Stargold is the main currency used in Celestial Seas. It is earned through submitting entries to events and other prompts. This guide goes over in detail how to earn various bonuses on your submissions. Please use this post as a reference whenever submitting an entry so that we may more easily calculate your earnings.
All payouts in this journal are applied everywhere EXCEPT certain side quests and special activities (Like the wisher's well)
Keep in mind that these payouts could be updated at any time and may be increased or decreased in the future as we balance the ARPG! Any changes made to this page will only affect rewards given AFTER the update.
★ How Payouts are Calculated ★
★ 1 Drawn Entry || 5✨ Stargold Base
✦ +2✨ Stargold || Fullbody Bonus --> Granted for including 75-100% of the focus character.★ Must be full color and clean enough so that what is happening can be easily discerned.
★ Must show at least 50% of your focus character. (For visual examples of what counts, please refer to the additional character section. The character should not be heavily obscured and should clearly be the focus of the piece.)
★ Must include light background details to show where the character is.
★ Should clearly depict the prompt described.
★ Base stargold is always included on an entry and you do not have to manually add it!
• At least 75% of the focus character must be showing to count.
• This bonus only applies to the focus character.
✦ +5✨ Stargold || Simple Background Bonus --> Granted for illustrating a full background scene.
• Background scene must encompass the entire image and characters, has to show at least 2 out of 3 of the layers of a landscape. (Foreground, middleground and background.)
• It should be full color, and clearly show the location
• It should not be heavily blurred, or largely obstructed by characters
• "Platform" or "portrait" style backgrounds will not earn the bonus
The following backgrounds would count as simple backgrounds:
✦ +10✨ Stargold || Complex Background Bonus --> Granted for illustrating a full, highly detailed background scene.
• Background scene must encompass the entire image and characters. The scene must feature all 3 or more layers of a landscape. (Foreground, middleground and background.)
• It should be detailed, full color, and clearly show the location.
• Should feature areas of high detail and complexity throughout all layers, such as berries on a bush, knickknacks on a bookshelf or rocks in the grass. Details should remain consistent through all layers.
• It should not be heavily blurred, or largely obstructed by characters
• "Platform" or "portrait" style backgrounds will not earn the bonus
The following backgrounds would count as complex backgrounds:
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Extra Story Bonus --> Granted if a 300 word story is included with your drawn entry.
• Story should be included in the description of your drawn entry submission
• Story should clearly describe the events taking place, or add onto what is being shown in the drawn entry
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Gift Art Bonus --> Granted for creating a gift art piece.
• A gift art entry must ONLY include characters from other users. If any characters owned by you are in the piece, even as the focus character, it will not count as gift art.
• Anyone can create a gift art entry. Gift art bonus also applies to any non-owners creating entries!
• Including your own companion will still allow the entry to gain the gift bonus.
✦ +More Stargold✨ || Additional Character Bonus --> Granted per additional character in an entry
• At least 50% of a additional character must be showing to count.
• Additional characters for this bonus should be part of the main focus of the scene, and not background characters
• Additional characters should not be heavily blurred or obstructed, or too far away from the focus of the image.
• Additional character bonus can be granted up to 5 times.
Focus Character --> +0✨ Stargold (+0)
1 Extra Character --> +3✨ Stargold (+3)
2 Extra Characters --> +6✨ Stargold (+3)
3 Extra Characters --> +10✨ Stargold (+4)
4 Extra Characters --> +14✨ Stargold (+4)
5 Extra Characters --> +18✨ Stargold (+4)
✦ +1✨ Stargold || Non Owner Bonus --> Granted Per additional character in an entry
• This is in addition to the additional character bonus, and it can only be gained by those who do not currently own any official celestial seas characters.
• The Focus Character will also grant +1 in the case of gift art
• All the requirements of the additional character bonus still apply.
This bonus is so that users without their own character can gain stargold slightly faster by drawing the characters of other users.
Additional Character Payout with non-owner bonus:
1 Extra Character --> +1 (total: +4) ✨ Stargold
2 Extra Characters --> +2 (total: +8) ✨ Stargold
3 Extra Characters --> +3 (total: +13) ✨ Stargold
4 Extra Characters --> +4 (total: +18) ✨ Stargold
5 Extra Characters --> +5 (total: +23) ✨ Stargold
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Community Character Bonus --> Granted for creating a piece featuring a community character!
