Avatar:Kolau Mountain Range

<infobox theme-source="nation"> <image source="image" /> <title source="name"><default>Kolau Mountain Range</default></title> <group> <header>Physical information</header> <label>Location</label> </group> <group> <header>Government</header> <label>Position</label> <label>Capital</label> <label>Form of government</label> <label>Head of state</label> <label>Religious authority</label> <label>Currency</label> <label>Ruler</label> <label>Owner</label> <label>Leader</label> <label>Administrator</label> <label>First appearance</label> <label>Last appearance</label> </group> <group> <header>Location on map</header> </group> <header>Image gallery (0)</header> </infobox> The Kolau Mountain Range, sometimes just Kolau, is a large chain of mountains located in the southwestern Earth Kingdom, famous for encompassing both the Cave of Two Lovers and the city of Omashu, known as the birthplace of earthbending.

History

The mountains are inscribed in legend as the home of the first two earthbenders, Oma and Shu, who were lovers from two warring tribes. Despite their peoples' status as enemies, they met on top of the mountain one day by accident. Forbidden from seeing one another, they learned earthbending from the badgermoles and carved what is now known as the Cave of Two Lovers out of the mountains to continue meeting in secrecy. When Shu was killed in the war, Oma became distraught with grief, and unleashed a terrible display of her earthbending powers; however, instead of killing the villagers, she declared the war over. Overcome with an exalted reverence for her, the people abandoned their villages and helped her construct a new city on the site of a mountain, where they would live together in peace. The people named the city Omashu as a monument to the pair's faithful love.

At some point before the era of Yangchen, some Fire Nationals migrated to the Kolau Mountain Range. They mixed with the local population, and formed villages whose inhabitants lived as mountain guides. The region was badly affected by the period of isolation kickstarted by the Platinum Affair, but the locals with Fire Nation ancestry could not return to the Fire Islands as borders were closed. Seeking a better life, one local firebending girl, Yingsu, consequently enlisted in a secretive project.

In 99/100 AG, Avatar Aang and his friends visited the Kolau Mountains three times, all on their way to Omashu.

Geography

Though the northern and western faces of the mountains are lush and surrounded by temperate forests, the southeastern faces suffer from a perpetual lack of rain. Small coniferous forests cluster at the base of the mountains, while higher up, this gives way to grassy plains which in turn shrink as the mountains get higher. The peaks of the mountains are rocky and arid, with no vegetation at all. While the city of Omashu is located within the mountain range, there are no other known settlements in the area.

Trivia

• The name of this mountain range is similar to that of the real life Ko'olau Mountain Range, located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
• Seventy years after the end of the Hundred Year War, a pro-bending team named itself the Kolau Komodo Rhinos.
• A variety of tea called matcha green tea can be found in the Koulau Mountains area.

See also

• Geography of the World of Avatar