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Character Age:
24

Character Gender:
Female

Character Race:
Northern Water Tribe

Bending:
Kyouna can indeed bend water. Would she call herself a Waterbender? No, not really. This is mostly due to the fact that her most proficient form of bending is healing. The reason for this is that the Northern Water Tribe focuses their attention on the male population and leaves the women only to know healing. Everything she has learned bending wise has taken her longer and been done alone for the most part. She spent some time in the Southern Water Tribe, hoping to learn but they were so spread out and the small cities she managed to visit were lacking benders which made her journey not as helpful as she had hoped. They gave her some of the basic moves but the rest was up to her. This means not all her bending is the graceful fluid form of movement as she has had to adapt to using other styles of bending as examples to jerry rig to her own bending. Needless to say, it isn’t the best way to go but what can you do? She does hope to one day find someone willing to really properly train her.

Skills:

• Making Tea: She doesn't own a tea shop for nothing. Time, effort, love, and soul goes into making her special blends as well as the classics that everyone adores. She likes giving people a place to retreat and relax. Nothing makes her happier than seeing their smiling faces.
• Cooking: She is actually a pretty good chef. She loves making savory foods and sweet treats to go along with her teas.
• Fortunetelling: Okay, so she might not be completely legit in this area but she has gotten good at reading people to know what they want to hear. She also knows how to keep her fortunes vague enough for multiple meanings. It wasn’t supposed to be this way... You try to cheer someone up one time by “reading” there tea leaves as a “fortune” and suddenly you have people flocking for advice or hope.
• Daggers/Hand to Hand: When you don’t have the best bending skills to protect yourself or least lack of confidence in those skills, the next best things are your hands and small weapons. She isn’t a stealthy assassin or some brawler but she is much more a fighter than she appears and will drop her opponent if given the chance.
• Hunting/Fishing:Her time in the Southern Water Tribe while fruitless in her help for someone to teach her bending was bountiful in other areas. They taught her needed skills to survive so she wouldn’t be wasting money on supplies. They taught her how to trap or fish, the missing pieces she hadn’t learned at home since she was used to cleaning the kills, cooking, and sewing but nothing more. She will ever be grateful to them for that. They made her feel more at home than she ever had in the North but it still reminded her of all she left behind.
  
  Weaknesses:
• Ranged Weapons: Just don’t ask her. Really, don’t. She had horrible aim and would be more likely to hurt herself or her team if you hand her one of these.
• Childish/Stubborn: While most of the time she is calm and patient, there are moments where she is extremely childish and troublesome. This puts her in situations that could have been avoided easily and makes her problematic when she won’t listen to reason.
• Bending: While she can bend, sometimes her own moves lack finesse or take on too much style from another element and it fails her because she herself is not in the right space. She also lacks confidence which is not a positive. This can be extremely bad at a crucial moment.
• Smoking: She knows it is a bad habit but she can’t seem to be able to stop. She has gone as far as to add flavors to her tobacco, creating her own blends to make sweet flavors.
  
  Possessions:
• Has her own jade and gold pipe which cost her a pretty penny but so worth it as it comes with its own carrying pouch for the tobacco but could easily hide other things if needed
• Water pouch, would be dumb for a Waterbender not to have one of these especially in a desert.
• Daggers, she keeps many of them on her body to be used if needed though she hopes that it won’t be necessary
• It’s not really a possession she can carry with her but she does own a tea shop called Tea & La

Biography:
She was born in the Northern Water Tribe, on a night like any other, just another addition to their large tribe. Her life growing up was fairly normal despite her need to question everything, much to her mother’s dismay. She had done her best to deter the way Kyouna would ask why she was not allowed to do the same as the boys or why things were the way they were. It didn’t stop the pranks or defiant nature but at least her mother hoped she would learn to be content with the life she had. Everything seemed to be relatively peaceful for the family when a wonderful surprise happened, her mother had become pregnant. It seemed like there was nothing but smooth sailing and wonderful times ahead of them.

Only life has a funny way of disrupting plans and dreams. Her mother ran into complications, her body giving out before anyone could do anything to stop it. She was gone but in her place was now a new baby brother for Kyouna and a son for her father, one that would need care and attention. It was then that Kyouna learned to be much more patient and gentle than the rambunctious child she had been. She was only ten years old and now, her brother needed her. Her father buried himself in work, barely came home and became much more distant. It was like all the light in his life was gone, just a husk of a man. The soft sides of him becoming rigged and hardened, walls around his heart. This left Kyouna to pull the extra weight that had once been her mother's duties such as cooking, maintaining the house, and taking care of Akolo.

She missed having fun, being a child but at the same time she couldn’t regret it. She loved her brother and wanted to be there for him. She sang the songs her mother used to sing to her. She took care of him and practically raised him. Kyouna will forever wonder and regret what her future decision had done to her brother’s life. When she turned sixteen, her world felt like it had been shackled and controlled like she wasn’t even a person anymore. Her father had decided to arrange a marriage between her and the son of a long time friend with higher status. It wasn’t just being forced into marriage but the person she was to be married off to was a man she had despised for many years. They had been forced to be around each other as children and now she was being told that he would always be by her side.

She had tried to protest to her father, begging him to call it off. All she had received was that she should know her place and stop acting selfish, that he knew what was best for this family and her. The choker around her neck could have been iron chains the way it felt sitting there. Kyouna felt like she couldn’t breathe, drowning in the sorrow and feeling time rushing by her like the pull of a wave. She knew there was a small window to take back her life. She hadn’t been bound by marriage yet and if she could only find a way out, she would have to take it. That minuscule window came in the form of a trade with the Earth Kingdom. They were mostly independent, not needing much from others but occasionally they would trade, sending out supplies. She removed the necklace, wrote her goodbye, took her things and snuck into the cargo. It had been a miserable experience.

She hadn’t stayed long, instantly leaving so she was not anywhere near the city in case someone tried to find her or she had been caught. She became a permanent wanderer, a rough year of struggles and small jobs took up on her way to the Southern Water Tribe since she needed supplies to make it from city to city. The Southern Tribe had been everything she wished the Northern Tribe to be. They seemed to have a lot more freedoms in her opinion. They were all so kind and welcoming, teaching her skills that would greatly improve her life. Sadly, Kyouna had not stayed with them long, the villages still a painful reminder of home but with her newly acquired skills and new ways to practice her bending, she set off to explore new destinations. Eventually, her aimless journey had led her to Si Wong and though she hadn’t planned to plant roots there, that is exactly what happened.

It was just a coincidence or maybe it was fate itself what happened that day. An elderly woman was struggling with her purchases, close to falling over when Kyouna stepped in to assist her. She accompanied the woman during the rest of her shopping even though the woman kept giving her outs if she wanted to. Instead of running at first chance, Kyouna has been more than willing to stay and found herself helping to carry the bags and then heading to the old woman’s shop as her husband manned the place. They had given her a free meal and tea as a ‘thank you’. She watched them as they flitted about, helping customers and watched some of the struggles with ruder individuals. She decided to ask if she could come back again, assist them a bit tomorrow. They had told her there was no need but she had come back anyway, bright and early. Eventually it had become a habit, then the habit of helping turned into a job as they didn’t feel right for her doing something for nothing, that turned into invites from either party on meals and getting to know each other which led to a bond. They told her that she was the daughter they had never had.

They were her new family, her family not by blood but still just as precious and something she had been lacking. The years passed by, she got a place for herself in Si Wong near the Yang’s and started to live a pretty peaceful life. The Yang’s started to think of retirement, asking Kyouna if they could pass the shop to her since they trusted her with it. They knew they had been pushing themselves far too much. They told her to make it her own, that they knew she would make them proud. She changed the shop's name and added more teas to the menu, using the knowledge the Yang’s had provided over the years to make her own. She made sure to keep everything else as it was, a tribute to where the shop had come from and the love she feels for her makeshift family.

Supporting Cast:
Akolo: Is her younger brother. She doesn’t know much about him anymore except he has the same dark hair and light eyes are herself. He always seemed to be a happy child, if not a little too shy and needing lots of praise. Not surprising with how her Father was never satisfied with anything. Akolo is her biggest regret in leaving the Northern Tribe but she couldn’t stay and have her life planned out for her but she also couldn’t bring him when she wasn’t sure how stable her life would be.

Nagisa: was her mother. A kind and giving woman with a heart of gold but of a frail body. She was one of the midwives to the tribe and helped heal the sick or injured. It is hard to find a time that this woman was not loved and respected by those that knew her. She wasn’t perfect by any means, her temper one of the largely noticeable flaws as it was as fierce as a dragon. She had almost caramel colored hair that frames a delicate rounded face and the brightest turquoise eyes. Kyouna misses her very much.

