Agarak, Ancient Protector of Jungle of Okoto

Agarak was the Protector of JungleProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, serving alongside UganuUganu, Ancient Protector of Ice of OkotoUganu was the Protector of Ice of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Melum's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Izotor., MamukMamuk, Ancient Protector of Fire of OkotoMamuk was the Protector of Fire of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Ikir's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Narmoto., OwakiOwaki, Ancient Protector of Water of OkotoOwaki was the Protector of Water of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Akida's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Kivoda., KeratoKerato, Ancient Protector of Stone of OkotoKerato was the Protector of Stone of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Ketar's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Nilkuu., and EtokuEtoku, Ancient Protector of Earth of OkotoEtoku was the Protector of Earth of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Terak's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Korgot. under the leadership of EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness.. A staunch ally of the Mask Maker, Agarak ran an inn before his elevation to the office, was married and had a son whom he referred to as Junior, witnessed EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness.'s fall at Capital CityCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below., and founded the Protector lineage that descended through centuries to VizunaVizuna, Protector of Jungle of OkotoVizuna was the village elder and Protector of Jungle in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Air Elemental Flame Bow, descendant of Agarak, and guide who led Lewa through the rainforests to the Golden Mask of Jungle..

The office and the Festival of Masks#

Agarak held the office of Protector of JungleProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. in the first age of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors., the period before the Battle of the Mask Makers shattered the peace of the island. The office carried responsibility for the rainforest region, the defence of its villages, and a place in the council of six elders who advised the Mask Makers and guarded the customs of the Jungle TribeJungle TribeThe Jungle Tribe of Tesara originated in Bota Magna, weathered the Shattering, and sent Gresh and Vastus into the Bara Magna arena system.. Agarak served alongside UganuUganu, Ancient Protector of Ice of OkotoUganu was the Protector of Ice of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Melum's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Izotor. of Ice, MamukMamuk, Ancient Protector of Fire of OkotoMamuk was the Protector of Fire of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Ikir's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Narmoto. of Fire, OwakiOwaki, Ancient Protector of Water of OkotoOwaki was the Protector of Water of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Akida's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Kivoda. of Water, KeratoKerato, Ancient Protector of Stone of OkotoKerato was the Protector of Stone of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Ketar's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Nilkuu. of Stone, and EtokuEtoku, Ancient Protector of Earth of OkotoEtoku was the Protector of Earth of Okoto at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, ally of Ekimu, gatherer of Terak's elemental crystal, and founder of the lineage that descended to Korgot. of Earth. All six stood as staunch allies of EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. and supported him in the dispute that had grown between the two Mask Maker brothers.

At the Festival of Masks, EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. presented each Protector with a new Protector Mask of their respective element, the artefacts that would become hereditary regalia of the office in the centuries that followed. Agarak received the Elemental Jungle Protector Mask at this ceremony. During the same gathering, the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. and EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. learned of MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City.'s effort to forge a mask that combined the powers of all six elements, an ambition that broke the long-standing rule against the merging of elemental energies and that would, if completed, give its wearer power over the whole of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors..

The innkeeper and his family#

Agarak is the only ancient Protector whose gender is established in the surviving accounts of the first age, a distinction that follows from the family details preserved in his story. Prior to or during his service in the office, Agarak ran an inn, the establishment to which he later returned with his wife and son during the brief window of leave EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. granted him before the Battle of the Mask Makers. He was married, and he and his wife had a son whom he referred to as Junior, the only Protector child whose existence is recorded in the first-age accounts.

The domestic life that surrounded Agarak's tenure is a counterpoint to the lineage-and-office framing that governs every other Protector entry. The hereditary rule that bound the office of Protector to a single family in each region had its first generation in figures like Agarak, and the son he called Junior was, by the structure of that rule, the next holder of the office of Protector of JungleProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived.. The line that descended through centuries to VizunaVizuna, Protector of Jungle of OkotoVizuna was the village elder and Protector of Jungle in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Air Elemental Flame Bow, descendant of Agarak, and guide who led Lewa through the rainforests to the Golden Mask of Jungle. had its origin in that household.

The Temple of Time and the absent errand#

After the Festival, the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. witnessed the appearance of the six Elemental CreaturesThe Elemental Creatures of OkotoThe six elemental animals of Okoto, partnered with the Toa to recover the Mask of Control, joined by Agil the Creature of Light as Ekimu's seventh. of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors.. EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. recognised the significance of their emergence and led the council to the Temple of TimeThe Temple of TimeThe Protectors' most sacred site on Okoto, built to house the Mask of Time and the place at which Ekimu received the vision that prepared the island for the coming of the Toa., where he donned the Mask of TimeMask of TimeThe Kanohi Vahi is the Matoran Universe's deadliest mask, capable of stopping or accelerating time, and its creation nearly tore Metru Nui apart.. The vision granted by the mask showed EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. the coming cataclysm that MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City.'s mask would trigger, and the eventual arrival of six ToaThe Toa of Okoto: The Six Heroes Summoned to Save the IslandThe six elemental heroes summoned by the Protectors of Okoto, who recovered the Golden Masks, woke Ekimu, fought the Skull Army, and twice banished Makuta to the Shadow Realm. from beyond OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. who would be needed to restore the island. Agarak heard the prophecy alongside the other ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived..

To prepare for the Toa's eventual arrival, EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. directed the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. to gather Elemental Crystals from the six Creatures. Each crystal would power one of the Golden Masks that EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. was forging for the prophesied heroes. With the exception of Agarak, all the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. set out on this errand. The reason Agarak was excused was practical and circumstantial: UxarUxarUxar is an Elemental Creature of Jungle residing on the island of Okoto, distinguished by its green and silver coloration. Gifted with wings and a connection to the element of Jungle, Uxar fulfills a protective role over the Region of Jungle and serves as an ally to the Toa., Creature of Jungle, had already appeared to EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. at the Temple of TimeThe Temple of TimeThe Protectors' most sacred site on Okoto, built to house the Mask of Time and the place at which Ekimu received the vision that prepared the island for the coming of the Toa. with a Jungle crystal of his own accord, and so the Mask Maker encouraged Agarak to spend the time with his family instead.

Agarak visited them at the inn. He found a surprise dinner prepared and was sitting down to it when he saw MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City.'s AirshipAirshipAirships were flying cargo vessels used across the Matoran Universe, based in Metru Nui at the Le-Metru Moto Hub and flown by skilled Le-Matoran pilots using Kanoka and pressurized protodermis for lift and thrust. departing the city in the distance, the visible sign that the brother Mask Maker's effort to complete the Mask of Ultimate PowerMask of Ultimate PowerA heretical Kanohi forged by Makuta of Okoto that contained the powers of all six elements and ruined the Mask Makers' civilization the moment it was worn. was moving toward its final stage. The intimate domestic moment and the catastrophic geopolitical signal arrived at the same window of the same evening, and Agarak's account is the only first-age Protector record that captures the contrast directly.

The Battle of the Mask Makers and the fall of Ekimu#

When MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City. completed the Mask of Ultimate PowerMask of Ultimate PowerA heretical Kanohi forged by Makuta of Okoto that contained the powers of all six elements and ruined the Mask Makers' civilization the moment it was worn. and donned it at Capital CityCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below., the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. accompanied EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. in an effort to stop the catastrophe before it spread. Agarak stood among the council at this final confrontation. EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. struck the mask from his brother's face with the Hammer of PowerHammer of PowerThe Hammer of Power is a weapon wielded by Ekimu, capable of creating as well as melee and ranged combat. In its powered-up form, the hammer manifests as light, its colors intact., and the resulting explosion sent MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City. and the whole of Capital CityCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below. into the Shadow Realm.

The same blast knocked EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. into a coma and scattered the Mask of CreationThe Mask of CreationThe signature Kanohi of Ekimu the Mask Maker, capable of bringing into being whatever its wearer envisioned. Stolen by Kulta the Skull Grinder, reclaimed at the Mask Makers' forge, and worn again in the final defence of Okoto., the Mask of ControlThe Mask of ControlThe Kanohi of mind control once worn by Makuta of Okoto, hidden by the Elemental Creatures, sought by the Toa, and lost with Umarak the Destroyer at the Black Crater., the six Golden Masks of the Toa, and the fragments of the Forbidden MaskThe Forbidden MaskThe Forbidden Mask was the alternate name for the heretical Kanohi forged by Makuta of Okoto in violation of the single sacred law of Okotan mask craft, whose destruction sent Capital City into the Shadow Realm and whose fragments were later hunted across the island by Umarak. across OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors.. Agarak and the other surviving ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. recovered the body of EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. from the ruined ground and carried him back to the City of the Mask MakersCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below.. The Mask Maker was placed in long sleep, and the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. became the guardians of his rest as well as of the island.

