Snack time!
>>96342793
Artistry, self-expression, badge of honor, portable astrograph, magical fashion, it all depends on the elf in question.
Pic related, her initial character design was to have eagle across her whole face with wings spread over her eyes similar to a domino mask to give off a hardcore shaman appearance, as she was supposed to be the Neanderthal-esque medicine-woman that'll just as easily give you a poultice as carve open your skull to let the spirits out. However, the drawfriend interpretation of the first art turned it into more of a face framer to have it show up in the pose. Then through actually playing the campaign, she had a character arc of moving from her rough tribal facade, to being allowed to express feelings and vulnerability to a group of close allies, and into the role of pure cinnamon roll, so now I've started to think that tattoos don't really fit her that much anymore. Still a druidic berserker that can, has, and will tear a jugular out with her bare teeth, or cook a dish of otherwise harmless plants to "poison" an oligarch with medicine-neutralizers, but now it's a last resort skillset that makes her feel like a monster for having and using, rather than an excuse to shut herself off emotionally.