Rapture Timeline

This is a timeline based on the chronological events of There's Something in the Sea, containing information that was revealed rather than when events and updates happened in real time (our 2009 timeline). Relevant and possibly relevant information from BioShock will be included. Please note that when specific months and days are not given, they are only known to occur within the specified year. They are not necessarily arranged in chronological order within that year.

1906
September 3: Orrin Oscar Lutwidge is (supposedly) born

1919
Andrew Ryan flees Russia in the wake of revolution; heads to the United States of America

1923
May 17: James Millard Oakes born.

1946
James Millard Oakes disappears

Bridgette Tenenbaum disappears

Icelandic fishermen complain of "dead seas" and allege that oil slicks have killed off whole areas of the ocean

February 13 (presumed): Lutwidge Property Management declares fictitious business name

March 8: Liddell & Lewis Publishers declares fictitious business name

April 5: Scarlet Sovereign declares fictitious business name

May 20: Scarlet Sovereign sends invoice to Warden Yarn for large amounts of steel

November 5: Rapture is finished

December: Yi Suchong noted missing in Chinese paper

1947
Repeated equipment failures on commercial vessels; shipping routes are shifted quietly by NATO

A USAF C-47 "Skytrain" vanishes with seventeen troops and two decorated pilots after a bizarre final radio call

A Child's Garden of Cyphers is published by Liddell & Lewis

Dr. Steinman disappears.

February: A number of Australians, including Kyburz, disappear from Turtle Bay

1948
Frank Fontaine arrives in Rapture

Julie Langford disapears

1952
April 17: Lutwidge pens letter to Warden Yarn from Scarlet Sovereign with concerns about being used as a "shield" for North Atlantic construction project

December 19: Lutwidge Property Managment produces Statement of Holdings (filed 21st)

1953
The ill-fated Baldur vanishes during the second leg of its quixotic attempt to follow the Viking charts

1954
June 22: Lutwidge types letter to Ryan about disappointment in not being invited to Rapture

1955
Reports of a "phantom lighthouse" precedes the discovery of six capsized Icelandic fishing vessels

October 22: The Russian KGB publishes an internal report about various missing persons cases and suspected defection to western democracies.

1956
Final radio transmissions from the English vessel Ice Beagle before its disappearance: "That doesn't make sense. It shouldn't be there... do you see them? They're watching us!" There is a sunken ship in the screen shots that may even be the Beagle.

1957
Celeste Roget travels to the Himalayas to find her father

January 22: Frank Fontaine installs first Power to the People machine in Rapture, likely as a response to conflict

1958
May 23: "The Red Pawn" sends the forged "Thingumbob" letter to Celeste, leading her to believe that it was from Lutwidge.

June 17: Lutwidge writes a letter to the "Red Pawn" stating "the game is at an end" and expressing his annoyance at the Red Pawn's continued harassment of Celeste. He chastises the Red Pawn for revealing confidential information in the forged letter.

July 28: Auger Detection writes letter to Celeste about continued investigation of Lutwidge and his association with an accomplice, codenamed "Red Pawn", in forging documents.

September: Lutwidge records "For the Seeker" and puzzle box message; disappears

September 12: Frank Fontaine fakes own death

December: Lutwidge's lower Broadway workshop burns down

December 31: Masquerade party is thrown; the Kashmir Restaurant attacked, and the civil war begins

1959
Orrin Oscar Lutwidge arrives in Rapture and encounters a french woman, James Millard Oakes, and Catherine.

The Vulmea is found adrift, its fourteen man crew missing; dinners half eaten

Big Daddies are commissioned for creation by Andrew Ryan to protect Little Sisters in Rapture during the civil war.

The Vita-Chambers are installed in Rapture.

Lutwidge leaves Rapture (?)

Ryan puts the Bathyspheres into lock-down.

1960
Transatlantic Flight DF-0301 (Jack's flight) run by Appolo Air vanishes with six crew persons and eighty-nine passengers; international search efforts fail. U.S. and NATO vessels are sent out to sweep the area.