Pheakdei: Is her father. Ever the serious and no room for fun or error kind of man. A Waterbending Master who has taken on many a beast in his days and has scars to prove it. He always expected her to just fall in line and be a meek quiet daughter. Those steel grey eyes always seemed to judge and any softness disappearing with her mother’s death. She got in many a trouble over the years for her childish and stubborn nature and has known what it is to be a disappointment to the man that is her own blood. She got told to step up, grow up, and stop being difficult, that things are the way they are. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he found her to be an embarrassment or even worse than that after her leaving.

Sakda: the suitor she never asked for. He could be called handsome by most standards, chiseled facial features, deep cobalt eyes, sun kissed skin, and shaggy chocolate brown hair but all of this is overshadowed by the overconfident, arrogant, cruel and brash nature of his attitude. These are just some of the more polite things that could be said about this individual, let’s leave it at that. They had grown up closely together much to her dismay, their families friends with one another. It should have been no surprise to her what was to happen next and yet it was. She wanted to crawl in a hole and never come out when he presented her with a betrothal necklace as if he were doing her some amazing favor. She had tried to reject him but her father had stepped in before she could, the families using her to their benefit or more her father was as Sakda’s family had connections in higher society and could set her family up with an easy life at the expense of her happiness.

The Yang Couple: A sweet elderly couple that has become like family to her and the reason she has her tea shop at all. She is very honored to continue their work and what they have built together. She would be nowhere without them. They have supported her, believed in her when she had nothing and she will forever be grateful. Kyouna would do anything if only they would ask but they never do. They are both givers. They once told her that she was the Yin to their Yang, their family finally complete even though it took longer than they had both hoped for. For this reason they call her Yin instead of by her given name.

Character Age: 35
Character Gender: Male
Character Race: Air Nomad
Bending:

• Air Bending Mastery: Xunsu was born and raised in the Northern Air Temple and has devoted his life both through spirit and through the body in order to master the element of air. While he is six feet tall and not by any mean thin or lithe he is remarkably light on his feet and nimble. His movements always fluid and precise, every move calculated to perfection. Xunsu has reached such a skilled level that he has both his tattoos and the ability to project his spirit through the physical world.
  
  While some Airbenders are said to have mastered the ability of flight, Xunsu has not and must use his glider or flying bison in order to fly. That said he has earned the name 'Windwalker' for the ability to create dense pockets of air for him to walk on. It's not as efficient as flying and is tiring but it allows him to cross chasms and help him climb walls where there is no other way up.

Skills:

• Spiritual Guru: Xunsu is a spiritual guru. He has spent his life meditating and gaining spiritual enlightenment. He is fully capable of entering the spirit world, and while he is no great bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds he has interacted with spirits on occasion. As a spiritual leader within Si Wong City, he aims to guide the populace to bring about understanding and compassion.
• Artistry: Art is a form of meditation, he has spent years perfecting his skills in artistry.

Weaknesses:

• Air Nomad: Air Benders can be one of the most lethal types of benders. Air Nomads however try to avoid violence and use their bending for peaceful pursuits instead. As such fighting is a last resort.
• Guillible: Xunsu trusts people and believes in them, so much so that should someone tell them that they will change their ways he will believe it and give them another chance.
• Indifferent: Xunsu is indifferent to the worldly concerns between the nations of the world and the reasons too why they fight. He's a spiritual guide, and some would consider him 'aloof' as he never takes into account the reasons for strife or conflict.

Posessions:

• Airbender Staff: Like most Airbenders he carries a staff that can expand out into the orange glider associated with his people.
• Monk Robes: He only ever wears the robes of his people, being a spiritual guru and in charge of the chapter in Si Wong city he has been given the bead necklace to denote him as a monk within the Air Nomads.

Biography: Xunsu was born within the Northern Air Temple and much like all the other Air Nomads he was immediately separated from his family and taken under the tutelage of the monks. He took to the spiritual side of the training with relative ease. While other children struggled with the necessary focus to enter and maintain a meditative stance. While like with many Air Nomads he took to understanding the forms and the beginner levels of Air Bending he found the spiritual work and connection far easier. Under the tutelage of Monk Chen by the age of seven, he was taken to a grove near the temple that had strong ties to the spirit world, together the two of them ventured into the Spirit World for the first time to Xai Bau's Grove. Xunsu would learn to interact with the spirits, nowhere near the level the Avatar could reach but he still found the entire experience enlightening.

Soon after the young Xunsu was taken away to the Eastern Temple to pair with a Sky Bison calf. Chosen by the calm, but somewhat skittish, Peng the two became fast friends and journeyed together between the Air Temples, a pilgrimage most young Air Nomads undertook in order to learn the thirty-six levels of Airbending. By the age of eighteen, he earned his tattoos and became recognized as a true Airbender. From there the desire to help others and spread the teachings of the Air Nomads.

His Journey as a Spirit Guru began in the Northern Earth kingdom, moving from one town to another. While he would usually assist in matters of the spirit, guiding others in meditation he would often be called to help during Bandit Raids and as gangs of criminals plagued towns outside the reaches of their local lords or the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se. While initially during his younger years he found these adventures to be exciting, as he joined up with other noble hearts on their journey to assist others and bring balance to the world he felt a real sense of accomplishment. Though he soon became tired of the senseless violence, and the repetition.

Xunsu soon stopped answering calls to help with bandits and raiders, instead of resorting to tackling issues that had arisen between the Spirit and Physical world. Traveling from town to town in order to bring people the balance they sought in their lives. Spiritual enlightenment. Eventually, Xunsu found himself in Si Wong city in the local Air Nomad chapter. He quickly found his calling, rising up through the ranks of the local chapter so that he eventually became a monk. In recent times he has felt the balance shift. Dark forces loom near Si Wong, and Xunsu fears for the worst. Now he knows his new mission, he must find the Avatar.
Supporting Cast:

• Peng: Peng his Xunsu' trusty Skybison. They have been together since they were both kids, growing up together they have a strong spiritual bond and one is not often seen without the other.
• Tuo Po: A skilled Earth Bender. She is one of Xunsu's first friends that is not an Air Nomad. The two shared a brief romance while fighting off bandits though as Xunsu sought a more spiritual existence the two ended the relationship. They still remain close, albeit awkward, friends.
• Dai: Dai is a cunning swordsman. Brother to Tuo Po, he wasn't born with any bending ability but has made up for it in his mastery with swordsmanship. The Two have not spoken much since Xunsu broke up with Dais sister.
• Si Wong Air 'Temple': While not a full-sized temple, Si Wong has a chapter off Air Nomads seen as spiritual leaders of the city. Over his time presiding over the chapter Xunsu has seen many new Airbenders come and go to experience the life of a city unlike any other.

Character Age: 24.

Character Gender: Male

Character Race: Northern Water Tribe.

Bending: He is a skilled waterbender, above average but not a master.

Skills:
•Weapons Training - From his mother he learned how to wield many weapons, most prominently the traditional spears and clubs of his tribe. What most people are unaware of is his skill with swords and daggers as well. He also has a passing knowledge of the Southern Tribe's boomerang and machete-and-shield tactics, but prefers to avoid using them. His preferred style is to use a long dagger, with one hand free to bend water (though some see this style of fighting as 'dishonorable').
•Drawing Water - After spending years in Si Wong City and the surrounding desert, he's become especially adept at drawing water from unusual sources, including from plants and moisture in the air. He's also very precise in his bending, allowing him to use small amounts of water to get a lot done.

Weaknesses:
•Ego - While he's not overly arrogant and will generally let go of most small slights, he is prone to holding long-lasting grudges and isn't afraid of getting back at someone with a disproportionately large counterattack. He gets especially irritated with disrespect or humiliation in any form.
•Superstition - Kosroq, like his father, goes a small step above reverence for the spirits. He regularly makes small prayers to his family's 'patron spirit', Kaita Hi. His arm wrappings are covered in ritual symbols and written prayers meant for good luck and supposedly to ward off evil spirits. If a town or city has a spirit totem, he will usually stop by to make an offering. He occasionally makes small paper talismans to place around any place he stays if he's feeling particularly unlucky.

Posessions:

Kosroq owns a dagger given to him by his father. It's lined with serpent teeth, killed by a hunting party his father was a part of many years ago. He also owns a white mask that resembles a completely neutral face. On it there are prayers inscribed, Northern spirit prayers for forgiveness. He calls it the Daogao mask.

