Sep

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

Xonsu signaled for Tuo Po to sit on the bed while he leaned on the window ledge. A breeze casting the warm desert air against his back. It was actually quite pleasant while stood within the cold halls of the monastery. He sighed as Tuo Po sat herself down uncomfortably, her hands rubbing her heads awkwardly. She wasn’t comfortable with something, he started trying to wrack his mind for any possible news he had heard regarding the goings and comings of the city. The only real issue he could think of was that some of the Sandbender tribes were becoming more restless and that Toz was coming to town. Though as far as he was aware Toz’ arrival wasn’t common knowledge as off yet, it soon would be. Just hopefully he would have time to sit down with the other members of the city council beforehand. Not everyone from the Fire Islands would be happy with Toz coming, some had left their homes because of his rampage.

“You know Tuo Po, whatever it is you can tell me-”

She put her hands at her side and took a deep breath before speaking. “I’m Pregnant.” Xonsu could feel the colour drain away from his face, so she had found another, and this was her way of telling him? He wasn’t entirely sure why she was telling him- “Actually that’s not entirely true. I just got nervous. I was, I’m not anymore. I have a son. He’s four-” Xonsu felt his heart rate start to rise. “-Xonsu. He’s your son.”

Xonsu started to cough uncontrollably. He wasn’t entirely sure why something had been caught in his throat? He’d been surprised? Confused. “How could, I mean I know how, we used to, I mean we did but, how? That was- khm- that was a long time ago. I mean, four years so I guess, but how, we didn’t, did we? I mean, why-” Xonsu’ mind was going a mile a minute, he was pacing. Heart racing, his hand moving over his head. Not only was this a revelation in that he was a father, but everything he had ever worked towards was at risk. While Air Nomads throughout the temples and the world were allowed to procreate and have relations, which is why Xonsu had partaken in the sins of the flesh once upon a time. Being a Monk? That was entirely different, they swore to celibacy and had to swear that they had never kept the company of another before becoming a monk (or a nun). It was expected that all Monks and Nuns were virgins, if not then they may be at the risk of temptation. To lead others on the path too enlightenment meant that they themselves had to detach themselves from all bodily and earthly concerns.

“It was a while ago Xonsu, you were starting on your path to becoming a Monk. I knew how important that was too you, I knew the conditions imposed and that if our relationship had been known you wouldn’t have made it-”

Xonsu just looked at her. “If I had known-”

“You would have given everything up. I know but I wasn’t ready. We had fun Xonsu, but I wasn’t ready to settle down into typical family life. Even now our son spends most of his time at his grandparents, to everyone but them and me he is my younger brother. I know I have no right to drop this on you now-” Tears began welling in her eyes. “-I have no desire to derail your life. I know you have worked so hard to achieve all this, and I’m so very proud of you but I just don’t know what to do anymore.” She rubbed her sleeve against her eyes, drying them. Since she had interrupted Xonsu was weighing on her words, unable to think of anything to say. The weight of everything she was saying was crushing down upon him.

Tuo Po stood up and walked towards him, placing a hand on his cheek and raising his head to face her. Tears ran slowly down his cheeks and she wiped them off. “This was not your burden to bear, and I want you to understand that you don’t need to feel bad. I chose to keep this from you, I just now need your help.” She sighed. “Our sons an Airbender.” Xonsu couldn’t contain his smile.

“An Airbender?”

She returned the smile, some joy returning to her sparkling eyes. “Just like his father. Look, I came to you first as pretty soon people are going to have questions. They know of our connection, if my younger brother starts going around Airbending they’re going to put two and two together, especially with the fact that my mother was never pregnant and I disappeared for several months. I can move if you’d like. We can go back to Ba Sing Se. I have family there, we’d be well looked after and live happy lives, if that’s what you’d want, or we can stay and try and figure this out. The most important thing is that I don’t want to disrupt your life, but Xonsu. Our son he’s-” She chuckled slightly as she shook her head “-he’s just like you. He has the same energy, way of life. You deserved the truth.”

