So I was compiling a timeline of Thrusmoor's history for my own purposes when I came across some discrepancies between In Search of Sanity and The Thrushmoor Terror.
Both say the Vanishing happened around 4050 AR.
ISoS says the fort that became the asylum was started in 4315 AR to deal with pirates, and then abandoned when the land was found to be cursed. Thrushmoor itself wasn't resettled until 4584, or 4596 AR. Both dates are given in different places, although 4596 doesn't match up with other dates so I assume that's a mistake.
The asylum was built in 4585, Zandalus enters the asylum in 4687.
TTT says that Thrushmoor was re-founded in 4288 AR, before the fort construction began and three centuries before ISoS says that happened! It goes on to say that Iris Hill was built in 4487, which also predates the founding of Thrushmoor stated in ISoS.
So, how old is the current incarnation of Thrushmoor? 400+ years as TTT says? Or 100+ years as in ISoS?
I suppose that since the town was re-settled by Hasterton I and we're currently on Hasterton IV, and we know there was a a Pragmus I in there (he's the one who built Iris Hill), the ISoS dates aren't possible.
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<4000 - Thrushmoor was founded.
~4000s - Relates of the Briarstone Witch
4050 - Thrushmoor Vanishing (ISoS page 5, 43)
4288 - Thrushmoor was re-founded (TTT)
4315 - The construction of the Fort was started (ISoS page 43)
4487 - Iris Hill was built (TTT)
4584 - Cleanse of the Briarstone Isle (ISoS page 43)
4585 - Briarstone Asylum was founded (ISoS page 43)
Hum... I think you are confounding the Briarstone Asylum foundation with Thrushmoor re-foundation. Take a loot on the first paragraph of ISoS page 5. It states that the Vanish happened ~700 ago and that in the centuries since, those who resettled the land have seen much and learned to be suspicious.
On the second paragraph it states that Haserton I wished to put an end to such foolishness. The way I understood, Thrushmoor was re-founded in 4288 (as TTT states), which also fits the 'in the centuries since' that was mentioned. From 4288 to 4584, the place was 'haunted', which only ended when Haserton I, in 4584 cleansed the place.
Nevertheless, since the fort was built to 'protect Thrushmoor' in 4315, it makes no sense for it to be built if there is nothing to protect, right?
Hmm, after looking at it again I believe you have the right of it. For some reason I was confusing the founding of the asylum with the re-founding of the town, or assumed Hasterton I was the one who resettled the town. Thanks, it all makes sense now.
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Alright, here's a timeline culled from the first two adventures, up to the start of the campaign. Spoilers ahoy!
- Age of Serpents: Flying polyps travel to Golarion and build Star Stelae on two sites. One of those sites is Avalon Bay in Lake Encarthan, near the mouth of the Danvers River. Serpentfolk drive off the polyps.
- "Ages ago": Sarkonian druids trap a bhole in temporal statis under Briarstone Isle, a small speck of land in Avalon Bay located near the Star Stelae.
- 4024 AR: Kellid/Sarkonian wanderers settle amidst the Star Stelae, mistaking them for Sarkonian godstones. The settlers revere Pharasma, and three of her psycopomp servants: Dammar the Denied, Shadix Who Dreams, and Vonymos the Mourning Storm. They name their new community Thrushmoor.
- "Early 4000s": Ariadnah, a follower of the Elder Mythos and Shub-Niggurath in particular, comes to Briarstone Isle, seeking the trapped bhole. She builds three Sarkonian godstones on the island, dedicating one to a servant of Hastur known as the Tatterman. The Tatterman is summoned and recruited by the witch. She then presents herself to the people of Thrushmoor and demonstrates her power to them. The town gradually abandons its previous worship in favor of the depravities of the Elder Mythos. Ariadnah becomes known as the Briarstone Witch.
- 4050 AR: A Pharasmin inquisitor passing through Thrushmoor is horrified, and reports the town for blasphemy.
- 4051 AR: A group of mercenaries is sent by the church to wipe out the heretics in Thrushmoor. The night before their attack, they see strange lights in the town. When they invade in the morning, they find the town completely devoid of human life. This becomes known as the Thrushmoor Vanishing.
- 4288 AR: Thrushmoor is re-settled but acquires a reputation for being cursed or haunted.
- 4315 AR: Construction of a fort begins on Briarstone Isle to protect the town and its fleet from pirates, but is abandoned when the Captain in charge is found gruesomely murdered. His death is blamed on the Witch.
- ???: One of Thrushmoor's Star Stelae is covered by a man-made hill.
- 4487 AR: Pragmus Lowls I builds Iris Hill, the Lowls manor home and seat of power for the county, atop said hill.
- 4570 AR: The Sincomakti School of Sciences is founded in nearby Rozenport.
- 4584 AR: (also listed as 4596 AR in book 1 but that doesn't seem to fit) Hasterton Lowls I invites the church of Pharasma to perform showy exorcism on Briarstone Isle and declares the curse/haunting to be over.
- 4585 AR: Briarstone Asylum is built on the Isle on top of the abandoned fort with the help of the Sincomakti School.
- ???: Dr. Henri Meritmane of the Sincomakti School leads an expedition to Qadira. One of his students, Ulver Zandalus, is kidnapped and traumatized by cultists of Hastur.
- 4687 AR: Ulver Zandalus is brought to the asylum and treated by Dr. Eliege Losandro. The Tatterman, who had retreated back to the Dreamlands following the Vanishing, is attracted by Zandalus' connection to Hastur. The Tatterman torments the dreams of Zandalus, along with the asylum's staff and other patients.
- "Decades passed": Zadalus' paintings of an alien city are put on display by Dr. Losandro, and his work gains some notoriety.
What we don't have fixed dates or a firm timeline for:
- The buried Star Stelae under Iris Hill is discovered and excavated.
- Hasterton Lowls IV publishes some shoddy academic work and is disgraced. This is likely the reason for the animus between him and Dr. Henri Meritmane. Lowls becomes obsessed with restoring his reputation and delves into occult research.
- Lowls sees some of Zandalus' paintings and recognizes the Star Stelae of Thrushmoor in the alien landscapes. He begins visiting with Zandalus and becomes convinced that dreams are the key to his research.
- Lowls begins embezzling funds meant for the crown, and Thrustmoor's Magistrate Padgett reports the crime.
- Lowls enters the Dreamlands and encounters the Mad Poet, who promises knowledge of the polyps' second site in Golarion in exchange for a sacrifice. Lowls brings some of his thugs to the Dreamlands and drowns them in a lake there.
- Lack of pay from Lowls causes Thrushmoor's armed forces to walk off the job.
- Royal Accuser Omari recruits Winter Klaczka and others to investigate Lowls. They travel to Thrushmoor.
- With the location of the second site in hand, Lowls prepares for his journey. He commits his now-amnesiac thugs to the Briarstone Asylum, and also gives Dr. Losandro an occult tome, telling her that it contains a ritual that could help Zandalus.
- Lowls skips town, leaving his trusted servant Melisenn Kororo in charge of Iris Hill. Kororo invites other cultists to come to Thrushmoor, and contacts a group of skum in Lake Encarthan.
- The skum and a summoned soulsliver murder the remaining forces at Fort Hailcourse, including Magistrate Padgett.
- Omari and Winter arrive in Thrushmoor. Winter is sent to Briarstone Asylum to find Lowls' thugs that were recently committed. Omari is rebuffed by Kororo at Iris Hill, and heads to Fort Hailcourse to talk to Magistrate Padgett.
- Dr. Losandro attempts the ritual, and it seems to free Zandalus of his trauma. However, that night, the asylum descends into madness.