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made-by-marlow · 7 days ago

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Session One: The Unity

Welcome to The Unity Campaign, a collaborative work by GM and players of an Avatar Legends campaign. First time in years posting writing on tumblr.

Akana (The Icon): Role ♡♡♡❤♡♡♡ Freedom

Bong (The Hammer): Force ♡♡♡❤♡♡♡ Care (Adversary: Earth King Jialun)

Honemaru (The Idealist): Forgiveness ♡♡♡❤♡♡♡ Action

Zee (The Pillar): Leadership ♡♡♡❤♡♡♡ Support (Squad: The Storm)

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Content warnings (session one): Combat, weaponry, cussing, smoking, air nomad genocide

Just off shore, making its return from the Earth Kingdom, is a large metal ship. It looks exactly like the rest of the large metal ships out there, blending in. However, it is home to famous merchants, scholars, and inventors who have directly forged connections with one another in the name of progress. The merchant ship travels the world spreading not only goods, but ideas, and technology. Making sure each kingdom has a fair chance of progressing. Encouraging balance.

Encouraging harmony. A rare sight these days.

Sailors of the Unity come and go and it tours the globe, finding their place and staying for as long as the wind carries them. Few of the original crewmates remain. They’re growing older now, happy to see youth serve as their legacy. The new crew has all found their place within the past few months, before the recent attack on the air nomads. Many found their escape on this ship.

Bong, a bulky earthbender, intentionally serves as muscle and unintentionally serves as a jester. Nobody is sure where exactly he came from. What his story is. Only that he boarded the last time the Unity had made contact with Ba-Sing-Se, and was practically sprinting towards the ship. It didn’t take much convincing for the Unity to allow him to board after a quick display of his skills.

Honemaru, the most recent addition to the crew, works with the merchants of the ship and helps with the trade, transferring the talents of their old life. Many assumed they were a non-bender from the Earth Kingdom. They still occasionally try to sell their own stock. Intricate bone carvings.

They’re a mystery to others. Mysterious talents, mysterious gender. After today, Maru’s job will be to look after the stock and engage with fellow merchants. A charming salesman. As of today, their first day on the job, they wander the Unity. It’s much larger on the inside than it had appeared when they first laid eyes on it.

Wooden floorboards sway beneath their footsteps, a feeling they weren’t quite used to yet. One room stands out a little. A door that’s slightly cracked, allowing them to see a dim light and a wall decorated with a pattern of threads connecting points. They’ve wandered far enough that they know the majority of the ship doesn’t come here.

With no one around Honemaru slowly opens the wooden door. It makes a creak that echoes off walls, a little louder than they hoped it would. The coast seemed clear. The room they were entering was awfully dark except for a lantern hung in the corner of a room. No windows to let in any light or let anyone see in or out. With stealth provided by Dai-Li training, they begin to look around.

Each of the tables contained a map and a collection of clutter. Honemaru scatters to the closest one, curious and eager. A map, quill and ink, feathers, books, and a drawing compass. Gems and shells pile up on the corners, pinning the map down to the table with weight. The map itself is torn in the corners and brown with age, although the ink is fresh. It’s easy to tell the paper had been wet at some point.

On the map is a dotted line connecting one kingdom to another. The Earth Kingdom, where they had just come from, and the Southern Water Tribes, where they are headed. Honemaru digs through clutter until they find a compass. When placed on the table it points east, counteracting the dotted line. Heading towards the Air Islands. Of the air nomads, who no longer exist.

The ship isn’t following this map. The one each crew member had been told the ship is following.

Maru runs across the room to another desk where a new map is being printed. One connecting the Earth Kingdom, where they had come from, to the air islands, with a pin on the trail where they supposedly are now. They pull out the compass again, telling them the boat is headed east. Towards the islands.

When they turn around again they are met with a sword inches away from their face. Maru holds their breath and backs into the table. It doesn’t take long to realize the sword is made of ice. What takes a moment longer is the realization that the hand holding the sword belongs to Tiq. The ship’s captain, who often uses her water bending abilities to shape ice.

“What are you doing down here?”

