Skittaget began not with a grand design, but with a fracture. A hairline crack in the fabric of temporal perception, a point where the echoes of past realities bled into the present. It wasn't a place, per se, but a state of being – a reverberation of countless lifetimes, each contributing to a chaotic, beautiful symphony of dissonance.
The initial manifestation was observed by a cartographer named Silas Blackwood, a man obsessed with charting the unchartable. He stumbled upon it during a particularly violent storm over the Obsidian Peaks, a region already infamous for its capricious weather and unsettling geological formations. Blackwood described it as “a shimmering distortion, like heat rising from a forge, but colored with hues unknown to any earthly palette.”
The first recorded temporal anomaly within Skittaget occurred 784 cycles ago, according to the Chronometric Guild’s calculations. This initial ripple was later identified as the “First Bloom,” a period of heightened temporal instability.
Skittaget is populated by what can only be described as “Resonants” – beings fundamentally altered by prolonged exposure to the temporal flux. They aren’t truly alive in the conventional sense. Rather, they are fragments of consciousness, memories, and emotions, coalescing and dissolving in a perpetual state of becoming. Some Resonants exhibit recognizable traits – a warrior clad in tarnished armor, a scholar clutching a crumbling tome, a child eternally playing a forgotten instrument. Others are entirely alien, their forms shifting and reforming with unpredictable regularity.
Communication with the Resonants is… challenging. It's less about spoken language and more about a direct transmission of sensation and emotion. The method seems to be influenced by the individual Resonant's original state of being. Prolonged interaction can induce vivid hallucinations, existential disorientation, and a disconcerting sense of connection to the vast, uncaring ocean of time.
The average lifespan of a Resonant within Skittaget is estimated to be approximately 37 cycles, though this is a highly variable metric, heavily influenced by external stimuli – particularly shifts in the temporal field itself.
At the heart of Skittaget lies the Temporal Field, a swirling vortex of raw temporal energy. It’s not a static entity; it pulses, expands, and contracts with an almost organic rhythm. The Field is responsible for the chaotic nature of the place, allowing for glimpses of the past, precognitive flashes of the future, and the disconcerting possibility of encountering one’s own ancestors (or descendants) within the same moment.
Navigating the Temporal Field is incredibly dangerous. Even minor fluctuations can result in temporal displacement – being flung centuries into the past or future, or even ceasing to exist entirely.
The stability of the Temporal Field is directly correlated to the number of Resonants present within its vicinity. Paradoxically, a large concentration of Resonants can *destabilize* the Field, while a complete absence can lead to a catastrophic collapse.
Recognizing the immense danger posed by Skittaget, the Chronometric Guild was established centuries ago. Their primary goal is to monitor, study, and, if possible, contain the temporal anomaly. They employ specialized “Temporal Anchors” – devices designed to stabilize localized temporal fields – and “Resonance Hunters” – individuals trained to navigate the chaos and retrieve valuable data.
The Guild's methods are highly controversial. Some argue that their attempts to control Skittaget are only exacerbating the problem, while others believe that their efforts are the only thing preventing a total temporal collapse.
The Guild's headquarters is located within a heavily fortified observatory situated on the edge of the Obsidian Peaks – a strategic location chosen due to its proximity to the initial point of temporal disruption.
“Time is not a river, it is a shattered mirror. And Skittaget… Skittaget is the reflection of all that could have been, all that might be, and all that already is lost.” - Archivist Theron Vance, Chronometric Guild