The Earth timeline is the timeline presented in some of the KQ games and material that includes real earth dates or references to games occurring in Earth's past. It is roughly incompatible with the concept of withdrawal from the King's Quest Companion unless a time warp of some sort occurred.
Background[]
In Roberta's view King's Quest was a series based on adventures that occurred centuries in the past (going from a 1992 date) so likely less than a millennium: between 1000 and 1992. As such tombstone dates in KQ4 may have been intended to represent actual dates in the history of Earth, and burials that occurred in Tamir in the past (between 1499 and 1830 (Simon Byrne)), which would place KQ a little less than a century and half before: between 1830 and 1992.
The King's Quest Companion by Peter Spear suggests they withdrew from earth into another time and place (in an inter-dimensional time warp) but this is never brought up in the context of KQ4 which the manual only suggests the story occurred in the past, and according to legends. If time travel occurred it is not clear how far the material was transferred into the past (or "future"?). From Companion's perspective most withdrawal may have occurred before 1980. Although the concept may not be entirely compatible with Roberta's perspective.
An easter egg in KQ8 suggests that the game takes place during the medieval period during or after the year-1000 period (Hoyle I also suggested that it took place during the Middle Ages a period between the 5th to the 15th century (476 to 1453)). According to Graham (from around KQ5 era) in an article in Interaction Magazine, his favorite book is Ivanhoe (a story set in 1194) in the medieval period;
- That would be Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott. It has action, intrigue, romance, adventure, and romance--very inspiring!. it's historically accurate, with all kinds of fascinating information about knights and the medieval world. Of course you have to take it with a grain of salt. Whoever heard of a world with no dragons, unicorns of magic?.
But the perspective could place Graham in both Medieval and a contemporary world that crosses over with modern times (as he compares his own world to medieval but is talking to someone of contemporary times). Setting KQ specifically in Medieval times, of course does not fit with the KQ4 tombstones (assuming the original intent was that they represented linear dates before the events of KQ4). But would also have to suggest time travel of some sort for those grave markers having brought into the past.
There has in the past been no specific date for when KQ8 took place in relation to previous KQ games. The King's Quest Companion may have suggested that it, and the rest of the series was included in a range of years between 20 and 25 years (but this can only be clearly be applied up to KQ7 specifically, but may also include KQ8). The only details that could be gleaned from promotional materials was that Connor and Rosella were close to same age (and therefore could date each other), and that Connor was twenty years old. The Williams have suggested that KQ8 takes place two years after KQ7 mirroring its release date.
In the KQ series are a number of other unexplained anachronisms such as mid-1700's Franklin-style wood burning stoves, and mid-1800's style plumbing and architecture (see Woodcutter's Cottage and Fisherman's Shack). But time travel may explain some of this.
Timeline[]
- c. 60,000,000 BC
- Amber is formed.
- The Lizard Folk likely lived back then as well (and at some point left for the stars).
- c. 9,004 BC
- The Old Woods grieve in a time before the faeries came to the woods.
- c. 8,004 to 1,004 BC (date unclear but somewhere between 10,000 and 1,000 years before KQ1)
- Crispinophur leads the first Withdrawal from some unknown point in time (possibly as late as c. 1784 when thrashers had been invented) onto the continent of Serenia. Fairies, elves, demigods and all kinds of little folk, along with sorcerers, magicians, and many other magical schools and colors of magic joined him. Even the unicorns, giants and centaurs (other magical creatures of Greece and Rome) may have joined the first withdrawal.[1]
- They first appeared in land of Serenia possibly near the site of Crispin's house (which was said to already be there when they passed into the world); and they spread out from there. This event often marked the 'beginning of time' for those who withdrew from the future (certain folks such as Crispin and Sinofas were often considered to exist before the beginning of time).
- The Ancient Well in the land that would become Daventry was first used by any being who withdrew offering its sweet water.[2]The fairies move into the Old Wood.
- Daventry is founded possibly by Danes, the name originates from Danetree which means by the Danes (occured at least two millennium before KQ1 but likely have been longer.)
- 1200s (or 1100s) BC
- Trojan War occurs. Achilles fights and dies in the war. His shield is buried with him.
- Helen of Troy dies and is brought before Samhain.
- 500s BC
- Sun Tzu rules China.
- 400s BC
- Socrates is a philosopher in Greece (469 BC - 399 BC).
- c. 30 BC
- Cleopatra dies her spirit is brought before Samhain (Cleopatra died August 12, 30 BC).
- c. 21 BC
- The Ancient Ones inhabited the Isle of the Sacred Mountain in a time before the "Kingdom" of the Crown existed.[3]They lived alone in the sea. It is said that the Ancient Ones may have existed and disappeared before the first withdrawal (however it is possible a last remnant moved to Green Isles and lived there before those who withdrew colonized the Islands).
- Romans, Greeks and Aegyptians begin to inhabit Tamir around this time.
- c. 5 BC
- The priestesses of the ancient kingdom of Aegypt dig the Crypt in Tamir to hide the Pandora's Box and place a mummy inside to guard it.[4]
- Whateley Manor and its twin graveyards may have withdrawn to Tamir from the future to around this time (some say the tomb was there before than the manor and graveyards appeared). Perhaps the remaining Aegyptians may have been the ones who hid the key inside Whateley Manor.
