The plains region of the Earth Kingdom takes up a quarter of the nation. It is a very flat landscape located to the west of the mountains. Not many trees grow here. It's mostly just high grass. The animals that live here are mostly of the large grazing variety. These include armadillo lion, camelephant, elephant mandril, gemsbok bull, giant rhinoceros beetle, jackalope, meadow vole, ostrich horse, rabaroo, saber tooth moose lion, shirshu, and singing groundhog. More animals can be found on the edges of the plains and within villages.

Speaking of villages, they are probably most common in the plains region. They are bigger closer to Ba Sing Sei and even have some cities thrown in as well. Most buildings located in the villages and cities are made of mud bricks with thatch roofs. Some are made of stone, but few are made of wood. Almost all cities and villages have walls around them and farms outside them. They also have markets and other places of leisure.

The people in the plains region can be somewhat arrogant and sheltered, especially the wealthy. Here, they know many luxuries and finery other places in the world do not. They even have a money system, whereas most of the world barters instead. This unfortunately has lead to a rise of theives and raiders. Not everyone can have nice things, those that desire wealth and luxury often end up taking it. There can be some honest people here though. They're mostly the farmers and carpeteners.

The people of the villages and cities of the plains fall into two classes: rich and poor. It is very easy to tell the two apart just by looking at them. The rich dress finely in silks of many shades of green. They are often much cleaner looking with their hair done up in elaborate styles. It's not unusual to see them wearing gold jewelry. The poor, on the other hand, usually wear plain linen in shades of brown, gray, and cream. They usually seem to be a bit scruffy and don't usually wear jewelry, except maybe a polished rock. Though they dress differently, their dna is much the same. They almost all have bright green eyes and black or very dark brown hair.

The weapons of the plains are some of the only steel blades in the Earth Kingdom. These can be anything from short knives to long shuriken and swords. The hilts are often heavy leather and might include gems or gold as well. They also have actual armor: heavy steel breastplate, greeves, and gauntlets and helmets, of course. Again, these can be fancy or plain, depending on who wears them.

Wars and battles frequently blossom in the plains region. One village or city will think it's better than the other and attempt to take it over. Sometimes the lesser village will simply yield, but other times they will fight. No one is quite sure why these battles rise. Maybe it's just one village wanting more wealth and power, or maybe they fear one another. Whichever the case may be, the cities and villages are often destroyed in the process, so there are many ruins and ghost towns located throughout the plains as well.

The woods take up another quarter of the Earth Kingdom. They are located to the west of the plains region and stretch almost to the ocean. There are many trees located here. Some are slender and light, others are thick and heavy with red leaves. There are even some bamboo forests here and there. In addition to the trees, there are many other small plants like bushes and flowers. Many animals call the forest their home. Some are tiny and gentle, and others are large and aggressive. These include bear, blue jay, boar-q-pine, cat owl, dove, elephant rat, fire ferret, fox antelope, gopher bear, hog, hog monkey, iguana parrot, lop-eared rabbit, platypus bear, quilled chameleon, screeching bird, skunk bear, sparrowkeet, and turkey duck.

Villages and especially cities are very rare within the woods. When you find them, they are almost always small things with between ten to fifteen buildings in them. All of the buildings are made of rough wood with wooden roofs as well. Most of the villages do not have markets, but they do have walls surrounding them to keep out thieves, raiders, and hostile animals. Though they are small and far between, the villages are a haven to the weary traveler, a place to rest and recharge.

The people of the villages in the woods are more hunter gathers than farmers. The soil isn't that great for farming anyways. They live off what they find, much like the people of the Northern Water Tribe. There aren't many luxuries here, but they're usually a good natured bunch anyways, not as stuffy or arrogant as their plains cousins. Most people who live here have a sort of dusty, woodsy look to them. They almost all have brown hair and brown or green eyes. They wear animal skins dyed green, brown, and gray.

The woods villages aren't as often attacked as the plains villages, at least not by people. Hostile animals attack fairly frequently though. The weapons the villagers use are mostly made from wood: sharp spears and short, pointed sticks. Sometimes, they gather items from animals that can be used as weapons like quills, teeth, and claws. Lastly, they are superb archers and have some of the only bows and arrows of the world.

