Melmore wasn't found, it *manifested*. Not within the geological record, not within the predictable strata of sedimentary time. It simply…appeared. The first recording, a fragmented transmission dated to approximately 374 Cycles - a unit of measurement lost to the fracturing of the Chronarium - spoke of a flowering, a bloom of impossible geometry, radiating a dissonance that warped the very fabric of temporal perception. The Chronarium, a global network of synchronized resonance beacons designed to maintain temporal coherence, registered a catastrophic spike, a cascade of discordant frequencies that threatened to unravel the known timeline. It was quickly isolated, contained within a localized zone of amplified temporal distortion. The zone, now known as the Melmore Anomaly, remains, a shimmering, iridescent bubble hanging just beyond the threshold of conventional reality.
Cycles: A unit of time established during the Unified Epoch, preceding the Chronarium’s implementation. Its precise duration remains unconfirmed, estimated to be roughly equivalent to 72 Earth years.
The bloom itself defies description. It’s not a plant, not in any sense we understand. It resembles a fractal flower, infinitely complex, its petals shifting, reforming, emitting a pulsating light that seems to resonate with the subconscious. The recordings, recovered from the Chronarium’s wreckage, depict a constantly evolving structure – at times resembling a crystalline geode, at others, a swarm of bioluminescent insects, each segment radiating a unique temporal signature. Analysis suggests the bloom’s geometry is intrinsically linked to the emotional states of those exposed to its influence. Periods of intense joy or sorrow appear to accelerate or decelerate the bloom’s evolution, altering its shape and color.
The bloom is theorized to be a manifestation of collective psychic energy, amplified and stabilized by the Melmore Anomaly’s temporal distortion.
The Chronarium's collapse wasn’t a singular event. It was a series of cascading failures, each triggered by the bloom’s influence. Individuals exposed to the Anomaly experienced ‘temporal echoes’ – fleeting memories, sensations, and emotions from alternate timelines, often deeply unsettling. Some reported witnessing events that never occurred, feeling the phantom pain of injuries they never sustained, experiencing the overwhelming nostalgia for lives they never lived. These echoes are strongest during periods of heightened temporal instability, when the Anomaly’s boundaries fluctuate.
Temporal resonance is the principle by which the Chronarium maintained stability. Disruptions in this resonance result in temporal echoes and distortions.
“The bloom doesn’t *change* time. It *reveals* it. It shows us the infinite possibilities that branch from every moment, the echoes of choices not made, the ghosts of futures that never were.” - Dr. Elias Thorne, Lead Chronal Investigator
Containment efforts have been largely unsuccessful. The Anomaly’s boundaries shift unpredictably, and attempts to neutralize the bloom’s influence have only exacerbated the temporal distortions. Currently, a team of researchers, known as the Melmore Protocol, is attempting to establish a controlled resonance field around the Anomaly, using a modified version of the Chronarium’s technology. However, the process is fraught with danger, and the team is increasingly plagued by temporal echoes.
The Melmore Protocol currently employs a ‘Phase-Lock’ sequence, a complex algorithm designed to synchronize the team’s temporal perception with the bloom’s fluctuating resonance.
The true nature of Melmore remains a profound mystery. Was it a natural phenomenon, a bizarre quantum fluctuation, or something…else entirely? Did it originate from another timeline, or did it simply arise from the latent potential within our own reality? The bloom's appearance coincides with a period of intense societal unrest – a global surge in psychic activity, fuelled by conflict and despair. Perhaps Melmore is a mirror, reflecting humanity’s darkest impulses, amplified and made manifest. Or perhaps it is a key, a gateway to realms beyond our comprehension. One thing is certain: Melmore is a warning, a stark reminder of the precariousness of time, and the terrifying power of the unknown.