DoctorOverlord.8620 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 The question is in the title. I have not found this answer after a bit searching and I was wondering if any Loremasters here had found evidence of what was the Asura diet before they built their magic-based civilization? I am not wondering what modern asura consume. With magic and golems, they have culinary access to any foodstuff on the planet. The only examples of Asuran food or cuisine I could find were from the Gastronom Plikk NPC who sells edibles which are clearly magically synthetic and processed. There is also the discontinued 'Krewe Bar' which sounds like an energy bar or ration survival bars. I am curious what primitive Asura survived on before they developed magitech? The Asura are clearly carnivores with all those sharp, little teeth, but we know they lived underground. What were their prey? Giant grubs? Wurms? Destroyers? I stumbled over a related thread making the interesting suggestion that Asura were originally aquatic which would make fish the mainstay of their early diet, but I'm not sure I buy into that theory. The cuisine of other races is less mysterious. Way back when we started our characters, we are shown human farmlands or the charr herd pens (and their barbeque mastery). I suspect the norns once farmed grains to ferment into ale before they were forced into the Shiverpeaks, and now they probably have switched more to mead (Even if you don't drink I would suggest giving mead or honey wine a sip. It tastes great). And we know from the books sylvari eat meat and being based on humans it's not surprising their diet would be similar. Though one does wonder if being a carnivore is like being a vegetarian to sylvari lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draxynnic.3719 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 There is some old EOTN promotional materials which show and talk about concepts of the asura at a much more primitive level. I don't recall off the top of my head if there was anything indicating what their diet might be, but if I can find the magazine I might be able to chase it up. One thing to note regarding the norn is that despite the name, there is a lot to indicate that the Shiverpeaks aren't actually frozen year-round, apart from the actual peaks themselves and the areas corrupted by Jormag - if I recall correctly, not even pine forests can survive if the ground is permanently covered by snow. Most of the time we've been in the Shiverpeaks has been hinted to be in the colder portions of the year, as well. So it's possible that barley and other grains that can be made into ale can be grown as a summer crop in the valleys of the Shiverpeaks, making it available for brewing by both the norn and the dwarves. I would agree regarding mead, though. It surprises me that mead is such a niche thing these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstralDusk.1670 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 I don't know from where, but I distinctly recall mushrooms being listed as their primary source of food, and the meatiness of fungus being the reason for their sharky teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ardid.7203 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 They were underground dwellers. So I have always believed their basic foods were those things you find in caves: worms, fish, insects, fungi, lichen, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arenta.2953 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 > @"Ardid.7203" said: > They were underground dwellers. So I have always believed their basic foods were those things you find in caves: worms, fish, insects, fungi, lichen, etc. skritt? underground dwellers do tend to eat eachother xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donari.5237 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 > @"arenta.2953" said: > > @"Ardid.7203" said: > > They were underground dwellers. So I have always believed their basic foods were those things you find in caves: worms, fish, insects, fungi, lichen, etc. > > skritt? > > underground dwellers do tend to eat eachother xD *laughs* Yep, and so do above ground dwellers. I certainly could imagine early asura eating early skritt. They hate the skritt and consider them inferior beings that need killing; add to that their carnivorous teeth and their ruthless practicality and there'd be no reason -not- to eat skritt unless skritt taste bad or are poisonous to asura. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorOverlord.8620 Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 > @"draxynnic.3719" said: > There is some old EOTN promotional materials which show and talk about concepts of the asura at a much more primitive level. I don't recall off the top of my head if there was anything indicating what their diet might be, but if I can find the magazine I might be able to chase it up. > That would be cool if you could locate that article, but don't stress over it. > > I would agree regarding mead, though. It surprises me that mead is such a niche thing these days. IKR? Mead can be hard to find, I don't know why it's not more popular. > @"arenta.2953" said: > skritt? > > underground dwellers do tend to eat eachother xD Yipes, though that would make sense. Have we ever seen anything to indicate how the Skritt feel about Asura? A history like would make Skritt terrified of them, though given the Skritt's odd mental idiosyncrasies maybe they forgot about the past. I think giant wurms would be a good food source. I have an image of a bunch of primitive Asura devising bizarre contraptions and attacking in a ferocious horde like the Kakamora from the movie Moana :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rognik.2579 