#AsuraAppreciationWeek

[asura-appreciation-corner]

ASURA APPRECIATION WEEK 2023

(repost because i messed up the first one)

Do you love asura? Do you have asura OCs and lore you're itching to talk about? You're in luck - from August 20th to August 26th, we're encouraging you to post about your favorite sharkrats! You can use these prompts or make up your own - just remember to tag this blog @asura-appreciation-corner and tag the post #AsuraAppreciationWeek!

DAY ONE - AUGUST 20th Talk about one of your asura OCs! Who are they? What's their Deal™?

DAY TWO - AUGUST 21st Do you have an Inquest OC? How did they end up in the Inquest? (If you don't, what college did your OC attend?)

DAY THREE - AUGUST 22nd Does your OC have a krewe? What do they specialize in? How do they get along with each other?

DAY FOUR - AUGUST 23rd Who's your favorite NPC asura? Why?

DAY FIVE - AUGUST 24th Do you admire any asura OCS from other people on Tumblr? Give them a shoutout!

DAY SIX - AUGUST 25th Do you have any headcanons about asura as a society? Share them! (If not: What's your favorite canonical fact about asura? What drew you to play them?)

DAY SEVEN - AUGUST 26th Free space! Appreciate your local rat <3

[ratasum]

Asura Appreciation Week - Day 1

Talk about one of your asura OCs! Who are they? What's their Deal™? @asura-appreciation-corner

For this, the first day in our esteemed Appreciate the Rats week, I'd like to present the smuggler queen of Lion's Arch, the harbor shark herself, proprietor of the Hammerhead Salon, Lady Makko (featuring some older but accurate art from the talented @idaidaart I got a while back).

Coming into power not long before the Personal Story began, it didn't take long for a recently recovered Makko to make a name for herself in a city of pirates and brigands. She had watched her old boss, Scrimm, work the smuggling rings for years, making a modest living but never living up to the potential he could've had if he just played his cards a little bit more carefully.

So she took it all away from him.

With a keen mind for business and ruthless efficiency, she stole away her old boss's clients one by one. And though he tried to kill her in vengeance, Makko only came back stronger, sporting an elaborate pair of hand carved basalt golem prostheses and a pistol meant for Scrimm.

Though no one outside the Salon knows what happened to Scrimm - he just vanished one day - Makko knows full well he became food for the sharks that make up so much of her aesthetic. And he became a warning: she wasn't going anywhere.

In the years since, her power has only grown, and though she spent some time out of the city following Scarlet Briar's ill fated attack, she came back tougher than ever.

These days, those with an ornate basalt pin, inlaid with orichalcum and rubies, know exactly where to go to find luxury goods that may be… otherwise more difficult to obtain. A flash of a lapel and a door swung open… welcome to the underground world of Lady Makko. The salon itself is run by her "employees," but the woman herself is never far. The salon deals heavily in "difficult to obtain" luxury goods, and she prides herself on keeping well stocked, working out deals with pirates and smugglers to ensure only the finest items for sale.

Few but her most important patrons and partners have ever seen her face, but those that know her well know her as wary but straight forward… you can always expect a dagger from her in the chest, should you earn it.

[sytiart]

Asura Appreciation Week - day 7

Free space!

Well, in order to really appreciate our dear sharkrats, i'm holding a free art event!! ➤ Reblog with info about one of your asuras: name, description, behaviour, all you think it's needed, and at least two screenshot/artworks! I'll pick at least 2 entries (depending on my job schedule :''D) and draw an headshot! ➤ I'll pick the ones who inspire me most, even if i acknowledge every asura is special in their own way <3 ➤ You have time to submit your OCs until 29th Aug. 12:00 CEST

You can also propose a friend Asura, it doesn't have to be yours but it must be a OC (no npc). I'm holding a parallel free drawing event on Twitter and Instagram as well, without the asura restriction. You can participate there following the specific rules of the posts but you can be picked only on one platform!

Time's up! Updates coming soon~

[guild-snail]

ASURA APPRECIATION WEEK 2023

DAY 2: INQUEST ASURA (Yes i am still gonna do this even tho i am so behind lmaO) Oh no i have a fair few Inquest affiliated asura but i'm gonna go with

AGENT MANIKK

Quick Fun Facts!

