Prologue
Welcome to Metru-Nui. Welcome to the thriving home of the Matoran; an underground city made up of six Metrus representing the six elements. Welcome to the City of Legends.
Metru-Nui is overseen by Turaga Dume. The Turaga lives in the Coliseum in the center of the city. The six Metrus each span out from the Coliseum. Ta-Metru is the Metru of fire. Here Matoran use the intense heat of their Metru to craft tools and other necessitates. The major occupation of Ta-Matoran is mask-making, and the city is filled with Matoran crafting Kanohi masks.
The desert-like Po-Metru is filled with carvers. Matoran work on the stone to create carvings of the Great Spirits and other legendary heroes. Rahi run free in this undeveloped Metru. Beside Po-Metru is the Metru of the water, Ga-Metru. The Ga-Matoran teach and learn in this Metru. Studies on protodermis are conducted in Ga-Metru labs, and the Metru is a popular vacation stop for all Matoran.
To the south is Le-Metru, where the Le-Matoran constantly work on transportation methods. Next to Le-Metru is the chilly Ko-Metru, filled with icy Knowledge Towers. Ko-Matoran study the stars in this Metru, and interpret prophecies about the future.
Onu-Metru is north of Ko-Metru, and is filled with many Matoran. Onu-Matoran mine in the soft soil of the Metru. But most Matoran in Onu-Metru are part of the archive system, which consists of a vast level of galleries filled with artifacts from all across the city. The Archives of Metru-Nui extend beneath the entire island, and are easily accessible from Onu-Metru.
However, this is a different Metru-Nui. This is a Metru-Nui before the Toa Metru. This is a Metru-Nui before Makuta's take-over. This is the Metru-Nui before the impersonation of Turaga Dume. This is a Metru-Nui before Toa Lhikan, before the Dark Hunters, before the great crisis that would drive the Matoran to the island of Mata-Nui. This is Metru-Nui in a peaceful stage. The Matoran society thrives, and many advancements have been made thanks to new objects: Kanoka Discs.
Kanoka Discs are made in every Metru on the island. Protodermis is taken from the Metru, and melted in a forge. The Kanoka-Maker then crafts the liquid protodermis into the shape of a Kanoka Disc. Once the disc has cooled, the Kanoka-Maker tests the disc's special power and its power level. After that, they enter a code on the disc that will identify its powers, and then finalize the disc so that it can be used.
The Matoran use the code on a Kanoka Disc to interpret its powers. The code consists of three digits, which each represents a special power in the disc. The first digit represents where the protodermis of the disc originated. The second digit represents the disc's special power. And the third digit represents the disc's power level.
The origin of the protodermis helps determine the disc's flight abilities. A disc made from Ta-Metru protodermis is very strong, and can break through obstacles. A Ga-Metru disc can be guided through the air by the user's thoughts. A Po-Metru disc deflects all other Kanoka from their flight paths. A Ko-Metru disc dodges obstacles until it can reach its target. A Le-Metru disc can fly further than any other discs. An Onu-Metru disc will return to uses after it's been fired. A number is used to represent each Metru from which the disc originated. "1" represents Ta-Metru, "2" represents Ga-Metru, "3" represents Po-Metru, "4" represents Ko-Metru, "5" represents Le-Metru, and "6" represents Onu-Metru.
Kanoka Discs come with eight special powers, and each are given a number to represent a power. "1" represents a Reconstruct at Random power, which will rearrange an object down at its molecular level to turn it into something else. "2" represents a Freezing power, which will cool down the moisture around an object, and incase it in ice. "3" represents a Weakening power, which will weaken an inanimate object and steal energy from an animate object. "4" represents a Removes Poison power, which will eliminate any poison in an object. "5" represents an Enlarging power, which will cause an object to grow in size. "6" represents a Shrinking power, which will decrease an object's size. "7" represents a Regeneration power, which will create more objects or specific properties on an object, such as wounds. "8" represents a Teleportation power, which will send an object to another random location instantly.
