Episode 29: Downton Daoten

 While on the road to Daoten from Omashu...

Toshi pontificates to at Dharma about designing a changing path from the rally-point farmstead to Shimoni Dhato proper. The group could further dictate the security and entry of the camp. Dharma counters this, troubling Toji, as he questions who dictates who's a citizen of the camp - it's a community not a club. Dharma does however attemopt to clear Toji's mind by reining him, oushing that the community of the camo should make decisions.

The group collects outside Daoten, splitting into two forces: the main gate attack is spearheaded by Toji, Dharma, along with Chuko and Tokala. Moshi leads the rear group to open the stone gates in the back, with the help of Shizaku, Bozan, and Jyoti.

As night falls, the group pushes forward: Toji and Dharma storm the main gate, assessing the best way  through the main soldiers, and spotting the fort's commander on an upper wall. He's not a Fire Nation soldier, but appears to be ex-Earth Kingdom. The two quickly move to inapcitate their immediare attackers and jump to attack the commander, an older Earthbender named Sambat.

While the main forces are distracted and Bozan and Jyoti round up the rearguard, Moshi and Shizaku move into the hidden stores beneath the fort. They split up, Shizaku looking into weapons and schematics, and Moshi looking for Air Nomad relics and artifacts.

They move stuff through the back gates with Bozan and Jyoti's help, and then move on to finish the fight against Sambat....

 Elsewhere, a package of minidonuts creates a rambunctious child....

Episode 27/28: Dual Episode Recaps are Totally In

 After celebrating the defeat of Captain Shan, the camp of Shimoni Dhato recuperates. The Embers heal and begin to retrain and the group considers its next moves.

Moshi meets with Shizaku to absolve the engineer of his guilt around his inventions - the flashbombs and gear they brought with to Shan's camp did the job and everything was successful. 

Toji meets with Dharma to discuss the Airbender's plans. Dharma is interested in reconnecting to Jyoti and centering himself; Toji has plans to make a public display of Shan and show the impotency of the Earth Kingdom. This would help spread the word of the Fire Nation's invasion and draw possible recruits to the resistance. They plan to go to Ba Sing Se.

When Moshi learns of this, he notes Ba Sing Se is too insulated from the Fire Nation's war that they won't really care. He suggests the outer cities such as Omashu. Toji, Dharma, and Bhaga prepare to take Shan to Omashu (along with the help of Gyara, Tokala, and Chuko

Moshi goes to the Misty Library to seek guidance from his group and its leader, Togai. Shizaku joins him in the hopes of learning new techniques to improve the camp's infrastructure.

Moshi trains and practices to get better in fighting the Fire Nation. He and Togai come into conflict when Togai mentions Moshi isn't fully performing his role as Seeker and instead playing soldier, but Moshi notes he needs to be able to hold back the Fire Nation in order to proect the Earth Kingdom's heritage. As they talk and Togai learns of Daoten, the fort collecting relics, weapons, and other Earth Kingdom treasures, he tasks Moshi with collecting what he can.

Shizaku learns some older Earth Kingdom irrigation ideas and a way to mount the honey cannon onto the Mochitduki nee Screaming Mongoose-Lizard Mobile.

Moshi sends a hawk to Omashu to explain the plan to attack Daoten. He also puts out feelers for a Library fence in Omashu named Shohe.

Meanwhile (after a brief run-in with Earth Kingdom privateer Captain Mara), the group arrives in Omashu. There's discussion about how to best make a public display of Shan's capture, much to the frustration of Ba Sing Se's General Kehan. He and Toji share words 

There is a rousing speech from Chuko about how the western provinces have been holding off the Fire Nation's assault, with less help from the Earth Kingdom military and more help from the camp of Shimoni Dhato, a collection of refugees and resistance fighters. The courage of Taku and its region are more noticable than Ba Sing Se, they extoll, and Shan is left for the mighty Earth Kingdom.

The companions return to Gyara's ship; Toji feels a little insecure as he worries about the Earth Kingdom framing their unit as fantatics using unscrupuled tactics.

