Bionicle: Gathering of the Toa (Finally finished and ready to be published!)
Hello everyone!
I want to thank you all because today I finally finished my first book of my Bionicle AU. I hope that all of you will enjoy it in its entirety and that you'll be ready for the second one that will come pretty soon!
But now take a step into the world of the Bionicle:
Bionicle: Gathering Of The Toa - Chapter 1 - Overmegasixwave - Bionicle - All Media Types [Archive of Our Own]
This iron armored leader of the Skull Grinders (some wannabe Dark Hunters pillages and kills at his whim. Formerly, his crew was significantly larger, fully staffing two full warships. However a consequence of waging war with both the forces of Light and Darkness is that there is no safe harbor and losses are frequent.
You and your allies are not long for this world when you've made enemies of Light and Dark...
...unless you can manage to overthrow them both.
Kulta scours the towns his dwindling crew raze, in search of any indication of where any legendary Kanohi reside that would assist in turning the tide. Upon hearing of his former nemesis' Ekimu having taken up the title of Toa, he has docked his ship on the very southern edge of, what was formerly referred to as the Northern Continent, now Mata Nuva to search for his most hated enemy's new life... so that he might burn it to the ground and wrench the Mask of Creation from his stupid face and take any other little pet projects the slimy smith has fashioned.
"We have nothing to lose... but everything to gain!"
(Not to be confused with the Skull Raiders, the tribe.)
Metallic, undead warriors who functioned as elite troops and even commanders in the Brotherhood of Makuta. The Skull Raiders were a tribe of pirates and warriors, well-experienced in combat. They were led by Kulta, alongside his select, strongest commanders, and the Kal, Kulta’s personal squadron of his skilled soldiers. In the final battle of the Skull Raider wars, Kulta, his commanders, and the Kal were all captured and imprisoned beneath the capital city of Destral.
As they awaited execution, Kulta and his warriors were able to extend their deaths by formulating several deals, providing him Bohrok. On the day of the Great Cataclysm, Kulta and his warriors found themselves re-armed with their Bohrok weapons and armor and attempted to escape their prison to assist Makuta. However, the Great Cataclysm caused a quake that trapped them underground, and when the Mask of Life shattered, the wave of pure life energy unleashed at the epicenter struck Kulta and his warriors.
The pure life energy seared away their flesh, even as their bohrok armor reacted strangely to the force. The bohrok melted, fusing with Kulta and his warriors’ bones, trapping their souls within the metal and preventing them from properly dying. The catacombs collapsed, burying the Skull Warriors, and leaving them trapped underground in an unconscious state for several years.
Seeking to expand his new Brotherhood, Makuta eventually resurrected the Skull Warriors, awakening them with doses of Life energy. Digging their way out of the ground, Kulta and the Skull Warriors discovered that they were now metallic skeletons, their armor and masks fused to their bones, and parts of their bodies blazing with the energy of their soul. They lost the ability to sleep, eat, breathe, etc., robbed of many of the senses and luxuries of living beings.
Although initially horrified by their cursed bodies, the Skull Warriors ultimately adapted and allied with Makuta in order to protect their tribe, the Skull Raiders. When the Skull Spider wars began, Makuta scattered the Skull Warriors across Okoto, assigning them with finding Masks of Power and other potent sources of energy. Kulta stayed behind in the City of the Mask Makers to oversee the awakening of the Great Forge, and as the centuries passed, a select Brotherhood members were voluntarily transformed into Skull Warriors and then further altered by Makuta.
As they discovered Masks of Power, the Skull Warriors discovered an ability to drain Masks of their life force through their hands, permanently imbuing their own souls with a stolen Mask Power. Although Makuta insisted on collecting as many Masks as possible for his own experiments, he nevertheless permitted the Skull Warriors to absorb a few Mask Powers of their own, permanently adding terrifying abilities to their arsenal.
The Skull Warriors are;
Kulta, the Skull Grinder and leader of the Skull Raiders. Forced to become chief at a concerningly young age following the death of his parents, Kulta sought to save his tribe from the wars of their home island. His attempts led him to Okoto, where he fought, was imprisoned, and transformed into a metallic skeleton. After pledging allegiance to the Brotherhood of Makuta, Kulta had his body further strengthened by Makuta’s experiments, and even fused his soul with a fragment of Makuta’s, a gesture that made him more powerful and symbolically cemented him as a Rahkshi, one of the Sons of Makuta. The strongest of the Rahkshi and the Skull Warriors alike, Kulta wields a Vampire Trident gifted to him from Makuta that can drain Masks of Power in unprecedentedly short amounts of time.
