As you can see, the second CS would require a bit more work. I just think it looks better and is more interesting to read. Any CS with the proper information provided will suffice. I simply wanted to provide options. If I have to read tons of CS's, having concise information that's easy to read would be nice, so offering this now is really just an attempt to make work more bearable on my part.

Krane Elba is a confident and intelligent young airbender, originally from the Fire Nation. Harped on for his attention to the physical beauty of the opposite gender and his inability to focus on the enlightenment of air, Krane never did quite follow the traditional methods of airbending. He didn't share their mentality, either. He loved the finer aspects of palace life, the influence he had due to his connections, but most of all, he found a personal amount of enthrallment by none other than Princess Azula herself. While she was undoubtedly manipulative and malicious at times, Krane spent his childhood with her and was able not only to outperform her in several fields, but was capable of easing her down from her moments of manic insanity.

It was actually this influence over her in combination with his beliefs that caused him to become a fugitive. Krane is intelligent, easily on the level of the prodigious Azula, but he was not completely enamored by the life he lived. He enjoyed it, but he could see how the Fire Nation prospered off the toils of the Earth Kingdom and efforts of the Southern Water Tribe, even if the latter benefited as well. He believed that everyone should be able to live like them or at least live on a closer level. Upon sharing these ideals with Azula whom shared them with Lu Ten, Krane was ultimately attempted to be arrested. He fled for his life, leaving the Fire Nation and now firmly believing in their corruption.

Krane has a unique variant of airbending developed by training alongside firebenders for a majority of his life, most notably Azula. Krane is quite capable with the airbending basics, but his most notable skills come from compression. Krane was able to replicate master-level firebending techniques through Airbending, most specifically jet propulsion and pressurized fire streams. Creating these techniques and mastering them himself, Krane has a unique fighting style using compressed air. His 'air beams' can slash through trees and solid rock. If charged into a ball, then shot as stream, they can even penetrate rock, metal and ice. Additionally, Krane can augment his own speed and force to amplify his regular techniques greatly with pressurized air and even isolate all damage to one point. This technique is further proven in his ability to create air slashes with a sword, techniques that the weaponless airbending masters would have never considered. Although he is far from a master, his destructive force may be on par with one. Krane once boasted to have developed the first advanced airbending style since Master Laghima could fly, but he has never debuted such an ability nor ever adhered to the traditional airbending styles to such a degree to develop one.

Princess Azula was one a close friend and arguably a romantic interest.
Prince Zuko, however, found himself jealous of Krane for his skill and Azula's admiration.
Lu Ten has a deep disdain of Krane, as he is a liability from a militant perspective.

Krane is a third-generation airbender born in the Fire Nation. The Elba family had served the Fire Lord since Ozai ruled, and was kept around faithfully by Iroh whom even moved them closer to the palace and allowed them more important duties. It made sense that the oldest son of the Elba family, Krane, would become a friend of even the Prince and Princess, albeit Zuko was far less enthralled by him than his sister. Zuko was a proud firebender, albeit not an expressively good one, thus an airbender hardly interested him. It remained that way until recent years when Krane and Azula became prodigious in their respective bending styles and particularly close. At that point, Zuko had became jealous of Krane as he almost always had the attention of his sister, whom only gave him attention to prove her superiority or torture him.

Krane spent his youth playing with and training alongside Zuko and Azula. Trained by their older cousin, Lu Ten, both were pushed through hard, diligent training. Krane spent his time training within the Little Air Temple, but he spent almost as much time learning about firebending and being subjected to the same training Lu Ten put his royal cousins through. Iroh himself saw no harm in this. Educating the allies of the Fire Lord in firebending, in his opinion, would only prove to strengthen the bonds between the two as the styles provided a deep understanding of their culture. Although not a firebender, Krane understood how firebending worked as a martial art and as a bending style due to this, and attained the admiration of Azula due to his perfect execution of techniques despite the obvious lack of fire. Lu Ten also became increasingly aware of Krane and his relationship with Azula over the years.

As years past, Krane took up duties within the city and gained an understanding of the internal affairs, realizing Azula and Zuko were quite ignorant to how the city was actually ran. He was incredibly close to Azula by this point; they spent a significant amount of their spare time together. So close, in fact, that they sparred intensely and both revealed their more advanced techniques, and even learned to fight against them. Azula could use her agility and knew to keep close to Krane while Krane developed a technique to ionize air to derail Lightning. They complimented each other well, and Krane generally only won due to his age. It could be speculated there would have been a blooming romance or there in fact was one at this point. One so much that Krane thought he could confide his feelings about the Fire Nation to Azula. Azula, however, hardly understood this and expressed her questions to Lu Ten.

Lu Ten was enraged by these questions and the audacity of the young airbender. Lu Ten caught Krane unaware, arresting him for treason and intending to take him to Iroh himself to see what would need done. Azula, frantic in fear for Krane, turned on Lu Ten, disabling him with a bolt of lightning. It wouldn't matter. Krane was a wanted individual now and Azula had assaulted Lu Ten. This type of internal dispute would be solved simply by eliminating the problem. On that day, Krane ran. He fled the Capitol, he fled the nation and he became a fugitive. Not long after, he joined the Rising alongside Uquo himself. The information that Krane possessed and familiarity with the Fire Nation made him an especially useful asset, as well as his airbending techniques. Krane has spent the last year of his life assisting Uquo with the resistance, and contemplating what he left behind.

Tanvi Anil though lazy by nature, has a rare intellect that consistently allows her to prevail in combat. She isn't too stressed out to excel. She can be disappointed when she falls short of her goals, but she is never devastated. She is rather accepting of failures. It may cause a short irritation only because she took the time to put effort into that goal, but it only lasts a short period of time. Normally, she'd much rather watch a fight or sleep than partake in something so strenuous. Tanvi is pretty even tempered and she lives less of a stress free life, well at least tries too. With her pet, Fei, a fire ferret she enjoys travelling the world and learning about the different nations and element styles. Don't hurt her ferret and you won't feel her wrath.

Tanvi is quite agile. Because of this, she is also very fast and agile in battle, able to outmaneuver almost any opponent she has come across. Some of it was due to being overly underestimated, which she uses as an advantage. Her agility and limber form can be paralleled somewhat to that of Ty Lee's own skill, that's no doubt because she trained along side the girl. Her abilities were inspired because of a run in with a circus. Ironically, the same one Ty Lee was in. She thought it was a good idea considering she wasn't born a bender like her father and mother and it wasn't like she had anything better to do. Her training around the world has led her to develop many formal skills in the art of bending, she just lacks the actual element to bend- which she makes up for with Chi Blocking. So far, her favorite style has to be in the Tai Chi field, probably because of the meditation it requires.