Biography:

Supporting Cast:
•Salla - Kosroq's mother. Publicly the rather docile wife of Narokk, actually an accomplished warrior, saboteur, and military historian. She's calmed down considerably since her youth and now spends most of her time accompanying Narokk on official business and teaching Hanouk. She's learned to accept her status in life, though she often dreams of kicking the absolute hell out of one of the Elders next time they talk down to her.
•Narokk - Kosroq's father. He's considered a future candidate for the council of Northern Elders. He is heavily spiritual. He currently serves as an advisor to the current chieftain of the North, Tarkol. While he enjoys his current status and the security it gives his family, he feels a little regretful about the shady business he and Salla did when they were younger.
•Hanouk - Kosroq's brother. A great public speaker and competent fighter and teacher. The way things are going, he'll likely be the one to continue the family's legacy, unless Kosroq feels like coming back.

Character Age: 35

Character Gender: Male

Character Race: Earth Kingdom

Bending: Earthbender - Han Xin is an experienced earthbender, but his style is almost exclusively self-taught, with no formal training beyond tips and advice picked up from other benders during his travels. Many of his maneuvers and attacks are improvisational in nature, and this has given him an edge against rival benders expecting a studied style to compete against. He’s even found ways to incorporate stances and motions from other bending techniques into both his bending forms and his spear fighting.

Skills: Beyond bending, Han Xin is a seasoned spear fighter and mercenary, having fought for various princes and lords of the Earth Kingdoms as the nation solidified itself over time. He’s also quite the liuqin guru as well, and greatly enjoys practicing musical freestyling with it in his freetime.

Weaknesses: Han Xin is an alcoholic, plain and simple. He always has at least three calabash jugs of spirits on him at any given time, and he’s been known to add some to nearly any other liquid he consumes, including water itself, if he finds the initial taste unpleasant. Han Xin also suffers from narcolepsy, and while having never fallen asleep while in a fight or on watch for one, he regularly dozes off without care or regard for those around him otherwise.

Possessions: His most valued possession is his Ji spear, a weapon that only ever leaves his person when absolutely necessary. He also carries a trio of knives on his belt for utility and emergency purposes. Three calabash jugs, generally filled with some form of booze, are tied to the belt as well. Strapped to the belt on his back is the case for his liuqin, which he keeps carefully maintained to keep the instrument inside safe.

Biography: Han Xin was born and raised in a small village in the Earth Kingdoms, near the infamous city of Ba Sing Se. His youth was marginally uneventful, without knowing about his latent bending talents at the time, most of his childhood consisted of lessons, games, and getting into brawls with others of his age. One of the few remnants of this time in his life he keeps with him is his early lessons in the liuqin from his mother, the same instrument he learned with them being the one he keeps with him now.

Eventually, Han Xin shaped from a youthful lad into a fine and proper young man, and it was around this time that the King of Ba Sing Se’s men came knocking. Seeking conscriptable people from among the villages surrounding the city, Han Xin was chosen alongside others from his village. Initially, he refused, not wanting to leave his home and people, but he found the speartips of the soldiers rather convincing. Marshaled into the city’s armed forces, it was during his training that Han Xin’s latent earthbending abilities manifested properly. However, a disregard for authority and the rigidity of the style's masters led to Han Xin being mustered back down to the nonbender ranks, with only a haphazard amount of basic rock manipulation to show for it. While he was never reprimanded to the point of an insubordination discharge, Han Xin was by no means a model soldier. He drank, he ignored orders, he slept on duty, and the only thing that kept him in the army was a small village hovel called Xingwei's Rest.

Xingwei's Rest was a small village along the main road towards the capital of Ba Sing Se, and its existence of the garrison was more for the comfort and stability of the region than for any real military advantage, and this took much of the pressure off of Han Xin and his unit. The one thorn in his side was his unit's commanding officer, Lieutenant Gao. The Lieutenant was the poster boy for the ideal officer of the army, dutiful, vigilant, and orderly. And the exact antithesis of Han Xin. The two butting heads was a constant sight in the garrison, and Han Xin skirting by being booted out was as much a miracle as him making through training in the first place. But all things must pass, and eventually Lieutenant Gao managed to get Han Xin discharged on "serviceable merit to the great city of Ba Sing Se", or as Han Xin would put it "We couldn't get you kicked out, so we're asking you politely, yet firmly, to retire."

With a small stipend of cash, pent up frustration, and experience in the army and not much else, Han Xin decided mercenary and bodyguard work might not be a bad way to make some coin. Taking advantage of the rampant banditry and unrest plaguing the solidifying Earth Kingdoms, he found steady work as a weapon for hire, and it was here his unusual and ramshackle bending style took form. Learning stances and moves from enemies, allies, scrolls, and even benders of other elements, Han Xin crafted a unique style that paired well with his spear fighting.

His mercenary career brought him in contact with many a foe and rival, as well. Would-be bandit lords, mercenaries seeking the same contract, and even the occasional private army of some uppity land baron trying to oppose a superior power. But the first and foremost of these was a man named Lai Chen. This man somehow found himself on the opposite end of nearly every contract and job Han Xin worked. Protecting a caravan? Lai Chen was raiding it. Defending a village? Lai Chen was attacking it. The two seemed to be opposites chosen by the spirits to diametrically oppose one another, and even now Han Xin awaits the inevitable next encounter with his longtime foe.

The loosened lifestyle of a mercenary is not a great one to beat old habits, however. Time outside the army solidified his drinking and sleeping, leading to the two becoming a blend of alcoholism and full-blown narcolepsy. As the Earth Kingdoms solidified into relative peace, Han Xin found his work drying up, eventually washing up in the city of Si Wong, hoping to shack up with desert caravans as a guard, while also looking into rumors of war in the Fire Islands as a nice way of making some quick coin.

Supporting Cast:
Lieutenant Gao - Unknown to Han Xin, but his former commanding officer has continued his lofty career in the military of the King of Ba Sing Se, and while the two have not yet crossed paths, Han Xin's mercenary lifestyle leaves this an increasingly likely situation every day.

Lai Chen - The longest-lasting rival of Han Xin's mercenary career, and a man he always seems to cross paths with at the worst of times. It's been a while since their last encounter, moreso due to the lack of work than anything else, and Han Xin has found himself constantly watching vigilantly, almost out of paranoia, for his strongest foe.

_{’They look at us and see disparate islands, and so they do not fear us. I see a singular people, that, if united, could make the world quake’}

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Character Age: 28

Character Gender: Male

Character Race: Fire Nation

Bending: Fire Bender, skilled but not a master.

Skills: Daisuke is a leader of men, a visionary, and he has never struggled to bring people to his chosen cause. He has been described by his superiors as a brilliant tactician and strategist, accomplishing missions with minimal casualties while exceeding operational expectations. He is a trained killer, and he excels at leading others of the same breed.

Weaknesses: Like any man who finds success at a young age, his arrogance is untempered by age, and it shows. Oftentimes Daisuke has hindered his advancement due to an inability to come under leadership he doesn’t respect. Most recently said arrogance lead him into rash action in the field, and while his company accomplished their mission there were significant casualties.

Beyond his personality Daisuke self-medicates his extreme stress with alcohol, while, in the past, he could play it off as enjoying a drink after a hard day, he now always keeps liquor on his person. Slowly but surely, he is losing control of this vice.

His bending lacks the finesse necessary to take the next step into a near-mastery level. A lifetime of training focused on efficiency and explosiveness works well on the battlefield but has not lent itself to fine technique.

Possessions: Daisuke owns little outside of his ideals, his only prized possessions are his katana and tanto, both received from his grandfather.

Biography: Daisuke was just a boy when his parents were killed by raiding parties in the Eastern Fire Islands. They were not warriors, neither of them could even bend, yet they were cut down all the same. Daisuke had been spirited away by his father and hidden in the brush while the village was sacked. The child was wracked with silent sobs as he heard the screams and panic carry throughout the small fishing community.

He had emerged to find his world altered beyond all understanding, the few survivors sought refuge at Shu Jing, carting along a near catatonic Daisuke. Through no effort of his own, he was deposited with his Grandfather, Aikido Tanaka, a man faced with the loss of a daughter and the responsibility of a child at the same time. Their shared grief brought them closer, and Aikido loved Daisuke as he would have his own son. Aikido was an old man, but his bending had not deteriorated, and the skills he had honed fighting under various warlords were passed on to a hungry Daisuke.

