The Hourglass

Lore & Background

Throughout the timeline, possession of the portable time machine grants the user the ability to appear in different eras at will. However, this power comes with a heavy price; the device is often sought by those trying to break the loop, yet its existence ensures that every attempt to change the past only reinforces the predetermined future. Its physical form is fragile, and its destruction marks a pivotal moment where the rules of time begin to unravel.

Reader's Guide

The Hourglass operates on specific rules distinct from the natural wormholes found in the cave or the bunker. To use it, an individual must physically hold the vessel and focus intensely on a specific target year or moment they wish to reach. Unlike the chaotic jumps through the cave which often result in disorientation or landing in random locations, the Hourglass provides precise control over the destination time. However, the user cannot change their physical age; they remain exactly as old as they were when they initiated the jump.

The artifact requires a significant amount of temporal energy to function, drawing from the anomaly at its origin point. If the connection is severed or the device is destroyed, the ability to travel via this method ceases instantly. Furthermore, using the Hourglass does not create alternate timelines but rather moves the user along the existing, singular loop.

Did You Know?

• The portable time machine was originally created by H.G. Tannhaus in 1953, who traveled back to prevent the death of his son Marek and his family.
• The device's power source never runs out, symbolizing the endless nature of the time loop.
• Possession of the portable time machine is often a key indicator that a character has knowledge of the larger conspiracy.
• The device can be used by multiple characters without any prerequisite of having already experienced the consequences of time travel.