Avatar: Future Imperfect (PG-13) - Sign Ups

[Kamotz]

Avatar: Future Imperfect
(rated PG-13)
​

It has been 200 years.

200 since Avatar Korra quelled the Anti-Bending “Equalists,” 200 years since she vanquished Unalaq and Vaatu, 200 years since she defeated the Red Lotus Society; 200 years since she turned back the ambitions of Kuvira and brought peace to the Earth Kingdom.

A full cycle of Avatars have come and gone since then, ushering the ever-changing world into the future. In that time, the bridge between the Mortal and Spirit worlds grew stronger. Power and growth have been shared between the two, and the world has seen an unprecedented era of peace; one guarded and guided by each subsequent Avatar.

Now, the two worlds are closer than ever before; cooperation between humans and spirits has allowed for great leaps to be had in technology and society; in art and culture. Spirits brought with them power and ancient knowledge into the Mortal World; they brought unique bending forms and techniques lost to ages past; they brought knowledge that led to a new understanding of astronomy, mathematics, physics, and production; and through mutual understanding and cooperation, even the vines and plants of the Spirit Wilds granted humans access to the energy stored within.

Humans brought their cultures, technologies, and arts into the Spirit World. Human curiosity was boundless, and they partnered with the spirits to explore deeper and deeper into the Spirit World, mapping the world to an astonishing extent. They brought the advancements in technology and construction techniques to the Spirit World, allowing the spirits to create cultural and societal centers that mirrored those in the Mortal World.

Indeed, the cultural boundaries of the two worlds became less and less distinguishable. Humans mostly kept to larger settlements in the Spirit World, venturing out into the unknown only with spirit guides and when in search of adventure; though some opted to make pilgrimages into the wilderness and make it a permanent fixture in their lives. The same was true for spirits in the Mortal World.

Republic City became the center of this new relationship, and the spirit portal therein was a well-maintained and kept-after establishment, symbolizing the deep and interconnected relationship between the two worlds. It is the global hub for business, commerce, entertainment, industry, and developing technologies.

The world is at peace.

Or at least it was.

===

Tensions over the role humans and spirits were “meant” to play in the world came to a head when members of the triad were defeated and apprehended. Upon further investigation into the case, it was discovered that they had made pacts with some less-benevolent spirits for increased power and abilities. Much of the public--both human and spirit--became angry. Many blamed the other side for the resulting destruction and turmoil, resulting in riots and demonstrations in both worlds.

In the wake of the investigation, a once-miniscule movement called the Separatists rose up to prominence, demanding the immediate and complete separation of the Mortal World and Spirit World. They argued that this state was unnatural and unsustainable; that the world was only just beginning to feel the repercussions of the Avatar’s actions, and that time would only further worsen the influence humans and spirits had on one another.

The current Avatar stepped in to help mediate the situation with leaders of both the Mortal and Spirit worlds. But she was very young and very inexperienced. The conference, held in a public forum to address the needs of both humans and spirits, was attended by many--including members of the Separatist Movement.

The Separatists staged an attack on multiple levels; both psychological and physical. First, the most prolific speaker of the group took the stage and confronted the leaders of the Mortal and Spirit worlds on the issue of malevolent spirits. His tirade was verbose and maddening; little more than incensing language and inflammatory rhetoric designed to work the crowd into a frenzy. The rest of the Separatists waited until the perfect moment, where tempers were most pitched, before activating a deadly bomb. They sacrificed themselves in the process and decimated the area, killing dozens including leaders of both the humans and spirits.

In the conflagration, the Avatar was lost.

In the days and weeks that followed, the Order of the White Lotus searched for the Avatar, but to no avail. They began searching for the next Avatar in the cycle (a task that was now much easier to accomplish due to their advanced technology), but were unable to locate it. They feared the worst: that the Avatar had been slain in the Avatar State and the cycle had been broken. They were unable to confirm this, however, as the rising conflict between mortal and spirit required their utmost attention.

The world’s governments were forced to take decisive action to limit the damage caused by both sides. Most humans and spirits retreated to their home worlds, with entrances heavily regulated and guarded. Meanwhile, the fighting worsened between extremists on both sides, forcing drastic action. The Separatist leader, Takeshi Konda, led an incursion into the Spirit World. There, he stole a piece of divinity: the power of the barrier between the worlds themselves. With this, he would be able to lead the Mortal World to victory over the spirits and re-establish the “natural order.”

But the spirits were not willing to sit idly by while Konda and the humans acted in such a manner. They demanded that “the Heretic” return That Which Was Taken, warning of grave consequences should their call be ignored. This only incised Konda to redouble his efforts. The battle lines were drawn. And while the Order did its best to control and mediate the situation, the longer the conflict lasted without the Avatar, the worse it became.

===

Eight years have passed. Eight years of turmoil and bloodshed. Republic City has become a dangerous place; a stronghold for the Separatists and the most easily accessible route to the Spirit World. Battles between the two sides rage in the undercity, sometimes carrying out into the open. Law enforcement and officials struggle to contain the growing violence, but know they’re fighting a losing battle...they don’t know who they can trust.

Little does anyone know, but the Avatar has been found. She had been injured in the explosion and stripped of her memories. She wandered unknown for much of the last eight years, alone and destitute, trying to piece her life together. It was only when a lower member of the White Lotus recognized her and took her in that she discovered who she was supposed to be.

In the years since she was found, she has been working to regain what she lost. Her strength and abilities have begun to grow, but her past still eludes her. Now, even though she remembers so little of who she was; even though she doesn’t know who she can trust, she knows what she must do.

She is the Avatar. She is the Balance. And she will save the world.

==========Information==========
​

Bending: Bending is the ability to manipulate an element and is significant to many aspects of life in the World of Avatar. There are five known bending arts; four of them bend a specific physical element while the fifth bends the energy within the human body itself. The four elemental bending arts are based on the four classical elements, water, earth, fire, and air, and each is manipulated through certain martial art styles which are reminiscent of the qualities of the element itself. While bending is traditionally performed through the motions of one's hands and feet, certain benders are able to effectively manipulate their element with only minimal movement of their body, such as by using just their head or torso. In even rarer cases, benders are able to perform their bending without the aid of any physical movement at all, by instead using sheer focus and force of will, a skill known as psychic bending. Each element is also associated with a particular nation in the world; the Water Tribe corresponds with waterbending, the Earth Kingdom with earthbending, the Fire Nation with firebending, and the Air Nation with airbending.

The fifth bending art, energybending, is unlike the other four in that little physical action is required to direct the bending itself. The four elemental bending arts are all dependent on the energy, or chi, within the human body, relying on its flow through the body to manipulate a specific element. A person is able to bend when they extend the influence of their chi beyond the body to interact with the environment. Energybending, on the other hand, is concerned with the manipulation of the energy itself and is able to remove or grant bending abilities.

Though each nation is affiliated to a specific bending art, not all citizens from any nation, with the exception of the Air Nomads, are born with the ability to bend an element. In the case of mixed marriages, the children may be benders of either element if they are benders at all; for example, firebender Mako and earthbender Bolin are brothers with parents from the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. The only case of any one person being able to bend multiple elements is the Avatar, who has the ability to practice all five bending arts.

