Blue skin in Sartar

[Dragon]

As I understand it, the central figure on the cover of RiG is Argrath. And most Sartarites do not have that lovely slate blue skin color. I had an impression that the slate blue skin may be associated with the Helerites. Perhaps because of GtG page 357 "The river goddess is a blue-skinned daughter of Heler." or Sartar Companion write up of Heler as a blue god/goddess. Heler can also change genders.

Is Argrath's blue skin in that cover because he is a descendant of Helerites?

Because he completed the Aroka quest and freed Heler?

Because of the statement in Greg Sez "Being blue shows that these people have more water in their physical makeup than all of the other elements combined"? Which seems odd because we expect Argrath has significant Air/Storm Rune.

Or some combination?

I want to have a decent explanation of what the Sartar people expect for the players to understand when they pick their character's appearance. Thank anyone who can explain.

[Richard S.]

I assume it's either woad or him heroforming Orlanth, who's often depicted with blue skin. Or maybe he just fell in a vat of blue juice earlier. It doesn't always signify a water connection.

[Nick Brooke]

He’s painted blue to look like his god.

[Godlearner]

9 minutes ago, Nick Brooke said:

He’s painted blue to look like his god.

Covered in Woad I would say.

[Dragon]

That may be an artist's view of Woad, for the sake of publishing. But he has greaves, bracers, and a waist wrap - a definite no-no for maintaining the magical qualities of Blessed Woad. It could just be non-magical woad. Wouldn't tattoos also be covered by woad, magical or not? In the above answers, the woman on page 9, also wearing non-magical woad with lots of clothing.

So I am more inclined to think he is heroforming Orlanth. Page 276 is clearly Orlanth and Aroka, so agree with the statement that Orlanth is depicted as blue. As is the image on page 300. The image near Flight on page 329 could be someone (very likely Argrath) heroforming Orlanth simply by casting the Rune spell Flight. The rules do say that rune magic causes "The caster always exhibits some form of manifestation of the magical powers at their disposal. The caster might appear to grow larger (even if their SIZ is unaffected), burn with an inner glow, crackle lightning from their fingertips, or even start to physically resemble the image of the deity."

So without Woad or rune magic, there are not people in Sartar with blue skin. Unless a Veldang happened to be travelling through.

 

 

 

[David Scott]

2 hours ago, Dragon said:

Thank anyone who can explain.

Over at the Beard and hair Guide, it's say the colouring is makeup or dyes. Woad is used, enchanted or not, but also other blue materials. Lapis lazuli would also give good colour combined with fat, and true indigo is likely grown as well as it's easier to process than woad. I suspect that woad is only used for ritual preparations or small amounts in cosmetics (see W&E 23) as blue dyes are considered exotic (W&E 32), and that other easy to prepare dyes and cosmetics are used commonly. Indigo is also used as hair dye (W&E 23), likewise cobalt pigment is also known (used in glassmaking in Clearwine). There may even be a regional preference for use of particular dyes and pigments. 

29 minutes ago, Dragon said:

 In the above answers, the woman on page 9, also wearing non-magical woad with lots of clothing.

The art piece is called worship ceremony, the blue person is Vasana in the ritual with Argrath. She may have just turned blue in the ceremony (perhaps she rolled a special) as she is thoroughly immersed in the moment, with the rapture she begins to transform into Vinga.

[g33k]

IMG, the various "unearthly" (non-realworld) skintones &c are rare these days -- and seldom as strong as this image -- but are far from unknown.

Most villages or steads won't have (m)any such, but most sizeable towns will have at least a few.

Blue, as noted, is Orlanth's color (as well as Heler's).  So Orlanth-blue (and Ernalda-green) are relatively-common in Sartar (which is to say, maybe 5% have it to some visible degree, and 5% of those to quite a strong degree), with other colors comparatively rarer-still; but the trade-nexus that is the foundation of Sartar's wealth means that virtually all of the colors do pass through, from time to time...

YGMV!

 

[Shiningbrow]

13 hours ago, g33k said:

IMG, the various "unearthly" (non-realworld) skintones &c are rare these days -- and seldom as strong as this image -- but are far from unknown.

Most villages or steads won't have (m)any such, but most sizeable towns will have at least a few.

Blue, as noted, is Orlanth's color (as well as Heler's).  So Orlanth-blue (and Ernalda-green) are relatively-common in Sartar (which is to say, maybe 5% have it to some visible degree, and 5% of those to quite a strong degree), with other colors comparatively rarer-still; but the trade-nexus that is the foundation of Sartar's wealth means that virtually all of the colors do pass through, from time to time...

YGMV!

 

I agree with the proposition, but i think you numbers are somewhat high... 1 in 20 people have a visible magically derived colouration??? Not unless the community has a particularly strong cult affiliation of some import, and the majority of those with the colouring are initiates in the cult (or going to be).

But, yes, YGMV....

[g33k]

8 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

... 1 in 20 people have a visible magically derived colouration??? ...

Think of it as a very-slight tint, likely only visible in some lights, or against some backgrounds (e.g. a crisp white garment).
Mostly passing unnoticed by passers-by, unless circumstances are just right.
 

8 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

... But, yes, YGMV....

That works too.  😉

Edited December 17, 2022 by g33k