Gresh, Tarix, and Strakk then followed the Agori to Vulcanus, encountering and defeating a pack of Vorox along the way.

Upon arriving at the arena, Gresh was soon forced into the fight, combating a vicious Skrall. The Skrall eventually overpowered Gresh, and defeated him. Before the Skrall was about to deliver a finishing blow, Tarix intervened, and forced the Skrall to spare Gresh’s life.

Returning to his home, Gresh was introduced to an Agori who had been sent by Raanu to ask the Glatorian if he would find a way to help Vulcanus, which was suffering from daily Bone Hunter raids and had no way to defend itself. Impressed by the Agori’s courage and willingness to help he suggested the Agori make a contract with him, Strakk, Tarix, and even the Skrall. After being paid, he gladly donated his own seal to the contract.

Malum

MalumThe Malum set.

Malum fought in the arena as a Glatorian in service of Raanu’s Fire Tribe. During one match, Malum broke a primary rule when he tried to kill an opponent who had already conceded defeat. As punishment for violating the code of combat, Malum was banished to the Wastelands of Bara Magna. He began wandering the deserts, challenging any Glatorian he chanced upon for his own gain.

Malum eventually became the leader of a pack of Vorox. When three of the Vorox emerged from the sand and attacked Strakk, Gresh, Tarix, and Berix, Malum signaled for them to retreat in the midst of their battle. He and his Vorox also attacked a Skrall party north of the Skrall River, although they disappeared into the sand during the battle.

After his banishment, Vulcanus began experiencing daily raids by the Bone Hunters. Desperate for a solution, Raanu entrusted a helpful Agori with seeking out Malum and asking that he return to defend the village. Malum refused, declaring that he would never help the village, but promising that he would figure something out if the Agori gave him some Thornax ammo.

Receiving it, he reluctantly made good on his deal by telling the Agori to make a stew from the Thornax to feed to the Bone Hunters, with the hope that it would placate them. Realizing, however, that the Hunters would not be happy if the stew was made wrong, he intoned that it might be wise to feed it to a Zesk first, then tell them the Bone Hunters had more of it. He suspected the Zesk might get the Vorox to raid their camps to look for more, temporarily relieving Vulcanus of its problems. He subsequently traded with the Agori, receiving Thornax in return for the Rock Salt needed to make the stew.

Skrall

A Skrall in the Arena.Skrall in set form.A Skrall in the Glatorian Promo Animation.

Skrall once fought in a great war before the Shattering took place. After the cataclysmic event, the Skrall were cut off from their homeland, and they conquered the region north of the Black Spike Mountains. However, the Skrall were soon attacked constantly by strange shapeshifters, until Tuma was the only Skrall of his class left, causing Tuma to bring the Rock Tribe south to Roxtus.

Until recently, Skrall did not participate in the social order of Bara Magna, preferring to operate on their own. However, Tuma’s goal of conquering Bara Magna has forced them into the system, competing with other tribes for resources and other valuables. Skrall are normally unnamed, but can earn themselves a name if they manage to distinguish themselves from the tribe, but the name can only be bestowed upon them by Tuma himself. Names unapproved by Tuma are forbidden, including nicknames. Additionally, only the Skrall that Tuma permits to battle in arenas may do so, and they are not permitted to work for any tribe other than the Rock Tribe.

A Skrall patrol was dispatched to the western ruins in search of the Certavus book. When they returned without it, Tuma reassigned them to a punishment of feeding the Spikit. Subsequently, the Skrall patrol was killed, as they were devoured by the Spikit.

Tuma then sent a Skrall, accompanied by Atakus, to Vulcanus, in order to claim an oasis the Jungle Tribe desperately needed. The Skrall overwhelmed his competitor, Gresh, and was about to kill him when Tarix intervened, warning the Skrall of the potential repercussions of his actions. The Skrall retreated, heading towards a mysterious cavern, where he met with an informant, who provided him with details of a trade caravan leaving from Tajun. The shadowy figure and the Skrall parted ways, and the Skrall headed to Roxtus, where he relayed his newly acquired information to Tuma.

A Skrall patrol leader received a parchment copy of the Bone Hunters plans to raid Vulcanus after a representative was sent. When his patrol was north of the Skrall River, they were ambushed by Malum and a pack of Vorox. Malum and the Vorox fled into the sands, leaving the patrol to return to Roxtus. The patrol leader informed Tuma, who assigned him to take a dozen Skrall and Rock Steeds to capture Malum.

