User blog:CaptainLandr0ver/TFP: MOC Intros, Problems and Plans

Hello, people of CBW. I'm back again, this time with many things to show anyone who reads this.

First, some bad news from the past.

Backstory (Optional): My oddly-divided story, The Feral Plains, includes pictures which show the character's respective MOCs reenacting the scenes in the story outside. Each chapter of the has at least one picture in order to show the setting, and others are shown if important. Thus, the presence and availability of the necessary MOCs is crucial to the story being further written.

My MOC for the Po-Matoran Omakah went mysteriously missing shortly after writing Volume VI of TFP. It has not been found, even after embarking on a couple of outdoor adventures looking for it. In order to save time, I decided that instead of waiting for it to show up (which for all I know may never happen), I'd order sets and parts from the internet and replace it entirely. Luckily, Omakah's MOC is based heavily on the set Dekar, so today I ordered that, a Volitak and a green Av-Matoran head off of Bricklink.com, and soon he will be back and I can write more story finally. I currently believe that he was dropped while I had him outside.

Second, some cool stuff from now.

Following my "formal introduction" to this website, I've decided that  after seeing DatOni's blogs I should also start giving my MOCs some proper introductions. They already have lengthy articles on this site, but this portion of this blog post is just for people who want a short, snappy introduction to the characters without me blabbering about how well I think their personalities were made or about their severely underdeveloped backstories. So here, I'm going to talk about not only their characters and powers a bit, but also some of my thoughts on them MOC-wise.

These seven are the Toa Powai, the team of Toa (and a Turaga) defending the island of Powai Nui from whatever threats destiny decides to throw at it. And oh boy, does destiny like to do mean things to this island.

1. Detras, Toa of Fire and the leader of the team's Toa. His Welding Staff and Utility Shield aren't much to look at, however he has the strongest defensive capability of the team. He wears what he considers to be one of the most complicated Kanohi masks in existence, the Grilek, which allows him to acquire one of nine minor adaptations to gain an advantage in almost any situation. His element naturally comes with the upside of courage and confidence, but he also seems to care deeply about his teamamtes, constantly checking to make sure that they are ready to do the best they can. Anyways, Detras' design isn't much to look at. He's actually the only Toa not to use an entirely custom torso design, instead using a heavily modified Inika torso piece. My favorite parts of him are his shoulder pads. He has a lot of similarities to Lewok, most of which are due to a shortage of pieces.

2. Corduk, Toa of Earth and second-in-command under Detras. His Earth Battle Axe is an incredibly heavy weapon, allowing him to use brute force and momentum to it's fullest. His Kanohi Bongah allows him to highten any one of his senses, allowing him to detect things he otherwise would not have noticed. He is a strong believer in the virtue of trust, believing that it is the most important asset binding his team together. He acts as a failsafe on the team, leading the Toa if Detras cannot and being just as capable as calling the shots as the Toa of Fire is. This guy is definitely one of the more unique of the Toa in terms of design. His original torso design is one I'm proud enough of to have dubbed "The Pentagon", because it is in essence a pentagon with a lower body, neck, arms and armor attached. I don't know when I decided his color scheme, but I'm not competent enough to change it so I'm just going to stick with it for now. I live with the delusion that it somehow ties into the story.

3. Navahko, Toa of Ice and the member of the team known as the "Monitor". His noticably long spear gives him a range advantage in battle, able to keep enemies at a distance. His Kanohi Waiya allows him to ascend into the air through any means possible, be it climbing or simply jumping. He is known as the most fair-minded of the team, easily taking a look from all sides of any argument and being able to come up with a just answer. He is also the most well-spoken of the team, a trait which usually goes hand-in-hand with his judging of events and situations. Navahko shares one thing with Corduk's design in that his color scheme is absurd by his element's standards. I think this gold is really the most notable part of him, as his design isn't much else but generic Inika-built Toa.

4. Lewok, Toa of Air, the reconnaissance master of the team and notably my Self-MOC. What Lewok lacks in heavy hitting and strong armor he more than makes up for in versatility and agility, with his Repeller Blades being one of the most adaptable weapons of all of his team's arms. On top of that, his Kanohi Vehere allows him to send mental messages to other beings at long distances, making him an expert at reconnaissance, espionage and exploration. Furthermore, his quiet disposition, tacit mannerisms and tendency to think before speaking seem to have been caused by the niche he fits into, or vice-versa. Lewok's design seems to be a combination of Navahko and Detras, as he has similarities to both of their MOCs. Of all the Toa, he definitely stands out (although that may be because he's my self-MOC <3) and I think he has a cool-looking figure.

5. Salvina, Toa of Water and the navigation expert of her team. Her Torrent Staff is a unique weapon, capable of splitting and morphing into a crude rotor-based weapon which can spin to disarm her enemy. Her Kanohi Canera gives her her title of "Navigator" with it's ability to find the location of various beings relative to it's position. While she is easily the most flamboyant of the Toa, her personality goes far beyond her looks. As someone more susceptible to boredom than others, she often plans things far in advance, ensuring that sh'es always one step ahead of everything: Life, her enemies, and even her friends sometimes. I find Salvina's design to be very similar to Wreshi's. It's one of the more unique designs, while still giving the clear indication that she is a Toa. I also love her weapon.

6. Wreshi, Toa of Stone and the team's scout. The fastest runner on his team, he uses his Recoiling Pickaxe's oddly wonderful function to make the most of hit-and-run tactics. He can also do the same with his Vorpin, a powerful mask which allows him to move and manipulate nearly any object he contacts. Among his speed, his numerous injuries speak volumes of his personality, which boils down to "If it's fun, do it, because consequences are for chumps!" Foretunately, his quick thinking allows him to dues-ex-machina himself out of any rocky situations (pun unintended). He is easily the most uniquely designed of the Toa, and his armor makes him look ready to go on an adventure or two. However, I think his weapon could use some more creativity (which it will in the future).

7. Last but not least, Maroona, Turaga of Lightning and the mastermind of the whole team. While not a Toa, her educated, well-informed and creative mind makes her a valueable asset, even if she can't do much more than plan. When she's not helping Detras formulate a new strategy, she is open to share experiences from her past... albiet very vague. She can also be quite humorous, although her taste in humor isn't enjoyed by others, a majority of the time by anybody unforetunate enough to be the target of it. Design? Not too great. I don't have many pieces fit for an elderly body, and so Maroona ends up looking like... this. She will most definitely change in the future.

Third and finally, some plans for the future.

Despite what you may think, I've got pretty much every piece of Bionicle fanfiction related to this storyline planned, and I've even written the first chapters of some. My plan right now is to have three other long episodic stories like The Feral Plains; two following after it and one acting as a prequel. I've concieved the general idea and plot direction of the first sequel story, and it's current working title is The Vendetta March.

Anyway, thank you for reading this post. Sayonara!