The Brotherhood of Makuta - What About a Community MOC Project?

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@Rac

I’ve been thinking about Makuta Verahk a little, since I was working on his drawing. I read his “original” backstory, looked at your MOC’s topic and …

Well, @Windfall’s Makuta Dredzek topic might mention a Makuta Verahk, but for the “Book of the Brotherhood” I changed so many little things in various Makuta’s backstories that this mentioning isn’t really of importance anymore. Also Verahk doesn’t get mentioned in the “Book of the Brotherhood” entry of Dredzek.

About Verahk’s Custom Bionicle Wiki backstory: It doesn’t work for me at all in terms of G1 canon lore.

And about your MOC: Well, it definitely doesn’t look much like the “original” Verahk.
In addition - if I remember correctly - you just used the name and gave reference to the Custom Bionicle Wiki but didn’t have specific permission by Verahk’s original creator to use anything.

In short: We have a Makuta Verahk that looks nothing like the original, who will get a totally different backstory/ will be a totally different character, and who isn’t needed anymore simply because of the name. Pontential “copyright” issues aside.

Thus I deem it best if his name perhaps gets slightly changed. Something like “Vernahk” perhaps, but I’ll leave that up to you.
You don’t need to change anything in the MOC’s topic.

Updated list is in post 702
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

1 Like
729

What about Verana?

730

@Rac

“Verana” sounds a little too feminine to me. But if this is what you want to change it into, I’ll do that …?

Updated list is in post 702
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

731

Really? I guess that’s mainly because it ends in an “a”. And now that you mention it, I can’t imagine it as non-feminine, so…
What about “Venarak” then?

1 Like
732

@Rac

Ok, I’ll change the name into Venarak on the list and put it on the drawing then.

That’s 30 drawings done and 20 backstories written of which 13 are already edited. It’s slow work, it’s hard work, but I think it will be worth it.

Updated list is in post 702
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

1 Like
733

Finally have time to work on this. Been quite a while, too. Ah, well.

As long as AP work doesn’t pile up I should be working on her for a bit.

1 Like
734

@Aegyptiacus

Ok. Take all the time you need, but it would be great if you could give feedback on your progress at least once a month since you have one of the very limited female Makuta. Thanks!

And for everyone … I’ve been working quite a lot on the “Book of the Brotherhood” and the drawings lately, as you maybe have seen on the list. Well, let’s say I feel like some Makuta’s personalities and backstories get a little repetitive at times. Especially brutal warriors and creators of very dangerous Rahi seem a little overrepresented to me.
The Makuta were originaly created as scientists. Even if they took it later upon themselves to keep peace in the Matoran Universe this still doesn’t make them essentially skilled and brutal warriors. The Brotherhood had an army second to none - why would the Makuta need to be warriors themselves? Generals, yes. A few who used their combat skills on special targets, yes. But I feel like we have already enough of them.
Dangerous Rahi? Of course there are some, but Matoran seem to be able to travel around without stumbling over a Doom Viper every few steps. This project needs more Makuta who actually built working ecosystems, not deathtraps, who spent their time analyzing how the Universe worked, not how to wreak havoc in it.
Especially the Makuta who died before Teridax became leader of the Brotherhood should have pursued more… peaceful goals. After Teridax replaced Miserix, there was more room for excentric or morally questionable experiments. However, this doesn’t mean that the Makuta aren’t allowed to try gaining something from their new knowledge. A Rahi creator who studied how ecosystems worked might have hoped that he/she could create a Rahi that could adapt to nearly every environment and thus became one of the best known Rahi in the Matoran Universe - earning its creator some fame within the Brotherhood.

Ok, enough talk, here are the two new rules I’ve thought up on that matter:

1) Warrior rule:
Your Makuta isn’t allowed to be a full-time warrior or best known for his/her fighting abilities. Your Makuta is allowed to fight in the battle against the Barraki, but should only play a minor role there.

2) Rahi creator rule:
Your Makuta isn’t allowed to specifically create only/mostly dangerous Rahi, very big Rahi or try to create anything other that is particularly big and/or dangerous.

As always these rules are open for discussion before they get added to the official rules for this project. @pizzacheetah, @21sselliW - you probably are most interested in this again ;).

Updated list is in post 702
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

3 Likes
735

I figured this would be inevitable. There’s no way to make 100 Makuta without them being a little redundant.

That said, how many Makuta are warriors? By my count, 23 of the current 59 with backstories (And that’s only those I remembered the backstories for) Female Makuta in particular seem to be warriors, or some other role, and I think Kindrix is the only real Rahi Maker (Not counting Kraiden, whose backstory isn’t given) There’s also some diplomats/island rulers/other roles, and with those, it goes up to 31.

Now how many Makuta have been driven Rahi makers/experimenters? (The Makuta didn’t just create Rahi; that was just their biggest thing) I count 15 (I’m counting Xoth and Isthra here, since I didn’t say what they do) Yet, what were Makuta most known for before Teridax? Okay, besides the war with the league, they were known for making Rahi, for experimenting, and working with viruses. Even taking out Mata Nui was done with science. And the Karda Nui team had two scientists (Chirox and Mutran).

What about the Makuta who created dangerous Rahi? Uloki, Chirox, Napak, Erevor, Shornos, and maybe some others I can’t recall off-hand. I’d be willing to accept maybe one more, but more than that seems to be pushing it.

