Shadow of the Eclipse

Y-class -- The Y series of timestreams are considered "natural". Unlike the X series, Y class timestreams are unaffected in any major way by time travel. The use of the letter Y is meant to suggest the natural branching of a timeline in the multiple worlds theory. It's the only timestreams fractured by the Omega event, and as a result, the only ones immediately accessible to characters in the continuity.



X-class -- The X series of timestreams are considered "altered". This means these timelines were 'created' by time travelers that altered history. X-class timestreams (the altered timelines; unaltered timelines are considered Y-class) cannot be fractured in any way due to the negation of normal time travel in the reality hosting the fractures. The use of the letter X is meant to suggest an additional timeline (where the time traveler is from) intersecting with the first in order to create the branching of a timeline.



A-class -- The A series of timestreams are considered artificial. However, unlike the X series, A-class timestreams are characterized by acceptable alterations to reality. They may also be considered 'repaired' realities. The use of the letter A is meant to suggest that two timelines are united through the Circle's efforts. A program connected to Circle time machines called "Fateline" prevents any branches from the timeline by 'creating' a single timeline called a "destiny branch". A-class timestreams cannot be fractured in any way due to the use of Fateline.



M-class -- The M series of timestreams are considered artificial. However, unlike either the X or A series, M-class timestreams are created through natural means by an artificial source called an 'omega particle'. The detonation of a powerful enough omega particle creates a 'mirror' effect that both shatters a target reality into fractures and 'creates' a reality that MIRRORS the target - a reality that looks similar but is otherwise opposite to the target.

The omega explosion causes a rupture that opens up in the past, called the "alpha event". In effect, the universe is created with both a 'prime' series and a 'mirror' series of timestreams via this event. The mirror timestream will also undergo a similar omega event at about the same time, fracturing its reality as well. Natives of M-class timestreams can normally only move between M-class timestreams; every fracture to an M-class native will lead to the M-class version of a Y-class reality (i.e. someone from an M-timestream enters the Y-004 fracture and ends up in M-004 instead). Only Circle operatives using portable quantum containment fields can pass between both M- and Y-class timestreams in any fracture.

Quantum fractures are the regions of various realities that are transported to a single world or universe.

Each fracture consists of a field of crystal-clear liquid which is completely invisible save for the rippling effect surrounding anything intersecting it. They can vary in size and angle, but they never cover more than 450,000 square meters in volume. It always surrounds the entirety of an area, even underground and in the sky. The image beyond these fields are the empty landscapes of the reality within the fracture: someone in downtown Elghara in Y-001 will see the rest of the city beyond the field, but devoid of life. Anyone can step through the fields, but as soon as they do, they'll emerge in a neighboring fracture and may see an unfamiliar setting. Those who pass through a field for the first time would experience dizziness and nausea of various intensity; after a few journeys through any field, the effect would be dulled until it no longer occurs.

Remote communication between these fractures, magic or not, is impossible. However, such communication within said fracture may be possible, depending on the limitations of the setting.

Each of these fractures is maintained by a type of crystal known to the Nasirian Knights as the Guardians' Tears. These crystals exist in various sizes depending on the geographic size of the fracture: small (about two centimeters; indicates an area no bigger than 80 square meters) to large (about twelve feet; indicates an area no bigger than 450,000 square kilometers). These crystals are often rooted to the ground, but in some fractures, they hover. There's no known way to either destroy or move the crystals, but the Circle can use Fateline to undo their effects, thereby restoring that fracture to the same reality from which the Fateline device is programmed to restore.

Alpha and Omega is a term used to describe the complimentary effects of two separate events: an Alpha event and an Omega event.

The Omega event could be considered the first true event if considered from a linear perspective. It involves the detonation of an omega particle: a subatomic particle that emits massive amounts of energy. These particles must be contained within transphasic fissures, which are similar to theoretical white holes. Transphasic fissures convert the matter and energy released by the omega into an unknown subatomic material that forms a spherical field surrounding itself; this field often extends some distance from the source and may form a diameter of up to 60,000 miles if the particle is contained within a stable fissure. In releasing the omega energy and distributing it evenly around itself, the fissure prevents the omega from 'overheating'.

Once contained, the omega particle can then be used. When the fissure is allowed to fluctuate, the field momentarily collapses and the omega energy is cast beyond the confines of the field. The result is called the "omega event" by the Circle (see below). There is no known way to destroy these particles, though they can be contained before use so their effects are negated. Stable transphasic fissures can only be created and maintained in the universe via the crystal shards, which have the effect of containing the fissures that naturally occur as a result of time travel.

The full effect of the Omega event was previously unknown to the Circle until the incident in 1373 in timestream Y-001. The Omega eruption occurs in one of forty-five 'neighboring' realities connected by a single POD (point-of-departure) event - usually involving the creation and/or evolution of the world. The effect is not immediately felt in the reality an omega particle is used; instead, the effect travels across all forty-five timestreams and fractures different portions of them. It is necessary for a 'tachyon net' to be active in one of the timestreams; whichever one has the earliest instance of a tachyon net will then act as the 'host' world of all quantum fractures.