A skeletal titan with blackened horns and a bleached Skull Raider mask, Kulta wields a power of energy-projection not unlike the Mask of Creation’s; This was the result of Makuta’s attempts to recreate the legendary mask’s abilities. As a result, Kulta is able to conjure constructs of energy to attack his enemies with, such as giant skeletal limbs, walls, blasts, etc. As the strongest of the Rahkshi, Kulta is able to take on all six Toa, if only for a short amount of time.
During his time in the City of the Mask Makers, he utilized Ekimu’s leftover Hammer of Power to construct and perform maintenance on Skull Spiders, as well as craft other useful tools for the Brotherhood occupation.
Gorast, the Skull Berserker. An old friend of Kulta’s parents, Gorast acted as a nanny/mentor of sorts, instructing Kulta in his youth in the matters of fighting, killing, and leading a tribe. As Kulta’s trusted advisor, Gorast stayed close to his side, eventually joining the Brotherhood of Makuta. During the Skull Spider wars, Gorast operated in the Region of Ice, searching for Masks of Power. She eventually came into conflict with Kopaka, Toa of Ice, with the two fighting over a Mask of Shielding; Gorast was eventually defeated, and subsequently fought the Okotans many times later.
A horned knight of terrifying strength, Gorast is a ruthless, bloodthirtsty combatant. Blazing with a soul of Jungle, she wields two shields with a sword attached on one end; When the Mask of Life was shattered, one of her shield-swords was fused to her right forearm. Gorast wields the power of a drained Mask of Magnetism. Gorast has the uncanny ability to go berserk during battle, and she is fiercely devoted to Kulta.
Antroz, the Skull Crusher. One of Kulta’s prized lieutenants, Antroz was stationed in the Region of Earth during the Skull Spider Wars. He eventually came into conflict with Onua, Toa of Earth, but was defeated.
An honorable, boisterous warrior with fighting principles and a code, Antroz is huge and towers over his fellow Skull Raiders, eclipsed only by Kulta, and blazes with a soul of Fire. He prefers to wear a tattered bandana around his helmet, and wields a giant Warhammer in battle. Antroz wields the power of a drained Mask of Strength, turning him into a powerful juggernaut.
Krika, the Skull Piercer. An outcast at birth due to his deformities, Krika’s legs ended in stumps around the knees, while his arms were unusually long and his body unnaturally lanky, with a hunched back to top it all off. Native to the Skull Raiders’ homeland, he met Kulta and was personally invited by the Skull Grinder into the tribe, quickly rising through the ranks as one of his top generals.
Although viewed a bit distrustfully by the others, Krika is nevertheless valued and appreciated by Kulta. During the Skull Spider wars, he was stationed in the Region of Water, and sights of his ghostly form led to stories of a ‘Phantom of the Tides’. He eventually clashed with Gali, Toa of Water, over a Mask of Lightning and was defeated, later aiding the Brotherhood of Makuta in other campaigns.
Krika makes up for his deformities through his Bohrok prosthetics, which double as weapons. His long arms are tipped with spine-like blades, and his legs end with curved, spiny blades, allowing Krika to walk on all four of his weapons like a quadruped. His helmet has a long spine extending from the back, with horns curving downwards.
Krika has a soul of Ice, and wields a drained Mask of Intangibility. A loner and introvert at heart, Krika is often contemplative and rarely talks. He is also one of the few Skull Warriors to indulge in mercy for the Okotans, and although they’re enemies, he nevertheless respects them as individuals.
Mutran and Chirox, the Skull Twins. Bickering twins since birth, the two nevertheless still love one another deep down and fight with a close bond. Rising through Kulta’s ranks, they both became his commanders and were later imprisoned beneath Destral. Makuta, noticing their frequent arguments, had a sick sense of humor and played a cruel joke by chaining the two together with a bohrok chain. When the Mask of Life seared their bones, their chain was permanently fused to their arms, binding the two together forever. Although Makuta is very much able to break the chain keeping them together, he has only lengthened it for combat practicality; Otherwise, he jeers at their situation.
Mutran has a soul of Jungle, while Chirox has a soul of Earth. Both wield their own masks, with Chirox’s modeled after a spider’s face. From Mutran’s back protrude spears, while Chirox has curved spines arching from her back. The two wield between them various chained flails with spiked spheres and blades at the end, tangled around their bodies. Mutran has their chain fused to his left forearm, while Chirox’s end is around her right forearm. Both twins wield giant, multi-handed blades as well.
