Thoughts on Marl
I am trying to draw right now but my mind is being consumed by that damn lumberjack so bad. I apologize because this is about to make me sound insane, fair warning
It's hinted that Marl is a bit of an opportunist. I gather this by the fact that it seems everyone has to keep their eyes on them to make sure that tree stays standing. Moraine doesn't wanna leave the damn thing so that they cut it down, Esker sends their scout down to check on them to make sure they aren't "doing anything stupid", the fact you can snitch on them to Rutile and they recognize they once again have to stop them. It sounds like Marl is known to be a little hardheaded, and the others have to keep watch. This makes me giggle when I think about it
I already said it before but their EARS. Everyone else's ears either stick up or droop down but Marl's ears go in both directions. Not sure if this is because of the tree injury or if it's a birth "defect". Not to mention how beat up their ears are. I think maybe they got a notch or two from the fall but I think most of the tears are just from being rough and tumble. I don't think they're necessarily reckless, at least not in the same way Slate or Feldspar are, but I can imagine they're a little spacey and probably just aren't paying attention as much as they should be. Who knows!
Speaking of, if you look closely at their model, you will notice they have two scars (at least they're the only two I've personally found). One on their chin, right under their lip, and the other is on their jawline. I'm sure one of those ALSO came from the fall, if not both, but it does add to my rough and tumble theory. I'm sure there's even more scars around their body.
I think it was their left arm they broke. The sleeves on their arms are rolled at different lengths. The right arm, its rolled to their elbow, but the left arm is all the way down. Talked with a friend, and symbolically we decided that was the broken arm, as the unrolled sleeve represents them subconsciously protecting it. It's a stretch perhaps, but obviously its clear I think way too hard and it's all I got to go one so *shrug*
I think Esker raised Marl, for the most part. They were their main caregiver, I imagine them as parent and child personally. I think it's so sweet that Marl remembers Esker when everyone else seems to kind of forget. And it's so sweet when Esker says they gotta "visit the big lug" soon. It's clear they're close, and that means the world to me.
Marl is probably pretty strong. I think you'd have to be to be a treekeeper. Lugging around wood all day, swinging the axe around. I think they'd also take pride in their strength too, not in a boastful way, but more in a personal way. Like maybe it's a way for them to make up breaking their arm, like "I'm strong now, no more weak little hatchling with a broken arm".
I think being as tall as they are, and as active as they are, they probably have a big appetite. I don't have much more on that, just adding it in
I've noticed that they have some pretty big eye bags under their bottom set of eyes. It seems the biggest sign of aging for Hearthians is the ear drooping, not that wrinkles AREN'T a sign of aging for them, but its obvious Marl isn't old. They imply they were hatchlings with the Player character (I guess less imply and more outright state but whateverrrr), so they can't be that old. I personally headcanon them at like.. the equivalent of 25. So I don't think the eyebags are an aging thing, I wonder if they have problems with insomnia though. Maybe they just don't sleep well for whatever reason.
That's all I got for now, I'm sure i'll have more at some point. I'm constantly going into the game and sniffing around them.
