History of Petals of the Lotus

The first era of Benders gaining prominence in the world. It is now common to encounter a Bender in any part of the world.

Benders on the main continent of Earth (ancestors of Earth-Benders) begin to rebel against both the Sun Nation (now known as the Sun Empire) and the Water Nation empires.

The Bending War ends with the almost total annihilation of the Sun Empire and the independence of the earth mainland. Instead of consolidating into one nation, the newly freed peoples decide to form their own mini nations amongst themselves.

Peoples of the earth mainland begin migrating to the isles west of the mainland (the Fire Nation islands in ATLA). The migrants discover the abandoned old kingdom of the Sun Nation. They also discover dragons on some of the islands. The migrants permanently settle the "Fire Isles" as they're named and begin to learn fire bending by observing dragons.

Aizosum ends "The Fire Wars" by uniting the Fire Islands and declaring himself "Fire Lord." Under his leadership, the united Fire Islands enter the world stage as the newly established Fire Nation. An era of rapid economic and civic growth on the Fire Islands ensues.

The 300 year long world-wide conflict simply known as "The Great War" begins. It spans the entire earth mainland and affects the Water Tribes, Air Nation, and Fire Nation as well. The fighting is mostly between the dozens of kingdoms on the earth mainland.   Over time, this conflict grows to almost apocalyptic proportions, reaching levels of devastation not since since the era of Avatar Wan. Entire towns, cities, and even civilizations are destroyed during this war. Scholars estimate that the world's population was reduced by up to one-half. Benders almost go extinct.

The last benders still fighting in the Great War are killed off. Those remaining who did not seclude themselves initially at the Avatar's death are hunted down and killed. For all that anyone knows, the practice of Bending has been lost forever...

The Great War finally ends on the earth mainland thanks to the heroics of Avatar Gan and the reemerged benders. By the wars end, no one alive remembers what the war was originally started over...   In the same year, a fragile peace is established between the Earth and Fire Nations by treaty. Trade resumes between the Fire Nation and the earth mainland.

Avatar Gan, hero of the Great War, creates the precursor to the order of the White Lotus - the Order of the Lotus. Avatar Gan appoints a few benevolent world leaders to the council and tasks them with rebuilding the world and maintaining peace.

A number of kingdoms on the Earth mainland (built up in part by the efforts of the Order of the Lotus) consolidate to form The United Earth Kingdoms. Xeno, King of Ba Sing Se at the time, is appointed High King of the United Earth Kingdoms by the Order of the Lotus. Xeno is then invited to become a member of the Order of the Lotus.

Incredibly, the Order of the Lotus discovers four possible candidates to become the Avatar all under the age of 17. How this is possible no one knows. But, the Order of the Lotus decides to train all four of them just in case one of them is the Avatar.

A few world leaders who are distrustful of Xeno decide to secretly establish the Order of the White Lotus and vow to train the Avatar before Xeno and the Order of the Lotus can.   The three founding members are: Huraal of the Air Nomads, Sunaret of the Sand Benders, and Caedis of the Blood Benders.