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== Timeline ==
The Deadlock timeline and time period are kept purposefully ambiguous, as the game is still in development and story aspects are subject to change. However, based on context clues such as references to the 1949 musical [[wikipedia:South_Pacific_(musical)|South Pacific]]<ref name=":0">{{VoiceLineCite|name=Newscaster|file=newscaster_headline_39.mp3|transcription=Rodgers and Hammerstein's latest musical 'South Pacific' has become the hottest ticket in town. With some would-be theater-goers selling 1/8th of their souls to scalpers for prime seating!}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{VoiceLineCite|name=Ivy|file=Tengu unselect 03.mp3|context=(in Spanish and English)|transcription=Talvez deberia comprar tickets for South Pacific. (Maybe I should buy tickets for South Pacific.)}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{VoiceLineCite|name=Viscous|file=Viscous_unselect_06.mp3|transcription=The Patrons can wait. I want to see South Pacific.}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{VoiceLineCite|name=The Doorman|quotes=The Doorman/Quotes|transcription=After the ritual is complete, if you’d like tickets to South Pacific, don’t be afraid to ask.}}</ref> by various characters, it can be inferred that the game takes place circa the 1930s-1940s (see ''Historical References'' below). The buildings in the Cursed Apple use architectural references from New York City up to 1932.<ref>https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3378301007</ref> Even so, there are visual references from later in the 20th century: [[Shiv]]'s design is reminiscent of a 1950s [[wikipedia:Greaser_(subculture)|Greaser]], while [[Billy]] is inspired by 1970s [[wikipedia:Punk_subculture|Punks]]. The computer in the [[Hideout]] is similar to the 1973 [[wikipedia:Xerox_Alto|Xerox Alto]], one of the first personal computers, albeit with a typewriter keyboard.

The timeline below is based on mentioned in-game events and the [[The Binding of Oathkeeper|Lady Geist visual novel]]. Events without a specific year use the date of the ritual as a reference point.

{| class="wikitable"
!Date
!Events
|-
|Undated (1624-1664)
|{{HeroIcon|Drifter|l1=The Drifter}} visits [[wikipedia:New_Amsterdam|New Amsterdam]]<ref>{{VoiceLineCite|name=Drifter|file=Drifter select 06.mp3|transcription=The elders of New Amsterdam are soft, clinging to archaic titles like they grant them real power.}}</ref><ref>{{VoiceLineCite|name=Amber Hand|file=Patron male ally drifter start 04.mp3|transcription=Welcome back to New York, Drifter. Oh, how we missed you.}}</ref>
|-
|1692
|The Salem Witch Trials take place, leading to the killing of {{HeroIcon|Vindicta}}<ref name=":4">{{BackgroundCite|name=Vindicta|quote=A victim of John Hathorne during the Salem Witch Trials, Vindicta got a second chance of life when her spirit was brought back to the mortal plane during the first Maelstrom (the event that introduced the supernatural to the public at large).}}</ref>
|-
|1805
|[[Minor characters#Johann_Geist|Johann Geist]] is born<ref name=":2">[[The Binding of Oathkeeper|''The Binding of Oathkeeper'']] - [https://youtu.be/nn_C9nQ_Ri0?si=AHesE7-c8IwTX-Jd&t=1921 Chapter 5H]</ref>
|-
|1815
|{{HeroIcon|Lady Geist|l1=Jeanne (Lady Geist)}} is born<ref name=":2" />
|-
|1850
|[[Minor characters#Walter_Geist|Walter Geist]] is born<ref name=":2" />
|-
|1880
|[[Minor characters#Johann_Geist|Johann Geist]] dies<ref name=":2" />
|-
|50 years B.R. (Before the ritual)
|The first [[Maelstrom]] occurs. The existence of the supernatural is revealed to humanity.<ref>{{BackgroundCite|name=Warden|quote=Most people think the supernatural came into the world 50 years ago.}}</ref> {{HeroIcon|Vindicta}} is brought back to Earth as a ghost, {{HeroIcon|Dynamo}} loses his body and becomes a dying star, and {{HeroIcon|Lady Geist}} makes a deal with [[Oathkeeper]] in exchange for eternal youth.
|-
|42-45 years B.R.
|The [[Baxter Society]] is founded<ref name=":13">{{BackgroundCite|name=Grey Talon|quote=A founding member of "The Baxter Society", Wesley Grey Talon spent close to 40 years hunting monsters that preyed on man before finally deciding to find a replacement and lay down his bow.}}</ref>
|-
|31 years B.R.
|{{HeroIcon|Dynamo}} marries [[Minor characters#Marla|Marla]]<ref>[[Dynamo/Quotes#Conversations|Dynamo and Kelvin conversation]]</ref>
|-
|23 years B.R.
|{{HeroIcon|Pocket}} is born<ref name=":8" />
|-
|18-20 years B.R.
|{{HeroIcon|Ivy}} comes to life<ref>[[Ivy#Background|Ivy's background]] says it was 18 years ago, but in the [[Ivy's visual novel|visual novel]] she says it has been 20 years</ref>
|-
|18 years B.R.
|{{HeroIcon|Apollo}} is born<ref>{{ConvoCite|hero1=Apollo|hero2=Celeste|number=3|hero_quote1=Apollo|quote1=Most 18-year-olds aren't about to summon an Elder God.}}</ref>
|-
|16-18 years B.R.
|{{HeroIcon|Graves}} is born<ref>{{ConvoCite|hero1=Apollo|hero2=Graves|number=2|hero_quote1=Apollo|quote1=You weren't in class yesterday.}}</ref>
|-
|5 years B.R.
|[[Ixia|South Ixia]] joins the US.<ref>{{VoiceLineCite|name=Newscaster|file=newscaster_headline_63.mp3|transcription=Next week will mark the 5 year anniversary of South Ixia officially joining the United States as its 52nd state.}}</ref> An assassination attempt (carried out by {{HeroIcon|Calico}}) occurs on {{HeroIcon|Pocket}}'s 18th birthday and they are thought to have been killed,<ref name=":8">{{BackgroundCite|name=Pocket|quote=Arin Fairfax, the eldest heir to Fairfax Industries, has been living in hiding for the past 5 years after being shot and left for dead on their 18th birthday.}}</ref> leading {{HeroIcon|Mina}} to become a vampire.
|-
|2-5 years B.R.
|{{HeroIcon|Grey Talon}} retires, picking {{PageRef|name=Shiv}} as his replacement<ref name=":13" /><ref>{{PageRef|name=Grey Talon}}'s in-game [[Grey Talon/Quotes#Enemies|voice line]] (killed Shiv): ''"It seems I chose my replacement poorly."''</ref><ref>{{ConvoCite|hero1=Shiv|hero2=Abrams|number=1|hero_quote1=Abrams|quote1=How long have you been with the Baxter Society?|hero_quote2=Shiv|quote2=Not long, a few years.}}</ref>
|-
|6 months B.R.
|[[The Troubadour]] murders multiple people in Illinois and disappears<ref>{{BackgroundCite|name=Holliday|quote=When she confronted him he exploded into a murder of crows and flew away. That was 6 months ago}}</ref>
|-
|Year of the ritual
|Celestial Alignment, the second [[Maelstrom]] and the ritual take place
|}