The Toa Mangai of the Guildverse, Part 1

The Toa Mangai are a rather enigmatic team. Aside from Lhikan, Nidhiki, and Tuyet, none of them have really been featured in any stories. Beyond them, only Naho has been given a name. The only things we know about them are their elements and the Kanohi masks (except for Naho’s and the Po-Toa’s). Thus, they’re pretty much blank slates.

Buckle in, because this is going to be a very long one.

Lhikan

Species: Toa
Element: Fire
Kanohi: Hau, Great Mask of Shielding
Weapon(s): Fire Greatswords
Abilities: Control over Fire; Can form shields of energy around himself
Affiliation(s): Toa Mangai (formerly); Toa Fortress (formerly)

Long ago, Lhikan lived in a village on the eastern shores of the Northern Continent. It was a somewhat large town, not notable or rich enough to have its own Makuta but populous enough to house Matoran of a few different elements. Water and Ice were most prevalent, with Stone and Fire as the runners-up. Lhikan acted as the captain of the town’s guard, of which his close friends Tuyet and Naho were also members. Together with his comrades, he fought off raiders and pirates trying to infiltrate the town, and he also ensured any lawbreakers within the town were handled accordingly.

On one occasion, Lhikan and Tuyet were fighting against a pair of Steltian Bruisers. The battle didn’t go well, and had it not been for a Toa from the distant city of Metru Nui showing up at the last moment, the two would have surely perished. The Toa, a Ta-Toa named Dume, explained that he was here because of a prophecy divined by a Ko-Matoran. He would supposedly find three Matoran who were brave, loyal, and who embodied the Three Virtues, and they would need to be made into Toa. Lhikan, Nidhiki, and one other they saw to be the best fit (naturally Naho) became Toa thanks to Dume, and Dume became a Turaga.

Afterwards, the team ended up splitting up. Naho stayed in the village, while Lhikan and Tuyet went off on their own separate adventures. Lhikan, despite being a novice, was very talented, and he was eager to get some experience. He eventually found his way to a fortress of Toa, where he was assigned to guard an artifact called the Makoki Stone. The Toa Fortress only lasted for only five more years following the Ta-Toa’s induction, when a duo of Skakdi thieves managed to break in and steal the very item Lhikan was meant to protect. The break-in led to a number of Frostelus attacking the Fortress and destroying it. Lhikan was among the very few to survive.

Lhikan would soon receive a message from Turaga Dume: Metru Nui was in danger, and he needed to rescue the city. The Toa of Fire returned to his village, running into Tuyet and a Le-Toa called Nidhiki along the way. The three relayed Dume’s message to Naho, and the quartet embarked on a voyage to the City of Legends. On the voyage, they encountered a burly Toa of Ice and brought him with them. Along with six other Toa of various elements, the five Toa reached Metru Nui just in time to quell a rampaging Kanohi Dragon.

Now as the leader of the newly-formed Toa Mangai, Lhikan worked to protect his city from threats - and there were certainly no shortage of them. His first big threat came in the form of a corrupted sister - Tuyet. Lhikan and Nidhiki discovered that the Toa of Water was in possession of an ancient and extremely powerful artifact called the Nui Stone, and she was killing Matoran to mislead her team. Tuyet was taken down and imprisoned by the two brothers. The second threat was perhaps a bit more apocalyptic: An army of Dark Hunters descended on the city, and so Lhikan had to lead an army of Toa against them. He managed to succeed, although sadly his brother Nidhiki proved himself to be a traitor to the Toa cause.

Over time, Lhikan would see himself become the last suviving Toa Mangai (that he knew of). Knowing that he alone could not save the heart of Metru Nui, he gifted six Matoran with Toa Stones, becoming a Turaga in the process. Later, he would give his life to save Toa Vakama - a noble end for a noble hero.

Nidhiki

Species: Toa
Element: Air
Kanohi: Volitak, Great Mask of Stealth
Weapon(s): Air Scythe
Abilities: Control over Air; Can become translucent and nearly-silent
Affiliation(s): Dark Hunters (formerly); Toa Mangai (formerly)

Nidhiki hailed from the Tren Krom Peninsula, a place where Toa were not taken kindly to. He learned soon after his transformation that he would have to stick to the shadows or risk finding himself on Makuta Gorast’s radar. Although he originally wore a Mask of Insect Control, he bought a Volitak off a wandering Po-Matoran trader to better suit the undercover nature of his work.

