Timeline

This the timeline mentioned through given dates throughout Thief. Some of it seems to be a mix of new material and references to the old series in some fashion.

Background
BR appears to be a reference to Baron Bresling's Rule/Reign as well as possibly House Black (both houses existed in history), and NR is a reference to the start of the Northcrest's Rule/Reign. 'y' seems to simply designate 'year'. Another way of saying this is in the year of Northcrest "#". The listing of the Baron's initial appears to be optional, but in most cases is given (where its not given may also indicate a split between rules of the Northcrest dynasty such as House Marlham rule).

Since the first Baron Laurence Black The City has been ruled by various Barons from the Great Family Houses including Black, Eydark, Flevanter, Bresling, Marlham, and Northcrest. Dynasties were not always consecutive as the Northcrests have apparently ruled in two separate eras.

The timeline represents a single timeline going from 'y' (year) 1 to 'y' 842 with designation of the rulers at the time (in which case its not clear when the Northcrests first began to rule). It covers a period of over 800 years of history when the new calendar began. .

The Old City/Old Town/Hidden City & Founders may be synonymous with the Lost City/Precursors, or the latter may predate the former (it is unclear). It's not known if the battle between the Builder and Trickster occurred before or after the founding of The Old City or before or after Karath-Din (depending on which era came first). But something survived of both religions, in either case. All is known is that there have been several Cities built one on top of the other for at least a few thousand years.

A major theme around this timeline and the world's background (going by the developers statements) is the question of what if all the major religions and magical sects had been outlawed not long after the historical period of the original game series, and have been gone for centuries (assuming there is a parallel world were the the sects continued). In game only the Clockwise and Project Pendulum even touches on concepts of time travel and parallel universes idea (albeit in largely unconnected way other than being tied to Keepers somehow), however. But all in intents this game takes place in a world were history continued off the same universe as the original, were the religion and superstition had been banned.

Ancient History
Before the coming of man The island and the mainland's coastline were but virgin countryside. Found in and below the earth lay the Primal a fundamental energy as old as the universe. Be it power, natural order, the magic of the gods or spirituality no one knows for sure. Primal was everyone but it cannot be sensed by most people. This Primal energy was the source of all life, and possibly even gave rise to the old and new gods, and future civilization.

Precursors

 * Emperor Va-Taraq of Karath-din dies.
 * Va-Toran is crowned emperor - seals colosseum for one year and one day in mourning.

Destruction of Precursor civilization; The Extinction/Cataclysm

 * Karath-din is swallowed up by the earth.

Destruction of Kurshok civilization; The Great Fall

 * Orpetolia rules for 50 years.
 * The Trickster casts out the Kurshok.  Most of their city is destroyed sent to the bottom of the sea. Only the Sunken Citadel remained. They have not seen the surface since, and eventually, cease to believe it exists entirely.

The Old City

 * The founders cross the South Seas and found the First Landing Marker is established at the City's Docks near The Ocean thousands of years before, and began colonization of the island and mainland as a small colony as a trading outpost, and the outpost quickly grew into a large trading city. Note: This might also include the history of the lost city, which also dates back to that period.


 * According to various founding myths The City had been built by the old gods including Trickster and The Master Builder, formed with magical forces and mysterious energies and secretly controlled by a powerful hidden sect (Keepers).
 * DromEd Object Model Painting PAINT1.GIF an unknown period of time, The Trickster leads man and beast in the ways of nature and chaos. The Master Builder, however, leads man in the ways of tools and order. At some point, the Builder and the Trickster clash, with the Trickster defeated.
 * Eras pass in which The City is ruled by lords, leaders and kings imposing various political and ruling systems from monarchy to feudalism to theocracy and even merchant conglomerate.

The Rise of the Pagans, Keepers and Hammerites

 * The Pagans continue to worship the ways of The Trickster as they had been taught for untold years before.
 * St. Edgar takes on the teachings of The Master Builder, and the Hammerites rise to power from the Stonemasons of the city.
 * The Hag begins to collect glyph powers, The Ancient Keepers create the Sentient safeguards.

