My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days--a time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But all that changed when the Earth Kingdom attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop the ruthless earthbenders. But when the world needed her most, she vanished.
Eighteen years have passed, and each nation has had trouble within its borders. The Earth Kingdom has taken advantage of the turmoil and continues its conquest. Among the chaos, the spirits still residing in our world have turned to attack people, and the entire world is now unbalanced. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn and that the cycle is broken. Others believe that the Avatar has gone into hiding due to being born in the Earth Kingdom that's hunting them down.
But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world. We just have to find them first.
The coup that placed King Wei as the Earth Monarch bode ill for the world at large. While many were concerned, few would speak out as the previous King Xiong was an ineffective leader who was more interested in riches than helping his people. But it was out of the pole caps and into the volcano as King Wei proved to be a threat not just to the Earth Kingdom, but to the rest of the world. It began with high taxes and an unfound arrogance against those who were not native to the Earth Kingdom, and over the years said arrogance turned to tyranny. What was once a continent of peace and harmony turned into war and strife as people were forced out of their homes. Benders who refused allegiance were arrested and vanished from the public eye, with rumors surrounded forced manual labor circling heavily.
In an attempt to subdue any that would challenge them, the Earth Kingdom cut food trades with the other nations. As a result, a famine has spread throughout the Fire Nation, and while the Air Nomads have tried to compensate, it is not enough. With the Fire Nation weakened, the Earth kingdom made their first attempt to conquer. Their only saving grace was the interference of the Water Tribes, who sent their own people forward to stop the Earth Kingdom ships from ever touching Fire Nation soil. Even so, things cannot remain this way as the citizens are starving to death, long separated from those that once resided in the Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribes struggle to communicate with one another as the Earth Kingdom has interfered with any attempts at every turn, and the Air Nomads have chosen to protest peacefully, much to the ire of the other nations.
Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could hope to defeat King Wei. With the hopes of all nations on her shoulders, Avatar Korra sought to negotiate with the King. The latter refused, and according to rumors, a fight broke out between the two before the Avatar was forced out of the palace. Before the Avatar could take proper judgment, however, she passed. After twenty years, however, a new Avatar has yet to emerge. What is known is that the Avatar was born in the Earth Kingdom, but many feared they had already fallen into the Earth Kingdom's hands. As the years passed and no new Avatar emerged, the masses began to lose hope. Three days ago, however, several beams of light emerged from the temples around the world, signaling that the new Avatar had awakened. That was when The Rebellion was formed and sprung into action. While their numbers were scarce, they gathered who they could and sent them to the Earth Kingdom. Now, it is a race between the Rebellion and the Earth Kingdom to find the Avatar. Will the Rebellion find the Avatar in time, or will the Earth Kingdom gain the upper hand?
Spanning most of a continent as well as several subsidiary islands, the Earth Kingdom is the largest and most populated sovereignty in the world and encompasses much of the eastern hemisphere. The kingdom operates as a monarchy under the rule of a single Earth Monarch. It is home to most earthbenders and the people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong; they once adhered to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world before King Wei's reign changed that to a philosophy of spreading their greatness to the rest of the world. Due to their manipulation of earth, earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of many Earth Kingdom citizens. In general, Earth Kingdom culture is concerned with maintaining face: a person's good reputation and standing in the eyes of others. Respect for the family and one's ancestors is also a very common aspect of Earth Kingdom culture.
Earth Kingdom architecture varies by province. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, green. The majority of the buildings are made of stone, wood, and plaster; these may be used in conjunction with one another or separately, depending on the available resources. Most buildings have sloping roofs covered with dark gray or green tiles; yellow tiles denote wealth and are used by aristocrats in Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom insignia is often put on important buildings and fortresses as a symbol of the government. Roads vary considerably – in the country, they are usually made of well-worn dirt, while cities have well-made flagstone streets. Much of the Earth Kingdom's population traditionally live in small villages, and tiny settlements of ten or so inhabitants dot the landscape; larger towns, such as Chin Village and Jiaoling, are found more infrequently. Despite this ruralization, a significant portion of the Earth Kingdom's citizens actually live in its largest cities such as Omashu, Taku, Gaoling, and Ba Sing Se.
Even though many parts of the Earth Kingdom have been traditionally mistrustful of outsiders, the Earth Kingdom has a long history of migration. Many live mobile lives as nomads and outlaws, while mass migration of those seeking work or fleeing poverty and unrest has been a common occurrence. In addition, the Earth Kingdom has traditionally harbored populations of Fire Nation and Water Tribe descent. Such foreign migrants usually arrived as traders, workers, and colonists; until last year, they integrated peacefully into the native society. A majority of their villages have been ransacked and conquered as the years have passed, and many benders that lived in them disappeared. Families have trouble contacting their home lands and many are fearful for the fate of their loved ones. Nowadays, there is a fierce prejudice against any benders that aren't earthbenders, and Earth Kingdom soldiers are all too happy to arrest any benders they come across, leading many to go into hiding.
The Earth Kingdom's change in its view of the world has resulted in an unbalanced world. They recognize that despite being a smaller nation, the Fire Nation's military is not to be trifled with, and thus targeted them first in their war of conquest. It started off by slowly lessening how much food was traded while raising prices, and by the time anyone noticed it was far too late. Last year, the Earth Kingdom outright stopped trade and launched their first attack, sending a fleet of soldiers via ships. Recognizing the threat, the Fire Nation called on the other nations to help. The Water Tribes were successfully able to fend off the Earth Kingdom with their superior navy, but as retaliation, the Earth Kingdom has gone out of their way to interfere with any communications between the two sister tribes.
The Fire Nation is an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord and home to most firebenders. Geographically, the nation is located along the planet's equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of several islands simply called the Fire Islands. The Fire Nation is the second-largest nation in terms of area, following the Earth Kingdom, while its economy is the most powerful in the world; its strong industrial sector enabled the Fire Nation to create an extremely powerful military.
The dress code and symbols of the Fire Nation are modeled after fire, naturally. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, red. The majority of the structures are made of stone. They also have red pagoda-style roofs favored by the country. Fire Nation symbols are often put on important or nice buildings for decoration and inside it was common for a picture of the Fire Lord to be kept in a prominent, visible place. The Fire Nation's worldview upholds that only unity, centralism and strict order can ensure stability and prosperity. This does not include restricting freedom and creativity, as these aspects of personal expression are critical to societal development and harmony; however, children do not gain this freedom until they have been taught how to improve the Fire Nation with their actions, and the honor it brings them. These ideas are instilled from an early age.
Fire Nation society places a great emphasis on respect and honor, especially toward the nobility and elders; the concept of the famed Agni Kai stems from these beliefs. Should one be honored enough to be in the presence of a member of the Royal Family, that person needs to prostrate themselves in respect or risk being challenged to an Agni Kai to avenge the disrespected Royal's honor. Upon coming into contact with an elder or superior, it is polite to bow down. Unlike in other parts of the world, this bow consists in placing a hand in a straight fashion with the other being fisted placed underneath it vertically. This represents the superior standing with one below him, bowing. Also when receiving an order in the Fire Nation by a superior it is common to not bow, but make the hand symbol. Bowing is required upon greeting to one, when something nice has happened, after business, and leaving.
