#dark affinity

Sorry if this is too long or doesn't make sense.

I’ll try to go through all your examples! Air mages need to “see” what they’re manipulating and so they wouldn’t be able to take the air from another’s lungs. Tornadoes can be a thing if they have enough aptitude. Light and dark rely on touch for their magic and cannot utilize it any other way. Force affinities can disrupt the earth though it’s much easier for guardians. Water affinities can technically control blood, but not efficiently. The force affinity’s element is essentially gravity so yes. The speed is more so an air affinity perk, but force guardians can make themselves weightless (the vanguard breaking apart the protestors in The Capital for example). The power of a fire affinity depends on the aptitude as well. The blacksmith in Braum could turn hers into molten lava.

Youd think it would still bring it up regardless what affinity we are because MC still has a high consistency to do bad, no? It was on 75.

1.) since both dark and light marked ones seem valuable to the crown, do those ones get secret benefits from "anonymous sponsor"? like scholarships or early promotions? ==> if not in the present days, maybe in the past?

2.) do dark/light marked ones have some kind of reputation in the eyes of the public/enemies/other marked ones? for example: if dark marked ones are known to be interrogators of the crown, would people stop their private conversations as soon as one walks pass them? or would there be rumors in military camps like "beware of the dark ones, they eat your souls and then you will walk eternally as a soulless husk". ==> again, if not in the present days, maybe in the past?

i hope, its clear what i mean. im always worried that im not able to explain it clear enough. thank you for your answer

3.) ive read that you need to have 20 strength to be (somewhat) successfull during the "attack venali"-scene. how are you able to reach that? i know that the "mapping out the mountains"-hobby gives you +5 strength.

4.) similar question, but this time later in the game. at some point Mc´s history teacher asks them something about their own kingdom. in my case i was only able to choose the "worst" option. i assume that with higher intellect you could unlock the other ones. once again: how can you increase intellect & what are the thresholds for unlocking the other options?

5.) this is not really a question. so whenever i have to choose a body type or a dress in an IF i usually google for an example of that, simply to be able to imagine my character better. when i googled for the other body types, i was able to find examples, but not when i searched for "shapely". could you maybe explain how a shapely body look like?

6.) im sure that the game explains this at some point, so i probably missed it, but what are the differences between a guardian and a mage of the same affinity? can they use the same spells?

_________________________

Hey! I couldn’t respond to your other ask so I added it to this one.

(1) Sorta kind’ve lol. The Crown’s councilors get directly involved and are aware of every light and dark affinity that enters the Golden Academy and monitor them over the years. Depending on where their specialities lie (light in precog or healing, dark in offense or subtle espionage), specific councilors vie amongst one another for them to get integrated into their pillar. They don’t need to entice the person when they have no choice in the matter.

Unlike other graduates, light/dark affinities aren’t sent offers that they can stress over and make a pros and cons list in their consideration. They’re told where they’re going as the choice has already been made for them. The one positive side is that the position will always be a prestigious one that they’ve been hand picked for. The only exception is if they don’t do well in the Golden Academy. Like Dean Ofarus. They were too easy going and lazy for their purposes lol.

(2) “They eat your souls,” hahaha. Fortunately there’s nothing like that in spaces that frequently see Marked! It’s as Velrose said, Navaarians are taught that every affinity is a gift from Brakkus meant to serve the people. Dark affinities are not automatically cruel just as light affinities are not automatically saintly. They’re more complex than that. And amongst other Marked, the two are generally envied. Some may think they have a golden ticket to the best occupations. Now, in really small villages with unmarked who rarely if ever interact with Marked, there will probably be some misguided opinions.

(3) You have to be a Guardian (+10) and you have to work with your father on the farm (+10) in your spare time. It wouldn’t be possible to breach their shield otherwise. Venali may be young at the time, but they’re still a second generation mage that regularly trains their magic!

(4) The first choice is open, the second is (>=10) and (>=20) though 20 is the max. Mage gets a (+10) and reading as your activity gets (+5). I can’t remember where the last narrative (+5) is, but one of the market potions gives (+5) as well.

(5) For me, I view shapely as in between average and curvy. Like, a full and defined shape. I’ll add photos under the cut.

(6) A Guardian’s magic is internal and a Mage’s external. Guardians best use their magic through conduction. They can exert their magic into anything they touch whether that’s a fire Guardian incinerating anything or anyone they touch or a water Guardian (honorable mention Welling) using their magic to prevent them and another from getting wet from the rain. They use conducting swords (and now daggers) to enhance the range of that magic.

Mages summon their magic outside of themselves which means they have to see what they wish to target. Their magic is harder to call because while Guardians can simply push it out, Mages have to meticulously maintain their focus to sustain it away from themselves. A fire Mage couldn’t incinerate someone with a touch, they would have to manifest their magic and direct it towards a target. Because they use their magic so differently, their spells aren’t quite the same!

As for Dark and Light Affinities... I can see why the Crown would be more reluctant to let them go compared to others: Dark Affinities make for excellent interrogators and intelligence-gatherers, while Light Affinities are healers not related to the clergy and their precognitive magic is useful if unpredictable. Plus, I do think they'd be under (more) careful watch, considering those Affinities are more as a result of actions rather than nature, so among affinity-oriented Marked they're relatively rare.

Speaking of those Affinities, I have two questions: 1) would you say Dark Affinities' ability to, well, neutralize their target is similar (if more extreme) to the one displayed by Air Affinities? and 2) Iirc if MC has Light Affinity, they feel as if their feelings were drowned until they were in a tranquilized state. So... Is Light Affinities' magic sedative in a way?

I really feel like you’ve read my mind!

1. Similar in that they are both manipulating a type of energy, but dissimilar in that air Affinities negate one’s magical energy while dark Affinities absorb life essence. Magical energy only affects the ability to cast spells whereas life essence is like a combination of the body, mind, and soul of a person. The loss of magical energy can cause a state of exhaustion, while losing a substantial amount of life essence can lead to death.