#spirit forged

[captain-azoren]

Out of self indulgence, I'm going to go through a lot of the female Atla characters that I've considered shipping my OC Raiga with. I don't want to just ship him with my waifu, even if he might as well be a self insert. I'm not that self indulgent.

For reference, I'd compare Raiga's personality to like that of Inuyasha; an abrasive male tsundere who has a wild side, does as he pleases, a hot temper if you cross him but a really sweet and affectionate spot if he warms up to you. Because he's outlived so many people and isolates himself in the forests, he's actually very lonely deep down. Raiga is a bit of a thrill seeker who enjoys getting into fights with strong opponents. The adrenaline rush helps distract him.

He's part immortal nature spirit and doesn't like anyone who hurts animals or disrespects the environment. Raiga isn't a fan of the Fire Nation or firebenders considering their people are historically responsible for a lot of environmental destruction. Not to say he won't come around on a Fire National. Raigs is physically stuck with a body that's physically about 21 years old, as his aging has slown way down.

Now, on to the list of ladies;

Katara - She would have been a good fit if I didn't mind breaking her up with Aang, but I'm not doing that. Raiga would admire her respect for nature and her strong will. Katara would know how to be kind but not put up with his BS. She reminds me of Kagome, and I could see a sort of dynamic like Belle and the Beast from Disney. The ideal balance of soft but strong, but it's not happening with Aang around.

Toph - They might get along because of their similar personalities, but just as easily could be rivals. Raiga would love to fight the strongest earthbender and consider her a worthy opponent. Toph might develop a crush on him, but I think Toph crushes on cute guys easily. I don't see it getting too serious though, as I'm not sure either could really bring out the other's softer side. Toph would be more open with her feelings, but only a little. Maybe a brief fling when she'san adult. Both love their freedom. I actually wrote a piece where Raiga fights Toph in Korra's era, and I imagine she'd hit on him even when she's an old lady.

Suki - Again, not going to break up a canon couple. I don't see Suki liking Raiga and I don't think he'd have much interest in her anyway. Then again, I could see the dynamic being similar to Katara as Suki has that balance of hard and soft. Raiga might warm up to her, but he wouldn't be a fan of her disciplined nature. He'd probably needle her if she got on his case.

June - This one could be interesting; June is definitely the sort of edgy bad girl that Raiga would be attracted to, and her apparently being an animal lover is a huge plus. At first I think Raiga would be angered that June tamed a wild shirshu, but he'd be moved when he sees how much she loves Nyla. June has just the right attitude, but I don't see anything long term happening from what little we see of her. She might find Raiga intriguing but he might not her type.

Mai - I think Raiga would be intrigued by Mai. He's part cat and I think Mai is a cat person. He'd like her snarkiness, and I think the dynamic might be a little like Maiko. Raiga would at the very least respect Mai's boundaries as she respects others', and he'd enjoy hanging out, warming up to her much sooner than most. I think they'd have great chemistry.

Azula - Somewhat a mix of Suki, Mai, and Toph. While Raiga might be inclined to tease Azula for her discipline, he'd be very excited to fight her. While he doesn't like firebenders, and he definitely wouldn't like Azula if she callously burns a tree or flower, he'd respect her skill and power, seeing her as another worthy opponent. While Azula might see him as a dirty savage beast at first, she might come around to respect both his tenacity and his audacity. Like Toph though, I don't think they'd be able to reveal each other's vulnerable sides outside of extenuating circumstances, but I think at least Raiga would care about her freedom.

Ty Lee - I originally put Ty Lee very low on the list, but I'm coming around to seeing the potential. She's much more outroverted and friendly than Raiga, who is grumpy by default. Ty Lee would probably be turned off by Raiga's crudeness and he wouldn't be swayed by her charm. This, however, might make a good opposites attract story. Ty Lee might be the kind of person to get Raiga out of his shell, but still have the strength to push back when he's rude to her. Raiga for his part might help Ty Lee gain more confidence in herself, make her feel thstvshe doesn'thave to tryand please everyone all the time. At the least, I think Ty Lee is one of the few characters who could really get away with pushing his buttons.

Jin - One of the nicest, most down to earth girls. I think she'd be the best girl to get Raiga to show his sifter side, much like she did with Zuko. On the other hand, she's highly undeveloped as a character, and I don't know if she'd have the spark to really excite Raiga, who gets bored easily without stimulation. I do think Raigavwould be impressed at her appetite. He'd care for her deeply, but the chemistry might not be there unless I write it in and give her some spice. In any case, Jin would still be one of my top picks.

One plot I had in mind was Raiga and Jin having a child, but Raiga is forced into hibernation before their baby is born. Jin has to raise it on her own and hide it as it displays spirit animal traits. The White Lotus would be after the child to either recruit to their cause or to imprison it should it pose a threat to the Avatar and the world order like Raiga often did. At worst, they would try to kill it, though I'm 100% sure the Red Lotus would try to recruit them. This could work with other characters too, but Jin is the most flexible.

Korra - They'd make friendly rivals like Toph and Azula, but nothing beyond good friends. He respects her, and knowing what she's been through, Raiga wouldn't try to put her down or tease her.

