|species = [[Dragon (The Legend of Spyro)|Dragon]]
|gender = Male
|affiliation = [[Spyro]]
|age = 1000+ years old
|homeworld = [[White Isle]]
|first_appearance = ''[[The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night]]'' (2007)
|latest_appearance = ''[[The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon]]'' (2008)
|portrayed_by = [[Martin Jarvis]]
}}
{{Quote|You shall know me as the Chronicler. Seek me out.|The Chronicler|[[The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night]]}}
'''The Chronicler''' is an ancient [[Dragon (The Legend of Spyro)|dragon]]; a myth and legend amongst his kind who is said to hold immeasurable wisdom and knowledge. He watches over the [[Books of Time]], which have recorded almost every part of dragon history, and every dragon has a book dedicated to their lives.
In ''[[The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night]]'', he reached out to [[Spyro (The Legend of Spyro)|Spyro]] to guide him through his travels; he would later appear in [[The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon|the final story installment]] of [[The Legend of Spyro (series)|''The Legend of Spyro'' series]].
==Physical Appearance==
===Original Design (2007)===
In his original [[Krome Studios]] design, the Chronicler is a gray dragon with pale blue eyes, darker colored wings with pale battered membranes, dark gray back spines and tail spike. He has a long goatee with a yellow bracelet and two smaller goatees under his cheeks. He also wears two yellow jewelry on his tail. His horns are tipped in a bronze color; the tip of his right horn is chipped. The Chronicler wears a dark blue cloth adorned with light blue symbols and a brown solid collar around his neck that is linked with a blue glowing crystal known in concept art as "the Heart of the Chronicler".<ref name="Chronicler">''[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Q93E8 Spyro 2007 The Chronicler]''. (Date Posted - May 12, 2018). ''[http://artstation.com ArtStation]''.</ref> Strapped to the side of his hindquarters is the Chronicler's Tome of Knowledge that contains scrolls.
===''Dawn of the Dragon'' Design (2008)===
In his redesign for ''[[The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon]]'' by [[Étranges Libellules]], the Chronicler's overall appearance is largely the same, but he gained a different change in color to have him stand out in the game's bloom and broken render.<ref>''[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/WBokoG 25 Anniversary 2/3: ELB archives 2006/2010]''. (Date Posted - Jan. 15, 2024). ''[https://artstation.com ArtStation]''.</ref> His gray scales were changed to bright blue with his underbelly now being in a pale blue color; the tip of his horns were changed from bronze to gold. He gained blue spines that weren't present in his previous Krome Studios design, and his dark blue attire is now in a brighter shade. The Chronicler's wings are no longer battered, and despite showing a different design in his ''Dawn of the Dragon'' concept art, his wings (and body structure) are the same as [[Ignitus]]'s in the final version of the game due to its rushed production.
==Personality==
Living in isolation for over 1000 years, the Chronicler is a well-learned dragon with a flare for the dramatic when it comes to speech. He serves as a narrator of sorts for the last two games of the trilogy and is a background character more so than anyone else, watching the events that unfold rather than taking any real direct action. The nature of his role as the Chronicler makes him a firm believer in destiny and he often reminds Spyro that sometimes their "paths are chosen for [them] and that it is [their] destiny to follow them, where ever they may lead." In addition, he believes that what is written in the Books of Time, such as the return of the [[Malefor|Dark Master]], cannot be changed or stopped. Despite that, the Chronicler isn't that narrow-minded as to stick to one path and can be persuaded to take another, as shown when Spyro refused to do as the Chronicler asked and wait with him in safety while [[Cynder]] fell to Malefor's control once again.
==Abilities==
The powers that come with the role of the Chronicler include telekinesis, dream manipulation and [[Dragon Time]]. With access to the Books of Time, he can see glimpses of the future, watch and listen for events to come in order to add them to said books.
