In the time, before time, I was the writer for the story of a fan game called BIONICLE: Universe. Now, about 2 years after IRL stuff forced me to resign, I revisited my old scripts and PMs and found that even 2 years later I really like the story I came up with. So, I figured I’d post it here and see what you guys think. It is very skeletal and it’s copy and pasted from the last update PM I sent to DethRaid. There were quite a few other things I could piece together and add from the numerous PMs to show how in depth it all was, but I’m too lazy atm. If anyone has RPG making skills and wants to make this into a game, send me a PM and we could try working it out. I’m pretty sure DethRaid wouldn’t care. ANYWAY, here we go:
PROLOGUE
A little over a year since the Great Cataclysm has passed. The villages are completed and new.
The Kanoka disks that were brought from Metru-Nui are mostly out of power.
Teridax arrives on Mata Nui. He uses Kraata to infect Kanohi, which he then places on Rahi.
The effect of the Matoran Spheres causes the Matoran to gradually lose their strength and memory.
Artakha hid 6 power level 8 Toa disks, 1 in each Wahi and 1 for each element, and they are found by 6 special Matoran. They all have the Onu-Metru special ability (the disk returns to it’s thrower)
Each Toa Disk has an image of it’s respective Matoran’s default mask and his/her default name written in Matoran lettering.
A powerful earthquake strikes the island and affects all 6 Wahi and the 6 Matoran. The earthquake was caused by Makuta and was intrnded to damage the Koros, but it also causes the Toa Disks to be found.
Background info on each Matoran, mentioned in game or in a cutscene. What mask he/she wears at the beginning of the game, a talent that reflects his/her personality, a default name for each (I got them from here), and how/where he/she found his/her Toa Disk:
Ta-Matoran: Tama
Great Kanohi Kaukau
Good at forging weapons and tools
While he is lava surfing the earthquake strikes and causes a small island to rise up in the middle of the fiery lake with a disk on it
Ga-Matoran: Whetu
Noble Kanohi Ruru
Skilled at making/using nautical things
Finds a Kanoka tangled in seaweed while diving to get a weighted net that was dropped overboard when the shockwave from the earthquake caused a tidal wave
Ko-Matoran: Tamati
Great Kanohi Kakama
Excellent navigator
While he is snowboarding the earthquake causes him to loose his balance and crash into a wall of ice. The wall of ice shatters to reveal a Disk embedded within
Onu-Matoran: Piripi
Noble Kanohi Komau
Adept at training uninfected Rahi for different tasks
While digging a tunnel for a new highway, the earthquake causes a cave in and he stumbles upon a Kanoka in a previously unknown cavern
Po-Matoran: Hohepa
Great Kanohi Miru
Able to quickly find structural weak points
While working in the new quarry the earthquake makes him drop a large stone that is revealed to be hollow with a Disk inside
Le-matoran: Anaru
Noble Kanohi Huna
Talented marksman, especially with Kanoka disks
Practicing his disk throwing when the earthquake hits causes him to loose his balance and fall off the limb he was on into the swamp below. The disk he threw ricochets off several trees before hitting an unusually large Madu fruit, which bursts open to reveal a Kanoka and covers Anaru in goo
CHAPTER ONE: Matoran of Mata-Nui
Location:
Island of Mata-Nui
Goals:
-Protect the Koro
-Resolve Crisis’s caused by the Earthquake
-Speak to all the Turaga
-Get Disk Launchers
Story:
Gameplay starts with whichever Matoran the player chooses, at the spot where that Matoran found his/her Toa Disk. Some exploring that general area could be used as a way to practice/learn using the controls, then when the player leaves that area he/she goes to the Koro of the Matoran he/she chose.
When the player arrives at the Koro there is a crisis of some sort, either an Infected Rahi is attacking or the earthquake caused critical damage to the Koro that has to be solved in a way that doesn’t endanger the other Matoran and with the use of his/her Toa Disk.