The mountains are located on the east of the Earth Kingdom and run down its entire side. These mountains are not as high as other ranges in the world, so they're not often capped in snow. These are also very dry mountains, so nothing really grows here. It's just all rocky terrian. Despite the lack of vegetation, there are some animals that live here, but they are almost all carnivorous and hostile. They live in the mountains themselves and in caves and tunnels in the mountains. These animals include badgermole, goat gorilla, hopping llama, prickle snake, viper bat, and wolfbat.

No one lives in the mountains themselves, so there aren't any villages here. The terrain is just too rocky and hostile. However, people do pass this way on their way to the eastern shore. They usually travel in large groups for safety. While there are no true villages here, raiders often have their headquaters located in these mountains, hiding in large caves.

The Great Divide is actually located within the mountains. It is noted as being the divide of the Earth Kingdom. All rivers north of the divide flow north into the northern ocean, and all rivers south empty into the southern ocean. Further inland, you will find that south of the great divide is the massive desert, and north is the plains and, farther west, the woods. Like the mountains, very little plants grow here. However, the divide does add one animal to the list, and these are canyon crawlers.

Like the mountains, there aren't any villages here either. However, people come this way to go north from the southern shore. It is a very long journey, and not many make it. Usually, there is a guide to lead the groups through the divide and the mountains as well. It is a thankless job, but someone has to do it. If there weren't a guide, the groups would probably die during the journey.

The swamp is small compared to the plains and the woods, but it is fairly large on its own. It is located to the west of the woods and extends almost to the shore. Swamps are well known for being foggy and damp, and the swamp in the Earth Kingdom is no exception. Along with the fog and damp, you will also find vines, mushrooms, and moss. Most swamps have many trees, and at first glance, this seems true of the Earth Kingdom swamp as well. Upon closer inspection though, you will discover that really there is only one tree with many branches that twist and turn. The tree is located in the center of the swamp and is almost the only place where you can see the sky. Everywhere else, the branches crowd close together and block out the sky and sun, throwing the swamp into eternal twilight. As for animals, there are lots of bugs and insecfs, but very few actual animals. Some of the creatures you'll find in the swamp include ant, beetle worm, bumble fly, catgator, dragonfly, eel hound, leech, frog, giant fly, giant night crawler, glowfly, leech-a-pillar, possum chicken, se tu, scorpion bee, skunk fish, spider, spider snake, spider wasp, and wood frog.

Few people venture into the swamp, so there aren't any villages here. Those that enter often come out mad. Rumor is that the swamp is haunted and filled with spirits. People who come out again òften share tales of seeing dead loved ones or sometimes people they never knew. Whenever they try to get closer, the spirit will often run away or sometimes just vanish. These stories have lead to desperate people seeking out the swamp for the benefit of seeing their lost loved one again.

The desert takes up almost half of the Earth Kingdom. It is located to the west of the mountains and to the south of the great divide. There really isn't much here besides sand. There is very little water, and the sun constantly beats down during the day. The only plants here are dead bushes and cacti. The juice in the cacti can be drank, but it will make the drinker loopy for several hours. Not many animals live in this hostile enviroment, but there are a few. These include buzzard wasp, chameleon, gilacorn, sandshark, scorpion, and sour beetle. The buzzard wasps have a huge hive that acts as the magnetic center of the desert.

No people live in the desert, and very few are brave enough to travel through it. Most go around it. However, those that have passed through the desert come out with tales of a grand palace made of sandstone with high spires and huge onion shaped domes. There are rumors that this palace is actually a library owned by a great spirit to gather knowledge of the world. Even so, few dare the desert, and those who do probably don't have good intentions.

The shore wraps around the entirety of the Earth Kingdom continent. The shore along the east side is almost all high rocks and cliffs with a few sandy beaches here and there. There are caves in the cliffs, and this is a well known pirate hideway. It's difficult to reach because on one side there are mountains, and in the other there is the ocean. No one lives here, except the pirates. There aren't many plants here, just some twisted trees growing out of the cliffs. Most of the animals live out in the water. These include fish, cranefish, elephant koi, serpent, and skunk fish.

The western shore is not like the eastern. It is very sandy here with long stretches of beach that seem to go for miles. This a popular vacation spot or a place to rest for weary travelers. Like the eastern shore, there's not much growing here aside from some stiff sand grass. The animals here are mostly harmless pretty things. These include fish, flying fishopotamus, hermit marmoset, hippo, purple pentapus, sea vulture, and unagi.