Airbending is the bending art used by the Air Nation; the flying bison were the original airbenders.It concentrates on speed and evasion, forgoing a strong offense for a greater defense. Though apparently lacking fatal finishing moves, it is the most dynamic of all the bending arts. As the element of freedom, airbenders use their capability to bend unencumbered by the ground or any other environmental factors and use their own momentum as a weapon, evading attacks with astounding agility to tire their opponents out or building up massive inertia for explosive gusts of wind to make their counterattacks finishing moves. Airbenders, when resorting to physical confrontation, are able to harness the immense and intangible power of wind.Airbending's opposite is earthbending and the confrontational style that serves as its foundation.Airbenders can use a flight technique by operating a glider and using the air to provide thrust and lift. After the art was almost wiped from existence, the only airbender left was Avatar Aang,until his son, Tenzin, and three grandchildren later inherited the ability.Airbending also resurfaced in a number of nonbenders following the Harmonic Convergence of 171 AG, further reviving the almost extinct bending art.The sub-skills of airbending are flight and spiritual projection. Flight has only been achieved by two people in the entire history of airbending, namely Guru Laghima and Zaheer.Airbending is the element of freedom and its season is autumn.
​

Waterbending is practiced by some people of the Water Tribe. It is not only the most versatile element, but also one of the more unique bending arts, as the first benders did not learn from an animal instead from the Moon, the first waterbender.Similar to their element, waterbenders are extremely adaptable and versatile. Waterbending concentrates on the flow of energy and focuses less on strength and more on turning the opponent's own energy against them. While a bender's victory in battle depends on their skill or ingenuity, waterbenders, unlike other benders, gain a serious advantage or disadvantage depending on the amount of water around them, although highly skilled waterbenders can draw water from anywhere; they can draw humidity from the air and bend the water in living things, especially plants.As the element of change, waterbenders can fluidly and quickly alternate from defense to offense, from a wall of ice to a jet of water, turning their opponent's strength against them. The opposite of waterbending is firebending, with its relatively stagnant, direct philosophy. Due to its lunar sympathy, waterbending is stronger at night and ineffective during a lunar eclipse or when the Moon Spirit dies.However, to counter waterbending's ineffectiveness during a lunar eclipse, waterbenders gain immense power during the peak of the full moon. The sub-skills for waterbending are healing and bloodbending.Waterbending is the element of change and its season is winter.

Earthbending originates in the Earth Kingdom, and it demands a special connection with the earth that is achievable with neutral jing, listening, though seemingly doing nothing, and waiting for the right moment to strike.The first earthbenders were badgermoles. Like waterbenders, earthbenders gain an advantage or disadvantage in battle based on the amount of earth around them, though the conditions are not as extreme. Because of their element's stability and its stress on neutral jing, earthbenders stand their ground, absorbing or intercepting attacks until they completely overwhelm their opponents.Unlike the other bending arts, earthbending's strength equally lies in both offense and defense. Earthbending is in stark contrast to airbending as airbending's emphasis is on evasion and mobility while earthbending's emphasis is on fortitude and strength.The sub-skills for earthbending are seismic sense, metalbending, and lavabending.Earthbending is the element of substance and its season is spring.

Firebending is used by the people of the Fire Nation and is the most aggressive bending art. Dragons were the first firebenders; they subsequently taught the Sun Warriors.Unlike other benders who depend on external sources of their elements to bend, firebenders can create fire using their internal heat source in addition to controlling already existent flames. As the element of power, firebenders have to be able to maintain a constant source of energy and balance in battle, unleashing a volley of direct, successive attacks. Firebending's relatively simple and direct style contrasts the complex and changing style of waterbending. Due to its solar affinity, firebending is stronger during the day and at its full power at noon,but completely ineffective during a solar eclipse.When a comet passes close to the planet, the power of a firebender is greatly increased. For a long time, disciplines of firebending were taught to be fueled by hatred, as opposed to the original source. Skilled firebenders are able to fly using powerful jets of flames. The sub-skills for firebending are combustionbending, generating and redirecting lightning. Firebending is the element of power and its season is summer.

Energybending is the art of bending the energy within one's body. It existed in the era of Raava and the four bending arts, though was considered lost. It is a highly dangerous technique; if one's own energy is impure and therefore bendable, the practitioner will be consequently destroyed. Few Avatars have learned this bending art, and even fewer have used it. Energybending allows the user to remove other people's bending abilities, or restore them after a bender had their abilities blocked by bloodbending.
​

A list of more specialized bending sub-techniques can be found here.

====

Our Primary Location

Republic City is the capital city of the United Republic of Nations as well as one of the largest and most modern cities in the world, with a population of millions. Located on the shores of Yue Bay, it is built upon what was once the territory of a Fire Nation colony and was founded by Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang after the conclusion of the Hundred Year War as a haven for immigrants from all across the four nations.Being a modern urban center, Republic City boasts significant high-rise development as well as the widespread use of automobiles, motorcycles, and airships; computers and cellular phones; and advanced medical equipment.

Republic City is home to a variety of iconic landmarks. These include a monumental statue of Avatar Aang in Yue Bay, a spacious city park, many suspension bridges, and skyscrapers. The police force utilizes metalbending for civil law enforcement. Pro-bending is the city's most popular form of sporting.


Official Rules:
1. No god-modding.
2. Two/three character maximum.
3. Only control your own character unless given permission otherwise by the other character's owner.
4. No killing other OC's without their owner's permission.
5. If you wish to make an NPC with a large part then please just state that on the sign-ups so that it doesn't get killed. Otherwise it's open season.
6. You must have good grammar! Get a proofreader for all I care! Use the spell-check! Anything, just make sure things make sense. I can tolerate some slip-ups, but nothing on a constant basis.
7. Please try to post at least once every 2-5 days (unless you give me a reason why you can't). Any longer than that and we might lose you or leave you behind.
8. No making up histories for characters (even NPCs) that aren't your own.
9. I reserve the right to kick you out of this RPG if you break one of these rules seriously enough. I will, however, give you a chance to explain or redeem yourself so it won't be a "BAM goodbye" sort of deal

Sign-Up Form

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Class: (Bending alignment or non-bending abilities)
Appearance:
Personality:
History:
Abilities: (Here you may go into more detail on your character's specific abilities)
Other: (Any sort of inventory your character carries with him/her, other skills, or information we should know)

 

[Schade]

This looks very interesting. Does one need to have a lot of background knowledge of the serie to join?

 

[Kamotz]

This looks very interesting. Does one need to have a lot of background knowledge of the serie to join?

Not necessarily. Though I definitely suppose it helps.

 

[Schade]

Because I kinda anna reserve a spot, but at the same time I'm afraid I'll mess up the galactic order With my lacking knowledge on the topic.

 

[REAL DADS]

Can I reserve a spot for a water bender, please?

 

[Firebrand]

Sounds like fun. Can you reserve me a spot as a fire bender? I think I'll be able to repurpose Culain's sign up from Arcadia with a little tweaking to the backstory, if that's okay with you.

 

[GoldenHouou]

Okay, so I don't know anything about Avatar (except that it stars a bald kid, there's someone blind and that my gf thought it was made in Japan which let me make fun of her for a day), but I'll go ahead and mark down my tentative interest anyway. Need to do some research first.

Will probably go with Wind to avoid duplicates for as long as possible.

 

[Vern]

I'm interested. I'll probably go with wind as it's my favourite element. Even if it's a duplicate.

I have no knowledge at all on the series (quoting GoldenHouou, I only know it stars a bold kid), but my friend is a fan and I can ask him.

 

[Kamotz]

Okay, so I don't know anything about Avatar (except that it stars a bald kid, there's someone blind and that my gf thought it was made in Japan which let me make fun of her for a day), but I'll go ahead and mark down my tentative interest anyway. Need to do some research first.

Will probably go with Wind to avoid duplicates for as long as possible.

You should watch it. It's pretty good. Honestly, I'm not sure how much not knowing will affect your ability to RP. I think I made things pretty straightforward, but then again, when I read it I'm making all those connections in my head with what I already know. That said, I can always hop in to correct you if things are completely out of wack.

 

[GoldenHouou]

You should watch it. It's pretty good. Honestly, I'm not sure how much not knowing will affect your ability to RP. I think I made things pretty straightforward, but then again, when I read it I'm making all those connections in my head with what I already know. That said, I can always hop in to correct you if things are completely out of wack.

I think I've seen like one or two episodes, actually? Wasn't bad. If I didn't have such a huge pile of series to watch already, I'd give it a try. Maybe once my schedule clears a bit.

And yeah, considering I've been in rps where I didn't know the series at all before (cough MtG cough), I don't think it'd be much of a problem. I'll most likely end up joining, but I'll get back to you on my element choice a bit later. Fire and Wind are my favorites, but nobody's picked Earth yet, so... choices.

 

[Kamotz]

Well (and this is addressed to everyone) I'm not a big fan of reservations. Hence why I didn't comment on them. If you want to post a sign up Ill take it. Anything less than that I just take as expressing interest.

 

[GoldenHouou]

Got it. Expect mine sometime next week, then.

Although I'll probably VM you some questions regarding powers and such before that as well.

 

[Firebrand]

Name: Zhulan Saito, aka the Red Demon
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Class: Firebender

Appearance: Zhulan is slightly above average height with standard firebender characteristics. His skin is naturally quite pale, though time spent living rough has given him some color, and he has the golden eyes typical of one of Fire Nation descent. He tends to stand quite straight, with an arrogant and proud bearing, often assuming a stance of parade rest with his hands folded behind his back when standing still, out of habit. His facial structure would be considered rugged and perhaps handsome if it wasn't quite so gaunt, and as it stands his face looks a little severe, almost hawklike. He has a proud brow and a noble cast to his features, often one or two days growth of stubble because he neglects or forgets to shave. He wears his hair long, and moves with a controlled tension, like a coiled spring. He walks quickly, generally leaving those he is with two or three paces behind and struggling to catch up. His body is a tapestry of scars and his arms bear the marks of old burns that will never heal fully. He prefers clothing in various shades of red, black and gray. He also has a long black cloak that, though tattered and rather threadbare, he refuses to get rid of because he thinks it make him look bold and dramatic when it flaps in the wind.

Personality: Zhulan can sometimes appear aloof or rough, but he tends to leave himself closed off to strangers. When one gets to know him, they will see him become quite passionate and animated about anything that has caught his attention. Zhulan is a bit of a maverick and has been known to disregard orders that he felt foolish or frivolous in the interest of getting the job done. He is quick to anger to slights both real and imagined but also quick to forgive and forget. His rash nature was tempered by his past trials, and has turned him into a pragmatic tactician. If he sees that victory could be more easily won at the sacrifice of his allies, he will not hesitate to orchestrate their demise to give himself an advantage. He has learned the value of patience, though it is a virtue he is loathe to practice. Zhulan has a charismatic, if domineering, personality and he has a habit of inspiring loyalty in those around him, even if he would rather not shoulder that burden and work on his own. People unfamiliar with him will think he's something of a dandy, constantly preening his shoulder-length hair and straightening his clothes.

A sardonic deadpan snarker, Zhulan can appear almost personable outside of the battlefield, but once engaged in combat he is a blood knight, plain and simple. He lives for the exhilaration of battle and is unable to be truly happy unless he is fighting. He has a propensity to spark tavern brawls for the sake of some stress release. In this state, Zhulan doesn't really care whether he lives or dies, existing only for the rush of battle and using magic purely on instinct. To him, the Great Peace was a dreadful bore because it prevented him from finding more worthy opponents to go toe-to-toe with, and then subsequently kill. He gained his moniker, the Red Demon, only partially due to the fact that he is a firebender. It is drawn more from the fact that every time he returns from battle, he is absolutely soaked with blood and grinning madly. He takes a perverse form of glee in toying with his foes and defeating them in the most drawn out way possible, occasionally even eschewing the use of his firebending in favor or more hand-to-hand combat. However, when the bloodlust has passed, he returns to being very measured and stable, and immediately seeks out a bath and fusses over the blood that will undoubtedly stain his clothes.

History: Zhulan was born to a family of fairly well-off merchants, however a territorial squabble between some of Republic City's organized crime families left his neighborhood leveled and him an orphan when he was six. He was taken in by a theif-maker, a man who trained orphans in pickpocketing and other sundry criminal behaviors, to be later sold off to one of the Triads. At the age of eleven, he caught the eye of one of an enforcer for the Black Hands, one of the more notorious families. He was given over to their care and trained under them for about three years, going with his new family to shakedown store owners for protection money or beating down those who tried to stand against the Triad. However, when he was charged by the head of the family to burn down a housing project where several members of the family's detractors resided, and thereby killing innocent women and children in the bargain, Zhulan drew the line. He renounced his family ties and badly burned the head before escaping into the slums of Republic City.

Wanted by the Triad, he had very few options for safety. Backed against the wall, he fled through the spirit portal and into the largely unexplored frontier of the Spirit World. He lived there among the spirits for a number of years and learned their ways. After gaining the trust of a group of dragon-like spirits, they taught him firebending forms that were long forgotten, almost completely unused since ancient days. He spent, as near as he can figure, roughly five years living and training in the Spirit World, honing his bending and his martial prowess. Due to his unorthodox teachers and education, his bending style is significantly different from standard firebending forms, relying far more on sinuous, almost serpentine movements as opposed to the bold, distinct strikes more commonly taught to firebenders. He also learned to master white-hot flames, using a degree of control that is rare among firebenders. Once he felt he had grown as strong as he possibly could, he reemerged in Republic City and immediately set about tracking down the Black Hand. When he singlehandedly stormed their command center, no one suspected that this bold, brash young man had been the callow youth who had fled so many years ago. Zhulan burned their hideout to the ground and butchered the entire upper command structure of the criminal organization.

