Chronoscales
Archivist Endra Salwyn’s Expedition Journals, Entry #46:
"By the stars, I thought my mind had broken. There, under the mirrored surface of the stillpool, swam flickers — silver ribbons weaving in and out of view like fading dreams.
I tried to net them. Foolish. The net passed through what was no longer there.
Jori swears he heard them first: a hum, low and vibrant, just before the air thickened and the fish 'skipped' past him.
One specimen, dead on the rocky shore, showed scales finer than any metal, each refracting not just color, but memory itself. When I touched it, my hand felt both ice-cold and sun-warmed in the same breath.
I name them Chronoscales — beings not bound by this moment alone. We will need better tools, or better minds, to truly understand them."
Field notes from the Temporal Convergence
The surface of Seeping Lake lies unnaturally still, like a polished mirror stretching to the mist-wreathed horizon. The sky above is caught in a muted twilight, even if by all accounts it should be noon — time bends subtly here.
Suddenly, without warning, a shiver runs through the lake.
Beneath the glassy surface, silver threads begin to appear, dancing not with the water, but through it. Chronoscales, hundreds strong, emerge like specters. Their bodies glint as though crafted from liquid moonlight, each fish trailing luminous contrails of fractured light and memory behind them. It’s as if you are not seeing just the fish, but every moment they occupy — future, past, and present — overlapping at once.
Their movement is hypnotic: sharp zigzags, fluid spirals, abrupt vanishings and reappearances inches apart, creating an ethereal ballet without sound. Where one Chronoscale swims, afterimages ripple outward like delicate shockwaves, the distortions shimmering with ephemeral colors — blues, golds, ghostly purples.
Above them, faint glows pulse in rhythm, a heartbeat of the lake itself reacting to their passage.
At times, the school seems to pause mid-stroke, frozen mid-swim — and yet still moving, an impossible contradiction. Some appear larger or smaller than they should, flickering between sizes as if age itself is uncertain. Shadows of other possible selves momentarily swim alongside them, forming ghostly doppelgangers that dissipate a heartbeat later.
As the Temporal Convergence peaks, the Chronoscales gather into a loose spiral formation, ascending toward the surface like a whirl of stardust. Reflections of what might be — distant futures, long-forgotten pasts — shimmer in their mirrored skin before they phase, one by one, vanishing from sight as though swallowed by time itself.
For a few lingering seconds, the air is thick with the scent of wet stone and ozone.
And then, the lake is still once more — as if nothing, not even time’s rebellion, had ever disturbed it.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Chronoscales possess elongated, slender bodies roughly similar to common freshwater fish but appear semi-translucent, their inner anatomy refracted and distorted as though seen through water ripples. Fins are thin, veil-like, and shimmer unpredictably. Their bodies occasionally blur, double, or briefly "skip," seeming to occupy multiple nearby spaces for split seconds.
Biological Traits
- Involuntary "temporal flickering" that allows partial phase-shifting across seconds or minutes of time.
- Resistance to most physical captures unless specialized magical containment is used.
Genetics and Reproduction
Chronoscales reproduce during rare "Temporal Convergences" — brief events at the Seeping Lake when timelines naturally stabilize. During these events, Chronoscales mass together in visible schools, synchronizing their existence, mating through external fertilization. Eggs are laid in clusters hidden deep within submerged, ancient stone cracks along the lake bed.
Ecology and Habitats
Exclusive to Seeping Lake, particularly near regions known for the "stillpools" — areas where the surface seems frozen but shifts underneath. They prefer deeper waters with high concentrations of temporal energy distortions.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Carnivorous; feed on small aquatic invertebrates, larvae, and occasionally the essence of chronomantically-weakened prey. They are opportunistic, often exploiting slowed or frozen beings caught within time fluxes in the lake.
Behaviour
Erratic and difficult to observe for long. They exhibit non-linear movement patterns, seeming to "vanish" from one spot and "appear" in another without traversing the distance between. Chronoscales display limited social behavior except during Temporal Convergences.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
- Temporal Alchemy: Scales harvested from dead Chronoscales are invaluable in potions and devices that influence time (e.g., slow effects, temporal locks).
- Chronomantic Studies: Their biological samples help in research related to stable time-travel theories and magic.
- Jewelry: Rare artisans craft Chronoscale fins into luminous pendants that shimmer with slight temporal echoes.
Facial characteristics
Small, circular, multifaceted eyes resembling tiny hourglasses; flattened head with a thin, tapering mouth adapted for quick strikes.
Average Intelligence
Instinct-driven; comparable to clever predatory fish.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Chronoscales are believed to possess an extrasensory awareness of "local" time anomalies. They react to future threats moments before they happen, altering their physical location unpredictably.
Eyes are adapted to perceive shifts in light and magic currents tied to the flow of time itself.
Civilization and Culture
History
When first encountered by Archivist Endra Salwyn in 709 AD, Chronoscales were thought to be an illusion — mirages born of the lake’s temporal warping. Salwyn, during a multi-season expedition, captured fleeting observations and physical remnants after a Temporal Convergence event.
Their existence has since become emblematic of the Seeping Lake’s mysterious reputation, often tied to folklore about "the fish that swim yesterday and tomorrow."
Later expeditions have tried to capture live specimens, but none have succeeded without severe magical preparation and luck.
Scientific Name
Temprichthys Spectrus
Lifespan
Estimated 6–8 years, though temporal instability makes exact aging difficult to measure.
Average Height
30-45cm
Average Weight
0.9-1.8kg
Average Physique
Slender, sinewy, semi-transparent frame.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Body: Translucent silver-blue, often taking on the hues of the surroundings.
Fins: Iridescent, sometimes emitting faint pulses of light when phasing.
Geographic Distribution
Discovered by
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