Ironically, that's what elven tatoos represent in the Dragon Age setting if I am not mistaken. There's actually a plot twist about them so I won't go too much into it but each design represents a different elven god.
Only for Dalish elf ...
And honestly im not even sure if every tatoo represent some god, i believe i have readed somewhere that there are also clan markings, social status, and simmilar stuff ...
Basicaly they use their own faces like ID.
