Timeline

The following is a timeline of all events related to the discovery of the grailstone and Aeternis. Note that the game was originally placed Aeternis in Dunstanburgh, Northumberland. Ultimately, it was placed in Wick, Scotland.

150 million years ago

 * During the Mesozoic era, a medium-sized meteorite enters the Earth's atmosphere. As it blazes a fiery path towards the Earth's surface it breaks into two roughly equal segments. One impacts with an area that will one day be known as Istanbul, Turkey - the other on a stretch of coastline that will one day be known as Wick, Scotland. The Istanbul meteorite fragments on impact and with such force that it peppers the soil to a depth of up to 60 meters underground. The Wick segment, survives the initial impact but fragments deep underground, scattering itself into an existing and extensive cave system. Time passes. Such creatures that blunder or find their way into these deep caves are nurtured and changed by the strange meteoric rock that surrounds them; they cease to age, do not sicken, and heal rapidly from their wounds. Their metabolic need for food decreases and they develop the capability to evolve rapidly to meet environmental demands. Animals that enter this exotic, subterranean zoo tend to stay and a complicated food chain evolves. Those that later leave quickly sicken and age - they return or die. Many millenia go by.

2000 BCE

 * Indo-Aryan tribes from north-eastern and central Europe sweep southward and westward throughout India and Europe - a vast unstoppable migration. Led by their chiefs and their Druid priests, this swarm of humanity, made up of dozens of individual tribes takes everything in its path. So it is that one of these tribes, the Helventii, pass through the area of present-day Istanbul. The Druid priests, using divining methods lost to us now, detect and unearth a one kilogram nugget of this meteoric rock. They are intrigued by its luminous quality and astounded when they discover its effects on humans (i.e. stops ageing, promotes health and healing). They continue their westward migration. The rock is skillfully fashioned into the shape of a goblet which, with time, becomes integrated into their religious ceremonies (the cup is filled with mead and passed among the tribe, thus passing on the qualities of the stone, though in a much diluted form. Interestingly, it will fulfill a similar function much later in Christian times. The secret of its existence is passed among the Druidic priests, who call it Leithum al Gwanned - the ''Cup of Life. Two thousand years later this same cup will become known as the Holy Grail. (Note: The Legend of the 'Elixir Vitalis' or the elixir of eternal youth, sought for so long by later alchemists comes directly from these events, though in a distorted form. The legend was wrongly interpreted to make the liquid responsible for eternal youth, rather than the cup containing it).

1900 BC

 * An ancient tribe, the Solenta, pushing through into England comes across the second impact site in Wick. The Byzantines, eager to retrieve more of the valuable rock, order miners into the caves, but each attempt is driven back by the ferocity of the animals. However, the Byzantines eventually manage to contain the beasts and settle into the vast subterranean caverns, establishing a civilization far beyond that which existed in Africa and the Middle East at the time.

25 CE

 * This same cup, by unknown means (though probably as a gift) comes into the hands of Jesus of Nazareth. It is probably used during the so-called miracles of healing and at the Last Supper. Its history after this time is not known, although it is believed to have traveled with the disciples for many years, and was reputedly brought to England by Joseph of Arimathea in 45AD. (The belief of its continued presence in the British Isles was obviously central to the Arthurian Legends of later times.) At some time around 80-90 CE it was brought back to Jerusalem for permanent concealment.

300s CE

 * A Pictish tribe settles outside Aeternis.

1099 CE

 * The Crusades and Crusader armies under the leadership of Godfrey of Bouillon bring Jerusalem under Christian control.

1120 CE

 * A group of knights led by Hugh de Payens, concerned over the continual robbing of pilgrims travelling to Jerusalem, form the order of the Templar Knights. They quickly gain notoriety for their selfless bravery and receive papal support, gifts of land, and titles. They rapidly become a major financial and military power, with outposts ranging throughout all of Europe and the Holy Lands.

