Taigakitt
♥️♥️
- The Six Nations
- Fire Nation
- Earth Kingdom
- Gong Island
- Mazu Turfs
- Northern Water Tribe
- Southern Water Tribe
- Central Water Tribe
- Air Temples
- Shui Island
- Fire Nation
- Earth Kingdom
- Gong Islands
- Mazu Turfs
- Northern and Southern Water Tribes
- The Air Temples
Head of Government: Fire Lord
Government System: Authoritarian Aristocracy
Populace: 60% Benders, 40% Non-Benders
Government Sectors
- Agata Royal Family: Related to the extended family of the Fire Lord which includes any cousins, children, or relatives that could ascend to the throne should the Fire Lord become inactive or deceased. The Fire Lord's opinion of who succeeds them is usually weighed heavier unless political strife is a factor.
- The Nine Tails of Fire: Also known as the “Nine Flames,” it is a council of nine individuals from nine families made up of selected members personally handpicked by the Fire Lord to act as bodyguards, advisors, and the personal trusted allies to support the Fire Lord and help control the aristocracy. It was created by Sung Agata after he took the throne by killing Fire Lord Rintaro in a battle for the Throne and its original members were made up of 9 of his most trusted allies from the Gong Island and the resistance his mother created.
- The Tongues of The Salamander: also known as the Salamander's Tongue or a Tongue of Flame. The Fire Tongues are the noble division of aristocrats, consisting of over 2,000 noble families that span across the Fire Islands. There are 13 Tongues that stand superior to all others due to their background and history in supporting the Fire Lord after Sung Agata took the throne from Rintaro. These 13 families have gained the wealth and prestige they attained through the Fire Lord's good graces and the blessings of his sages. They have the power to enforce laws, tax settlements, and are often a part of the Fire Nation's military council of advisors where military members of a family participate in the meetings. They often tend to have the right to propose marriage unions between the Royal Family and theirs. Fire Tongues also possess a minor influence in trade as well, but most of this is done by the Fire Lord's will.
- Fire Sages: The Fire Sages act as a religious (and political) group that have a focus on spirituality and perform ceremonial acts and cultural events. They are responsible for important events as well, such as announcing the Fire Lord and playing a role in public speaking missions at certain points by acting as the mouth pieces of the Fire Lord, or joining the Nine Flames to act as symbols of the Fire Lord’s will.
Social Society & Hierarchy
The Social Hierarchy of the Fire Nation is broken up into positions based on wealth and overall socioeconomic influence. Unlike the rest of the world, similar to the Air Nomads, ironically, the Fire Nation's sociopolitical system is not influenced by gender, as there have been female Fire Lords in the past, with several being noted prior to the Agata lineage.
Respect is often deferred to those in a senior status, and the hierarchy shows a lot of this in its current form.
While this has some interwoven intricacies within, this is the basic hierarchy:
Fire Lord > Royal Family & Nine Flames > 13 and Grand Sage > Fire Sages > Immediate Fire Sage Family > Fire Aristocracy > Wealthy Class > General Citizens
Culture
Fire Nation culture borrows a lot from medieval Japanese culture, with a great emphasis on the code of one's honor. Honor being equivalent to one's self worth in the eyes of that society. This, however, is not diminished by gender; as socially, the Fire Nation is egalitarian (meaning that both males and females have equal rights and one does not exceed the other in terms of economic opportunities or household duties based off the sex of an individual).
Despite this, the Fire Nation tends to be very traditional in its culture, if only slightly progressive. Certain traditions are often strictly maintained even if some are often outdated. For example, it is considered heavily important to nod and bow when greeting those older than you, and offer elders the first chance to eat before eating yourself. These traditional customs have continued for centuries and have hardly changed even if the nation has seen several forms of political unrest.
Noble Culture
Nobility tend to have their own micro culture, and this specifically shows in certain concepts of status, rights, and privileges. Nobles tend to be given a lot more opportunities, being able to attain almost any sort of position they want; however, it is also fair to say they can receive the worst punishments to be made as an example to the rest of society and to also show that the Fire Lord has no favorites (even if it is clearly implied the Fire Lord can have favorites).
