Prologue~
Bending is only a recent discovery in comparison to the time of Avatar Aang and Korra, in a world where there is no such thing as the Avatar, yet benders live everywhere. Originally, the four nations all lived on the central continent know known as the Earth Nation. The Airbenders live atop the highest mountains of the land, where they cut themselves off from the other benders. The Waterbending tribes are split into three, in the Western, Northern and Southern Bays. They take their fishing business very seriously and rely heavily on trade with the Earth Cities. The Fire tribes are spread throughout the land, however one is located to the West in a mountain range. They split off from their roots, the Sun Warriors, seeking fortune in the great continent and became a part of the culture for hundreds of years. Meanwhile the Earth Cities, not anywhere near the level we know them as today, but still hold a particular beauty of their own. Notice that I do not refer to them as a Kingdom, because then, they were just cities and held no common alliance. They were the most intermingled of the bending tribes, where all four bending elements just lived together and held no displeasure with each other. Not in quite some time.
However in the recent years, the cooperation they once had has become rare. The Earth Tribes stay inside their cities built with bending. The Fire Tribes are bandits and thieves who live along traveling routes all over the continent. Water Tribes are mostly isolated near the oceans and nearby rivers, focusing on fishing as their main trade but have begun to tap into resources that the Earth Tribes claim as their own. Lastly, the Air Tribes stick to mountains and forage the forests surrounding them. And the Earth Tribes, feeling more established and boasting the largest number of people, have turned to tyranny. Claiming that for their protection, the tribes have to pay. Including their own people. The Air Tribes have resisted this for many years as they have fewer numbers, but the best training; The Fire Tribes have the most experience through battle; The Water Tribes are illusive and extremely good at hiding, or just playing coy. Note that not everyone from each tribe is this way, many of each do not participate in the crimes of their people, but are discriminate against all the same. Like a Fire Tribe member in the city, would be shunned and labeled a thief, having never stolen anything in their life. Maybe even killed, just for being of the same lineage.
Bending is only a recent discovery in comparison to the time of Avatar Aang and Korra, in a world where there is no such thing as the Avatar, yet benders live everywhere. Originally, the four nations all lived on the central continent know known as the Earth Nation. The Airbenders live atop the highest mountains of the land, where they cut themselves off from the other benders. The Waterbending tribes are split into three, in the Western, Northern and Southern Bays. They take their fishing business very seriously and rely heavily on trade with the Earth Cities. The Fire tribes are spread throughout the land, however one is located to the West in a mountain range. They split off from their roots, the Sun Warriors, seeking fortune in the great continent and became a part of the culture for hundreds of years. Meanwhile the Earth Cities, not anywhere near the level we know them as today, but still hold a particular beauty of their own. Notice that I do not refer to them as a Kingdom, because then, they were just cities and held no common alliance. They were the most intermingled of the bending tribes, where all four bending elements just lived together and held no displeasure with each other. Not in quite some time.
However in the recent years, the cooperation they once had has become rare. The Earth Tribes stay inside their cities built with bending. The Fire Tribes are bandits and thieves who live along traveling routes all over the continent. Water Tribes are mostly isolated near the oceans and nearby rivers, focusing on fishing as their main trade but have begun to tap into resources that the Earth Tribes claim as their own. Lastly, the Air Tribes stick to mountains and forage the forests surrounding them. And the Earth Tribes, feeling more established and boasting the largest number of people, have turned to tyranny. Claiming that for their protection, the tribes have to pay. Including their own people. The Air Tribes have resisted this for many years as they have fewer numbers, but the best training; The Fire Tribes have the most experience through battle; The Water Tribes are illusive and extremely good at hiding, or just playing coy. Note that not everyone from each tribe is this way, many of each do not participate in the crimes of their people, but are discriminate against all the same. Like a Fire Tribe member in the city, would be shunned and labeled a thief, having never stolen anything in their life. Maybe even killed, just for being of the same lineage.