The Cyclic War

[Tera253]

In light of EmberSpirit's recent departure, I figured that since I had a series of ideas in a similar vein, that I'd give running an RPG a shot. besides, those of you who know I'm leaving know that I in particular can get a lot done in 3 months' time.

and of course, I'm not the most amazing GM ever, but that's why I want to try it--give my skills a little sprucing up... besides, I have a better idea for a large-scale RPG that I will likely release in 2012, and here's a hint: this is not it.

anyways, enough rant. here goes nothin...

STORY
Just when we thought that the war was over, we learn that it was only just beginning afresh. This war seems to be a little different though, as Fire Lord Zuko is not by any means encouraging any continuation of the 100-Year War. This “new” war seems to be one of prejudice, which seemed to originate against Aang for whatever reason. The tragedy that struck him and his band of friends, who had become war heroes in the three months that had passed since he had removed the bending prowess of Fire Lord Ozai. However, in those three months, Aang had vanished. He was found in the outer regions of the Western Air Temple about a month later. He was unharmed, and yet, somehow, had died. Similarly, around this time, Air Nomad refugees had begun reappearing after Fire Lord Zuko had declared peace.

The mystery on the hands of the world was a simple question, and yet one that struck fear into the hearts of the world: who had slain the Avatar, and more importantly, why? What sort of streak of insanity could drive anyone other than a follower of Sozin to kill him?

Incidentally, the suspects were not Fire Nation, as firebenders left signs when they killed. It was either the Water Tribes, who would do so to have the next Avatar be one of their kind, or a fellow Air Nomad refugee, as those were the only people who ever wasted their times in the near-forsaken Air Nomad regions nowadays. The Earth Kingdom had considered Aang their savior, as he had been the one to stop Ozai in his tracks form burning the entire region to the ground.
Aang’s mysterious death aside, and the unease, everything else seemed to have mostly returned to normal. Needless to say, Katara was quite stressed about the situation, but, like the way she coped with the loss of her mother, she cracked down and decided to make something of her life, and she dedicated her days to the building up of the Southern Water Tribe. She herself became a battle-hardened warrior, and violently defended her region and the Southern Air Temple from rebel Fire Nation raids. After all, not everyone was pleased with Ozai’s fall.

The world itself was on edge because of the Fire Nation Civil Wars that broke out, the Earth Kingdom rebellions that popped up here and there, some minor complications between the two Water Tribes, and a band of rouge Air Nomads, led by a woman named Nailah at the Western Air Temple. Rightfully feeling that they easily got the worst end of this war, they roughed up anyone of any nationality other than their own. The Air nomad Culture had vanished, but the few Air nomads that were still alive were trying to bring parts it back. Naturally though, this would take time. Sorting everything out would take time—lots of time...

Nineteen years after the death of Aang, There were still no leads on who had killed him, Azula was still under control, Ozai still did not speak to anyone, and there were still wars and contentions. There was no sign of the Avatar, though the Water Tribe knew that he or she was among them—they would only be 19 years old anyways.

Nailah’s band of rouge Air Nomads proved to be more of a nuisance than the rest of the world had thought. They were not causing extensive damage; just enough to be recognized, and yet not enough to be a world threat by any means. During this time, Mai’s twins, Zabota and Nakrelu, began growing up as well, being 16 years old by this time. The world was seemingly stuck in a repeating cycle, like it had been for the last 19 years. This, however, was about to change...


TIME PERIOD: 19 years after Aang's disappearance (death)

CONDITION OF THE WORLD:

FIRE NATION: is on the verge of a civil war. IT is divided into two groups--those loyal to Mai and Zuko, and those loyal to Azula and Ozai. the former group are the ones trying to restore peace, while the latter is in favor of furthering the war.

WATER TRIBE: a large number of waterbenders have gone south and are transofrming the Southern Water Tribe into a massive fortress-type series of cities. Both tribes, though mainly the south, are attacked quite often by EK traitors or FN rebels, which is only another reason why Katara is among those rebuilding it with strong efenses.