Moshi and Shizaku shore up the camp and gear up to go to Daoten. Shizaku convinces Jang Tae to get into Taku and convince Faohu, the engineer, to join up with the camp and improve the resistance headquarters along with Shizaku. Moshi seeks counsel from Bozan to join the trip to Daoten, and successfully convinces the former comamnder to come along.

Gyara lands her ship at the Shady Merchants' Pier, letting the others head toward Daoten to converge....

Episode 25/26: Showdown in Shan Town

 In the wilderness between the Shimoni Dhato and Shan's camp, Dharma first goes ahead to scout. He encounters three Fire Nation soldiers, and maanages to split them up and tie one of them up with Airbending. 

The rearguard encounters another of the split soldiers; Moshi and Bhaga capture him and, in the nondescript guise of Embers masks, interrogate him for information on Shan's camp.

With the layout and information, Dharma goes in first to seek information and sow Ember masks as a paranoia-inducing stunt. H eoverhears that Commander Saoku isn't with Shan - he had gone south to Pohuai to inform Yama.

He returns, the group begins to plan their assault and rescue:

A western group, consisting of Shizaku, Ma Leng and Ma Ran, Boba and Ti will breach the western walls and rescue the Embers and take or destroy any supplies.

A southern group, consisting of the other main fighters, engages with the main fighters (locking most of them in to the barrack area) and fighting Shan. The battle rages, and Shan is eventually defeated and the consensus is to take him captive.

Toji speaks out to the other Fire Nation soldiers, trying to appeal to their empathy, and convince them to join or lay down arms. He is met with limited success, but does seem to sway some minds.

Back at camp (after everyone celebrates), Shizaku laments his lack of fighting prowess and seeks guidance from Bozan, who eases his troubled mind since he did not have a military upbringing.

Moshi talks to Dharma and suggesrs taking Kou and going to the Misty Library to see Jyoti and check in on his comrades.

Toji intends to set up a re-education program for any of the Fire Nation willing to join their cause. He also discusses with Gyara and Tokala bringing Shan to the Earth Kingdom. They reach out to meet an Earth Kingdom contingent in the southern merchant pier-town, where Shan can be brought before the stronger and more secure military forces of Ba Sing Se....

 

Episode 24: Prepare for War 2: The Reckoning

 After Chuko's escape from Shan's internment, she is brought to Noya the Healer while the gang discusses what to do regarding their captured fighters. Dharma and Toji go to Neila, who reprimands Dharma for enticing the Embers to go on their own. This pushes Dharma to think about rescusing his friends and comrades. Toji steps in to quiet Neila's heat and anger; she backs down but warns the Fire Nation is only closing in. Toji agrees, and the only way to gain a modidum of safety is to regain some of their footing.

Moshi and Shizaku begin work on supplies and Ember masks for the trip north, knowing they're going to go in to rescue everyone.

Toji seeks guidance from Bhaga on the best way forward - the Earthbender remarks that the enemy is boastful and perhaps too sure of their footing - now is the time to throw boulders at them. Dharma resigns to be more involved with the Embers, believing his mistake wasn't in sending them out into the wilderness alone, but in their own overstimation of their abilities.

As Chuko wakes, she recounts how Shan got the drop on them, adapting to his blindness by using his firebending to read heat signatures. She believes the others were captured alive, but she crawled out, escaping in the midst of the fray.

The companions send out a flare to alert and collect any other Embers who may have escaped, resulting in the return of two soldiers, Boba and Ti. Dharma uses his pull if fighting for friends to entice them back into the fray. He also convinces Wu Hana to throw in with their fight, giving the old Earthbender a chance to stick it to the Fire Nation where it hurts.

Toji confirms with Gyara that she would stay with the camp if they failed -- she resigns to tell him to bring her brother back, at least.

Ma Leng and Ma Ran approach Moshi to join the rescue mission, and, despite their age, the Seeker sees potential in their spirit. 

Toji tries to have Bozan commit, but the Fire Nation commander chooses to stay put, not quite willing to fight one of Yama's captains for the sake of the foolish Embers that got captured.

