The Tome of Time, also known as the "Scroll of Longevity" or "Edict of the Ageless" is a powerful magical artifact currently in the possession of the elusive magical order known as the Children of the Mind. The mystical tome, stolen from Ximaxian magi by the renegade wizard who founded the order, is surrounded by many unsolved magical mysteries. The book is said to instigate a plethora of strange magical abilities, unexplainable even by scholars, though many theories have been proposed. The most famous of these is the ability for the owner to bestow elongated life, the attribute from which the artifact derives its name, upon those he wishes. Though the tome's pages are filled with many ancient incantations that are nearly undecipherable and are believed to predate the catastrophic War of the Chosen, providing a promising glimpse at the power of the past.

Appearance. At first glance [1], it would be nearly impossible to distinguish the ancient artifact from a modern tome, even despite its age. A thick leather-bound cover supports the front and backmost faces of the book. The eophran-brown hide is smooth and oily to the touch, providing the book with a water resistant cover, as well as extreme flexibility due to the decaying support of the front pages, making the item flimsy, yet easier to carry. Centered on both the front and back faces are two circular sections of raised material, jutting out of the otherwise smooth surface. Each is adorned with a different symbol, the front displays a golden triquetra, a series of curving arcs linked together at three points while the back contains the famous Tree of Life. The triquetra, unlike the Tree of Life, seems to be connected with the book’s “semi-consciousness”, glowing vividly with radiant light, strong enough to overpower even Injèrá’s touch. While its original symbolic relevance has been lost through the ages, its presence is currently used by the Children to explain the unity and power of their sacred number.

The picture of the Tree of Life, however, is a true artistic masterpiece, obviously created by a very skilled artist. Elegantly carved branches, vines and flowers stem off the inscription ambling along the border of the cover before darting into the pages within, completing their circuit along each leaf until they connect once more at the front cover. Unlike the modern depiction, this emblem lacks the perverted half; that has succumbed to the dark influences of the Lord of the Night. Like its counterpart the engravery is directly connected to the magic and mystery surrounding the Edict of the Ageless. While the primary carving is connected to the book’s innate abilities, this one is illuminated by its contents. Spells and other magical incantations set the symbol ablaze, bathing it in an intense orange light that weaves along the branches throughout the entire manuscript. Myths surrounding the item’s creation suggest that this amazing luminescence is derived from a substance with high magical affinity found within the rare paint used to decorate the border. The primary ingredient of said paint is believed by many to be a soluble, powdered form of a rare gem, maybe even the Dreamstones themselves. Despite knowledge on the subject, researchers have been unable to give affirmation as to if this rumour is indeed a fact.

Upon opening the book, one is greeted by a welcoming, though slightly stale scent that radiates from its pages. Age has caused the once fine pages to become brittle and stiff, creating a slight crinkling sound when each page is turned. Each sheet of paper is slightly discoloured as if blotched with faint mustard paint. Most are slightly damaged, containing a tear or wrinkled edge or even a smudge in the archaic text. The book’s contents have no known order. Entries exist on varying topics, ranging from alchemy to spells to god-like abilities, and details on magical talents, such as the Gifted Ones or the Mindmsoothers, flit through the pages, seeming to fit no system other than the authors’ fancies. The end of the tome, once filled with hundreds of blank pages upon its recovery, is slowly filling as the spies and researchers of the Children contribute to its content, providing detailed enlightenment on subjects such as the inner workings and layouts of powers that monopolize the magical world, such as Ximax and the Two Towers, though new spells, concepts and talents make up a sizeable proportion. Should the book every become filled, which would obviously take a considerable amount of time, adequate room is left between the two covers for the careful attachment of pages to the binding.

Abilities. When described, the Tome of Time’s powers are frequently broken down into two categories to more accurately describe their individual properties. These two subsections are powers that seem to derive from the book itself and those that come from the vast expanses of knowledge held within. The first grouping is easily distinguished by its intimate connection with the golden trinquetta, setting the symbol alight whenever activated, and the minimal amounts of energy required from the owner, leading to the belief that the book draws energy from some unrecognizable source within itself. Unlike the first which rarely has negative effects, the second often results in the death of all those except a select handful who attempt to work its magic. Like the first, these spells are connected to one of the emblems seated upon the cover, setting the maze of branches ablaze with excess energy channeled through the Tome.

