Zakaz (Island)

"Home. True, I've never been to Zakaz... I'm not even really one of the native species... in fact, they'll probably kill me on sight... or worse, tie me upside down over a spiked dagger plant... but at least I'll die at home."

- Vezon, Federation of Fear

The Isle of Zakaz is the primary landmass located within the dome that bears the same name.

History
Zakaz was built by the Great Beings during the construction of the Matoran Universe. During the reign of the League of Six Kingdoms, the island was ruled by Barraki Ehlek. Zakaz was a peaceful island until a supposedly renegade Makuta, Spiriah, appeared on the island. He saw potential in the Skakdi to make great warriors. Spiriah started to train the species in how to fight and defend themselves, as well as conduct experiments on them that gave them unnatural powers. Spiriah eventually left the island leaving a few Visorak in his stead to watch over the Skakdi. When Spiriah returned to Zakaz, all the Visorak had been killed and the residents in the north were fighting a war against the residents of the south, a war started when Reidak destroyed a massive portion of a city over a minor dispute with local officials that escalated into a shouting match with the city's overseer. As a result, Spiriah was cast out of the Brotherhood of Makuta and went into hiding. Krika was ordered to take over the island in his stead, and he put into place a ban on all ship travel to and from the island, one of the few things the Order of Mata Nui agreed with the Brotherhood on. The ban was not quite respected; Xia repeatedly did deals with Skakdi after the ban was set, most notably with the warlord Nektann when he ordered the automatons to be used in war that were eventually named after him. In a more recent occurrence, a ship from Xia arrived on the island at around the time of the Toa Inika's quest for the Kanohi Ignika, dropping off a cargo of what was assumed to be weapons. It appeared that a group of Skakdi on the island had successfully made a deal with the Vortixx, and a shift in power on the island was anticipated. Dark Hunter ships were also sighted around the island, awaiting the return of the treacherous Piraka. During the Order's mission to rescue Makuta Miserix, Spiriah mutinied against Brutaka and sailed to Zakaz with a Zyglak fleet in order to exact his revenge on the Skakdi. The Zyglak viciously destroyed the Dark Hunter ships stationed around the island. However, the fleet was defeated when members of Ehlek's species in the employ of the Order attacked and sunk the fleet. Brutaka attacked and subdued Spiriah, foiling his attempt at revenge. Axonn and Brutaka later arrived on the island, hoping to forge an alliance with Nektann, which they attempted to do by going directly to his fortress. Instead, the inhabitants amassed an army to confront the two warriors, cornering them on a beach. After Brutaka felled a building on part of the army, the pair gave themselves up. Then the duo were brought to the warlord and convinced him to ally with them in the war between the Brotherhood of Makuta and the Order of Mata Nui. Afterward, the rest of the warlords were approached and convinced to side with the Order. Under the direction of Axonn and Brutaka, the assembled Skakdi of Zakaz traveled to an unknown island in one of the southern chains to confront a Rahkshi fighting force. After Nektann defected to Teridax, the surviving Toa Mahri were ordered by the Order of Mata Nui to discover the motives of the other warlords and to find the mutated Piraka who went missing after the destruction of Daxia Fortress. After breaking into a stronghold on Zakaz, they found a secret underground cavern where the Skakdi had acquired a tank of Energized Protodermis. The natives then threw three prisoners - a Zyglak, a Vortixx, and a worker class Steltian - and the five remaining sea snake Piraka into the pool. A greenish cloud also entered the substance. Moments later, a monstrous life form emerged from the Energized Protodermis.

Landscape
Prior to Makuta Spiriah's experiments, Zakaz was a beautiful land, with much flora and water. Today, Zakaz is barren with sparse vegetation, including spiked dagger plants. Fortresses are built everywhere but are usually destroyed shortly thereafter, leaving behind large amounts of rubble. In the center of the island is a great lake. This is the only location on the island which the Skakdi will not fight over each other, as it is the only source of water available; it has been declared a no-fighting zone. Non-mobile Nektann defense towers have been placed at strategic points all over the island to shoot down any Airships that get close; this reinforces the Brotherhood's no-travel orders forbidding any approach to Zakaz.

Skakdi Fortresses
Several fortresses have been established by various Skakdi warlords, and most if not all are in ruins and are left unstable by the constant attacks on them. The fortresses have no dungeons, or anything to confine prisoners, mostly because keeping a Skakdi as a prisoner is futile, as they would only talk in exchange for freedom. The Skakdi keep their Tahtorak mounts in pens near the fortresses. Nektann has situated his fortress near the Zakaz coastline.

Sapient Species

 * The Skakdi are the main inhabitants of Zakaz.
 * Barraki Ehlek's native species made a home beneath the sea surrounding this island.

Rahi

 * Tahtorak
 * Spine Slugs
 * Stone Rats
 * Muaka
 * Necrofinch, a type of bird that sings even after it's deceased.
 * Kinloka are sent by Skakdi to set off any booby traps that may lay ahead of them. This method is called "stalking kinloka".
 * A hostile species of fish.

Appearances

 * BIONICLE Legends 6: City of the Lost (Mentioned Only)
 * Federation of Fear
 * Destiny War
 * BIONICLE Legends 11: The Final Battle (Mentioned Only)
 * Reign of Shadows
 * BIONICLE: Dark Hunters (Not Mentioned by Name)
 * BIONICLE: World
 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe