Keahi's Cliff

KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro.'s Cliff was a ledge above a lava break in the Ta-WahiTa-WahiTa-Wahi was the volcanic region of Mata Nui surrounding the Mangai Volcano, encompassing Ta-Koro, the Lake of Fire, the Charred Forest, and the Ta-Wahi Beach. region of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years., set close to the Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye. in the village of Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed.. It was patrolled by KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro., a member of the Ta-Koro GuardTa-Koro GuardThe Ta-Koro Guard was the largest standing Matoran fighting force on Mata Nui, captained by Jaller and active from the early Rahi conflicts through the return to Metru Nui., and it was the location at which he trained the Ga-MatoranGa-MatoranThe Water-element Matoran of Ga-Metru and Ga-Koro, exclusively female, who taught the schools of Metru Nui and crewed the boats and bridges of the Mata Nui coast. HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. in the KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. skill of Courage during her preparation for the island KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. Championship.

Setting in Ta-WahiWahiThe Matoran word for region. The six Wahi of Mata Nui were the six elemental territories that made up the island before the Bohrok cleared its surface.#

The cliff sat above a lava break, the term Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. usage applied to a fissure in which molten protodermis ran exposed across the surface and exhaled the constant heat of Mangai VolcanoMangai VolcanoThe central volcano of Ta-Wahi, formed by Mata Nui's damaged camouflage systems and used by Teridax as cover for his hidden lair Mangaia. into the air above it. The flow below the ledge was active rather than dormant, the standard condition of the watercourses around Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed., and the convective updraft from the break gave the position the volatile thermal column that watch posts in Ta-WahiTa-WahiTa-Wahi was the volcanic region of Mata Nui surrounding the Mangai Volcano, encompassing Ta-Koro, the Lake of Fire, the Charred Forest, and the Ta-Wahi Beach. shared with one another across the region.

The cliff lay near the entrance to the Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye., the largest KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. arena on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years., set within the cratered fortress-village VakamaVakamaA Ta-Metru maskmaker transformed into the Toa Metru of Fire, leader of his team through the Visorak war, and Turaga of Ta-Koro for a thousand years. had founded inside Mangai VolcanoMangai VolcanoThe central volcano of Ta-Wahi, formed by Mata Nui's damaged camouflage systems and used by Teridax as cover for his hidden lair Mangaia.. The proximity to the stadium placed the cliff within the Ta-Koro GuardTa-Koro GuardThe Ta-Koro Guard was the largest standing Matoran fighting force on Mata Nui, captained by Jaller and active from the early Rahi conflicts through the return to Metru Nui.'s standing patrol arc and within easy reach of MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. who had business at the championship grounds. The single approach to the ledge ran by way of a ladder fixed near the stadium entrance. There was no second route. A patrol on the cliff could be reached only by descent, and descent only by the single ladder.

The siting served a deliberate purpose. A watch post on a ledge over a lava break, with one ladder for access, could not be flanked or rushed by anything that did not have the means to cross molten protodermis under its own power. The position was self-defending against everything except an opponent with significant ranged capability or aerial mobility, and the Ta-Koro GuardTa-Koro GuardThe Ta-Koro Guard was the largest standing Matoran fighting force on Mata Nui, captained by Jaller and active from the early Rahi conflicts through the return to Metru Nui.'s use of the cliff as a patrol post made the most of those defensive properties.

Keahi and the Ta-KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. Guard#

The patroller after whom the cliff was named was KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro., a Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. and a member of the Ta-Koro GuardTa-Koro GuardThe Ta-Koro Guard was the largest standing Matoran fighting force on Mata Nui, captained by Jaller and active from the early Rahi conflicts through the return to Metru Nui.. The Guard was the largest standing MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. military force on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years., oversaw the fortress around the village by the time of the Mask of LightAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. crisis, and operated under a system of call signs across its established patrol stations. KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro.'s standing roster placed him alongside JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life. as Captain, KapuraKapuraKapura was a red Matoran of Fire who served as a member of the Ta-Koro Guard and formerly as part of the Chronicler's Company. A native of Metru Nui, he later worked as a Vat Controller there, wearing a powerless Ruru on Mata Nui and a powerless Pakari on Metru Nui, and ultimately settled on Bota Magna on Spherus Magna. as Deputy, and the other named Guard members KalamaKalamaKalama is a Ta-Matoran of Fire native to Metru Nui who wears a powerless Matatu and bears the black and red colors of his kind. He worked in Protodermis Reclamation on Metru Nui before serving as a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, and later came to reside on Spherus Magna., Nuri, TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. on a temporary basis, AgniAgniAgni is a red Ta-Matoran from Metru Nui who serves in the Ta-Koro Guard. He wears a powerless Miru and holds an inactive elemental affinity for Fire. Agni resides on Spherus Magna., and BranderBranderA Ta-Matoran of Metru Nui who survived the Great Cataclysm, served on the Ta-Koro Guard, and ended his recorded story among the rebuilt Fire Tribe on Spherus Magna..

KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro. wore a Noble Kanohi RauKanohi RauThe Kanohi Rau allowed its wearer to comprehend foreign written and spoken languages, and was most associated with Turaga Nokama. in his powerless state. The Rau was the Mask of Translation, a noble shape selected for KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro. within the inventory the TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. had distributed across the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. population during the Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. era. The mask suited a Guard whose patrol station was a watch post above a lava break: a translation mask carried by a Guard on standing watch made the position useful as a forward listening post as well as a defensive ledge.

The cliff became identified with him because of his standing presence on it. The Guard rotated other stations, but the ledge above the lava break was the one KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro. patrolled, and MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. usage attached his name to the geography itself.

Hahli's training and the skill of Courage#

The cliff's most-cited single function in the late history of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. was as the training ground on which KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro. taught HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. the KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. skill of Courage. The lesson came during the period following the defeat of the Bohrok-KalBohrok-Kal Kaita ZaA theoretical fusion of Tahnok-Kal, Pahrak-Kal, and Nuhvok-Kal, capable of fusion in principle but never assembled during the Bohrok-Kal campaign., in which HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. had been chosen by TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. NokamaNokamaNokama served as Toa Metru of Water, endured the Hordika mutation, and led Ga-Koro and later Ga-Metru as Turaga through three eras. as the offensive player of the Ga-Koro Kolhii TeamGa-Koro Kolhii TeamThe Ga-Matoran squad that won the Mata Nui Kolhii championship at Ta-Koro, after Turaga Nokama replaced Kotu on the roster with Hahli. alongside MackuMackuMacku was a Ga-Matoran of Metru Nui and later Ga-Koro, attendant to Turaga Nokama, Kolhii partner to Hahli at the championship at Ta-Koro, and a member of the Chronicler's Company.. The selection had been a surprise to HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe., who had expected KotuKotuKotu was a Ga-Matoran of Water who resided on Spherus Magna. Blue and light blue in color, Kotu wore a powerless Rau and carried a Kolhii Stick, serving at various times as a Rahi Tender, an assistant to Nokama, an athlete, and a guard in the Defense Force. to be picked, and the training regimen that followed took her around the island to meet several MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. and to drill the component skills the championship would test.

KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. was understood among the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. as a composite discipline, with individual skills associated with the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. virtues. Courage was the Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. contribution, the skill that allowed a player to commit to a contested play on rough or dangerous ground without flinching from the risk involved. The training site at KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro.'s Cliff suited the lesson. A drill performed on a ledge above active lava, with one ladder for retreat, did not permit the trainee any reservation about commitment to the action being practiced. The setting was the lesson. KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro.'s role was to oversee the drilling and to certify the result.

HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe.'s broader regimen took her to other instructors across the island as well, with each koroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. contributing a component skill of KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. drawn from its own virtue, but the Ta-WahiTa-WahiTa-Wahi was the volcanic region of Mata Nui surrounding the Mangai Volcano, encompassing Ta-Koro, the Lake of Fire, the Charred Forest, and the Ta-Wahi Beach. component, the Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. skill of Courage, was the one taught on the cliff named after the Guard who patrolled it. The training produced a player capable of the upset victory the Ga-Koro Kolhii TeamGa-Koro Kolhii TeamThe Ga-Matoran squad that won the Mata Nui Kolhii championship at Ta-Koro, after Turaga Nokama replaced Kotu on the roster with Hahli. recorded against both Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. and the home Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. side at the championship at the Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye., the match in which the Kanohi AvohkiiAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. was first revealed to a public audience.