Words are trapped in their throat, begging to be let out. An apology. An excuse. Something. There isn’t any time for that once they are grabbed by the collar of their shirt and pulled backwards so they face the opposite direction. The sword is then brought up to Maru’s chest to stop them from thrashing forward. Their hand rests on Tiq’s wrist to push back in case she decides to push the blade into them.

“You’re not welcome down here,” she says. Any response Maru could have had is shut off. “Do you understand?” They remain quiet. Tiq tugs them backwards to wake them up. “Answer me, gem.”

Such an endearing term to mix in with a threat.

“Yes ma’am.” Tiq lowers her sword and releases Maru. Maru quickly turns to avoid any surprise attacks and holds up an arm as a shield. It would have been smart to bring some sort of protection to a place like this. Maru’s makeshift shield makes Tiq realize her threatening appearance. It’s not what she wants to be known for.

“It’s your first day, so this is a warning. This area is off limits.” Maru makes eyes at the exit behind her. Before they could make their way towards it the sword lifts again and points at their chest. “You’re off the hook if you tell me exactly what you found.”

Nothing isn’t a believable answer. They knew that much. They thought of what they could say to satisfy her without revealing what they actually found. The silence is all too revealing.

“Maps,” the answer. Tiq lets out a long breath.

“What’s in this room is top secret, do you understand?” She lowers the sword. “You will walk out that door as if you never walked in it.”

Other recent additions had acquired jobs that resulted in even more attention, wanted or not. Zee leads a group of firebenders in training, similar to his position months prior. He’s no ship’s captain, but he found himself in a position of leadership once more. Someone people look to for direction.

Leadership satisfies the need for control. An addictive concept. After he got his hands on it, it’s hard to be a part of any group without wanting that control. He often bites his tongue to avoid the title of bossy. A title like that separates him from groups. There’s an imaginary wall between a leader and those that he leads. That wall separated him. At the same time, being a leader at a time like this is important. The people need one. They needed one a while ago.

Akana found herself in a working position close to the ship’s captain, Tiq, as an apprentice. Both waterbenders from opposite tribes. Tiq disagreed with the majority of the northern tribe’s beliefs, especially in regards to gender roles, but there was a soft spot for Akana. There’s a warrior hidden inside of the girl, she just needs to bring it out. Give her the opportunity that the Northern Water Tribe robbed her of.

People had their routines. Their jobs. Their friends. Today was different. Something outside of the routine. Today, Tiq had called for a meeting on the main area of the ship, where the sun could be seen. So, the people began to gather around. Conversation fills the boat. So many that it became one massive sound that made it impossible to really hear anything. Most conversations wondered what this meeting was about. The same amount of conversations assumed it was about the recent attack.

Attack is too gentle of a word. Fire Nation military wiped out the majority of an entire race of people in a day. They continue to hunt and kill the few survivors of the comet, including the few who have found safe shelter on the ship. Genocide. For the Unity, it means a population of airbenders countable on one hand, and a quiet distrust of firebenders and everyone else. It means accusations of fire bending spies, even firebenders who have been on the ship far longer than the comet taking place. It means infighting. It means chaos.

Harmony is falling quickly. The very thing the Unity stands for.

The woman responsible for the meeting sits in a wooden chair upon the balcony of the quarter deck. She sits improperly, ignoring the now nonexistent voices that say it’s “unladylike.” Although their conversation is muted by hundreds of others, you can see she makes laughter-filled conversation with her first mate, Sho. A firebender of an unknown past. Another respectable leader. Despite being in his position for twenty years, he too has been accused of being a spy for the Fire Nation. It’s up to the individual if that accusation is true.

Over time, their conversation becomes less laughter-filled. Tiq stares at the ground, contemplating the words of her first mate as he speaks. Then, she looks over the crowd, and stands. It’s time.

“Good people,” she begins, her voice projecting without the aid of any new technology. Her hands rest on the railing, letting one of her dark braids slide over her shoulder and hover above her chest. “As you may know, the Fire Nation recently made an attack on the Air Nomads on the day of the comet.”

The people a story below her quiet at these words. Some angry, some solemn. Some guilty.

