An unassuming fate has befallen an artifact of immense power and awesome capabilities. Much like a chunk of common mineral or the discarded spare part or packaging of some more important object it lies lodged between the jutting slopes of two pale grey stones. Even if its crafty plainness could be noticed among the far more vivid and lush scenery, no typical person would invest enough care in its existance to examine it with focused eyes. Besides, something that would have such use as it does and exhibits deliberate craftsmanship would certainly not be treated so carelessly if it worked properly.
An otherwise secure assumption. A logical conclusion. But wrong on any account. The object in every detail gives the impression of a decent pocket-watch, or perhaps a stop-watch of indeterminate make. Its casing and outward style are apparent enough. A simple gold or gold-platted exterior is marked only by a few etched symbols which are themselves rendered illegible by illterate soil. The meticulous observer may even notice a copywright or corporate symbol on the circumferance on the dorsal side, or maybe not. The watch is far too unkempt on the exterior to be certain.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Its machinations are persistant. The watch is operational, so what? One look within would eliminate that careless question. The watch's cover hatch is open incompletely but enough to see the interior somewhat. The hands are stationary. Is it battery powered? Could it have been lost recently and been re-wound? Or does it have a more supernatural origin? The hands are not the most fetching feature of the interior, though.
The hands do have artistic, lacy designs, but the symbols on the clock's face are the most interesting. The background is a seemingly hap-hazard image of stars and galaxies that gradually spread farther apart from each other from a red cluster in the upper-left hand corner. The watch is rather large (the face could be held in a whole palm) and each numeral is accompanied by not one, but two pictures.
The first set above each numeral and closer to the edge outline what look to be an evolutionary history. The first numeral is beneath the image of what appears to be a primitive rodent with equestrian features. Following the numbers around the clock this creature gradually assumes the form of a modern-day horse. Going a little further past the 9 to the 12, the horse evolves a bit further and reveals an eerily human shape.
The second set beneath the numbers and near the center show not a species, but a personal history for the horse. A pregnant mare's swollen belly is shown by the 1 and followed by a wet newborn foal's prescence at the 2. The horse ages as its counterpart evolves around the clock until it looks like a withered, nearly expired version of itself.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
In its present state, the watch's "hour" hand points to the contemporary horse and its "minute" hand a healthy grown adult. Closer examination reveals two more important features, however. On the edge of the clock rest two buttons, one with a tiny globe above and another the crude outline of a horse. Creepily enough, all of the pictures seem to wiggle every now and then as if they were prepared to alter shape at any moment.
Clearly this is a tool built to control the rules of time governing biological systems. One can derive by examination that it is able to change the current age and evolutionary status of individual creatures and entire global communities. Truly this was a fearsome machine that more than likely caused several incidents of interest and fear in its history.
Was it painstakingly crafted by super-intelligent scientists bending nature's ways to their cold will? Could it have been conjured by ambitious magi? Is it the lost technology of an alien civilization? Maybe something else. But its origin is now unimportant. The watch is dormant. Sleeping, but very much alive. It waits now for some person, some animal, some thing that is more than typical to free its powers yet again.
And now where and who are the questions. What planet and in what nature of place is this watch located in, who discovers it, and to what purpose will it be used or abused?