Potential Plotlines?

So this will be a thread where we toss around ides for storylines and all that happy whatnot.

Now, I want people to know that should we all decide to unanimously vote on a particular storyline, that I would still recommend against all of us jumping in at once. What I mean by that is at least give a couple days of open discussion before we start it, because good storylines take preparation, and for some of us that have lives, we need a few days to get on and such. [I cannot speak for myself in this situation. I eat, sleep, work 2 jobs, and use the computer. that's no life, but that's another story.]

Since I cannot read minds (contrary to popular belief), I will obviously start by giving the suggestions I know about, which are my own. Obviously I do not have the final word here, but this is a start for us to build off of, or to be beaten down by the idea of someone else, who might happen to do it better than I would.

So anyhoo, my idea, as those who were in chat the other day learned, is simple, but powerful, and would take a lot of planning from me, its creator.

"The Mark of the Avatar"

The story would be of an Avatar (of currently unspecified origins), who grew up with a powerful sense of curiosity, ambition, and a lust for power. She is a character that cannot simply be described here without getting a huge post, so I may wind up making a character sheet for the woman.
Avatar Zulera was an ambitious go-getting opportunistic woman who used whatever she could to her advantage, particularly her natural talent. She was curious and ever ambitious for knowledge, but at the same time, the only reason she was interested in it was so she could see the limits of her power.
Like Korra, Zulera was very adept at the physical side of the bending arts, and her perfectionist masteries of power and control made her a deadly opponent. However, she was also a mercilessly smart woman, and knew when to be patient. As she learned the elements she kept a low profile. When she mastered them, she made her move upon the world. Backed by powerful benders as well as sages and other spiritual experts, Avatar Zulera's army soon turned into a deadly force that swept aside anything in its path.

Obviously that's just the skeleton framework of the character herself, but what would make it even trickier is that not only is she powerful and backed by powerful legions who await her commands, but she is also smart--very smart. she has kept a low enough profile while letting her supporters and minions do most of the dirty work, so few people could pinpoint her unless they had met her--or in the unlikely situation, met someone else who met her, because few see the face of Zulera and live to tell the tale. The Mark of the Avatar is a powerful one, and has quite an impact on people, usually in the form of death.

She sounds like a tough opponent, doesn't she? That is actually part of the goal I have when making her. She is supposed to be a villain, and more important than that, she is supposed to be difficult to take down. If we made it easy, that would be about as fun as putting us against Zuko, especially if it was Zuko from Season I. no challenge there at all.

Of people like this idea, I will expand on it. if people *REALLY* like it, I will wait for staff members to give me the green light to design the character thread for Avatar Zulera, and if that happens, we can take off with this sucker.


BUT... don't let me commandeer the storyline. I want to hear the thoughts of you all, as well as your story ideas if you have any. While staff members may have the final say and such, it seems that choosing a plotline has become a democracy, and so people feel free to choose a story. if you guys like mine, just let me know as I mentioned earlier, and I'll expand on it and possibly make the character sheet for our new "friend", the Avatar.

let me know what you all think.

I'm thinking of a zombie Apocalypse. Even though it's a bit modern, it would be fun. Another idea I have steamed off from the discussion me Meili and Loki had last night. This is basicly the industrial revolution for the world of avatar, and all the nations are competing to get the resources that they need. The Water Tribes would probably be rich in oil, Fire Nation would be rich in coal, Earth Kingdom would be rich in the metals used, and I haven't thought of anything for the Air Temples.

anything can work if we have a good enough explanation for it. if we can figure out a good way to make a zombie apocalypse belivable in the ATLA world, I'm up for it, but it has to be done right.

as for the industrial revolution, I think it kind of already happened, given the state of technology in The Legend of Korra. (for those who have not seen it, the technology in Korra is approximately 1920s-esque.)

I am completely against full 2012-style modernization, because let's face it. our world is boring, because Germany is peaceful and so we haven't been able to have a good World War since then. Granted, that didn't seem to be what anyone had in mind, but the 1920s is where Korra's lingering around, as mentioned in the tech thread. so that might be still in the air. just my thoughts.

and thoughts regarding a yay or nay to my "The Mark of the Avatar" plotline would be much appreciated.

Avatar as villain sounds like a perfect plan to me. In the few times I've contemplated an ATLA RP I've always had it in my mind that the Avatar should be the villain instead of on the Hero's side. Mostly so that one PC can't just automatically be WAY more important than any other. Being the Avatar kinda automatically throws whomever is playing them into the category of Main Protagonist. An RP should never have a singular Main Protagonist. Giving that position to the Main Antagonist instead solves that problem.

What you have so far sounds good. We'll obviously need to expand upon a lot, like you said. Not only about her, but what "her move upon the world" has left the world and the other Nations like. I am also not really a fan of the name "Zulera." I think the name needs to be more grandiose. But considering I wouldn't be running the character, that's not really my choice to make.

I figured that the technology was more Victorian-age science fiction. Just my thought of that. And the thought of an enemy avatar sounds pretty awesome. What if we combined the Industrial revolution and the antagonist avatar into one story, that could be fun.

