#alteans

Unlike Galran ears, which are wide and toughen with age, Altean ears are narrow and lengthen with age but keep their high sensitivity, a trait essential to Alchemists sensing out the materials and the vibration of the energy they work with. Piercing one’s ears, especially closer to the tip, is a display of resilience and is more common among warriors proving their mettle, done by someone very close or highly trusted. Grabbing, attacking, or otherwise harming another Altean’s ears is seen as a horrific and dishonorable act, especially among older Alteans who have more Alchemical sense and therefore higher sensitivity.

wait im thinking more about mating displays in relation to alien biology ☝️ the concept of allura's markings getting longer, larger, more coloured spots appearing on her face... coran is past the breeding age so he doesn't undergo seasonal display changes per se but he does get these new things along his jaw?? which to alteans would mark him as an elder, but lance is seriously concerned that coran has a seriously bad skin issue. keith i've partially covered already but imagining his dark hair on his head/dorsal/tail gaining iridescence... alien displays......

haggars nails are the same color as her skin and i dont know how to feel about that

anyways. allura going through the castle storage one day and finding altean instruments her father used to force her to go to lessons for no matter how much she complained. allura who can only remember basic childrens songs and the odd song of conquest. allura who knows there was a wealth of songs that celebrated altea and its people and its culture and its everything. allura who would give anything to go back and learn them instead of just passively listening to them