Hurel render:
also, I finished Xianos’ lore dump: (warning: it’s long)
Xianos
Xianos is the cunning and cruel Makuta of Irusia. In addition to that island, he is also the master of other Southern Islands in the eastern chain. Of particular note, Zera Nui - one of two southernmost islands in the Matoran Universe - is one of them. Xianos wears the Kanohi Crast, the Mask of Repulsion, although it is shaped, curiously enough, like a dark facsimile of the Kanohi Avohkii, the Mask of Light. His mask allows him to physically repel objects or beings around him. It makes for quite an effective shield at times, causing projectiles to careen away in random directions if shot at him. Xianos is also capable of achieving a limited form of flight by repelling the ground. In terms of his other powers, like all Makuta, Xianos possesses strong elemental shadow abilities as well as all forty-two Kraata powers. He can manipulate and create shadows with strength and precision greater than that of a Toa. The Kraata powers are as follows: accuracy, adaptation, anger, chain lightning, chameleon, confusion, cyclone, darkness, density control, disintegration, dodge, elasticity, electricity, fear, fire resistance, fragmentation, gravity, heat vision, hunger, ice resistance, illusion, insect control, laser vision, limited invulnerability, magnetism, mind reading, molecular disruption, plant control, plasma, poison, power scream, quick healing, Rahi control, shapeshifting, silence, sleep, slow, sonics, stasis field, teleportation, vacuum, and weather control. Although certainly very powerful and versatile, these 42 powers can only be used one at a time. In addition, Makuta have powerful mental and shapeshifting abilities, allowing them to create mental illusions, read minds, influence minds, or accomplish other psionic tasks. Their shapeshifting is very dangerous, as it allows them to change their form, but they cannot change their mass. To become smaller, they can shunt some of their current mass into a pocket dimension, which they can then retrieve later. To grow larger, they must absorb other beings with another ability known as a Shadow Hand. This is a large hand made of pure shadow which erupts from the Makuta’s chest, and latches onto the Makuta’s target. It then pulls back and the captured being is absorbed into the essence of the Makuta. However, the Makuta must then crush the consciousness of whomever they absorbed in order to have full control over their newly gained mass. If that wasn’t enough, Makuta also have the ability to infect Kanohi, bringing whoever wears it under their control, however if knocked off they revert to their usual selves. Infected Kanohi can also be cleansed if six elements are combined. Lastly, all Makuta can dissolve Kaita fusions and create Kraata, serpentine creatures composed of pure solid Antidermis, each with one of the Kraata Powers. Upon exposure to Energized Protodermis Kraata transform into Rahkshi armor, which a second Kraata of the same power can then enter and control. Rahkshi are a staple of Makuta activity, often called “the sons of Makuta” and make up portions of their armies. However, Makuta can only create a certain amount of Kraata in a given time, as doing so temporarily diminishes their energy and essence. Clearly, Makuta are very powerful beings. But that’s not all. Instead of being composed of a mix of mechanical and organic components like most other denizens of the Matoran Universe, Makuta are made of a substance known as Antidermis, greenish-black and gaslike, encased in protosteel armor. If outside their armor or another suitable body for too long, their Antidermis gas will dissipate and the Makuta will die. Their essence will also leak out if their armor is punctured or if their Kanohi are removed. As pure Antidermis, Makuta are unable to use most of their Kraata powers, but are still capable of using the mental ones such as fear or mind reading. As Antidermis, Makuta can take over robots or spiritless bodies, or be stored in a container of some kind and be all right. If not free-floating, their essence can also regenerate portions of itself. All Makuta lack any inner light, meaning they are full beings of shadow, but they were not always like this. In terms of weaponry, Makuta often have armories and rotate the weapons they use on a regular basis. In his large armored forms such as the one above, Xianos is often found wielding a long, thin blade known as the Sword of Darkness, through which he can channel his many powers. The sword is made from protosteel, as is his Kanohi Crast and armor. In addition, Xianos is also fond of using his shadow powers to generate twin forearm-mounted blades named Shadow Blades in battle. He is extremely dangerous in a fight, as like his brothers he is nearly 100,000 years old. Consequently, Xianos has had many, many years to hone his weapon skills and arsenal of powers and as a result is near impossible to bring down in a fight. He is intensely pragmatic, staggeringly powerful, and deviously intelligent, more than smart enough to use his environment and abilities to his advantage, as well as being capable of coming up with masterful strategies and tactics or just brute-forcing his way past any enemy. In the past, it is most often the former trait which served him well, as Xianos is most fond of using the formidable powers of his mind against his foes. Due to all these traits, Xianos is one of the more powerful and effective Makuta and as a result is on the higher end of the Brotherhood ranking system. Personality-wise, in addition to his pragmatism, resourcefulness, and intelligence, Xianos is also manipulative, cruel, ruthless, patient, and cunning, more than capable of generating false kindness and sympathy when needed. Outwardly, when not disguised, he generally appears emotionless and indifferent, but once he gets angry, he gets angry. Not necessarily louder, just angry. One of the few weaknesses he has is his occasional arrogance, a trait common to his species. Unlike other Makuta, he is not known to have a great lust for power, at least not on the outside. Xianos is only willing to take power when he is sure he can keep hold of it. Taking chances is definitely not preferred for him, and as a