Post by Sojiro on Jul 27, 2008 2:02:39 GMT -5
Earthbending
Earthbending is the geokinetic ability to manipulate rock, soil, sand, fossil fuels, gems, and metal (advanced only).
Earthbenders
Earthbenders originate on the large land mass known as the Earth Kingdom. In some cases Earthbenders may learn their gift in the Fire Nation or the Water Tribes, but there is not nearly enough earthly material for them to bend as opposed to the Earth Kingdom.
Origins
Humans first learned earthbending by observing and imitating the geokinetic powers of badgermoles that naturally inhabit the mountains in what is now Earth Kingdom territory. According to legend, known widely as "The Legend of the Two Lovers," two star-crossed lovers named Oma and Shu (A Romeo and Juliet scenario), who came from separate villages that were at war against one another, learned the art to meet within the mountain that divided them. To make sure that no one could ever find them, they used their new abilities, which they learned from the badgermoles, to create a labyrinth of tunnels inside this mountain where they knew they could only find their way to one another. One day, after many meetings in the series of passageways, the man did not come to see his lover, as he had died; a casualty of the villages' quarrel. His lover showcased a devastating assault of her powers and ultimately proclaimed the feud over. Then, the villages collaborated to construct a city, Omashu, in their honor. The pathways they made by earthbending became known as "The Cave of Two Lovers."
Fighting Style
Earthbending is generally based on the Hung Gar style of Kung Fu, which features heavily rooted stances and strong kicks and punches that evoke the mass and power of earth. The martial art is based on the movements of animals, including the tiger, which is utilized when initiating hard blows, and the crane, which is used to land gently back on the Earth. However, there have been exceptions in that some develop the Chu Gar style of Kung Fu (i.e. the Blind Bandit). Unlike other bending disciplines, earthbending maintains a balance between offensive and defensive capabilities.
Earthbending uses a balance of strength and defense to overwhelm opponents. Common attacks involve levitating nearby earth and stone, and propelling them at foes by way of a punching or kicking motion. A levitated slab of rock can also double as a shield when positioned in front of a Bender. Striking the ground with feet, fists, or hammers creates localized earthquakes or fissures to throw opponents off-balance. Earthbending Masters can turn the ground to quicksand to immobilize an enemy, or catapult into the air and soften the earth and ensure a safe landing. Some can tunnel through the earth to out-maneuver their foes. They are typically barefoot, to increase their connection with the earth. Earthbenders have been known to use hammers (males) and fans (females) to augment their bending, and it has been stated that the Chinese great sword DaDao would also be best suited for a strong Earthbender. Master Earthbenders, such as Toph, can also create armor out of Earth. Avatar Level Earthbenders can move hill size statues at will and even fracture landmasses.
The principle of Jing is the essence of battle strategy, with a total of 85 possible actions. Positive Jing occurs when one chooses to fight while negative Jing is when one chooses to evade. The Earthbending discipline stresses Neutral Jing, which involves listening, waiting, and attacking at the right moment.
Opposing Element
Earthbending is the opposing bending art to Airbending. When first learning to Earthbend, the pupil must first learn confrontational tactics and familiarity with the brute strength necessary to work with earth. This contrasts with the emphasis of Airbenders on mobility and evasion.
Like all of the bending arts, Earthbending is balanced so as not to be more or less powerful than the other arts. It's the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory.
Sandbending & Metalbending
Sandbenders are Earthbenders who have adapted to live in the Si Wong Desert. They utilize earthbending in a specialized style, which emphasizes the manipulation of sand. They move quickly in the desert on specialized wooden catamaran sailers that are propelled by bending miniature, localized sandstorms behind their sails. Because sand is sediment which travels in flows, their style resembles airbending and waterbending more than earthbending. It is displayed that most, if not all, Earthbenders are capable of easily bending sand, the Sandbenders of the Desert are simply especially proficient with it due to their particular habitat.
Unless the Earthbender is a highly-advanced Earthbender, bending metal would be out of the question. But, to those select few, Metalbending is possible. Most Earthbenders are unable to affect processed metals. Usually, the trace amount of earth still present in metal is so minute that it goes undetected even to the best Earthbenders. However, when the Earthbender has mastered their skill enough, they are able to locate the small fragments of earth in metal, target them, and utilize them to "bend" the metal portion.
Extras
Elemental Symbol:
The symbol for earth and earthbending is a tall rough isosceles trapezoidal shape, the base of which is made up of the Bagua trigram "Kun," denoting "earth." Inside, at the top, is a spiral.
Earthbending Animal:
Badgermoles are gigantic animals, a cross between a badger and a mole. Badgermoles use Earthbending to make tunnels and caves and travel underground, where they hunt for prey and live. They are naturally blind but use their Earthbending to feel the ground and "see", similar to the ability of Toph. A little known fact about the Badgermoles is their love for music; if the right music is played, one can get a badger mole to do just about anything. Badgermoles are able to control the earth just as easily as humans can and are said to be where the first two human Earthbenders learned how to control earth.