The conflagration quickly drew the attention of the police, and Zhulan was apprehended and summarily imprisoned. He was only in his cell for two hours before using his intensely hot firebending to escape. However, instead of fleeing again, he simply waited for his pursuit to catch up at the prison gate and proposed a deal with them. Instead of burning down their prison after an ill-guided attempt to re-apprehend him, Zhulan offered to work as a "consultant" for the force, taking down Triads from the inside and working on the shadier side of the law for the greater good. The proposal was taken to the chief of police, and after some consternation, agreed to. He now works as a one-man task force dedicated to keeping order in Republic City, no matter the cost. His connection to the police is tenuous because most of what he does is technically illegal, but necessary in maintaining the peace. He enjoys a privileged place on the margins of society, working in the shadows to preserve the light. Zhulan spent the next eight years fighting the Triads, and occasionally aiding the United Forces when they needed the help of a powerful firebender. When collaborating with the United Forces, he is according the respect and privileges of a major, though his rebellious streak and blatant disregard of the orders of his superior officers, not to mention the degree of destruction he wreaks whenever set loose, make these collaborations infrequent, to say the least.

Abilities: Firebending- Zhulan's firebending is decidedly powerful, ranking on par with the Fire Nation upper nobility in terms of raw strength, however he lacks the discipline and poise a proper firebending trainer would have instilled in him. His style is far more serpentine than normal, and while he does resort to simply hurling fireballs when pressed, he defaults into using long streams of fire that dance around him, similar to the way a waterbender controls their streams
Combustion- While Zhulan does not wield the ability to create explosive bursts with his mind, as would a trained combustion-bender, his training with the spirits has shown him how to shoot small pulses of fire that explode into large-scale conflagrations upon contact
Lightning generation- Zhulan can create large-scale, powerful lightning strikes, however the technique leaves him incredibly drained and requires intense focus. He cannot, however, redirect lightning

Other: -Zhulan knows several regions of the Spirit World quite well, a result of spending his formative years hiding out there
-Zhulan has a near-universal distaste of pro-benders, finding the sport to be frivolous and a waste of time. To him, bending is an art form, and to corrupt it into something for public consumption is incredibly base and an affront to the very act of bending

(I basically copied the personality and appearance right from Culain's Arcadia so I assume no problems there. Let me know if there's any issues with the history or skillset though. Also, I was wondering if I could draft up an NPC SU for the chief of police? It seems like a character that Zhulan will interact with somewhat frequently, and being a public figure in the city, someone most of the cast will come into contact with, so probably best to establish them soon.)

 

[Kamotz]

@ Firebrand: Zhulan is approved

Spoiler: Ryu Hattori

Name: Ryu Hattori
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Class: Firebender
Appearance: Ryu is rather tall, standing over six and-a-half feet. He's well built, with broad shoulders and well-defined muscles. His body is powerful but lean, emphasizing muscle tone over muscle size. Indeed, Ryu's body looks and feels almost like it was chiseled out of stone or forged from steel. His inherent proclivity for firebending means that his body is more resilient, and more resistant to heat and heat-fatigue than a human of similar size and build. Due to the advanced healing he received, Ryu's injuries are almost non-existent, though he still carries many various-sized scars.

Ryu's facial features are strong and defined, almost predatory in nature. He has a thick head of brown-black hair; he's allowed it to grow out on his travels and it now hangs well-past his shoulders; it's now long enough for him to tie back in a low ponytail, though a few loose long strands hang in front of his face. At times, however, he's trimmed his hair to various lengths, even to what might be called a buzz-cut. His hair has a natural healthy sheen and smoothness. His eyes are a fiery, amber-gold and have been described as "soul piercing."

The most stunning part of Ryu's physiology are the intricate and interweaving series of tattoos over his entire body. Most of the time they're hardly noticeable, almost invisible - barely even there. However during states of heightened aggression or extremely arduous use of firebending the tattoos become bolder and darker, and even begin to glow.

Ryu doesn’t wear any one outfit all the time, Ryu's wardrobe is rather relaxed; he takes to wearing simple, tight-fitting t-shirts or plain-colored long-sleeved shirts that hint at his impressive physique. His usual attire also consists of a pair of black pants or faded blue-jeans and a pair of sneakers or combat boots. He also has a well-worn brown leather jacket. He does, however, also own a rather well-stocked supply of fancier clothes for gala events he's required to attend.

Personality: Ryu is a rather unique character. He clearly enjoys his power and its uses; coming from a background in which his defining trait was his weakness, he sees the great power now afforded to him as a blessing.

He is cunning, calculating, and deadly. He's self-serving and selfish. He has dedicated his existence to following his whims, and this easy life of pleasure has brought him detachment and easy confidence. He has become a sort of bon vivant, seeking novelty and new diversions. But despite his fundamentally hedonistic nature, Ryu does feel the pull of more lasting concerns, and over his long life this tendency has resulted in a schedule of engagements and forays to far-flung places. As a result Ryu is a busy man, traveling frequently to pursue concerns known only to him. Ryu always seems to have business elsewhere.

He's become a charmer and a smooth-talker in this time, he has a vicious way with words and a critical eye that combine to make him extremely competent at picking someone apart and deducing what makes them tick. His ability to analyze and dissect people and situations mentally, combined with his physical nature and firebending proficiency have made him an incredibly deadly individual.

Ryu relates to others as his playthings, as he's found few beings capable or worthy of gaining his respect. Essentially, he's a narcissist, with an "I come first" sort of attitude. This is most apparent in his pursuit of women. He tends to seek out the nearest bar and beautiful woman (or women if he can swing it). He's the ultimate lady-killer, using his good looks, charisma, charm, and status to win (and subsequently break) the hearts of women everywhere. He's a connoisseur of the one-night-stand and is prone to seducing women of nobility, "just for the challenge." But Ryu's eye isn't for power; he appreciates beauty no matter what social class it's found in.

Upon going into battle, however, Ryu changes completely. He becomes like a machine, unceasing, unflinching, and unrelenting in his mission. He is no longer either stoic or laid-back, but determined and focused. He becomes something else entirely, and it is in this "something else" that his separation from humanity becomes most evident. Ryu becomes vicious, ferociously efficient and brutal. In this mindset, it's clear that there is something truly inhuman about him, and it takes him some time to pull himself back from this state of hyper-awareness and hyper-lethality once his mission is complete.

"Hyper-lethal" is indeed the most appropriate way of describing Ryu. His true nature is that of a killer: unflinching determination and hedonism. Within him lurks his "Dark Passenger," a pseudo-aware aspect of his personality. The Passenger drives him to fulfill the Hunger and the Need, the primal urges from deep within.

It's likely that Ryu developed his public playboy persona as a way to mask his "dark passenger" from both the world and himself. He fears his darkness and worries that it will overtake him and turn him into a monster. So he carries himself with a sort of cool, laid-back, nonchalant attitude and engages in and meaningless romantic trysts, hoping that it will stave off his dark passenger and ignite a better part of him. He's had little luck, however, and his continued use of his "mask" has only served to make him more aware of how deep his darkness goes. He's perfectly willing to follow the rhetoric of fighting for "love and glory" but inside he feels nothing. Many of his relationships remain superficial because he finds it hard to connect with other people beyond that superficial level. Even so, Ryu has a deeply-rooted sense of loyalty to those he's come to trust and care for, though they're few and far between.