There are several fishing villages and trading posts dotted along the western shore. These can be fairly small places at first glance, but they have huge markets to see to the traders' needs. Many of the buildings are made of sandstone with heavy wood roofs. Along the waterfront, you'll find long warehouses and docks full of boats and ships. Many traders come from the Fire Nation and Northern Water Tribe. The people who man these places are often good natured and excited to meet any newcomers. They will readily warn you of the pirates that like to haunt the oceans. Unlike most of the other Earth Kingdom villages, these fishing villages are often much more diverse. You're just as likely to meet someone with blue eyes as you are a green-eyed person. They like to wear many different colors of clothing here as well, not just green or brown as you'll see around most of the Earth Kingdom.

Ba Sing Sei is the largest Earth Kingdom city. It is located in the northeast of the plains region. According to legend, this was where the earth lion turtle lived. The city is large and so are many of the homes and buildings with it. These are all very fine structures made out of heavy stone and painted beautifully in shades of green, yellow, and cream. Some even have gold flecks worked into the paint or elaborate gold leaf scrolling across the walls. The also have tiled roofs of brown ceramic and some have huge columns lining the walls. The largest of these homes belongs to the Earth King. His is a sprawling fortress that is easily the size of a large town. In addition to the buildings and homes, there are wide avenues made of pale stone and bridges over bubbling brooks. There are parks filled with beautiful flowers, trees, and small ponds, wide stretches of soft green grass, and even a bamboo maze. Most of the animals you will find in Ba Sing Sei are kept as pets. These include cat, dog, dove, goat dog, poodle monkey, and sparrowkeet. Surrounding the city is a high wall made of pale stone.

As one might be able to guess, the people within the wall of the city are very pampered and privileged. These are mostly old families with old money, going back several generations. This is not to say they don't work. Many have important jobs in government and counseling the Earth King. Some are soldiers charged with keeping the peace of the city and protecting the king. Those that do work usually own fine boutiques and restaurants. As sometimes happens among the rich, the people of Ba Sing Sei are very arrogant and tend to look down on almost anyone who isn't from the city. They were exceedingly fancy clothing of silk and samite and drip in gold and jewels. Their faces are often powered to give the appearance of pale skin, though most have bronze skin. The women also apply paint to their eyes, cheeks, and lips to give them a desired color. Both men and women wear their hair, which is usually black, in elaborate and difficult styles. Their eyes are almost always green, and it's said that the greener your eyes are, the richer you must be.

Unfortunately, life outside the walls is a bit different than life within them. Many people have come to Ba Sing Sei seeking safety and wealth. Few find either. For the most part, the newcomers are allowed to build their homes on the outside of the walls. These are often ramshackle structures made of wood, grass, and mud bricks and placed without order. Most of these buildings are very small with only one or two rooms. Like the city within the walls, there are shops and restaurants here as well, but they're often seedy places that charge too much for what they offer. You'll find very little in the way of greenery here. It's mostly just brown. Further out, there are farms and orcards that help feed the city. There are animals, but most of them are pests rather than pets. These include cabbage slug, stray cat and dog, chicken, creeping slime, duck, elephant rat, pygmy puma, and turkey duck.

As can be expected, the people living outside the walls are nowhere near as stuck up as those eithin. They came to Ba Sing Sei seeking a better life. Most of them lost everything they had in the journey and now are stuck here. Without much choice, they do the best they can to try to survive. The phrase "every man for himself" fits well here. No one is friendly; they're all just trying to make the best of a bad situation. Unfortunately, to some people that means taking what someone else has. Thieves and muggers run rampant among the houses and hide in the narrow alleys. Sometimes they'll take money or food or, if you're an especially pretty girl, you. This is a hard place, and you must be careful. You won't find any silk here, just linen, usually brown or faded green. The people are all a little dirt smudged, and no one bothers to hide their bronze skin or paint their faces. As for their hair, it can sometimes be hard to tell if someone has brown hair or if it's just dirt. Hairstyles are pretty basic here, meant to keep the hair out of the way than to look nice. Most people have brown or dull green eyes, but all have a look of desperate hope to them.