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Timeglass Matrix

—

by

Dale
in

From: Eclipsed Atelier

Lore: The enigmatic Timeglass Matrix is an ancient artifact steeped in the mysteries of time itself. Legends tell of a time when the Timeglass Matrix was a gift from the Timeweavers, a group of elusive beings who had mastery over temporal manipulation. These enigmatic entities bestowed the device upon the atelier as a testament to their trust and partnership.

The Timeglass Matrix takes the form of an ornate circular mechanism, resembling an hourglass with sands that seem to flow in both directions simultaneously. It sits atop an exquisitely crafted pedestal adorned with arcane symbols and sigils, marking it as a conduit of temporal energy. Scholars and mages of the atelier believe that the Timeglass Matrix draws power from the very essence of time and space, allowing it to bend and shape reality.

The primary function of the Timeglass Matrix is to serve as a focal point for the Watcher’s temporal abilities, granting control over the flow of time and space within the Eclipsed Atelier. Through the manipulation of the sands within the hourglass, the Timeglass Matrix can create localized time loops, causing events to repeat, or accelerate time within specific areas. This gives those who interact with the device strategic advantages, as they can learn from repeated actions or traverse vast distances in relatively short periods.

However, the Timeglass Matrix is a double-edged sword. Its power is not to be trifled with, as reckless tampering with temporal energies can lead to dire consequences. Altering time without care may result in unintended outcomes, causing rifts in the fabric of reality or entangling individuals in temporal paradoxes.

The Timeglass Matrix – Tier One Stats:

  • Size: The Timeglass Matrix stands approximately 5 feet tall (152 cm) and 3 feet in diameter (91 cm).
  • Color: The device’s central hourglass is made of shimmering, glass-like material, with sands that seem to shift in various colors as they flow in both directions.
  • Shape: It has a circular design with intricate engravings and arcane symbols on the pedestal and around the edges of the hourglass.
  • Sound: When the Timeglass Matrix is active, it emits a soft, rhythmic hum, resonating with the fluctuations of temporal energies.
  • Requirements: To interact with the Timeglass Matrix, characters need to possess a deep understanding of time magic or be guided by someone who has such knowledge. The device itself seems to respond to those who have a natural affinity for manipulating time.
  • Tags: Temporal Manipulator, Time Weaver, Paradoxical Artifact, Ancient, Mystical, Timeweavers, Hourglass, Reality, Strategic, Risks, Sigils

Skills:

  • Temporal Distortion: Characters who interact with the Timeglass Matrix can manipulate time within its vicinity, creating localized time loops or accelerating the passage of time in specific areas.
  • Time Insight: The device grants those who use it brief glimpses into possible future outcomes, helping them make strategic decisions during time-distorted moments.
  • Temporal Fracture: Reckless or improper use of the Timeglass Matrix can cause temporal fractures, leading to unpredictable and potentially dangerous consequences.

Cost and Selling: The Timeglass Matrix is an incredibly rare and sought-after artifact, known to be a relic of the Timeweavers. As such, it is not a commodity that can be bought or sold in conventional markets. Instead, the Timeglass Matrix might surface during quests or as a reward for those who prove themselves worthy within the Eclipsed Atelier.

Alternatively, it could be hidden within the depths of ancient ruins or guarded by powerful entities, making its acquisition a challenging endeavor for daring adventurers. Those who seek the device must be prepared for an exploration fraught with temporal challenges and trials.

Usage and Results: Characters who gain access to the Timeglass Matrix can harness its temporal manipulation to their advantage. They can create strategic advantages by repeating crucial moments, learning from past mistakes, or accelerating their actions to achieve objectives swiftly. However, the Timeglass Matrix’s power comes with great responsibility and risk.

Reckless tampering with temporal energies can lead to unintended consequences, such as temporal fractures that may unravel the fabric of reality or entangle individuals in temporal paradoxes. Thus, characters must exercise caution and wisdom when interacting with the Timeglass Matrix, balancing the potential benefits with the unpredictable outcomes. Properly wielded, the device can become a powerful tool, enhancing strategic planning, and providing a unique advantage in their explorations of the Eclipsed Atelier and beyond.

