My personal theory on OOE which some may disagree with - however is backed up by certain sites like CV wiki - is that Ecclesia was a front to resurrect Dracula all along. I don't believe Barlowe was ever influenced by Dominus but rather he wanted Dracula revived (which he states when Shanoa accuses him of Dominus' influence) which is why he pooled all of his then resources into starting Ecclesia, and why Ecclesia guarded the vessel with Dracula's soul accordingly
Cotm could hypothetically occur in the same timeline, there's nothing to say that other Belmont descendants/ offshoots weren't also training and/ or passed the Vampire Killer at some stage. However, I personally don't believe or like to place every game on one timeline, but that's just me. It doesn't make COTM any less of a game imo. I kind of like the fact that it is a one off gem that exists within its own context but is still CV at heart.
Check my timeline in my signature, if anything I'd rather place Cotm into the parallel timeline with the n64 games rather than the main timeline.
Hey zangetsu468 - we were talking about your timeline in another thread, good to see you adding some thoughts here as well!
I'm not sure about the vessel in OoE that Dracula is sealed in being the Crimson Stone though - it looks more like a statue/coffin... thing. Didn't the Crimson Stone become the bloodstone Dracula wears around his neck?
My play through isn't based on the idea that they actually are all in one timeline, except for the purposes of this very specific playing of all the games. Basically, I just wanted a neat framework for how I was going to approach playing them, and doing it this way seemed like an interesting idea because I could see how the timeline unfolds as well as see where all the offshoots and aborted games are supposed to fit in (or not fit in as the case may be). I just found it interesting that when I first played CotM it really did give off a strong 'this is a one -off/alternate universe' vibe, but when I fired up OoE, it actually made me rethink how out of place CotM really is.
Warning, here there be fan fiction:
Further to how it would fit in, I actually don't think any of the characters in CotM are Belmont offshoots or descendants - I would instead imagine that Morris Baldwin and the Graves represent another faction trying to fill the void left by the Belmonts and that the Hunter Whip is an attempt to create another Whip of Alchemy, to have another weapon to use against Dracula. If they were on the same timeline, then after the events of CotM, Dracula's resealed remains would be entrusted to Ecclesia by Morris Baldwin.
Well a couple of general things about the Crimson Stone.
It is the stone Dracula wears, however, it does take on an external more metaphysical/ alchemical form as can be seen in LOI in the scene where Walter's soul is absorbed, where it looks more like an Egg or Beherit (Berserk reference)
1) Dracula always seems to have this as part of his attire in some form (as form 1 Dracula, generally where he's dressed as a man).
2) It is thought that possessing this stone allows him to potentially keep re absorbing his own soul in order to resurrect and/ or be at x amount of power upon resurrection depending upon the circumstances which surround it
3) Assuming point 2 which I do believe, there's only 1 vessel I know of that holds Dracula's soul and is associated with crimson. Referring back to point 1, I do believe the physiognomy of this stone has altered and grown to reflect Dracula's power over the centuries. Again yes it is a physical object but it could be manifesting things and taking on forms which are purely metaphysical in essence. This seems to be a common theme tailored to OOE with the existence of Glyphs and I'm comfortable to apply this context and say that not every occurrence or element of CV must necessarily be the same in every game. That's simply my reasoning.
It's an interesting thought and entirely possible. It would be interesting to do a little digging and try to be a 'linearist' as opposed to a splitist... Ah look at what Legend of Zelda has done to me..
Hmm, it makes sense. Which game/ artefact did the text come from?
I'm curious as to how this would play between Rondo/ SOTN as Rondo's Dracula seems more malicious in burning a village, kidnapping women, 2 of which are of importance to Richter, etc. Then of course there is that alternate outcome where Anette becomes a vampire