History: Ryu's first memory is one of complete and utter agony; of awakening screaming in pain; of something ripping over his entire body, searing itself into his skin and bones. Everything was fire. Then there was nothing. Just weightlessness; days of emptiness; complete silence and loneliness. Then pain again. And more fire; more screaming and ripping and searing. But this time, there was something else after. No more loneliness. No more silence. But a single sound; a low chuckle - a whisper. The Passenger. It was there that Ryu's Dark Passenger took his first breath, born in fire and blood.

He awoke to find himself not-quite-alone, but confined to a dark cell, where he spent several days waiting and weakening due to lack of food and water. He wasn't there long; soon a man came and brought him to an orphanage without any explanation. The ten year old boy was concerned, but displayed no signs of fear.

The orphanage took him in, but the darkness was already there. He lashed out angrily and with no regard for anyone else. He fought with the other children and even with the workers at the orphanage, and manifested his firebending abilities early. It was then that a representative from the United Republic military came to the orphanage and brought Ryu into a military boarding school; the Republic City Military Bending Academy.

Ryu was brought into the Academy and subjected to the rigors and difficulties they set up for him and the other recruits. Competition between the students was fierce. They were encouraged to excel. They were taught to be cunning and ruthless when necessary. They were taught all the arts of combat from the very first day, receiving training with all forms of weaponry and hand-to-hand combat.

Upon entering the Academy Ryu realized how out of the ordinary he was. He was far more cutthroat than the other students. He began to form bonds with his classmates and fellows and did everything he could to fit in, though it was almost completely on a very superficial level. It was there that he developed his outlook on life; he learned how to "enjoy" life, or at least appear as if he did. He developed his "charisma" hoping that it would help him to connect with someone.

It was in the Academy that he first met Hayate Kimura, a junior White Lotus agent, and a graduate of the Academy. Hayate gave Ryu a purpose to work and strive for. Under Hayate’s direction and mentorship Ryu began his training in earnest, working towards membership in the White Lotus.

Upon graduating, Ryu became more involved with the White Lotus and served in a probationary capacity serving under Hayate. He thrived on the battlefield, pushed by his commanding officers and the incessant whisper of the Passenger, he became a monster, reveling in the bloodshed.

He found that the more he drew on his firebending, the more his body changed. The tattoos on his body that he had known his entire life burned, glowing white-hot. They made him stronger, faster, angrier; they made each enemy's actions slower and easier to predict. In this state he heard nothing but the voice of the Passenger, nothing but the Need.

But then...he was removed. The Order of the White Lotus was disturbed by his violent and unpredictable nature. And Ryu was left feeling wholly incomplete. Empty, trying to recall the days where he felt useful and had direction. But try as he might, Hayate had no other option and couldn’t help. And so Ryu struck out to the furthest corners of the Republic, searching for answers; for his memories, for amusement, and for a way to sate the hunger of the Passenger. The Need.

Abilities: Firebending - Ryu is an incredibly skilled firebender; stifling the aggressive and unpredictable nature of firebending with cold logic and predatory focus. Contrary to the norm, Ryu’s firebending is precise and conservative; he wastes no movement or effort. Everything is measured and undertaken with lethal precision.

Lightning generation and redirection - He’s uniquely skilled in lightning generation and redirection, almost a “lightning-bender” of sorts, since lightning generation requires absolute control of one’s emotions. He is able to generate it extremely quickly and can utilize its power without significant wear on his body and chi.

Combat - Ryu is a superb fighter and warrior; possessing a rating with every weapon that fires a bullet or holds an edge. He is also one of the very few individuals documented as "hyper-lethal," a designation given to those with the skills and mental fortitude to overcome massive enemy numbers and impossible situations. His "Dark Passenger" is a contributing factor though, as his emotional detachment allows him to act on pure logic and instinct, drawing out the limits of his mental and physical ability, which is considerable.

Other: N/A

Spoiler: Serra Bai

Name: Serra Bai
Age: 27
Gender:
Class: Avatar - Airbender by birth
Appearance: Serra is a woman with stunning features. She is rather tall for a woman, standing just over 5-feet, 9-inches (1.8m) tall. She's a deadly beauty, with sharp features: thin lips, a slender nose, and piercing eyes. Her unique platinum-blonde hair is long and hangs just past her shoulders in the back. She usually ties the back in a ponytail while allowing the front to hang loose and frame her face. Her eyes are a striking silver-blue. This blonde-haired beauty has often been described as emotionless, but to those who can read her expressions she's anything but. Her blue eyes are actually quite expressive if you know what to look for. Her long blonde hair frames her face and reaches well below her shoulders.

She's in rather good shape, though certainly not as toned or athletic as someone like Claire. Serra is less "lethally" beautiful and more "elegantly" beautiful (though beauty often depends entirely on personal preference). Still, Serra is anything but a wilting flower, as many people could tell you. Despite her softness, she packs a good deal of power into her frame, and has a mean right-hook. Serra's body is far from un marred. She has a pair of massive scars that run vertically over each of her shoulder blades.

In addition, Serra carries the tattoos of a master airbender. Over the past 200 years, the style of tattoos has evolved; less geometric and more tribal (the two rightmost images).

Serra's typical dress is a pair of tight, leg-and-hip-hugging jeans and a sleeveless white top that leaves a lot of her midriff exposed. She also is fond of a thin, light, black leather jacket that she received from Ryu at one point.

Personality: On the outside, Serra is the epitome of the phrase "cold, hard, b*tch." She puts much effort into reigning in her emotions and reactions. At the same time, she shows great passion and loyalty to her comrades. She appears cold, frigid even, with her unblinking attitude to most of the horrors she has seen around her, and she rarely appears moved or impressed by the plight of others. She is slow to form attachments, but once she does she is fiercely protective of them...in her own purposefully-detached sort of way. If she pays you any attention at all, it means she's actually quite fond of you.

On the inside, however, Serra is a genuinely good person. Like many, her story is a tragic one of pain and loss, so her desire to protect the little she has is very strong. She also has a soft spot for young children and families devastated by the war. And on very rare occasions she can fly into a vicious rage. Try as she might, she can't seem to rid herself of her rage or her soft spot.

Her pursuit of quelling her emotions and opinions means she doesn't often express them aloud, though that doesn't mean she's without them. She's usually rather indifferent when it comes to someone else's attitude towards her comrades so long as they remain civilized in their expressions of those attitudes. She will not allow mass ignorance or paranoia to have the last word, and her quick wit and sharp tongue are more than enough to put anyone in their place without resorting to quick blows and sharp steel. Otherwise, she doesn't really care what kind of looks or whispers are thrown her way; just don't get in her face if you want to keep your dignity.

In terms of men, women, and sex, she understands the appeal, but sees it as something that should be done only when necessary. She finds it repugnant when people stoop to "fornicating like mindless beasts," as she so often puts it. That's not to say she is above such fornication either: she recognizes and understands her body well enough to see to its needs, but "desires" and frivolous "pleasures" are avoided.

