In an attempt to make sense of the various events of the game, here is a (currently incomplete) timeline, using the in-universe dates given as well as the ages of the characters, stretching from prehistory, all the way up to the 1930s.
Needless to say, that this article contains spoilers.
Prehistory
- An ancient alien race comes to Earth, and leaves behind the Neameto Float.
- The ancient undergrounds of what will become the Nemeton Monastery, are constructed, by an unknown race. Various similar constructions are built across the world, such as on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the lost continent of Mu, and the lost city of Atlantis.
- The Formors, perfect the art of raising the dead, using them as a tireless workforce. They write down this knowledge in a document, that will later become known as the "Emigre Manucript", beofre quietly vanishing from history.
10th Century BC
- The Kingdom of Solomon falls.
9th Century AD
- Saint Daniel Scotus founds the Nemeton Monastery, and consecrates it as a holy site.
1214
- Esteemed philosopher, scientist and eternal lovechild, Roger Bacon is born in England.
1247
- Roger (aged 33) enters Oxford Univeristy, and studies under Robert Grosseteste.
1267
- Roger (aged 53) completes his Opus Majus, a treatise on natural science, grammar and logic, mathematics, physics, and philosophy.
Post 1267~1400
- Roger spends at least five years transcribing a new copy of the Emigre Manuscript, in secret for the Pope of the time. At some point he learnt that the Pope had planned to kill him once the manuscript was finished. During this time, he also usesd a ritual from the book to gain immortality, but not agelessness.
- During this time period, Roger travelled to Wales, the Holy Land described in the Manuscript, and later begins to travel the world. It is also during this timeframe, that Roger began to take on apprentices to share his knowledge.
- Albert Simon's birthdate is unknown, but it is at some point during these centuries that Albert Simon is born, and meets Roger. At one point, He fights in the Crusades.
Around 1400~1540
- Around the early 1400s, the Church executed the wife of French nobleman and owner of Tiffauges Castle, Gilles de Rais, for heresey. This turned him towards the dark arts and devil worship, which later caused the Church to execute him also.
- The Valentine siblings, Joachim (the eldest), Keith (the middle child), Hildegard (the youngest) are born around this time.
1540
- In Nuremburg, Roger's greatest pupil, Albert Simon, attempts to place charges of witchcraft on him for not supporting his progressive egalitarian views, however, Albert himself is put on trial for heresy by the Catholic Church, and imprisoned.
- Roger is aged 326.
Post 1540
- Albert either escapes, or is released from confinement, and begins to delve deeply into the dark arts and forbidden magic, much to Roger's concern.
- Roger continues to travel the globe.
Around 1600
- Charlotte is born to lovers, Sophia D'Lota and Phillip Christopher, and immediatley taken away from them.
- Sophia is imprisoned also, and writes letters to her daughter.
- At the age of 9, Charlotte was executed, having never recieved any of the letters.
- Sophia continues to write letters to her Daughter, unaware of her death, until she dies.
- The Blue Castle, whose inhabitents lord over the town of Bistritz seems to become deserted.
Around 1700
- Keith begins a sleep in his coffin, that will last for 200 years.
1716
- The events of the Guard's Diary, happen from the beginning of June to November, as the abused prisoners manage to overpower and kill the guards.
- In August of that year, the woman mentioned in the diary, believed to be Mira, dies.
Around 1800
- Roger, now aged around 580, grows tired of the unchanging cruelties of man, and begins his hundred year sleep in a coffin at Nemeton Monastery.
1845
- James O' Flaherty is born into poverty in Ireland.
1845~1854
- Gepetto is born around this time.
1865
- Gerard and Pierre Magimel are born.
Around 1866~1878
- James attends university, and becomes friends with Patrick Heyworth.
- At one point, they both compete for the affections of a woman named Elaine Heyworth, and have a falling out. Due to his social status, and lack of money to care for her, he allows Patrick to marry her.
1878
- Edward Plunkett is born.
- James, visits Elaine and Patrick. This is the last time he sees them both alive. As a way of coping, he turns to the Church, and eventually becomes a Bishop.
1879
- Koudelka Iasant is born in Wales.
- Frank Goldfinger is born in Poland.
1880
- Elaine Heyworth is murdered in her home by thieves.
- Patrick, mad with grief, starts to research the dark arts and occult in an attempt to ressurect his wife.
1884
- Veronica Vera is born.
1886
- Lucia is born.
