Magical tattoos were arcane works that appeared as regular tattoos, but were laced Spellcraft that could give the bearer exceptional abilities. They were created through enchanted needles, each needle holding a spell that would be transferred into living skin. Until used, the needle carried the magic fully. Once the tattoo was inscribed, the needle became inert, and the magic took root in the bearer.
After inscription, a magical tattoo functioned regardless of harm to the body. Cuts, burns, age, or deliberate defacement did not weaken its effect, as the magic was bound beneath the skin rather than to the visible design alone. For this reason, attempts to destroy or suppress a tattoo through injury almost always failed.
The outward form of a magical tattoo varied according to both creator and bearer. Some appeared as inked symbols or pictographs, while others manifested as brands, ritual scars, scale-like patterns, birthmarks, or discolored flesh. The bearer typically chose the cosmetic expression during the process, allowing the magic to settle into a form that matched personal identity, culture, or belief, while still conforming to the rune needed to make the spell function. For instance, protective tattoos often displayed enclosing shapes, repeating knots, or layered lines, while those associated with perception, movement, or fate tended toward flowing lines, spirals, or fractured symmetry.
Most magical tattoos were usually small and discreet, fitting on a hand, wrist, or shoulder, and could only provide minor effects. More powerful or uncommon tattoos spread across limbs or the torso, while the rarest and most potent designs could cover much of the body, forming elaborate networks of symbols that worked together as a single enchantment. Such tattoos were difficult to conceal and often marked their bearers as figures of consequence, danger, or reverence.