A rousing speech and dinner brings everyone together before the group sets out.

Episode 23: Ithaca

Toji and Dharma at Shimoni Dhato:

Toji returns from the Misty Library and debriefs with Bhaga and Neila. He explains the vision he had about Jyoti escaping with the reliquary and transcribing Tribhuvan's journals. Toji asks Bozan about how worried the Fire Nation commander is about his family, and although Bozan notes he'd worry more if they were outside the capital nearer the warzone, Bozan agrees to Toji's help to move the family to Shu Jing island to be better monitored by Nue and Fire Iron Tech.

Dharma returns with Wu Hana and explains the situation with Zato the Unyielding (tl,dr: we wait). He goes to check on the Embers with Jang Tae, who is eager to strike out against Shan's camp again. Dharma foolheartedly accepts Jang Tae's request and approves their going out to the north-west.

Toji confronts Dharma about leaving the camp alone (discounting Bhaga's protection). Toji aquiesces that they knew Wu Hana's sly nature when they recruited her, and he takes Dharma's mention of sending the Empers to Shan's camp surprisingly well.

Toji drafts a letter to Nue but later thinks he may be further putting Bozan's family in jeopardy. He's even further troubled by the deal neogitated with Gyara for her support in moving supplies and keeping her on retainer for the camp.

Toji later has dinner with Dharma, in order to confide in his closest friend that he still wants to take a more active role in pushing back the Fire Nation. He ntoes that leading the Embers is not his strongest skill and he's more easily a coordinator. Dharma agrees the camp's efficiency is suffering and wonders if it's due to the different leads and objectives, although he commends Toji's clarity of the endgoal and vision.

Moshi and Shizaku at the Merchants' Pier:

Moshi and Shizaku look for help with Fort Daoten. They have little success fishing for rumors, but eventually get wind of an Earth Kingdom sailor named Captain Mara. At first Mara seems askance about the goings-on of Daoten, but Moshi flexes his connections as a Seeker for the Misty Library and that he may be able to help Mara obtain goods if Mara can get an in on finding information and manifests going to Daoten. 

A bribe of Spider-Bat Venom cognac and all seems well while the duo (and Joji) wait for Gyara to pick them up. They manage to obtain some Earth Kingdom goods to bring back to Shu Jing (as payment to the military who supported their exit), and Nue informs Shizaku that Toji has offered jobs to Bozan's family. Shizaku admits them access to the facility.

Everyone's Home Again:

Shizaku, now with a supply chain in the works, begins drafting production of more Honey Cannons. Toji debriefs his companions about his adventure in the Library, and that more information on the Place Beyond the Clouds could be found in Daoten. This gives Moshi a chance to brief about Captain Mara's involvement. 

Shizaku absolves his guilt by allowing Toji control of Gyara's contract, to which the Fire Nation trooper is better suited, and convinces Gyara that her skills would be better used helping the community at large rather than just her whims. This changes her outlook for the time being to be more supportive.

All is interrupted, however, when Chuko arrives, battered and bruised, and announces the Embers have been bested by Captain Shan and captured!

Episode 22 pt 2

Shizaku and Moshi - Back at Shimoni Dhato:

Shizaku begins work on modifying their stolen engine and installing it in Gyara's ship. 

Moshi sends a hawk to the Misty Library to see how Toji and Layi are doing, and that he uncovered information on a Fire Nation fort with supplies/treasure (Fort Daoten, the "Treasure Hole"). He then works with Shizaku and the camp to finish Gyara's engine, and helps Shizaku recenter himself to think about expanding the workshop for its future industry. 

They plead with Gyara to help begin moving supplies, and think about contraband to send back to Shu Jing in return-favor for their exit visas. Shizaku, Joji, and Moshi then take Gyara's ship and make for Fort Daoten to scope it out. It's positioned in a flat expanse east of the Great Divide, and they fear they wouldn't do much good going in unprepared. They head back west to the Merchant's Pier on the coast to reorganize.

