Power System
Core Types & Stages
The cultivation system is based on the development and refinement of one's Core - the center of a cultivator's power that channels and stores mana.
Core Development Stages:
1. Fragmented - Damaged or incomplete pathways; severely limits advancement
2. Blooming - Initial stable formation; core begins to grow
3. Tempered - Hardened and more resilient
4. Refined - Optimized pathways with maximum efficiency
5. Crystalline - Solidified into unbreakable structure
6. Astral - Transcends physical limitations
7. Arcane - Becomes mystery itself; incomprehensible power
8. Mythic - Absolute peak of mortal cultivation (extremely rare)
Each stage has three sub-levels: Low, Mid, Peak
Cultivation Ranks
Power levels that determine a cultivator's overall strength:
1. Mortal - No cultivation; baseline humanity
2. Initiate - First step; basic mana manipulation
3. Adept - Significant combat capability; regional threats
4. Expert - Exceptional ability; city-level power
5. Master - Rare power; kingdom-level threats
6. Grandmaster - Legendary; continent-shaking (~100 alive)
7. Sovereign - Nearly mythical (fewer than 24 worldwide)
8. Paragon - Barely real (~5 confirmed)
9. Transcendent - Living legends (4 total)
10. Demigod - Transcended mortality itself (3 people exist at this level)
Core Advancement Process
The Container Metaphor:
- A newly formed core is like a cup (small capacity)
- When completely filled with mana, you reach "Peak" of that rank
- Advancement = forcing the container to expand (cup → jug → barrel, etc.)
- Requires flooding every cell with mana to accommodate new capacity
- Painful, dangerous, potentially fatal if done incorrectly
- Rapid advancement without proper foundation causes instability
Statistics System
Primary Stats
Each stat is ranked from F (lowest) to EX (highest), with modifiers:
- (-) = Low end of the rank
- (+) = High end of the rank / ready to advance
- No modifier = Mid-range
Core Stats:
- Strength - Physical power and raw force
- Agility - Speed, reflexes, and coordination
- Endurance - Stamina, resilience, physical toughness
- Mana - Magical power and spell potency
- Mana Well - Mana capacity and regeneration rate
- Will - Mental fortitude and magical resistance
- Perception - Sensory acuity and danger sense
- Charm - Social influence and physical appeal
Special Attributes
Bloodline - Inherited traits from powerful ancestors (e.g., dragon blood, ancient hero lineage)
Authority - God-given powers reserved for exceptional individuals
- Rare and powerful
- Examples: Flame Authority, Shadow Authority
- Only very special people have these
Talent - Innate abilities
- Example: Absolute Genius - vastly accelerated learning, intuitive understanding of complex concepts
Skills System
Skill Acquisition
Skills can be learned through:
1. Training - Traditional practice and development
2. Skill Cores - Crystallized abilities that grant instant proficiency
- Expensive and rare
- Bypass normal cultivation requirements
- Imprint directly onto body's muscle memory and neural pathways
- Risk: Multiple cores absorbed quickly can cause neural damage or paralysis
Skill Rankings
Like stats, skills are ranked F through EX indicating proficiency level.
Common Skills:
- Swordsmanship - Blade combat proficiency
- Mana Manipulation - Control over magical energy
- Inspect - Ability to analyze targets and objects
- Higher ranks reveal more information
Notable Skill Cores
- Combat Reflex - Enhanced perception and attack prediction
- Scarlet Leap - High-speed burst movement for closing/creating distance
- Instant Transmission - Short-range teleportation (10-15 feet, has cooldown)
- Regeneration - Accelerated healing factor
Combat Mechanics
Mana Enhancement
Cultivators can channel mana through:
- Weapons - Increases cutting power, durability
- Body - Enhances physical capabilities
- Techniques - Powers special attacks and abilities
Mana Conductivity: Some materials (like Water Attributed Steel) conduct mana better, multiplying effectiveness.
Rank Disparities
Generally, each rank difference represents approximately 5x power multiplication:
- 1 Adept ≈ 5 Initiates
- 1 Expert ≈ 5 Adepts ≈ 25 Initiates
- However, skill, tactics, and special abilities can bridge gaps
Note: This contains only information revealed through the current narrative progression. Additional classifications and details will be disclosed as the story unfolds.