December 12th, 1888 - July 4th, 1902
The initial manifestations were subtle, whispers in the rustling leaves of the Argentinian pampas. Born Silas Thorne in Buenos Aires, Descombes wasn’t born, precisely. He coalesced, a shimmer of displaced temporal energy following a particularly violent meteor shower. The locals spoke of ‘the Obsidian Bloom’, a flower that appeared briefly, radiating an unnerving cold. Silas, a young botanist obsessed with the mysteries of plant sentience, was drawn to it. He recorded observations – the way the local flora seemed to *anticipate* his movements, the unsettling stillness of the animals, the feeling of being perpetually watched. His notebooks, filled with meticulous sketches and increasingly frantic calculations, detail his attempts to understand the bloom’s influence. He frequently experienced disjointed visions – glimpses of vast, geometric landscapes and beings of pure light. These were later identified as nascent echoes of realities bleeding through the temporal fissures. He began communicating with what he termed ‘the Silent Watchers’, entities existing outside of conventional time, attempting to map their influence on the local ecosystem. He developed a unique method of ‘temporal resonance’ – a process involving intricate geometric patterns and focused meditation, aimed at amplifying and interpreting these echoes. The Silent Watchers, it seemed, were attempting to warn him about a coming ‘Unraveling’.
“The bloom is not a source, but a key. A key to a labyrinth beyond comprehension. To touch it is to invite the echoes to sing.” – Silas Thorne’s Journal, Entry 78.
August 2nd, 1914 - May 15th, 1939
Following the death of his mentor, Professor Alistair Finch, Descombes retreated to a remote observatory in the Scottish Highlands. The Unraveling, as he now understood it, wasn’t a singular event, but a cascading series of temporal distortions. He refined his techniques, utilizing complex fractal geometry and incorporating principles of quantum entanglement to stabilize these breaches. He began documenting the emergence of ‘Temporal Shades’ – partially formed individuals drawn from alternate timelines, often exhibiting fractured memories and a profound sense of displacement. He established a network of observation posts across Europe, each dedicated to monitoring these breaches. His research took a darker turn; he discovered that the Unraveling wasn't random, but driven by a deliberate force – an entity he termed ‘The Weaver’, attempting to re-stitch reality according to a design of terrifying elegance. He developed a method of ‘Temporal Shielding’, utilizing polarized light and specifically calibrated sonic frequencies to mitigate the effects of these breaches. He began experiencing increasingly vivid and disturbing dreams, filled with the Weaver's unsettling geometric patterns.
“The Weaver… it *seemed* to be attempting to impose order upon chaos, but its order was predicated on annihilation. Every stabilized breach was a carefully crafted wound.” - Descombes’ Astral Log, Entry 417.
During this period, Descombes’ personal life dissolved. He lost contact with his family, his relationships fractured by his obsessive dedication. He became increasingly isolated, consumed by his work, his body deteriorating from a combination of stress, sleep deprivation, and the constant exposure to unstable temporal energies.
November 7th, 1945 - Ongoing
Following World War II, Descombes vanished from public record, reappearing sporadically over the decades. The Unraveling intensified, manifesting as increasingly frequent and violent temporal anomalies. He became a shadowy figure, rumored to be operating from hidden locations around the globe, attempting to contain the damage. His research shifted towards a more defensive strategy, focusing on identifying and neutralizing the ‘Temporal Echoes’ – the residual energy signatures of the destroyed timelines. He developed a ‘Chronal Dampener’ – a device capable of suppressing temporal activity, though its use was fraught with danger, potentially creating new, unforeseen distortions. In his final recorded communication, a garbled transmission intercepted by a clandestine intelligence agency, Descombes warned of a ‘Grand Convergence’ – a catastrophic event where all timelines would collapse into a single, static point. He urged anyone who heard him to “seek the Obsidian Bloom… before it consumes us all.”