Asami - A good balance of strength and gentleness, but like Jin maybe a little too gentle. Again though he'd respect her, though might make the occasional joke about her wealth.

Ginger - This is one I actually wrote a bit of. I had envisioned Raiga and Ginger as being a sort of Beauty and the Beast/King Kong/Tarzan and Jane sort of romance, but there's not much to Ginger beyond the Hollywood glamour aesthetic. I thought the show did Ginger real dirty and if I continue writing her. I'm going to seriously flesh her out.

Eska (and Desna) - Honestly, I think Eska is the best fit for Raiga overall. She's got the edge that Mai does as well as the tiny kernel of softness under all that ice. She's also part of the Water Tribe, which is one of the cultures Raiga respects for their closeness to the spirits. Their relationship would probably be rocky at first since she is royalty and Raiga tends to scoff at monarchies, and Eska might see him as another country rube. With a little time though I think they would come to respect each other's uncompromising attitudes; she might find his rough, uncultured ways charming, and he'd like her blunt sincerity.

Now as for Desna, I think a lot of the same sort of applies, but he's a little bit softer than his sister and I think Raiga would be very protective of him. Raiga would not see Desna as a third wheel and would probably come to love him too, as either a brother or something more.

Ikki - I think Ikki would be extremely fond of Raiga and he'd take care of her like a little sister. She might develop a crush on him, but he wouldn't really notice until she grows up, in which case I think their dynamic would be like him and Ty Lee. Being immortal, Raiga wouldn't necessarily be too old biologically, but if he knew her when she was a kid he would definitely need to time to adjust if she showed interest in him as an adult. It would be one of the few times he'd be uncomfortable in a relationship. Raiga is very protective of kids, and he'd have to come around to accept that Ikki grew up.

As an aside, this is basically how I would have written the relationship between Lion-O and Wily Kit in the unmade second season of Thundercats 2011, as that's the only way I can imagine pulling that off given the age difference and time skipping shenanigans.

Lin - Raiga would absolutely LOVE to tease the hell out of and needle Lin for how strict she is and it would infuriate her. While she might seem too old for him, he'd technically be far older and wouldn't care. I think Raiga would develop a soft spot for Lin, and he'd be the first person to tell her she had the right to be angry with her mom and sister. Annoyance developing into mutual respect.

Suyin - Raiga would see right through her shit. He'd have little respect for her, and while he'll tease certain fettered people like Lin for a bit of fun, he'd mostly do it out of contempt for Su. He would hate how unnatural and artifical Zaofu is, he'd hate how full of herself Suyin is and her hypocrisy. Lin is the kind of wealthy person Raiga loathes. This is an anti ship.

Ming-Hua - Might have made a sexy villainous relationship. Raiga does have a thing for bad girls, but like other characters Ming-Hua is undeveloped and not much to go on.

Kuvira - Raiga is not a fan at all. While he respects her skill and resolve, Raiga would abhor how Kuvira took away so many people's freedom and the disrespect and destruction towards nature. He'd want to fight her and not as a friendly rival but as an ideological enemy. Kuvira might be taken back by his ferocity and respect his strength, but he wouldn't have been able to sway her. She is not the kind of sexy bad girl he's into. Raiga likes girls who fight authority, not girls who are authority.

That said, I think an archetype like Kuvira could work in an opposites attract kind of way, order vs chaos, and maybe Raiga could come around to Kuvira after her redemption, but it would take a lot of time and effort for him to warm up to her.

Jargala - The leader of the Creeping Crystal triad from the Korra comics. I think Raiga would find her one of if not the most attractive ladies for both her looks and her personality, being sultry and dangerous but with nerves of steel. While he'd respect her confidence in the face of danger, her being a mob boss would sort of turn him off. Not because Raiga has any moral objections to crime, but mostly because he'd find Jargala's goals to be overall petty and beneath him, or just pointless to a spirit. I think Jargala might be intrigued by Raiga's power and seek to get him on her side. If she was more developed I could say more, but I think they'd be attracted to each other even when they're against each other. Maybe a sort of friends with benefits situation, but I don't think Jargala could help Raiga with his deep seated sense of loneliness from what we've seen.

Had an idea that even if they didn't end up together, they would still have a child. Said child would have the same spirit animal powers and Jargala would raise them into her successor, her ambitions growing. This would become a problem for both Korra and Raiga in the future, but I think Raiga and Jargala would both love their kid.

Kyoshi - Now this is is different; Kyoshi is one of the people Raiga knew while he was human, and he knew her the longest since he'd have been alive as long as she was for over a century. While he didn't fall in love with her, and he was sometimes her enemy, they would have shared a bond as immortals. When she died he became extremely depressed over having lost the one person who had stayed in his life long after so many others had died.

Couple of other things; I've considered his relationship with spirits like the Painted Lady and Yue the Moon Spirit, and while they may also be immortal, because Raiga is still half human he is tied to the physical world and can't really be with them, not unless he were to turn full spirit somehow, possibly through death.

I also still need to read the Dawn of Yangchen, so maybe I might even start Raiga's journey during her era instead of Kyoshi's.

