Students at the Mage’s Academy earn their own Mage’s Staff during Rank III. Many choose to craft their staff themselves, seeking out specific materials and woods depending on their goals. Or sometimes, a loved one might craft their staff for them as a gift. Regardless, each staff is deeply personal to the owner, and becomes a part of their identity as a Mage. Mages often carve the names of loved ones onto their staves, or decorate them with items that hold sentimental value. 

But more than just an accessory, the Mage’s Staff is a powerful tool that enhances Mages’ magical capabilities. Indeed, all Mages are taught to treat their staff with extreme care, always keeping it at their side. Due to the uniqueness of each staff, it can be dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands, as the functionality and feel of a Staff can reveal information about its owner’s abilities and weaknesses.

Purpose and Functionality

The main purpose of a staff is to amplify and control a Mage’s connection to their affinity. It acts as a conduit that allows for more efficient and powerful energy pulls from their deity’s power pull. Additionally, it allows Mages to cast more precise and refined spells in a variety of ways…

• Gestures: Staves allow Mages to make broader and more intricate gestures. For Mages who cast magic in this way, it allows for more complex and large-scale spells.
• Complex Magic: Staves are crucial for advanced spellcasting. It can help a Mage combine different streams of energy into a single, cohesive spell. The staff functions as a way to temporarily hold one stream of intent while the Mage works on another, which is possible, but extremely difficult without the staff.
• Stabilizing: Pulling too much power from the deities’ power pools at once can lead to unpredictable surges or backlash. The Mage’s Staff helps to stabilize the flow of this magic, absorbing excess energy if needed.
  
  

Bloodlines and Legacy Staves

In Faia, there exist a few powerful magical bloodlines where children are born with an already activated affinity, typically the same affinity as their lineage. In these families, staves are passed down through generations, and known as ‘Legacy Staves.’ Unlike regular staves, legacy staves are imbued with the accumulated power of past Mages who wielded them. Each generation adds to their inherent power, making them incredibly formidable over time. 

Additionally, legacy staves are very easily recognizable, whether through a unique design, rare materials, or specific family symbols. They are fiercely protected by their families, most of which do not tolerate attempts to copy the staff design, seeing it as direct disrespect to their lineage. Although these families are by no means evil, regular Mages tend to avoid them, not wanting any trouble.