Avatar: Hurricane's Children (FATE) [Interest Check/Recruiting]

Started by Datawych, April 26, 2016, 06:02:35 PM

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Datawych

Fire.

Air.

Water.

Earth.

The predjudice against the Fire Nation has not abated. Look into the eyes of Earthbenders or Waterbenders when they look at them. They have not forgotten, and they have not forgiven. Not really. It's an ongoing process.

How quick we are to forget an age long past, when it was the Airbenders and the Waterbenders who threatened the entire world...

Like a whirlwind from beyond the eastern ocean came a woman, referred to only as Hurricane's Daughter. Demonstrating a mastery of both Waterbending and Airbending, she quickly gathered a following of Water and Airbenders alike, who believed she must be the next incarnation of the Avatar.

However, many of those with extensive knowledge of the Avatar have noticed an inconsistency that has never manifested before...

Meanwhile, a young Earthbender just barely manages to escape Omashu when it is occupied by a group calling themselves the Children of the Storm...


Factions of the Era

Major Factions

The Fire Clans

Before the rise of the first Fire Lord, Firebenders lived under a clan/caste system.

Each clan is responsible for a different type of industry, and members of those clans are educated in their specific industries from very young ages. This ensures that there are always masters of every craft, while also keeping the clans from turning on each other; a feud with a clan means no access to their area of expretise. Clan is decided at birth, with boys inheriting their mother's clan and girls inheriting their father's.

Each clan maintains its own army, meaning the Clans are a force to be reckoned with when united against an external threat, but are generally too disorganized to form an effective invasion force. Honor is very important, and inter-clan clashes are common, but it is usually little more than posturing.

The Fire Clans control the Fire archipelago and a few enterprising clans have discovered a way to eke out a living on the craggy isles where the Western Air Temple would be built centuries later.

The Water Nomads

Legends say that in ages past, before the Waterbenders settled at the north and south poles, they roamed the seas, living in villages built on the backs of colossal turtles.

The creatures are big enough not to be threatened by anything that lives in the ocean and each village ensures they have enough waterbenders to safely submerge when necessary. Waterbending traditions are very strong during this era. Many sub-styles exist and masters are plentiful, as bending serves as their primary means of short-range water travel. It is considered common courtesy to waterbend from one village to another in order to avoid any unfortunate collisions, and the nomads are wary of bringing their homes into port.

The Water Nomads are generally peaceful (it's hard to make enemies when you're constantly on the move), though Water Nomad corsairs are not exactly rare.

Being nomadic in nature, the Waterbenders control almost no actual lands of their own - only a few isolated island stops that they use as caches and depots and their capital city. It lies on an island far out to sea, and is used primarily for the breeding/training of the great turtles that carry their villages.

The Air Technocracy

Centuries ago, before their knowledge deteriorated into esoteric philosophic and religious teachings, the Airbenders were a technocracy.

A council of elected officials lead the technocracy. The members of each field of expertise are responsible for electing one of their own in order to serve on the council. Each official must be an expert in their area of study, as they are considered the leader of the Technocracy in all matters regarding that subject. However, the other members of the council may overrule any one member with a majority vote. This is to guarantee that all decisions are made by individuals who are actually qualified to make them.

The Technocracy's wealth of different flying machines makes their military a force to be reckoned with, despite their small populace.

{This one's the most different, and I can't come up with a more-IC, history book-type explanation, soo.... The Technocracy controls the the Southern and Western Air Temples and the islands in between them, everything south of the mountain range south of Omashu, and the peninsula north of the Western Air Temple all the way up to Plainville.}

The Earth Confederacy

Like the stones they control, the Earthbenders are the ones least changed by time. They existed much as they always have, though they had not yet developed the systems necessary to efficiently manage a territory of such size.

The Earth Confederacy is an alliance of Baronies, Counties, and Duchies united by common goals as well as the Earthbending tradition. Each leader rules over their territory in much the same manner as the Earth King would come to rule the Earth Kingdom. Many of the rulers are distantly related - or related by marriage - so taking action against one will often draw the ire of others. Power struggles still occur, but they are often of a much more political nature.

Each member of the Confederacy is responsible for raising, training, and equipping its own army, though many lesser rulers will swear loyalty to a more powerful liege in exchange for protection and support. The Feudal system is much more apparent during this time period, with significantly less bureaucracy. This means that local government is much more efficient, but is also the reason that the various feudal lords have not yet been united into a single kingdom.

The Confederacy's combined territory is much the same as the Earth Kingdom's, minus the southeastern slice controlled by the Technocracy.