Chronicle of the Timeweavers’ Gift

In the shadowed epochs of yore, when the earth was yet a cradle of untamed magics and the heavens whispered in tongues no mortal could fathom, there was woven a tale of the Timeweavers, a fellowship of beings whose mastery over time was a hymn to the stars. From a language older than the mountains, its glyphs long crumbled into the dust of forgotten realms, this story was passed through the trembling hands of ancient scribes, translated with reverence into the dialects of old. It tells of the Timeglass Matrix, a relic of temporal power bestowed upon the Eclipsed Atelier, a device that bends the flow of time but weaves paradoxes into the fabric of reality, a testament to the Timeweavers’ trust—and their warning.

The Timeweavers were no mere mages, but custodians of eternity, their forms cloaked in the shimmer of moments yet to come. In an age when the lands of Saṃsāra were yet wild, their skies alight with the dance of comets and their seas echoing the tides of fate, the Timeweavers walked among the mortals of the Eclipsed Atelier, a sanctum carved from the dreams of the aether. Its halls pulsed with the breath of magic, a place where the threads of time and space wove patterns unseen, and the winds of destiny sang in harmony. The Timeweavers, with their hearts as vast as the ages, sought to forge a bond with the atelier’s mages, to share the secrets of time and guard against its misuse.

With hands that had shaped the first dawn, the Timeweavers crafted the Timeglass Matrix. They forged it as an ornate circular mechanism, its form a grand hourglass five spans tall, set atop a pedestal etched with arcane sigils that glowed like captured starlight. The sands within the hourglass flowed in both directions, a dance of shimmering grains that shifted in hues of sapphire, gold, and amethyst, a reflection of the essence of time itself. When activated, the Matrix hummed a soft, rhythmic song, a resonance that wove through the atelier’s halls, bending the flow of time to the will of its wielder. The Timeweavers gifted the Matrix to the atelier as a testament to their trust, a tool to manipulate time’s currents—creating loops to repeat moments, accelerating the passage of hours, glimpsing the threads of fate yet to come.

The mages of the atelier received the Matrix with awe, naming one among them as the Watcher, a seer tasked with its care. Through the Matrix, the Watcher wielded powers beyond mortal ken. She could loop a moment of battle, allowing her allies to strike again and again until victory was assured. She could hasten the flow of time, crossing vast chambers in the blink of an eye, her steps a blur of motion. She could peer into the sands and see glimpses of futures yet unwritten, guiding her comrades with foresight that turned the tides of fate. The Matrix became the atelier’s greatest treasure, a conduit of temporal energy that reshaped reality itself, a gift that made the mages masters of moments.

But the Timeweavers had warned of the Matrix’s peril, for time is no tame force. Its sands were a river that flowed both ways, and to meddle with its currents was to court chaos. The Watcher, emboldened by the Matrix’s power, grew reckless in her ambition. She sought to unravel a great calamity that loomed in the atelier’s future, a shadow glimpsed in the sands—a cataclysm that would shatter the sanctum and scatter its secrets to the winds. She looped time again and again, seeking the perfect path to avert disaster, accelerating moments to outpace the shadow’s advance. But each loop wove a thread of paradox, each hastened step a tear in reality’s fabric.

On a night when the heavens wept fire and the aether sang in discord, the Watcher stood before the Matrix, her hands trembling as she turned the sands once more. She sought to undo a moment of failure, to rewrite a battle lost to a foe from beyond the planes. But the Matrix’s hum grew discordant, its sands swirling in a storm of light and shadow. The paradoxes she had woven unraveled at once, a temporal fracture that tore through the atelier like a beast unchained. Rifts opened in the air, spilling moments from past and future—mages who had died centuries before fought alongside their descendants, chambers crumbled and rebuilt in the blink of an eye, and the Watcher herself was caught in a loop of her own making, her screams echoing through time as she vanished into the aether.

The Eclipsed Atelier fell into ruin, its halls darkened by the fracture’s aftermath, but the Timeglass Matrix endured, sealed in a chamber where time itself stood still, its hum a faint echo in the silence. The tale of the Matrix spread through the ages, carried by scribes who translated it from tongues older than memory, a story of power and peril that became the most known legend of the Eclipsed Atelier. Adventurers who sought the atelier spoke the Timeweavers’ name with reverence and dread, for the Matrix was both a boon and a curse, a tool that could bend time but could also unravel reality.

