Introduction
The Fire Nation has brutally attacked and destroyed the Air Nomad home. Fire Lord Sozin is bent on conquering the world, and will not hesitate to do the same thing to any who stand in his way. Avatar Roku - the world's best hope for peace - has vanished. The new Avatar is faced with a decision - will he (or she) run, or stand? Will they attempt to overthrow Sozin? Surely an entire people cannot be so cruel and bloodthirsty - there must be someone who can lead the Fire Nation to peace.
Will they try to convince Sozin to change his evil ways? Perhaps he should be given a chance. Or will the Avatar help him in his cause? Because Lord Sozin will stop at nothing to achieve conquest, and is hunting the Avatar in hopes of exploiting his (or her) power to do so.
Open Roles
Avatar's companions
Earth Kingdom resistance
Bending masters who might teach the Avatar on her journey
Any other bender or non-bender who would fit well in our story
You do not have to take one of the above roles, but those are the ones that need to be filled before we can begin
Reserved
Accepted Characters
Sotaro Yuan - played by Red Soldier
Qin Huang (Firebender) - Played by Roku Mushabuki
Mei Rong (Sozin's primary advisor and military commander) - played by Red Soldier (until someone decides to take over)
Fire Lord Sozin - played by Addrinvan
Jangmu (Avatar) - played by Resurgam
Daichi Madarame (official Earthbender teacher) - played by Alliqua_Dark
Yuzaku Ishida (official Waterbender teacher) - played by Alliqua_Dark
Jin Lee (official Firebender teacher) - played by Gosunkgugi
Zerath Mael (Firebender, Royal Guard) - played by Redred33mer
Character Sheet
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Occupation (or Role):
Bender: (yes/no)/(if yes, which element)
Appearance: (Either a picture or a detailed description. Include any distinguishing marks such as scars, tattoos, birthmarks, etc)
Special Skills:
Personality:
Brief History:
- 27 posts here • Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 7 authors
βThe air intake has been cleared,β he asked.
βYes, sir,β answered the metalworker in Earth greens beside him.
βAnd the track has been entirely replaced,β Sotaro added, more as a statement than question. He could see very well that it had been, but was trying to make a point.
βYes,β said the worker again. He did not sound particularly enthusiastic. He had seen for himself what those tanks could do.
βGood,β answered Sotaro with a small (and not entirely insincere) smile. βI expected nothing less from the forges of Yu Dao.β
With that, the Fire Nation Captain placed a heavy coin purse into the metal workerβs hands.
βIf I find that the metal doesn't hold up to the legendary standards your forefathers are known for, youβll hear about it,β he added, then dismissed the man in his usual military fasion. βDismissed.β
Some habits were hard to break, and Sotaro had already turned his mind to the task at hand. Facing the line of uniformed and armored men alongside the heavy tanks, he addressed them. Those in front stood shoulder to shoulder in standard formation, while those further back stood beside their trebuchets and Komodo Rhinos.
βYou have all served with great courage and conviction to take this city for the glory of our Nation. While stationed here, none under my watch have abused their power. I could not ask for better troops. Today I ask you to do it again. By order from the Fire Lord, we march on one of the great cities of the Earth Kingdom. He and I both trust that courage and skill still have a place in war. If you do at Omashu what you did at Yu Dao, we will be enjoying drink and rest before the moon is out!β
βHAI,β came the ringing response or the soldiers.
These were the sorts of words he used to keep morale up in what looked like was going to be a long fight. He may not have understood Sozinβs reasoning for using such overwhelming force on the Air Temples, but he understood that it was absolutely foolish to act with the same bloodthirsty vengeance when he was taking Yu Dao. Why burn a city to cinders if youβre going to occupy it? Especially if it famed for its metallurgy?
So on his part, Sotaro tried to keep needless bloodshed to a minimum, and meant it when he said that he was proud of his soldiers for showing restraint and some semblance of Fire Nation honor when dealing with the citizens of Yu Dao. Yes, he had to make some difficult decisions in the beginning, but eventually the Earth Kingdom residents got used to his presence. There had even been some level of integration. Sotaro hoped that the next governor would have the clarity to continue that.
βMount your rides,β commanded Sotaro as he took his station at the foremost tank.
βMarch formation!β
Then, a short pause after everyone was ready, he gave the final order. βOnward!β
On Captain Yuanβs command, the Fire Nation battalion marched forward towards Omashu.
*-*-*-*
Mei Rong entered the inner council chamber dressed in her usual naval uniform. Her gray-streaked black hair was tied in a bun as severe has her weathered features.
βMy Lord,β she said to Sozin in greeting as she bowed from the waist.
The other advisers were already at their places and nodded in acknowledgement of the noble ladyβs presence. Sozin was seated at the head of a low table, and Mei wasted no time taking her seat on the right side closest to him.
"Forgive my lateness, Lord," said Mei calmly. "There have been reports of raids on our agents off the southern Earth Kingdom shores. Our troops coming in to Omashu are fully intact, and have not been affected by these . . . hijackers."
Qin himself was ahead of the army leaving. His intel told him that their was an attack amassing to take the city of Omashu. This Sotaru was most likely going to join the other commanders in the attack. Qin's job was to prevent him from getting there in time. So he was setting a charge underneath a stone bridge over the river. Without the bridge, the troops would be forced to leave their artillery and supplies to get to Omashu on time. He strung the line to a tree, waiting to blow it after the sound from the exploding refinery would ring in the air.
Nearly an hour passed and Qin became nervous as Lee reported the Fire Nation army approaching. Then the explosion in Yu Dao was heard, followed by a second. With that Qin sparked the charge, destroying the only bridge in the next fifty kilometers.
"Let's go organize some raids." Qin told his subordinates. "I want to see how well that army fights on an empty stomach." Woth that the Shadow Palms disappeared from the scene.
The setting changes from Yu Dao to Avatar Universe
Two of his personal guardsmen were at the edge of his room, despite the fire show being a daily occurrence they always checked up on him with haste and genuine worry. "Are you alright, sir?" the elder soldier with burns that encapsulated his years of service asked. "Yes, Lu I'm fine. I appreciate the concern, as always... Please have an attendant replace my bedspread."
They both snapped to attention and left the room.
Sozin followed after them by just a few moments, just enough time so they wouldn't feel awkward having their backs turned on him. In Sozin's elder years he had done away with much of the old kingly traditions that he had experienced in his youth. His people respected him, feared him and loved him, he didn't need them to show it by bowing and slowly backing out of the room or waiting for him to pass, he didn't have time at his age for such superfluous shows of respect.
He checked on his wife, they couldn't sleep in the same room any longer given his fiery out bursts, but he still loved her and saw her every day. He entered her room, she like him awoke long before dawn. They spoke for about a half hour, which was their morning ritual. It calmed Sozin's mind, steadied it, she made him a stronger leader. They both took a quick bath together and soon the sun rose. Sozin couldn't help bet flex his muscles and inhale slowly, with purpose as the sun increased his already immense power. His wife smiled and he smiled back, "I'll see you soon my sweet."
