Timeline of CRON

[MMXAlamar]

I started working on some timelines today, hoping it will help me (and others) understand more of the original M&M Universe.

Here's the Timeline of CRON, based on the MM2 manual and cluebook, and largely on Corak's historical notes. I haven't found it anywhere else, so hopefully this will help others who are looking.

One more note - it's definitely incomplete, so I'd like your help. If you know any dates please let me know and I'll add them into the OP!

Timeline of CRON
* Predating Year 0 – there was only The Void
* 0 - time begins; ethereal substance begins to form in The Void
* 99 – ethereal substance develops into recognizable form
* 100 – water mixed with the ether and the Water Elementals began to emerge; Acwalandar becomes the ruler of the water-ether universe
* 190 – the Air Elementals, led by Shalwend, come to CRON and attack the Water Elementals, beginning a war
* ca. 290 - the war of the Water and Air Elementals turns into a deadlock
* ca. 290 – Acwalander's vassals summon Pyrannaste the Fire Elementals, few in number, dealing a devestating blow to the Air Elementals, though not totally destroying them; the Fire Elementals serve the will of Acwalander's iron-fisted rule
* ca. 298 – Pyrannaste and the Fire Elementals break away from the rule of Acwalander; the Water Elementals, Air Elementals, and Fire Elementals are at war with each other
* ca. 348 - Gralkor the Cruel and the Earth Elementals invade CRON, appearing invulnerable to the rest; the Water Elementals, Air Elementals, and Fire Elementals join forces
* ca. 428 - a method is found to stop the Earth Elementals: Acwalandar and the Water Elementals would soak the Earth Elementals with a flood of water, then, Pyrannaste and the Fire Elementals would bake the dissipated creatures into dry silt, and finally, Shalwend and the Air Elementals would lift the silt into the sky and spread all of the particles across the world, leaving the Earth Elementals utterly eradicated
* ca. 428 - Gralkor and the Earth Elementals pool together and form a giant landmass
* ca. 448 – Gralkor and the Earth Elementals assume command of CRON
* 500 – Gralkor and the Earth Elementals, with the help of their elemental slaves, try to prefect the landmass of CRON
* 600 – the modern day landmass of CRON is born
* 700 – humanoid species begin to populate CRON and start building a civilization
* 770 – Gralkor attacks the Humans of CRON;
* 770 - powerful spellcasters gather on the Isle of the Ancients and created the Orb of Power, which had four talons, each one wielding the power of control over one of the four elemental forces
* ca. 770 - experiments and tests began to perfect this anti-elemental weapon
* ca. 790 – Kalohn climbs to the top of the tallest mountain on CRON and challenges the Elemental Lords to do battle; the mountian turns into a crater now known as The Dead Zone;
* ca. 800 - King Kalohn the Conjurer defeats the Elemental Lords and banishes each of the four elemental tribes to a separate corner of CRON and forms barriers to keep them imprisoned; within each elemental zone he places the corresponding talon of the mighty claw in the order of the elementals' appearance, Water, Air, Fire, and Earth; he kept the orb for himself
* ca. 830 – Acwalander creates and summons the first Dragon out of many of his followers, and Fire; Kalohn perishes and is eradicated on the Savannah of Plenty; Kalohn floods the Savannah, killing the Dragon; the Savannah is destroyed and turned into the Quagmire of Doom
* Postdating ca. 830 - more Dragons enter CRON; Kalohn's daughter, Princess Lamanda assumes tentative command of CRON
* ca. 890 – Castle Xabran is destroyed by the Elemental Lords
* ca. 900 and Afterwards – chaos reigns

[XEL II]

"Only void" is rather metaphorical. The History of CRON (by Corak) tells the story of the creation of land on the CRON seedship. And Kalohn wasn't killed in the battle against Megadragon, he was saved by the Chosen Ones of CRON, who came from the future.

[MMXAlamar]

OK it looks like I'm going to find contradictions once I go through the game. it's good to know that beforehand.

As for the "Only Void" thing, it really makes CRON sound like an experiment of elemental manipulation by the Ancients. Maybe it would be in order to make a more organic world than VARN?

[XEL II]

As stated in (SPOILERS) MM2 ending, the ship itself was created by the Ancients. However, aside from its VARNs it also had aboard the landmass akin to those of VARNs. This landmass began as ethereal substance, which was later formed into the land by the Elementals. So, "at first, there was only void" is quite correct, in the sense that this landmass did not exist before the ethereal substance came into being.

As for who created this substance, I bet it were the Ancients, so it probably was indeed an experiment on manipulation with Elemental Planes (which manifested themselves in this substance).

