| Category | Lexicon |
| Type | psionic lore |
One of the more enigmatic psionic abilities is Collapse Time. As described in The Illithiad:
The illithid has the ability to collapse time, extracting a portion of the temporal continuum and solidifying it into a viscous, gelatinous substance known as quintessence This ethereal material exhibits a shimmering, mirror-like quality when observed from certain perspectives, yet remains transparent from others Upon contact with the skin, quintessence induces a cooling sensation that gradually dissipates over time
Time Particle is the more formal designation of Quintessence. This substance serves to place an object in a state of stasis. The primary utilization of this material occurs in the thousands of Hibernation Bays lining the interiors of the Helas Vessels.