Those who found the Matrix and proved worthy of its power wielded it with care, using it to loop crucial moments, to hasten their steps, to glimpse the threads of fate. They turned battles by repeating a single strike, crossed vast distances in moments, and foresaw dangers that would have felled them. But they heeded the warnings of the Watcher’s fate, tempering their ambition with caution, lest they too be ensnared in a paradox of their own making. The Chronicle of the Timeweavers’ Gift became a cautionary hymn, sung in the halls of mages and the firesides of villages, a reminder that time, like the stars, is a force both beautiful and untamed.

Moral of the Story: Bend not the river of time without heed, for its currents flow both ways, and those who seek to master its dance may find themselves swept into eternity. True wisdom lies in balance, and the greatest power is that which respects the bounds of fate.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

  • Overview: In Call of Cthulhu, the Timeglass Matrix is an eldritch artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a forsaken site steeped in occult energies. Gifted by the Timeweavers, it manipulates time but risks unraveling reality, fitting the game’s cosmic horror theme. Investigators might use it to gain strategic advantages in their investigation, but its temporal distortions threaten their sanity and the fabric of reality itself.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Sanity Cost: Activating the Matrix costs 1D6/1D10 Sanity points due to its temporal distortions. Prolonged use (more than 1 minute) requires a Sanity roll (1D8/1D12 loss on failure).
    • Magic Points (MP) Cost: Activating the Matrix requires 10 MP per use. Each additional minute of use costs 5 MP (cumulative).
    • Skills Required: Occult (50% or higher) or Cthulhu Mythos (20% or higher) to use effectively; failure results in a temporal fracture (see below).
    • Effects:
      • Temporal Distortion: The user can create a localized time loop within 30 feet, repeating the last 1D4 rounds (up to 24 seconds). Allies can act again, but enemies also repeat their actions. Success requires an Occult roll (70%); failure causes a temporal fracture.
      • Time Insight: The user can glimpse possible future outcomes for the next 1D6 rounds (up to 36 seconds), granting +20% to all skill rolls as they anticipate events. Success requires an Occult roll (60%); failure causes a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: On a failed roll to control the Matrix, roll 1D100:
        • 01-50: A minor fracture deals 1D6 damage to all within 30 feet (bypass armor) and causes 1/1D4 Sanity loss.
        • 51-90: A major fracture creates a temporal anomaly (e.g., a 1D6-round loop where random past events replay, causing confusion).
        • 91-00: A catastrophic fracture opens a rift, summoning a Mythos entity (e.g., a Hound of Tindalos, STR 75, CON 60, SIZ 70, DEX 70, INT 50, POW 80, HP 13, Damage 1D8+4).
    • Drawback: Each use has a cumulative 10% chance per day of attracting a time-sensitive Mythos entity (e.g., a Hound of Tindalos), which hunts the user.
  • Usage Limit: The Matrix can be used 3 times per day. Additional uses automatically cause a temporal fracture (roll on the table above).

Blades in the Dark

  • Overview: In Blades in the Dark, the Timeglass Matrix is a powerful artifact hidden within the Eclipsed Atelier, a forgotten arcane site in Duskwall’s underbelly. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting the game’s supernatural heist theme. A crew might use it to gain a strategic edge during a score, but its unpredictable effects could escalate the situation, adding tension to the narrative.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Tier: IV (a high-risk, high-reward artifact).
    • Load: 6 (too large to carry; requires a secure location to operate).
    • Usage: Activating the Matrix requires an Attune roll (Risky position, Standard effect). On a 1-3, the user triggers a temporal fracture (see below), unless mitigated by a resistance roll (Resolve).
    • Effects:
      • Temporal Distortion: The user can create a localized time loop within 10 yards, repeating the last turn (Attune roll, Risky position, Standard effect). Allies can act again, but enemies also repeat their actions. On a success, gain a +1d bonus to the repeated actions. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Time Insight: The user can glimpse possible future outcomes for the next turn (Attune roll, Controlled position, Standard effect). On a success, create an advantage like Foresight with two free invokes. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d6:
        • 1-3: A minor fracture deals Level 1 Harm: “Temporal Shock” to all within 10 yards and adds 1 Heat.
        • 4-5: A major fracture creates a 6-tick clock: “Reality Unravels”, causing random events to replay (e.g., an enemy reappears).
        • 6: A catastrophic fracture opens a rift, summoning a Tier III entity (e.g., a spectral horror) and adding 2 Heat.
    • Drawback: Each use adds 2 Heat due to its temporal signature, risking attention from the Spirit Wardens or rival factions.
  • Usage Limit: The Matrix can be used 3 times per score. Additional uses automatically trigger a temporal fracture (roll on the table above).
  • Narrative Impact: The Matrix offers strategic advantages but can escalate the score with its unpredictable effects (e.g., a paradox loop causes an NPC to act twice, complicating the crew’s plans).

