Madra. The fundamental energy of the sacred arts. Stored in the spirit’s core, refined from vital aura, projected through techniques.
Overview
Madra is “raw power of spirit, the material from which souls are made.” It is the fuel for all
A sacred artist’s madra aspect is typically determined early in their development and shapes every aspect of their Path. The records confirm that madra too different from one’s own cannot be safely gathered, and absorbing incompatible madra can cause “deviation,” damaging the core or worse. [SS Ch.6]
Vital Aura
Vital aura is the natural energy that permeates the world, building in all things over time. Stone accumulates earth aura; flames generate fire aura; blades give rise to sword aura. Sacred artists harvest vital aura through cycling and refine it into madra. [US Ch.2]
“Vital aura is the power of the world.” It builds in everything over time: ordinary stone left undisturbed for centuries can accumulate enough earth aura to become Titan’s Bone, a substance that is “all but unbreakable.” Sacred artists harvest aura from these natural sources, a process compared to “draining a bucket and waiting for rain to fill it back up.” The hunt for greater sources of vital aura drives much of sacred arts advancement. [BF Ch.11]
Cycling
Cycling is the meditation practice through which sacred artists gather vital aura from their surroundings and refine it into madra. Different cycling techniques produce different results: some expand core capacity, others refine madra quality, and others accelerate recovery. “Circulating madra through body” is the basic description, though the reality encompasses considerable sophistication. [US Ch.2]
The records identify four fundamental types of cycling technique, each serving a distinct purpose: absorbing and processing aura from the environment, powering a technique, restoring lost madra, and refining or controlling existing power within the core. Every Path includes cycling techniques for these different purposes. [BF Ch.4]
The Seven Aspects
While aspects of aura number “more than sparks in a wildfire,” seven are recognized as the most basic and easiest to cultivate: fire, earth, wind, water, force, blood, and life. Light aura is present everywhere but “difficult to convert to madra, required special techniques.” [BF Ch.6]
Most Paths combine two or more aspects to produce their characteristic madra. The
Known Madra Types
The following madra types are documented in the Omnicodex records. This list is not exhaustive; the simulation continues to process additional data.
| Madra Type | Aura Source | Notable Paths |
|---|---|---|
| Pure | None (universal) | |
| Fire | Flames, heat | |
| Earth | Stone, soil | Path of the Mountain’s Heart |
| Wind | Moving air | Path of Grasping Sky (with force) |
| Water | Water sources | Path of Twisting Rivers |
| Force | Impact, pressure | Path of the Dawn Oath |
| Blood | Living blood | Redmoon Hall paths |
| Life | Living things | Path of Jade Eyes |
| Sword | Bladed weapons | |
| Light | Sunlight, radiance | Path of Heaven’s Glory (with fire) |
| Dream | Thought, perception | Path of Ten Thousand Dreams |
| Shadow | Darkness, absence | Path of Eternal Night |
| Death | Decay, endings | Ghost-Blade paths |
| Destruction | Ruin, breaking |
Hunger Madra
A type distinct from all others, hunger madra is compatible with everything because dreadbeasts, from which it originates, carry all aspects. Early Soulsmith records from the Fisher clan had no name for it. Its origin traces to a single source: Subject One, the lone inhabitant of the labyrinth beneath Sacred Valley. The entire purpose of the labyrinth’s ancient research was to duplicate Subject One’s unique madra. [SK Ch.7, Ch.12]
Pure Madra
Pure madra carries no elemental aspect. In Sacred Valley, it is considered useless: “What sort of Path can you walk with no aspect?” This assessment, the records will show, proved comprehensively wrong. [US Ch.1]
Pure madra possesses a unique property: it is universally compatible. “Everybody can use pure madra.” This makes it the standard medium for Forging scales (the common currency of Cradle) and for maintaining constructs, where it can substitute for purified madra to keep parts fresh. Adding pure madra to other types is “like adding water to wine,” diluting but not disrupting. [SS Ch.10, BF Ch.1]
Pure madra has no corresponding vital aura. “No such thing as pure aura. Asking for pure aura is like asking for dry water.” This means pure madra practitioners cannot use Ruler techniques in the conventional sense, a significant limitation for combat applications. [SK Ch.5, BF Ch.11]
The Seven Principles of Pure Madra, authored by an Archlord Script Lord, provide the theoretical foundation for advanced pure madra use. The key insight is that pure madra is not water madra: it is “lighter, more delicate, more adaptable.” It serves as the foundation for all aspects. This principle, termed “Emptiness,” holds that pure madra dilutes other aspects by taking their place. [GW Ch.12, WS Ch.8]
Madra Compatibility
A sacred artist cannot safely gather madra too different from their own. Absorbing an incompatible Remnant causes “deviation,” and attempting to mix too many aspects within a single practitioner can cause the madra to violently mix, damaging the core or causing it to “rebound and tear body apart.” [SS Ch.6]
This principle governs much of sacred arts practice. Practitioners choose Paths whose aspects align with their natural madra, seek Remnants compatible with their own spirit, and avoid techniques that would introduce conflicting aspects into their core.
Scales
Madra scales are coins Forged of pure madra, “translucent and threaded with blue.” They serve as the universal currency of Cradle because anyone can absorb pure madra (“like adding water to wine”) and nobody can produce them directly without the effort of Forging. Even at higher advancement stages, a practitioner can only Forge a limited number of scales per day, as the process strains the channels. [SS Ch.10]
Veiling
Veiling is a technique that hides or contains a practitioner’s spiritual presence by keeping spirit movement slow and quiet. Pure madra is the “quietest” form of madra, making any veil created by a pure madra practitioner twice as effective as normal. Veiling allows stronger practitioners to disguise their true advancement level, appearing weaker to spiritual perception. [GW Ch.7, SK Ch.1]
Related Topics
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Sacred Arts -
The Spirit -
Techniques -
Soulfire -
Advancement