The Elitist world view that the Fire Aristocracy carries is one that has not particularly been lost. There are certain activities, such as going to the same public tea shop that common citizens would use, that is frowned upon and only visited once in a blue moon as a public act of support. It is more common to say that nobility often tend to fraternize outside of their social group, only speaking with the lower classes or mingling with them, if there is something of interest that would benefit the rest of the noble family. In other cases, public events or activities held by nobles are often done as a political play to ensure a noble or group of nobles maintains the favor of their citizens and does not earn the wrath of the Fire Lord by extension. The 13 noble powerhouses are a particularly good example of this and the only reason they have not all been replaced is because most have maintained the good graces of the Fire Lord, while those that consistently tend not to have been historically known to… disappear or have misfortune strip them of their status, power, and titles by the eventual decree of the Fire Lord.
Spirituality: Spiritual Might
It is a common belief in the Fire Nation that luck and prestige can be tied to the Spirits. Themes of Japanese and Chinese religious principles play an influence on this. It’s a common viewpoint that powerful firebenders tend to originate from being born with a great spiritual prowess from ancestors who themselves possessed great spiritual connections. For example the Fire Lord is often socially believed to be so powerful since the first Fire Lord was a Fire Sage or religious figure in the ancient past. This spiritual prowess is often a natural achievement or a life-long trial that dictates the essential greatness one can attain and the ease one may face obstacles with.
For benders, spiritual greatness defines the power of one's bending and is not about meditation or ideals but more about the conviction of one's personality, the power they possess, and how one wields it, which in turn influences the ability to overcome in life.
For non-benders, spiritual greatness defines taking life and wrestling it into what you desire and using natural talents to strive for greater, better things to further one's position in life and social standing.
Head of Gov: Earth Monarch
Government System: Monarchy
Populace: 58% Benders, 42% Non-benders
Government Details
The Earth Kingdom is made of essentially 55 States, at least on a geographic level that is the best way to describe it if you divide it based on region, culture, and populace (and exclude Gong Island). But it is broken down into 3 ranks on a basic level for its governmental system.
- RANK 1: Earth Monarch
- RANK 2: Local Leaders
- RANK 3: The Military
Social System & Hierarchy: The Earth Kingdom is made up of a social system that does in fact have a diversity based off of region, so we will divide these regions to make life a bit easier.
- In the northeast, society life is more patriarchal. The central power tends to vary slightly as there have been female Earth Monarchs, albeit a lot fewer in history compared to the Fire Nation.
- In the central Eastern and northern parts, things are a bit more egalitarian (like the Si Wong Desert where the Sandbender territory is)
- In the southern regions you find areas more matriarch based
- In the Southeast you get a shift between patriarchal and egalitarian.
Culture: The Earth Kingdom is very culturally diverse. They have a very strong sense of unity towards national ideals however and this cultural unity and philosophical belief is what really keeps this nation together. Their sense of national identity is a powerful factor and influence as well, which is greatly tied into their spiritual belief. They aren't as strictly uptight in tradition in some parts, if you go outside the Northeastern parts of the Earth Kingdom you'll find a lot more liberalism in some central and southern regions compared to the eastern and northern parts.
Spirituality: Ancestral Worship
The Earth Kingdom is tied closely to its unity to the spiritual worldview they have. Their belief in the influence ancestral figures have is a strong aspect that ties into the unity as a whole, as a common belief is that the ancestral settlers all played a role in the formation of the foundation that led to the birth of Ba Sing Se, the national icon of Earth Kingdom Heritage. As a result, to avoid the wrath of angering the misfortune of the natural world, it is better to appease one's ancestors by honoring them in certain ways. As only the good ancestors have maintained a sort of fate / destiny influence in their descendants, while the darkness of bad ancestors can actively do one harm if they disrespect the good name of the good ones. It is this sort of view they share that closely ties them together, despite the cultural / ethnic diversity you can find across the continent.
It is also this sort of view that makes the nation particularly bitter towards Gong Island and the Fire Nation by extension. There is a deep rooted sense of wrongness about the very existence of Gong Island and while this no longer borders on the hatred and initial incursion and later raiding attempts that were waged on the Island, Gong Islanders are not seen as part of the Earth community. While not everyone may feel this way, there is a stereotypical dislike towards Gong Islanders and vice versa, as well as a dislike towards capital Fire Nation citizens who are from the capital island.
Head of Government: The Yu Dynasty, Most Powerful nobles across the whole Island.
Current Ruler of the Yu: Jia Yu
Government Type: Aristocracy
Populace: 45% Benders, 55% Non-benders
Brief History: Gong Island is the island that was created by Avatar Yin's intervention with a three way conflict between Earth Monarch Meilin, its northwestern upper class during a peasant uprising, and the fire nation supporting the northwest. It was created some 300+ years ago by Avatar Yin entering the Avatar state and separating the northwestern and western parts of the Earth Kingdom from the rest of the continent, stopping an approaching war that would lead to years of tension between these three countries.
