The Mask Stealer Staff

The Mask Stealer Staff was the signature weapon of 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 GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto., through the second-age campaign on OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors.. It was a staff built for a single purpose, the removal of a KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. mask from the face of an opponent and the appropriation of the power the mask carried, and it was the central instrument of the operation 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 been directed to conduct on 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 behalf at the forge of the Mask MakersThe Mask MakersThe two legendary craftsmen of Okoto, Ekimu and Makuta, who forged the island's Kanohi and whose rivalry ended in the cataclysm at Capital City.. Its function defined the title under which 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. waged the campaign and gave the wider Skull Creature army its operational shape.

Construction and function#

The Mask Stealer Staff was a staff built around a single, narrowly specialised function. Its working purpose was the seizure of a mask from an adversary's face and the appropriation of the power the mask carried. The KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. were not inert ornaments. The Golden Masks 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. had been summoned to recover carried the elemental powers of their wearers in concentrated form, and the working masks of the ProtectorsProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. and the surface population carried their own variant powers. A weapon that could remove such a mask while leaving its power available for transfer was therefore a weapon aimed at the most concentrated source of elemental capacity on the island.

The staff did the work in two motions. It snatched the mask from the face of the wearer, and it drained the power the mask carried for the use of the wielder. The two functions were not separable in the staff's operation. The act of removal was simultaneously the act of appropriation, and the wearer who lost the mask lost the mask's power at the same instant. The combination was the operational basis of the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto.'s ability to escalate his own elemental capacity as the campaign progressed by drawing it from the masks his army had stripped.

The staff worked in concert with 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 own innate ability. The Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. was capable of draining the power from Golden Masks even without the staff, and his dark power flowed through his frame in a manner that the staff supplemented rather than supplied. The combination of the innate capacity and the dedicated instrument made the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. the principal threat to the masks 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. had been summoned to recover, and the staff was the visible expression of that threat in the field.

Place within the Skull Creature armament#

The Mask Stealer Staff sat at the top of a wider chain of weapons across the Skull Creature army that all converged on the same outcome. Skull SlicerSkull SlicerA former arena victor who drains masks of their power as Kulta's lieutenant. carried a pair of Hook BladesHook BladesCurved, hooked weapons wielded by Skull Slicer for slashing and catching, with a variant also carried by Kulta. that performed the same mask-prying function at the lieutenant level. Skull BasherSkull BasherA Skull Creature guardian of Okoto's Temple of Creation, armed with mask-draining powers and hook axes., the guardian of the Temple of CreationTemple of CreationThe Temple of Creation lay buried in the dunes of Po-Wahi, dedicated to the Principle of Creation and gated behind four charms and a Kolhii skill check. and the strongest of the army, wielded twin Hook AxesHook AxesSkull Basher's paired axes capture the 2015 reboot's approach to weapon design: visually distinctive but narratively sparse, where function speaks louder than lore. that could break through the heaviest defences and contributed the same ability to drain elemental power from Golden Masks. The Skull WarriorsSkull WarriorsThe undead ice-armed footsoldiers raised from the giant skeletons buried beneath the City of the Mask Makers, deployed by Kulta the Skull Grinder as the numerical backbone of his assault on the abandoned capital of Okoto. at the rank-and-file level carried Freeze Bows and possessed the same mask-draining ability that the senior officers held. Every tier of the force from the warriors up through Skull BasherSkull BasherA Skull Creature guardian of Okoto's Temple of Creation, armed with mask-draining powers and hook axes. and the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. himself carried that capacity, and the staff in 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 hand was the apex instrument of the wider design.

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. also carried a Hook BladeHook BladeThe curved cutting weapon issued to the upper ranks of the Skull Army on Okoto, carried by Kulta as a side arm beside the Mask Stealer Staff and wielded in greater numbers by Skull Slicer in the arena. as his side arm. The Hook BladeHook BladeThe curved cutting weapon issued to the upper ranks of the Skull Army on Okoto, carried by Kulta as a side arm beside the Mask Stealer Staff and wielded in greater numbers by Skull Slicer in the arena. was the close-in option in the loadout, the weapon for the moments when the staff could not be brought to bear, and the same family of curved, prying weapons that Skull SlicerSkull SlicerA former arena victor who drains masks of their power as Kulta's lieutenant. wielded at the lieutenant level. The two instruments together gave the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. a working answer to most of the situations the campaign could present, and the staff and the blade between them organised his combat profile around the single objective the entire army had been pointed at.