Maybe Nidhiki’s time in the shadows rubbed off on his soul a little too much. Maybe it was being forced to live in a regime that reviled Toa. Or maybe he was just predisposed to embrace his dark side. No matter the reason, Nidhiki grew to discard the virtues Toa stood for. In search of glory and respect (though perhaps he was thinking of something more along the lines of worship), the Toa of Air abandoned his homeland and traveled north. He had heard of a “City of Legends” where Toa were revered, and he deeply wanted to step out of the shadows for once in his life. On his journey, he met a Toa of Fire called Lhikan. Nidhiki grew to respect Lhikan, especially after he led Nidhiki and nine other Toa to victory against a Kanohi Dragon.

As a Toa Mangai, Nidhiki finally realized what being a Toa was actually about. Not fame, not glory, not thrills - it was about helping those who couldn’t help themselves for no other reason than that it was the right thing to do. That said, he would still be tempted to stray back into the shadows. When he and Lhikan discovered Tuyet’s plot, Nidhiki was swayed by the immense power offered by the Nui Stone. Thankfully, Lhikan managed to convince him to cast it aside. But when Dark Hunters besieged Metru Nui, Lhikan couldn’t save Nidhiki from his darker impulses. Lariska convinced the Toa of Air to betray his comrades in exchange for control of the city once the Dark Hunters had won. Ultimately this plot would fail, and the Dark Hunters would be ousted from the city - Nidhiki included.

Henceforth, Nidhiki was a Dark Hunter. At first, he served the organization as a trainer. On his first actual assignment, he was paired with a dumb Steltian Brute named Krekka. The line of work suited him, although he secretly yearned to return to a life of heroism. He met a Vortixx who seemed like she would help him to escape Odina, but instead betrayed him and turned him into a monstrous, insectoid abomination. Now unable to return to his past life, he became bitter and resentful towards Toa in general - but especially towards Lhikan and the Toa Mangai who had cast him out.

Nidhiki, his partner Krekka, and Eliminator were later hired by Makuta Teridax to exterminate the defenders of Metru Nui. The ex-Toa was only too happy to oblige. Only a couple months after the trio’s work began, it was almost done. Lhikan was the last remaining Toa Mangai. Ultimately, Nidhiki and Krekka would both meet their ends at the hands of their employer, Teridax.

Tuyet

Species: Toa
Element: Water
Kanohi: Phantoka, Great Mask of Intangibility (aka Great Mask of Phantom)
Weapon(s): Barbed Broadsword
Abilities: Control over water; Can alter her density to the point where she can pass through solid objects
Affiliation(s): Toa Mangai (formerly)

Tuyet was once a good friend of Lhikan and Naho. After becoming a Toa, she decided to leave her town’s guard and go off on her own. She went on a number of adventures, where she learned just how much evil there was in the world. On one occasion, she stopped a troupe of Rahkshi from razing a Matoran settlement on the Tren Krom Peninsula. On another, she thwarted a small group of Skakdi raiders on an island off the coast of Stelt. During her journeys, Tuyet fought against the Dark Hunters, the Brotherhood of Makuta, and other evil groups. More and more, she realized that something would have to be done if the Matoran, and all virtuous peoples across the universe, were to be safe. Unfortunately, she also knew that one Toa didn’t have the power to change things on a grand scale.

That all changed when she stumbled, either by chance or destiny, on a mythical artifact called the Nui Stone. It was a gem overflowing with elemental energy, which could enhance a Toa’s power two hundredfold. Conveniently, not long after obtaining it, she received a message from Turaga Dume. Tuyet resolved to save Metru Nui and bring about the change the universe so desperately needed. As she traveled to the imperiled island, she ran into her old friend Lhikan, who had received the same message, and an unfamiliar companion of his - a Le-Toa who introduced himself as Nidhiki. The three then met up with Naho at their old village and sailed for Metru Nui.

Tuyet’s time as a Toa Mangai was cut even shorter than her siblings’. Perhaps due to spending too much time with Faro, she began ruminating on her earlier schemes to save the universe. Faro envisioned a world ruled by Toa - a swell idea, though not one she would ever be able to accomplish. Tuyet, though, could. She just needed a catalyst that would allow her to take over Metru Nui. From there, she’d be able to orchestrate the formation of a Toa Empire. So, while most of the Mangai were away on other missions, she began murdering Matoran and framing the deaths on the Dark Hunters. Much to her dismay, Lhikan and Nidhiki were able to uncover her scheme. The three fought, and even with the help of the Nui Stone, Tuyet lost. The Nui Stone was destroyed in the process, though a number of shards found themselves embedded in Tuyet’s armor.