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

Xonsu walked around the halls of Monastery, and the information Sila had given him still rattling around his head. Toz was coming to Si Wong chasing the Avatar, the Avatar hadn’t been seen for over seventy years with nought but rumours ranging from anywhere between the Fire Islands, Southern edges of the Earth Kingdom and the wastes at the south pole. Now Toz was coming here to ‘garner support for his rightful rule’ of the Fire Isles if all rumours were to be believed he actually thought that the Avatar was either hiding out or being hidden within the city. Such an idea was preposterous, if the Avatar was truly in the city he’d know about it, wouldn’t he? After all, he was considered by many as the spiritual expert within the confines of the city. He had faced several spirits and worked to restore the balance, and he was even recognised within some Sandbender Tribes for his usefulness.

Xonsu sighed, his body more or less returning him to his quarters on autopilot. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he lay back into it a sigh escaping his lips venting all his frustration in one deep breath. He heard a knock at the door, sitting up he took a second to close his eyes and breathe. In, and out. His worries were unfounded, he would continue on his mission to bring balance and enlightenment to the world, while many other monks and nuns sought to only bring enlightenment to themselves he differed in that he saw his place to bring balance and enlightenment to others. Walking to the door his heart started pounding in his chest as in the doorway stood Tuo Po. A thin layer of dirt on her skin, barely visible on her tan skin except for those that knew her. Her hair tangled together as it was caked in dirt and sand, while there was the sweetness of her perfume there was also the muskiness of the Earth she caked herself in on a regular basis. Detatched from the world. Falling for an Earthbender, again, was the opposite of his vows.

“Hey, Windwalker.” While Xonsu was in the middle of his respectful bow when her fist collided with his shoulder knocking him back slightly

“Tuo Po-” Xonsu brushed the dirt off his robes. “-I told you not to call me that anymore. I’m a monk now, there’s a certain respect that’s expected of a man of my particular station.” Her warm smile quickly went cold and faded from her face. In the end, this is what had broken their relationship, and in many ways their friendship. Whatever warmth remained always faded whenever their respective duties were addressed. Since splitting from the group Tuo Po had made her own way around the Earth Kingdom until eventually settling in Si Wong City as one of its rangers. A group of militia that didn’t just protect the city, but the many caravans and travellers that made their way through the harsh desert. Despite their proximity to one another, they had not seen each other, except in passing, for many years. Last he had heard she had married and had a child.

“Yeah, how could I forget? Excuse me.” She bowed her head, her bow crooked and hands in the incorrect positions. He didn’t rise to it though, he wouldn’t stoop down to her level.

“So, what can the Monastery do for the Rangers today?” Tuo Po looked past Xonsu to the room and made a move to enter, he raised his hand onto the frame of the door to stop her. “You can’t enter, a woman cannot enter a monks personal quarters and vice versa. It is improper.”

Tuo Po rolled her eyes and groaned, as she slammed her fist against the wall he was sure he felt a slight tremor in the ground. “You’re impossible, look I’m not trying to seduce you. It’s just what I have to say is important, but it’s for you and you alone. I don’t need everyone in Si Wong City knowing about it.” Xonsu just stood unmoving and unflinching. That’s when he noticed the sadness in her eyes, in honesty he should have noticed it sooner. They weren’t bright and piercing as they should be, but there was an emptiness within them, a deep sorrow. “It’s important Xonsu, I don’t know where else to go.”

Xonsu moved his arm, leaning out of the room to make sure nobody was watching. It wouldn’t do good for the Head Monk to be seen allowing a female, and not even an Air Nomad at that, entering his private quarters. Once he was sure it was clear he stepped aside allowing her entry. Ignoring the smell of her as she passed him, he wondered what trouble she was going to get him in this time.

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

Derp

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

@Malchives we've had a couple of drops so we still have some space if you wanna go for it.

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

Monastery // Si Wong City

Leather Sandals scuffing on the cold stone floors, the sound echoing through the corridor of the monastery. Xonsu walked with purpose, his robes flowing and billowing as he moved as fast as possible without breaking into a run. He had to remain dignified, the middle-aged monk bowed his head in respect as he passed acolytes and nomads. He passed a window, the sounds of the city assaulted his senses as did the heat of the desert. There was a strange energy int he air, it had been building for months now. Looking down into the courtyard he saw several of the local children playing on his Skybison Peng. Climbing up and down, the Bison groaned playfully as it blew little tufts of air at them. There was something so innocent about the mind of a child, a far cry from the different world he was responsible for now. As the Lead Monk behind the Monastery in Si Wong he was also the Air Nomad representative on the ruling council that governed the city.

