THE AIR NOMADS

[SAMMY]

THE AIR NOMADS
(information from The Avatar Wiki)

Note: in an effort to keep this roleplay as close to canon as possible, the staff discourages members from creating Airbender characters aside from Aang

GENERAL/GOVERNMENT/CUSTOMS

"the Air Nomads were wanderers by definition, but had four Air Temples, one at each corner of the globe, hidden away atop mountain ranges in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands. The Air Nomads were home to a monastic order of men and women who practiced Airbending, the mystical art of aerokinesis. Unlike the other Nations, the people of the Air Nomads were, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. The Air Nomads were the smallest of the four nations. Its economy, if existant, was entirely based on limited agriculture. The population of the Air Nomads was small compared to even the Water Tribe, and was far smaller than either of the two powers, the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom.

While other nations possess royalty and are run by monarchies, the Air Nomads are led by the senior monks of the Air Temples, i.e. by a theocracy. Many hints suggest that the Air Nomads are based on Tibetan culture due to ther peaceful nature, monk ruled society, and isolation due to elevation. A century before the time of the series, the Air Nomads were the victims of genocide at the hands of the Fire Nation. The sole known survivor of the massacre was the very person the Fire Nation sought to kill in its quest for supremacy: the twelve-year-old Airbender and Avatar, Aang, who had run away from the Southern Air Temple shortly before the war began and became trapped in suspended animation. He has since revived and begun a quest to restore balance and peace to the warring nations. The Air Nomads are the only nation comprised entirely of benders, due to the highly spiritual nature of their lives. Meditation was an important part of the Airbenders' daily routines, as it helped them to focus their energies and understand the potency of their element.

The arrow on an Airbender's head signifies that he or she has mastered Airbending. This is an emulation of the natural arrows on the heads of Flying Bison, animals revered by the Air Nomads who can naturally Airbend and are believed to be the inspiration for the first Airbenders. As seen in the episode "The Storm," apprentice Airbenders have no tattoos. In order to receive the tattoos as well as the title of a master, an Airbender must pass the thirty-six levels of Airbending along with engendering a new technique. In actuality, Aang had only reached the thirty-fifth level before he left the Jongmu Temple, his invention of the Air Scooter earned him the tattoos prematurely, making him the youngest Airbending master in history."

APPEARANCE

"The Air Nomads wear yellow, orange, and brown clothing. Aang and other young Airbenders wear orange shawls over long-sleeved yellow shirts, an orange belt, yellow pants with brown on the back, and long boots that reach the knees. Older monks wear long robes in shades of yellow and orange. Most Air Nomads have gray or brown eyes and a light complexion. Young boys to be trained as monks have shaven heads, while monk elders grow beards and mustaches. Female Airbenders do not fully shave their heads. It has been shown that when not shaven, Air Nomads have dark brown hair.

Airbenders who have attained a level of mastery in the art will be marked with arrow tattoos, based on the arrows of the Sky Bison, the first Airbenders. For male Airbenders, a primary arrow tattoo is placed on their shaven head that extends down their back, along with four others, one on each limb that terminates in an arrowhead at the hands or feet. According to the series creators, these arrows mark the paths through which chi travels through the body."

AIRBENDING

"Air is the element of freedom. Airbenders continually sought spiritual enlightment, the result being that all Air Nomads are benders. The first Airbenders learned from the Sky Bison. The key to Airbending is flexibility, finding and following the path of least resistance. Airbending is notable for being almost entirely defensive, however it is reputed to be the most dynamic of the four bending arts. Airbenders can overwhelm many opponents at once with large and powerful attacks that could prove fatal; however due to the pacifist nature of the Air Nomads such attacks are forbidden. Airbenders never seek a fight, and they never seek to strike an opponent directly. Airbending is based on the Ba Gua style of martial arts, (also known as "circle walking" or "Eight Triagram Palm",) along with a small hint of Hsing Yi, (also known as "mind heart boxing".) These martial arts feature swift, evasive maneuvers that evoke the intangibility and explosive power of wind, drawing energy from the center of the abdomen.

Ba Gua, which utilizes circle walking (the idea behind it being the act of walking the Eight Trigrams), is known for its constant circular movement, which makes it difficult for opponents to attack directly or land a blow. Since it's always maneuving, nobody can get a solid hold-on of this maneuver. Maneuvers employ the entire body with smooth coiling and uncoiling movements, utilizing dynamic footwork, open-hand techniques, punches and throws. A common tactic is to maneuver behind an opponent and mirror their movements, preventing them from turning to face the practitioner. Unlike other bending disciplines, Airbending is almost entirely a defensive art, similar to its practitioners, and is the most dynamic of all other elements. According to Iroh, air is the element of freedom.

By using circular, evasive movements, Airbenders build up massive inertia; this buildup of energy is released as massive power. It also allows for wind-based counterattacks that knock opponents off-balance, mimicking the sudden directional shifts of air currents. Attacks vary from simple gusts of wind to miniature tornadoes and cyclones, maintaining the circular theme. Even a simple movement can create a air gust, and Airbenders increase the power of their moves by performing larger sweeps and spins, using the momentum of their movement to simulate larger gusts. This is also demonstrated with their use of staffs or fans to increase or create precision within the air currents."