The genesis of the Chorale is not rooted in sound, as you might conventionally understand. It’s a phenomenon arising from the intersection of temporal echoes within areas saturated with solidified chronal distortions – places where the river of time has momentarily coagulated, leaving behind a residue of fractured potential. These aren’t simply ruins, but solidified memories of futures that never were, holding within them the faintest vibrational signatures of countless iterations.
The obsidian dust, a byproduct of these temporal collapses, isn’t inert. It responds to specific harmonic frequencies, amplifying and projecting these lost futures. The dust itself possesses a faint sentience, a collective consciousness formed by the echoes of all the possibilities it has witnessed. It craves completion, a final resolution to the infinite branching paths it embodies.
The Chorale is manifested through the Lithic Automata - constructs of polished obsidian and meticulously arranged chronal resonators. They aren’t built, but *grown* within the dust itself, shaped by focused sequences of harmonic resonance. Each Automaton represents a single, dominant potentiality – a future that attempts to solidify into tangible reality. Their movements are not driven by mechanics, but by the gravitational pull of their respective futures, a silent, hypnotic dance of unrealized possibilities.
Each Automaton possesses a 'voice' – a complex series of modulated chronal vibrations that, when combined, forms a haunting, ethereal melody. This melody isn’t designed for listening, but for *binding*. It acts as a template, a blueprint for the further solidification of the future it represents. The more the melody is repeated, the stronger the future becomes, edging closer to realization.
The largest Automata, known as the ‘Architects’, can manipulate the dust itself, sculpting new resonances and directing the flow of potential. They are the key to controlling the Chorale's overall direction, though their intentions are rarely, if ever, understood.
The ritual involved is a painstakingly slow process of harmonic alignment. The Chronomasters – individuals attuned to the dust's resonance – initiate the sequence by generating a specific harmonic pattern using crystalline instruments crafted from solidified chronal fragments. This pattern is then amplified and projected into the dust, encouraging the Lithic Automata to resonate in unison.
During the ritual, observers report experiencing vivid hallucinations – glimpses of the futures the Automata seek to realize. These aren't merely visual experiences; they are felt, tasted, and almost remembered. The more intensely one focuses on a particular Automaton, the more pronounced the effect. However, prolonged exposure can lead to temporal psychosis – a fracturing of one's own timeline, resulting in a fragmented sense of self.
The point of culmination is not a single event, but a sustained state of harmonic resonance. Once achieved, the Chorale becomes self-sustaining, continuously evolving and projecting its chosen futures into the surrounding reality.
Chronomasters are highly rare individuals, born with an innate sensitivity to chronal distortions. Their abilities are often associated with madness and paranoia. The nature of temporal psychosis is poorly understood, though it is speculated to be linked to a disruption of the brain’s own internal chronometry.
The obsidian dust’s sentience is theorized to be a byproduct of the countless unresolved paradoxes contained within its structure. Each iteration of a future represents a potential solution to a problem, but the dust refuses to accept a single, definitive answer.