Mutran wields the power of a drained Mask of Poison, and Chirox has the power of a drained Mask of Detonation. During the Skull Spider wars, Makuta had them retaliate towards the arrival of the Toa by making Mutran poison the Vuata Maca, the largest tree of Okoto and home to many Okotans. Lewa, Toa of Jungle, eventually tracked down the two and defeated them with the aid of his allies. Mutran is a bit snobbish with a cruel curiosity, while Chirox is snarky and often exasperated by life in general.
Bitil, the Skull Defender. An Okotan at birth, Bitil became Protector of Stone during the Skull Spider wars. Leading the Levatan Patrol, Bitil witnessed many brave Okotans die in combat and became embittered by his experience. As Protector, his reign was strict, and he often imposed strict rules that made him unpopular amongst his fellow Okotans. As far as Bitil was concerned, safety and practicality were more important than things like fun, and his harsh mentality of a greater end necessitating brutal means caused others to question his leadership.
Despite all of this, Bitil genuinely cared for his fellow Okotans, and simply couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t forsake certain freedoms in order to contribute to a more unified, efficient front against the Skull Spiders. Likewise, he had a fascination with Okoto’s Creation Age, and in particular the Masks of Power. His views were sympathetic towards Makuta, or at the very least, he understood the need to create harsh weapons to protect others. Many of these suggestions he made were seen as dangerous by his fellow Levatans, frustrating Bitil, who feared that everyone else’s fear of Makuta’s mistakes would lead to Okoto becoming regressive and refusing to progress with its technology due to things like ‘ethics’.
Ultimately, Bitil became legitimately frustrated with the Okotans he swore to protect, feeling a divide in ideology and methods that others might consider more ‘extreme’, including forsaking allies he felt were already doomed and even experimenting the effects of captured, crippled Skull Spiders on Okotans. The Levatans began to view Bitil as an extremist and heretic, and were horrified when he once suggested that maybe the Mask of Life wasn’t THAT much of a mistake, at least in regards to intention- Many disagreed, believing it was heretical by concept alone.
These disagreements culminated when Bitil was possessed in a battle with Skull Spiders, his Protector Mask and weapons thankfully retrieved beforehand. Makuta, sensing his darker thoughts and genuine belief in progress by any means necessary, revealed himself to the former Protector. After revealing his many experiments and swaying Bitil, Makuta eventually gained his allegiance. Bitil was fascinated with science and Life energy, and his personal philosophy dictated that society must do whatever it could to explore its capabilities and test their limits. Makuta’s willingness to pursue any goal and experiment in ways deemed ‘dangerous’ by the cowardly mainstream audience resonated with Bitil, who was by now disillusioned with Okotan society in general and believed its timidness was leading it towards its downfall.
Swearing loyalty, Bitil volunteered for the painful process of becoming a Skull Warrior. Makuta obliged, having sensed and tested his principles, and replicated the conditions that transformed Kulta and his warriors. Arming Bitil with Bohrok weapons and armor, he created a smaller explosion of Life energy, fusing the metal to his bones. Further modifications added to Bitil’s arsenal, and he was deployed in the Region of Fire. He later battled Tahu, Toa of Fire, and continued serving in the Brotherhood of Makuta, his past and identity eventually revealed.
With a soul of Stone, Bitil wears an Okotan Mask of the Dead, marking him as an Okotan. He wields multiple shields fused to his arms, and even has lesser limbs with shields attached at the ends as well. Bitil can arrange his shields into multiple defensive positions. He has the ability to tuck in his limbs, covering himself entirely with a cocoon of shields and spin rapidly, letting him drill through the earth as he sees through additional auxiliary eyes on his head. He has the drained energy of a Mask of Cloning, which allows him to create semi-physical, fragile copies of himself made from Life energy. Maintaining them costs Bitil plenty of energy, but if a clone is destroyed then he can always reabsorb its energy.
Vamprah, the Skull Beast. A hunter during the fallout of the Great Cataclysm, Vamprah developed a cruel desire to hunt anything and even anyone. This eventually culminated in him murdering some of his fellow Okotans, resulting in his exile from every village. Embittered, Vamprah went on a killing spree of every living thing he came across, eventually attracting Makuta’s attention. Makuta appealed to his desire to hunt, offering to let him indulge in his hobbies to his wildest dreams, with a powerful new body as well. Thus, Vamprah joined the Brotherhood of Makuta, and after proving his loyalty and worth was heavily-transformed into the Skull Beast. Makuta stationed him in the Region of Stone, where he later clashed with Pohatu, Toa of Stone.
Vamprah blazes with a soul of Water and is the most modified of the Skull Warriors. Now a large, hunched-over beast on six limbs, Vamprah wears an Okotan Mask of the Dead upon his elongated snout. Vamprah is equipped with fangs, claws, and four horns that curve backwards from his head. He has drained the power of a Mask of Sensory, enhancing his senses and returning ones he lost, aiding in his skill as a bestial predator and hunter.
The Skull Scorpios, A pair of Kinloka, scorpion-like animals that are actually mammalian in nature, not unlike armadillos or pangolins. Kinloka are larger than the average Okotan, and instead of stingers they wield pincers at the end of their tails that can grab objects for them to throw with terrifying accuracy. Kinloka mate for life and are herbivores, typically minding their own business far away from Okotans. The Kinloka were relatively few in number, with their entire population confined to a specific area.
When the Great Cataclysm occurred, the Kinloka habitat was flooded by the new Region of Water, drowning and killing just about every Kinloka, save for a select few. Of them, one couple was captured by Makuta and forcibly tamed by him. As part of his experiments with Bohrok on animals, he converted his Kinloka into metallic skeletons of themselves and dubbed them the Skull Scorpios. Fierce and aggressive from years of abuse and conditioning, the Skull Scorpios were stationed as guard animals in the City of the Mask Makers, protecting Ekimu’s crypt from potential intruders.
Both Scorpios blaze with souls of Stone, and are in constant pain from their transformations. Neither has drained a Mask Power, but their original strength, already beyond that of an Okotan, has been amplified by Makuta’s experiments. Their pincer-tails have had large bohrok blades fused to them that, when closed, function as impenetrable shields. The Skull Scorpios function best as a team, and together are even able to challenge all six Toa at once.
Kojol, the Skull Sentry. A pyromaniac Okotan who was exiled for obvious reasons, Kojol was inducted into the Brotherhood of Makuta and after proving his loyalty and competency, was rewarded with a powerful new body. Transformed into a Skull Warrior, Kojol blazes with a soul of Fire and wears an Okotan Mask of the Dead. He wields a bayonet-gatling staff and twin guns on his shoulders, as well as a huge inventory of destructive ammunition. Kojol is able to fire off waves of powerful bullets that can shred through his enemies, making him a walking arsenal and sentry.
Admittedly a bit of an idiot, Kojol is nevertheless a competent fighter and his simplicity makes him loyal to Makuta. After being transformed, he was stationed in the City of the Mask Makers, where Makuta assigned him with overlooking the foundry he established there. Despite Kojol’s best efforts, he failed to keep the Toa and Okotans from retrieving Ekimu’s Hammer of Power.
The Kal, the Skull Warriors. Considered to be the default Skull Warriors, the Kal were the most skilled Skull Raiders who fought directly underneath Kulta during the Skull Raider wars, and were captured alongside him and his generals and imprisoned beneath Destral.
Like typical Skull Raiders of the time, each Skull Warrior is armed with a bow and spear, as well as a Skull mask and some combination of armor. The group consists of a wide variety of souls of various elements. Skull Warriors, thanks to upgrades from Makuta, are able to summon arrows of energy for them to fire from their bows, granting the Kal access to a virtually infinite supply of arrows. Upon striking a target, these arrows will quickly dissipate.
During the Skull Spider wars, the Kal were stationed as the guards of the City of the Mask Makers, constantly patrolling the area. Attempts by the Gukko Airforce to fly overhead would be shot down swiftly by the Skull Warriors. Although a lone Skull Warrior is by no means as much of a threat as one of the Skull Commanders, as a united, functioning unit, the Kal are capable of easily defeating the Toa. A few individual Kal have drained Mask Powers, upon approval by Makuta.
Skull Puppets. Individuals, usually captured Okotans or Brotherhood of Makuta members, transformed by Makuta. Skull Puppets are (excuse the pun) bare-bones, consisting of no armor beyond their metallic skeletons and their masks. Nevertheless, they are fast, powerful enemies and Makuta’s mass-produced answer to the Skull Warriors. While the Skull Puppets are easily weaker than the Kal, they are far more numerous, and are lighter and more agile. Each Skull Puppet usually wields a basic weapon, such as an axe or sword, and they fight with a unique fighting style that takes advantage of their flexible bodies (Basically, they fight like Jack Skellington). Due to being the weakest, most basic Skull Warriors, none of the Puppets’ bones glow with the energy of their soul.
