The Northern Passage conflict was a period of diplomatic tension between the Northern Water Tribe and the northern Earth Kingdom state of Chenbao. It began as a dispute over territorial waters, and was later influenced by rising prejudices in each nation against the other. While outright war was prevented between the two nations, an uneasy peace was maintained, with both parties militarizing their waters, and the Northern Water Tribe evading the taxes that Chenbao tried to impose.[1][2]
History[]
Origins[]
For years, the Northern Water Tribe and the state of Chenbao had been embroiled in a dispute over local fishing and trade routes through the waters of the Northern Passage, which contained valuable fishing grounds and waterways leading into both the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. With both parties wanting more control of the waterways, they began to militarize their surrounding waters.[2]
Tsunami and prevention of war[]
The conflict threatened to escalate into a full military conflict when a massive tsunami swept through the disputed waters and hit the northern coast of Chenbao, destroying several Earth Kingdom towns. Chenbao accused waterbenders of the Northern Water Tribe for sending the tsunami, but a Northern Water Tribe fleet had also been wrecked, and in response, the Northern Water Tribe blamed earthbenders for setting off an underwater earthquake.
Greater tragedy was averted when Avatar Roku intervened, supported by several airbending masters from the Northern Air Temple. Both sides backed down from attacking one another, but their navies remained in the waters, ready to act at the first sign of wrongdoing from the other side.[1]
Taxes on the Northern Water Tribe[]
After the Avatar's intervention, the Governor of Chenbao attempted to stoke more conflict by imposing a tax on all Northern Water Tribe goods and merchant ships using the Northern Passage. However, there was no practical way to enforce this, and the merchant ships avoided the taxes with their sailing mastery. This led to any goods that they sold in the Earth Kingdom being considered contraband.[1] One Northern Water Tribe merchant named Dawei was arrested in an Earth Kingdom town for peddling his wares after skillfully slipping by the Earth Kingdom troops, and his girlfriend Aden wanted to break him out, not wanting to go through traditional channels which could take months.[3] The governor hoped that this move escalated things further, as the sale of contraband would help him in his petition to Earth King Jialun to provide military assistance in enforcing the tax.[1][2] The Earth King sent spies to the North hoping to get the Northern Water Tribe to act unilaterally on an issue without the agreement of the South, and thus force a wedge between the two tribes.[4]
Aftermath[]
Decades later, the Earth Kingdom and Northern Water Tribe set aside any previous disagreement and became strong allies in response to the Fire Nation's shocking genocide of the Air Nomads at the beginning of the Hundred Year War.
The Northern Passage conflict was only one of the many diplomatic incidents that Avatar Roku worked tirelessly to mediate. In many ways, his dedication to international issues prevented him from dedicating more time to internal issues within the Fire Nation that contributed to the eventual Hundred Year War.[5]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 46.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 53.
- ↑ Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 265.
- ↑ Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 55.
- ↑ Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 49.