Custom BIONICLE Wiki
Advertisement
This article was written by BobTheDoctor27. Please do not add to it without the writer's permission.


"This piece of ancient timber isn't valuable just because it's old, rare and looks nice. It's valuable because it can tell you about the archaeology in the garden you ruined trying to find it."
―Dessal teaching Memel, Over Your Shoulder.
Dessal (Fractures Alternate Universe)
Dessal 01
Dessal
Group
Occupation
 • Chief Archivist
 • Chronicler
Element
Kanohi
Noble Komau
Tools
Chronicler's Staff
Status
Alive
Location
Pronunciation
DESS-SELL


Dessal was an Onu-Matoran who served as the Chief Archivist in the Fractures Universe. Following the death of Turaga Matoro, he undertook the role of Chronicler, a prestigious occupation which obligated him to document any significant historical developments taking place in Metru Nui.

History[]

Early life[]

Similarly to most other Onu-Matoran, Dessal began his life on Spherus Magna, where he aided in the early construction of the Matoran Universe. During this period of his life, Dessal labored with no worldly desires or true consciousness.

Following a considerable period of heavy labor, he was placed in Metru Nui, along with a number of other Matoran, endeavoring to carry out his purpose by engaging in intellectual activities to ensure the continued functionality of the Great Spirit. It was here that Dessal gravitated towards the Archives, a line of employment which made him responsible for documenting current affairs transpiring in the early stages of the world's development.

BTD27 Dessal Discovery

After several decades of research, he became an expert in the field of early Kanohi production in Ta-Metru, establishing many of the earliest historical records, most of which currently remain in exhibits on public display.

In his earliest days as an Archivist-in-training, Dessal guided the early Toa Helryx to the most dangerous of the Archives' sub-levels known as the Fikou Web, where the Toa confronted a small tribe of Zyglak residing in the darkness.

Throughout the course of his career, Dessal participated in a number of development projects for the Archives.

Around 86,000 years ago, Dessal supervised and archaeological dig on the Northern Continent after the remains of a small Bohrok Tahnok platoon were unearthed, marking one of the earliest Matoran encounters with Bohrok. Whilst scouting the outer perimeter, he stumbled across an active Krana Yo within the chassis of a debilitated Tahnok, which was both his first archaeological find and the first recorded discovery of a Krana Yo by Matoran. Accordingly, Dessal placed the Krana in the Archives in a display cabinet.

Eventually, Dessal managed to work his way through the ranks of aspiring Onu-Matoran to become the Chief Archivist, the most coveted position in Onu-Metru. After affirming his authority, he also requested that the Krana Yo he discovered be displayed in his office.

Roughly 14,000 years ago, during the early years of Turaga Dume's rule, Dessal was known to have collaborated with one of Ga-Metru's most acclaimed academics to write a thesis entitled The Myth of the Nightmare Knave: A Redemptive Reading, an academic text that sought to re-imagine Grimlox -- a mischievous figure from early Matoran mythology -- as an outsider demonized by shallow Matoran for his frightening appearance. Though highly controversial amongst historians and scholars, the thesis was highly popular, and within two years of its publication had widely circulated the northern end of universe.

Destiny War[]

Due to the absence of Makuta Teridax in the Fractures Universe, the Brotherhood of Makuta's inevitable quest for universal domination became a less-coordinated, wild bid for power. Without Teridax's strategic mind or knowledge of the Matoran Universe's inner mechanics, the Makuta launched an open rebellion. Sensing the uprising but unable to intervene due to the inner turmoil that the Brotherhood's actions had caused, Mata Nui became intent upon returning to Spherus Magna. When the Great Spirit Robot did return to the devastated remains of Spherus Magna, however, Mata Nui's operating system developed a fault. Owing to the universal spread of the Brotherhood's invasion, the inhabitants of the Matoran Universe were unable to fulfill their duties. Thus, Mata Nui fell into a state of disrepair.

Recognizing the extent of this fault, the Order of Mata Nui emerged from secrecy and established a unified counter-rebellion to combat the Brotherhood of Makuta. Dessal managed to survive the brunt of the Destiny War residing in Onu-Metru, which had been fortified to allow the Onu-Matoran to defend themselves against Rahkshi attacks. From this position, Dessal took it upon himself to document the key military events of the conflict. During this period, Dessal was known to have published many a historical thesis, including his most famous work The Consequences of the Broken Peace, which recounted the events of the Final Push.

In more recent times, Dessal established a position in Turaga Matoro’s Turaga High Council, often aiding Turaga Bomonga in matters concerning Onu-Metru.

During the war, Dessal was known to have carried out a survey stretching across Onu-Metru to inquire into the total population of Vortixx and Skakdi immigrants and the unsanitary conditions that they were forced to live in. As a result of the investigation, he was able to declare that roughly 64% of Onu-Metru's inhabitants were living in poverty.