- c. 4 BC
- Following some major event, Crispin begins to live anonymously in his home in Serenia for a millennium or so. Over the time he is forgotten or unnoticed by the world's folk.
- 1 BC
- First year before the common era.
- 1 AD
- Start of the common era (roughly based around the estimated birth of Christ)
- c. 93 AD
- Entomon Wilson creates wandering weevils.
- 181 AD
- Weevils destroy Sideria.
- c. 393 AD
- Mosstwizzle and Brightmist are born.
- c. 477 AD
- The last time there had been a successful attack on the kingdom of Daventry. Daventry obtained the magic shield of Achilles, protecting the kingdom henceforth..
- c. 493 AD
- Weevils destroy the Vale of Obscurity.
- 497 AD
- The Genie becomes trapped in the bottle (and it would be about 500 years before the bottle is opened again).[5]
557 AD
- Daventry lost the harvest to an early autumn rainstorm (the crops had been planted before the last frost).[6]
- c. 580 AD
- The previous Castle of the Crown is built, was large and drafty and had been the seat of the royal family for over three hundred years.
- c. 797 AD
- The Magic Mirror again saves Daventry again.
- 853 AD
- Duchy of the Solicitous Boar is destroyed by the wandering weevils.
- 897 AD
- The date Rumplestiltskin is believed to have been born.
- The magic fruit begins to grow on the small magic tree in the Swamp of Tamir.[7]
- c. 899 AD
- Prince Cocteau is cursed by an evil hag on the Isle of the Forest one night, and is turned into a Beast. The island was cursed along with him, and strange lights could be seen from other islands. King Aliphim checked the island the next day to find that the trees had grown dense, and that there was now only one path with barriers blocking the way. He heard the sound of a beast, that drove several of his guards to madness and haunted him to the end of his days. The island was known as Isle of the Beast from then on.
- The last time Bump-on-the-Log moved from his current position
- 915 AD
- Rokaill is born.
- c. 927 AD
- Karn Megiddo is born.
- c. 946 AD
- Manannan kills a slave. Manannan obtains a one year old child to be his slave.
- 957 AD
- King Edward loses the Magic Mirror.
- A few months later, he loses the Magic Shield and his wife Queen Maylie.
- Not long after Edward encounters Dahlia, and remarries. On the night of the marriage, she stole the key to the treasury transformed into her true form, and stole the Chest of Gold.
- Gerwain begins to serve King Edward.[8]
- c. 963 AD
- Manannan kills a slave. Manannan obtains a one year old child to be his new slave.
- 966 AD
- Little Red Riding Hood is born in Kolyma.[9]
- Karn Megiddo begins preparing for the great spell.
- 969-970 AD
- Telgrin is born
- 975 AD
- Rokaill turns 60. A painting is commissioned for him, and put in Castle Daventry.[10]
- Hesthia is born.
- 976 AD
- Sir Graham turns nineteen.
- Sir Graham, King Edward's greatest knight finds the three treasures that the king had lost.
- After Graham returns the treasures, Edward dies, and King Graham coronation to the throne[11].
- During the week long celebration, a nameless scribe writes the portion of the Chronicles of Daventry, Part I telling of Graham's adventure to become king.
- William is born.[12]
- 977 AD
- King Graham turns twenty.
- King Graham sees the face of King Edward in the Magic Mirror, who instructs him to search for a queen. Gerwain suggests that he has a party to find maidens of the realm. Soon after Graham sees Valanice in the magic mirror and travels to Kolyma to save her from Hagatha.[13][14]
- On the first day in Kolyma, Graham opens the first door.
- On the second day, Graham opens the 2nd door.
- On the third day, Graham opens the 3rd door, and reaches the Crystal Tower, where he saves Valanice.
- Graham and Valanice are married in Kolyma at the monastery[15].
- The bridge is repaired, before heading home, Valanice and Graham cross the bridge head head back to the enchanted isle, help free the lion, taking it back to its jungle home. After a slow voyage they return home.
- The day following their return, Prime Minister Gerwain writes the court chronicle of there adventure, and wishes them a long marriage, with many heirs.
- 978 AD
- King Graham turns twenty-one.
- Alexander and Rosella are born in the early autumn.[16][17]
- Around this time, Derek Karlavaegen begins on his journeys to explore the world, becoming a writer, and selling his articles.
- 979 AD
- King Graham turns twenty-two.
- Manannan kills his slave.
- The royal family have a summer picnic on the shores of Lake Maylie taking Alexander and Rosella with them. That evening, Manannan appeared and cast a sleep spell on the group, and kidnapped the young prince. When the spell wore off they found Alexander's cradle empty but still rocking. Valanice searched for her son in the castle nursery but found no sign of her son, and Rosella was crying uncontrollably. The castle was scoured high and low, and every inch of Daventry was searched but there was never any sign of the little boy. Manannan had returned to his home in Llewdor and renamed the boy Gwydion.
