Overview of Time and Fate

A View on Time and Fate

An essay by Sage Miriel Hana

Time

The popular concept of the world is that of a Multiverse, spanning various planes of existence, alternate realities. Comparable traits of the planes include "physical traits, defining the laws of nature such as gravity and time; elemental and energy traits which determine the dominance of particular elemental or energy force; magic traits which refer to the way magic works within the plane; and last but not least, the incline of the plane towards chaos or law, or towards a particular moral staindpoint." [1]

As a common notion, Time represents the sequentuality of all events that occur. Time is said to have a direction, "flowing" from past to future. While the flow of time as a rule remains constant within any particular plane, there have been registered differences in the rate of time's passage upon comparing some planes or planar layers to each other. A planewalker may spend a year in a particular plane and return to the plane he came from, to find that only a few days have passed there.

A known exception to normal time flow is the Astral Plane, which is sometimes referred to as "a timeless plane", in that while time flows normally therein, a mortal may not feel the effect of time passing such as aging, or hunger, thirst. These effects may however occur retroactively upon leaving the Astral.

The spell Time Stop and the psionic ability Time Shift should also be noted in that regard. Time Stop seems to make time cease to flow for everyone but the caster -- while in theory the spell simply makes time go really fast for the caster throughout the duration of the spell. Similarly, with Time Shift the psionicist may quicken the pace of time around him for a while and observe events unfold until the normal flow time catches up with him. (See also IV, Time as a Plane)

Time is also referred to as a measurement of objects and/or events, from their coming into existence (or moving into a certain state of existence), to the end of it as such. Many Prime worlds and also Sigil have cyclic periods of light and darkness. [2] For convenience, one full cycle of light and darkness (day and night as these go on Avlis) can be split into divisions of equal duration and fractions thereof, i.e. 24 hours, 60 minutes within each hour. Periods spanning multiple days and nights exist in use, i.e. weeks, months. A full change of seasons marks an year; The reign of a ruler or the tenure of a council may often be used to relate to a period of time as well.

Different instruments are used in attempt to measure the passage of time uniformly within a given plane. Such rely on established constant characteristics of the realm in question. A sundial tells the hour of day relying on the position of a sun; a sandglass or water clock rely on measurement of sand or water flow. Others still follow the Mechanus cog-wheel-and-spring clock design with radial displays divided in sectors to denote hours and minutes, the current time highlighted by moving arrows. Of course, it is difficult to reproduce a timepiece even remotely comparable to the Mechanus ones, in terms of precision and durability. [2]

Fate

The term Fate, often used interchangeably with Destiny, appears in conjuction with the idea that the flow of time is subject to predetermination. There are two major interpretations of this concept.

The first theory depicts Fate as all that is meant to happen. It suggests that all is known from the start, that events will so adjust themselves that the consequences of some events will be in one way or the other emphasised or diminished, to make way for what is predestined by the main line - or lines - of Fate.

The second theory is less liberal in that it presents time as an affixed chain of events throughout, declaring that events occur solely as consequences of choices made but that the choices eventually made will always be those that which support the main line - or lines - of Fate.

"As an example, this (straight) line is the true course of events. Yet at each second, each microsecond, there are choices, probabilities, possibilities to be accounted for. Each of these probabilities is a choice that was discarded, either through conscious thought, or movement and effects of others. The Fatespinner must learn to see the true line as it is surrounded by this nimbus of choices. The Fatespinner does not choose one of these probabilities, instead she sees the truth before it happens, and so reacts to what will be, not what might be." [3]

This citation by Thienna Hurst, also known as Fate's Oracle, introduces the idea of a paramount objective truth; a true course of events, or in other words, Fate. In her own words, a Fatespinner may not change Fate, only see the True Destiny. The next section of this essay offers a critique of this concept.

Time without Fate

"The Divinations that one does learn are of much importance in learning to correctly manipulate the spin of an object's probability and possibility as the event on the timeline does draw near." - Flenken Jolliemausch, Red Order of the Flame [4]

"It would be a special kind of hell to see the future and be able to do nothing about it." - Hebrin Maul, Order of the Dragon [5]

I concede with Thienna in that Fatespinning is not the act of choosing a future. One's intent alone may not alter the "spin", the momentum of an object or event (the chances of a singularity to change its state, the chances for an event to occur).

I however share Hebrin's idea that Fatespinning is acting upon a best effort prediction of the most likely probability, rather than certainty (objective truth).