Geography & Topography: Gong Island is made up of forests, hills, and flat landscapes with the three major rivers that flows out into the ocean and act as dividers. These three rivers break up the land with gaps of sea water in the middle. It has a series of stack protrusions on its eastern cliffs that go in an arch to the southeastern side that makes it a nuisance for ships to move through. It is made up of four divisions, the largest one being the nation's mainland region called Dangun. These regional divisions are named specifically after historic figures:.
1. Dangun: Was a general that adopted the first Yu, who was a noble, orphaned due to the war conflicts of Fire Lord Zhou on Gong Island. Dangun was an advisor and inspiration said to have pushed the first Yu towards the position that would allow them to reclaim their familial status as a noble and was the one who sided with Sung Agata on his attempts to remove the Fire Nation Army from the northwest.
2. Chiyou: named after the noble that lost the rights to rule the land after the Yu family were aided in overthrowing them by Sung Agata and his allies. It is the second largest part. The people from these parts are called Chiyoans.
3. Saso: Historically named after a Princess that died to help establish peace between it and the other three islands. It is in the middle and has access to open waters. The people from these regions call themselves, Sasona.
4. Gim Yu-sin: Named after a Prince General for forming ties with the Yu family during their early attempts at conquest, and for this Prince's succession in bringing peace between the tribes of his homeland. The people of these parts call themselves Gimmeians. The island is at the end of the tail of Gong Island and is the smallest. It is the closest to the city of Omashu.
Government Details
Gong Island is very much akin to the Ming Dynasty in terms of time. It is essentially ruled by the family members of the Yu noble family who have the support of the Fire Nation and are the most influential figures of the Island. The ruling family resides on Chiyou.
There are essentially other aristocratic families that play a role in ruling the rest of the Island, however the Yu Dynasty remains the strongest and tend to have multiple alliances with several other aristocratic families.
Culture & Society
The people of Gong Island culturally recognize themselves as a society that has heritage in both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. They do not, however, perceive themselves as dependent on either. They see themselves as a independent nation that were liberated by Avatar Yin and hold a deep rooted loathing for the upper classes of the Earth Kingdom for attempting over past centuries to try and take this away from them.
From this sense of freedom, there is also a great sense of individualistic opportunity. Unlike the Earth Kingdom, each region sees itself separate from the rest. While there is a cultural unity and spiritual similarity between the Gong Island regions, the national unity of the Earth Kingdom does not exactly persist as broadly. It does display itself in the clothing choice of the Islanders by region, as in each region they wear different colors compared to the Earth Kingdom's classic green and yellow color schemes. These are the color schemes of each region.
Clothing Color Schemes of the four regions:
Dangun Color Scheme: Lemon Yellow, Violet, Black
Chiyou Color Scheme: Dark Green, Orange
Saso Color Scheme: Light Yellow, Mint Green, Light Brown
Gim Yu-sin Color Scheme: Dark Brown, Gold
Spirituality: Ancestral Spirits
It is believed the ancestors of every family have an influence in the lives of the living, both within the family and outside of it. These ancestors live through spiritual influences that affect the living world and these spiritual influences can cause positive or negative impacts on those that live.
To appease these spirits, it is common to honor them in given ways, similar to that of the Earth Nation, yet at the same time it is also beloved that one's good fortune can be achieved by the heritage one has from the good those ancestors has done (provided the family background has ancestors that have done enough good to outweigh the bad).
Head of Government: Sea Captain and Treasurer
Government Type: Democratic, formed 80 years prior to Avatar Passang’s Death
Populace: 75% Benders, 25% Non-benders
Gov Details: Everyone should be given a fair chance to the rules and regulations that need to be brought up or removed once they reach an adult age. If at any time the people do not like what the Sea Captain decides, the people can vote for his removal. The Treasurer drafts up contacts and the rules and regulations that those under contract must follow.
Culture & Society: There is a rather large mix of cultures, and therefore an understanding should be had that not everyone will follow another’s culture. Respect should be a given. To those who have been with the Mazu Turfs for a while or for life, there is a unity with following Passang’s teachings, and therefore follow a more Nomadic way of thinking, preferring a more simplistic way of life. They are not vegetarians, nor are they pacifists by any means. They strive to solve conflicts among nations to what they feel Passang would have wanted, as they were appointed as the Avatar’s Enforcers. Loyalty is a very serious thing to this nation. Traitors get treated terribly- being a traitor would probably mean anything that just involves selfish gain and in the process hurts or impacts the rest of the group in exchange.