Tuyet was imprisoned in the Colosseum for her crimes. While awaiting trial, she was spirited away by a massive creature who didn’t give her his name. The corrupted Toa was brought to Daxia, where she learned of the Order of Mata Nui. They wished to study the shards of Nui Stone embedded in her armor. A false Tuyet was placed in the Pit, while the real one was transported to a pocket dimension for study. She wasted away for ages in her prison while the Order’s best scientists reforged the Nui Stone. After one-hundred and fifty years, Tuyet managed to convince one of her guards to free her. The guard secretly gave her the Nui Stone and then orchestrated a false prison break, during which Tuyet “died” in an explosion. In reality, the guard used a piece of experimental technology to send Tuyet to a different dimension. From there, she embarked on an interdimensional adventure two centuries long.

When Tuyet finally returned to the Guildverse, Teridax had taken over the universe. She learned of the world’s dire situation from a group of Matoran rebelling against their new god. Along with Tren Krom in the body of Lewa Nuva, she made her way into the GSR’s Core Processor, where she also met up with Helryx, Miserix, Axonn, Brutaka, and Artakha. The group fought, were teleported into the vacuum of space by Teridax, and were then brought to a fortress on Bota Magna by Vezon. There, they met a Great Being in the flesh, who had been cursed with the power of life. Tuyet was intrigued, and stayed in the fortress to her what he had to say. Soon after, Bota Magna fused with Bara Magna and Aqua Magna.

Tuyet and most of the group remained in the fortress afterwards, though unbeknownst to them, it was rigged to explode by Velika. The building blew, and the Great Being was killed, although everyone else survived. The Order agents present managed to capture both Tuyet and Velika and imprisoned them both. The Nui Stone was removed from Tuyet’s custody and housed in the deepest vault available to the Order. To this day, Tuyet is rotting in prison once more.

Naho

Species: Toa
Element: Water
Kanohi: Huna, Great Mask of Invisibility
Weapon(s): Dual Hookstaves
Abilities: Control over water; Can turn herself completely invisible
Affiliation(s): Toa Mangai (formerly)

Naho is the last of the Toa Mangai from Lhikan’s home village. She had the most love for her home out of any of the three, and as such she remained as the new captain of the guard after becoming a Toa. While the other two were off traveling the world, Naho stayed and protected her town. Although she didn’t have many adventures or tough battles like her brother or sister, she was satisfied with her work. But when she received a message from Turaga Dume, she knew that she had to heed his call. While she was preparing to leave, Tuyet and Lhikan showed up with a third Toa. Together, the group sailed for Metru Nui.

After the Kanohi Dragon debacle, Naho spent most of her time in Ga-Metru. One of her favorite pastimes was spearfishing in the waters beneath the Great Temple. Often she would be sent out on missions dealing with aquatic threats, such as sea Rahi invasions or potential floods. She was helping Xia defend against a pirate fleet with Kanae when Tuyet began killing Matoran.

When Dark Hunters besieged Metru Nui, all hope was surely lost. In a last-bid attempt to save the city, Naho used her mask to slip through the Hunters’ lines. It took her three days of nonstop swimming before she reached her old village (the closest Matoran settlement to Metru Nui). Once there, she convinced the Turaga council there to send an urgent call for aid. Around one hundred Toa answered the call. Thus began the Toa-Dark Hunter War. Naho oversaw a regiment of Ga-Toa who engaged in naval battle against the Hunters. Thanks to her work, a number of Dark Hunter transports sunk before they could even reach the island.

The next few hundred years were a lot calmer for Naho, though they would not remain that way. Her brothers and sisters were being picked off one by one, and she was getting suspicious. Turaga Dume sent her to close the southeastern Sea Gate, and so off she went, though beforehand she made some preparations. Unfortunately, nothing prepared her for an ambush by Nidhiki, Krekka, and Eliminator. Though she fought valiantly, it was ultimately futile, and Naho was killed.

Kanae

Species: Toa
Element: Ice
Kanohi: Kaukau, Great Mask of Water-Breathing
Weapon(s): None, but she likes creating glaives and throwing daggers from ice
Abilities: Control over Ice; Can breathe underwater
Affiliation(s): Toa Mangai (formerly); Toa Xia (formerly)

Kanae was once a member of the Toa Xia, a somewhat large Toa team dedicated to protecting the Matoran Universe’s island of industry. She was always a little odd, rarely speaking and having a knack for showing up and disappearing at random. Additionally, she stood a good two feet shorter than most other Toa - actually an advantage in her environment. While bigger and bulkier Toa might have difficulty chasing a foe through the narrow and cramped alleyways of Xia, Kanae’s short and thin frame allowed her to duck and weave around crates, pipes, and living tents.

