The Golden Mask of Water

The Golden Mask of Water was the elemental KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. forged by 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. for GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment., Master of Water, and one of the six Golden Masks of PowerThe Six Golden Masks of Power of OkotoThe ultimate elemental Kanohi of Okoto, forged by Ekimu from sacred Elemental Crystals, hidden in shrines across the island, and worn by the Toa as the proof and the instrument of the Prophecy of Heroes. commissioned for the prophesied Toa of OkotoThe 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.. Carved from the Water Crystal delivered by AkidaThe 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., the Creature of WaterThe 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., and concealed in a shrine in the underwater Region of WaterRegion of WaterThe eastern water province of Okoto, home of the Water Tribe and the Protector of Water, Kivoda, and the region through which Gali was guided across rivers, lakes, and deltas to claim the Golden Mask of Water., it was the equipment that turned GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. from a stranded landing-party member with starter Shark Fins into the Master of Water the OkotanOkotanThe Okotans were the villager population of Okoto, six regional groups corresponding to the island's six elemental regions, who lived through the Battle of the Mask Makers, the long retreat into the lesser villages, and the recovery of the Ancient City after the defeat of Kulta and the revival of Ekimu. prophecy had specifically called for. Its recovery was the founding episode of her career and the underwater counterpart to the volcano-shrine operation through 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. had taken his own Golden Mask.

Forging and concealment#

The forging of the Golden Mask of Water began with the same vision that produced the other five Golden Masks of PowerThe Six Golden Masks of Power of OkotoThe ultimate elemental Kanohi of Okoto, forged by Ekimu from sacred Elemental Crystals, hidden in shrines across the island, and worn by the Toa as the proof and the instrument of the Prophecy of Heroes.. 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 travelled 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., 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., and witnessed the coming of the prophesied 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.. AkidaThe 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., the Creature of WaterThe 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., broke a long isolation to deliver a Water Crystal drawn from the deepest source of its element. The Crystal was the only material on OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. that could hold a Toa-grade water charge in a KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. without violating the sacred law that no mask could contain more than one element.

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. worked the Crystal into a single mask at his forge 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.. The finished piece shone with a metallic golden lustre and was tuned to the specific temperament of the Water Toa whose arrival the prophecy had described. 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. dispatched the mask to KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water., the Protector of WaterProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived., with instructions that it be concealed in a shrine on the protected territory and held until the prophesied Toa arrived. KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. selected a shrine in the underwater portion of the region, where the tidal currents and the difficulty of surface access provided a natural exclusion zone. The mask went into it. 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. entered his long sleep, and the Golden Mask of Water remained submerged in the shrine for the centuries that followed.

The line of Protectors of Water#

The duty of holding the shrine passed through the line of the Protectors of WaterProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived.. Each Protector inherited the position from a father and was taught the Prophecy of Heroes, learned originally from 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. after the Battle of the Mask MakersThe Battle of the Mask MakersThe unveiling of the Mask of Ultimate Power at Capital City, the strike of the Hammer of Power, and the cataclysm that drew a metropolis into the Shadow Realm and left Okoto without its Mask Makers. and recited in times of peril 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.. The Golden Mask of Water's existence was the operational stake behind the recital. The Protector's job was not the mask's defence against any one threat. It was the mask's preservation across a span of years long enough to count generations.

By the period 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. infestation, KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. held the position. He was chief of the villagers who resided underwater on OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. and had been entrusted with the historical knowledge that the Toa would eventually arrive. When the stars aligned, as foretold, KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. joined the other ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. 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. and recited the prayer. Six Toa fell from the sky onto OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors.. The Golden Mask of Water, after centuries of waiting, was about to be claimed.

