The Vitrophyric line, specifically the Kroeker Vitrophyric, isn't merely a bullet. It's an echo. An echo of shattered timelines, of moments violently truncated. Kroeker's obsession wasn't with stopping violence; it was with *observing* it, cataloging the precise disintegration, the residual energy signatures of catastrophic severance. The original designs were born from a theoretical physicist's lament – a desperate attempt to quantify the intangible chaos of temporal paradoxes. The early prototypes were unsettling, exhibiting a subtle, almost imperceptible distortion of light around the projectile upon impact. This wasn’t heat; it was… something else. A residual imprint, a whisper of what *could have been*. The initial production run was limited, shrouded in secrecy, and almost immediately seized by various clandestine organizations. The 'Kroeker' designation itself became synonymous with a particular brand of devastating precision, a tool for those who valued not just destruction, but the meticulous documentation of its consequences. Legend speaks of the 'Chromatic Shift' – a phenomenon observed only after significant impacts, a fleeting alteration in the surrounding light spectrum, theorized to be a direct reflection of the altered temporal stream.
Projectile Composition: Stabilized Obsidian Alloy infused with Chroniton Fragments (origin unknown, heavily speculated to be sourced from collapsed realities). Diameter: 8mm Weight: 12.5g Velocity (Initial): 3200 m/s Range (Theoretical): Dependent on temporal distortion - theoretically unlimited within localized causality breaches. Observed Anomalies: Minor temporal stuttering, localized chronal displacement, reports of 'phantom echoes' of the impacted area. Risk Factor: Extreme. Frequent reports of causality violations and localized reality instability.
Kroeker didn’t see himself as a weapons designer; he considered himself a ‘temporal cartographer’. The Vitrophyric was his instrument. He meticulously documented the patterns of disintegration, the energy signatures, the *feel* of a shattered timeline. His research suggested that the projectile wasn’t simply creating a physical wound; it was creating a wound in reality itself. He hypothesized that the Chroniton Fragments acted as ‘temporal anchors’, momentarily disrupting the flow of time around the point of impact. This disruption, he believed, was what allowed the projectile to bypass conventional defenses – not by brute force, but by existing outside the constraints of linear time. His journals are filled with unsettling diagrams – complex geometric patterns overlaid with temporal waveforms, attempting to map the chaotic flow of shattered realities. He frequently mentioned the concept of ‘residual resonance’ – the lingering energy signature of a temporal fracture, capable of attracting further instability. The aesthetic of his designs reflected this obsession; the projectiles themselves were intentionally irregular, almost fractal in their construction, mimicking the chaotic nature of the temporal distortions they created. It was a deliberate provocation – a visual cue for those who understood the true nature of the weapon.
Safety Protocols (Highly Recommended, Mostly Theoretical): Maintain a minimum distance of 10 meters from the target. Avoid prolonged exposure to the impact zone. Monitor for temporal distortions (increased déjà vu, disorientation, phantom sensations). Carry a Chroniton Dampener (Effectiveness Uncertain). Do NOT attempt to ‘observe’ the impact directly – the potential for personal temporal destabilization is significant. Success Rate (Estimated): 65% (highly dependent on operator skill and environmental factors). Side Effects (Common): Mild nausea, disorientation, headaches, increased susceptibility to temporal anomalies. Severe cases have resulted in complete temporal dissociation – permanent loss of connection to linear time.
The Kroeker Vitrophyric vanished from the open market decades ago, swallowed by the very shadows it was designed to inhabit. Its existence is now largely relegated to whispered rumors and encrypted data fragments. However, its influence persists. Modern temporal weaponry, particularly those utilizing Chroniton-based technology, owe a significant debt to Kroeker's theoretical work. The Vitrophyric remains a symbol of a darker era – a time when the pursuit of knowledge was intertwined with the deliberate manipulation of reality. It’s a reminder that some fractures are best left undisturbed, that some echoes are too dangerous to listen to.