Alternate Timelines are Timelines which diverge from the "main one", sometimes due to time travel or accessable via other means, so far, the timelines shown in RIFT are alternate futures (e.g. futures that will happen if events remain as they are or will not come to pass due to the timeline being altered), below are exmaples of Alternate Timelines:
Regulos Timeline -[]
This timeline is the earliest known, before any timeline alterations have happened. In this timeline, the Defiant have no Ascended, most were wiped out, their machines destroyed by the Guardians. This resulted in the forces of the Blood Storm invading Telara, with Regulos eventually comsuming most of Telara until only a small pocket of Defiants and Guardians remain in what used to be Freemarch. The Defiants create their own Ascended, known as "machineborn", who escape from this future to the past, at a time when Orphiel's failsafe (a time machine) was completed.
This timeline is shown in the Defiant Tutorial Quest.
Maelforge Timeline -[]
This timeline is accessable via the well in Lantern Hook, in this timeline, those who visit it see what would happen if Maelforge was released and the Plane of Fire consumed the Droughtlands, most of the inhabitants of Lantern Hook are either dead or captive and the forces of Maelforge have made their home, those who were considered allies show their true colors here, which could help those who visit prevent this future from occuring.
This timeline is shown in the Fall of Lantern Hook Dungeon.
Quantum Sight Test Timeline -[]
This timeline shows what would happen in Zareph were saved by Asha Catari at Port Scion, he became the leader of the Free Telarans, she fought the enemy directly, Orphiel developed a superior method of making machineborn ascended to the method used in the Regulos Timeline. Cyril Kalmar stayed with the Guardians in this timeline as he did in the current one
This timeline is shown in the Quantum Possibilities Quest
Omen Sight Test Timeline -[]
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Laethys Timeline[]
This timeline shows what would happen if the Guilded Sanctum were taken over by the Plane of Earth.
This is shown in the Guilded Prophecy Quest...