“This is a tragedy. A disturbance of the peace to us,” she says. “My first mate has begun to report infighting among the people. Fear from all sides. And so,”

She straightens her posture, plastering on a smile. “We are in need of morale. I happen to know just the thing.”

She paces the deck, running her hands on the railing.

“Today we are hosting a tournament. You will each find a partner and fight your way to the top. Winner is determined by the opposite party’s surrender. Or unconsciousness. Nonbenders may use weapons-”

An excuse to unleash the anger, sadness, and guilt in the form of a good fight is more interesting than a list of rules. People start moving, rushing to find the perfect partner. Crowds begin to form around Bong, who is known for his muscle, and Zee, who serves as a leader to many on board. Tiq begins to see the issue with her original plan.

“We’re going to draw numbers.” She curses under her breath, and Sho manages to find two decks of cards hiding nearby. A set they were playing with not long ago. “104 should be enough…” she mumbles, beginning to shuffle both decks together. “Those who wish to participate will draw from here and find your partner with the same card as you. Over there.”

She gestures to the battle stage, where a lot of training is held. A place where waterbenders have access to the ocean, and there are bags of stone for earthbenders. Tiq creates her own water slide to the stage and surfs it as the crowd begins to form a line. As she arrives the water returns to the ocean, moving through people’s shoes but leaving them dry in the end.

“I haven’t even revealed the reward yet!” She finally finishes shuffling the two decks, placing it on the railing with a double tap. “The top four contestants will receive a fight with yours truly, when the moon is at its peak. Four against one.”

She smiles, making her way back to her original spot with Sho. A place where she can see the stage clearly and kick back with a drink. “Best of luck.”

One at a time, people collect a card. While the rest are quiet, Bong sees it as an opportunity to make the stage his own, and make the crowd laugh with a face and flexing of muscles. Zee takes it as an opportunity to study the crowd.

Some had a look of respect and admiration for the powerful firebender. Some had a look of fear and distrust. The difference: firebenders and non-firebenders.

And what a coincidence, the man who was just doing push-ups balanced on his fingertips would be his partner. The one that people were fighting over just a moment ago. Other members of the crew began to grow nervous when seeing Bong and Zee together.

Through the stack of cards Honemaru had met their first friend- a significantly shorter waterbender with pale skin and dark hair. So far, every time she’s been seen it’s been with the captain. This stranger must be her right hand, or an apprentice. It’s hard to tell.

She happily introduces herself as Akana of the Northern Water Tribe.

The two sit against a wall discussing strategies Akana picked up from a lifetime of watching warriors fight. She seems thrilled to be able to participate in a fight herself rather than only being allowed to heal.

“You’re an earthbender right?” Akana gestures to the olive green rags Honemaru wears. It’s decorated with a couple of unpatched holes and a necklace of bone carved into an earthbending symbol. Honemaru touches the necklace in thought, and after a moment pulls it over their head.

“I should show you something.” They watch Akana, studying her. “You must promise not to tell a soul.”

They shape the small bone necklace into something else, bending bone as if it’s earth. From the earthbending symbol to the symbol painted onto the side of the boat. It’s a simple swirling logo taking the shape that the rest of the symbols have in common. The symbol of The Unity.

The only thing Akana can do to react is stare. The necklace is handed to her, allowing her to study it.

“What is this made of?”

“Bone.” Maru takes the necklace back. They speak quietly. “Of an animal. But I have the ability to manipulate the earth inside of any bone. I don’t know of anyone else who can.”

Akana’s amazement soon turns into excited laughter.

“They don’t stand a chance against a bone bender and the rage of a girl who’s been told she can’t fight.”

First, Bong and Zee stand against a random earth bender and a non-bender that looks to be from The Southern Water Tribe. She holds a sword. Bong laughs in the moment. He makes more faces at the crowd, flexing rather large muscles. Some cheer, the rest roll their eyes. Zee is one to roll his eyes.

He stands across their opponents with a more respectful and focused look, mentally preparing strategy. Strategy is something they should have prepared with each other out loud. So far, Bong has presented himself as someone who is quite difficult to talk to. He doesn’t seem to take anything seriously.