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 > @"DoctorOverlord.8620" said: > Have we ever seen anything to indicate how the Skritt feel about Asura? A history like would make Skritt terrified of them, though given the Skritt's odd mental idiosyncrasies maybe they forgot about the past. Sadly, we learn very little about the skritt's history. In fact, I think most of the lore about asura hating skritt is found outside the game, rather than within. We have seen how much more intelligent skritt can get when even just a few of them are gathered together, and why the asura would see them as threats, but as far as culture, that's bare bones. Even the skritt themselves are a jumbled mess, being either allied or enemies dependent solely on the map. > I think giant wurms would be a good food source. I have an image of a bunch of primitive Asura devising bizarre contraptions and attacking in a ferocious horde like the Kakamora from the movie Moana :) Considering that we've seen many places even on surface Tyria have places where you can get grub meat, I think it's safe to assume that the grubs were a source of food for asura, although whether they had grub farms or instead hunted them regularly is one of those things obscured in history. Mushrooms are also an assumed staple, although little other plants would grow in caves. However, after seeing Rata Novans use fiberoptic cable to create fake sunlight in their cave dwelling, it was probably just a matter of time before they had proper underground farms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorOverlord.8620 Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 > @"Rognik.2579" said: > Considering that we've seen many places even on surface Tyria have places where you can get grub meat, I think it's safe to assume that the grubs were a source of food for asura, although whether they had grub farms or instead hunted them regularly is one of those things obscured in history. Mushrooms are also an assumed staple, although little other plants would grow in caves. However, after seeing Rata Novans use fiberoptic cable to create fake sunlight in their cave dwelling, it was probably just a matter of time before they had proper underground farms. It does sound reasonable that grubs and mushrooms would be food staples for early asura culture. Certainly grubs would be easier to handle than giant wurms. If that is the case, I wonder if asura would consider roasted grub as 'comfort food' they enjoy as a break from their processed edibles or imported products. Or perhaps grub meat might be considered a culturally significant dish, but one which modern asura do not really like and seldom eat except on special occasions (the asura equivalent of Scottish haggis : ) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenom.9457 Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Obviously they eat chicken strips and French fries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sombra.3246 Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 > @"DoctorOverlord.8620" said: > The question is in the title. I have not found this answer after a bit searching and I was wondering if any Loremasters here had found evidence of what was the Asura diet before they built their magic-based civilization? > > I am not wondering what modern asura consume. With magic and golems, they have culinary access to any foodstuff on the planet. The only examples of Asuran food or cuisine I could find were from the Gastronom Plikk NPC who sells edibles which are clearly magically synthetic and processed. There is also the discontinued 'Krewe Bar' which sounds like an energy bar or ration survival bars. > > I am curious what primitive Asura survived on before they developed magitech? The Asura are clearly carnivores with all those sharp, little teeth, but we know they lived underground. What were their prey? Giant grubs? Wurms? Destroyers? I stumbled over a related thread making the interesting suggestion that Asura were originally aquatic which would make fish the mainstay of their early diet, but I'm not sure I buy into that theory. > > The cuisine of other races is less mysterious. Way back when we started our characters, we are shown human farmlands or the charr herd pens (and their barbeque mastery). I suspect the norns once farmed grains to ferment into ale before they were forced into the Shiverpeaks, and now they probably have switched more to mead (Even if you don't drink I would suggest giving mead or honey wine a sip. It tastes great). And we know from the books sylvari eat meat and being based on humans it's not surprising their diet would be similar. Though one does wonder if being a carnivore is like being a vegetarian to sylvari lol They east Booka brains for breakfast, Booka brains for lunch, and Booka brains for dinner. Afternoon snack can be baby Char ribs. IF they want to loose some IQ they eat norn brains for desert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSphere.1597 Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 I don't have the original source for this as it seems to be gone but there are some archived lore interviews still around the web. One in particular expands on what AstralDusk said. [source](https://secretagentcat.wordpress.com/category/interviews/ "https://secretagentcat.wordpress.com/category/interviews/") > Q: If they have such sharp teeth, does that mean they are primarily meat eaters? >Jeff: Asura are omnivores. Their teeth are adapted particularly for catching wild game in the Depths of Tyria and ripping apart the stone-like fungus that infests those caverns. Some more information hidden inside another question from a German interview[ Source]( http://www.buffed.de/Guild-Wars-2-Spiel-17072/Specials/Guild-Wars-2-Die-Asura-Putzig-und-drollig-Oder-doch-gefaehrliche-Monster-mit-Welteroberungsplaenen-Video-844929/3/ " buffed.de/Guild-Wars-2-Spiel-17072/Specials/Guild-Wars-2-Die-Asura-Putzig-und-drollig-Oder-doch-gefaehrliche-Monster-mit-Welteroberungsplaenen-Video-844929/3/") >Jeff Grubb: [...] So they've not gone totally cavefish. They've got very sharp teeth,they're omnivores and raised animals down there plus survived with fungus and all sorts of things. They adapted very well to their underground environment and now have adapted to the surface as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstralDusk.1670 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 > @"WhiteSphere.1597" said: > > Q: If they have such sharp teeth, does that mean they are primarily meat eaters? > > >Jeff: Asura are omnivores. Their teeth are adapted particularly for catching wild game in the Depths of Tyria and ripping apart the stone-like fungus that infests those caverns. Yes! That was exactly what I was thinking of, "ripping apart the stone-like fungus." Good find. I forgot the wild game part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crinn.7864 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Given that Asuran teeth are all pointed, they would have to be carnivorous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justine.6351 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Fungi ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenrai Senshi.2017 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Asura feed on the self esteem of others, which they use to fuel their egos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arenta.2953 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 so, Fungi, mushrooms, small creatures like rats-skritt-, lizards, and so on. (underground you eat or get eaten). probably some fish that exist in the unconfirmed underground pools of water (trying to think what dark elves eat in Dungeons and Dragons.....) of coarse...upon arrival to the surface, they probably went nuts after discovering the chicken. far tastier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oglaf.1074 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 The image of a proto-Asura in a loincloth chasing down and ripping apart a big underground slug or somesuch with her bare teeth amuses me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arenta.2953 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 > @"Oglaf.1074" said: > The image of a proto-Asura in a loincloth chasing down and ripping apart a big underground slug or somesuch with her bare teeth amuses me. ripping into anything with those sharp teeth amuses me xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorOverlord.8620 Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 > @"WhiteSphere.1597" said: Thank you very much WhiteSphere! That was very helpful and great that you included the link to the source. I couldn't ask for better :) > @"Crinn.7864" said: > Given that Asuran teeth are all pointed, they would have to be carnivorous. That's what I would have thought, but the quote from Jeff seems to indicate one of their primitive food was the stone-like fungi in Tyria. Justine gives the helpful link: > @"Justine.6351" said: > https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Fungi My ears! I guess when Jeff said "wild game in the Depths of Tyria and ripping apart the stone-like fungus" who would have thought wild game and the fungi could be the same thing? But the wiki makes them sound like they are intelligent beings. I guess we're back the idea of asura eating other sentient species lol > @"Oglaf.1074" said: > The image of a proto-Asura in a loincloth chasing down and ripping apart a big underground slug or somesuch with her bare teeth amuses me. I think even a proto-Asura would have a rock or some sort of tool, but yes, that is a grin-inducing image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draxynnic.3719 Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 > @"DoctorOverlord.8620" said: > But the wiki makes them sound like they are intelligent beings. I guess we're back the idea of asura eating other sentient species lol Well, the mushroom-people we see in HoT aren't going to be the only fungi around. There are various non-sentient mushrooms that we harvest in-game, and Guild Wars 1 had the Fungal Blooms and similar enemies (https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Fungal_Bloom) which are probably _not_ intelligent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayakaru.6583 Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Speculation based on their teeth and natural habitat. They had sharp teeth, and lived subterranean, which makes me think their was a majority of amphibian and fish meat, added with some insects, and mostly mushrooms as vegetation. Just a guess, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrivukasLT.3507 Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I think ive seen small floating cabbage farm in metrica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westenev.5289 Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Have you seen an Asura's teeth? I'm pretty sure there aren't any molars on there, so it's safe to assume they primarily ate meat. Given that they lived underground, I would hazard a guess that their diet consisted mostly of subterranean fish ~~or dwarfs~~. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragga the Eighty Third.60 Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I'm going to say what nobody else wants to admit. Early Asuran tribes held IQ tests, and celebrated the winners by barbecuing the lowest-scoring individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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