How the AU Ra will "blend" in scenario?

[Averax]

It is assumed that Au Ra are known about in Eorzea, but never really seen much. Seeing a lone Au Ra adventurer isn't likely to turn too many heads. Lady Yugiri only hid herself so square wouldn't have to show off the model they didn't have.

[LineageRazor]

Lady Yugiri only hid herself so square wouldn't have to show off the model they didn't have.

That's the real-life reason. What folks are asking for is the in-game reason.

This topic came up a few times in other threads. Probably the most elegant way SE could have handled this was by giving Yugiri a reason to hide her face that has nothing to do with her race, like heavy scarring or something. They didn't do that, though; she's perfect and beautiful. There's no reason for her to believe her appearance would be shocking once Au Ra become commonplace.

If they bother to address this at all, and don't just leave it as a dangling plot thread, they'll probably change the cutscene dialogue to give her some other reason to hide her face. Perhaps the new cutscene dialogue will be something like, "It is the custom among those in my profession to hide our faces," or something like that, remove all mention of her appearance being a concern.

Of course, one ugly thought that I've had percolating is that maybe SE will lock Au Ra behind Main Scenario progression like they have everything else in the expansion. They could decide that you can't start a character as Au Ra, and you can't Fantasia to one until you've progressed through the end of 2.x Main Scenario. They haven't announced anything like this - but it wouldn't be the first time they've dropped an unpleasant surprise on us the day of the patch that turns previous promises completely on their heads. Remember personal housing? I'm pretty much convinced they said nothing about that debacle ahead of time BECAUSE they knew folks would be outraged. I can certainly see the Internet catching fire if they were to drop a bomb like, "No Au Ra until you finish Main Scenario!"

[Cynfael]

Of course, one ugly thought that I've had percolating is that maybe SE will lock Au Ra behind Main Scenario progression like they have everything else in the expansion. They could decide that you can't start a character as Au Ra, and you can't Fantasia to one until you've progressed through the end of 2.x Main Scenario.

Unlikely since a new race is partly intended to draw new players, who would have a reasonable expectation of creating an Au Ra as their first character.

Telling them to do MS to reach Ishgard or to hit 30 to unlock new Jobs is a little different than asking them to level to 50 either to make an alt or to use a fantasia.

[Catwho]

Of course, one ugly thought that I've had percolating is that maybe SE will lock Au Ra behind Main Scenario progression like they have everything else in the expansion. They could decide that you can't start a character as Au Ra, and you can't Fantasia to one until you've progressed through the end of 2.x Main Scenario. They haven't announced anything like this - but it wouldn't be the first time they've dropped an unpleasant surprise on us the day of the patch that turns previous promises completely on their heads. Remember personal housing? I'm pretty much convinced they said nothing about that debacle ahead of time BECAUSE they knew folks would be outraged. I can certainly see the Internet catching fire if they were to drop a bomb like, "No Au Ra until you finish Main Scenario!"

Pretty sure they said in the last Live Letter that the only requirement for rolling an Au Ra is owning the expansion.

[LineageRazor]

Unlikely since a new race is partly intended to draw new players, who would have a reasonable expectation of creating an Au Ra as their first character.

Telling them to do MS to reach Ishgard or to hit 30 to unlock new Jobs is a little different than asking them to level to 50 either to make an alt or to use a fantasia.

Different, yes, but both are breathtakingly foolish things to do. Jobs are ALSO a major draw for new players, but they locked them up anyway. I'm going to keep my expectations low until the day of release.

Pretty sure they said in the last Live Letter that the only requirement for rolling an Au Ra is owning the expansion.

As with housing, what SE promises and what they actually deliver can be two completely different things.