Story behind changing to Au Ra?

[Cilia]

I don't think it'll be a big deal. I mean, even if there aren't any Au Ra NPCs in Eorzea, they'll still be everywhere... because everyone's going to roll an Au Ra.

It's just like how nobody comments if you're a male Miqo'te or Duskwight Elezen. There aren't many of either that live public lives, but they still exist and people know this and don't treat PCs differently as a result. I think it's kind of like that.

[Tsuga]

Pretty much all of the race lore in this game is not acknowledged by NPCs with regard to the PCs.

[Velox]

From a lore standpoint, your character's race means absolutely nothing. If NPCs treated you differently based on your starting race/gender, then it'd be one thing. It would add flavor to the world, but would ultimately be unfair to certain players (imagine not being able to walk around Gridania if you chose Duskwight Elezen, or getting bonus EXP doing quests for the U as a Miqo'te). Race/gender for us is purely a cosmetic choice to add variety to the game world. Technically, if anything, we are all male midlanders in the NPCs' eyes since he is the representation of the player in the cinematics.

As for Yugiri, in 2.X she is hiding her face, not for Eorzeans (although that's her "reason"), but for the player. It was for building anticipation for its eventual release to the playerbase. A sort of self-advertising teaser.
In the post 3.0 universe she might be hiding her face out of self-consciousnesses. Maybe she thinks her scales detract from her own beauty, or her paler skin color would be a turnoff for most people. Who knows, but regardless, there are many ways to justify why she keeps her face hidden even though there are other Auri running around.

[gamesmart]

Was it ever decided if Fantasias were considered canon? I vaguely remember a post about it but I can't tell if that's coming from my imagination or not, and I'm leaning towards the belief that they aren't canon.

[KaijinRhada]

Generally the safest route to deal with race changing is suspension of belief. I can't remember where I saw it that a possible explanation is that a Fantasia is a projection of one's imagination. I've seen nothing on it being canon one way or the other still (not that I can remember). Everything is generalized enough that your race will usually mean little in the face of NPCs.

Side note: in terms of RP, I'm sure people will come up with stories as to how they ended up changing races, as it has been done in other games when it comes down to race changing. Whether the explanation is accepted is another manner and depends on the circle of people one would RP with.

[Tsuga]

Was it ever decided if Fantasias were considered canon? I vaguely remember a post about it but I can't tell if that's coming from my imagination or not, and I'm leaning towards the belief that they aren't canon.

Fern answered a question about it in the Las Vegas Fan Fest Q&A.

From what I remember according to him they're canon, and they conceal your original race/gender. I personally have a problem with this explanation, so I consider Fantasia to be a retcon, especially considering that NPCs regard you as whatever gender you end up with after fantasia as if you've always been that gender.

Also we get fantasia from the mog station, and I don't see the mog station as being considered canon in any way.

[lilirulu]

We also get marriage bands from the Mog Station and that's definitely canon.

Also, I figure the reason everyone just acknowledges you as always being that race/gender is simply because it'd be more work then it's worth to give every unique dialogue every time you race/gender/make cosmetic changes to your character.

[m3eansean]

Maybe, just maybe - you are giving this too much thought.

Not everything needs to make perfect sense ^^.

[Sagittarian]

Maybe the characters aren't "real" but are just a manifestation recognized by aetherial presence. The primals can appear differently at different times but they are still recognized. So we are recognized by presence and not actual appearance. The NPCs can recognize whatever name/race/gender we have at the time but can't remember them for later.

And personally I've been telling people that I'm not really miqo'te but I don't think they've been listening...

Edit: I was telling someone else about this thread and they commented that we are walking psychic paper, lol. Yay for Doctor Who reference!

[Dualblade]

If I remember correctly the answer to Fantasia was that your mind literally made it real and you completely changed, and I guess somehow affected everyone else to make them think you were always that way too. Kinda like how noone remembers what the WoL looked like (if you didn't play 1.0 atleast, if Legacy then very few people can remember)

Otherwise its just for the player, as far as the game is concerened you were always whatever race/gender you just changed too.