A Happy Halloween to you all, and a warm welcome to the first in a (likely long) series of posts dedicated to exploring my custom Bionicle world. This first one will be suitably spooky, and will explain everything about the Underplane and its caretaker. Before we begin, though, it should be noted that I have renamed a bunch of things. You may be somewhat familiar with Nightmare King Giriin who rules over the Nightmare Realm, but I’ve decided to change things up so they’re a little less obviously copied from a certain bug game. Now, we have Under King Girin, ruler of the Underplane. I would also like to mention that I will be writing these from the perspective of my self moc, Lord Atlan (who I don’t believe I’ve posted here yet). So, without further ado, let’s begin.
The Underplane
The Underplane is a realm “beneath” our own where those who discard the Three Virtues will find themselves upon their deaths. It is a twisted place of torment that is ruled over by an even more twisted King. Although it may be possible to enter the Underplane using teleportation magic or a Kanohi Olmak, it’s nearly impossible to escape. Only the realm’s stewards have the power to leave the realm.
When a corrupt, cruel, or otherwise “evil” individual dies, their soul will be sent to the Underplane. The soul, while not undergoing any physical damage, will be subjected to intense and lifelike nightmares custom-tailored to them for maximum torment. Due to the timeless nature of the Underplane, an individual can experience centuries and even millennia of mental torture in mere months. When a soul is sufficiently broken, it is cast away into a place known only as the Beneath.
Alas, that is the extent of what I can write while being confident in my truthfulness. As I’m sure you have gathered, it is hard to glean information about the Underplane. All I have to base this journal off are ancient carvings and the ramblings of various cults, none of which are entirely reliable. I do, however, have one source that I am reasonably certain is reliable. Though they wish to remain anonymous, I can vouch for their trustworthiness and honor. Nevertheless, I will not purport their word as pure fact, and their description of the Underplane may not be entirely accurate.
The Underplane is divided into two entirely separate realms: The “Above” and the “Beneath”. The Above is a vast, likely infinitely expansive plane characterized by a bright red sky and a floor of thick, blood-red clouds. It is dotted with small floating islands of obsidian, each serving as a single soul’s private island of torment. In what can be assumed is the “center” of the realm stands a tall castle on the largest island, the home of the Under King.
Below the sea of clouds is what is known as the Beneath. No one, not even my source, knows what lies in the Beneath. All that I can write is that the Under King banishes sufficiently tortured souls here, and they are never seen or heard from again.
The ruler of the Underplane is an evil, sadistic Makuta who takes great pleasure in watching the living suffer. His name is Girin, and he wears the mantle of Under King. I count myself lucky to have never encountered him, although like all things that dream, I have experienced his handiwork. My source, who I mentioned previously, has met with and even bested Girin in the battlefield of wits.
Girin is incredibly skilled at making deals. He is charming and charismatic, and can even appear caring. He will appear as a friend and offer you gifts. Believe none of it. Girin is a snake, and cares little for anyone or anything other than himself and his own amusement. I have heard a myriad of tales in which a greedy or selfish wretch has been lured in and given everything they could desire, only for their entire world to crumble around them. Of course, not everyone would make deals for selfish reasons. Those who sell their souls for noble reasons may escape the falls from grace that Girin so loves, but they will still suffer the same fate in the Underplane. It is for this reason that I advise against resorting to a deal with the Under King unless it is absolutely necessary.
No evil being is complete without their servants, and the Under King is no different. A team of four corrupted and deformed Toa, along with his impish Familiar, serve him.
Burum is Girin’s Familiar (a concept which I will discuss more in a later journal). He is the King’s most faithful and loyal servant, as he was quite literally designed to be so. In the Underplane, Burum carries out tasks Girin cannot quite be bothered to, such as tending to the majority of ■■■■■■ souls and completing deals on Girin’s behalf.
Boga-Manas was the first of Girin’s Liegemen, the name he has given to his Toa Hagah. This poor creature was once two Toa, though after selling their souls in order to save their village, they were fused into this beast and forced into the Liegemen. Now, she lurks in the swamps of Bota Gaia, striking fear into unwary explorers.
Toa Vespi was the second of the Liegemen. Always cruel and power-hungry, Vespi has enjoyed her time as a Liegeman well. She works as an assassin for Girin. Should someone sell their souls in exchange for the murder of another, the Under King will dispatch Vespi to do the deed. She is only too happy to oblige.
Toa Mohavo is a similar case to Boga-Manas. He was a noble Toa who simply wanted to save his town from certain death. The bargain was struck, and it came at great cost. Mohavo was turned into a murderous hunter that picked off his former villagers one by one. Now, he roams the Roxtus Desert, terrorizing the numerous small settlements there.
Toa Ceviri is the most recent Liegemen. You may be familiar with our universe’s Toa Ceviri, a prominent figure in the Church of Mata Nui. This is not her. This Ceviri is a twisted version of her from an alternate reality. Once a priestess of Tren Krom, now the self-proclaimed Priestess of Nightmares leads the cult known as the Shepherds of Scarlet Flame. She works to spread knowledge of Girin’s services to the unknowing, expanding his influence on the world.
-Lord Atlan, Explorer and Naturalist