Once acclaimed Inquest researcher in teleportation before everything went horribly wrong and had to go on a fun little scavenger hunt to reclaim the parts of his body that survived! (Dont worry he got better)

Chronic retail voice, thinly veined threats with the politest smoothest voice

Knows what you did last summer, maybe delete ur browsing history

Used to be magnetic and charismatic, but the constant corporate ladder climb has left him a little burnt out

Has a 9 step hair care routine to keep it silky smooth!

Link to his current Spotify playlist for vibes and inspo: (X)

And like before more rambling and some more art under the cut!

"High up in the Inquest, he moved from field recruiter up the ladder to a prominent researcher into holographic and teleportation technology with a side interest in studying the Mists. After an unfortunate accident where he lost quite alot of his body, Manikk prefers to spend his days doing paperwork and chasing up loose ends. Once bright and full of ambition, Manikk is rather content with his status, less of a bright shining star within the inquest and more of a silent black hole humming in the background His days of field research far behind him, Manikk now heads up a Krewe dedicated to 'asset retention and recovery' for the Inquest, specialising in hunting down asura that don't want to be found and managing difficult recruits. He is Relentless in his pursuit, and despite keeping things mostly cordial Manikk is known to hold venomous grudges."

Little less to write about Manikk he's idk Big Boss Energy (tm) He's also the rest of my inquest asura's boss so I guess there's that too! He's also got personal history (tm) with Nhimm and is currently hunting him down

(If yall wanna know about them too as an add on lmk lmao) Gunn, Phyrxx and Tuxx

[indigo-montari]

ASURA APPRECIATION WEEK - Day 2 Inquest OC

I have no current asura in the inquest though Widdigit was a former inquest member. Back in the day he was a young inquest intern applying to get full membership until he was caught in the Thaumanova Reactor meltdown. He was found by the rescue krewes near death and healed over the next few months back to full health.

Though he lost vision in one eye and had to have a damaged arm and leg amputated to prevent infection. Over the years after the event that changed his life he traveled the world finally ending up in cantha getting hold of a jade tech replacement for his arm ...maybe a leg prosthetic soon Anet? plz

animated GIF made by guild member Bolty aka @legionnaireintraining

[herald-of-aurene]

Asura appreciation week day one

@asura-appreciation-corner

DAY ONE - AUGUST 20th Talk about one of your asura OCs! Who are they? What's their Deal™?

Widget is an extremely skilled Golemmancer and engineer. At the time of WLB she is 24 years old

Although she was an accident to her two parents, Zydeco and Kuda, they still loved her deeply. Shortly after she was born, Zydeco realized that she would have a horrible life in the inquest, especially due to Widget developing asthma so soon after her birth, xey tried to convince Kuda to leave with them but Kuda refused. Eventually, they left Kuda behind.

Since she was young, Widget showed great promise and intelligence, even through her struggles with ADHD and asthma, and crafted an infinity ball as one of her first inventions. At college she met Taimi, Gorrik and Blish and became close friends with them.

Eventually, her mentor was called to help prepare on the war against Mordremoth, and she decided to join up too, where she met up with Taimi again, and ended up sneaking away from her mentor to help the commander and thus changing her life. And even letting her meet her mother for the first time since she was a babe.

Widget specializes in holograms and golem mainly, but is eager to pick up anything that interests her in the slightest.

[junkkey]

DAY SIX - AUGUST 25 TH

@asura-appreciation-corner

Do you have any headcanon about asura as a society? Share them! (If not : what is your favorite canonically asura? What drew you to play them?)

I know it's basic but the fact that their hears goes up and down with their emotions is just so goddamm cute, plus their sharp teeth and tiny nose it's just👌😭.

[pyppyn]

Asura Appreciation Week 2023 - Day 1

@asura-appreciation-corner wants posts about OCs and boy do I have a ton! My writing might not be the best but cringe is dead and I'm still breathing. This is gonna be a long one, let's go.

Meet Trynnt! He's a Synergetics alumnus turned krewe reject who never quite made it working in Rata Sum. He eventually found a place in the Durmand Priory where he could put his skills to use and that's where he thrives.

