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 year 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.
