The Ore

A common depiction of the Ore.

## Overview

The Ore is one of the primary deities of the Turin faith of Toria. He is the deity of the wilderness, animals, the sea and the sky; all things naturally born of the planet itself. He watches over nature, good harvest, grants protection from storms, and guides the passage of ships. He is also seen as a creator being and the father of the other members of the Steel Pantheon.

## Appearance and Symbols

The Ore is often depicted as a large man with a long hair and full beard. Like all Turin deities, the Ore has polished metallic skin underneath robes of fluid metal, no mouth, and fine lines of glowing energy spread all across his body.

In the case of the Ore, his skin is more raw then the others, stony rather than polished. He is sometimes depicted as having crystals or stone within this metallic skin, often growing out and through the flesh.

His primary symbol is that of a polished, five sided gemstone, though he has many others connected to him due to his ruling of the domain of nature.

## Worshippers

Those that worship the Ore above the other five tend to have occupations closely linked to the weather, the seasons or the land. Farmers, sailors and those that work with animals often worship the Ore.

The Ore is also worshiped by those wishing to do good by being grounded and solid - as steadfast as the earth beneath their feet. Their methods of creation are more about using what is at hand, rather than seeking out alternatives.

## History

### Mythology

The Ore, alongside his wife the Marred, are seen as the creator deities in the Turin faith. They formed the world of Verramar from the Unseen Flame Uuraia, along with the seas, the skies, the plants and animals. At this time, they viewed this creation as a thing of beauty, and they would often compete with each other to see who could make the best tree, animal, fish or mountain.

After a time, they created their four children, The Delver, The Smith, The Artisan and The Guard. These bore new aspects of creation; concepts of reform, of mixing together raw materials in new and interesting ways. The Ore was happy with these children, but the Marred secretly wished they'd been less talented. She grew jealous of the ease they they took to creation.

After these children gave the gift of life to some of the beasts of the land, creating the sentient races, the Ore was extremely pleased. His children had bettered his creation by making beings capable of creating themselves. But this joy was short lived. The jealously of the Marred had reached it's limit.

Behind her families back, she had created the Cursed Ones, and sent them to destroy all that her family had built. They rushed across the world faster then the Ore and his children could stop, killing and corrupting those they passed. The Marred and her cursed ones created the first of the destructive emotions, and spread them amongst the survivors.

With that, the Ore went against his wife, a hole in his heart. With his children at his side, they were able to cage her in the sky, trapping her vast power within the void that surrounded the planet. The Marred lashed out, her strength manifesting as the first night, but going no further than the sky.

The Ore and his children then gifted the people of Verramar the strength and power to survive, inversing the destructive emotions with their positive counterparts. They also imbued an individual with a great amount of magic; the Brightwalker. With them at the head of the army, The Cursed Ones were pushed back and banished forever.

In the aftermath, the Ore tried to cleanse the land of the Marred's treachery, but as she was his equal he was unable to banish it. All things destructive he was able to control and redirect, but not stop. All things negative he could only equal with positive, not destroy. However, the people of Verramar could choose to do better, thereby curing the corruption of the Marred.

So, he and his children spread their word, to do good and to create; to leave the world better with the life they had. If so, they would be rewarded, but if they clung to the ways of the Marred, they would join her in her prison.

### Archaeologically

The Ore is one of Toria's oldest dieties, aside from the Smith, with aspects of him dating back to the early tribes that roamed the nation. The connection between him and the Marred far predates modern Torian belief as well. It is very likely that he and the Smith were, at one point, the same deity.