Talk:Order of the Rack/Conflicts
Founding year
Campaign Setting p. 203 and The Inner Sea World Guide p. 37 both list the order's founding as 4576 AR as line items in global timelines. The "Path of the Hellknight" article in The Infernal Syndrome p. 67 describes in detail Ruel founding the original unnamed Hellknight order in Sarenith of 4576 AR and moving into Citadel Rivad in 4580 AR, and the Order of the Rack being founded and taking on Citadel Rivad, Ruel's philosophies, and other associated locations in 4638-4639 AR, decades after Ruel disappeared. This timeline is repeated in Path of the Hellknight.
- The Infernal Syndrome is both in a higher canon tier (Tier 1) and newer (2010) than Campaign Setting (Tier 2, 2008).
- The Infernal Syndrome is equal in canon tier to The Inner Sea World Guide (Tier 1).
- ISWG (2011) is newer than Syndrome (2010).
- Path is lower-tier (Tier 2) but considerably newer (2016) than ISWG (2011).
- Path is by far the most detailed and specific source about the Order of the Rack, its origins, and the Hellknights' timeline.
- Path also confirms both the Hellknights' timeline and Order of the Rack content in Syndrome.
- Both Path and Syndrome state that the Orders of the Scourge, Chain, Gate, Pyre, and Thorn (4609 AR) all predate the Order of the Rack (4638 AR) by decades.
Although Path is technically in a lower tier, because it confirms an older source of equal tier to ISWG and does so in much greater detail, the date and details from that source are used. Assuming as little conflict as possible, other sources stating a different founding year for the Order of the Rack should note that Ruel's order is similar enough to be the Rack's precursor. -Oznogon (talk) 06:42, 6 January 2019 (UTC)
Complicating sources
The Bastards of Erebus p. 14 and Council of Thieves Player's Guide p. 7 call the Order of the Rack "the oldest of the Hellknight orders", which is contradicted by both Syndrome and Path.
The article 3577 AR claims p. 53 of Erebus dates the Order's founding to 3577 AR, but that year does not appear to be mentioned anywhere in the book, nor is the Order mentioned on that page.
James Jacobs posted a timeline to the forums in May 2010, which repeats the Campaign Setting and ISWG line item citing 4576 AR but mentions none of the details or other Orders in Syndrome or Path.