The Time Keeper

The Chronicle of the Time Keepers – An Account of Tarmathia, The First Time Keeper & The Undoing

The day came that the Island of Tarmathia awoke from it’s slumber. The Unfolding happened gently at first, like the first morning of Spring, but then as a rush, like the Great Flood. For thousands of years, the peoples of Tarmathia had been born, lived and worked and died, without ever knowing the potential that lay beneath their feet. The reason for the Unfolding is not clear, and at the time of this writing, scholars still debate what triggered this event. Some say it was an Earthquake that split the Earth, others cite a strange rock from the heavens that hit the surface of Tarmathia with such force that the entire island shook with fear. But with the waking of the ancient magics, came a new threat. The Elemental Dragons from the East became aware of the island’s sentience and began to turn their attention to it, keen to possess the strange, new, attractive power.

With the danger of the dragons came the first Dragon Chasers; the women with inhuman strength, agility and speed, the only ones able to stand against the Dragons; the Earth, Air, Fire and Water Dragons, and the most feared of all, the Ice Dragons.

The magics also created those able to wield the power of Tarmathia itself, those sworn to protect the island and use their abilities to ensure peace, security and stability for its residents and surrounding countries. These were the Secret Keepers, and they guarded their magic fiercely.

And finally, there came the Time Keepers, the Riders of Mounts; the men and women gifted with the ability to travel through space and time to aid Tarmathia and its inhabitants.

However, as with all new things, there needed to be the ‘firsts’. The First Chaser, the First Secret Keeper, the First Time Keeper. Each of the factions have kept their own records, and this is ours, the one belonging to the Time Keepers.

The Time Keeper magic awoke as the last of the Three. This happened in a simple stable, whilst delivering a simple, Summer foal. The Bond was the first thing to alert the Time Keeper that this was no ordinary foal; the First Mount had also awoken. The story of the First Time Keeper must never be forgotten. It is only by understanding our past that we can begin to forge a future for the good of all, and it is only by learning from our mistakes that we can grow and thrive, and protect ourselves from threat. I fear a time in the future when this knowledge may be needed to save us all.

It is the Mounts themselves, you understand, that makes Time Keepers stand aside from their compatriots. The Mounts are connected to the island in a way that allows them to see past versions of Tarmathia. They seem to draw strength form the island itself, in a way not too dissimilar from the Dragons. The Mounts share a distinct Mind Bond with their Time Keeper, however they also share a common link and collective intelligence between them all. Mounts can communicate with each other across vast distances, as well as timelines, and when pressed to do so, will also communicate with humans other than their Time Keepers, though this is rare, and seems to only present in times of great need. The magic of the Time Keepers is far stronger than the other factions, and the magic of the First Time Keeper is great beyond imagine. She is the source of their abilities, and she wields enormous power. She is immortal.

Even before the Unfolding, the island of Tarmathia had always been peaceful. Once the magics had arisen, The Keepers of all factions decided that they would create a central point on the island of Tarmathia; the Citadel. Here, Dragon Chasers, Secret Keepers and Time Keepers could live, work and train, allowing for new generations of the factions, and for the legacy of Tarmathia to be passed down through the Ages. Those present in the Citadel would swear an Oath to Tarmathia and the surrounding countries to protect them from harm, and to provide council and aid in times of trouble.

There was also one addition to the magics of the three factions. There were a chosen few who were given the gift of Prophecy and Sight and these beings were named ‘Watchers’. Their role was to provide guidance for those at the Citadel, and to ensure the Magics stayed pure and good. It was in the first century of Tarmathias’ new way of life that these beings decreed a time known as ‘The Undoing’, where all of the magics granted to Tarmathia would being to unravel and dissipate as quickly as they arrived. As to how, why or when this would happen, the Watchers remained silent.