Serra is willful almost to a fault, usually doing whatever she wants regardless of whether or not it inconveniences others, particularly with Ryu. She also likes to withhold information, usually telling people just enough to leave them wondering. Her individual experiences have led Serra to become a detached and lonely individual (though she usually tries to hide it, especially around those she does not know well), with little care for even those she has entered into arrangements with, while in the past she was somewhat a spoiled and cheerful girl. Due to her nature and history, she has been lonely as long as she can remember. Ryu is possibly the first person that she remembers ever truly caring for her and it appears that she reciprocates at least some feelings. She considers him her accomplice in all she does, and she is one of the few people to know Ryu's true nature and accept it (something even he is unable to really do).

Serra is a master of subtlety and deadpan humor, able to throw people off their game with the simplest twist of a phrase or word. She also has a penchant for teasing people, though it's never malicious or done in spite. In this way she's sometimes quite playful, though it's always in her own soft-spoken way. She's quirky in that regard, and often catches people off guard because of it.

History: Serra can remember very little of her life before eight years ago. For the purpose of the History section, however, her past will be revealed. She was born in the Air Nation, and when Serra's identity as the Avatar was discovered her parents were delighted; it meant they would become part of a privileged class that had benefits and powers that they could never hope to give Serra on their own. They allowed her to join the White Lotus’s training program. There Serra was subjected to a rigorous battery of tests and trials to prepare her for the role she was meant to take in the years ahead. Serra excelled, quickly becoming quite proficient in each of the bending arts. She was recognized as a master airbender by her eighteenth birthday and received her airbending tattoos that day.

Eight years ago, however, she and several members of the White Lotus went to mediate the discussion between leaders of the Mortal and Spirit worlds. She and the White Lotus agents did their best to keep the peace. Then the Separatist members staged their attack. Serra intervened as best she could, shielding many from the first wave of blasts, but the following attacks overwhelmed her. Her parents were incinerated, and the shock, anger, and fear that followed pushed her into the Avatar state for the first time. The resulting clash of energies detonated the remaining bombs prematurely, and cratered the area. Serra herself was consumed by the blaze. Her Avatar powers kicked in to preserve her life, however, and she was encased in earth and shunted deep underground to recover.

But the damage had been done, and she lost much of her memory. She wandered in a daze with only her name, and was eventually found by a man who brought her with him to one of the nearby slums. The man's name was Vincent Costa, a local drug kingpin. Serra was turned into Costa's personal slave, though that didn't stop his underlings from abusing her when the chances arose. In her amnesic state, Serra had no concept of another life, and for three years lived under Costa's tyranny.

As it happened, however, Costa was considered a nuisance by the White Lotus. They sent Ryu to quickly deal with him and his drug cell. Ryu made swift work of Costa and his crew. When everyone was dead, Ryu did one last sweep through the compound and found Serra cowering. Recognizing something about her, he surprised himself by taking her with him away from the carnage.

Though Ryu had initially planned to simply leave her at a nearby hospital and never see her again, he soon recognized her as the Avatar. Ryu brought her to his White Lotus contact, Hayate, who urged him to keep her whereabouts hidden. Hayate explained to Serra her past and identity, and also explained the dangers facing her if she were to expose herself without her memories or abilities at full.

Serra had no choice but to relearn all of her bending skills under Hayate’s tutelage. He and Ryu were able to help her with airbending and firebending, respectively, and from there her own natural inclination helped her begin to relearn both waterbending and earthbending.

After Ryu was excommunicated by the Order, Serra found herself without her most trusted ally, as even Hayate refused to offer Ryu haven. Serra began distancing herself from Hayate, pushing the limits on how far she could explore the rest of Republic City without being recognized. Hayate remained adamant that Serra stay hidden until she regained the full scope of her powers, if not her memories.

With the recent increase in unrest, however, Serra is determined to take a stand against the violence and conflict between the sides.

Abilities: As the Avatar, Serra is capable of all types of bending. She was, for a time, nearing mastery of all elements, but after the accident was forced to relearn all her skills. She has currently regained near-mastery of airbending and waterbending as well as suitable proficiency with firebending and a passable grasp at earthbending. She has even began to develop the specialized subsets of bending. She is able to perform the waterbending-based spiritbending, the airbending-based spiritual projection, the earthbending-based metalbending, and is capable of redirecting lightning. Serra has yet to gain any sort of experience with energybending, even before she lost her memories.

Other: N/A

 

[Cometstarlight]

YES! This!! I know you don't like reserves, but I'll get my sign up ASAP

 

[Firebrand]

Name: Chief Dao Xi Lung
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Class: Earth/Metal Bender

Appearance: Chief Xi Lung is an older man approaching the far side of middle age. He sports a carefully manicured beard and mustache that he keeps cut short so as not to require much grooming sans keeping it an acceptable, regulation length. He wears his hair cut short in a military-regulation buzz cut, to more easily fit under his helmet. He has the pale green eyes common of those who can trace their descent to Earth Nation families of note, and while in his youth his skin was tanned from years of exposure to the elements, he has grown quite pale in his desk position over the last decade and a half. Despite his age and the position he enjoys, he keeps himself in peak physical condition and can oftentimes match other men half his age in a contest of strength. The chief was never a tall man, and is comfortably average height. However, he is quite broad in the shoulder and has a very visible physical presence, naturally drawing the focus of and commanding whatever room he happens to be in. The position of police chief of Republic City has changed since the days of the first Beifong chiefs, and as the force has grown, the chief has had less reason to actually take to the streets to enforce the law. As such, he does not often wear the scaled metal body armor common among metal benders, opting instead for a well-tailored tunic and trousers bearing his insignia of rank. However, he does keep two sets of regulation police armor, one in his home and one on a mannequin behind his desk, should the need for him to handle matters personally arise.

Personality: Dao is a gruff, brusque man who has no time for the fancy wordplay of politicians. He is plainspoken and does not hesitate to make his opinions known, nor does he care who hears him. Despite his rather rough nature, he does have a more civilized side that he brushes off for official city functions. While his presence does ruffle some feathers among the upper crust, when he keeps his mouth shut he can be the picture of an upstanding gentleman of society. He holds fast with ancient codes of chivalric conduct, and while his outlook may be austere and outdated to the modern ear, his genteel mannerisms have won him several highly placed friends. Chief Xi Lung possesses a booming baritone voice that can easily quell the conversation of the room and demands to be heard. He also has a penchant for inspiring fierce loyalty in the men under his command, regarded by many of them as a father figure. He has a particular weakness for children, especially those of his men, who consider him to be an extra grandfather. He and his wife were unable to conceive children of their own, and as such, the chief is quite protective of any young souls he finds under his care. Generally quite calm and even-tempered, when Dao does get angry the raw fury he brings to the fore is enough to quell even the fiercest of moose-lions. When forced into combat, Dao is a pragmatist who favors quickly and efficiently incapacitating the opponent. He takes his charge to protect and serve the people of Republic City quite seriously, and as such he is reluctant to employ lethal force.