Lutwidge takes a newspaper clipping from the night of the plane crash, noting that "the radio has fallen silent"

The events of BioShock occur

Persistent rumors claim that a nuclear submarine sank while searching for Flight DF-0301

August 3: Auger Detection spies "Oscar O. Lutwidge" in his mid-Manhattan lab/workshop and he is seen working with hypodermic needle and jars, presumably Adam, Eve or Plasmids, as well as his manuscript

Celeste Roget spies on Lutwidge in one of his laboratories; he is naked and working on a lengthy manuscript

Summer: A "Rød Killian Quain" meets with Lex Harlan in his New York office

December 2: Quain is admitted to Tollevue Mental Hospital

December 9: Quain is moved to the Secure Ward.

December 21: Sixth session with Quain/Lutwidge is recorded by Dr. Howard Lyman

1961
February 2: Quain/Lutwidge's 21st session, presumably begins electroconvulsive therapy the next day

August 25: Cindy Meltzer, Mark Meltzer's daughter, is born

September: "The Man From Utropolis" and part one of "Utropolis Now!" are printed in Visionary Wonder Stories

1963
November: Icelandic vessel spots volcanic island forming, dubbed "Surtsey"

February
February 17: Jeremiah Lynch finds footprints on Lahinch Beach (in Liscannor Bay, Ireland); presumably also finds Big Daddy doll

February 20: Irish girl disappears from Liscannor Bay

March
March 15: Girl disappears from Felixstowe, Germany, vessel detects red light underwater

March 18: Jeremiah Lynch writes letter to Mark Meltzer regarding footprints and kidnapping; Something in the Sea phase one begins (presumably)

March 22: Girl disappears from St. Cloud, France; Interpol issues press release

April
April: Four-year-old Chantal Dumas is kidnapped from her orphanage in West Flanders, Belgium

April 11: A newspaper reports that Camillie Dumas, aged six, is kidnapped in La Rocchelle, France; red lights appear in the harbor

April 23: Red Glow alarms Spanish fishermen in La Boca, Spain

April 27: Girl disappears from La Boca

May
May 5: Boatman dodged "ghost sub" on Douro River, Spain

May 23: Ghost lights near Cadiz, Spain

June
June 6: Mark Meltzer sends info to Philadelphia Observer

June 14: "Mysterious red light" circles the cruise ship Golden Queen, off the coast of Florida, United States of America. The US Coast Guard sights a "fast-moving red light" under the surface near the Virgin Islands; Jennifer Walker, aged five, is taken from her holiday bungalow in Puerto Rico

June 17: Meltzer receives brush-off from the Philadelphia Observer

June 30: Meltzer sends letter to his representative including his research

July
July 14: A police report of a further break-in and kidnapping of Melinda Jelenski in Wilmington, North Carolina

July 15: Meltzer receives letter from Roscoe Inman, including classified information regarding the disappearances

July 25: A letter addressed to Mark Meltzer from the House of Representatives thanks him for information relating to the mystery submarines; referred to the Office of Naval Intelligence

August
August 5: Girl missing from Williamsburg, Virginia

August 6: Mystery lights in Chesapeake Bay, United States of America

August 8: Kidnapping in Fredericksburg, Virginia

August 9: False alarm in Annapolis, Maryland; invasion called hoax

August 10: Appearance of and abduction by the Big Sister at Atlantic City, New Jersey

August 12-17: Red light sightings around New York, New York; multiple kidnappings

August 14: Letter received by Meltzer from Esther George re: kidnapping on August 10

August 19: Light spotted at Montauk, New York

August 25: Abduction from Innsmouth, Rhode Island

August 27: Abductions and red lights in Boston, Massachusetts

September
September 1: Roscoe Inman of ONI sends a letter to Mark Meltzer commending him on the high quality of his research and requesting any aditional information.

September 28: Meltzer sends letter to Roscoe Inman; various sightings around the New England region of the United States of America

October
October 1: Meltzer takes photos of Big Sister in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada

October 21: Meltzer takes final photo of his daughter, near "grandma's".