Layi and Toji - In the Library (and in Memories):

Toji, transported to a past time of Jyoti's, finds himself in a mutable memory, where Jyoti and another Airbender guru, Arjan, have escaped from the Fire Nation's hunt and are trying to protect the Air Nomad reliquary. Toji finds himself an active player on this stage, and coneverses with the Air Nomads, who explain their goal to join the gathering remnants of the Air Nation at the Western Air Temple and protect their communal legacies. Arjan thinks to sacrifice himself to help younger Jyoti escape, but Toji accompanies him to help come up with a better plan. They encounter Yama and  Toji spreads rumors of a great ambush. Arjan leads said ambush, a ruse to give everyone else time to escape. Yama and Arjan have a final showdown, the heat of which sends Toji back to the real world.

Toji confronts Jyoti about the vision he had. Jyoti is ashamed that he hasn't been able to help the Air Nation and carries what's left of the Northern Air Temple. He considers going west, but Toji comments it is far too dangerous now with Yama even more engaged. He makes copies of the journals for Bozan and they plan to go back to Shimoni Dhato. Toji convinces Bozan to continue fighting for his family's future and join the Resistance.

Layi, in the meantime, discusses with Panha the Guardian the best ways to help the Earth Kingdom. Panha remarks on Layi's passion, and has her consider joinging the Misty Library to further protect her people, not just Taku. This pushes her to consider a new path and she stays at the Library to learn and continue training.

Dharma (and Wu Hana) - Off to See the Wizard

Dharma and Wu Hana navigate and explore a ruined monastery at the edge of the Great Divide, looking for a 'legendary' Earthbender named Zato the Unyielding. Dharma fails at several of Wu Hana's challenges to make their journmey easier, and eventually he lashes out at the elder Earthbender, who chastizes him for not being more self-sufficient. She waxes on about the industrious resourcefulness of her family, who grew up in the crime-sprees of Kyoshi's time.

Eventually Zato takes interest in the waiting pair, and at first is cagey. When Dharma pleas for his help in their fight, he mentions he takes little interest in the ever-changing waters of political affairs. Dharma continues to push, citing the group needs help and insight from someone so aged and Zato eventually considers it, saying if he visits the camp it would be on his own terms in time.

Wu Hana tries to convince him further to intervene in the Fire Nation's encroachment, but he notes he isn't out for petty revenge. It gets people, like her ancestors, killed.

Dharma and Wu Hana make to return to the base, with a little glimmer of hope in their mission.

Episode 22 part 1:

 Dharma's Journey:

While making preparations, Dharma chooses to be transparent about his mission with Wu Hana to Neila and Bhaga. Bhaga comments that they're still not sure about her loyalties to protecting the camp, and entrusts Dharma to do the right thing and watch her.

Dharma and Wu Hana move southward, crossing into the Fire-Nation controlled territoy stretching from Pohuai to the staging area south of Taku. Dharma fakes being a citizen fleeing with his grandmother, and the Fire Nation soldiers buy it and escort them through the fringes of the camp lines.

They overhear talk of prisoners having been captured and being interrogated for information. Wu Hana stresses they should move on and forget them, and Dharma, moving back towards survivalist-mode, agrees.

They continue on and meet a group of refugees. Dharma explains there are pockets of people pushing against the Fire Nation and points them in the direction of the camp without divulging more information about it. Wu Hana is skeptical they'll survive the Fire Nation encampments.

At the edge of the Great Divide, both use their bending to easily navigate into the canyons. They follow the trail the Wu Hana has and eventually come to a dark cave....

Shizaku and Moshi play COOs:

After Nue notes that all the original designs and notes for Shizaku's engines have been taken by the military, the group (Moshi, Shizaku, Gyara, and Nue) deliberate on options. Shizaku considers having some kind of schematic or stealing ore but that might be more difficult from a military installation. It's finally decided to try and steal an older prototype they can rebuild and retrofit.

Moshi uses his investigative skills to sniff out word of an old derelict yard on a nearby island protected by private security. He and Gyara plan to sail in, find an engine, hoist it out, and move out. They manage to hoodwink the guards, but the military patrol on leaving Shu Jing proves more problematic. While trying to leave the shut-down port, they are roped into a missive to bring back goods for the military from the continent, and although Kazu, the Navy overseer in the region, is skeptical, he lets the ship pass.

They return to the Hidden Docks of Shimoni Dhato and bring the engine to Shizaku's workshop so that they can install it on Gyara's ship. 

Episode 21: San-dou

The companions split up: Moshi and Shizaku with Joji to Shujing to set up trade with Fire Iron Technologies, Toji and Layi with Bozan to the Misty Library to investigate the Air Nomad reliquary and specifically the journals of the guru Tribhuvan, and Dharma stays behind at camp to avoid the Fire Nation and (may)be an anchor for the community.

Dharma's Day: Deciding he's better off avoiding helping either thread of investigation, Dharma contemplates his own survival.While checking up on the camp, he's visited by Wu Hana. She laments that she was brought back from Makapu to "fight the good fight," but in her older age knows she alone can't tackle thr growing threat of Sozin (and Azulon's) ambitions. She regales Dharma with the tale of a mighty Earthbender, rumored to be at the end of a dangerous trip south. An ancient bender named Zato, the Unyielding.

Dharma decides a field trip with surprises might be more fun and plans with Wu Hana to go find Zato.

FIT Dealings: Aboard Gyara's ship, Moshi and Shizaku are stopped by a Fire Nation patrol. Led by Commander Kazu, it claims to search the ship and prevent issues entering the islands. Shizaku steps in as a business and, with help from Moshi, pursuades them to back down on a Fire Nation citizen and business owner. Kazu is wary and mentions he'll keep an eye on the suspect ship.

Meeting with Nue at Fire Iron Technologies, negotiations ensue about how to expand Fire Iron Tech into Shimoni Dhato's resistance without compromising the company. The final plan is to have FIT move their ships only into the Mo Ce sea instead of the guarded ports, and have Gyara pick up the contraband/supplies and move them in a more secretive fashion to the camp's mountain dock. For this, Gyara requests 20% of the profits made, and Shizaku mentions they could outfit her ship with one of his engines. This causes Nue to squrim, and he takes his boss for a more secretive and furtive meeting: they don't have the designs or models of his original engines - those were taken by the military when they started increasing their postures and attacks, when Shizaku began speaking out and was imprisoned months ago. Shizaku thinks he can rebuild the (or a) design from memory but it may take some time and effort.

Moshi and Gyara, in the meantime, meet and Moshi asks Gyara what she knows of the Fire Nation taking and hiding artifacts and historical objects from the conquered Earth Kingdom. Gyara mentions that there is a Fire Nation fort south of the Great Divide, nicknamed the "Treasure Hole" by people in her line of work. She knows the Fire Nation has amassed some of its spoils of war there.

Take a Look; It's in a Book: Met by Panha, the Guardian of the Library, Toji and crew are brought to meet with Jyoti. The Airbender is happy to meet his former comrade, but now hesitant as more people are brought into the fold. Toji talks him out of his hesitance over Bozan, and they go to look through the journals with renewed eyes. Layi, meanwhile, goes to find information on Taku to see if there's information (such as old tunnels/maps, etc) that can be used to push back against Okuru's oncoming assault. While investigating, she seeks guidance from Panha, who helps clear her troubled mind about her shortcomings in Taku's defense.

Toji begins copying information from Tribhuvan's journals as he, Bozan, and Jyoti go through more meticulously. Bozan mentions that killing the dragon on Mount Makapu earned a young Captain Yama his promotion to General,, but also changed him. The spirit of the dragon mentioned how it and Yama had been locked in a stasis, splintering part of the material realm. Toji finds info on the World Beyond the Clouds, an Air Nomad tale of a realm that Tribhuvan claimed linked the traditional Spirit World and the Four Nations.

When Bozan and Jyoti retire for sleep, Toji's restless work continues alone. At one point, he touches the reliquary, and is seemingly transported into a memory: a moment of a younger Jyoti carrying the box, escaping the Fire Nation. The Library around him disappears.