She was born into the Fire Nation by a store merchant and a father in the army. There were times at a young age where she was caught, dozing off under and sometimes in a grand tree a little "too close to the royal family".
Acquaintance of Ty Lee.

Tanvi was born to a status-less family. Her mother was a store merchant, selling herbs and fresh vegetables and fruits while her father took up being a soldier in the army. One harsh and surprising winter, Tanvi's mother had gotten severely sick when she was around the age of seven, only to die the next few days. It hit Tanvi hard, considering her other parent was always being pulled away from them. It made nothing better when her father had returned home only three days after to hear the horrible news. "Why weren't you here to save her?" That was the only thing she said to him for a few weeks.

Tanvi lived with a neighboring family, getting visits from her father every time he could. By this time, she had forgiven him and they had a healthy relationship. It was safe to say that her life had fallen into routine for awhile (Help around, Schooling, Doing nothing more) and thus began the development of her new, more laid back personality. Around the age of 9 she was taken to the circus, witnessing the fantastic acrobatic performances, that's where her practice in agility had began to bloom. Over the next few years she spent all her time learning the art and everything about it, along with joining the circus. She was an exceptional student and practically mastered the skill in three years or so. To be so young and to be taught by a Ty Lee's teacher and occasionally a bubbly child (Ty Lee being around 14 or a little older) (She occasionally missed a few practices here and there due to oversleeping- or...some other excuse)- impressive.

A few gigs in the circus later, Tanvi realized....The circus was too much work! So, she quit and went back home. After she was fourteen (and a half) she decided to start her travels. It indeed was a young age and when her father found out, he definitely did not approve, but it was too late. Late one night, with a bag packed, she went off to start her journey. And there was no stopping her. She occasionally writes to her father, telling him about her travels and mainly just mentioning she is still alive. Tanvi plans to circle the whole world, hopefully twice in her lifetime and learn everything she can about it.

One thing she did learn about was the terrible history of how the Fire Nation came to power. She doesn't approve of such a corrupted leadership and believes that all elements should live in harmony of each other- it was one reason why she left in the first place. She had only heard rumors about the rebellion when she returned to pay her father a visit, but of course she mentioned it not to him. After all...he is in the Fire Nation army.

She has a pet Fire Ferret named Fei. Fei is normally seen with a white ribbon around her neck just for identification. Tanvi sometimes hides the ferret in her kimono like sleeves when going through cities or trying to find a place to stay.

Kalani Uwato has been called many things in her life. Tenacious. Head strong. Disrespectful. Hot tempered. Rebellious. While many of these were directed towards her as insults, she has learned over time to wear these titles like an armor, refusing to let anything or anyone bring her down. Wearing a confident, almost stand-offish outer shell Kalani can come off a bit intimidating or stuck up. In person however, she is far from this. Both intelligent, and witty in conversation, Kalani has always considered herself a people person. Good with her words, and charm, she can typically win someone over after a few minutes of analyzing them. Never afraid of voicing her opinions, or striking up a conversations, she tries to view and treat others in an unbiased way. She can come off pretty blunt at times, but she isn’t afraid to call someone out, or correct misguided information.

She has a burning passion for her culture, apart from their old sexist and misogynistic ways, but with age she’s come to recognize the way the fire nation has shaped her people and way of life. Bought by money, and living in luxury thanks to the Phoenix King many have turned a blind eye to the oppression, and corruption taking place within the nations, but unlike her tribe Kalani has never been afraid to address these troubling subjects. Her opposing views on the world, and their government has caused heavy tension between Kalani and her family, which eventually lead to ties being broken.

While she may not mention it, or really show it, Kalani has always been a troubled person. With a strict, lonely childhood, she unfortunately developed the habit of bottling her stress, and emotions. Shut off from her own personal issues, she becomes quickly agitated and aggressive whenever pestered, or asked about them. Over analyzing situations that involve friends, or family she tends to assume the worst of things before finding out the truth. It’s rare that she’ll allow herself to get close to anyone, because while she’ll never admit it, those that matter to her have the biggest effect on Kalani, and her self worth. Confident in her opinions, and skill, she was never one to be truly confident in herself. Despite all of this, she still carries a strong, and seemingly poised facade, hiding her true feelings and fearful of any judgement from those who truly matter to her.

Like her parents before her, and her grandfathers before them, Kalani had shown an affinity for water bending at a young age, but while she's no prodigy she's definitely a force to be reckoned with. Trained in Northern WaterStyle, she was taught to fight in a defensive, and graceful manner, but with time and age she's developed the technique to her own preference. Thanks to further training from her grandfather, Kalani was taught how to ice bend, however her skills range in the more basic, to intermediate level. On the field, Kalani moves in a more aggressive, offensive manner. Quick, resourceful and cunning, she's not much of a strategist but she isn't against working with others if they share a similar objective.

Naturally assertive and combative, even during training, she has been known to make impulsive, and sometimes rash decisions during critical times. While she mostly relies on her bending for most efforts, Kalani has a fantastic knack for charming her way through things. Good with her words, and a heavy understanding for others to boot, she knows how to feed a persons ego and get her way through lying, and pretty words.

W I P
- Inoke Uwato | Male | 50 | Northern WaterTribe Colonies | Alive | Father of Kalani | Councilman to Chief Khahndu |
The "Brawn" of Chief Khahndu's council. A real brute of a man, Inoke stands at an astounding 6'7" while weighing in at a solid 275lbs pure of muscle. Aggressive in nature, he aids and offers his opinions with military, and tribe matters. Holding a deep bond with his daughter, he was the first person to teach Kalani offensive techniques with her water bending. His wife, Hiwa, often jokes that Kalani gets her attitude from him, but with her recent run in with the law, his views on his daughter have become questionable.

- Hiwa Uwato | Female | 47 | Northern WaterTribe Colonies | Alive | Mother of Kalani | Councilwoman to Chief Khahndu |
The "Brain" of Chief Khahndu's council.

- Ioane Uwato | Male | 95 | Northern WaterTribe Colonies - Nomadic | Deceased - Executed | Grandfather of Kalani |

Kalani was born into a rather notable family among the Northern WaterTribe Colonies. Her parents sat among the small council as the head advisors to Chief Khahndu, and because of her lineage, high expectations were thrusted upon her. While old traditions were thrown to the past her parents raised her in a very strict, gendered lifestyle, or how her mother put it she was to be a 'proper young woman'. Told how to dress, walk, and even talk, Kalani had little room to grow as a person. There were rules for certain rules, and she was taught right from wrong in a very strict, skewed manner and any protest always resulted in the loss of more and more of her freedom. The home she had once loved became a prison, and at a young age, Kalani began to rebel.

Her revolt started out small in the beginning. She skipped lessons, and made personal changes to herself such as the way she talked to her peers, or the way she dressed. This didn't go along well with her parents, but Kalani kept on. Craving more then just mannerism, and rules, it was these little bits of freedom that gave her the push to strive for more. With age her antics began to grow less subtle, showing obvious rebellion against her everyday agenda, and her tribes misconstrued ways. Not the oblivious little girl she used to be, Kalani took it upon herself and used her families title, and power to bring awareness of the corruption, and oppression taking place. This brought heavy tension between her parents and the council. Many saw Kalani as a trouble-maker and a "loose cannon" and despite still being young, there was talk that with time she would become a risk to the tribe. With seemingly no control of their daughter, and afraid of what the future held for her, their parents ultimately decided to put her under her grandfathers custody upon his sudden request. While it wasn't her first choice, Kalani pounced on the opportunity to leave and less then a week later she was sent off to meet her grandfather in Merchants Pier.

Unlike her parents, her grandfather had always been a rather eccentric man. Looked down upon by many of the tribe because of his alcoholic habits, Ioane was a man that considered himself a warrior, but much to his displeasure Kalani had mistaken him for a simple fisherman upon first meeting. A veteran who had taken part during the great war before the time of the Phoenix King, Kalani had found common ground with her grandfather once she found out he didn't support their Fire Nation and their "World Order". While his original intentions were to remove his granddaughter from the toxic environment she was surrounded in, Ioane had quickly came to realize her potential as a WaterBender and decided to take her under his wing as a pupil.

For the first time ever, it seemed Kalani had finally found true freedom. Training, and traveling alongside her grandfather she became more at peace with herself, while a deeper connected to her culture was slowly built. It was a time of peace for the girl and rather then giving any past regrets, or troubles the opportunity to pull her down, Kalani allowed herself to finally grow, and mature the way she had always wanted. Having a heavy understanding and connection with his granddaughter, Ioane decided on her 18th birthday to inform her of The Rising. It was a risky decision, but with her strong views against the injustice the Fire Nation, and the Phoenix King have caused, Ioane knew it was were Kalani belonged.

Oblivious of just how rooted her grandfather was within the group, an unexpected encounter from Fire Nation Police brought their journey to a halt and Kalani back to the reality of the world. They accused her grandfather of plotting against the Fire Nation, and the Phoenix King, as well additional crimes of enticing a riot, and conspiring a rebellion before attacking them with an unfair advantage of six versus two. While they fought bravely, Ioane knew they were no match against the Military Police, and in a last stand he gave Kalani a chance to escape, leaving her with only a few words before he was executed on spot after her retreat.

"Head North and search for The Rising!"

- A traditional waterskin pouch sits comfortably along her hip, which is attached securely to the sling of a small pouch.
- Bandages, healing ointment, and other basic first aid are tucked carefully away in her pouch.
- Despite her unbiased view towards others, Kalani can't help but have mixed feelings towards Fire Nation natives, and firebenders.
- Along her left wrist is a noticeable burn scar that covers a small portion of her lower forearm. Insecure about the scar, Kalani keeps both of her arms covered in elbow length black, fingerless gloves.

Nicias is an Eclectic Earthbender from the Dessert, which technically made him a sandbender. This fun, adventure loving young adult is more than your run of the mill scavenger. He is a survivor having braved the dessert many times in search of food where his tribe dared not go. Don’t let his smile fool you, he’s been through a lot. He’s got a level head on his shoulders unfortunately there is no heart of gold.

Traits
[indent]His sand bending is much more proficient than his earthbending skills due to that fact that he lives in the dessert. He is capable of most of the normal earthbending level abilities. In terms of sandbending he exhibits much more versatility.

Sandslide- by shifting the earth underneath his feet he can slide across the ground as ifher were skateboarding.

He is a thief, he doesn’t advertise it but he’s a thief.

Kiev- older brother
Shya- Niece
Rest of Sandbending tribe- Kinsman

He and his brother were born to a couple in a sandbender tribe. They grew up in the culture and the heat learning how to survive. Both brothers were adept sandbenders, their survival depended on it. When Nicias was 9, their tribe was hit by a monstrous sandstorm. It wiped out a third of the tribe, among the dead or missing were his parents. The tribe leaders quickly declared that the storm was a test from the dessert itself, proof that only the strong survive. For years that statement infuriated him, and drove him into stupid and reckless decisions. But he was strong, so it seemed, and he survived.

6 years later, at the age of 15, his tribe faced another crisis, Tribal war. The unrest of the world had spilled into the dessert, making survival even more difficult for tribes. Some sought out the tribes as a refuge, others as a source of security or strength. By this time Nicias’ tribe was one of the smaller tribes, so they were caught between the two main conflicting tribes. When finally pulled into the conflict Nicias served as a raider, he and several others had the lovely job of being dessert thieves. Stealing food, supplies and information from other tibes by whatever means necessary. Sometimes it was a full out assault. Other times a more stealthy approach. Hitting trade routes was also a good way of getting food and supplies.

Despite all the effort, they were ultimately on the losing side 1 year later. His tribe was forcefully disbanded and scattered through the victor tribes. He remained with his brother and his family. However it was not a life he could live, so he left at age 16, to Omashu. unfortunately his life was barely different, He fell in with a ring of thieves. His abilities came in handy from time to time but over the next 4 years he learned many ways to steal.

Now he and many others are fed up with the Police and taxes. They have taken to stealing from the ‘rich’ and hiding the money. They only take enough from it to pay the taxes to remain anonymous. Its their intention to pull the upperclass down to the lower class but a couple of their members got caught. Its unlikely that they will snitch but the Money has been moved just in case. On his way home one afternoon Nicias heard about the Rising again? More people pissed off at the Phoenix kingdom.

he has a sand pouch, similar to how water benders have water pouches

Shila Garkan is easily described in two words: utterly loyal. A former Dai Li member, she would lay down her life in a heartbeat for the Phoenix Kingdom and its ideals. Cheerful, friendly even, Shila also lacks any sense of what most people would call morals. She would kill a child in a heartbeat if she deemed it was necessary. Victory at any cost that was what was embedded into her while she was being taught by her master in the Dai Li. Anyone and anything can be killed to ensure victory and thus survival. Because of this, people outside of the Dai Li (indeed, a few inside of the organization as well), find her cruel, ruthless, and cold. She notices the plight of the other nations, but deems it a necessary evil to preserve order. In her opinion, the lack of the Phoenix Kingdom was what brought about the Hundred Year war, and its destruction would result in more chaos and death than could ever be achieved by its remaining in power.

She believes that the Phoenix King Ozai has betrayed the ideals the Kingdom was founded upon (order, stability, peace), to prevent the knowledge of the Avatar’s death from escaping to the general populace, and to try and crush the Rising. While more of an ally of than an actual member of the Rising, she will fight alongside them to be rid of the current Phoenix King. If she survives long enough to see that happen, then things might get interesting.

Rather than using anger, hate, and general ‘burning’ emotions to power her firebending, Shila uses the old techniques of gaining power from the sun and other sufficiently hot heat sources. As such, she has much more control over herself and her bending than most modern Firebenders. Her degree of fine control over her flames is superb. Her endurance is also solid, and she’s able to outlast most Firebenders in an extended fight.

Shila, at one point, could bend lightning. However, since she is now a rebel and is going against the Kingdom she had sworn utterly loyalty to, the Kingdom she had sworn to protect, and she’s killing her former comrades and those others who still support Ozai, the emotionally conflict inside of her makes using it impossible.

Since firebending has few defensive moves, and she isn’t a very powerful straight up fighter, Shila uses a more…fluid style of combat, as opposed to the option of aggressive ‘offense is the best defense’ most Firebenders use. She uses her natural agility and speed (increased by years of training and practice), with her almost unnatural flexibility (gained by years of training and practice), to avoid most attacks, using her bending when necessary to gain extra height or speed, and to deflect what attacks she can.

Once apart of the Dai Li. As such, she was a personal guard to the Royal Family at times.

Shila was born in the city of Ba Sing Se, to two Firebender parents who were as patriotic as only ex-soldiers who fought in the name of their country can be. Loyalty to the Phoenix Kingdom was being instilled into her even before the masters of the Dai Li got a hold of her.. As soon as she was old enough, she was sent to be a member of the bodyguards of the royal family. The training was brutal. Many of the initial recruits dropped. Some even died. But she stayed on, for one simple reason. She wanted to protect and serve the Phoenix Kingdom. Thus, she stayed on. No matter how many times it felt like her body was going to fail her, or how many bruises, burns, cuts, and general injuries she earned. As she entered the final stage of training, she was given to a Firebending master to polish her off. It was during this time period that most of her skills with Firebending were created and honed, and her own moral compass and code was formed.

The master believed heavily in the old way of Firebending, as his master had before him, and his before that, and so on. The first thing he did was remove any idea that she had to power her bending with anger, or hate. That particular learning process was painful and seemingly unbearably long, and will always stick out in her memory. Once she had unlearned that habit, she was taught how to control herself, in various aspects. From her emotions, to her breathing she was taught control. ‘If you lose control you lose the fight’. Her master pounded that saying into her skull, so that it would stick with her no matter where she went, or what she did. What few morals she had were grinded away. She was going to give her body and soul to the Phoenix Kingdom. She would do anything required of her by the royal family, at once and without question. If they wanted her to destroy a cabbage merchant’s cart, or kill a child, she would do it without hesitation. She would do it without remorse.

When she finally became a full member of the Dai Li, everything was fine. At first All she did was the secret police side of the work. Investigation and apprehension of suspected traitors and rebels, occasionally going with the regular police to bloodily and permanently end a rebellion (typically Earthbenders) that would have sown chaos throughout the land. As her almost unnatural loyalty began to become more and more apparent, she was put more and more to be the bodyguard of the Royal family, until it practically became her only job. So of course, she was there when the Avatar died.

It was supposed to be a simple, calm night. Just mind numbing guard duty. So she was surprised when a police grunt came running to her, breathlessly telling her that the Avatar had died, before running onto the royal family. For a moment, Shila just stood there, stunned. Sure, she had seen a medical officer head in the direction of the Avatar’s rooms, but she hadn’t thought that the Avatar herself would have needed it! The king came swiftly out of his chambers, ordering her, a few other Dai Li, and the grunt to follow. They arrived at the Avatar’s rooms quickly. There was no doubt about it, she was dead. For a while, no one said anything. Then, the King gave one simple order. No one was to speak of this. The grunt gaped at him in shock, and then began to say something about how the people should know. That’s when the King ordered him killed on the spot.

Shila watched as he was killed, very quickly and very efficiently by one of her comrades. She was very careful to keep her face a stoic mask, and simply nodded with the rest when ordered by the king to keep the Avatar’s death a secret. However, she was far from that loyal. The king had just betrayed the Kingdom’s ideals. She wasn’t going to just stand by and watch as he killed, murdered, and generally sowed chaos to keep control. She left that night, before anyone could worry about what should be done about all those supposedly loyal witnesses.

Everywhere she went she spoke of the Avatar’s death. It was inevitable that pursuit should be given, and unfortunately they weren’t stupid enough to send the police force after her. It was her former comrades they sent, and the resulting fight destroyed a small village. Shila herself nearly died several times. But eventually she simply outlasted her comrades, and decided that she should perhaps be a bit more subtle.
Later she joined up with the Rising for one reason; to take down Ozai. And that’s as far as she’s willing to go. The destruction of the Phoenix Kingdom would only bring more chaos, as far as she’s concerned, and she isn’t willing to risk that.

Aiden Rose is a bright young waterbender born in the Earth Kingdom, a descendant of one of the benders who had fleed from the Southern Water Tribe before the benders there were wiped out. He’s a kind and respectful lad although he’s not as innocent as most people think. He’s always been cunning and incredibly intelligent, being quite manipulative when he wanted something badly. He was quite talented in waterbending as well from a young age, learning and mastering his ability.

He can find it hard to be ruthless from time to time during battle but if he’s under great stress, he doesn’t think twice before trying to kill someone who he’s identified as an enemy himself. He has a special soft spot for his friends people close to him. Though he doesn’t really like the ideology of "revenge", it technically isn’t considered the same when he goes after you for hurting someone close to him. Don’t ask why, it just isn’t.

During his time walking around the Earth Kingdom going South, Aiden refined his acrobatic skills quite a bit. During combat, he uses both his physical prowess when needed and his rather impressive waterbending skills. However, even though he’s quite acrobatic and can carry his own weight perfectly well, he’s not what one would call "strong".

The one thing that sets Aiden apart from most people is his intellect and ability to think analytically. In a tight spot, the boy can come up with well thought out plans that can get him and his friends through whatever situation they were stuck in. He also has a knack for chess.

Lana - Sister - Female - 21
Eddy - Brother - Male -13

Aiden lived in the Earth Kingdom for quite some time, it having been the closest place for his grandparents to flee when the benders in the Southern tribe were killed. He has always passed as a regular citizen without any bending for some time. Not having any papers to show his identity, Aiden and his family mostly travelled on foot. Of course, his family being his older sister and younger brother. Let’s go back for a bit...

Lana, the elder sister, "Eddy", the younger brother and finally Aiden used to live in an orphanage. How they got there is a rather short story. Their family wasn’t around long enough to raise them. They were identified as Southern Tribe Benders shortly after Eddy’s birth by the Phoenix Kingdom. While on the run, they left their children off at the orphanage quickly before getting caught. The kids lived there for a few years until Eddy reached the age of 7, although Aiden wasn’t glad that his baby brother was holding them back.

When the time finally came, the three easily broke out of the place thanks to their sister who had found a special technique to subdue the owners of the orphanage. When they got out, they moved quickly so that the reports of the missing children wouldn’t reach where they went to hide. At the time Aiden was still 10 but he was the supplier of the trio. He was the one who tricked all of the men into either giving them food or secretly getting whatever they needed.

As the years passed, Lana trained Eddy and Aiden more and more in waterbending, making them adept in control over the shape of the water. They spent most of their time either stealing or running from the authorities because they were caught red handed.

Currently, Aiden is travelling through the Earth Kingdom, trying to find a member of The Rising to join their ranks in an effort to take down the Phoenix King, no longer satisfied by the life he was leading.

-Carries a pouch filled with water on his waist, saying that it’s better to be safe than sorry when one’s thirsty.
-His speciality is making compressed waves capable of cutting through weak materials and shaping ice although he can still use more basic ways of bending with ease as well. He simply uses this technique more often.
-Aiden’s biggest goal as a waterbender is to make glacier-level ice.
-He usually wears a hood over his head when out in the open.

Tao is a pacifist who would rather suffer harm than be the cause of it. He hates violence and war, and even avoids eating meats. He's a calm man who appreciates the good things in life, even when so many terrible things are happening in the world. He places a high value on wisdom, serenity and being good to your fellow man. He's patient and thorough, and often ues a lot of time on doing the simplest of things. Rushing things only delays the mind, he believes, and causes stress and makes it easier to do mistakes. Like the rock, he's vigilant in all his beliefs. However, this also makes him stubborn and often difficult to deal with socially, as he's not likely to be swayed by others.

Tao is an Eartbender who chose to embrace the creative aspect of his gift rather than exploring its destructive capabilities. He's skilled in building houses and other large-scale stone constructs. He also pays great attention to detail, which can be seen in his smaller work such as stone statues, bowls, etc. He will avoid combat if possible, but if someone attacks him, he will never fight with the intention to harm, but rather stay on the defensive. In the face of danger he would either escape or try to pacify the opponent. A skill he invented himself is to create stone statues of himself to confuse his opponent, while he himself escapes.

The person who has had the most impact on Tao's life was his uncle Chaman, who he hasn't had contact with since he left his home village. His mother, Yahshi, was rarely around, as she worked tirelessly to pay the steep taxes while feeding their family. He has one brother and one sister, but Tao never got a chance to get to know them. A Firebender married his sister and brought her to the Fire Nation. His brother was imprisoned during the rebellion, and nobody had seen him since.

Tao has seen first-hand the might of the Phoenix Kingdom. When he was young, his village was party to a rebellion happening in its province. In a collective effort to establish renewed independence, the villagers had refused to pay taxes and had forced out the Phoenix King's law enforcers. For a while, they had enjoyed uninterfered freedom, but it only lasted a couple of weeks. A small army had swept across the province, retaking village after village. But it had been a slow process, as the people had stubbornly held their ground. Yet it wasn't a fight they could win, however much they fought. It became a bloody affair, which Tao remembers all too well. The streets of his home were red with the blood of the villagers once the Phoenix King's forces were through. Many of those who resisted had been wounded or killed, and the rest had been imprisoned. Tao's own father, a strong Earthbender, had died fighting. It had been one of the most defining moments of Tao's life. Seing where it had led his father and the other villagers, he vowed he would never take up arms against the men of the Phoenix Kingdom, or anyone else for that matter.

When he discovered that he was an Earthbender like his father, he wanted to hide it at first. He didn't want to be trained to fight, and was afraid he'd be forced to. The province in which he lived had been under careful supervision since the rebellion. Most of the young Earthbenders were conscripted into the Phoenix Kingdom's military to prevent another uprising. This was what Tao feared would happen to him. Wanting to avoid such a fate at all costs, for a long time he neglected his Earthbending skills, being for all intents and purposes just a normal non-Bender. However, it wouldn't last forever. As time went by, he felt a stronger and stronger inclination to use his ability. After a while, it became increasingly difficult to suppress his urge to Earthbend. It became like trying not to eat, or not to breathe. But he kept viligant, until he was taken as an apprentice by his uncle.

It was his uncle Chaman, a stonemason and hobby-sculptor, who first introduced to him the possibility of using Earthbending for something else than violence. For many years, Chaman had been Earthbending with the intent on creating; not destroying. He'd been using it to make houses, furniture, statues, figurines, and all other manner of things one could think to mold out of Earth. It was a turning-point for Tao, as he could readily acknowledge himself as an Earthbender. As Chaman's apprentice, Tao found new purpose while he was trained to form and create stone in many different ways both with and without Earthbending.

Several years like this pass, and Tao remembers these to be the best in his life. Chaman also taught him of the world and of the different philosphies that existed. Tao was particularily interested in the Air Nomads, whom seemed to be the most enlightened of all. They became his inspiration, sort of, and although he'd never met an Airbender he felt a kinship with them, since their people had also suffered at the hands of the Phoenix Kingdom, but also because they were strong believers of pacifism. Trying to mimick their traditions, he had begun meditating and had stopped eating meat. While meditating, he felt he could sense the Earth beneath him more accutely, as if everything was a part of him, and he was a part of everything. He never achieved the spiritual part his uncle had spoken of in detail, but he felt an inner peace he hadn't felt before. Instead of everything weighing him down, he felt free.

The good years wouldn't last, though. Inevitably, it was discovered that Tao was an Earthbender, and he was conscripted into the military, as he had feared. Knowing full well the price of ignoring it, he still ran away. He would sooner die than join the Phoenix King's military, and was prepared to, when he left. Yet he'd never really been far outside of his home village, never mind his province, and he knew he'd have to travel far, and that he wouldn't be able to live among people anymore. On foot, he traveled north, living off his trade, and didn't stop until he was far away from everyone. When he had reached the mountains in the north, he created an underground home for himself. Here, without distractions, he contemplated on a lot of things. He understood why the Air Nomads distances themselves as such. It gave them room to think.

But Tao was no Air Nomad. He stayed there for a long time, but began to feel a longing for people. He could think clearly, but he had no one to talk to. When he thought it was safe, he returned to society. He knew he could never return home, so he decided he'd take up residence in a place so populated nobody would notice another fugitive. Within the walls of Ba Sing Se, he resumed his trade on the streets. When he had earned enough coin, he bought his own shop, which included living quarters. He found a different sort of peace here than he had found in the mountains, but peace all the same. He had to live under a different name, but he acknowledged that names didn't really matter. As time went by, more and more came to him with work. He was even given work in the upper ring sometimes, though this was seldom. It paid well, but he prefered the anonymity of the lower ring. Even so, his renown as a sculptor and stonemason began to grow.