He hadn't always been so sweet to her and she hadn't always been so sweet to him, but after he murdered Roku, which he had come to accept that it was murder, he couldn't help but soften, if he hadn't he would have become a monster. He regretted nothing more than the murder of his friend and nothing more than the murder of the air nomads, he realized now that the comet had made him angry, had made his people angry. It morphed them all for a time, made them monsters, as only humans can be. He couldn't stop the war now though, something good had to come of all the world's destruction, he and his wife had decided that after the comet's power had left his veins.
He entered the council room and took his seat long before any other person had entered the room as was his personal custom. Any leader should be the first in and the last out, lead by example, not from a seat. Slowly his council trickled in and he lit his fires behind him, the heat filling the room. The flames harmonized with his steady breathing, up and down, in and out. He didn't think about them for he didn't need to, the flames were apart of him like a third arm or second head.
Everyone arrived in a timely manner, which always made Sozin happy. It's not that he was angered by lateness, least not when it was excusable. It just showed that his people respected him and in turn it caused him to return said respect. Then Mei, his right hand entered and told him of the insurgents. She was late and that bothered him a bit, he was sure she noticed and he wanted her to.
"I don't like the name 'Hijackers' Mei, so far they have shown themselves capable adversaries. They may be small, but the smallest of problems can quickly snowball into a massive obstacle to our conquest. They should be treated as a serious threat and for that matter I believe they are. I want counter-insurgents sent to combat them, propaganda printed and distributed to counter their recruitment and I want them to be treated fairly when we capture them, as in fair trials and fair punishments. We need to show that we are not tyrants and that life is truly better under the fire nation flag. And from now on when ever you mention them, call them insurgents, that's what they are." Sozin's voice was calm, commanding and kind, the fire behind him still rose and fell with his every breath.
"I also want a commendation sent to Sotaro for his conquest Yu Dao, he did well, make sure it's clear to him that I want him commended for his treatment of the people of Yu Dao just as much as his conquest of it." Sozin continued on.
He then looked at Mei, ready for her agreement or rebuttal or whatever else she had to say. He always encouraged discussion in his war room, his word was final, but it wasn't the only word.
The setting changes from Avatar Universe to Earth Kingdom
"Damn the spirits," Sotaro muttered.
The most direct way to Omashu was across the river, and this far out into the country there was one known crossing within a hundred miles that could support artillery . . . artillary that could not pass through water more than a few hands deep.
"HALT," Sotaro commanded roughly.
The battalion ground to a stop as Sotaro dropped from his position atop the tank and strode towards one of the smaller units at the flank.
"Scouts," he ordered, and the four soldiers riding eel hounds stepped forward.
Two men and two women, one for each cardinal direction. Or one for each nation, depending on how philosophical one's inclinations.
"Lee," Sotaro commanded one of the men. "Go back to Yu Dao. Investigate those explosions. We've got saboteurs. Rong, go ahead on our scheduled route. When you reach Omashu, send a hawk. Get the forces to hold for a day if you can."
There had been rumors for months of secret saboteurs, ghosts, who would raid Fire convoys and establishments. He was determined not to allow some phantoms to interfere with his troops reaching Omashu on time. In any case, he could not turn back now, and would need to leave the garrison forces to manage the attackers within Yu Dao. At least for the time being.
"And Shimazu," said Sotaro, addressing one of the remaining women. He paused, considering. He then removed a topographical map with the known Earth Kingdom cities and towns marked on it. As commander, he was the only one supposed to carry it, but he had one of his more talented soldiers draw up copies for his scouts. Technically illegal, but it was a minor offense that was worth the risk for better scouting.
"Get to a coastal town or village at the mouth of this basin," he continued as he indicated the location where the river they were meant to cross met the sea. "Prepare whatever barges and ferries are available to get us across to Omashu. We're changing course. The bridge ahead is probably out."
With that, the three scouts took off on their eel hounds. The last stayed with the troops.
The only other way was to go around the river, which would take days at best. Commandeering the water transport at one of the coastal towns was Sotaro's best bet for keeping on track. He inwardly cursed the raiders who had plagued the supplies of the Fire Nation (if one believed the rumors) and tried to beat down the morale of his own men (if one believed what he actually saw).
"We're changing course," Sotaro called. "Southeast, towards the coast."
With that, the army moved forward once more. Nothing would stand in Sotaro's way.
The setting changes from Earth Kingdom to Avatar Universe
Yuzaku had left the small encampment that he and Jangmu had set up a ways away from the little town they had stumbled across. Jangmu had suggested that Yuu go off to gather supplies and she would watch over the camp. It was a smaller town, a few houses and such. There was a small market, it smelled of spices and was full of warm and friendly faces.
Despite himself Yuu found himself smiling along with them, then he spotted a small family, a father with long dark hair his wife with her auburn hair in a bun. In the lady's arms was a three or four year-old boy, his bright blonde hair was shimmering in the sun. They were all so happy. Yuu walked up to the man and complimented him and his family, to that he got gracious thanks and a huge smile from the boy.
Yuu walked away from them and slung his bag full of provisions over his right shoulder, he would begin heading back to the encampment where the Avatar had been meditating all morning. However before he did a small jeweler's shop caught his eye. In the shop window there was a jade necklace, engraved in it was the air symbol. Yuzaku audibly gasped and walked over to the window, it was expensive. Very, expensive. Yuzaku wanted it for Jangmu, she would enjoy it thoroughly. With a glance down at his funding, yes, as he had thought this would break him. . . But, he did already gather the food and supplies they would need.
Walking with purpose into the small shop he was greeted by an elderly fellow, he had long drooping ears and wore tiny glasses. Yuzaku pointed to the necklace. He didn't like using words unless totally necessary. Plopping his remaining money on the table he stared into the man's eyes.
"Oh, my lovely choice! I hope she is a special woman." The old man's eyes narrowed knowingly, a faint blush played upon Yuu's features, turning and bowing to the man, before pivoting on his heel and marching out. He admired the beautiful green jewelry, Jangmu would love this gift. . . However now was not the time to gift it to her. He would keep it safe until the time was right.
Yuzaku, thoroughly pleased with himself, began making his way back to camp. Admiring the necklace and imagining it gracing Jangmu's collarbone delicately as he went.
The setting changes from Avatar Universe to Yu Dao
The traps were simple holes covered with dirt and extremely thin rock with sharp bamboo stuck on the bottom. That bamboo, however, was smeared in feces to promote infection to the wounds. Trees to the side were cut yet held small rock wedges in them so the benders could easily knock them over on top of the artillery. The point was to force them to stop for the night. Then the real fun could begin.
The Shadow Palms all took their positions off the road to wait for an army to slowly move in. They would then spring the trap with one arrow volley before booking it into the heart of the forest. The arrows were dipped in double-headed rat viper venom, which thickened blood to a solid, becoming lethal the more it spreads. The panicked soldiers would run into the traps while the trees fell, or so Qin predicted. For the time being they would just wait....he had all day.