There are two variants of Skull Puppet;
Those that wear Okotan Masks of the Dead are fully conscious and in control of themselves. These are Okotans who indoctrinated into the Brotherhood of Makuta and swore loyalty to their new master.
The other variant consists of captured Okotans who didn’t swear allegiance; They’re controlled by limbless Skull Spiders made of bohrok, fused to their faces. Unlike other Skull Spiders, the ones possessing the Puppets lack receptacles for Fenrakk’s abilities. Nevertheless, these Skull Puppets are particularly lethal, as they coordinate incredibly well-together and share a mind belonging to Fenrakk, Lord of the Skull Spiders.
The Skull Puppets were deployed across Okoto during the Skull Spider wars, usually seeking out Masks of Power. In the Region of Stone, one was sighted by the hunter Podu, who later reported to the tale back to Levato, with some skeptical of his claims. They were eventually verified when a group of Skull Puppets attacked Pohatu and the Levatan Guard. Later in the Skull Spider wars, the Skull Puppets acted as elite troops in the Brotherhood of Makuta alongside possessed animals.
In the wake of Fenrakk’s demise, many of his controlled Skull Puppets were freed from his possession. Horrified by their conditions, these victims nevertheless reintegrated back into Okotan society, with therapy programs organized to help them deal with the trauma of being controlled. These freed Puppets later had their bodies reforged to present themselves as Okotans more, and were dubbed Matoran. Most of the Matoran happily fight to defend Okoto, and while some were from generations long ago, others have reunited with friends and family members they were separated from.
I’ll do another post regarding Skull Slicer and Skull Basher. For now, I’m not going to elaborate on the two as their identities and roles are a bit spoiler-y regarding Bionicle RaE and/or I haven’t fully figured things out.
Kulta, the Skull Grinder and leader of the the Skull Raiders/Army is now ready for viewing alongside his manic left hand, Skull Slicer.
Kulta’s actually the tallest moc I’ve made reach a solid head above Tahu, my third tallest moc. He shares Basher’s skull trophy on his staff but with a golden version of his own.
Skull Slicer was a challenge due to the pursuit of making him nimble in design without being basic. Did I succeed? Kinda. His construction isn’t that much more complex than before but it’s not too basic. The only direct change is his calve construction. Everything else is only a minor adjustment. One change I made by chance but enjoyed was his redesigned upper arms. They now possess the ability to merge like General Grievous.
Originating from a distant, harsh land, their leader Kulta was forced to take leadership at a concerningly young age following his parents’ deaths. After hearing tales of a mythical island that everyone supposedly came from, an inspired Kulta, seeking to move his tribe away from their wartorn home, led a great emigration in search of this fabled land.
Although massive storms and terrifying sea beasts sunk many ships, the Skull Raiders’ hopes and prayers worked out in the end. Sighting the shoreline of Okoto, the pirates quickly landed, and sent several scouts who kidnapped local Okotans, interrogating them furiously about the culture and lifestyle of the island. After assessing the situation, Kulta chose to attack.
The Skull Raiders are by no means inherently evil or violent, and they’re clearly the same type of being as the Okotans. However, generations of backstabbing, bloodshed, massacres, and other atrocities in the wars of his homeland scarred Kulta. For the Skull Raiders, attacking the peaceful Okotans under the assumption that they would inevitably seek to kill them was a rational move; They thought the natives unable to be trusted after their trauma.
Thus, while peace WAS an option, it was one left unchosen in favor of war. And once the Skull Raiders led their first series of massacres, conflict became the only option for either side; Either the Okotans would be conquered, or the Skull Raiders would be rounded up and/or slaughtered.
Despite Okoto initially having the advantage of greater numbers and technology, the Skull Raiders were able to adapt by utilizing a series of cunning guerilla tactics from their homeland. Led by the brilliant Kulta, they made good use of an indestructible metal called Bohrok, utilizing secret smelting techniques passed down from generations to hone the ore into powerful armor and weapons.
Likewise, the Skull Raiders were able to overwhelm the Okotans with the ferocity of their attacks. Okoto, up until then, had never faced an actual threat or war, as it had been unified underneath the Emperor. Thus, its royal army had no experience facing a threat like this, whereas the Skull Raiders were intimately familiar with war and brutal tactics. To make things worse, Okotan culture dictated some actions in war as unfavorable and immoral, no matter the ends; The Skull Raiders, unsurprisingly, found many ‘war crimes’ to be commonplace tactics, and had few qualms, if any, taking hostages, among many other under-handed tactics.