The Fire Nation's response to the Earth Kingdom's attacks have been righteous fury; they remain grateful to the Water Tribes for defending them last year and have maintained strong ties to them. However, the same cannot be said for the Air Nomads; while the latter has made a valiant effort into keeping the Fire Nation fed, they refused the Fire Nation's petition for additional soldiers. This has greatly soured the relationship between the two nations as the Air Nomads' peaceful protests have accomplished little while the people of the Fire Nation continue to suffer in light of constantly needing to defend themselves while the Earth Kingdom has cut them off from the many Fire Nation citizens who lived in the Earth Kingdom.
Air Nomads is the collective term for the monastic order of men and women who practice the discipline of airbending and the pacifistic ethics of their theocratic society. They are wanderers by definition, but have four air temples, one located at each corner of the globe, found atop mountain ranges and under cliffs, in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands, all of which are hard for outsiders to reach. Unlike the other nations, those born to the Air Nomads are, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. They are a peaceful race who live in large temples and travel the world on flying bison. They are the most spiritual of all the cultures and lived in harmony with nature. Their culture values both altruism and detachment from wealth and worldly affairs, and their relationship with the other nations varies. They are also fun-loving and have a strong sense of humor.
The Air Nomads have the smallest population of the four nations in the world. They have a small economy, based entirely on limited agriculture, and the smallest population of all the nations. Due to the peaceful teachings of their leaders, the nature of the people is calm and tranquil, famously known as peaceful, egalitarian people who embrace a life of simplicity and environmental preservation. They traditionally live according to montastic customs, and the Northern and Southern Air Temples act as homes for Air Monks, while the Eastern and Western Air Temples act as homes for Air Nuns. However, this gender separation is not universally enforced and it is common for many to intermingle. All airbenders grow up to become monks and nuns unless they chose to leave the Air Nomad life behind or are exiled. When monks and nuns stop at villages across the world along their journeys from temple to temple, most peasants gladly provide them hospitality in exchange for help with chores, news, and entertaining stories from other parts of the world, or a promise to relay messages to distant relatives. Air Nomads are raised communally, and often have a main guardian who they are not related to, though they are aware of their blood relatives and often have close relationships with them. Masters of airbending are one of the most visually distinct as they are tattooed with blue arrows.
The Air Nomads have taken no strong stance against the Earth Kingdom's actions, resulting in a tense relationship between them and the Fire Nation in particular. While they have provided as much food and resources as they are able, it is unfortunately not enough. As the only nation without a formal military, they cannot offer soldiers, though fighting goes against their ways; an oath of nonaggression is often declared whenever a new airbender reaches the age of adulthood, swearing to adopt to the pacifistic ways and having direct combat be used solely as a last resort. This has been ill received by both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes; the former is in disbelief that the Air Nomads would rather protest peacefully than take action, while the Water Tribes have repeatedly urged the Air Nomads to join them. Alas, their pleas have been ignored, though rumor has it that many monks and nuns are starting to doubt their inaction.
The people of the Water Tribe are generally peaceful, and strive to live in harmony with nature and the other nations of the world. Living in the harsh conditions of the poles and the swamp has made the people of the Water Tribes resilient to hardship and respectful of the world around them. There are two primary divisions of the Water Tribe, the Northern Tribe and the Southern Tribe, though both are at least de jure governed by the Northern chief. The Water Tribe is less powerful than both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, due to its geographical location and the small size of its population and economy. The economy is dependent on the ocean, given the country's location and lack of arable land, apparent manufacturing capacity or minable resources.
The appearance of the Water Tribe is based on its corresponding element, water. Each of the nations has its own elemental color, which in the case of the Water Tribes is blue. The Foggy Swamp Tribe is an exception, as they tend to wear green due to their affinity with plants. The Water Tribe is divided into three distinct groups, primarily based on their geography and affinity for waterbending. The Southern Tribe occupies the South Pole, the Northern Tribe occupies the North Pole, and the Foggy Swamp Tribe occupies a swamp in the Earth Kingdom. Family is hugely important to Water Tribe culture. All members of the Tribe recognized each other as kin to an extent, and it was traditional to name a child after a family member. The Northern and Southern Tribes have a positive relation to one another and it is not uncommon for families to travel to and fro, even if the journey is a long one. Generosity is also highly valued among the people of the Water Tribe, to the extent that the generosity of their traders was considered legendary in the other nations.
When the Fire Nation pleaded for help against the Earth Kingdom, they immediately sent forth their waterbenders and ships, successfully pushing away the Earth Kingdom navy. While the two tribes wish to join the defense of the Fire Nation in a more united fashion, continued interference with their communications has resulted in sabotaged operations. That said, both need no cooperation to rise to defend their shared neighbor. They have asked the Air Nomads to act as messengers, but even these take precious time and require a willing Nomad, something that is, tragically, rare these days. The Water Tribe thus has put all their energy into keeping the Earth Kingdom at bay by sea, resulting in many waterbenders constantly fighting in war.
Fire Lord Zhun Li is the current leader of the Fire Nation. He governs alongside the Fire Sages and noble clans. A man of few words, his rule has been challenged by the Earth Kingdom’s actions. While the famine has done much damage, he has ensured that the Fire Nation endures. He has taken great offense to the Earth Kingdom attacking but is grateful for what it has revealed when it came to the relationships between the nations. Finding an unlikely ally in the Water Tribe was a pleasant surprise while the Air Nomads have disappointed him. He is said to have great respect for both Chief Dentak and Kato.
Chief Dentak is the current leader of the Water Tribe, housed currently in the Northern Water Tribe. A boastful and courageous man, he is ignorant to most politics and often leaves politics to his council. While most feel he could do with a little more diplomacy, he has made it clear that actions, not words, are what solve problems. His earnest ways have easily won over his countrymen and it is why they follow his orders without question.
The Southern Water Tribe is currently being led by Kato after communications with their sister tribe have been sabotaged. Kato is much more cautious than Dentak but is just as brave, ensuring that the Water Tribe performs their duties of keeping the Earth Kingdom from taking to the seas. He is a passive man for the most part, but still acts when necessary. He is largely motivated by his wife, Kaea, who assists him in most things. Many state it is Kaea who really runs things but leaves the bigger decisions to her husband so as not to upset their sister tribe.
The Air Nomads have the Council of Elders to lead them. Each air temple has its own council of head abbots, head monks, or head nuns as the political and religious authority. The councils of each temple are composed in accordance with the primary gender residing in each respective temple. It is Head Sister Sangye of the Western Air Temple that has been sending as much food as possible to the Fire Nation, though her pleas for additional help from the other temples were met with silence. As a result, the Council has had many conflicting opinions; some say that Sangye should not have acted without consulting the other temples while others point out that the Air Nomads don’t have much to offer in the first place.
This roleplay is firmly in AU territory. The Hundred Year War was successfully mitigated by Avatar Roku and an era of peace followed through Avatar Aang's time. His successor, Avatar Korra, passed twenty years ago, but her successor has yet to be located. In the meantime, the Earth Kingdom has been left unchecked, upsetting the balance between nations. While some things have stayed the same, others have changed. We're looking for active, driven players to make a small ragtag bunch of misfits--or if you're interested in other roles, there's no harm in asking! Players have the option to play whatever bender (or non-bender!) they please, but I'd like all characters to be in the 18 - 24 year range please. If there are any questions or interest, feel free to ask :)
[hider=CS][CENTER]AHVAHTARR OONG [img]media1.tenor.com/images/72b6de1da9855… [sub][color=darkgray]"Will you go penguin sledding with me?"[/color][/sub][/center] [indent][color=darkgray][sub][u]NAME[/u][/sub][/color] [indent]Ong[/indent]
My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days--a time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But all that changed when the Earth Kingdom attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop the ruthless earthbenders. But when the world needed her most, she vanished.
