i'd love to know the lore behind the facial markings/scars(?) on your elf ocs 😁 do they have a specific cultural meaning for each person, or are they just for decoration? a secret third thing?
i’m so glad you ask omgg !! they’re facial scars and they have meaning depending on where they are on the face
At a young age they’re given marks as a sort of coming-of-age to reflect a person's personality (or what kind of person they are). The ritual happens at the human equivalent of 14 to signify an elf’s growth into maturity (think quinceañera or a bat mitzvah sort of celebration). Rheannon and the other girls (Amarreth & O’nora) all have scars on a section of their faces that represent who they are.
This ritual also has ties to the elvish goddess or the ‘Ancestress’ as they call her in-world; in the earlier stages of elvish civilization it originated as a form of mourning after the Ancestress passed away.
Rhea has tear-like scars on her cheeks, it’s a spot on the face associated with emotion (blushing), whether it’s embarrassment, anger, or passion. This placement usually gives people the impression that she’s overly emotional and weak. In reality, the scars symbolize her empathy, not her emotions, but the deep connection shes capable of having with people.
*This is also a parallel to the Hound’s tear-cheeked mask
Amarreth’s scars are around her mouth because she’s skilled with her words, she’s silver-tongued. She has a way with persuasion, and captivating people with her speech, from a young age her parents always joked she’d make a wonderful politician. (fun fact: Amarreth’s scars are meant to resemble a cheshire grin or whiskers to make her seem more catlike.)
O’nora on the other hand is recognizing for her mind, if "think before you act" was a person…she’d be it. She’s not very talkative and is always seen watching, observing, gathering information before speaking; when she has the information and opportunity she uses it cleverly to her advantage.
(side note: a few people find O’nora off-putting not just because of how quiet she, is but because of her white hair and striking cheekbones, a lot of people assume she’s older than she is when she’s actually around the same age as the other girls.)