On October 21 the Big Sister kidnaps Cindy.

October 27: Meltzer questioned in kidnapping of his daughter

March
March 6: Meltzer is discharged from Tollevue

Between March 6 and April 25: Meltzer encounters Big Sister on the docks on the Hudson River, New Jersey

April
April 25: Meltzer's legs are x-rayed

May
May 19: Meltzer is prescribed painkillers

May 20: Meltzer receives divorce papers from his wife, Amanda

May 21: Something in the Sea phase two begins (presumably)

May 24: Phil Isidore calls, concerned about why Mark has not been contacting him

May 26: Roscoe Inman calls asking about Mark’s “accident”

May 27 Meltzer sends letters to his supporters apologizing for lapsed contact and explaining the run in with the Big Sister

May 28: Benny Stango calls harassing Mark about his missing daughter

May 29: Benny Stango calls again asking about reports of a red light seen around Mark’s office the previous night. The Lunchbox Puzzle appears

June
June: The Monthly Undergrounder publishes articles on Lutwidge and The Vanishing.

June: Flann McDonagh writes a reply to the Monthly Undergrounder about The Vanishing article and mentioning his missing uncle's connection to Andrew Ryan

June 1: Roscoe Inman calls cautioning that the lunchbox puzzle could just be a prank or trick

June 2: Meltzer opens puzzle box (presumably)

June 3: Philip Isidore calls and sends a letter about the Utropolis story he sent Meltzer

June 4: Amanda Meltzer calls, saying that searching for Cindy is hopeless and Mark should contact Dr. Lyman

June 9: Phil Isidore calls with information on “The Vanishings”

June 11: Benny Stango calls to harass Meltzer and insinuate that he will have him taken in for questioning

June 12: Roscoe Inman calls warning Meltzer to keep a low profile because ONI has been prepping files on “potential dissidents”

June 17: German reporter calls about his article on missing persons which Meltzer requested

June: Phil Isidore appears on the “Mid-Nite Ryde” radio talkshow and talks about the Vanishing

June 25: Roscoe Inman calls regarding the Vanishing and promising internal info

June 26: Celeste Roget calls asking Meltzer to stop calling her but offering her sympathies

June 29:Celeste Roget writes Mark a reply letter warning of those who would not want him to continue the search. Mark attends a James Millard Oakes league meeting and is tracked by thuggish followers afterwards.

June 30: Jeremiah Lynch calls expressing his pique at being left out of the investigation and recommending the Frozen Triangle Book

July
July 1-2: Mark receives the Rapture anthem record

July 3: Charles Molley, Amanda's lawyer, calls requesting that Mark stop phoning “his client”

July 8: Celeste Roget sends a telegram to Mark dismissing Lutwidge as insane.

July 9:Meltzer goes to the remains of Lutwidge’s burnt-out lab at his Lower Broadway Suites. He enters and finds the “Seeker” recording. Meltzer is caught by local police but released shortly afterward. July 10: Mark returns to the warehouse in the early morning and looks under the floorboards as he was clued to do by Lutwidge’s recording. There he finds the Vault-Puzzle.

July 12: Celeste Roget calls saying that Mark should not trust Lutwidge or anything that he may have left behind

July 13: Mark cracks the first layer of the Vault-Puzzle and finds the message from Lutwidge hinting that he should go to Scarlet Sovereign Imports on the Hudson River

July 14: Roscoe Inman calls suggesting that Celeste cannot be trusted

July 15: Celeste Roget calls berating Mark for calling her a liar. Mark Meltzer types up an increasingly distressed and disjointed letter of apology to Celeste but doesn’t send it

July 16: Amanda Meltzer calls in reply to Mark’s question of whether Cindy had ever owned A Child's Garden of Cyphers

July 17: Jeremiah Lynch calls commenting on Lutwidge’s “trickster” personality and numerous misleading forgeries.