Eighteen years have passed, and each nation has had trouble within its borders. The Earth Kingdom has taken advantage of the turmoil and continues its conquest. Among the chaos, the spirits still residing in our world have turned to attack people, and the entire world is now unbalanced. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn and that the cycle is broken. Others believe that the Avatar has gone into hiding due to being born in the Earth Kingdom that's hunting them down.
But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world. We just have to find them first.
The coup that placed King Wei as the Earth Monarch bode ill for the world at large. While many were concerned, few would speak out as the previous King Xiong was an ineffective leader who was more interested in riches than helping his people. But it was out of the pole caps and into the volcano as King Wei proved to be a threat not just to the Earth Kingdom, but to the rest of the world. It began with high taxes and an unfound arrogance against those who were not native to the Earth Kingdom, and over the years said arrogance turned to tyranny. What was once a continent of peace and harmony turned into war and strife as people were forced out of their homes. Benders who refused allegiance were arrested and vanished from the public eye, with rumors surrounded forced manual labor circling heavily.
In an attempt to subdue any that would challenge them, the Earth Kingdom cut food trades with the other nations. As a result, a famine has spread throughout the Fire Nation, and while the Air Nomads have tried to compensate, it is not enough. With the Fire Nation weakened, the Earth kingdom made their first attempt to conquer. Their only saving grace was the interference of the Water Tribes, who sent their own people forward to stop the Earth Kingdom ships from ever touching Fire Nation soil. Even so, things cannot remain this way as the citizens are starving to death, long separated from those that once resided in the Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribes struggle to communicate with one another as the Earth Kingdom has interfered with any attempts at every turn, and the Air Nomads have chosen to protest peacefully, much to the ire of the other nations.
Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could hope to defeat King Wei. With the hopes of all nations on her shoulders, Avatar Korra sought to negotiate with the King. The latter refused, and according to rumors, a fight broke out between the two before the Avatar was forced out of the palace. Before the Avatar could take proper judgment, however, she passed. After twenty years, however, a new Avatar has yet to emerge. What is known is that the Avatar was born in the Earth Kingdom, but many feared they had already fallen into the Earth Kingdom's hands. As the years passed and no new Avatar emerged, the masses began to lose hope. Three days ago, however, several beams of light emerged from the temples around the world, signaling that the new Avatar had awakened. That was when The Rebellion was formed and sprung into action. While their numbers were scarce, they gathered who they could and sent them to the Earth Kingdom. Now, it is a race between the Rebellion and the Earth Kingdom to find the Avatar. Will the Rebellion find the Avatar in time, or will the Earth Kingdom gain the upper hand?
Spanning most of a continent as well as several subsidiary islands, the Earth Kingdom is the largest and most populated sovereignty in the world and encompasses much of the eastern hemisphere. The kingdom operates as a monarchy under the rule of a single Earth Monarch. It is home to most earthbenders and the people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong; they once adhered to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world before King Wei's reign changed that to a philosophy of spreading their greatness to the rest of the world. Due to their manipulation of earth, earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of many Earth Kingdom citizens. In general, Earth Kingdom culture is concerned with maintaining face: a person's good reputation and standing in the eyes of others. Respect for the family and one's ancestors is also a very common aspect of Earth Kingdom culture.
Earth Kingdom architecture varies by province. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, green. The majority of the buildings are made of stone, wood, and plaster; these may be used in conjunction with one another or separately, depending on the available resources. Most buildings have sloping roofs covered with dark gray or green tiles; yellow tiles denote wealth and are used by aristocrats in Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom insignia is often put on important buildings and fortresses as a symbol of the government. Roads vary considerably – in the country, they are usually made of well-worn dirt, while cities have well-made flagstone streets. Much of the Earth Kingdom's population traditionally live in small villages, and tiny settlements of ten or so inhabitants dot the landscape; larger towns, such as Chin Village and Jiaoling, are found more infrequently. Despite this ruralization, a significant portion of the Earth Kingdom's citizens actually live in its largest cities such as Omashu, Taku, Gaoling, and Ba Sing Se.
Even though many parts of the Earth Kingdom have been traditionally mistrustful of outsiders, the Earth Kingdom has a long history of migration. Many live mobile lives as nomads and outlaws, while mass migration of those seeking work or fleeing poverty and unrest has been a common occurrence. In addition, the Earth Kingdom has traditionally harbored populations of Fire Nation and Water Tribe descent. Such foreign migrants usually arrived as traders, workers, and colonists; until last year, they integrated peacefully into the native society. A majority of their villages have been ransacked and conquered as the years have passed, and many benders that lived in them disappeared. Families have trouble contacting their home lands and many are fearful for the fate of their loved ones. Nowadays, there is a fierce prejudice against any benders that aren't earthbenders, and Earth Kingdom soldiers are all too happy to arrest any benders they come across, leading many to go into hiding.
The Earth Kingdom's change in its view of the world has resulted in an unbalanced world. They recognize that despite being a smaller nation, the Fire Nation's military is not to be trifled with, and thus targeted them first in their war of conquest. It started off by slowly lessening how much food was traded while raising prices, and by the time anyone noticed it was far too late. Last year, the Earth Kingdom outright stopped trade and launched their first attack, sending a fleet of soldiers via ships. Recognizing the threat, the Fire Nation called on the other nations to help. The Water Tribes were successfully able to fend off the Earth Kingdom with their superior navy, but as retaliation, the Earth Kingdom has gone out of their way to interfere with any communications between the two sister tribes.
The Fire Nation is an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord and home to most firebenders. Geographically, the nation is located along the planet's equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of several islands simply called the Fire Islands. The Fire Nation is the second-largest nation in terms of area, following the Earth Kingdom, while its economy is the most powerful in the world; its strong industrial sector enabled the Fire Nation to create an extremely powerful military.
The dress code and symbols of the Fire Nation are modeled after fire, naturally. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, red. The majority of the structures are made of stone. They also have red pagoda-style roofs favored by the country. Fire Nation symbols are often put on important or nice buildings for decoration and inside it was common for a picture of the Fire Lord to be kept in a prominent, visible place. The Fire Nation's worldview upholds that only unity, centralism and strict order can ensure stability and prosperity. This does not include restricting freedom and creativity, as these aspects of personal expression are critical to societal development and harmony; however, children do not gain this freedom until they have been taught how to improve the Fire Nation with their actions, and the honor it brings them. These ideas are instilled from an early age.
Fire Nation society places a great emphasis on respect and honor, especially toward the nobility and elders; the concept of the famed Agni Kai stems from these beliefs. Should one be honored enough to be in the presence of a member of the Royal Family, that person needs to prostrate themselves in respect or risk being challenged to an Agni Kai to avenge the disrespected Royal's honor. Upon coming into contact with an elder or superior, it is polite to bow down. Unlike in other parts of the world, this bow consists in placing a hand in a straight fashion with the other being fisted placed underneath it vertically. This represents the superior standing with one below him, bowing. Also when receiving an order in the Fire Nation by a superior it is common to not bow, but make the hand symbol. Bowing is required upon greeting to one, when something nice has happened, after business, and leaving.