- Lt. Col. Yoshiko Kawashima is born to Naniwa Kawashima.
1887
- Ben meets "Anne" outside of the Japanese Capital.
- Nicholas Conrad is born to Tzar Emperor Nicholas II and an unknown peasant woman, making him an illegitimate heir to the Russian throne.
1888
- Koudelka's father dies. Koudelka predicts exactly how he will die, down to the minute.
- Following the events of her father's death, her mother attempts to kill her, and it is decieded that Koudelka must be exiled. She is 9 years old. She later makes her way to London and into the care of renowned medium, Mrs. Blavatsky.
- Albert Simon and Father Doyle, have their picture taken at a "Revival Festival."
1889
- Yuri Hyuga born to Jinpachiro "Ben" Hyuga and Anne Hyuga, in Katsuragi.
- Karin Koenig born in Germany.
- Lenny Curtis is born.
1890
- The Three Ancient Tomes are stolen from the Vatican library, by Albert Simon. The Vatican tasks the retrivel of the books with their finest exorcists, Father Elliot, and Bishop James O' Flaherty. They travel together across Europe to search.
- Albert Simon gives the Emigre Manucsript to Patrick, who moves to the Nemeton Monastery to continue his research.
1891
- Mrs. Blavatsky dies, leaving Koudelka alone in the world. She begins to travel across Britain, using her powers to aid people. She is 12 years old.
1893
- Alice Elliot is born.
- Elliot and O'Flaherty go their seperate ways to look for the Tomes, and but keep in touch via letter correspondence.
- Ben Hyuga meets with Naniwa Kawashima for the last time, to discuss the ever growing threat of the warlock, Dehuai.
- Yuri, Anne and Ben have their photograph taken, and move to China.
1894
- Natan is born.
1895
- Patrick finds a reference to a magical cauldron in the tale of Branwen, which has the ability to bring the dead back to life.
1897
- Kurando Inugami born in Inugami Village, to Saki Inugami, and her unnamed husband.
1898
Wales:
- In April, the monsters resulting from Patrick's work start to appear and infest the monastery.
- Koudlelka (aged 19) hears a troubled spirit calling from the monastery so sets out to try to soothe it.
- Edward (aged 20) comes to the monastery after hearing rumours that there were a load of "harlots" there.
- James (aged 53) hears that one of the anicent tomes has made its way to the Nemeton Monastery, and sends his final letter to Father Elliot before heading off to Wales.
- Between the evening of 31st October to the late morning of 1st November, the events of Koudelka take place.
- Roger Bacon (aged 684) awakens from his 100 year sleep.
- Koudelka Canon Ending: James O'Flaherty dies and sacrifices himself to purify Elaine's body. This causes the Monastary to burn down. Edward and Koudelka sleep together, a union that will later result in a child. Both go their seperate ways; Edward to America, and Koudelka to London.
Asia:
- Albert Simon meets with the warlock Dehuai.
- Li Li loses her fisherman father in a storm.
- Ben Hyuga goes to Shanghai and meets Zhu Zhen, whom he saves from Wugui.
- Dehuai attempts the Valorization ritual, but is thwarted by Ben Hyuga (who dies in the process), Zhuzhen and Zhen.
- Anne Hyuga is killed protecting Yuri from their demon possessed neighbours who are being controlled by Dehuai. Yuri fuses for the first time and kills them all in retaliation.
1899
- Halley born to Koudelka in August.
1900
- Princess Anastasia Romanov is born, to Empress Alexandra and Tsar Nicholas II.
- It is around this time that Sapientes Gladio, is founded by Bishop Jovis Abraham, with the goal of breaking down the barriers between races and people, so that they could live happy as equals.
1901
- Queen Victoria dies. Preperations are made to resurrect her using the Emigre magic. But the book was retreived by the Vatican.
1902
- Ricardo Gomez is born.
1903~1907
- At some point, Koudelka is abducted by the Inquestion leaving Halley an orphan.
- Yuri begins to hunt monsters. Koudelka begins to communicate with him telepathically, thanks to his receptive mind.
- Prince Alexei born in 1907.
1908
- Grace and Johnny Garland are born, to Graham Garland, and an unnamed wife.
- Shania is born.
1909
- Albert Simon via letters, sells his London Mansion property to Jack and his mother. They move in on 18th April. This events of Jack's diary begin at this point.
- On 2nd November, Jack's mother dies.
1910
- In Janurary, Jack beings to delve into the black arts and alchemy, in an attempt to bring his mother back to life.