The setting changes from Yu Dao to Earth Kingdom
It was strange, the things people could get used to. So much had changed in the past few months. There was an Air Nomad-shaped hole in the world. Everything should have been thrown out of balance. The sky should have fallen and cracked, the Sun and Moon should have put out their lights in sorrow, people should have wept and torn their clothes in the streets, ashamed to call themselves human. But the world was carrying on as if nothing had happened. She was carrying on as if nothing had happened.
Had she been born of Earth, she might have endured it and grown strong. Of Water, she might have adapted and changed to fit the situation. Of Fire... well. She would have melted the world down into a form she desired instead of letting it change her (hadn't Sozin already showed how capable they were of changing the world?). But Air Nomads accepted that change and impermanence were built into the nature of the universe. They coped with loss pre-emptively, by detaching themselves from anything transient. And everything was transient.
She settled on the grass in Padmasana posture, her fists pressed against each other in the cloudburst mudra, and shut her eyes. As each breath came and went, she focused on it, letting other sensations fade to the back of her mind. The air entered her lungs, penetrating deeper and deeper, bringing invigorating, tingling new chi to every corner of her body. With each exhalation she released some of the tension and anxiety that had built up since she'd last meditated. Soon she had slipped into a pleasant state, drifting on the waves of her own inward rhythms. She could stay like this forever, in this dream-like state with no thoughts or fears piercing the tranquility of her mind. She began to go through the visualisation sequences, picturing the chakras turning and the chi flowing through them, becoming one with the stream of energy. She felt her own spirit settle ever so slightly, the angry patterns roiling beneath the surface being calmed and soothed as she let the gently flowing chi trickle and spread.
Half an hour passed as she sat absorbed in her meditations. No images of war, blood or death. No grief. No despair. Calm and empty as the open skies above turbulent clouds.
The setting changes from Earth Kingdom to Avatar Universe
Mei had begun to wonder about Sozin's change in character. He had been a force to reckon with for decades, instilling both fear and admiration in the hearts of his people. The comet increased the strength of all fire benders, but had brought out both strength and rage most intensely in the Fire Lord. But as the comet passed, so had his forcefulness. Many grew to respect Sozin for his change. Others β Mei among them β were not so sure what to make of it.
βThe insurgents have increased their activities along our southern supply routes,β Mei continued. "I suggest that we dispatch with them quickly to deter any who might want to join their ranks."
In the back of her mind, Mei had already begun to compose the message Sozin requested . . .
Captain Sotaro Yuan,
Your long service has been commendable. Your conquest and integration of Yu Dao has not gone unnoticed by Fire Lord Sozin. We understand the hazards of your mission, and will send a bonus in your pay and extra rations of drinks. You and your regiment will be granted extended leave upon the capture of Omashu to enjoy them.
We have also received reports of insurgents in your area. Should your paths cross, I ask that you bring as many as possible to me. You can expect an increase in your rank.
- Commanding Officer Mei Rong
Mei knew that anything as rich as gold and grog would attract these mysterious attackers, and purposely did not specify whether she wanted them dead or alive. She trusted that Sotaro would at least bring the leader alive. What happened to the rest en route β well, that was beyond her
The setting changes from Avatar Universe to Earth Kingdom
Sotaro, meanwhile, considered his course of action. He remembered reports he had received at Yu Dao about unusual thefts and blitz-style attacks on Fire Nation garrison troops and diplomats. No one could describe the attackers, but reports of them always coordinated with the late arrival or disappearance of supplies. Some troops arrived injured. Sometimes seriously, sometimes permanently. And none had apprehended these criminals.
As the shadows lengthened, Sotaroβs troops finally reached the first town. He had his men stop at a distance from it, both for their safety if this town had some unusually skilled warriors to defend it, and to prevent the town leadership from feeling threatened by a large, foreign force.
He approached the village headman himself only to find that his scout had already passed through. No luck. As Sotaro headed back to his tank, a hawk screeched above him. He set his arm out to let it land, and took the red ribbon message from its leg. Closing his fist around the message, Sotaro burned it and let the black smolders to fall to the ground.
βTo Fei Long,β he ordered to the lead tank unit when he reached them. βBypass the other towns. Whoever set off the explosions back at Yu Dao and the bridge has been here first.β
That meant they had probably made their way to Fei Long too. They had attempted to cut off his route again, but used passive tactics. No direct attacks. They were either outnumbered or waiting for the right moment to attack. Perhaps both.
βPaper,β requested Sotaro from the scribe and hawkmaster beside him as he handed the man the hawk. He got a small strip of scroll and thin brush in return.
Sotaro turned to his second in command as he wrote, who was waiting beside his own tank.
βSet up every bender as guardsmen at our flanks and back. Fully armed,β ordered Sotoaro. βTheyβll be ready for us.β
He put the message into the hawkβs message into the carrier on its foot and released it. Once the guard was in place, Sotaro took his place at his tank.
βWhoever βtheyβ are,β he added with distaste. He had no intention of allowing his men to injure themselves or lose their lives needlessly.
βForward,β he called, and the army set off.
If the message was accurate, he should reach Fei Long as the sun set. Good. He did not like the idea of traveling in the dark with hidden attackers at his back.
The Shadow Palms divided first into the fray in the direction of where the volley hit from both sides of the road. The volley that had been aimed at the supplies. They blocked the chi of each soldier coming to face them, knocking them down without much contest. It was obvious that none of them have come in contact with Qin's chi blocking before. When the benders became distracted with the Shadow Palms, the other Earth Kingdom soldiers stormed in with their spears to fight the foreign army toe to toe. With time bought, Qin began to leap over the large fallen trees to where the supplies were.
βPikes, tight formation,β cried Sotaro.
Infantrymen carrying pikes took positions half a step behind the benders and stood shoulder to shoulder around the supply cart. Many were struck down by arrows before the first wave of attackers hit. Sotaro commanded his tanks to aim for the area between the treeline and the troops. He suspected a second wave. His men scattered before the second wave came to avoid getting flattened by the trees nearest to the road. One of them landed across his own tank, and just missed taking his head off as he ducked inside.
There were two others in the small space inside β a driver and the one in command of aiming the turret.
βThe turret is pinned, but it could still fire,β he breathed heavily and wasted no time pushing a fireball through the turret.
They got a few shots in before the Earth Kingdom soldiers reached them.
βOut, now! Take no quarter,β commanded Sotaro.
The few remaining benders who had manned the tanks spilled out (or, in Sotaroβs case, barely crawled out past the tree trunk covering their tank.
Once he hit the ground, Sotaro turned towards his supply cart in time to see one of the firbenders execute a perfect flame throw and fail to produce any sort of effect. He was quickly dispatched by a lightly clad fighter. Not Earth Kingdom fighter, but clearly well trained.
