#hylek

Unique Chic: Street Fashion Across Tyria

As our regular readers know, Unique Chic is about finding one-of-a-kind and beautiful styles out in all corners of Tyria. Real people, wearing fashion not usually found in the tailor shops of Divinity’s Reach, or the armorsmiths of the Black Citadel.  All of our subjects were found going about their usual day, work or play.  This week features four subjects: an ambassador of the Dominion of the Winds, a craftswoman of the kodan people, a cheerful young skritt from Lion’s Arch, and a hylek Sun Priest in full regalia.

Tengu Ambassador

    I come across Takuya Gemsteel in Lion’s Arch, enjoying a book in the shade of the Grand Piazza. He is sitting, quiet and still, legs crossed beneath him, back straight. As I approach, he stands up and bows, talon to chest, introducing himself. 

    He is wearing an immensely elegant robe, black silk with long panels of deep green embroidered with thread of gold. The shoulders are trimmed in sable fur: dense, dark, and soft. He carries a dagger with an elaborate lacquered scabbard, gold filigree charms matching a pendant on his neck. Combined with his graceful, upright posture, the exquisite quality of his outfit gives him an air of sophistication and dignity.

    As an ambassador to Lion’s Arch, he is well familiar with the city. When not meeting with the Captain’s Council, he spends his time in the quieter places of the city, or admiring the treasures on display in the Black Lion Vaults. He was stationed here before the Battle of the Breachmaker, and retreated back behind the Dominion’s walls with the other tengu, but requested reinstatement as Ambassador when the tengu returned.

    I am curious why he would specifically request to be returned to his post here in the city.  His response is surprising.  “Lion’s Arch is a jewel of Tyria. Full of wealth, diversity, and fascinating architecture. The Dominion is a place of beauty and our walls keep it so, but there is much to admire about such a rich and welcoming city.”

Kodan Iceshaper

I am invited onto the enormous floating sanctuary, Deep and Troubled Waters, on the Sea of Lamentation. A rhythmic sound draws my curiosity, leading me to a part of the sanctuary where a patch of ice is exposed alongside the wooden walkway. A short female Kodan is packing snow and ice chips into a small crack, pounding it flat to form a patch. She leans against her ice hammer as she stops to speak to me.

    She is wearing leather work pants, thick tool belts on her waist and across her chest. The belts are embossed with geometric patterns, and a large, polished medallion rests over her belly. Sturdy gloves protect her hands while she wields her tools against the rough ice. These are practical clothes, but made with great care and artistry. Along with her quiet focus, they give an image of strength and industry, testifying to the fortitude of her people.

    She has lived on the sanctuary for her whole life, and trained under an expert iceshaper. Her beloved mentor was killed in a icebrood attack a few years prior. His death gave her even more motivation to keep her home strong and safe. She will not tell me what her name used to be, but after the attack, she changed it to Soundless Resolve.

    When she is asked how daily life goes aboard the Deep and Troubled Waters, she thinks for a long time. “Life was hard under Jormag’s eye. It is easier now, and work goes well, but the balance of the world is shifting. We must watch and wait. The work always continues.”

Skritt Gatherer

    As I’m walking in the Western Ward of Lion’s Arch, I see a skritt searching around some houses with a group of her friends. She is surprisingly engaging, and as chatty as one might expect from a young skritt. After Chirr’ikt introduces herself more articulately than I expect, she explains to me that the presence of many other skritt in the city helps with them all “think better.” 

   She twirls around enthusiastically, her beloved shinies glittering brightly. A long piece of tattered bright blue satin is tied around her waist, fabric luminous in the sunlight. It’s easy to see why the piece caught her eye. Her arms and tail are adorned with polished brass and silver bands. A string necklace with colored glass baubles decorates her neck. She is unbound by cultural norms and fashion trends. Whether she knows it or not, she is creating her own style: gaudy, cheerful, and lively.

    She is from the scratch in Hooligan’s route, and doesn’t remember very much from before the destruction of Old Lion’s Arch. She scavenges shinies from around the Western Ward and Commodore’s Quarter, occasionally running afoul of the Lion Guard, though she claims that she only takes discarded items. 

When I ask why she prefers to stay in Lion’s Arch if the Lion Guard keeps troubling her and her friends, she laughs. “The only place shinier than Lion’s Arch is the shiny gold city out in the jungle! Here I find all the shinies I need, and my friends and I can stay away from the scary monsters and trees. The guards are not so scary, only loud!”

Hylek Priest

    The Astrozintli Forelands in Sparkfly Fen is home to one of the largest and busiest hylek holy places in Tyria. When I arrive, many hylek are preparing for a worship ceremony in the main temple. One of the priests appears to be resting prior to the ceremony.  

    His ceremonial garb is remarkable in its extravagance. Golden chains connect golden armbands and cuffs. Shimmering cloth the color of a sunset forms a harness, belt, and patterned loincloth. Gilded medallions adorn the neck piece of the harness. He holds a ceremonial spear, with a wide, spade-shaped head formed of pure gold. The crowning glory of the outfit is a stunning headdress made of hammered gold, tail feathers from green and pink moas, and a large round citrine gem in the center. The overall effect transforms the priest into a figure of incandescent potency. The Sun come to Tyria.

    Priest Ilhuitl leads ceremonies at the Zintl Holy Grounds temple. He became a priest quite young, recognized by the elders of his tribe for his piety and diligence in the various ceremonies performed by the priests and priestesses. His trust and love for the creative power embodied in the Sun is immediately evident after just a short time with him.

    I ask him what the purpose of his regalia is, why the priests dress with such splendor for even routine ceremonies. He smiles warmly, spreading his hands. “The Sun gives all creatures life, light, and warmth. It is a small repayment to offer up things of beauty in honor of that gift. By wearing objects that resemble the Sun, we show that we recognize its power and are grateful for its protection.”

Here is the concept for the tengu roller racer that did not make the cut

Early on there was an idea for a hylek potions master as well

And potentially a kodan warrior