Friday, January 23, 2009
I got around to finishing MLN this morning, which is good.
Oh, one request: I'm looking for a symbol I can use mark important facts, instead of just • . One's I've tested look dorky. So if you have a suggestion, you can copy/paste it into a post.
BARA MAGNA
- Atero is really only used by Glatorian once a year, for the big tournament.
- There are usually three preliminary rounds before the main tournament in Atero. They aren't elimination rounds; they are more like exhibitions for people of the various villages, and a chance for the Glatorian to get their edge.
- Resources are always at stake in arena matches. Only in Atero are the fights for honor, as opposed to something practical.
- The Arena Magna battles are several fights that take place over the course of days.
- The prize for winning the tournament is championship -- a Glatorian named champion can command a higher price in the arena, and is more likely to get matches since every village wants to see their Glatorian beat him.
- Exsidian is very valuable, and most often would be used for swords or axes, things that will wear out faster.
- Spikit are used by many tribes, not just Skrall.
- Tesara has access to plants like healing herbs.
GLATORIAN
- If you want a Glatorian to hire, you talk to Metus or someone like him, who recruits and trains fighters.
- A Glatorian match can take place in any arena, but normally it is the arena of one of the contestants.
- Malum's flame claws are part of his armor.
- Strakk, Malum, Tarix, and the Skrall were all alive before the Shattering.
- Tarix has lost matches before, and he has faced a Skrall.
- The Gresh vs. Skrall match at Vulcanus was an exhibition pre-annual tournament in Atero. A way to let different villages see fighters they might not have seen too often, to get them hyped for the big tournament coming up.
- Glatorian vehicles include chariots.
- In general, Sand Stalkers are not implemented in the arena. Sand stalkers are not really bred for combat, they are bred for endurance. While they can fight, getting one injured just for a match is a waste of resources.
- Greg would say less than 100 Vorox are with Malum, probably 40-50 total.
SKRALL
- There are easily hundreds of Skrall.
- Individual Skrall differ in appearance in some respects, but easily hundreds of Skrall look exactly like the winter set version.
- The Skrall are under strict orders regarding how much of a conflict they are allowed to spark with other Glatorian/villages.
- Tuma has permitted a Skrall to join the Vulcanus defense despite his plan for the Bone Hunters to attack it in order to harry the Bone Hunters a bit.
- Tuma's race is a different class within the Skrall species.
- Greg: "I don't consider Tuma a great intellect, I consider him a survivor and a practical being. Cautious. Manipulative. But if you wanted to sit down with him and discuss great Bara Magnan philosophers or the science of the oasis, he probably couldn't do it."
- Tuma and the Skrall were soldiers in the EP war.
- Tuma's interests are with the Skrall, not with personal goals.
- In general, a small percentage of Skrall are working as Glatorian.
- There are female Skrall.
- Atakus's swords differ from those on Skrall and Tuma in that they glow.
- Greg, on the battle with the shapeshifters: "It was pretty one-sided. When you are fighting something that can blend in with the scenery, then spring from behind and kill you, there's not a lot you can do without thermal imaging or that sort of tech."
- Skrall rarely travel alone -- they travel in patrols, heavily armed. Vorox are smart enough not to go after them, and if Skrall see a huge number of Vorox, they are smart enough not to ride into their midst. Bone hunters, on the other hand, have been killed by Vorox, and BH are more likely to be out riding alone.
AGORI
- As a hobby, Tarduk is a historian-archeologist, and Berix repairs things.
- Roxtus has more Agori than any other village.
BONE HUNTERS
- The bone hunters have no singular leader.
- All bone hunters ride rock steeds.
- Fero is confident, but not overconfident, experienced, and wise in the ways of the desert and tracking.
GENERAL
Great Beings
- The Great Beings had been avid creators since long, long before the EP discovery.
- Great Beings generally live together.
Story
- The Thornax launcher was developed before the disaster.
- The helmets the Vorox, Glatorian, etc. wear date back thousands and thousands of years.
- Greg, on the MLN game's chronology: "[T]he game takes place between the January and March comics, and during the first novel (which also takes place basically in the February timeframe .. unfortunately, it comes out later than that, but can't be helped.)"
- Greg, on Glatorian population: "I don't want to give out numbers on this, since I don't know how many will be shown to exist in the movie."
- The first novel this year is entitled "Raid on Vulcanus." It will include both winter and summer characters.
- Greg: "I am working on a six-part story for AMEET, the people who did the Makuta Guide for Poland last year, which will run through the six activity books they are doing for 2009 BIONICLE. It's called "The Crossing" and deals with a dangerous trek through the Black Spike Mountains and over the Dark Falls made by Gresh, Strakk and two Agori."
- Secret of Certavus, MLN, first novel, and at least the early chapters of EotS take place before the March comic. Second Level 3 reader takes place after the March comic and after the start of the movie. Movie takes place a few months after the March comic.
- Tarduk will initially be the main character in "Riddle of the Great Beings."
- The Atero tournament will take place in the March comic.
- When Greg said at an October library even that there may be more than one Mata Nui, he has strongly hinted that he was talking about future story rather than past.
Matoran universe
- The Great Beings created the original antidermis and gave it its knowledge of Mata Nui's mission. Creating the Makuta was part of Mata Nui's programming.
- The Twin Suns in Metru Nui are now red because of Teridax's eyes.
- Artakha may have suspected that Mata Nui is Matoran universe, but it's doubtful he found out for certain.
- The "weapon" of knowledge Artakha said would be found in Karda Nui was the existence of the Codrex and the information on the keystones.