What . . . Sotaro thought as he took an offensive stance. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Having no time to hesitate, however, Sotaro held both hands together as if holding a small ball to produce enough energy for a full flame. Once he had it, he stepped his left foot forward quickly into a warrior stance as his left arm aimed the flame from his right hand towards the fighter who had just taken down one of his benders.
Dai had been watching this avatar, he had been following her and her uptight water-bending buddy for days. He didn't like the looks of the water-bender, but the Avatar. . . That was another story entirely, she was lovely and powerful, and she needed a teacher. Just so happens Dai could teach her. The stuck up water bender, he had left her all unattended. The fool.
Pressing his palms down on the ground firmly, Dai caused a jet of earth to fly him down from the cliff perch he had been observing her from, as he flew he laughed boisterously. Landing with a loud crash, earth splintered off in every direction. His bright eyes glowed with passion as he stalked toward the Avatar with the intensity of a wild beast on the hunt. Earth shook under his feet, once he got five feet away from the Avatar he grinned before speaking.
βWhy hello! The most powerful, the anointed Avatar. . . I see your protector has left you. However. . .β Dai stepped closer to the seated woman before continuing.
βYou have nothing to fear from me. In fact! I wanna teach you earthbending.βDai folded his arms and grinned looking down at the Avatar.
On the way to the supplies, Qin saw many dead bodies, from both nations. The fire benders were being chosen over the regulars. The actual earth benders had already left to meet at rally point so only the non benders fought for their king in the skirmish. After a few moments of dodging through enemies the supplies came into focus. While two other Shadow Palms kept the benders at bay, Qin took oil sacks out of the supplies to dump everywhere. Then he burned it with some cloth on fire he found off a dead earth soldier. The food supplies were being destroyed and the objection was completed. He made a loud, sudden noise out of his hands. As others heard the noise, they too copied it until the whole area filled with it.
It was the retreat signal. With it everyone scattered, fleeing at their top speeds. Those were too injured to walk were mercy killed by their comrades. Qin knew that many more fire benders could be killed, but ultimately that would mean they would be surrounded and killed, or worse, captured. The best strategy was to harass the army all the way to Omashu. First, however, they needed to fleed through the forest and across the river.
The setting changes from Earth Kingdom to Avatar Universe
Few of the benders still alive were bending, and being harassed relentlessly by the attackers. Sotaro threw one off guard with a tackle from the side. Forcing his chi in a short, powerful burst through both arms, Sotaro focused it into his left hand wrapped around the man's eyes. The heat was enough to blind and distract him long enough to bring the dagger in Sotaro's right hand through his throat.
The freed bender in turn pushed Sotaro out of the way as part of the rations truck burst into flame. Someone from the other side had spilled oil and set it alight. The ambushers had already begun to flee. Their numbers had thinned, and he had enough well trained regular soldiers to overtake them. But the sun was setting, and chasing such a ragtag force through the woods at night would be futile. It would take extraordinary circumstances for his men to fight at night in any case.
"Cowards," yelled Sotaro as he threw his dagger at the retreating back of one running from the other side of the supply truck. The same one who had blocked his flame with the bodies of one of his own men.
"Captain," called one of the benders who still had some semblance of command over his ability. He was breathless and struggling to contain the flames emanating from the container with their rations.
* * *
The sun had long since set once the flames had been contained, the dead counted, and the injured pulled from their spiked bamboo traps. Sotaro felt his chi setting with it, and his guard piqued further. Many of the benders who had not been killed had regained their abilities. Some of the soldiers had regained the use of their limbs, and had also felt the pain of their injuries.
Sotaro considered his options as he supervised the impromptu camp set up. They would be unable to move forward until sunrise. Yet they needed emergency supplies and rations to make up for what was damaged. Maybe they needed a healer with abilities beyond the two medics in his regiment. Sotaro's concerns that the spikes in the ground traps were coated were confirmed. He would need to send his last scout to the nearest town.
Sotaro knew that he could not send the scout alone. The enemy's tactics suggested they would be waiting to ensure that he never made it back. They were also certain to try something on the main regiment again during the night. They wanted him to stop for the night.
"Set up the torches," Sotaro commanded.
Some Fire Nation troops carried torches with reflective caps on the top. They were meant to reflect and intensify the light of the flame in an effort to blind and disorient the enemy. Sotaro had gone to great lengths to obtain half a dozen before leaving for Yu Dao. Now they may prove useful to keep the attackers at bay. He would have to trust Hong, his second in command until he returned.
"Let's go," he commanded his scout, then added when he saw the man hesitate. "Your eel hound is the fastest way to get there and back. And no one is getting past me."
Sotaro sincerely meant what he said, and also knew that if these bandits wanted anyone, it would be him. He almost hoped that their leader would come after him so he could kill the man himself. With that, the Fire Nation Captain and scout mounted the eel hound and set off towards town.
The setting changes from Avatar Universe to Earth Kingdom
The army had no idea that they were camped in a terrible position. The area was a basin with a very gradual slope. Where Qin was at, on top of a hill, a boulder could be angled down to eventually hit the camp going anywhere from thirty to fifty miles an hour, depending on how hard the benders pushed them. Fei Long had sent him five earth benders and thirty militia. A dangerous task getting past their garrison unnoticed, but then again they knew the land better than the garrison. He sent the militia up the road to ambush the enemy captain on his way back. The orders were to kill the beasts they rode with ranged weapons only, then retreat. Qin had to get that guard back for the knife that grazed his shoulder somehow.
Qin and his crew went down to the enemy camp, just outside their line of vision. He made a bird noise, that triggered other agents noise, eventually to the earth benders.
All nine of the earth benders began forcefully pushing the rounded boulders down the hill at various times and at various force. Each boulder would arrive at the camp at different times and at different angles, therefore covering a wide range of ground. There were many already made boulders waiting to be pushed down, many with various sizes. Eventually, after about twenty minutes of exhausting work, they were all rolling down the sloped. The momentum would carry them when they hit flatland.
Qin had been waiting for ten, fifteen minutes when the first boulder came. It had crashed through a tank like it was wood. Then the others followed, creating a path of destruction. The target were the medics. The Shadow Palms had to quickly go in and take them out. The had cover, boulders did good at that. There were even times where they were nearly crushed by a boulder themselves. The soldiers were in such disarray that no one bothered keeping post, just running. They eventually targeted and killed the medics with clear strikes to the heart and throat.
Everything seemed perfect when they were about to leave the camp until Qin heard a scream followed by a roar of fire and a second scream. Qin turned around, a knife in his hand, and threw it behind him without even thinking. Luckily it was stuck in a fire nation officers gut. His friend Song had her face badly burned while Lee, his second in command, lay dead on the ground with a burns all across his back half. "Take Lee back. Now. We can worry about your burns later." Song sucked it up and obeyed, leaving her leader to deal with their attacker.
The attacker was a high ranking officer, perhaps the one in charge of the camp while his captain had left. The knife was in his liver, the very knife that the Fire Nation Captain had thrown at Qin. The man had an agonized look on his face. "Keep pressure on the wound. Who knows? You might be lucky to live." He told the man. He couldn't leave the chance of facing him again though. He took the knife out of the man, putting the enemy's hand on the wound, and then he cut the man's hamstring tendons.
