Timelords (role-playing game)

TimeLords

TimeLords 2nd edition cover
Designer(s)	Greg Porter
Publisher(s)	Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC)
Publication date	1987 TimeLords 1990 TimeLords 2nd Edition 2003 EABA TimeLords 2003 CORPS TimeLords 2013 EABA v2
Genre(s)	time travel, science fiction
System(s)	Custom (1st–2nd edition) Complete Omniversal Role Playing System (CORPS) End All Be All (EABA) v1.1

TimeLords is a set of time travel role-playing games by Greg Porter and published by Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC). None are related to the Doctor Who RPG, Time Lord. The first two editions used a custom d20 based game system, the 3rd and most recent edition uses either the EABA or CORPS systems from BTRC.

TimeLords begins at the End of Time. A doomed race, known as "The Designers", gifted in both psionics and sciences set about escaping their fate as the inevitable end of the universe encroached. Eventually, they discover time travel, and use this knowledge to move their entire solar system backwards in time to when the universe is about 15 billion years old. The actual Designers have never been seen by humans. After attempting to create powerful new life forms, they created a being to be an "Emissary" to other species, but it destroyed the Designers and caused the dispersion of Designer technology across the universe. They also created an enhanced human originally named "Bright-Spear". Bright-Spear was the sole survivor of a group of humans being studied by the Designers, the rest being slaughtered by the Emissary. Devoting himself to revenge, he eventually took the name "Lucifer" and has attempted multiple "times" to guide humanity to a state of knowledge where it could withstand and destroy the Emissary.

The pinnacle of their achievements was the "Matrix", a small time-travel device, the size and shape of a 20-sided die, weighing about 3 pounds. The Matrix could be used for personal time travel, as an energy source, and other things only hinted at by the rule books. It is one of these Matrix devices that the players of the game find to begin their adventure.

The actual game setting is virtually limitless. As a time travel game, characters may find themselves at any time in Earth history, past or future. Space travel is also a possibility, with some modules taking place on space ships or other planets. The game also hints at the idea of traveling to alternate universes, where mental powers, magic, or alternate technologies exist, opening up the possibility for fantasy, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic, or any other game setting the players may want.