(Credit Wikipedia for alot of the info.)
Earthbending is the geokinetic ability to manipulate rock, soil, sand, fossil fuels, gems, and metal (advanced only).
Earthbenders
Earthbenders originate on the large land mass known as the Earth Kingdom. In some cases Earthbenders may learn their gift in the Fire Nation or the Water Tribes, but there is not nearly enough earthly material for them to bend as opposed to the Earth Kingdom.
Origins
Humans first learned earthbending by observing and imitating the geokinetic powers of badgermoles that naturally inhabit the mountains in what is now Earth Kingdom territory. According to legend, known widely as "The Legend of the Two Lovers," two star-crossed lovers named Oma and Shu (A Romeo and Juliet scenario), who came from separate villages that were at war against one another, learned the art to meet within the mountain that divided them. To make sure that no one could ever find them, they used their new abilities, which they learned from the badgermoles, to create a labyrinth of tunnels inside this mountain where they knew they could only find their way to one another. One day, after many meetings in the series of passageways, the man did not come to see his lover, as he had died; a casualty of the villages' quarrel. His lover showcased a devastating assault of her powers and ultimately proclaimed the feud over. Then, the villages collaborated to construct a city, Omashu, in their honor. The pathways they made by earthbending became known as "The Cave of Two Lovers."
Fighting Style
Earthbending is generally based on the Hung Gar style of Kung Fu, which features heavily rooted stances and strong kicks and punches that evoke the mass and power of earth. The martial art is based on the movements of animals, including the tiger, which is utilized when initiating hard blows, and the crane, which is used to land gently back on the Earth. However, there have been exceptions in that some develop the Chu Gar style of Kung Fu (i.e. the Blind Bandit). Unlike other bending disciplines, earthbending maintains a balance between offensive and defensive capabilities.
Earthbending uses a balance of strength and defense to overwhelm opponents. Common attacks involve levitating nearby earth and stone, and propelling them at foes by way of a punching or kicking motion. A levitated slab of rock can also double as a shield when positioned in front of a Bender. Striking the ground with feet, fists, or hammers creates localized earthquakes or fissures to throw opponents off-balance. Earthbending Masters can turn the ground to quicksand to immobilize an enemy, or catapult into the air and soften the earth and ensure a safe landing. Some can tunnel through the earth to out-maneuver their foes. They are typically barefoot, to increase their connection with the earth. Earthbenders have been known to use hammers (males) and fans (females) to augment their bending, and it has been stated that the Chinese great sword DaDao would also be best suited for a strong Earthbender. Master Earthbenders, such as Toph, can also create armor out of Earth. Avatar Level Earthbenders can move hill size statues at will and even fracture landmasses.
The principle of Jing is the essence of battle strategy, with a total of 85 possible actions. Positive Jing occurs when one chooses to fight while negative Jing is when one chooses to evade. The Earthbending discipline stresses Neutral Jing, which involves listening, waiting, and attacking at the right moment.
Opposing Element
Earthbending is the opposing bending art to Airbending. When first learning to Earthbend, the pupil must first learn confrontational tactics and familiarity with the brute strength necessary to work with earth. This contrasts with the emphasis of Airbenders on mobility and evasion.
Like all of the bending arts, Earthbending is balanced so as not to be more or less powerful than the other arts. It's the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory.
Sandbending & Metalbending
Sandbenders are Earthbenders who have adapted to live in the Si Wong Desert. They utilize earthbending in a specialized style, which emphasizes the manipulation of sand. They move quickly in the desert on specialized wooden catamaran sailers that are propelled by bending miniature, localized sandstorms behind their sails. Because sand is sediment which travels in flows, their style resembles airbending and waterbending more than earthbending. It is displayed that most, if not all, Earthbenders are capable of easily bending sand, the Sandbenders of the Desert are simply especially proficient with it due to their particular habitat.
Unless the Earthbender is a highly-advanced Earthbender, bending metal would be out of the question. But, to those select few, Metalbending is possible. Most Earthbenders are unable to affect processed metals. Usually, the trace amount of earth still present in metal is so minute that it goes undetected even to the best Earthbenders. However, when the Earthbender has mastered their skill enough, they are able to locate the small fragments of earth in metal, target them, and utilize them to "bend" the metal portion.
Extras
Elemental Symbol:
The symbol for earth and earthbending is a tall rough isosceles trapezoidal shape, the base of which is made up of the Bagua trigram "Kun," denoting "earth." Inside, at the top, is a spiral.
Earthbending Animal:
Badgermoles are gigantic animals, a cross between a badger and a mole. Badgermoles use Earthbending to make tunnels and caves and travel underground, where they hunt for prey and live. They are naturally blind but use their Earthbending to feel the ground and "see", similar to the ability of Toph. A little known fact about the Badgermoles is their love for music; if the right music is played, one can get a badger mole to do just about anything. Badgermoles are able to control the earth just as easily as humans can and are said to be where the first two human Earthbenders learned how to control earth.
(Credit Wikipedia for alot of the info.)