The Skull Raider wars commenced for several months, with the Protectors and the Mask Makers leading the Okotan defense. Ekimu and Makuta’s godlike powers were able to conquer any Skull Raider opponent they faced, their Hammers of Power easily shattering Bohrok, but the Skull Raiders were fast, spread-out, and many, and quickly adapted to the presence of the brothers, making sure to keep note of their locations as much as possible.
The Skull Raiders soon changed the war in their favor once more once they began using stolen Masks of Power to their advantage, helping them level the playfield against Okoto. As they began to pillage cities for many Life Automatons, even hijacking a few Airships, the Skull Raiders eventually got their hands on some of Makuta’s hidden, Forbidden Masks. They gleefully used the questionable weapons to their worst extent, and with the Forbidden Masks revealed, the Emperor eventually had to commission Makuta for more of them.
Despite the skill and tactics of the seasoned Skull Raiders, they were ultimately no match for the Mask Makers. The twins constructed bigger, stronger weapons, and the Okotans quickly grew to adapt to war after enough time. The Skull Raiders had a poor understanding of Life Automatons, and were thus unprepared for some of Makuta’s more devious traps; One infamous example was a Mask of Power that when ‘dropped’ by an Okotan for a Skull Raider to use and activate, would unleash bladed limbs from its sides that would tear into their victim’s head.
The final battle of the Skull Raider wars eventually ended with Kulta, his top commanders, and his army of his finest warriors, the Kal, being rounded up and imprisoned. To their surprise, Kulta and his fellow Raiders weren’t immediately executed, but soon found out it was because the Okotans were busy devising the worst possible punishment.
With their leaders taken out, the remaining Skull Raiders went into hiding, splitting into smaller groups. Although some of these stragglers attempted to continue the war, it was discovered to be a futile effort, and save for the occasional banditry and theft, the Skull Raiders ceased their war entirely in favor of just surviving, growing accustomed to the lush Okoto.
As Makuta worked on ways to the better of his brother and one-up him, he became intrigued by Bohrok. His curiosity getting the better of him, he stealthily snuck into Kulta and his warriors’ prison beneath Destral, inquiring the nature of the metal and the best ways to smelt with it.
Seeking an opportunity, Kulta seized it and struck a deal with Makuta; in exchange for extending the date of the commanders’ execution (Kulta knew Makuta was in charge of this), he would teach Makuta about Bohrok. Makuta, feeling the Skull Raiders’ deaths were inevitable, agreed, and began to collaborate with the commanders.
More deals were struck as Makuta began to see the Skull Raiders as useful allies who understood the concept of harsh means for a greater end, unlike the Okotans. The Skull Raiders themselves were wary, especially since they could tell how Makuta looked down on them; But beggars couldn’t be choosers. Kulta, through Makuta, would send messages certified through ways only possible through himself to the remaining Skull Raiders scattered across Okoto. Underneath his directions, they would instruct Makuta on Bohrok, and even provide him with ample amounts of the metal, which they had plenty of.
These deals led to a strange, secret symbiosis between Makuta and the Skull Raiders. Makuta would often rely on the tribe for some of his more hidden, controversial actions and projects, and in return he would provide favors, including better prison conditions, hidden homes for the Skull Raiders to hide in, etc. Of course, Makuta never let the commanders be free from their prison, as he still needed leverage over them- The feeling was mutual.
The dealings culminated when Makuta, desperate to create a Mask of Life, hired the Skull Raiders scattered across Okoto for a horrific series of harvests, requiring hundreds, if not thousands of Okotan souls. In exchange for such a bold undertaking that would easily risk many Skull Raider lives, Kulta finally negotiated the freedom he desired from Makuta, who at that point was more concerned about the Mask of Life and the glory it’d give him than anything else.
With Makuta’s intimate knowledge of army rotations and procedures, the scattered Skull Raiders reunited under Kulta’s guidance and led a series of massacres, slaughtering many minor villages and harvesting their victims for their Life energy. With the help of Makuta’s brotherhood, the harvested energy was secretly sent to Makuta’s workshop in the Great Forge, even as the tribe celebrated and anticipated their leaders’ freedom.
Unsurprisingly, Okoto noticed the Skull Raiders’ sudden increase in seemingly senseless massacres, and the Protectors and Ekimu began to investigate. Fearing being outed, Makuta struck one final deal; During the Festival of Masks, Makuta would give his servants a cue to release the Skull Raider commanders from their prison beneath Destral. Armed with their Bohwork weapons and armor, Kulta would lead his warriors in escaping to the surface and storming the area, providing backup and protection for Makuta.
