Advancement and XP

Advancement is a survival skill on Cradle. Humans need vital aura and madra — at birth, it’s pure madra — because in this mythos, the planet is just incredibly large, increasing the gravity, the G-forces, on the human body. Madra helps strengthen the body enough to withstand these forces.

Following their chosen Path, sacred artists develop their spiritual power or madra by cycling vital aura. The sacred arts are structured in such a way as to naturally lead to advancement. However, humans advance differently than sacred beasts or sacred trees.

Levels at a Glance

• Foundation: At the Foundation level, young sacred artists can cycle pure madra to very slightly strengthen their body or activate scripts.
  Copper: The sacred artist develops Copper Sight, an awareness of vital aura in the surrounding environment, and begins to cycle aspected madra.
  
• Iron: At the Iron level, sacred artists gain an Iron body that increases physical endurance, or flexibility, or speed, etc.
  
• Jade: The sacred artist develops Jade senses, which is spiritual awareness. This is also the last stage to prepare ahead for the Gold Realm and beyond by developing an excellent cycling technique and beginning to really push the madra channels throughout the entire body.
  
• Gold: Power up! Typically, at Lowgold, a sacred artist will adopt a Remnant and gain a Goldsign. Or else, contract with a sacred beast. Gold is split into three levels: Lowgold, Highgold, and Truegold.
  
• Underlord: Is the first of the lord realm and rare to reach. At underlord a sacred artist is reborn in soulfire, body and spirit, with an even more advanced perfect Iron body. Aging process slows down. Ability to create soulfire and activate Lord-level weapons, to limited extent. Increased spiritual and physical power.
  
• Overlord: Reborn in soulfire again. Your soulfire gains a greater depth and potency. Can access more advanced weapons. Increased spiritual and physical power.
  
• Archlord: Washed in soulfire a third time, strengthening the body and the spirit even more. Can employ Archlord-level weapons. Increased spiritual and physical power. Aging slows significantly.
  
• Sage : Authority. Will. Grow in spiritual power. Manifest an Icon. Spatial shenanigans. Touch the Way. Aging stops.
  Ordering of Sage/Herald order could go either way
  
• Herald : Merged body and spirit. Achieve superior strength. Leap tall buildings in a single step. Aging stops.
  
• Monarch: Achieved by reaching both Herald and Sage.
  

In this game XP will not be applied to character sheets like normal. All XP will be awarded towards advancement. When a player advances they will be given a number of points to add to their sheet to represent their appropriate level of advancement. Character sheet changes between games will be rare.