A tachyon net prevents both "Fateline" (a Circle program designed to prevent alternate realities from forming) and time travel from said reality from occurring. These are extremely rare and planted presumably by the early Progenitors. Nets are so-called because they appear like a literal spider-web made of metal and formed into a sphere. In the center of this sphere is usually a bright, fluctuating energy of blue which is constantly changing shape. In reality, the energy in the center of a net is a quarantined ('captured') singularity, or 'white hole', modified to emit a form of reverse tachyon particles that interfere with any technology involving temporal mechanics (time travel). Those who attempt to time travel into the past may be intercepted just before its destruction, unable to continue any further until after it's destroyed. In a similar vein, those who attempt to travel into the future may be intercepted just after its creation, unable to continue any further until after it's destroyed.

A side-effect of this net is that it can equally interfere with and prevent the effects of an omega from expanding beyond the reality it's constructed in. If the omega is traveling forward through time from its point of origin, then it will stop in the first reality where a net is constructed at the earliest point. If it travels backwards through time, it will stop in the first reality where a net is destroyed soon after.

Net Built | Net Destroyed
----> |........| <----
From the Past | From the Future

The Omega event will also set off any other omega particles that exist anywhere within each timestream. Since these particles are relatively common among realities (though they're individually rare), it is almost certain that many (if not all) realities and timestreams that exist will lose at least one portion of their universe to a fracture. The fractures will inevitably go beyond the planet surface in the host timestream to compensate.

tl;dr: The Omega event is like a hammer (representing the omega particle) smashing a mirror (representing the universe). All the mirror shards (representing different AUs) land on a table (representing one AU) and completely cover it. Oh, and its generally explosive, destroying the source location in a 3 kilometer radius in ALL realities with an omega also located in the same location.

The Alpha event follows the Omega event if viewed in a linear order. However, from a chronological perspective, the Alpha event occurs first. The most basic definition of the Alpha event is the formation of the universe. The Omega event causes an eruption of anti-time that collides with normal space-time. The full effect of this eruption is felt some distance into the past, when the universe is formed - the so-called Alpha event.

The Circle have managed to prove how the early inception of the universe acts as a 'mirror' that reflects the Omega event in two directions. The first 'creates' our own collection of timestreams, known as the "primary universe". The second 'creates' another collection of timestreams similar to the primary universe but with noticeable differences in design. These "mirror universes" consist of timestreams that 'mirror' primary timestreams.

tl;dr: The explosion of the omega particle goes back in time and creates the universe. Universe makes a copy of itself, but the copy is backwards - like looking at yourself and your surroundings in a mirror.

An enigma, the Circle is an organization which knows more about the situation than anyone else near the beginning. Some speculate they come from a reality called Rebirth, which may or may not be found among those that were fractured. They remain hidden from most other agencies, often choosing only to work with their own operatives. However, the fracture event has split the Circle as much as the rest of the world, and they've lost contact with many of their operatives. This means they must rely on recruiting individuals in each fracture capable of maintaining their low profile. Their mission, as the only ones capable of accomplishing it, is to repair the fractures and restore the world to a single timestream using their Fateline devices. They already have divisions in most timestreams and realities.

Thanks to the situation they found themselves in, Circle operatives became aware of a "conspiracy" within their ranks. While the main core of the Circle wanted to restore the world to Y-001, the group purportedly aiming to uncover and sabotage the conspirators are divided on what reality to restore the world to. Furthermore, the Circle of the M-class timestreams aim to replace the Y-class fractures of the "primary" universe with those of their own in an effort to outdo their prime counterparts for the same reasons. This "mirror" counterpart to the Circle are far more united to their cause than the Circle of the Y-class timestreams.

• Y-001 - Setting is tech noir (Deus Ex and Perfect Dark are good examples). Due to paranoia, cybernetic research is banned in Ingria and controversial elsewhere. NET (Nanotechnology Enhancement Trade), an organization of cyberneticists and their supporters, including ex-military and ex-intelligence personnel, is now a minor nuisance, but they have a fair amount of influence over many companies and governments throughout the world. Nasiria is semi-pacified after a brief conflict with insurgents and World War III averted.
• Y-002 - Basically the same as Y-001, with only one crucial difference: the insurgents in Nasiria win and Ingria remains passive about the hostilities brewing throughout the world. While a world war hasn't broken out, it seems like only a matter of time.
• Y-003 - The world's counter-terrorism operations fail to significantly diminish NET as in 001 & 002. World War III has broken out, and with the help of its many supporters, NET is in the process of forcing the world's countries into peace. To prevent further outbreaks of war, NET has also declared its intention to replace the failing ILTO (International League Treaty Organization) with the New World Federation, which is more widely inclusive thanks to its various Plebeian Councils.