Continuum - why frag now?

Question

The timing of frag in the time-travel RPG Continuum confuses me.

I'm a spanner (some nerd named Jim born in the early 1970s). I'm hanging out in 1968 having a beer with Jim Morrison. Brett is a Narcissist, and he decides he wants to mess with me. He spans to 1982 to kill my 6th grade math teacher, and destroy my personal history, which distinctly includes having a living math teacher.

I get a bunch of frag, right "now," in game time, which happens to be at a bar in 1968. Why then? I don't think I could have gotten the frag at age 12 in 1983, because I was a leveler back then. But why do I get it "now," in 1968, as opposed to getting it right after I become a spanner, or at some other random time?

(I understand that in a practical RPG-ish sense it has to happen this session because that's what happens this session; I want to know what the in-game justification is for the frag to occur at certain points in my life rather than other points)

Answer 1

My interpretation of frag has been "the universe's way of telling you that you have some obligations in your Yet." As to why you're receiving the frag in your personal "now," I guess that's because "now" is when you're supposed to start addressing that obligation. Earlier in your personal history, you did not yet have the obligation to address this particular challenge, because future!you was going to do that; now that you are that future!you, that obligation falls to you, and frag is how you learn of this.

Of course, this doesn't address the question of "why did you have to deal with this frag 'now,' rather than some other time?" But since in the universe of C°ntinuum, there is one fixed timeline, the answer is basically "because that's how things always have been/always will be."

Answer 2

The simple answer to "why do you feel it now" is that now is when the attacker traveled from to frag you.

The long answer. You do not feel frag until the attacker decides to do it, and spans to applying Sentient Force. Before now, the enemy spanner travelling in time to frag you was in your Yet, and you did not know about it. What you are unaware of in your Yet cannot cause frag. Once it enters your Age, then you feel the Frag, even though you do not know all the details.

If you are aware of an event in your Yet, you have Frag until it's confirmed. This is why Slipshanking gives you Frag. Because you haven't yet won or escaped the combat, it's an inconsistency until you do and go back and set it up.

You can frag someone by changing their Yet. But that's a Narcissist trick and you aren't allowed to do that. Again, if the start of time combat is in your Yet, you don't feel the frag until the start of time combat enters your Age.