Integrated Timeline TRAVELLER ® Science-Fiction Adventure In the Far Future Donald McKinney Contributors to this book: Kenneth Barns, Bryan Borich, Timothy Collinson, Bruce Gletty, Malcolm Harbrow, Allen Hubbard, Chuck Kallenback, Joseph Lockett, Marc W. Miller, Dominic Mooney, Jeff Rients, and members of the internet Traveller Mailing List. Integrated Timeline by Donald E. McKinney V2.1, dated September 16, 2006 Copyright © 1997 – 2006, by Donald E. McKinney, all rights reserved. The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2006, Far Future Enterprises. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises's copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it. Table of Contents Introduction.................................................................................................................................5 Campaign Notes...........................................................................................................................5 Date Codes...................................................................................................................................5 What Is Missing? ..........................................................................................................................5 Why End At 1116?........................................................................................................................5 Interpretations.............................................................................................................................5 Reign of the Ancients (up to –9236)..........................................................................................7 Rise of the Vilani (from –9236 to –3001) .................................................................................13 Fall of the Vilani (–3000 to –2205)............................................................................................21 The Long Night (–2204 to –651)...............................................................................................30 The Rise of Sylea (–650 to –1) .................................................................................................40 Dawn of the Third Imperium (0 to 119)....................................................................................48 The Antebellum Years (120 to 474) .........................................................................................53 Imperial Disarray (475 to 621)..................................................................................................64 Imperial Recovery (622 to 767) ................................................................................................72 The Stumbling Years (768 to 939) ...........................................................................................79 The Solomani Crisis (940 to 1102)...........................................................................................87 The Classic Prelude (1003 to 1084).........................................................................................94 The Classic Campaign (1085 to 1106)...................................................................................104 Fifth Frontier War (1107 to 1110)...........................................................................................117 An Uncertain Future (1111 to 1115).......................................................................................127 Bibliography............................................................................................................................132 Introduction What you hold in your hand is a lot of love. Traveller is the great science-fiction role-playing game, and this document is part of that. What you are reading is part of the largest shared continuity in literature that was designed strictly for role-playing. But due to the wide and disparate sources, it is very difficult for a new person to get their hands around what is Traveller . Even worse, some of us disagree as to what those elements are. By reading this timeline, you have become part of that unique group of people who have shared in the Traveller experience. It is my hope that this document helps you remain and participate, and contribute to it. By the way, my most enjoyable fan moment with Traveller : shortly after I did the very first version of this, I discovered a large package in my box. Much to my shock and amazement, it was addressed from Marc W. Miller, and contained notes on things I was missing. I’ve played many games, but Traveller still excites the fan boy in me. And that’s why I have continued working on it. CAMPAIGN NOTES To provide some perspective, there are lecture notes at the beginning of each section from Admiral Duke Eduard von Brewer, Sector Admiral of Corridor sector during the Fifth Frontier War, and (as of 1114) Chairman of the Department of Ancient History and holder of the Zhunastu Chair of Sentient Studies at the Imperial Naval Academy on Sylea (or Capital, as all too many people refer to it now). Each “chapter” represents an area of study as the good professor would represent it to his students. This also allows me to put some personal perspective on the events in each section, from the eyes of a favorite old retired Traveller character who has a somewhat cynical view of our history. DATE CODES c = circa X = date chosen by compiler, not canon, inferred from surrounding material and other events XXXX = information missing (typically world locations, page numbers, copyright dates) WHAT IS MISSING? I don’t own everything ever made for Traveller –and so I thank the many contributors for their assistance. The material presented here is still light on material from the Milieu Zero era (Imperium Games’ edition of Traveller ), and from the newer GURPS Traveller products. I continue to add material from my own collection and other submissions. If you wish to submit material for this timeline, please contact me at [email protected]. WHY END AT 1116? This date represents the single widest divergence in Traveller fandom: did the Rebellion happen, and why? In the 1990s, dark roleplaying became extremely popular, and while it may not have happened because of that, the splintering and ultimate destruction of the Traveller universe was part of that trend. I’ll confess to having left the Traveller community, as I really don’t like that style of roleplaying, also known as “fighting in a burning house”. So, the timeline halts there for now. INTERPRETATIONS As with any endeavor involving the number of sources and people that Traveller has, there are some issues that need to be clarified and explained. When someone asks why I did “X” in the timeline, the answer goes here. Also, I put some things to remind me why I did what I did. I’m older than I used to be… Terran or Solomani? In this timeline, the word Terran is always used until the rise of the Solomani racial superiority movement. This provides a definitive separation between the Terrans who defeated the Vilani and founded the Rule of Man, and the Solomani who failed to dominate the Imperial court of the Third Imperium and ultimately couldn’t even defend their homeworld. I’ve always felt that Authenticists attempting to emulate historical Terrans would be much more acceptable to the Imperium than Authenticists emulating the Solomani. Since GURPS Traveller doesn’t diverge from the primary timeline until the end of 1116, I consider dates defined in GT prior to the accidental death of Archduke Dulinor or assassination of Emperor Strephon as being valid for the primary Traveller universe. However, where those dates (particularly in Behind the Claw , Rim of Fire , Nobles or Interstellar Wars ) disagree with established canon, I have stayed with the Classic dates, unless those were “circa” dates. Numerous dates are specifically stated in GT books rather than as “circa” dates. I have used these dates where they fit with established canon. There are other issues with the GURPS Traveller material; in particular, these Vilani historians seem to assume that the canon problems the Hivers had with their jump drives apply to the Terrans as well, and infer in several places that developments of the Terran jump and maneuver drives were copies of Vilani originals; barring evidence outside the GT materials, and given that this directly contradicts established canon, I’ve removed the questionable references. Even worse, many dates are just open contradictions of earlier material. In any case where a GT date conflicts with earlier material, the earlier material is used as the source. -5- Introduction Donald McKinney This philosophy applies also to T20 material from either QLI or Avenger: if there is a conflict between that material and old published material, the older material is used as the source. The use of Digest Group material always seems to bring the questions; Roger Sanger actually helped me get started with the very first version of this timeline back in 1995, and provided