- On 13th February, Albert Simon (in the guise of Roger Bacon) gives Jack the Emigre Manucript, and encourages him to continue his research.
- Koudelka is moved to Calios Mental Hospital, and imprisoned there.
1912
- Blanca is born.
1910~1913
- During this period, Jack's Mansion is converted into an orphanage, to allow him easy access to sacrificial victims without causing too much notice.
1913~ Early 1914
- In the February, the writer of the Guest's Diary is murdered by Jack.
- Six months prior to the start of Shadow Hearts, The shrine of the Black Tortoise is defiled by Yamaraja: Earth.
- Father Elliot is murdered by Albert Simon.
- Lightning hits the Blue Dragon Shrine and becomes defiled by Yamaraja: Wind, who turns Li Li into a vengeful ghost.
- A month later, in the autumn, Alice Elliot is aboard the Trans-Siberian Express, which is attacked by Albert Simon. Yuri stops his and escapes with her. The events of Shadow Hearts begin.
- Dehuai attempts the Reverse Demon's Gate Invocation, but is killed by Yuri and his friends. Albert Simon then finishes the ceremony summoning the Seraphic Radience. Yuri attempts to fuze with it to limit the damage and vanishes with it, while Shanghai burns.
- Lieutenant Colonel Yoshiko Kawashima is murdered in Shanghai.
- Five months after the events of Shanghai, monsters begin to attack the siege the town of Bistritz, prompting one man, Terry, to go and seek out some help. This disturbance, causes Keith Valentine to awaken.
- Yuri, who has completely lost his mind, flies towards the tallest tower in Blue Castle.
- Six months after the events in Shanghai, Alice, Zhuzhen and Margarete travel to Europe in search of Yuri.
- Alice makes a deal with the Four Masks, offering to take on the burden of Yuri's soul, at the cost of her own, which would lead to her eventual death.
- Tracking Albert Simon down to the United Kingdom, they come across Roger Bacon (now 700 years old), who directs them to Koudelka and Albert Simon.
- Koudelka is freed, but is abducted by Albert Simon to use as a power source to raise the Neamto Float. It is revealed that beings with such heightened mystical powers, such as Koudelka and Alice, only occur roughly once a century, split into light and dark.
- Yuri and co, stop Albert Simon, and manage to defeat the "God" he summoned.
- Shadow Hearts Bad Ending: Yuri and Alice travel to Zurich to meet with her surviving family. She finally succumbs to the Four-Mask Curse, and dies. Yuri meet with her "grandfather" Gepetto, and buries Alice, digging the grave with his own hands, and wrapping her up in his coat.
- All across Europe, a series of bizarre ritualistic murders takes place. The only clue linking them all is the crest of an Owl and a Sword.
- In June, Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand is assassinated. Europe begins to draw up its armies. World War One begins.
- Yuri, with Gepetto travels to the sleepy town of Domremy, and becomes friends with the town's villagers, particually, a young girl named Jeanne. He becomes the town's protector, halting the German advance on the town.
1915~1917
Europe
- The events of Shadow Hearts: Covenant begin.
- Lt. Karin Koenig, leads an assault on Domremy, only to be repelled by Yuri, who kills all of her men, but spares her.
- Her superiors, desperate to get rid of "The Demon of Domremy", turn to the Vatican for help, who send Cardinal Nicholas "Nicholai" Conrad to assist.
- A week later, Karin and Nichlai journey to Vatican City to retrieve the Holy Mistletoe - an ancient relic blessed with the power to expel demons.
- Once again, Karin travels to Domremy, only to be betrayed by Nicholai, who kills her men and Jeanne, and stabs Yuri with the Mistletoe.
- Travelling to Wales to meet with Roger, Yuri encounters Kato, Lt. Kawashima's former aide, who is now a diplomat. As it turns out, Roger has been kidnapped and taken to Italy, but an organization known as "Sapientes Gladio."
- Two months after he was impaled with the Mistletoe, Yuri makes his way to Sapientes Gladio Italian Headquarters, only to discover, that Roger has be transferred to another location.
- While Yuri and his friends travel to the ruins of Nemeton Monastary, to recover the Emigre Manuscript hidden in its depths, Nicholai, Lenny Curtis and Veronica Vera travel to Nahasu Temple, where Nicholai makes a Soul Pact with the demon, Astaroth.
- Roger (aged 701) is rescued, and takes Yuri and his friends to Russia, to stop the leader of Sapientes Gladio; The Mad Monk Rasputin.
