Timeline

*This page is a work in progress.*

## History

For a long time, the four Londons—Black, White, Red, and Grey—were in constant exchange with one another as doors between their worlds had been opened by *Antari* magicians. Inhabitants from each London could freely travel from one world to another via a source of magic, such as the fixed river or a certain copse of trees in the Far East. Magic also flowed freely through all four worlds.

Then, almost three hundred years ago, Black London fell: Its residents did not uphold the cardinal rule of magic—to balance magic and humanity—and let themselves be overtaken by their magic. They became soulless, mindless vessels for the magic and through them corruption was spread over the world of Black London. In order to prevent this plague from reaching them, Red London closed their doors to White and Grey London with the help of *Antari*.

They did this because, while Red London is the strongest London when it comes to magic nowadays, it used to be weaker than White London back then. The monarchs of Red London believed that White London—which was next to Black London—might have a higher chance to survive the plague than they did and, thus, sealed the doors to protect themselves. From then on, only *Antari* could pass through the different worlds.

As a consequence of the sealing, in Grey London which is located the farthest from the "hearth" of magic, humanity eventually outbalanced magic and magic was ultimately forgotten by anyone but the members of the British royal family who pass down the knowledge of the different Londons from monarch to heir.

Red London flourished and surpassed White London which was severely damaged by the plague and the sealing: When the inhabitants of Black London were overpowered by magic, the residents of White London sought ways to bind magic and control it before it could control them. However, magic did not let itself be controlled in this manner; it resisted and buried itself in the earth. For the next hundreds of years, the people of White London attemped to bind what little magic they could find with markings and talismans as the lack of magic was slowly starving their world and draining it of its warmth, color, and power. Furthermore, there, magic turned from pure elemental magic into "a perverted kind of energy, a bastard of fire and something darker, corrupted."

In the aftermath of Black London's fall, all items from there and all books written in *Antari* were destroyed. In the process, *Antari* were hunted down and killed as people believed their black eye-mark was a sign of the corruption that had befallen Black London.

Black London eventually became a fairy tale.

## Red London

### 1798

#### July

* **10:** A boy with the initials K.L.—Kastion Laros—is born.

### 1803

* K.L. is sold to the *Ferase Stras* by his parents, and Maris Patrol applies a rune on him to erase his memories.
	+ K.L. is later adopted by Maxim and Emira Maresh who give him the name "Kell Maresh."

### 1808

* The *Essen Tasch* is held in Red London.

### 1812

* Rhy Maresh is abducted by the Shadows. He is later found and rescued by Kell Maresh.

### 1814

* The *Essen Tasch* is held in Red London.

### 1817

* The *Essen Tasch* is held in Vesk.
	+ Kisimyr Vasrin wins the tournament, bringing it to Red London in three years.

### 1819

#### October – Events of *A Darker Shade of Magic*

* **15:** Kell Maresh makes his monthly travel to Grey London to deliver a letter to George III and the Prince Regent.

#### November

* **4/5:** The Black Night occurs on the night of Rhy Maresh's birthday.

### 1820

#### February – Events of *A Gathering of Shadows*

* **15:** Kell Maresh travels to Grey London and finds out that George III is dead and his son, George IV, is now the king.
* The *Essen Tasch* is held in Red London.

## Grey London

### 1738

#### June

* **4:** George William Frederick is born.

### 1762

#### August

* **12:** George Augustus Frederick is born.

### 1815

* Lila Bard's father tries to sell her to pay his bills.

### 1820

#### January

* **29:** George III dies. His son succeeds him as the King of the United Kingdom under the name George IV.

## References and notes

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, VIII: An Arrangement, I
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, I: The Traveler, II
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, IV: White Throne, I
4. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, I: The Traveler, I
5. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, IV: White Throne, II
6. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, V: Black Stone, IV
7. ↑ Alucard's birthday — amiiiidr on Twitter
8. ↑ "Happy birthday, Alucard Emery."
(V. E. Schwab on Twitter (June 1, 2018))
9. ↑ "Kell: July 10/Cancer"
(V. E. Schwab on Twitter)
10. ↑ "Nov 4/Scorpio"
(V. E. Schwab on Twitter)
11. ↑ "Lila: Oct 23/Scorpio"
(V. E. Schwab on Twitter)
12. ↑ "Holland is 37."
(V. E. Schwab on Tumblr)
13. ↑ "Jan 15/Capricorn"
(V. E. Schwab on Twitter)