Daisuke, was shaped by that event. As he grew, he heard of the new push for Unity in Caldera City. Would any raider dare to enter a united Fire Nation? Separated, why should any enemy fear nibbling at the edges, killing and raiding away from the cities? Daisuke had found his purpose, and Aikido responded as a man who had a premonition of this event. Daisuke had always shown far more promise than he had, and a vengeful spirit had been growing in Daisuke’s chest for many years.

At merely 16 years, Daisuke left his grandfather’s house, and armed with their family steel he set out for Caldera City to join the new Fire Nation, and he knew in his heart, that he would bring unity to his people or die in the attempt.

Sadly, things were not so easy or so simple. He arrived in Caldera and found out what most children do upon entering the wider world, things are far more complicated and rarely black and white. He enlisted in the Fire Nations military, a grueling academy where he spent three years in training and low-level service environments.

At every level he exceeded expectations. From bending to close combat, and strategic planning to logistics. He was not always the most naturally gifted, but he had the drive necessary to out work his peers. He had learned at a young age with his grandfather, that without hard work talent means nothing.

When he graduated the academy he was honored by being appointed a squad leader, and three men were placed under his command. One of which became a dear friend, Ichiki Kitokuro, Together they began embarking on small missions in the southern isles. Daisukes young squad began to get some attention as they racked up completed objectives one after another. So often in battle, it is the tiniest thing which guarantees victory: Noticing a sluggish changing of the guard, identifying the weak spot in a perimeter, finding an unmanned entrance, pacing out your attack formation. These things become force multipliers, and Daisuke had an innate ability to see and utilize them.

Their success lead to their assignment as a part of a larger offensive against Warlord Toz. The first objective was securing a fortified port with a sizeable garrison of troops. This location was an essential logistical hub enabling the function of a dozen other offensives. It had to fall, and Daisuke had a moment of enlightenment while going over the topographical maps.

The proposed landing area was the only beachhead large enough to quickly deploy the Fire Nation force, they would take losses, but cover was available in the form of numerous rock outcroppings. Beyond that beachhead was a valley that lead directly to the port on the far side of the island. The fighting would be intense, and the confined areas and occupied high ground would be hellish for the government attackers.

But Daisukes comrades were well trained and well disciplined, whereas Toz’s militia were little more than mercenaries, and had been known to break when faced with a determined and organized foe. A weak leadership structure makes a weak army. As Daisuke began playing out the future battle, he saw the fort empty out as Caldera’s finest entered the valley. The enemy’s leaders would know their largest, and only, advantage was in sheer numbers. Because of this the fort would be mostly empty, and there was a narrower approach from the left. It had been rejected by their commander due to the smaller beachhead and cliff face pathway, but a small force could land their under cover of night, and perhaps, with surprise and a healthy dosage of luck, overwhelm a skeleton defense force at the port.

Daisuke petitioned the commander to allow his squad to take a dingy and land to the west. The risk was small, and the potential rewards were massive, the commander allowed it. And Daisuke’s plan was set into motion, at down on the second day, they would assault the western fortifications.

The plan came together, and Daisuke took the fort while Ichiki raised the Fire Nations flag. The enemy, believing they had been surrounded, surrendered en masse. And Daisuke began his ascent, showing his value time and again before reaching Captain at age 26.

Shortly before our story is set to begin, Daisuke and his relatively new command were sent out to the black hills to destroy an enemy compound. Their position was surrounded by fortified walls and a small garrison. Though with their defenses intact the small force could hold off ten times their size. But they had a small issue, the fortress was built on a hill, and over the years the southern side of the hill had begun to wear away and settle. Engineers had added support pillars, but the weak point was still there.

Daisuke put together a plan to send two fainting attacks from the north and west, while he personally led a strike force, armed with explosives, to collapse the support columns. The General expressed hesitancy, the fortress received reinforcements a fortnight ago, the safer plan would be to wait them out, and let their increased number burn through their supplies. Daisuke however argued that this would delay the overall offensive, and this was, after all, his command. The general deferred to the leaders on the ground and sent a messenger to Daisuke advising that he act in whatever way he saw fit but reminding him that discretion was the better part of valor.

Daisuke, in his arrogance, remarked that they could bring in ten thousand troops, it would not make the wall impregnable. He ordered the assault, two forces moved in, feinting towards the walls with siege ladders. Fire roared forth from both the tops of the walls and the assaulting troops. Smoke filled the air, and while the forts attention was directed elsewhere Daisuke attacked.

He massively underestimated the additional strength the fort now had, and he lost dozens just reaching the wall. The explosives detonated and he bounded over the settling rubble. The enemy was thrown into chaos, and the feigning troops wheeled and renewed their assault with vigor. Their advantage was now only the surprise, as the casualties sustained had brought their numbers much closer together. Daisuke whirled, his blades danced and fire whirled around him. They won the day, but at what cost? Ichiki was found dead, and Daisuke knew that he alone was responsible for his death.

Now Daisuke and his decimated company have been sent back to the Capital to refit, and he is given a hero’s welcome, but this glory has turned to ashes in his mouth.

Supporting Cast: Aside from his grandfather I generally like to discover my character throughout the process of writing them. There will not be groundbreaking characters “Oh he’s secretly the Emperor’s son!” though he does have a company of men under his command, and the nature of their relationships aren’t clear yet.

_{'I can't tell you what is reality because I don't know myself.'}
________________________________________

Age: 19
Gender: Male
Race: Sandbender Tribes

Physical Description: Siyu is a mud-eyed, burnt caramel-skinned, unusually tall and lanky young man with sinewy muscles that is routinely clothed in the sand-colored robes of his people, meant to protect against the heat and sunlight. His face is adorned with patchy black facial hair, a clear sign of his age that makes him uncomfortable, while the charcoal hair atop his head is kept extremely short.

Bending: Earth; Sandbending Focus

Siyu is an intermediate Earthbender, focusing on Sandbending. His fighting style, like many Sandbenders, is far more 'whimsical' and flow-oriented than most Earthbenders, entailing many acrobatic and aerial movements. In his training, Siyu has sought to acquire balance between offense and defense, preferring versatility as well as well-timed strikes to win. Despite this, he is still an Earthbender and has endeavoured to master more than just his native techniques.

Skills:

• Exceptional Sandsailer: Growing up in Si Wong desert, a person learns to sandsail if possible. Such is Siyu's skill in this matter that he can turn a small stretch of wood and cloth into a personal sandsailer.
• Desert Folklore: Born of desert people, Siyu naturally understands survival and navigation within the Si Wong Desert.

Weaknesses:

• Unconfident: Siyu is young, really young. He lacks confidence in himself in many ways; body self-esteem, ability to connect with others, and his fighting ability.
• Tormented Visions: From a young age, Siyu has been tormented by seemingly unrelated visions, dreams and apparent apparations. One of these is nearly always present and took upon itself the name, 'Avante'. The visions can at times become so intense that Siyu loses sense of reality.
• Si Wong Kong: In the course of his life, Siyu discovered that a native plant smoked by his people to calm the nerves helps with his visions, though his use of the plant has generated a reliance upon it.

Possessions:

• Personal Sandsailer: Similar to a skateboard without wheels, instead being attached to a sail.
• Sandbag: Like most Sandbenders, Siyu keeps a bag of sand on him at all times as sand is what he is most comfortable bending.
• Si Wong Compass: A compass that points directly to Si Wong Rock, crucial for navigation within the desert.
• Crucial Desert Survival Tools: Other small, assorted tools Siyu keeps with him since the desert is a harsh mother.

Supporting Cast:

• Avante: A 'being' visible only to Siyu as far as he knows, Avante's visual form is that of a small mongoose covered in black and white fur. Only the colors are constantly shifting, blending, birthing new colors, and ending those colors. It sits upon Siyu's shoulders, often whispering to him. Avante's motivations and even whether or not it actually exists are still unclear to Siyu, who isn't sure if Avante is an actual spirit or a figment of his imagination.

Character Age: 28
Character Gender: Male
Character Race: Bataar Nomads (Earth Kingdom)
Bending: Non-bender

Skills:

• Mounted Warrior: Batu is a trained cavalier of the Bataar Plains Nomads, proving himself formidable when in the saddle of an ostrich horse or any other similar mount. Using a recurve short bow with remarkable accuracy on the move and a short sabre for in-close encounters are both major facets of his training, rooted in the pursuit predation tactics necessary for survival in the open steppes.
• Hardy: The reality of the open plains which stretch from the Kolau Mountains to the Si Wong Desert is a near-tundra of permafrost and high-altitude cold, creating a lifestyle of scarcity. While not adapted to the swelter and heat of the Si Wong Desert, Batu’s upbringing instilled survival principles which allow him to cross swathes of uncivilized land with little issue.

