The Memory Keepers. Benign apparitions who replay historical moments from the inn’s past.
Physical Appearance
- Translucent, misty figures that flicker between visibility and invisibility
- Appear as shadowy silhouettes that are never quite in focus
- Colors shift between pale blue, silver, and occasional flashes of warmer hues during emotional moments
- No distinct facial features, just suggestions of eyes that glow softly
- Movement is fluid and sometimes looping, repeating the same actions in cycles
- Occasionally fragment into multiple partial figures before reforming
- Seem to exist partially between time periods, sometimes appearing solid for brief moments
Biology & Lifespan
- Not truly alive nor dead in the conventional sense
- Formed when powerful emotions or significant events imprint on a location
- Can persist for centuries, gradually fading if the location is destroyed
- Neither eat nor sleep, existing in a state of perpetual memory
- Cannot be harmed by physical means, simply dispersing and reforming
- Communicate by replaying sounds and conversations from the past
- Strongest during anniversaries of the events that created them
Lore & Mystery
- First documented after a great magical cataclysm centuries ago fractured time in certain locations
- Some scholars believe they’re fragments of time itself, caught in endless loops
- Ancient texts suggest they serve as warnings or guides to prevent history’s repetition
- Theories propose they’re created when strong magic combines with powerful emotions
- Rumored to occasionally show events that haven’t happened yet, though this may be misinterpretation
- Several historical buildings are famous for their particularly vivid or numerous Echo Ghosts
- Attempts to communicate directly with them typically result in repetitions of past conversations
Interactions with the World
- Most active during twilight hours and on nights with significant magical energy
- Replay scenes from a location’s history, from mundane moments to significant events
- Cannot interact physically with the world but may create cold spots or static sensations
- Those sensitive to magic may hear whispers or see clearer images than others
- Sometimes respond to similar emotional states that match their originating event
- May become more distinct in places with long histories or many stories
- Their appearances often coincide with rediscoveries of forgotten history
Story Potential
- Echo Ghosts from the inn’s past revealing its history through replayed scenes
- Guests specifically seeking the establishment to witness its historical echoes
- Mysteries from the building’s past that could be solved by watching the Echo Ghosts
- Special events where the boundaries between past and present thin, allowing clearer visions
- Discoveries about previous owners or significant events that occurred in the inn