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Time between the Geneforge games


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How much time separates each of the Geneforge games? For example, in the Avernum games we know that there are a few years between each game in the trilogies, and several between the first and second trilogies. I ask because I'm trying to confirm that the character in G5 is the same as the one from G3. Vener said he saw you three years ago in the Mera-Tev as a prisoner, which means you were picked up from the Drypeak mountains at least three years previous. If G4 (or G3 for that matter, though I doubt it) was within that three year time slot, then it eliminates that possibility entirely.

Sorry to reboot what could potentially be a very old topic. I'm too curious :p

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Let's see here...

 

The events of Geneforge 1 take place 200 or so years before Geneforge 5, I guess that accounts for the time of Zackary and Barzahl arriving and pilfering secrets, stuff in Drypeak being built, Ghaldring being dormant, the attacks of the Ashen Isles and Eastern Terrestria...

 

I'd like to assume that because the character of Geneforge 5 has a special connection to the Geneforge, such as the ending dialogue saying you're sad to see the Geneforge get drained and you don't know why.

 

It's confusing though, if you use the Geneforge, any Geneforge, then can you use it again? In the fourth game, where there is arguably the weakest one available and forced upon you at the start, you cannot use it again, and I'm not sure about the one in the Grayghost Mountains, but I suspect that one is for Drakons only, like the ones in Geneforge 2 and 3.

 

Anyway, I think it's either the character from the first or second game, the first has a lot of time to get around, there are always convenient reasons to lose your memory and strength, and if you go with the route of using the Geneforge and just carving your own path, you could say it was him, or that he was the Shaper Monarch.

 

But the Shaper Monarch could also be the character from the first second or third games in that case, since you also have cannisters available to you throughout the series, and assuming we go beyond just labeling their power as "+1 Create Fyora" and more of a deep magical rework, you could be as powerful with masses of cannisters as using a geneforge once.

 

Master Hoge in the third game seems to be detrimentally affected by lots of cannister usage, but using the Southforge Citadel Geneforge drove one of the serviles there crazy, so I'm going to omit the fact that the two alterative substances are both free of any form of physical side effect. They also drive you crazy and arrogant, if you use enough.

 

The Geneforge could be a -super cannister- then. There is a cannister in Geneforge 4 that gives 2 points in Daze, as opposed to 1 point in something like every other one of them gives, so just make a massive swirling pool of the stuff, wear special gloves and get instantly almighty.

 

In conclusion, I think it could be any one of the 4 predecessors, and I also think Jeff left it intentionally vague for people to come up with their own filler story.

 

I wish authors didn't do that, I'm not a creative person.

 

Anyway, I explained my theories, and I'd love for someone to dissect them and tell me I'm wrong, in a good way! :D

 

Remember to leave your sanity at the door, Aerukai.

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Unless Ghaldring was asleep for a looong time, it was a lot less than 200 years. G3, 4, and 5 all have Greta & Alwan, and Zackary & Barzahl show up right after the events of G1 and aren't that old in G2.

 

You cannot reuse the Geneforge in any game, and in the games with multiple forges attempting to use the second one kills you instantly(because you don't match the expected starting template).

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There are clues to a timeline from NPCs existing in more than one game. Serviles from Sucia Island are still alive in G2 and G3, although they are very old. Greta and Alwan were young students in G3, but are older adults in G5, so those games are probably less than 30 years apart.

 

This makes it likely to have 100 years or less between the first and last game.

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Serviles from Sucia Island are still alive in G2 and G3, although they are very old.

 

One servile in particular rings a bell. There is one I know you can find in the third and fourth games who claims to have been on Sucia island, although she certainly is very old.

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Arem Blade or something. He was a taker in the first game. No description is given of him there. In game 2 he's the one you go to for your First Loyalty quest for the Takers(He tells you to kill another faction's leader), and is described as old. Nothing beyond that, but considering statements made, that puts him at around 40-60 for a servile. Third game he's in that town on Island 4 that the serviles/creations have taken over. You can only talk to him if you're a rebel, and he'll tell you about the past games in vague terms, while being described as at least a century old. Fourth game he's in the Rebel Town in the Fourth Zone(After the Fens but before the Mountains, Brenhold I think). Again, described as at least a century. Fifth game he's in the Kazg I believe, and once again, he's about a hundred years old, and gives past exposition.

 

So,

 

Game 1: Start date, about 200 years after Geneforge was originally made

Game 2: About 20-40 years after game 1

Game 3: About 30-50 years after game 2

Game 4: Stated to be 7 years after game 3(the war is commented by many to be 7 years old, and game 3 is the start of the war)

Game 5: About 3 years after game 4(Again, many comments about it's been 10 years since the start of the war, and someone in Alwin's keep comments that it's been 3 years since the Unbound problem began)

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IIRC it is stated in Geneforge 2 that Zakary and Barzahl came to Drypeak about 5 years before start of the game. I don't think the gap between GF1 and GF2 would be so large as 20 - 40 years.

 

30 - 50 years between GF2 and GF3 does sound right. The Kratoa-Kel Stoneworks was Barred about 50 years before GF5 and since you meet the guy responsible for the mess in GF2, I believe that at the time of GF2 the Barring of Kratoa-Kel Stoneworks was recent. Of course, this is contradicted by the age of Litalia, who apparently went to Drypeak some short while after the events of GF2 and she doesn't seem to be 70 years old in GF5.

 

Fifth game he's in the Kazg I believe, and once again, he's about a hundred years old, and gives past exposition.

Amena Blade is in Geneforge 5? Can't believe that I've missed him every playthrough...
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