I agree with Hayato, "Zulera" doesn't flow with the character, and since the avatar right now is Xue Xi, we'll have to go with that.

Otherwise I love the evil Avatar plotline! Yay!

NO NO FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NO. I don't want to hijack someone else's character! DDD:

the reason I chose "Zulera" [which was a tentative name] is because I have no interest in hijacking Xue's character. That is one thing that annoyed me to no end.
as for the name, I'll cover my thoughts and defenses of it in a moment.

as for the Xue Xui, I even had an explanation surrounding Xue Xui. I had it so that she was masquerading as the Avatar while Zulera worked under cover. I did mention that she kept a low profile so that she could take the world suddenly and by storm, so that she would leave her mark before they had enough time to mobilize forces against her.

so that is also part of the background on the name "Zulera". she's not some big crazy prideful Ozai/Sozin-style overlord as much as she is just an incredibly clever and manipulative woman. Kind of like "Hama", which doesn't sound like a threatening or grandiose name. [at least to me]
but that's just my reasoning, and I'm open for other suggestions [even for names]. I'm generally not one for "meaningful names", because I'm not trying to build a cliched villain who makes an evil laugh as she launches quadrillions of minions into the world and takes over and rules in a black palace. Zulera is a more subtle villain who is powerful, strong, and also very smart.

I see her as the type who would have several other considerable villains under her control, but that she is not only the most powerful, but also the mastermind of the entire operation. Those who think it would be a simple "strike and let's fight till the Avatar is subdued" plot are luckily sorely mistaken.

If people want a skeleton framework of Zulera's timeline and story, I can provide it, and I also have most of a character sheet for her, should we decide to take that path. I do believe that Hayato makes a very strong point about who the Avatar is. To have her as a main protagonist would basically say that one player is more important than the others. As a main antagonist, it sends a slightly different message, since an antagonist is basically asking the rest of the userbase to go up against her.

ALSO--I have a mostly finished character sheet of Zulera, and I'll make an account and post it and stuff if people are up for it. If you think we need a bit mroe development [I personally think this] then let's do that. if not, I'll post it.
I would like to know what age you think she should be though. I'm thinking between 25 and 38.

Silence the last two days. Ideas run dry, Meili?

nope, I still have them. I was just waiting for responses.

If people want me to go through with making the Avatar's character sheet and then start building the plotline, all they need to do is give me the green light, and if they want to pitch suggestions to me once the 'construction' of the plot actually begins, they can PM me.

Whatever ideas you have, I support them.

in that case, say hello to our new friend, the Avatar. >;D

Hello miss Avatar, My name is boring and I will probably hold no point in the plot. I'm a filler character!

Love that your location is everywhere. XD

well, it will mostly be true. :B
The Avatar's influence does not have a short reach.

Wait wait. Is Xue not avatar anymore? /confused/

I told you guys...

hey, that's why I said I'd wait. I was just under the impression that waiting was not what the masses wanted.

I'd say to put it to the vote. That, and I'm reachable on chat most of the time.

Meili wrote:

hey, that's why I said I'd wait. I was just under the impression that waiting was not what the masses wanted.

I'd say to put it to the vote. That, and I'm reachable on chat most of the time.

The population of New Chapters is around 6+ around half of that don't know whats going on. A vote would not give any accurate information on who should be the avatar. When I read the plot line you proposed, I thought it was implied that the current avatar would take that role, however as it is your plotline, I guess you should be entitled to play the character.

Therefore, my take on the issue is that the current Avatar (Xue Xi) should stay and her role not be ceded to Zulera, granted that she must:

1) Remain Active (twice a week).

2) If she cannot be active, must give a reason for absence.

3) Realize the crucial role her character plays (Avatar).

If her character was anything other than the Avatar or a leader of a nation, I honestly wouldn't bother to investigate or apply regulations. However since Xue Xi is the Avatar, and she did not inform us about her absence we cannot permit long absences.

I agree with Novai. And the reason we thought about removing you from the Avatar position, is because people are stupid and panicky. If you tell one person that one of the most important people on a forum have been off for a while, that person will act calm and sensibly. If you tell six people that, they will begin to panic. We panicked, and we made a new Avatar. And if it does come down to a vote, I will stay out of it. I don't like being involved unless I have to be.

I was thinking about a plotline in which the air benders of the air temples decide that they will not be obliterated again, so either the citizens form their own militia, or the air council decides to create an army for the air temples. Tensions raise between the other nations and the air nomads, because they believe that the air benders are prepared to attack one of the nations, but they have no idea which nation it is. Eventually one of the nations attack the air temple before they can attack them. (This is like a dream I had)

that reminds me of a fanfic I once wrote. [/unrelated]

as of right now, the airbenders, led by badass Western Air Nomads such as Aamatsu and Xilingshi, have in fact formed something that 'sembles an army. it's not much in size, but it is powerful.

Xilingshi is the leader of the Tekina-Kaze, a group of warriors who sacrificed their pacifist lifestyle so that the majority of the nomads could keep theirs. while they are not belligerent and thus not under attack from the other nations, they are a force to be reckoned with.