Rata Sum - Home of the Asura
Rata Sum is home to an odd race known as the Asura. Unlike most other home cities, it is constructed of a massive floating cube and was not built by them. They were driven from their original home in Rata Novus by the Great Destroyer 250 years prior, and discovered the ruins of an ancient civilisations. They set up geomystical generators in order to generate power within the previously fortified buildings and built the area back up as their own capital. They carried the unique shapes forward in their architecture.
Their capital is a true nod towards their ability to progress no matter what the circumstance, which you do discover asuran ruins throughout the game in other maps with tales pertaining to each.
The Polymock arenas, although now inaccessible, were once able to be explored (Although you had to be careful not to touch the lower areas, as the teleportation field that would instantly put you into jail was active around half way to the lower floor.) (Update from 21/04/2018 17:19: It isn't inaccessible, it is just very hard to access. Photos being updated now. It is interesting to note that the teleportation field has been lowered, and you can now access all areas of the arena.)
Their capital is a true nod towards their ability to progress no matter what the circumstance, which you do discover asuran ruins throughout the game in other maps with tales pertaining to each.
The Polymock arenas, although now inaccessible, were once able to be explored (Although you had to be careful not to touch the lower areas, as the teleportation field that would instantly put you into jail was active around half way to the lower floor.) (Update from 21/04/2018 17:19: It isn't inaccessible, it is just very hard to access. Photos being updated now. It is interesting to note that the teleportation field has been lowered, and you can now access all areas of the arena.)
It is worth mentioning that in the area from the Asuran story, where you encounter a dead body upon the floor of a Lab, that body exists even outside of that story instance. Revisiting the Advanced Metaphysics Lab outside of it will bring you to an empty lab, holding a chair you can now sit in, and a body you can keep company.
Turns out the security guys really were bad at their job considering that 6 years later, they're still waiting for the recovery team.
Rata Sum was not originally destined to be the capital of the Asuran empire. The Great Destroyer drove them from their homes in the Depths of Tyria - a subterranean network of caverns and tunnels that exist beneath the surface of Tyria - more than 250 years ago.
Before the Great Destroyer, the Asura lived alongside the Skritt and the Dredge, in relative harmony.
They have always been very egotisical and paranoid inventors, rarely sharing what they knew with other races, or even each other. This often resulted in the loss of knowledge once the inventor died.
This is also the reason why little is known about the race before they came to the surface.
What is known however is that the three were forced up by dragon minions to live either above or close to the surface.
The Great Destroyer, champion of Primordus, awoke from beneath the Asura Citadel, and used the gate network to send swarms of its minions into the depths. Much of the race was destroyed by the Destroyers, and the survivers were forced upwards until the Great Destroyer was eventually killed beneath the resting place of its' master.
The destroyer minions that remained below the ground are held back by what remains of the Stone Dwarves.
The survivors made their home among the remains of the ruins found within the tarnished coastline.
Rata Sum itself was originally a hastily erected outpost that was surrounded by ruins of other buildings, but was renovated into the geometrical specimen we see today. Due to their prowess, the Asura are considereed one of the most powerful races in Tyria.
The Asura are remarkably smart, but very biased race. Their self-worth is determined by which college they went to, and they are very quick to label other races as less intelligent.
They have adapted the surrounding area to their needs, and Metrica Province is filled with both anccient and modern labs, many of which are still in use today. You can also find many discarded experiments littering the area.
The Asura do not stick to a single government, instead they use Krewes - asmall but efficient that are les by the member with the most experieance. They stick to tradition even down to their names - female names tending to end in -i or -a, and both make and female names tend to have a double better somewhere.
Before the Great Destroyer, the Asura lived alongside the Skritt and the Dredge, in relative harmony.
They have always been very egotisical and paranoid inventors, rarely sharing what they knew with other races, or even each other. This often resulted in the loss of knowledge once the inventor died.
This is also the reason why little is known about the race before they came to the surface.
What is known however is that the three were forced up by dragon minions to live either above or close to the surface.
The Great Destroyer, champion of Primordus, awoke from beneath the Asura Citadel, and used the gate network to send swarms of its minions into the depths. Much of the race was destroyed by the Destroyers, and the survivers were forced upwards until the Great Destroyer was eventually killed beneath the resting place of its' master.
The destroyer minions that remained below the ground are held back by what remains of the Stone Dwarves.
The survivors made their home among the remains of the ruins found within the tarnished coastline.
Rata Sum itself was originally a hastily erected outpost that was surrounded by ruins of other buildings, but was renovated into the geometrical specimen we see today. Due to their prowess, the Asura are considereed one of the most powerful races in Tyria.
The Asura are remarkably smart, but very biased race. Their self-worth is determined by which college they went to, and they are very quick to label other races as less intelligent.
They have adapted the surrounding area to their needs, and Metrica Province is filled with both anccient and modern labs, many of which are still in use today. You can also find many discarded experiments littering the area.
The Asura do not stick to a single government, instead they use Krewes - asmall but efficient that are les by the member with the most experieance. They stick to tradition even down to their names - female names tending to end in -i or -a, and both make and female names tend to have a double better somewhere.