AIR NOMADS: did not die out. (and neither did Zhao, Jet, Richard (combustion man), or even Roku. jk jk) They are sparsely populating the four Air Temples, but their numbers are slowly increasing. They are developing a formal military, but it will be many years before that actually comes to pass. There are some groups of rouge Air Nomads that are bent on causing chaos anywhere they can, jsut for the sake of chaos.They take neither side in this war.

EARTH KINGDOM: apart from the traitors that defected over to Azula's forces, the EK are allied with Zuko's Fire Nation, and the Water Tribes. these three nations formed an alliance, and are determined to help stop the war. the main target cities of attaack are Gaoling and inside the walls of Ba Sing Se. There are FN forces deployed in these cities for backup, and for the Fire Nation to compensate for the damages it has done.

CAST OF CHARACTERS (NPC LIST):

AANG--(M, N/A)is 6 feet under. The new Avatar is a Northern Water Tribe woman, aged 19, though her location and level of element mastry is unknown.

KATARA--(F, 33)is currently in the Southern Water Tribe building up its defenses with help of some NWT benders and accomplices. Mourns Aang's loss from time to time. When she is not in the SWT, she is at the NWT. She is the SWT Chief.

SOKKA--(M, 34)Roams the SWT and the Air Temples, trying to find out "who took her". He had become the Southern Water Tribe Chief, and in this position, he quckly abdicated it to Katara, who had devoted her life to the tribe.

TOPH--(F, 31) is usually found somewhere between Gaoling and Ba Sing Se, where she crushes any FN rebellions with the help of Zuko's forces that have been deployed there. She is great friends with Sanaki Li Chan, and the two make a stunning fighting team.

SANAKI--(F, 32) a Fire Nation sensei who is often seen in the Earth Kingdom, accompanying Toph in her efforts to rid her hometown (or Ba Sing Se) of the rebels. She is great friends with Toph, and is about at the same level of skill as these war heroes are.

ZUKO--(M, 35) Fire Lord. Has nearly been assassinated several times in the last few years. while he has skillfully kept his supporters from fearing this, he himself worried for his own life, and even moreso, the fate of the Fire Nation should he be assassinated and Azula take up the throne.

IROH--(M, 83?) lives in Ba Sing Se where he still runs his tea shop. While he doesn't actively participate in the war due to his age, if he is ever asked for by someone in need of assistance, he will always be there for them.

AZULA--(F, 33) No longer insane. still locked up, and seems to be unusually calm about ehr situation--as if she plans to break out soon. As a result of this, she is watched round the clock.

TY LEE--(F, 33) The leader of the Kyoshi Warrior squadron, whose numbers are now up around 80-90 as opposed to the mere 5 or 6 there were before. Moreover, they are becoming a more prominent force--able to fight, and do so effectivly, but violently.

MAI--(F, 34) Fire Lady. Does not stand for people pushing her around, and is a lot less lenient than Zuko. She holds no loyalty to Azula, but rather, to Zuko and her nation at this point. She often times disappears, returning a day or two later, looking no different from when she left. What she does and where she goes is still a mystery.

SUKI--(F, N/A) was assassinated 10 years prior to this story's start (9 years after Aang.) These two deaths are believed to be linked. This killer, believed to be a Air Nomad, is who Sokka is seeking out during this war, in hopes of finding "who took her" [Suki]. Suki's death led to Ty Lee taking over the Kyoshi Warrior squadron, where she revolutionized their concepts and "culture"--including their fighting style.

OZAI--(M, 62?) still imprisoned. he was rumored to have gotten his banding back, but since the only way that would be possible was if the Avatar restored it, this is doubted vastly. He is in a passive state, most likely waiting to strike.
-----------------------------NPC LIST (C'TD)-------------------------------------

NAILAH ZORANA--(F, 21) a vicious and rather violent Air Nomad. She is notorious for wreaking havoc, and has a decent-sized bounty on her head. her unmatchable reflexes are what keep her out of reach to would-be captors or killers.

ZOBUTA DONG-TAI--(M, 16) the son of Mai and Zuko. Has a younger twin sister named Nakrelu. He is a decently-skilled firebender, but he prefers the use of pointy metal death-instruments over firebending. He is quite lax on this entire war issue, which has led to a tiny bit of questionable loyalty.