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

  • Overview: In Dungeons & Dragons, the Timeglass Matrix is a legendary artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a planar nexus where magic runs wild. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting D&D’s high-fantasy tone. Adventurers might use it to gain a strategic edge in combat or exploration, but its unpredictable effects add a high-stakes risk to its use.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Wondrous Item, Legendary (requires attunement by a creature with spellcasting ability)
    • This 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal has sands that flow in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Properties:
      • Temporal Distortion: As an action, you can create a localized time loop within 30 feet, repeating the last round (6 seconds). Creatures in the area repeat their actions exactly (including damage, movement, and spellcasting), and allies can choose to act again (taking the same actions or new ones). Make a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check: on a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below).
      • Time Insight: As an action, you can glimpse possible future outcomes for the next minute, granting advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. Make a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check: on a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d20:
        • 1-10: A minor fracture deals 4d10 force damage to all within 30 feet (DC 18 Dexterity save for half) and imposes disadvantage on initiative rolls for 1 minute.
        • 11-17: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, causing random events from the past hour to replay for 1d4 rounds (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 18-20: A catastrophic fracture opens a rift, summoning a hostile creature (e.g., a CR 7 Time Elemental, 4d10 slashing damage) that attacks immediately.
      • Charges: The Matrix has 3 charges. Each use expends 1 charge. It regains 1d3 charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20: on a 1, the Matrix shatters, causing a catastrophic fracture (as above).
    • Drawback: Each use has a cumulative 10% chance (resetting at dawn) of attracting a time-sensitive extraplanar entity (e.g., a CR 5 Inevitable), which appears within 1d4 hours to restore temporal order.
  • Destruction: The Matrix can be destroyed by casting Time Stop on it while it’s active, causing it to implode in a 30-foot radius explosion (8d10 force damage, DC 18 Dexterity save for half).

Knave (2nd Edition)

  • Overview: In Knave, the Timeglass Matrix is a rare magical artifact found in the Eclipsed Atelier, a ruined dungeon brimming with arcane dangers. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting Knave’s minimalist, old-school vibe where items are central to character power. Adventurers might use it to gain a strategic edge, but its unpredictable effects add a survival challenge.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Magic Item, 6 Slots (large and immobile, 5 feet tall)
    • A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Usage: Activating the Matrix requires a successful Intelligence check (DC 12) to attune to its temporal magic. On a failure, the user takes 2d6 psychic damage from feedback.
    • Effects:
      • Temporal Distortion: The user can create a localized time loop within 30 feet, repeating the last turn (Intelligence check, DC 14). Allies can act again, but enemies also repeat their actions. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below).
      • Time Insight: The user can glimpse possible future outcomes for the next turn (Intelligence check, DC 12). On a success, gain Advantage on the next attack or check. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d6:
        • 1-3: A minor fracture deals 1d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (no save).
        • 4-5: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1 turn (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 6: A catastrophic fracture summons a hostile creature (e.g., a 4 HD temporal wraith, 1d8 damage).
      • Charges: The Matrix has 3 uses. It regains 1 use each dawn. If the last use is expended, roll a d6: on a 1, it shatters, causing a catastrophic fracture (as above).
    • Value: 600 coins (if sold to a collector or mage, though its size and danger make it a hard sell).
  • Drawback: Each use has a 1-in-6 chance (roll a d6) of attracting a wandering monster (e.g., a 3 HD shadow) drawn by its temporal signature.

