Chrono oscilloscope

From: Obsidian Alchemists Conclave

Lore: The Chrono-oscilloscope is a marvel of alchemical and temporal engineering, shrouded in mystery and whispered about in hushed tones among the alchemists of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. Its origins are traced back to an ancient text discovered deep within the conclave’s archives—a tome believed to have been written by a legendary alchemist known as Temporius, a figure lost to the annals of time.

The construction of the Chrono-oscilloscope was a colossal undertaking, requiring the combined efforts of several generations of alchemists. Through a series of complex rituals and precise alignments of temporal aetheric energies, they managed to fabricate the device. Temporius’ writings guided the alchemists to unveil the secrets of temporal manipulation, granting them the ability to observe and tamper with the fabric of time itself.

Description: The Chrono-oscilloscope is an intricate and imposing contraption, adorned with numerous clockwork components, brass gears, and elaborate dials. At its center sits a large, circular viewing screen that displays images and patterns akin to temporal waves. Surrounding the viewing screen are levers and dials, each controlling a specific aspect of temporal manipulation.

Purpose: The primary purpose of the Chrono-oscilloscope is to unlock the mysteries of time and its effects on various substances. With it, the alchemists can observe the passage of time on matter, study temporal anomalies, and even experiment with temporal dilation or creating localized time loops. The device is both a scientific instrument and an alchemical tool, offering the alchemists unique insights into the temporal fabric of the world.

Stats:

• Size: The Chrono-oscilloscope stands at approximately 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
• Color: The device is predominantly made of aged, polished brass, with the viewing screen emitting a faint, shimmering blue light.
• Shape: It has a cylindrical base with an array of clockwork mechanisms extending upwards to support the viewing screen.
• Sound: When the Chrono-oscilloscope is activated, it emits a low, rhythmic ticking sound, reminiscent of countless clocks synchronizing their beats in harmony.
• Requirements: Constructing the Chrono-oscilloscope demands the utmost precision in temporal alchemy. Only the most adept and seasoned alchemists within the Obsidian Conclave are entrusted with this arduous task. The process involves the alignment of specific aetheric energies, rare temporal reagents, and a profound understanding of temporal magic.
• Tags: Temporal, Alchemical, Experimental, Clockwork, Time, Aetheric, Rhythmic, Paradoxical, Shimmering, Warded, Intricate, Perilous, Rejuvenating

Cost and Where to Obtain: The Chrono-oscilloscope is an irreplaceable artifact and far beyond the scope of ordinary transactions. It is not sold or traded anywhere within Saṃsāra, as it remains the most closely guarded secret of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. The device is an integral part of the conclave’s legacy and the pinnacle of their temporal research. Only the alchemists of the conclave are permitted access to it, and they must even obtain explicit permission from the Conclave’s Council for its use.

Environment and Usage: The Chrono-oscilloscope resides within a chamber of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave known as the Temporal Sanctum. This highly secure chamber is situated deep within the fortress and accessible only through a labyrinth of traps and barriers. The Temporal Sanctum is heavily warded against intruders, as the alchemists understand the immense risks and repercussions of tampering with time.

The results of using the Chrono-oscilloscope vary from groundbreaking discoveries to catastrophic consequences. The alchemists use it to study temporal patterns, enhance the efficacy of time-based spells and potions, and even unlock new methods of healing and rejuvenation. However, the device’s power comes with great peril, as incorrect manipulations can create temporal paradoxes or disturbances, potentially ripping open portals to alternate realities or initiating cascading time loops. The alchemists tread carefully in their experiments, for even the most skilled of them cannot fully comprehend the enigmatic nature of temporal manipulation.

The Chrono-oscilloscope adds an element of temporal intrigue and the exploration of time-bending possibilities to the world of Saṃsāra. Its utilization as a tool for scientific exploration and alchemical research opens a plethora of storytelling opportunities, inviting adventurers and characters to confront the complexities and dangers of temporal magic and its implications on the fabric of reality.

