The Earth Kingdom
This article is an overview of the Water Tribes
Introduction
The Earth Kingdom is one of the four original nations in the physical world. The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong and historically adhered to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world. However, since the rule of Earth King Yin Lian, the Earth Kingdom has become a more militiarised state, focusing power into the military and land expansion than any other era in their history. Spanning an entire continent, and islands along the eastern hemisphere, the Earth Kingdom is the largest nation in the world. The kingdom operates as a monarchy under the rule of a king or queen, with its current head of state being Earth King Run.
Table of Contents
Brief History
The Earth Kingdom's history is long, filled with periods of prosperity and decline. It has been said that its most prosperous period was during the reign of Earth King Fong due to his iron fist ruling and strict code that he adhered to. During his reign he set up a long standing tradition of being allies with the Water Tribe, and that has continued to the present day. However, after his reign, the Earth Kingdom began to descend back into the chaos that Earth King Yin Lian brought during his reign. The Earth Kingdom was filled with civil wars from Earth Queen Jin to Earth King Yuan and beyond.
In the year beginning 309 AG, the events of the Great Sand Tribe rebellion began with the Huichen Clan, a family of sandbenders with a long and complex history. They had seen the Earth Kingdom develop throughout generations, from the reign of Hou-Ting to the current Genyuan dynasty, from whom the Huichen clan were revealed to be intertwined with. The Huichen Clan lead the Hami Tribe for generations, with the aim to create stability and organization within the desolate desert province of the Earth Kingdom. However, despite the clan’s best efforts, the Earth Kingdom continued to brand the sand benders as dangerous thieves. The Earth Kingdom government had refused to offer aid to the residents of the Si Wong Desert and had left them to fend for themselves. While the sand benders struggled and suffered, those in Ba Sing Se lived lavishly and ignored the plight of those in the Si Wong Desert. Sai-Lun, a member of the Huichen Clan and Chieftess of the Hami Tribe, had begun to rally the Si Wong Tribes across the desert in the hopes of starting a rebellion. Her children, Ayato and Belan, had taken different paths in life but soon became involved in the conflict. Little did they know how their family ties, both to the Huichen Clan and Genyuan Clan, would lead to revelations about them and forever change their fate.
Present (315 AG)
Recent years have seen the Earth Kingdom engulfed in war, both civil and foreign. Realising the demise of the Earth Kingdom at their own hands, the people of the Earth Kingdom began to turn to spirituality; focusing on the peace and prosperity of the once great nation. Therefore, in the year 311 AG, Earth King Belan established the Earth Kingdom Clergy after taking inspiration from the Water Tribes in order to develop a relationship with the spirits in the Earth Kingdom, hoping some good will come out of it. Within the same year, Earth King Belan was assassinated during the Fire Lord Liv's coronation. This caused a war between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom that lasted between the years 311 AG - 313 AG where Earth King Ayato was martyed on the battlefield and General Run was named Monarch of the Earth Kingdom. Only time can tell if Earth King Run will undue the mistakes of his predecessors, but for now, the Earth Kingdom lives in peace.
Culture & Traditions
The culture of the Earth Kingdom corresponds with their element of earth, with its elemental colour and origin stories, based on the Lion Turtles and their geographic location. For instance, the elemental season of the Earthbenders is Spring; with more Earthbenders born in the Spring time than any other season. The overall culture of the Earth Kingdom cannot be as strictly defined as the other nations due to its size and diversity. However, with earthbending being the element of "substance" the citizens of the Earth Kingdom will have a similar personality trait, reflected in many earthbenders being virtually immovable. More recently, however, there has been a focus of spirituality becoming prominent within the Earth Kingdom, where traditionally it was known as an aspect that they ignored. This could be seen in the fact that the Earth Kingdom had the lowest population ratio of benders to nonbenders in recent history; with some scholars arguing that spirituality plays an integral point in the a nations bender population.
The Earth Kingdom
Nation: Earth Kingdom Capital City: Ba Sing Se Location: Eastern Hemisphere
Government
Form of Government: Constitutional Monarchy Head of State: Earth Monarch Head of Government: Council of Five Current Earth King: Run Xiao Current Earth Queen: Malin Xiao Reign: 312 AG - Present Previous Earth Monarch: Ayato Huichen (311 - 312 AG)
Fauna
Animals: Badgermole, Ostrich Horse