Gali's arrival in the Region of Water#

GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. descended from the sky during the Gathering of the ProtectorsThe Gathering of the ProtectorsThe rite at the Temple of Time at which the six Protectors of Okoto recited the Prophecy of Heroes around the Mask of Time and summoned the Toa from the sky to deliver the island from the Skull Spider plague. and landed in the Region of WaterRegion of WaterThe eastern water province of Okoto, home of the Water Tribe and the Protector of Water, Kivoda, and the region through which Gali was guided across rivers, lakes, and deltas to claim the Golden Mask of Water.. Carrying the starter equipment that had crashed with her, a pair of Shark Fins that could propel her through the water, she encountered KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. and was informed of her destiny as a Toa. The two set off together to claim the Golden Mask of PowerThe Six Golden Masks of Power of OkotoThe ultimate elemental Kanohi of Okoto, forged by Ekimu from sacred Elemental Crystals, hidden in shrines across the island, and worn by the Toa as the proof and the instrument of the Prophecy of Heroes. assigned to her element. The journey across the region took weeks. GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. used the Shark Fins to propel herself through the waters of the region while KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. led the route between the surface villages and the submerged shrine.

The pair finally saw the mask at the end of the long traversal. The shrine was at the end of a navigable approach, and the Golden Mask of Water was visible from the water at the point the Toa and the Protector reached it. There was no time to congratulate the discovery. They were attacked by 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 moment they arrived, in the same pattern that was playing out across the other five regions while they spoke.

Recovery at the underwater shrine#

The recovery at the shrine followed the operational pattern shared across the Golden Masks of PowerThe Six Golden Masks of Power of OkotoThe ultimate elemental Kanohi of Okoto, forged by Ekimu from sacred Elemental Crystals, hidden in shrines across the island, and worn by the Toa as the proof and the instrument of the Prophecy of Heroes. set. KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. executed the holding action: he engaged 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. horde with his Elemental Blaster and fended them off long enough for GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. to cross the final approach alone. The Blaster was sufficient to keep the swarm back, but only just. KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. was nearly overpowered by the time GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. reached the mask. She did not let the holding action collapse. She reached the Golden Mask of Water, lifted it from its setting, and donned it.

The activation produced the signature effect of the Golden MasksThe Six Golden Masks of Power of OkotoThe ultimate elemental Kanohi of Okoto, forged by Ekimu from sacred Elemental Crystals, hidden in shrines across the island, and worn by the Toa as the proof and the instrument of the Prophecy of Heroes. set: the starter equipment transformed into the permanent elemental tool kit. The Shark Fins became the Elemental Trident, a single weapon that held the power to control water and to create tidal waves and heavy rains. The Trident retained the capacity to split back into the Shark Fins for travel and to convert into a Harpoon for ranged use. GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment., now wearing the Golden Mask of Water and wielding the Trident, used the mask's authority to overcome 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. that had pinned KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water. down at the shrine entrance. She defeated them with the Trident's water control and extracted both herself and the Protector from the shrine. The Golden Mask of Water was on the face it had been forged for.

Function in the campaign#

The Golden Mask of Water conferred full command of GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment.'s element. The fragmentary capabilities she had used before donning the mask were replaced by the full Toa-grade output the KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. had been tuned to channel. The mask also carried the secondary function shared across the set: a one-directional telepathic channel through which 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., asleep in his tomb beneath the 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., could project his voice to the wearer. After the Toa united and defeated the Lord of Skull SpidersLord of Skull SpidersAn oversized Skull Spider that guarded the ancient City of the Mask Makers and commanded the rest of its species through the Golden Mask of the Skull Spiders., 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 voice reached GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. through the Golden Mask of Water, directing the team toward the Mask Maker's resting place.

The mask was the single point on which GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment.'s effective elemental output depended. Removing it would have neutralised her as completely as defeating her in elemental combat, and the Skull Raider campaign that followed treated the Golden MasksThe Six Golden Masks of Power of OkotoThe ultimate elemental Kanohi of Okoto, forged by Ekimu from sacred Elemental Crystals, hidden in shrines across the island, and worn by the Toa as the proof and the instrument of the Prophecy of Heroes. as a strategic priority on exactly that basis. GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. retained the Golden Mask of Water across the journey to the 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 the campaign through the Tomb of the Mask MakersTomb of the Mask MakersThe hidden chamber beneath the Ancient City where the Protectors laid the comatose Ekimu in a gold coffin after the Battle of the Mask Makers, the resting place from which he guided the Toa and was at last revived., and the mask was on her face when the team reached the Mask Makers' ForgeThe Great ForgeThe Mask Makers' principal forge in the heart of the Ancient City of Okoto, the place at which Ekimu shaped the island's Masks of Power, the site of the battle with the Skull Grinder, and the chamber whose extinguished flame marked the end of an age..