Qin ran back into the darkness. He had lost to much for the night.
The setting changes from Earth Kingdom to Avatar Universe
There was... a boy. Instantly her muscles tensed, ready to lash out. But he wasn't wearing a Fire Nation uniform, nor was he armed. Openly, he stalked towards her, sending shockwaves through the earth with each step. The rhythm of his footsteps jarred her nerves.
Why hello! The most powerful, the anointed Avatar. . . I see your protector has left you. However. . .
You have nothing to fear from me. In fact! I wanna teach you earthbending.
He knew she was the Avatar, or thought he knew. And he knew about Yuzaka. How many hours had he been watching them?
She didn't like their current positions. He was so close, and looming over her. In a swift motion she rose and stepped back a couple of paces. Her drab, hooded Earth kingdom garb covered her tattoos... unless he'd seen her exposed fists during her meditation? Foolish. How could she have been so careless?!
"I don't know who you are or why you've been following me," she said flatly. "But I'm not the person you're looking for." Though he was obviously an Earthbender, she knew of Earth Kingdom folk who'd turned Air Nomads over to the Fire Nation out of fear or greed. He could be an agent, a bounty hunter, or something else entirely. In these times she had to assume that everyone was dangerous. He looked like a powerful bender, but Earthbenders weren't known for their speed. She should be able to flee, or hold him off until Yuzaku returned. She hoped he would hurry back.
βWe can commandeer the ferry, but thereβs not much else left,β she said after Sotaro explained what had caused dozens of Fei Longβs garrison to flee.
βWhat about the ones left,β asked Sotaro. βWhere do they get the things theyβll miss?β
Shimazu smiled smugly. She knew exactly what the Captain was asking.
This time of night, the underground black market was just getting warmed up. Within the hour, he had bread, coffee, and tobacco. Not enough to replace everything that was destroyed, but he was forced to put up his own money for this. Sotaro did, however, also find something unexpectedly useful β one pirate was selling small pouches of explosive powder. Light the fibers sticking out of the top, throw the thing, and it causes an explosion, he had said.
βFake firebending,β the pirate had promoted. βGreat for distraction and mayhem.β
βYes,β mused Sotaro, allowing the powder to run through his hand back into its crate. It had a dry, acrid smell. βIβll take ten of those pouches.β
βDo you two still have your hawks,β he asked the two scouts. Each one usually carried two to send and receive messages.
βYes, sir,β they said in unison.
βGood,β Sotaro smiled. βWeβre going to need them.β
* * * * * * *
Sotaro rode behind one of the scouts on the return trip to the camp. He strongly suspected that they had not seen the last of their assailants, but had to trust Jian Hong to handle them until his return. Unless they had not yet made their move . . .
Before Sotaro could finish his thought, the eel hound beneath him growled and lurched violently to the side. An arrow stuck out of the upper portion of its hind leg, and it shook in an attempt to free itself from the annoyance. The scout managed to hold on, but only barely. Sotaro was thrown off and just missed getting whacked by its powerful tail.
He rolled to the side and sent a burst of flame around a perimeter about 10 feet before them. The fire hit the ground before a line of trees grew into thicker woodland. It burned for a few moments before dying out. It was long enough for Sotaro to catch a glimpse of earth green uniforms retreating.
The scouts drew their own bows. Though not as trained as specialized archery units, they were good enough to kill with the first shot.
βCome on, fellas, try again,β taunted Sotaro as he motioned for the scouts to use poison. Starting a forest fire with flaming arrows was not a preferable tactic now. βWeβre not that hard to miss.β
These archers must have been confident to shoot at night without a full moon.
A second arrow came from the opposite side. It whistled past his right ear. One of the scouts shot his poisoned arrow back in the same direction. This was followed by a soft grunt and the rustle of trees and branches.
As the arrow flew, Sotaro shot another burst of flame just short of the brush. The second scout, his arrow already drawn, shot at the back of a retreating uniform. One of the eel hounds shot forward in the direction where the militia was hiding. The scout gripped Sotaroβs hand and helped him swing up on the animalβs back.
The large creature crashed through the undergrowth, groweling and biting at anyone on the ground. Sotaro finished them with short firebursts.
* * * * * * *
Sotaro stopped in his tracks when he returned to the makeshift camp. He dropped from the back of the eel hound and assessed the destruction. One tank destroyed, his medics killed, and more injured.
βLoad the supplies,β Sotaro commanded the scouts. βGet the trebuchet unit to help. The quartermaster can distribute them. Then get your hawks and meet me back here.β
βKeep the torches going,β Sotaro commanded the quartermaster as he passed. The disorienting and blinding light from the reflectors would deter any other ranged attacks, and keep shadows within the camp at a minimum. Less places to hide that way.
βGive everyone the coffee and tobacco rations. When I get back, weβre going to Fei Long. Weβll make it by sunrise. Extra grog when we get there.β
Sotaro approached made it to the outside perimeter of the camp and saw his second im command. He approached Jian. He had pulled himself against one of the boulders that had run rampant through the camp. Blood ran around his hand from a wound he was desperately trying to keep as closed as possible as he breathed heavily. More pooled around him from other wounds.
Sotaro thought he might have seen darker shadows moving against the darkness beyond the camp, but couldnβt be completely sure. He crouched beside his second in command, someone he had come to consider as much friend as colleague.
βJian, can you walk,β Sotaro asked as he made to lift his lieutenant and help him into camp. He hated not having anything to tie around that injury. Jian would have to keep holding.
βCaptain,β Jian breathed. βSotaro. Iβm sorry -"
βShut up,β interrupted Sotaro. There was no malice in the phrase. He was upset, yes, but not at Jian.
βTheir second is also dead. The smaller one with long hair β the one in charge. He . ..β
Those were Jianβs last words. He died before Sotaro could get him off the ground.
* * * * * * *
Explosive pouches in hand, Sotaro led his scouts and a handful of regular soldiers outside of camp. Experience told him that they were most likely camped by the river. His team had no benders β clearly, the militia singled them during the last attack, and rendered their abilities useless.
βThey wonβt expect a night attack,β Sotaro explained. βWeβll use these explosives to distract them and move in.β
Clouds had covered the half moon by the time the Fire Nation team came within earshot of the river. Sotaro silently motioned for them to stop, listening for anything beyond the gentle rush of water. He could tell his men were uncomfortable carrying out such a mission in the dead of night, knew they were tired, and shared in their feelings entirely. Yet it was necessary to get this guerrilla group off their backs if they expected to get to Omashu in one piece
Aside from the river, the night was still. He could just make out the sound of movement and voices. Sotaro led his team towards it. Once they reached the outskirts of the camp, they crouched in the shadows. Sotaro recognized the man who had thrown the paralyzed pikeman at him to break his flame. The same one Jian identified as the leader. His jaw clenched as he stopped himself from burning the man to cinders when he recognized his own blade. Presumably the same one that had killed his lieutenant.