Having saved the village, the Matoran talks to his/her respective Turaga. I want write the Turaga’s dialog in a way that reflects a mix of their personalities as Toa and as they were later as Turaga.
Throughout the story, the Turaga will drop hints that saving Mata-Nui is not the players duty, and his/her destiny lies elsewhere.
At the end of the players first conversation with his/her Turaga he/she has two Goals: Talk to the other Turaga and acquire a Disk Launcher.
After talking to the Turaga, talking to the other Matoran is optional. The player can then leave and head for another Koro or explore more of the one he/she is already in.
When the player arrives at whatever Koro, that Koro is being affected by a crisis previously mentioned for that Koro and there the player adds the Matoran of that Koro to his/her party when he/she starts on solving the crisis.
Quests:
Disk Launcher quest:
Pekka owns 6 well used launchers and gave them to Tamaru for transport to Brander to fix.
Tamaru lost them when he was attacked by Rahi while traveling through Ga-Koro.
Okoth knows were they were lost, but can’t help till she finishes her task, and to finish she requires Flax from Amaya.
Once the player has bought/traded/whatever for the Flax, Okoth tells the player or goes with the player to where the launchers are. The launchers are unfortunately in a Tarakava den/cave/home/whatever.
The Tarakava is NOT fitted with an infected mask so it only gets mad of you enter it’s cave. The player has to somehow lure the Rahi out and retrieve the launchers without a confrontation.
Once the player has the launchers he/she goes to Ta-Koro and gives them to Brander to repair. However, Brander needs a few materials, some stuff from Tiribomba, some stuff from Mamru, and a set of blueprints from Jaa.
The player buys/trades/whatever for the stuff from Tiribomba.
Jaa needs help repairing tablets that fell and broke because of the quake. He gives the player the blueprints in exchange for help putting a few tablets back together. There are 3 tablets, the first is easy to put back together, the second is average, the third is hard. They’re basically BIONICLE jigsaw puzzles with Matoran writing on them.
The stuff needed from Mamru was buried by the earthquake and the player helps to dig it out and Mamru is so grateful he gives the player what he/she needs for free.
The player then takes the stuff to Brander and he starts working on them. The launchers are completed by the next day.
OR
I would assume that the player has acquired the Ta-Matoran for his/party, so maybe the player could fix them. It’d make an interesting little puzzle. There could be a work bench in Ta-Koro where the player can build/repair stuff if he/she has the Ta-Matoran, the materials, and the blueprints. That or once Brander has repaired them the player Ta-Matoran can use materials and blueprints from around the island to upgrade each individual Launcher, though still requiring the player to put together a little puzzle.
Crisis Quests:
Ta-Koro:
A river of lava is headed down the mountain toward Le-Koro and needs to be diverted before a uncontrollable forest fire starts. There is are 3 points near the bottom of the mountain where the player can bring down part of a cliff face in a way that will redirect the lava flow (requires the Po-Matoran)
Ga-Koro:
The crew of a Po-Matoran trader boat, consisting of Hewkii, Kamen, and Piatra, is wrecked on the reef, surrounded by Takea sharks, and the tide is rising. The player needs to navigate his/her boat through the reef to rescue them (requires the Ga-Matoran)
Note: I think it’d be funny/interesting if while the player is rescuing the three Po-Matoran crew members, Ahkmou shows up flailing in the water without any explanation. The reason being, of course, that Makuta teleported him there. Because of the chaos nobody questions his presence and because the Matoran’s memories are still foggy they sort of recognize him, at least to the point of knowing his name and assuming he’d been there all along.
