[ATMachine]

So I was rereading the GK novels that I own and realized that there are a heck of a lot of Ritters mentioned, so I thought I'd put down in writing everything we know about the members of the Schattenjäger dynasty.

(Is anyone still here who plays 3rd person adventures? Oh well.)

The key to where the info comes from:
GK1g: GK1 game
GK1n: GK1 novel
GK2g: GK2 game
GK2n: GK2 novel

Three of these sources (the GK1 and GK2 games, and the GK2 novel) agree with each other in just about every particular. The GK1 novel, however, is at variance with the other three canon sources in numerous details.

Martin Ritter 1190-1253 (dates from GK2g, in the Rittersberg church crypt)

Martin was presumably ordained in c. 1208, as the Schattenjäger heirs were traditionally elevated at the age of 18.

Martin would have been the Schattenjäger who founded Rittersberg in 1223, and who erected St Georgs Kirche in Rittersberg in 1231 (both dates from GK2n).

Martin is possibly the earliest recorded Schattenjäger, as Wolfgang in (GK1g) mentions that records of the family go back to the 13th century.

Jürgen Ritter 1403-1461 (presumably ordained c. 1421)

Halla Rittersberg 1582-1617 (married into the Ritter family and bore children; presumably a resident of Rittersberg, judging by her name)

Johann Ritter 1633-1636 (died young)

Günther Ritter (10 February 1660 - 23 June 1693) ordained 14 April 1678

Günther was the one who went to Charleston and lost the family talisman. (Dates are from GK1n, where a full transcription of his Schattenjäger journal is given).

Victor Ritter (c. 1702 - 1753) ordained 1720
The date of birth is derived from his ordination date. (Dates here are from GK2g.)

In the novel, Victor styles himself Victor von Ritter in his journal.

Christian von Ritter (10 January 1820 - 4 March 1864) ordained 1838

(Dates from GK2g.)

Christian was killed by Von Glower just as he was riding to mail a letter warning Ludwig II of Von Glower's lycanthropy.

Christian styles himself Christian von Ritter in his letter to King Ludwig, in both the novel and the game; in the novel version, he also adds that he holds the noble title of Baron.

Stefan von Ritter (born c. 1848) ordained c. 1866

Stefan was Christian's son, who after his father's untimely death did not ascend to the Schattenjäger mantle for two years, being only sixteen at the time. The dates of his birth and ordination are both worked out from Christian's deathdate.

(Name and biographical info from GK2n.)

Wilhelm Ritter (alive in 1925)

Wilhelm was the father of Heinz and Wolfgang Ritter. The 1925 date comes from GK1g, on the family photo in Grandmother Knight's attic.

In GK1n, Wilhelm is actually named Karl Ritter.

Heinz Ritter/Harrison Knight
In GK1g, Grandma Knight mentions that he left Germany at age 21. She also mentions that she gave birth to Harrison's child when she was 22, and that Harrison died at age 36, when their son Philip was age 8.

In GK1n, she mentions that she is 70 years old in 1993. Coupling those dates with the dates from GK1g above, that gives Heinz's birth year as c. 1917, and his deathdate as c. 1953.

Harrison's cause of death is uncertain; GK1g gives it as due to being run over by a car, while GK1n ascribes it to heart failure. However, GK1n agrees with the basic timeline of GK1g, since the novel says that Harrison died in his mid-30s.

Rebecca Wright Knight
Gabe's grandmother. In GK1n, her name is given as Ester Wright Knight.

Philip Knight
Heinz's only son. Going on the date scheme outlined above, Philip would have been born c. 1945.

Philip's date of death is uncertain, though it is known that he and his wife both perished in a car accident. GK1g says this occured when Gabriel was 8, but GK1n says Gabe was only 1 year old at the time.

Margaret Templeton Knight
Gabe's mother and Philip Knight's wife. Killed along with her husband in a car crash. GK1n says the marriage occurred two years before they died, a date obviously incompatible with GK1g.

Wolfgang Ritter (10 May 1923 - 25 June 1993) (dates from GK2g)

Wolfgang fathered a son, but the child died in infancy.

In GK1n, Gerde says that Wolfgang is 72, which would give an alternate birthdate of c. 1921.

Gabriel Knight
(GK1n says that he is at least 30 years old.)

Other Ritters for whom no date is given:

Claus Ritter

Michael Ritter

Johann Ritter (ordained)

Hans Ritter

(All names from GK2n.)

Judging from the inferred timeline of Heinz Ritter's life, he would have left for America c. 1938, just as Hitler was carving up Czechoslovakia. It would seem he had more things to worry about than an occult family tradition. This raises the question: was Wolfgang, who turned 18 sometime around 1939-41, drafted by the Nazis?