Legend of the Timeweaver’s Oculus

In the twilight of Saṃsāra’s earliest eras, when the threads of time were still being spun by the hands of the gods, there existed a conclave of sages known as the Temporic Order. They were a secretive fellowship, their minds attuned to the rhythms of the cosmos, their lives devoted to understanding the flow of time itself. The Temporic Order dwelt in a fortress carved into the cliffs of the Ebon Rift, a place they named Chronovale, where the air shimmered with the echoes of moments past and yet to come, and the stones hummed with the pulse of eternity. It was here, amidst the swirling mists of temporal energy, that the Timeweaver’s Oculus was said to have been forged, a device of such power that it could peer into the very fabric of time.

The origins of the Timeweaver’s Oculus were shrouded in mystery, its creation attributed to a legendary alchemist named Temporius, a figure whose name was whispered in awe by the Temporic Order. Some believed Temporius to be a mortal blessed by the gods of time, granted visions of the temporal weave in dreams that spanned centuries. Others claimed he was a being from another plane, a traveler who had walked the corridors of eternity before settling in Saṃsāra to share his knowledge. The truth, as is often the case, lay buried beneath layers of myth, its details lost to the sands of time. What was known, however, was that Temporius had left behind a tome of ancient wisdom, a text written in a language so old that its symbols seemed to shift with the passage of moments, guiding the Temporic Order in the creation of the Timeweaver’s Oculus.

The forging of the Timeweaver’s Oculus was a labor that spanned generations, for the knowledge required was vast, and the materials needed were as rare as the moments they sought to manipulate. The Temporic Order gathered fragments of temporal aether, a substance that shimmered with the essence of time itself, harvested from the edges of reality where the past and future collided. They forged brass from the fires of a dying star, its surface polished to a sheen that reflected the ages. They crafted gears and dials with a precision that mirrored the ticking of the cosmos, each component a testament to their mastery of temporal alchemy. At the heart of the device, they placed a circular viewing screen, its surface emitting a faint, shimmering blue light that danced like the waves of time itself. Surrounding the screen were levers and dials, each controlling a specific aspect of temporal manipulation, their movements accompanied by a low, rhythmic ticking that echoed the heartbeat of eternity.

When the Timeweaver’s Oculus was complete, it stood as a monument to the Temporic Order’s ambition. It was an imposing contraption, six feet tall and four feet wide, its cylindrical base adorned with clockwork mechanisms that whirred and clicked in perfect harmony. Its brass surface gleamed with an aged patina, the marks of countless years etched into its frame, and the viewing screen at its center pulsed with the light of temporal waves. The Temporic Order would gather in the heart of Chronovale, within a chamber they called the Temporal Nexus, where the walls were inscribed with symbols of warding and the air was thick with the scent of ancient reagents. Here, they would activate the Timeweaver’s Oculus, its ticking filling the chamber as they peered into the mysteries of time.

The Timeweaver’s Oculus allowed the Temporic Order to achieve feats that were thought impossible. They observed the passage of time on matter, watching as stone aged to dust in moments or as a seedling grew into a mighty tree in the blink of an eye. They studied temporal anomalies, their viewing screen revealing rifts in the fabric of reality where the past and future intertwined, granting them insights into events long forgotten or yet to come. They experimented with temporal dilation, slowing the flow of time around a wounded warrior to give healers the moments they needed to save a life, or creating localized time loops to trap enemies in an endless cycle of moments. One such experiment allowed the Temporic Order to heal a plague that had ravaged a nearby city, accelerating the recovery of the afflicted by manipulating the temporal energies around them.

The fame of the Timeweaver’s Oculus spread across Saṃsāra, and the Temporic Order became a beacon for those who sought to understand the mysteries of time. Scholars came to Chronovale, bearing texts of prophecy in exchange for glimpses of the future, while warriors sought the Order’s aid in battles where a single moment could mean the difference between victory and defeat. The Temporic Order used their knowledge to bring balance to the world, their interventions subtle but profound, their actions guided by a desire to preserve the natural flow of time. For a time, Chronovale was a place of wisdom and wonder, its halls filled with the rhythmic ticking of the Timeweaver’s Oculus and the voices of the Temporic Order as they chanted their temporal hymns.

