Pilgrimage

What is a Pilgrimage?

In short, a pilgrimage is a journey one takes to establish a relationship with a Guardian.

These journeys must be taken alone and, when successful, you acquire access automatically to either the Blessed Mark or the Cursed Mark depending on which route you took.

In addition, successful pilgrimages that result in a blessed mark also grant you access to one of the exclusive rewards that spirit offers. You may unlock one of these rewards for each completed pilgrimage. If your pilgrimage results in a curse mark instead, you will not be granted access to any rewards (unless explicitly stated otherwise).

What if I want multiple rewards?

If you have been blessed, your character may travel to visit the Guardian Spirit once a month to acquire additional rewards. You are NOT required to complete all three prompts again; a single submission showing their communion will unlock another reward.

Your character may go on pilgrimages to as many spirits as they please, so long as they follow all other requirements. To receive rewards from another Guardian, you must complete their questline from step 1.

If your character has been cursed, no additional rewards will be offered by any spirits. The Guardian Spirits do not forgive easy, and will not bestow their blessings onto those they (or other Guardians) have cursed.

What does it mean to Blessed?

Being blessed, or having the blessed mark, means that you have earned the Guardian Spirits' favor. Being blessed is a great honour!

A blessing from any spirit is considered a huge honour! Blessed individuals are perceived quite highly in society. Many assume blessed Finley to be trustworthy and otherwise safe.

Blessings often also give your character a small "quirk", known as a boon. These vary depending on the Guardian Spirit, but will usually be something fairly small, like not being stung by insects or finding your way through the forest a bit easier.

What does it mean to Cursed?

Being cursed, or having the cursed mark, means that the Guardian Spirits look upon you with disdain.

A curse from any spirit is considered hugely shameful. Cursed individuals are often looked down upon in society, many assuming cursed Finley to be untrustworthy and otherwise unsafe. It certainly isn't unheard of for cursed Finley to lose friends, jobs, or housing after obtaining their curse mark. Cursed Finley might even find themselves shunned by or kicked out of their communities.

Curses often also give your character a small "quirk", known as a bane. These vary depending on the Guardian Spirit, and also range in severity, like all fruit tasting rotten or loosing the ability to swim.

How do I complete a pilgrimage?

Pilgrimages exist of two parts: The journey or preparation, and the meeting.

The journey (or preparation) are two prompts in which your character travels to the Guardian's location, usually to leave them some sort of offering.

These first two prompts have a minimum requirement of 1 shaded fullbody, with a simple scenic background OR 775 words.

The meeting is where your character comes face-to-face with the Guardian Spirit!

This prompt will require 1 shaded halfbody character, complex background OR 1 shaded halfbody character + 1 shaded halfbody guardian, medium background OR 1275 words.

What are the requirements for re-visiting a Spirit?

As mentioned above, there be one month of real-life time between visits to one specific Guardian.

For re-visiting a spirit, the "meeting" prompt will be required, which again means that 1 shaded halfbody character, complex background OR 1 shaded halfbody character + 1 shaded halfbody Guardian, medium background OR 1275 words will be required.

It is believed that at one time the Guardian Spirits that reside in the areas surrounding Whistler Crest lived harmoniously and together brought about the Spirits Parade. This is an event that has never been properly documented, only recounted, and word of mouth is not always reliable. 

It appears now that these Guardian Spirits live separately and can only be found in the areas around their temples. It is unknown why this is as they were thought to once travel freely. 

Tobias is working with the Spiritualists to better understand our Guardian Spirits, and they have said that the more these entities are visited, the more likely others are to reveal themselves to Draken and Nyulop.