- One year, Derek Karlavaegen leaves for Serenia from Port Bruce in Llewdor on the Round About. At some point during the trip the compass was damaged by a storm, and the crew sailed off course for a little over a month off before the ship was destroyed in the Dangerous Currents, and Rocky Shoals near the Green Isles. Derek ended up on the shore of the Isle of the Crown.
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their first birthday.
- 980 AD
- King Graham turns twenty-three.
- King Caliphim and Queen Allaria who are without children, hope for a daughter.
- Derek Karlavaegen finishes the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles, and gives one copy to royal family and keeps one for himself, with the promise he will keep his knowledge of the islands secret.
- After which he returned to Daventry with the help of a spell from Caliphim's ancient court sorcerer. He was sent to a bower near the town of Serenia. He had finally arrived at the destination he had originally intended to land at when he left from Llewdor nearly a year before.
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their 2nd birthday.
- 981 AD
- King Graham turns twenty-four.
- Telgrin begins apprenticeship under Owen.
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their 3rd birthday.
- 983 AD
- King Graham turns twenty-six.
- Cassima is born.
- Lydia is born.
- Abdul Alhazred travels to the Green Isles, and becomes the Vizier while the king and queen take care of their new daughter.
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their 5th birthday.
- 985 AD
- King Graham turns twenty-eight.
- Karn Megiddo entered the Glamour Manarvel to complete the final part of the great spell. He left Kuzgu to collect the final parts of the spell.[18].
- Cyril shows magical abilities, and begins apprenticeship under Olkiphon.
- Alexander and Rosella turned seven in autumn.[19][20]
- 986 AD
- King Graham turns twenty-nine.
- William has his 10th birthday in early spring, although a strange winter continues.
- Graham heads to Sorrowing Court to save Ahi'aorina from Dunstan and his imps to stop the continuing winter.
- Graham has his twenty-ninth birthday during the late spring.
- Alexander and Rosella turn eight.
- 987 AD
.
- Telgrin cuts off Owen's head, and he is locked away in a cell in the Floating Castle.
- Alexander and Rosella turn nine.
- 988 AD
- Graham turns thirty-one
- Rosella and Alexander turn ten in the fall.
- Hesthia visits Rosella at the castle, they were good friends and confided secrets in each other.[21]
- 989 AD
- King Graham turns thirty-two
- Hesthia continued to visit Rosella.
- Rosella and Alexander turn eleven in the fall.
- 992 AD
- King Graham turns thirty-five
- Benjamin is born in the spring.
- The representative of the Daventry weavers' guild has reasonable success at selling his wares in the late summer.
- Rosella turns 14 in the autumn.
- 993 AD
- King Graham turns thirty-six
- Betony is born.
- The gnomes begin selling their wares in the market.
- During summer, while her family is away in a neighboring kingdom. She decides that she wants to run the kingdom, since she is the princess. She starts preparing for the Harvest Festival, and has a ancient stump removed, releasing a swarm of Weevils on the land. At the same a piper is traveling through the land leading a bunch of sloks to take them to a place where they won't cause trouble. Due to more mistakes by Rosella the sloks are freed. Rosella ultimately stops the sloks, and weevils and saves Daventry, and celebrate the Feast of the Harvest Moon, before her parents get home., ultimately saving Daventry, and the rest of the world.
- Rosella and Alexander turn 15 in the autumn.
- 994 AD
- King Graham turns thirty-seven
- In the summer, Rosella would have let old child-kidnapping sisters out of the dungeon giving them a chance to plead for parole.[22]
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their sixteenth birthday.
- 995 AD
- King Graham turns thirty-eight
- Cassima is kidnapped from the Land of the Green Isles by Mordack.[23]
- Roger Wilco accidentally crashed a ship in Daventry's moat after pushing a 'don't press button'.
- Alexander and Rosella turn 17 during the autumn.
- 996 AD
- King Graham turns thirty-nine
- As Gwydion was a few weeks from his 18th birthday, he set a plan into motion to defeat the evil wizard Manannan and escape from Llewdor. He learned from an oracle of his true identity and his sister's imminent death from the Three-Headed Dragon ravaging Daventry. He decided to travel Daventry to save her.
- After a short voyage on a pirate ship, he reached Daventry. He was able to save his sister Rosella, and the kingdom of Daventry from the dragon. They return home and have a short reunion together.
- The joy of the reunion proved to be a strain on forty-two year old, Graham's heart. About an hour later he collapsed from a heart attack. Rosella was overcome with grief and sat by the magic mirror wishing she could save him. Her sorrow traveled through the magic mirror and called forth The Good Fairy and Queen of Tamir, Genesta, who revealed to Rosella the existence of a magical fruit that could save her father's life. Rosella agreed to help Genesta, who in turn, used her magic to transport Rosella to the kingdom of Tamir. Once there, she vowed to both help the fairy queen and retrieve the mystical fruit.After a long and perilous adventure, Rosella accomplished her goals by retrieving the magical fruit, defeating the evil fairy sorceress Lolotte, and returning Genesta's life preserving talisman to her. Genesta then returned her home so she could give the fruit to King Graham.
- Around this time Alexander visits Morowyn.[24]
- Alexander begins journeying abroad he travels to the western sea to cast great storm spell to destroy the Pirates who tried to enslave him. The surviving castaways are then eaten by sharks, giant squid, and Cthulhu.