July 22: Meltzer goes to Lutwidge’s Scarlet Sovereign warehouse in the Battery Park area. Mark enters, finds a bathroom with a red door, breaks the “Red Queen’s glass” inside, and finds the Bellman’s Chart, the tape recording alluding to the August 8th beaches, and the Jewelry box puzzle. Meltzer is caught by local police but released shortly afterward; The Bellman's Chart appears on wall; Stango calls about warehouse incursion.

July 28: Call from Jeremiah Lynch regarding Lutwidge's connections to Lewis Carroll; Hunting of the Snark appears on right table

July 29: Call from Inman regarding sea currents

July 30: Presumably after opening the jewelry puzzle box, Mark types up a list of locations for August 8 and posts on his wall

July 31: Meltzer draws continents on the Bellman's Chart

August
August: Giant Boulder Saucer Con occurs, Phil Isadore interviews Lex Harlan

August 3: Call from Phil Isodore regarding California point, Meltzer writes up Working Theories sheet

August 4: Call from Celeste Roget about Bellman point in Nice, France

August 6: Ulrich Broder calls about German point, and Tenenbaum

August 7: Mark Meltzer posts a calender piece for August 8 on the wall. The note says "Tomorrow is the day! Jones Beach, here I come. Hoping my contacts hit the other nine beaches...got a feeling this is BIG."

August 8: On the date alluded to inside the jewelry puzzle box (08/08) bottles of Arcadia Merlot from Worley Winery land on beaches noted on the Bellman's chart, with information from, and invitation to, Rapture

August 10: Mark returns to his office with posters and a wine bottle from the beach.

August 11: Mark Meltzer goes over various papers from Scarlet Sovereign Imports, including a Letter from Scarlet Sovereign to Warden Yarn. Mark writes notes regarding Andrew Ryan.

August 12: Call form Celeste suggesting that the bottles on the August 8th beaches were planted by Lutwidge.

August 17: Call from Jeremiah Lynch with “the Drunken Sailor” song (Presumably) Mark uses the Drunken Sailor song on the Jewelry Box puzzle which “key” causes the Vault puzzle to rearrange into the next layer.

August 18: Roscoe Inman sends Mark requested information about deep sea creatures from the Office of Naval Research

August 20th: Call from Roscoe Inman cajoling Mark for “leaving him out in the cold” and saying he has plenty of resources that Mark should use.(presumably) Mark cracks the next level of the Vault-Puzzle. Mark writes a letter to Celeste telling of his revelations about Rapture being at great depth in the ocean and his fear of repeating her mistakes. He muses on the fact that in her post-August 8th call she talked as if she thought Lutwidge was still alive. Mark wonders if she knows something she isn’t telling him.

August 21: Call from Phil Isadore miffed that Mark hadn’t read the Utropolis story he sent and mentioning his interviews with Lex Harlan. Presumably he sends the tapes of his interviews.

August 24: Call from Celeste suspiciously trying to insist that of course Lutwidge is dead.

August 25: Cindy Meltzer's Birthday

August 27: Celeste sends Mark a letter saying she was lying about Lutwidge being dead. She tells of the private detectives she employed and her influencing events to have Lutwidge put in an insane asylum.

September
September 1: Call form Lex Harlan telling Mark to stop calling him and saying he last saw Quain in Tollevue Mental Hospital

September 2: Call from Dr. Lyman refusing to divulge any information about any patients and suggesting Mark visit.

September 3: Mark doesn’t finish a letter to Stango saying he thinks he is losing his grip. Meltzer calls Detective Benny Stango asking to be taken to Tollevue. Call from Benny Stango telling Mark to stay put and that he is on his way. Stango and his men force entry into Marks office while Mark is on the phone with Phil Isadore and generally disrupt and search his office while taking him away.