The third section of a code represents the power level of a Kanoka discs. The power levels range from a weak "1" power level to a strong "8" power level. Theoretically, Kanoka discs can have any quantity of power, but the limit in Metru-Nui is normally power level eight. There have been rumors of Great Kanoka with a power level of nine, but these rumors have not been confirmed. Power levels determine the quality of the disc's power and flight abilities. A higher-powered Kanoka will fly longer than a lower-powered Kanoka, and the power effect would be more intense. For example, a higher-powered Enlarging Kanoka would make an object grow larger than a lower-powered Kanoka. Most Matoran prefer to use discs at a high power level, because the discs work better. However, higher-powered discs are hard to come by.
The protodermis helps determine the power level of a Kanoka. Pure protodermis will create powerful Kanoka. But contaminated protodermis will make weak Kanoka. Onu-Metru and Po-Metru have lots of pure protodermis at their disposal, and it is common to find powerful Onu-Metru and Po-Metru Kanoka. However, pure protodermis is hard to find in the other four Metrus, and Turaga Dume has placed restrictions on the protodermis from these Metrus. Under these restrictions, it is very hard to come by pure protodermis. Therefore, Kanoka from the other four Metrus are normally weak.
Kanoka discs are used in many parts of a Matoran's life in the city of Metru-Nui. Matoran use the discs at work and at play. They use Kanoka launchers to fire the discs at certain objects. The primary use of Kanoka was to be for everyday tasks. Kanoka competitions are also held in the Coliseum, where Matoran use their aiming abilities to win at the game. Kanoka discs are also used when traveling in chutes. The Matoran ride their Kanoka, and use them to navigate through the complex chute system. Kanoka discs are also useful in combat. As of late, Gang Matoran have used Kanoka discs to cause chaos in the city. The Vahki enforcers also use Kanoka to stop troublesome Matoran.
Kanoka are also used in transportation. Specific Kanoka can be combined to make speed and levitation Kanoka, which are used in airships, Vahki transports, and Hover-Bikes. Individual chute stations are also run off the power of combined Kanoka discs.
While many Matoran use the Chute systems to navigate across the island, the newest form of individual transportation for Matoran is the Hover-Bike. Hover-Bikes, powered by Kanoka, can easily fly over the streets, through chutes, and around obstacles. Turaga Dume has approved of the creation of retailed Hover-Bikes, so all Matoran can get one. A few Matoran still create their own Hover-Bikes, which violate restrictions set down by Turaga Dume.
The most important use of a Kanoka disc is in mask making. All Matoran must wear a Kanohi mask to function, and all current Kanohi are made from Kanoka discs. Ta-Matoran mask-makers select worthy Kanoka, and carve a mask from them. The power of a combined Kanoka will determine the power of a mask. The power level of a Kanoka also determines the power of the mask. All Kanoka with a power level of six or less lose all their power when they are turned into a mask, and these Kanohi are worm by Matoran. Kanoka with a power level of seven can create Noble Kanohi masks, which contains a limited amount of powers in them. Matoran cannot handle the powers of these masks, but Turaga can. Kanoka discs with a power level of eight can be carved into Great Kanohi, which contain immense powers, but can only be used by a Toa.
Metru-Nui was indeed in a peaceful time. However, that peace was being threatened. Gang Matoran had begun to up rise against the Turaga's rule. The Gang Matoran used their Kanoka and Hover-Bikes to cause destruction all across the island. They demolished chutes, tore apart forges, toppled statues, and felled Knowledge Towers. They cared little for the civilian Matoran, and kidnapped and tortured them whenever they had the chance. Turaga Dume used his robotic enforcers, known as Vahki, to take out the Gang Matoran, but they resisted still. Life went on in Metru-Nui, but the struggle between Dume and the Gang Matoran was beginning to wind down to a startling conclusion that could cause utter destruction in Metru-Nui.
Any hope would lie in the hands of a single Onu-Matoran Kanoka-Maker known as Kulagiā¦