Weaknesses:

• Poor Defense: The doctrine of Batu’s fighting style emphasizes a decisive overwhelming onslaught, a stark contrast to the Earth Kingdom Army’s overall philosophy, with his fighting style more in line with the Fire Nation’s ethos. However this proves a significant disadvantage against any opponent who presses the attack effectively, making Batu likely to give ground rather than press a defense.
• Heedless & Lighthearted: Batu is a very carefree and rather gullible individual. His ruggedness and passing abrasiveness easily give way to an unserious and humor-minded man. His lackadaisical attitude and arrogance often become his downfall in both matters of war and peace.
• Non-Bender: While the ‘shamans’ of the Bataar Nomads tend to be Earthbenders themselves, Batu is one of the majority who have no such special inclination. While normally a non-issue for most, in a melting pot which includes an abundance of benders, it puts him at a significant combat disadvantage.

Possessions:

• Sabre: A curved blade single-handed sword designed for use while mounted on ostrich horses, but it can be used to some effect on foot as a slashing weapon. Carried in a yak bone and leather sheathe as Batu’s choice sidearm.
• Composite Recurve Bow: A shortbow also designed for use whilst mounted, it is made of birch wood hardened by the cold steppes and reinforced with joints of yak and goat bones. Carried in a removable leather sheathe either on his thigh or the side of his chosen mount.
• Quiver: A medium-sized arrow quiver made of animal skins either carried on his back or the side of his mount.
• Lamellar Cuirass: A long coat of boiled leather reinforced with iron lamellars (small rectangular overlapping plates) along the front and back of the torso. It is rarely worn except in overt battle, otherwise stowed on his mount.

Biography: The Bataar people are an ancient nomad culture inhabiting the steppes and coniferous forests which stretch from the Kolau Mountains in the shadow of Omashu to the western edge of the Si Wong Desert. Tangentially related to the tribes of Sandbenders which inhabit the inner spheres of the desert, the Bataar trace their lineage back to a splinter tribe which did not continue the migration into the sand wastes, instead settling in the colder high-altitude plains around the desert.

Some time within the last three decades, a boy named Batu was born. His name meant ‘Strength’ in the language of the Bataar, given such a name due to surviving a birth in which his mother did not. His father, an Earthbending shaman and important advisor to the Chieftain of the tribe, took great pride in his only son despite the grievous loss of his wife. Batu would have a troubled infancy due to complications from his botched delivery, but by the age of four developed into a rather normal child of the tribe.

The tribespeople by culture raised children as a collective. Even as family units and clans were separate in all other cases, children were the responsibility of all. But in particular, Batu took up with a young tanner’s apprentice named Xanadu. Xanadu, along with Batu’s father, schooled the young child in the arts of horsemanship, archery, and tannery, until the age of ten.

At that young age, custom of the Bataar people dictated that every child, male or female, was to be tested for bending potential. This test is perhaps the only point where Batu disappointed his father, showing no proficiency whatsoever, despite being a direct descendant of such a powerful Earth shaman, a ‘mountain mover’ as they were called in the native tongue. Nonetheless, Batu was enlisted as a tanner’s apprentice under the now master tanner Xanadu, albeit Batu also showed little skill in that field.

Sometime within Batu’s childhood, riders dressed in elegant robes and bearing the seal of the Earth Kingdom rode into the encampment of the tribe, carrying news of a rebellion against the Earth King. While the Bataar never maintained exemplary relations with the Earth Kingdom, they were at the very least cordial so long as the sovereign allowed them to live freely on the steppes. The men of the tribe were to be levied as soldiers for an army to put down a rebellion in Harushima province to the northwest. Their best riders were to make up the cavalry arm in the left wing of the Earth King’s army, with the rest of the able-bodied men as foot archers.

Batu, too young to serve, was left as one of the few remaining males in the tribe, now key to ensuring the survival of their people while the rest fought the war. Batu’s story lulled as grander things were at play:

The Bataar horsemen arrived in Harushima province to find a beleaguered army, hearing tales of a fearsome commander of the rebellion who managed to turn back the Earth Kingdom forces in a series of decisive early battles. Indeed this streak may have continued had the Bataar peoples and the reinforcements they brought with them not arrived. But the maneuverability and hit-and-run tactics of the horsemen became an integral part of the effort to bleed the Harushima Rebels of supply and morale, culminating in the final siege of Harushima City, where Bataar dismounted archers played a key role in the numerous attacks on the outer wall, until Beifong’s pride (and leg) was crushed.

The war was not without losses. In the two and a half long years of combat, Batu’s father was among the dead, dying along with his unit of fellow Earthbenders to a man. Xanadu lost a leg and an arm, held in a Earth Kingdom field hospital for the duration of the war thereafter. The Earth King, ever paranoid after the failed rebellion, gathered the various auxiliaries of his forces in the walls of the destroyed city. In an unprecedented act of cruelty, the wounded were slaughtered, and the able bodied were disarmed forcibly and imprisoned, sent on death marches to Ba Sing Se, reasoned as the Earth King feared closeted traitorous indigenous soldiers bringing the spark of rebellion back to their homes.

Batu was utterly devastated. The tribe practically dissolved over the incident, the wholesale killing and imprisonment of the male population making survival untenable. Some left to assimilate into other tribes who had larger and more sustainable populations. Others stayed put to live in squalor, praying to the spirits to deliver them from their suffering. And finally, a fringe group, in traditional nomad fashion, packed their bags and saddled up their ostrich horses, striking out from the steppes. Among them was Batu, now of a practically dead lineage and without much marketable skill other than hunting and fighting, untested in combat and utterly inexperienced with any cultures outside his own.

Supporting Cast:
Uyanga: Batu’s trusty ostrich horse, his chosen beast of burden and war mount. A mare, she is of the plains variation, measuring at a much smaller size than the average specimen. She has a golden brown coat and a light gray undercoat, matched by a completely gray face and head.

Wangu: A stubborn camelephant currently possessed by Batu in order to carry his heavier supplies. The beast and its master are not at all bonded, and the last-minute purchase of the animal may have been more trouble than it was worth.

---

Character Age: 23
Character Gender: Male
Character Race: Earth Kingdom (currently residing), Fire Nation (Originally)
Bending: Fire Bending - Intermediate
Skills:

• Acrobatics - Advanced
• Baton Twirling/Staff Performances - Advanced
• Cooking - Intermediate

Weaknesses:

• A Hot Temper: Sho has an issue with just letting things slide. If someone slights him, or if he feels like he's been slighted... it's best summarized as you take a penny, he takes a pound.
• An Idealistic Savior: While he's not some kind of vigilante hero, Sho does firmly believe in the idea that people should have equal stake and power when it comes to government and freedom. This means that if he sees the opportunity to knock someone on top down a peg, or manage to see an opportunity to exploit the rich for the sake of the poor, he'll take it.
• Alone in a Crowded Room: While Sho is not antisocial, he is fiercely independent. Instead of relying on the help of his friends and co-performers, he would much rather go things alone and suffer the consequences on his own. It's a rare mix of an inability to recognize the strength of others and a desire to protect those closest to him.

Possessions: Sho's possessions are sparse, but important to note. Sho's usual attire is his performance clothes, though he does keep a spare set of dark clothes and scarves to obscure himself if he needs to do something less than legal. His go bag includes basic cooking utensils and spices. On his person, at most times, Sho carries a metal staff designed to fit two cloth bags on each end. The metal staff has a pin that allows it to expand and retract in size depending on the situation of the performance or combat, and was originally designed for "Fire Twirling" performances by Li.

Biography:

Before Sho left the Fire Nations, his life was surprisingly unremarkable. Shodoh was born to a somewhat large fire nation family in one of the many Eastern islands. He was the youngest of four boys. His father became a higher ranking officer under the warlord Diyu, and most of Sho's older brothers served Diyu as well. When Sho was fourteen, all his older brothers and his father had basically gone in full service of the Warlord. Which left Sho at home alone with his lonely and unstable mother for two years. The only thing that kept Sho sane in these years was practicing his firebending at the local school, and self practicing long into the evenings. It wasn't until Sho's oldest brother died in conflict and Sho's mother went hysterical and just left home that Sho truly felt alone at home in the Fire Nation. Feeling neglected, abandoned, and angry at the circumstances of his life, Sho did the only thing he thought he could at the age of 16: he left. He used what little money his family had left behind to buy his way onto a ship heading for the Earth Kingdom.

