An excerpt from Baridi, the Scholar
“Legends tell of an ancient group of heroes. Spirits of their elements and Masters of their domains, descending from the aether, to the lonely barren Yerma-Magna. These beings would shape the planet and those who would populate it, the Matoran. Try to understand, the Toa M’Kuu is a term seldom used by the greater Matoran villages of Yerma-Magna for they did not see these heroes as something so familiar. There were no Toa in the earliest eons of their history. The few fleeting memories of any of these beings were attributed to visions at best or delusions at worst.”
“Nevertheless, the Toa M’Kuu did exist. They were the first beings created on Yerma-Magna and they would be the planet’s first line of defense in the war that would soon follow. I myself bore witness to the opening act of this conflict and to this day, the battle rages on. But that is a story for another day. Today, I offer you a glimpse, unfettered by the passage of time, of our first protectors on Yerma-Magna, the Toa M’Kuu.”
“The Toa M’Kuu were the very first creations of the the mysterious Uumbaji, a Great Being of incomprehensible knowledge and power. Manipulating the 14 elements of our universe, he forged the Toa M’Kuu with the power of his incredible mind. After a few thousand years, the Toa M’Kuu, who only had to contend with themselves and a few bizarre creatures called “Rahi”, stumbled upon beings of a similar but diminutive stature to their own. These would be called the Matoran, the newest creations of the Great Being. As if a hidden directive was unlocked, the Toa M’Kuu realized that they were to take in and protect this chosen species forevermore. They split up the Matoran that matched their element and began the Great Exodus to where they would ultimately call home; fourteen separate villages scattered across the continent.”
“Alas, this knowledge was lost to the rest of the Matoran, for a mighty cataclysm would soon envelope the planet and see the untimely demise of nearly all of the Toa. To all but the Ko-Matoran, this moment is nothing more than ‘the day the stars fell’. They do not know why they call it this, nor do we know how they have seemingly forgotten that their sworn protectors were real, corporeal beings. Instead, the Matoran would recite the legend of the Spirits and heroes; a tale of the ten deities and their four mortal champions that shaped and protected Yerma-Magna.”
“At the apex of their Pantheon was Levita, Spirit of the Light. She who brought down ‘The Engines of Creation’ and shaped the planet in a brilliant blinding flash. She would be the Patroness of the cosmos and creation.”
“The Forces Trio
Believed to have been created and enlisted by Levita to maintain the newborn planet of Yerma-Magna. Drük, Spirit of the Deep who with a single large claw, wielding a mystical chain, tethering Yerma-Magna to its sun to keep it within its orbital course. Matuo, Spirit of the Core who is said to forever maintain a healthy flame within the center of Yerma-Magna while in a dream-like trance. The shifting of Continents was attributed to his restless slumber. And Nguvu, Spirit of the Bind who keeps the planet’s axis in check at all times.”
“The Planetary Trio
The Land, Sea, and Air. The cradles in which we were nurtured. Lygnus, Spirit of the Wilds who watched and protected the untamed and unconquered lands. Farin, Spirit of the Waves who keeps all the waters of Yerma-Magna in constant motion and all the storms as well. And Tropoto, Spirit of the Winds who aids his sister Farin and acts as the messenger between all the pantheon.”
“The Enlightened Trio
While not patrons of the physical world we inhabit, nonetheless the last three remaining Spirits are just as important to us Matoran. Dergen, Spirit of the Inspired, believed to be one of the Spirits responsible for the creation of logic amongst the Matoran and the pursuit of science. Nahuli, Spirit of the Mind who partnered with Dergen, is believed to have provided feeling and instinctual thought to the Matoran as well as their capacity for empathy. And finally, Barafu, Spirit of the Summit and all who yearn for adventure.”
“These Noble Spirits were lost to us on that fateful day. Their numbers crippled by forces unknowable. The four survivors Din, Thure, Hurak, and Ferrum would find their way back to their villages, unable to convey what had transpired atop Mt.Ngoi. They would become known as the Heroes of Yerma-Magna, mortal emissaries for the will of the Spirits. But perhaps their story is for another time. Be well, travelers, and walk in the light. Safely in the light.”