[AndreaDraco83]

Wonderful work, ATMachine!

A lot of patience and cross-reference, but indeed a great work: in fact, I've just printed it

[ATMachine]

You might want to print it again; I just fixed a typo in the dates on Victor Ritter - born 1702, not 1708.

[Ascovel]

The question that still bugs me to this day is, why did the Ritters write their journals in English?

But seriously, you should keep those information for some future GK encyclopedia, ATMachine.

[ATMachine]

Originally Posted by Ascovel

The question that still bugs me to this day is, why did the Ritters write their journals in English?

But seriously, you should keep those information for some future GK encyclopedia, ATMachine.

Funny you should mention that; the novels specifically point out that the Schattenjager journals are in English, and Grace remarks about how odd it is! She also speculates that the earliest Schattenjagers in Germany emigrated from England, given their link to St. George (England's patron saint).

Perhaps the descendants of the Roman centurion seen in GK3 (possibly the famous Longinus) were posted to Roman-held Britain, and remained behind there after the Empire's fall?

Also, I forgot to mention: Gunther Ritter's unnamed father (who was at some point ordained) outlived him, as Gunther sent his journal back home with a plea to his father for forgiveness.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

She also speculates that the earliest Schattenjagers in Germany emigrated from England, given their link to St. George (England's patron saint).

Perhaps the descendants of the Roman centurion seen in GK3 (possibly the famous Longinus) were posted to Roman-held Britain, and remained behind there after the Empire's fall?

This theory - although a bit in retrospect, I think - actually make quite a sense: again, compliments for the attention and scrupulousness!

[Ascovel]

I also remember that the poem in Rittersberg's castle from GK1 was in English and Gabriel remarked how strange it was.

Even stranger, the letter to King Ludwig, which was never sent and remained in one of the journals, was in English too.

[ATMachine]

Originally Posted by Ascovel

I also remember that the poem in Rittersberg's castle from GK1 was in English and Gabriel remarked how strange it was.

Even stranger, the letter to King Ludwig, which was never sent and remained in one of the journals, was in English too.

Actually the poem over the library door was in German: Gerde gives Gabe a translation, which she says she learned in English lessons given to her by Wolfgang.

[Ascovel]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

Actually the poem over the library door was in German: Gerde gives Gabe a translation, which she says she learned in English lessons given to her by Wolfgang.

Maybe in the novel. In the game it was in English from the start and it didn't hang over the library's door either.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by Ascovel

Even stranger, the letter to King Ludwig, which was never sent and remained in one of the journals, was in English too.

This is one of the few inexplicable inconsistencies, since - even if the Schattenjaeger could speak fluently English - I think that, in addressing his monarch, he'd obviously had to wrote in German.

[Ascovel]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

This is one of the few inexplicable inconsistencies, since - even if the Schattenjaeger could speak fluently English - I think that, in addressing his monarch, he'd obviously had to wrote in German.

Unless... he actually never intended to send it...

[AndreaDraco83]

This opens a lot of questions: maybe he never wanted to send it 'cause he wanted Ludwig death, in an attempt to gain power over Bavaria...

...

[Ascovel]

...Or it was all a huge conspiracy of the Ritter family to aid in the future the prophecised Chosen One, who will have trouble learning new languages.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by Ascovel

...Or it was all a huge conspiracy of the Ritter family to aid in the future the prophecised Chosen One, who will have trouble learning new languages.

Why are you saying this? After a year in Germany, he already knew "Ausgang"!

Boy, I've to replay all the three games...

I'm in abstinence...

[Ascovel]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

Why are you saying this? After a year in Germany, he already knew "Ausgang"!

He also remembered to say "Guten Tag", used "Bitte" as thank you, and recognized "Wurst" as sausage. Definitely, a man not to be underestimated.

[AndreaDraco83]

Although with French he demonstrated a total inability

I'm seriously thinking, on my next play-through, to write down notes to work out a GK encyclopedia of sort

[Henke]

To his defense, German is closer to English compared to French.

I'm replaying the GK-games right now and they really are the best games ever made IMHO.

I didn't remember that GK3 took inspiration from "Holy Blood, Holy Grail". So everyone who is bashing The Da Vinci Code should play GK3.

EDIT: About the Ritter family, I didn't remember that the reason why they became Schattenjägers is explained in the end of GK3 either (just finished it). Don't know why I haven't replayed the trilogy before now (since they really are masterpieces).

[Thorn]

You just made me want the novels even more 5 days until I turn 18-- after that I'll begin stalking ebay for them! >_<