Chronobonsai (Checkpoint)

Overview

A rare bonsai variant of the Infinitree whose roots tap deep into the Time Stream. Each soil layer carries recorded events—wars, lost towns, reclaimed kingdoms—making Chronobonsai living archives and stabilizers. All surviving Chronobonsai ultimately merged into the Infinitree at Year 0 to end the Eclipse’s sun–moon lock.

Narrative role

Serves as diegetic checkpoints and truth-markers. The Bonsai Sage and seekers (including Okashira) treat Chronobonsai as witnesses to eras “when the world was still being written.” Player progress and world-state validation occur here rather than via abstract saves.

Known facts

Approximately 1500 years old (roots dating back to ~674 BE in surviving specimens); all known trees sacrificed into the Infinitree at Year 0.
Infinitree lineage; cannot be replicated. Roots record unbiased Timeline Log strata.
Reading requires resonance (Sage/Michio); careless probing can fracture local time.
Ninth Wave interest: Okashira sought Chronobonsai lore to exploit time wounds.

Mechanics impact

Acts as a diegetic checkpoint/save and fast-travel anchor.
Allows limited Timeline Log queries (objective events) to reconcile with World Memories.
Stabilizes nearby anomalies/rifts when activated; may unlock safe routes.

Relationships

Infinitree: parent organism; Chronobonsai is a rooted shard; all merged to birth the Infinitree at Year 0.
World Memory vs Timeline Log: Chronobonsai exposes the objective timeline side.
Anomalies and Time Rifts: activation can stabilize nearby tears.
Linked to the Bonsai Sage/Michio pilgrimage path; sought by Okashira/Ninth Wave.

Sources

docbase/Universe Document.txt (Chronobonsai excerpts)
docbase/kb/infinitree.md
docbase/kb/time_anomalies_and_loops.md
docbase/kb/great_eclipse_physical_lock_addendum.md

Missing / conflicting information:

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Summary (placeholder)

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Link opportunities

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Source excerpts

● Hanzo’s disappearance occurred in 1313 AE 
● The current events (beginning of the game) start in 1326 AE 
● The Chronobonsai is about 1500 years old, dating back to 674 BE
 
The Sage, who has lived before the Great Eclipse, refers to events from “the Dusk Era”, an

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They came without banners, their armor bore no crest. 
 
Okashira was drawn by legends of the Infinitree “Chronobonsai”:
A living artifact said to have seen "the time when the world was still being written." 
Infinitrees are in fact extremely rare and thought to be a myth. A Chronobonsai is a variety

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Okashira was drawn by legends of the Infinitree “Chronobonsai”:
A living artifact said to have seen "the time when the world was still being written." 
Infinitrees are in fact extremely rare and thought to be a myth. A Chronobonsai is a variety 
whose roots tap deep into the Time Stream - Each layer of soil tells the story of past events - 
Wars, towns being erected and fallen kingdoms being reclaimed by nature.

Open questions / conflicts

Open: hierarchy between time rifts and anomalies not locked; naming conventions (full names vs given names) not fully locked. Time travel remains non-player-controlled; chat canon overrides docs.