The mission to the forge#

The campaign for which the Mask Stealer Staff is best remembered began 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. directed 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. to obtain 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 had rested at 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. since the day of 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., when it had been knocked 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 face by the discharge of 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 had eventually come to rest on the bridge leading into the capital. The Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. seized the mask and carried it back to the Mask MakersThe Mask MakersThe two legendary craftsmen of Okoto, Ekimu and Makuta, who forged the island's Kanohi and whose rivalry ended in the cataclysm at Capital City.' own forge with the intention of melting it down. The staff was the weapon in his hand for the seizure.

The choice of destination was deliberate. The forge that had produced the great KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. was to be the site of the most sacred of those KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. being destroyed. 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. arrived to interrupt the work. They had reached the Tomb of the Mask MakerThe Ancient CityThe former capital of Okoto, also known as the City of the Mask Makers, where Ekimu and Makuta forged the Masks of Power, where Ekimu was laid to rest after the Battle of the Mask Makers, and where the Toa of the second age awakened him to lead the campaign against Makuta. and combined their elemental powers to wake 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., who scolded them for being late and directed them to the forge. The team pressed through Skull BasherSkull BasherA Skull Creature guardian of Okoto's Temple of Creation, armed with mask-draining powers and hook axes., who stole OnuaOnua, Master of Earth: The Sage Toa of OkotoOnua of Okoto was the Master of Earth summoned by the Protectors, the quiet sage who separated Tahu and Kopaka at the Ancient City and felled the Lord of Skull Spiders with his Earthquake Hammer.'s Golden Mask of Earth before being driven off by their combined force, and reached the forge to find the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. already about to commit the act.

The combat in the forge#

The Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. did not destroy 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. in front 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.. He put it on. Wearing the mask, he met the team as the supreme combatant on the field. The Mask Stealer Staff worked in concert with 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 with 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 innate ability to drain mask-power to deliver a defeat 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. had not yet suffered as a unit. He felled all six in a single engagement and damaged their Golden Masks in the process, rendering the team unable to call on their elemental powers in the normal way. The staff had been the instrument by which 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. had been obtained for him to wear, and it remained the instrument by which his mask-power drain operated in the combat that followed.

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. used the time 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. had bought him. He searched the forge floor for pieces with which to reconstruct 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., the tool he had used to strike 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. from 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 face in the original cataclysm. When the new hammer was complete, he fired Elemental Gatling blasts at the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. and used the same weapon to knock 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 his face, repeating the gesture that had ended his brother's rebellion. The staff in 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 hand could not prevent the mask's removal, and the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. collapsed. 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. reclaimed 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., repaired the Golden Masks 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 named the team worthy heroes.

The staff in the closing duel#

The defeated Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. and Skull BasherSkull BasherA Skull Creature guardian of Okoto's Temple of Creation, armed with mask-draining powers and hook axes. were imprisoned beneath the Temple of CreationTemple of CreationThe Temple of Creation lay buried in the dunes of Po-Wahi, dedicated to the Principle of Creation and gated behind four charms and a Kolhii skill check., but the imprisonment did not hold. 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., reaching out from the Shadow RealmShadow DimensionAn alternate dimension sealed forever after Makuta was pulled in by the Mask of Ultimate Power's destruction, then trapped by the Toa's combined elemental assault., arranged for 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. to free 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., and the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. rejoined the campaign in time to take part in its closing engagement. The Mask Stealer Staff was the weapon he carried into the final duel.

The closing combat at the underground city of 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. took the form of a single duel between 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. 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.. The terms agreed before the contest specified that 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. would not intervene and 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. would not use 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.. 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. borrowed OnuaOnua, Master of Earth: The Sage Toa of OkotoOnua of Okoto was the Master of Earth summoned by the Protectors, the quiet sage who separated Tahu and Kopaka at the Ancient City and felled the Lord of Skull Spiders with his Earthquake Hammer.'s Earthquake HammerThe Earthquake HammerOnua's signature weapon on Okoto, a hammer that doubled as paired Turbo Shovelers and was lent to Ekimu for the final duel against Skull Grinder beneath the city of the Skull Raiders. instead and defeated the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. with the borrowed tool. The Mask Stealer Staff in 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 hand could not prevent the defeat. 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.' city collapsed atop the surviving raiders in the same engagement, and no further orders ever came from 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. to mobilise the staff again. The instrument, like the title of Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto. that had only ever belonged to one wearer, ended its working career with the duel.