But the gods of Saṃsāra, ever vigilant over the mortal realm, grew uneasy with the Temporic Order’s mastery of time. The flow of time was a sacred thread, woven by divine hands, and to tamper with it was to risk unraveling the very order of creation. The god of fate, Kaelthys, descended to Chronovale in the guise of a cloaked traveler, his presence a weight that pressed against the fabric of reality. He came to the Order’s leader, a sage named Veythral, and spoke to him of the dangers of their pursuit. He warned that the Timeweaver’s Oculus was a tool that could disrupt the balance of time, creating paradoxes that would ripple across the planes, and that to meddle too deeply in the temporal weave was to invite catastrophe. He urged Veythral to use the device with caution, to seek only to understand time, not to control it, lest it bring ruin upon his order.

Veythral, however, was a man consumed by his desire for mastery. He saw Kaelthys’s warning not as wisdom, but as a challenge to the destiny of the Temporic Order. He thanked the god for his counsel but declared that his order would not be bound by fear. Kaelthys departed, his parting words a prophecy that would haunt Chronovale for generations: “The oculus of time will gaze too far, and its sight will blind those who dare to look.”

Undeterred, the Temporic Order pressed the Timeweaver’s Oculus to its limits. They sought to create a time loop that would allow them to revisit a single moment in history, the fall of a great city that had once been their ally, in the hopes of altering its fate. They gathered in the Temporal Nexus, their chants rising to a crescendo as they adjusted the levers and dials of the Timeweaver’s Oculus with a precision born of desperation. The device’s ticking became a roar, a sound that shook the cliffs of the Ebon Rift, and the viewing screen glowed with a light that rivaled the stars. For a moment, it seemed as though their ambition would be rewarded, as the screen revealed the city in its final moments, its walls crumbling under the onslaught of an ancient enemy.

But the temporal energies they sought to manipulate were not so easily controlled. The Timeweaver’s Oculus, strained beyond its capacity, began to falter, its ticking turning erratic as the viewing screen flared with an unbearable light. A temporal paradox erupted from the device, a rift in the fabric of reality that tore through Chronovale. The fortress was consumed in an instant, its stones scattered across the ages, and the Temporic Order was no more. The Timeweaver’s Oculus, though scarred by the paradox it had unleashed, survived, its brass frame cracked but intact, its screen still glowing with a faint, defiant light.

For millennia, the Timeweaver’s Oculus lay buried beneath the ruins of Chronovale, its ticking silenced, its power dormant. It was not until the rise of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave that the device was rediscovered. The alchemists, descendants of the Temporic Order’s legacy, unearthed the mechanism and brought it to their stronghold. They renamed it the Chrono-oscilloscope, a title that honored its purpose while distancing it from the tragedy of its past. Through years of study and ritual, they restored its function, learning to harness its power with a caution born of history’s lessons.

The Chrono-oscilloscope became a cornerstone of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, a tool that allowed them to study the mysteries of time and enhance their alchemical pursuits. But the alchemists never forgot the tale of Chronovale, a story that had been passed down through fragments of ancient texts, translated from a language so old that its origins were lost to time. They inscribed the legend in their annals, a reminder of the price of hubris and the need for balance in the manipulation of time.

