On clothing and fashion.
It is a curious thing to watch homins and hominas dress.
Each nation has its own great tradition in weaving clothes and crafting armor. Each piece, each technique is a refined piece of art, a way to not only end up protected, but also to show one belongs to the group.
Of the four peoples, it seems to me that the Matis cling most dearly to their tradition. It is rare to see one of them dressed in anything but Matis items; for them, it is a badge of pride. Or rather, it is a shameful thing to be seen in garb that belongs to any other nation.
The same item can mean many things to different homins. One tall, blonde, standoffish Matis guy once told me he could never wear a Fyro helmet again -- to him, it felt wrong, down to his very core, to use an item designed by his enemies, for their body geometry; said he could not breathe, his vision got foggier somehow, and he had to burn the thing in disgust. Its very design was "off-putting". And yet, another Tryker homina, fairly inebriated, admitted to liking the constricting feeling of these helmets. She would wear one while alone in her apartment; to what specific purposes, one could only guess. She said she felt her own nation's armors to look and feel bulky and coarse, no matter how fine the craftsmanship.
Colors also mean many different things. It is one recurring trend for black or white garb to be prized, as a sign that the wearer can afford materials only found in the dark roots. Zorais seem to favor purple; it is my guess that their fear and distaste of goo colors their choice -- pardoning my pun. Or maybe it just blends with the dark and dreary atmosphere unique to the jungles. It is no wonder that the Trykers favor light colors. Or that the Fyro dress in the color of the desert; many of the brighter and more vibrant colors would feel like a finger jabbed in the eyes.
~*~
Another interesting point is to see how ready and willing are homins to take off their clothes. Many a Tryker has freely admitted to going for a swim with nothing on; the shy ones only do it near a remote island, like swimming west of Dew Drops, towards Darkmoor. Some thrill-seekers do it in the shallow waters south of Liberty Lake, crossing into Resting Water, enjoying the slight risk of catching the attention of zerx and other assorted beasts. But it is supposedly not uncommon to find a naked Tryker even near the shores of Avendale.
For the Fyros, clothes serve a functional role, shielding their bodies from the unfriendly light and heat that are all too present in the desert; armor is not to be lightly thrown aside. Conversely, though, the baths in Pyr are the ultimate delight. What a luxury, to be able to cast off your burdens, and enjoy water without worry about it running out! It is said that whatever happens in the baths stays in the baths.
It is my understanding that the Zorais also sometimes indulge in this sort of thing, but in a culturally-controlled fashion. One is not supposed to expose bare skin to the elements, except if they are meditating, looking for spiritual fulfillment. It is prescribed to only do so in the Great Outdoors, in a place safe from predators, while in communion with Atys. Otherwise, a naked Zorai is almost like a challenge to the universe, asking for danger, so that you will be forced to put your equipment back on.
As for the Matis, only Jena knows what their customs are. I have heard hints and rumors about secluded places, like the Den of Fury, where sometimes a few adventurous ones will go trekking. But what exactly happens there.. it remains a mystery.
It is a curious thing to watch homins and hominas dress.
Each nation has its own great tradition in weaving clothes and crafting armor. Each piece, each technique is a refined piece of art, a way to not only end up protected, but also to show one belongs to the group.
Of the four peoples, it seems to me that the Matis cling most dearly to their tradition. It is rare to see one of them dressed in anything but Matis items; for them, it is a badge of pride. Or rather, it is a shameful thing to be seen in garb that belongs to any other nation.
The same item can mean many things to different homins. One tall, blonde, standoffish Matis guy once told me he could never wear a Fyro helmet again -- to him, it felt wrong, down to his very core, to use an item designed by his enemies, for their body geometry; said he could not breathe, his vision got foggier somehow, and he had to burn the thing in disgust. Its very design was "off-putting". And yet, another Tryker homina, fairly inebriated, admitted to liking the constricting feeling of these helmets. She would wear one while alone in her apartment; to what specific purposes, one could only guess. She said she felt her own nation's armors to look and feel bulky and coarse, no matter how fine the craftsmanship.
Colors also mean many different things. It is one recurring trend for black or white garb to be prized, as a sign that the wearer can afford materials only found in the dark roots. Zorais seem to favor purple; it is my guess that their fear and distaste of goo colors their choice -- pardoning my pun. Or maybe it just blends with the dark and dreary atmosphere unique to the jungles. It is no wonder that the Trykers favor light colors. Or that the Fyro dress in the color of the desert; many of the brighter and more vibrant colors would feel like a finger jabbed in the eyes.
~*~
Another interesting point is to see how ready and willing are homins to take off their clothes. Many a Tryker has freely admitted to going for a swim with nothing on; the shy ones only do it near a remote island, like swimming west of Dew Drops, towards Darkmoor. Some thrill-seekers do it in the shallow waters south of Liberty Lake, crossing into Resting Water, enjoying the slight risk of catching the attention of zerx and other assorted beasts. But it is supposedly not uncommon to find a naked Tryker even near the shores of Avendale.
For the Fyros, clothes serve a functional role, shielding their bodies from the unfriendly light and heat that are all too present in the desert; armor is not to be lightly thrown aside. Conversely, though, the baths in Pyr are the ultimate delight. What a luxury, to be able to cast off your burdens, and enjoy water without worry about it running out! It is said that whatever happens in the baths stays in the baths.
It is my understanding that the Zorais also sometimes indulge in this sort of thing, but in a culturally-controlled fashion. One is not supposed to expose bare skin to the elements, except if they are meditating, looking for spiritual fulfillment. It is prescribed to only do so in the Great Outdoors, in a place safe from predators, while in communion with Atys. Otherwise, a naked Zorai is almost like a challenge to the universe, asking for danger, so that you will be forced to put your equipment back on.
As for the Matis, only Jena knows what their customs are. I have heard hints and rumors about secluded places, like the Den of Fury, where sometimes a few adventurous ones will go trekking. But what exactly happens there.. it remains a mystery.
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Xyan Palteus, unofficial scribe