Ko-Koro:
An avalanche buries several Matoran’s homes in chunks of ice. The player needs to remove the ice chunks so the Matoran trapped inside can escape. The homes, however, are on the edge of a cliff and removing the ice in the wrong way will cause a larger avalanche (requires the Ta-Matoran)
Onu-Koro:
The other Matoran working on the highway are trapped in the tunnel. The player needs to dig his way through without causing the tunnel to collapse more (requires the Onu-Matoran)
Po-Koro:
Somewhere along Leva Bay there was a dam that was damaged in the quake. The player has to freeze the cracks and keep the dam up long enough for the Po-Matoran that were working there to escape (requires the Ko-Matoran)
Le-Koro:
The support from several Matoran huts has been damaged and they are precariously balanced on a single tree limb. The player needs to clear away debri with without upsetting the balance so the trapped Matoran can escape. (requires Le-Matoran)
Rahi crisis (can happen in any Koro randomly):
Nui-Rama (easy)
Nui-Kopen (medium)
Nui-Jaga (medium)
Kane-Ra Bull (hard)
Muaka (hard)
When the player goes to a Koro he/she should see an area where the crisis is taking place and if he/she walks up to the crisis a nearby NPC explains what’s going on and the player offers to help. Once the player has offered to help he/she can’t leave the Koro until the crisis is resolved. A crisis will not pop up until the player has whatever Matoran is required to resolve it.
A Rahi Crisis happens randomly, at any location, and is unavoidable. The player could go to a Koro and nothing be happening and leave and go back and there’s a Rahi attacking. When a Rahi is attacking the player can’t leave the Koro until the Rahi is subdued by knocking off/destroying the infected Kanohi.
If the player goes outside the Koro then he/she could encounter other Rahi native to that Wahi, also under the control of Makuta. However, you can leave at any time if attacked outside the Koro.
Ta-Wahi
Ga-Wahi
Ko-Wahi
Onu-Wahi
Po-Wahi
Le-Wahi
Side Quests:
All side quests are relatively short and easy, train in one or more skills, and give the player unity points based on how the player did.
Ta-Koro:
Ga-Koro:
Help Marka repair her boat. Trains in Healing + Materials to upgrade the players boat
Note: I am operating on the assumption that once the Ga-Matoran joins the party the player can use her boat as long as the player remains on Mata-Nui. It could be upgraded in numerous ways; including, but not limited to, speed, maneuverability, maximum passenger or storage capacity, and durability. Upgrades could come from quests, random items (see next note), paying Marka to upgrade it, and/or other stuff.
Transport Po-Matoran Crew to Po-Koro. Trains in Navigation + Widgets
Help Kai retrieve her fishing gear from the bottom of the bay. Trains in Swimming + Trains in Fishing. Maybe Kai could also give the player her old fishing equipment.
Note: I think you mentioned somewhere that there would be some sort of treasure at the very bottom of Naho Bay. While I probably will include something like that later, this quest is not it. Also, I was thinking there could be a bunch of random items, both useful and useless, sunk to the bottom that the player could pick up. Maybe the item could be indistinct until the player picks it up, then the game will randomly select an item. You get the idea. I think Razz
Help Kotu nurse an injured Fusa back to health. Trains in Healing + Extra Unity points
Ko-Koro:
Onu-Koro:
Po-Koro:
Not sure about any details yet, but the middle of this quest popped in my head and I wanted to use it:
The player needs/wants to get something from someone. That someone wants some stuff from a carver. The carver doesn’t have time to make the needed stuff until he delivers a warning totem Onewa had him make from a specific rock for Ta-Koro. The player offers to take the warning totem to Ta-Koro for the carver so the carver can work on the other stuff. The carver agrees and the player takes the warning totem to Vakama in Ta-Koro. When the player returns to the carver he has completed the stuff and the player takes said stuff to the original somebody and gets something.
Note: I’ll probably make this part of a larger quest in a later chapter.
Le-Koro:
Dialogue:
For the most part there are 2 types of things you can talk about throughout the game with most NPCs. The specifics will of course change each chapter, but most dialogue will fit one of these categories.
Random time filling info gathering:
What the NPC is doing
The Koro
Current events
Goal specific:
Toa Disks
Disk Launcher
Dialogue in Ta-Koro:
Turaga Vakama
<root?Ta-Player>Hello , what do you wish to speak of?