1146 CE

 * The Templars uncover the hiding place of the Holy Grail in Jerusalem and secretly smuggle it back to Paris.

1148 CE

 * The Grail arrives safely with its 12 knight escort in the spring of 1148. Plans are made by the Templars which, if successful, will see them become the new rulers of the Western world. Extensive research is carried out by Templar scholars into the history of the Grail and the Celts. The Wick connection is uncovered and the team sent to investigate excitedly confirm the reports.

1153 CE
''Under this complex, accessed by barred stairwells is Underworld. Here lies the ancient, deeper caves, complete with their menagerie of exotic and dangerous wildlife - and their original quota of scattered Grailstone. The environment within these caves is too dangerous for any man to survive, so access tunnels were constructed around their perimeters. ''Why did the Templars go into this expense and trouble? Because Europe was in a mess: The papacy had become nothing more than a corrupt and powerful terrorist organisation, and barbaric, illiterate feudal kings squandered their peoples' wealth in cycles of perpetual conflict. These wasteful struggles for control had been going on for hundreds of years with no end in sight. ''The time had come for a new world order, one that would responsibly control both the spiritual and financial aspects of European society. One that would forever break the stranglehold of the Popes and bring the feudal kings to heel. The Templar plan was bold and simple, and the site of Dunstanburgh was central to its success. Aeternis was designed to fulfill three main functions: ''1. To house and train a new breed of immortal priests who, with the help of Grailstone, would establish a new world order under the control of the Templars, ''2. To provide a platform from which to explore the cave system under Aeternis, with a view to extracting all the remaining Grailstone within them, ''3. To house the most sacred of religious relics, the Holy Grail, which they would also use as a symbol of divine approval for their new religious dynasty. Although many hundreds of Templars were involved in its implementation, the plan in its entirety was known only to the Grand Master himself, Jacques de Molay." Note: The dates in the article have been adjusted to match the in-game dates. Aeternis is designed by Sir Geffrye.
 * The twelve knights are sent to Wick, Scotland, to survey a possible site for a Temple to the Grail.Design document: "''Twelve Templar Knights are sent to Dunstanburgh in north-east England with the Holy Grail to supervise the construction of a huge, subterranean Temple complex. Slaves and supplies are brought in night after night from French coastal ports. The Temple was named Aeternis and took 47 years to complete. Twenty metres underground at the centre of this complex construction lay the Holy Grail, a point of worship and the source of well-being and longevity for all those within. Around this Inner Sanctum lay a maze of corridors, dormitories, chapels, a library, kitchen, and teaching chambers.

1160 CE

 * August: The expedition charts the underground passages, uncovering evidence of previous dwelling (by a civilization they dub the Byzantines). They uncover a vast network of tunnels, encounter the ghost of Niamh, and penetrate deep into the earth, finding grailstone. The site is chosen for Aeternis shortly thereafter.

1163 CE

 * June: Malik begins to ponder the possibilities of the Grailstone, envisioning an army of tireless soldiers obeying one strong man. The future Aeternis could become the heart of an empire.