[captain-azoren]

Design Breakdown: Lyodin

For the hell of it, I'm going to break down all the design inspirations for my OC Lyodin/Lygron/Raiga (not really settling on a name). There's quite a lot of elements I tried to pack into one character. If you can't tell, I really like cats.

ThunderCats: The 2011 designs are kind of the basis for Lyodin and follow the elements which Dan Norton the art director laid down. The facial markings, fur patterns, eyes, and open toed footwear being some of the main ones. Specifically, I took the most from Lion-O 2011 for the hair, eyebrows, and eye color and classic Cheetara for the eye markings. Very 80s hair metal, just how I like it. I'd also say Lyodin sounds like Will Friedle's Lion-O, though Mike Erwin would be another good VA.

SSJ4 Gogeta (DragonBall GT): I like the look of the bolero fusion vest with the trim combined with SSJ4 fur pattern, tail, and eye markings.

Sabretooth (X-Men): He's always been one of my favorite villains. I think the fur collar/mane on his costume just looks badass so I added it to the fusion vest of Gogeta. I also like the coloration, giving it a prehistoric big cat aesthetic, not to mention the power set.

Lyodin's based not on smilodon exactly, but more the extinct cave lion or American lion. An under represented animal of prehistory. Also kind of based on golden tigers, ligers, and tigons.

Akira Yuki (Virtua Fighter): Adding more to the vest, I really like the pattern on Akira's 2P outfit from VF5. I incorporated something similar but changed to look more like tiger stripes with a darker outline. Previously the stripes were more simple and similar to something like Wolverine. I might try and use a similar pattern on the arm and leg bracers to make the design a bit more consistent.

Marcos E. Garcia (Terra Formars): I like the spikey hair look, but also the kind of sideburns and markings around his face. I also love Marcos' bare handed/clawed fighting style, by far my favorite fight scene in the anime. Brutal.

Aisha Clan-Clan (Outlaw Star): Aisha doesn't provide a lot of visual inspiration, but more along the lines of powers and fighting style. Aisha and other Ctarl-Ctarl have claws and immense strength, and they burn through a lot of calories. She can power up using energy from a full moon, turning her more feral and even can transform into a fully animal tiger creature. I have something similar in mind for Lyodin, specifically Raiga in my Spirit Forged fic where eating plenty of food empowers him, and at his strongest can assume the form of a liger.

What's more, Aisha isn't just claws; she's a skilled fighter who specializes in wrestling. I had the idea that Lyodin would do tiger kung fu but combined with grappling, wrestling, and acrobatic Luche Libre moves. Claws are designed for grasping prey, not cutting, so grappling makes sense for a fighter with clawed digits. Raiga might also borrow a few of Aisha's personality quirks, like her diet.

Bit Cloud and Liger Zero (Zoids Zero Century): This one is a bit more of a stretch, but Liger Zero's whole motif kind of fits in general, especially in regards to Bao Hu Shao, the liger spirit that is linked to my character. Just a giant divine cat beast, like the white tiger Byakko. Liger Zero's Strike Laser claw is one of the few claw attacks that's treated "heroically" if that makes sense. I have a hard time settling on the hairstyle, but I tend to imagine it like Bit's. I also sometimes imagine Lyodin sounding like Bit's English VA Richard Ian Cox, who also did Inuyasha and Quicksilver in X-Men Evolution.

And that's all I've got off the top of my head, but I think that covers most of the design inspirations. I think I might do an update to tweak some bits like the bracers.

[captain-azoren]

is raiga into desna as well? or just eska?

Honestly, I can't help but think he would be, at least a little. Desna already looks enough like Eska anyway, so there's that. I think Eaiga would like Desna's persinality as well. I dunno if it would make things more if less awkward between the three if them though. Eska shares everything with her brother, but her boyfriend too? Lol

[captain-azoren]

Added horns onto Raiga to give him a more classical mythology sort of look, like Enkidu, or even the Beast from Beauty and the Beast by Disney.

I had an idea that he would eat other spirits to gain more animal powers, like a cross between Vixen and Beast Boy from DC, or like Michiru from Brand New Animal. So eating a goat spirit might let him grow horns.

It would sort of match the Avatar controlling all elements; he would go fron the equivalent of a very powerful bender of one element to having the versatility of an avatar. He'd change from being mainly a lion/tiger spirit to being more of a chimera.

One idea I had was that one of the last spirits he eats is a volcanic salamander that essentially makes him fireproof.

All that said, I really like his base cat form and I'm hesitant to change him. I may reserve this idea for the main antagonist though (Tokuga from the Korra comics).

Without horns for comparison.

[captain-azoren]

My Id personified, basically. Raiga is mostly just me with zero impulse control.

I had him share most of the design of my other oc, but I think a wilder look suits him better. I just really like the Feral Elf look.

While he comes across as violently unpredictable, he is actually fiercley protective of children... even if he staunchly denies it.

I really want Raiga to rampage through the Fire Nation palace and capital. Probably for burning down forests, though I haven't decided on a specific reason. Rampage through Zao Fu too, maybe. He'd be chill with the Water Tribes, might be into Eska and Desna's weirdness.

[captain-azoren]

The Slayer pt. 1

Roku sat atop Fang as they soared through the clouds. Their destination was not too far from home, and while he felt excited to be visiting the home of his previous incarnation, the letter he received filled him with unease.

