Chronicles of Stonegate
RECORDS OF THE TIMELESS PRISON
PREFACE
These records, compiled from surviving documentation and testimony, detail the history and notable incidents of Stonegate Prison, where time itself loses meaning and the most dangerous of our realm are contained. Many entries have been recovered from scattered sources, while others remain partially redacted or lost to time.
SECTION I: THE FOUNDING OF STONEGATE
THE NECESSITY OF THE TIMELESS
Recovered from the personal journals of Arcturus Vale, First Warden of Stonegate
The problem with containing those gifted with power is that they have all the time in the world to plot their escape. Traditional prisons failed us repeatedly—walls could be broken, guards could be corrupted, and even the strongest wards could be undone with enough time and patience. The solution, as we discovered, was to remove time itself from the equation.
Stonegate was built upon a temporal anomaly, a place where reality itself had worn thin. Through careful manipulation of this phenomenon, we created a prison where time no longer flows in a linear fashion. Days might feel like years, years like moments. This disorientation serves as both containment and punishment.
THE CONSTRUCTION
From architectural records, circa 1847
The prison's physical structure was designed to complement its temporal distortions. The walls were built using stone from the Void Quarries, material naturally resistant to elemental manipulation. Each cell was individually warded with runes of containment, and the very foundations were laid with sacrificial sphaeram that feeds on the residual power of its inmates.
SECTION II: NOTABLE INMATES AND INCIDENTS
THE BUTCHER OF BLACKWOOD (1899-1923)
Marcus Thorne, an Earthworker who discovered he could manipulate blood as an element, terrorized the Tearing community for two decades before his capture. In Stonegate, he claimed the temporal distortions allowed him to experience each of his victims' deaths thousands of times over. His eventual suicide note read only:
"Time has become my true torturer."
THE WHISPER SISTERS (1934)
Twins Meredith and Margaret Vale, Interlopers of unprecedented power, were imprisoned for attempting to create a hive mind from unwilling subjects. Their synchronized screams were said to pierce through the temporal distortions, enabling them to briefly synchronize all of Stonegate's inmates into a single consciousness. The resulting riot led to the implementation of the Silence Protocols.
SUBJECT 23: THE FIRST PAINKILLER ENCOUNTER (1956)
Partial record recovered from sealed archives
Inmate displayed unusual resistance to temporal effects. Guards reported shadows moving against temporal flow. [REDACTED] resulted in the death of sixteen guards before containment was reestablished. First documented instance of the Painkiller's influence within Stonegate's walls. Subject terminated after [REDACTED].
THE LOST WING INCIDENT (1978)
From Warden Maxwell's emergency report
An entire section of the prison, containing twenty-three inmates and seven guards, vanished during a temporal fluctuation. When it reappeared three days later, all occupants had aged several decades. Survivors spoke of experiencing centuries within what we perceived as days. The wing was permanently sealed following multiple suicide attempts by both inmates and guards.
SECTION III: CONTAINMENT PROTOCOLS
STANDARD TEMPORAL MANIPULATION PROCEDURES
Procedure Description 1 All inmates must be processed through the Temporal Adjustment Chamber 2 Guards rotate shifts every 4 subjective hours to prevent temporal fatigue 3 No single guard may interact with the same inmate more than once per objective week 4 All communications must be logged in both objective and subjective time
THE SILENCE PROTOCOLS
Implemented after the Whisper Sisters Incident
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* Mandatory dampening of all sonic vibrations above specified thresholds
* Psychic barriers maintained at all times
* Individual temporal bubbles for high-risk inmates
* Regular reality anchor adjustments
POWER SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS
1. Void Stone reinforcement in all load-bearing walls
2. Active nullification fields in common areas
3. Temporal desynchronization of sphaeram wavelengths
4. Emergency reality anchor points for containment breaches
SECTION IV: NOTORIOUS ESCAPES
THE IMPOSSIBLE YEAR (1989)
Seven simultaneous breakouts occurred across different temporal zones. Investigation revealed all escapees experienced the same subjective moment despite being in different parts of the prison. Theory suggests a coordinated attack from outside the temporal field, but no evidence was ever found.
THE MIRROR BREAK (1995)
A Shifter known only as "Glass" created temporal reflections of himself, each experiencing different timestreams. One version eventually found a weakness in the prison's temporal field. All reflections escaped simultaneously, causing a cascade failure in the containment systems. None were ever recaptured, leading to speculation that they merged back into a single entity.
THE DOC INCIDENT (2012)
Report heavily redacted
Inmate demonstrated unprecedented understanding of Stonegate's temporal mechanics. [REDACTED] suggested outside assistance. Connection to [REDACTED] remains unconfirmed. Case remains open.
SECTION V: PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS
TEMPORAL DISSOCIATION
From Dr. Eleanor Vale's research papers
The human mind was not meant to experience time non-linearly. Even among Tearings, prolonged exposure to Stonegate's temporal distortions produces unique psychological phenomena:
1. Memory Fragmentation: Inmates lose ability to sequence events chronologically
2. Identity Dissolution: Sense of self becomes unstable across different timestreams
3. Temporal Echoes: Experiencing multiple versions of the same moment simultaneously
4. Reality Anchoring Loss: Inability to distinguish between objective and subjective time
THE VALE PROTOCOL
Standard psychological evaluation metrics
To maintain inmate stability:
* Regular reality anchoring sessions
* Temporal synchronization therapy
* Memory sequence reinforcement
* Identity stabilization exercises
SECTION VI: CURRENT STATUS
MODERN CONTAINMENT STATISTICS
Statistic Value Maximum Capacity 1,000 inmates Current Population [REDACTED] Guard to Prisoner Ratio 1:3 Temporal Distortion Zones 7 Reality Anchor Points 13
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Last updated [DATE REDACTED]
The prison continues to evolve, with new containment protocols being developed as our understanding of temporal mechanics grows. The recent implementation of quantum-locked cells has reduced escape attempts by 63%, though concerns about long-term psychological effects remain.
ADDENDUM: WARNING TO FUTURE WARDENS
Found carved into the First Warden's desk
Time is not merely a dimension here—it is a weapon, a tool, and a torture all its own. But beware: those who seek to manipulate time may find themselves manipulated by it. Stonegate holds secrets even its builders never intended, and some say the prison itself has gained a form of consciousness through its temporal distortions.
Guard well, but guard yourself first. Time has no loyalty.
[This document is classified Level 5. Unauthorized access or reproduction is punishable by immediate temporal displacement.]