Fate Core System

  • Overview: In Fate Core, the Timeglass Matrix is a powerful artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a mystical locale where planar energies converge. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting Fate’s narrative-driven system where aspects and stunts drive the story. Players might use it to gain strategic advantages in the atelier, but its unpredictable effects introduce complications, adding to the game’s dramatic tension.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Aspects:
      • Temporal Conduit of the Timeweavers
      • Master of Moments
      • Unstable Temporal Energies
    • Stunt:
      • Temporal Distortion: Once per scene, you can invoke the Matrix’s Temporal Conduit of the Timeweavers aspect for free to create a localized time loop within 30 feet, repeating the last turn (Create an Advantage, Difficulty: Great, +4). Allies can act again, but enemies also repeat their actions. On a success, create an advantage like Second Chance with two free invokes. On a failure, the GM gains a free invoke on Unstable Temporal Energies to introduce a complication (e.g., a situational aspect like Temporal Echoes).
    • Stunt:
      • Time Insight: You can spend a Fate Point to glimpse possible future outcomes for the next turn (Notice roll, Difficulty: Good, +3). On a success, create an advantage like Foresight with two free invokes. On a failure, the GM can compel Unstable Temporal Energies to impose a -2 penalty to your next action or create a situational aspect like Fractured Timeline.
    • Temporal Fracture: When the GM compels Unstable Temporal Energies, they can create a situational aspect like Reality Warp (all actions in the area suffer a -2 penalty for 1 turn) or Paradox Spawn (introducing a Minor enemy, such as a temporal wraith with +2 to physical attacks). Alternatively, the GM can compel a character’s aspect to reflect the psychological toll of the Matrix’s power, offering a Fate Point for accepting the complication (e.g., a mage’s Obsession with Fate leads to reckless overuse).
  • Usage Requirements: Activating the Matrix requires a Lore or Arcana roll (Difficulty: Great, +4) to attune to its temporal magic. On a failure, the user takes 2 stress from feedback.
  • Narrative Impact: The Matrix offers strategic advantages but can escalate scenes with its unpredictable effects (e.g., a paradox loop causes an NPC to act twice, complicating the party’s plans).

Numenera (Cypher System)

  • Overview: In Numenera, the Timeglass Matrix is a numenera artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a Ninth World ruin where planar energies bleed through. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting the Cypher System’s focus on discovery and the weird. Characters might use it to gain a strategic edge, but its unpredictable effects add significant risk to its use.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Level: 8
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Form: Artifact (stationary, 100 lbs).
    • Effect:
      • Temporal Distortion: The user can create a localized time loop within short range (30 feet), repeating the last minute (Intellect task, difficulty 6). Allies can act again, but enemies also repeat their actions. On a success, gain a +1 asset to the repeated actions. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below).
      • Time Insight: The user can glimpse possible future outcomes for the next minute (Intellect task, difficulty 5). On a success, gain a +1 asset to all tasks for 1 minute as they anticipate events. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Depletion: 1 in 1d10 (roll after each use). On depletion, the Matrix triggers a catastrophic fracture and becomes unusable until repaired (difficulty 8 Intellect task, 1d6 hours).
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d10:
        • 1-4: A minor fracture deals 6 points of ambient damage (ignores Armor) to all within short range.
        • 5-7: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1d6 rounds (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 8-10: A catastrophic fracture opens a rift, summoning a Level 6 creature (e.g., a temporal wraith, Might 18, Intellect 12, attacks with time shards for 6 damage).
    • Usage Requirements: Activating the Matrix requires a difficulty 6 Intellect task to attune to its temporal magic. Failure results in 6 points of Intellect damage from feedback.
  • GM Intrusion Suggestion: The Matrix causes a paradox, duplicating an NPC who acts against the party’s interests (e.g., a merchant demands double payment for a past transaction).
  • Loot: If destroyed, the Matrix leaves behind a cypher (e.g., a Level 5 Temporal Shard: grants +1 asset to a single action by hastening time for 1 round).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