Sho wasn't sure where he wanted to go, but he knew it was just somewhere else. Somewhere he wouldn't necessarily feel alone and like an outcast. Unfortunately, that's all he felt once he reached the mainland of the Earth Kingdom. Some didn't trust the young man, and some just didn't like him. So Sho continued to feel neglected and abandoned until he managed to stumble upon people like himself: outcasts. He had stumbled upon a street performance by a young waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe named Kira. She was a lost soul like himself, but she wanted to see the world. Traveling required money, so she tried to do little performances around Earth Kingdom towns in order to keep herself afloat. Sho and Kira hit it off fairly quickly, and the two fourteen year olds started Sho's first traveling performing act: Fire and Ice.

The two traveled along the coast of the Earth Kingdom while developing their performance styles. Kira's specialty was in developing little "scenes" by manipulating water into shapes and figures. Sho's self routine was more about controlled firebending, in which Sho would do anything from light a bunch of candles with expert precision while blindfolded to doing twirls and spins while juggling flames. The two managed to catch the attention of two brothers named Lon and Li. Lon was a talented young earthbender pacifist who didn't want to be enlisted in some sort of army, while Li was a rather talkative and gossipy apprentice blacksmith whose name was sort of tarnished after a tryst with his master's daughter. Needless to say, they all wanted to move on. And so, that's when "The Elements" performing group was made.

Sho sort of became the unofficial leader of The Elements about two years ago. He had strong opinions on where they should go, and seemed to be competent when it came to delegating tasks and making sure his friends had a place to sleep wherever they went. Besides, Sho was mean with a skillet and some spices. He cooked the crew's meals, and no one complained. Everyone had responsibilities, work, plenty of downtime to explore and do as they like. They're all happy.

Everyone but Sho. While he'd never admit it, he's become more and more restless in the year and a half he's been leading The Elements around the Earth Kingdom. He's been getting into more fights and seeking out literature against the unification of the Earth Kingdom, but also been delving into testing out new recipes and spices. He's in a weird conflicted head space: he isn't sure if he wants to pursue a personal desire to start up a restaurant and settle down somewhere, or if he wants to become politically active in taking a more direct role in trying to stop the Earth Kingdom's more militaristic method of unification. At the end of the day, he is just a performer...

Supporting Cast:

• Kira - An optimistic and charming young woman with a strong wanderlust. She wants to see the world over and hear all sorts of stories... and then share said stories with different parts of the world. She also has a strong fascination with stories about spirits seeming to become more prevalent lately. Lately, she has been spending a little more time sparring with Sho and trying to coneptualize an old "dueling" routine that Sho had scrapped when they were a duo some years back.
• Lon - While not exceptionally talented as an earthbender, he's very loyal to his friends. He's a pacifist by nature, and spends a surprising amount of time in meditation or just in quiet thought for such a large man. Lon has been, on his free time as Sho has been contemplating moving The Elements to Si Wong, dabbling with sandbending. He has shown a little progress, but is barely able to do anything than shift sand a little worse than just kicking it would.
• Li - It's a wonder Li hasn't ended up in a jail cell or with a broken arm. Li loves three things: his work, his lovers, and rumors. While he's fantastic at getting the word out about The Elements, Li is also usually the reason why The Elements have been forced to move on from certain towns. Li's gift for blacksmithing comes from his vision and his understanding of his friends. He tends to whatever tools and performance props The Elements need for their performances.

---

---

Character Age:
12

Character Gender:
Male

Character Race:
Fire Islands (Jemmu’s father is of the Fire Islands and his mother is of the Earth Kingdom)

Bending:
Jemmu is a Firebender, and an exceptionally proficient one at that, especially when considering his young age. Ever since he manifested his first embers as a toddler, he’s been under the tutelage of his father Zhou Hongza, “The One-Eyed Dragon”. Given his current level of skill and talent, it would be fairly easy to label Jemmu as a prodigy, but that would be painting a mostly incomplete picture. There were many aspects of Firebending that Jemmu initially struggled with, but he was fortunate enough to have a master Firebender to help guide him through much of it. Of course, while there’s nothing to dispute that he’s clearly naturally talented; there’s also no way that he’d be as advanced as he is now with bending if he hadn’t put in the years upon years of training with his father. He’s proud of the significant progress he has made, especially considering that he’s one of the few people that can comfortably keep up with his father during most of their more intensive training sessions. Regardless, he still has a lot to improve and it will be a long time before he’s considered a master bender like his father.

Skills:

• Swordsmanship: Jemmu’s new found skill with a blade is almost entirely an extension of his Firebending training under his father. What he has been taught is to use it to augment his fire and flames, and to seamlessly integrate it in the martial arts that make up the core of his Firebending.
• Parkour: Having lived his entire life within Si Wong City, there is a barely an inch of the city that Jemmu isn’t extremely familiar with. It was just the natural progression of his childhood to climb structures and buildings until he realized it was faster to travel by rooftop than the streets below.
• Pai Sho: Pai Sho is Jemmu’s father’s favorite game, so he had plenty of exposure to it while growing up. He also played against his father plenty of times, when his father wanted to emphasize nurturing a strong mind and strategy. It was just an inevitability that he would eventually become rather good at it. Jemmu even occasionally plays against others for money, though both his father and mother disapprove of him doing that.
• Gregarious: Jemmu has always been a people person, and in this regard he is much more like his mother than his father. He has always made friends quickly and easily, and he would always make a great effort to turn an enemy into an ally if he could. An extension of this is that he’d be totally lost in complete solitude, and despises the thought of spending any considerable amount of time alone.

Weaknesses:

• Naive: Jemmu is young, thereby lacking the life experiences that many other people have. He just doesn’t have a reason to not trust people at face value, and could be easily taken advantage of by anyone who saw the opportunity. His insistence to see the good in people is going to be exploited one day in the future.
• Impatient: Never one to wait silently on the sidelines, Jemmu has developed a bad habit of rushing into things before fully thinking them through. This is possibly most prevalent in his Firebending; if he sees an opening, he’ll rush to take advantage of it, likely overexposing himself in the process. His father has attempted to teach him to be more thoughtful, but this has largely fallen on deaf ears.

Posessions:

• Firebending Sword: A gift from his father, the blade of this shortsword is made with a highly conductible and combustible metal that makes it perfect for use in many different Firebending styles. The blade can be ignited, and the flames can be manipulated in a much more directed way. Exceptionally deadly in a variety of combat situations.
• Pai Sho Set: Another gift, this time from both his parents. Kept in a pouch, these pieces were expertly carved and commissioned especially for Jemmu.

Biography:
Jemmu’s birth coincided with the summer solstice, an important date for the people of the Fire Islands, and a sign among the superstitious that he would be bound for greatness. However, he was born in Si Wong City, ensuring that his birth would also be met with celebration, albeit under much different circumstances. His father was Zhou Hongza, “The One-Eyed Dragon”, considered to be one of the greatest Firebending masters of the current age, and the de facto leader of the burgeoning Fire Islands minority within Si Wong City. His mother, Tei Li, was a scion of a family that had held considerable influence in Si Wong City ever since its founding, and was a powerful Earthbender in her own right. Their love had developed completely independently of any political machinations, though it still served as a useful alliance between the Earthbending majority and the Firebending minority. Jemmu’s closeness with his mother had always resulted in a very strong relationship, whereas his paternal relationship was much more tenuous in nature. Jemmu was fun-loving, extroverted, and loud. His father was the polar opposite - serious, reserved, and quiet. Oddly enough, despite being father and son, they had nothing in common… except for Firebending. The ability to bond as father and son was ultimately replaced with a stalwart relationship between master and student. Initially disappointed, Jemmu eventually grew to be happy that they could truly communicate through the sacred art of Firebending.

Despite being part of a prominent family and a capable bender, Tei Li shifted much of her focus in raising her son. In nearly all respects, Tei Li was a kind and caring mother. Yet, if Jemmu was ever caught misbehaving, she was fully capable of transforming into a saber-toothed moose lion in an instance. For this very reason, there was no one else that Jemmu loved or feared more than his own mother. However, despite his mother’s swift discipline, Jemmu was the type of mischievous child that never seemed to learn. It wasn’t long at all before Teil Li put Jemmu to work in the family’s flower shop to earn his weekly allowance. It was definitely no exaggeration to say that she worked her son to the bone, mostly to help keep him out of trouble. It worked, to a certain point, but Jemmu somehow still found the time to embroil himself in all kinds of trouble, regardless.