Early in his career with the order, he signed on to an expedition bound for Vabbi. When they arrived he sought an audience and apprenticeship with the Djinn of the region and learned to weave elements as they do - by embodying them and becoming them instead of just attuning. He'd go on to use this deeper connection to magic to fuel his true passion of artifice and magitech, which the rest of his career has been built on.

Possessed of an intense wanderlust and just as deep of a love of magic and technology, he's always seeking the next new frontier to see or the next new machine to build. Never content to crawl when he could soar, Trynnt lives for a challenge and delights in new perplexities and unexplained phenomena. If given the opportunity, he'll pour over a piece of technology for hours on end.

He does this all in service to the Priory at large, believing in their cause and hoping to help them improve life for everyone in Tyria. Though he's helped build weapons for the fight against the elder dragons, he far prefers to work on infrastructure or utility. He's even a competent golemancer, but those skills are a little more limited.

Trynnt is warm and friendly to strangers and fiercely protective of the people he cares about. He has the utmost respect for other artificers and people trying to get into the fields he works in. He'll go out of his way to offer help, resources, or collaboration if he sees promise in an idea and he believes in the power of ingenuity to triumph over any challenge.

He's the younger of two siblings and looks up to his older brother Czoll. He's married to and hopelessly in love with fellow explorer Seffi and the two share another partner in the form of the golemancer Welxx.

His Priory and Pact service includes the campaigns against Kralkatorrik, Primordus and Jormag, and Soo-Won. Notably, he helped mass-produce dragonsblood weapons at Thunderhead Keep and carried those skills on to the Eye of the North when similar arms were needed against the destroyers and icebrood. Following this, he began his own independent study into the use of Prismaticite and has seen some success in those endeavors.

...And that's about all I've got! If you made it this far, thank you for reading!

[sylvaridreams]

Asura Appreciation Week day 1! (Late! Real not clickbait!) Aka I was in WvW all night and forgor.

@asura-appreciation-corner

This is Thiiyf, full name Thiiyfadora (teef-uh-dore-uh) -- my personal favorite and most developed Asura oc.

Here comes her whoooole life story for day 1!

Her parents, Prim and Spixx were both Inquest agents. Raised in one of their labs in Brisban, Thiiyf was at best ignored by their krewe. At worst, and more frequently, she was involved in their experiments as an unwilling test subject. When she was four, the lab was raided by Peacemakers and Wardens, and she was taken to Rata Sum to recover. There, her closest blood relative was located-- Laz, her mother's sister.

As time passed, Thiiyf’s memories of her childhood faded. She showed a frank disinterest in any of the colleges, or in finding a krewe. Throughout her childhood and early teen years, Thiiyfa spent much of her time with Laz's krewe, watching them work as she doodled, or exploring old and off-limits areas in Rata Sum. She began making maps as a hobby, cataloging the back routes and little alcoves all over the massive city, finding the best spots to hide from Peacemakers.

At fifteen, she knew Rata Sum like it was the back of her hand. Her maps of the city and docks showed an intense level of detail, notes about every little thing. She found herself bored once the map was completed; understimulated, she took to shoplifting and pickpocketting as a neat trick. Eventually the Peacemakers caught her, searched her bag, and confiscated the map she'd spent her youth compiling.

Devastated, she tried to forget about cartography and her magnum opus. It would return to bite her again when the sylvari firstborn Trahearne showed up at Laz's apartment, seeking a skilled cartographer for an upcoming mission to the resurfaced country of Orr. This is how she made first contact with what would eventually become the Pact.

In the meantime, Thiiyf began training as a mesmer, having never taken an interest in battle before that moment. Her mentor, a slightly unsettling charr, pushed her to discover new talents within herself. Together with her charr mentor, Gunpowder, and another asura, Tzuuya, Thiiyf and co attempted to take down the Inquest lab colloquially known as The Funhouse, where Thiiyf blacked out from stress. Starting to tally things up, she made a note to ask Laz about the Inquest later.

Sometime after, Laz's krewe was slaughtered by Inquest, leaving her as the sole survivor. Thiiyf chose this point to question Laz about the Inquest, and her aunt admitted that she had, at some point, been involved with them. Further prodding revealed that her sister, Prim, had led her down that path, and she'd warned Laz not to show her face again if she wanted to keep her other eye. The revelation that her parents were Inquest shook Thiiyf, as the grainy memories and nightmares she'd been ignoring started to make more and more sense.

In the meantime, feeling she couldn't trust Laz at the moment, Thiiyf ran. She headed for the Grove, further east than she'd ever been, where she would encounter the future Pact Commander, a newly awakened sapling named Alba, and reconnect with Trahearne.

From there, she mainly supported things from the sidelines as the Pact was formed. She was sixteen by the time the newly formed alliance moved on Orr, and worked with five other cartographers to scout and catalogue the warped landscape. By the time Zhaitan fell, there were only two of them left.

Between Zhaitan's death and Lws2, she visited home and her physician, worried about hair loss and fainting spells. Things didn't look good. After years of dormancy, the results some experiment performed on her in her childhood had suddenly started to flare up. It was estimated that she might have ten years, if she was lucky. After some grieving, she decided that she wanted to get back to work. Better to go down fighting for the cause than sick in some bed somewhere.

She mostly stuck with Alba after that, accompanying him as he traveled. She was involved in mapping again, this time the heart of maguuma as the Pact struggled for its foothold there. The tragedy unfolding around her was a lot to bear, and by the time Mordremoth was dead, she had made a promise to herself to leave the Pact. She didn't want to spend her ten years in warzones, flinching from every sound, surrounded by dead and dying--ten if she was lucky.

She left while Alba was in a severely emotionally vulnerable state, having killed Trahearne, and didn't allow herself to look back. As a result, they didn't communicate for several years. These days they send the occasional friendly but emotionally distant letter, but haven't seen each other in person since.

After leaving Alba and the Pact, Thiiyf returned to Rata Sum. Full of resentment and angry at her time limit, she organized a group to help her settle her past. Knowing that Spixx was already dead, she tracked Prim to the Shiverpeaks, where she cornered her, seeking revenge. She realized, meeting for the first time in almost 15 years, readying for a killing blow, that while killing Prim would be justified, it wouldn't change anything for her condition and lifespan. She spared her birth mother's life, but captured her to hand her over to the Peacemakers later.

These days, she's retired from adventuring. She lives in Brisban, in a cottage near a sylvari village with Laz, who never joined another krewe. She's given up real map making for the fantasy variety, drawing maps for adventure novels, and occasionally gets to travel to cool places as a result of the job. (Most recently, she met with Goldclaw in Cantha to discuss his next big project.)

As SotO begins, she's on a work-vacation in Kessex Hills, taking inspiration from the wizard's tower and the village below for her next project... so we will see how that might unfold for her :)

[ratasum]

Asura Appreciation Week - Day 2

Do you have an Inquest OC? How did they end up in the Inquest? (If you don't, what college did your OC attend?) @asura-appreciation-corner

I have several, but I'm going to talk about my number one terror, Rhenn! Rhenn is the son of Overseer Prikk and Inspector Mili, of the Inquest Ethics Committee. Though he was born and raised in the Inquest, Rhenn did attend the College of Synergetics at his father's behest, but he was kept fairly cloistered outside of that, and he didn't live in the dorms.

Part of that was a terrible secret Rhenn didn't learn until many years into his time as the commander.

Rhenn himself was custom designed, grown to infancy in a test tube after dozens of failed attempts: Prikk and Mili's attempt to create the perfect asura. The perfect pawn. Rhenn is hardier than most asura, heals quickly, and on the very rare occasions he gets sick, he bounces back with startling quickness.

Among other "enhancements" Prikk added on through extensive, invasive experimentation as Rhenn grew up. Of course, all of this was while Rhenn was kept very sheltered. If you don't know you're the lab rat, how can you complain about the conditions?

It was just parr for the course in the Inquest.

After the horrific death of Commander Tebb on Claw Island, then, Prikk got an idea. Why not get some good PR for the Inquest, and get some up close and personal research on the dragons and their minions in the process?

Beyond the unknown horrors of his childhood, Rhenn is brilliant young asura, a golden child up and coming within the Inquest, charismatic and easy to talk to. He was sent to volunteer himself to help the Priory in figuring out a way to take back Claw Island, along with some "insurance" - a chained charr mesmer named Iuno. Originally, they okayed it because he was Inquest... if he died, it was no skin off their back.

But Rhenn didn't just survive, he thrived. He remained through the death of Zhaitan, and when Scarlet Briar began wreaking havoc in Tyria, Rhenn was sent out again. There have been a fair share of naysayers unhappy with, or just plain distrustful, of a member of the Inquest serving as Pact Commander, but Rhenn has done his job with surprising efficiency.

Outside of his parents' circle of control, however, Rhenn has begun to learn more about himself. About how he was born. How the experimentation he endured as a child was not normal. How Iuno was kinder than anyone he knew in the Inquest. He made friends with Rox and Braham, started to see the young prodigy Taimi like a younger sister, and grew close to a young Priory combat medic named Kippa.

And maybe he was starting to realize he didn't know who he really was after all.

[sytiart]

Asura Appreciation Week - day 4,5,6

Who's your favourite NPC asura? Why?

Well, that's a though question! My fav used to be Gorrik, in PoF. I was a total fangirl, i even adjusted one of my asura oc on his entomology thing because i loved the idea! I really loved Gorrik's nerdiness and lack of leading morale. He was an inquest after all and oh, i love inquests if you still didn't notice! xDD Buuut in EoD Gorrik has taken a bit too much the comic/macchietta role and i don't really appreciate it :/

So what about now? I'm still unsure about Zojja since i'm still playing soto where she's got a bigger role and, well, i still don't know what she's going to do. I love her sassy-ness and the fact that despite being a good person, she also got the asuran morale.

Special nominee: Snaff! Blish <3 aand Zinn! I love reading about Zinn XDD I dunno, it's hard to decide and I feel like they all deserve to be named in here while no one is really winning my heart!

Do you admire any Asura OC from other people on Tumblr?

Well, YES! While i don't know many people&OCs around here, i really can't help but being a fan of @bookahlogy's Pirrx (but not just him from the family) who's the cutest thingie ever aaand @eisbee's super stilysh Agent B who's the perfect proof that the dark side has cookies! >u< Well I'd shout at Una_Marmotta's wonderful OC Mantis (who's absolutely my fav) too but she's not around Tumblr yet e.e'''

Do you have any headcanons about Asura as a society?

Yes. I do believe they're the smartest race on Tyria and i can't stand the canthan "superior technology". I haven't seen anything in Cantha that Asuras don't have. It's just.. canthan have done very human-typical tech metropolis while Asuras have this more tribal-Inca style which could be confused for a society less permeated with tech and more with magic. But it's not. Tech, magic, science are all parts of the Alchemy and Asuras whole lore revolves around being big minds. My headcanon is: asuran society wouldn't stand this canthan thing as well, they would quickly send some envoyees to scan Cantha's tech and magic and they would return to Rata Sum and make some big progress thanks to jade and inspiration. It wouldn't be a big deal for them, too. In less than one year they would come back as the most tech advanced society of Tyria, again.

[guild-snail]

ASURA APPRECIATION WEEK 2023

DAY 1: OC TALK!

Hello Hi yes i am late to the party whoops playin catch up

ANYWAY!! Introducing my current main horrible rat:

DR NHIMM

FUN QUICK FACTS!

Nhimm alledgedly holds a double degree. In what? Good question!

Went from Inquest Employee of the month to in the top 10 Inquest most wanted with one weird trick!

Way too invested in his necromancy research, would rather die than hand it over (but he also doesn't want to die)

Had to go to a human dentist after a run in with the inquest, ended up with perfectly straight freakish teeth for an asura

Slicks back his hair to look more 'professional' but really has an unruly tangle of hair (the humidity in Maguuma does not help)

unhinged little he/they

Link to Current Spotify playlist for character themes and vibes (X)

And finally longer more detailed writing under the cut with some more scribbles o/