The message arrived at Roku’s home shortly after he had mastered all four elements and control of the Avatar state. He was a fully realized Avatar now, the most powerful mortal on the planet, and yet he could not shake the feeling that he was about to face his toughest challenge thus far.

The scroll came in an ornate box, and it was sealed with the emblem of the  Sei'naka clan. It read simply, “Avatar Roku, you are formally requested an audience at Kyoshi Island. Now that you have mastered your power, there is a matter of great importance you and I must discuss, a matter that only the Avatar can, and should, settle. Respectfully, Hitomi of Clan Sei'naka.”

Roku soon spotted the island in the distance as he crossed the sea. Created over a century ago by Kyoshi herself splitting the former peninsula from the mainland, Roku wondered if he could ever match such power. Drawing closer, Roku saw the tall wooden statue of Kyoshi at the center of the town.

Fang flew down to the square and landed in the middle, much to the astonishment and wonder of the locals. Roku smiled and waved as he dismounted.

“Good day to you all,” Roku called out. “I seek Hitomi of the Sei'naka clan.”

“Avatar Roku,” Came a woman’s voice. The Avatar squinted and found the source. A woman with bronze eyes and pitch black hair tied at the back. She wore green and bronze armor like that of Kyoshi, with a sword and fans at her waist. Most striking of all was the white, black, and red makeup she wore, exactly like Kyoshi’s.

The crowd that had gathered parted for her as she approached. She came face to face with Roku and bowed to him. “I am Hitomi, the one who requested your presence.”

“Hello, Hitomi,” Said Roku as he returned the bow. “I mean no disrespect, but I was expecting a Fire National.”

“You are not wrong, I am of Fire Nation ancestry,” Hitomi replied. “But Kyoshi Island is my home. Please, come with me, and we may speak in private.”

Roku nodded, and he gave Fang a pat on the snout to remind him to be good. He followed Hitomi to a small, but ornately decorated house. They removed their shoes and went inside, where a tea pot and cups waited for them in the middle of what appeared to be a dojo.

“I do not normally use the name of my clan,” Hitomi said as she sat and poured them both cups of tea. “But I thought it would be the best way to get the Avatar’s attention.”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Roku asked as he let his drink cool. “The Sei'naka clan is one of the most well respected in the Fire Nation.” Hitomi let slip a small smile.

“To be honest, I am not very close to my relatives in the Fire Nation,” Hitomi answered. “I do not fully identify as a Sei'naka, but I am one by their judgement. My loyalty lies to Kyoshi Island.”

“I see,” Roku said thoughtfully and sipped his tea. “I believe there was something you needed to discuss with me though? Something of great importance?” Hitomi nodded. She sipped her tea, closed her eyes a moment, and then looked to Roku, her gaze deadly serious.

“It is to do with your predecessor, Avatar Kyoshi.” Hitomi said with a grave tone. “How do you think Kyoshi died?” Roku raised an eyebrow.

“She died of old age,” The Avatar replied. “Kyoshi lived for over two centuries. Time finally caught up to her. It’s extraordinar...”

“Indeed, Kyoshi lived for two-hundred and thirty years,” Hitomi said. “And yet her power never seemed to wane... Avatar Roku, what I am about to tell you is a secret that has been kept from you your entire life.”

“What? What secret?” Roku asked in confusion.

“Avatar Kyoshi did not die of old age," Hitomi said, her gaze never wavering. "Kyoshi... was slain... by a creature more viscious than anything on this earth."

[captain-azoren]

About that spirit forged idea

That's actually something worth to be explored, makes me think about community of spirit-human hybrids descendants who learned to control these powers and therefore do not look grotesque and out of shape haha

But pretty much unlikely

Actually, one idea I had was that, after Korra created the new spirit portal, there was an upsurge in incidents of spirit possessing humans who angered them. This would indeed lead to a small population of spirit forged people in Republic City.

At first it's treated like a disease, with many of those changed being asymmetrical horrors, but some enjoy the new powers these transformations give them and use their powers to commit crimes. Some criminals even deliberately try to get themselves fused with a spirit.

Korra and other sages would try to find a way to cure the affliction using energy bending, but a byproduct is that in some cases the afflicted instead is able to rebalance themselves without giving up the power. They're still part spirit, but through meditation they control the new spiritual energy within them and become more whole and symmetrical.

This could eventually lead to a larger population of Spirit Forged in a few generations like you described. It would really shake things up, as they would have a wide variety of powers, and not just those based on animals.

It would be very interesting to have this whole new category of people who exist separate from the elemental based nations and benders, with a whole new set of abilities. Almost a bit like mutants in Marvel, but with a sort of fae twist.

[captain-azoren]

Some more musings on my Spirit Forged story ideas;

The Avatar franchise has occasionally touched on interactions with spirits and how alien and incomprehensible they are. I really wanted to bring something like that to the forefront. Book 2 of Korra almost had something like what I imagined, but had too much human intervention.