Indeed, Jemmu often found ways to wrangle others into his many misadventures - considering that he never found it especially difficult to befriend others. Jemmu’s extroverted nature allowed him to not discriminate when it came to those that he made friends with. From those belonging to the upper echelons of Si Wong City like himself to those at the bottom, it made very little difference to Jemmu. In either case, he was almost always the natural leader of these groups. Starting from the time that he was a small child, Jemmu had always been well-known throughout Si Wong City - often for all the wrong reasons. Of course, Jemmu always found a way to drag his friends into many of his countless escapades. It was rare for any of them to ever complain since Jemmu usually found a way to make any adventure fun, even if it ended up blowing up in his face at the end. Without a doubt, the positive personality that Jemmu exhibited upon others was highly infectious.

It went without saying that Jemmu was quite easy going in regards to most aspects of his life. All except for the art of Firebending. Jemmu’s passion for it wasn’t equaled by almost anything else, and so it remained one of the few things in the world that he actually took seriously. After all, it was the one common language that he was able to share with his father. Even his own mother couldn’t quite understand, given that she was an Earthbender. Jemmu had obviously trained with and against several other Firebenders many times before, and it just wasn’t the same. It always lacked the same intensity and chemistry that Jemmu and his father had built up over the many years. After all, Jemmu had been training with his father from that time that he was barely more than a toddler. The training itself wasn’t easy, nor was it intended to be, constantly challenging body, mind, and spirit. From time to time, other Firebenders had attempted to train with Zhou and Jemmu, but it was rare for them to last long. Others that did study under Zhou were often given a more manageable regimen. The level of Firebending training performed on a daily basis by Jemmu and his father is practically on an entirely different level than almost anywhere else within Si Wong City.

More recently, Zhou’s training of Jemmu has taken a slightly different route, involving the craft of integrating weapons in the martial arts of Firebending (most notably spears and swords). At first, this was a hurdle for Jemmu, considering that he simply wasn’t used to adding anything else to his martial arts than the fires that he can conjure. Eventually, he came to favor the sword, and it truly became an extension of his arm, though just like with Firebending Jemmu was still a far cry from being a true master like his father. Upon attaining proficiency, it wasn’t long until his father gifted him a custom sword, made with a highly conductible metal that made it perfect to use when bending fire. Jemmu was deeply honored by the gift, and it still remains his most precious possession. Additionally, it adds an entirely new layer to Jemmu and his father’s routine sparring matches. At first, Jemmu couldn’t keep up with his father for longer than a single minute, truly a testament to the incredible abilities of his father. However, after years of training, along with considerable progression of his own Firebending, Jemmu has been able to inch his way into having truly amazing Firebending bouts with his father. After all these years, just watching Jemmu’s overall progress with Firebending has been a truly humbling experience for Zhou.

Many Firebenders use their rage and anger to augment their bending, though Zhou ultimately rejected this, and passed these lessons down to his son, Jemmu. The focus instead lies within the incredible willpower that Firebending should inhibit, most purely represented by the ‘internal fire’ from within to fully accomplish desires and ambitions. Instead of destruction, fire is life, to be harnessed with the utmost care. It is also passion, to be used to protect the people and values that you care the most about. There is a pathway for Firebending to promote peace and not war. Zhou’s legacy is to push this philosophy, and Jemmu is completely dedicated to it as well. At the end of the day, Jemmu is just a goofy kid who likes to have fun like any other, having learned Firebending to be able to connect on a deeper level with his father. At the same time, he is well aware that his skills as a Firebender can be used to protect his family, friends, and Si Wong City, all of which are deeply important to him. If the day ever comes in which he’d have to sacrifice to protect any of those, he’d do so without a second thought.

Supporting Cast:
Zhou Hongza: Jemmu’s father. A member of the once-powerful Hongza clan, Zhou’s extraordinary talents as a masterful Firebender was noted throughout the Fire Islands even back then. He was an aggressive and violent young man, relishing the opportunity to fight in the endless wars that were constantly being waged throughout the Fire Islands. The political climate of the Fire Islands is always extremely turbulent, and it was only a matter of time before the Hongza clan fell to tragedy. Zhou remained one of the few survivors, and the circumstances were such that he was forced to flee from his home. He was now angrier than ever, becoming a mercenary to fight primarily under the banner of Ba Sing Se. It was after a near-death experience that Zhou finally had an epiphany and the weight of the destruction of his family finally came over him. He realized how senseless and pointless war truly was, and he began to travel throughout the world to find himself a worthy purpose. He began to meditate with the Air Nomads at various Air Temples, becoming quite receptive to their philosophy of nonviolence. He was directed to Si Wong City after much time with the Air Nomads, encouraged by a city that was a melting pot of all the differing cultures. He chose to finally set down roots there, and became close to Tei Li, who soon became his wife and mother to Jemmu. From there, he became the de facto leader of the Fire Islands minority in Si Wong City, and remains a loud proponent for peace and opponent of senseless violence.

Tei Li: Jemmu’s mother. Tei Li belongs to one of the most prominent Earthbending families within Si Wong City, and even a prominent ancestor was a companion to Avatar Si Wong. She was tasked with helping Zhou Hongza settle within the city after he was vouched for and sponsored by the city’s Air Nomads. Romance eventually blossomed between the two, they married, and Jemmu was born not long after. Their marriage served as a way to bridge the Firending minority and Earthbending majority together. A talented Earthbender in her own right, Tei Li is more than capable of giving her husband and son a good thrashing whenever they warrant it. Also, it is quite beneficial considering she grows nearly all the flowers that she sells in her shop, and Jemmu has spent enough time helping his mother to know how passionate she is about flowers. Jemmu remains very close to his mother, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

An: The dragon of Jemmu’s father. Zhou Hongza was given An as a child and she has remained his constant companion ever since. Like his father, Jemmu has become just as close to An, as a stalwart companion that can always be relied upon.

Old Man Lu: A friend of Jemmu. He calls himself a travelling merchant, but the goods that he sells were clearly illicitly gained, and he seems to be a con artist of some sort. Still, the majority of these illegal activities have gone right over Jemmu’s head. Jemmu has relied on Lu to attain certain Firebending scrolls to train advanced styles that his father had refused to teach him so far. Lu is also a decent Pai Sho player, and was the one who introduced Jemmu to the illegal Pai Sho betting circles in the city. Both his parents have disapproved of his continued association with Lu, but he has mostly ignored their advice so far.

Xu Zheng: A childhood friend of Jemmu. Having known each other since childhood, Xu is often a critical component of whatever Jemmu is doing. As such, if Jemmu is up to any trouble or mischief, then it’s a good bet that Xu is providing the torch to start the fire. Much of Jemmu’s experience at combat against Earthbenders is from his multitude of friendly sparring matches against Xu.

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Character Age: Late Forties

Character Gender: Male

Character Race: Earth Kingdom

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Bending:
Earth Bending Mastery: Although his gifts have become rusted over the years through lack of proper practice, Jaan maintained his impressive prowess in the earth bending arts. What started off as raw talent, became honed into terrifying skill in the dojos of his home, where his wealthy parents tutored him under the best masters available at an outrageously young age. He became forged in the fires of war, where Jaan demonstrated his tact and patience, studying his opponents and letting them tire themselves on his defenses before resolving the battle using powerful, precision strikes.

Skills:
Tactical Genius: Where, and when, how, and why; to defeat the enemy before the battle ever begins, Jaan could have written a book on the subject. The study of war is the domain of princes, and Jaan was no exception. He learned in the best battle schools, and read the writings of famed generals. Achieving victory through any means necessary was always his mindset, which set him apart. Jaan’s father thought he might become a competent general like his forefathers, winning wars for the Earth Kingdom in the name of the monarch. Instead Jaan went on fight the Earth King for his own title, and won the battles to prove it. If it were not for Shin Vou and the traitorous guard, he never would have lost a pitched battle, or so he claims.

Man of the Land: Since his self-imposed exile, Jaan has spent many long years humbling himself preforming the work of peasantry. Farming, and herding under the blazing sun. He proved quick at picking up the necessary skills to survive in the harsh climate bordering the desert wastes, where a strong back and a quick mind are just as necessary as they were on the battlefield. He even managed to move past working other’s farms and begin his own. The days are long, and the rewards are few but Jaan long ago accepted this new life and has embraced it.

Swordsman: The ways of a warrior are vast and learning to wield a sword is one of those numerous areas of study Jaan subjected himself too. Although he is no master, he is nevertheless a lethal fighter, able to incorporate the blade into his earth bending.

Weaknesses:
Old Scars: War takes it toll, even on the most skill men. During his climatic duel against Shin Vou and the Traitor Guard Jaan was wounded, his leg shattered, and his shoulder battered into disrepair. He managed to escape alive, but only just and his body never truly recovered. Jaan is still plagued by a limp, and his aging bones protest every movement his shoulder makes.

Paranoid: Traitors come from everywhere, trusted advisors, incorruptible soldiers, hand chosen officers… Even the average peasant, his neighbors, and friends for decades, should they learn his true name they would turn him over to the Earth King and his allies in a second for a handful of coin. No doubt his son and wife would be imprisoned too! No one can be trusted.

Broken Pride: Defeat is a bitter drink to swallow, especially for a proud former king. The cries of those he hurt, in the pursuit of vengeance and his own selfish goals still ring in his ears. Every night he wonders if victory could have healed those wounds, if it was worth the price he paid? Should he have turned the other cheek, and saved his rule, or lost everything for the sake of pride?

Possessions:
Sword of the Past: A relic of those days before his defeat. An heirloom of his clan. Jaan keeps the sword hidden away under the floorboards of his homestead, concealed from prying eyes, hidden from his family, and himself.

Baou: A trusty steed, and a good friend. Baou is an old ostrich horse gifted to him by a former employer before Jaan struck out to build his own life. The beast of burden has proved time and time again to be the lynchpin to Jaan’s success, helping him tame a wild piece of land and mold it into a functioning farm.

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Biography: In those days, before his fall and humbling Jaan was known to the world as Prince Nelzu Beifou, son of Nelzu Zhei the King of Harushima City. A region located in the northwestern territories. They were an ancient clan governing in their province as “kings” under the true rule of the Earth King in Bae Sing Se. Beifou, from an early age showed great promise. He was intelligent, proud, and powerful. His father thought to fashion him into a proper warrior general and began grooming the child for the burden of leadership, enrolling him in the finest dojos, under the most esteemed masters available. Young Beifou flourished in this environment, becoming the hot-headed young commander his father always knew he could be. By age sixteen Beifou proved himself a competent leader, achieving success against a fire island raid. He went on to three other victories in important skirmishes across the Earth Kingdom, leading with great courage and distinction, catching the eye of several important officials in the monarchal hierarchy. His most notorious conquest at the time was his infamous sacking of Nishot, a rebellious city that thought to lessen its tax burden to the crown by force of arms. Beifou smashed their numerically superior armies and burned the city to the ground. His tactics were brutal, his victory absolute.

For a time Beifou was tolerated by the Earth Kingdom’s other ambitious leaders, showered in praise and adulation for his aptitudes. Everyone wanted the up and coming prince on their side, for now. However certain personages within the system were beginning to doubt whether the aspiring youth could be trusted. His people loved him, his men were loyal to a fault, and he simply could not be stopped. Should he gain thoughts of independence, many wondered if he could be effectively challenged. At the time he was only a prince, but once he became king…? The question hung unanswered, and ominously close. That day did eventually arrive on his twenty seventh year, he was crowned king of Harushima city. A momentous occasion, and the turning point for a new era. Beifou was sent a message by the Earth King himself, requesting Beifou’s presence in Ba Sing Se, to reaffirm his oaths of fealty to the crown. Lesser men it seemed had been whispering in the Earth King’s ear, warning that Beifou could be dangerous, and he must be controlled, and his power lessened.

Beifou did as he was bid, traveling to the walled metropolis to deliver his promises, but what he found there outraged the new monarch. The Earth King was not satisfied with just oaths, but demanded Beifou abdicate his title, and step down to mere governorship of Harushima. Outraged Beifou refused and raged against this call, even throwing insults at the Earth King. The monarch, though in his seat of power and surrounded by supporters quailed against Beifou’s wrath and promised to rescind the decision. However, in the dead of night the King’s agents attacked Beifou’s temporary residence in the inner ring hoping to subdue him. Beifou proved a wily foe, and managed to escape, fleeing the city under the cover of darkness, riding hard for Harushima hoping to raise his forces before his city fell under attack.

The war that followed was long and terrible. Everything the Earth King’s agents feared came to pass, after their debacle attempt to stem Beifou’s power. Eight separate battles, thirteen sieges and countless skirmishes would destroy a good portion of the northwestern territories over the next seven years. Beifou could not be bested in any pitch battle, and he burned many royal loyalist cities to the ground, but even he could not be everywhere at once. The Earth Kingdom commanded vast legions, and they danced around Beifou’s army, bleeding him dry until the minor king retreated, barricading himself inside Harushima. There followed two years of endless siege warfare, they weighed upon Beifou’s people, until he could no longer look into their gaunt faces, and meet their tired eyes. Even his most trusted comrades and boisterous supporters plead for him to accept the Earth King’s treaty and give up this senseless rebellion. Beifou refused openly stating his intent to hold the city until his dying day.

One man, Beifou childhood friend and current confidant decided to take matters into his own hands and began secretly negotiating with the Earth King’s servants. His name was Shin Vou, and he found the high monarch’s terms agreeable. Gathering to him other disenfranchised officers and men amongst Beifou’s personal guard Shin attempted to force the lesser king to surrender. He kidnapped Beifou’s wife and children, and fortified himself inside the Rudou, a fortress within the walls of Harushima. Demanding that Beifou surrender the city for the good of its people or suffer the consequences. Enraged at this blatant betrayal Beifou assaulted the Rudou, storming its mighty walls. Meanwhile the Earth Kingdom army launched their own attack on Harushima’s outer defenses, and without their king to command them, the city defenders began to falter. The battle raged for two days and nights, until the city finally surrendered. The victorious attackers marched in to relieve the beleaguered defenders of the Rodou, only to discover the two former allies weeping over the rubble. In their struggle they brought the Rodou to the ground, toppling upon those they held dear. Down below, buried beneath the utter destruction Beifou’s family were lost forever. Beifou’s grief turned to rage when he saw the army and knew his city was lost and everything had been for not. He attacked Shin, but outnumbered to such a ridiculous degree the king was swiftly vanquished, his leg crushed, and his shoulder smashed until he fled, barely escaping Shin’s clutches. Promising terrible retribution he made his way south, hoping to find someone who could aid in his vengeful crusade.

Beifou would find no more allies, however. No one wanted to link themselves to a conquered former king, and instead attempted to turn him over to the Earth King. Beifou would be on the run for the next year until at last he vanished completely, without a trace. Some thought he perished, others wondered if he was still hiding in some sympathetic household, gathering allies, and plotting his next move. Many were glad he was gone, Beifou left a trail of destruction behind him, smoldering homes, and ruined lives. Finally peace could be returned to their desolate homeland, under the governorship of their liberator, Shin Vou.

For Beifou’s part, his former self was dead, and from the ashes a new man was born. A man by the name of Jaan. A farmhand, who kept his head down and did his work without complaint. Someone who could be trusted to run errands and lead the flocks, and garnered a reputation for being a good fellow, if a bit dour and tight lipped. Jaan did do some planning, at first, he plotted every night on how he might regather his loyal warriors and deliver impossible vengeance on those who wronged him and stole his crown. Every day that dream faded, and the fire of justice was replaced by the bitter acceptance of defeat. He instead found meaning in his simple work once a cover turned lifestyle, caring for his new wife, and young son, and building a homestead and existence on the flatland bordering the Si Wong wastes.



Supporting Cast:

Meilou: Jaan’s loving wife of thirteen years. She is a good, hardworking woman who only knows a few details of Jaan’s true past. She does not pry, respecting his need for privacy on the matter. She knows she is not his first wife. She also knows of his paranoia, Meilou being the only person alive he has ever confided in, even to the small degree he shared.

Zhei: He is Jaan’s third born, and only living son. Zhei is a thirteen-year-old boy, and a natural earth bender like his father. He is headstrong and proud, and prone to getting himself into trouble much like his sire when he was younh. Jaan is extremely protective of the boy after the loss of his other children all those years ago, perhaps a bit too protective. Their relationship is strong, with Zhei often helping his father around the farm and delivering their produce to Si Wong. Still, the child knows nothing of his father’s past, and Jaan intends to keep it that way. Not even fully trusting his own son, though shame at what he had become is perhaps the more potent aspect.

Shin Vou: Once Shin Vou was Jaan’s trusted council, and his best friend, but the tragedy of war drove them apart. Now Shin is an Earth King Loyalist, and the governor of Jaan’s homeland. Deep down Shin Vou knows Jaan still lives, hiding somewhere and is a threat to his dynastic rule. Despite Jaan’s defeat being more than a decade past Shin still hunts his former comrade, promising a hefty sum for the bounty hunter who delivers.