Factions

## Sides/Factions Overview

In the world of Bionicle: The Next Chapter, there exist many different factions (most of them evil or otherwise pernicious) that either threaten or defend their world. Following below is a list and brief overview of several major ones.

## The Vanguard of New Atero

Formerly the "token good faction", the Vanguard is composed of Toa, Matoran, and other beings who have taken it upon themselves to defend the Toa capital city, New Atero. Due to the many attacks, the city itself has been reduced to a shadow of what it was, but the actual group has survived up until now.

Recently the city has been repaired and re-established to its former glory. However, almost inversely related to that, the Vanguard's relationships have continued deteriorating, their former friendships fading in lieu of stiff working relations, as they isolate themselves more and more from the city leaders.

**Prominent Members**
Toa Vashari: A Toa of Fire and one of the first organizers, Vashari originally worked for Torok, but due to currently unknown circumstances, left. He now serves alongside the other Toa, armed with a new suit of power armor.

Rahzahkea: A Toa of Psionics and the (late) official-in-all-but-name leader of the Vanguard. He and another Toa, Sylah, hailed from an alternate universe, but after its destruction at the hands of a truly soulless being, they escaped and lost their memories as a side effect. He wields the Starblade, an alien, powerful artifact.

He, along with Sylah and Arilam, have recently disappeared.

Glacies (former): A Matoran of Ice that seemed to be a friend to all of the oddballs and misfits that made up the Vanguard of his time, even befriending the strong-willed Vashari. His closest friend, without a doubt, is Petram, Toa of Stone. Which makes it all the worse that it was through Petram's body that Improbus mortally wounded Glacies, leading to his death. In honor of their friend, the Vanguard made his white Hau their symbol.

## Torok's Soldiers

A group of powerful, emotionally twisted beings who serve Torok, a Matoran with unreasonable power and an idealistic dream. Which involves universal re-creation.

## The Wrathbringer's Servitors

Ruled over by the dark, hideous force of entropy known only as the Wrathbringer, the Servitors are an assemblage of "reborn" beings whose only goal is the assimilation and subsequent destruction of all existence.

## The Armies of the Empire

The Empire of Darkness' citizens are either forced or happy to be under the rule of the Empire. However, due to its rebellion-like function, most members of the Empire are Skrall searching go regain honor, Dark Hunters forced into servitude, and many mercenaries and people bearing grudges against New Atero. However, there are also Skakdi bent on destruction, Vortixx spying a prophet, and hundreds of others joining for varying reasons. They served Velika, at least until he was killed by Solorok. They have since been assimilated into Torok's faction and most of them have been turned into Nuva, with "maybe the odd monster here and there" according to Bayor. It is unknown if there are any splinter cells other than Stotie and his Vo-Zya raiders and Sicarius the assassin, but their contracts with the Empire ended with Solorok's takeover.

### Storm Legion

Lead first by the Golden-Skinned Being Irnakk, then the ambitious Skrall general Borom, the Storm Legion was the army responsible for harassing and conquering New Atero. The army primarily consisted of Skrall, though it was supplemented by the various other species under Velika's sway. The Skrall, Borom's personal regiment especially, were well-trained with their shields. Most of them have become Nuva due to the influence of Solorok and were pawned off to Vezon, though their leader avoided that fate.

### Iron Warband

While Borom was put in charge of conquering New Atero, the Iron Toa Caybluk was put in charge of an army sent to conquer everything in the opposite direction. As most of the planet's inhabitants were in or around New Atero, the going was easy, and it was mostly training battles that were the fiercest. After conquering a fair share of land, Caybluk and his forces returned to the Fortress of Darkness to report to Velika. Solorok soon took over and used mental influence to make Caybluk fight for him. His army has followed suit, with maybe a few deserting. Most of them have become Nuva.

## New Order of Mata Nui

An order led by Sansod, a Water Toa, and three cloaked and veiled beings known only as the Voices (of Unity, Duty, and Destiny) that religiously reveres the Great Spirit as an actual god. In the Vanguard's absence, they have mainly taken over New Atero, and famously distrust the latter organization. They are espescially supported by the villages on the outskirts of New Atero, as they were the people who protected them when the Toa Council disbanded following Marendar's attack on the Temple of Light. Immediately after being handed over control of the city by Shard, they drafted all the Toa in the city, convinced that events such as Rolvik's Assault and things such as Stotie's raiding could've been prevented had the Toa remembered their duty. It is unknown where the Order's twisted religious beliefs will take New Atero, or if it will put them at odds with the Vangaurd.

## *Nekra Corp.*

A munitions company run by the Iron Toa Malvo. The company historically stayed out of conflict, only officially partnering with the New Order once the war ended. Since then the company has broadened their scope to fields such as transportation and communication, whatever can better the lives of the citizens of New Atero and the people defending it.

## The Knights of Vashari

A group of outcasts lead by Vashari that serve as a strike team answering to Sansod. While they often work with the Vanguard, their temperament makes it hard for them to form lasting relationships with any faction.

## Nyxos

A small, select group all created by Lord Nyxos, bred to destroy everything and everyone. They have been disbanded following Nyxos' death.

## AEGIS Foundation

A group of Matoran, Steltians, Vortixx, Skakdi, and a number of other races mainly from the Wastes, who reside in a series of heavily fortified hidden compounds across Spherus Magna. They operate outside New Atero, providing security to some larger Waste population centers, capture and retrieve artifacts and beings of otherworldly nature to prevent them wreaking havoc, and recently have opened a joint operation in New Atero. Their relationship with the Vanguard is strained to say the least.

## "Requiem"

A group of deformed biologically manipulated creatures, a mix of Toa and various other species, who hail from some kind of parallel plane. They seem to have a peculiar fixation on the Vanguard, and assaulting them for some unrevealed reason. Their members seem to have some kind of collective virus, which is responsible for their organic mutations, sadistic/masochistic tendencies, and general demeanor.

Author's Note: "Requiem" is a placeholder until a proper one can be decided.

## The Outcasts

A small group of Mercenaries, artists, and survivors rejected by the New Order. They live East of New Atero in an 'abandoned' cathedral mostly reclaimed by the surrounding forests. They hope to eventually make New Atero the safe haven they think it should be by overthrowing Sansod and his New Order. They are lead by Hind: a former Skrall raider who's tribe was slaughtered by Velika and his empire. All who survived were slowly picked off one by one by the countless other threats that followed. Now she leads this broken family of Outcasts, hoping for the fate of her people to never repeat itself.

(Profiles for the rest of the members may be coming eventually?)