Spirituality: A rather large mix of spirituality is had among this group, depending on their origins.
Base of Operations: There is an island, north of the Southern Water Tribe, West of Shui Island, East of Fire Nation Land, and South of the Gong Islands, pretty close to the Southern Air Temple. This island was made the base. The main housing are ships, and earthbenders could create “yards” to surround a ship they live in. Either small earth pathways created by earthbenders, or wooden, floating docks allow for travel between the ships. The land can be cultivated into a garden and crops. The center is where the food is grown.
Tech: The Mazu have two different types of ships. Ships received by Water Nation born people joining the tribe are used for getting resources from the water, like fishing. Ships received by Fire Nation born people are used for combat or enforcing voyages. Of course, the ships no longer look like the Nation’s counterparts, as they were altered to fit their image.
Head of Government: Chief Noble
Government Type: Hereditary Chiefdom & Elder Council
Populace: 65% Benders, 35% Non-benders
Gov Details: The Northern Water Tribe is led by a single leader who succeeds the Water tribe and leads with a council of elders as their constitutional restraint.
Culture & Society: The Northern Water Tribe is based on Inuit and Mongol culture. The Northern Water Tribe as a nation was patriarch in nature; however, in the last century this has shifted slightly to a more diverse gender role group. Men were practitioners of combat-based water bending, while women focused more on healing and would not have been allowed over a hundred years ago to join combat-based lessons. In the past 80 years, this has changed.
Bending in this region is seen as a practicing method to explore both oneself, much like it is in the South, and also seen as a way to pave one's path towards an interest. Training always begins in one's early childhood- another similarity the South and it share.
Spirituality: La & Tui
The Ocean Spirit and Moon Spirit are revered as Gods in the Northern Water Tribe. They are seen as the representations of the origin of bending itself and at one point acted during Fire Lord Rintaro (Zhou Lee's successor) attacks against the Northern Water Tribe.
Respect towards aquatic spirits is considered paramount to respecting La and Tui.
Head of Government: Pisces Council
Government Type: Chiefdom
Populace: 30% Benders; 70% Non-Benders
Gov Details: The Southern Water Tribe, unlike the North, is made up of a council of elders, that weigh in on all things from politics to trade to military combat. It is not hereditary, but the heir to a previous Elder is selected by that Elder.
Culture & Society: The Southern Water Tribe, like the North, began its life as a patriarchal system. It fended off pirate attacks and later fended off attacks from the Fire Nation during Zhou Lee and Rintaro's ruling periods. During these periods, many of the male population joined the Northern sibling in conflicts and as a result there is a slightly larger female population that has never fully been erased in the past two centuries that have passed. 1:3 ratio at best for every one boy, there were three girls. This shifted it into the matriarchal society it possesses now, though it holds a more egalitarian environment with somewhat equal gender roles, also.
Spirituality: Tallulah & Atluaha
Tallulah, the Guardian underwater, and Atluaha, the hunter of the frost, are spirits associated with the regions that the Southern Tribe lives in. Their belief in these two spirits stems from the famine once held during Zhou Lee's campaign attempts at starving the South into a state of submission, but ultimately failing by strange means. These two spirits are associated with the tribe by paintings. And it is believed they were the ones that led the First Southern Settlers to find a less harsh area of their patch of ice to live on. These tundras that the tribe live on are considered to be the least harsh regions of their land and it is for this reason they are thankful to these spirits for their aid and keeping them safe.
The Southern Tribe hold very strong principles in the use of their bending as a result, and aren't as strict in roles like their Northern counterpart but do hold very strict beliefs just like the Northerners.
Atluaha takes a spiritual form of a Unicorn. His presence allows parts of the land the Southern Tribe resides in to be a more hospitable land, grassy, and capable of being cultivated for use. Any land outside of his reach is kept arctic cold and frosty.
Tallulah takes a spiritual form of a Sea Serpent. She can influence the waves and currents.
Head of Government: Chieftain
Gov Type: Elder Council
Populace: 86% Benders, 14% Non-benders
Gov Details: They are very similar to the Northern and Southern Water Tribes; however, they are more particular about benders. Only those who can bend can be on the council.
