Orasian
| Orasian | |
|---|---|
| Plural | Orasians |
| Spirit Origin | Oras |
| Classification | Memory Born |
| Homeland | Terasil |
| Average Height | 8 tall tall |
| Average Lifespan | 200-300 years |
| Language | Orathic |
| Factions | Council of Stone |
Orasians are earth born humans beings native to Terasil, formed from the coalesced consciousness of earth and creativity. Their society is grounded in principles of endurance, stillness, and slow transformation, which shape all aspects of their culture and worldview.
Biology and Physical Traits
Orasians have skin of living stone, their bodies reflecting various types of rock. Over time, they undergo subtle changes due to erosion and mineral accretion.
- Living Stone: Composed of various minerals and rock types. Body composition affects resilience and personality traits.
- Durability: Resistant to temperature extremes, pressure, and physical damage.
- Geological Variation: Surface features vary by region.
Some Orasians, known as Ancients, have endured for hundreds of years. These ancients are often very small due to years of erosion. These Ancients are revered for the continuity of their consciousness and the clarity of their thought.
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Culture and Society
Orasians live in harmony with the land, guided by ancestral memory, ritual meditation, and a caste structure aligned with the natural world.
Spirituality and Beliefs
Orasian spirituality centers around the belief that consciousness is inherent within the earth and that the slow transformation of stone reflects the deeper rhythms of existence. Their belief system is not based on divine command or revelation, but on memory and the enduring presence of the land itself.
The primary spiritual framework is the Stone Cycle—a philosophy that sees all existence as a continuous process of formation, erosion, collapse, and renewal. Rather than fearing dissolution, Orasians embrace erosion as a sacred transition, a return to the greater whole.
They revere Oras the primordial spirit of earth, who is acknowledged as the stabilizing force and source of their essence.
Practices include:
- Meditation – Tuning oneself to the memories of the surrounding stone to access ancestral memory or insight.
- Communion Chambers – Cavernous spaces where Orasians gather to harmonize with the land and one another.
- Erosion Rituals – Ceremonies held for Orasians entering decline, honoring their return to stillness rather than mourning loss. The remains of Orasians are returned to the earth itself.
Spiritual authority is mostly decentralized. Lore keepers, the caste of spiritual historians and interpreters, guide reflection and practice through ancient inscriptions rather than doctrine. Belief is expressed through structure, not enforcement—through enduring participation in the rhythms of the land.
Mythology and Legends
The Orasian mythic tradition includes creation, conflict, and continuity.
The Awakening
Describes the first emergence of sentient stone spirits, predating speech and form, when consciousness coalesced in silence.
The Erosion Wars
Historical conflicts of the spirits of earth, caused by external elemental intrusion and internal divergence. Their legacy is etched into Terasil’s terrain.
The Slumbering Ancients
Legends tell of colossal Ancestral spirits of earth, dormant in hidden strata, whose awakening would signal tectonic change.
The Shattered Pillar
A foundational myth centers on a monolith believed to have anchored the first consciousness. Its fragments are dispersed across Terasil.
Bibliography
- Stone Echoes: Early Orasian Rituals and Records
- The Measured Earth: A Geomantic History of Terasil
- Before Wind and Flame: A Chronology of Isolation