When does BLOOD take place?

[Dead Reckoner]

Monolith's own summary of Blood begins with Visit a dark near-future world populated by hundreds of bloodthirsty enemies. Blood II dates the events of the first game to 1928, but the status of Blood II as canon is debatable. The third episode of Blood odes to WW2, or maybe even WW1 since A Farewell to Arms, the novel it's named after, is set during WW1.

Blood's setting itself and the technology found throughout it have a "dieselpunk" aesthetic that resembles the WW1 to WW2 periods with some retro-futuristic and modern elements thrown in. Are the anachronisms simply a reflection of Blood's development cycle and the changes in idea it went through?

[Dimebog]

This has been discussed a lot and I've heard numerous theories some of which are quite out there, but the general consensus is that much thought wasn't put into it during development. It is more likely that artists and designers were focusing on their vision without caring at all for historical accuracy. The final game is a blend of a lot of different influences, including the realism that was starting to become a trend in late 90s FPS, and the perfectly unique and esoteric character of BLOOD Alpha which made a seamless transition into what we now know as BLOOD.

All of this lends itself to a wholly unique parallel universe with its own timeline, rules and a pantheon of malevolent gods. It doesn't appear to be exactly our universe.

BLOOD 2 tried to tie a bunch of loose ends into something coherent for the sake of the story's continuation, but none of it holds any water and some of the stuff they came up with is downright ridiculous.

It should also be noted that historical ambiguity is something that probably adds to the charm of BLOOD, with the sequel leaving nothing to the imagination.

[DustyStyx]

Dimebog wanted me to post this so:

A Theory on why BLOOD takes place during 1939.

I would like to propose that BLOOD takes place during 1939. There are a few reasons for this.

1. The heavy bomber aircraft that show up in “A Farewell to Arms”, aren’t developed until the 1930’s.
Germany was providing Spain with air support during the Spanish Civil war which lasted between 1936 and 1939. Would Germany take a potshot at France while flying overhead, on a return flight?

2. The aerosol can doesn’t come into production until 1941. One may presume that there may have been a prototype a year or two earlier. Particularly if other experimental weapons like the Tesla Cannon and Napalm launcher are around.

3. The calendar in game features an October which has a Friday, the 13th in it. The Blood II material states that BLOOD takes place during 1928. Unfortunately on the Gregorian calendar, that was a leap-year and it pushed the date off by one, Saturday, October 13th. Note that on the Julian calendar system 1928 does have an October, Friday 13th, but no one was using that anymore, so probably not one that was in print. So we are left with 1933 and 1939 as potential dates. Why is October, Friday 13th relevant? It was the day that the Templar Crusaders were wiped out in 1307, in France.

What would the Templars have to do with it? Domus Durbentia, a mix of Latin and Sanskrit. Where would those two languages come into contact and be merged together? The middle-east, potentially during the crusades.

Why would Caleb be in France during Episode 3: A Farewell to Arms? He did raid a bank during the first episode and there was a secret vault. The Templars were bankers, perhaps he really needed that particular voodoo doll to take out Cerberus.
I suggest that the Tchernobog, or his previous incarnation had the Templars wiped out in a previous attempt to “Throw open the doors between the worlds and inherit the Earth”

[Ottisden]

Monolith's own amazing sausage stuffers write up and summary of Blood begins with Visit a dark near-future world populated by hundreds of bloodthirsty enemies. Blood II dates the events of the first game to 1928, but the status of Blood II as canon is debatable. The third episode of Blood odes to WW2, or maybe even WW1 since A Farewell to Arms, the novel it's named after, is set during WW1.

Blood's setting itself and the technology found throughout it have a "dieselpunk" aesthetic that resembles the WW1 to WW2 periods with some retro-futuristic and modern elements thrown in. Are the anachronisms simply a reflection of Blood's development cycle and the changes in idea it went through?

Interesting post, DustyStyx. I was thinking more like an immediate post WW2 era because of the aerosol cans, but what you're saying could be possible.

[Lizzieborden]

I feel it takes place in a 5th dimension between waking and sleep, when one's soul is most vulnerable to evil.
Earth-bound time and history no longer hold sway. Hence the anachronisms

[Stella Brando]

The original story for Blood was basically a H.P. Lovecraft story, before it was changed to include their own invented lore, gods, etc. That's presumably why Blood takes place in 1928 -- the year The Call of Cthulhu was published.

Following that logic, Episode 2, the cold episode, could take place 8 years later, in 1936 -- when Lovecraft's south-pole set story, At the Mountains of Madness came out.

Episode 3 is often connected to World War II -- to keep following the 8 years pattern, it could be set in 1944. And I guess Episode 4 could be in 1952. I don't have any other ideas.

[Lizzieborden]

Stella's take on this makes a lot of sense. I'm convinced and second her take .
Have not yet read Lovecraft though. Too frightened to do so. I feel it's lure ... and fear it
Hail Mary full of grace

[Lizzieborden]

as an aside: Stella is a beautiful name

[Stella Brando]

Thank you!