Just to contrast with most Avatar antagonists, I'd like an antagonist that is very distinctly non human, just an animalistic force of nature. Think if something like Hei Bai or Koizilla became a global threat. A monster that can't be reasoned or bargained with. A kaiju. I know that one comic has something like that, but Old Iron seemed like such a small, isolated incident. I want a real Godzilla level spiritual nature's wrath threat.

I want something that even a fully realized Avatar in the Avatar State could not defeat without a lot of help or a lot of effort.

[captain-azoren]

The Fire and the Fangs pt. 5

Raiga's lifeboat drifts onto the shore of an uncharted tropical island north of the Fire Nation mainland. His shoulder healed, but his stomach empty, Raiga treks into the jungle to find food. The foliage is much thicker than he's used to, but he us able to navigate the canopy.

Raiga finds an aardvark sloth in a tree, and he quickly subdues and eats it. While feasting, he hears humans approach, and has a sudden encounter with a Sun Warrior hunter. There's a brief scuffle and Raiga leaves the Sun Warrior with a shallow gash on his chest before fleeing with his kill.

News reaches the rest of the Sun Warriors of a bestial intruder on the island. Soon, the Sun Warriors start to scour the island for the man-spirit.

Raiga manages to stay one step ahead of his pursuers until he reaches the Sun Warrior City. His curiosity getting the better of him, Raiga explores what he thinks are abandoned buildings. It's when he sets off a pitfall trap that the Sun Warriors are able to trap him in a ring of fire. Raiga is ensnared by a net covered in a sticky mucus and brought to the chief.

Raiga demands to be let go, but the chief first questions how he came to the island. Raiga tells them how he's out for revenge against Zuko and Iroh. The chief says they are friends of the Sun Warriors, but Raiga scoffs and says that Iroh has yet to pay for the decades of destruction he wrought.

The chief is troubled by this, as they believed Iroh had good intentions when he met Ran and Shaw. While Raiga is not a firebender, the chief senses the strong spiritual energy in him, and decide he should visit the masters.

Raiga, in chains, is brought before Ran and Shaw. The two dragons immediately recognize Bao Hu Shou's power within him, and can read his heart. While full of rage, they recognize he is telling the truth about Iroh.

Raiga demands to know why the last dragons would aid a warmonger like Iroh, who used their gift for destruction even after learning the true meaning of fire. Ran and Shaw admit they could not predict the future, but assert that without knowing the true meaning, Iroh would less likely have turned to good when the time came to aid the Avatar.

Raiga is unhappy with their answer, but Ran and Shaw agree that Iroh should still answer for his crimes, regardless of the good he did in the end. However, they advise Raiga to not let his wrath consume him, for a brighter future cannot be built on a foundation of blood and vengeance.

To make up for the trouble, Raiga catches a massive arapairanha from the river to have a feast. The Sun Warriors give Raiga a boat full of supplies, including plenty of meat, fruit, and burn salve. They tell Raiga how to sail and where to go to reach the Fire Nation mainland. Raiga sails away once more, determined but unsure of how he wants to finish his mission.

[captain-azoren]

Looking at my OC centric fic ideas, and I think they could partly be summed up as putting a classic styled Shonen hero into the Avatar verse, but he's an antagonist half of the time.

Or to put it another way, what if the Avatar world had its own Monkey King?

[captain-azoren]

The Fire and the Fangs pt. 1

Has there been a story where Iroh's warlike past finally catches up to him and he faces consequences? Because I'm thinking of writing something like that for Spirit Forged.

Set after Raiga merges with Bao Hu Shou, his and the spirit's memories merge, and they both share a common hatred for the Fire Nation, for destroying their homes and the forests.

From Bao Hu is the memory of Iroh, encountered decades ago. Bao Hu made Iroh promise to leave the forests untouched, but Raiga knows that the FN never truly stopped their slash and burn tactics. Raiga travels around the EK until he catches Iroh's scent. A specific kind of jasmine tea, and he tracks it down to Ba Sing Se...

Sokka, Suki and Toph are having a nice, friendly visit with Iroh in the Jasmine Dragon. Aang and Katara and Zuko will be meeting them tommorow for their reunion party. Suddenly, a cloaked figure appears in the doorway late in the evening. He's oddly dressed for someone in the Upper Ring, no shoes either, with claws... and a tail too...

The figure asks if Iroh remembers him. Iroh satires in confusion as the figure pulls his hood off, revealing his cat-like ears and eyes. Iroh instantly recognizes Bao Hu in those eyes. Raiga snarls and shouts at Iroh. He can't believe the man who helped scorch the earth for decades was allowed to live a peaceful life in the country he tormented. Raiga is furious that Iroh did not stop the Fire Nation from destroying the forests in the wake of its conquest. Raiga wants Iroh to pay for what he’s done and for sitting by while even more harm was done.

A fight breaks out. Raiga is wrecking the tea shop as he goes after Iroh. Iroh is on the defensive, refusing to use his fire or else he'll burn down the building. Toph's bending is limited for similar reasons. Suki and Sokka are best suited for fighting indoors but Raiga's sheer ferocity is overwhelming.

They manage to get the half- spirit outside and are able to turn the tide. Toph is able to cut loose and rocks Raiga around. He doesn't let up though until he takes a reactionary blast of fire from Iroh, burning his arms. Raiga grabs his cloak and flees into the night, leaving them with a tea shop in need of repairs.