  • Overview: In Pathfinder 2E, the Timeglass Matrix is a legendary artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a planar nexus where magic runs rampant. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting Pathfinder’s crunchy mechanics and high-magic setting. Adventurers might use it to gain a strategic edge, but its unpredictable effects pose a significant challenge.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Item 20
    • Unique, Magical, Artifact
    • Bulk: 10 (5 feet tall, stationary).
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Activate: [three-actions] Interact (manipulate the sands); Requirements: You have the Arcana skill at Master proficiency or higher.
    • Effect: Choose one of the following effects (lasts for 1 minute):
      • Temporal Distortion: Create a localized time loop within 30 feet, repeating the last round (6 seconds). Creatures in the area repeat their actions exactly (including damage, movement, and spellcasting), and allies can choose to act again (taking the same actions or new ones). Make a DC 40 Arcana check: on a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below).
      • Time Insight: Gain glimpses of possible future outcomes for the next minute, granting a +2 status bonus to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. Make a DC 40 Arcana check: on a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d20:
        • 1-10: A minor fracture deals 8d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (DC 40 Reflex save for half) and imposes the slowed 1 condition for 1 minute.
        • 11-17: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1d4 rounds (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 18-20: A catastrophic fracture opens a rift, summoning a hostile creature (e.g., a Level 14 Time Elemental, 12d10 slashing damage) that attacks immediately.
    • Usage Limit: The Matrix can be used 3 times per day. Additional uses automatically trigger a temporal fracture (roll on the table above).
  • Drawback: Each use has a cumulative 10% chance (resetting daily) of attracting a planar entity (e.g., a Level 12 Inevitable), which appears within 1d4 hours to restore temporal order.
  • Destruction: The Matrix can be destroyed by casting a 9th-level Time Stop spell on it while it’s active, causing it to implode (12d6 force damage in a 30-foot emanation, DC 40 Reflex save for half).

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

  • Overview: In Savage Worlds, the Timeglass Matrix is a legendary artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a mystical ruin in a high-magic setting. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting Savage Worlds’ fast-paced, pulpy tone. Heroes might use it to gain a strategic edge in combat or exploration, but its unpredictable effects add a high-stakes challenge.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Arcane Device, Legendary
    • Weight: 50 lbs. (5 feet tall, requires a secure location or heavy transport).
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Powers:
      • Temporal Distortion: As an action, a character with Arcane Background (any) can activate the Matrix (Occult roll, -2 penalty). On a success, create a localized time loop within 12” (24 yards), repeating the last round (all creatures repeat their actions, and allies can act again). On a raise, allies gain +1 to their repeated actions. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below).
      • Time Insight: As an action, the user can glimpse future outcomes (Occult roll, Target Number 4). On a success, gain a +2 bonus to all rolls for 3 rounds. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d6:
        • 1-3: A minor fracture deals 2d6 damage (ignores Armor) in a Medium Blast Template (6” diameter).
        • 4-5: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1 round (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 6: A catastrophic fracture summons a hostile creature (e.g., a Wild Card Temporal Wraith, Toughness 8, 2d8 damage) that attacks immediately.
    • Usage Limit: The Matrix has 3 Power Points (PP). Each use costs 1 PP. It regains 1 PP each dawn. If the last PP is expended, roll a d6: on a 1, it shatters, causing a catastrophic fracture (as above).
  • Drawback: Each use has a 1-in-6 chance (roll a d6) of attracting a supernatural threat (e.g., a Toughness 6 spectral entity) drawn by its temporal signature.
  • Bennies: The GM gains a Benny each time the Matrix triggers a temporal fracture, reflecting its narrative impact.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