A Skrall’s seal was purchased by an Agori sent by Raanu asking that it help aid in the defense of Vulcanus against the daily raids by Bone Hunters. The Skrall made it clear that a large payment was the only way to achieve it’s agreement, and that any other talk would lead to violence.

Strakk

Strakk firing his Thornax LauncherThe Strakk set.

The Glatorian Gresh was contracted by his village of Tesara to fight in the Vulcanus Arena against the Rock Tribe’s Skrall in a dispute over an oasis. He sought out Tarix and Strakk and together the three began the journey to the Fire Tribe. Along the way they encountered the Agori Berix, under attack by a Bone Hunter. Strakk and his allies managed to defeat the Bone Hunter, but Strakk was stampeded by the Rock Steed in the process. Berix was grateful to them for saving him but expressed grief at having no way to pay them. Gresh said that saving a life required no retribution, but Strakk disagreed, telling Gresh to “speak for himself.”

As the four continued to travel, they found themselves beset upon by a pack of wild Vorox. They managed to defend themselves until the pack retreated, seemingly at the signal of the exiled Glatorian Malum. When the Glatorian finally arrived, Strakk and Tarix served as spectators in the fight between Gresh and the Skrall. Although Strakk believed Gresh wouldn’t survive the fight, he was impressed with how long he managed to stay in the battle.

Later, when an Agori sent by Raanu to seek his help arrived at Iconox and showed him he had gained Iconox’s favor from Metus, Strakk was impressed and assumed that the Agori had used trickery to get it. He agreed to aid the other Glatorian in resisting the Bone Hunter raids that plagued Vulcanus, mentioning that he could use the opportunity to show his new moves, or to perhaps fake weakness in the ring to lull his enemies into a false sense of confidence the next time he fought them. In return for keeping quiet about his plans, he offered the Agori an Honor Badge that would allow him to seek an audience with the Skrall.

Tarix

TarixTarix as a set.

After the disaster which split Bara Magna from it’s original landmass, Tarix helped design the new social system. Since then, he has won over a thousand arena battles.

Tarix was the victor of the tournament in Arena Magna held one year ago, and is the current champion of the Glatorian.

When the Glatorian Gresh was asked by Tesara to do battle with a Skrall over a debated oasis, he agreed and began journeying to Vulcanus with Strakk and Tarix. On their way they found an Agori, Berix, being attacked by the Bone Hunter Fero. They eventually forced the Bone Hunter to retreat, and continued on their journey with the Agori, but were again attacked by a pack of Vorox. The group was able to fend them off until they finally retreated. Berix noticed a figure in the distance, and Tarix realized that it was the exiled Glatorian, Malum.

Finally reaching Vulcanus, Tarix and Strakk watched from the sidelines as Gresh was defeated by the Rock Tribe’s Skrall. Before the Skrall could deliver a killing blow, Tarix intervened, saving Gresh’s life. Tarix warned the Skrall of the repercussions of his actions and congratulated Gresh on surviving for nearly three minutes in the ring with it.

Tarix later found Berix while wandering the desert, conversing with the Agori on future events.

Tarix’s home of Tajun soon found its name slandered by accusations that their repaired artifacts were in fact stolen. A representative of Raanu, who had come to ask for the Glatorian’s help, was told to find an Ancient Spear that would clear the village’s good name. After succeeding, Tarix pledged his help to Vulcanus in defending it against the raids by the Bone Hunters, giving the Agori his seal.

Vorox

A Vorox firing its Thornax LauncherThe Vorox set.A Vorox in the wastelands of Bara Magna.

Vorox were once part of the Glatorian species and were known to be proud warriors, though they were typically more reclusive than others. When a cataclysm struck Bara Magna, the Vorox began to revert to a more primal species, eventually losing all individual identity. Vorox do not participate in the social system, but fight in the arena when forced to.

The Glatorian Malum was exiled from his village, and encountered a group of Vorox in the wastelands. By attacking and killing the leader, Malum was able to gain the allegience of this pack. Three of these Vorox later encountered and attacked Gresh, Strakk, Tarix, and Berix. During the battle, however, Malum signaled for them to retreat. Malum and his pack of Vorox later attacked a patrol of Skrall while they paused, but allowed them to survive before disappearing.

An Agori sent by Raanu to find a means of defending Vulcanus went looking for a Vorox to try and turn against the Bone Hunters. He encountered one in a wasteland cave and was saved from being eaten by a musk he had been given by a Zesk. The Agori proceeded to give the Vorox several of the Thornax Stews the Zesk had loved, and was given a Stinger Oath in return, essentially forming a peace treaty.

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