Sotaro turned to his scouts and nodded. They gave their hawks two explosive bags each, and Sotaro set the tips of the short, fibrous ropes alight. The birds took off on command. They flew just outside of the light of the campfire, and released their loads at various positions around the opposite perimeter of the camp. The explosions were clearly visible in the deep darkness, looking for all the world like something a firebender might produce. Fake firebending β go figure.
Taking advantage of the confusion this caused, Sotaroβs soldiers stepped behind the Shadow Palms and surrounded them, swords drawn. Sotaro had taken a shortsword for himself back at camp. Although only moderately adept at using it, Sotaro knew that his bending should only be used as a last resort in this case. As his men rushed forward, Sotaro grabbed the nearest militia guard from behind and slit his throat with the blade.
Even as Qin cut more men down in their prime, more of his men were falling by each passing moment. If he was going to make it to Omashu, he needed to escape.
"Everyone! Follow me!" He shouted to the rest of his troops, only twenty strong. He rushed for the weakest point of the ambush, a wall of only three men. Two of them were shot by arrows or impaled by the other greens, the third's rib was broken by one of Qin's jabs. They ran by, many dropping their weapons and shields just to move faster, scattering into the night.
Even though Qin was no longer surrounded, the danger was still there. They were now being hunted now. It was clear as arrows and fireballs flew at them, killing greens by each passing moment. By the time they reached the river only six of them were left. The cliff below was between twenty to thirty feet tall and the darkness made it nearly impossible to tell how deep it was. Ten feet? Five? Maybe even two. It was too hard to tell. "We have to jump." He whispered to his friends. Then, without hesitation, he jumped into the water below.
"I don't know who you are or why you've been following me, But I'm not the person you're looking for."
Dai's eyes narrowed as she spoke. How ignorant did she think he was? Some scum-grabbing bounty hunter? No. He was better than that. Sure he was from a savage tribe, however she thought of him as a betrayer. . . Hot rage boiled within him as he imagined that thought. Betrayal, the one thing he hated more than anything else was this.
Raising his fist and aiming it beside her he shot off three rock-like missiles as warnings, he was just releasing anger so he didn't take it out on her. However he knew she thought him to be slow, and knowing she was an air-bender she would be faster than him just by nature. Although little did she know that for an earth-bender Dai was quite fast indeed.
"Look here princess, I know for a fact you are the Avatar. I've been following ya and yer' friggin' water-bending bozo for weeks. Not cause I'm one of those scum-bag bounty hunters or betrayers but because I'm bored. I'm done killing losers who challenge me, and I want to train ya, you'll never find another guy as talented as I am in earth-bending. I guarantee it. If you do find anyone better, they will kill ya. So, I suggest, before I get angry and go ballistic on ya for thinkin' I'd stoop as low as to betray someone. . . I suggest you lemme help ya. Besides your camp is so friggin' obvious. Your princey boy sticks out like a sore thumb too. But if'n I was with ya I could scare the local trash away." Dai sat in front of her cross-legged to wait, also to show he didn't mean her any ill-will.
Yuzaku was making his way back when he heard a loud voice coming from the campsite. Someone had found Jangmu. Sprinting down the surrounding hill he spotted a man in earth-kingdom colors but his outfit was extravagant. They seemed to be talking, was this man after the Avatar?! Scowling, opening up the pouch of water on his hip Yuu roared as he sent water out to the other man, freezing a band of water around his neck and knocking him down onto the ground. Bending the water with efficiency and speed he effortlessly froze the other man to the ground, holding his hand out in front of the man, while the other was on the goods he had collected Yuu made his way in front of Jangmu. Never moving his eyes from the prone earth-bender whose hands Yuu made sure to freeze down as well.
"Stay down. Jangmu, are you alright?" Yuu asked while glaring holes in the other man. However the man on the ground just grinned devilishly.
"Attacking an innocent man eh Yuuie? How cruel, an' here I was thinkin' you were a cool guy." Yuu crinkled his nose in anger and was about to kill the other man but he waited, although he knew who this man was.
"Jangmu, what do you want to do with this rat?" Yuu asked looking back towards the Avatar before walking closer to her and looking her around to be sure she wasn't hurt.
Having no bending skills of their own to depend on, the regular Fire Nation infantry was able to shrink down the guerrilla force relying solely on standard martial skills. The Shadow Palms were unable to use their unique abilities to their advantage, and had to face the full force of soldiers whose training focused entirely on non-bending fighting styles.
When the band that remained retreated, Sotaro allowed himself to use his bending. Using the small campfire as a fire source, Sotaro had more energy to dedicate to making the flames larger. This gave his archers enough light to aim by and enough fuel to fire flaming arrows at Qinβs group.
When they got too far for the unnaturally large campfireβs light to reach, Sotaro shot fireballs. Then the the remaining men, perhaps half a dozen strong, disappeared over the side of the cliff. They had actually jumped.
Allowing the fire beside him to return to its original state, Sotaro breathed the cool night air deeply. The intense heat and roar of fire subsided. A sheen of sweat covered the his face, as well as all those of his archers.
βGood,β Sotaro breathed. βThe rocks will finish them off. Letβs go.β
That Earth Kingdom map had proven more useful than intended. Although they didn't cover the entire riverbed, the jagged stones around this area of the river were sharp and numerous enough to be deadly. The chances of anyone avoiding them were small.
Time was running short, and Sotaroβs next challenge was getting to Omashu on time with no further incident. And before infection took some of the injured. They could still serve well if he found a healer.
While it was night time, a Fire Nation fleet could be seen approaching the coasts leading to Yu Dao. From the beach, all that could be seen was an organized assortment of orange dots, and between some of them, if you concentrated hard enough, you could see the red banners of the great Fire Nation. The central vessel was where Prince Azulon slept. In not too long, he'd be on foreign soil for the first time in his life. His quarters had a bookcase laden with literature, typical national decor, and a single guard stood at his post just inside the door.
The door opened; a note was passed to the guard on the inside, and the door was subsequently shut. That way, talking or whispering would not disturb the prince. The guard raised the paper in hand, and promptly lit it on fire when he was done reading its message. He went over to Azulon's bedside, and gently shook him to wake him.
"My Prince, the ship's captain says we are nearing the shore. About forty five minutes away. You wanted to be woken when-"
"You don't need to tell me something I already know, Zerath," Azulon snapped at his guard.
"Of course. Excuse me," Zerath responded sincerely, though the expression on his face would show that he was slightly annoyed. He retook his post without another word before watching the prince swing his legs out of bed and yawn loudly. Azulon began dressing himself for appearance in front of the soldiers. Zerath hesitated before breaking the silence between them.
"If I may ask, Prince Azulon, what do you hope to gain by undergoing this crusade? There are plenty of competent commanders, but you chose to take this mission on personally. Aside from that, it is unsure if you'll even make it to Ba Sing Se." Zerath said.