[Avonu]

* ca. 298 – Pryannaste

As for who created this substance, I bet it were the Ancients, so it probably was indeed an experiment on manipulation with Elemental Planes (which manifested themselves in this substance).

Well, MM3 comfirms this:

File name Grand Experiment
The Grand Experiment of the Ancients: to use the technology of Elemental Manipulation to create a completebly viable ecological and social microcosm. This microcosm was then to be transported to a distant bioshpere (Terra) to supplant its indigenous ecosystem. The need was acknowledged for a central controlling unit capable of compensating for unexpected anomalies.

[XEL II]

The "elemental manupulation" mentioned in context of MM3 edning is actually explained in Shikhbath Zera database. It's use of the energy of stars to create mechanisms of society, with which Ancients seed planets. Terra project is part of the Great/Grand Experiment (as confirmed by the cluebook and game completion certificate) of the Ancients.

Surely, the technology of Elemental Manipulation doesn't have to be limited to that, and might as well be connected to the Elementals (and there was some Elemental upheaval on Terran VARNs as reflected in the legends about the Forces of the Dome).

[Avonu]

Planet Xeen was formed, when adventures woke up four Sleepers in Elemental Planes. Escaton wanted to use elementals to destroy (and later rebuild) Enroth. I think these evidences are enough to confirm, that the Ancients could manipulate Elementals and use their powers to create new worlds.

[XEL II]

Planet Xeen was formed, when adventures woke up four Sleepers in Elemental Planes. Escaton wanted to use elementals to destroy (and later rebuild) Enroth. I think these evidences are enough to confirm, that the Ancients could manipulate Elementals and use their powers to create new worlds.

Sure. I never said they couldn't, because they certainly could as shown by these instances.

About Sleepers, considering that they are mechanisms, the Elemental Planes were rather chosen as fitting environments for the Sleepers to act when uniting XEEN. I.e. Sleepers aren't exactly from the Planes.

[XEL II]

Another interesting thing is whether or not it were the Ancients who influenced the Elemental Lords to unite their powers and create Enroth. Considering the "treaty forced by the gods" mention from MotE, I believe the Ancients has at the very least influenced the Elementals after or around the time of the planet's creation.

[Avonu]

About Sleepers, considering that they are mechanisms, the Elemental Planes were rather chosen as fitting environments for the Sleepers to act when uniting XEEN. I.e. Sleepers aren't exactly from the Planes.

That's the point - someone put them there and later servant of the Ancients, Guardian Dragon Pharaoh, used them for Unification of Xeen.

[MMXAlamar]

So in other words, the Sleepers are machines that the Ancient built in (or sent to) the elemental planes for the purpose of aiding them in certain aspects of elemental manipulation (specifically the Unification Ceremony)?

There's one thing that I'm really confused about though. That is the presence of the same Elemental Lords on CRON and in the elemental planes in Jadame. Does this mean that specific CRON was later transported to Enroth and combined with its landmass? Or is this a different CRON and do the Ancients make the Elemental Lords themselves?

An example of this would be, if the Ancients did make the Elemental Lords, there could be two Acwalanders just as there are two Coraks, and possibly countless other androids/Guardians that haven't been explored in the series.

[Avonu]

I don't think that the Ancients make Elementals. They know how to manipulate them, yes but as in Humanoids case, they are not their creators.

I think also, that Elemental Planes visited in MM2, WoX, MM8 and HC: MotE are the same places. Adventures and Tarnum just visited different regions of Planes. After all, Elementals were banished to four corners of Void after they were defeated by Humanoids (story from MM3 manual).

And correct that Prynnaste thing.

[MMXAlamar]

Hmm what Pryannaste thing?

Also why does the CRON and Terra manuals contradict each other about the Elemental Lords/Planes?

[XEL II]

About the creation of Elementals, we don't know their origins exactly. they could very well have been formed by the Ancients from the energy of Plane Between Planes. But there is nothing to confirm it, nor to deny it.

Hmm what Pryannaste thing?

A typo. The name is Pyrannaste, not Pryannaste.

Also why does the CRON and Terra manuals contradict each other about the Elemental Lords/Planes?

They don't. Story from MM3 manual is just Corak's synopsis of Terran legends about the creation of four Terra's VARNs ("the Isles of Terra") and elemental upheaval on them, reflected as "the Elemental War" and "the Forces of the Dome". MM2 manual has actual facts (gathered by Corak through time tavel during his stay in Luxus Palace Royale) about the creation of CRON's landmass and how Elemental Planes manifested themselves on CRON.

[MMXAlamar]

Oh I didn't notice that about Pyrannaste, thanks!

So that brings me to the connections between CRON and Terra. From Avonu's transcripts of MM2, a computer message says:

I am Sheltem, ruler of the planet Terra of which this CRON and all of its VARNs have been programmed by the Ancients to populate. I cannot allow my race to be spoiled by inferiors...