1187 CE
''Under this complex, accessed by barred stairwells is Underworld. Here lies the ancient, deeper caves, complete with their menagerie of exotic and dangerous wildlife - and their original quota of scattered Grailstone. The environment within these caves is too dangerous for any man to survive, so access tunnels were constructed around their perimeters. ''Why did the Templars go into this expense and trouble? Because Europe was in a mess: The papacy had become nothing more than a corrupt and powerful terrorist organisation, and barbaric, illiterate feudal kings squandered their peoples' wealth in cycles of perpetual conflict. These wasteful struggles for control had been going on for hundreds of years with no end in sight. ''The time had come for a new world order, one that would responsibly control both the spiritual and financial aspects of European society. One that would forever break the stranglehold of the Popes and bring the feudal kings to heel. The Templar plan was bold and simple, and the site of Dunstanburgh was central to its success. Aeternis was designed to fulfill three main functions: ''1. To house and train a new breed of immortal priests who, with the help of Grailstone, would establish a new world order under the control of the Templars, ''2. To provide a platform from which to explore the cave system under Aeternis, with a view to extracting all the remaining Grailstone within them, ''3. To house the most sacred of religious relics, the Holy Grail, which they would also use as a symbol of divine approval for their new religious dynasty. Although many hundreds of Templars were involved in its implementation, the plan in its entirety was known only to the Grand Master himself, Jacques de Molay." Note: The dates in the article have been adjusted to match the in-game dates. Aeternis is designed by Sir Geffrye.
 * The Holy Grail is dispatched to Wick as Aeternis is built. Slaves and supplies are brought in night after night from French coastal ports. Design document: "''Twelve Templar Knights are sent to Dunstanburgh in north-east England with the Holy Grail to supervise the construction of a huge, subterranean Temple complex. Slaves and supplies are brought in night after night from French coastal ports. The Temple was named Aeternis and took 47 years to complete. Twenty metres underground at the centre of this complex construction lay the Holy Grail, a point of worship and the source of well-being and longevity for all those within. Around this Inner Sanctum lay a maze of corridors, dormitories, chapels, a library, kitchen, and teaching chambers.

1194 CE

 * April: Aeternis' construction finishes, after seven years of labor by 600 slaves and more than 40 ship-loads of material. The enslaved workforce is summarily executed a day later, drowned in the North Sea. Unbeknownst to the Templars, the Priory infiltrates the project with Spider and Cobweb.

1200 CE

 * The Templar hierarchy suddenly discovers that Constantinople is the original site of the Holy Grail. The plans for the first shipment of recruits to Wick are halted while the implications of this discovery are fed into the overall plan.

1203 CE

 * The Fourth Crusades are diverted (by Templar manipulations in Venice) from their objective in the Holy Lands and stand before the Christian city of Constantinople. After a fierce, but brief struggle the city falls. The Templars, however, despite the most intensive search, find no evidence of grailstone.

1220 CE

 * Tobias begins to realize the extent of the grailstone effects in Aeternis.

1259 CE

 * Tobias begins to experience the effects of grailstone: Heightened intelligence, capacity to learn, and insight. Other knights don't fare as well.

1264 CE

 * The Templars order Aeternis to reduce its contact with the outside, to prevent the aforementioned sickness from spreading.

1307 CE

 * June: The Templar order is destroyed by King Phillip IV of France conspiring with (and pressuring) Pope Clement V. The last Templar fleet departs soon from La Rochelle for Scotland. Two carry supplies and documents for Aeternis, while the remaining ten carry treasure to Strathclyde, where the Templar remnants would use it to infiltrate the Scottish Freemasons.
 * September: Sailors from the Cirrus, one of two ships sent to provide a final resupply for Aeternis, attempt to take the Holy Grail. They are stopped thanks to Sir Phillip. Tobias decides to seal Aeternis after questioning and executing the attackers. He plays right into the Priory of Sion's plans, who want the Grail to be sealed under the ground until such a time that it becomes necessary.

1314 CE

 * The last Grand-Master of the Templar order, Jacques de Molay, is burnt at the stake in Paris. Despite the harshest torture, he dies without revealing the true nature of the Templar plans, or the existence of Aeternis.

1482 CE

 * March: William Sinclair, Earl of Orkney and chief member of the freemasons, constructs a well-fortified castle above Aeternis. Tobias de Treece uses Sinclair to maintain contact with the outside through the persona of Baphomet.

1512 CE

 * April: Malik completes the translation of Byzantine documents recovered below Aeternis, and begins to recreate the cult of Maal as he experiments with the Grailstone.

1550 CE

 * March: Malik grows more belligerent and outspoken, slowly challenging Tobias' rule as morale crumbles.

1600 CE

 * March: The ancient Byzantine pastures restored by the Knights are threatened by structural instability.