Their opponents look more scared, unsuccessfully trying to hide it. Who needs strategy when you have pure strength? It’s what got them each this far.

That’s when Bong decides to turn his attention to the others, cracking his neck in hopes of intimidating. It works.

His first move is to rip a strip of metal wall from the ship, sending it flying towards the swordfighter and pinning her arm to the ship’s railing. The movement sends the iron sword to the ground, the metal stopping her from bending down to pick it up again. The sword is magnetically pulled towards Bong. He then strikes with it.

The amazement that Bong’s metalbending abilities create causes everyone else to freeze. It would have been good to know of Bong’s abilities beforehand. It doesn’t matter now. The others don’t stand a chance.

Zee gatherers energy from his own body and static in the air to bring lightning to his hands. With the same technique he has been using for more than ten years now. The most difficult part is properly aiming the bolt as the lightning is forced into his hands with strength. The lack of chi makes his vision blur.

People grow quiet. It is then he realizes despite specializing in lightning bending, and leading a squad who have all specialized in it for years, this is the first time he had used it on the ship. People aren’t particularly happy with lightning benders right now. They hold a merciless reputation. One that he contributed to as he led The Storm through violent rampages.

The swordfighter screams as lightning strikes her arm, sending her to the ground unconscious. The scream is eerily similar to that of those he hurt before escaping to The Unity, especially as dark hair hides her face. Screams like that are part of the reason he left in the night a disturbingly short time ago.

Guilt stings his mind. He sent this stranger unconscious with one strike of lightning, lucky the lightning strike didn’t kill. Is winning this recreational tournament important enough to send an ally unconscious first blow? He’s playing by the rules Tiq had proposed, but the rules are proving to be rather merciless.

Firebenders aren’t known for their mercy, someone in the crowd says.

At the sight of lightning, crewmates from Fire Fountain City realize who he is. Ex-leader of The Storm. Merciless protectors of the city. Heroes to some, villains to the rest.

The earthbender’s eyes widened, preparing for his turn.

With remaining energy, Zee strikes against the unfortunate stranger, who makes an attempt to defend himself with little luck. Bong uses his turn to restrain the remaining opponent as Zee strikes once more with regular firebending, realizing how unfair lightning is. The poor stranger falls into a coughing fit, his face red where the flame had hit. Bong, with a hunk of metal ship in the air, is ready to finish the job.

“Stop! Stop. I surrender.”

The room stops, the stranger’s heartbeat almost audible to the others. Bong thankfully stops too, with a hunk of metal slowly being lowered beside him rather than towering above the three. His eyes narrow, taking in the earthbender’s reaction.

Bong’s confusion soon turns into anger. He smashes the metal into the man, harder than he would have if he hadn’t attempted to take a coward’s way out. Repeatedly. Until he goes unconscious with his partner. Zee’s attempt to stop a 300 pound man of pure muscle is a useless one.

Tiq quickly stands, furious. White knuckles grip the railing of the quarter deck where she had been seated.

“He surrendered,” is the first thing she says. Bong has yet to calm down. He throws the metal to the side, taking heavy breaths. “The winner is determined by the opponent’s surrender. You won. That was unnecessary.”

“War doesn’t bow to cowards,” he mutters. It’s hard to tell if Tiq had heard him.

“You will respect my crew,” she says. “We fight fair.”

“War doesn’t fight fair,” Bong yells. He had turned to face the balcony where Tiq stands. “Do you see this?”

Bong forcefully grabs Zee’s wrist, holding it up in the air in front of the crowd. Zee is one of the few that wouldn’t need to stand on his tiptoes to accommodate a height difference. He doesn’t think to pull back. There’s a point to this strange man’s speech. One he might agree with.

“You see what my partner is capable of? One strike sent the opponent unconscious,” he says. “This is what the Fire Nation is capable of. And the Fire Nation doesn’t care if we beg for mercy.”

Silence fills the crowd. A heavy silence. One that makes Zee begin to shake as eyes remain on him. He knew why. There isn’t any hope in pulling away from the strong man’s grip. Instead he patiently waits for the moment to be over.

