Time before this

The Book of the Old Time described a "time before this", (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet, The Quantum Archangel) also called the time before time, (PROSE: Cobweb and Ivory) "old time", (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet, The Parliament of Rats, Weapons Grade Snake Oil) or literally Pre-History, (PROSE: The Book of the War) which was the state of infinite magical possibility N-Space possessed before it was diluted by the Rational imposition of history and physics. (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet) While this state of reality was often believed to be a previous universe, it was actually the early universe; (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet) from a chronological perspective, the Gallifreyan periods of the Old Time, Dark Times, and Time of Chaos all aligned with the magical "time before time", with Gallifrey as a beacon of rationality in a fantastical universe. (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet, Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible, So Vile a Sin)

Though weakened when it was replaced by the Web of Time, this state of existence survived into history as magic and psychic power. (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet, Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible, So Vile a Sin)

A related account described a similar golden age before time travel which was instead wholly linear. (AUDIO: Mr Saldaamir)