I. Affinities
Basics
Affinities are the magical houses of Faia. Each affinity has their own representative color that reflects in affinity spirits, magic color, channeling crystals, totems etc. Make sure to keep this in mind whenever drawing your character, affinity spirit, or designing for certain prompts.
Arcane: purple
Beast: pink - red
Divine: yellow
Fae: green
Lore can be found here under the 'magic' and 'deities and worship' sections.
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Affinity activation
Your character's affinity can be activated through affinity totems (or fragments, which can be pieced together in the workshop) and activated in the workshop. There are four affinites: arcane, beast, divine and fae. Affinity totems can be obtained through the following methods:
1) Expeditions - both affinity totems and affinity fragments can be found in standard locations as rare drops. Specific affinity items can be found in specific locations, read carefully!
2) Affinity workshop - in addition to activating affinities and piecing together fragments, you can also just purchase affinity items in the workshop! Each month three fragments of each affinity are available for purchase, as well as two random totems. Note that the workshop does not accept wisps as payment!
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Raids
Once your character has activated their affinity, they are eligible to participate in raids! Raids are similar to community boss fight. A raid boss will be announced, and those with eligible characters may contribute to raise the community's cumulative power. Depending on the final cumulative power and reward tier reached, upon defeating the raid boss all participants receive rewards such as restricted trait items, pets, wisps, and even the raid boss themself as a character! The raid boss always has a full restricted trait set.
To join (you may only join with one character), simply draw your character participating in the raid and comment in the thread with your character in IC, your character's affinity ID, a link to your artwork and your treasury ID. Everyone always earns rewards, which include the raid boss as a character, restricted trait items, wisps
To increase your chances of performing better (and winning better rewards) in raids, keep in mind the raid boss also has an affinity and use this to your advantage! Arcane > fae > beast > divine > arcane. Lastly remember, everyone wins in the end - the most important part is to raise cumulative power. As cumulative power raises, the reward tier also advances. Higher reward tiers mean better rewards for everyone!
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Affinity advantages
Depending on the affinity of the raid boss, using certain affinities can give you an edge.
Arcane is strong against Fae and weak to Divine.
Beast is strong against Divine and weak to Fae.
Fae is strong against Beast and weak to Arcane.
Divine is strong against Arcane and weak to Beast.
Arcane > Fae > Beast > Divine > Arcane
II. Mage's Academy
Basics
The Mage's Academy is a series of art prompts that increase your character's affinity power (with each rank) and allow them to obtain their staff and greater affinity spirit. Each rank offers four prompts (one which is required), and at least three prompts must be completed to advance to the next rank.
Mage's staff
Upon reaching the end of third rank, students are either given or craft their lifelong mage's staff. Staffs typically reflect the student's aesthetic preferences and personal life. Each staff carries a channeling crystal, which are repurposed from students' original affinity totems.
To complete the prompt, MA3.1. Staff, you must submit your character's staff design (labeled as mage's staff) on the same image as their current masterlist reference. Changes cannot be made to the character's design. The prompt will update the character's masterlist image and cannot be redone, although the staff's design can be changed.
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Staff design guide
1. Detail: The staff design must be somewhat detailed and have a unique design. For an idea of what an acceptable staff design looks like, see the examples above.
2. Channeling crystal: Each staff carries a channeling crystal, which reflects the color of the student's affinity. Affinity colors are located at the top of this guide.
Affinity spirits
Affinity spirits can take any shape or form, and each Faian with unlocked affinity is linked with one. While inexperienced magic users are only able to summon their affinity spirit for short time periods, mages learn to bond with their spirit. The spirit will grow stronger with them and become a greater spirit. The mark of a powerful mage is one who's affinity spirit remains with them at all times.
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Lesser affinity spirits
Lesser affinity spirits can shift form but must maintain a base ghost-like body shape. Possible features include ears, horns, wings, fins, spines, etc, and can be added within reason. Once summoned, they can stay for a short time before returning to the spirit realm. An official design for a character's lesser affinity spirit does not have to be made. Keep in mind their eyes must be white while the rest of their body reflects the color of the student's affinity. Affinity colors are located at the top of this guide.
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Greater affinity spirits
A student's affinity spirit will train alongside them throughout the rank until they finally become a greater spirit, which marks the student becoming a mage. Greater affinity spirits can take on any form, and this form is permanent. Once summoned, they can stay as long as they or the mage would like before returning to the spirit realm. Design limitations and requirements are listed below.
To complete the prompt, MA4.1. Spirit, you must submit your character's spirit design (labeled as greater affinity spirit) on the same image as their current masterlist reference. Changes cannot be made to the character's design. The prompt will update the character's masterlist image and cannot be redone, although the spirit's design can be changed.
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Greater affinity spirit design guide
1. Color: The spirit's color must reflects the color of the student's affinity. Affinity colors are located at the top of this guide. Slight deviations from the main color are allowed, for example there are bits of orange in the beast spirit example.
2. White: The spirits eyes, mouth and teeth should be white. They cannot have irises or pupils.
3. Markings: Affinity spirits cannot have markings. They can however have gradients similar to the example.
4. Creature: The affinity spirit can be any real or fantastical creature. However, they cannot closely resemble any Faia species, companion critter, franchise-unique creatures (ex. pokemon), or have a humanoid form. They also must be easily distinguishable from a lesser affinity spirit.