Morpheus Unbound | GURPS | Empire
Each planet in the Empire has its relative time, including length of planetary rotation (day) and time required to circumnavigate its star (year). However, the Empire also operates on Normalized Imperial Standard Time (NIST). NIST is the "official" time throughout the Empire and many planets, starbases or trading vessels will have multiple time pieces indicting local time and NIST.
The origins of NIST are lost in antiquity, but it's what they've always used. NIST is sometimes referred to as the "Atlantean clock".
In NIST, one second is measured by the oscillation of a cesium atom. There are sixty seconds in one minute, sixty minutes in one hour, twenty-four hours in one day, thirty days in one month and twelve months in one year.
Historians measure time in "generations". One generation is approximately twenty NIST years, or the time required for a large group of humans to grow mature enough to begin having children of their own.
| Generation Relative to the Death of Kilgar | Approx. NIST Years Relative to the Death of Kilgar | Summary of Events |
| -125,000 | -2,500,000 | Precursor culture modifies several star systems, including creation of the stargates, to lay the ground work for the Empire. |
| -99 | -1971 | The Rylaxu Empire was founded by the First Emperor, Emperor Cristoff in NIST Year (NY) 50. He later formalized the NIST calendar by adapting the Atlantean calendar already in use and setting the “year zero” as the year of his birth. Cristoff was able to unite the squabbling factions today known as Clan Imperial largely through personal charisma, but he is also rumored to have been a powerful psionic and mage. Control of the Empire passed uninterrupted through the Imperial bloodline until the death of Kilgar nearly two thousand years later (many historians feel a successor would have been found except the furor of the Jihad disrupted the succession). Cristoff’s birthday is an annual holiday for Clan Imperial, and by decree, it is a holiday every generation throughout the entire Empire. |
| -10 | -190 | Imperial scientists, using technology obtained from the Terralopsians begin conducting experiments to create Avatars. The early experiments fail horribly and it is generations before they consider success might be possible. |
| -1 | -8 | Dullon Duralloy, faithful soldier and servant to the Emperor, becomes the first modern Avatar. This marks a milestone, as the project teams finally think they have learned to consistently produce Avatars. |
| -1 | -7 | Other Avatars are successfully created. Dullon Duralloy travels to Earth on a secret mission. |
| -1 | -1 | Dullon Duralloy meets Jesuit Valkyor Bren Siike when he is attacked by bounty hunters from the Empire. Siike is mortally wounded, but she briefs Dullon on events to come, including the threat to Kilgar's life. Dullon returns to the Empire. |
| 0 | 0 | T'laren assassin slays Kilgar. Chronicled in Prologue. |
| 1 | 12 | Jihad fleet musters its forces to invade T'lara II. The fleet is attacked by Warship, who is mysteriously slain by the Dullon. The Dullon never reveals how it slew Warship, but circumstantial evidence suggests a mechanically augmented massive telepathic attack. It is believed that the Dullon absorbed some of the awesome power of Warship at this time. |
| 2 | 33 | The Dullon lands on Kim'lar, in the nation of Djinhur and "purchases" 10,000 Kim'soh females from the male-dominated society. These females are trained to become the Jesuit Valkyor - the Dullon's Handmaidens of Doom. |
| 2 | 40 | The Jihad attacks T'lara IV. Chronicled in Sierra, the Fall of T'lara IV and The Right Hand of God? |
| 3 | 49 | While conducting a pre-assault on a T'laren city, Jesuit Valkyor Bren Siike discovers the plot to send T'laren agents back in time to kill the Dullon and prevent the Jihad. She travels back to stop them. |
| 3 | 57 | The Hand program collapses and the Hands are replaced by two sibling Kharakan Avatars the Dullon calls Frik and Frak. |
| 5 | 95 | After generations of conflict, and the phenomenal charisma and political might of Sierra, the Jihad has lost momentum and is dealt a crushing blow from which it never recovers. Chronicled in Sierra, Juun-to Io'pah T'laren. |
| 10 | 189 | Sybex launches himself and the Dullon into the heart of a star. Chronicled in Sybex, T'laren Saint. |
| 30 | 600 | The Dullon returns, now truly possessed of god-like power. It's crusade against the T'laren is halted. Chronicled in Serra, an Ending, a Beginning. |
| 31 | 604 | The Imperial Matriarchy is formed in direct opposition to the existing Imperial Patriarchy. The Clans, corporations and worlds resist, but quickly realize that they cannot oppose the Throne, supported by the power, experience and wisdom of the Dullon. |
| 31 | 616 | Political stability is restored to the Empire, the long process of rebuilding begins. |
| 33 | 655 | The Empress Josephine is born. Chronicled in The Spoiled Emperor. |