With no Avatar in the world, nobody to serve justice or sway the balance of power between good and evil, the will to power was allowed to develop naturally. When people left their Lion Turtle protectors, armed with the power of the elements, they set out into a world of animals, spirits, and others that had roamed the earth long before they emerged into the wild. 

Over the years they fought for their survival, established civilizations, battled, conquered, reconquered and so on. Until one day there was a monk who left the Air Temples and set out to understand the world. He sought understanding and came to people peacefully, alone, asked questions, and built trust. Around the world he travelled, from nation to nation and everyone in between, meeting people and showing them his humanity, resolving issues through peace, and showing people the power of communication. 

When he returned to the Air Nation, he travelled from temple to temple, convincing other young monks to join him in his pursuit, to create a global network of emissaries, whose duty it was to aid in cross-cultural communication in order to create a unified body advocating for world peace. Thus, the Order of the White Lotus was born, the white lotus chosen as a symbol for peace.

The organization changed and evolved over time, civilizations developed and eventually the nations clashed. They began to find the limits of their expansion against one another, and borders began to be drawn, disputed and redrawn. The White Lotus did everything in their diplomatic power to help the world avoid conflict, but some was inevitable. The White Lotus grew and tried desperately to orchestrate peaceful, conflict-free resolution. Within the White Lotus, levels of organization developed, as did ideas around the best ways to perform their duties, then came training and practice systems.  Eventually, the high council developed, to be the ultimate bearers of wisdom, master orchestrators of peace. 

They were able to do a good job maintaining peace, but when the elemental nations realized they were being manipulated, they threatened to turn against the White Lotus. In a standoff between major elemental world powers and a global organization dedicated to peace, a resolution was proposed to offer membership and seats on the high council to the White Lotus to every nation. It was agreed that to maintain balance, the White Lotus would democratically elect four representatives to the council, and each elemental nation would send one, thus the high council would consist of eight members, the number of petals on the white lotus. 

The resolution also established the independent city-state, Metropolis, in a location central to the world, dedicated to peace and balance in the world. Since that day, the high council has presided over the world from Metropolis, driving and defining society for over a thousand years, as both the governing body and moral authority of the world. 

Today, the White Lotus is more powerful than ever. Their vast network spans the globe. The tradition of sending Air Nomads to regional leaders as envoys continues, but membership to the White Lotus is open to all nations. It was determined that membership would be limited to those who were able to complete rigorous training and trials to ensure that they were of the appropriate character to join the organization. Every member has the right to vote and is eligible to hold rank within the organization. Who holds positions of power is determined democratically; thus, with enough support even a new member could hold a seat on the high council.  

When viewed from above, Metropolis looks like a pond full of lotuses, buildings of the order. Neighborhoods formed around these lotuses, comprised mainly of order members, who work with or for the White Lotus. In between these neighborhoods and further from the lotuses reside the general population. While the entire city is technically under the governance of the high council, the White Lotus sends envoys to work with local leaders to govern their boroughs and ensure their safety. 

Although the elemental nations maintain their autonomy as sovereign nations, the influence of the White Lotus is felt around the world. To most commoners, the White Lotus is a distant fact of life, in many places they’re known as just “The Order”.

Peace is at the center of the White Lotus Ideology, so the use of force has been a constant issue during their rule. They outwardly advocate for non-violence and have outlawed fighting in Metropolis. They do everything in their power to stop wars from transpiring between the elemental nations, advocating for peaceful diplomacy instead of deadly displays of force. However, in some situations, fights and wars break out anyway, and how they stop them when they do arise is a point of contention and debate. 

In Metropolis, the Peace Police have a monopoly on the use of force in the streets. They are tasked with maintaining the peace, breaking up fights, and keeping the citizens safe. They employ a number of chi-blocking techniques, some of which are only known to those who train with the White Lotus, to subdue anyone who steps out of line, rendering them temporarily disabled, unable to continue fighting, or defend themself. Once subdued, the Peace Police have an easy time arresting and taking in those who have broken the law. The Peace Police ranks include: guards, officers, defenders, and investigators. 

The Peace Police handle issues local to their station within Metropolis. If something becomes a city-wide issue or the local stations need support, Metropolis Central Defense will provide reinforcements. Their primary objective is to keep the city safe from both internal and external threats. They consist of two factions, Central Defense and Special Forces. Central Defense is an organized effort to protect the perimeter and inner area of Metropolis. Technically the local Peace Police stations also fall under this department; though they handle their respective areas fairly independently, they do report to and follow commands from Central. The Special Forces are special squads built and trained to complete certain tasks like deescalation, infiltration, or search and rescue. 

For more complicated issues, the White Lotus Ministry of Defense is called upon. Their stated purpose is to defend people who fall under attack. While the Ministry does not directly oversee any troops, they have the full resources of the White Lotus at their disposal to resolve disputes and end wars, ideally before they start. In theory, they are purely a defensive resource, providing supplies and tools for self-defense. In practice, situations are not always so clear as to say one side is on the attack and the other on the defense. In wars of mutual dissent, the Ministry’s favor often decides the war, but how they choose usually plays out behind closed doors. Fortunately, the White Lotus also controls the media, so explaining their decision becomes as simple as writing the narrative.