“We have no avatar to help,” Bong says. “He’s dead. We need to learn how to help ourselves. Return their mercilessness.”

“Enough,” Tiq snaps. She takes a low breath, unsure of what to say. He broke unspoken rules, ones that shouldn’t need to be spoken, but he is right. “I see your reason. There is war happening. But we are allies on this ship. Fight as dirty as you want. But when your ally asks for mercy, you give it.”

She gives a stern look, specifically to Bong, during the lecture. One that makes people want to listen.

“Further dismissal of the rule will result in disqualification. May the tourney continue.”

Finally, it is time to exit the stage. Bong storms off, muttering under his breath. Half stare at him, the rest at the lightning bender. Nobody approaches Zee, but the staring is obvious. The same staring as before, the respect from other firebenders and fear from everyone else. Only this time it’s more intense. The best he could do in return is straighten his posture and give a gentle smile.

He then turns to face the stage and watch the next fight, silently telling the audience they should do the same. As that happens, he too becomes part of the audience. Blending in with the crewmates.

Bong returns by his side with a pipe. Side by side Bong is much wider than the firebender. Large and muscular. Someone who prioritized strength through his whole life and nothing else. Zee, while still toned and athletic, put more effort into keeping his body agile through training.

“Came to apologize?”

“I came to ask for a lighter.” He holds the pipe between the two. “And share a bowl with my new friend before we kick more ass.” This earns Bong a stare of disbelief before Zee finally laughs and lights the pipe with firebending.

“You’re a good teammate. We’re insane together,” Bong says. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you up there.”

“It’s deserved.” It’s Zee’s turn with the pipe. It’s been a habit for quite some time now. Something he has yet to consider quitting. Breathing in garbage feels more like breathing than regular air does. It’s filling. Especially as the high quiets his mind. Usually, he smokes alone.

“Unfortunately, you have a good point about war,” Zee says. “People aren’t very happy with firebenders right now.”

“Because you’re that strong.” Bong points to the stage where a new battle has taken place. “People don’t trust you.”

“I know. It’s good reason.” He takes a lengthy hit from the pipe before it’s handed back to Bong. “But I’m not one of them anymore.”

Somehow Bong seems to… laugh. Laugh. On the subject of war. Zee wants to be offended but shakes it off to avoid meaningless conflict.

“You were pretty intense up there too. So powerful you damage yourself in the process. It’s a worthy sacrifice,” he says. “We might make it to that top four with that strength.”

Bong continues to laugh.

“Listen, I don’t know what this sack of rice you keep bringing up is, but I’m interested.” Zee’s smile fades, quickly turning to confusion.

“A sack of rice?”

“Yeah. I’ve been hungry for hours.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Bong makes a face, insinuating Zee is the one being confusing, not him. Oh. Sacrifice. Sack of rice. God damn it. Zee snaps, “Were you even listening?”

“Sorry man. Just hungry.”

“Yeah, and there was a fucking genocide my people are responsible for, coming for us next. You’re thinking about rice? Aren’t you scared?”

“I can’t be.” The answer catches Zee off guard. Surprise replaces anger. Bong speaks as quietly as he can. “Truth is I’m terrified, but you can’t be scared when you look like me. When the big guy gets scared, that’s when everyone does.” Smoke comes with a long exhale. “We can’t fight back scared.”

Zee takes in the words, staring into the distance.

“I’m sorry I assumed.”

“The apologizing is done. We’re teammates now.”

Somehow, the fight following their conversation is even more interesting than the one they presented. Akana and Honemaru, Tiq’s right hand and the mysterious new guy, against a firebender and non-bender with two daggers.

The fight seemed normal until the mysterious earthbender telekinetically rips a bone from their own rib cage. Out of their own body. And proceeds to use said bone as a weapon. Suddenly the scarring on their chest makes sense. It’s safe to assume nobody here but the two of them have witnessed bone bending before. Especially that of one’s own body.

People forget about Bong and Zee after that.

It doesn’t take long for the other two to surrender.

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