It was while he lived here that he heard of the Rising. For a while, he thought them to be another rebellion bound for failure, but he learned that it was much bigger than that. Tao didn't believe in revenge, but he did believe that the Phoenix Kingdom had to fall in order for the world to return to normal. If he could have a say in it, he would have. He could live out his life in peace as a simple stonemason, but the unfairness he daily encountered was getting to him. However, he had no notion of how to aid the Rising's efforts. The Rising was only whispered of, as if it was a tale, but despite the lack of proof, Tao knew they existed. Wherever there was unjust power, there was resistance.

Just when Tao had about given up hope to find them, it was he who was found. A man named Uquolaan had entered his shop one late night, and invited him to help the Rising. Uquolaan had apparently heard of Tao's masonry prowess, and had said he wanted help with the construction of an underground base. Tao didn't know why he was entrusted with this information, but he readily accepted the plea. The next day, he left Ba Sing Se together with Uquolaan, leaving the safety of his regular life behind.

The Rising became Tao's new calling. He felt he served a greater purpose, aiding them. More so, since it felt like they needed him, and in turn, that he needed them. The Underground City of Omashu, as the base was named, wouldn't have been as easily constructed without his help. He had taught the other Earthbenders in his trade, and together they had crafted a whole new city. The process was a long one, as they had to do it in secret as well as being highly undermanned. Yet they grew in number, and the city grew in size, and soon it was just what Uquolaan first had intended it to become; a habitable place close to the heart of the Earth Kingdom where the members of the Rising could live in safety.

Tao's efforts had earned him respect, and the members of the Rising had become his family of sorts. After a while, some began looking at him as a teacher of sorts, and he was happy to oblige. He taught people not just in the way of stonemasonry or sculpting, but also in philosophy. Some members of the Rising were young and relatively uneducated. After the city had been built, he took it upon himself to teach what he knew to those who would listen. The city had become his home. It was much like when he'd lived in the mountains, except it wasn't as lonely. He lives here to this day.

Tao always carries with him a hammer, chisel and riffler, which are the tools needed to make stone sculptures.

Jun isn't just blowing smoke when he claims he's good with a blade in his hands. Years of practice have honed his stilted Earth Kingdom swordplay (taught by his great-uncle) into a unique style designed to be used in tandem with his own firebending and specifically against other benders.

His firebending is hardly flashy and he rarely uses naked flames, given that he learned to keep it hidden from a young age. It only manifests with excitement or when he loses control and with the lack of proper training it is unpredictable and untamed. During these times, fire tends to flare out in time with his breathing, following the edge and direction of his sword. A beneficial side effect of keeping so much energy pent up inside himself is that his natural stamina is well above average... linked to – as he puts it – “a strong inner fire”.

Uncle Kanan – Raised Jun from a young age. Currently imprisoned in an undisclosed location by the Phoenix Kingdom for rebelling.
Mother – Dead, died in childbirth.
Father – Unknown. Presumably sent Jun his sword and is keeping tabs on him.

Jun was born into a community of impoverished refugees looking for a fresh start out from under the thumb of the Phoenix Kingdom. Their former village was infamous at one point in time for being a last bastion of organised resistance for the Earth Kingdom; however, nine months before Jun's birth it was practically erased from the map, a footnote in a history of failed rebellions.

His mother, Lea, was a peasant girl of few talents and passable beauty, twenty years old. Given his talent for firebending, his father was almost certainly an occupying soldier, although little else is known about the man. The secret of Jun's paternity was presumably lost forever when his mother died in childbirth, leaving her infant son with only old stories and worthless heirlooms.

Jun's uncle, an ex-soldier named Kanan who harboured bitter resentment against the Fire Nation for... well, almost everything, took him in and raised him far away from civilisation. It was in part due to the fear that he would be taken away if any Phoenix Kingdom ambassador travelling to the outlying villages caught wind of the young firebender and sought to take him away. He cultivated Jun's distrust for other firebenders early on.

From an absurdly young age, Jun was trained in swordsmanship (albeit the stilted, old-fashioned style that his uncle mastered) and was forbidden to learn even the most basic of firebending moves. Of course, that didn't stop him – it just made him sneakier about spying on army patrols and practice after he turned into a rebellious teenager and led him to develop more subtle techniques.

Once he turned of age (roughly fourteen), his uncle began taking him to small resistance meetings in local taverns, and even out on trips to sabotage supply chains or other illegal business. By his sixteenth birthday, he was actively seeking out his own opportunities to undermine the Phoenix Kingdom... until he received a package: a Fire Nation sword and an unsigned letter.

Shortly after this, Jun had a change of heart and refused to join a small uprising in another nearby village. A wise decision, as it turned out his enemies were well-prepared and arrested the insurgents on the spot – his uncle among them. No longer wanted in his community despite being completely loyal to the resistance (after all, what sane rebel would consort with a possible enemy?), he began to wander the four nations.

1. The back pockets on his trousers are filled with sand to use in an emergency combat situation. Nobody ever won a war being fair, after all.

Jian is, at face value, a dimwitted agricultural lass from the arid heart of the Earth Kingdom. She speaks before she thinks, has a constant bad temper and tends to insult people very often, then retreats back to the safety of her brothers. She is seemingly illiterate, and constantly chews on a piece of grass or wheat, regarding people thoughtfully and critically. It seems like a shallow, simple-minded personality...

...Mainly because it is. Jian is, in reality, very smart and not the very best at acting. Her surly temper is emphasised around others - in reality she hardly cracks a smile but that doesn't mean she's constantly scowling and sulking. She's very careful about most things, viewing the situation carefully before making much a move (in her 'stupid farmer' persona, she buys a few precious seconds by going "uhhh..." and pulling a face of deep concentration) and is actually an avid reader. Her philosophical nature and ability to control her temper helps her to unlock the secrets of Earthbending.

In between both her fake personality and her real one are a few overlapping qualities; her love for family and her loyalty to those who earn her respect from the ground up (excuse the pun) is present in both 'faces' of Jian. As well as that, she avoids alcohol and narcotics whenever possible and is fiercely patriotic to the Earth Kingdom, even if it doesn't outwardly show until someone scratches the surface of her seething, anti-Phoenix King hatred.

INTELLIGENCE is Jian's outstanding, strongest factor. She's quiet, observant, and thoughtful (even if she does pretend to be loud and idiotic sometimes) and that has opened many doorways into different theories, a wider expanse of knowledge from her ability to take in information and use it properly in a situation. She's the tactician, the wisewoman of the Kwan family, the brain behind the brawn. She sees problems like puzzles and works her way through them.

Closely (and I mean very closely) following her intelligence is her EARTHBENDING. She wasn't taught by the master from a remote mountain in the middle of nowhere, or anything nearly as special - but her interest in the literature around Earthbending, the theories put into Earthbending, the nature of the attacks - it interests her so much that she excels in her earthbending merely by being able to use it in innovative ways. Currently, she's even branching out and trying to teach herself how to use the seismic sense, after reading a scroll about the difficult art a few months back. It's a slow process.