The Fire Nation's response to the Earth Kingdom's attacks have been righteous fury; they remain grateful to the Water Tribes for defending them last year and have maintained strong ties to them. However, the same cannot be said for the Air Nomads; while the latter has made a valiant effort into keeping the Fire Nation fed, they refused the Fire Nation's petition for additional soldiers. This has greatly soured the relationship between the two nations as the Air Nomads' peaceful protests have accomplished little while the people of the Fire Nation continue to suffer in light of constantly needing to defend themselves while the Earth Kingdom has cut them off from the many Fire Nation citizens who lived in the Earth Kingdom.
Air Nomads is the collective term for the monastic order of men and women who practice the discipline of airbending and the pacifistic ethics of their theocratic society. They are wanderers by definition, but have four air temples, one located at each corner of the globe, found atop mountain ranges and under cliffs, in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands, all of which are hard for outsiders to reach. Unlike the other nations, those born to the Air Nomads are, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. They are a peaceful race who live in large temples and travel the world on flying bison. They are the most spiritual of all the cultures and lived in harmony with nature. Their culture values both altruism and detachment from wealth and worldly affairs, and their relationship with the other nations varies. They are also fun-loving and have a strong sense of humor.
The Air Nomads have the smallest population of the four nations in the world. They have a small economy, based entirely on limited agriculture, and the smallest population of all the nations. Due to the peaceful teachings of their leaders, the nature of the people is calm and tranquil, famously known as peaceful, egalitarian people who embrace a life of simplicity and environmental preservation. They traditionally live according to montastic customs, and the Northern and Southern Air Temples act as homes for Air Monks, while the Eastern and Western Air Temples act as homes for Air Nuns. However, this gender separation is not universally enforced and it is common for many to intermingle. All airbenders grow up to become monks and nuns unless they chose to leave the Air Nomad life behind or are exiled. When monks and nuns stop at villages across the world along their journeys from temple to temple, most peasants gladly provide them hospitality in exchange for help with chores, news, and entertaining stories from other parts of the world, or a promise to relay messages to distant relatives. Air Nomads are raised communally, and often have a main guardian who they are not related to, though they are aware of their blood relatives and often have close relationships with them. Masters of airbending are one of the most visually distinct as they are tattooed with blue arrows.
The Air Nomads have taken no strong stance against the Earth Kingdom's actions, resulting in a tense relationship between them and the Fire Nation in particular. While they have provided as much food and resources as they are able, it is unfortunately not enough. As the only nation without a formal military, they cannot offer soldiers, though fighting goes against their ways; an oath of nonaggression is often declared whenever a new airbender reaches the age of adulthood, swearing to adopt to the pacifistic ways and having direct combat be used solely as a last resort. This has been ill received by both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes; the former is in disbelief that the Air Nomads would rather protest peacefully than take action, while the Water Tribes have repeatedly urged the Air Nomads to join them. Alas, their pleas have been ignored, though rumor has it that many monks and nuns are starting to doubt their inaction.
The people of the Water Tribe are generally peaceful, and strive to live in harmony with nature and the other nations of the world. Living in the harsh conditions of the poles and the swamp has made the people of the Water Tribes resilient to hardship and respectful of the world around them. There are two primary divisions of the Water Tribe, the Northern Tribe and the Southern Tribe, though both are at least de jure governed by the Northern chief. The Water Tribe is less powerful than both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, due to its geographical location and the small size of its population and economy. The economy is dependent on the ocean, given the country's location and lack of arable land, apparent manufacturing capacity or minable resources.
The appearance of the Water Tribe is based on its corresponding element, water. Each of the nations has its own elemental color, which in the case of the Water Tribes is blue. The Foggy Swamp Tribe is an exception, as they tend to wear green due to their affinity with plants. The Water Tribe is divided into three distinct groups, primarily based on their geography and affinity for waterbending. The Southern Tribe occupies the South Pole, the Northern Tribe occupies the North Pole, and the Foggy Swamp Tribe occupies a swamp in the Earth Kingdom. Family is hugely important to Water Tribe culture. All members of the Tribe recognized each other as kin to an extent, and it was traditional to name a child after a family member. The Northern and Southern Tribes have a positive relation to one another and it is not uncommon for families to travel to and fro, even if the journey is a long one. Generosity is also highly valued among the people of the Water Tribe, to the extent that the generosity of their traders was considered legendary in the other nations.
When the Fire Nation pleaded for help against the Earth Kingdom, they immediately sent forth their waterbenders and ships, successfully pushing away the Earth Kingdom navy. While the two tribes wish to join the defense of the Fire Nation in a more united fashion, continued interference with their communications has resulted in sabotaged operations. That said, both need no cooperation to rise to defend their shared neighbor. They have asked the Air Nomads to act as messengers, but even these take precious time and require a willing Nomad, something that is, tragically, rare these days. The Water Tribe thus has put all their energy into keeping the Earth Kingdom at bay by sea, resulting in many waterbenders constantly fighting in war.
Fire Lord Zhun Li is the current leader of the Fire Nation. He governs alongside the Fire Sages and noble clans. A man of few words, his rule has been challenged by the Earth Kingdom’s actions. While the famine has done much damage, he has ensured that the Fire Nation endures. He has taken great offense to the Earth Kingdom attacking but is grateful for what it has revealed when it came to the relationships between the nations. Finding an unlikely ally in the Water Tribe was a pleasant surprise while the Air Nomads have disappointed him. He is said to have great respect for both Chief Dentak and Kato.
Chief Dentak is the current leader of the Water Tribe, housed currently in the Northern Water Tribe. A boastful and courageous man, he is ignorant to most politics and often leaves politics to his council. While most feel he could do with a little more diplomacy, he has made it clear that actions, not words, are what solve problems. His earnest ways have easily won over his countrymen and it is why they follow his orders without question.
The Southern Water Tribe is currently being led by Kato after communications with their sister tribe have been sabotaged. Kato is much more cautious than Dentak but is just as brave, ensuring that the Water Tribe performs their duties of keeping the Earth Kingdom from taking to the seas. He is a passive man for the most part, but still acts when necessary. He is largely motivated by his wife, Kaea, who assists him in most things. Many state it is Kaea who really runs things but leaves the bigger decisions to her husband so as not to upset their sister tribe.
The Air Nomads have the Council of Elders to lead them. Each air temple has its own council of head abbots, head monks, or head nuns as the political and religious authority. The councils of each temple are composed in accordance with the primary gender residing in each respective temple. It is Head Sister Sangye of the Western Air Temple that has been sending as much food as possible to the Fire Nation, though her pleas for additional help from the other temples were met with silence. As a result, the Council has had many conflicting opinions; some say that Sangye should not have acted without consulting the other temples while others point out that the Air Nomads don’t have much to offer in the first place.
This roleplay is firmly in AU territory. The Hundred Year War was successfully mitigated by Avatar Roku and an era of peace followed through Avatar Aang's time. His successor, Avatar Korra, passed twenty years ago, but her successor has yet to be located. In the meantime, the Earth Kingdom has been left unchecked, upsetting the balance between nations. While some things have stayed the same, others have changed. We're looking for active, driven players to make a small ragtag bunch of misfits--or if you're interested in other roles, there's no harm in asking! Players have the option to play whatever bender (or non-bender!) they please. If there are any questions or interest, feel free to ask :)
My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days--a time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But all that changed when the Earth Kingdom attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop the ruthless earthbenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.