September 4: Mark enters Tollevue. The doctors diagnose him with depression/anxiety and prescribe him pills. Mark meets Quain/Lutwidge and is given the Rubix Puzzle. Mark solves the puzzle and gets Lutwidge/Quain’s diary

September 5: Mark gets out of Tollevue with many pilfered files regarding Quain

September 8: Call from Phil Isadore concerned about the ruckus he overheard during Mark’s call

September9: Mark writes an apology and reply to Phil’s phone call

Septmber 10: Call from Detective Stango angry that Mark used his sympathy to manipulate him

September 14: Call from Dr. Lyman about some of his files going missing while Mark was at Tollevue

September 16: Call from Lynch skeptical that Lutwidge is alive

September 23: Call from Celeste Roget offering to have her investigators contact Mark with information on where they last found Lutwidge

September 25: Call from Dash H. Carmady of Auger Detection offering his information as Celeste’s investigator.

Augur Detection sends various case files about the tracking of Lynch and the last sighting of him.

September 28: Call from Celeste Roget mentioning strange harassing phone calls

September 29: Call from Celeste frantic about a threatening letter she received and refusing to take part in anything more that Mark will do. Mark receives a similar letter.

September 30: Call from Dash Carmady refusing to give any more help since Celeste is no longer requiring him to

September 31: Mark figures out the location where Celeste's detectives originally found Lutwidge at (the building originally owned by Andrew Ryan) and goes there. Inside he finds empty Adam bottles, a bunch of splicer masks, and many documents left by Lutwidge/Quain.

October
October 2: Mark sends out letters to all of his contacts requesting help in analyzing the box full of masks that he found at Lutwidge’s hideout

October 3: call from Roscoe Inman complaining that Mark has been avoiding him and requesting info from him on his research about the Frozen Triangle.

October 5: call from Benny Stango mocking Meltzer for his filing a complaint about the threatening letters.

October 12: Call from “Northern Telco” about an outstanding phone bill of $58.26 which was not payed for by a bounced check that Mark sent them. Presumably Mark’s bank account has run dry.

October 13: Mark goes to check Lutwidge’s lab again and sees footprints that aren’t his. When he returns to his office he feels that someone has been there while he was gone. He finds a dropped canister of film tape with the label “U.S. 570-68 35mm x 20 ISO100” and infers that it is Government Issue.

October 15: Call from Dash Carmady replying to Mark. He says that Celeste Roget is still missing and he seems willing to collaborate with Mark on searching for the identity of the Red Pawn.

October 16: Call from Detective Stango, skeptical of Carmady’s theory about the Red Pawn being an “Irish conman.” He shows increasing hostility towards Mark. Dash Carmady sends Mark documents about a "Jerry Lynchman," seeming to suggest that Jeremiah Lynch is the Red Pawn.

October 19: Call from Amanda Meltzer's attorney, Charles Molley, about his freezing the assets of Amanda and Mark's joint bank account due to it being rapidly depleted in the course of Mark's ongoing investigations.

October 20: Mark types up an increasingly disjointed letter to Phil Isidore telling of his doubts after the revelation that Lynch may be the Red Pawn.

October 21: Call from Phil, trying to encourage Mark to go on with his search. It is exactly one year after Cindy was taken. Mark stays all day at the beach near his office, and when he walks home in the evening he feels like he is being followed. He hears noises during the night which keep him from sleeping, but he doesn't phone the cops. He begins to wonder if he is having "auditory hallucinations."

October 22:Mark takes his morning walk on the beach and sees a giant city sand-castle with cypher letters etched in the sand. He thinks it was made by Cindy with the help of the "red eyed traveler" (the Big Sister.) He takes a picture.

0ctober 23: Call from Detective Stango. He was staking out Mark's place during the night and saw the Big Sister on the beach. He is very shook up and tells Mark "the case is officially closed."

October 26: Call from Jeremiah Lynch. He is going into hiding after Detective Carmady began collaborating with law enforcement in Ireland to try and track him.

October 27: Call from Roscoe Inman. He is being put under pressure by an internal investigation, but he still wants to confer with Mark on certain matters. Mark writes a letter to Phil about attempting to go back to Lutwidge's lab only to find his way blocked by men in suits.

October 28: Mark receives a letter from Phil Isadore saying that he may be too busy to help much anymore, but mentioning some maritime contacts.