• This can only be gained by non-owners using a community character.
• Can only be gained once per entry
❌ Does not stack with gift art bonus
✦✦✦
★ 1 Written Entry || 5✨ Stargold Base
★ Must be 800 words minimum.
★ Should clearly describe the events of the prompt
★ Base stargold is always included on an entry and you do not have to manually add it!
✦ +3✨ stargold || Extra Drawing Bonus --> Granted if you include a drawing relating to the events in your story
• Should clearly show the events of the story, events leading to the story, or events following the story
• Should meet minimum art requirement
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Gift Writing Bonus --> Granted for writing only about someone elses character.
• Cannot have any involvement from your own characters
• Should only be written about another user's character
• Including your own companion will still allow the entry to gain the gift bonus.
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Community Character Bonus --> Granted for creating a piece focused on a community character!
• This can only be gained by non-owners using a community character.
• Can only be gained once per entry
❌ Does not stack with gift bonus
✦ +More Stargold✨ || Word Count Bonus --> Granted for writing a certain amount above the minimum.
• The More you write, the more the bonus increases. Please use the chart to calculate your writing bonus.
• This bonus is calculated per 100 words rounded down.
• The cap bonus is 2200 words, bonus stargold will no longer be rewarded once you reach 2200. You may optionally write beyond this cap, however.
✦✦✦
★ Comic Entry || 6✨ Stargold Base
★ Must be at least 3 panels long✦ +2✨ Stargold || Fullbody Bonus --> Granted for including 75-100% of the focus character.
★ Should clearly show the events of the prompt
★ Can have dialogue or text on the images, but it is not required as long as what is happening is clear enough without text.
★ Can be top to bottom, or left to right. Choose which comic format best suits you!
★ One panel must show at least 50% of your focus character. (For visual examples of what counts, please refer to the additional character section. The character should not be heavily obscured and should clearly be the focus of the piece.)
★ A COMIC in the case of prompt entries should be a sequential series of events that tells a clear story about the focus character. Separate, unrelated scenes will not count towards the comic bonus and will reward no extra stargold past what a normal drawn entry grants.
• At least 75% of the focus character must be showing to count.
• This bonus only applies to the focus character.
✦ +2✨ Stargold || Panel Bonus --> Granted for each panel past the first 3
• Panels should be unique to count for the bonus, ie: copying the same panel with only very minor changes will not count as a new panel for this bonus.
• Panels should be of a consistent quality to count, large amounts of low detail panels, or a large amount of close zoom-ins will not count towards the panel bonus. Please only use close zoom ins if they specifically add to the story you are trying to tell!
• Panel bonus includes the required panels
• Panel bonus can be granted up to 9 times for a total of +18 stargold. (12 panels total)
• Comics can be longer than 12 panels but panels past that point will not count for this bonus.
✦ +5✨ Stargold || Simple Background Bonus --> Granted for illustrating a full background scene.
• Background scene must encompass the entire image and characters, has to show at least 2 out of 3 of the layers of a landscape. (Foreground, middleground and background.)
• It should be full color, and clearly show the location
• It should not be heavily blurred, or largely obstructed by characters
• "Platform" or "portrait" style backgrounds will not earn the bonus
The following backgrounds would count as simple backgrounds:
✦ +10✨ Stargold || Complex Background Bonus --> Granted for illustrating a full, highly detailed background scene.
• Background scene must encompass the entire image and characters. The scene must feature all 3 or more layers of a landscape. (Foreground, middleground and background.)
• It should be detailed, full color, and clearly show the location.
• Should feature areas of high detail and complexity throughout all layers, such as berries on a bush, knickknacks on a bookshelf or rocks in the grass. Details should remain consistent through all layers.
• It should not be heavily blurred, or largely obstructed by characters
• "Platform" or "portrait" style backgrounds will not earn the bonus
The following backgrounds would count as complex backgrounds:
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Gift Art Bonus --> Granted for creating a gift art piece.
