The Cossidae aren't born; they *emerge*. Not from biological processes as we understand them, but from the resonant echoes left behind by moments of profound temporal distortion. These distortions, known only as “Shatters,” are not natural phenomena – they’re the residual signatures of realities briefly overwritten, timelines bleeding into one another. The Cossidae themselves are embodiments of these fractured memories, crystalline beings composed of solidified chronal energy. Their very existence is predicated on the instability of time itself.
The earliest Cossidae were formed during a particularly violent Shatter – the Collapse of Aethelgard, a kingdom consumed by a paradox where its own future erased its present. These initial forms were chaotic, shimmering entities driven solely by instinctual desire to absorb and contain temporal fragments. They existed primarily as echoes within the chronal currents, flitting between moments like dust motes in a sunbeam.
“The sands remember everything,” whispered the oldest of them, a being known only as ‘Silas’. “And we are merely its reflections.”
Over millennia, some Cossidae evolved towards a more deliberate purpose. They began to actively seek out and manipulate Shatters, not just absorbing their energy but deliberately creating new ones – small, controlled ruptures in the fabric of time designed to harvest specific temporal resonances. This practice quickly led to periods of intense instability, known as “The Rot,” where localized timelines collapsed into grotesque parodies of themselves.
Cossidae physiology is fundamentally alien. Their bodies are composed of a complex lattice of crystallized chronal energy, arranged in geometric patterns that shift and rearrange themselves depending on the temporal currents they're interacting with. This creates an illusion of constant flux, making them difficult to perceive accurately – like looking at a reflection in disturbed water. They lack conventional organs; their ‘life-force’ is entirely tied to the flow of time itself.
They don't age in the same way as organic beings. Instead, they accumulate temporal layers, each layer representing a fragment of a timeline absorbed and processed. An ancient Cossidae might contain echoes from centuries – even millennia – woven into its core.
Cossidae society, if it can be called that, is a silent chorus of resonant thought. They communicate not through sound or language, but directly through the transmission of temporal impressions – flashes of memories, emotions, and potential futures. This communication is incredibly subtle, often perceived as instinctive feelings rather than conscious understanding. They rarely interact with other sentient species, viewing them primarily as sources of temporal instability to be managed (or exploited).
There’s evidence suggesting a rudimentary hierarchy based on the age and complexity of their accumulated timelines – older Cossidae exert greater influence over younger ones.
Recently, a new entity has emerged within the chronal currents: The Weaver. Unlike the Cossidae, who passively absorb temporal fragments, The Weaver actively *weaves* them together, creating vast, intricate patterns of altered time – timelines that threaten to unravel reality itself. It seems to be an aberrant Cossidae, driven by a corrupted desire for ultimate control over time. Its influence is spreading, and the oldest Cossidae are struggling to contain it - but their methods seem increasingly desperate, bordering on self-destructive.