Episode 20: Shared Traumas

 AT SHIMONI DHATO:

While Shizaku works on the muffler to his Screaming Mongoose-Lizard Mobile. He doesn't make much headway, however, and instead lashes at Dharma, calling him out for being more mercenary and not as involved in their friendship. Dharma, however, pushes back at Shizaku's overlord attitude and stresses he needs to step down from his elitist Fire Nation high-ostrich-horse. 

Leaving Shizaku obsessed in his workshop and working through his insecurities, Moshi and Dharma send a messenger hawk to Gyara the Pirate, informing her that their hidden-bay docks are now open. They plan to meet to discuss logistics. To their surprise, Tokala of the Water Tribe approaches them and says that if Gyara is to work with the camp he could no longer stay with them. He's aware of the advantage Gyara's shipping would bring and doesn't admonish them for taking advantage of the opportunity, but stresses he cannot be a part of it. They reach a temporary compromise by eliciting his help with the Embers on the outskirts of the province for the time being.

Moshi and Dharma seek Noya's advice about the situation, and she explains that Tokala and Gyara share a history of which he's ashamed. Tokala, in the meantime, visits the ever-busy Shizaku to claim an Embers mask, and as Shizaku seems entrenched in his work, the Waterbender tries to explain how he's too lost in his mind and work. The Fire Nation engingeer needs to not be a slave to design and think more creatively.

It isn't until Gyara arrives that they learn that she is Tokala's sister, a black-sheep of their Northern Water Tribe family. Her care-free ways have since causes a rift in their family, and Tokala bears the shame of his once-proud lineage in her listless absence. 

Gyara shrugs off her brother's stubbornness. She negotiates a starting route with the camp to Shu Jing, where they can begin importing needs for Shizaku's business. They plan a trip to the Fire Nation island with Shizaku and Joji. Dharma, however, stays behind to keep an eye on the camp and avoid Fire Nation military. Shizaku introduces his 'fixed' mobile platform - now with a thicc boot(y), rechristened the "mochidzuki" - the Full Moon!

ON THE ROAD TO THE MISTY LIBRARY:

Toji trains with Bozan, trying to expand his arsenal of Fire Bending to take on the more militaristic enemies they are facing. He learns Bozan left a wife and two young children in the Fire Nation capital , while Toji shares he's an only child caught up in the patriotism of Sozin's boom. Layi, meanwhile, fumes off to the side, suspicious of Bozan.

The next day they meet Choten, an Earthbender traveling with a Earth Kingdom soldier. They mention that to the north Okuru is planning a redoubt against Taku's forces and soon will push back to take the city anew. The group doesn't share their history, but Layi leaves seeds of the camp's existence to the west if Choten is looking to join a real chance at survival. 

When they part, Toji questions Okuru's tactics and the history of Yama. Bozan shares that Yama has been changed since 10 years ago when he killed the dragon at Mt Makapu. Okuru will be far less forgiving in the siege than Okuru - now that 'peaceful' coexistence seems less possible, the Fire Nation will simply try to take the city at full force. They're wary of Choten, however, as a possible threat, and keep a watch out.

They continue into the eastern mountains and, nearing the Misty Library, are met by Panha, the Guardian of the Library and chief of its security forces. A former Kyoshi Warrior, she greets them taciturnly but notes they were ware of their coming by the messenger hawk sent by Moshi. The Library is pleased to have visitors, but his watchful of Bozan, knowing who he is. Toji, Layi, and Bozan follow their guides up into the spacious hall of the Misty Library.

Episode 19: Fight the Good Fight, Part Deux

 The western fighters continue to engage Captain Shan. Toji boasts the Embers of the Earth Kingdom will continue to burn and light against the darkness of the Fire Nation's encroaching empire. Shan retorts they will be eventually snuffed out. As the battle ends at a stalemate, Shan and Saoku wait for the resistance fighters to leave, fixated on the destruction of the (fake) reliquary, and the oncoming wrath of Yama.

Layi comforts Moshi after the battle. Moshi accepts her cheerful plea for hope, and mentions his desire to keep the Misty Library, where the true Air Nomad reliquary is, safe. Toji, exhausted from the conflict with Shan, breaks his Ember mask and with Dharma buries the remains of the (fake) reliquary.

