Merchant town

The merchant town is a minor trading settlement located high in the mountains of the northwestern Earth Kingdom. Historically, this region was the site of numerous airbender murders, as survivors of the genocide were tricked by firebenders into coming to this location when they heard rumors of its mysterious possession of Air Nomad relics. Such airbenders were consequently killed in a decisive ambush. A wide selection of these treasured artifacts are still sold by the community's various traders, who collect them from caves scattered throughout the surrounding mountain range.

History
As Team Avatar neared the end of their journey to the Northern Water Tribe, they visited the merchant town to gather supplies for the remainder of the trip. Aang was intrigued by his discovery of an Air Nomad pendant, and was soon informed by a merchant that it was traded for medicinal herbs two days ago by a man from the mountains. Curious, he ventured out on his own during the night to uncover the truth about this man, whom he believed might be an airbender. Aang came across a cave containing numerous antique Air Nomad artifacts. However, as he entered it, he saw the merchant who had the necklace, and it was shortly revealed to him that the trader had been bribed by Admiral Zhao to trick the Avatar into coming to a trap. Zhao's troops seized Aang, but he was able to escape their grasp by using the relics around him as weapons. The young airbender quickly fled the scene and returned to Sokka and Katara.

Description
The merchant town is situated on a level portion of a mountain, between the tree line and the snow-capped peak. Below the level area, the land drastically slopes downward and above it, ascends sharply. This topography provides a sweeping view of the surrounding mountain terrain. The settlement itself is built upon bare brown earth which bears minimal vegetation, though a few grassy fields and shrubs are found sporadically in lower and higher elevations, respectively.



The primary construction material used in the town is white stone, making the structure of the buildings more rigid than in traditional Earth Kingdom architecture. Most buildings are prism-shaped and low-rise, extending no higher than four stories. Though for the most part they have a level roof, a wavy trimming lines the edges. There are several small windows on each face of every structure, though these do not have panes and can only be blocked through the use of a blue curtain that is attached to the interior of the buildings. The only structural features in the village that do not use stone are doors and their overhangs. Overhangs are more commonly found on smaller buildings, though many of these solely have an open entryway at their facade and therefore lack a door. While the vast majority of the settlement's structures are geometrically designed, select ones situated at lower elevations are more circular and irregular. The merchant town's economy prospers through the livelihood of its traders, who run numerous shops and stalls across the region. They sell a wide variety of products and goods, ranging from textiles to daggers. Merchants who sell rare ornaments generally do not own a store, but instead display their items on the street.

A multitude of artificial caves dot the mountains that surround the village. The exterior of these caverns greatly resemble a house, coupled with an entryway as well as windows.

Air Nomad relics



 * Airbending staff - Brown in coloration, this relic is similar to Aang's staff in design, but is of a shorter length and more simplistic. Overall, it is in bad condition, as the tips have snapped off and is tied in the middle to a bundle of rope.
 * Beads - A small and fragile piece of jewelery. Individual beads are brown and connected to other beads through a thin, black string.
 * Dorje - A decorative item in rituals, though their shape and structure also allows for use as a weapon. They are quite large and made from wooden planks, which culminate at the center and edges. Between the center and edge, the wooden planks have large gaps between each other.
 * Gong - A circular disk that makes a loud sound when struck. One side is adorned with a green, white, and purple swirl for aesthetics. The bottom and sides of the disk are attached to a larger figure, which suspends it in the air. This figure is made from wood and has a blue top.
 * Horn - A golden musical instrument that generates a clamorous noise when played though the use of airbending. One must blow through the smaller of the two holes on either side of the horn to play it adequately. The instrument is tiered and somewhat crooked on one side.
 * Pendant - A necklace worn exclusively on special occasions. It resembles a bead, but has a brown choker with the emblem of the Air Nomads attached to it. The insignia is three white swirls of equal size etched onto the wood of the choker.
 * Pottery - Pots, vessels, and vases are the among most common types of Air Nomad artifacts found. They come in various different sizes and colors and each have their own unique pattern of designs. A common pattern in pottery is the use of dark lines that are parallel to the edges of the ornament.
 * Statue of a monk - A large brown sculpture that depicts the head and torso of a male airbender. The monk is depicted in traditional Air Nomad attire, and is wearing a necklace as a decorative add-on. As indicated by his arrow tatoos, the person being depicted had mastered airbending.
 * Stupa - An enormous mound-like structure that has blue eyes and tattoos painted onto its side. It is brown, circular, and has tiers of varying size. A round chip bearing the Air Nomad emblem is attached to the tip of the stupa.