  • Overview: In Shadowrun, the Timeglass Matrix is a rare magical artifact uncovered in the Eclipsed Atelier, a mana-rich site in the Sixth World. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting Shadowrun’s blend of magic and tech. Runners might use it to gain a strategic edge during a run, but its unpredictable effects could disrupt their mission and attract astral threats.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Type: Magical Artifact (Fetish)
    • Availability: 20F (Forbidden, extremely rare and dangerous)
    • Cost: 200,000¥ (black market value; not typically sold legally)
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Essence/Magic Requirements: Requires a Magic rating of 4+ to use. Non-awakened characters cannot activate it.
    • Activation: Using the Matrix requires a Sorcery + Magic test (Threshold 5). On a glitch, trigger a temporal fracture (see below). On a critical glitch, the user takes 2D6 Physical damage and the Matrix is unusable for 1 hour.
    • Effects:
      • Temporal Distortion: For the next 3 combat turns, the user can create a localized time loop within 10 meters, repeating the last turn (all creatures repeat their actions, and allies can act again). Allies gain +2 dice to their repeated actions. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Time Insight: The user can glimpse possible future outcomes for the next 3 combat turns, granting +2 dice to all tests as they anticipate events (Sorcery + Magic test, Threshold 4). On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll 1d6:
        • 1-3: A minor fracture deals 6P (Physical) damage (Resist with Body + Willpower, AP -2) to all within 10 meters and causes 1D6 Stun damage from disorientation.
        • 4-5: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1 turn (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 6: A catastrophic fracture opens an astral rift, summoning a hostile spirit (Force 6, e.g., a Spirit of Man, with 12 dice to attack) that attacks immediately.
    • Astral Signature: Each use increases Background Count by +2 (to a maximum of 6) for 1 hour, attracting spirits or corp mages.
  • Drawback: Each use has a 1-in-6 chance (roll 1d6) of alerting a megacorp or magical faction (e.g., the Black Lodge), who send a team to seize the device (GM discretion, typically 6-8 professional runners).
  • Usage Limit: The Matrix can be used 3 times per run. Additional uses automatically trigger a temporal fracture (roll on the table above).

Starfinder (1st Edition, 2024 Updates)

  • Overview: In Starfinder, the Timeglass Matrix is a hybrid tech-magic artifact discovered in the Eclipsed Atelier, a drifting station in the Drift where planar energies converge. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting Starfinder’s sci-fi fantasy blend. A party might use it to gain a strategic edge during a Drift crisis, but its unpredictable effects could summon extraplanar threats.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Level: 18
    • Price: 400,000 credits
    • Bulk: 10 (5 feet tall, requires a secure location or grav-lift to transport)
    • Category: Hybrid (Magic/Tech)
    • Usage: 1 charge/use (holds 3 charges; recharges 1 charge per day in a mana-rich environment)
    • Activation: Activating the Matrix requires a successful DC 35 Mysticism or Engineering check (1 minute). On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below).
    • Effects:
      • Temporal Distortion: For 1 minute, create a localized time loop within 30 feet, repeating the last round (6 seconds). Creatures in the area repeat their actions exactly, and allies can choose to act again (taking the same actions or new ones). Make a DC 35 Mysticism check: on a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Time Insight: For 1 minute, gain glimpses of possible future outcomes, granting a +4 bonus to initiative and a +2 bonus to all attack rolls and skill checks. Make a DC 35 Mysticism check: on a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d6:
        • 1-3: A minor fracture deals 8d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (DC 25 Reflex save for half) and imposes the off-target condition for 1 minute.
        • 4-5: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1d4 rounds (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 6: A catastrophic fracture opens a Drift rift, summoning a hostile creature (e.g., a CR 14 Driftborn Elemental, 12d10 damage with energy attacks).
    • Drawback: Each use has a 20% chance (roll percentile dice) of attracting a Drift entity (e.g., a CR 10 Akata Voidstalker), which arrives within 1d4 hours to investigate.
  • Destruction: The Matrix can be destroyed by overloading it with a 6th-level Energy Ray (force damage), causing it to implode (12d6 force damage in a 30-foot radius, DC 25 Reflex save for half).