Back at camp, Shizaku monitors the crew putting the finishing touches on excavating the mountain-port in the camp, but continues to receive a cold shoulder from most of the camp. He goes to Bhaga and Neila for guidance on  how to better connect with the other resistance members. They explain that he's still seen as Fire Nation aristocracy, and often more so as a combative egoist. Shizaku would need to shed his attitude to better co-habitate with the others who have spent most of their lives fighting against everything the engineer represents. He takes these words to heart and waits for his friends' return.

The camp is pleased to hear the fight with Shan seems to have settled some of the Fire Nation's hostilities. They are still worried about Yama's arrival and the eventual counterstrike on Taku and sweep for dissidents.

In the short term, Layi lashes out at Chuko for her shortcomings against Shan's men, and continues to train to improve herself. Moshi checks in with Shizaku and attempts to comfort him from his troubles with the camp's work crew in his absence. Shizaku is still off put but opens up, explaining that these communication issues likely were what ended his marriage beforehand.

Toji meets with Neila and Bhaga, explaining that he knows the companions don't have enough power or knowledge to thwart Yama's advances. He asks to take responsibility of Bozan and take him to the Misty Library to go through the Air Nomad reliquary with Jyoti and find more information. Bhaga is dubious, as he feels Bozan escaping could put the whole camp at risk. Toji is confident Bozan wouldn't do so, if only for the sake he'd be blamed for the failure of the siege of Taku.

Toji talks Bozan into accompanying him, where they agree finding out more about the reliquary could be helpful, and Bozan is becoming more suspect about Yama and Prince Azulon's goals. Toji claims Bozan could even use some of the information to get back into the good graces of the Fire Nation military. This plan is secretly overheard by Layi.

Toji asks Moshi for guidance and a map to Misty Library. Moshi helps him and explains the monks there may be suspicious and for the Fire Nationalists not to be too hot-headed. Moshi says he wants to stay at the camp and finalize the plans for the port and opening up trade with the pirate captain, Gyara, rather than return specifically to the Library. He also thinks he should keep an eye on Shizaku, who has moved on to a new shiny penny, a muffler for the Screaming Mongoose-Lizard Mobile.

On the road eastward, Bozan and Toji are stopped by Layi. She claims she doesn't trust Bozan and wants to stay on the road with them. Toji agrees and they begin their trek east.

Episode 18: Fight the Good Fight

•  Toji, Layi, Moshi, and Dharma go west to take on Captain Shan
• Shizaku completes the Embers' masks. Continues to help the excavation of the camp mountains to create a seaport. Motivates Dao Sing and Lan Ho to help for the progress of the camp.
• Shizaku fails in helping train the Embers, earning the distrust of Jang Tae.

Episode 17: Finding Faraway Friends

Moshi and Dharma make their way west (avoiding Fire Nation patrols) to the small village where Ma Leng, the young earthbender, and her brother Ma Ran had been fending off the Fire Nation. The companions had previously liberated them from Commander Saoku, and the children earlier weren't convinced travelling the wilderness with the companions was a great idea. Now, however, Dharma uses his charm to explain the benefits of the "new and improved!" resistance camp. Everyone's joining the band!

Ma Leng is interested, but her brother mentions that a couple of their protectors were taken by Saoku and Captain Shan, whose encampment lay to the west, immobilized by Toji's earlier machinations. If the group can rescue their last-standing allies, they'll return to Shimoni Dhato.

Leaving Ma Leng in the safety of the village, Moshi and Dharma take Ma Ran into the fringes of the Fire Nation camp. Dharma creates a distraction so that Moshi and Ma Ran can sneak in and rescue the villagers. They're successful and Dharma manages to keep the Fire Nation soldiers busy and then escape as well. Ma Leng thanks the group for again helping out the common folks, and Dharma solidifies their friendship offering to protect them on the way to camp.

