The stranger set his glass down, and looked at Barak. He was a long shank of a man, whipcord, and hard. He didn't seem worried, or even impressed. He let the moment swell, unbuttoning his right sleeve and rolling it back. A black serpent tattoo circled his wrist, fangs sunk into its own tail. Above that, a black heart with a dagger through it on his forearm. And in the crook of his elbow, a laughing demon.
"I said a man your size should be able to hold his liquor better," the stranger repeated.
"You're quite right, Sir," Dolomon said, snatching Barak by the arm. Though his words were jovial, Dolomon's knuckles were white. "I'll just get him sobered up someplace."
"You do that," the stranger said, returning to his drink.
Dolomon held his breath until they were outside, letting it out in a long gust. Barak was complaining, making excuses about how he could have taken the mouthy drunk. Barak had never served in the king's navy, though, and he didn't know what Dolomon knew. The black serpent was worn by Calabra Privateers, and the killer's heart only by those who'd spilled blood for their captain. The laughing devil marked the ship's Questioner... and Dolomon had heard enough rumors about what they did to know that they wanted no part of that man's ire.
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| Gold makes monsters of the best men... and it makes the worst of them into devils. |
Tattoos and Scars
It's the small details that often makes our characters really stand out, and body modifications are one of those things a lot of us turn to for adding a touch of unique flair. Even in instances where there's no mechanical bonus (such as you get from magical tattoos, from enchanted earrings, or class features where your heavy scarring actually grants you natural armor, or adds to Intimidate checks), these features still make our characters truly stand out.
Not only that, but what these things say about our character and their histories can also tell us a lot about who they are, and where they've been.
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| It is rare to see one who survived the training of a Kiloshan Warlock. |
Sometimes these markings might be a cultural thing, as I mention in several entries in 100 Superstitions For a Fantasy Setting. Perhaps it's the belief that an earring will prevent seasickness, and so it's common for sailors and fishermen in certain areas to have their ears pierced in particular ways. Alternatively ritual scarification might be how individuals are marked as adults in certain cultures, with the pattern saying something about their history and deeds. Or, as is mentioned in 100 Fantasy Tattoos (And The Meaning Behind Them), tattoos might mark how many children one has, what rank they hold socially, or it might even be used as a marking to prove that a particular noble is who they say they are.
However, even if your tattoos, scars, or piercings don't "mean something," they still mean something.
What does that mean? Well, even if your character got a tattoo for no reason other than they thought it looked cool, or their scarification was something they got done with a friend on their travels, or they got drunk and pierced on a lark after going through a dungeon, the fact that the marks don't have personal, religious, or cultural significance to the individual don't render them useless.
Generally speaking, certain traditions of body modification aren't going to be universally available, practiced, or even allowed across the entirety of a fantasy setting. So for a character to boast tattoos of a particular style, to wear a nose piercing with a chain hooked to an ear ring, or to bear a pauldron-flower scarification pattern means they likely traveled to a region where such an art form is practiced. And if they didn't, then they somehow crossed paths with a craftsman who was able to create the art they now bear.
In some cases the body modification might even have been as a reward for deeds done, or to signify membership in a tribe, a gang, a brotherhood, or a knightly order. From soldiers being inducted into service, to a champion who stood against a greater force on behalf of an outnumbered tribe, to someone who married into a particular culture where these markings were part of the ceremony, there's always some kind of significance to them with regards to a character's story.
So ask yourself what sort of body mods your character has. And once you know what they have, ask what personal significance they have, where they got them, how they got them, and what those markings might tell other people who see them. Because they might just be really into tattoos and piercings... or those marks might tell those with the right knowledge that this is a magus of a prestigious magical lineage, a vicious outlaw, or someone who was (at least at one time) a member of a holy order.
Additional Reading and Inspiration
For those who'd like additional reading over and above the supplements listed above, check out the following:
- Character Reputation in RPGs: The Small Legend: Reputation in an RPG setting is an important thing to consider, and for those who are known by certain body mods those decorations are going to make them identifiable at a glance.
- Did Your Character Have a Former Life?: Tattoos often hearken back to someone a character used to be, which makes this a useful question to consider.
- 100 Gangs For Your Urban Campaigns: Tattoos are often a kind of street heraldry for gang members, and this supplement has a dozen different inspirations for those looking for characters who have something of a checkered past.
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