Aang and Katara arrive the next morning. They're told what happened and realize it must have been Raiga. They decide that until Raiga is dealt with, it may be best for Iroh to go with Zuko to the Fire Nation for a while.

Elsewhere, Raiga hides out in an alley as his burn wounds heal. Much faster than a normal human, but he has learned that he can't power through fire like he can the other elements. It's then that a local girl in pigtails stumbles upon him...

[captain-azoren]

Unatural Selection

"You think bending is natural?" Raiga growled as he strained against the chains pinning him down. "Gimme a break."

Korra furrowed her brow as she held her stance "I've heard it all before, and you're wrong. Benders are-"

"I'm talking about humans, not just benders," Raiga interrupted. "You aren't living with nature, you're controlling it like you always have. Burning the forests, digging up the land, diverting the rivers. Instead of adapting and getting stronger, you’re just manipulating the world around you."

"That's over-simplifying things," Korra retorted. "We needed bending to survive the Spirit Wilds."

"No you didn't," Raiga fidgeted, his tail lashing about. "My people didn't need bending, we actually learned how to live off the land. The spirits taught us, they didn't just give us power and turn us loose."

"And you weren't given this power?" Korra gestured to Raiga’s animalistic form. "You might not be a bender, but you're definitely not powerless."

Raiga frowned at Korra, glaring sternly. He flexed his hand and extended his claws. "See these? They are mine, a part of my body," He nodded his head to the chains still trapping him. "This metal isn't a part of you. That water isn't, the earth isn't, not even the air you breath. Maybe that fire is, but I have yet to meet a creature that's fireproof."

"The elements are an extension of my body,” Korra shot back. “That is the result of my training and mastery. I am one with the elements.” Korra let out a long sigh. "What's your point?"

"Tch, mastery. A fish doesn’t master the water, a hog monkey doesn’t master the trees. My point is, humans aren't a part of nature anymore," Raiga strained, and suddenly a chain link snapped. "And neither are you, Avatar Korra." Another link broke, and Raiga was loose. He dropped to his feet and locked eyes with Korra as the chains fell around him.

"Raava and Vaatu thought they were above the rest of us, they never had to trek in the dirt or dive under the ocean. We didn't tame the wilds, we were wild, we adapted, and we evolved. We never tried to become masters of the planet, masters of the elements, like humans did. You removed yourselves from the natural world, because you were scared, and weak."

"Since when did you become so philosophical?" Korra asked dryly.

"When I reconnected to my animal spirit," Raiga answered. "And I gained some new memories. You may be the bridge between humans and spirits, but there's a lot more living in this world. For millions of years plants and animals and all sorts of creatures have fought to survive the elements. Earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes and tsunamis. Now they have to survive humanity. Who is gonna be the bridge for them, huh?"

[captain-azoren]

Raiga facts

He will forget to bathe if no one reminds him. Also, he usually just jumps in a pond or river to clean himself.

Raiga can both purr and roar. His purring is on reflex and it's verybembarrassing when someone triggers it, often via neck or ear scratches. His roars are ear piercing and painful when he really lets loose though.

He doesn't need to scratch things to wear his nails down, he just does it because it feels good.

Raiga loves to push Lin's buttons. Tenzin too, but that's less thrilling.

Does not really like firebenders, but likes fighting them. He's especially vulnerable to fire because of his fur, but the added risk is exciting.

Just really likes to fight. The stronger the opponent the better. This attitude is fueled by a superiority/inferiority complex.

[captain-azoren]

Nature's Guardian

"We see you, Fire Prince," The spirit growled as it paced around Iroh, its massive paws silent on the ground, tail flicking. Its immense yet lithe form was silhouetted against the ring of fire.

"Nature sees you... out of respect for old alliances, human, I will give you mercy, but with a warning."

Iroh kept his eyes locked with the fearsome beast's slit pupils. He had only heard of tales, but had never faced a true spirit before. It was not as massive as the dragons were, and yet the prince felt a far greater danger from it than from Ran and Shaw, despite the size difference.

"What is your warning?" The spirit lifted its maned head.

"These trees are older and wiser than any human, have provided shelter and food for many creatures for generations," It turned its piercing gaze back to Iroh. "They are worth far more than any human life. For every tree that your prople fell, by axe or by fire, I shall take one life in exchange."

"A human life in exchange for a tree hardly seems fair..." Iroh said quietly, hoping he could reason with the spirit. The prince gazed at the bodies of his soldiers laying in the dirt and grass, torn apart, limbs mangled. "You've already taken plenty of my men's lives."

The spirit beast paced closer to Iroh, eyes glowing in the darkness of its frame. "If I was being fair, I would take at least three human lives for every tree," The spirit whispered, it's voice echoing inside Iroh's mind. "Do not presume your worth, human. Your kind may be the dominant species now, but you have fallen far from the tree of life."

Iroh was overcome by a cold sweat. He nodded in acknowledgement.

"Tell that to your Fire Lord," The spirit pulled away to give the prince some space to breathe. "Make sure he understands the consequences of tresspassing where he is unwelcome. Now. I sense you have a few more questions..."