Elsewhere, Tojim Layi, and Chuko head into the nearby mountains to visit the protected town of Makapu, under the volcanic Mount Makapu. While Layi and Chuko talk to townsfolk for recruits and get the lay of the land, Toji goes to the town leader as a representative. They learn most of their fighting forces have gone west to Taku, Omashu, and Ba Sing Se. The mountains around the village and proven a good defense, and Fire Nation since ignored them since a young Captain Yama slew the dragon of the mountains. Toji and the mayor agree to a contract whereby Shimoni Dhato can protect them if they can use Makapu as a supply and rest post.

Layi and Chuko learn there are not many fighters left, but there's a rebellious woman named Wu Hana who lives on the outskirts who may yet be persuaded. Wu Hana seems a little spiteful, however, saying she wants nothing to do with the Earth Kingdom or governments, with whom her ancestors had previously also battled. They're eventually joined by Toji, directed to Wu Hana by the mayor, and he tries to convince her to join them and fight for the cause of ridding the Fire Nation from the land, rather than the government.  Wu Hana is not immediately convinced but gives the idea some thought.

With at least the protectorate contract fulfilled, the group returns to camp.

Whilst all this occurs, back Shimoni Dhato Shizaku finalizes the decoy reliquaries. He goes to check on the surveyors expanding the camp, but they are stand-offish to a Fire Nation citizen. He instead goes to check on Bozan. The two reminisce about the Fire Nation urbanity and that the camp is more impressive than Bozan would have initially thought. Bozan asks to send a letter back home. Shizaku allows this and checks if it's a coded message. Seeing nothing amiss, they send the messenger hawk to the Fire Nation islands. 

When everyone returns, Shizaku debriefs about Bozan's letter and that the reliquaries are now ready. The group decides to maybe send one back east to Ma Leng's village, where they can set an ambush up against Captain Shan. Layi, Moshi, and Dharma agree to deploy there. Shizaku and Toji stay in camp, to further plan and perhaps convince Bozan to help their cause.

Episode 16: Building Budding Buddies

 At camp: Shizaku begins work on making masks for the Embers, but hits a roadblock as they discover their resources are running thin (woods burned by the Fire Nation's ingress into the region). This troubles the engineer and he begins to recalculate his plans.

Toji, meanwhile, consults with Dharma. Toji explains his desire to build a unit and take the fight to the Fire Nation Army while they can. Dharma, having learned to temper Toji's passion while they spent time together in the prison camp, urges Toji to show restraint and carefully plan out their moves.

Meanwhile, with the aide of Lan Ho and Dao Sing the land surveyors, Moshi and Bhaga begin trying to construct more intricate and defensive positions within the mountains around Shimoni Dhato. Moshi laments to Bhaga that they need more Earthbenders and the camp is evolving too slowly. Bhaga notes that Moshi and his companions treat all the problems of the camp as their personal crises, and they need to reach out and use the help of the communities around them.

Dharma and Toji begin training with Jang Tae and the other candidates for the guerilla-Embers unit. While out in the wilds, they pick up some more Earthbending rebels and learn that General Yama, upset at the setbacks of his Captains, is enroute to the region to regain control of the situation.

Eventually the group looks to interrogate Commander Bozan, brought back to the camp from the siege of Taku. Bozan cites the Fire Nation's tempered will as the correct path to unite the Four Nations from the lawlessness and civil strife that have plagued them since even the time of Avatar Kyoshi. He seems upset that an Air Nomad, like Dharma, had escaped Fire Lord Sozin's wrath, but is also intrigued by the camaraderie and resourcefulness of the camp. Feeling that there is still an opportunity to turn him into an ally, the group decides to allow him some (monitored) free time, under coordination from Bhaga and the companions.

The council of Shimoni Dhato meets to discuss the impending arrival of Yama. They fear they're unprepared to face further might of the Fire Nation Army. Knowing Yama's main interest lies in Jyoti and the Air Nomad reliquary they sent to the Misty Library, the consider making decoys and false rumors to throw him off the scent. Toji decides to head to the nearby town of Makapu to see if they can get supplies dropped from Gyara, the pirate privateer. Dharma and Moshi decided to head back west to see if they could recruit Ma Leng and her brother to the camp.