Strategic value of the position#

The cliff's tactical worth ran beyond its training role. A patrol post on a ledge above a lava break commanded a sight line over a region of Ta-WahiTa-WahiTa-Wahi was the volcanic region of Mata Nui surrounding the Mangai Volcano, encompassing Ta-Koro, the Lake of Fire, the Charred Forest, and the Ta-Wahi Beach. that was otherwise broken by ridges and lava channels and difficult to observe from the village proper. A Guard standing on the ledge had a line of view across the surrounding terrain that no street-level patrol could match, and the elevation kept the post above the worst of the thermal distortion that rose from the lava channels themselves.

The single-ladder access also functioned as a defensive feature. Any attempt to reach the post by a hostile force had to come up the ladder one body at a time, exposing each attacker to the watch standing on the ledge. A small Guard force could hold the position against a numerically superior attack provided the ladder could be controlled.

The proximity to the Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye. gave the cliff a secondary role during major matches. JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life., as Captain of the Ta-Koro GuardTa-Koro GuardThe Ta-Koro Guard was the largest standing Matoran fighting force on Mata Nui, captained by Jaller and active from the early Rahi conflicts through the return to Metru Nui., oversaw security at championship events, and an active watch post adjacent to the stadium entrance contributed to the perimeter the Guard maintained around the venue. At championship time KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro. on the ledge functioned simultaneously as a Guard on watch and as a KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. instructor for the Ga-KoroGa-KoroGa-Koro is a village on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Ga-Matoran and associated with both Nokama and Gali. The settlement was formerly under the power of Teridax. offensive player who had just won her place on the championship roster.

Fate during the Rahkshi attack#

The cliff stood through the Mask of LightAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. crisis up to the RahkshiRahkshiArmor suits powered by parasitic Kraata, Rahkshi were Teridax's most effective soldiers and among Bionicle's most visually iconic early enemies. assault on Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed.. The three RahkshiRahkshiArmor suits powered by parasitic Kraata, Rahkshi were Teridax's most effective soldiers and among Bionicle's most visually iconic early enemies. TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. had sent into the village (LerahkLerahkLerahk is a green and dark grey Rahkshi of the Kraata species and a native of Mangaia. Serving as a servant of Makuta within the Brotherhood of Makuta, Lerahk possesses the power of poison and wields the Staff of Poison., PanrahkPanrahkPanrahk is a brown and dark grey Kraata, known as a Rahkshi, who hails from Mangaia and serves as a servant of Makuta within the Brotherhood of Makuta. Carrying the Staff of Fragmentation, Panrahk wields the power of fragmentation., and GuurahkGuurahkThe disintegration-breed Rahkshi released by Makuta Teridax to hunt down the Mask of Light, one of the first three sent to Mata Nui to kill the Herald before the Toa of Light could rise.) targeted the village in pursuit of the AvohkiiAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. and its herald, and the engagement that followed sank Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. into the Lake of FireLake of FireThe molten protodermis lake that claimed Ta-Koro during the Rahkshi invasion. A natural hazard and narrative turning point in early Bionicle.. The Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye., which had stood adjacent to the cliff's ladder access, was destroyed along with the rest of the village.

The cliff's terrain was reshaped by the same event. The lava break the ledge had stood above was now part of the Lake of FireLake of FireThe molten protodermis lake that claimed Ta-Koro during the Rahkshi invasion. A natural hazard and narrative turning point in early Bionicle. that had risen to consume the village, and the ladder access was lost with the surrounding rock. The MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. population had evacuated before the sinking was complete, and the site was not subsequently rebuilt. The migration that followed carried the survivors back to Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., where KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. continued, but no equivalent training cliff was reproduced at the rebuilt city.

What survived of KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro.'s Cliff was the record of the training that had taken place on it. The lesson KeahiKeahiKeahi was a Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro and a member of the Ta-Koro Guard, the patroller of the ledge above the lava break that bore his name, and the instructor who trained Hahli in the Kolhii skill of Courage before the championship at Ta-Koro. taught HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. on the ledge above the lava break carried through her career past the loss of the cliff itself, through her appointment as ChroniclerChroniclerThe Matoran role of recording history and Toa deeds through word and carving, held by figures like Takua and Hahli. of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. and on into her later transformations into a Toa InikaToa InikaSix former Matoran who entered Karzahni broken and emerged as the next Toa team, transformed on the shore of Voya Nui by a lightning strike from the red star. and then a Toa MahriToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself. of Water. The Courage drilled on the cliff lasted longer than the cliff did.