NAKRELU DONG-TAI--(F, 16) the daughter of Mai and Zuko. Has an older twin brother named Zobuta. She is decntly skilled with metal pointy objects, but prefers firebending as her main method of attack. She is a cunning and wily young woman, and not one to try and outsmart.

KAI SERENES I--(F, 55) a Water Tribeswoman who was formerly one of Zuko's old friends and advisors. She has since disappeared back into the deapths of the Northern Water Tribe,but has recently again been seen wandering the continent.

KAI SERENES II--(F, 19) daughter of Kai Serenes I, she is a young woman who was born in the Northern Water Tribe city of North Serenes. Very little is known about her other than that she's the spitting image of her mother [though of course, younger] both in physical appearance and in personality. She too is a wanderer, and her bending skills seem to be quite powerful.
ZADOK TAKEO--(M, 44) the new Earth King--much like Long Feng of old, he holds a certain influence which he uses to get what he wants--and yet he shows the signs of a good ruler--he just uses his force to stop traitors and rebels.

KATARA ALTINA II--(F, 15) A mysterious and very powerful young firebender. Very little is known about her at this time, other than the fact that she sems to have issues with harnessing and controlling her power.

NASERU LITZAK--(M, 25) A former assassin from the Water Tribe who has gained favor in the Fire Nation royal courts, particularly of his adamant support of Fire Lord Zuko and the likes. He is very skilled at what he does, and leaves no evidence of his doings other than his disappearance.

MEZKIEL ILAH--(F, 69) an aged earthbending master often seen in the Fire Nation as well. She is a stubborn force that seems to pull a lot of strings in the prison of Ozai and Azula--and does not let anyone wanting to spark another war escape her eye--or her wrath.

NINA--(F-24) Ty Lee's second in command. Little else is of any importance.

MORE AS NEEDED (meaning: I have more, but for now, this will be all I need)

MOST LIKELY STILL IN DEVELOPMENT

RULES:
--all forum/RPG rules apply, etc. etc. yaddey yaddey.
--you CAN have more than one character. [in fact, I'd encourage it at this point]
--I may end up doing this "Reign of Blue Fire" style, [though I'm no SKY] where each character has their own sub-plot where it all comes together sooner or later. It will all depend on who (or what) I get.
--Might have this moved to JT, depending on how it flows. I do have a rather bloody series of plot ideas in my head... hehehe...
--these characters are not the ones you have to play. This is just a (still in the works) NPC list.

that aside, if anyone is interested in joining, just post a character in The Thread and we'll go from there, K? ^^

~Tera~

[oshiWater]

(Question tera: Is Zobuta a boy or a girl because

ZOBUTA--(M, 16) the son of Mai and Zuko. Has a younger twin sister named Nakrelu. He is a decently-skilled firebender, but he prefers the use of pointy metal death-instruments over firebending. He is quite lax on this entire war issue, which has led to a tiny bit of questionable loyalty.

NAKRELU--(F, 16) the daughter of Mai and Zuko. Has an older twin sister named Zobuta. She is decntly skilled with metal pointy objects, but prefers firebending as her main method of attack. She is a cunning and wily young woman, and not one to try and outsmart.

It kinda contradicts itself. Just wondering. Otherwise, i may join. Juts lemme think of a character)

[Tera253]

I knew posting this at 2AM was gonna bite me in the butt.
no, he's a guy. thanks for pointing that out. I editted it.
~Ty Lee~

[Tera253]

[aright... time to wing it...
I'm writing this post on the basis that Wolf has met Katara Altina II before. Based on what was said in his backstory, I am rendering this the case.]

and most of my "chapters" will bear thte title "no title", because I suck at titles. period.
disclaimers aside, here goes nothing... just remember that the first is always worst.