Timeline

 * BRy1
 * The first Baron, Lord Laurence of House Black second of his generation takes the Baron's Chair ushering in the age of Barons, and the calendar is reset.


 * Unknown Dates.
 * History records that there have been several city-wide catastrophes and terrible periods of total destruction that have wiped The City from the map, but it has always risen from the ruins to be reborn stronger than before. The bizarre destruction would spell the end of the Ruling House and pave way for change as The City recovered.
 * The Great Plague occurs. Likely ending one dynasty and beginning the next.
 * House Flavanter dynasty begins.
 * House Flavanter dynasty ends (another disaster occurs).
 * House Eydark dynasty begins.
 * The Hammerites find The Eye and bring it to the Hammerite Cathedral in Old Quarter.
 * The Eye exhibits strange behavior, moving to different locations within the cathedral when no one is looking.


 * c. 259
 * The lucky coin is minted which will some 200 years later end up being owned by Captain Moira.
 * Possbile date when Gammal began extending her life.


 * c. 327
 * The Prophecitus text goes missing.


 * c. BRy384
 * The Catastrophe begins, as plagues hit the the city as the The Eye begins resurrecting the dead, who begin attacking everyone and everything living.
 * The City Council hurriedly constructs a wall to contain the zombies.
 * The Keepers seal the cathedral using ancient elemental wards. One is kept by the Hammerites, another is sealed in Karath-din, another is enshrined in ancient caverns, and the last is kept with the mages of the Hand Brotherhood.
 * The Bresling Dynasty begins rule of the City.
 * The Hag murders Lauryl and takes her skin. The Shalebridge Cradle catches fire.

Phyleas Crowell begins working for Lord Bram Gervaisius.
 * BRy394
 * c. 409
 * MasterForger Alebus drinks from The Chalice and burns alive. The Chalice is barred.


 * BRy412
 * The Crippled Burrick Tavern is established in its Original Location.


 * Unknown Dates
 * Interpreter Diocen retires his position, and Caduca takes his place.
 * Garrett (the legendary Sneak Thief) joins the Keepers around the age of 10, and undergoes Keeper training.
 * Garrett, in his twenties, decides to use his skill for other means, leaves the Keepers to begin his life of crime.
 * The Hag, using the name 'Gamall' and using Lauryl's form, is discovered by the Keepers, and begins translating.


 * BRy422
 * The city has a drought and one of the of the cities' rivers was very low.


 * BRy433
 * Thieves Guild is busy during the 4th month; Obtain info from Viktoria and Court Jester Teichholtz, bribe Debuty Meffan, and Capt. Pearsall, and a kickback for Constanle Mahk, and a Downinder Solus contract, and deliveries from Lesser Hrabota.
 * Zhan tried to break into first City B&T.
 * BRy434
 * Garrett is hired to collect The Eye for Constantine. Garrett discovers the location of the Eye and the Elemental Wards. He collects the talismans and releases the Eye, which he then unwittingly delivers into the hands of the Trickster.
 * Garrett loses one of his eyes to the Trickster, who takes it for his ritual.
 * After rescuing the Hammerites, they give Garrett a Fake Eye to destroy The Trickster.
 * An idealistic Hammerite named Karras gives Garrett a Mechanical Eye.
 * Karras founds the Mechanist Order and begins his rise to power.
 * Truart takes control of the City Watch.
 * The Hammerites begin to lose influence.
 * Gaining the trust of the Watch, the Nobility, and businessmen alike, the Mechanists begin a large grab for power, despite being a very new splinter group.


 * BRy435
 * Karras rises to power during The Metal Age.
 * Blackbrook goes to war with The City and Baron Bresling.
 * The Watch begins rounding up all criminal elements for the Servant project.
 * Garrett inadvertently walks into a trifecta of the City Watch, his old enemy Viktoria, and the Keeper Prophecy.


