A category of ores that act as potent natural Lenses in their environments representing their corresponding Prismatic Expression. Animite is a foundational component in an Artifice utilizing Prisma.
Prominent Types of Animite
Lower Order Animite
The most abundant and well-documented Animite are those stained by the World’s three fundamental forces. Loamstone, Cinderstone, and Tidestone - each a product of Creation, Destruction, and Change respectively - are found wherever their corresponding force holds dominance, and are collectively considered the foundation of practical Prismatic craft. Their prevalence, combined with the reliability of their staining properties, is widely believed to be one of the reasons Lower Order Expressions are considered fundamental in the first place.
Loamstone
Hefty rock formed through the aeons of stone and decomposed matter being packed together. When refined, Loamstone manifests as an amber glass or metal with a subtle orange undertone and lends itself well to sturdy and Prisma-infused artifice, such as gauntlets, armor, shields enchanted weapons, and edifice.
Cinderstone
Rugged stones formed through the aftermath of heat, magma and ash. When refined, Cinderstone manifests as a silvery glass or metal with a rich green undertone, and lends itself well to simple and effective artifice, such as swords, axes, longbows, and siege vehicles
Tidestone
Malleable rock formed in large bodies of water, carved by the winds and waves. Tidestone, when refined, manifests as a dark glass or metal with a deep purple undertone, and lends itself well to intricate artifices such as daggers, firearms, rapiers, and currency.
Higher Order Animite
Where Lower Order Animite emerge from the World’s most ancient and pervasive forces, Higher Order Animite are rarer by nature — products of environments where two forces act in equal and sustained measure. For centuries, Composite Expressions were understood primarily as a product of artifice and refinement rather than something the World produced on its own terms.
The discovery of the Prismatic Wilds complicated that assumption considerably. In these anomalous regions, where competing forces have reached a kind of equilibrium, the World has begun producing native Higher Order Animite — stones that bear Composite Expression without any intervention at all. They remain poorly understood, and rarer still outside the Wilds themselves.