Temporal pixies

[Anastasia]

It's not long until everyone gathers. Cresiel leans against a wall, at the ready and with one eye on Moore.

Jetina and Xandra sit by each other, in a quiet conversation as Chrona 42 comes in.

Kaja awaits without a single word, a curious expression framed on his face.

"I'm already brushed up on this," Sylvie says, "From the Absolute Present to most of the quirks of the Compact. Aim it at them, not me."

Chrona 42 enters and nods, "You're a remarkably well informed woman, Sylvie. I understand you bore a great artifact, may I presume that was the reason?"

With a rather sharp smile, "Presume whatever you want, quarut." Sylvie retorts.

"Wonderful," Chrona 42 says, "To introduce myself, I am Chrona 42 and my task here today is to teach and inform your group about the Temporal Compact, chronomancy and the responsibilities you have as deities to uphold the Compact."

[Nephrite]

Moore looks over at Sylvie for a moment with a look she's likely given Calley a few times.

He turns back and nods. "I've been exposed to a bit of it here and there, but I don't think I've ever had a full instruction. Well... one I can remember, anyway." Moore says. "Though I..." He trails off for a moment, before he shakes his head.

"I'll save my questions for later." He says with a nod. "Please, continue."

[Anastasia]

Sylvie doesn't show the least bit of concern or shame.

"I've heard some, but tell me. What is the Compact?" Kaja asks, "How does it relate to us?"

"A fine place to start," Chrona 42 agrees, "The Temporal Compact is a divine agreement sponsored by all the deities of Creation and  encompasses every soul in Creation.  This agreement forbids Chronomancy and time travel of any sort. It further established Keepers of the Temporal Compact to oversee this ban and enforce it, as well as deal with matters of time. In essence, it means Chronomancy is a lost school of magic, with almost no mortals and few immortals knowing it exists."

"In other words," Xandra speaks slowly, "Time magic is forbidden?"

"In essence," Sylvie confirms, "There's more details, but that's the bare point."

"Just so," Chrona 42 says, "It came to pass that the mortals gained Chronomancy and abused it, to the point time was in a great deal of flux. The divine grew weary of it and moved to cease the madness, for little could be done when the past was subject to constant revision."

[Nephrite]

"But there are still spells that work, even though Chronomancy is banned, like Hindsight and Time Stop." Moore says. "I assume those spells used to be Chronomancy in nature but were... I guess, converted is the best way to describe it?" He asks. "I assume the salient point of the matter is that doing anything to affect the past, or visiting it... physically, I suppose, is forbidden by this?"

[Anastasia]

"That's exactly so," Chrona 42 confirms, "A few spells were converted to similar spells that abstained from Chronomancy. But no, any Chronomancy is banned by the Compact. Time travel is only one aspect of this."

[Nephrite]

"Let's say I wanted to develop a more specific version of Hindsight that could go further into the past with greater clarity." Moore says. "What exactly are the limitations imposed by the Compact as it pertains to that, or... hm, if it's easier to describe it the other way, what -can- you do exactly with spells like that?"

[Anastasia]

"That would depend on your skill with divination and how far you can push that," Chrona 42 nods to the question, "Past viewing is easier with Chronomancy in some aspects, harder in others. Together they make the best spells to view what has been. But speaking of that, there's another concept to understand. Do you all know what the Absolute Present is?"

Sylvie nods, as if it's something mundane and easily known.

Kaja's expression goes blank, even if he adds, "I can hear the capital letters in it."

"I have heard the term," Cresiel mentions, "Though I am not greatly versed on the concept."

[Nephrite]

"Mm..." Moore shakes his head. "I don't think I've heard of it before."

[Anastasia]

"The Absolute Present or the Present is a capitalized term that indicates the current present time in Creation. Time travel to the past is possible in Creation but travel to the future is not. This is due to the fact that while the past and present are malleable and adjustable, the future is undetermined. This concept is called the Present or sometimes the Absolute Present."

After all of that and a moment before he goes on, "It's why you can't travel to the future if you're in the Absolute Present. If you're in the past you can travel forward up to the Absolute Present. It's also why divinations about future events are never foolproof and can change abruptly, because until it happens, the future is malleable and may change for many reasons."

[Nephrite]

"Ah, okay, that's easy enough to follow." Moore says with a nod. "Well, you say travel to the past is 'possible,' but it's also prohibited, right? That's the whole point of the Compact? Well, one of the points."

[Anastasia]

"Yes," Is the agreement, "Possible to do, merely forbidden."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "All right, I'm with you so far. So, is there ever a case where you're allowed to cast a chronomancy spell at all? I mean, I doubt I'm ever going to run into a deity who uses one against me, but should that happen, I'm guessing the other members of the Compact would intervene?"

[Anastasia]

"That is another part of this, basic training in case you come on someone who disobeys the Compact. It is almost certainly going to be a mortal. Basic knowledge, identification and counters to Chronomancy are taught to you when you must uphold the Compact yourself."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "Very well. I'll see if any questions develop from the explanation." He says. "By all means, please feel free to demonstrate here if you're allowed."

[Anastasia]

"A simple demonstration will do," Chrona 42 agrees, "Please watch."

Before you a sphere of compressed space forms. It is wrong somehow, things within distorted. It is as if time itself is wrong, as if the past is repeating in a horrid loop within.

And yet it fascinates you.

Something about it speaks to you, as if some corner of your mind was forgotten until this moment.