History: The title of chief of Chief of Police is not a hereditary one, and after Lin Beifong retired, not a single descendant of the Beifong line held it for generations. Dao is distantly related to Sunyin Beifong, and as such the first "Beifong" chief of police in nearly two centuries. That said, he did not rise to the position on genetics alone, and he honestly does not even really consider himself to be a part of the family line, as the bloodline has become very diluted over the course of two hundred years. He rose to the position solely based on merit, and it was only after he had been inducted that the filial connection came to light. Dao was the scion of a rather wealthy family in the city, and as such spent most of his life in and around Republic City. He attended elite schools and achieved high marks in his studies. After a brief period of misspent youth, he decided he wanted to dedicate his life to protecting Republic City and the people who live there.

After joining the force, he quickly proved his valor by presiding over a hostage negotiation and seeing the captives freed, completely unharmed by offering himself in exchange to the terrorist. Once the hostages were safely clear of the building, Dao used his metalbending to rip up the metal girders in the floor to bind and hold the criminal until backup arrived. Just weeks later, he managed to track down a notorious serial killer that had terrorized the city for months. By a combination of luck and guile, Dao continued to make high-profile arrests throughout his career until, when the last chief of police was killed in action fifteen years ago, he was given the post to oversee the safety of Republic City. He now is seen by many as a bastion of law and justice, and a pillar of what Republic City once stood for in a world that has, for all intents and purposes, gone to hell.

Abilities: -Earthbending: As befitting of one of his lineage, Dao Xi Lung is a proficient earth bender and was widely considered one of the greatest of his generation. Age has not tempered his skills, and though while he is quite powerful, he never took the time to learn any outlandish bending forms, settling instead for the common earth bending techniques, techniques that he is frightfully proficient with. With this also comes Seismic Sense, a technique honed and passed down through his family line for generations.
-Metalbending: Naturally, as chief of the police force, Dao is an adept at metal bending, and what he lacks in finesse in earth bending he more than makes up for in metal bending. He is a master of manipulating the metal cables that are standard equipment for the police force. He went so far as to study under several water bending masters to learn their flowing, graceful forms to more ably shape and control his cables.
-Hand to hand combat: Oftentimes, bending will prove too disruptive or destructive to Republic City in bringing down a criminal, and as such the police chief is proficient in many schools of hand to hand combat. He favors the blunt, direct style of fighting that his bending reflects, though countless fights over the course of many years have left him open to adaptability
Other: -Dao Xi Lung is an NPC, and as such can be controlled by anyone


Name: Imlok Varrick
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Class: Non-Bender, Police Detective

Appearance: Imlok has the brown hair and blue eyes common among the water tribe, although his skin is a bit paler due to generations of interbreeding among races. He is just a little bit over average height, though he tends to walk with a bit of a slouch. He has a charming, disarming smile and an easy-going way about him that tends to put people at ease. He is a plain-clothes detective and as such does not wear a uniform. He carries a badge, but keeps it concealed beneath his coat. He favors clothing in light shades, so pale blues, whites and grays, as he feels it connects him to his Southern Water Tribe heritage. He keeps his hair short, as is the fashionable cut, and generally keeps abreast of the trends. He tends to use his hands when he talks, and is generally a very animated person. He shaves three days out of seven, so usually he has a bit of stubble.

Personality: Generally easy-going, Imlok is a cheerful person who may come off as a bit naive. However, the cheery exterior belies a shrewd and calculating mind. He is an expert criminal profiler and adept detective who loves a challenge. On slower days, he goes over cold case files to keep his mind sharp, and is fond of paradoxes and thought experiments. In interrogations, he often takes on the role of "good cop", and while that does not often yield results on its own, his affable nature makes his colleagues' "bad cop" routine much more effective. Imlok was was raised to be a calculating and conniving businessman, and while he has the potential to be cold and ruthless, he channels this potential into sarcastic remarks and general cattiness. He is very conscientious of fashion and personal grooming, and his favorite pastime is remarking on the fashion choices of others.

History: The great-great-grandson of Iknik Varrick, (im)famous eccentric genius and entrepreneur from the time of Avatar Korra, Imlok is the third son of the original Varrick's great-granddaughter. The common track of the Varricks would be to take a position in the family corporation, though Imlok never had much interest in that. He lacked the scientific mind to be an engineer, and a life spent chained to a desk punctuated by board meetings and corporate luncheons sounded terribly dull, so he took the necessary training to become a police detective, thinking that would be a far better application of the calculating acumen he was forced to develop from a young age. This caused some dissension among his family, though they are starting to come around. Imlok doesn't expect handouts, and lives on his own salary from the police force in a small apartment, and has mostly cut his ties from his family and their business. However, he is not above using his society contacts to get himself ahead in a case or using the latest prototype from the Varrick Enterprises R&D division in an investigation. He is fairly new on the detective beat, and occasionally is teased by his fellow detectives for being a "pretty boy", and of course, the general ribbing a rookie goes through. Imlok bears this all with a smile and oftentimes exchanges gibes. After a few weeks, he was welcomed into the community force and subsequently taken under Chief Xi Lung's wing as a rising prodigy.

Abilities: -Hand to hand combat: All members of the Varrick family are trained from an early age in basic self defense, and Imlok's police training only built upon this
-Detective acumen and problem solving skills

Other: -Imlok carries a regulation sidearm and a Future Industries electric glove
-Imlok is an NPC and as such can be controlled by anyone

 

[Kamotz]

@ Firebrand: Looks good. These guys are now recognized NPCs.

 

[REAL DADS]

Name: Noatak (Noa) Asiavic
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Class: Waterbender
Appearance:
[spoil]

[/spoil]
Noa has the deep, blue eyes that are common in waterbenders. Her thin, black eyebrows are often moving with her expression. Her lips are full, and her smirk is a trademark of hers. She is very good at sending a statement or giving an opinion using only her expressions. Her light brown skin tone and dark hair tells of her Northern Water Tribe heritage. Her hair is about shoulder length and mostly kept back, except for some bangs and stands on either side of her head that are tied and hang in front of her ears. This style is seen in water tribe women, and fashioned after the strands Avatar Korra once wore.

Noa stands at about 5’7, so slightly above average height for a woman. She doesn’t have visibly toned muscles, but she is in good physical shape. She has good posture and carries herself proudly. Her upper left arm is covered in a half sleeve of tattoos. The sleeve has an aquatic theme, with blue, white capped waves, La and Toi in their Koi forms creating a circle as the center piece, and other Water Tribe imagery. Her ears have multiple metal piercings in the lobes and cartilage. Her style ranges from leather jackets and combat boots to tight red dresses and stilettos. Sometimes even a mixture of the two. She exudes self confidence in whatever she chooses to wear, and enjoys dressing up.