I prefer to view Time independently of Fate, and deny the idea that all is predetermined one way or the other from the beginning point of time - assuming it has one. Instead, I view each single moment in time as a slice of a "rope" that's constantly woven but which does not have a predestined development. Events may or may not lead to other events. I believe that the end result of all that occurs is a merger of consequentiality and chance.

In which case Divination, the spell school dedicated to the revealing of truth, will refer to the present moment as nothing but the end result of the past ones, and the future moments as nothing but the end result of the past ones plus the present. (This might as well call for considering the existence of alternate realities based on different end result slices.)

There may be tangential threads appearing in this "rope" at any given point, which may be named "lines of Fate" or "threads of Fate" in laymen's terms. But their arising will again be a fruit of an end result, rather than predestined in the beginning of time.

This makes the idea of objective truth a moot point, except SOLELY in the context of the present moment. It still does not represent all attempts to predict the future as futile. It simply makes even the most accurate predictions subject to a margin of error in all cases. Or as the Archmage of the Ivory Order, Mhog'ar, himself a Master Fatespinner says in jest, "Fate comes biting you in the ass".

I return to the so-called "lines of Fate", once again using the term to describe ongoing threads in the "rope" of Time without labeling them as predestined. A more accurate wording could be "the summary of all events relevant to a given subject". Thienna Hurst has been known to follow, and even bind together the "lines of Fate" of various individuals. In which case the subject is a person and the definition will go, "the summary of all events relevant to a given person".

If these "lines of Fate" are visible to a Fatespinner, it means that the Fatespinner is granted the ability to recognise one's "trail" in the Time flow. Such a trail could be likened to the silver cord that links the soul to the body. This silver cord is tangible to mortals who undertake travel through the Astral Plane, extending from their point of entrance to their astral body. [1] It is unique for every mortal, and one's "line of Fate", or "thread of Fate" is unique just the same.

As anything that can be objectified in a certain context, a "line of Fate" can also be manipulated in this context. For instance it can be made tangential, drawing other events to strengthen its course. While a Fatespinner alone may not be able to do so, the events that almost led to the fruition of Wilsash's Great Dream in 2225 convinced me that such manipulation is well within the scope of the possible -- at least for a god here on Avlis. Fatespinners could literally sense the "lines of Fate" being pulled at the time.

Time as a Plane

Hebrin Maul of Vorin, a seeker of knowledge, has encountered another yet theory of Time. It presents Time as a plane of its own, the so-called Temporal Plane. This plane may be coexistent* with all other planes after a fashion. Which will explain the different flow of Time in different planes as the strength of their connection to the Plane of Time, if accepting the flow of the Plane of Time as a norm.**

Following the definition of plane, we must suggest that the plane of Time has a space of its own, an alegorical everflowing river. Then those who fully enter the plane of Time and sail with the current, will be able to travel forward in time. Suppose they can swim faster than the current? That would make the user of Time Shift (or Time Stop) literally a time traveller. It brings them faster into the future.

But could they also swim against the river's current, moving back in time?

On the Prime Material world Abeir'Toril, the goddess of magic is also a goddess of Time, and legends say that after divine agreement she does not allow travellers back in Time in any other capacity than as viewers. That would mean that once entering the Plane of Time, Abeir'Toril is only accessible if one travels with the river flow. If they travel against it, they can observe but not intervene in what was.

Perhaps, this is not so in all planes.

Sage Miriel Hana
Avlis Tower University

Notes and Source Materials

* coexistent, i.e. the Transient Ethereal is coexistent with the Prime Material. Those in the Transient Ethereal can sense those in the Prime Material and even affect events in the Prime Material. [1a]

* A no less intriguing theory also views magic as a plane, which also is differently accessible from different planes. On the Outlands, going from the perifery to the centre - the Axis, physically manifested as the Rock Spire - magic weakens. Reaching the Spire, and Sigil the City of Doors atop of it, magic becomes non-existent. [1b]

[1] - Planar Structure of the Known Multiverse: Definition of Plane

[1a] Planar Structure of the Known Multiverse: Coexistent Planes

[1b] Planar Structure of the Known Multiverse: The Great Wheel

[2] - Guide to Planar Time, Planewalker's Edition

[3] - A Brief Explanation of Fatespinning by Thienna Hurst

[4] - Practical Divinations for Fatespnning Learnings by Flenken Jolliemausch

[5] - Theory of Planar Connectivity (String Theory) by Hebrin Maul