Kulta, who was considering killing Makuta during said plan, readily agreed. On the day of the Festival of Masks, Makuta convinced many guards to take breaks, even as his servants provided Kulta and his warriors with their old tools. Meanwhile, the Protectors’ investigations led Ekimu towards the remaining Skull Raiders, where he engaged in a civil duel and avoided casualties entirely. Earning the respect of the pirates, Ekimu learned of Makuta’s crimes, with the Skull Raiders figuring out that their leaders would be freed by the time Makuta realized they had betrayed him.
When Ekimu arrived at Destral and revealed Makuta’s crimes to the Okotans, Kulta and the Skull Commanders armed themselves and began to break free upon a cue from Makuta. As they marched towards the surface, however, Makuta donned the Mask of Life, starting off the Great Cataclysm and causing a series of earthquakes that blocked Kulta and his warriors off from the surface.
Trapped, Kulta and his group were helpless as Ekimu shattered the Mask of Life. Makuta’s creation unleashed a powerful wave of pure life energy upon breaking, one that engulfed Destral and pertrified anyone who wasn’t protected like Ekimu.
The Skull Raiders beneath Destral were an interesting case, however. The life energy struck them, travelling through the ground and searing their flesh away. Their Bohrok armor reacted strangely to it, warping as it melted and fused with the Skull Raiders’ bones, trapping their souls in their bodies and keeping them from truly dying.
As the Great Cataclysm ended, Kulta and his commanders were left smelted and immolated, their souls trapped in their metallic corpses as the catacombs collapsed upon them. Kulta and his warriors quickly went dormant, entering an unconscious state of hibernation.
Across Okoto, the other Skull Raiders in hiding were devastated by the Great Cataclysm. Luckily, having always been somewhat nomadic and not having been in a city at the time, they weren’t hit as badly as their Okotan enemies.
Regrouping, their scouts attempted to enter Destral, and after multiple attempts braving the hazardous terrain, finally came across the Capital City, strewn with the petrified corpses of those caught in the explosion. Terrified and feeling a horrific chill down their spines, the scouts retreated, relaying the news.
The Skull Raiders mourned the loss of their leaders, lamenting their mistakes and blaming Ekimu. A new leader was elected, and while some initially broke off to exact revenge against the weakened, scattered Okotans, the tribe as a whole ultimately chose to retreat to the newly-created mountain borders separating the Elemental Regions. There, they carved an intricate series of tunnels and caverns, creating an underground city that they lived in.
In the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm, subsequent generations of Skull Raiders dealt with vengeful Okotans who remembered their ancestors’ crimes. The Skull Raiders were disinterested by then with conquering Okoto, and chose to remain in their new home as they developed a new lifestyle, trying to avoid Okotans who deliberately sought them out to lynch them.
Attempts were made by Raiders in establishing peace and co-existing with the Okotans, but the Okotans still viewed the tribe with hostility and refused to let them participate in trade in other interactions, with some considering hunting down the Skull Raiders. Consequently, feelings of war and vengeance came into the hearts of many, and war advocates called for a take-over of the vulnerable Okoto, or at the very least the use of violence to get what they wanted.
These efforts wouldn’t come into fruition until Makuta’s reawakening. As Makuta formulated his ultimate plan and began reassembling a new Brotherhood in his name, he immediately sought out the Skull Raiders. While he had suspicions that they’d outed him to Ekimu, he figured that the original traitors were long dead and their descendants more subsceptible towards him. Besides, they were the group most likely to ally with him, and beggars couldn’t be choosers.
Using his influence, Makuta discovered the immolated bodies of Kulta and his commanders beneath Destral and revived them with Life Energy. Reawakened, Kulta and his commanders clawed their way from the dirt, taking in their new forms in horror; They were now metallic skeletons of Bohrok, their armor and masks fused to their faces, some parts of themselves blazing with the energy of their souls. Worst of all, they had lost their sense of smell and taste, with their sense of touch likewise dulled, and could not feel the comforts that a living being enjoyed.
Pained and wracked by their cursed new bodies and fate, Kulta and his commanders initially despaired, but when reminded of the other Skull Raiders, focused on a new agenda. Assessing the situation, Kulta decided that the best course of action was to ally with Makuta –who wasn’t planning to give them much of a choice, anyway- and swore subservience to the Mask Hoarder as a member of his new Brotherhood of Makuta.
Kulta and his commanders reunited with their descendants, who were horrified, but ultimately amazed and overjoyed, to see their heroes of legend return in powerful, immortal forms. Makuta won over the hearts of many Skull Raiders, as he was the one who resurrected Kulta and his commanders in the first place, and readily agreed to become part of his Brotherhood of Makuta.
