Item from Avatar: The Last Airbender by Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko
An ancient strategy board game played across all four nations — whose White Lotus tile serves as the secret identifier for the Order of the White Lotus, hidden in plain sight.
Pai Sho is the Avatar world's chess — a game of strategy and patience played in tea houses and palaces across all four nations. For most people, it's a pleasant pastime. For members of the Order of the White Lotus, it is a communication system. By opening with the White Lotus tile and playing a specific pattern (the White Lotus Gambit), a player identifies themselves to any other member in the room. The game's universal presence makes it the perfect cover: two old men playing tiles in a tea shop could be coordinating a multinational secret resistance, and no one would look twice. Iroh is a devoted player who uses Pai Sho to find allies, pass messages, and maintain the Order's network during the Hundred Year War. The game represents wisdom, patience, and the long view — qualities that define the White Lotus and Iroh himself.
A circular wooden board marked with concentric rings and radial lines, played with flat round tiles bearing painted symbols — flowers, elements, seasons. The White Lotus tile features a stylized lotus blossom. Game sets range from simple travel boards to ornate masterworks. Iroh's personal set is well-worn from decades of play.
Also known as: Pai Sho game, Pai Sho board, the White Lotus tile