The Marking

Most sea elves have a mark made out of the paste of a white flower, a mark which never wears off. This mark is often the sigil of the sea elf’s house, but in special cases (prophecy, son of a great warlord and a human queen, etc), the elf can be marked with more intricate images that relate to their destiny.

This mark, on top of indicating the house of the sea elf, is believed to protect against harm during the sea elf’s youth, a time in which the mark is golden.

History

This tradition began when the elves were blessed by Deep Sashelas in response to their prayers for a way to reduce infant mortality rates.
Deep Sashelas gifted the sea elves seeds for a new flower, one that would grow even in open water, and instructed them to plant a seed whenever a child is conceived, and that it would bloom the instant the child was delivered. (The planting part of the tradition is rarely followed, as most sea elves won’t rush to plant a flower right after conceiving a child, and even if they would, it is not normally found that a child was conceived until days or weeks after conception. The ritual still does work, however, even if the flower blooms a bit late)

Execution

The petals of a Belmyn flower must be ground into a paste with seawater, and spread across the infant’s forehead. The areas that do not pertain to the sigil will flake off when the paste dries, and the appropriate areas will turn golden.

Components and tools

A Belmyn flower, something to grind the petals.

Participants

Preferably done by a priest, but can be anyone, really.

Observance

The ritual takes place a week after the deliverance of a child.