 * BRy436
 * Garrett and Viktoria work together to thwart Karras's plans to destroy all biological life in The City, and end up killing him in the process. Viktoria sacrifices herself at Soulforge Cathedral.


 * Unknown Dates
 * Nine years before Wallace Crumb makes a bet to sleep in the Cradle, and never returns.
 * The Hammerites slowly return to power after the fall of the Mechanists.
 * Garrett is accused of murder, and is hunted by the Keepers.
 * The Hag disguised as an old woman attacks Garrett, leading to the aid of Inspector Drept.
 * Stonemarket Clock Tower is destroyed or damaged (by Garrett the Sneak Thief).
 * The Hag returns to her true form when Garrett frees Lauryl's soul from the Cradle. The Hag goes on a rampage through the Keeper Compound.
 * Aided by the Keepers and Drept, Garrett defeats the Hag.


 * Unknown Dates
 * After the Hag's capture, all prophecy, every glyph, and every bit of Keeper magic is destroyed. All books are empty, and building appear in the city out of nowhere.
 * Garrett leads the remaining Keepers.
 * Garrett catches a pick-pocket, akin to how the Keepers found Garrett.
 * The Ancient Keeper religion ceases to be relevant and begins to die out (in time The City builds over the ruins of its holdings). Garrett is blamed for the Dark Age and for causing the trying times ahead (he becomes known as the legendary master Sneak Thief).
 * The clock tower goes under construction, restoration and repairs for the first time.


 * BRy459
 * Widow Edwina Moira's Dream is brought to life by Baron Bresling , and the Moira Asylum is constructed as a place for treating anumber of ailments including the problems of the Sneak Thief. The master Sneak Thief was attributed to the times of woe. He was a man sorely tempted by that which, to him, did not belong -- a misplacement of desire, to see the world in an order which it must not deviate from...


 * Unknown Dates
 * Carlysle's Mill is built.
 * Family Carlysle loses most of its land holdings, except for Carlysle's Mill.
 * Ulysses Northcrest becomes the first Northcrest Baron. He outlaws worship of the old gods.
 * The Hammerite, and Pagan religions are effectively banned, and begin to weaken and disappear.
 * Baron Ulysses turns the Moira Asylum into a prison to house The City's degenerates and make it into something that the Sneak Thief cannot escape from.
 * While imprisoned, the legendary master Sneak Thief Garrett manages to hide a hidden treasure cache including coins as old as The City, and a strange painting. He lost his mechanical eye in the prison (although its not known if he escaped or died there)..
 * Ulysses cedes his rule over to Isaiah Northcrest who is assassinated on his first day of rule
 * Unknown Northcrest or another House takes over?


 * y521
 * The Great City Riots occur. House Castinet mysteriously vanishes and the butterfly brooches are lost.
 * The may have lead to the rise of House Marlham.


 * c. MRy542
 * The Great Storm causes huge landslides and a portion of The City collapsed.
 * The storm sees the end of House Marlham, and the Northcrests (again?) take power.


 * NRy598
 * The Siren's Rest is established in Riverside as a Safe Berth from the South Seas.


 * y624
 * The Great Tempest hits the city. Only a portion of the Customs House Bridge's Original Structure survived.


 * NRy662
 * The great fires burn and rage through the city. The original Crippled Burrick Pub was moved from its Original Location (Wayside) to its new location in Stonemarket between Clock Tower Plaza and the Mourningside.


 * NRy689
 * Barnabus Northcrest the Boy Baron wishes that the Moira Asylum become a source of great Creativity and Income for the people he serves.
 * History of Moira Asylum is written.


 * NRy710
 * The Dayport Wall is raised by Order of Baron Oliver Northcrest.


 * NRy764
 * Elias Northcrest is born.


 * NRy772
 * Samias Northcrest begins the Northcrest's persuit of the Primal.
 * Baron Samias Northcrest dies in battle at Morendrum.
 * Harland Northcrest becomes the ninth baron.


