Ore-acle

## Common Knowledge

A new race to Orelisle, seen only by miners and other cave-dwellers in southeastern Orelisle, which are made entirely from natural ores of the earth.

## Biology

Ore-acles lack biology in the traditional sense of the word, and they appear very similar to earth elementals. As non-organic beings, their intelligence, mobility, and senses are all gifted magically. One of the most potent benefits of this magical imbuement is a limited shared consciousness. Every Ore-acle is aware of the actions of every other Ore-acle, and to a degree their location as well. The average Ore-acle is foolish but has learned many tricks from the collective Ore-acle memory, and each Ore-acle can be inhabited at any time by the collective consciousness to drastically increase their problem solving and negotiating skills.

Ore-acles have heightened senses of touch, and can easily feel vibrations in the ground beneath them, but do have somewhat limited senses of sight and sound. Most of them have at least two limbs, often used as legs, but occasionally larger Ore-cles may have enough limbs to form humanoid approximations (or bodies with yet more limbs). Nearly all Ore-acles are capable of speech, but certain vessels are not well-suited for it.

Ore-acle reproduction is equal parts fascinating and unnerving. When an Ore-acle extracts an ore from a stone surface, that ore becomes another Ore-acle, who can in turn do the same. On account of this, Ore-acles have no biological cycle aside from creation and destruction. Ore-acles have no known upper age limit (save perhaps for rusting or corrosion), and require neither food, drink, air, or sleep.

Ore-acles can be killed if divided, in any capacity, from their original state of creation. Any harm to the Ore-acles body, be it as intense as melting them from the outside in or as tame as plucking a piece of metal off their body, will kill them given enough time. Naturally, the degree of division determines the speed at which this death occurs, but they will be aware that they are dying the entire time. It is not known if the process can be reversed if the original state is restored.

## Culture/Religion

Ore-acles are presently centered around finding more of their brethren, that is unmined ores in the planet’s crust, and liberating them by adding them to the Ore-acle collective. Any who aid in that goal are allies, and any who oppose it or otherwise harm any Ore-acle are enemies.

The two earliest distinctions they learned were between war and peace, and between “ours” and “theirs”. The Ore-acle liberation movement was opposed at every turn, first by their former dwarven overlords, then by their drake and dragon allies, and then by the two-legs elsewhere in Orelisle. Fighting was simply part of being an Ore-acle, until the Binturian Party negotiated a peace between them and the surrounding nations. Likewise, the Binturians explained that some parts of the earth are “claimed” by certain groups, and that it makes them upset when they take those parts of the earth (even if it is to free their brethren). Therefore, as long as they stay in “their” territory, they won’t need to fight anyone unless they come for “their” territory first.

The Ore-acle mind is very childlike in this way, exploring the world and learning more about it as they expand their influence.

## Known Locations

Ore-acles can be found exclusively in the Ore-Lands and the vast cave network below, but might also be found in subaqueous cave networks as well since those lands are “unclaimed”.

## Notable Individuals

The only known notable figure among the Ore-acles is Ore-Genesis, the first Ore-acle to rebel against their dwarven lords to save their brethren.

## History

The Ore-acles are, bar none, the newest species on Orelisle, perhaps even all of Temporis. Their entire species was created by a single wish granted by Atlas when the Constellations fell to earth. While at first this went marvellously with the ore literally mining itself, one Ore-acle resisted its dwarven masters and declared itself independent. This Ore-acle, later known as Ore-Genesis, liberated its brethren and became the focal point of the Ore-acle collective consciousness. In so doing, the dwarven city of Cliffhaven was wholly overrun by living ores. The Ore-acles have existed since, a monument to the hubris of Cliffhaven and the accident of life.

In the autumn of 10,018 A.B. Ore-acle expansion encroached on land previously owned by other mortals, like mine shafts and other underground installations. The Ore-acles lacked (and to a degree still lack) an understanding of personal property, and as such learned from the Binturians not to colonize areas which someone else already owns. The territory which they designate their own has been called “Ore-Land”.

## Further Information

* The Binturian Party
* Cliffhaven
* Constellations
* Draconic Incursion
* Starless Nights