- A few months after Alexander's escape, Derek Karlavaegen moved into the Manannan's house (he saw no sign of the wizard).
- Rosella and Alexander turn 18 in the autumn.[25]
- 997 AD
- King Graham turns forty.
- Alexander returns from journeying abroad. The Large Oak Tree near castle Daventry is destroyed by lightning during a storm. Alexander sets out on a journey to the floating castle and saves his father soul from Telgrin. During this time Rosella was visiting Lycathia.
- King Graham sets out for a walk near Lake Maylie on a wonderful spring day. While he is gone Mordack steals his castle and kidnaps his family. He is brought to Serenia by Cedric who points him in the right direction. After several side tracks in the land of Serenia, King Graham finally reaches Mordack's Island and saves his family.
- Alexander also briefly visits Mordack's island to study the wizard's grimoire the Objurgation of Souls. He writes on iconomancy.
- While teaching at the Royal Academy, on his return he published his second book; Iconomancy: A Magic Without Words. Also had brief magical communication with Cassima (but they never physically met).
- Alexander briefly visited Morowyn and his apprentices (Lydia and Cyril) during the summer.
- Rosella and Alexander turn 19 in the autumn.
- 998 AD
- King Graham turns forty-two.
- Almost a year after Mordack was defeated, Alexander sees Cassima in the mirror, a few days later he traveled to Llewdor to meet Derek Karlavaegen and learn about the Green Isles. He then makes a three month voyage to the islands. Over the course of three days he saves the kingdom from Abdul Alhazred. A week later Alexander and Cassima are married.
- Alexander and Cassima take trips across the Northern Sea to visit Daventry. They and the Captain play games of King's Questions to pass the time.
- Not long after Rosella and Valanice were in Daventry's castle garden, Valanice wanted her daughter to get married as she was reaching marriageable age. They ended up traveling to Eldritch and Etheria, where they saved Edgar and his family. Only a short period of time had passed in Daventry while they were gone, due to Eldritch's time moving faster than Daventry's.
- When they returned to Daventry, they told Graham of their adventures.
- Fey's Tailorshop has its first anniversary event honoring King Graham at their annual clearance sale and the return of the golden needle.
- The twins turn twenty in the fall.
- 999 AD
- Graham turns forty-three.
- Pope Sylvester begins to rule the Vatican.
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their 22nd birthday.
- 1000 AD
- King Graham turns forty-four.
- Lucreto casts a dark spell on the Mask of Eternity in the Realm of the Sun; shattering it into five pieces. The pieces land throughout the lands near Daventry. All mortals including King Graham were turned to stone except for Connor, who was protected by a piece which landed at his feet and the fact that he was fated to save the world. Connor traveled throughout the lands even passing through the Dimension of Death itself correcting the disasters and chaos that has befell the lands. After finding four of the pieces he journeyed to Realm of the Sun where he found the last piece. He confronted Lucreto in the temples inner sanctum, during the battle reformed the Mask Pieces, banishing Lucreto to the Dark Abyss and freeing all the mortals including the Royal Family from their stone imprisonment. Connor became the most important person in the world's history by saving all humanity from the cataclysm.[26]
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their 23rd birthday.
- 1001 AD
- KQ9
- KQ10
- 1003 AD
- Pope Sylvester dies and his papacy ends.[27]
- Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their 26th birthday.
- 1095 AD
- The magic fruit regrows in Tamir.
- 1300s AD
- Gypsies first appear in Europe[28].
- 1400s AD
- Vlad the Impaler (1431–1476) rules in Europe. He was a madman who murdered thousands in terrible ways and drank the blood of some of his victims. It is believed he went on to be known as Dracula becoming a vampire (though there are other theories including that he is a long-lived member of the Lizard Folk impersonating a human).
- 1491 AD
- Earliest use of variation of the saying "needle in the haystack".
- 1496 AD
- The evil Witch of the Forest escapes the genie's bottle.
- 1499 AD
- Rebecca Freeland is born.
- 1500s AD
- The physician Paracelsus gave the gnomes their name and differentiated them from dwarfs (he is said to be from the early 15th century in the companion, Paracelsus actually lived between 1493-1541 which would place him at the end of the 15th century and into the 16th).[29]
- 1546 AD
- The death of Willy.
- 1553 AD
- November 11th: The date of death for Hiram Bennet.
- 1559 AD
- The birth of future Lord Coningsby.
- 1564 AD
- The birth of William Shakespeare.[30]
- 1575 AD
- The birth of Randolph Peter.
- 1598 AD
- Rebecca Freeland dies.
- 1616 AD
- The death of William Shakespeare.[31]
- 1626 AD
- The death of Lord Coningsby.
- 1629 AD
- The death of Randolph Peter.
- 1634 AD
- Birth of an unknown woman who would do her best in life.
- 1643 AD
- The death of Newberry Will.
- 1650 AD
- The birth of Betty Cowden.
- 1669 AD
- The death of Betty Cowden.
- 1672 AD
- The death of unknown woman who had done her best.
