Re: Timelines

>From:    Paul Westermeyer <westermeyer.3@???.edu>
>  >From:    TayJK <TayJK@???????.com>
>  >  > > Note:  The unofficial Ravenloft timeline (available
>at >www.kargatane.com)
>  >  > > does a good job of finding anchor dates between most of the worlds.
>>   >  Haven't read that one yet, though I've seen many-a-timeline over
>>the net :)
>>This is less like the Temporum Sphera, in that in it's every time-related
>>event listed in a RL product, each with it's own entry and sourse.  It's
>>very good.
>
>The Ravenloft timeline works for Ravenloft (it is extremely well
>done, like all Kargatane products), but not for Spelljammer. This is
>because it is focused on the RL novels, and the authors never tried
>to make things fit. even within RL itself there are inconsistancies
>(which they address in that timeline) but no contact for SJ.

I just realized I was unclear here. By 'authors' I refer to the
authors of the Ravenloft novels not trying to make their stories fit
the time lines of the settings, not to the Kargatane authors trying
to make things fit, since that is exactly what the Kargatane authors
are doing (and quite well:)) Sorry!

>From:    TayJK <TayJK@???????.com>
>Yes, but it does have anchor points between RL and DL, and RL and GH, and RL
>and FR.  Using those dates, and the dates in SJ that are relative to dates
>on GH, FR, or DL (such as the Cloakmaster Cycle starting about a year (?)
>after the Blue Lady's War, which was 2 years after the WoTL) we can create
>accurate dates for pretty much everything.

Well, the one _solid_ anchor that should dominate for SJ is the
anchor between FR and DL which we find in the first and second
Spelljammer novels.

The Ravenloft anchor points work alright, but one should keep in mind
that in the first edition of Ravenloft [I'm 90% on this, can give the
citation from memory], and implied in some later products, time does
not move the same in Ravenloft as it does elsewhere. After all, while
Spelljammer is either a] on the Prime Material Plane or b] an
alternative means of travel between an infinite number of alternate
primes (ie the Crystal Spheres) Ravenloft is in fact a 'Demiplane'
essentially resting within the ethereal plane.

The long and the short of it is, the time lines are cannot be
reconciled without tossing something out. Either the SJ novel or the
Ravenloft novels would have to be ignored.

_Unless_ :)

If one considers that time in Ravenloft follows a constant path yet
somehow does not exactly line up in any rational, easily followed
path with the other game worlds. Then all the novels can be
considered and both timelines 'correct'. That's the path I take:)

I should point out that my dating for the GH anchor point is not
extremely firm, but I hold to it because it matches so well with
Roger Moore's Dragon Annual #1 'The Scro' article. Before i finish my
revised timeline I'll look at RL again and see if I can get a better
'fix' off of the Greyhawk/Ravenloft anchor point. :)

[In the interest of disclosure I should state that I worked (yes,
they paid me:)) as part of Steven Schend's Candlekeep Monks work
group, compiling and organizing FR's timelines to try to come to a
coherent whole. Most of our work was for a company FR database to
prevent continuity errors (originally for an FR encyclopedia but that
fizzled) but some of it came to light in later products. We came up
with the complete year name list, for example {I once hunted my names
down in the list, but can't find the list I made, and I suspect they
hacked through all that work with a bulldozer for FR 3e :(}. My areas
were Kara-tur, Zajhara, and Spelljammer.]
--
"We sleep safely in our beds, only because rough men stand guard in
the night, ready to visit violence upon those who would do us harm."
H.G. Wells.

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State University
Instructor, Humanities, Columbus State Community College