"You already know; I hope to have a record of honor upon receiving the title of Fire Lord," Azulon answered curtly.
"What does honor mean to you?"
"I didn't know my father was coming along for the adventure," Azulon remarked sarcastically.
"It's a fair question. I only ask so that-"
"So that I can think more clearly on the nature of my decision, I've heard it before," the prince interrupted his guardsman again. Azulon lifted up his breastplate and placed it in his lap as he sat on the bed, considering Zerath's question. Eventually, when Azulon had children, he'd have to explain these things to his children, so why not figure an explanation now?
"Honor... in a way, is a form of respect. Whenever someone bears honor, they immediately have respect. There are two different kinds of respect I am concerned with on this venture; there is respect in which one loves something, and respect in which one fears something. The people of my nation will respect me and admire my accomplishments. The people I come to conquer will fear me as they are the ones who will experience my wrath. That way, when I do become Fire Lord, my Earth subjects will not question my decrees, and my citizens on the homeland will wholeheartedly support the success I bear. Weather or not I get to Ba Sing Se is irrelevant; what pressure I put on the Earth Kingdom and the resources I make them burn will be their biggest casualty."
Again, Zerath hesitated to say something to Azulon. When the prince put on his armor, Zerath simply said, "Okay." The guard contemplated whether or not respect could come in the form of fear, and compared the situation to the day his father tried to beat respect into him. But alas, he was never afraid of his father, and he reasoned the comparison inadequate. He supposed that the prince knew what he was talking about; he was the son of the cherished Fire Lord Sozin.
As Azulon rose and turned towards the door, Zerath in turn held the way open for the prince. By day, they'd be passing through Yu Dao and heading east across the continent.
The setting changes from Avatar Universe to Earth Kingdom
At that moment Yuzaku returned and quickly disabled the Earthbender. Surprisingly, the stranger made no move to resist, and even cracked a joke. He'd been angered at the few words Jangmu had spoken, but for someone frozen by a Waterbender he looked remarkably relaxed. What an unusual character he was. Perhaps he wasnβt as hotheaded as sheβd thought.
"I don't want him harmed, Yuzaku," she said. "Not unless it's absolutely necessary. There's been too much senseless death in this world already for us to deal it out rashly." She drew closer to the stranger, examining his face as she thought. "This man says he's been following us for weeks. If he wanted to harm us, he could have done so any of the times we were separated. I know we don't have the luxury of trusting anyone easily, but I think there's more to him than a simple bounty hunter. He's obviously a powerful bender. He could make an ally. At the very least, we could point him towards the Fire Nation and be on our way. And he's right, I do need an Earthbending teacher. Yuzaku, release him. Let's talk to him and hear what he has to say. First things first, I want to know how he tracked us, and if others could find us as easily." She looked around in reflex, and shuddered slightly. "The Fire Nation are everywhere."
With no food, no dry clothes, and night getting colder, he knew that he would need to find shelter soon. Then he smelled it. Roasting pork to the distance. As he came closer to the origin of the smell, he saw that it was an inn teeming with Fire Nation soldiers. Qin tour off his green emblems from his clothes and walked in.
The inn was warm and cozy. There were also only a dozen Fire Nation too, which was good. He signaled the innkeeper to order the pork and wine to be delivered to his room. He also asked for any fresh clothes. "Only Fire Nation garbs that the army gave of in exchange for our services. Just a coin" The innkeeper said. "I'll take them." Qin replied. When he was in his room, he put ate and put the garbs on. In the mirror he looked very much like a Fire Nation Citizen. He had only been to one place in the Fire Nation prior to the war, so he could use that as his fake hometown. Maybe he could claim to be a spy for the Fire Nation if interrogated. All that would have to wait for the morning though. First came sleep.
He had been going in the same direction direction as the convoy, along the road out of Yu Dao, although Jin was traveling out into the wilderness, a good distance behind the soldiers and their vehicles, walking deep enough inside the wood that he wasn't likely to be noticed by anyone on the road. Even if he were, with his ragged earth kingdom clothes, his hunting gear and the pelts he carried made him look like just another hunter, anyway. So far, no one had bothered him, and he had hoped it would remain that way until he found the avatar. Of course, nothing ever just worked out. As he turned down the road the military convoy had taken, he cursed his luck, but he couldn't simply leave things be.
The fires had already died down by the time he made it to the rearmost tanks, and the devastation the earth kingdom guerrillas had wrought made his stomach turn with revulsion in shame for his nation's armed forces. Half the wounded were crying for medics that would never come, and the level of disorganization was such that half the men were effectively standing around, doing nothing. Jin stalked around the camp, carefully avoiding the torches that were being lit, and with practised self-assurance, began barking orders. "Soldier, fetch bandages!" he went, "Soldier, see if that animal can stand!" The men were used to following orders, of course, and in their relief at having something to do, never stopped to question who it was that had spoken, while Jin himself dodged in behind a tank to drag an unconscious sentinel to safety.
Before Jin got very far, however, he was alerted by the sound of eel hounds entering the encampment. Did the commander's conscience get the better of him? Jin crouched behind what cover he could find, whispering an apology to the man he had been helping, with nothing to do but to hope the eel hounds wouldn't smell him before he could make an escape. To Jin's relief, the riders soon left again, but not before they'd given the order to put up even more torches. Cursing his luck again, Jin settled for dropping the fallen sentinel somewhere more visible, and then going for the next. Thus he carried on, searching out casualties out of sight from the camp and helping them as best he could. He was no medic, but anyone spending months at a time in the forest had to know how to take care of wounds and avoid infection. Of course, he healing herbs and mosses Jin had gathered for his own use wouldn't last, but it was better than nothing.
One after the other, he carried and dragged the fallen guards into the growing circles of light until, just as he put one down, the guard regained consciousness. The two stared blankly at one another for a few long seconds, then the guard screamed for the camp to raise the alarm. Jin had harboured some vain hope of stepping out into the light and helping out openly, but as the torchlight suddenly fell on him, that hope was lost. He lost grip of the flailing soldier in his arms, dropped the man to the ground and, for the second time in his life, left a fire nation army camp running for his life in front of a wall of spears.
Sotaro lit no fire on the return route.. It was not a particularly long trip, especially on an eel hound, and he had served long enough to have a good memory for direction. The beasts had an acute enough sense of smell to find an army in any case. He ran through the plan in his head - at this point, a forced march to Fei Long was necessary to prevent losing more time than they already had. They would make it by dawn, commandeer the ferry, and make a straight line to Omashu, Sotaro suspected that his soldiers would not take kindly to this, but expected nothing less than what they were trained for. They had served him well thus far. The extra black market goods he had nearly emptied his pockets on and the retrieved rations were meant to ease the pain. So would getting to Omashu alive and having their comrades at their backs.
They had nearly cleared the tree line when Sotaro suddenly pulled left. He was sure that the heavy breathing and footsteps from that direction did not belong to any of the unit behind him. Sotaro wasted no time cutting the man off with a burst of flame. He aimed immediately before the man, careful to ensure that it was not quite powerful enough to hit the ground and set the twigs and leaf litter alight. From his height that was still enough for anyone to feel its heat.
