Body Works.

From: Simon Bray <101635.32_at_compuserve.com>
Date: 03 Apr 96 14:45:41 EST


 IMHO,  Tuskers practice a very complex array of tatooes, brandings and piercings. All are very painful, all look very ugly and all are done to someone else.(Then they get EATEN!). Real body piercing, with a skewer.

 Durulz practice ritualised body plucking, but not too often as it reduces bouyancy, they would use Woad but it takes forever to get off.

 In TOTRM#10 we see a tatooed (or is it scarring?) Ouri merman, how do they do that? Do they have to come ashore? Did the 'newts teach them? I don't think so!! (for ref. see piccy on page 48.)

 Dara Happans I would imagine would make good use of gold leaf applied to the body and hair, the idea being to mask the unsightliness of the flesh. On the idea of make up, I have often described members of the Imperial aristocracy as using white lead, rouge and kohl to hide their skin.(That was just the men!). MOB also makes mention that the Tarshites wear powdered wigs (TOTRM #6), though I never did like this, far too civilised.

 What goes on in the Holy Country? I personally envision that the Earth temple gaurdians in Esrolia, look like Medb in the Slaine comics, and use lots of body decoration. Then again natural ochres rubbed into the skin to give a healthy, earthy look may also be common. Heortings, do they lean more to the west in their attitudes to tatooes than their Sartar cousins?

 Do Orlanthi definetley use tatooes or is it Woad? Who in Orlanthi society can bear these markings? Men only? Warriors? I have also noted the regular use of tatooes as spell foci for spirit magic, how common is this practice?

 Finally, an apology, in my last letter I should have said, "Forthcoming Tales#14". I hope this error has not caused too much distress, I do not know the release date, so don't ask! All I know is that it is a Prax special. It does have relevance to my comments.

Simon.    


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