#some snobby fart cusses you out for being scarred and wearing prosthetics and then proceeds to ask you how it works and provide feedback

[mistfallengw2]

Gonna pick 2 random headcanons from my "research document" for each race (minus humans because of obvious reasons) and try to keep it as not-rambly as possible.

Asura - In the safety of their underground cities in pre-surfacing times, there was a fairly widespread belief that the "as the Eternal Alchemy intended" way to die for a true genius was of old age, in their lab and with a healthy body only ruined by late nights and wrong posture, possibly surrounded by unfinished inventions that no one else could ever complete. Due to this belief, there was a strong cultural prejudice towards those with evident scars and lasting physical injuries that were compatible with combat or manual labor, as it was considered a sign that they had at some point refused intellectual pursuit to do something "lesser", even if the individual was a genius in their own right or when the same kind of injuries could be obtained in common lab accidents. In spite of the elitist scorn from the higher rank of geniuses, most of the asuran community didn't really care and considered it a normal thing, instead focusing on finding new ways to fix or cover up all sorts of physical damages and conditions, as well as replacing missing parts with prosthetics. While results and intentions varied a lot, medical procedures and prosthetic tech got more and more impressive over centuries (also due to ambient magic levels increasing over time), leading to asura being second to none in accessorized magi-medical tech (and still are in spite of their long-lost knowledge). Since reaching the surface, such stereotypical notion quickly faded out as their escape from the depths and surviving in a new hostile world drastically increased the number of scars and injuries among the population, and only the more traditional, academically single-minded, closed-minded population in Rata Sum still vehemently believes in it. After being exposed to other races' cultures and as a final pushback to what's left of those traditional ideas, intentional physical modifications such as earrings, piercings and tattoos are now fancied by many and considered normal within a certain range, while physical scarring of any kind is seen as positively intriguing due to the stories of potential discoveries tied to it, almost reversing that old belief (if not for the Inquest pushing it to uncomfortable extremes with experimentation).

- Ears are not only seen as a symbol of attractiveness, but also as an important tool of communication with a nuanced and intricate language of its own, especially in interpersonal relationships. Excessive ear movement is seen as immature or impudent, complete ear inexpressiveness is usually seen as sketchy and secretive, and important damage or loss of one's ears has an impact similar to not being able of giving the intended tone to your words. Due to it and asuran general aversion to sudden and public physical interactions, touching someone else's ears can either be a sign of physical affection, provocative teasing or disrespect depending on the situation. Affectionate interactions between family, lovers and close friends are often centered around the ears as well as face, hair and especially forehead. For example, ear-to-ear contact is roughly equivalent to a kiss on the cheek for asura, and due to the positioning on their head, accidental touching of such kind is not uncommon while working in close proximity and often leads to hilarity and awkwardness.

Charr - Their concept of adulthood and maturity is not tied to age, but to being a war-ready soldier, so charr are considered adults from the moment they graduate from the fahrar with their warband, which happens after sufficiently proving themselves in the field or their duty of choice. While that generally happens between 15 and 18 years of age, charr younger than 16 are still not considered fully-fledged adults and are rarely allowed to go to the frontlines or join more dangerous operations. This contradiction tends to anger many of those precocious teenagers who think themselves ready for anything, not realizing that's also a final test to check whether they're truly ready [Note: charr are the ones who can reach "legal adulthood" first, followed by norn at 16-18 yo (when they prove themselves), and then at predetermined ages come asura at 17 yo and humans at 18 yo]

- Spike growths are recessive traits in charr and they can show up on most of the body in both sexes, though they're usually more prevalent and evident in males due to genetic and hormonal reasons. Primordially used for combat and courtship, Flame Legion shaman established them as a symbol of power and virility, often enhancing their natural growth with magic and filing down females' spikes to further that stereotype. Nowadays those traits faded out of the genetic pool of the Legions due to their negative association with the shaman caste, and they're still heavily present only within the Flame Legion. Those who do have body spikes generally keep them filed down so as not to interfere with armor or deal with those more vocal about their dislike of such characteristics, while facial spikes are still considered an attractive quality.

Norn - "Hunting dates" (closest translation from norn's language to Tyrian language) are a traditional ritual that is often seen as a sign of fairly serious romantic intentions, especially for young norn. Traditionally, the pair will meet with the shamans of their Spirit guardians to perform a ritual and receive their blessing, then set off to track down the first worthy prey that crosses their path. A successful hunt is a good omen for the pair, and their prey may carry different meanings depending on its might and the spirits of the wild of the couple, while bad hunts or injuries are not necessarily presage of a doomed relationship, just a sign that they're not yet ready in some way. A similar ritual is done by couples intending to have a child, in which case the results indicate what's to come in their future.

- Few norn live in a single place for most of their lives, usually only settling when they reach old age, are forced to do so due to injuries or intend to set up shop permanently. Due to the fact that most norn cycle in and out of lodges, homesteads and outposts for most of the year, only stopping for longer during the harsher months, all norn dwellings larger than a tent are built and organized to house a varying number of individuals.

Sylvari - It is possible for a sylvari to change their appearance almost completely (including transitioning, as the Pale Tree's guesses aren't infallible) and to do so willingly, though it happens gradually over time. While trauma, stress and aging usually make the process harder and slower even when intentional, it can also happen that impactful events or prolonged situations might trigger physical changes that reflect their inner state, both negatively and positively. Such changes are seen as a natural part of life, no matter how drastic they are, yet few sylvari ever really tried to alter their bodies in more "non-humanoid" ways, and even less have done so after what happened in the Heart of Maguuma.

- Their pollen is actually similar to sweat in function, expelling excesses and unneeded substances from their body. While it's not allergenic itself, individuals of other races that have dust and pollen allergies might still have some issues with it, so sylvari living in close quarters with those individuals learned to be mindful of it and clean up after themselves in shared spaces.

you. share with me your headcanons about each of the races’ cultures. go now