Minor Factions

Children of the Storm

Utilizing a strange hybridization of Airbending and Waterbending taught to them by their mysterious leader, this group seeks to prove that she is the next Avatar by any means necessary. A recent rash of abductions of Earthbenders and Firebenders seems to coincide with their activities.

The League of Cinder

A covert organization of Earthbenders and Firebenders who suspect that the Hurricane's Daughter is a pretender to the Avatar's legacy. They seek the true Avatar and to protect the four nations from the Children of the Storm.






Hurricane's Children is a prequel set an untold number of centuries before The Last Airbender. A young Earthbender (who is unknowing the real Avatar) is drawn into a shadow war between a powerful new religious faction (The Children of the Storm) and the rest of the world. Similar to in TLA, the Avatar will be co-starring with the friends and mentors that he or she meets during his/her adventures.

SEEKING: 2 - 4 player characters. At least 1 Earthbender (the Avatar) required, others are up for discussion. New players may also be introduced later in the Avatar's adventures (and old ones may also be lost). If we have multiple applications for the Avatar, I'll choose the one I think has the highest potential for interesting storytelling.

SYSTEM: Fate (it's simple, fast, and there's a free, online SRD)

Character Sheet:

[float=right][img width=200]**INSERT IMAGE URL HERE**[/img][/float]
[b]Name: [/b]
[b]High Concept: [/b]
[b]Trouble: [/b]

VonDoom

Definitely interested. I'll have to consult my image collection for inspiration later, but I might go Fire, Water or Earth (maybe Avatar, maybe not). The new direction for Air is pretty interesting, but I just prefer the other elements.
Now this is the Law of the Jungle-
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may  prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

-Rudyard Kipling, "The Law of the Jungle"
O&O

Datawych

Quote from: VonDoom on April 27, 2016, 05:16:07 AM
The new direction for Air is pretty interesting, but I just prefer the other elements.
The Technocracy is meant to be the least accessible, like the Fire Nation in TLA.

Also remember that waterbenders and airbenders are both significantly more numerous during this era, and firebenders are less numerous. Earthbenders, about the same.

VonDoom

I found a couple of images that could work as inspiration - would you be willing to help me filter ideas down to what's the most suitable/interesting again?
Now this is the Law of the Jungle-
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may  prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

-Rudyard Kipling, "The Law of the Jungle"
O&O

Datawych

Quote from: VonDoom on April 28, 2016, 03:14:34 AM
I found a couple of images that could work as inspiration - would you be willing to help me filter ideas down to what's the most suitable/interesting again?
Sure. Fate character creation also helps with that.

Muse

  This is a really interesting idea, Data, abuot how fast do you want it to run? 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

VonDoom

Alright, here we go, first couple of ideas!



Well, obviously a firebender. Between the markings, stance and possibly ethnicity, I'm thinking she could be the child of a rare inter-cultural pairing. Specifically, Water Nomads and Fire Clans. She'd have grown up with both parents but in Fire Clan territory. Personality and bending wise I'd say she'd be more in line with the 'draw power from passion' philosophy rather than the anger of modern Fire Nation-style bending. She'd have a very unusual fighting style since she'd use a combination of fire- and water-bending stances. I like the mix of cultures here as a theme, so she definitely wouldn't work as the Avatar.



A sandbender. I'm thinking perhaps heiress to a Barony/Duchy/County that extends into or is just straight up within the desert territories. Well-meaning but would definitely have a royalty thing going on. Could be the Avatar -- after all, Omashu is a big city and there's plenty of reasons for her family to have been there if they're nobility.



Could be Earth, could be Fire, could be a badass non-bender. Could be the Avatar, too -- I imagine someone very headstrong and proud who (obviously) doesn't shy away from getting physical. Might be in a bit of a similar situation to Toph as the daughter of merchants who likes to engage in Street Fighting bouts.



Sigh. Most of my inspirational images for male characters are either way too obviously classic fantasy-based, sci fi, too old or otherwise unsuitable stylistically for an Avatar game. This one, though, might work. He could be an agent of the League of Cinder -- a troubleshooter, perhaps, or more of a free agent paid by them who ends up working with a budding Avatar. Might be interesting to leave it open how much of that is sheer chance or design by someone in the know.

He could be a badass non-bender, or a firebender pretending to be a badass non-bender Blue Spirit style. Already comes with twin swords, after all.

Any you'd rule out or that sound/look particularly interesting? :-)
Now this is the Law of the Jungle-
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may  prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

-Rudyard Kipling, "The Law of the Jungle"
O&O