Valmai's Keep

"The place was called Valmai’s Keep, which translated into “Cursed Place’s Keep” in the Matoran language. And the name was accurate."

- Narrator, Punishment

Valmai's Keep is an ancient stronghold originally built by the League of Six Kingdoms. It later became the primary residence of the Zeverek bounty hunter Skorr, serving as his main base of operations.

History
The fortress later known as Valmai's Keep was originally constructed by the League of Six Kingdoms as an outpost, and was built to mark their territory on the Northern Continent. Following the League's defeat by the Brotherhood and the imprisonment of the Barraki warlords, the fortress was looted and plundered of anything valuable, then abandoned. Unlike many other of the Barraki's fortresses, the outpost was not demolished, and instead integrated to local mythology of the Tren Krom Peninsula. According to the legends, evil spirits came to the place to conspire against the Great Spirit Mata Nui, which eventually led to it earning the name of Valmai's Keep.

After a time, the fortress' reputation caught the attention of the infamous Zeverek bounty hunter Skorr, who then decided to take up residence in the facility. After rebuilding and readjusting it to suit his needs, Valmai's Keep became Skorr's primary base of operations. Following the Great Cataclysm, Skorr used the area as his retreat after his work began to enter a free fall. Not long afterwards, Makuta Gorast was sent into Valmai's Keep to hire Skorr for a mission, though was forced to fight her way through his associates after she was mistaken for an intruder. The battle that ensued resulted in extensive damage to the trophy room. After Gorast hired him to infiltrate the Maze of Shadows, Skorr and his allies departed.

Valmai's Keep would remain Skorr's primary base for many years, and was still being used by the time he was hired by the Order of Mata Nui during their war with the Brotherhood of Makuta. When Teridax was killed by Mata Nui in the wake of the Battle of Bara Magna, the Tahtorak’s Talon was abandoned when the denizens of the Matoran Universe emigrated to Spherus Magna.

Locations
Valmai's Keep is of a modest size, and was connected to the rest of the Tren Krom Peninsula through one pathway. The castle's main tower stood 60 meters tall, and the fortress was said to have practically no windows or viewports. Inside, many other chambers could be found throughout the stronghold.

Courtyard
The main courtyard was located directly behind the Keep's main gate, and was virtually empty. The courtyard connected to a variety of rooms, most notably the storage room and the armoury.

Trophy Room
Located inside the main tower near the central chamber, the trophy room was a small, isolated room that was showcased the spoils of Skorr's hunts, and the Zeverek would often spend time here reminiscing on his past successes. The walls were lined with a number of Kanohi masks, shields, armor pieces and weapons, which hung from rusty nails. Besides these trinkets, the room was bare of any comforts or furniture. The trophy room was damaged during Gorast's encounter with Invex and Arzok, though was later repaired.

Central Chamber
A modest sized room, the central chamber was originally built by the League as a war room. Due to the presence of shackles hanging from the ceiling, it has been speculated the chamber also served as a prison or interrogation room at some point in the past. After Skorr took up residence, it became his personal quarters and the equivalent of a throne room. In the middle of the room was a black armchair, surrounded by other pieces of metallic furniture, a weapons stand and a caged Doom Viper. The room was also connected to the trophy room and the vault.

Vault
The vault (also known as the treasury) is a large chamber sealed behind a thick, circular Protosteel door and is linked directly into the central chamber. The vault contains all the loot and treasure Skorr has amassed over his bounty hunting career. The room is said to be the most secure room in the entire fortress due to it holding Skorr's vast fortune, which he prizes more than anything else.

Armory
Located within the courtyard, the armory was where Skorr stored his vast collection of gadgets and weaponry. Whenever he visited the fortress, the Av-Matoran crafter Invex could be found here tinkering with Skorr's weaponry. The armory is equipped with a weapon modification bench and a weapons locker.

Vehicle Bay
Originally a small underground chamber used by the League to store prisoners, the jail room was eventually cleared out of its cells and refurbished as a small vehicle bay when Skorr took up residence. The room is connected by a narrow flight of stairs to the armory. The room was used primarily to store Skorr's aerial vehicle, the Kualsi X3. A shaft was built into the ceiling that led to the surface, and could open whenever Skorr required to pilot the X3 out of the facility.

Trivia

 * played a major part in the naming of Valmai's Keep.
 * In the Matoran language, the fortress' name means the "Cursed Place's Keep."

Appearances

 * Punishment (First Appearance}