2-1A: (NO TITLE)

KYOSHI ISLAND

[i]"10 years... 10 years since I had been appointed the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors... and oh how it has changed dramaticallyduring that time. We are no longer simply a band of good-doers who simply defend our homeland, we actually go out and fight real wars. I almost feel bad for some of the younger recruits. Almost. But it's what happens in war. I know. I've been a part of it."

such were some of Ty Lee's thoughts. It was much like a diary, but Ty Lee often did not have time to write such things, as she was often times busy making sure her recruits were in fighting condition, including knowing how to disable someone entirely in 7 seconds flat if they did so much as look at them the wrong way.

Granted, she was not that extreme, but the way talk about her went, you easily could have thought she was.

Kyoshi Island had changed little in the 19 years that had passed since Fire Lord Ozai was defeated. The only real dramatic change was the behaviors of the Kyoshi Warriors, who, under the leadership of Ty Lee, recruited warriors from all four nations--She made it a lot easier to join their ranks, but similarly expected a lot out of her recruits. Her happy go-lucky attitude served her well, as she was skilled at encouraging her squad, but she had turned several people down. The life of a Kyoshi Warrior was not for everyone.

Ty Lee's second in command was a woman by the name of Nina. When they were not training or fighting, Nina was often in the woods outside of one of the villages scouting around, or dealing with one of her accomplices. The whole was on high alert as of recently, as it was rumored that the notorious Airbender Nailah had been seen in the area. Nina in particular knew that there were actually some people--just a few nomadic fellows, most pretty young, that did not live anywhere but unsettled areas.

The previous night had been particularly bad, as two homes had been raided and destroyed by gale-force winds. This was clearly the work of an airbender. Nailah was not known for her anonymity, but was known for her evasiveness.

If only the world had known about what was at Kyoshi Island at this point.

During this time, there was no fighting or training going on, and so Nina was off at the home of an old accomplice--a firebender by the unlikely name of . only 15, she had come north from the Southern Water Tribe, but what her intentions were, were unclear. She had been summoned previously by Ty Lee once the alert of Nailah's presence had been spread around the area.

"so you don't think you could find him for us?" Nina asked,

"Nope," Altina replied, "Just because I've travelled with him doesn't mean I can track his location. He was the one that tracked people, not me."

"And that is why we need him." Nina protested, "if he's as skilled as you say he is, he might be able to encounter Nailah."

"And what then?" Altina asked, "Do we pit him and his team against her? Nina, no one meets Nailah and gets out unmaimed."

"..."

"look, Nina. I understand what you want from me--you've just come to the wrong person. "get me a hawk and I can take care of everything. Don't ask questions, just do it."

Katara Altina II, though only 15, had been through more in her lifetimne than many people odlder than her had. She had her own sets of strengths and weaknesses, and was a heavily disciplined firebender. Reading and writing were two things she was incapable of doing, but she had her intellect elsewhere. Besides, she wasn't aobut to write this boy they were talking aobut a message--no, Katara doubted he could read either--she had never asked though.

Nina returned a while later, a hawk on her arm.
"that was fast," Katara smirked, taking out a piece of cloth. She tied it to the bird's leg, and instructed it to simply "Find Wolf."

Only an animal could track the location of "Wolf". This was probably due to the boy being able to communicate with animals--or so it seemed. There was definitely an affinity of sorts at the very least. The significance of the cloth was simple--Altina simply wished to inform her old friend that she was on the islands. From there, she could explain everything to him, as things were explained to her. She would not likely linger very long, as she was en route to Gaoling, abnd had just elected to stay a few extra days here before continuing her voyage to the Earth Kingdom mainland.

This "Wolf" was the target that both Nina and now Altina--were seeking. according to Altina, this young boy could track anything or anyone--anywhere. Even the mighty force of the Kyoshi warriors could not take down an enemy they never saw.

now they just had to hope that it worked. the catch was that he distrusted most humans, which was why Nina had come to Katara for this situation. If Katara had been on the islands sooner, this would have been done sooner.

With the cloth attatched to its leg, the hawk would bear Altina's scent. Whatever Wolf was doing, and wherever he was, it would find him. If things worked the way Katara Altina wanted them to, the boy would become aware that his old friend sought a reunion--at the it was last time.

~Katara~

[Marik]

[[Um, I'm going to assume that Katara is on Kyoshi. If that's not right, I can change it later.]]