Eighteen years have passed, and each nation has had trouble within its borders. The Earth Kingdom has taken advantage of the turmoil and continues its conquest. Among the chaos, the spirits still residing in our world have turned to attack people, and the entire world is now unbalanced. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn and that the cycle is broken. Others believe that the Avatar has gone into hiding due to being born in the Earth Kingdom that's hunting them down.
But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world. We just have to find them first.
The coup that placed King Wei as the Earth Monarch bode ill for the world at large. While many were concerned, few would speak out as the previous King Xiong was an ineffective leader who was more interested in riches than helping his people. But it was out of the pole caps and into the volcano as King Wei proved to be a threat not just to the Earth Kingdom, but to the rest of the world. It began with high taxes and an unfound arrogance against those who were not native to the Earth Kingdom, and over the years said arrogance turned to tyranny. What was once a continent of peace and harmony turned into war and strife as people were forced out of their homes. Benders who refused allegiance were arrested and vanished from the public eye, with rumors surrounded forced manual labor circling heavily.
In an attempt to subdue any that would challenge them, the Earth Kingdom cut food trades with the other nations. As a result, a famine has spread throughout the Fire Nation, and while the Air Nomads have tried to compensate, it is not enough. With the Fire Nation weakened, the Earth kingdom made their first attempt to conquer. Their only saving grace was the interference of the Water Tribes, who sent their own people forward to stop the Earth Kingdom ships from ever touching Fire Nation soil. Even so, things cannot remain this way as the citizens are starving to death, long separated from those that once resided in the Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribes struggle to communicate with one another as the Earth Kingdom has interfered with any attempts at every turn, and the Air Nomads have chosen to protest peacefully, much to the ire of the other nations.
Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could hope to defeat King Wei. With the hopes of all nations on his shoulders, Avatar Korra sought to negotiate with the King. The latter refused, and according to rumors, a fight broke out between the two before the Avatar was forced out of the palace. Before the Avatar could take proper judgment, however, she passed. After twenty years, however, a new Avatar has yet to emerge. What is known is that the Avatar was born in the Earth Kingdom, but many feared they had already fallen into the Earth Kingdom's hands. As the years passed and no new Avatar emerged, the masses began to lose hope. Three days ago, however, several beams of light emerged from the temples around the world, signaling that the new Avatar had awakened. That was when The Rebellion was formed and sprung into action. While their numbers were scarce, they gathered who they could and sent them to the Earth Kingdom. Now, it is a race between the Rebellion and the Earth Kingdom to find the Avatar. Will the Rebellion find the Avatar in time, or will the Earth Kingdom gain the upper hand?
Spanning most of a continent as well as several subsidiary islands, the Earth Kingdom is the largest and most populated sovereignty in the world and encompasses much of the eastern hemisphere. The kingdom operates as a monarchy under the rule of a single Earth Monarch. It is home to most earthbenders and the people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong; they once adhered to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world before King Wei's reign changed that to a philosophy of spreading their greatness to the rest of the world. Due to their manipulation of earth, earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of many Earth Kingdom citizens. In general, Earth Kingdom culture is concerned with maintaining face: a person's good reputation and standing in the eyes of others. Respect for the family and one's ancestors is also a very common aspect of Earth Kingdom culture.
Earth Kingdom architecture varies by province. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, green. The majority of the buildings are made of stone, wood, and plaster; these may be used in conjunction with one another or separately, depending on the available resources. Most buildings have sloping roofs covered with dark gray or green tiles; yellow tiles denote wealth and are used by aristocrats in Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom insignia is often put on important buildings and fortresses as a symbol of the government. Roads vary considerably – in the country, they are usually made of well-worn dirt, while cities have well-made flagstone streets. Much of the Earth Kingdom's population traditionally live in small villages, and tiny settlements of ten or so inhabitants dot the landscape; larger towns, such as Chin Village and Jiaoling, are found more infrequently. Despite this ruralization, a significant portion of the Earth Kingdom's citizens actually live in its largest cities such as Omashu, Taku, Gaoling, and Ba Sing Se.
Even though many parts of the Earth Kingdom have been traditionally mistrustful of outsiders, the Earth Kingdom has a long history of migration. Many live mobile lives as nomads and outlaws, while mass migration of those seeking work or fleeing poverty and unrest has been a common occurrence. In addition, the Earth Kingdom has traditionally harbored populations of Fire Nation and Water Tribe descent. Such foreign migrants usually arrived as traders, workers, and colonists; until last year, they integrated peacefully into the native society. A majority of their villages have been ransacked and conquered as the years have passed, and many benders that lived in them disappeared. Families have trouble contacting their home lands and many are fearful for the fate of their loved ones. Nowadays, there is a fierce prejudice against any benders that aren't earthbenders, and Earth Kingdom soldiers are all too happy to arrest any benders they come across, leading many to go into hiding.
The Earth Kingdom's change in its view of the world has resulted in an unbalanced world. They recognize that despite being a smaller nation, the Fire Nation's military is not to be trifled with, and thus targeted them first in their war of conquest. It started off by slowly lessening how much food was traded while raising prices, and by the time anyone noticed it was far too late. Last year, the Earth Kingdom outright stopped trade and launched their first attack, sending a fleet of soldiers via ships. Recognizing the threat, the Fire Nation called on the other nations to help. The Water Tribes were successfully able to fend off the Earth Kingdom with their superior navy, but as retaliation, the Earth Kingdom has gone out of their way to interfere with any communications between the two sister tribes.
The Fire Nation is an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord and home to most firebenders. Geographically, the nation is located along the planet's equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of several islands simply called the Fire Islands. The Fire Nation is the second-largest nation in terms of area, following the Earth Kingdom, while its economy is the most powerful in the world; its strong industrial sector enabled the Fire Nation to create an extremely powerful military.
The dress code and symbols of the Fire Nation are modeled after fire, naturally. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, red. The majority of the structures are made of stone. They also have red pagoda-style roofs favored by the country. Fire Nation symbols are often put on important or nice buildings for decoration and inside it was common for a picture of the Fire Lord to be kept in a prominent, visible place. The Fire Nation's worldview upholds that only unity, centralism and strict order can ensure stability and prosperity. This does not include restricting freedom and creativity, as these aspects of personal expression are critical to societal development and harmony; however, children do not gain this freedom until they have been taught how to improve the Fire Nation with their actions, and the honor it brings them. These ideas are instilled from an early age.
Fire Nation society places a great emphasis on respect and honor, especially toward the nobility and elders; the concept of the famed Agni Kai stems from these beliefs. Should one be honored enough to be in the presence of a member of the Royal Family, that person needs to prostrate themselves in respect or risk being challenged to an Agni Kai to avenge the disrespected Royal's honor. Upon coming into contact with an elder or superior, it is polite to bow down. Unlike in other parts of the world, this bow consists in placing a hand in a straight fashion with the other being fisted placed underneath it vertically. This represents the superior standing with one below him, bowing. Also when receiving an order in the Fire Nation by a superior it is common to not bow, but make the hand symbol. Bowing is required upon greeting to one, when something nice has happened, after business, and leaving.
The Fire Nation's response to the Earth Kingdom's attacks have been righteous fury; they remain grateful to the Water Tribes for defending them last year and have maintained strong ties to them. However, the same cannot be said for the Air Nomads; while the latter has made a valiant effort into keeping the Fire Nation fed, they refused the Fire Nation's petition for additional soldiers. This has greatly soured the relationship between the two nations as the Air Nomads' peaceful protests have accomplished little while the people of the Fire Nation continue to suffer in light of constantly needing to defend themselves while the Earth Kingdom has cut them off from the many Fire Nation citizens who lived in the Earth Kingdom.
