The State of the World
Avatar Maiken is gone. The last Avatar perished, and with him, the Avatar Spirit. On that day, people around the world felt that hope was lost.
But the world itself didn’t end. Indeed, in the intervening years, humankind found ways to get by.
A group known as the Tong Yi Disciples have taken action to effectively replace the Avatar. These exceptional benders are trained strenuously from childhood and arranged in teams of four, one of each element, to restore balance to the world. Their recklessness and inexperience is obvious, but their enthusiasm and ambition are unrivaled even in these dangerous times.
So many have fallen into despair, yet the magnanimous Earth Queen does all she can to give her people hope. Consequently, her resplendent city of Ba Sing Se and its territories have seen vast prosperity in spite of the Avatar’s demise. Though many question her methods, the beloved monarch works hard to earn respect from all within her borders.
However, her good works have fostered resentment in the continent’s westernmost arm. The local king, ruling from the once-thriving city of Taku, has seen his lands change for the worst. Promises of good fortune have caused masses of his own citizens to migrate across the eastern border, leaving his remaining subjects to reap the consequences. As powerless as this makes him feel, revenge is most definitely on his mind.
The Fire Nation claims to be at the height of a renaissance, building elaborate structures and majestic monuments to show off their superior culture. In reality, this all comes at the expense of the common folk. While the nobility thrives in luxury, the rest of the Fire Nation suffers in overtaxed squalor. Where wealth is scarce, lawlessness has taken over.
At this point, one might say Fire Nation’s rulers are such in name only. In reality, a countrywide crime syndicate called the Veil of Dusk has its hands so deep in commerce and resources that they may command power greater than Fire Lord himself. Whether from negligence, fear, or scarce resources, the government does nothing to oppose them.
The Air Nomads faced their own trials, as an offshoot cult known as the Endless Sky is tarnishing their peaceful reputation. With a rabid anti-religious agenda in tow, the Endless Sky regularly attacks holy sites to assert their message of mankind’s self-determination. In response to this, scores of monks and nuns from the Air Temples have ventured into the world to help those suffering from these attacks.
Near the city of Omashu, a wandering tea merchant has found a scroll carried by a downed messenger dragon hawk. Through the vague and obfuscating language, she has found reason to link it to the Avatar’s murder. The clues it provides could narrow down the culprit for her, though any of the sinister powers at play in the world could be to blame.
Having sparked a rather serious conflict years ago, the Northern and Southern Water Tribes now head in very different directions. The North, desiring an image of unity, decreed to join outlying villages and towns into one sprawling capital. On the other hand, this union of so many unfamiliar communities has caused unforeseen clashes. The chief has therefore appointed his elite guard, the Deep Watchers, to preserve public peace at all costs- even if that means a brush with tyranny.
Contrasting the North, the Southern Water Tribe has expanded their realm of influence. Having accidentally introduced invasive seablossoms to southern Earth Kingdom shores, they quickly found benefit in farming them. Southern Water Tribe settlements have multiplied across the region accordingly, which has caused some friction with locals. Nevertheless, the tribe stubbornly keeps hold on this new frontier.
Meanwhile, the nephew of Maiken himself has set off from his home in the Bao-Lei Mountains. This young man aims to meet with the world’s greatest minds at Ba Sing Se University. The rather precious cargo he carries may mean closure for those stricken the worst by Maiken’s death- and perhaps, reason for a brighter future.