Moral of the Story: The mysteries of time are a sacred gift, but to tamper with its flow without reverence is to court destruction; true mastery lies in understanding, not in control.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Call of Cthulhu, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a Mythos artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, a secretive group of temporal researchers. It manipulates time, allowing users to observe past events or create temporal anomalies, but its use risks sanity loss and unleashing cosmic horrors due to its connection to the fabric of reality. The device requires arcane knowledge and precise operation, fitting the game’s themes of forbidden knowledge and existential dread.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide device of aged, polished brass, featuring clockwork components, gears, and dials, with a central viewing screen emitting a shimmering blue light, accompanied by a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Size: Large (6 feet tall, 4 feet wide).
  • Weight: Immobile (approximately 800 lbs.).
  • Sanity Cost: 1/1D6 upon first witnessing its activation; 0/1D6 per use.
  • Requirements:
    • Knowledge (Occult) or Knowledge (Mythos) skill of 60% or higher.
    • A successful Hard INT roll to operate the device.
    • A POW roll to activate (costs 5 Magic Points per use).
  • Effects:
    • Temporal Observation: Over 1 hour, the device can display a past event within 100 years (user must specify the time and place). Success requires a Hard INT roll:
      • Success: The event is shown clearly, providing a clue or insight.
      • Failure: The user loses 1D4 Sanity as distorted temporal waves reveal a glimpse of the Mythos.
      • Temporal Anomaly: The device can create a localized time loop (10-foot radius, lasts 1 minute), forcing creatures within to repeat their actions. Requires a POW roll:
      • Success: The loop is created, granting a +20% bonus to a single skill roll (e.g., Dodge or Firearms) by exploiting the repetition.
      • Failure: The loop destabilizes, dealing 1D6 damage to all within (DEX roll to halve) and costing 1D4 Sanity.
  • Drawbacks:
    • Reality Breach: Each use has a 15% chance of opening a rift, summoning a minor Mythos entity (e.g., a Dimensional Shambler) that arrives in 1D10 minutes.
    • Temporal Strain: Each use after the first in a 24-hour period requires a CON roll, or the user suffers 1D4 HP loss from temporal distortion.
  • Notes: The device is immobile and guarded within the Temporal Sanctum, requiring stealth or negotiation to access.

Blades in the Dark

• High-Level Overview: In Blades in the Dark, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a rare artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, a faction of temporal alchemists in Doskvol. It observes past events and creates temporal effects, fitting the game’s steampunk and occult tone. Its use risks complications like temporal paradoxes or attracting spirits, aligning with the game’s focus on risk and reward. Crews might use it to gain an edge in scores or face its consequences.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Tier: IV (reflecting its rarity and power).
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Size: Large (6 feet tall, 4 feet wide).
  • Usage:
    • Activation: Requires a Tinker or Attune roll (4/5 effect, Risky position). Success activates a temporal effect (see below).
    • Temporal Effect: Roll 1d6 to determine the effect:
      • 1-2: Observe Past (view a past event within 24 hours, granting +1d to a Gather Information roll).
      • 3-4: Time Loop (create a 1-minute loop in a small area, granting +1 effect to an action by exploiting repetition).
      • 5-6: Temporal Dilation (slow time for 1 round, granting +1d to all actions, but adds +1 Heat due to temporal distortion).
    • Downtime Activity: Studying a temporal anomaly is a long-term project (8 segments). Each roll risks a complication (e.g., a paradox or spirit attraction).
  • Complications:
    • Roll 1d6 after each use:
      • 1-2: The device causes a temporal surge, inflicting Level 2 Harm (Disoriented) to the user unless resisted with Resolve.
      • 3-4: The ticking attracts a ghost, creating a new obstacle.
      • 5-6: The Conclave notices the usage (+1 Heat).
    • Faction Impact:
      • Using the Chrono-oscilloscope reduces the Conclave’s hold by 1.
      • Stealing it creates a -2 status with the Conclave but grants +1 status with a rival faction (e.g., the Dimmer Sisters).

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Dungeons & Dragons, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a legendary artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave in Saṃsāra. It manipulates time to observe the past or create temporal effects, fitting the high-magic, steampunk-inspired setting. Its use is risky, potentially causing paradoxes or exhaustion, balanced for high-level play. The device integrates with D&D’s magic and skill systems, offering powerful but dangerous abilities.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Type: Wondrous Item, Legendary (requires attunement by a creature proficient in Arcana).
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Properties:
    • Temporal Observation: As an action, you can use the Chrono-oscilloscope over 1 hour to view a past event within 100 years (requires a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check):
      • Success: The event is shown, granting advantage on a related Intelligence (Investigation) check within 24 hours.
      • Failure: The device misfires, dealing 4d6 psychic damage (DC 15 Wisdom save for half).
    • Temporal Anomaly: Once per day, you can create one of the following effects (requires a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check):
      • Time Loop: For 1 minute, a 10-foot-radius area repeats the last round (creatures must repeat actions, DC 15 Wisdom save to resist).
      • Temporal Dilation: For 1 round, you and allies within 30 feet gain an extra action (as if under the effects of haste).
      • Failure: The device causes a paradox, dealing 4d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (DC 15 Dexterity save for half).
  • Drawbacks:
    • Temporal Exhaustion: Each use after the first in a 24-hour period requires a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you gain 1 level of exhaustion.
    • Attunement Limit: While attuned, you can only attune to 2 other magic items instead of the usual 3.
    • Destruction: The Chrono-oscilloscope can only be destroyed by casting a 7th-level time stop spell on it, causing its gears to seize and its screen to shatter.

