Avatar: New Legends [OOC] [1 Spot: Earthbender]

Additional weapon:
Brent can bend the earth to create a bulky, "rock solid" defensive layer on his body (arms or legs, for example), as a means of protection. For offensive purposes this technique can also be used to enhance his ability to efficiently deal with most opposition by letting the rock engulf his fists or feet/shins. Even the thought of such an uppercut makes one want to rub his jaw. However, focus is essential for this technique to work properly. And the more the heavier. The more rock actively shaped, the level of required concentration will increase. Also, the weight of the rock will hinder Brent's mobility and speed considerably when applied.

Appearance:
As a young adult, Brent has reached the peak of his growth with a none too impressive 5'6'' in height. To compensate for this, however, his body is in fine shape and is very obviously, due to its "bulky" figure, accustomed to hard work, heavy lifting and physical activities in general. His skin is visibly used to endure long-lasting sun exposure as it has obtained a healthy tan which goes well with his dark brown and frizzy hair which is, more often than not, tied up in a knot on the back of his head. The sparse hair on his chin manages to prolong his otherwise somewhat broad face with a pointy, albeit short and scruffy beard, whilst the rest of his face is kept either clean shaved or at least not too fuzzy. Nose and ears and mouth alike aren't worth of any particular notice, but within his eyes, the iris hold a dark and mushy green which hardly seems to reflect any light at all, resulting in that calm, collected, unworried feel to them.

His choice of clothing varies but it would not be out of the ordinary to see him wearing his old, battered, green coat with bright yellow trim along the edges and with soft linen cloth as a collar covering the backside of his neck. To keep the coat in place, Brent keeps a worn out scarf tied around his waist. Depending on the weather, the black tank-top underneath the coat might see the light, but it rarely happens without the temperature peaking. For his legs, Ryel relies on a simple pair of cotton trousers to be do the trick. Clothes may change to better suit the specific situation, but you will almost always see him barefooted in a pair of wooden sandals.
(Gonna throw in a link somewhere at some point to give you an idea of the clothes - it wouldn't accept the post if it contained the a link yet.)

Personality:
Raised in the belief that hard work pays off and that ambition is worth nothing without the will to fulfill it, Brent is very dedicated to doing his absolute best in the majority of what he does. Despite being a productive soul with potential for getting somewhere grand in life, Brent might just sometimes find himself to be the victim of his own lack of ambition to match his self-proclaimed obligation to doing everything a hundred and ten percent.
Never having been the boss of anything, this young man is most comfortable with following rather than leading and he will rarely seek out a conflict as long as it can be avoided without too severe consequences. He would much rather just get along, really. Takes a lot to tick him off, but he has some issues with sexism. A direct approach to pretty much any girl unfamiliar to him makes him somewhat insecure of the situation, but he holds enough respect towards them to not stand idly by if they are in trouble. (The same counts for guys in trouble, but that is not as difficult for Brent to talk himself into.)

Brief History:
Born and raised in the humble surroundings of Clayton, a small indifferent village a good 40 miles away from Republic City, Brent has worked the mining shafts at the foot the mountains nearby for the past 5 years with his father and other earthbenders. Their sole priority here was to make a decent living and thus Brent has been left with an immense gratitude for most of what he has and he is not quite the type to ask for more. He never visited the Republic City or any other grand cities before, the massive scale of it would be enough to make him dizzy, as the furthest and longest he's ever been away from home was at the Avatar Camp so many years ago.

Upon his return from camp at the age of 6, his parents didn't make too big of a deal out of it. Seeing as Brent returned without the status of Avatar there was no reason to further dwell on the matter. There was work to be done, see? The life in Clayton was a busy one, a tough one but also a most rewarding one. Not in the manner of coin or luxury (on the contrary) but in the form of the hard earned self satisfactory that spouts from physical labor.

His childhood was self-explanatorily based around playing with the other kids. Brawling, hide and seek, boulder-ball, you name it! The majority of his friends, however, grew increasingly violent as their attention was turned to the Pro-Bending matches being broadcasted over the radio. They would all gather to listen to the electrified sound of the roaring crowd, the speakers jumping in their seats out of excitement and making small bets on the outcomes. Brent, as one of the only kids there, failed to take an interest in the games. He spent most his time preparing for work, doing chores at home and resting. Bending was meant for practical use, not combat-orientated entertainment. Or so he was brought up to believe, by his father, who often referred to the so-called "sport" as a waste of proper resources.

As years passed, the young earthbender was more or less excluded by his childhood friends' community, but he did not despair. He found his peers in the mine. The hard-working men, the boys' fathers and his father's friends. The labor kept his mind off of things and gave him some feeling of comfort. He wasn't the odd one out anymore. He was a contributor. To this date, this has been what keeps Gaea occupied in the village. Chores have become more and more extensive, as her father and mother are getting older and there has even been talk about her taking the motor cycle into town for the first time sometime soon to look for favorable prices on some repair tools.


