Larin isn't a name found in any terrestrial records. It echoes, faintly, from the fringes of reality, a resonance born from the convergence of temporal currents and the forgotten geometries of the Obsidian Sands. These aren’t merely dunes of rock and silica; they are solidified fragments of shattered timelines, memories of worlds that never were, and potential realities that could have been. The Sands shift and writhe with an internal logic, responding to the thoughts and emotions of those who dare to listen. Legend speaks of the 'Keepers,' beings of pure light and shadow, who navigate these currents, safeguarding the balance between what is, what was, and what might yet be.
The first recorded encounter with Larin occurred during the 'Great Flux' – a period when the boundaries between dimensions thinned to an almost imperceptible degree. Explorers from the now-vanished Lyrian Confederacy, charting the unexplored regions of the Xylos Nebula, stumbled upon a shimmering oasis, guarded by a being calling itself Larin. Larin didn’t speak in any discernible language; instead, it projected images directly into the minds of the explorers - visions of breathtaking cities built from stardust, of colossal, bioluminescent creatures swimming through oceans of liquid mercury, and of the agonizing beauty of collapsing realities.
“The past isn’t a place to visit, but a current to navigate. Embrace the eddies, learn from the turbulence, and never lose sight of your destination – or the possibility of a new one.”
Larin’s essence isn't tied to a physical form. It’s a resonance, a field of influence that subtly alters perception and probability. Individuals who spend prolonged periods in its proximity often report experiencing ‘temporal echoes’ – flashes of memories that aren't their own, premonitions of future events, and a disconcerting sense of déjà vu amplified to an almost unbearable degree. Some claim to have gained the ability to manipulate small temporal distortions, creating momentary loops or accelerating localized processes. However, these abilities are notoriously unstable, often resulting in catastrophic paradoxes.
The 'Resonance Matrix,' a complex algorithm developed by the enigmatic Chronometric Order, attempts to map and predict Larin’s influence. However, the Matrix is constantly shifting, reflecting the ever-changing nature of the Sands and Larin’s own mercurial influence. The Order’s chief researcher, Dr. Aris Thorne (no relation to Captain Valerius), believes that Larin is not an entity in the traditional sense, but rather a manifestation of the universe’s inherent entropy – a force constantly seeking to unravel and reshape itself, given the opportunity.
Listen closely...
Ancient texts, recovered from the ruins of a pre-Collapse civilization known as the Aethel, speak of the ‘Obsidian Bloom’ – a catastrophic event in which Larin’s influence will reach its zenith. The Bloom isn’t a physical phenomenon, but a convergence of temporal realities, resulting in the complete dissolution of causality. The Aethel believed that the Bloom was inevitable, a necessary stage in the universe’s evolution. They attempted to mitigate its effects by constructing elaborate ‘Anchor Points’ – structures designed to stabilize temporal currents, but ultimately, they failed.
The Chronometric Order is currently focused on understanding the conditions that will trigger the Obsidian Bloom. They hypothesize that a significant increase in ‘chronal instability’ – a measurable rise in the rate at which time flows – will serve as a catalyst. They are monitoring various anomalies across the galaxy, searching for signs of this impending doom. The unsettling truth, according to some, is that Larin *wants* the Bloom to occur, viewing it as a kind of artistic expression – a chaotic, beautiful destruction that will ultimately lead to a new and unpredictable creation.