result he often has many backup plans in place should his main strategy fail in battle or elsewhere. Xianos is also not adverse to getting to know the inhabitants of his assigned islands, although he never reveals his true nature, often shapeshifting into a native species. Of course, the information he receives is all used towards his and to a more general extent the Brotherhood’s benefit. One particular instance of him doing this was the invasion of Irusia, accomplished by having infiltrated the island from the inside disguised as an Irusian named Vorrakis for some time. Vorrakis wore a Mask of Adaptation and had the power to slow things down. In actuality, both of these abilities were Xianos’ Kraata powers and sometimes shapeshifting. Like all of his Makuta brethren, Xianos was created out of Antidermis by the Great Spirit Mata Nui on a remote island very early on in the Matoran Universe’s history. Exactly one hundred Makuta were created, 85 male and 15 female, all of whom were members of the Brotherhood of Makuta. They were originally intended to make Rahi and fill the universe with biomechanical flora and fauna, but Xianos was never really much good at Rahi creation, unlike others like Mutran or Chirox. From the beginning, they were a benevolent organization, protectors of the Matoran and the universe in general, putting an end to the League of Six Kingdoms and Matoran Civil War in Metru Nui, but after years of jealousy of the Great Spirit and being spurred on by Teridax’s plotting and overthrowing of Miserix, the Brotherhood’s former leader, the Makua purged their inner light and begin planning to overthrow Mata Nui himself. It was around this point where the Makuta, originally biomechanical beings of solid Antidermis and mechanics, evolved into gaslike Antidermis in armor. After some adjustment and modification of their armor by the Nynrah Ghosts and Artakha, the Brotherhood killed many Toa of Iron and Magnetism to prevent them from exploiting their new forms’ potential vulnerabilities. Toa Serti managed to escape this purge, however, by fleeing to Irusia when Xianos’ attention was focused upon another island in his domain. Regarding Teridax’s plan to take over the Matoran Universe, Xianos didn’t think much of it but still sided with him, as, like Krika, he knew Teridax would hunt down any and all of the Makuta whose loyalties still lay with Miserix. Besides, why should the Brotherhood of Makuta, powerful, intelligent beings second only to the Great Spirit Mata Nui, be second forever? Xianos’ pragmatic nature saw no reason not to. After all, anything could be accomplished with the right planning. And so Xianos went along with Teridax’s plans, loyal to the Brotherhood leader and achieving what was asked of him with cold and razor-sharp efficiency. The Brotherhood of Makuta’s machinations came to a head when Teridax, Makuta of Metru Nui and current leader of the Brotherhood, attacked the Great Spirit with a virus, shutting down Mata Nui’s systems and causing him to plummet to Aqua Magna, the result of the impact being the Great Cataclysm. At the time, Xianos was undercover on Irusia as Vorrakis, internally realizing the great quakes which swept through the universe were a sign of Teridax’s success, but externally he had to act surprised and fearful like the rest of the Irusians at the time. This meant it was time to start preparing for the siege. Before he ventured to Metru Nui to masquerade as Turaga Dume, the island city’s leader, Teridax gave instructions to specific Makuta, including Xianos. The leader of the Makuta knew that Xianos would be able to handle the length and extent of his task: sieging and attacking Irusia and occupying the entire island with his army. The reason was a very well-kept secret known only to the higher ranks of Makuta, but it was adamant: the island of Irusia needed to be captured as soon as possible. And so, with his usual cold smile and icy indifference, Xianos set to his assignment as soon as he could after the Great Cataclysm. It was at this point in time where he used his Vorrakis disguise the most, scouting and exploring the entirety of Irusia to find the weak spots in its defenses, and managing to gain the trust of the island’s elected leader, Karusa. Xianos also managed to turn three of the natives to his side, those natives being Nenta, Hurel, and Adros, although the last one is a bit of a stretch - all he really did was offer him a substantial sum of money. Anyways, after around thirty years of planning and waiting for Irusia to rebuild and become stable again, Xianos prepared to launch his main assault. But first, he had to gain one more lieutenant. After a quick search, he found one: Vakras. Xianos kidnapped the miner personally, and then exposed him to a variety of Makuta viruses designed to corrupt his body and mind, changing him from a gray-armored timid miner to a black-armored cruel warrior. He then trained the now-loyal Vakras in battle techniques and manipulation, morphing the corrupted Irusian into his most loyal lieutenant and gifting him his Kanohi Tryna. But, as stated above, because Xianos was unwilling to take chances, while the mind-link he established with each of his four Irusian generals allowed them to mentally communicate as well as control Xianos’ armies, it also allowed the Makuta to control them completely, meaning that any attempted rebellions could be quashed immediately. This was used most often on Adros, the least loyal member of the group, with him being little more than a mercenary. With that, the siege began. During the chaos, Xianos’ forces captured Dekan, one of few Irusian crystal-smiths still living. The Makuta forced the old blacksmith to craft an Irusian crystal scythe for Vakras, and he did, but was broken free of Xianos’ confinement by Karusa and Whari. Ultimately, while Rukah, Dekan, Karusa, Whari, Rutar, Serti, Vedra, Ohira, Dektra, Letarin, Kerik, Trevinas, and Castan managed to escape the now-occupied island, the siege was a success, with Xianos and his army taking over and capturing the entire island of Irusia. Currently, Xianos is on Irusia, keeping an eye out for any potential insurrections among the population or from the outside, confident his forces can crush any uprising.