By your own efforts, misfortune, or the unknowable machinations of the cosmos you have been shunted out of time. The god Ayon predicted this possibility and shaped a psudo-planar realm to catch and house such travelers. This realm became known as the Automatican Scaffold. Over the ages dozens mortals have found their way here. The properties of this reality are odd: mortal bodies don't age properly or require sustenance; wounds rewind and death is impossible. The one exception to this is any children who end up here, Ayon's celestial servants magic those souls to age and grow until they reach adulthood and join their fellows in eternity. Thankfully this is a rare occurrence.
Physically, the realm resembles an enormous clockwork engine. Brass gears, levers, ratchets, and springs drive the superstructure, enabling the flow of time for the rest of the cosmos. Any attempts to meddle with the machinery are swiftly corrected, both by Ayon's Construct servants and the machine itself, which shifts and forges itself to account for any disruptions. Among this, mortal souls endure their existence outside of time.
- Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, History
- Tool Proficiencies: Tinker's tools
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: An Abacus, a book detailing either your personal history or an accounting of events outside of time, a set of common clothes, a set of Tinker's tools, and 5 gp
What was the reason for your existence outside of time, and how did you find your way back into the prime timestream? You can work with your DM to determine the exact nature of your seclusion, or you can choose or roll on the table below to determine the reason behind your seclusion.
| d8 | Temporal Exile |
|---|---|
| 1 | I was an acolyte of Ayon who found a way to travel out of time from his teachings. |
| 2 | I was involved in a magical mishap that sent me hurtling through space and time. |
| 3 | A portal opened in a place associated with law or timekeeping and drew me in. |
| 4 | I ripped my way here by brute arcane force in search of something forbidden. |
| 5 | My parents met here and thus I was born here. |
| 6 | Someone intentionally send me here - either as a blessing or a curse. |
| 7 | I found an artifact that brought me here unexpectedly. |
| 8 | I have no idea how I ended up here. |
Your existence outside of time has infused you with knowledge about events from across all of history. Whenever you make an ability check to recall information, you may gain advantage on that roll. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Suggested Characteristics
Some temporal pariahs are well suited life outside of time, whereas others are warped by their new existence. Regardless of if they revel in their predicament or aspire to escape, the experience shapes their attitudes and ideals.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | My dialect and speech is archaic, antiquated, and atypical. |
| 2 | I'm obsessed with finding out how things work. |
| 3 | I often am surprised by need to eat, drink, or sleep. |
| 4 | I look down on those who have not seen the workings of reality. |
| 5 | I believe my actions are preordained by the universe. |
| 6 | The small joys of life endlessly amuse me. |
| 7 | I often lose track of time or have trouble guessing how long things will take. |
| 8 | My experience has driven me quite mad. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Enlightenment. My knowledge is meant to be shared for the betterment of everyone. (Good) |
| 2 | Order. Reality is a machine and it is my duty to ensure it runs properly. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Freedom. I strive to resist whatever cosmic machinations attempt to control my fate: I make my own choices. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Domination. The power of the ages will be at my fingers once again. (Evil) |
| 5 | Secrecy. I've been made aware of a great truth it must remain unknown. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Self-Betterment. I seek to master my arts in the (now finite) time that is given to me. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I care about someone I met in the Scaffold. They're still there and I'm not. |
| 2 | The memory of my life before the Scaffold is my anchor. |
| 3 | Whatever the goal was that drew me to the Scaffold in the first place is still unfulfilled. |
| 4 | The Scaffold was my home and I grew to love it. |
| 5 | I know what *really* happened at an influential historical event. |
| 6 | This new world I've emerged into is better than anything I experienced before. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | The prospect of death terrifies me after an existence of functional immortality. |
| 2 | My experience has made me ruthlessly bitter and spiteful towards the world. |
| 3 | I overexplain simple concepts to the cretins that populate this time. |
| 4 | I let my need to win arguments overshadow friendships and harmony. |
| 5 | I'd commit atrocities to return to my life in the Scaffold. |
| 6 | I create a precise schedule for myself and those around me and I'm insufferable when it is not adhered to. |
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