A Chronicle of Distortion and Revelation
The earliest records, fragmented and shimmering like heat haze, speak of dihalides as agents of fundamental disruption. Not in a destructive sense, per se, but as catalysts for a transformation of perception. It began, according to the ‘Chronicles of Xylos’ (a text undeniably reliant on auditory hallucinations), with the observation of ‘Silver Salts’ - predominantly silver chloride and silver bromide - reacting with the ambient luminescence of the subterranean rivers of Veridia. The initial reports centered around shifts in color, impossible angles, and echoes that didn’t originate from any discernible source. These were initially dismissed as the effects of prolonged exposure to the rhythmic pulsations of the Deepstone, a geological phenomenon believed to be the heart of Veridia.
“The Silver Salts whisper of realities unseen, of geometries that unravel the fabric of the known.” - Xylos, Chronicle of the Shifting Sands
Decades later, a radical new theory emerged, championed by the eccentric Professor Silas Blackwood. Blackwood proposed the ‘Resonance Theory,’ suggesting that dihalides weren’t merely reflecting light, but actively manipulating it – and, more disturbingly, the consciousness of those exposed. He argued that the crystalline structure of the dihalides created a field of vibrational energy that interacted with the brain’s neural pathways, inducing synesthesia and altering the subjective experience of time and space. Blackwood's experiments, conducted within a heavily shielded chamber filled with a swirling mist of silver iodide, yielded increasingly bizarre results: participants reported tasting colors, hearing the scent of static, and experiencing vivid, disjointed memories of events that never occurred.
Key Variables: Silver Chloride (AgCl), Silver Bromide (AgBr), atmospheric humidity, and the ‘depth’ of the observer’s subconscious.
The Veridian Paradox, as it became known, was the central enigma surrounding dihalides. It posited that prolonged exposure resulted not in madness, but in a state of heightened awareness – a temporary transcendence of the limitations of human perception. Individuals subjected to extended ‘sessions’ (as they were euphemistically termed) claimed to have glimpsed the underlying structure of reality, communicating in complex patterns of light and shadow. However, this state was invariably followed by a period of profound disorientation and a complete inability to articulate their experiences. The records suggest that the Veridian rivers themselves may be somehow implicated, possibly as a conduit for these fleeting encounters.
It’s theorized that the rhythmic pulsations of the Deepstone are not just geological, but a form of ‘information’ transmitted through the dihalides.
Recent investigations have focused on the concept of ‘Temporal Echoes.’ Utilizing advanced chrono-resonance scanners (a device so complex it resembles a shattered kaleidoscope), researchers have detected faint, repeating patterns within the emissions of dihalides. These patterns, when translated into a visual format, appear to depict events from the distant past – moments of intense geological activity, the rise and fall of extinct species, even, disturbingly, the construction of the Veridian cities themselves. The implication is that dihalides are not simply reflecting light, but acting as extraordinarily sensitive temporal recorders, capturing and replaying echoes of the past.
The scale of the echoes is difficult to comprehend; some suggest they extend beyond the confines of Veridia, reaching back to the formation of the planet itself.