The eel hound tensed beneath him, perhaps something about the stranger's scent making it uncomfortable. The remaining eel hounds cut the man off from behind. Sotaro could just make out the strong build and rigid stance of a soldier. One of his? No couldn't be, he was on the run. As inconvenient and damaging as the recent attacks had been, Sotaro somehow doubted that it was enough to cause otherwise well trained and loyal men to desert. He knew them better than that, and that they understood the cost of war as well as he did.
"Take him," Sotaro commanded without hesitation.
Foot soldiers landed lightly on the ground and moved towards the stranger.
This was a situation in which action might be more prudent, especially considering recent events. Sotaro could question the man later and release him. If he posed a threat or was somehow allied with the guerrilla troops, talking to him first would prove disastrous.
- 27 posts here • Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
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View All » Add Character » 9 Characters to follow in this universe
Newest
Zerath Mael
"Where there is darkness, fire sheds light."
Jin Lee
"I'm not the only soldier with a conscience, just the only one with a backbone."
Jangmu
"But when you move amidst the world of sense/From both attachment and aversion freed, There comes the peace in which all sorrows end/And you live in the wisdom of the Self." - Bhagavad Gita
Fire Lord Sozin
"I can't help but think of a time when everything was so much brighter ..."
Mei Rong
"The great secret of power is never to will to do more than you can accomplish." - Henrik Ibsen
Qin Huang
"If you ever face an enemy who is stronger than yourself, he can not be defeated by honorable means. The only way is to decieve him then crush him."
Sotaro Yuan
"A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory." - Memoirs of the Geisha
Trending
Jangmu
"But when you move amidst the world of sense/From both attachment and aversion freed, There comes the peace in which all sorrows end/And you live in the wisdom of the Self." - Bhagavad Gita
Fire Lord Sozin
"I can't help but think of a time when everything was so much brighter ..."
Mei Rong
"The great secret of power is never to will to do more than you can accomplish." - Henrik Ibsen
Zerath Mael
"Where there is darkness, fire sheds light."
Sotaro Yuan
"A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory." - Memoirs of the Geisha
Qin Huang
"If you ever face an enemy who is stronger than yourself, he can not be defeated by honorable means. The only way is to decieve him then crush him."
Jin Lee
"I'm not the only soldier with a conscience, just the only one with a backbone."
Most Followed
Mei Rong
"The great secret of power is never to will to do more than you can accomplish." - Henrik Ibsen
Jin Lee
"I'm not the only soldier with a conscience, just the only one with a backbone."
Zerath Mael
"Where there is darkness, fire sheds light."
Fire Lord Sozin
"I can't help but think of a time when everything was so much brighter ..."
Sotaro Yuan
"A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory." - Memoirs of the Geisha
Jangmu
"But when you move amidst the world of sense/From both attachment and aversion freed, There comes the peace in which all sorrows end/And you live in the wisdom of the Self." - Bhagavad Gita
Qin Huang
"If you ever face an enemy who is stronger than yourself, he can not be defeated by honorable means. The only way is to decieve him then crush him."
View All » Places
14 posts · 6 characters present · last post 2015-02-14 23:47:57 »
One of the four nations. It is the largest and most population nation with a balanced climate.
10 posts · 3 characters present · last post 2015-01-28 14:42:26 »
NoneThe Avatar world is a fantastic, epic place of elemental bending and adventure.
3 posts · 0 characters present · last post 2015-01-16 09:36:44 »
Earth Kingdom ↪ Yu Dao Owner: Red Soldier
The first colony established by the Earth Kingdom, located on the western Earth Kingdom.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
One of the four Air Nomad Temples, located within a mountain range southeast of the Earth Kingdom.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
One of the four Air Temples, located off the northern coast of the Earth Kingdom.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
Earth Kingdom ↪ Omashu Owner: Red Soldier
The second largest city within the Earth Kingdom, located in the southwestern region.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
One of the four Air Nomad Temples, located within a mountain range north of the Fire Nation.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
The second major stronghold of the waterbenders, located in the South Pole.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
One of the four nations. A volcanic archipelago with a warm, humid climate. It's season is summer.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
The Fire Nation Capital and seat of power.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
The Earth Kingdom Capital, also known as the Impenetrable City.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
One of the two main water tribes, located in the North Pole.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
One of four air temples that are home to the Air Nomads.
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Re: Another Way
Re: Another Way
As for Azulon and Zerath, Redred, I can get Mei Rong (my second character) to send reinforcements or otherwise stir up trouble. I haven't done much with her since we started because she's currently with Sozin, who is played by Addrinvan. Addrinvan, if you post a response, I'll continue. Or, I could just make my next post with Mei, and you could follow.
Re: Another Way
Re: Another Way
Otherwise, the game will go wherever we take it. As GM, I take into account everyone's suggestions and sometimes try to guide the roleplay in one direction or another for the purposes of a linear story. However, since this is an open world type of roleplay, no one is obliged to go with it. We're rewriting history, after all.
Re: Another Way
I'm fine with that too, though, although I'd like all of this to get me in contact with the avatar and friends in the end.
Re: Another Way
My hope is to actually get the army moving again. Presuming that Jin remains captured, do you want to have Qin infiltrate the camp at Fei Long as the troops are getting across the basin? There would be enough time, considering that they have heavy machinery and some are injured. This would move the timeline to early the following day.
I'm not sure how far away you want Jangmu and company to be, Alligua and Resurgam. They can be camped close enough for any or all to intercept now, or at Fei Long.
Re: Another Way
Re: Another Way
Re: Another Way
In any case, it seems like Jin arrived at the camp before Sotaro went off to run Qin down. We have a few options - Sotaro can return to camp and track Jin down once he sees the uproar (this would require a bit of a stretch in terms of timeframe if Jin arrived shortly before Sotaro went after Qin, but you said that an indeterminate amount of time has passed), or the two could cross paths on his way back.
Alliqua, if you're up for it, we can have Jangmu and Sotaro intercept Jin near the Fire Nation camp.
Re: Another Way
Re: Another Way
I'm also thinking that maybe we should write our next post together through PM's so we can post the whole conversation that determines what Jangmu and Yuzaku do with Daichi at once instead of it being spread out over several posts.
Re: Another Way
Re: Another Way
Aside from that, Azulon's landed in already conquered territories. His presence and movement right now has no real impact to what's happening with everyone else; Roku should be able to catch up time-wise anyways. I was just making a post, keeping up with the time you're in so I can introduce my character into the RP.
Re: Another Way
The end of my last post was intended to allow Roku the opportunity to allow his characters to gather themselves, and for the Avatar and her crew to catch up time-wise. The plan is to meet up around Omashu, where there will hopefully be more action.
Re: Another Way
Also, I have tagged my posts accordingly. The tagging option on this site has not been cooperating very well with m computers recently.