The term “merenchymaous” isn’t found in any recognized lexicon. It arose, as far as anyone can ascertain, from the whispered observations of the Chronomasters of Xylos. They dedicated their existence to cataloging the echoes of forgotten realities, the fractured remnants of timelines that never fully coalesced. The merenchymaous wasn’t a substance, nor a place, but a *state* – a resonant vibration left behind by events so profoundly traumatic, so utterly divorced from linear causality, that they bled into the fabric of existence itself.
Imagine, if you will, a star collapsing not into a black hole, but into a pocket of temporal distortion, a locus where the laws of physics fractured like stained glass. The energy released wasn’t simply gravitational; it was the lament of a thousand lost moments, a chorus of regret sung by dying universes. That, in essence, is the merenchymaous. It manifests as a subtle discoloration – the “Obsidian Bloom” – a darkening of the air, a chilling of the bone, accompanied by the sensation of a thousand eyes watching from the periphery of perception.
“To witness the merenchymaous is to understand the inherent loneliness of existence. It’s the echo of a question asked before time began, and the answer never given.” – Chronomaster Theron, Archive of Ephemeral Realities
The effects of encountering a merenchymaous area are rarely immediately apparent. Initially, it's often described as a profound sense of unease, a feeling of being subtly out of sync with one’s surroundings. This can escalate into disorientation, memory lapses, and an overwhelming desire to flee. More severe cases result in the manifestation of “Phantom Echoes” – fleeting apparitions of individuals or events from the timeline that generated the merenchymaous. These echoes aren’t solid; they’re projections of emotional residue, intensified by the lingering trauma.
The Obsidian Bloom itself is a visual indicator, but also a measurable anomaly. Chronomasters utilize devices called “Resonance Scanners” to detect and analyze the level of merenchymaous energy. A reading above 7 on the scale indicates a significant risk of temporal instability and psychological distress. Prolonged exposure can induce “Chronal Drift,” a condition where an individual’s personal timeline becomes entangled with the fractured reality, leading to unpredictable shifts in their past and future.
Here’s a list of observed symptoms:
Containment of merenchymaous zones is a complex and highly specialized process. The primary method involves the deployment of “Temporal Anchors” – devices that generate a localized field of stable causality, effectively dampening the resonance of the fractured timeline. However, these anchors are fragile and require constant recalibration. Furthermore, any attempt to actively destroy the merenchymaous – through, for instance, a controlled implosion – invariably exacerbates the situation, creating a cascading effect of temporal instability.
Psychological mitigation is equally crucial. Individuals exposed to merenchymaous energies undergo intensive therapy designed to reinforce their personal timelines and shield them from the influence of the fractured reality. Techniques include “Chronal Mapping” – a process of meticulously reconstructing one's memories and establishing a firm grounding in linear time. It’s believed that the mind, when sufficiently fortified, can act as a bulwark against the insidious pull of the merenchymaous.
The following links may provide further information (though access to the true nature of the merenchymaous remains restricted to authorized Chronomasters):
Chronomasters of Xylos – Official Archive Principles of Temporal Stability