Lore Tile

Members of the Way of the Biocosm have long experienced persecution for their beliefs - whether from the Church of the Unexpected and the radical Daughters of Misfortune, who regard their teachings as heretical, or from the industrial and governmental bodies whose interests with regards to technological development stand at cross-purposes to Biocosmism's Luddite strains. For this reason, Biocosmists have developed a wide variety of strategies to conceal their membership, worship, and ideas from the prying eyes of outsiders who might wish to do them ill. The so-called 'lore tiles' are but one element of this system of secret knowledge.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

A lore tile is an otherwise normal ceramic or glass tile that has been subtly etched with text, diagrams, or symbology expressing an element of biocosmist thought. These tiles can range from as small as three inches across or as large as a foot across on a side, but they are always designed such that they blend in with their surroundings to make picking them out as religious objects more difficult.
Lore tiles are most commonly submerged in reflecting pools on the property of biocosmists or at their monasteries beyond the normal reach of The Human Arc. Tiles with mundane pictograms or text-like patterns will be interspersed with actual lore tiles to further complicate searches. The ripples and caustics of these pools, along with any tame aquatic life that might strike the fancy of the pools' owners, help to obscure these subtle signs from anyone not intentionally looking in the right place.
Occasionally, the pertinent etchings of a lore tile will actually be on the backside of the tiles or conceal a hidden compartment full of other important religious items. A small and obscure biocosmist symbol somewhere on the tile will be the only indicaiton that something is concealed behind it. These stretch the definition of a lore tile as such, as outside perusal by an adept of the religion will not provide any information. On the other hand, these have also been used as booby traps to expose or even injure would-be inquisitors looking for evidence of Biocosmist activities on a property.

Item type

Religious / Ritualistic