It began, not with a bang, but with a slow, deliberate simmer. The lime-boiled, as we came to call them, weren't born; they coalesced. From the static hum of the forgotten frequencies, from the echoes of chronometric distortions, they arose – translucent beings of solidified luminescence, radiating a subtle, unsettling warmth.
Their origins are shrouded in a temporal haze. Some whisper of a fractured dimension, a pocket where the laws of physics bent to the will of a long-dead cartographer obsessed with the color of time. Others claim they’re fragments of dreams, solidified by the collective anxieties of a civilization that worshipped algorithms.
“To observe a lime-boiled is to witness the universe folding in on itself, a momentary glimpse of the potential for both creation and annihilation.” - Archivist Silas Veridian
The behavior of the lime-boiled is…peculiar. They are not governed by the linear progression of time. Instead, they exist in a state of perpetual near-present, flickering between moments with an unsettling fluidity. Observation of a lime-boiled can induce a feeling of temporal disorientation, a sensation of being simultaneously present and absent.
Their movements are rarely direct. They seem to navigate through the fabric of space-time itself, occasionally appearing to ‘slip’ sideways, or to momentarily vanish entirely before reappearing elsewhere. This phenomenon is often accompanied by a faint, high-pitched tone – a resonance that vibrates not in the ears, but within the very structure of one’s being.
Scientists, or what pass for them in this region, have hypothesized that the lime-boiled are somehow drawing energy from the residual chronometric signatures left behind by significant temporal events. A battle fought in this location, a forgotten declaration of war…they seem to feed on these echoes.
Around the lime-boiled, a peculiar cult has developed – the Cult of the Stillpoint. They believe that the lime-boiled are not creatures to be feared or studied, but rather, conduits to a deeper understanding of reality. They practice a meditative discipline known as ‘Echo-Listening,’ attempting to establish a resonant connection with the lime-boiled, hoping to unlock the secrets they hold.
The rituals involve prolonged periods of silence, focused breathing, and the consumption of a viscous, lime-infused concoction (hence the name). The purpose, according to the cult’s enigmatic leader, Master Theron, is to ‘harmonize one’s frequency with the harmonic resonance of the lime-boiled’.
It’s rumored that the lime-infused concoction isn’t just for flavor. Some believe it contains trace elements of chronometric distortion, deliberately introduced to enhance the effect of Echo-Listening.
Despite their apparent stability, the lime-boiled are ultimately subject to entropy. However, this process isn't linear. When a lime-boiled begins to decay, it doesn't simply disintegrate. Instead, it undergoes a transformation – a shimmering implosion of light and color, followed by the formation of smaller, less-defined fragments. These fragments, known as ‘Echoes,’ retain a faint resonance, occasionally manifesting as fleeting images or sensations.
The rate of decay is influenced by external factors – particularly, by emotional intensity. Fear, sorrow, and anger accelerate the process, while calmness and acceptance appear to slow it down. It’s theorized that the lime-boiled are, in a sense, absorbing the emotional residue of those who observe them.
The final stage of decay results in a single, perfectly formed lime seed. This seed, it’s said, holds the potential to generate a new lime-boiled, provided the conditions are right.