The hunt for the scattered masks and the lineage to Vizuna#

The work that followed occupied Agarak and the other ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. for the rest of their lives. The masks that had been blown across OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. by the explosion lay in temples, caves, and remote ridgelines throughout the six elemental regions, and many had been driven into terrain that was hostile and dangerous. Agarak turned the resources of the Region of JungleRegion of JungleThe rainforest region of Okoto, home of the Jungle Tribe and the Protector of Jungle, ground over which Lewa sought the Golden Mask of Jungle and bonded with Uxar, and the coast from which the Labyrinth of Control rose offshore. toward this task and worked alongside the other ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. in pursuit of the artefacts that the prophecy had named as the Toa's eventual equipment.

It is not recorded whether Agarak was among the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. who later fought the Skull RaidersSkull RaidersThe ancient pirate band that plagued Okoto before the Mask Makers, was driven into the mountains, allied itself with Makuta, was trapped beneath the island by the cataclysm at Capital City, and dug its way back as the Skull Creatures under Kulta. alongside EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. and MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City. in the conflict that preceded the Festival of Masks, a gap that applies equally to most of the other ancient holders of the office. The office of Protector of JungleProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. passed down within Agarak's family in keeping with the rule that bound each of the six elemental offices to a single hereditary line. The succession continued across the centuries that followed, through generations whose individual names are not recorded, until it reached VizunaVizuna, Protector of Jungle of OkotoVizuna was the village elder and Protector of Jungle in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Air Elemental Flame Bow, descendant of Agarak, and guide who led Lewa through the rainforests to the Golden Mask of Jungle. in the second age. The Elemental Jungle Protector Mask that EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. had given to Agarak at the Festival of Masks was handed down alongside the office and was the mask VizunaVizuna, Protector of Jungle of OkotoVizuna was the village elder and Protector of Jungle in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Air Elemental Flame Bow, descendant of Agarak, and guide who led Lewa through the rainforests to the Golden Mask of Jungle. wore when he guided LewaLewa, Master of Jungle: The Daredevil Toa of OkotoLewa of Okoto was the Master of Jungle summoned by the Protectors, the rebellious flier who quested for the Mask of Jungle in the Region of Jungle and bonded with Uxar in the second wave. through the rainforests to the Golden Mask of Jungle.

Standing and significance#

Agarak's surviving record is the closest the first-age Protector cohort comes to a domestic biography. The inn, the wife, the son called Junior, the surprise dinner interrupted by the sight of MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City.'s departing AirshipAirshipAirships were flying cargo vessels used across the Matoran Universe, based in Metru Nui at the Le-Metru Moto Hub and flown by skilled Le-Matoran pilots using Kanoka and pressurized protodermis for lift and thrust.: these are the details that make Agarak's account the most personal of the six ancient ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived., and they are the reason his gender is the only one preserved in the first-age record. The contrast he holds against the rest of his peers is structural as well as biographical, because the lineage rule that governed the office of Protector required a household like his to start the line that would descend through the silent centuries.

What Agarak contributed to the wider campaign was the same as the rest of his cohort: presence at the Temple of TimeThe Temple of TimeThe Protectors' most sacred site on Okoto, built to house the Mask of Time and the place at which Ekimu received the vision that prepared the island for the coming of the Toa. when EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness. donned the Mask of TimeMask of TimeThe Kanohi Vahi is the Matoran Universe's deadliest mask, capable of stopping or accelerating time, and its creation nearly tore Metru Nui apart., presence at Capital CityCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below. when the brothers' confrontation closed the first age, and the long labour of recovering the scattered masks that followed. The line he founded produced VizunaVizuna, Protector of Jungle of OkotoVizuna was the village elder and Protector of Jungle in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Air Elemental Flame Bow, descendant of Agarak, and guide who led Lewa through the rainforests to the Golden Mask of Jungle. in time for the prophesied arrival of the ToaThe Toa of Okoto: The Six Heroes Summoned to Save the IslandThe six elemental heroes summoned by the Protectors of Okoto, who recovered the Golden Masks, woke Ekimu, fought the Skull Army, and twice banished Makuta to the Shadow Realm., and the office returned to EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu was the legendary Mask Maker of Okoto, brother of Makuta, and bearer of the Mask of Creation who struck down his brother's tyranny at the cost of his own consciousness.'s revived presence in the City of the Mask MakersCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below. at the close of the second-age campaign, carried by the descendant of the innkeeper who had once sat down to a surprise dinner while the Airship of MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City. crossed the sky above his window.