During her time on Xia, there was only really one Toa that Kanae got along well with. Though of course she was cordial and polite to all her sisters, she really only cared for the Toa of Plantlife Bellara. The two worked quite well together, and over the years became good friends. Bellara shared with Kanae her adventurous spirit, while Kanae shared with Bellara an appreciation for peace and quiet. When the Toa Xia received word of Turaga Dume’s call for aid, the team leader decided that two Toa could go and deliver it. Bellara immediately volunteered, and Kanae followed suit. Thus it was that the two Toa split away from the Toa Xia and ventured towards their destiny.

Kanae was instrumental in quelling the Kanohi Dragon. After a month-long battle, she was able to lure the beast underwater where her, Naho, Tuyet, and the other three Ko-Toa’s attacks would be much more effective. Though Kanae did not score the finishing blow, she did set it up for Khumu. Afterwards, Kanae wished to return to Xia. Bellara, though, preferred Metru Nui to their smoggy and overcrowded homeland, and so she managed to convince Kanae to stay and join the new Toa Mangai.

Ko-Metru was Kanae’s home from then on. Its quiet and serene atmosphere was perfect for meditation and reflection. Of course, she didn’t get to stay there often - there was always something for her to do, somewhere for her to go. Sometimes she was pursuing criminals through Ko-Metru’s streets, sometimes she was sent by Dume to spy on Dark Hunter and Brotherhood operations far from Metru Nui. She was on one of these missions with Bellara during Tuyet’s killing spree. Though she was saddened to hear what had happened with her corrupted sister, she wasn’t too surprised - she had felt like something was off with Tuyet lately.

Kanae was the first Toa Mangai to meet her end. Dume sent her on a solo mission to the island of Karzahni south of Metru Nui (though she didn’t know of the island’s nature at the time). Supposedly, she was meant to rescue a Matoran convoy that had gotten lost. On the journey, she was ambushed by the powerful Dark Hunter known as Eliminator. Kanae’s agility made her a hard target for Eliminator to hit, but likewise the hulking Hunter couldn’t be injured by the Ko-Toa’s attacks. Ultimately Kanae lost the battle - and her life.

Greizin

Species: Toa
Element: Ice
Kanohi: Majisto, Great Mask of Conjuring
Weapon(s): None
Abilities: Control over ice; Great strength and endurance; Able to program any Noble Kanohi power into his mask
Affiliation(s): Toa Mangai (formerly)

Greizin has spent the majority of his life alone in the mountains of the Southern Highlands. It was a tough life. Survival against the elements meant constant vigilance. One mistake could lead to death, possibly by frost, starvation, falling, or any number of other means. Nevertheless, Greizin persisted, because he knew no other way of life. In a way, he got through his life by worshipping the very mountains he lived on. To him, they were the Great Spirit. The mountains were ancient and wise, and offered many boons to those who understood them. Once Greizin realized that, the peaks bestowed upon him just an iota of their mystical power, turning him into a Toa.

As a Toa, Greizin resembled a mountain in both body and spirit. He was quiet, stoic, and patient, but also enormous (for a Toa). Unfortunately, he didn’t really have a great grasp of his powers. One night, while scaling a near-vertical cliff, he accidentally caused an avalanche that caused him to tumble down. He landed on a small ice float in a river, unconscious.

Five days later, he awoke to find himself in the middle of the ocean on a tiny spit of hardened ice. Luckily, he spotted a small ship on the horizon, which he was able to signal using his mask. On the ship were Lhikan, Nidhiki, Tuyet, and Naho, all on their way to Metru Nui. They welcomed the mysterious Ice Toa to their team. Not three days later, Greizin was subduing a massive Kanohi Dragon. By far the strongest and hardiest of the Mangai, Greizin had the greatest amounts of physical confrontations with the Rahi.

As a member of the Toa Mangai, Greizin worked to keep Ko-Metru and Po-Metru safe. Although his unwieldy size made him stand out, and he didn’t care much for stargazing, his quiet nature allowed him to fit in with Ko-Matoran culture. Meanwhile, Po-Metru’s deserts were rather warm for his tastes, but did have the feeling of rugged survival that he was used to. Ultimately, though, he didn’t enjoy Metru Nui all that much - far too habitable for his tastes. He was always thankful when Dume sent him on missions to remote islands and desolate wastelands (both of which happened surprisingly frequently).