Knave (2nd Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Knave, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a powerful magical artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, fitting the system’s focus on item-based progression and exploration in a steampunk-inspired setting. It manipulates time to observe the past or create temporal effects, but risks paradoxes or physical strain. The mechanics are streamlined to fit Knave’s minimalist approach, balancing reward and risk.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Slots: 4 (immobile).
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Usage:
    • Activation: Requires 1 hour and a successful INT save (DC 15). On a success, the device activates a temporal effect (roll 1d6):
      • 1-2: Observe Past (view a past event within 24 hours, granting +5 to an INT roll for investigation).
      • 3-4: Time Loop (create a 1-minute loop in a small area, granting +2 to an attack or save by exploiting repetition).
      • 5-6: Temporal Dilation (gain an extra action for 1 round, but take 1d4 damage from strain).
    • On a failed save, roll on the Mishap table.
  • Mishap Table (Roll 1d6):
    • 1-2: The device causes a temporal surge, dealing 1d6 force damage to the user (ignores armor).
    • 3-4: The user suffers a temporal distortion (e.g., -2 to all saves for 1 hour).
    • 5-6: The device shuts down for 1d4 days.
  • Notes:
    • The Chrono-oscilloscope cannot be moved without a ritual (DC 18 INT save). Failure destroys the device.
    • Only 1 character can benefit from its effects at a time (similar to attunement).

Fate Core System

• High-Level Overview: In Fate Core, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a powerful artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, fitting the narrative-driven, high-magic world of Saṃsāra with a steampunk flair. It acts as an extra with aspects and stunts, allowing characters to observe past events or manipulate time, providing tactical advantages or insights. Its use carries risks, modeled as compels and stress, reflecting potential temporal paradoxes or reality distortions, aligning with Fate’s focus on story and character-driven play.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Aspects:
    • Temporal Alchemical Marvel
    • Relic of the Temporic Order
    • Unstable Weaver of Time
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a shimmering blue light, accompanied by a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Stunts:
    • Temporal Observation: Once per scene, a character with a relevant skill (e.g., Lore or Investigate at +3 or higher) can spend a fate point to activate the Chrono-oscilloscope. Roll against a difficulty of +4. On a success, create an advantage like “Glimpse of the Past” with 2 free invokes (e.g., a clue from a past event). On a success with style, gain 3 free invokes. On a failure, the device misfires (see below).
    • Time Manipulation: When using an invoke from “Glimpse of the Past,” add +2 to a roll involving investigation or tactics (e.g., solving a mystery or planning an action). Alternatively, spend a fate point to create a scene aspect like “Localized Time Loop” with 1 free invoke, allowing a reroll of a failed action roll within a small area.
  • Drawbacks:
    • Paradox Risk: If the activation roll fails, the GM can compel the “Unstable Weaver of Time” aspect. The character takes 2 stress, or the device creates a scene aspect like “Temporal Distortion” that complicates the situation (e.g., causing enemies to gain +2 to an attack or summoning a time-displaced entity).
    • Guarded Relic: The device is immobile and protected within the Temporal Sanctum, requiring a scene to access (e.g., overcoming traps or wards).
  • Notes: The Chrono-oscilloscope can be a focal point for a challenge or conflict, driving narrative tension through compels and temporal consequences.