1658 CE

 * February: Malik secures an isolated Byzantine area and fortifies it, creating Malik's Court as he openly flouts Tobias' authority. He restarts the cult of Maal and gradually depletes the ranks of Temple servants through human sacrifice.

1665 CE

 * August: Another structural collapse cuts several areas of Aeternis off, including the pastures and the printing room. The Guardians are forced to rely on Roman drains for transit.

1672 CE

 * August: The fortifications over Aeternis, Sinclair and Girnigoe, are destroyed due to the ongoing conflict over the earldom of Caithness. Tobias remains in contact with the outside world, as the communication channels survive the destruction.

1696 CE

 * March: The experiments with Grailstone achieve success. Malik prepares to depart Aeternis in case of an attack by Tobias, while Tallum attempts to create the first perfect soldier for Malik, out of Sir Claude Lancet.

17xx

 * Malik succumbs to Maal's influence.
 * Cobweb becomes the senior ranking Priory agent within Aeternis, after Malik goes rogue.

1753 CE

 * August: A barrier wall in the depths of Aeternis collapses and beasts flood the complex. Although the Knights seal the breach, the beasts are too numerous to be removed and become a permanent fixture of life underground.

1763 CE
''For some of the knights these effects were beneficial, for the rest they were catastrophically negative. ''Gradually, a huge rift appeared within the Brotherhood, largely orchestrated by one knight named Mallik. The crisis of 1753 pushed the pressure between these two uneven factions to a bloody breaking points; it started when outer parts of the temple, which had fallen into disrepair, suddenly cracked and opened, giving the animals below the access to Aeternis they had long been waiting for. They literally flooded into the empty corridors and chambers, happy to have at last escaped the crowded and perilous conditions below. ''Frantically, the Guardians tried to find and block the cracks, but the animals kept flooding in from other openings. Tobias (the Guardian Commander-in-Chief) manged to secure the situation but it was too late, the empty rooms and corridors of Aeternis had new and dangerous tenants - and they were there ot stay. Tobias had managed to intervene quickly enough however to stop the larger predators from getting through, but in the melee one of the knights, Claude Lancet, was killed by a dinosaur-like animal known as a Theo. ''While Tobias was absorbed in controlling this disaster, a new one loomed, for each faction within the brotherhood blamed the other for the breach - two knights died in the fight that followed and a third, Richard of Bramley was forced to flee the temple. Tobias was again too late to stop the disaster, but he managed to pacify the remaining knights. ''Meanwhile Mallik, who had been instrumental in the killings, decided it was time to also leave the temple - but not empty handed - he would take the Grail! However, he had no idea of Tobias's abilities and was blocked by a wall of flame. He escaped instead with the entire store of 8 kg of extracted Grail stone - 600 years of work - and Tobias, by now totally exhausted form his exertions, was powerless to stop him. Richard of Bramley, removed from the Grailstone, died shortly afterwards above ground, but not before leaving clues that would one day lead to the coming of Raptors."
 * November: Tobias leads the purge of Malik's Court, after he attempted to take control of Aeternis with a coterie of allied knights. The betrayal of Phillip de Beauvais allows the attackers to succeed, as the purge of Aeternis begins. Sir Guy attempts to pursue Malik as he flees Aeternis with eight kilograms of Grailstone in tow, but the two knights are never heard from again. Sir Guy perishes shortly thereafter. A day after the purge, they discover the undead remains of Sir Claude Lancet. With no way to grant him the mercy of death, the knight is sealed in a casket beneath the Cathedral. Design document: "''In Aeternis the Grailstone was proving to have other unforeseen, long-term properties. Firstly, it created a gradually increasing slow-down field that affects all living metabolisms around it. Secondly, it has profound long-term effects upon the human psyche, promoting mental adaptation and growth which can be either positive or negative depending upon the individual concerned.