==Story==
===History===
[[File:StorybookTale Malefor_Elders.jpg|thumb|286px|The dragon (bottom left) who would become The Chronicler witnessing the training of a young Malefor]]Over the ages, the Chronicler became a legend known only to few, usually associated with tales of doom. The dragon who would become the current Chronicler was present when the Dragon City of [[Warfang]] was being built. He was also present with the other Dragon Elders when the first [[Purple Dragon (The Legend of Spyro)|purple dragon]], [[Malefor]], underwent training before his corruption, presumably documenting the training sessions that unfolded before him.<ref name="Q&A">''[https://www.deviantart.com/dragonoficeandfire/journal/Q-A-with-Jared-Pullen-lead-concept-artist-of-TLoS-556546930 Q/A with Jared Pullen, lead concept artist of TLoS]''. (Date Posted - Aug 27, 2015). ''[http://deviantart.com DeviantArt]''.</ref> At some point, he was then chosen to become the next Chronicler.
===''The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night''===
Over a thousand years later, the Chronicler began contacting Spyro in his dreams immediately after Cynder left the [[Dragon Temple]], sending the young dragon on a series of quests and reawakening Spyro's elemental abilities along the way. When Spyro told Ignitus of his dreams and the Chronicler himself, he and the other [[Dragon Guardians|Guardians]] were shocked to know that The Chronicler was real, having believed him to be just a myth due to the ancient dragon's preference for isolation. Ignitus reluctantly sent Spyro on his journey to the Chronicler, believing that Spyro now had a separate path than the rest of them.
Throughout his journey, the Chronicler revealed much to Spyro about the events unraveling around him, and urging him on to find him before the [[Night of Eternal Darkness]]. Along the way, the Chronicler caused Spyro to collapse into slumber so he could speak with him, often at dangerous times, such as when Spyro was flying over an ocean. However, by either accident or design, Spyro survived the fall into the water by coming to rest upon a [[Leviathan]]'s back, which took Spyro to the [[White Isle]].
It was in these [[Celestial Caves]] that Spyro was forced to partake in a number of trials to reach The Chronicler, even fighting [[Elemental Dragon|an entity that took on the form of his worst fear]]. After his trials were completed, Spyro came face-to-face with the Chronicler, who had been waiting for the young dragon. The old scribe began to explain what really happened on the night of the raid at the Dragon Temple and what had happened to Cynder that made her become what she was. He also told Spyro the story of Malefor, how he was the first of his kind and that his raw power enabled him to master many kinds of powers, which the dragon elders willingly taught to him until his exile and his eventual transformation into the Dark Master. The Chronicler then revealed to Spyro why he brought him to the caves: to hide in safety until a later time. But Spyro, fearing for Cynder's safety more than his own, insisted to know what would happen to her. When The Chronicler said that she would not be able to resist Malefor and would rejoin him, Spyro demanded that he leave to save her. Reluctantly, The Chronicler showed Spyro the way to the [[Well of Souls]] and allowed him to leave.
Spyro used the Chronicler's words to come up with the idea to freeze himself, Cynder, and Sparx in [[Time Crystal|a crystal to protect them from the collapsing Mountain of Malefor]]. The Chronicler wasn't heard again until the very last scene of the game when Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx are frozen inside the crystal, talking to the sleeping Spyro and telling him that when he awakens, the world will be different, but he will not be alone and will have allies.
===''The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon''===
[[File:Chronicler_SpyroCynder.jpg|thumb|left|296px|The Chronicler appearing before Spyro and Cynder from a gem cluster]]Three years later, the Chronicler appeared to Spyro and Cynder within [[the Catacombs]] as an illusion generated by a green gem cluster, which was used to energized Spyro and Cynder's elements. He told them that it was time to awaken their powers: Spyro with his [[Fire (The Legend of Spyro)|Fire]], [[Electricity (The Legend of Spyro)|Electricity]], [[Ice (The Legend of Spyro)|Ice]], and [[Earth]], and Cynder with her unusual powers granted to her by her exposure to the darkness: [[Poison]], [[Fear]], [[Wind (The Legend of Spyro)|Wind]], and [[Shadow]].
After Malefor's defeat, the Chronicler was reading from one of the Books of Time that detailed the events that took place. He began speaking to a hidden figure, whom the Chronicler had been expecting for a long time. The ancient dragon explained that a new age was dawning, and with each new age, a worthy dragon is chosen to chronicle the many triumphs and failures of that age. This was the Chronicler's duty for many millenia, and now the honor is passed down to Igntius. When Ignitus asked what became of Spyro, the Chronicler revealed that when a dragon dies, a new page is written in one of the books. He goes on to say that he had tried his best, but he couldn't find any trace of Spyro in that book. With that said, the Chronicler began to glow and bestowed his powers to Ignitus, changing the red dragon's scales to the shade of color the Chronicler had along with his various items. The old dragon vanished in the process, presumably passing on.
==Role==
The dragon chosen to become the Chronicler is tasked with watching over and adding the triumphs and failures of the current age to the Books of Time, which have recorded nearly every part of dragon history and every dragon has a book dedicated to their lives. Whoever takes over as Chronicler is bound to the Celestial Temple on the White Isle<ref>''The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night Prima Official Game Guide'', page 31</ref>, never to leave until a new age has dawned and another dragon is chosen to be the next Chronicler of that age.
It should be noted that "the Chronicler" is more of a title than it is a name, and that the scale color is actually a symbol of status. Evidence of this is shown when Ignitus's scale color turned to match the Chroncler's and gains the clothing he was wearing after the former Chronicler passed his duties on to the former Fire Guardian.
'''The Chronicler''' is an Ancient Gray Dragon with the element of Telekinesis, who is a keeper of the history of Dragons, which he writes in the Books of Time History.
==Personality==
Living in isolation for over 1000 years, The Chronicler is a well learned dragon with a flare for the dramatic when it comes to speech. The nature of his role as The Chronicler makes him a firm believer in destiny and he often reminds Spyro that sometimes our paths are chosen for us and that it is our destiny to follow them. Although he can often see the right direction to take he isn't so narrow minded as to stick to one path and can be persuaded to take another, as shown when Spyro refused to do as The Chronicler asked and wait with him in safety whilst Cynder fell to Malefor's control once again.
The Chronicler contacted Spyro in his dreams during The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night, sending the young dragon on a series of quests and reawakening Spyro's elements along the way. When Spyro told Ignitus of The Chronicler's dreams he and the other Guardians were shocked to know that The Chronicler was alive, having believed him to be just a myth due to the ancients preference for isolation. Ignitus reluctantly sent Spyro on his journey to the Chronicler, believing that Spyro now had a seperate path than the rest of them.
!Voice Actor
!Appearance
|-
|Martin Jarvis
|''[[The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon]]''
|}
Throughout his journey The Chronicler revealed much to Spyro about the events unfolding around him, and urging him on to find him before the Night of Eternal Darkness. Along the way The Chronicler caused Spyro to collapse into slumber so he could speak with him, often at inopportune moments such as when Spyro was flying over an ocean. But, by either accident or design, Spyro survived the fall into the water by coming to rest upon a sea creature's back, which took Spyro to the White Isle and the Celestial caves.
It was in these Caves that Spyro was forced to partake in a number of trials to reach the Chronicler, even fighting a spirit of Cynder's dark form, The Elememntal Dragon. After his trials were completed Spyro came to face the Chronicler who began to explain what really happened on the night of the raid at the Dragon Temple and what had happened to Cynder to make her become what she was. He also told Spyro the story of Malefor, how he was the first of his kind and that his raw power enabled him to master many kinds of powers, which the dragon elders willingly taught to him until his exile and his eventual transformation into The Dark Master.
!Language
!Name
The Chronicler then tells Spyro why he brought him to the caves, to hide in safety until a later time. But Spyro, fearing for Cynder's safety more than his own and insisted to know what would happen to her. When The Chronicler said she would not be able to resist Malefor and would rejoin him, Spyro demanded that he leave to save her. Reluctently, The Chronicler showed Spyro the way and allowed him to leave.
|-
|Danish
|Lars Thiesgaard
|-
|Dutch
|Johnny Kraaijkamp jr.
|-
|Finnish
|Petri Hanttu
|-
|French
|Jean-Claude Donda
|-
|Italian
|Riccardo Rovatti
|-
|Norwegian
|Yngvar Numme
|-
|Spanish
|Jesús Ferrer
|-
|Swedish
|Jacob Nordenson
|}
Spyro uses The Chronicler's words to come up with the idea to freeze himself, Cynder and Sparx in a crystal to avoid dying in the collapsing Mountain of Malefor and The Chronicler is not heard again until the very last scene of the game, talking to the frozen Spyro and telling him that him that when he awakens, the world will be different, but he is not alone and will have allies.
==Gallery==
{{main-gallery}}
==='''Dawn of The Dragon'''===
==Trivia==
The Chronicler made only two appearances in The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon. The first appearence was to Spyro and Cynder as an illusion above a green crystal formation. He told them it was time to awaken their powers, Spyro with his Fire, Earth, Electricity, and Ice, and Cynder, with her unsual powers granted to her by her exposure to the darkness, Poison, Shadow, Fear and Wind.
*[[File:GreenChronicler_Moles DragonCity Artwork.jpg|thumb|228px|The flashback of Warfang's construction featuring a green dragon talking to one of the Moles]]In ''Dawn of the Dragon'', a green dragon shown in a flashback in the Dragon City introduction cutscene greatly resembles the Chronicler.
**In the same flashback image and the image of Warfang being rebuilt in the epilogue, the ''Dawn of the Dragon'' character model of the Chronicler was used for the background dragons but with different color palletes. This was likely done to save time and resources for the game.
*His design was inspired by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Connery Sean Connery].<ref name="Chronicler" />
*As the Chronicler begins telling Spyro the Dark Master’s backstory, the first image shows the young Malefor being surrounded by his elders, including a dragon on the bottom left corner before the camera pans over to focus on a young Malefor. The dragon shown briefly on the bottom left is the one who would become the Chronicler.<ref name="Q&A" />
*In ''Dawn of the Dragon'', both the Chronicler and Ignitus share nearly the same character models due to the game's rushed development time.
*Early story drafts and storyboards show that the Chronicler was going to appear to Spyro in person in his elemental dreams. Although the Chronicler posed as a disembodied voice in the elemental dreamscapes in the console versions of ''The Eternal Night'', the Game Boy Advance, DS and Mobile versions has the Chronicler speaking with Spyro face-to-face.
*In ''The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night'', the Chronicler has gray scales. In ''Dawn of the Dragon'', he has blue scales due to the change in art style and game developers.
*It is possible that the Chronicler's previous life was recorded into the Book of Death after passing his mantle to Ignitus.
*The Chronicler was occasionally depicted as becoming decrepit seen in ''The Eternal Night'' where he walks slowly and struggles to sit down, likely due to his age.
*Many players have noted that the Chronicler has a light blue, crystalline pendant. Though it's purpose is never stated, it is called the "Heart of The Chronicler" in concept art, and it glows brightly when he uses his powers. It has a distinct glow when his room's hourglass is lifted in an illustrated cutscene, so it could possibly be one of its abilities.
His final appearence was during the ending sequences of the game. He is shown reading from one of the Books of Time, speaking to a hidden figure that is revealed to be Ignitus. He tells him that he has been awaiting the Fire Guardian's arrival, that a new age is dawning and that with each new age a worthy dragon is chosen to chronicle the many triumphs and failures of that age. When Ignitus asks of Spyro, The Chronicler tells him that when a dragon dies a new page is written in one of the books. He then goes on to tell him that he has tried his best but he could not find any trace of Spyro in that book.
==References==
<references />
With that, The Chronicler begins to glow and bestows his powers on Ignitus, changing the red dragon's scales to the shade of blue The Chronicler had along with his various items and vanishing in the process, presumebly entering the book that recorded the dragons' deaths.
{{TLOSTEN}}
[[Category:Characters]]
{{TLOSDOTD}}
[[Category:Dragons| ]]
[[Category:Dragons]]
[[Category:Male characters]]
[[Category:The Legend of Spyro characters]]
[[Category:The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night]]
[[Category:The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night characters]]
[[Category:The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon]]
[[Category:The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon characters]]
In his original Krome Studios design, the Chronicler is a gray dragon with pale blue eyes, darker colored wings with pale battered membranes, dark gray back spines and tail spike. He has a long goatee with a yellow bracelet and two smaller goatees under his cheeks. He also wears two yellow jewelry on his tail. His horns are tipped in a bronze color; the tip of his right horn is chipped. The Chronicler wears a dark blue cloth adorned with light blue symbols and a brown solid collar around his neck that is linked with a blue glowing crystal known in concept art as "the Heart of the Chronicler".[1] Strapped to the side of his hindquarters is the Chronicler's Tome of Knowledge that contains scrolls.
Dawn of the Dragon Design (2008)
In his redesign for The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon by Étranges Libellules, the Chronicler's overall appearance is largely the same, but he gained a different change in color to have him stand out in the game's bloom and broken render.[2] His gray scales were changed to bright blue with his underbelly now being in a pale blue color; the tip of his horns were changed from bronze to gold. He gained blue spines that weren't present in his previous Krome Studios design, and his dark blue attire is now in a brighter shade. The Chronicler's wings are no longer battered, and despite showing a different design in his Dawn of the Dragon concept art, his wings (and body structure) are the same as Ignitus's in the final version of the game due to its rushed production.
Personality
Living in isolation for over 1000 years, the Chronicler is a well-learned dragon with a flare for the dramatic when it comes to speech. He serves as a narrator of sorts for the last two games of the trilogy and is a background character more so than anyone else, watching the events that unfold rather than taking any real direct action. The nature of his role as the Chronicler makes him a firm believer in destiny and he often reminds Spyro that sometimes their "paths are chosen for [them] and that it is [their] destiny to follow them, where ever they may lead." In addition, he believes that what is written in the Books of Time, such as the return of the Dark Master, cannot be changed or stopped. Despite that, the Chronicler isn't that narrow-minded as to stick to one path and can be persuaded to take another, as shown when Spyro refused to do as the Chronicler asked and wait with him in safety while Cynder fell to Malefor's control once again.
Abilities
The powers that come with the role of the Chronicler include telekinesis, dream manipulation and Dragon Time. With access to the Books of Time, he can see glimpses of the future, watch and listen for events to come in order to add them to said books.
Story
History
The dragon (bottom left) who would become The Chronicler witnessing the training of a young Malefor
Over the ages, the Chronicler became a legend known only to few, usually associated with tales of doom. The dragon who would become the current Chronicler was present when the Dragon City of Warfang was being built. He was also present with the other Dragon Elders when the first purple dragon, Malefor, underwent training before his corruption, presumably documenting the training sessions that unfolded before him.[3] At some point, he was then chosen to become the next Chronicler.
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
Over a thousand years later, the Chronicler began contacting Spyro in his dreams immediately after Cynder left the Dragon Temple, sending the young dragon on a series of quests and reawakening Spyro's elemental abilities along the way. When Spyro told Ignitus of his dreams and the Chronicler himself, he and the other Guardians were shocked to know that The Chronicler was real, having believed him to be just a myth due to the ancient dragon's preference for isolation. Ignitus reluctantly sent Spyro on his journey to the Chronicler, believing that Spyro now had a separate path than the rest of them.
Throughout his journey, the Chronicler revealed much to Spyro about the events unraveling around him, and urging him on to find him before the Night of Eternal Darkness. Along the way, the Chronicler caused Spyro to collapse into slumber so he could speak with him, often at dangerous times, such as when Spyro was flying over an ocean. However, by either accident or design, Spyro survived the fall into the water by coming to rest upon a Leviathan's back, which took Spyro to the White Isle.
It was in these Celestial Caves that Spyro was forced to partake in a number of trials to reach The Chronicler, even fighting an entity that took on the form of his worst fear. After his trials were completed, Spyro came face-to-face with the Chronicler, who had been waiting for the young dragon. The old scribe began to explain what really happened on the night of the raid at the Dragon Temple and what had happened to Cynder that made her become what she was. He also told Spyro the story of Malefor, how he was the first of his kind and that his raw power enabled him to master many kinds of powers, which the dragon elders willingly taught to him until his exile and his eventual transformation into the Dark Master. The Chronicler then revealed to Spyro why he brought him to the caves: to hide in safety until a later time. But Spyro, fearing for Cynder's safety more than his own, insisted to know what would happen to her. When The Chronicler said that she would not be able to resist Malefor and would rejoin him, Spyro demanded that he leave to save her. Reluctantly, The Chronicler showed Spyro the way to the Well of Souls and allowed him to leave.