Air Nomads is the collective term for the monastic order of men and women who practice the discipline of airbending and the pacifistic ethics of their theocratic society. They are wanderers by definition, but have four air temples, one located at each corner of the globe, found atop mountain ranges and under cliffs, in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands, all of which are hard for outsiders to reach. Unlike the other nations, those born to the Air Nomads are, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. They are a peaceful race who live in large temples and travel the world on flying bison. They are the most spiritual of all the cultures and lived in harmony with nature. Their culture values both altruism and detachment from wealth and worldly affairs, and their relationship with the other nations varies. They are also fun-loving and have a strong sense of humor.
The Air Nomads have the smallest population of the four nations in the world. They have a small economy, based entirely on limited agriculture, and the smallest population of all the nations. Due to the peaceful teachings of their leaders, the nature of the people is calm and tranquil, famously known as peaceful, egalitarian people who embrace a life of simplicity and environmental preservation. They traditionally live according to montastic customs, and the Northern and Southern Air Temples act as homes for Air Monks, while the Eastern and Western Air Temples act as homes for Air Nuns. However, this gender separation is not universally enforced and it is common for many to intermingle. All airbenders grow up to become monks and nuns unless they chose to leave the Air Nomad life behind or are exiled. When monks and nuns stop at villages across the world along their journeys from temple to temple, most peasants gladly provide them hospitality in exchange for help with chores, news, and entertaining stories from other parts of the world, or a promise to relay messages to distant relatives. Air Nomads are raised communally, and often have a main guardian who they are not related to, though they are aware of their blood relatives and often have close relationships with them. Masters of airbending are one of the most visually distinct as they are tattooed with blue arrows.
The Air Nomads have taken no strong stance against the Earth Kingdom's actions, resulting in a tense relationship between them and the Fire Nation in particular. While they have provided as much food and resources as they are able, it is unfortunately not enough. As the only nation without a formal military, they cannot offer soldiers, though fighting goes against their ways; an oath of nonaggression is often declared whenever a new airbender reaches the age of adulthood, swearing to adopt to the pacifistic ways and having direct combat be used solely as a last resort. This has been ill received by both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes; the former is in disbelief that the Air Nomads would rather protest peacefully than take action, while the Water Tribes have repeatedly urged the Air Nomads to join them. Alas, their pleas have been ignored, though rumor has it that many monks and nuns are starting to doubt their inaction.
The people of the Water Tribe are generally peaceful, and strive to live in harmony with nature and the other nations of the world. Living in the harsh conditions of the poles and the swamp has made the people of the Water Tribes resilient to hardship and respectful of the world around them. There are two primary divisions of the Water Tribe, the Northern Tribe and the Southern Tribe, though both are at least de jure governed by the Northern chief. The Water Tribe is less powerful than both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, due to its geographical location and the small size of its population and economy. The economy is dependent on the ocean, given the country's location and lack of arable land, apparent manufacturing capacity or minable resources.
The appearance of the Water Tribe is based on its corresponding element, water. Each of the nations has its own elemental color, which in the case of the Water Tribes is blue. The Foggy Swamp Tribe is an exception, as they tend to wear green due to their affinity with plants. The Water Tribe is divided into three distinct groups, primarily based on their geography and affinity for waterbending. The Southern Tribe occupies the South Pole, the Northern Tribe occupies the North Pole, and the Foggy Swamp Tribe occupies a swamp in the Earth Kingdom. Family is hugely important to Water Tribe culture. All members of the Tribe recognized each other as kin to an extent, and it was traditional to name a child after a family member. The Northern and Southern Tribes have a positive relation to one another and it is not uncommon for families to travel to and fro, even if the journey is a long one. Generosity is also highly valued among the people of the Water Tribe, to the extent that the generosity of their traders was considered legendary in the other nations.
When the Fire Nation pleaded for help against the Earth Kingdom, they immediately sent forth their waterbenders and ships, successfully pushing away the Earth Kingdom navy. While the two tribes wish to join the defense of the Fire Nation in a more united fashion, continued interference with their communications has resulted in sabotaged operations. That said, both need no cooperation to rise to defend their shared neighbor. They have asked the Air Nomads to act as messengers, but even these take precious time and require a willing Nomad, something that is, tragically, rare these days. The Water Tribe thus has put all their energy into keeping the Earth Kingdom at bay by sea, resulting in many waterbenders constantly fighting in war.
Fire Lord Zhun Li is the current leader of the Fire Nation. He governs alongside the Fire Sages and noble clans. A man of few words, his rule has been challenged by the Earth Kingdom’s actions. While the famine has done much damage, he has ensured that the Fire Nation endures. He has taken great offense to the Earth Kingdom attacking but is grateful for what it has revealed when it came to the relationships between the nations. Finding an unlikely ally in the Water Tribe was a pleasant surprise while the Air Nomads have disappointed him. He is said to have great respect for both Chief Dentak and Kato.
Chief Dentak is the current leader of the Water Tribe, housed currently in the Northern Water Tribe. A boastful and courageous man, he is ignorant to most politics and often leaves politics to his council. While most feel he could do with a little more diplomacy, he has made it clear that actions, not words, are what solve problems. His earnest ways have easily won over his countrymen and it is why they follow his orders without question.
The Southern Water Tribe is currently being led by Kato after communications with their sister tribe have been sabotaged. Kato is much more cautious than Dentak but is just as brave, ensuring that the Water Tribe performs their duties of keeping the Earth Kingdom from taking to the seas. He is a passive man for the most part, but still acts when necessary. He is largely motivated by his wife, Kaea, who assists him in most things. Many state it is Kaea who really runs things but leaves the bigger decisions to her husband so as not to upset their sister tribe.
The Air Nomads have the Council of Elders to lead them. Each air temple has its own council of head abbots, head monks, or head nuns as the political and religious authority. The councils of each temple are composed in accordance with the primary gender residing in each respective temple. It is Head Sister Sangye of the Western Air Temple that has been sending as much food as possible to the Fire Nation, though her pleas for additional help from the other temples were met with silence. As a result, the Council has had many conflicting opinions; some say that Sangye should not have acted without consulting the other temples while others point out that the Air Nomads don’t have much to offer in the first place.
This roleplay is firmly in AU territory. The Hundred Year War was successfully mitigated by Avatar Roku and an era of peace followed through Avatar Aang's time. His successor, Avatar Korra, passed twenty years ago, but her successor has yet to be located. In the meantime, the Earth Kingdom has been left unchecked, upsetting the balance between nations. While some things have stayed the same, others have changed. We're looking for active, driven players to make a ragtag bunch of misfits--or if you're interested in other roles, there's no harm in asking! Players have the option to play whatever bender (or non-bender!) they please. If there are any questions, feel free to ask :)
Good, no protests--or at least nothing important enough to warrant protesting out loud. Sara's zeal was admirable, and he credited her to the rest following along. Or at least, it was refreshing to hear some positivity out of all this, and Holly and Daniela seemed to follow the Templar's lead. He wouldn't comment on the misjudgment part, if only because making some goodwill was better than getting offended. That and at minimum it was earned; his reputation was shit and it was stupid to pretend otherwise. Weber's comment was what he had hoped would be true, but even then, at least Prince Aaron was a teen. He doubted a six-year-old could accomplish much on her own. And as much as he wanted to ignore Renault, he wasn't completely wrong.