Destruction and reforging at the Forge#

The Golden Mask of Water suffered its first and only total destruction at the Mask Makers' ForgeThe Great ForgeThe Mask Makers' principal forge in the heart of the Ancient City of Okoto, the place at which Ekimu shaped the island's Masks of Power, the site of the battle with the Skull Grinder, and the chamber whose extinguished flame marked the end of an age.. KultaKultaKulta was the leader of the Skull Creatures, a group native to the island of Okoto, and operated from the City of the Mask Makers. Armed with a Mask Stealer Staff and Hook Blade, he possessed the ability to drain masks of their Elemental Powers and once held both the powerless Skull Mask and the Mask of Creation., the Skull GrinderKultaKulta was the leader of the Skull Creatures, a group native to the island of Okoto, and operated from the City of the Mask Makers. Armed with a Mask Stealer Staff and Hook Blade, he possessed the ability to drain masks of their Elemental Powers and once held both the powerless Skull Mask and the Mask of Creation., had seized 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. from the bridge outside 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 donned it himself. Wearing 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. and wielding his Mask Stealer Staff, he overpowered all six Toa in a single engagement and severely damaged their Golden Masks. The Golden Mask of Water shattered alongside the other five.

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., revived and present at the Forge, reconstructed his 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. on the spot, knocked 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. from KultaKultaKulta was the leader of the Skull Creatures, a group native to the island of Okoto, and operated from the City of the Mask Makers. Armed with a Mask Stealer Staff and Hook Blade, he possessed the ability to drain masks of their Elemental Powers and once held both the powerless Skull Mask and the Mask of Creation.'s face, and defeated him. He then reforged the entire set of Golden Masks of PowerThe Six Golden Masks of Power of OkotoThe ultimate elemental Kanohi of Okoto, forged by Ekimu from sacred Elemental Crystals, hidden in shrines across the island, and worn by the Toa as the proof and the instrument of the Prophecy of Heroes. from the fragments KultaKultaKulta was the leader of the Skull Creatures, a group native to the island of Okoto, and operated from the City of the Mask Makers. Armed with a Mask Stealer Staff and Hook Blade, he possessed the ability to drain masks of their Elemental Powers and once held both the powerless Skull Mask and the Mask of Creation. had left on the floor of the Forge. The restored Golden Mask of Water was functionally identical to the original. GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. received it back from 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 hands and wore it through the remainder of the immediate post-Forge period, until the Golden Unity Mask of WaterThe Golden Unity Masks of OkotoThe second-generation Golden Masks of Okoto, reforged by Ekimu from the shattered Golden Masks of Power and paired with the Elemental Creatures to unite the Toa with their elemental kin for the Mask of Control campaign. succeeded it during her partnership with AkidaThe 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..

The Golden Mask of Water was, in the long view, the equipment that turned GaliGali, Master of Water: The Toa Who Closed the RiftGali of Okoto was the Master of Water of the Toa, the team's mediator at the Ancient City, and the Toa drawn into the Shadow Realm at the Black Volcano who returned with the means of the second banishment. from a stranded landing-party member with starter Shark Fins into the Master of Water the prophecy had specifically called for. The underwater shrine was the spine of her opening operation, KivodaKivoda, Protector of Water of OkotoKivoda was the village elder and Protector of Water in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Torpedo Blaster, descendant of Owaki, and guide who led Gali through the underwater region to the Golden Mask of Water.'s holding action was its decisive variable, and the Elemental Trident that emerged with the mask was the reference weapon against which every subsequent upgrade in her career was measured.