Spyro used the Chronicler's words to come up with the idea to freeze himself, Cynder, and Sparx in a crystal to protect them from the collapsing Mountain of Malefor. The Chronicler wasn't heard again until the very last scene of the game when Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx are frozen inside the crystal, talking to the sleeping Spyro and telling him that when he awakens, the world will be different, but he will not be alone and will have allies.
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
The Chronicler appearing before Spyro and Cynder from a gem cluster
Three years later, the Chronicler appeared to Spyro and Cynder within the Catacombs as an illusion generated by a green gem cluster, which was used to energized Spyro and Cynder's elements. He told them that it was time to awaken their powers: Spyro with his Fire, Electricity, Ice, and Earth, and Cynder with her unusual powers granted to her by her exposure to the darkness: Poison, Fear, Wind, and Shadow.
After Malefor's defeat, the Chronicler was reading from one of the Books of Time that detailed the events that took place. He began speaking to a hidden figure, whom the Chronicler had been expecting for a long time. The ancient dragon explained that a new age was dawning, and with each new age, a worthy dragon is chosen to chronicle the many triumphs and failures of that age. This was the Chronicler's duty for many millenia, and now the honor is passed down to Igntius. When Ignitus asked what became of Spyro, the Chronicler revealed that when a dragon dies, a new page is written in one of the books. He goes on to say that he had tried his best, but he couldn't find any trace of Spyro in that book. With that said, the Chronicler began to glow and bestowed his powers to Ignitus, changing the red dragon's scales to the shade of color the Chronicler had along with his various items. The old dragon vanished in the process, presumably passing on.
Role
The dragon chosen to become the Chronicler is tasked with watching over and adding the triumphs and failures of the current age to the Books of Time, which have recorded nearly every part of dragon history and every dragon has a book dedicated to their lives. Whoever takes over as Chronicler is bound to the Celestial Temple on the White Isle[4], never to leave until a new age has dawned and another dragon is chosen to be the next Chronicler of that age.
It should be noted that "the Chronicler" is more of a title than it is a name, and that the scale color is actually a symbol of status. Evidence of this is shown when Ignitus's scale color turned to match the Chroncler's and gains the clothing he was wearing after the former Chronicler passed his duties on to the former Fire Guardian.
The flashback of Warfang's construction featuring a green dragon talking to one of the MolesIn Dawn of the Dragon, a green dragon shown in a flashback in the Dragon City introduction cutscene greatly resembles the Chronicler.
In the same flashback image and the image of Warfang being rebuilt in the epilogue, the Dawn of the Dragon character model of the Chronicler was used for the background dragons but with different color palletes. This was likely done to save time and resources for the game.
As the Chronicler begins telling Spyro the Dark Master’s backstory, the first image shows the young Malefor being surrounded by his elders, including a dragon on the bottom left corner before the camera pans over to focus on a young Malefor. The dragon shown briefly on the bottom left is the one who would become the Chronicler.[3]
In Dawn of the Dragon, both the Chronicler and Ignitus share nearly the same character models due to the game's rushed development time.
Early story drafts and storyboards show that the Chronicler was going to appear to Spyro in person in his elemental dreams. Although the Chronicler posed as a disembodied voice in the elemental dreamscapes in the console versions of The Eternal Night, the Game Boy Advance, DS and Mobile versions has the Chronicler speaking with Spyro face-to-face.
In The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night, the Chronicler has gray scales. In Dawn of the Dragon, he has blue scales due to the change in art style and game developers.
It is possible that the Chronicler's previous life was recorded into the Book of Death after passing his mantle to Ignitus.
The Chronicler was occasionally depicted as becoming decrepit seen in The Eternal Night where he walks slowly and struggles to sit down, likely due to his age.
Many players have noted that the Chronicler has a light blue, crystalline pendant. Though it's purpose is never stated, it is called the "Heart of The Chronicler" in concept art, and it glows brightly when he uses his powers. It has a distinct glow when his room's hourglass is lifted in an illustrated cutscene, so it could possibly be one of its abilities.