In regards to Renault, however, he needed to be corrected. "And dedicating ourselves anew is what we will do. But scattering is exactly what we're going to do next," He stated first and foremost as he stood straight. He still felt weak, but he wasn't going to keel over yet. Though he hoped he was lucky enough that if he did collapse, he'd bash his head hard enough to knock himself out. He approached the windows and tapped the jambs, watching as the windows closed themselves and swiftly painted the panes a much darker color. The lights dimmed a touch as the windows formed a single panel, which then lit up into the image of a map of Gaia.
"Going to war with Kaudus is off the table for now, but we need to know more about the enemy. Investigating the Cult is going to be our primary objective," He stated as he walked over to where Doumerc was, tapping the city of Racine. "I have it on good authority that Dr. Rhaveus is at l'École d'Enchantement de la Lune--this is important because he was tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding Theodore's disappearance. This, of course, isn't public knowledge, but my gut says he's figured out something big."
He took a few steps backwards and tapped the border between the Lorenzia Republic and Veradis. "I also have it on good authority that the Church is going to ask a few of us to take care of a nest of monsters near Riva del Garda. Templar Everett petitioned the Church for additional assistance and despite the High Cardinal's grumbling, it's getting to be too much for just them to handle. It'll also restore some goodwill among the populace to take care of this--more importantly, we want the Church believing we're falling in line with them, so it's a win-win," He explained. "If I remember right, the monster nests around there are typically harpy ones--airborne monsters. You'd think guns would be enough, but they must be overwhelmed due to sheer numbers. That, or there's more to it that we don't know yet."
Lucas then tapped a location on the border of Estora and Doumerc, his expression souring a touch. "I can't be in two places at once and I'm prioritizing visiting Dr. Rhaevus in person since I have a reason to go to the academy. That said, I did get a request I can't ignore that I'm hoping some of you will go in my place," He tapped the map. "Croia's governor has mentioned that there has been signs of some spirits acting up. They're harmless, but seeing a Scion of the Goddess is enough to get them to listen and go away. I haven't heard other details, but it can't be ignored, either, otherwise people are going to question why I'm in Doumerc instead of going there."
The prince turned to the rest of the room, raising an eyebrow. "We'll take care of these problems in groups--this way if there is any unwarranted action, we won't be caught off guard. The public appearance will also work twofold as we'll show that we aren't hiding in fear and that we're making a united stand. Or something like that, anyway," He shrugged, crossing his arms.
Sonia had remained silent until then, but she didn't seem to happy. She did, however, wait until Lucas was speaking to ask, "Any particular reason we aren't involving the Church in all this? Isn't it foolish not to use every resource we have available?"
"I'm willing to bet High Cardinal Margaret won't be pleased with us looking into the Cult," Lucas stated, noting her dissatisfaction but giving the room at large his attention. "Now, then, who's going where? No need to be shy, raise your hands like good boys and girls and speak up so we can hear you."
Rosemary pushed her plate away, satisfied, her eyes wandering over to the tuning fork sticking out of Lucas' jacket. As she reached for it, however, Lucas pressed his phone into her hands instead. The distraction was a success as her eyes widened, her tiny hands latching onto it immediately and paying no attention as Lucas stood, gently placing her down in his seat. He promised Henry he would try, and while it was easy to half-ass it and call it a day, Lucas knew he wouldn't be able to face his former mentor if he didn't give it his full effort. Even if the group in front of him gave him zero inspiration or any hope, he'd drag them all along if he had to.
He walked behind the chair and rested his free hand on it, waiting until he had everyone's attention. The various curiosity and disinterest from some did nothing to add to his confidence, but he wouldn't leave them wondering for any longer. "Before I begin, I'll make it clear that whatever is discussed today stays between the people in this room. Should I find that this information has somehow gotten out to anyone else, I'll know who it was, and that'll be the end of your time as Scion or Templar. I'll make sure of it," He decided to get that much out of the way as he pulled out the tuning fork, facing the group at large. "This was too important to be entrusted to any communication that wasn't in-person. And while my visions have been less than helpful, Scion Anani has ensured that I'm not left completely blind in this trying time."
He looked down at the instrument in his hand, taking in a deep breath. Despite his nerves clawing at him, he was determined to make it work. "With all of you here as witnesses, I will dive into the sin of Invoking a prophecy--to willingly call on a vision instead of waiting for Incepta to grant me one," He announced, knowing full well that few would understand the implication but it needed to be said. "Instead of looking to the future, however, we look back to the Prophecy of Anani."
No doubt there would be questions, but they would have to wait. Lucas squeezed his eyes shut before his nerves got the best of him, tightening his grip and banging the fork against the chair in front of him. A single A note rang, mana rippling through the air as it glowed, golden mana streaking around the room. The holy sigil appeared on his forehead once again, but the difference between this and any other vision was that when Lucas opened his eyes, what were once green were now a golden hue as he recited:
She of gold is Incepta Her teachings illuminate the righteous way Her temple guides humanity to prosperity
Her blood thrives through her chosen ones They shall be called Scions and revered They will be living proof of Her power
This power will flow through their veins Once they pass their power will return to Gaia The inheritor shall find themselves with Her symbol
For one thousand years will Her Scions shape Gaia With their might they will bring countries to their knees But beware: Power will always corrupt those that lust for it
This much was recognizable to anyone who had opened a book in the church as it was known to the public as the Primordial Prophecy, which was the very first prophecy that Scion Anani had received from the Goddess. Its words were recorded a thousand years ago and it was the very same prophecy that brought her under Incepta’s light when she had doubted the goddess. It was famous, it was well known, and to everyone present, this was all there was to it. However, they would find that Lucas had more to say:
Nine hundred ninety four years will pass The Light of Incepta will rise on Gaian soil Her birth will be accompanied by tears of a night sky
Born of William’s lineage with eyes of golden earth Her heart will charm all who meet her She will lead a fruitful life blessed with love
When Gaia cries for help she will come forth She shall wield her Blessing as a blade of might Her enemies will fall to their knees
She will guide her people to prosperity Gaia will recognize her as their savior And prosperity will follow anew
At this, Sonia outright stood up, shocked. She didn't get the chance to say anything just yet, however.
On golden shores Incepta waits Her light shines through her love for her children Her shadow is red of blood
An unknown daughter of darkness desires the fall On the night of the red moon it begins The mana of Gaia twists
Under the Estoran star will Incepta’s chosen connect United Her blessing grows ever stronger Together they drive the shadow away from Her golden shores
Beware Termina Beware the red of blood
The golden mana fully dissipated, disappearing without a trace. The holy sigil similarly dimmed from Lucas' forehead and he closed his eyes, leaning heavily onto the chair. After a few seconds, however, he dropped down to one knee, clutching his chest as he gasped for air. The tuning fork also fell to the ground without making a single sound, his free hand clumsily grabbing it and stuffing it in his jacket. It had taken more out of him than he had expected. Still, he refused to stay down for long, pulling himself up and standing, even if he looked like a stiff breeze would knock him out.
"Right now, we're aimless," His voice was sharp despite looking like he was about to pass out at any moment. "While each one of us has differing opinions on what our next step should be, it's crucial to be fully informed first. And though it is ultimately up to the individual on their next course of action, we need to make a unified stand. It doesn't have to be text chains and friendship bracelets, but at least if we give off that impression, the enemy will think twice before their next attack."
