The Mark of the Woodswalker

Article cover image created by Chris Cold from Artstation.com

A fearsome darkness dwells within the forests of these lands. It is certain death to face them unprotected. Only the fiercest and bravest among us are worthy to enter the forests, these Woodswalkers are chosen by the gods and their worth is proven during the trials. It is for this reason I declare it forbidden for any person to leave the city walls, unless under the protection of the Woodswalkers.
-Emperor Milo Bone Breaker

The Woodswalkers are all that stand between the darkness and the citizens of the cities of Valsgard. Their station is the most honored of all the common folk, and glory can come to any who submits themselves to the trials of the Gods and achieves the rank of Woodswalker.

And let all who look upon their face know who they are, and show the respect due, for they are in the presence of the best of our people. They will forever be known, where ever they are, by their tattoos, the Mark of the Woodswalkers

Emperor Milo Bone Breaker

After completion of the three days of the trial, if successful, they must face the final trial. The Marking. The champion lies a top the the stone dais at the temple of Murtak, the Valsgardi god of the forest, where Murtak's cheif priest bestows the tattoos. The Murtak's mark of protection is placed on the forehead of the initate, symbolizing the appointment coming from Murtak himself. After this mark, the priest continues to add stripes and patterns in testament to the wearers ferocity. The ritual ends when the initiate succumbs to the pain, and loses consciousness. The fiercest woodswalkers wear the most tattoos.
Out of respect, facial tattoos are forbidden to be worn by anyone that has not earned them. To do so will result in the forced removal of the tattoos.

Purpose

The purpose of these tattoos are two fold. The most important is to make a blood sacrifice to Murtak, begging for his protection. The second is to make the Woodswalkers immediately identifiable.
Their rank is for life, and so is their devotion to Murtak. The tattoos are a representation of both.
The central design is the only portion that are exactly alike in each woodswalker. This is the protection rune of Murtak. The rest of the tattoos vary from woodswalker to woodswalker.
The amount of tattoos depends solely on their individual ability to withstand pain.
The purpose of the supplementary tattoos are to introduce a heirarchy among the woodswalkers themselves, and to improve their percieved ferocity by the dwellers of the lands outside of the city walls. Serving much the same purpose as war paint. It adds to their ability to protect those who must venture out into the forests for whatever reason.
The mark of the Woodswalker is the ultimate mark of freedom, the Woodswalkers are the only ones that can truely move freely among the lands of Valsgard, and it is only the Mark of the Woodswalker that makes this possible.

The Mark of the Woodswalker.