 * NRy781
 * Aldous Northcrest-Hucks is born.


 * NRY789
 * The long neck silver label is bottled.


 * c. NRy802
 * The baby who would later be known as the Thief-Taker General is born.


 * NRy806
 * Elias begins researching into the Primal, as his father isn't doing much with it.
 * c. Young Garrett is born


 * NRy808
 * Harland Northcrest cedes his power over to Elias Northcrest. Elias is coronated, and becomes the tenth Baron Northcrest.
 * Summersday wine by Wyder of the Vine is produced.


 * NRy812
 * Harland Northcrest confesses to having had a child with Elspeth Hucks shortly before he dies.
 * The Collector is born.


 * NRy814
 * Elias Northcrest creates The Awakened.


 * c. NRy822
 * Erin is born.


 * NRy827
 * The Stonemarket Clocktower breaks down for the second time, while still under restoration.


 * NRy830
 * Elias Northcrest begins preparation for the age of industry in The City. He has erected new buildings on top of the old, and laid the foundations of a progressive future. Elias begins to think the old gods get in the way of progress, bring the city to stagnation.
 * For the third time in many years work to restore the Clock Tower stops due to tragedy, when a child worker fell to his death in the plaza. Following the event workers refused to climb the scaffolds again following the accident believing the place may be haunted or cursed (it was rumored than the chief engineer was crushed in his own gears when it was first constructed).
 * c. An eight year old Erin comes to the City.


 * NRy831
 * Elias Northcrest, Cornelius and Bloumount discover a an ancient tome in one of the areas below ground from an earlier age. It was believe to be hundreds of years old. It was filled with primitive symbols and explained a ritual or procedure on how to harness the Primal energy inside of an empty vessel.


 * NRy834
 * Baron Northcrest begins work on the City's power solution pipes are installed in much of the city.
 * Baron Elias Northcrest outlaws the worship of the old gods for the third time since The City was ruled by a Northcrest. The chapels around the city are demolished.
 * Baron Northcrest tours the demolished chapels in Dayport, in preparation to be replaced by pipe-houses.
 * The Keep is built (roughly where Angelwatch once stood).


 * NRy838
 * The father of the collector passes his possessions onto his son.


 * NRy839
 * Elias Northcrest is reunited with Aldous his brother, and convinced him to join The Awakened.
 * Medical Act of NRy839 enforces confidentiality act and secrecy of experimental treatments.


 * NRy840
 * Vivian and Elias Northcrest attend a banquet at Lord Shipton manor. Vivian acknowledges religious sympathy when answering Mayhew about the Primal energy angering Elias.


 * NRy841
 * Elias Northcrest learns he is sterile and will be the last of his line. The Primal energy had prematurely aged him, and caused his sterility.
 * Garrett and Erin attempt to rob Northcrest Manor in Auldale.
 * Erin is admitted into the Moira Asylum.
 * White Sails loses some cargo near the Shoals of the coast of the Throvian Mainland.


 * NRy842
 * Garrett returns to the city with no memory of the previous year.

Assorted Dates

 * A letter to High Priest Greidus (Thief 3) mentions he has been teaching there for roughly twenty years.
 * Mutilations by the Hag started roughly 30 years before, another occured 6 years later. She has been around for centuries.
 * Sabine found a scroll not less than a hundred years of age.
 * The Lost City was thousands of years old.
 * Following the death of Va-Taraq and the beginning of the quakes, Va-Toran locked the great colosseum of Karath-din for a year and a day in mourning...
 * Captain's lucky coin was 200 years old.
 * "Cry, Brethren, for the Betrayer is Come. Your Hands will be Crippled, and you will Perish as the Wretched Outcast in the Bleak Unwritten. And you will know the face of the Destroyer. - Recovered text from The Prophecitus, missing for 132 years.
 * Compendium of Reproach went missing a decade before.
 * The city has seen bad luck for two decades (twenty years).
 * Lauryl was skinned by the hag almost a decade before TDS.