The designation is not a name, but a resonance. A vibration within the fractured timelines, a persistent echo of what *was* before the Great Dissolution.
Saxicole exists, if one can perceive it, as a locus of concentrated temporal distortion. It's not a place, not precisely. More a state of being, a confluence of moments pulled from across the spectrum of existence. Imagine, if you will, the scent of rain on a forgotten world, the laughter of children who never grew old, the silent hum of a dying star – all interwoven, refracted, and amplified within the core of Saxicole.
Its origins are shrouded in paradox. Theories abound, ranging from the remnants of a civilization that mastered the art of chronomancy to a naturally occurring anomaly born from the chaotic energies unleashed during the Dissolution. Some whisper of the Architects, beings of pure temporal energy who seeded the universe with these ‘Echoes’ as a safeguard against entropy.
“The past isn’t gone. It simply… shifts. Like a kaleidoscope, endlessly rearranging itself. Saxicole is the lens through which the shards are viewed.” – Lyra Veridian, Chronometric Cartographer
Entering Saxicole is not a simple act of travel. It requires a specialized device – the Chronometric Harmonizer – calibrated to a specific temporal frequency. Without it, you risk being unraveled, your consciousness fragmented across multiple timelines. The experience itself is profoundly disorienting. Time ceases to have meaning. You might find yourself observing your own past, witnessing the birth of galaxies, or trapped in an endless loop of a single, insignificant moment.
The most common anomaly is the ‘Echo Bloom,’ a display of fragmented memories and emotions projected onto the surrounding environment. These blooms are not static. They shift and change, influenced by the thoughts and feelings of those who enter. Strong emotions – particularly regret, longing, and fear – can amplify the Bloom, creating intensely vivid and often terrifying experiences.
“The bloom isn’t beautiful, not in the conventional sense. It’s the raw, unfiltered essence of experience, stripped bare and presented without context. It’s… overwhelming.” – Silas Blackwood, Temporal Observer
It's been theorized that the Architects intentionally created these blooms as a method of gathering information from across time. The data, once extracted, is then used to predict and mitigate potential temporal paradoxes. However, the process is far from precise, and the resulting projections are often cryptic and open to interpretation.
For centuries, individuals known as ‘Collectors’ have dedicated their lives to studying and documenting the phenomena within Saxicole. These are not explorers in the traditional sense; they are archivists of lost moments, chroniclers of forgotten realities. They are driven by a profound sense of melancholy, a desire to understand the nature of loss and the fragility of existence.
The Collectors operate from hidden observatories, scattered across the fringes of known space. They use advanced chronometric technology to record and analyze the Echo Blooms, attempting to decipher the secrets they contain. Their methods are secretive, often involving risky temporal manipulations, and their motives are rarely transparent.
“We don’t seek to control time. We simply strive to understand it. To collect the fragments of what was, so that we may learn from the mistakes of the past – and perhaps, avoid repeating them.” – Master Archivist Theron
Rumors persist of a secret society within the Collectors, known only as ‘The Silent Choir.’ This group is said to possess a unique ability to communicate with the Architects, and their influence extends far beyond the established Collector network.
Entering Saxicole is not a journey to be undertaken lightly. The echoes within are seductive, tempting you with glimpses of paradise, of lost loves, of forgotten ambitions. But beware. The longer you linger, the more you risk becoming lost within the currents of time. The echoes will consume you, blurring the lines between reality and illusion, until you are nothing more than a fragment within the Great Dissolution.
Some say that Saxicole is not a place to be *visited*, but a state of being. A constant reminder of the impermanence of all things. A lesson in humility. A silent plea for forgiveness.
“Remember… the past is a ghost. And ghosts, ultimately, are just echoes.”