Numenera (Cypher System)

• High-Level Overview: In Numenera, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a numenera artifact from the ancient Temporic Order, now controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave on Saṃsāra. It manipulates time to observe past events or create temporal effects, fitting the game’s focus on mysterious technology and exploration with a steampunk twist. Its use carries risks, with a depletion roll reflecting potential failure, and it can cause paradoxes, aligning with the system’s emphasis on wonder and danger. The mechanics are balanced for high-level play.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Level: 7
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Effect:
    • Temporal Observation: The user can spend 1 hour and 3 Intellect points to activate the device (Difficulty 7 Intellect task). On a success, the device displays a past event within 100 years, granting an asset on a knowledge task related to the event for 24 hours.
      • Temporal Anomaly: The user can create one of the following effects (Difficulty 7 Intellect task):
      • Time Loop: For 1 minute, a short-range area repeats the last round (enemies must repeat actions, Difficulty 5 Might task to resist).
    • Temporal Dilation: For 1 round, the user gains an extra action (as if hasted).
    • Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (checked each time the device is activated). On depletion, the device causes a paradox, dealing 7 points of ambient damage (ignores Armor) to all within immediate range and becoming unusable until repaired (Difficulty 7 task, 1d6 hours).
  • Drawbacks:
  • Temporal Backlash: Each use has a 1 in 6 chance of causing a minor numenera mishap (e.g., user takes 1d6 points of Speed damage from temporal strain).
  • Immobile: The device cannot be moved without a ritual (Difficulty 8 Intellect task, 5 Intellect points). Failure destroys the device.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Pathfinder 2e, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a rare magical artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave in Saṃsāra. It manipulates time to observe the past or create temporal effects, fitting the game’s high-magic, steampunk-inspired setting and focus on skills. Its use involves skill checks with risks of critical failure, causing paradoxes or fatigue, balanced for high-level play, reflecting its power and the lore of its guarded nature.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Item Level: 15
  • Price: Not for sale (unique artifact).
  • Bulk: Immobile (6 feet tall, 4 feet wide).
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Activation: 1 hour; [Interact], [Concentrate]; Prerequisites: Legendary proficiency in Arcana or Occultism.
  • Effect:
    • Temporal Observation: You attempt to view a past event within 100 years with a DC 35 Arcana or Occultism check.
      • Critical Success: The event is shown clearly, granting a +2 status bonus to Recall Knowledge checks related to the event for 24 hours.
      • Success: The event is shown, granting a +1 status bonus to Recall Knowledge checks for 24 hours.
      • Failure: The device misfires, dealing 4d6 force damage (DC 30 basic Reflex save).
      • Critical Failure: As failure, plus you become slowed 1 for 1 hour due to temporal distortion.
    • Temporal Anomaly: Once per day, you can create one effect (DC 35 Arcana or Occultism check):
      • Time Loop: For 1 minute, a 10-foot-radius area repeats the last round (creatures must repeat actions, DC 30 Will save to resist).
      • Temporal Dilation: For 1 round, you and allies within 30 feet gain a quickened condition (can use the extra action only for Stride or Strike).
      • Failure: The device causes a paradox, dealing 4d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (DC 30 Reflex save for half).
  • Drawbacks:
    • Temporal Fatigue: After each use, you must succeed on a DC 30 Fortitude save or become fatigued until you rest for 8 hours.
    • Guarded Artifact: The Conclave protects the device in the Temporal Sanctum, requiring stealth or diplomatic challenges to access.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Savage Worlds, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a powerful artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave in Saṃsāra. It manipulates time to observe the past or create temporal effects, fitting the game’s fast-paced, pulpy style in a high-magic, steampunk setting. Its mechanics use skill rolls and the Dramatic Task system, with risks of paradoxes or temporal backlash, balanced for high-level characters, adding tension through potential complications.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Traits:
    • Weight: Immobile (800 lbs.).
    • Requirements: Occult d8+ or Science d8+.
    • Activation (Dramatic Task):
    • Task: Activate the device over 3 rounds (1 hour in-game). Requires 5 successes using Occult or Science.
    • Complication: On a Critical Failure, the device causes a paradox, dealing 3d6 force damage to all within a Medium Burst Template (Agility roll at -2 to evade).
    • Success: Activates a temporal effect (roll 1d6):
      • 1-2: Observe Past (view a past event within 24 hours, granting +2 to a Notice or Investigation roll).
      • 3-4: Time Loop (for 1 minute, a small area repeats the last round, granting +2 to an action by exploiting repetition).
      • 5-6: Temporal Dilation (for 1 round, the user gains an extra action, but takes 1 Fatigue from strain).
    • Failure: The device misfires, dealing 2d6 force damage to the user (Spirit roll at -2 to halve).
  • Drawbacks:
    • Temporal Strain: Each use after the first in a 24-hour period requires a Vigor roll at -2. On a failure, the user takes 1 Fatigue.
    • Reality Ripple: Each use has a 1-in-6 chance of summoning a time-displaced entity (e.g., a Wild Card creature with d8 attributes).
  • Notes: The device is immobile and guarded, requiring a separate scene to access (e.g., a Quick Encounter against the Conclave’s defenses).

