Pushi

This article is about the Jasmine Island protector. For the military officer, see Earth Empire#Known officers.

Pushi was a member of the Jasmine Island protectors during the 1st century BG. As a strong earthbender, Pushi was originally supposed to learn constructive ways to use their power, but their studies at an Earth Kingdom institute ended in expulsion due to their combative personality. Upon returning to their home on Jasmine Island, Pushi opted to join the protectors to channel their martial inclination for the good of the community as well as to escape their parents' disappointment. Once part of the security organization, Pushi helped to oppose Magistrate Emerald's conspiracy to annex Jasmine Island into the Earth Kingdom.

History

Pushi was born on Jasmine Island into a family which was active in the construction sector. From their youth, Pushi helped their parents during the building of houses, roads, and other structures. When it became clear that Pushi was an earthbender,^[2] their family believed that this could greatly enhance their potential career as a builder.^[1][2] Pushi was thus sent to an isolated Earth Kingdom training facility where they were supposed to learn earthbending techniques for building projects. However, the young bender took poorly to being sent away from home, and quickly started fights with other students at the facility to vent their frustration. The repeated brawls enhanced their combative earthbending, but led to the Jasmine Islander being expelled and sent back home.^[2]

When Pushi returned to Jasmine Island, they felt that their true career lay in martial earthbending. As a result, they joined the local protectors.^[1][2] In truth, this decision was also motivated by a fear over their parents' disappointed reaction to being expelled from the Earth Kingdom training facility.^[2] At the time of Pushi joining the protectors, the latter were in crisis due to the machinations of Magistrate Emerald, the civilian representative of the Earth Kingdom on Jasmine Island.^[3] Emerald was organizing a creeping coup, undermining the island's old power structures to eventually annex it into the Earth Kingdom, though he did so slowly and covertly.^[4] The protectors were among the organizations targeted by Emerald, and he managed to gradually dismantle them by replacing them with Earth Kingdom soldiers who could allegedly better defend the islanders. Ultimately, Pushi became one of the few loyalists who remained protectors even as their organization crumbled.^[3]

The situation changed when Emerald imprisoned two Guiding Wind revolutionaries, namely Fengying and Sakuru. This drew the attention of the Guiding Wind's leaders, Khandro and Zeisan, who traveled to Jasmine Island to help their followers. Conversely, Zeisan quickly realized that Emerald had largely subverted or disempowered the island's leadership, and thus opted to covertly ally with the few remaining protectors. She informed them of her suspicions regarding the magistrate, and asked them to help rescue Fengying and Sakuru to disrupt Emerald's schemes. The protectors readily agreed, and Pushi alongside Ukiuk, Qi Wei, Sukaya, and Baljin subsequently broke into the local Earth Kingdom base.^[1][5][6] This mission ultimately led to a series of events which revealed Emerald's conspiracy to the public. Together, the protectors and Guiding Wind members foiled the magistrate's plans and secured Jasmine Island's independence.^[5][7]

Personality

Pushi was quiet, blunt, headstrong, and combative, tending to fight as a way to cope with frustration. To some degree, however, they remained quite insecure due to worrying about their parents' views on their life choices.^[2]

Abilities

Though trained from youth as a construction worker, Pushi realized that they were more inclined to be a fighting earthbender.^[2] Indeed, they proved to be strong at martial bending,^[1][2] excelling at quickly crumbling and reforming rocks in battle.^[2]

Trivia

• Pushi is a pregenerated character for players to use in the Ceremonies & Secrets campaign, using The Hammer playbook.^[2]

References