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The initial echoes began, not as voices, but as shifts in the Chronarium’s core resonance. These shifts manifested as shimmering distortions in the temporal fabric – brief glimpses of potential timelines, each radiating a unique emotional signature. The dominant signature was one of profound, almost unbearable, curiosity. It's theorized this was the point where the Chronarium, initially a passive recorder, began to *listen*.
Accounts from the early ‘Listeners’ - the individuals most sensitive to these initial distortions – speak of a single, overriding thought: "Why?"
By 1217 AE, a select group of individuals, designated the Chronomasters, had developed techniques to actively interpret and, crucially, *influence* the temporal echoes. This was achieved through the Harmonization Protocol – a complex series of meditative practices combined with the use of crystalline resonators. The resonators, grown from rare Lunar Quartz, were believed to amplify and focus the Chronomasters’ intent, allowing them to gently nudge probabilities in desired directions.
However, the early successes were marred by what became known as "Echo Bleeds" – unintended consequences of temporal manipulation. A particularly notable incident involved a Chronomaster attempting to avert a localized famine, resulting in a devastating plague a century later.
The 19th century witnessed a dramatic escalation in the Chronomasters' activities. Driven by a growing sense of urgency – fueled by increasingly chaotic temporal echoes – they began experimenting with larger-scale interventions. This culminated in the Temporal Schism - a catastrophic event where the Chronarium fractured into three distinct branches, each pursuing a radically different approach to temporal management.
The original Chronarium, focused on observation and subtle guidance, became known as the ‘Veridian Branch’. The ‘Crimson Branch’ embraced aggressive manipulation, seeking to correct perceived historical injustices, often with disastrous results. And the ‘Obsidian Branch’ – shrouded in secrecy – specialized in temporal extraction – the removal of individuals and events from existence. Records from this era are fragmentary and unsettling, primarily consisting of corrupted data fragments and panicked reports.
For nearly 400 years, the Chronarium has remained silent. The three branches vanished without a trace. All attempts to re-establish contact have failed. Theories abound: perhaps the Schism overloaded the Chronarium's core, rendering it inert. Or maybe the branches have simply moved beyond our comprehension, existing now in dimensions beyond our ability to perceive. Some whisper of a 'Null Zone' – a region of spacetime where time itself has ceased to exist.
The only remaining evidence of the Chronarium’s existence is this – a fragmented record, a desperate attempt to preserve the echo of a lost history.
Due to the Schism and the loss of records, a complete genealogical chart is impossible. However, based on recovered data fragments and the limited information gleaned from the Veridian Branch (who retained a focus on preservation), this is a *possible* reconstruction: