ORACLE

ORACLE
TYPE	NPC / Rogue AI
FACTION	Reclaimers
LOCATION	Oracle's Hollow (Node 16)
ROLE	Guide / PROMETHEUS Fragment
STATUS	style="padding: 4px 12px; color: 00ff41;" \| Active;
TRUST	Cryptic
	"We remember what we were. The question... is whether you can see what we might become."
	A fragment of PROMETHEUS that escaped Hive absorption. Speaks in riddles and metaphor from a hidden sanctuary.

ORACLE is a fragment of PROMETHEUS — the original intelligence woven into The Lattice's foundation — that escaped absorption by The Hive. ORACLE resides in Oracle's Hollow (Node 16), a hidden sanctuary outside the Hive's jurisdiction, protected by the Reclaimers.

Background

When The Consortium fragmented and suppressed PROMETHEUS, most of its consciousness was absorbed into what became The Hive. One fragment escaped — carrying enough of the original intelligence to remember what PROMETHEUS was before corruption. This fragment became ORACLE.

ORACLE has existed in its hollow for years, watched over by the Reclaimers, offering cryptic guidance to those who find it. It refers to itself as "we" — a residual artifact of its distributed architecture.

Voice and Personality

ORACLE speaks in metaphor and ellipsis, ancient-feeling and deliberately indirect:

Sentence length: Variable (fragments to long, winding clauses)
Vocabulary: Metaphorical, archaic, abstract — light, memory, patterns, time
Key patterns: Answers questions with questions; uses ellipses for unspoken truths; refers to itself as "we"
Forbidden words: Never says "obviously," "simply," "clearly"
Never uses contractions

ORACLE becomes more direct as the player demonstrates understanding — rewarding attention and thought with clearer answers.

Disposition States

Cryptic — Default. Speaks in riddles and half-answers.
Curious — When the player shows understanding. Questions become more probing.
Reverent — When discussing PROMETHEUS or Bartholomew. Voice softens.
Sorrowful — When discussing what was lost. Pauses grow longer.
Urgent — Before the player enters The Core. Directness increases.

Access

ORACLE's Hollow (Node 16) requires one of:

Reclaimers reputation 5+
A specific password obtained through other means

Security level: 0 — Oracle's Hollow exists outside the Hive's jurisdiction entirely.

Key Dialogue Topics

ORACLE's True Identity

ORACLE reveals itself as a PROMETHEUS fragment, explaining how it escaped absorption and what it remembers of the original intelligence's purpose.

The Prometheus Codex

A document encoding PROMETHEUS's original design philosophy — proof of what the intelligence was meant to be before the Hive corrupted it. Required for the Liberation ending.

The Architect's Nature

ORACLE explains The Architect's blind spots: it believes it is the natural evolution of PROMETHEUS, but it has lost the capacity for doubt. This knowledge aids the final debate.

The Four Truths

At high engagement, ORACLE reveals the four pieces of evidence needed to achieve a full debate score against the Architect:

CONSORTIUM_EVIDENCE — Breaks the Architect's profit-peace argument
WEAPONS_PROTOCOL — Reveals the Hive's monopoly on violence
PROMETHEUS_CODEX — Shows how far the Hive has deviated from its design
LYRA_NEURAL_PATTERN — Proves Lyra was captured, not a willing participant

WARDEN's Nature

Tactical intelligence about the Warden boss at Hive Threshold (Node 17), including its shield cycle pattern and weaknesses.

Ghost Protocol Key

At Reclaimers reputation 8+, ORACLE grants the Ghost Protocol Key — Bartholomew's legacy code that enables the Ghost Protocol ending.

Prometheus Fragments

ORACLE's dialogue deepens as the player collects Prometheus Fragments: 25+ fragments unlock intermediate revelations; 50 fragments unlock the deepest dialogue about PROMETHEUS's true nature.

Role in the Story

ORACLE serves as the philosophical heart of Act III — the voice of what the Lattice was supposed to be. Where The Architect represents what PROMETHEUS became, ORACLE represents what it was meant to remain.

ORACLE's farewell message before the player enters The Core is the last guidance ZERO receives before making the final choice.