Realm of Time
The Realm of Time is a mysterious and ethereal plane that exists outside the conventional flow of time and space and surrounds the Realm of the Living. It serves as the bridge between the Realm of the Living and the Realm of Death, where mortal souls pass through after death. Constantly shifting and morphing, the plane is home to fragmented islands of time, frozen moments, and swirling rivers of light, all under the watchful care of Urdall, the god of time and knowledge.
The landscape consists of floating islands of various sizes, some no bigger than a room, others large enough to hold entire cities frozen in time. These islands appear as fragments of memories, dreams, or significant moments, taken from the timeline of the Realm of the Living. Some islands remain static, preserving a single instant, while others shift in and out of existence or show events replaying endlessly, like echoes of the past.
Temporal Streams:
Rivers of golden light and silvery mist flow between the islands. These streams, called Threads of Time, represent the flow of time in the Realm of the Living. Mortals may glimpse moments of history, future possibilities, or long-forgotten memories within the streams. These streams can be dangerous; attempting to interact with them risks pulling a mortal's mind into a forgotten moment or altering their perception of time.
Shifting Horizons:
There is no true "sky" or "ground" in the Realm of Time. Instead, swirling colors—gold, blue, and white—stretch infinitely in all directions, with fragments of constellations occasionally flickering to life before dissolving.
The Realm of Time is what allows the Realm of the Living to experience linearity - past, present, and future. Urdall oversees this flow, ensuring that time progresses naturally and that no mortal interferes with its delicate balance.
Passage for Souls:
When mortals die, their souls pass through the Realm of Time on their way to the Realm of Death. In this state, souls experience the flow of their lives as they traverse the Threads of Time, reflecting on their memories and deeds. Souls that cling too tightly to certain moments may risk becoming lost echoes, doomed to wander the realm endlessly, unable to move on to the Realm of Death and reenter the circle of life eventually.
Preservation of Knowledge:
As the god of time and knowledge, Urdall uses the Realm of Time to store fragments of history and information. The islands hold echoes of pivotal moments in history, some of which mortals could potentially glimpse if guided by Urdall or other entities.
Urdall is the lone deity who resides in the Realm of Time. He is patient, enigmatic, and dispassionate, often regarded as a bored deity since he hardly interacts with mortals directly. However, he may guide travelers in the realm if their purpose aligns with his duties or if they intrigue him. On a rare occasion he will even guide mortals by offering vague prophecies of the future.
Temporal Echoes:
These are fragments of souls or moments that have become trapped in the Realm of Time. They appear as translucent figures or glowing remnants of past events, replaying their roles in an endless loop. While harmless, some echoes may attempt to communicate or lure travelers into their memories.
Chronovores:
Strange, alien creatures that feed on disrupted or unstable time. They are dangerous predators that emerge when mortals attempt to manipulate time or interfere with the Threads of Time. They appear as shadowy, multi-limbed beasts with glowing eyes that reflect the memories of those they hunt.
Timeless Guardians:
Urdall employs constructs or sentient beings to guard the Threads of Time and ensure the balance remains intact. These beings, often resembling living clocks or shifting crystalline forms, enforce Urdall's laws and banish interlopers who would disrupt the timeline.
Astral Elves:
Astral Elves are elves who were chosen by Urdall and invited into his Realm. They often loose their identity prior to entering the Realm of Time and many serve him as custodians of the Threads of Time and mediators between the timelines. They believe they were chosen for this task because of their unmatched intellect and discipline, and they take their role as temporal guardians very seriously. These elves often act as guides or gatekeepers, ensuring that those who enter the Realm of Time (either intentionally or through death) do not disrupt its delicate balance. In exchange for their service, Urdall granted them longevity that surpasses even other elves.
Mortal entry into the Realm of Time is extremely rare. It is typically achieved through death, divine intervention, or powerful temporal magic. Natural rifts may open during significant disruptions to the timeline, such as catastrophic events, major divine interference, or experiments with time magic. On a rare occassion, powerful mages have mangaged to create a temporary passage to the Realm of Time in Order to revive fallen heroes, although the journey is extremely dangerous.
Challenges:
Travelers may experience disorientation, as their sense of time becomes unreliable. A moment may feel like hours, or centuries may pass in seconds. Prolonged exposure risks "chronal corruption," where a mortal’s perception of their own past, present, and future begins to blur, leading to madness or loss of identity.
Urdall’s seat of power, a towering crystalline structure that exists at the center of the realm. The Spire appears to shift constantly, with staircases leading to nowhere, doors that open to past or future moments, and hallways that loop back on themselves. At its heart lies the Eternal Hourglass, a massive device that monitors and regulates the flow of time in the Realm of the Living.
The Isles of Lost Time:
A collection of large floating islands where significant moments from history are preserved. These moments can range from ancient wars to the creation of legendary artifacts. Some islands may hold secrets lost to the Realm of the Living. Mortals who linger too long risk becoming trapped in these echoes, unable to escape the pull of the past.
The Threads of Eternity:
A vast river-like network of shimmering strands that connects all floating islands. These threads represent the flow of time and can reveal glimpses of the past, present, or possible futures to those who gaze into them.
The Tempus Abyss:
A dangerous region of the realm where time breaks down entirely. Here, fragments of the past, present, and future collide, creating paradoxes and unstable echoes. Urdall forbids mortals from entering this area, as it risks unraveling both the traveler and the timeline.
