X'issi Sunde - Tribal Paints

X'issi’s tribe uses a combination of finely ground white sea shells and bones to create a soft paste like paint used on the body to show which branch of the tribe they belong to, what their life task within the tribe is, and who their parents are (and sometimes too their position in the tribe). Only holy people of the tribe are allowed to paint their face. Thus X’issi who is a water dancer and would lead their prayers was painted in this fashion to show that status within her tribe. Paint is applied every two to three days in the morning and washed away that same evening. A day’s hard work in the sun causes the lines of the paint to eventually tan into the skin so long as it is frequently maintained.

Above is the tanned version of X'issi’s full tribal paints. She would have worn them in this fashion while she still lived with them in Vylbrand. Today, in Ul'dah she still paints herself regularly though not quite this elaborately since she no longer serves as her tribe’s priestess. The mark on her bicep is still maintained, as is the mark on her neck. However the chin area has faded now, though there is still some very light spotting from where she used to paint beneath her eyes.

I should probably mention that the lightness above her eyes is not cosmetic and is actually merely the coloring of her flesh. Her lips are also nude in this artwork for reference sake, since she often goes without any sort of makeup.