Attuned Benders and You!
Everyone knows about benders, those gifted individuals who can control one of the four elements: Water, Earth Fire and Air. But as a new member of the Ember Group, you may be unfamiliar with a fifth variety of bender: the Attuned.
What is an Attuned?
To understand the Attuned, we must first understand how bending works. All living things have a chi system: a flow of spiritual energy throughout the body which keeps us healthy and sane. All objects in nature have their own, weaker chi presence. Benders are able to harness that energy flow and redirect it, using their own chi to influence the chi present in the elements nearby. Attuned are simply a reversal of that process. Thanks to a rigorous training program and minor brain surgery, the chi system of the Attuned acts somewhat like a syphon or a lens, drawing in natural energy, instead of the other way around.
This means that an Attuned can sense changes in the natural world. An Attuned earthbender feels the presence and location of minerals and vibration in the earth's crust. A waterbender detects humidity and moisture levels. An airbender feels air currents and pressure differentials. A firebender senses heat and cold, as well as the presence of combustion. A well-trained Attuned, when assisted by a combination of harmless stimulants and psychotropic drugs can extend their radius of sensation to several hundred kilometres.
ADDENDUM: Anyone caught attempting to acquire Attuned drug mixtures will be summarily sentenced to psyche wiping. These drugs are for Attuned use only.
Attuned are still capable of bending in the normal sense, but not at the level of regular benders. Because of the strain on their chakra systems, they are limited to extremely basic bending forms for short periods of time.
Where do Attuned benders work?
The roles filled by the Attuned are so wide-ranging that there are too many to list here! Attuned work in communications, surveying and prospecting, manufacturing, and even medicine. They are our first line of defence against the nefarious forces of the White Lotus. Knowledge is power, and the talent these benders possess make them the most knowledgeable of all!
How do I recognize an Attuned?
All Attuned are required to wear distinct uniform patterns: If you see a fellow member of the Ember Group wearing a white uniform jacket with gray trim, you'll know they've joined the elite ranks of the Attuned. You may also notice that Attuned will eat unusual amounts of food, and show a marked preference for cool, dry places. This is normal. The chi system of an Attuned is always running at full capacity, leading to a boosted metabolism and greatly increased body temperature. If you see an Attuned who has become incapacitated by heatstroke, exhaustion or drug overdose, contact your local Medical Response Hub immediately.
How should I act around Attuned?
Though their bending has expanded their senses, the Attuned are still regular people, just like you and me. When meeting an Attuned for the first time, be polite and courteous, as you would to any member of the Group's military arm. However, there are a few courtesy items you should be aware of. Do not be surprised if an Attuned seems to display precognitive or extrasensory abilities. This is simply their Attunement acting subconsciously, allowing to sense what they cannot see or feel. Ordinary benders should take care when bending near an Attuned of the same element. Always ask permission before doing so, as bending unannounced may startle or break the concentration of the Attuned. Be aware that an Attuned who is sensing at the limit of their capacity may disrupt bending around them. Do not be surprised if you have difficulty controlling your bending near an Attuned. This is normal, and impossible to avoid.
How do I become an Attuned?
The requirements for joining the Attuned are simple: you must have undergone Psychological Combat Indoctrination Level 3 or higher. You must be a bender certified for either Combat or Utility Training bending. You must pass a Psychological Stability psyche dredging of at least depth 8. Furthermore, you must not have any allergies to gluten, nut proteins, dairy products, and opiates. For further information, contact an Ember Integration Associate.
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ANNOTATIONS:
Hong, 95 A.C.: It boggles my mind that this was ever published. Not only does it gloss over a vast amount of information, but it also treats the reader like an idiot.
Zhou Nu, 118 A.C.: How so?
Hong, 95 A.C.: Where to start? Firstly, all that stuff explaining what bending is: what is this, written for children? Next: 'minor brain surgery'? When I became Attuned, I spent three months in a medically induced coma. They stripped out most of the nerve fibre in my arms, legs and lower torso, did something to it, then put it back in. There's also the history, or lack thereof: they completely failed to mention that the first Attuned were basically guinea pigs. None of them lasted very long. It's what happens when you get vivisected, generally.
Cheangbok, 95 A.C.: He's got a point. My grandad was a second-generation Attuned, back before they'd worked most of the kinks out. If he didn't drink about six liters of water a day, his liver would fail. There was a minor earthquake once and it actually drove him to a nervous breakdown from the mental trauma.
Hagane, 95 A.C.: I'm glad they've changed the format for these information packages. Failing to inform people about the monstrous things the Ember Overlord Forge did is just as criminal as they were.
Hong, 95 A.C.: I wouldn't call the Ember Overlords criminal, but there's no doubt that what they did was completely inhuman.
Shaomei, 95 A.C.: Thank god the Old Ember Group is dead and gone. We need to leave the atrocities of the past behind us.
Haoren, 178: This document has been digitized as per the Si Wong Retrieval Project, with the Owl's permission.