I’d like to see a Makuta or two who died not because his Rahi killed him, not because she died in battle, but just because of an experiment gone wrong. Of those, we only have Ormen.

~W12~

3 Likes
736

To quote myself:
“Only weirdos like Icarax actually practiced combat frequently, the others all had things to do. Makuta things. [Insert vague description of the Brotherhood’s role under Mata Nui here]”

Jokes aside, combat wasn’t really the reason the Makuta were made, so a whole quarter of the Brotherhood being dedicated warriors seems like a fair amount.

1 Like
737

@21sselliW

I haven’t counted, but the numbers you gave seem about right to me. With some Makuta I interepreted the backstories a little differnetly than probably expected just to get some more diversity.

It’s interesting that you see Isthra as a Rahi creator rather than a warrior since the information you gave about her made her more or less a “Gorast-type” in my opinion.

The way I see it there are roughly five main types you could classify the Makuta in:

  • Rulers
  • Rahi Scientists
  • Other Scientists
  • Warriors
  • Special Assignments (these might overlap a bit with others, but these Makuta have “jobs” that make sense to have in a major organization of the Matoran Universe)

… you know, I might as well add a rough list (only including Makuta that I presently definitely know what to make of - and only out of memory)

Rulers:
Teridax, Krika, Miserix, Antroz, Jsasax, Furtaan

Rahi scientists:
Mutran, Chirox, Xoth, Hesbrix, Uloki, Clanik, Anjan, Manguopo, Napak, Aplekisa, Irutra, Kindrix, Ahkaxx, Shornos

Other scientists:
Netrux, Venarak, Tridax, Marzek, Ormen

Warriors:
Icarax, Bitil, Jarnat, Gantil, Troodax, Crytoss, Erevor, Piraunga, Erdorn, Gorast, Isthra, Scarla, Thorkahn

Special assignments:
Tagah, Hormahk, Dredzek, Xirok, Ornek, Tak, Jormuntrax, Cenred, Sachel, Karthax

1 Like
738

Okay, so I’m not perfect. I forgot I gave Isthra a personality.

~W12~

739

@21sselliW

If you want you can change Isthra’s personality a little, I’m currently working on her text, so if you’re quick…

Updated list is in post 702
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

740

Well, I don’t mind her being a warrior, but I would like to add a bit to her personality. I like the idea of her acting as fierce as Gorast around others, but actually being kind at heart, though she only drops her “fierce warrior” front around Xoth.

~W12~

741

@21sselliW

Fits with what I indicated in Xoth’s entry. I’ll see what I can do.

Updated list is in post 702
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

742

I would add Lomois to this list.

743

@Leoxandar

Like I said, it’s not a complete list and I wrote it solely out of memory. I simply forgot what Lomois did exactly and didn’t want to look it up.

Updated list is in post 702
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

744

If you want, you can say that most of Uloki’s creations only had a few specimens, since that’s all Uloki would usually make before he got bored and started trying to make something even more dangerous.
Since the more dangerous Rahi types seem to be rare anyway, this would make sense, and it fits Uloki’s personality.

1 Like
745

I’ll add the two new rules to post 702 now:

  • Warrior Rule
  • Rahi creator Rule

Make sure to read them before writing your MOC’s backstory.

Also there’s a new forbidden mask: Mautru, Mask of Mutation

EDIT:

@Sammythekat

If I remember correctly you expressed your willingness to help out with the drawings … well, I might have something where I could require some help: making up designs for Kanohi that don’t have a canon design.

I’ve made up a few I like and a few that look horrible, but I’m running out of ideas …

So, would you be interested?

Updated list is in post 702
New rules in post 702
New mask added to Kanohi rule - Mautru, Mask of Mutation
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

2 Likes
746

Of course

hit me up with a list of them that i need to design!

2 Likes
747

@Sammythekat

Great to hear!

So, what I need are designs that show the mask directly from the front. Use as much detail as you want. As long as I can clearly make everything out I should be able to copy it - the one thing I’m actually good at with a pencil. Colour is not needed.

Upload your drawings either in this topic or in the artwork section of the message boards - if you do the latter, make sure that I see it, though.

If you can, try to base the designs upon the heads of the MOCs wearing the masks to some extend and/or try to make the masks hint at the power they give the wearer. This is all optional, though, so if you have a specific idea then go for it.

In general you can see on the list in post 702 which Makuta I haven’t drawn yet and which I’m doing next.
To name the masks you should currently focus on however:

  • Mask of Psychometry (should fit a Toa also from the look of it); canon mask
  • Makau, Mask of Paranoia - makes the user know everything going on within 3 bio
  • Mask of Voids - allows the wearer to banish beings and objects into the Field of Shadows; immoral mask
  • Galya, Mask of Rising - revives the wearer after his death as long as his body’s vital systems are still intact; immoral mask
  • Ifriti, Mask of Rage - allows the wearer to go berserk and keeps everything in his body working for a certain amount of time, even if by rights it shouldn’t; can only be triggered when wearer is enraged; immoral mask

(powers might vary a little from what is written in the topics of the MOCs, but I felt like some minor changes or limitations are needed)

I think that’s enough for now. Best focus on the Mask of Psychometry first, since I’m drawing Jormuntrax next.

Thanks in advance!

Updated list is in post 702
New rules in post 702
New mask added to Kanohi rule - Mautru, Mask of Mutation
Rules can be found in post 702 and additions in post 1

2 Likes