Getting About (CB)

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As covered in the previous section, subjective distance seems to function normally. When a character paces off 10 yards from another character, they are 10 yards apart when considering combat, spell range, and so on. But there was also mention of a lack of solid ground and the problem with gravity being an independent sensation. How, then, does a character walk at all? And what happens to a dropped item?
Movement. How characters move is affected by their perception. The character knows that 10 paces should carry a person so far, and that running covers that distance so much faster. The character's mind is providing the force needed to move forward. Does it look like walking? Yes. Does it feel like walking? Yes. Do the muscles get tired? Yes.
So can characters mentally propel themselves forward and not pretend to walk at all, like on the astral plane? No. Their minds are still linked with reality and must behave under the proper laws. Consequently, swimming behaves the same way, since the force of buoyancy surrounds a waterborne creature, but flying does not. Flight depends on the force of aerodynamics in defiance of gravity, not propulsion against a solid. Winged creatures must walk.
Inertia. On Temporal Prime, inertia is a stored force, not an active one. This means is that, once a thrown or mechanically launched﻿ object leaves contact with its hurler, it is frozen in place. Drop a stone from arm's length, and it hangs there, seemingly weight- less, until another creature takes hold of it, and weight and inertia return. Shoot an arrow or throw a dagger, and it freezes as soon as it loses contact with the bow or hand.
Now remember, the force is stored, not lost. If another creature were to touch one of these fired arrows or thrown knives, the stored inertia kicks in once again, and the arrow pulls out of his grasp. As soon as the item loses contact, it freezes again. If the creature was stupid enough to touch the pro- jectile while standing in front of it, it would penetrate, doing normal damage. This effect pretty much nullifies ranged combat on Tem- poral Prime, but a few of these inertia- charged weapons make passable booby traps. Also, any such frozen item that is brought back into reality immediately ex- pends its inertia and continues on its way unhindered.
Note: It must be a creature, not plant life, that contacts the object. Also, creatures native to Temporal Prime do not trigger the latent inertia, since their own physical laws work differently.
Category:Chronomancer Book