{
<Disk<I found this Disk while I was lava surfing and the earthquake made a small island emerge in the center of the lake.
<you<Are you alright?
<quake<What caused that earthquake?
<Koro<How badly was the Koro damaged?
}
Disk>Legends tell of such Kanoka. They were forged in the honor of mighty Toa in the time before time.
{
<Toa<What is a Toa?
}
you>I am unharmed.
{
<Ta-Matoran<Are the rest of the villagers safe?
}
quake>I fear Makuta, the Master of Shadows, may have returned.
{
<Makuta<Who is “Makuta”?
}
Koro>The Koro is fortunately not badly damaged, though it could have been much worse.
{
<<
}
Toa>Legends say the Toa are powerful heroes, who protect the Matoran in any way they can, and always strive to follow the three virtues, Unity, Duty, and Destiny.
{
<me<This Disk has my name AND mask on it, but I’m no Toa!
}
Ta-Matoran>I believe all our brothers were lucky enough to have avoided serious injury.
{
<<
}
Ta-Matoran: “Turaga Vakama, I need to speak with you.”
Vakama: “You will need more than that before long, I fear. What do you wish to speak of?”
Ta-Matoran: (takes out disk and hands it to Vakama) “This. I found it while I was lava surfing and the earthquake made a small island emerge in the center of the lake.”
Vakama: (examines disk carefully) “Legends tell of such Kanoka. They were forged in the honor of mighty Toa in the time before time.”
Ta-Matoran:
A: “What is a Toa?”
B: “This Disk has my name AND mask on it, but I’m no Toa!”
C: “What is it for?”
Vakama:
A: “Legends say the Toa are powerful heroes, who protect the Matoran in any way they can, and always strive to follow the three virtues, Unity, Duty, and Destiny.”
B: “Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, but you are destined for more than you could possibly understand at this time.”
C: “Prophecies foretell the coming of six mighty heroes, who will protect the Matoran in these dark times. You must go and speak with my brothers and sister Turaga, and see if there will not be other Matoran who have found Toa Disks like you. (hands Disk back) Oh, and perhaps a Disk Launcher would be in order.”
Ta-Matoran: “Thank you Turaga Vakama, I will do as you suggest and seek out the other Turaga.”
Aft (Lava Farmer)
Agni (Ta-Koro Guard)
Aodhan (Lava Farmer)
Brander (Crafter)
Jala (Attendant, Captain of the Guard)
Kapura (Ta-Koro Guard)
Kalama (Ta-Koro Guard)
Keahi (Ta-Koro Guard)
Maglya (Lava Surfer)
Nuri (Ta-Koro Guard)
Tiribomba (Lava Farmer)
Vohon (Ta-Koro’s Trader)
Dialogue in Ga-Koro:
Turaga Nokama
<root?Ga-Player>Hello , what’s troubling you?
{
<Disk<I found this tangled in seaweed on the bottom of the ocean while I was retrieving a net that fell off my boat. Do you know what it is?
<you<Are you alright?
<wave<What caused that giant wave?
<Koro<How badly damaged is the Koro?
}
Disk>gasp This is a Toa Disk! They were forged in honor of powerful Toa in the distant past.
{
<Toa<Toa? Who or what is that?
}
you>I am fine, thank you. Are you also unharmed?
{
<Ga-Matoran<Yes, I managed to salvage my boat and most of my gear. Is everyone else safe?
}
wave>It seems there was a massive earthquake.
{
<island<Do you think it affected the rest of the island?
}
Koro>It seems that most of the structures are undamaged, but personal affects and decor has been strewn about or lost in the bay.
Toa>Toa are legendary heroes that the Great Beings sent to protect the Matoran in times of need.
{
<name<Why is my name and mask on it?
}
Ga-Matoran>There doesn’t appear to be any serious injuries.
island>Quite possibly, it was a very powerful quake.
{
<cause<Do you know what caused it?
}
name>That is a question I cannot answer, for I know not your destiny.