Golden Age[]

On the final day of the war, Dessal was summoned to meet the dimensionally displaced Toa Tollubo, of an alternate Universe, after he arrived in the Fractures Alternate Universe. He was the first of the Council members to attend the session, though the meeting was cancelled and he was instead harassed by a local media crew wanting to hear confirmation that the criminal known as Tollubo's Counterpart was running unchecked in Metru Nui. He did not comment.

BTD27 Dessal Wilderness

Several days after the death of Turaga Kapura, Dessal was summoned to Po-Metru to inspect the archaeological activity taking place in the Canyon of Unending Whispers following the discovery of a Toa of Psioncs' remains. Upon arriving, Dessal was reunited with Danza, a good friend of his who was also working on the same site. The two Matoran worked together to predict how the Toa - who they believed to be Orde - had been killed.

However, Tollubo then appeared at the site in search of Toa Orkahm. Feeling confident with their results, Dessal and Danza decided to test their theory on Tollubo as he had not been present during their devising process.

Following the discovery of a Ta-Matoran near to Orde's grave, Dessal and Danza predicted that the Matoran had been the Toa's Metru Nui aide. However, Tollubo disproved their theory by claiming that the Matoran was in fact and Av-Matoran named Glon and that he had been carrying the Kanohi Vahi. This left Dessal speechless.

Six months later, Memel approached Dessal with an archaeological find. Unintentionally, he interrupted an interview between the Chief Archivist and Toa Jollun in order to present a piece of ancient timber to him, thinking that it would make his dwelling a historical landmark. However, he was run down by Dessal, who claimed that his find was useless for anything other than showing the archaeological composition of his neighborhood.

Disheartened, Memel turned to leave only to be blown aside by an explosion as several members of the Metru Nui Law Enforcement entered the office intent on bringing Jollun into custody.

The following morning, Dessal also mourned the death of Turaga Matoro and wrote the late Turaga's official obituary, which was publicly released in his ceremonial funeral.

Reign of Turaga Vilnius[]

Following Vilnius' succession of Matoro as the leader of Metru Nui Dessal became the Chronicler, an occupation which had been left vacant for an entire year since the disappearance of Solek a year earlier. This occupation involved him serving as the Turaga's unofficial adviser and often prepared speeches for him whilst the Turaga made public addresses on Telescreens.

BTD27 Dessal Yo Krana Display

Dessal's Krana Yo on display.

Currently, Dessal is the only member of the Metru Nui Turaga Council who is not a Turaga and retains his occupation as the Chief Archivist.

At around this point, Dessal was also approached by Toa Tourik, who requested his assistance in the drafting of his Universal Guidebook, which he had been commissioned to draft by Turaga Bomonga in hopes of fully inducting Toa Tollubo into his adopted alternate universe.

Abilities and Traits[]

Dessal was known for his eloquent speaking and charismatic nature. With lofty ambitions and a number of personal agendas, however, he could at times appear dubious and conniving.

Similarly to all other Onu-Matoran, Dessal possessed a minuscule degree of control over the elemental discipline of Earth, though he could not access Elemental Powers or utilize a Great Kanohi. Additionally, he was considerably stronger than most other types of Matoran and possessed limited night-vision capabilities.

Mask and Tools[]

Throughout his life Dessal has sported a Powerless Kanohi Komau in its Noble form.

As Chronicler, Dessal also carried a Chronicler's Staff, which was crafted from metallic Protodermis. This tool, however, was largely for ceremonial purposes and served no substantive use.

While residing on Metru Nui, Dessal was known to wield a Kanoka Disk Launcher, favoring a mid-ranged Poison Removal Kanoka valued at 646.

Quotes[]

"Over 3,000 years have passed since the ill-fated day when, dazzled by promises made by those on the shores of Artahka, and abroad, my kind forgot their most precious possessions: our past, our honor and our freedom, and thus lost everything."
―Dessal in his historical thesis, The Consequences of the Broken Peace, quoted in Toa Tourik's Guide to the Fractures Alternate Universe.
"Talent does its work, and accumulates the required knowledge, and then genius comes and inherits the labors of its humbler predecessor."
―A widely-celebrated idiom associated with Dessal, notably following accusations of plagiarism.

Trivia[]

  • Dessal was named after Richard Bessal, a leading Historian in the field of German History.
  • Prior to the Destiny War, Dessal considered it his duty to disprove some of the ill-founded traditions of ancient civilizations in the Southern Matoran Universe. Over the years, this has caused him to pick out a number of significant flaws in early Matoran legends.
  • Early in Turaga Dume's reign, Dessal collaborated with an acclaimed Ga-Matoran teacher to write a thesis entitled The Myth of the Nightmare Knave: A Redemptive Reading. The article suggested that Grimlox was not the sinister trickster he is popularly perceived as in Matoran legend.

Appearances[]

Core BIONICLE Universe[]

  • BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear - Not Mentioned By Name


Advertisement