Earthbending

As a result of my extensive travels through the vast expanses of the Earth Kingdom, I have witnessed many spectacular feats of Earthbending, and have heard legends of what should be impossible. Six techniques stick out in my mind as worthy of recording.

Small Earthbending:

On my travels in the Eastern Earth Kingdom, I was informed of a group of nomadic Earthbenders who specialize in the use of pebbles and dust. The Sandbenders of the Si Wong Desert could fall into this categorization, however I will not put them in here as they adapted to their surroundings and were forced to due to the limited amount of solid earth within the desert.

The group of nomads, the Tu Family, were initially hostile towards me and I feared for my life. When I explained who I was and what I do, they invited me in and shared with me their story. They claim to be descendants of assassins and mercenaries who find the use of small earthen materials better for combat than traditional large earthen materials.

They demonstrated the lethality of several small pebbles compared to a large boulder. The pebbles were Earthbent at the dummy target, hitting the dummy in locations that would be deadly if they hit an actual person. In essence, the pebbles have the same effect as throwing knives.

The pebbles would often be molded in particular shapes, such as throwing stars or knives and dipped in poison if necessary for a task.

The technique that the Tu Family was most proud of was that of dust creation. They would take a large boulder and crush it into many fine particles. The particles would then be launched at any incoming enemy, causing them to be blinded and choked.

I was in awe at these techniques. The way the Tu Family uses Earthbending reminds me of how Waterbenders generate ice shards, which they launch at their enemies. There appears no discernable link between Waterbending and the style of Earthbending the Tu Family practices, and the Tu rigorously deny any Water Tribe affiliation.

Ground liquification:

A staple of the people of the Cho Sin Swamp, this technique arose due to the abundance of soggy Earthen material of the swamp. These people did not use traditional, hard-style Earthbending, but a more dynamic, flowing style.

Instead of a rigid hold on the material, they let it flow, often creating long strands of rocks and in effect, using a whip made of loosely connected rocks. They called this technique, the Rock Dragon, as they manipulated the material and did spectacular feats with the Earth that one would expect from a Fire Nation ritual.

They made sinkholes with ease, and entrapped those unfortunate enough to cross them in the mud-like material.

This appears very similar to the techniques of the Si Wong sandbenders with Waterbending influences. When asked if they have had any contact with Sandbenders and Waterbenders, they denied meeting Waterbenders and admitted to contact with the Si Wong sandbenders.

Bone Manipulation:

On one of my first trips after receiving my Doctorate of Bending Studies was that to Da Wang Peninsula, near the remnants of the Eastern Air Temple. Legend spoke of the healer Suming, with the ability to manipulate bone, operating in a small town near the tip of the Peninsula.

The rumors were true as I observed first hand. Suming was an extraordinary healer, manipulating the bones within people for healing purposes. He set bones with his earthbending, something that should not be possible due to the special nature of the earthen material within bones.

It appears that he is the only one with this ability and will be for a long time. He has no spouse and no descendants that can carry this on, and he said that his parents were non-benders, so this appears to be an extremely unusual mutation that happened to appear.

Metalbending:

An unlikely, but potentially possible form of Earthbending in the legends of the Har Bin town in the Northeast reaches of the Earth Kingdom.

Har Bin was a significant mining town in the 4th Century, but has dwindled in size and magnitude.

Rumors circulate of "Metalbenders" who can manipulate Iron and Steel to their whims. The creation of simple metallic weapons was recorded through this process, instead of the traditional forging techniques most commonplace at the time. The Har Bin Metalbenders used their powers to create carts, to speed up the rate of mining.

Talking with Professor Kang of the Earthbending Studies Department, he decided that it was theoretically possible to Metalbend. Depending on the purity of the metal, it would be possible to manipulate the Earthen impurities within the metal. Many uses were theorized, but nothing substantial can be determined from the viability of Metalbending until it happens again.

Compression Explosion:

Another technique I discovered while I was in the Har Bin mining area. This technique appears to have arose from a shortage of explosives during a time in the mine's existence. To make due, some Earthbenders improvised and created this "Compression Explosion" technique.

In essence, the technique works by compressing Earth, and then instantly letting go. The result would of this rapid compression and expansion with result in the material being ripped apart, destroying the material as if it was blown up.

I was given a demonstration that went like this.

A large boulder was taken from a mountain and placed in front of me. The Earthbender then compressed the rock, crushing it into itself and making it smaller.

He stopped, very briefly, to compress it again. The process repeated several times until the boulder was significantly smaller.

The final time, he compressed it, but instead of letting go completely, he aided in the expansion process. The result was an explosion of dust as the boulder was reduced to nothing.

This process was very useful in clearing any obstructions in the mines, and to my knowledge, has no other uses in Har Bin.

Earth Augmentation:

This technique was first noted in the Grand History of the Liu Family, a minor noble family in the Southeastern Earth Kingdom.

All records indicate this family to be well-liked and benevolent rulers of this domain.

During the reign of Liu Zhu, there was a skirmish between the Liu Family and the Peoples of the Sea, most likely pirates from what is not the Southern Water Tribe. The battle was indecisive, but many common soldiers were injured by the Water Tribe.

Liu Zhu, a talented Earthbender, could not live with all the amputations that arose from injuries sustained in combat, so he fashioned extremely crude instruments to function as body parts. He created a small Earthen stump, which he called a "peg leg", and attached it to the affected leg. This in turn, allowed for relatively normal, if stunted, walking.

For those with injured arms, he created a "rock arm", complete with a fist and movable fingers. After attached it to the affected region, the "rock arm" functions as a normal arm. It is unclear as to how exactly function was regain for those with this "rock arm".

From what the records show, this process lived on past the time of Liu Zhu, only to die two generations with his grandson, Liu Min. Reasons are unclear as to why the practice stopped.

Thoughts:

Earthbending naturally is more widely represented in my works due to the sheer abundance of Earthbenders in the world due to the isolation and near extinction of the Water Tribes.

Metalbending, if widespread, could lead to an infinite series of possibles for the world. Metallic buildings, sturdy support structures, ease of metallic weapons creations. At this point however, it is simply conjuncture as to the potential of Metalbending. Perhaps, combined with the idea of Earth Augmentation, "Metal Arms/Legs" could be widespread. Something to use in case of amputation, which doubles with Metalbending uses. Perhaps, in the not too distinct future, we will see people take to the skies, and not just Airbenders.