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Shadowrun, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a magical artifact controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, reimagined as a cabal of temporal mages in the Sixth World. It manipulates time to observe past events or create temporal effects, fitting the game’s blend of magic and technology with a steampunk flair. Its use risks mana surges or astral disturbances, aligning with Shadowrun’s themes of danger and intrigue. The device is immobile and heavily guarded, making it a potential target for a run.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Type: Magical Artifact
  • Availability: 20F (Forbidden, unique item)
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a shimmering blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Force: 8
  • Activation:
    • Requirements: Magic 6+, Sorcery 6+.
    • Test: Sorcery + Magic [Astral] vs. 8 to activate (Complex Action, 1 hour in-game).
      • Effect: On a success, the device activates a temporal effect (roll 1d6):
      • 1-2: Observe Past (view a past event within 24 hours, granting +2 dice to a Perception or Investigation test).
      • 3-4: Time Loop (for 1 minute, a 10-meter area repeats the last round, granting +2 dice to an action by exploiting repetition).
      • 5-6: Temporal Dilation (for 1 round, the user gains an extra Major Action, but increases Drain by 2 on their next spell).
    • Net hits beyond the threshold can enhance the effect (e.g., +1 die per net hit to related tests).
  • Drawbacks:
    • Mana Surge: On a glitch during activation, the user takes 4S (Stun) damage from a mana surge (Resist with Willpower + Magic). On a critical glitch, the surge opens a rift, summoning a Force 6 spirit.
    • Astral Disturbance: Each use increases the local Background Count by 1 for 1d6 hours, making astral tracking easier (+2 dice to track the user).
  • Notes: The device is immobile and guarded within the Temporal Sanctum, requiring a run to access (e.g., bypassing wards and spirits).

Starfinder (1st Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Starfinder, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a hybrid magical-technological artifact from the ancient Temporic Order, now controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave on a magical planet like Saṃsāra. It manipulates time to observe past events or create temporal effects, fitting the game’s blend of sci-fi and magic with a steampunk aesthetic. Its use risks temporal paradoxes or feedback, aligning with Starfinder’s focus on exploration and danger. The device is balanced for high-level play, considering the setting’s constraints on advanced technology.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Level: 15
  • Price: Not for sale (unique artifact)
  • Bulk: 80 (immobile, 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide)
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Activation: 1 hour; Mysticism DC 30
  • Effect:
    • Temporal Observation: On a successful Mysticism check, the device displays a past event within 100 years, granting a +4 insight bonus to a Culture or Perception check related to the event for 24 hours.
    • Temporal Anomaly: On a successful check, choose one effect (roll 1d6 for random effect if desired):
      • 1-3: Time Loop (for 1 minute, a 10-foot-radius area repeats the last round, forcing enemies to repeat actions, DC 18 Will save to resist).
      • 4-6: Temporal Dilation (for 1 round, the user and allies within 30 feet gain an extra standard action).
    • For every 5 by which the check exceeds the DC, extend the duration by 1 round (max 3 rounds). On a failure, roll on the Mishap table.
  • Mishap Table (Roll 1d20):
    • 1-10: The device causes a paradox, dealing 5d6 force damage to the user (Reflex DC 18 half).
    • 11-15: The user takes 1d4 Constitution damage from temporal feedback.
    • 16-20: The device shuts down for 1d4 hours.
  • Drawbacks:
    • Temporal Strain: After each use, the user must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or gain the sluggish condition for 1 hour.
    • Immobile: The device cannot be moved without a ritual (Mysticism DC 35, 1 hour). Failure destroys the device.