- c. 1700s AD
- Ben Franklin wishes to choose the turkey instead of the eagle to represent the United States.
- Thrashers are invented, and are an example of dread technology. The wizards and magic users who helped lead the first withdrawal had seen weight of disbelief on them; like over ripened grain, they saw the thrashers coming (threshers were invented c. 1784). Soon after those who had been in hiding in the secret places of the world and those who had been able to coexist secretly within the cities; magic users, fairies, elves, demigods, magical creatures of Rome and Greece, and all kinds of Little Folk withdrew for the first time.
- c. 1800's AD
- Mary Ann Lowder dies from use of seidlitz powder (a powder marketed during the 1800s).
- Simon Byrne kills a man while boxing, the man is buried in Innsmouth (the historical Simon Byrne lived 1806 – 1833).
- 1897 AD
- Bram Stoker writes a novel describing one of the stories of Count Dracula. Some believe him to be based on the madman by the name of Vlad the Impaler.[32] Dracula likely withdrew back to 10th century not longer after.
- 1925 AD
- The date that Colonel Dijon mentions to Rosella while they were trapped playing card games (it was the era he was from).
- Around this time people of Innsmouth likely withdrew into the past taking Whateley Manor with them possibly as far back as 20 or 30 years before the common era.
- 1960s
- The Doors[33]
- 1980 AD
- Roberta Williams, and others receive dreams and messages from the world of Daventry. The King's Quest series of computer and video games are based on these messages and dreams. (The first of these games is Wizard and the Princess. In time the great dreamer, Roberta Williams begins to affect the reality of Daventry causing changes in the world.)
- 1984 AD
- In late 1984, Peter Spear was working as a writer and producer for a television station in San Francisco. He first had a chance to talk to John Williams (head of marketing at Sierra) about a new game about to be published. He traveled to Ethiopia, and when he returned the game, "King's Quest" (plain vanilla King's Quest, not King's Quest 1, not Quest for the Crown was waiting for him).[34]
- 1985 AD
- KQ2 is released for the first time.
- 1986 AD
- KQ3 is released..
- 1988 AD
- KQ4 is released.
- In late 1988, Peter Spear airs a segment on Roberta Williams.
- 1989 AD
- In January,Peter Spear met Roberta Williams in Las Vegas and interviewed her a few months later. Roberta talked about the land of her creation. She secretly hinted to Peter Spear that Daventry was a reality, a universe, that really existed. Short time later, Peter Spear began receiving electronic mail from Daventry.[35]
- The first edition of the King's Quest Companion is published based on these notes.
- Rosella and Graham are pulled from the Middle Ages to the present to play card games with others (including Colonel Dijon from the year 1925).
- 1990 AD
- Sierra releases a new and graphically improved King's Quest I. It contained "creative license" that changed elements of the game world, that did not reflect the "real world of Daventry". It was a second "game reality".[36]
- KQ5 is released.
- 1991 AD
- The second edition of the Companion is published. Peter Spear had obtained more material from Derek.
- 1992 AD
- The chronicles of Daventry are retold, these centuries later, as the tales of King's Quest."[2]
- KQ6 is released.
- 1993 AD
- The third edition of King's Quest Companion is published.
- 1994 AD
- KQ7 is released.
- 1997 AD
- The 4th edition of the King's Quest Companion is released.
- 1998 AD
- KQ8 is released.
- Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know it's Daventry. But it's somewhere on Earth."[37]
- 2025
The date when the travels aboard Space ships and aliens are met (as predicted by Henri Dijon in Hoyle 1).
Other[]
Grave stones in KQ8 list dates of several programmers work in KQ8, and left early before the game was complete. As many of these list 1-2 year period they do not represent babies in the world, nor actual deaths but more of an easter egg. Many of the gravestones actually represent other persons when clicked on.
- 1996-1997
The period Adam Szofran worked on the game.
- AD1996-1997 (similar with the reference to AD)
The period John Shroades worked on the game.
- Killed by 7ad (not easy to make out, and could say something else)
Possibly reference to 1997 AD. Another person who left the game.
Behind the scene[]
In 1992 the KQ games were said to take place centuries in the past. In context this would suggest that it is probably at least 200 years before KQ, but not much more than 1000 years (otherwise the term 'millennium' should have been used). KQ8 easter egg comment of year-1000 compliant product could suggest that KQ8 is set in year 1000 (or at least between 1000 and 1999 it is after all a joke on the Y2K fear). The time warp would explain how graves from 1600-1800s could have ended up back into that point of time. On the other hand year 1000 comment being an easter egg may just be a joke.
Hoyle 1 also suggests that KQ takes place in the Middle Ages. "Girl, don't you know that this is 1925, not the Middle Ages? Though technically that would be between the 5th to the 15th century (476 to 1453) give or take. The year 1000 would be smack dab in between the period more or less. An unused Easter egg in KQ1 also makes reference to KQ being "medieval".
The people of Innsmouth likely withdrew c. 1920s if Shadows over Innsmouth is taken into consideration. Wilbur Whateley is tied into this, and that would place it as late as 1928 (around the time of his death in the Lovecraft novels).
