Chronomaster: the cosmic office responsible for maintaining the flow of time across all planes of existence.
The Time Deity, formally addressed as the Chronomaster, is a divine office in Rolara’s cosmic order rather than a single permanent entity. The holder of this office bears responsibility for maintaining the continuity of Rolara’s timeline, preventing temporal anomalies, and enforcing the laws governing time travel and temporal manipulation. The office is held by succession; multiple beings have occupied it over the course of Rolara’s history, each shaping the role according to their own disposition and philosophy.
The Chronomaster operates from the Temporal Nexus, a dimensional plane that exists outside the normal flow of time. The office carries near-absolute authority over temporal matters but is not without constraints: the holder can be dismissed, and at least one former Chronomaster voluntarily abdicated to experience mortal life. The absence of a sitting Chronomaster causes temporal instability across the multiverse, including time paradoxes, inconsistent flow rates, and fractures in the fabric of reality.
Requirements
Candidates for the office of Chronomaster must demonstrate several qualities, all of which are assessed during the appointment ritual. These include a comprehensive understanding of time’s nature (its fluidity, cyclical patterns, and potential for divergence), the ability to manipulate temporal flow (creating loops, accelerating or decelerating time, correcting anomalies), and sufficient strength of will to perceive all moments simultaneously without losing coherence.
The office also demands precision and meticulous record-keeping, as the Chronomaster maintains the Eternal Chronology. A capacity for detachment is considered essential: the holder must observe the rise and fall of civilizations, the birth and death of stars, and events of all scales without undue emotional involvement. Finally, candidates must demonstrate a willingness to adapt and, if necessary, to relinquish the mantle.
Appointment
The appointment of a new Chronomaster is conducted through a ritual known as the Sands of Eternity, overseen by a celestial council of divine beings who embody fundamental cosmic forces. Known members of this council include Yan, the King of Death and Hell, and Mechanus, the Primarch of Order. The council’s unanimous approval is required to bestow the title.
The ritual proceeds through six stages. The celestial council convenes at the Temporal Nexus, a location outside conventional time and space. The council then invokes the Nexus fully, making time’s entirety perceptible as threads of light. The candidate undergoes the Test of Time, a series of trials tailored to assess their readiness; the specific nature of these challenges varies between appointments. If the candidate passes, the council deliberates and, upon unanimous approval, declares them the new Chronomaster. The outgoing Chronomaster (or the council, if the office is vacant) transfers the Divine Hourglass, a powerful artifact that attunes the new holder to all timelines. Finally, the new Chronomaster swears the Oath of Eternity, pledging to uphold the flow of time and maintain cosmic balance. The exact words of this oath are known only to the Chronomasters and the council.
Grounds for Dismissal
A sitting Chronomaster can be removed from office through a process called the Reversal of the Sands, also overseen by the celestial council. Grounds for dismissal include dereliction of duty (neglecting responsibilities in a way that causes temporal anomalies), misuse of power (manipulating time for personal gain or causing harm to the multiverse), and loss of the qualifications required for the role.
During dismissal, the Chronomaster is stripped of their power and their connection to the Divine Hourglass is severed. They are returned to their original state of existence with no memories of their time in office, a safeguard against lingering influence over time’s flow.
The dismissal of a Chronomaster carries significant risks. The sudden absence of a holder can cause temporal instability, proliferation of unresolved paradoxes, and a power vacuum that other cosmic entities may attempt to exploit. For these reasons, dismissal is considered a last resort.
Notable Holders
Multiple beings have held the title of Chronomaster over the course of Rolara’s history. The following are among the most significant.
Aion was the first known Chronomaster. Aion established the foundational standards and principles of the office, including the Eternal Chronology and the concept of the Temporal Nexus as the Chronomaster’s seat of power. Aion also instituted the prohibition on forward time travel, an edict that all subsequent holders have upheld.
Tempus, the seventh Chronomaster, was notable for his rigid adherence to order and precision. His tenure produced the lowest recorded incidence of temporal anomalies in the office’s history.
Era, the most recent former Chronomaster, was characterized by adaptability. Her tenure coincided with significant fluctuations in the cosmic order and time’s flow, and she demonstrated a willingness to adjust her approach that distinguished her from her predecessors.
Continuum, the current Chronomaster, is among the most powerful Greater Powers in Rolara’s cosmology. Their portfolio grants influence over nearly all beings subject to the flow of time. Continuum exists outside time altogether and operates in near-total obscurity: only Kano, Primus, and Shen Feng Wa are known to be aware of the Time Deity’s existence. Continuum inherited the mantle from Era and upholds the edicts established by Aion, including the prohibition on forward time travel. Their sole celestial servant is Aeonis, a Deva who also exists outside time.