The Mechanist Combine

The unification of all the crafting and contracting guilds in Ba Sing Sa, in addition to the creation of metal bending is what gave birth to the Mechanist Combine. They are a guild of engineers, metal benders, and "spark benders" (a slang term for fire benders who can produce electricity). Their duty is to invent new technologies and to keep Ba Sing Sa running smoothly. This duty is supposed to be shared with the Saya Heating and Water company but it is the Combine that really provides power, clean water and heat to the entire city. Also they are the most efficient contractors in Ba Sing Sa and often get hired to build or tear down buildings.

=Membership and Daily Life= Though they are primarily a guild for metal benders non benders and fire benders have a home here as well.They are one of the few bending guilds whose purpose is to use bending for everyday life instead of for combat or spirituality. As such the members tend to not be fighters or overly philosophical just down to earth blue collar workers who want to make a living. Any one is allowed to sign on as a laborer but they are usually only given low level jobs or ones that the metal benders don't have time to do. Their isn't much prejudice in this guild but everyone advances do to their ability and people who can use bending to put up an entire structure by themselves are just naturally more valuable then those who need to use tools to do it. Despite this their are a few high ranking non benders in the guild that have advanced due to their intelligence and ability to design new technology. While metal benders are the most common benders in this guild fire benders who can produce electricity are in high demand as well. These "spark benders" are used to produce electricity for the city or to charge machines. Also they are taught a technique that lets them use their fire bending like a metal cutting torch making them especially useful in metal construction as most metal benders find it difficult to cleanly separate metal. An earth or fire bender may join the guild even if they do not know how to bend metal or produce electricity. If they are excepted into the guild then they will be taught these skills until they are proficient enough to use them in the work place. All wishing to learn these skills should keep in mind that this guild does not teach combat skills and that just because you can bend metal or produce electricity in a stable working environment does not necessarily mean you can use them in a real fight.

=Guild Hall: Future Industries= Future industries was once the world leader in technology. Now it is another part of the Mechanist Combine. After the fall of Republic City Future Industries president Asami Sato decided to move the company to the safety of Ba Sing Sa. She died soon after due to the stress of the city and the grief of losing her husband and son in Rei's Rebellion. Her grandson Shin Sato took over the company at the young age of eighteen. It was extremely difficult for Future Industries to keep up with the Mechanist Combine as they were composed of mostly non benders and the Combine could do jobs much quicker and efficient do to their metal benders.Shin was forced to sell his grandmother's company and went to join the non benders guild and to this day harbors anti bending sentiment. The building itself is an enormous workshop were the members are allowed to build and create to their hearts content. Often loud noises and explosions are heard from within the compound but the guild members assure you that it is only basic testing.

=Guild Master: Master Mechanist, Oji Jiang= The eccentric old guild master of the combine. He is either Ba Sing Sa's most ingenious mind or the craziest. While he is responsible for the current prosperity of the guild and was the one who got them to were they are today. He is also strange and impulsive, using metal wheeled shoes to skate around his compound and constantly assembling and dismantling machines with his metal bending. It is said that he does not need to look at things to assemble them nor does he need to use his body to bend. And is often seen working on several projects at once. Though he rarely does anything nowadays beside tinker with things when he really does put actual time and energy into a project his work is revolutionary and nearly flawless. Many think that he has gone senile but his mind is still as sharp as ever he just likes leaving seriousness to his younger guild members.

=Guild Champion: Tetsuo the Head Metal Crafter= Tetsuo unlike his guild master is much more focused and serious. A young man in his late twenties Tetsuo is Oji Jiang's offical apprentice and the man who will lead the Combine once Oji retires or dies. In his youth he was an enforcer for the triads using his natural talent at metal bending to oppress people. One day he tried to mug Oji Jiang and was unable to land a blow on the old man. He was easily defeated and knocked unconscious before he left Oji saw the watch on Tetsuo's wrist it was custom made and ingeniously built. The old man saw potential in the hoodlum who had just tried to rob him and when Tetsuo came to offered him a job. Since then Tetsuo has dedicated his life to the Combine in an effort to repay Jiang for getting him off the streets. Due to Oji's laid back nature Tetsuo runs the day to day activities of the guild and is looked up to by his fellow members because of it. Though most of the members of the Mechanist Combine are hardly formidable in combat Tetsuo still retains his street style metal bending and would gladly risk his life to defeat anyone who would dare hurt his home. Though he doesn't train regularly in combat his work as a metal crafter has given him an excellent control over metal the likes of which few benders ever achieve.