Note: There is no way to know how much time passed between KQ7 and KQ8 (Mark Seibert states it was probably a 'few years' but not many); the KQ8 manual suggests a variation of the original KQ timeline (also used by the novels and the first 3 KQ games, and possibly the Companion) which placed KQ3/4 around 20 years after KQ1 and KQ6/7 set about 22 years after KQ1. The companion suggests (in several editions including the 4th Edition) that the known KQ series took place between 20 or 25 years. The reference could be interpreted several ways; internal dates in the book could fit on the original timeline or 25 year anniversary timeline used by KQ4-6 for example.
This timeline interprets that KQ8 took place at the far end of the 25 year range and KQ6/7 took place around 22 years after KQ1 per the KQ8 manuals note that a 'score of years' (about twenty years) had passed between KQ1 and KQ6. An additional similar reference in the Companion mentions that about twenty years passed between KQ1 and KQ5 which also suggests that it going by the more conservative original timeline (rather than the longer one introduced by KQ4 manual and the KQ6 Hintbook). KQ8 is briefly advertised at the back of 4th edition (which could imply that it fits within the 20 or 25 year range).
The King's Quest Companion is not clear on when the first withdrawal took place there are references to it being several aeons ago, at Crispinophur implies it took place at least a millennium or so ago. For the sake of this timeline it is assuming it was at least two millennium (incorporating the KQ4 manual's statement that Daventry has been around for 'thousands of years'.) It could have been longer.
Due to inconsistencies between other sources this timeline (in this form) ignores most of the KQ4 manual, the KQ5 Hintbook, the KQ6 Hintbook, and a few other details that would fit only on the 25 Anniversary timeline. Everything else are 'approximations' based on KQ8 material, the novels, and Companion material (that utilize the shorter earlier timeline).
It is unclear when Rosella's First Quest took place in the story Rosella is a young girl ('little girl') this suggests she is probably under twelve (maybe even younger than 8).
Coincidentally the time line the Egyptians built the crypt in Tamir approximately 30 years before the common era (assuming the age of the mummy is an 'approximation' by Rosella in KQ4; "at least a thousand years old"). This fits almost exactly with actual history in which Cleopatra lived and died (between 69 BC to 30 BC). If the mummy is Cleopatra or someone else is not known. The Roman Pool could also be remnants of that era (although legends suggest it came from the Other World when magical creatures of Greece and Rome withdrew, but this is not known for sure[38]).
If the narrator (or Rosella)'s approximation of the mummy's age is correct it would make about 5 BC or about twenty five years after Cleopatra's death (but that doesn't discount the possibility of it still being her and she was the last pharaoh of Egypt; although it would make the burial at least a thousand years, the actual body would be older). Egyptians stopped making mummies between 4th and 7th century AD when Egyptians converted to Christianity.
Since this timeline places the world of Daventry on earth in time periods overlapping documented historical information, it would suggest that the continents of Serenia/Daventry, Tanalore, & Kolyma must be hidden and undiscovered continents at the time. Either part of other known modern continents. Or continents that were lost over time or merged with the modern continents perhaps through magic (several sources do suggest that magic in world of Daventry did make places come and go and change at any given time) such that these locations were hidden to most, never discovered, and simply faded away over time (leaving few archaeological ruins).
The Ancient Ones culture is said to have existed as much as a thousand years before the Guidebook to the green Isles was written during a time before the 'kingdom' of the Green Isles. This context could suggest that may have existed less than a thousand years before the guidebook (at least older than 400 or more years before the guidebook when the kingdom had its first castle). The companion suggests that they were already legend by the time of the first withdrawal (thus that book could suggest that they existed at least over at least a thousand years before, possibly two thousand or more). Derek's context in the Guidebook could be referring to the 'height' of the culture, not necessarily when it began or when it ended. The guidebook could suggest that the Ancient Ones were a race that predated the withdrawal and were original and natural inhabitants of that period.
The Withdrawal as time travel allows for other timing interpretations. While the first withdrawal may have begun in a certain year in the future; that doesn't mean that all withdrawals entered into the past in linear fashion. I.E. there is nothing to say that all Withdrawals entered into the world after the first. Some may have travelled after the first withdrawal, but travelled back to an earlier or later period of time. For example if the Ancient Ones had actually withdrawn into the past, they would have had to have withdrawn at a later period than the first withdrawal, but withdrawn to a period before the first withdrawal.
There is no known specific date of when people withdrew from a future date into the past (although many it seems probably occured after the start of the Renaissance (when science started to flourish), and continued as far up as the 1920s). But could have began as early as the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian times around the time first century BC to 1 AD (although its noted that nothing states that they actually withdrew, and thus their ruins of least a thousand years old may actually be contemporary to actual time period and not anachronistic and this timeline does actually seem to suggest that). Note in Tamir only the Whateley Manor was specifically confirmed to have withdrawn (and that likely in the early twentieth century but as early as the late 1800's is possible). One possible note is that Derek Karlavaegan mentions that magic users before the first withdrawal saw science coming and that the weight of disbelief upon them, like the ripe grain at harvest time, they saw the thrashers coming (and they knew they had to leave to survive). Thrashers are a technology that was invented c. 1784 (before that flails were used) which would suggest that magical folk, magical creatures of ancient Rome and Greece, demigods, wizards all found secret places to hide even up into that period (or at least soothsayers, seers and oracles could see the technology of thrashers on the horizon).