So from this we can deduce several things:
1) This CRON was headed to populate Terra
2) This CRON is made up of several VARNs (possibly the Isles of Terra?)

An important question arises - does that mean the CRON is the same as the Great Experiment ship Shikbath Zera?

Moving along to Corak's Journal in MM3...At one point it reads:

...But a new creature mysteriousy appeared in the Void, not dumb like the beasts, but clever in ways of cultivating the raw loam of battlefield futher into a rich provider of food and shelter. Difficult and costly through it was in midst of the furious storms of battle, a continent was forged in the misty Void...

Can we assume from this passage (after the battles of the Elemental Lords created the landmass) that this happens in the year 700, just as the humans populated the CRON visited in MM2?

[GreatEmerald]

At least in this case, you can't tell whether the CRON is made of VARNs or the VARNs simply orbit CRON. I'd like to believe the latter, since there is the Gate to Another World that takes you from VARN-4 to CRON (which would not be needed if it was already a part of CRON) and that the name CRON suggests that it's a single nacelle.

[MMXAlamar]

At least in this case, you can't tell whether the CRON is made of VARNs or the VARNs simply orbit CRON. I'd like to believe the latter, since there is the Gate to Another World that takes you from VARN-4 to CRON (which would not be needed if it was already a part of CRON) and that the name CRON suggests that it's a single nacelle.

That makes a lot of sense because the definition of nacelle is something along the lines of "part of a ship," which means CRON is part of a ship that has VARNs surrounding it (possibly in orbit, or traveling alongside as a parallel plane), one of which is VARN-4 from MM1.

In the MM1 text it describes a "transfer" to another VARN, which is accessed through the Gates to Another World. So CRON is a VARN, in addition to being a CRON. Since CRON stands for Central Research Observational Nacelle, keyword "Central", I'm going to suggest that CRON is the main part of the advanced seedship (containing natural elemental landmass), and is the center of the VARNs around it.

What about the timeline between CRON and Terra? It's clear that the Ancients first transported humans from surrounding VARNs to CRON during year 700 after CRON's creation, but how does this translate into the Terran timeline? It must take awhile for an entire seedship to reach a planet.

[Avonu]

So from this we can deduce several things:
1) This CRON was headed to populate Terra

No, it has been send near Terra to use 4 of its VARN to replace sunken VARNs when first CRON (Sikbath Zera) landed on Terra

2) This CRON is made up of several VARNs (possibly the Isles of Terra?)

4 of this CRON cargo (VARNs) were suppose to land on Terra. VARN 6 was launched by Sheltem into sun. That's 5. I think that VARN 4 wasn't suppose for Terra - that's 6.
After CRON entered Terra system, it probably launched it VARNs and moved to next target.

An important question arises - does that mean the CRON is the same as the Great Experiment ship Shikbath Zera?

For 100% no. They are two different vessels.

What about the timeline between CRON and Terra? It's clear that the Ancients first transported humans from surrounding VARNs to CRON during year 700 after CRON's creation, but how does this translate into the Terran timeline? It must take awhile for an entire seedship to reach a planet.

They are not connected. I mean timelines. Each vessel (VARN, CRON) has its own kingdom with different calendar probably. Terra also has own calendar. I mean - people weren't moved from VARN 4 to CRON - they lived here and there simulatously.


And how did CRON look?
I think it was center nascelle (CRON) with orbiting VARNs around it. Sikbath Zera's VARNs seems to be one mass, which scattered when vessel reached it destinantion.

[Corlagon]

4 of this CRON cargo (VARNs) were suppose to land on Terra. VARN 6 was launched by Sheltem into sun. That's 5. I think that VARN 4 wasn't suppose for Terra - that's 6.

I get the impression that there were at least a few more than that, since in MM5 Sheltem identifies VARN 4 as "one of the VARNs not intended for Terra" (which he states after VARN 6 was destroyed). So at least three VARNs were heading for some other world. However in MM2 Sheltem's message claims that all of the CRON's VARNs were intended for Terra. I guess that was another retcon.

Would be interesting to see a diagram of a CRON vehicle. Only JVC has the real answer.

[XEL II]

No, it has been send near Terra to use 4 of its VARN to replace sunken VARNs when first CRON (Sikbath Zera) landed on Terra

Shikbath Zera is not a CRON, it's a different kind of seedship. It was the original ship that seeded Terra, four VARNs were intended for the next phase of the experiment: to form continents on Terra. When Sheltem released intended VARNs on Terra, the underwater civilization was destroyed in the process of VARNs' implantation.

CRON carries its VARNs, they don't orbit it. Corak's log mentiones VARNs being released on Terra.