He glanced over at Sonia for a moment before he continued. "And...the Light of Incepta is..." He paused, glancing down at Rosemary, who was fully engrossed in reading a book on his phone and gave no attention to the conversation at hand, letting out a giggle. The confirmation was enough to drop Sonia down to her seat, the woman in complete disbelief. Lucas understood her shock, at least. "I--We have to do this. For her."
Belle matched Sonia's disbelief. "But she's just a child," She couldn't help but remark.
Now that that much was out there, Lucas supposed he may as well tell it all. "Yeah...the enemy pressed 'fast-forward' on Incepta's timeline. Ro--The Light is supposed to challenge Termina in around ten years. But for whatever reason, the enemy is moving now. Any other questions?" He looked around the room.
A unified front from the Time Duo gave Lucas a little more confidence. Everyone had their own opinion and it was interesting to see the divide. Lucas wouldn't necessarily call anyone wrong--if he had proper proof that it was Kaudus that murdered Theodore, for example, he would've likely lead the charge himself--but the differing perspectives reminded him that the group was a lot more varied than he considered. There was some bias in this; the mind of royals was a stark contrast from those of humbler beginnings and it wasn't strange to see their priorities in different places. Except he wasn't sure what Daniela was trying to say. She was probably trying to relate to her blacksmith job or something.
But wow. Here Lucas thought Belle was the dumbest Scion, but apparently Justice decided to wrench the crown from her head and parade it around. It genuinely astonished him; never mind the fact that despite him initially ignoring Belle's words it was good to see where people stood, but to call this political theater was comical. Who, exactly, were they performing for? As far as he remembered, everyone chose to enter the conversation and it wasn't why he called everyone here. Not that he minded as, again, it was good to see where everyone's thoughts were. A few opinions surprised him and some decent points were shared. He was also relieved that most seemed to seek reason, even if he did feel Belle had a point.
Lucas rolled his eyes at Justice. "You're right, I should've researched you sooner; at least that way I would've known you were a complete moron and not waste my time in any future conversations," Lucas sighed. "Incepta forbid I decide to let a conversation play out to see the opinions of my fellow Scions. I should've researched and made educated guesses to what their opinions should have been instead of hearing it directly from them. Never mind the fact that if I asked you what my five policies were or which duchies I ruled, you'd be clueless. Just stop talking, you're robbing the flowers of valuable oxygen wasted on you."
That said, he didn't miss Reynold's little slip of the tongue, his own eyes narrowing at the other man. This is why Lucas never bothered being nice. He was well aware of the man's crime and knew that he'd get an icy welcome, at best, and foolishly thought if he gave him a proper introduction, it'd smooth things over a bit. He felt doing the polite thing would help and would give him a good idea on what to look for, and as always, he was proven that he should have stayed an asshole. Maybe Henry was onto something when he called him an idiot.
Once Sara placed the plate down in front of him, Rosemary perked up, thanking Sara as she walked away. Lucas was about to ask if she was hungry for actual food but was interrupted by Belle slamming her hand down so hard everything there shook in place. Rosemary shrunk back onto Lucas in fright, the man glaring at the princess in turn, but now she was the one paying no mind to him. If looks could kill, Belle's ire would have killed Edmund where he stood. "Need I remind you who it is you're speaking with?" She asked him darkly. "I've taken tongues for lesser insults and I'll have yours if you do not show the proper respect. You know not of what power truly is if that is your narrow definition."
The prince held back a sigh and held Rosemary with one hand while the other adjusted a fork and knife for the kid. Sonia scratched the back of her head, clearly wanting to be anywhere but here. "Let's not forget that royal titles go over Scion ones. Like Dame Sara said, we're all on the same side here," She said at the room at large, though she definitely gave Renault a look before she continued. "An immediate solution would work best, but we're currently wandering around in the dark, aimless. They have more information on us than we on them and it'll take some time to gain a leg."
Lucas took two and a half cookies from Rosemary and adjusted her so she was close enough to eat, the girl devouring the slice she was served. Did Sonia not feed her or something? "Chew slower or you'll choke," He told her, pulling a cup of water closer in anticipation. She giggled at him, but carried on slower, keeping her manners about her despite still sitting on his lap instead of a chair.
"I've already sent out my own network to gather intel based on what Dame Irina's report detailed. I expect results sooner than later," Belle stated, straightening up. "Do you truly believe it best to sit around twiddling our thumbs until they decide to attack again? Because to the eyes of all, it is we who have been deemed cowards for returning to our estates and quivering in fear, reducing our public appearances and jumping at unfamiliarity. As the Goddess' chosen, is not our duty to act on her behalf to those wicked enough to dare attack her children?"
Rosemary finished chewing and dabbed at her lips with a cloth before looking at Hollyhock with wide eyes. "This is delicious!" She declared, ignorant to the conversation and snatched the glass of water Lucas got her.
Belle looked less than pleased to find opposition to her words. It was clear she had expected more support; she had nodded fervently along with Maya's words, but she was immensely disappointed with the general response to their argument. She didn't miss how nonchalant Lucas had been about the majority being in his favor for once.
She straightened up at Renault's introduction, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "A pleasure to see you again, Your Holiness. I believe I didn't have the pleasure of introducing myself as your ceremony was cut short: I am Princess Isabella Rosaria, Scion of Water and heiress to the Rosarian throne," Her quick response came, but she didn't let it dwell before immediately jumping back to the topic at hand. "Then do you truly believe inaction will get us anywhere? Because our lack of appearances has already spread doubt like wildfire on dry leaves--soon all will think of us as cowards unwilling to defend ourselves, content with cowering behind our knights and protection and unwilling to act. Why wait until they strike again and take another of us out? And even with a new Scion of Lightning, we are still one fewer after the loss of our Scion of Shadow. Surely the enemy must be aware of this!"
Sonia let out a long sigh, a product of her previous neutrality. She rose from her seat as well, giving Renault a bow. "Templar of Light Sonia, Your Holiness," Her mannerisms were much more formal than her tone, but she couldn't hold herself back any more as she took her seat again. "I find myself agreeing with my fellow Templars. The sly eagle doesn't kill at whim."
"The eagle won't have a perch if we roll over and do nothing," She shot back immediately.
Sonia visibly bristled, but it was more because she was finding Belle irritating as opposed to actually getting mad. She took a glance aat the silent Abram who found the sandwiches much more deserving of his attention. She scoffed. "You accuse people of cowardice but you're letting your emotions run you," She stated. "Then what happens? You get yourself into a huff and march right into their trap. I'd bet my good eye that that is exactly what they're counting on."
Meanwhile, Princess Rosemary had all but ignored the conversation at hand, her attention on something much more important: the return of Ionna's cookies. Her ponytail and dress looked comical as they bounced from the mad dash the little girl made to them. She took a second to read the message before her tiny hand grabbed a pair. "Sonia is the best in the world. Sonia has the coolest eye in the world," She stated quietly to no one in particular, already reaching for a third. "Sonia is super strong and punched a hole in the wall once and Daddy wasn't happy but he said it was okay. It was cool so I'm taking two cookies for that one." She swiftly returned to Lucas' side, nudging her way under his arm. Rather than let her struggle, he turned his chair and let her sit on his lap. The girl immediately got comfortable and proceeded to devour the sugar cookies.
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