Forest spirit

"spirit"

- You already bear the knowledge. Plant it at the center of the Earth and there you'll find your answer.

The Forest Spirit was a supernatural entity who watched over the forested regions of the northwestern Earth Kingdom. He resided within a small labyrinthine cavern located in close proximity to two small villages. When aggravated, the Forest Spirit manifested itself as a ferocious chimerical behemoth, but emerged as an elderly man when placid. He was revered by residents of the nearby settlements, and was looked to for wisdom and counsel.

History
After defeating the Jailer, Team Avatar was surprised to discover that the detained Lian escaped during amidst the battle. They examined her cell, and discovered a map of an Earth Kingdom village. Assuming that this would be the next target for a plethora of devastatingly powerful war machines, the gang decided to travel to the village in an attempt to protect the residents. Upon their arrival, they were approached by an elderly citizen who notified them of machines terrorizing a small town in the northeastern part of the region. The gang decided to travel up north, where they reconnect with Haru and Tyro. They successfully defeated the machines, and were able to restore peace among the two villages. Following the battle, Tyro told Aang to seek out the Forest Spirit, as he may had have knowledge regarding the origin of the war mechanisms.

Together, Aang, Katara, Sokka and Haru searched the surrounding woodlands, and soon discovered a cavern hidden near the northeastern section of the district. They explored the vicinity of the caves, but found that it was abandoned, save for various fauna that roamed the grounds. They reached an enclosed section of the caverns, and immediately felt a strong spiritual energy nearby. Sokka expressed no concern, exclaiming that there was no reason to be frightened of empty caves. Unbeknownst to him, the Forest Spirit had became aware of the gang's presence, and was standing directly behind Sokka. The team initiated a battle, and eventually triumphed over the beast. Following its defeat, the chimeric creature disintegrated into bioluminescent specks, all of which united to form the silhouette of an old man. The man was the Forest Spirit's docile form, and he deemed Team Avatar worthy of his wisdom as they exhibited tremendous courage and strength while battling him in his chimeric state.

Aang inquired the spirit if he knew any information about the war machines. After several proverbial statements which aggravated Sokka, the spirit claimed that the team already had the knowledge they sought, and that all they needed to do from there on was plant that knowledge in the center of the Earth. After much deliberation, Aang concluded that the center of the Earth must be the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, and that the information they sought could be found in the Royal Library.

Physical Forms
The Forest Spirit had two immediate manifestations. He emerged as either a monstrous beast or an old man depending on his level of angst.

Ancestral Bear
When threatened or aggravated, the Forest Spirit took on the form of a gargantuan beast, similar in appearance to both the ram and the grizzly bear. The Forest Spirit had a relatively intimidating head, consisted of two blood red eyes, a large nose and a large mouth filled with sharp fangs, the most notable being the two tusks that protruded from the top of its jaw. From the side of its head extended a pair of large gray horns, most commonly used to ram opponents. This beast was generally dark brown in coloration, apart from a section on its back that was solely white. In addition, the creature had four large legs with three sharp claws that extended from each paw's tip. In battle, the Forest Spirit used this form as the large bulky body and the sharp physical attributes injured the foe considerably.

Elderly Man
When docile, the Forest Spirit emerged as an elderly man with white hair and fair skin wearing traditional Earth Kingdom attire. The Forest Spirit only appeared in this state when it deemed its visitors worthy. Worth was usually determined by a visitor's actions in battle against the spirit's chimeric form. In this state, the Forest Spirit often gave counsel to those who sought it, phrasing his advice in a relatively proverbial manner. His statements were initially unclear, and would only be of true help after it was decoded and analyzed. In this state, the Forest Spirit was able to appear and disappear at will, leaving behind specks of light.