Acting on Makuta’s orders, the Skull Raiders helped him amass the resources he needed, eventually assisting in the production of Skull Spiders. To further cement his alliance with the Brotherhood, Kulta even accepted part of Makuta’s soul, fusing it with his own and symbolically becoming a Rahkshi, a Son of Makuta. He was likewise entrusted with new, powerful abilities, and a Vampire Trident that could drain Life from objects.
The time came to strike, and the Skull Spider wars commenced with Fenrakk, the lord of Skull Spiders and another Rahkshi, seizing multiple key locations, including the City of the Mask Makers. Kulta and his Skull Warriors helped secure the location and assisted in setting up a foundry and catacombs meant to harvest the energy of kidnapped Okotans.
As Kulta began to supervise the reawakening of the Great Forge, stationed at the City of the Mask Makers alongside Fenrakk, his commanders set out to find Masks of Power and other potent tools and sources of Life energy. With the path paved for them by the Skull Spiders, Kulta’s commanders were easily able to find many helpful items, not having to deal with the Okotans who were holed up in their Mega-Villages, although they occasionally came across complications and more ambitious orders from Makuta.
Although Kulta insisted that his tribe stay within their city in the mountains, hoping they would never have to be haunted by war, many young war hawks arose. These hot-headed generations were influenced by the dominance of their leaders over Okoto, and felt emboldened by the Brotherhood of Makuta’s control, which they considered themselves to be a part of. The fact that Makuta subtly influenced many of these youths definitely didn’t help, and many saw the dark spirit as a hero in his own right, much to his enjoyment.
Nevertheless, Kulta kept the terms of his alliance firm to Makuta, and thus had his tribe stay within the confines of their city, forbidden from venturing out too far, and definitely kept from participating in any battles. When Makuta began inducting Okotans into his Brotherhood, many were turned into Skull Puppets, and hearing of this, many Skull Raiders volunteered.
Despite Kulta’s protests, at least a few tribe members were converted into Puppets. In the years of the Skull Spider wars, Kulta found himself frequently interacting with Fenrakk, the two forming a strange friendship of sorts. When the Toa arrived on Okoto and led a counterattack against the Brotherhood, Kulta and his commanders led efforts to sabotage and contain the Okotans, and especially harvest the Toa, if not outright killing them on the spot.
Their attempts ultimately failed, and the Okotans managed to unite into a stronger fighting force and stormed the City of the Mask Makers. The Skull Commanders and Puppets led a final defense against the Okotans, even as the Toa infiltrated the city and fought with the Skull Warriors.
When the situation became dire, Kulta ordered his forces to retreat, even as he donned the Mask of Creation in a last-ditch effort to stop the Okotans. He failed, and was captured alongside the Skull Basher Kodo. Back in their mountain city, the Skull Raiders called for a more active support of Makuta in Kulta’s absence, desiring to rescue their leader. Led by a youth named Axato, this group got their wish at a cost;
After forming an alliance with Umarak, Spirit of Shadow, Makuta had his new ally rescue Kulta from the City of the Mask Makers, even as the Skull Raiders assisted the Brotherhood in capturing Lewa and Uxar, Spirit of Jungle. As Kulta reunited with his tribe, the Okotans, Toa, and other Elemental Spirits stormed the Skull Raiders’ home. In the ensuing battle, Kulta was finally killed, the Toa succeeded in becoming Kaita fusions with the Elemental Deities, and the Skull Raiders’ home was destroyed.
In the wake of his death, Kulta was made a martyr against his will by Makuta, he seized control of the Skull Raiders as he always dreamed of. The tribe mourned the loss of their leader and home, and thus began openly fighting alongside the Brotherhood. As some fought as flesh and bone, others submitted themselves to the painful process of becoming Skull Puppets, all while their commanders, old comrades of Kulta, helplessly watched.
When Makuta seized control of Umarak and his Elemental Beasts, the Skull Raiders fought alongside their new allies in Makuta’s attempts to raze Okoto. The Elemental Beasts proved themselves berserk and hard to control, with some even attacking the Raiders and other Brotherhood members. After Ekimu defeated Makuta, seizing the Mask of Control and apparently killing his brother, the Elemental Spirits regained their full power, stolen to create the Elemental Beasts, and struck down a weakened Umarak. With their leader and a huge portion of their army destroyed, and the Okotans having gained a huge boost in power, the Skull Raiders retreated with the rest of the Brotherhood.