{
<action<What should I do with the Disk?
}
cause>I cannot say for certain, but I fear it may have been the work of Makuta.
{
<Makuta<Who is Makuta?
}
action>Go and speak with my brother Turaga, perhaps they will be able shed more light on this mystery. You may need to use that, a Disk Launcher might be of use.
{
<launcher<Do you have any idea where I could find a DiskLauncher?
}
Makuta>He is the jealous brother of the Great Spirit.
launcher>I recall Okoth said something about several that a Le-Matoran was transporting.
Thank you Turaga, I will do as you say.
Amaya (Flax Maker)
Hahli (Assistant Flax Maker)
Kai (Sailor)
Kailani (Crafter)
Kotu (Rahi Tender, Attendant)
Macku (Attendant)
Marka (■■■■■■■■■■)
Nireta (Navigator)
Nixie (“The Astrologer”)
Okoth (Ga-Koro’s Trader)
Pelagia (■■■■■■■■■■)
Shasa (Weaver)
Vhisola (Unknown, Worker repairing the Koro from the earthquake damage)
Dialogue in Ko-Koro:
Turaga Nuju
<root?Ko-Player>The Turaga greets you and says, to ask you what, uh, what, what it is you need to talk about?
{
<Disk<This.
<quake<That was not a natural quake.
<Koro<Is the Koro undamaged?.
<you<You two unharmed?
}
Disk>This is, uh, a Toa? Toa Disk. A powerful Kanoka that was made for a great hero.
{
<Toa<“Toa”?
}
quake>
{
<<
}
Koro>
{
<<
}
you>
{
<<
}
Toa>Toa are legend, er, legendary beings with the… Duty of protecting the Matoran.
{
<hero<Who is this “great hero”?
}
{
<<
}
{
<<
}
{
<<
}
hero>The Ka-Kanoka has your name and mask, .
{
<what<What should I do?
}
Ko-Matoran: “Turaga Nuju, there is a matter we need to discuss.”
Nuju: (translated by a still learning Matoro) “The Turaga says, um, to ask you what, uh, what, what it is you need to talk about?”
Ko-Matoran: (takes out disk and hands it to Nuju) “This.”
Nuju (translated): “This is, uh, a Toa? Toa Disk. A powerful Kanoka that was made for a great hero.”
Ko-Matoran:
A: “‘Toa’?”
B: “Who is this great hero?”
C: “What should I do?”
Nuju (translated):
A: “Toa are legend, er, legendary beings with the… Duty of protecting the Matoran.”
B: “The Ka-Kanoka has your name and mask, Matoran.”
C: “You should, uh, seek the assistance, no guidance, of my brother Turaga. A Kanoka, or Disk… Disk. Disk Launcher might be useful as well.”
Ko-Matoran: “Thank you, Turaga Nuju. (takes Disk back and bows slightly. Nods at Matoro) Matoro.”
Arktinen (Ice Smith)
Ehrye
Jaa (Scribe)
Jaatikko (Architect)
Kantai Hermit who lived in the Drifts)
Kokkan (Ko-Koro’s Trader)
Kopeke (Carver)
Kylma (Adept and Prophet)
Lumi (Seer)
Matoro (Attendant)
Pakastaa (Sanctum Guard)
Talvi (Sanctum Guard)
Toudo (Rahi Trapper)
Dialogue in Onu-Koro:
Turaga Whenua
Onu-Matoran: “Uh, Turaga Whenua? May I speak with about something?”
Whenua: “You are always welcome to speak with me, what did you wish to talk about?”
Onu-Matoran: “I found this in a small cave when the quake hit.” (hands disk to Whenua)
Whenua: (examines disk) “History speaks of such things as legends, this is a Kanoka made to honor a mighty Toa.”
Onu-Matoran:
A: “What were Toa?”
B: “Why was my name and mask forged onto the Disk?”
C: “What would you have done in my place?”
Whenua:
A: “Toa were heroes of great power that protected us in times past.”
