“Makaen, I believe, would rather not be a Toa. She behaves about the same as she did as a Matoran, aloof and lost in her books. I question whether her becoming a Toa has its purpose, or if she has found it herself.
The youngest member of the Toa Vihagu and one of the last to become a Toa, Makaen did not immediately throw in her lot with the Toa. The elemental potency of a Toa gave her the power to use a Chronicle of Power, an object she has always possessed interest in, which she uses to expand her repertoire of abilities. She now carries the item as her primary “weapon”, using her Ice-forging powers to create temporary weapons.
Makaen also possesses a vast memory - though hardly enough to retain the plethora of abilities she is taught through the Chronicle - and a rational mindset. She also has a considerable interest in the ancient history of Erkelon. While she is often aloof and can be cold, she is not hostile, and enjoys a good discussion on occasion."
Makaen has always been a “fan favorite” among the Vihagu, and I don’t know what to attribute that fact to. While I didn’t want to change much of the concept for her for the next version, lest that missing element be lost, I did want to change her colors to make her feel colder, so she is instantly recognizable as an ice user. Thus sand blue takes the place of azure, and dark blue makes its way into the mix.
Additional changes include:
*A brand new upper torso
*Replacing Strakk’s head with Gelu’s head on the skirt
*Replacing the fragile upper arms with CCBS
*Custom shins based on Therina’s
*Filling in the feet
I want to optimize her shins later down the line – I couldn’t use the same design as Therina because I wanted to retain Makaen’s petite status; just a little smaller than all the other Vihagu. I feel like I could come up with something better for the upper arms as well.
They had to be longer in this iteration so that the sand blue shells would fit. I can see about getting some shorter sand blue shells for the next version.
I, for one, think the arms length isn’t a problem. I think the elbows are too high up, though. So I would say shorten the shells but give the upper arm a friction adder and a 5 long white shell, and you’ll be good.
I definitely feel like this is the best of the updated Vihagu. She’s solid, well-designed, cohesive and thematic all at the same time. My biggest complaint is just that her torso sort of looks like a box at a side angle, and the Solek mask really doesn’t seem like it fits a female character very well at all…kinda has like…a huge beard lookin thing, if you ask me. Otherwise this is phenomenal.
Man, I’ve had a similar moc floating around for ages, even has the same skirt idea (different build) and same chestplate, guess I got beat to it. great moc, man.
Oh man, I’ve had this thing as a WIP for ages but I think two years still beats it out.
I wouldn’t be afraid to post it, loads of people have done the ice skirt thing with those parts, I’ve unfortunately lost my MOCs and WIPs so it doesn’t really matter.
