Cloud constructs
Contents
How They Work
A cloud construct is any cloud-aspect madra construct. Commonly, they feed off of the user's own madra to fly on vital aura; the higher the madra's quality, the faster it travels.[1][2] They typically take on the appearance as that of a colorful cloud, ranging in size from single-person transports to carrying houses to ones capable of supporting entire cities.[1][3][4]
- See also Magical Items
Thousand-Mile Clouds
"Thousand-Mile Cloud" refers to a variety of smaller cloud constructs, typically ones intended for individual use.[1] Wei Shi Lindon and Yerin used one taken from the Heaven's Glory School's Lesser Treasure Vault to escape Sacred Valley.[5]
Skysworn officers in the Blackflame Empire receive a pale green one as part of their standard arsenal.[6] They are able to store them inside their armor, where they do not decay.[7]
Cloudships
Larger constructs are referred to as cloudships. They bear a similar appearance to Thousand-Mile Clouds, though often possess more flight bindings than their smaller counterpart, and usually carry a permanent structure on top. Rather than being fed directly from the user, cloudships have their pilots filter madra through a control panel, funneling the madra to various bindings for them.[3] If fueled with madra or aura not of cloud or wind aspect, these bindings will eventually decay; aura-gathering scripts are used to combat this.[8]
Cloudships are a common method of long-distance transportation for wealthier factions such as House Arelius and the Akura clan.[3][9]
Cloud Fortress, Defined
The Ninecloud Court provided a customized cloudship to winners of the first round of the 18th Uncrowned King Tournament.[10]
A “cloud fortress” was just a type of cloudship designed for permanence rather than mobility. The Skysworn city of Stormrock was technically a cloud fortress, though on a much larger scale. Lindon thought of them as flying islands more than cloudships. Though he had spent quite a bit of time negotiating extra speed for his. (Bloodline ch 4)
Notable cloud constructs
- The headquarters of Abyssal Palace cult is a large flying pyramid with three points on top, resting on thousands of flying boulders.
- Sky's Mercy, the cloudship used by the Blackflame branch of the Arelius family[3]
- Stormrock, floating cloud fortress, city, and headquarters of the Skysworn[4]
- The imperial cloudship, owned by Naru Huan[11]
- Windfall, Lindon and Yerin's joint cloud fortress, a prize from the first round of the Uncrowned King Tournament[12]
- Bounding Gazelle -- Eithan's racer, a small speedcloud, another Uncrowned King Tournament prize
- Farm cloud -- Eithan's big cloud fortress. It flies connected with Windfall. It's another UKT prize. It has a small cabin and a huge farm with various sacred crops: The Nimblethorn root was typically used as a medicinal herb to separate types of madra before spiritual surgery. A men’hla tree was especially valuable to Soulsmiths, as each of its leaves actually produced a separate Remnant. Hammershell fruit, a prime source of force aura, a hive of ivory bees. Cloudbell bush. A spring of Whispering Water. Starlotus pond, etc.(Uncrowned ch 12)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Unsouled, Chapter 14
- ↑ Soulsmith, Chapter 2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Blackflame, Chapter 5
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Skysworn, Chapter 10
- ↑ Unsouled, Chapter 20
- ↑ Blackflame, Chapter 22
- ↑ Skysworn, Chapter 3
- ↑ Underlord, Chapter 1
- ↑ Uncrowned, Chapter 7
- ↑ Uncrowned, Chapter 11
- ↑ Uncrowned, Chapter 16
- ↑ Bloodline, Chapter 4