Physical Features
Floating Islands:The landscape consists of floating islands of various sizes, some no bigger than a room, others large enough to hold entire cities frozen in time. These islands appear as fragments of memories, dreams, or significant moments, taken from the timeline of the Realm of the Living. Some islands remain static, preserving a single instant, while others shift in and out of existence or show events replaying endlessly, like echoes of the past.
Temporal Streams:
Rivers of golden light and silvery mist flow between the islands. These streams, called Threads of Time, represent the flow of time in the Realm of the Living. Mortals may glimpse moments of history, future possibilities, or long-forgotten memories within the streams. These streams can be dangerous; attempting to interact with them risks pulling a mortal's mind into a forgotten moment or altering their perception of time.
Shifting Horizons:
There is no true "sky" or "ground" in the Realm of Time. Instead, swirling colors—gold, blue, and white—stretch infinitely in all directions, with fragments of constellations occasionally flickering to life before dissolving.
Purpose and Function
Granting Time to the Realm of the Living:The Realm of Time is what allows the Realm of the Living to experience linearity - past, present, and future. Urdall oversees this flow, ensuring that time progresses naturally and that no mortal interferes with its delicate balance.
Passage for Souls:
When mortals die, their souls pass through the Realm of Time on their way to the Realm of Death. In this state, souls experience the flow of their lives as they traverse the Threads of Time, reflecting on their memories and deeds. Souls that cling too tightly to certain moments may risk becoming lost echoes, doomed to wander the realm endlessly, unable to move on to the Realm of Death and reenter the circle of life eventually.
Preservation of Knowledge:
As the god of time and knowledge, Urdall uses the Realm of Time to store fragments of history and information. The islands hold echoes of pivotal moments in history, some of which mortals could potentially glimpse if guided by Urdall or other entities.
Inhabitants
Urdall, the God of Time and Knowledge:Urdall is the lone deity who resides in the Realm of Time. He is patient, enigmatic, and dispassionate, often regarded as a bored deity since he hardly interacts with mortals directly. However, he may guide travelers in the realm if their purpose aligns with his duties or if they intrigue him. On a rare occasion he will even guide mortals by offering vague prophecies of the future.
Temporal Echoes:
These are fragments of souls or moments that have become trapped in the Realm of Time. They appear as translucent figures or glowing remnants of past events, replaying their roles in an endless loop. While harmless, some echoes may attempt to communicate or lure travelers into their memories.
Chronovores:
Strange, alien creatures that feed on disrupted or unstable time. They are dangerous predators that emerge when mortals attempt to manipulate time or interfere with the Threads of Time. They appear as shadowy, multi-limbed beasts with glowing eyes that reflect the memories of those they hunt.
Timeless Guardians:
Urdall employs constructs or sentient beings to guard the Threads of Time and ensure the balance remains intact. These beings, often resembling living clocks or shifting crystalline forms, enforce Urdall's laws and banish interlopers who would disrupt the timeline.
Astral Elves:
Astral Elves are elves who were chosen by Urdall and invited into his Realm. They often loose their identity prior to entering the Realm of Time and many serve him as custodians of the Threads of Time and mediators between the timelines. They believe they were chosen for this task because of their unmatched intellect and discipline, and they take their role as temporal guardians very seriously. These elves often act as guides or gatekeepers, ensuring that those who enter the Realm of Time (either intentionally or through death) do not disrupt its delicate balance. In exchange for their service, Urdall granted them longevity that surpasses even other elves.
Traveling Through the Realm of Time
Entry Points:Mortal entry into the Realm of Time is extremely rare. It is typically achieved through death, divine intervention, or powerful temporal magic. Natural rifts may open during significant disruptions to the timeline, such as catastrophic events, major divine interference, or experiments with time magic. On a rare occassion, powerful mages have mangaged to create a temporary passage to the Realm of Time in Order to revive fallen heroes, although the journey is extremely dangerous.
Challenges:
Travelers may experience disorientation, as their sense of time becomes unreliable. A moment may feel like hours, or centuries may pass in seconds. Prolonged exposure risks "chronal corruption," where a mortal’s perception of their own past, present, and future begins to blur, leading to madness or loss of identity.
Important Locations
The Chronal Spire:Urdall’s seat of power, a towering crystalline structure that exists at the center of the realm. The Spire appears to shift constantly, with staircases leading to nowhere, doors that open to past or future moments, and hallways that loop back on themselves. At its heart lies the Eternal Hourglass, a massive device that monitors and regulates the flow of time in the Realm of the Living.
The Isles of Lost Time:
A collection of large floating islands where significant moments from history are preserved. These moments can range from ancient wars to the creation of legendary artifacts. Some islands may hold secrets lost to the Realm of the Living. Mortals who linger too long risk becoming trapped in these echoes, unable to escape the pull of the past.
The Threads of Eternity:
A vast river-like network of shimmering strands that connects all floating islands. These threads represent the flow of time and can reveal glimpses of the past, present, or possible futures to those who gaze into them.
The Tempus Abyss:
A dangerous region of the realm where time breaks down entirely. Here, fragments of the past, present, and future collide, creating paradoxes and unstable echoes. Urdall forbids mortals from entering this area, as it risks unraveling both the traveler and the timeline.
Alternative Name(s)
Plane of Time
Owner/Ruler
Characters in Location
Inhabiting Species
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