"... what are you?"

"An ancient one," It murmured. "A guardian. I protect these lands, these forests. I once protected humans as well, in the time before bending."

"The time before bending?" Iroh asked in a hushed voice. The spirit let out a bittersweet chuckle.

"Yes, before you humans had the power to rise above the wilds, before you were protected by the Avatar, your kind worshipped spirits such as I. We taught you how to survive, to live in harmony with nature. You were hearty, inventive animals. At least the ones the lion turtles did not coddle. How times have changed..."

"...do you... have a name?"

"To those who still revere me, I am Bao Hu Shou, the Great Guardian Beast of the Four Ancient Ones."

Bao Hu Shou stood tall and proud against the backdrop of the flames. A burning branch fell, lighting up the clearing, and Iroh saw the spirit in all its ferocious splendor. A lion-tiger, larger than any terrestrial predator, with massive sabrefangs, covered in stripes with a long, flowing mane of white fur.

"And I am nature's wrath."

[captain-azoren]

The Spirit Forged: A New Breed

Since I’m going to be kind of busy for the foreseeable future, I don’t know how much time I’ll have to actually write fanfiction. So for now, I’m going to post outlines for the stories I do have in mind.

This right here is a prequel story to my current Spirit Forged fic, detailing how my OC Raiga came to be. If you have the time, read it and leave me a comment. I might actually write it out in full.

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·         The story opens with a group of loggers in a forest at night; the trees are massive as they walk between them lit by lanterns. Deer-ox haul something massive on a cart, hidden by a tarp.

o   All the men are nervous as they hear a growl in the darkness. They scream as a large animal pounces on one. The carriage bolts as the rest of the men, wielding spears and earthbending, fight the creature, but are nearly defenseless in the dark.

o   The last man standing runs in terror as the creature watches him flee, eyes glowing sapphire in the dark.

·         Aang and Katara visit the Eastern EK for a vacation, one of the few places they had left to see.

o   They are there to see the Immortal Forest, one of the oldest and nearly unchanged wilderness areas in the world.

o   Toph is busy with the metal bending academy.

o   Zuko is busy being Fire Lord, with the Kyoshi Warriors still acting as body guards.

o   Sokka is spending time with Suki for his vacation.

·         Aang and Katara overhear a logger arguing with a businessman over how dangerous the forest is. The logger quits and the businessman, Shung, yells back that he’s replaceable like everyone else.

·         Aang and Katara learn about mysterious attacks happening in the forests outside a developing city and decide to investigate.

o   The attacks have either been on lumberjacks or on travelers who strayed too far from the main paths into the forests.

·         Some people claim it’s a spirit, others claim it to be bandits, some dismiss it as wild predators.

·         They go investigate and meet the Zhang tribe in the forest.

·         The Zhang claim it isn’t them behind the attacks, but there have been territory disputes between them and the city folk over a specific spot in the forest.

·         The Immortal Forest is rich with giant trees extremely suitable for lumber, but it is considered sacred. The Zhang believe only they are allowed in there, as this is their homeland. Anyone else who enters will be hunted down by Bao Hu Shou, the King of Beasts, unless they are brought in by a member of the tribe.

o   Bao Hu Shou is a lion-tiger spirit, one of the oldest and strongest, only surpassed by the likes of Raava and Vaatu.

o   Bao Hu Shou was the guardian deity of the Zhang in ancient times. It was said he protected the tribe from other spirits in the era before the Avatar and before bending.

o   Some legends say that Bao Hu Shou would grant his power to a worthy champion, called a Spirit Forged, who would aid in protecting the people and the lands from threats.

·         The Zhang debate allowing the Avatar into the forest.

o   One of the Zhang objects, a burly man in his mid-20s named Grola, but another one, Raiga, argues to let the Avatar help clear their names.

o   Raiga has light brown hair styled into a mohawk, hazel eyes, dresses in brown hog monkey skins and wields twin daggers. He also carries gear for climbing trees. He is in his late teens and has many scars.

o   Grola shouts at and belittles Raiga, but the Zhang elder agrees with Raiga.

o   They perform a ritual to bless them.

·         Raiga eagerly volunteers to be their guide. He is scrappy and hotheaded, but means well.

·         They journey with Raiga through the forest and learn a bit about him.

o   Raiga’s father was an outsider, possibly a Water Tribe warrior who left the South Pole to fight the Fire Nation, and his mother was a sickly member of the Zhang. For most of his childhood he was scrawny and weak, called a runt by the others, but he has persisted and grew into a nimble scout and hunter.

o   Raiga was there at the Great Divide, but none of the gang remember him.

o   He has so many scars because he keeps throwing himself into danger, even though he’s not a great warrior. He is a good climber and decent hunter though.

o   Raiga proves to be somewhat annoying and overbearing, trying way too hard to become friends with Aang and Katara, though he seems to mean well. This makes it very hard for Aang and Katara to have any alone time.

