The Flame Swords

The Flame Swords were a pair of melee weapons carried by NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire., Protector of FireProtectorsThe 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. in the second age, and the close-combat half of the loadout that the ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. brought into the campaign against the Skull SpidersSkull SpidersThe arachnid swarm that raided the villages of Okoto, clamped infection masks onto its captives, guarded the City of the Mask Makers under the Lord of Skull Spiders, and broke against the arrival of the Toa.. The blades were powered by the Element of Fire, used to heat enemies on contact, and they served NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. across the length of his recorded service before passing in powered-up form to TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano., the Toa of FireTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano., at the temple where the Golden Mask of Fire was kept.

Construction and function#

The Flame Swords were built as a pair rather than as a single weapon. Two matched blades were carried together, and the working configuration assumed both would be drawn in tandem. The Element of Fire supplied the power. A strike with either blade transferred heat directly into the target, and the elemental coupling turned an ordinary melee cut into a thermal one. The damage profile was suited to flesh, chitin, and the armored shells of the Skull SpiderSkull SpidersThe arachnid swarm that raided the villages of Okoto, clamped infection masks onto its captives, guarded the City of the Mask Makers under the Lord of Skull Spiders, and broke against the arrival of the Toa. population that had pushed into the Region of FireRegion of FireThe volcanic region of Okoto, home of the Fire Tribe and the Protector of Fire, Narmoto, and the country in which Tahu landed and was guided across lava streams and erupting mountains to claim the Golden Mask of Fire., where a cool blade would have slowed the engagement and a heated blade closed it faster.

The pairing of the two swords matched the working pattern of the Protector of FireProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived.'s loadout. NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. carried the swords at his belt and held them in reserve for close work, while the Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire Blaster was the ranged tool and weapon carried by Narmoto of Fire through the second-age campaign on Okoto, capable of lighting campfires and driving away Skull Spiders, and the armament that passed to Tahu in powered-up form at the temple of the Golden Mask of Fire. handled the ranged half of the equation from a shoulder mount. The standing arrangement kept both hands free when the blaster was the operating instrument and left both swords immediately accessible when the engagement closed to melee range. The two-weapon distribution was therefore a fixed feature of the loadout rather than a contingency, and it reflected the standing balance between melee and ranged combat that the ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived.'s role in the volcanic region required.

Place in the Protector's loadout#

The Flame Swords were one of two principal items in NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire.'s standing equipment. The other was the Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire Blaster was the ranged tool and weapon carried by Narmoto of Fire through the second-age campaign on Okoto, capable of lighting campfires and driving away Skull Spiders, and the armament that passed to Tahu in powered-up form at the temple of the Golden Mask of Fire., and the two weapons were treated as a single integrated kit. The blaster occupied the ranged role and was attached to NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire.'s shoulder whenever it was not needed in hand. The swords occupied the melee role and were carried at his belt, kept free for the moment a Skull SpiderSkull SpidersThe arachnid swarm that raided the villages of Okoto, clamped infection masks onto its captives, guarded the City of the Mask Makers under the Lord of Skull Spiders, and broke against the arrival of the Toa. closed inside the blaster's effective range or a press of attackers required both hands on a blade.

The split was practical for the volcanic terrain. The Region of FireRegion of FireThe volcanic region of Okoto, home of the Fire Tribe and the Protector of Fire, Narmoto, and the country in which Tahu landed and was guided across lava streams and erupting mountains to claim the Golden Mask of Fire. ran through lava flows, scoria fields, and the high slopes of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors.'s greatest volcano, terrain in which an engagement could open at distance and collapse to point-blank range within a few strides. A weapon set that covered both ends of the range, and a carry layout that kept both ends accessible without forcing a switch, suited the country in which NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. had to fight.

Service in the Region of Fire#

The swords served through the second age as part of the standing armament with which NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. defended his village and the wider Region of FireRegion of FireThe volcanic region of Okoto, home of the Fire Tribe and the Protector of Fire, Narmoto, and the country in which Tahu landed and was guided across lava streams and erupting mountains to claim the Golden Mask of Fire. against the Skull SpiderSkull SpidersThe arachnid swarm that raided the villages of Okoto, clamped infection masks onto its captives, guarded the City of the Mask Makers under the Lord of Skull Spiders, and broke against the arrival of the Toa. population. When the prophesied moment arrived and the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. gathered 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. to recite the Prophecy of HeroesThe Prophecy of HeroesThe dying instruction that the Mask Maker Ekimu pressed into the Protectors of Okoto, foretelling the coming of six Toa and the sign of the aligned stars that would let them be summoned., NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. took his place among them with the swords at his belt. The 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. fell from the sky in answer, and a loud crash in the Region of FireRegion of FireThe volcanic region of Okoto, home of the Fire Tribe and the Protector of Fire, Narmoto, and the country in which Tahu landed and was guided across lava streams and erupting mountains to claim the Golden Mask of Fire. marked the landing of TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano..

NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. led his people to the source of the crash and met the Toa of FireTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. there. When Skull SpidersSkull SpidersThe arachnid swarm that raided the villages of Okoto, clamped infection masks onto its captives, guarded the City of the Mask Makers under the Lord of Skull Spiders, and broke against the arrival of the Toa. attacked during the meeting, TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. defeated them with ease, and NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. accepted him as 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. whose arrival the lineage had been preserved to support. The weeks-long march that followed took the two across the volcanic region toward the temple where the Golden Mask of Fire was kept. The swords stayed at NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire.'s belt across the march and were drawn whenever the Skull SpiderSkull SpidersThe arachnid swarm that raided the villages of Okoto, clamped infection masks onto its captives, guarded the City of the Mask Makers under the Lord of Skull Spiders, and broke against the arrival of the Toa. pressure required a close engagement, including the encounter at a spider-infested village in which TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. charged in recklessly against NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire.'s warnings and was nearly knocked into the lava before the ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. pulled him clear.

The temple of the Golden Mask of Fire#

The decisive recorded action came at the temple on OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors.'s greatest volcano. NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. and TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. entered the chamber and were pursued by a horde of Skull SpidersSkull SpidersThe arachnid swarm that raided the villages of Okoto, clamped infection masks onto its captives, guarded the City of the Mask Makers under the Lord of Skull Spiders, and broke against the arrival of the Toa.. NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. held the horde off with the Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire Blaster was the ranged tool and weapon carried by Narmoto of Fire through the second-age campaign on Okoto, capable of lighting campfires and driving away Skull Spiders, and the armament that passed to Tahu in powered-up form at the temple of the Golden Mask of Fire. while TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. used his Lava Board to surf across the lava and reach the Golden Mask of Fire at the heart of the chamber. The Flame Swords stayed at NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire.'s belt during the holding action, kept in reserve in case the engagement closed inside the blaster's range and the close-combat half of the loadout had to take over.

The defence held long enough for the Toa of FireTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. to reach the mask, but the blaster ran out of ammunition just as the spiders overtook NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire.. The ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. was nearly overpowered at the same moment TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. secured the Golden Mask. TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. donned the mask and used its enhanced power to destroy the besieging horde, and the threat was lifted before the swords had to carry the rest of the action.

The transfer to Tahu and the powered-up form#

The Flame Swords appeared in TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano.'s hands in their powered-up form during the same engagement. The matched pair that NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. had carried into the temple was scaled up to the elemental output of a full Toa of FireTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano., in the manner already established for the Fire-element armament of the ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. lineage when it was taken up by a 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.. The Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire Blaster was the ranged tool and weapon carried by Narmoto of Fire through the second-age campaign on Okoto, capable of lighting campfires and driving away Skull Spiders, and the armament that passed to Tahu in powered-up form at the temple of the Golden Mask of Fire. followed the same pattern of transfer in powered-up form during the same engagement. The activation of the mask, the manifestation of the powered-up swords, and the parallel manifestation of the powered-up blaster occurred in the same sequence at the same temple.

The swords in their powered-up form were Fire-element weapons of the same class as the originals, scaled in output to match a 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. rather than a ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived.. The pairing was preserved. The function was preserved. Only the elemental scaling changed. The carry pattern adopted by TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. across the rest of the campaign mirrored the carry pattern NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. had used in the Region of FireRegion of FireThe volcanic region of Okoto, home of the Fire Tribe and the Protector of Fire, Narmoto, and the country in which Tahu landed and was guided across lava streams and erupting mountains to claim the Golden Mask of Fire., and the integrated melee-and-ranged kit passed up the lineage intact.

The pattern of inheritance#

NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. had inherited the office of Protector of FireProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived., and with it the Elemental Fire Mask passed down from generation to generation. The Flame Swords were part of that inheritance, in the same way the Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire BlasterThe Elemental Fire Blaster was the ranged tool and weapon carried by Narmoto of Fire through the second-age campaign on Okoto, capable of lighting campfires and driving away Skull Spiders, and the armament that passed to Tahu in powered-up form at the temple of the Golden Mask of Fire. was. Their transfer in powered-up form to TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. at the temple extended the lineage one generation further and placed the full Fire-element armament of the ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. office at the disposal of the Toa of FireTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. whose arrival the office had been preserved to support.

NarmotoNarmoto, Protector of Fire of OkotoNarmoto was the village elder and Protector of Fire in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Fire Blaster and the Flame Swords, descendant of Mamuk, and guide who led Tahu across the volcanic region to the Golden Mask of Fire. continued in service after TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano. had moved on toward 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., and he answered the later summons that called the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. into the underbelly of the capital for the final phase of the campaign. The Flame Swords at his belt at that stage were the same blades they had always been, the paired Fire-element melee armament of a Protector of FireProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived.. Their powered-up counterparts in TahuTahu, Master of Fire: Leader of the Toa of OkotoTahu of Okoto was the Master of Fire summoned by the Protectors, the hot-tempered would-be leader of the Toa who opened the Labyrinth of Control and held the line at the Black Volcano.'s loadout had become a parallel pair carried by 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. into the same campaign, and the two sets of blades existed simultaneously in the ProtectorProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. and 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. inventories in matching forms scaled to each wielder.