Personality: Noa is a calm, cool, and collected person. She is stubborn in her ways, and very opinionated. However, she will not be outright in saying what those opinions may be. She is a good listener and will hear what people are saying, no matter how dumb she may think what they are saying is. She is good at telling people what they want to hear in order to get what she wants, and she has a very good pokerface to back it up. She thinks very highly of herself, and usually puts her own well being before others. She is social and outgoing, and a guaranteed good time if you are able to keep up. A flirt in every sense of the word, Noa knows she is attractive and is not above flaunting it. Be it to get out of trouble or just for the hell of it, Noa knows how to use her charms to persuade people.

Noa is not a touchy-feely person. She does not enjoy sharing her true feelings. It makes her uncomfortable, and she will play things off like they do not affect her rather than reveal pain or sadness. Experiences that have emotionally affected her from her past are very hard to pry out of her, and only the closest people to her will ever hear about them. She is mistrusting of most people, and is quick to assume the worst in people. Because of her habit to bottle things up, when she finally does spill, a lot comes out.

Noa is good at reading people. She can usually tell a bluff from a real threat. Her actions may seem rash and foolish to someone else, but are usually well-calculated. She may not appear to be intelligent, but her street smarts are top knotch. She focuses on the big picture, and subscribes to an ends-justify-means philosophy in most scenarios.

When it comes to combat, she is a force to be reckoned with. She grew up having to fight for herself, and is well versed in street fighting. If she has to resort to a sucker punch, or less than noble tactics, she will not hesitate. She has an aggressive style of bending, and particularly favors using ice offensively. Her defense is her weakness, as she focuses most of her energy on her attacks.

History: Noa has just been trying to get by living in Republic City. Born and raised in the Dragon Flats Borough, she is familiar with the violence and crime that plague the less fortunate neighborhoods of the city. Constantly surround by the lawlessness of the streets has made Noa a scrappy young woman. She cannot remember a time when things were peaceful. Even before the killing of the avatar and the years of conflicts that followed, the area she lived in was filled with crime. If you didn’t learn how to protect yourself, you wound up dead. The streets raised Noa, and she quickly learned what it took to survive on them.

She grew up in a small flat with her parents and two older brothers. Her father is a waterbender, and her mother and brothers are earthbenders. She has a very strong relationship with her father, and he taught her all he knows about bending. Her eldest brother was arrested when she was a teenager for being involved with the Separatists, and is still incarcerated. Her other brother was murdered, a case which has gone unsolved. She has run into trouble with the law a few times too, and has been arrested more than once. If you ask her for what, she will simply reply with “bull****.” She has a general mistrust of law enforcement because of her experiences, and does not get along well with them. She has never been involved with the Triad or Separatists, viewing both of them as opportunists that prey on the weak and impoverished. She also believes the Triad to be behind the murder of her brother, and hates them more than the crooked cops that have caused her family grief.

Abilities: Noa is a very proficient waterbender. She knows how to attack quickly and precisely using her abilities. She is most confident in using ice as a form of offense. She is also able to use water from less than conventional sources, manipulating the environment around her to her advantage.

In addition to her bending, Noa prides herself as being a very convincing liar. She can think up stories on the fly, and can deliver them so matter-of-factly that even for people who know her, it is hard to tell if what she is saying is true.

Other: Noa is very familiar with the streets of Republic City. She has friends in low places, and knows who to talk to to get different forms of information, black market items, and other questionable wares.

 

[Cometstarlight]

Name: Ai Bishui
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Class: Waterbender

Appearance: Ai stands at a regular 5’4 with a skin tone that is fairer than most other water benders due to her mixed heritage. She has gentle facial features, a thin smile, and calming hazel eyes, as well as a slender, but toned physique; giving her a subtle beauty. Ai is very expressive; it is usually very easy to tell what she is thinking or feeling by looking at her face. As such, she is not as good as hiding her emotions unless she puts a lot of effort into it. She has long brown hair that hangs down to the middle of her ribcage when not in a pony tail. She usually keeps it up to keep it from interfering with her bending.

Ai usually stands up straight, but tends to fold her arms over her waist as some of her insecurities tend to follow through into her idle stance. She is usually found wearing black pants with a light blue shirt and a dark blue (almost black) jacket over top of that. Ai wears dark blue wrist wraps in favor of water tribe tradition. As for foot wear, she switches from boots to tennis shoes, going more for comfort and necessity than fashion.

Personality: Ai has a kind and gentle spirit, having a soft spot for animals and those in need in general. She can be a bit timid at times when meeting new people, being called out, or disappointing others, but is usually a happy and bright girl once she settles in. Ai aims to please, mainly in the fact that she doesn’t want to become useless though she usually tries to keep these feelings to herself for fear of burdening others. She feels that in helping or participating in some way will give her some sense of purpose and will allow her to earn her keep.

While Ai tries to remain optimistic, but realistic, in her views of other people, her thoughts can be a bit judgmental. Because of this, Ai tries to think before she speaks, although sometimes her thoughts slip out. She will sometimes just stay quiet and listen to what others are saying around her before jumping into the conversation, but nevertheless, she will join in and add her two cents since she can be opinionated at times. She loves to laugh and will tend to be a bit more willing to joke around after warming up to others. When confronted with a situation, Ai becomes much more serious and tries to remain cool under pressure. Since she’s not the best at containing her emotions, noticeable panic may show up on her face momentarily.
Ai holds elders (not necessarily old people, you get the picture) in high regard, remaining very respectful and listening to what they have to say. She won’t always agree with them, but she does value wisdom and experience from others so that she may learn more about anything that she can.

History: Ai was born in the Northern Water Tribe to her mother (a non-bender) and father (waterbender). Growing up at the North Pole with her brother, Ai was taught to value the tradition and heritage from times past at a very young age. She was very much into combat, more as to spar with siblings than full out attack and had little to no interest in healing until her brother was involved in an accident in which he was hit by a snowmobile. Ai was with him and became distraught when she realized there was nothing she herself could do to help save him. Fortunately, there were other people around to get him to a hospital to begin the healing process. He had suffered several broken bones, as well as a concussion, all of which are able to be healed by waterbending, much to the family’s relief. During this time, Ai came in to watch the healing process nearly every day to receive lessons in how to heal. Even after her brother became healthy again, she would go back to the hospital to learn more on how to aid the injured.

Growing up, Ai became infatuated with animals. While she’s usually good with them, she tends to stir them up in attempt to get them to play with her. Turns out messing with polar bear dog pups isn’t the smartest idea when the mother is around. From these “experiences”, Ai has gotten smacked around and put into some potentially lethal situations more than once due to her naïveté. Once she got older, she became much less antagonizing to animals and has been able to make ground in learning more about them.
When she was sixteen, Ai’s family decided to move down to Ba Sing Se in favor of warmer temperatures and better work. Once here, Ai worked as a nurse for various hospitals and clinics for a few years, nearly perfecting the art of healing before suddenly picking up and moving again to Republic City. Now she’s just trying to figure out the lay of the city.

Abilities: Waterbending- Having trained under several masters in the Northern Water Tribe, as well as personal training from her father, Ai is well versed in various forms of attack and defense. She is also very quick.

Healing- From extensive study, Ai is particularly good at healing.

Hand-to-hand combat- While this skill is a bit rusty, she has basic to intermediate skills in this category.

Other: N/A

 

[Kamotz]

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