Sample Roleplay:
The sunset over the ocean that evening was amazing. It shed a magnificent golden aura over the otherwise dim Avatar Training Camp, partially abandoned at this hour. If ever this unfocused five year old had been able to comprehend such a concept as beauty, even on an unconscious level, this would be the moment of his realization. The training for today had come to an early conclusion and Brent for one was still filled to the brim with energy. The ability to shape rocks had come naturally to him during training and so he thought to use it. For nearly half an hour Brent picked up small pieces of rock and clay from the training grounds. When he had found the right ones he put pressure on the stone with his index finger, watching in sincere joy as the stone started to bend inwards and curve under his light touch, eventually forming little soldiers of earth who wielded tiny clubs and shields for the epic battle between the two factions. A few minutes into the act the war ended rather anticlimactically as stone proved more solid than clay when they met in head on collision.

Just as this playful child was reassembling the soldiers in preparation for the rematch a deep voice said calmly from behind him; "Who do you reckon would win this war, young Oswald?"

"It's gotta be the stone king!", the kid boasted, swinging his arms in the air, eagerly mimicking a swordfight as he continued, "He's much tougher than the clay champion. Doesn't break as easily, see?"

The old tutor chuckled heartily as he replied; "Which is the strongest element?"
Brent turned around, meeting the bender's calm gaze with a puzzled expression; "Aren't they all strong?"

"Ohoo, but is earth not the toughest of them all?" the elder kept on. "Does solid rock not just deflect water, air and fire alike?"

"I.. oh... erhm...", the kid looked confused as ever, pondering this new wisdom, making little more of it than nonsense. "I guess.", he eventually mustered. The elderly shook his head with a grin to differ.

The sun sank into the ocean long before the young pupil and his tutor had finished their one-way conversation/one-way confusion and when time came that Brent could no longer keep his eyes open, he was carried to his room and tugged in. Waking up back in the village, 13 years later, he had found meaning in the old man's wisdom. Equality and balance amongst the elements... and that rock undeniably is tougher than clay.

Additional weapon:
Gaea can bend the earth to create a bulky, "rock solid" defensive layer on her body (arms or legs, for example), as a means of protection. For offensive purposes this technique can also be used to enhance her ability to efficiently deal with most opposition by letting the rock engulf her fists or feet/shins. Even the thought of such an uppercut makes one want to rub his jaw. However, focus is essential for this technique to work properly. And the more the heavier. The more rock actively shaped, the level of required concentration will increase. Also, the weight of the rock will hinder Gaea's mobility and speed considerably when applied.

Appearance:
As a young woman, Gaea's height of 5'6" is fairly average. No cause for anyone to quirk a brow. What you'll notice, however, is that she stands out from most girls her age when you glimpse at her figure. She is by no extend of the imagination a skinny girl, nor would anyone accuse her of being chubby. As a result of many years' hard, physical labor, Gaea has developed a slim muscle structure unlike most girls'. Without being very big or bulky, there is still no doubt that when the need arises she's not shy of doing the heavy lifting.

Slightly tanned skin reveals having been exposed not only working underground in the mines. Daily chores, repairs and mining preparations in the outdoors have given her skin complexion a healthy, light brown glow which, personally, she adores. Another very dear thing to Gaea is her hair. Chestnut brown and shoulder long, she usually keeps it hanging loosely over her neck in a sort of "controlled chaos"-manner, but when she's bound for work she ties it in a knot on the back of her head to avoid getting it messed up.

Gaea's face is relatively smooth from what you would expect of an experienced miner. Only a few, minor scars just underneath her hairline witness of the bruises she's endured. Other than that, you would ever guess her line of work from looking at her face. The slim bridge of her round-tipped nose. Her distinctive cheekbones underneath her calm, dark green eyes and the quirky smile upon her lips. All in all it makes a rather nice looking frame for this none too girly girl.

Her choice of clothing tends to be more practical than fancy back home. A black tank-top, usually covered by a loose, sleeveless shirt on the torso, puffy cotton trousers and a pair of sturdy boots. Seeing as Gaea was soon to be off to head city, however, her mother had insisted that she ought to dress herself more like a lady. For this purpose, her mother and some of the other women in the village had found their old sewing kits and had, a month prior to her departure, begun working on a new more lady-like attire.
The result: A long, slim shirt in a bright, natural green and with close to golden trim around the edges. A tall collar, open in the front and with bare shoulders and short sleeve. She carries a broad belt in light leather around her waist, which is held closed by a rather large, copper buckle. Below the waistline, the shirt opens up in both sides and continues down to her knees. Her trousers are soft, black cotton and reach down to her feet, which are comfortable in a pair of leather strap sandals.
Naturally, her outfit would change with the seasons, but for now, this is what it's going to be.

Personality:
Raised in the belief that hard work pays off and that ambition is worth nothing without the will to fulfill it, Gaea is very dedicated to doing her absolute best in the majority of what she does. Despite being a productive soul with potential for getting somewhere grand in life, Gaea might just sometimes find herself to be the victim of her own lack of ambition to match her self-proclaimed obligation to doing everything a hundred and ten percent.
Never having been the boss of anything, this young woman is most comfortable with following rather than leading and she will rarely seek out a conflict as long as it can be avoided without too severe consequences. She would much rather just get along, really. It takes a lot to tick her off, but she has some issues with sexism. Since Gaea has never considered women to be a "weak" gender in any shape or form it really grinds her gears when the stereotype-preaching chauvinists start yapping. Other than that though, you will have a hard time making her go postal.

Brief History:
Born and raised in the humble surroundings of Clayton, a small indifferent village a good 40 miles away from Republic City, Gaea has worked the mining shafts at the foot the mountains nearby for the past 5 years with her father and other earthbenders. Their sole priority here was to make a decent living and thus Gaea has been left with an immense gratitude for most of what she has got and she is not quite the type to ask for more. She never visited Republic City or any other grand cities before. The massive scale of it would be enough to make her dizzy, as the furthest and longest she's ever been away from home was at the Avatar Camp so many years ago.

Upon her return from camp at the age of 6, her parents didn't make too big of a deal out of it all. Seeing as Gaea returned without the status of Avatar there was no reason to further dwell on the matter. There was work to be done, see? The life in Clayton was a busy one, a tough one but also a most rewarding one. Not in the manner of coin or luxury (on the contrary) but in the form of the hard earned self satisfactory that spouts from physical labor.

Her childhood was self-explanatorily based around playing with the other kids. But not so much with the girls as with the boys. They played tirelessly. Games such as brawling, hide and seek, boulder-ball, you name it! The majority of her guy friends, however, grew increasingly violent as their attention was turned to the Pro-Bending matches being broadcasted over the radio. They would all gather to listen to the electrified sound of the roaring crowd, the speakers jumping in their seats out of excitement and place bets on the outcomes. Gaea, none too keen on the fighting part, failed to take an interest in the games. She spent most her time preparing for work, doing chores at home and resting. Bending was meant for practical use, not combat-orientated entertainment. Or so she was brought up to believe, by her father, who often referred to the so-called "sport" as a waste of proper resources.

As the years passed, the young earthbender was more or less excluded by her childhood friends. The other girls had given up on her long ago and now the guys were ticking bombs of testosterone. Neither was really her bowl of soup but she did not despair. She found her peers in the mine and in the town. The hard-working men and women, the fathers and mothers along with her parents' friends. The labor kept her mind off of things and gave her some feeling of comfort. She wasn't the odd one out anymore. She was a contributor. To this date, this has been what keeps Gaea occupied in the village. Chores have become more and more extensive, as her father and mother are getting older and there has even been talk about her taking the motor cycle into town for the first time sometime soon to look for favorable prices on some repair tools for local minig establishment.

Sample Roleplay:
The sunset over the ocean that evening was amazing. It shed a magnificent golden aura over the otherwise dim Avatar Training Camp, partially abandoned at this hour. If ever this unfocused five year old had been able to comprehend such a concept as beauty, even on an unconscious level, this would be the moment of her realization. The training for today had come to an early conclusion and Gaea for one was still filled to the brim with energy.

The ability to shape rocks had come naturally to her during training and so he thought to use it. For nearly half an hour Gaea picked up small pieces of rock and clay from the training grounds. When she had found the right ones she put pressure on the stone with the tip of her index finger, watching in sincere joy as the stone started to bend inwards and curve under her light touch, eventually forming small, crude soldiers of earth who wielded tiny clubs for the epic battle between the two factions.
A few minutes into the act the war ended rather anticlimactically as stone proved more solid than clay when they met in head-on collision.

Just as this playful child was reassembling the soldiers in preparation for the rematch a deep voice spoke calmly from behind her; "Who do you reckon would win this war, young miss Morrits?"

"It's gotta be the stone king!", the kid boasted, swinging her arms in the air, eagerly mimicking a swordfight as she continued, "He's much tougher than the clay champion. Doesn't break as easily, see?"

The old tutor chuckled heartily as he replied; "Which is the strongest element?"
Gaea turned around, meeting the bender's calm gaze with a puzzled expression; "Aren't they all strong?"

"Ohoo, but is earth not the toughest of them all?" the elder kept on going. "Does solid rock not just deflect water, air and fire alike?"

"I.. oh... erhm...", the kid looked confused as ever, pondering this new wisdom, making little more of it than nonsense. "I guess.", she eventually mustered. The elderly shook his head with a grin to differ.

The sun sank into the ocean long before the young pupil and her tutor had finished their one-way conversation/one-way confusion and when time came that Gaea could no longer keep her eyes open, she was carried to her room and tugged in. Waking up back in the village, 13 years later, she has found meaning in the old man's wisdom. Equality and balance amongst the elements... and that rock undeniably is tougher than clay.