• A gift art entry must ONLY include characters from other users. If any characters owned by you are in the piece, even as the focus character, it will not count as gift art.
• Anyone can create a gift art entry. Gift art bonus also applies to any non-owners creating entries!
• Including your own companion will still allow the entry to gain the gift bonus.
✦ + 3✨ Stargold || Additional Character Bonus --> Granted per additional character in an entry
• At least 50% of a additional character must be showing in at least 1 panel to count.
• Additional characters should be part of the main focus of the scene, or involved in some way with the events of the comic's story.
• Additional characters should not be heavily blurred or obstructed, or too far away from the focus of the image.
• Additional character bonus can be granted up to 5 times. This means you can include up to 5 extra characters in your comic. Your focus character does not count towards this bonus, so to achieve max character bonus you will be drawing 6 characters total. You can include more than 5 extra characters, but they will not count for stargold.
Focus Character --> +0 Stargold (+0)
1 Extra Character --> +3✨ Stargold (+3)
2 Extra Characters --> +6✨ Stargold (+3)
3 Extra Characters --> +10✨ Stargold (+4)
4 Extra Characters --> +14✨Stargold (+4)
5 Extra Characters --> +18✨ Stargold (+4)
✦ +1✨ Stargold || Non Owner Bonus --> Granted Per additional character in an entry
• This is in addition to the additional character bonus, and it can only be gained by those who do not currently own any official celestial seas characters.
• All the requirements of the additional character bonus still apply.
This bonus is so that users without their own character can gain stargold slightly faster by drawing the characters of other users.
Additional Character Payout with non-owner bonus:
1 Extra Character --> +1 (total: +4) ✨ Stargold
2 Extra Characters --> +2 (total: +8) ✨ Stargold
3 Extra Characters --> +3 (total: +13) ✨ Stargold
4 Extra Characters --> +4 (total: +18) ✨ Stargold
5 Extra Characters --> +5 (total: +23) ✨ Stargold
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Community Character Bonus --> Granted for creating a piece featuring a community character!
• This can only be gained by non-owners using a community character.
• Can only be gained once per entry
✦✦✦
★ Animation Entry
★ Must be at least 2 unique frames long
★ Should clearly show the events of the prompt
★ An animation entry should clearly show some form of movement and the frames should be unique or semi-unique. Nudging an image, adjusting lighting/hue, or simply moving a character without any difference in the drawing itself will not count as animation for the purposes of entry.
★ Reusing frames is allowed for looping, but reused frames do NOT count towards complexity
Please check animation examples!
Thank you to Miss-Italia for your input on animation entries and for providing some examples!
We are still testing animation entries, so further input is appreciated as we adjust it!
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Simple Animation
• An animation that has at least 2-3 unique frames and is more simplistic/static in terms of the motion(s) depicted. (Think: animatics.)
• Where you apply minimal animation is up to you. At minimum you must either animate the surroundings or animate the focus character.
• Range of motion can be relatively simple in nature. (i.e.: Slight bobbing, or idling animations)
• Cannot be applied with complex animation bonus
The following animations would count as simple animations:
✦ +5✨ Stargold || Complex Animation
• An animation that has at least 4 unique frames and flows more continuously than a simple animation. (Think: smooth cartoon animation.)
• The entire image does not need to be animated, you are also able to animate just the focus character, or just the background; however, range of motion must be significant enough to warrant the bonus. (A small twinkling star, or a character blinking will not count, additional motion may be requested to apply the bonus)
• Cannot be applied with simple animation bonus.
The following animations would count as complex animations:
✦ +5✨ Stargold || Background Bonus --> Granted for illustrating a full, detailed background scene.
• Background scene must encompass the entire image and characters.
• It should be detailed, full color, and clearly show the location
• It should not be heavily blurred, or largely obstructed by characters
• "Platform" or "portrait" style backgrounds will not earn the bonus
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Extra Story Bonus --> Granted if a 300 word story is included with your animated entry.
• Story should be included in the description of your drawn entry submission
• Story should clearly describe the events taking place, or add onto what is being shown in the drawn entry
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Gift Art Bonus --> Granted for creating a gift art piece.
