Skakdi

Skakdi were the species native to the island of Zakaz.^{1, 2} Up until about 70,000 years ago, they were regarded as an unfriendly but generally peaceful people.² Although they were not particularly friendly or trustworthy, they generally managed to live in peace among themselves and with their neighbors.¹ Then a supposedly renegade Brotherhood of Makuta member arrived on the island and began tampering with the natives. As a result, the Skakdi gained special abilities. They exhibited vision-based powers such as heat vision, impact vision, etc. They also gained elemental powers which they could only use when working together. This caused the Skakdi to become more warlike and destructive. A number of Skakdi were recruited into the Dark Hunters, including the six Piraka.^{2, 1}

Notes

The Piraka were biomechanical.³

Skakdi were unwanted everywhere else they could possibly settle, and so they were confined to living on war-torn Zakaz. Given the level of devastation, a surprising number of Skakdi survived among the island's ruins. A Skakdi who commanded a place where only a few stones remained stacked together was considered a force to be reckoned with. Most Skakdi lived out their entire lives and perished on Zakaz. A few managed to leave the island by recruitment into the Dark Hunters. Their power made them attractive as troops or enforcers, but their reputation for treachery implied great risk in hiring them.¹

The Brotherhood of Makuta never recruited Skakdi in any large numbers, regarding them as too violent and unstable to serve anyone for long. Instead, they had Zakaz quarantined. Only the Dark Hunters ever risked visiting Zakaz.¹

Skakdi were tall, powerful beings with hideous faces that seemed to be set in permanent, bestial smiles. An organic spine extended from the back of the head down the backs of the arms. The arms ended in claws. All Skakdi had some form of vision-based power. Some had additional abilities as well, and just as many others were damaged, mad, or warped as a result of the Brotherhood of Makuta's tampering. In general, Skakdi were warlike, brutal, treacherous, and violent.¹

Skakdi were afflicted by revolting but harmless parasites known as spine slugs, which attached themselves to the organic tissue of their spines. These creatures seemed to feed off of the Skakdi's battle rage. Some believed that they fueled that rage, causing the Skakdi to fight and provide more nourishment. Whether or not the spine slugs were to blame for the Skakdi's violent tempers hardly mattered, since the Skakdi would never have admitted it or done anything about it, since it might have cost them their edge in combat.¹

Skakdi were known for their substantial physical strength, foul tempers, and the perpetual evil smiles which they seemed to wear.²

Their spines were made of organic tissue.⁴

One of the peculiar things about a Skakdi warlord's base was the lack of any kind of dungeon, torture chamber, or prisoner of war camp. History had shown that there was very little point in torturing a Skakdi, as they never talked except in trade, usually for their freedom, which few captors would agree to. Skakdi also had little patience for hearing prisoners complain for "trivial" things like food, water, and stone rats.⁵

Nektann once spat on the ground.⁵

It would be possible for Spiriah's changes in a Skakdi to be undone through reverse engineering.⁶

Skakdi could not form Kaita.^{7, 8}

Skakdi couldn't form Kaita or Nui on their own.⁹

Skakdi teeth were natural tools.¹⁰

Skakdi could use their teeth for eating.¹¹

Skakdi teeth and jaws were powerful enough to break boulders in half.¹²

Skakdi spines were part of their organic tissue.¹³

Skakdi spines were probably removable.¹⁴

Skakdi could use Kanohi if they wanted to and had the mental discipline to do so, the latter of which was problematic.¹⁵

Skakdi would be unlikely to have the mental discipline required to use Kanohi.¹⁶

Not every Skakdi was necessarily evil, but they lived in a hostile place and did what they had to in order to survive.¹⁷

Skakdi were warlike.¹⁸

There were a number of Skakdi, but they spent most of their time fighting each other, limiting their effectiveness as a threat to others.¹⁹

Skakdi were perhaps capable of doing good, but were highly unlikely to do good deeds. Their entire social structure was built on the idea of being deceitful, treacherous, and violent.²⁰

It's doubtful that Skakdi were unique in color and design.²¹

Zakaz was the home island of the Piraka's species.²²

Most Skakdi lived on Zakaz.²³

Skakdi could tell each other apart by their faces.²⁴

Elemental Powers

The natural elemental abilities of Skakdi could only be used in tandem.²⁵

Skakdi's dependence on each other for use of elemental powers was a way of controlling when they could use them for safety purposes.²⁶

Skakdi learned how their tandem elemental powers worked through trial and error.²⁷

Skakdi of fire and ice could make a creature out of ice and flame, ice that burned targets, or fire that froze targets.²⁸

Skakdi could not use their powers separately even if they were working with another Skakdi. Whatever the two Skakdi did with their elemental powers, they had to combine them.²⁹

Skakdi did not have to touch each other to use their elemental powers, the powers had to be combined.³⁰

A Skakdi's gender was not associated with its element.³¹

Different Skakdi of the same elements likely had different-looking faces.³²

Skakdi weren't capable of forming protodermis cages by combining six elements like Toa could.³³

Skakdi used elemental energy to fuel their powers like Toa did, and they could run out of this energy.³⁴

The extent of the Piraka's elemental powers were probably less than those of a Toa.³⁵

While the Piraka had elements, it was not as integral to their identities as elements are to Toa.³⁶

There were Skakdi of non-primary elements, though likely not light or shadow.³⁷

Other Powers

The Piraka had one natural power that came from themselves and one power connected to their eyes.³⁸

Not all Skakdi had naturally-occurring additional powers like four of the Piraka had. All had eyebeams.³⁹

Most Skakdi had a vision power and a non-vision power.⁴⁰

Skakdi besides the Piraka didn't have just one power.⁴¹

All Skakdi likely had an eye power.⁴²

Every Skakdi had a different vision power.⁴³

Eyebeam powers were likely not shared by Skakdi of the same element.⁴⁴

List of Skakdi

• Avak
• Hakann
• Nektann
• Reidak
• Thok
• Vezok
• Zaktan