The Big Picture

Temporaf Prime is a pseudo-reality that permeates every plane of existence among the alternate realities. There, tirne exists in a physical state that can be looked at, measured, and moved through. 1t is from Temporal Prime that a chronomancer draws mystical energv, and it is by traveling Temporal Prime that one may journev to the past or future.

Temporal Prime has been referred to as one of the innermost planes, beyond even the elemental planes. There is a certain measure of truth to this, since time is a basic component of every plane of all known realities, as important as length, width, and depth. This notion is not quite accurate, tliough.

AIl planes of kuown realities are reflections cast by the existence of linear spirits and substances within the dimensional plane of Temporal Prime. The elemental planes are the first reflection, that of linear substance. The outer planes are the last reflection, that of linear spirit. And the basic Prime Material plane of reality that balances between them is a merger of substance and spirit: life.

Although the planes of existenee stem from the dimensional planes, and the proper viewpoint for explanations might be from this direction, it is the specific interaction of linear creatures with Temporal Prime that this hook is most concerned with. To make matters as dear as possible, the foilowing information is presented from the viewpoint of such creatures when possible.

Beyond Time

Temporal Prime would not he the only dimensional plane, of course. Beyond it wouid be length, width, and depth. The concept of these planes escapes the grasp of the human rnind, and it is uniikely that life or matter as we know it could exist there.

So from where do life and matter spring? Are there dimensional planes nestled hetween depth and time that contain the building blocks of matter? What ahout magic or phvsical laws such as gravity? If deities created the midtiverses, are they made of these blocks, or clid fhey make the blocks? Where does the DM call a stop? The answer is: Wherever he wants. Players who wish to spend time investigating these questions can he swayed hy the simple statement, "It is beyond the ken of understanding, and likely fatai if tampered with."

The Bullding Blocks

To truly understand TemporaJ Prime, one musl first understand linear existence and the way in which linear organisms are rcpresented in this pseudo-reality.

Linear Existence

Born at point A and dying at point Z, living organisms experience every point in between as a separate event. Shrink the points down to the smallest observabte unit, and still no two points ever occur simultaneously.

Now consider an inanimate object, such as a rock, which does not observe its environment. It may be eroded by the weather, moved by a passing animal, and fail into a stream with other rocks and help divert Ihe stream's course. These events can be established as different points in the rock's existence. Therefore, an inanimate objeet also interacts vvith its environment in a linear fäshion.

This creates the basis for motion. Any format rest with its environment still progresses through linear time. If looked at from the reverse view, time flows past the form in a single direction. Tinis motion is one current in Lhe stream of time.

A timestream is developed from an endless number of these currents, some stronger than others, and the way these currents interact with each other. The main difference between living and inanimate forms is that life deliberately acts upon its environment, while lifeless matter is acted upon. A plant has a limited forrn of inteiligence that drives it to extend roots and seek nutrients in the soil, A creature operates on instinct and cunning, other times with logic and reasoh, to decide where to hunt, how to lumt, and what to himt. In either case, an evenl has occurred and time is altered downstream. Possibly, in the case of the creature that just hunted down a less intclligent creature for food, time has been altered for more than one lifeform. This ability to make decisions and influence other Hfeforms, other currents, makes living organisms important variahles in time-space.

At a higher level, consider a humanoid creature bom at point A who becomes powerful. At point V, this humanoid dies, but the current does not immcdiately dissipate. Through others with whom Lhis being has left an impression, the humanoid's influence is still felt—a hand reaching from beyond the grave to inleract with the living, The current, and therefore time, has momentum that drives itevond the humanoid's death.

At point Z the current dissipates. The direct influence of the humanoid is no longer felt (the dissipation takes longer with those who make stronger impressions), but its driving force has added strength to those about it. The momenturn has not heen lost but spread among nearby currents. The stream's overall momentum builds toward infinity in this way, downstream currents shaped bv the upstream ones. Tlvis temporal force is what people call destiny. 1t does not remove free will from any creature, but it resists radical changes to the flow of time-space. If the child of a peasant wished to follow a political life, that child would encounter heavy resistance. It might seem to come from those nearby, but it is the driving force of time, its momentum, that is the underlying cause.

Motion, current momentum—these are the basics of the linear temporal existence ol most lifeforms, laws that govem the planes of reality as does gravity, These basics also shape the physical existence of Temporal Prime.

Physical Traces

With a basic idea as to the mechanics of interaction between time and linear organisms, the next step is understanding the representation of linear life on Temporal Prime.

As any lifeform moves through reality the temporal current sweeping around it marks a physical trail on Temporal Time, This is similar to a worm burrowing through the earth; however, the entire wormhöle is present from start to finisb, and the worm moves along it. The worm has had free choice of which turns to make, but on Temporal Prime, all of these decisions exist at once, so the trait looks completely formed. These trails are known as iifelines and their characteristics approximate the importance of that lifeform to time-space.

Lifelines appear as cablelike lengths from a quarter-inch to several inches thick. Tluckness represents the elevation of the lifeform above others, separating general groups by their potential for greater influence. Humanoids and the more intelligent or dangerous creatures, for example, Leave some uf the thickest lifelines, while the lines of domestic animals are thin. Plant life leaves the thinnest lines of all. In fact these lines usually have no substance to them. Called ghostlines, they are distingtiished by a hazy edge that can be passed through without disrupting them. 1t takes a very important piant, such as one that prevents a person from starving, to have a line of substance. There are no documented cases of a humanoid having a ghostline until after death. The ghostline exists for as long as the humanoid's momentum affects others. It grows thinner as the momentum spreads its driving force to nearby lifelines, finally disappearing as all its momentum is transferred.

Lifelines range from a normai pale siiver, almost translucent, to a rare bright silver. This indicates the importance of the individuai organism at that particular time. A common peasant might have a pale iifeline for most of her Life, but it can run bright silver at certain points. She might think up a better design for a harness or walk within 20 feet of the emperor. The new harness might never be invented, or she might not say anything of eonsequence to the emperor, but the potential still exisLs, even if not acted upon. By contrast, a king wouid probably have a brighter iine his entire life, since the slightest event could inspire him to great changes. By definition, a person who travels Temporal Prime is important to time-space—because of the changes they couid make—and always has a thick, brightsiiver llne.

Chronomancers use these telltale signs to know where the action is.