·         As night begins to fall, the group has an encounter with Bao Hu Shou. It knows they mean no harm, but tells them to leave anyway. It does not want any more humans in the forest.

o   Bao Hu recognizes Aang as the Avatar, and voices its disappointment; this is not the first time an Avatar has come to intervene. Humans have tried to exploit the forest for centuries, and Bao Hu has fought them off. Avatars in the past promised to keep humans out, but sooner or later humans would break the promise.

o   Bao Hu takes note of Raiga, who shows the spirit the utmost respect. Bao Hu allows them to pass through the forest for this.

o   Bao Hu is very old, and time has taken its toll on him. The shrinking of the forest and the loss of followers has caused him to lose much of his strength and power. Aang pleads to let him handle things, but Bao Hu ignores him and departs with one last warning to not linger too long.

·         The group sets up camp for the night. In the middle of their sleep, they are ambushed by bandits. There is a fight and Raiga discovers the bandits are other Zhang tribe members, the ones who bullied him and are led by Grola. They have abandoned their traditions in order to turn a profit;

o   The Zhang bandits have made a deal with Shung to act as guides and security through the sacred forest so that they can brings heavy logging machinery in and chop down the trees for lumber.

o   One logging machine is a large mecha tank on treads with a massive chainsaw.

o   They offer Raiga a chance to join in on their scheme, but he refuses and fights back, but to no avail.

o   Grola pushes Raiga down the side of a cliff, providing a distraction as they flee from Aang and Katara who go searching for him.

·         Raiga is fatally injured from the fall, but is found by Bao Hu Shou. Impressed by his audacity and determination, Bao Hu Shou offers to save Raiga’s life by merging with him.

o   Bao Hu knows that he has little time left on earth as the forests continue to shrink, but by merging, they can save both their lives and have the power to take back the forests.

o   With little else to lose, Raiga agrees, and Bao Hu Shou merges with Raiga, transforming him into a beast man with claws and fangs and a tail. Raiga’s body is healed, most of his scars vanishing, and he soon finds he’s been gifted with incredible strength, agility, and heightened senses.

·         As Aang and Katara search for Raiga, they stumble upon the logging camp. They try to confront the loggers, but a fight ensues.

o   The Zhang fight like Jet, able to nimbly navigate the trees to fight. Others use logging machines to fight, like chains and saws and axes. Some are Earthbenders, who use their bending to uproot the stumps left behind.

o   The trees hamper Aang and Katara’s ability to fight back; they don’t want to destroy any trees, but the trees get in the way of their bending.

o   Katara has little water to work with, the roots prevent any major earthbending without knocking the trees over. Firebending is out of the question, as it could easily start a forest fire. Aang’s airbending skills are effective, but they’re outnumbered and they can do little to stop the logging mech, which is piloted by Shung.

o   Eventually, both Aang and Katara are bound by chains and rope. Aang laments not learning metalbending, and he wonders if he needs to go into the Avatar state.

·         The tide of battle turns when Raiga appears in his new form, to the shock of everyone.

o   Raiga begins to tear apart the loggers and the Zhang bandits, easily able to catch the ones in the trees and take them out one by one.

o   He breaks the chains holding Aang and Katara with sheer brute strength.

o   The last opponent standing is the logging mech. It tries to grapple Raiga with its claw arm, but Raiga is able to overpower it.

o   Raiga rips the mech to pieces, but leaves the trembling businessman when he sets his sights on Grola who tries to get away.

·         High off the adrenaline and his new power, Raiga mercilessly attacks Grola, mauling him out of anger and vengeance for all the years of bullying he suffered.

·         Aang and Katara are able to pull Raiga away before he can kill the leader, but Raiga has gone berserk, the spirit of Bao Hu Shou beginning to overwhelm his mind.

·         Aang tries to calm Raiga down, but Raiga realizes what a monster he’s become and runs off into the forest, his roars echoing through the trees.

·         Aang and Katara clean up what’s left of the camp, and Aang declares that the sacred forest is completely off limits to all except the Zhang tribe, who promise to more vigilantly protect it.

·         The tribe asks about Raiga, and Aang explains what happened with him and Bao Hu Shou. They say that Raiga has become Spirit Forged, but at a price; he has lost a piece of his humanity.

·         Aang decides to try and find a technique to calm spirits. He will look to the past Avatars and learn of the toll Kuruk suffered from fighting spirits directly.

·         We see Raiga standing on top of a cliff looking at the stars. He lets out a roar before vanishing into the night. This is not the last they’ve seen of him.

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There you have it. I did consider having Sokka in this, but then I thought the fewer characters to juggle the better.

I might consider having more stories with Raiga set during Aang’s time as the Avatar. He’s basically immortal so he can show up at any time. Something eventually happens to him to make him go into the feral state he’s in by Korra’s time.

[captain-azoren]

For my Spirit Forged story I'm toying with the idea of a spirit that has had an encounter with almost every Avatar, or at least starting with Yangchen.

I want to explore the environmental themes that the franchise seems to only barely touch and tease at. Yangchen pacified a spirit when humans encroached on its forests, but things only kept getting worse with every generation.

Maybe at one point the spirit battles the Fire Nation during the 100 years war and faces Iroh or Azulon, and is actually able to keep them out of some lands, for a time.

Things come to a head when Aang, as an adult, has to fight the spirit himself, but at this point the spirit is very old and weakened. Aang is able to seal it away, but the spirit is only sleeping, until someone comes to wake it up...