In the Constellation of Kasterborus, at galactic co-ordinates ten zero eleven zero zero by zero two from galactic zero centre lies Gallifrey - the planet of the Time Lords. From orbit Gallifrey is the color of rust, with brown lakes and dust-grey clouds. By day the sky is coloured burnt orange.

The Time Lords, the ruling elite of the planet of Gallifrey, are the undoubted masters of time travel in the universe, yet even they do not understand all of its intricacies. Great pioneers such as Rassilon and Omega have mastered elements of it and passed on the benefits of their knowledge and achievements to their successors. Armed with this knowledge, the Time Lords have established themselves as invigilators of the laws of time, their own regulations about what can and cannot be done to the fabric of time and space.

Headed by the High Council of Time Lords, which is led by the president, Gallifreyan society has stagnated. A strict policy of non-interference in the affairs of the universe has turned the Time Lords from innovators into mere observers and preservers of the balance of time. If they intercede it is only to correct an abuse of the laws of time, but even then they prefer to use a free agent, such as the Doctor, to do their dirty work.

The High Council consists of the president, chancellor, castellan and the cardinals of Gallifrey's Academy. The president is the figurehead of Gallifreyan society and has wide-ranging powers. His badges of office are the Sash of Rassilon, an ornate, wide segmented band of gold-coloured metal reputedly with the power to protect its wearer against even a black hole; the Rod of Rassilon, which allows access to the energies of the black hole that provides Gallifrey with its power; and the Coronet of Rassilon, which enables the wearer to gain access to the matrix.

The chancellor is, in effect, the president's conscience; in a way he is more powerful because he sees that the president's wishes are fulfilled. He secretly guards the Great Key of Rassilon from the president so that the powers of Rassilon can never again be wielded by one individual. The chancellor's badge of office, an oval gold medallion on a chain, is also a personal force field (Strength 10) that can be extended to protect one other person next to the chancellor.

Security is the main concern of the castellan, who has the forces of the Citadel Guard at his disposal as well as an extensive network of surveillance cameras. He is also responsible for the maintenance of the transduction barrier, a great force field that protects Gallifrey from attack. Citadel Guards are distinctively dressed in red tunics trimmed with white, red trousers tucked into red leather boots, white cloaks, and red dome-shaped helmets. Officers additionally wear a silver-coloured breastplate to denote their rank. A section of the Citadel Guard is under the direct control of the president.

Within the Capitol, the city of the Time Lords, life is very much devoted to introspective studies at the Academy, Gallifrey's centre of learning. The Academy comprises three colleges -- Prydon, Arcalia and Patrex -- at which young Time Lords receive a thorough education into the history and nature of the universe. Academic life, however, is anathema to some Time Lords, who become renegades: the Doctor, the Master and the Meddling Monk are among those that wander through time and space; other Time Lords have left the Capitol to become close to nature, and prefer to live rough in the wilds of Gallifrey.

The amplified panatropic computations network, commonly known as the matrix, typifies Time Lord stagnation. It is the electronic memory used to record and preserve the experiences of all Time Lords; it contains details and the mind prints of every Time Lord except those, such as the Master, who are clever enough to erase their patterns. A Time Lord can be connected to the matrix, allowing him to enter it as a virtual reality; if more than one mind is connected at a time, the weaker one will be subjected to the reality imposed by the other.