Tideborne
EASTERN CONTINENT SAILOR TATTOOS
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"When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land"
- Dr. Samuel Johnson
Here are a few ideas I had for In-World tattoos that an Alteran sailor may acquire over their journeys.
These are by no means canon for every region but feel free to use them in your individual RP at your leisure.
Many if not all of these examples come from altered versions of real life tattoos as do any images related to them.
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Compass Rose or Nautical Star - A general good luck charm, adorned so the sailor may find their way back home safely. Though if done all in red may indicate a sailor who is a Vyre.
Religious Iconography (Commonly Jax’) - When marked on the soles of the feet, it is thought to repel sharks.
Full-rigged ship - In commemoration of rounding The Broken South.
“Hold Fast” or “Shipmate” - Tattooed across the knuckles of both hands. Thought to provide a firm grip, common among dwarven sailors.
Crossed ship’s guns - Indicates current or previous enlistment within a nation's navy. More specific iconography may be present for specific region’s navies.
Emberlarks - Each individual symbolizes five thousand nautical miles traveled. A dagger through an Emberlark signifies a lost comrade.
Gryphon - Symbolizes luck and strength. Often also worn on a patch on one’s jacket.
Crooner - Is thought to ward against drowning.
Tortora or Trident - Awarded for passing the halfway point North to South of the Eastern Continent.
Elchbar - Awarded for traversing the waters of the frozen North, often the ports between Stoltfar and Halbed.
Palm Tree - Often chosen to adorns those who have docked in the South most ports.
Harpoon - Harpoons are a direct reference to whaling and as such are symbols of time aboard a fishing boat or service in a fishing fleet. Often favored by Sangrians due to the significance of whaling within their culture. They also became associate it as a symbol of protection against vengeful whales, krakens, crooners, and more dangerous sea creatures.
Sangrian Law - The Leviathan's Jaw has provided a number of cultrually signigicant body markings that are well known throughout many sailor communities. [x]
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