Xonsu reached the end of the hallway where a large Wooden Door stood. Pulling his hands close to his face he took a deep breath in, letting the air fill up his lungs. As he pushed his hands out before him the air bent with it. The air coursed into the door, going through the vents and the tubes. A musical note resonated throughout the hall, the note changing as the air progressed. Parts of the doors spinning to push the air back out towards Xonsu pushing the door open in the process. Walking in, the room was simple. A table in the middle that held a map of the city and the surrounding area.

Sila bowed her head in deference to him as he flashed her a smile. The smile didn’t last long as he saw the look on her face as he handed him a letter. Opening the letter Xonsu made sure to take his time processing every little detail when he finished the letter he handed it back to the nun. Bowing his head slightly in gratitude he weighed his words before speaking. “So what this means is that-”

The nun nodded her head. “Warlord Toz is coming to Si Wong. Apparently he wishes to broker some form of alliance with the city, and the Earth Kingdom.” She looked at the note and cleared her throat, directly quoting the letter. “In order to help bring peace and stability to the FIre Islands under his rightful rule.” She shook his head. “Councillor Metsong believes he’s coming to look for the Avatar.”

Xonsu tried to contain his surprise. “The Avatar? Si Wong city hasn’t seen an Avatar since, well. Si Wong, the last rumor I heard about the Avatar was on the edges of the Earth Kingdom. No matter, there isn’t an Avatar here and there hasn’t been since Si Wong herself.” Xonsu sighed, taking a deep breath to compose himself. “The Air Nomads have long had ties with the Avatar, we should ready the temple for his visit, it will come.”

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

Book 1:

A V A T A R L O S T

In the times after Avatar Si Wong, there was an Avatar who never wanted to be. Once his true power was discovered his parents sold him to a Warlord half a world away, the Warlord eager to have the most powerful bender in the world on his side. One who could master all four elements, one who could summon unfathomable power in times of need. Yet no manner of abuse, no amount of pain or punishment can break the spirit of someone as pure as the Avatar, someone who was destined to do good not solely through one but multiple lifetimes. On the eve of his sixteenth birthday, the spirit of Si Wong appeared as a guide for the Young Avatar Gitso. Having no mastery of the elements, the only way for the Avatar to escape was through unlocking the power of the Avatar state, destroying the compound he was held in and fleeing. While the world as a whole never learned what happened to the Avatar rumors spread of the destruction of one of Warlord Tozs compounds within his lands. A being sold into slavery escaping using unfathomable power, this individual was never heard from again as Avatar Gitso fled towards the south and into the wastes of the South Pole.

There he spent many his days in quiet isolation and meditation. Si Wong preached to him the duties of the Avatar, and how the dark spirit Hēi'àn sought to bring an end to humanity's ability to bend. Though Gitso wouldn't listen, he never asked to be the bridge between the spirit world and the physical world. He never asked to be the one to bring balance between the four elements. All he had wanted were parents that would love and nurture him, and the ability to chose his own destiny. Now as tensions rise again in the world, seventy years after the death of Avatar Si Wong. The question everyone wants the answer too is this: Where is the Avatar?

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

@Dusty Just to double-check, you're not on the Discord, are you? Just making my way through reviews.

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

I'll be around a little more tomorrow, to start the review process Monday and make my decisions Tuesday.

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

I'll put here as-well. I'm going to start the IC with Ten PCs, excluding those by me and @Inkarnate. After those currently under review (everyone before and including Reedes sheet) have been reviewed I'm going to wait until next Monday/Tuesday to review any and all sheets. I'll read them but not comment unless explicitly asked. Feel free to alter/adapt things during this time.

I will eventually open up to more players once we've become established, however, I just don't want utter chaos of twenty + people trying to start all at the same time.

Avatar - The Fall of Si Wong City

@vancexentan for reasons I'll happily discuss via PM I am denying this particular concept.