• A gift art entry must ONLY include characters from other users. If any characters owned by you are in the piece, even as the focus character, it will not count as gift art.
• Anyone can create a gift art entry. Gift art bonus also applies to any non-owners creating entries!
• Including your own companion will still allow the entry to gain the gift bonus.
✦ +More Stargold✨ || Additional Character Bonus --> Granted per additional character in an entry
• At least 50% of a additional character must be showing to count.
• Additional characters for this bonus should be part of the main focus of the scene, and not background characters
• Additional characters should not be heavily blurred or obstructed, or too far away from the focus of the image.
• Additional character bonus can be granted up to 5 times.
Focus Character --> +0✨ Stargold (+0)
1 Extra Character --> +3✨ Stargold (+3)
2 Extra Characters --> +6✨ Stargold (+3)
3 Extra Characters --> +10✨ Stargold (+4)
4 Extra Characters --> +14✨ Stargold (+4)
5 Extra Characters --> +18✨ Stargold (+4)
✦ +1✨ Stargold || Non Owner Bonus --> Granted Per additional character in an entry
• This is in addition to the additional character bonus, and it can only be gained by those who do not currently own any official celestial seas characters.
• The Focus Character will also grant +1 in the case of gift art
• All the requirements of the additional character bonus still apply.
This bonus is so that users without their own character can gain stargold slightly faster by drawing the characters of other users.
Additional Character Payout with non-owner bonus:
1 Extra Character --> +1 (total: +4) ✨ Stargold
2 Extra Characters --> +2 (total: +8) ✨ Stargold
3 Extra Characters --> +3 (total: +13) ✨ Stargold
4 Extra Characters --> +4 (total: +18) ✨ Stargold
5 Extra Characters --> +5 (total: +23) ✨ Stargold
✦ +3✨ Stargold || Community Character Bonus --> Granted for creating a piece featuring a community character!
• This can only be gained by non-owners using a community character.
• Can only be gained once per entry
❌ Does not stack with gift art bonus
★ Extra Bonuses ★
★ Companion + MOUNT Bonuses
If you wish to gain any bonuses from a companion and/or mount you own in your drawn entry, you must clearly show the companion and/or mount in the main focus of the image.
Written entries must simply include a minimum of 1-2 sentences showing involvement of the companion and/or mount in the prompt to count for the bonus.✦ You must own the companion and/or mount for it to count.✦ Companions (including baby mounts) in drawn entries must show a minimum 75% to count for a bonus. Adult mounts must show a minimum of 50% to count for a bonus.
✦ This bonus can be obtained once per entry. This means that you can only benefit from ONE companion (including baby mounts) bonus per entry, and one adult mount bonus per entry. In the future it may be possible to gain this bonus more than once. It can stack with the WORN item bonus and USE item bonus.
✦ An event or prompt will specify if companions and/or mounts can be used.
✦ All companions and/or mounts have their rarity and any extra abilities listed on the masterlist, so be sure to keep track of their entries if you own one!
✦✦✦Companion + MOUNT bonuses by rarity
✦ Common Companion || +1✨ Stargold✦ Uncommon Companion || +2✨ Stargold
✦ Rare or Unique Companions || +3✨ Stargold✦ Baby Mount (Companion) || +2✨ Stargold
✦ Full Grown Mount || +3✨ Stargold✦ Rare or Unique Mount || +4✨ Stargold
★ Worn Item Bonuses
If you wish to gain any item bonuses/buffs from items you own in a drawn entry, you must clearly show your character wearing the item in some way. It does not have to be actively in use, but at least showing it on their person is enough to count!
Written entries must simply mention the item by name to be eligible for the bonus. While a length is not required, we recommend items with uses actually be incorporated into the prompt via their use.✦ You must own the item to use it.
✦ This bonus can be obtained once per entry, meaning you can only use ONE of these items when submitting. It can stack with the USE item bonus and companion bonus.
✦ An event or prompt will specify if items can be used.If you have any of these items, they can grant additional flat amount of stargold or additional effect:
★ Usable Item Bonuses
If you wish to gain any item bonuses/buffs from items you own in a drawn entry, you must clearly show your character with the item. It does not have to be actively in use, but at least showing it on their person is enough to count!
