mashu
奥瑪舒城

Omashu is the third largest city in The Land of Earth, and like Ba Sing Se is a nation as well as the Capitol city. Omashu was the only kingdom in the region to not fall into debt with the White Mantel. The White Mantel do trade with Omashu however, and allow them access to its ports on the western coast. The city was also very well known for its famous delivery system powered by Earthbending and gravity.

Omashu is located in the Kolau Mountain Range. The city is built on a number of hills, and is surrounded by a wide gorge. Omashu is heavily fortified.

History
The founding of Omashu.
Legends hold that a man and a woman, named Oma and Shu, from two feuding towns met at the top of a mountain and fell in love. Although it was dangerous for them to keep meeting, the loving couple found a way to continue their relationship in secret. After becoming the first Earthbenders by observing the natural skills of Badgermoles, massive animals that inhabited the mountains separating their two villages, they created a labyrinth which only they could navigate as a place to be together, and others who would try to follow them would be lost forever in the tunnels.

However, one day the man did not come – he had been killed in the war between their two peoples. While the woman’s fury was initially expressed in a display of her terrifying Earthbending powers, which could have destroyed both of the warring towns, she instead declared the conflict at an end and demanded that the two villages live in peace. Soon a city was created in honor of the couple’s love, which eventually grew into the city of Omashu. The final line in the script states “love is brightest in the dark”.

Government
Omashu is a republic. The king is elected by the republic and has unlimited power but can be removed by the republic if he becomes unpopular. Politically, Omashu has good relations with Ba Sing Se as well as neutral relations with the White Mantel which allows them access to their piers so they can import and export trade over seas. They are also know to be very friendly with the Air Nomads. Omashu has a strong military with very well trained Earthbenders.

Layout and Description
The city of Omashu sits within the Kolau Mountain Range, surrounded on all sides by steep canyons and an enormous gorge. The cities’ three gates are composed from massive stone, each five feet thick and towering over thirty feet high. As a result, the gates can only be opened by skilled Earthbenders who guard its only entrance. The city itself is built on a number of hills. The Palace sits on the tallest hill, which is in the center behind some of the other hills. The city has thousands of houses for ordinary citizens and nobles. There are hundreds of shops, restaurants and pottery workshops. Most types of businesses in Ba Sing Se would be present in Omashu as well. It also has a complex mail system. Buildings in Omashu are generally built from stone and have green tiled roofs.

Cave Of Two Lovers
Located near Omashu, The Cave of Two Lovers is a secret tunnel that passes through a section of the Kolau mountain range. The tunnel is actually a giant underground labyrinth full of dangerous animals including Wolfbats and Badgermoles. In the center of the labyrinth is the Tomb of Two Lovers. The tomb is a large room with two sarcophagi in the middle. In the sarcophagi are the bodies of the two lovers; this is their final resting place. The walls of the tomb are decorated with pictures and pictographs telling the story of the two lovers. The cave is illuminated by crystals (similar to those of Ba Sing Se) when any form of light is put out. Omashu is named after the first two Earthbenders.

Omashu Sewer System
The Omashu Sewer System is a series of interconnected tunnels underneath the city of Omashu, used to get water and sewage out of the city. The sewage system is a very dark and dank place full of all sorts of filth and unusual critters including the leech-a-pillar and pentapi. The sewer system exits at the bottom of the gorge and is one of the only ways to sneak in and out of Omashu.

Mail System
The Omashu mail system is just a linking slide that goes on for miles in the city. Earthbenders move the packages around to a different slide. The system is consisted of a series of slides and chutes that various parcels go through in order to arrive at a certain destination. It is powered by Earthbending and gravity; Earthbending sends the packages up the slides, whilst gravity moves them down.