Prophecy Clock
"I'm telling you, it doesn't just know the future - it's making it happen!" - local residentThe Prophecy Clock was constructed by the inventor Zaman al-Razaz, and is built into the Bakunawa Lighthouse. It can predict future events, although interpreting its predictions can be difficult. It has a sinister reputation among the inhabitants of the island, as its predictions frequently involve bad luck and ill fortune. Zaman al-Razaz originally built it with the intent of predicting the coming of the Nagavirosha. The Clock is enormous, and it takes up most of the space inside the lighthouse. Zaman built it with funds provided by the Order of the Lightkeepers, and it is a fully functioning lighthouse in addition to being an engine of prophecy. Inside the building, there is a constant sound of whirring gears and a constant ticking that some people find intolerable. The keepers of the lighthouse find that the ticking is soothing, and often find themselves moving in sync with the tick-tock - so much so that outsiders find it a little creepy. The keepers also report that they can hear the ticking of the clock from a great distance as they go about their business - it is a constant companion, no matter where they go. The base of the clock dominates the lowest level of the lighthouse, and it is here that the clock's face is found. The face is a gigantic disc of brass, with dozens of circles cut into it. In each circle is a brass wheel engraved with several symbols. The lines of the engravings are highlighted by a phosphorescent green paint. These wheels spin and change frequently, and each configuration of symbols represents a prophecy. These symbols appear to be virtually infinite, and the keepers suspect that the machine is generating them as needed. The largest circle is different - it reveals a tank partially filled with green water. al-Razaz claims that when this tank is filled, the Nagavirosha has been born. Frustratingly, the level in the tank fluctuates wildly - it will fill steadily for a while, and then suddenly drop again, fill some more, drop, in what feels like a never-ending process. When the clock was first constructed, it was a marvel and a wonder to the inhabitants of Bakunawa. They would come to see the constantly shifting prophecies displayed on the face. Soon, they discovered that certain of the faces displayed symbols related to the future of whoever was looking at it at the moment, and the interpretation of these symbols became a topic of much interest. However, over time their attitude towards the clock soured. They felt that it was doing more than predicting the future, and that it would in fact alter what was coming. Furthermore, many felt that the prophetic symbol they observed was a curse upon them, creating the misfortune it predicted. There are several in the community who want to destroy the clock before its evil influence can cause any more harm. So far, the keepers of the Bakunawa Lighthouse have kept any such efforts at bay - although the clock has warned them of several clandestine attempts to damage it in time for them to intervene.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
At its core, the Prophecy Clock is a water clock, although it has been vastly elaborated on by its inventor. He built an enormous and complex array of devices around the central display, to modify the addition of water to the main tank based on the changing winds of fortune. As a result, the water is not added to the tank in a steady flow, but instead is pumped in and out based on factors that nobody, not even Zaman al-Razaz, can completely explain. Additionally, the clock has seemed to modify itself over the years since it was built - this is most likely due to the impact of the Egregoric Force on the machine, and the Lightkeepers anticipate that the spirit of the clock will awaken at some point to become the first mechanical god in the Ring of Light.
Item type
Unique Artifact
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