DISGUISES are a -trait- of hers. She's not absolutely brilliant at disguises, but her ability to keep her cool and relay information means you can stuff her into an outfit and she'll be able to pass off as perhaps a guard or a noblewoman without messing up and forgetting her lines. After all, half her life is pretty much a lie, why not use that to her advantage?

STRENGTH AND UNARMED COMBAT can be considered a trait too; she's rather fit from farm work and, as a whole, the Kwan family are pretty tough. Stamina's not her thing though. She's getting combat and physical training from her big brother, with much complaint - but it's all for a good cause.

Pha Kwan || Father || M.I.A || "Daddy...I'll make them pay for your death."

Sela Kwan || Mother || Alive || "It's a bit rough. We did just run out on her to follow the same cause that lost our dad."

Xi Kwan || Big Brother || Alive || "My big bro. My warrior. He follows orders and saves my sorry behind when I mess up."

Dao Po || Uncle || Alive || "Uh, actually, I never spent a lot of time talking with him. Tense relationships; I thought mother brought him along as a relationship for daddy."

Grandparents || Grandparents || Alive || "Never met them. I know where they are though, couple of merchants in a nearby village."

Shin Zi Kwan || Little Brother || "I guess he needs my help too."

Chi || Little Sister || Alive || "Oh god...I badly wish I could be there for her. But I've got to keep moving on."

Shing Mu || Teacher || Alive || "I have to thank you, Shing. You've given me strength and started my journey. I owe you my life."

Jian was born to a small, run-down farm full of hybrid pigs and crops. Born to Pha and Sela Kwan, she grew up on the tales of her brave and noble father fighting back the tyranny of the Phoenix Kingdom, beginning a hatred for all things Phoenix from a very young age. Her mother used to take the crops and meat from the hybrid pigs to a nearby village, where it would be sold for profit, and she'd usually return with a book of a scroll from Jian's grandparents to be read to her as a bedtime story.

As she grew up into a spirited young girl, Jian used to go bareback riding on the family ostrich horse Jubqua, and took to the farm chores reluctantly as she helped her father with feeding the pigs and watering the crops using river water from the nearby stream. It was also around this time that she was marked with the Kwan family symbol, onto her forearm; the Kwan family's reminder that relatives always come first. Most of the time, her life was peaceful and innocent.

That is, most of the time. Every two weeks her family routine was harshly interrupted by a trio of guards from the Phoenix Kingdom, demanding taxes from her father and making small-talk with her mother and sometimes herself whilst her father counted out a large portion of what little family funding they had to give to the Kingdom with resentment. If the guards did talk to her, Jian always chose her phrases delicately, taking little subtle stabs at the guards whilst hiding behind a childlike innocence and apparent lack of sarcasm.

Then, when she was just reaching her teenage years, a strange man from the other side of the Kingdom arrived on her father's doorstep. Shing Mu, an Earthbending expert who owed a debt to Jian's father, returned "as promised" to teach her and her brothers about the nature of Earthbending.

Jian took to Eartbending like a duck to water. Everything, from the scrolls and the stances and the meditation techniques seemed to quell her thirst for knowledge and give her the strength she revered. It gave her confidence to stretch her limits, improve her intelligence - soon she was making trips to the village to buy scrolls and books of her own to read, on what little chances she got; between the farm work and the training Jian didn't get a lot of free time to herself. Around this time, her mother became pregnant once more with (hopefully, the last) yet another Kwan sibling to join the family. Not even the tax collectors could dampen Jian's spirits...

...but the rebellion did.

Rebellion whistled on the wind across the deserts in the Earth Kingdoms for the third time in the Kwan family, but it was Jian's first experience of such violence; She used to see the wounded being bustled into the barn, since the town was being watched. Suddenly, those bi-weekly tax collecting trips became a lot more nerve-wrecking, knowing that there were five men with a hefty bounty hiding three feet from the guards.

Her father came into her room one day and kissed her on the forehead, saying how much he loved her before disappearing with the rebels to fight for the cause. A few days later her mother went into labour, and it was up to Jian to deliver the little baby, the little girl, the energy and warmth against the cold winds of worry for Pha Kwan.

Aptly named Chi, Jian took on the housework as well as the training and the farm work in order to give her mother a chance to bond with the baby. Amidst all of the stress (to which Jian cracked several times, storming out of the house to sit by the river and eventually doze off) it became apparent that the rebellion was slowly becoming crushed, the wounded stopped arriving to the farm, the guards had bloodied armour when they collected the taxes. Her mother wasn't as good with numbers, so Jian had to separate the correct amount of money for the guards. Her intelligence kept the family standing upright.

Eventually, it became apparent that Pha Kwan wasn't coming back. The rebellion was done, over with, but still their father didn't return home - Chi would grow up without her father to help them. The family falls into a year of grief, something so intense that even Shing had to work on the farm simply because everyone else wasn't working hard enough. Of course, the effects of the grief weren't entirely clear until the tax collectors arrived at the door.

All of a sudden, Jian lost her ability to count, and then to read. Her vocabulary became simple, dim-witted, her aspirations shrank into being a farm-girl forever. Her lack of trust for the guards forced her to think of a way to hide in plain sight; by making herself seemingly inferior and boring, she was able to avoid the usual chit-chat with the guards and distance herself from the Phoenix Kingdom. Unfortunately, this lack of trust grew to any outsider - Phoenix guards lurked around every corner bearing the faces of farmers and tradesmen.

Eventually whenever Jian left the house she'd turn into her fake persona, as a means of protecting herself, keeping her intentions hidden. Around her family she became more protective and observant, pursuing her studies more than ever. After one too many arguments with her mother, Jian agreed to give a signal as to which persona she was currently using, by sticking a piece of grass into her mouth to chew on whilst she was spewing out idiocy as her 'fake farmer' guise.

For Jian, her life turned from a simple and peaceful one into a massive game; her respect and trust became something that someone had to earn. A worthy ally had to be someone who could see through her disguise. She didn't do it out of paranoia, she did it out of fear for her family's safety - an intelligent, experienced earthbender with a deep dislike for the Phoenix Kingdom tended to be the type who started the little rebellions in the first place, so it was logical to assume that hiding this from the tax collectors would bring less suspicion onto her family. In reality, Jian was really overthinking the situation and acting out of fear of losing another family member, but she couldn't see past her own ludicrous schemes to realise it yet.