Almost there...Just a little bit closer and I'll have her. A figure crept through the dark underbrush, making no noise, despite the bed of dry, fallen leaves that littered the ground. A doe stood in the brush, about ten feet from the small figure, grazing lazily on the sparse amount of grass that could be rooted out. The figure stopped about six feet away from the animal. There. Now, careful... Legs gathered and crouched, preparing to pounce on the prey, a knife was held comfortably, familiarly, in one hand and the other held a short length of rope.

Just then, a hawk burst through the trees and let out a screech. The doe's head snapped up and she turned and disappeared into the false twilight of the deep woods. "Awe, come on!" the figure yelled, standing up from his hiding spot. Now that he was no longer hidden, it could be seen that it was a young boy with unkempt brown hair and sharp green eyes. A soft leather vest sat upon his shoulders and cloth breeches sheathed his muscular legs. White scars could be seen criss-crossing his body and face.

The boy turned a glare to the hawk, which merely sat on a nearby bush and preened itself. "Thank you very much," he said to the bird. "That was dinner for me and my family and you scared her off." The hawk merely blinked at him and then held out its leg, as it had been trained to do when delivering a message. "What's that? For me?" the boy asked, slipping the rolled up fabric from the bird's leg. It looked like a piece of someone's clothes or something. He held it up to his nose and sniffed it carefully. His bright green eyes flew open wide and he nearly dropped the cloth.

He looked over at the bird for a moment, and then nodded thoughtfully. "The Island of the Warriors, huh? That's not too far of a flight for a strong bird like yourself, is it? But I can't fly like you. How am I supposed to get over there?" Again, he seemed to be listening to something unheard, and then smiled. "A human surface fish! That's a good idea. How come I didn't think of that?" A moment later, he scowled at the apparently cheeky hawk. "That was not very nice."

Later that night, the boy stood on one of the many docks that covered the coastline of the Earth Kingdom and looked around at the big, wooden Surface Fish. He had found one that was going to the Kyoshi Islands and now he was just waiting for his opportunity. He crept forwards, staying in the shadows and moving as though hunting. He made it to the side of the Surface Fish and then, when no one was looking, dashed up the boards that led up to the top of the thing. Immediately, he dove down into a hole in the floor and found himself in some kind of storage area. This will be a good place to hide he thought, squeezing himself into the back of the hold, where the shadows were the thickest.

A short voyage later, the ship docked at Kyoshi Island. The boy waited until the men on board had stopped unloading and loading things and then ran to one of the small, circular windows cut into the side. Without hesitating, he dove through it and into the water below. Cries of alarm rose up from the deck of the Surface Fish and a few men jumped in after him. They had gotten quite close by the time that he climbed out of the water and, with one glance behind himself to see where they were, he turned and sprinted into the forest. Once inside there, he would hide until the men gave up searching for the "stow away," whatever that was.

Just to be safe, the boy stayed hidden for another hour or two, and then began to sniff the air, trying to find the one who had sent the hawk. Finally, he caught a whiff of her scent and began following it across the island to a small cabin. He paused outside the window and sniffed carefully. Yes, this was definitely where she was, or at least where she had been spending an awful lot of time. He leaped up into the open window and crouched there, peering around the small building, searching for any signs of the girl.

[Tera253]

[ye. sorry if it was unclear. For the record, I at first found it difficult for me to figure out how to incorporate a character of Wolf's calibur into the series, but I think I'll be able to pull it through. Besides, what's the fun if there's not a bit of challenge?

...oh,and check your color. o.oI can see the dark green; I just spotted a faulty piece of code is all.]

Altina was patient as she waited for Wolf's arrival. She was not sure if he had recalled that it was her, but she knew that with her scent, he would find her soon enough. With all the people sucrrying about hither and thither nowadays, she figured it would take a while. She would inform Nina of what happened this evening after it happened--probably the next day. She didn't bother too much with Ty Lee. Altina respected her as a skilled leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, but she just didn't believe that there was a reason to be so positive all the time, and so she left the Kyoshi Warrios to deal with their leader. She herself did not take an actual position in this war either; but she was willing to lend a hand when she was asked to do so.

