I’ve been writing a Bionicle fan story for the past month and thought I might as well share it. Here is a little guide I wrote for my non-fan friends and family, it also helps introduce certain things in the story. Tell me what you think.
Bionicle
Deceiving Dreams: A Hand Guide
Part 1: Places, Characters and Events
In the universe of Bionicle, there are many different names and words that are unfamiliar to most, the important ones are these.
Spherus Magna (And Mata Nui): A massive planet consisting of three distinct regions, these being the Bota Magnan Jungle, the Sea of Sand, and the Endless Sea. The history of this world is that 100,000 years ago a war broke out and the planet was split into three planets. The Mata Nui robot was built to recreate the planet, but instead was put into a deep sleep. It was awakened by the Toa after 100,000 years and reformed Spherus Magna. The Matoran Migrated to Spherus Magna after the Robot was destroyed. Also home of New Atero and it’s surrounding element based Magna.
Matoran: Biomechanical organisms that do not require food, but do require water or liquid Protodermis and Air. The separate themselves by elements, which are Fire, Water, Stone, Earth, Air, Ice, Plasma, Sonics, Psionics (Mind control), Gravity, Lightning, The Green (Plant life), Magnetism, Iron, Light and Shadow. These are even further defined by some bring Gender locked, with Psionics, Lightning, and Water being female. Fire, Stone, Earth, Ari, Ice, Plasma, Sonics, Gravity, The Green, Magnetism, and Iron, being Male, Light and Shadow could be either. They are shorter than most beings, and are usually around five feet tall. They require Kanohi to live, but do not have access to the powers of them. It shall also be noted that they do not experience Romantic Love. They do not belong on Spherus Magna, but migrated after their world, a robot named Mata Nui, was destroyed.
Agori: Organic organisms that require Food, Air and Water to survive. They are not completely organic and instead have some small biomechanical implants. They are also separated by elements, but instead they are Fire, Water, Rock, Sand, Jungle and Ice. They are not Gender Locked and instead can be any gender regardless of element. They are only a few inches taller than Matoran.
Toa: Biomechanical organisms that require air and water or liquid Protodermis. They are the second form of Matoran. They consist of the same elements and can use them as powers and manipulate them. They also require Kanohi masks to survive and can manipulate their powers. They also use weapons to channel their emergy. They can sacrifice their power to create new Toa out of Matoran. They are bound not to kill but sometimes disobey that rule. They are at least six to seven feet tall.
Kanohi: Masks that cover all or most of the face of a Matoran, Toa, Or other Mata Nui inhabitant if possible. They inherently come with powers and come in the forms of Great, Noble or Powerless. Great masks have the full extent of the masks power, Excluding Nuva masks (See Energized Protodermis), Noble masks have a percentage of that power, and Powerless are just that. They come in many shapes and sized and will either be called by name or “the mask of____”. Agori and Glatorian cannot use them, neither can Skakdi or Vortixx.
Glatorian: Organic beings that also have biomechanical implants and require food, water and air. They are taller than Agori but follow the same rules, they are just as tall as Toa.
Turaga: The third phase of a Matoran. After a Toa sacrifices their power in any way they transform into Turaga, overseers of the universe and wizened guides. They follow the same rules of Toa and Matoran and wear Noble masks.
Energized Protodermis: A substance that mutates or destroys depending on your destiny. Also a living being. Can transform great masks into Nuva masks which are even more powerful, and also Toa into Toa Nuva.
The Toa Mata: The first team of Toa built tasked with reviving Mata Nui. Consists of Tahu, Toa of Fire, Kopaka Toa of Ice, Gali, Toa of Water, Lewa Toa of Air, Pohatu, Toa of Stone, and Onua Toa of Earth. Sacrificed their power to build the City of New Atero and the surrounding Magna. Now Turaga.
Toa Metru: Toa team which stopped the first attack of Makuta Teridax. Sacrificed their power to save the Matoran who were held in matoran spheres. Now Turaga.
Toa Mahri: A Toa team consisting of five members that were once Matoran. The sixth member, Mataro, sacrificed himself to save Mata-Nui (being).
Toa Hagah: An early team if Yoa, once served Makuta, transformed into diminutive creatures by a Vortixx, reverted back and now serve as gaurdians of New Atero.
Karzahni: Island in Mata Nui, Being ruling the Island, also word for Hell. Being deceased. Island Destroyed
Artahka: Island in Mata Nui, being ruling the island, also word for heaven. Being Alive, Island Destroyed.
Mata-Nui (being): The Spirit controlling the Mata Nui robot. In a deep sleep thanks to Makuta Teridax. Was revived but had his spirit kicked out by Makuta Teridax who assumed control. Later defeated Makuta and Reformed the planet.
Makuta Teridax: Evil being that was jealous of Mata-Nui and put him into the sleep. Later controlled the robot but was killed by Mata-Nui (being). Part of the Makuta Species, but the rest don’t matter because their dead.
Metru Nui: The island making up the head of Mata Nui, currently destroyed.
Mata-Nui (Island): The island formed on the face of the Mata Nui Robot when he was asleep in the sea. Now destroyed.
Bohrok: Round robots capable of rolling into a ball. Also come with shields capable of channeling their elemental power. They consist of the powers of Fire, Water, Earth, Acid Stone and Ice. Destroyed Mata Nui (Island).
Rahkshi: Creatures created by Makuta. Destroyed part of Mata Nui (Island). Now extinct.
The Three Virtues: The laws the Matoran live by. Consist of Unity, Duty and Destiny.
Part 2: Matoran Language
The book has many different words based on the Language of the inhabitants, these are.
Ta: Fire
Ga: Water
Po: Stone
Ko: Ice
Onu: Earth
Le: Air (some Le-Matoran speak tree speak, which combines words like “nice-happy”)
Ba: Gravity
Ce: Psionics
Av: Light
Kra: Shadow
Bo: The Green
Su: Plasma
Vo: Lightning
Fe: Iron
De: Sonics (This and all of the above abbreviations are used only with Matoran Words, Examples: Ta-Matoran, Ga-Magna, Ect. And not as a replacement for the words they mean.)
Rahi: Biomechanical Animals
Kohli: A game played with a ball, two goals, and sticks consisting of a scoop and a hammer.
Widgets: Currency, shaped like gears.
Akalini: Game similar to Kohli, Replaced Sticks with Launchers and Balls with Kanoka Discs, which are used to form masks. Gave out Copper masks to winners.
Tarakava: Amphibious creatures with a deadly punch. Known to be aggressive.
Astrology: Different for Matoran than us. Use stars to discern prophesies based on Destiny. Not occult.
Toa Stones: Stones imbued with Toa Power. Can be used to transform a Matoran into a Toa at a predestined time.
Protodermis: An extremely dextrose material that can coexist as Solid an Liquid. When solid it can be formed into any material, including metals and tissues. It made up the entirety of the Matoran Universe (The Mata Nui Robot) and can be consumed in place of water. It is less common on Spherus Magna, but was used in conjunction with natural elements to forge New Atero.
Sand Stalker: Organic Creature native to the Sea of Sand.