Five years after the rebellion, Shing announced that he's taught the Kwan family as much as he can and how he wishes to return to his family. He regarded Jian as a success, but as a person he saw that she was no longer the smiling, cheery girl who used to levitate pebbles in the barn. He reminded this new, introverted and paranoid Jian that not everyone out there was about to steal away those she held dear - whether or not that got through to her at all is something to be debated upon. Sela was getting old, and she couldn't handle the lack of a father figure in the house, so she employed the help of Jian's uncle Dao to work on the farm. Jian instantly disliked him and didn't talk much to him because he didn't have the Kwan tattoo, and she saw him as a replacement for her father.

This persisted for a few more years until Jian caught wind of the Rising. She told her older brother and her little brother about this new notion, still bitter over her father's absence, and a few weeks ago the planning to leave ended as she announced to her mother that she was leaving. In a bid to regain friendly bonds with his nice, Dao gifted her a new, younger ostrich Horse - named Zou - to use on their travels. Jian left in a bad way, arguing with her mother and leaving her in tears whilst Chi screamed her name from the speck of the farm, begging for her to stay at home.

For Jian, this journey is a form of vengeance - a chance to finally put all of that hard work and training inot good use to finish her own goals and hopefully make certain that no other family has to lose a father ever again.

The Kwan fmaily tattoo is on her left forearm.

Shin Zi Kwan is an intelligent and level-headed wanderer who travels around with his brother and sister on a cart that is being pulled along by an ostrich horse. It is in this cart that he takes part in his favorite pastime: sleeping. Like a bear in hibernation during winter, Shin can sleep for days and through anything if he wasn't always rudely awakened by Xiao and Jian. Probably why he isn't a very morning person. Thanks brother and sister!

Once Shin has taken the time to properly wake himself up, something a delicious breakfast always helps with, he is an extremely talkative and friendly person who enjoys talking with any stranger he comes across. Having done this for a long time, Shin has developed great people skills which he can use to talk his way out of -most- troubling situations. Like a perfect counterfoil towards to Xiao and Jian in regards to their people skills. Although if he fails, Xiao and Jian are always on standby. Like them, Shin is extremely protective with anyone in his family.

Intelligence is something Shin takes great pride in, much like Jian who's footsteps he followed in. Taught my Jian, he slowly but surely gained the knowledge to observe his surroundings and how to use his surroundings as an advantage. Something which helps him with his charisma and agility traits. However, Shin isn't -that- great at it, and can often make errors. Shin has also tried to surpass Jian numerous of times in intelligence, but every single time he tried to take her head on, he failed miserably. Much to her amusement.

Charisma is another trait Shin holds in high regards. Having talked with many people over the years (strangers, friends and family), he developed excellent interpersonal skills. Most of the time he uses his charisma in getting out of trouble which his brother and sister got him into. But when he isn't talking his way out of why his brother and sister stole a child's candy, he lends a sympathetic ear to someone's problems and does his best to give a possible solution or offers guidance. It has gotten him far in life, and has made him numerous of friends during his lifetime.

Agility is a trait that Shin can't live without for two reasons. He doesn't possess great talent for Earthbending and doesn't posses great strength. In other words, agility is the only thing that can be useful in a fight for him. Using the basic fighting skills he learnt from his brother, Xiao, he 'dances' around his opponent and lands precise strikes with his staff. Though to some this would be more of an annoyance than anything.

Grandparents || Grandparents || Alive || "Although I haven't talked to them much, I appreciate them looking out for me"

Xiao Xi Kwan || Big Brother || Alive || "Couldn't have asked for a better brother. I will always look up to him."

Chi Kwan || Little Sister || Alive || "Look after Mother, little Sister. She needs you now more than ever."

Jian Kwan || Big Sister || Alive || "She's smarter than me, sure. But she does have one fiery temper."

Sela Kwan || Mother || Alive || "Mother, I love you dearly, and know we will return."

Pha Kwan || Father || M.I.A || "Father... I hope that you're in a better place now."

Shing Mu || Teacher || Alive || "My honored teacher! Thank you for everything."

Dao Po || Uncle || Alive || "I never really knew him..."

Shin Zi Kwan was the youngest son of the Kwan family that lived on a little run-down farm. He didn't exactly live an exciting life as is expected of someone living on a farm. It usually consisted of harvesting the crops and slaughtering the pigs to help his father. Jian and Chi got it much easier as they only had to water the crops and feed the pigs. Regardless, Shin was dedicated to performing his chores. He had to pull his weight and earn his keep. It wasn't long after he started doing these chores that he received the family mark upon his left shoulder.

The regular visit from the Phoenix Kingdom's heavily armored guards who where there to collect tax was the only real excitement that was to be had around town. Occasionally he would sneak out to meet up with other children and get up to mischief, but that was in his teenage years and after he started lessons with Shing Mu. Shing Mu was someone who promised to teach ‘Earthbending’ to Xiao, Shin and Jian.

Shin wasn't a natural like Jian, but he did better than Xiao when it came to Earthbending. That being said, Shin knew he wasn't going to be able to properly defend himself with it. Because of this, Shin learnt how to fight from Xiao, learnt how to use surroundings as an advantage from Jian, and learnt how to wield a staff in combat by himself. It took dedication, but over time, with the help from his master, he became an agile fighter. It wasn't strong, and it wasn't magical, but it was enough to defend him with precise strikes while avoiding attacks.

Then the rebellion came that grabbed his father’s attention and called him to war. His mother went into labor shortly after, and with his sister’s help, Chi came into the world and joined the Kwan family. The Phoenix Kingdom’s guards didn't help matters much, and just added to overall stress. Xiao, Jian and Shin were hard at work to keep the farm in working condition, and coupled with training they didn't have much time to themselves. However, Shin often used to sneak out at night to visit the local pub, talking to strangers to get a sense of which direction the rebellion was taking. And it wasn't good news. The rebellion was being crushed under an iron boot. It’s during this time Shin developed his interpersonal skills, and became friends with many of the locals. And, of course, began to love hearing other people’s tales.

It took some time, of course, but the rebellion came to an end and his father didn't come back. Shin waited for days and personally believed he would come back. But as day after day went past, his resolve shattered and he was forced to accept reality that his father was dead. In grief, Shin drowned his sorrows in alcohol, and was generally depressed for the next year. His learning and work faulted, and he closed himself off to deal with his grief. Eventually he started to accept other people’s help instead of giving it himself, and in time he healed. But his hatred for the Kingdom that took his father would never heal.

Dao, his uncle, came to help on the farm five years later and he never really talked to him despite his personable nature. He was too much like his father and he didn't want to open that old wound again. So he distanced himself from his uncle, and then a few years later, he was told about this ‘Rising’ from Jian. Knowing that this was a chance to get out witnessing the world, meeting new people, and possibly avenging his father, he agreed. And with a tearful farewell, he left with Xiao and Jian on their ostrich horse called Zou. The time had come to make things right for the world, not just the family.

Possess an old and gnarled wooden staff which he uses to fight.

Kwan family tattoo imprinted upon his left shoulder.