There are legends that magical creatures of Rome and Greece withdrew bringing the Roman Pool with them although that has never been confirmed. However, since the magical creatures of Greece and Rome likely predate Merlin (who may be Crispin), they must have come over during the first withdrawal later on. Between that time they must of went into hiding (but ironically they may not have travelled back much into time, as they spent in actually hiding) only going back a few thousand years. Rome itself began around 9th century BC and Greece began between 1900 and 1600 (which actually put the period that first withdrawal traveled to possibly between the height of Greece and early Rome in affect magical creatures of Greece and Rome may have returned to their own time period).
Abdul Alhazred is another question as he would be alive after his supposed death in 738 AD (Cthulu Mythos/HP Lovecraft's writings) in this timeline. This would either suggest his initial disappearance made him travel forward a couple of hundred years (into the 900s). Or perhaps he never withdrew at all, and is natural inhabitant of the world born and raised, and his supposed death and disappearance in 738 was mistaken, that he survived, and moved somewhere else. However, copies of his book could have been brought over by others in later eras at any point in time, or multiple points in time.
On the other hand the withdrawals may have been to a time much greater than 2000 years (Daventry was at least 2000 years according to KQ4 manual and could have been longer, but probably less than 10,000 years the Old Wood grieved in a time before the fairies, and the fairies came before the humans). How much time passed between when the fairies came to the land of Daventry and the human colonized is not known. However it is known that Daventry was apparently founded not long after the first withdrawal (the Ancient Well dates to that time but was not necessarily originally built by humans but was used by any beings who withdrew or may even began as a natural spring). The fairies, elves and demigods were according to Derek Karlavaegen among the first races to withdraw. The Old Wood and the Glass Mountains appear to be geographical landmarks that predate the withdrawal and the fairies.
Early humans may have already lived in the area during the stone-age (a period roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4500 BC and 2000 BC ) in the pre-history of Daventry. It is unknown if they practiced magic or were simply hunter-gatherers.[39] But they must have been ignored by the later fairies, and probably absorbed into the withdrawn humans who colonized the area after the first withdrawal.
In this timeline withdrawal must have started at least late Middle Ages otherwise there is potential of Daventry's ancestors (as in ancestors before Edward or Graham's family) or other cultures that predate Daventry withdrawing into the past before Daventry was founded (leading to possible predestination or bootstrap paradoxes; not that this hasn't possibly happened see Rumplestiltskin or the wanderer). That would technically also make any one earlier in the timeline withdrawing the 'first' to withdraw.
Crispin is said to be one of the first; and possibly the one to lead the first withdrawal (his house however was apparently already in the world before he came there). It is also suggested that he is Merlin. For Camelot and Arthur to exist they would likely have existed around the time of the fall of Rome's rule in England, early Christianity, and before the 'middle ages'. Conquests of Camelot places Camelot around 800 AD. It is unlikely that Merlin withdrew around that time. But considering he was long lived possibly immortal it is possible that through later time periods (possibly even trapped in the crystal coffin where Merlin's Mirror was discovered by the people of Daventry) before he was freed and centuries later took on alternative identity and withdrew into the past. This means that Merlin and Camelot originally existed as part of the original inhabitants of the world coexisted with the ancestors of the Royal Family of Daventry, but later went onto lead the first Withdrawal years after (which would explain one of the paradoxes in the KQ history).
The Trojan War took place approximately either in the 1100s or 1200s BC (approximately 2100-2200 years before KQ8 in this timeline). This was around the time Achilles and Helen of Troy were said to have existed. As Achilles died during the war in earth history and his ashes spread there he was likely an original inhabitant of Greece (rather than one who withdrew), and predate the withdrawals. People of Daventry would later discover Achille's lost shield.
Sinofas the witch is said to have existed in the marsh from the 'beginning of time'. Is this when the world was created or reformed (big bang or otherwise (created/reformed by the gods/God?)), or beginning of recorded history from the first withdrawal (did she exist before those who came with the first withdrawal or did she come with those who withdrew)? Is she about as old as Crispin?
The gnomes may have withdrawn in the 1500's after Paracelsus differentiated them from the dwarves. All kinds of the little folk were some of the first races to withdraw to the world, along with fairies. elves, and demigods (possibly unicorns, centaurs and giants as well).
Assuming there is only a three year difference between KQ7 and KQ8 as the original timeline would imply the only dates that would need to be on this timeline in order to allow for a 25th year anniversary would be the date for KQ1 (and any dates tied to KQ1 period). As such KQ1 would be moved from 22 years before KQ8 to 25 years before KQ3. KQ1 would move from 975 back to 972 (any references to when shield or magic mirror were obtained would move back to their respective periods as well). The twins birth would remain at 977 (putting a five year gap between KQ1 and the birth rather than 2). Beyond that there would still be confusing aspects of when KQ2 takes place in relation to the birth due to multiple later sources giving completely alternate explanations. This movement would lave KQ8 approximately 28 years (from 25) after KQ1.