B: “I cannot say, but it doubtless means you are Destined for more than you know.”
C: “I would have looked to the past to guide me. It has often been that six heroes arise at one time, perhaps you are not alone in your find. It would be wise to speak with my fellow Turaga. You might also seek a Disk Launcher, historically speaking when you have a Kanoka a launcher can be of considerable use.” (gives disk back)
Onu-Matoran: “Thank you for speaking with me Turaga, I will heed your words and seek the other Turaga and a Launcher.”
Aiyetoro (Miner)
Akamu (Crafter)
Azibo (Prospector)
Damek (Guard)
Dosne (Mining Captain)
Kaj (Guard)
Mamru (Chief Prospector)
Midak (Ussal Tender)
Nuparu (Engineer)
Onepu (Attendant, Captain of the Ussalry)
Taipu (Miner)
Tehutti (Miner)
Zemya (Onu-Koro’s Trader)
Dialogue in Po-Koro:
Turaga Onewa
Po-Matoran: "Turaga Onewa, may I speak with you?
Onewa: “I am always willing to listen to one of my young brothers. What about?”
Po-Matoran: “A stone in the quarry was shattered when the quake hit and this was inside.”
Ahkmou (Trader)
Ally (Po-Koro Guard)
Bour (Bricklayer)
Epena (Quarry Master)
Gadjati (Carver)
Golyo (Mahi Herder)
Hafu (Master Carver, Kolhii Player)
Hewkii (Attendant, Kolhii Player)
Kamen (Carver)
Kivi (Carver)
Pekka (Carpenter)
Piatra (Guard)
Podu (Kolhii Player)
Dialogue in Le-Koro:
Turaga Matau
Le-Matoran: “Turaga Matau, we must deap-talk.”
Matau: “Certainly ever-brave Matoran, about what must we deep-talk?”
Le-Matoran: (tosses disk to Matau) “Quick-found this while up-tree practicing my disk-throw. The ground-shake was hard-luck for my throw and my disk hit a huge-big Madu fruit that blew up. Crash-bang! I went down-tree ever-quick to to seek-find where my disk hard-fell and found this on the ground-path.”
Boreas (Gukko Defense Pilot)
Kongu (Attendant, Gukko Force Captain)
Kumo (Disk Maker)
Makani (Musician)
Orkahm (Gukko Defense Pilot)
Sanso (Musician)
Shu (Gukko Defense Pilot)
Taiki (Gukko Defense Pilot)
Tamaru (Forest Navigator)
Tuuli (Le-Koro’s Trader)
Vira (Gukko Defense Pilot)
End:
At the end of ever chapter the story can split 3 ways based on how many Light/Shadow points the player has. If the player has 0 then there’s a neutral story, if the player has 1+ Light points there’s a good story, and if the player has 1+ Shadow points there’s a bad story.
They would, of course, be parallel stories. The same things scenarios would happen, but the goals the player pursues and the way NPCs treat him/her would be different, and the difference would become greater and greater the farther along the player gets in the game. The light or shadow choices would also become more and more drastic as well, probably earning the player more and more Light/Shadow points for whichever side he/she chose.
This chapter ends when the player has completed the Disk Launcher Quest.
Then the player can then decide whether to just keep the launchers or take them to the rightful owner (the Po-Matoran Scholar).
If the player does the first he/she gets 1 Shadow point. Maybe Teridax leaves a note in the hut of the main Matoran the player chose at the start of the game, saying he/she is progressing well, written in Matoran, and signed “Makuta”.
If the player does the second the Po-Matoran tells him/her that he has no real use for the Disk Launchers and gives the launchers to the player for free, since he/she went to so much trouble to retrieve them. The player would also get some Unity points and 1 Light Point.
There is no third ending for this chapter since theres no way to end with 0 Light/Shadow points. There is no major difference in the second chapter as far as story goes, except that NPCs won’t trust you as much, so it’ll be harder to haggle and such.