Written entries must simply mention the item by name to be eligible for the bonus. While a length is not required, we reccomend items with uses actually be incorporated into the prompt via their use.✦ You must own the item to use it.
✦ This bonus can be obtained once per entry, meaning you can only use ONE of these items when submitting. It can stack with the WORN item bonus and companion bonus.
✦ Certain items are one time use, where others can be used repeatedly.
✦ An event or prompt will specify if items can be used.If you have any of these items, they can be used with your entry to grant stargold or an additional effect:
★ Special Bonuses
Some events and quests will also grant extra stargold for featuring certain characters or prerequisites! If these bonuses are currently available, it will be stated in the event description.
✦ +1 ✨Stargold || Seasonal Bonus || Granted for certain seasonal designs being included in drawn entries.
• This bonus is sometimes granted towards seasonal events for specific designs released in the corresponding season.
• This bonus is in addition to the additional character bonus and must meet additional character requirements.
• This bonus can be granted to any season design in a piece up to a max of 5
--> During a summer themed event, summer designs get a bonus
--> During candleblight, autumn designs get a bonus
--> During Frostfall, winter designs get a bonus
✦ +4✨Stargold || Seasonal Bonus || Granted if your written entry is about a seasonal character,
• This bonus is sometimes granted towards seasonal events for specific designs released in the corresponding season.
• This bonus can only be counted once, and only for the main character you are writing about.
--> During a summer themed event, summer designs get a bonus
--> During candleblight, autumn designs get a bonus
--> During Frostfall, winter designs get a bonus
★ Additional Info ★
★ The Environment
Entries should clearly depict or describe the scenario presented by the prompt. You are free to do your own take on the prompt and any locations shown and are not required to directly copy or color pick reference material provided.
However, as an example, if the story takes place in a purple forest at night and an entry submitted shows a green forest during the day, it will not be a valid entry into that prompt.
★ Character Useage Permission
Always get permission before including other characters in your entry if they do not belong to you. If you are not comfortable with someones depiction of your character, or if you were not asked for permission, please contact @Celestial-Seas . Using characters without permission may require that you forfeit any stargold earned on an entry associated with that character.
★ Where can I find characters to draw or write for gift art or use as additional characters?
All characters that are OK for gift art can be found HERE.
★ Where can I find the community characters?
Community characters are going through a revision and will be added back in soon!
★ What Characters Count?
Only Celestial Seas characters will count for currency. That means browbirds, painted satyr, or kitbulls. However, you are allowed to include ANY characters from any universe so long as at least one character in the entry is an official Celestial Seas design. This would mean your non-Celestial Seas OCs, and any non-canon mount or companion species.
★ Browlets, Kittles, and Satyr Seedlings
All characters used in the ARPG should be depicted as an adult form to count for currency. If a character has all of their traits, it means they are an adult. Ungrown browlets and most child characters will not count for currency in most prompts. There may be certain "flashback" prompts that allow a character to be drawn at any age, and you are always able to make your character any age for personal roleplay.
★ What style of work is accepted? Where can it be hosted?
Drawing - Digital and traditional visual art work is okay for the group. Please do your best to get clear scans or photos of traditional work!
Writing - We will accept only digital written work. You may use DA journals or Google Docs. Please provide us with a word count when submitting.
★ Do entries have to be submitted to the DA group?
Nope! However it is strongly encouraged that you do submit them so that more people see your submissions!
★ Can I collaborate on an entry with other users?
At this time, collaborative entries are not being accepted. There may come a time in the future when we have specific prompts for collaborations, but we do not have an ETA on it.
★ How are entries judged?
Some of the entry "judging" will be based off other work in the user's gallery, specifically in the case of backgrounds/roughness. We believe this will help keep things fasir, since users of varying ages and art styles will be participating! Payouts are not based on "art quality" compared to other users and the primary details we look for are if the entry relates to the prompt and if we can understand what is happening in the story or image(s).
Staff will always have final say over the total stargold earned on a piece regardless of user estimates.
We will let you know if a payout is incorrect or if something included in an entry would not count, so you will have a chance to correct it and resubmit.