Traveller (2nd Edition, Mongoose Publishing 2022 Update)

  • Overview: In Traveller, the Timeglass Matrix is reimagined as an ancient psionic artifact found in the Eclipsed Atelier, a derelict station in a mana-rich nebula. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting Traveller’s sci-fi exploration theme where psionics are treated as magic. Travellers might use it to gain a strategic edge, but its unpredictable effects add significant risk to its use.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Tech Level: 15 (Ancient, beyond modern understanding)
    • Weight: 50 kg (5 feet tall, requires a grav-lift or team to move)
    • Cost: 1,500,000 Cr (black market estimate; not legally sold)
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Activation: Using the Matrix requires a Psionics skill check (10+, 1 minute). On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below). On an Effect of -4 or worse, the Matrix is unusable for 1 hour.
    • Effects:
      • Temporal Distortion: For 1 minute, create a localized time loop within 10 meters, repeating the last minute (all creatures repeat their actions, and allies can act again). Allies gain DM +2 to their repeated actions. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Time Insight: For 1 minute, gain glimpses of possible future outcomes, granting DM +2 to all skill checks as the user anticipates events (Psionics check, 8+). On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll 2d6:
        • 2-5: A minor fracture deals 2d6 damage (ignores Armor) to all within 10 meters and imposes DM -2 to all skill checks for 1d6 minutes.
        • 6-9: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1 turn (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 10-12: A catastrophic fracture opens a rift, summoning a hostile psionic entity (e.g., a Psi-Beast, END 12, INT 8, PSI 10, 2d6 psionic attack).
    • Drawback: Each use has a 1-in-6 chance (roll 1d6) of emitting a psionic signature detectable by Imperial sensors or hostile psionic entities, drawing a response (e.g., a Zhodani psi-team arrives in 1d6 days).
  • Destruction: The Matrix can be destroyed by dealing 30 points of damage (Armor 8), but doing so causes an explosion: 4d6 damage in a 10-meter radius (INT 8+ to halve).

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

  • Overview: In Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the Timeglass Matrix is a Chaos-tainted artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a ruined elven structure corrupted by warpstone energies. It manipulates time but risks temporal fractures, fitting WFRP’s grim and perilous tone. Adventurers might use it to gain a strategic edge, but its unpredictable effects and warpstone influence pose significant risks.
  • Stat Block and Mechanics:
    • Timeglass Matrix
    • Type: Artefact (Chaos-Tainted)
    • Encumbrance: 50 (5 feet tall, requires a cart or magic to move)
    • Price: Priceless (coveted by wizards and Chaos cults alike)
    • Availability: Unique
    • Description: A 5-foot-tall ornate hourglass on a pedestal, its sands flowing in both directions, shimmering in shifting colors, emitting a soft, rhythmic hum.
    • Traits: Chaos (Tzeentch), Magical, Unstable
    • Activation: Using the Matrix requires a Lore (Magic) test (DN 8). On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture (see below). On a Critical Failure, the user gains 2 Corruption points.
    • Effects:
      • Temporal Distortion: For 1 minute, create a localized time loop within 10 yards, repeating the last minute (all creatures repeat their actions, and allies can act again). Allies gain +20 to their repeated tests. On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Time Insight: For 1 minute, gain glimpses of possible future outcomes, granting +20 to all tests as the user anticipates events (Lore (Magic) test, DN 6). On a failure, trigger a temporal fracture.
      • Temporal Fracture: When triggered, roll a d10:
        • 1-4: A minor fracture deals 1d10 damage (ignores Armor) to all within 10 yards and imposes -20 to all tests for 1d10 minutes.
        • 5-7: A major fracture creates a paradox loop, replaying a random past event for 1d10 rounds (e.g., a defeated enemy reappears).
        • 8-10: A catastrophic fracture opens a warp rift, summoning a Lesser Daemon of Tzeentch (e.g., a Horror of Tzeentch, WS 40, S 30, T 30, I 40, W 12, 2 Attacks, 1d10+3 damage). All present gain 2 Corruption points.
      • Corruption Risk: Each use requires a Challenging (+0) Cool test. On a failure, the user gains 2 Corruption points due to its warpstone influence.
    • Drawback: Each use has a 10% chance (roll percentile dice) of attracting a Chaos cult or daemonic entity, who arrive within 1d10 days to claim the device.
  • Usage Limit: The Matrix can be used 3 times per day. Additional uses automatically trigger a temporal fracture (roll on the table above).
  • Destruction: The Matrix can be destroyed by a Dispel Magic spell (DN 8) while active, causing it to implode (2d10 damage in a 10-yard radius, no save, all present gain 2 Corruption points).