- Aided by Princess Anastasia, Yuri tries to stop Rasputin's plan of world domination, but fails due to Rasputin's soul pact with Asmodeus. Desperate to stop Rasputin, he heads to Goreme Valley, to seek the advice of Bishop Jovis, the former head of Sapientes Gladio.
- On the advice of the Bishop, and to once again harness the power of the God of Wrath, Amon, Yuri ventures into his soul to confront it, and beats it.
- Bishop Jovis dies.
- Facing Rasputin once more, Yuri manages to beat him to a pulp, but Rasputin calls upon the power of Asmodeus and summons the Idar Flamme, and becomes possessed by the demon. Undaunted, Yuri and his party defeats him.
- Nicholai unleashes the sealed vault of Malice into the world, causing the war to become more brutal, as people become more filled with hatred. Kato takes Nicholai to Japan, under its protection.
Asia:
- Three months after the Malice was released, the war becomes bloodier, and more viscious, as chemical weapons are used for the first time.
- Anastasia crashes the Bacon Jet, while trying to photograph some bears. Forcing the party to make thier way by boat.
- In May in the Yokohama warehouses, while Yuri recovers from seasickness, Blanca, meets Kurando Inugami, Yuri's cousin.
- The party are locked aboard the Battleship Mikasa for three days. Karin is granted a Russian passport and false identity of "Anne" to avoid any problems for being a German soldier.
- Kato uses the power of the Emigre Manuscript to perfect his clone of Yoshiko Kawashima, who he calls, Ouka.
- After being experimented on by Dr Hojo, Nicholai succumbs to the power of Astaroth, and becomes possessed by him.
- Despite defeating Astaroth, who had fled to Mt Fuji, Nicholai managed to kill Ouka, sending Kato in a deep despair.
- Heading to the residence of Foreign Minister Kantaro Ishimura, , Yuri assaults the old man, for his actions that directly, and indirectly lead to his father's death, and the deaths of many others on the Asian continent.
- Three days later, Kato gives Yuri the Emigre Manuscript, so that he can attempt to ressurect Alice.
- Saki Inugami, Kurando's mother (and Yuri's aunt) shows Karin a picture of Yuri the day they went to move to China.
Europe:
- Yuri and Roger attempt the Emigre Ritual to being Alice back from beyond the grave. It fails, but for the first time in the book's history, the correct soul is brought back, albeit, only for a few moments. Despite this failure, he manages to contact Alice inside his soul, and makes his peace.
Asia:
- Tired of the war, and despairing over the state of the world, Kato raises the Asuka Stone Platform, to transport the world 100 years into the past, so history can be changed.
- Stopping Kato, Yuri and his friends are stuck in a time stream, where they have to pray for a time to be transported to.
- Karin is transported to 1887, where she, as "Anne" meets Ben Hyuga, and becomes Yuri's mother.
- Shadow Hearts: Covenant Good Ending: Yuri is transported to 1913, just before he met Alice, where he waits at a train station for the Trans-Siberian Express. It is implied that he can remember the events of both games, and may possibly avert them.
1918
- World War One ends.
- Shadow Hearts: Covenant Bad Ending: Yuri standing alone, and with no memories, on the edge of Nemeton cliff, is found by Roger, who takes him care of him, pretending to be his father.
1921
- Johnny and Grace Garland are both killed in a car accident. For the next five years, their bodies are preserved in a hospital.
- Driven by grief, Graham Garland contacts Marlow Brown, an aspiring black magician, and together, they conspire to bring the children back to life, through the use of the Emigre Manuscript.
1926
- For the first time in history, the Emigre ceremony is a success, and manages to fully revive Grace and her soul, but not those of her beloved brother. Sacrificing her own will, she manages to revive her brother, at the cost of turning into a being of complete malice.
- Graham Garland is killed by "Grace Garland", due to the failure of the Emigre Ritual. The Garland Residence is also burnt to the ground, though the basement, and shell of the building remain intact.
- Lady attacks and destroys the Garvoy Valley village, and all of its people, leaving only Shania and Natan survivors.
1928
- Ricardo moves to Chicago and starts secretly dating Edna Capone.
1929
- The events of Shadow Hearts: From the New World begin.
- Roger (aged 715) and Hildegard Valentine, crash land the Bacon jet in Roswell. They're imprisoned in the Laboratory for a week, before being rescued by Johnny.