Facial tattoos serve an important function in several cultures in Thedas.
Dwarves
Among dwarves, the casteless are "branded" to set them apart from regular dwarven citizens. Other dwarves may have facial tattoos, though this is not common.
Elves
- Main article: Blood Writing
I asked him about the intricate tattoos on his face; he told me they were called vallaslin--"blood writing." His were symbols of Andruil the Huntress, one of the most highly revered elven goddesses.
When a Dalish Elf comes of age, they are marked with intricate tattoos representing one of the elven gods. The tattooing is preceded by meditation on the gods and the ways of the Dalish, and by purifying the body and the skin. It is not known whether this practice was part of the worship of elven gods in ancient Elvhenan or is a more recent development.
Humans
Facial tattoos are uncommon among humans, and usually reflect descent from a prominent tribe.
Antivan Crows
According to Zevran, there are some tattoos sacred to the Crows of Antiva, and Antivans may also have tattoos for aesthetic purposes[1].
Gameplay
The Warden may choose to have facial tattoos, with sliders for color and intensity. The selection is limited by origin story: specifically, the Dalish, Dwarf Commoner, and Dwarf Noble have unique tattoos; the remaining three origins use the regular set. Also note that by default Dalish Elves and Dwarf Commoners will have a tattoo for story reasons (though this can be removed during character creation).
References
- ↑ Zevran's Dialogue with Leliana: it probably should be borne in mind that Zevran has been known to teasingly assert falsehoods