City and Society Details: Sits on the Western shore of the Western Serpent Sea that lies West of Ba Sing Se, it’s population is in the thousands, home to the waterbending school. In its startup, Avatar Passang helped establish this as a village. As time grew, so did this Tribe, eventually becoming the large city that it is now. The people born there are more uptight on bending, seeing bending as a way of life. Those who are born as a Non-bender are seen as someone pretty low down, incapable of much else than existing, as benders are more efficient.
The Central Water Tribe is extremely difficult for an outsider to get in, as they would be seen as trespassers. Only those invited and with special permissions can get in. They are not biased towards any type of bending - any bending is highly esteemed. Those who are non-benders may get looked down on, but not bothered much, as they are seen as weak and useless. Those who reside in the Central Water Tribe are known to be brutal fighters, probably aided by the fact the waterbending school teaches waterbending quite well.
While other nations' provinces may or may not volunteer people to the Mazu's search attempt, the Central Water Tribe would not.
Head of Government: Head Monk Council
Gov Type: Mono-gender Council
Populace: 52% Benders, 48% Non-benders
Gov Details: The Air Temples are divided into four temples located in four areas across the world based off of their names. Each Air Temple housed a larger ratio of males or females depending on the place. For each temple there was a dominant gender that generally had a leading head of that same gender.
- Northern Air Temple: Housed male Air Nomads. It is located on the northern part of the Earth Kingdom and it is the Air Temple that Avatar Passang originated from.
- Southern Air Temple: Is near the Southern Water Tribe. It houses male air Nomads. It faced a few attacks from pirates in the past.
- Eastern Air Temple: is near the eastern entry way of the Earth Kingdom. It houses female Air Nomads.
- Western Air Temple: is near the Fire Nation's larger islands and close to the Gong Islands. It houses female Air Nomads
Culture & Society
The Air Nomads follow Buddhist and Confucianism ideologies, meaning they are pacifist in nature- but realistically could be quite lethal in battle if historic records of seafaring pirates and invaders of their regions have anything to say about the mountain climbs of their temples.
Despite being divided by gender into their schools, the Air Nomads did associate with each other closely, and were very shamanist in nature. Favoring animals being among their group quite often and being protectors of nature. They did not hold superior gender roles, similar to the fire nation in this regard and did not place a value on such compared to other nations. This stemmed from their worldly and spiritual beliefs in all beings being equal and that the actions one performs are the defining factors of one's path in life.
Of course this doesn't mean that all Air Nomads stuck to the strict teachings of their society, in fact there are notable, several historic figures who were Air Nomads that abandoned their ways (and in return lost their bending for forsaking their spirituality).
Spirituality: Shamanism
The Air Nomads are very shamanist in their nature, they hold a strong belief that the spirit and one's spiritual progress is connected to actions, and the effect you as a person have on your environment and world around you. To forsake that, in chase of harmful acts regardless of the consequence for the sake of personal gain- was to both forsake yourself and doom others.
This sort of spiritual upbringing deeply ties to their bending, to be as shifting as the wind yet weightless. And in most cases the spiritual teachings the Air Nomads possessed expanded greatly in the understanding of Spiritual gates and how it connected to one's inner chi.
All spirits, overall to the Air Nomads were perceived to be revered (which is not the same as giving respect). But to be honored for they were beyond the regular mortal.
Earth Kingdom TerritorySettled back during Avatar Shui, it is the home of the Shui Warriors. Through time, they’ve managed to establish them as pretty tough, and are very strict in their laws for the island. The Mazu Tribe and Shui Island officials are close allies, as Shui is a bit more neutral, like the Mazu are. Shui Island is not very associated with Ba Sing Se.
The island was developed through Avatar Shui's earthbending. The island wraps around a bay and has a modest beach at it's coast. On the side of the island furthest from the mainland of Shui Island is a protective mountain range. Shui Island is home to the Shui Warrior's dojo, along with residents of the Earth Kingdom. A humble market sits not far from the port, the living quarters further from that, and at the very back of the small island is the dojo. A small path cuts to the back of the island, opening to a plateau, often used in Shui Warrior spars. The piers jutting out into the bay are well-maintained and made of wood.
Warrior's Rest Stop
This is a tavern settled just outside of the market. It is a one-story type, with the typical Pai Sho table in a corner, and a bartender to serve refreshing drinks and easy-to-prepare snacks. This tavern is a common hotspot for weary travelers to rest before heading back to their ships.
Last edited:
