Independent Cities

            Independent cities are often formed when the people of two or more nations come together to establish themselves outside of the existing elemental nations. These cities develop their own cultural and political identities as the constituent cultural groups blend and adopt one another’s customs. Eventually, the people’s ties to their nations of origins fade as they come to identify entirely with the place they call home.

            The people of an independent city reflect the histories of their people, meaning that in a city formed by groups from the Earth and Water Nations one might find both earthbenders and waterbenders. Many independent cities see people from all parts of the world become citizens, becoming true multicultural melting pots. In such a city one would normally find a diverse array of people, international political and economic influence, and a rich culture.

The Criminal World

From roving bands of outlaws and bandits to international crime organizations, those who live outside the law rarely kowtow to a nation’s expectation of a model citizen. They learn a different sort of culture and a different set of skills. In particular, those who get so engulfed in their life of crime that they identify more with their criminal group than their heritage, or those whose heritage is linked to the criminal world would not fit the national mold.

Natives of the Spirit Wilds

The citizens of the elemental nations are descendants of people who lived for many years on the backs of lion turtles who granted the power of the elements to the people they protected when they ventured into the spirit wilds. However, they may not be the only people in the Elemental Worlds. Though the spirit wilds are considered unpredictable and dangerous, it’s possible that there were people who learned to live in the spirit wilds without the power of the elements.

The people who inhabited the spirit wilds had a much deeper understanding of the spirits. They knew how and when to interact with them, how to live alongside them, and even how to benefit from their presence. If they still exist today, natives of the spirit wilds are shrouded in mystery. They live outside of the bounds of the elemental societies and have their own customs and ways of living.

Elemental Randomness

Neither people nor elements are bound by the borders of their nations. A waterbending son of a pirate could be born in a Fire Nation port or an orphaned firebending prodigy might be taken in by a travelling merchant, a family of Air Nomads could raise a child while travelling the world or a Water Tribe nestled deep in the mountains may be surprised to find out that one of the children has a special connection to the earth.

Those who grow up outside the borders of their native elemental civilizations might not have the same traits and follow the same customs as those who grew up in their native elemental nation. While they may retain some of their native culture, they also tend to take on some of the traits of their surroundings and learn the skills of the society in which they are raised.

Ability Score Increase

Two different ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Age

Unaffiliated character’s average lifespans follow those of their ancestors.

Alignment

Unaffiliated characters can be of any alignment. The best and worst are found among them.

Size

An unaffiliated character’s size is determined by their lineage.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Traits

You gain two traits of your choice from any elemental nation.

Skill

You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.

Feat

You gain one feat of your choice. Alternatively, you can choose one bending style from any elemental nation.