Earth Prince Palmo Arisu
Introduction
The Prince of the Earth Kingdom yet simultaneously an airbending Master, Palmo is a bit different from the average crowd. He is hardworking and dedicated, and loyal to his family.
Table of Contents
Character
Personality
Hailing originally from the Air Nomads, Palmo is a touch more spiritually connected than his fellow Earth Kingdom citizens, but in order to fit in, he typically presents himself as more gruff and unyielding than he truly is. Once people get to know him, his kindness and humor is apparent. Unlike his Airbender kin, he takes more of an interest in worldly occurrences, and is more willing to get involved in matters. Palmo can be firm and stubborn, but is not unkind, and has a lot of empathy towards those he loves. He is ambitious and eager to move up in the ranks, especially wanting to prove that even an Air Nomad can make it in the Earth Kingdom.
Appearance
Palmo stands slightly under average height at 5'8. He has light gray eyes and fair skin. He wears a brown tunic, usually with his green and gold robe flowing behind him. Pinned to his breast is the sigil of his house, flying owl. His light blue tattoos from his time as an Air Nomad stand out boldly against his forehead and recedes into a mess of dark brown hair.
Life
Palmo was born as a result of an affair between a lowborn Earth Kingdom farmer, and an Air Nomad woman on an expedition. Fearing the consequences of his infidelity, his father sent him away with his mother to be raised as an Air Nomad by the monks. He, like most Airbenders, grew up knowing nothing about his parents. For the first 7 years of his life, Palmo was believed to be a nonbender. This was always a source of confusion for the Air Nomads, because all airbending children are benders. However, like the others, Palmo’s bending eventually manifested itself when at 7 years old he took a tumble off the tower window when he was playing with other children. Once established as an Airbender, Palmo grew up as a happy Air Nomad child.
Throughout his early training on the Guardian path, Palmo was desperate to be the best in his class, despite sometimes lagging behind. However due to constant practice and guidance from his mentors, Palmo began to excel in the physical side of bending. At age 17 he became an airbending master and earned his tattoos.
Despite his success in Airbending, Palmo’s path soon split from that of the Air Nomads. Palmo, ever-ambitious, felt held back by the Council of Elders. He knew he was capable of great things, but he didn’t feel that the Council was giving him the recognition he deserved. As such, he began distancing himself from the Air Nomad culture, embracing the opportunities given to him in other nations. Despite Earth being the natural opposite of Air, Palmo was instantly drawn to the Earth Kingdom. He enrolled in Ba Sing Se University, and, after graduating, became the University’s first international professor. He continued forming bonds with the Earth Kingdom’s citizens, most specifically, a young girl he had met after one of his classes; Azalea. She had been spying in through the window of his lecture hall, and, when Palmo found her after the class, he discovered she was a street orphan, and he took a liking to her. He gave her a hot meal and began tutoring her in global politics. This connection, along with tensions rising between Palmo and the Council of Elders, led to Palmo finally leaving his home at the Air Temple, and moving to Ba Sing Se at the age of 19.
Palmo’s early days in the Earth Kingdom were a struggle. He felt lost, unable to get sure footing in the new and unusual world of the busy city. Airbending became a skill he used less and less, and his skills, while still as sharp as any Master, faded into disuse. He continued teaching at the University, and became a Diplomat in the Foreign Ministry, but he didn’t feel like he belonged anywhere. To make matters worse, he didn’t have any money to bring over from the Air Nomads, and his meager salary from his two jobs was barely enough to keep himself fed, especially because any extra food he had went to Azalea, who he saw often and supported however he could. Palmo was guided through this transition phase by his colleague from the University, Zhuan. Zhuan helped Palmo stay sane through this stressful time. She comforted him and supported him through his ups and downs and his various turbulences. The two spent hours talking every day, and Palmo found that she and Azalea were the only one he could truly be himself around during this time. With her, Palmo was able to let go of the stubborn, serious, Earth Kingdom facade he put up to fit in in the city, and be himself. He shared his past with her, something he hadn’t done with anyone in the Earth Kingdom yet, even showing her his Airbending, and she helped him stay on the right path during his early time in the Earth Kingdom.
Spurred on by his companions, Palmo continued teaching at Ba Sing Se University, becoming the Administrative Assistant. Palmo worked hard to prove himself in the Earth Kingdom, drafting documents and creating plans, while pulling all-nighters to advance himself. He worked himself to the bone for both the Education Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, but it eventually paid off. A year after first moving to the Earth Kingdom, Palmo’s efforts were noticed by Queen Malin, and he was promoted to Foreign Minister of the Earth Kingdom. This gave Palmo a huge boost in confidence, and he was finally able to support himself financially. He moved away from Ba Sing Se, to the town of Liushu, bringing Azalea with him and officially adopting her as his daughter. Once he was stable, Palmo immediately began working on the ministry, revitalizing it and strengthening the Kingdom’s international relations, becoming very successful. He also introduced Zhuan to Azalea. Azalea, while hesitant at first, accepted Zhuan, and soon, the two grew close. Palmo and Zhuan soon made their romantic relationship public, as it had been budding for some time, and the couple raised Azalea together.
One day, at a Ministerial meeting, Palmo was asked to stay late by Jacinth, the Grand Secretariat. Palmo, a relatively new minister, was very nervous, but Jacinth sat him down and gave him news that shocked him entirely; news about his parents. Jacinth had been digging through family records and found a letter written by Jacinth’s father, a countryside man, unsent, but addressed to the Northern Air temple. After weeks of digging, Jacinth had discovered Palmo, his half-brother. This news shocked Palmo, but after processing it, he was overjoyed, and he brought Jacinth back with him to meet the rest of his family, as Palmo united his family in Liushu, under the name, Arisu.
Soon, however, the reign of Earth Queen Malin and King Run came to an end, and Palmo feared for the changes that would come with a new administration. However that fear soon fell away to elation as his brother Jacinth was named the new Earth King, and chose Zed to accompany him to the throne. Now, the Arisu Family became ennobled, and Palmo became a prince. This further cemented himself as belonging, and gave Palmo yet another spur forwards in his ambitious goals.
Despite now being a minister and a prince, Palmo remains uncertain in the Earth Kingdom. He wonders if he’ll ever truly feel at home. He feels more stable, and is grateful for his successes, but knows that he will never be as secure as he would be if he was trueborn to the Earth Kingdom. He is not only an Air Nomad by birth, but his only blood connection to the Kingdom is illegitimate. He sees how people stare at his tattoos on the street. He sees the looks some of the nobles give him as he walks through the palace. He feels that no matter how often he finds success, it is never enough. He doesn't know if he belongs. He doubts he will ever be equal to the pureblooded nobles and officials Kingdom, but he believes in his work and in his ambition to bring him and his family even higher up into the echelons of the Earth Kingdom.
Further Reading
Palmo
Political Figure:
Earth Kingdom Prince Reign:
317 AG - Present Nation:
The Earth Kingdom Current Residence:
The Arisu Estate
Appearance
Year of Birth
294 AG
23 Years old
Children
Eyes
Light gray
Hair
Dark brown
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Fair
Height
5'8
