A Chronicle of the Veiled City
The city of Beroida exists between the breaths of dimensions. It isn’t anchored to any single reality, but rather drifts within the currents of the Astral Sea. The Obsidian Gate, a shimmering rift in the fabric of existence, is the key. Through it, the city receives – and sometimes loses – fragments of forgotten histories, echoes of civilizations consumed by the void. These aren’t mere memories; they are *impressions*, potent remnants that can alter the very landscape of Beroida, twisting architecture, influencing the minds of its inhabitants, and occasionally, summoning entities from the spaces between.
The Council of Chronomasters, composed of the most attuned minds in Beroida, dedicate their lives to interpreting these echoes. They meticulously record the data, attempting to discern patterns, predict shifts, and, most importantly, prevent the city from being swallowed whole by the chaotic tides of the Astral Sea. But the echoes are rarely clear. They often manifest as sensations – a sudden chill, a phantom scent of salt and rain, a fleeting glimpse of a face that isn’t your own.
“To understand the echo is to understand the absence. To know what is lost is to glimpse the potential for what *could* be.” – Master Theron, Keeper of the Chronarium.
A surge of temporal distortion centered around the Eastern Bazaar. The Council immediately recognized it as a Class-3 Echo – dangerously potent. Initial readings indicated a civilization obsessed with the manipulation of time, a society known only as the Chronosyn. Their technology was based on harnessing ‘chronal resonance,’ attempting to freeze and rewind localized moments. But their ambition led to their downfall, a catastrophic cascade of temporal paradoxes that consumed their entire empire.
The impact on Beroida was immediate. The market stalls warped, displaying wares from different eras – Roman pottery, Victorian fabrics, even pre-collapse technologies that shouldn’t exist. The air thickened with a metallic tang, and several merchants reported experiencing vivid flashbacks of battles they never fought.
The Council initiated ‘Harmonic Containment Protocol,’ deploying Chronal Stabilizers to mitigate the effect. However, the damage was already done. A single crimson flower, unnaturally vibrant and pulsing with energy, sprouted in the center of the Bazaar. It was designated the ‘Chronosyn Bloom’ and immediately became a focus of intense study. It seems to be acting as a nexus point, amplifying the residual chronal energy of the lost civilization.
Diagram of Chronosyn Bloom’s Temporal Signature (Simplified)
Some whispers speak of entities that dwell within the deeper currents of the Astral Sea, entities known only as the ‘Veiled Ones.’ They are theorized to be the source of the echoes themselves – fragments of consciousness adrift in the void, seeking a connection, a reflection of their lost selves. The Council believes that prolonged exposure to strong echoes can draw the attention of these beings, leading to… unpredictable consequences.