During the war with the Dark Hunters, Greizin engaged a great many Hunters in battle. Oftentimes he would win these fights without using his elemental powers, and sometimes without even using his mask. He was practically unstoppable, as evidenced when he managed to best the great Eliminator.

Eliminator would have his revenge, though. Many years after the war, Greizin was ordered by Dume to close the main Sea Gate. There, the Toa found Eliminator waiting for him. Now knowing Greizin’s fighting style, the Dark Hunter was able to take him out with ease.

Faro

Species: Toa
Element: Ice
Kanohi: Rode, Great Mask of Truth
Weapon(s): A pair of wrist-mounted Twin Icesaws
Abilities: Control over Ice; Can identify lies and see through illusions
Affilition(s): Toa Mangai (formerly); Dark Hunters (formerly)

Faro is a Toa with a bit of a dark past. Many, many years ago - when she was just a Matoran - she was a member of the Dark Hunters. Well, not exactly. She wasn’t a Dark Hunter proper, but a minor Hunter recruited her and a few other Matoran to help with a heist. There was a treasure being shipped out of Stelt, and the Hunters had to acquire it for a client. Faro’s role was to sweet-talk her way onto the boat, a task she did well with her natural charm and manipulative personality.

While on the vessel, Faro found an injured Toa imprisoned in the brig. Thinking her a rescuer, he sacrificed his power to turn her into a Toa and himself into a Turaga. The act caused him to pass away. His dying wish was for Faro to follow the light of Mata Nui. The new Toa went on to betray her Dark Hunter friends and turn them in. This wasn’t really out of a desire to do what’s right, though. She just figured that seeming like a hero would do wonders for her ability to get what she wanted.

When Turaga Dume called for brave Toa to defend Metru Nui, Faro heeded the call. She arrived to find ten other Toa and a giant dragon rampaging through the city. Faro did little to directly help compared to the other three Ko-Toa, but she did manage to convince Nynrah to send some aid in the form of weapons. After the dragon was felled, Faro also used some of her connections to arrange its transport to Xia.

In addition to generally helping to protect Metru Nui, Faro also aided the city diplomatically. For example, she managed to smooth over trade disputes between Ga-Metru and Stelt, which otherwise could have escalated into war. Of course, the reasons for her actions weren’t altruistic - she wanted to get on Dume’s good side. Indeed, she was starting to dream of a city - nay, a universe - led by Toa. If Dume could be swayed to Faro’s side, she could have him name her his deputy, and then could “take care” of him - leaving her as the ruler of Metru Nui.

Faro shared these ideas with Tuyet, who she felt confident she could confide in. After all, Tuyet was a Toa with an equally shadowed soul. Tuyet’s vision of a world freed from evil began to distort due to Faro. Had she not been stopped by Lhikan and Nidhiki, the Toa of Water would have forcibly established a brutal dictatorship in the name of protection. When Faro heard about what Tuyet had done, she was shocked and appalled (that she didn’t come up with the Matoran-killing scheme first).

The war with the Dark Hunters brought about an opportunity. If Faro betrayed the Toa to the Hunters, she stood the chance of gaining a prestigious position in the organization. She decided to introduce these ideas to Nidhiki, her newest confidant. Ideally, she’d eventually be able to convince him to aid her once the war came to a grinding halt. Now, she didn’t just come right out and say it - she just planted little seeds in his mind that would lead him to that conclusion over time. As it turned out, though, Nidhiki already had that idea, and Faro’s counseling just spurred him on. How surprised Faro was when Nidhiki stole her plan and got banished for it. That was certainly the last time she’d ever share her plans with anyone.

Faro never got to execute her vision of dominion. She was sent by Dume to close the southwestern Sea Gate. Just after she succeeded in doing so, Krekka pounced on her. Faro squirmed away from him, but couldn’t get far - a blast from Eliminator put her down.

Link to part 2

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Really liking that naho here

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all very unique builds and nice little character profiles!
it might be nicer to have some clearer renders tho

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Yeah, lighting Studio renders properly is a trick I’ve still yet to master

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I especially like Greizin as a character, his story really drew me in

Also, just fyi, the link at the bottom of the post actually redirects to the top of Part 1

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Pretty swell. Love you Naho build

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Ooh all of these look really nice. Lore is awesome, and the builds are pretty good as well. Nice job!

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Thank you all for the kind words!

I’m glad people like my Naho build; I do too.

Visually he’s my favorite of the group, so thank you!

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