In article in Interaction Magazine, Graham's favorite book is said to be Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe is a book set during 1194 during the time of Richard I of England. Which if KQ8 year 1000 (of Gregorian calendar) reference is taken for granted would place the book almost two centuries after KQ8 later in the medieval era. Robin Hood appears in the story and it was one of the original sources portraying Robin Hood as a good-natured outlaw. Rosella encountered Robin Hood in Rosella's First Quest. However 1194 would technically still fall under year 1000 compliance and could be contemporary to Graham. The book itself must have withdrawn after 1820 as that is when the book was first published. However things may work differently when it comes to the Sierra multiverse concept and how Graham interacts with other Sierra universes (see Police Quest 1 as contemporary to PQ3 for example or in the medieval past of Laura Bow).
However, as there is no magic in Ivanhoe this also suggests that Graham's world is either no where near England, or Graham must live in another era of England's history (if there is any connection to Daventry to medieval England). Or perhaps some of the people who colonized Daventry withdrew during the time of medieval England into the distant past, and chose not to change technologically much (as they fear science), any other period dress or technology that they have been shown to wear or use, would have had to have come from others who withdrew later, and was introduced to them (unless they somehow developed it on their own parallel to regular Earth's history).
North American Cowboys are alluded to in See No Weevil. The earliest cowboys appeared in the 1700s (just a little before 1725 (the date when the term cowboy was first coined)), and their golden age was in the 1800s up to the beginning of the 20th century (though cowboys still 'exist'). Which means either some withdrew into the past, or Daventry is set in times closer to late renaissance, enlightenment era, up to the Old West. See No Weevil does seem to imply that they exist on a distant continent in her present (rather than in a alternate universe in the future), which would suggest that they must have withdrawn into the past (if KQ8's date is taken into account).
The wood-burning stoves as seen in KQ1EGA/SMS, and KQ4 are of the style similar to that which was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1744.
The pumps as seen in KQ1 and KQ8 are similar to pumps used in the 1800s.
Sun Tzu was a warrior and general who lived from 544-496 BC. This would likely place him as a preexisting member of the world, not someone who withdrew.
The Hundred Years' War took place between 1337 to 1453. This would also indicate that the Realm of Eldritch must be connected to Earth in some way, perhaps as a parallel earth (it is after described as an 'earthly plane') or perhaps its also in a different point in time in Earth's history. But the process of crossing the barrier may cause a 'time dilation' effect explaining how only a short period of time seemingly passes between both realms.
New Series[]
The new series has its own timeline that doesn't really follow any dates from the original games, as well as changing Graham's age and birthplace. But it also seems to suggest that KQ takes place on Earth or at least a parallel earth. It however follows the idea that KQ games up to KQ5/6 probably took 50+ years after KQ1.
The KQGS timeline (for the reimagined series) appears to place KQ8 when Graham was in his 70s (several decades later). However, this timeline reflects the King's Quest Companion's implication (of it being probably less than a decade later, probably only a few years later), rather than new series dating (as new series timeline takes several detours from early timelines, including the placement of KQ1 events, and a rewriting of Graham's origin stories).
The new series goes even further to make references to more contemporary Americana such as Labor Day (a holiday that was created in 1886), or the town of Modesto (founded in about 1870).
References[]
- ↑ "...millennium or so", KQC3E, pg 178
- ↑ KQC2E, pg 522
- ↑ Guidebook: "The Ancient Ones' culture inhabited the Isle of the Sacred Mountain perhaps as much as a thousand years ago. At that time, it is likely that there was no "kingdom" and that the Ancient Ones existed alone in the sea, since no similarly aged records exist on any other island."
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ KQ5
- ↑ KQ1 Manual, pg
- ↑ KQC, pg.
- ↑ KQC2E, pg "over twenty years".
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ KoS, pg
- ↑ KOS, pg
- ↑ KoS, pg
- ↑ KQ2 Manual, pg
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ KQ2 manual, pg
- ↑ KoS,
- ↑ SNW, pg
- ↑ KoS, pg
- ↑ KoS, pg
- ↑ SNW, pg
- ↑ SNW, pg46
- ↑ 22
- ↑ KQC3E, pg
- ↑ TFC, pg
- ↑ TFC, pg
- ↑ KQ8: "Leslie Steiner has verified that this product is year-1000 compliant with all medieval standards."; Apparently the date when KQ8 took place in history; about the middle of the Middle Ages
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ KQC2E, 473
- ↑ KQC2E, 470
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ KQC2E, 458
- ↑ TOBOKQ3E, pg 63
- ↑ KQC2E, xix
- ↑ KQC2E, xx, xxi, xxiii
- ↑ KQC3E, xv-xvi
- ↑ -Roberta Williams, Mask of Eternity Talkspot Interview, 1998, part 1 (1:20:40 to 1:59:58)File:Daventryisearth.ogg
- ↑ KQC2E, pg 55
- ↑ 5. If you could ask Roberta one question about the land of Daventry, what would that question be? I would love to know about the pre-history of Daventry. What were Daventry stone-agers like? Did they have magic, or were they just regular hunter-gatherer sorts? Hmm, I guess that's more than one question.