Individuals have timelines. These lines are like strands, strings, threads. Similar strands align, forming a lock, much like a lock of hair. Individuals travel along their strands, through the braid, much like we travel a road. Time is like space, and space is like time. The call to the end of the braid is irresistable, like a lodestone's inerrant call to the mystic north. All travel the braid - some longer than others.
These strands are woven into braids of indefinite length. The braids represent the multiverse - all planes and demiplanes have their own braid. The most often referenced and most often relevant braid is that of the Material Plane. The braid is identical to the Material Plane; they are one and the same. Time is space, and space is time. Chronology is another form of kinetics.
The chronokinetically gifted are those individuals born with this second knowledge of spacetime. Many of the chronokinetically gifted are aware of the great fragility of this braid; some choose to use it, others to misuse it. All are blessed and cursed with the truth of knowledge of what is, to others, a true and perfect determinism. Most choose to somehow break from this predestined fate, given their foresight of truth, changing the course of the world forever.
Below we discuss some of these gifted members of society.
Eternity Rider: The eternity riders live to maintain the health and life of the braid and those strands vital to its existence. Eternity riders move easily, gliding through time and space as they watch and repair the braid as it continually frays and falters. An eternity rider is a nomad, a healer, and a soldier, responsible for maintaining the order of the very material of the plane itself. TODO: Everything. Overhaul and rework to match new flavour (better take on original idea).
Fate Reaper: The fate reapers understand the braid as something to be perfected. It has been said that perfection is attained not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to remove. In keeping with this philosophy, the fate reapers scrape excess material from the strands of the braid, gathering the time of others for their own purposes. TODO: Add supporting feats. Playtesting.
Gemini Templar: The gemini templar are those individuals born twice. A single armsperson with two strands, the inhabitant of the empty dual timeline of a gemini templar haunts dreams without end and whispers deadly secrets in waking hours. A gemini templar lives both a soldier's life in the braid and another life outside the security thereof, inhabiting a rocky, isolated demiplane. Well-trained gemini templar learn to change presences with this other life, using the other self's observations and preparation to great effect. TODO: Add a couple utility effects. Add ancient invocation options.
Knight of Oaths: The knights of oaths believe in a selectively deterministic world - and they make the decisions. Blessed with the keys to eternity, a knight of oaths learns how to set both themselves and the future against any foe, bringing to bear not only the mighty powers they share with those of the knighted, but also borrowing those unearthly powers belonging to beings far beyond mortal reach, setting guiding bonds for the future as all works to achieve them. TODO: Boons, all later abilities, separate out oath text, evaluate balance and mindshare.
Pulse Warden: The pulse wardens see the world through the framework of the cosmic metronome. Moments are discrete units, indivisible; the cosmic metronome dictates all motion. By observing the world tick forward, they learn to repeat or skip units of time, to step between beats of the cosmic metronome, to force time into a spatial form and disable opponents. They are martial sages, and they perfectly measure their every step. TODO: Utility/support effects. Playtesting.
Timesharp: The timesharps learn that time is malleable - and, by extension, so is space. They learn to trick those around them by cutting and pasting moments from their past between moments in the present, extending insights for fractions of a second, with an eye quick enough to catch the most vital glimpses of the near future. They learn to manipulate time, slowly discerning the nature of the chronokinetic world and grasping at flaws and loopholes in its nature. TODO: Some later abilities, playtesting.
Mundane Items
Harrier-spear: This weapon rests in the hands of professional armsmen, designed to keep their worthy opponents beyond arm's reach. Empowered by the magical world they live in, martial classes are adept with these mighty weapons in a manner impossible for Earthly paragons to dream of. TODO: Design notes.
Wondrous Items
Gloves of throwing: This wondrous item represents the condensed craft of centuries of assassins' guilds and the beauty of the dart-throwers' art, combined with the strength of giants' legendary throwing. Wearers of these gloves treat thrown weapons as enchanted, just as an archer's bow passes on its power to ammunition it fires. Complete.
Special Qualities
Disciplined Protector (Combat)
Prerequisite: The disciplined beat class feature.
Benefit: A character using the Power Attack feat to strike an ally provokes an attack of opportunity from the pulse warden. This attack of opportunity resolves after the Power Attack is attempted.
Chronokinesis introduces new typed bonuses, which intentionally do not conflict with existing bonuses. These are:
Braid bonus/braid damage. This type represents the power of time or reality, generally as a substance.
Fate bonus/fate damage. This type represents the power of destiny as it influences luck; it is distinct from luck in that it is discrete and farther-reaching, often involving metaphysical foresight.