Traveller (2nd Edition by Mongoose Publishing)

• High-Level Overview: In Traveller, the Chrono-oscilloscope is reimagined as an ancient alien artifact discovered by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave on a mystical planet like Saṃsāra, where magic replaces advanced technology. It manipulates time to observe past events or create temporal effects, fitting the game’s focus on exploration and survival with a steampunk aesthetic. Its mechanics use the skill check system, with risks of paradoxes or attracting threats, balanced for the setting’s lack of advanced tech.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Tech Level: 0 (Alien Artifact, magical in nature)
  • Weight: 800 kg (immobile)
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Activation:
    • Skill Check: Science (Psionics) or Science (Archaeology) 10+ (1 hour, INT, Difficult).
    • Effect: On a success, the device activates a temporal effect (roll 2d6):
      • 2-5: Observe Past (view a past event within 24 hours, granting a +2 DM to a related INT-based skill check).
      • 6-8: Time Loop (for 1 minute, a short-range area repeats the last round, granting a +2 DM to an action by exploiting repetition).
      • 9-12: Temporal Dilation (for 1 round, the user gains an extra action, but takes 1d6 END damage from strain).
    • For each point of Effect above 0, extend the effect duration by 1 round (max 3 rounds). On a failure, roll on the Mishap table.
  • Mishap Table (Roll 2d6):
    • 2-5: The device causes a paradox, dealing 2d6 damage to the user.
    • 6-8: The user suffers 1d6 END damage from temporal strain.
    • 9-12: The device attracts a local threat (e.g., a magical beast, equivalent to a 2d6 HD creature).
  • Drawbacks:
    • Fatigue: After each use, the user must make an END 8+ check or suffer 1 level of fatigue.
    • Immobile: The device cannot be moved without a ritual (Science (Psionics) 12+, 1 hour). Failure destroys the device.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

• High-Level Overview: In Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the Chrono-oscilloscope is a powerful arcane device controlled by the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, fitting the game’s grim, magical setting with a steampunk twist. It manipulates time to observe the past or create temporal effects, but its use risks miscasts and corruption, aligning with the game’s themes of peril and dark fantasy. The device is balanced for high-level characters, reflecting its potency and the setting’s magical tone.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Name: Chrono-oscilloscope
  • Cost: Not for sale (unique artifact)
  • Encumbrance: Immobile (6 feet tall, 4 feet wide)
  • Availability: Unique
  • Description: A 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide brass device with clockwork components, gears, and dials, featuring a central viewing screen emitting a blue light, with a rhythmic ticking sound.
  • Activation:
    • Requirements: Language (Magick) 50+, Channelling 50+.
    • Test: Channelling Test (DN 7:5, 1 hour). On a success, the device activates a temporal effect (roll d10):
      • 1-4: Observe Past (view a past event within 24 hours, granting +20 to an Intuition or Lore Test).
      • 5-7: Time Loop (for 1 minute, a 5-yard area repeats the last round, granting +2 SL to an action by exploiting repetition).
      • 8-10: Temporal Dilation (for 1 round, the user gains an extra Action, but takes 1d10 Damage from strain, ignores Armor).
    • For each SL (Success Level) above 0, extend the effect duration by 1 round (max 3 rounds). On a failure, roll on the Miscast table.
  • Miscast Table (Roll d100):
    • 01-50: Minor Miscast (as per core rules).
    • 51-90: Major Miscast (as per core rules).
    • 91-00: The device causes a paradox, dealing 1d10+5 Damage (ignores Armor) to all within 10 yards, and the user gains 1 Corruption point.
  • Drawbacks:
    • Corruption Risk: After each use, the user must pass a Cool Test (DN 6:5) or gain 1 Corruption point.
    • Immobile: The device is guarded within the Temporal Sanctum, requiring a separate Auto-wired