"Nhimm is questionably a Dr at best, and at worst is an unethical maniac, willing to sell anyone out to further his own research. He started out starry eyed as a young Medic within the Inquest out to save lives and help people, but too many close calls with death left him with questions about the mortal world of flesh that normal science couldn't provide answers to. Time turned him jaded and cynical, the cycle of life, death and resurrection his play things. He'll experiement on you! He'll experiment on your dog! He'll experiment on himself if it furthers his understanding of necromancy. Nhimm is quite lazy in nature most of the time, everything an effort unless his interest in engaged, sleazy and loose with his morals and work ethic, he wasn't the model employee but for what he lacked in efficiency he made up for in slap dash sparks of brilliance. Despite the extensive monetary support from the Inquest for his research, Nhimm longed and craved the freedom to do whatever he wanted without constant progress reviews and eyes watching his back. So he decided to quit, absconding with all of his dark research and the entirety of the funds allocated to him by the Inquest. Now setting up research facilities, freelancing here and there as a medic Nhimm is perpetually on the run from the Inquest, which while troublesome for him at least has kept life interesting. Most likely to be found around the outskirts of Rata Sum, or hiding out somewhere in the winding alleyways of Lion's Arch"

TLDR: nasty rat 2 edgy 5 me lmao

(Yall might remember him as one of those asura designs i did years ago, well suprise i decided to keep him and he worm his horrible little way into my heart lmao. Also i end up playin wvw on him quite alot so i am so sorry to whoever has run into me on there lmao)

EXTRA IMAGES:

thank for read the end

[itswisp]

Asura Appreciation Week - Day Two

Do you have an Inquest OC? @asura-appreciation-corner

I do have an Inquest OC! His name is Pwizz and he's a necromancer and interrogator. There's no keeping secrets from him and if you manage to withstand his torture with closed lips, well he'll just ressurect your body and force you to tell him what he wants to know, so don't even try resiting him.

He has some history with Dillyn (they were boyfriends, oh no) but later on had a nasty break-up, followed by Dillyn becoming Co-Commander with Rerki and Errube while Pwizz rose in the Inquest ranks.

He met with Gorrik and Blish and became a sort of older brother figute for them end ended up at Rata Primus, where he eventually met with Dillyn again.

He joined Dragon's Watch and assisted in the attack on Joko and tiptoed closer to Dillyn because he never really stopped caring & loving him.

And because I'm a sucker for happy ends, they get together again eventually, after all the drama and killing and near world destruction.

Why did he end up with the Inquest, you may ask? Well the short answer is: his parents. They always expected him to expell at everything, causing him lots of stress and trauma and he ended up running away from them, only to find himself in the welcoming arms of Kuda, his first friend who didn't push and press him to do things he didn't like/want to do.

She was the first person that acceted him for him just being him and when she asked if he'd liked to join her and her father in the Inquest, well why should he say no to his newly found family?

It took him a long while to break out of his mindset that nobody but them would ever accept him (Dillyn played a big role in that) but he eventually managed to change his ways and mindset and grew more and more uncomfortable with his job & position.

By the time Rata Prime happened, he was already planning on leaving the Inquest.

That's roughly all I have for him since he's rather new and not at all that fleshed out yet so things may change for him but that's the core of his character so far!

[commanderthalys]

ASURA APPRECIATION WEEK DAY FIVE

@asura-appreciation-corner

Do you admire any asura OCS from other people on Tumblr? Give them a shoutout!

GET TAGGED MWAHAHAAA

@ratasum Jay you’re the reason I made my first asura. You’ve got absolutely wonderful characters that I love learning about and your excitement and clear love for a truly underappreciated race in the game is beautiful to see.

@catmanderratmander your catrat duo is so iconic and I love hearing about them!!! The slow burn romance between them is just *chefs kiss*. Kudo my beloved <333

@sunsrefuge DEL. YOU. You’ve got some GORGEOUS rats they’re all so so pretty and super interesting to read about!! Liifa is so cool and I love him.

[herald-of-aurene]

Asura Appreciation Week Day Five

Do you admire any asura OCS from other people on Tumblr? Give them a shoutout! @asura-appreciation-corner

All of @ratasum 's Ocs, but especially Qirri and Rhenn are just so cute and SO well written

@sunsrefuge 's Liifa story is just SO COOL and he's simply adorable

@catmanderratmander 's kudo of course has wormed his way into my brain

And @rosewoodroad 's wysma is just so cool looking I love him

[junkkey]

DAY FIVE - AUGUST 24 TH

@asura-appreciation-corner

Do you admire any asura OCs from people on tumblr? Give them a shout-out!

Honestly every asura of @spindlewit and @rosewoodroad 's commander Wysma.