1998 CE

 * Massive earthquakes begin to tear the world apart - and revolutionize history and archaeology forever, uncovering lost cities of previously unknown tribes and new secrets of known cultures. Raptors form in response to a skyrocketing interest in archaeology.

2002 CE

 * September: Humanity falls into the grip of plague and massive upheavals, as the vision granted to Tobias by the Grailstone comes true - and the Holy Thief approaches Aeternis.

2003 CE
''Article 2: The Rise and Rise of the Raptors ''Reporter: M. Giles ''Crossrefglobecat(M2955):594:502:189:121:290:458:321:1778 ''Crossrefbibliog:>>34589 .................................. ''>The traditional archaeologist's image from the last century of the tweed jacketed, pipe-smoking university professor has been supplanted forever by a new breed of scavengers with the questionable title of raptors. ''>They are the children of a new age. An age where increasing uncertainty accompanies the massive tectonic upheavals that since '98 have reshaped and redefined the world we live in and our perception of our place in history. ''>The impact of these changes on the world of archaeology has been profound. The shifting of the land and the global reduction sea level has revealed many new archaeological sites. Amongst them are whole towns and cities from previously undiscovered human cultures, like the city of the Mabu people, long lost beneath the sea. (See Issue 594) ''>Our knowledge of known civilizations is also being revolutionized. Only last year, the delta of the Nile revealed its deep secret of no less than twenty-three miles of secret, subterranean passageways connecting ten temples dedicated to Aten. (See Issue 475) ''>These discoveries and the huge public interest they have engendered have had diverse effects on the purpose and the public image of archaeology. Funding and governmental grants have increased exponentially as has the interest among wealthy, private collectors and unscrupulous museums in acquiring these relics at almost any cost. ''>The high price (and profit) of these antiquities has led to an explosion in archaeological thievery. ''>Much of this opportunism has manifested in ham-fisted, clumsy operations reminiscent of ancient tomb robbers in terror of the mummy's curse. The higher bidders, however, are able to hire members of a new elite fraternity of professional 'plunderers': the raptors. ''>Little is known of them as individuals. They are obviously highly trained both in the recognition of valuable artifacts and in dealing with the dangers inherent in exploring some of the locations they have plundered. ''>They must also be men and women possessed of extreme wealth. They are able to equip themselves with the largest technology in both weaponry and portable information systems. ''>It is known that each one of them has, by fair means or foul, acquired an example of the Stolland library HUD system. An abortive and extremely expensive military device that gives the user a hands-free penetrative scanning system backed up with no less than twelve gigabytes of library information. ''>It is also clear that there is no love lost between any of them. Just a week ago, the corpse of one Ingrid Seindheim was discovered shot through the heart at the entryway to an ancient Mayan temple uncovered in an earthquake only the previous day. ''>The gutter press has imbued these hi-tech opportunists with a persona of heroism and adventure. The exploits of these 'raptors' have been used to give a worried population something to occupy their mind: A strong image of survival and adaptability in troubled times. ''>The word 'raptor' is Latin and means 'thief'. In the opinion of this journal at least, the world should not lose sight of that fact.''"
 * Ingrid Seindheim is killed in Mexico by a fellow raptor competing for a recently uncovered temple.The Electronic Journal of The State of World-wide Archaeology: "''Issue 676/March 2003

2012 CE

 * Colin Scott discovers Sir Guy of Bramley's grave near Wick, revealing the existence of Aeternis - and through it, the Grail.
 * December 2: Raptors converge on Aeternis, to recover the grail. Among them is the Holy Thief, unbeknownst to him.

2015 CE

 * December 25, 8:12 GMT: The Holy Thief exits Aeternis with the Holy Grail, only to be captured by the Priory. He goes on to become the co-founder of New Jerusalem, along with Cesar de Treece.

2065 CE

 * New Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon are completed, as the new order of the Knights of Solomon guard the city and the Chosen against the dying hordes outside its walls - and the ever-present threat of Malik.