Evening arrived, and naturally with it, darkness. Of course, she had sent the hawk out in the afternoon, and there were a lot of calucations that she did not waste her time accounting for. She was not growing impatient at all--just eager. She personally believed that she could stand up to this Nailah woman, but going after her by herself would kill the thrill of the hunt--there was no thrill in search.

For such a small area, Kyoshi Island seemed to be consistenly buzzing with activity. Ships did leave from island to island or abroad all the time--sometimes bringing in visitors and/or potential Kyoshi Warriors,other times it was the Fire Nation sending in support to repremend for what they had done years before. And other times, it was simply travellers. The worldmay have been at war, but that did not mean that anywhere, not even Ba Sing Se, went into lockdown mode.

But what if they did defeat Nailah? what then? Would that be the end of Katara's adventures? no... no, there would be other things. You could always find something interesting with the world in a chaotic state like it was--it was ironic, almost.

a while later, Katara noticed a small figure perch in her window. This had to be him.
"Wolf," she said quietly--not a whisper, but not louder than she needed to be-- "is that you?"

it was quite a stupid question, as Katara was almost sure it was--she just needed something to grab his attention. She wondered if he would recognize her voice.

[OOC--Katara,Altina, same person. When we see the canon Katara, that will be when I differentiate, and she will likely be in blue as opposed to Katara Altina's red.]
~Katara~

[Marik]

[[That was strange. I could have sworn that I cut that orphan out. Oh well.]]

Wolf narrowed his eyes and sniffed carefully. She was definitely in here. He jumped down from the window sill and sniffed again. There, sitting in the corner. "Yes," he replied, still sniffing the air carefully. He tossed her the scrap of cloth that she had used as a message and continued smelling the air. With so many people around, it was hard to tell where they all were.

Finally, though, he decided that the coast was clear, and so he walked over towards Altina and then plopped down on the ground in front of her and scratched roughly at his left ear, canting his head to the side as he did so.

"Heya. It's been a while, hasn't it?" he said, smiling up at her, his green eyes shining slightly in the dim twilight.

[Tera253]

Yes," he replied, still sniffing the air carefully. He tossed her the scrap of cloth that she had used as a message and continued smelling the air. With so many people around, it was hard to tell where they all were.

Katara swiped the cloth from the air and pocketed it--she had many uses for it, this being one of them. She watched him continue to sniff the air for a while, and she said nothing. She was patient-very patient.

Finally, though, he decided that the coast was clear, and so he walked over towards Altina and then plopped down on the ground in front of her and scratched roughly at his left ear, canting his head to the side as he did so.

"Heya. It's been a while, hasn't it?" he said, smiling up at her, his green eyes shining slightly in the dim twilight.


"It has," Katara answered, "I almost wish there was an excuse for another adventure."
she paused for a moment, only to change the subject slightly.

"but I've been meaning to ask you--have you seen an airbender at all in the woods?" she paused, mostly just to see if there was a way she could better describe Nailah to him. "an orange woman... have you seen anything like that?"

She actually had a rough sketch of what Nailah looked like. However, it was only based on a description given to her, and she did not figure that she would have to use that just yet. She knew never to underestimate anyone, because almost no one is as they seem.

[and other information regarding Nailah can be found at the top. you can decide if he's run into her or not.]
~Katara~

[Boxboy2477]

[Hi, I'm sorta new so dont get mad if I screw this up]

Otsuka sat in the front of the boat staring forward unblinkingly. He had always heard that Kyoshi island was hospitable and he might be able to stay there for a while. He had never meant for this to happen, he just wanted some food but ended up getting caught and accidentally killing a guard. Now he was a fugitive and the only option was to run. He stood up and stretched, the captain had told him they would arrive soon at Kyoshi Island. In no time at all the ship stopped and Otsuka climbed onto the dock and put on his rucksack. He put on his hood in case any people might recognize him as the "Ba Sing Se murderer" I really hope they got this far with the picture of me. He thought to himself. He found an inn and got a room, as soon as he entered he fell on the bed and slept.