River of Time

The River of Time is a river with no beginning or end that divides the Astral Realm into four equal regions, and separates them from the Garden of All-Creation that lies at the Realm's core. The River isn't an actual body of water, but a metaphysical concept, and at the same time a law, as well as a location. However, it is perceived by sentient minds as an endlessly flowing river, and that form is quite useful for understanding its behaviors.

### Metaphysics

The currents of the River of Time are of a substance known as *aqua doctrinae*, the essence of divinity - or the blood of gods. *Aqua doctrinae* exists within everything, conferring energy, life and motion to what would otherwise be static, unchanging, and indistinct blocks of potential. As the *aqua doctrinae* is attracted to its source, much like iron is to a magnet, the currents of the River of Time bring motion, change, causality and fate to reality. Without the River of Time, the world would be completely still, like a painting.

As the currents of *aqua doctrinae* are unceasing, traveling upstream of the River allows one to see further and further back in time. Conversely, looking downstream of the River of Time allows one to peer into the probable future. If a person were to enter the River, they would be able to travel to the particular point in time contained within that segment of the River. However, because the currents of *aqua doctrinae* have already run the course of the past, and also because the one which is found in every being is from the same source as the River's, that person would not be able to change any event in any significant way, no matter how extreme their actions might be. In fact, the greater their attempts to alter the timeline, the greater the risk of that person displacing themselves from the River's course, and so become removed from causality. It is theoretically possible for a creature possessing *aqua doctrinae* from a foreign source to "taint" the River of Time when they enter it. The entire area of the River downstream from the point at which that creature submerged would then become contaminated with the foreign *aqua doctrinae*, changing its colors and flow, which would allow the creature to change the present and future past that point in time. Because of this potential threat, the River of Time is under the heavy monitoring of most deities present in the Astral Realm.

Many segments of the River of Time are inhabited by special magical beasts adapted to its unique environment, as well as by many types of Astral entities and even some angels. These creatures are usually left alone by the higher strata, as they help deter the universe's denizens from exploring the River at leisure.

## Appearance

The River of Time is a titanic flow of liquid that splashes with every color of universe, making for breath-taking sight as it endlessly flows towards the infinite horizon. The liveliness of the creatures that inhabit it, their fights, the splashes they cause over the River's surface, its relentless waves and awe-inspiring light shows, as well as the gorgeous curves it carves trough the air - it's no wonder why the River of Time has long been recognized as the most beautiful sight in the universe.

## Trivia

1. The waters of the River of Time are a very potent magical material. Its mere touch can quickly age or rejuvenate a creature or object, making it extremely dangerous and nigh-impossible to contain - but, of course, highly coveted.
2. The beauty of the River of Time has actually prevented a few wars in the past. Even the stoic northerners of Dragonfell are brought to tears just by looking at it.
3. The River of Time is very useful to the wisemen and mind-mages. By combining their magics with intermittent scrying of the River, their deductions become easier and much more accurate.
4. For the same reason, oracles tend to rely greatly on rituals revolving around getting as much information as safely as possible from the River's downstreams.
5. The concept of 'time' and the River aren't necessarily the same thing, though one does create the other.
6. Many demi-planes, pocket dimensions and even divine kingdoms have different rates of time when compared to the rest of the universe. This is because their creation-process involves drawing in a new tributary of the River of Time. The 'size' of this tributary and its delta become the sole determining factor of that dimension's rate of time. The governor of that dimension can later alter the rate of time by making changes to the tributary's delta, thought this is very costly to non-deities.