• Alteration of the Aspects of Time
  Those abilities found in the first category are often considered to be the most extraordinary. Of these super human abilities, the most prominent is the awesome ability to mingle with smaller aspects of time, from which the Tome derives its name as well as its renown. While its utilization will not cause large things, such as freezing time in an area, it can easily accomplish things such as slowing the aging process, providing humanoids with life spans as long as that of an elf, speeding it up, or even slowing or accelerating time slightly in a minute area. Even the lesser abilities, though not as well known are as equally extraordinary. The book is said to be able to move on its own accord; hovering or teleporting in a poof of smoke whenever summoned or threatened. It is also noted that the Tome has the power to identify and ward off threats, making it impossible for those the book, or its owner, does not trust to come near. When confrontation is necessary however, it is able to effectively protect itself, raising a small, invisible shield around its perimeter or releasing dense balls of ounía at its attacker, ripping holes through whatever it gets in contact with.

• Magical Knowledge
  The second group of supernatural abilities linked with the Edict of the Ageless consists of the information stored within its pages. Spells and other magical knowledge, mostly written in ancient runes, hold the keys to unlocking these abilities. Those few spells that have been unleashed, though by no means unimportant discoveries, are believed to be, by most, the smallest of its magics. The most peculiar thing surrounding this section of the book however is the method in which these spells are cast. While in modern forms of magic, the result is achieved through the mage’s willpower, utilizing words, gestures and reagents to help concentration, the effects invoked by the book, do not follow these principles. The only similarity between the two is that both require energy, drawn from the caster, to be successful. The following account, provided by one of the few magi who came in contact with the book, showed the books catastrophic casting.

History/Origin. Never mentioned in myths or other ancient texts, the origins of the Tome of Time are as much a mystery as its uncanny abilities. Its supposed place of origin is the mystical Northern Sarvonian Keep Tak’dinal. It is suggested that the keep and the book are somehow connected to the powerful Chosen that controlled the surrounding area. Historians hope that if the book ever resurfaces, its contents may enlighten them as to its origins.

The manuscripts recorded history begins less than a century ago, in 1572, when a talented young wind magus uncovered the Edict of the Ageless from its shattered sanctuary in the ruins of Tak’dinal. Raeis Boldsnout, as the mage was called, returned with his discovery to Ximax, where it would remain only for a short time. During its brief stay at the school, three students, all of the Sky Tower, were assigned to uncover its secrets. As the trio began to uncover the uncanny abilities affiliated with the artifact, the power corrupted the young apprentices, causing them to betray the Academy and feed false information to the school, while keeping their true discoveries for themselves. To protect their identities, the three set up a secret organization known as the Triad, to covertly spread their information and gain followers. Slowly, over the course of the next year, the Triad would slowly gain followers amongst the younger members who were easily enticed by the promise of power.

A year later, when the Archmagi learned of the Triad’s secret resistance and discovered their identities, a mandate was issued ordering their arrest. Fearing for their lives, the Triad organized its followers and broke into the vault that housed the Tome of Time, stealing it from Ximax, before fleeing the Towers.

Since its theft, the book has never resurfaced into the public eye, rumoured to have been kept by Raeis Boldsnout himself under the protection of the Children of the Mind. Despite his recent retirement to live the rest of his prolonged life in peace, the book is still believed to be in the possession of the Children.

Myth/Lore. Because of its uncertain origins and place in history many myths have been formulated to illustrate the creation and original purpose of the Tome of Time. While most are dismissed as campfire-tales or bardic ballads solely for entertainment, historians acknowledge the plausibility of some fabrications and have adopted them to fill the void of suspicion.

According to the afore mentioned legend, the Edict of the Ageless was wrought within the fortress of Tak’dinal, a cousin to the infamous Midnight Blade, by Eckra the Cruel himself. Preceding his demise in the catastrophic Battle of the Winds, it is said that Eckra poured his extensive knowledge into the manuscript to ensure the continuation of his practices. However, the wise archmagus, realizing that his enemies were numerous, transcribed his teachings into a nearly undecipherable language and imbued the book with some of his power, enabling it to protect itself. Before gathering his orcish hordes and marching from the peninsula, the Chosen is believed to have locked his precious tome within a stone sage to ensure its safety. There, nestled within the crumbling walls of the fortress, the artifact is rumoured to have rested until its discovery in 1527.
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[1] Disclaimer. Like all other submissions regarding the Children of the Mind, their leaders and their possessions, this information is based on testimonies and hear-say and is therefore not necessarily a fact. Seeing as the information was provided by a supposed member of the Order itself, information may be elaborated on for the benefit of the source or the Order itself. [Return]

25th Frozen Rivers 1666 a.S. Information provided by Drasil Razorfang