Quick answer
The story is set in an abandoned workshop tied to Murray's Costumes. Exact lore ordering should be built from dated logs and in-game evidence, with theories labeled separately.
Confirmed frame
Official descriptions place the player in an abandoned workshop connected to Murray's Costumes, pursuing technology associated with the Mimic. That premise is confirmed; a detailed date-by-date chronology requires direct citations from logs and environmental evidence.
How to read the timeline
Timeline entries use three labels: shown in game, strong inference, and community theory. Treat theories as possible explanations rather than events the game confirms.