Another way of viewing history is how philosophy changed over the years. Philosophical tenets are the backbone of thought, both scientific and religious, so, in a way, in unifies them. Ancient thought is largely lost in the fog of time, but Forping sages and archeologists have reconstructed much of the past. Thus, here is a timeline of the tradition of religion according to those (mostly atheistic) scientists:
-150,000 (or before): Astral waves. This is the destination of the higher spirits, the location of the Numeric Gates.
-100,000 (or before): Ethereal presence. The spiritual field is created. This is where Issa, the first divine presence, emerges.
-80,000: Invention of rudimentary language by Logo (people) occurs in Southern Forping. The earliest languages were only a few dozen words, mainly nouns and verbs. Pronouns and adjectives came later.
-65,000: The demons bring the Stafin eggs from The Abyss. The Panforim, pansexual union of Stafin, begins. Like ants, they will spend thousands of years digging to the surface.
-50,000: Reverence for death, Marhara. Cave paintings in Central Forping show hunting animals and depictions of death. Scenes of death have symbols showing the passage and the presence of the dead among the living.
-48,000: The Cassandra begin to worship the seed in Salo; this is not Earth Mother, Tarfa, or Earth Sharing, Galani, but a primitive natural Cassandra practice, Daysa. It is about life essence only, the concept of life extension through generations. The great difference between the Cassandra and Logo (and other Sere!), therefore, is that they worships life and most beings worships death. Cassandra begin to live longer lives through multiple generations.
-45,000: Fram begin to worship metamorphosis in Adana. This is Tchia-Tchia.
-42,000: Tulkar emerge from the stone along with their underlings, the Tulkari. They are without speech and language for thousands of years, but some track their ancestry back to this time. Tulkar and Tulkari cannot distinguish their life from their ancestors’ lives.
-40,000: Logo communities form in Central Forping. The earliest communities are based on Death Reference. Issa is the first object of reverence—though not a god per se, Issa (Death) receives sacrifices, prayers, and provides (via spirits) interventions. Death will remain near to life throughout history.
-36,000: Woman. Sasa. Worship of Sasa began in Central Forping. Framan, Aki, Stafin, and Cassandril also worship Sasa as both primary and secondary gods.
-32,000: Rudimentary civilization emerges in Forping. First worship of the Sun God. These were the known gods:
Gavu: Day God – part of the God War (III) – The Sun
Darn: Night God – part of the God War (III) – The Moon
Lom: Fertility God – part of the God War (III) – Fertility
Salam: Death God – part of the God War (III) – Death
Issa: Spirit God (afterlife)
Daysa: Seed (Cassandril concept of life force)
Finfin: Chaos (Framan concept of change)
Tulkas: Earth (Actually stone. Tulkar and Tulkari)
Note that Daysa, Finfin, and Tulkas were also revered as their Logo homologues: Vitar, Chas, and Toov. None of these ever became popular, though on occasion , some Logo would follow Vitar, Chas, or Toov to the keeps of the other Sere and become part of their community. Salam may be seen, sometimes, as an extension of Issa that is not spirit-based: Death as finality.
-28,000: Agriculture in Forping. Lom communities clash with Gavu rule. Darn allies itself with Salam to contest with Gavu as well. This is the First Gods War. Civilization in its incipient form was destroyed in Forping. Gavu is victorious. Issa, Daysa, Finfin, and Tulkas go into hiding.
-24,000: Tribes in Forping begin to form villages again. Agriculture becomes important. Lom and Salam worship returns. This is the beginning of Earth Mother (Tarfa.)
-15,000: Frams discover the Fangoon people and adopt them, isolating them from other Logo for thousands of years. The Fangoon serve the Frams, tending their Eggs of Change. This has led to a “salting” of Tchia-Tchia in Fangoon people, which is often expressed as suspicion.
-5000: Frams discover the entrance of the Abyss and build the Watchtower. Most Fangoon, unwilling to live amidst so much chaos (and horror) abandon them, forming communities that tend the dragons of southern Adana.
-3500 to -2500: The Gods War of Hopa changes everything. The old gods (Gavu, Darn, Lom, Salam, Issa, & Amad) suffered crushing blows and (aside from Issa) have generally been superseded by native Adana gods.
-1000: Tananana develops among its bards. While it is still common to find Tananana bards, most are lapsed. Tananana these days has become a creed of troupes of performers who follow traditional paths across the continent.
-500: The first competitions of the Physique are held in Dyanor, which is still the most important center and victory in its competition (held every five years) is the dream of all Physiquers.
-200: Fihar emerges in Adana.
0: The Fall of Corkul. Fear of Grexel/Corinta spreads across Adana.
400: Amad emerges anew in Forping, but as a belief system rather than God worship. Missionaries are unsuccessful in other regions except in Adana where a small cult forms focusing on a tradition of education and skepticism, which (c. 1000) became conflated with a renewal of Amad worship.
500: The Believer. (Masalom)
800: Plin emerges in Adana. It is already common in Fiper and Forping. Its origin is in the belief that one can change any outcome through an outpouring of faith. It is most common in gambling halls in Adana where there is often a shrine. Plin missionaries typically seek out people who are unlucky and give them refuge. Major cities often have Plin halfway houses, etc.
1000: Irex emerges in Adana. It is often conflated with atheism or nihilism, but Irexi do not disbelieve in gods, only that gods are not divine. Irex is widely-opposed in Adana, but it is held in reverence in parts of Forping where it is not considered a religion.
1100: The Purpose emerges in Boxa. It evolves from Fihar creeds. It is a secular religion that is often practiced in union with other faiths.
1300: The Flowering begins.
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Aside from the traditional worship of Adana gods, practice in most cities extends to temples of the Believer, Fihar (trade guilds), Plin (gambling halls), Tananana (circuses & musicians), and Fiperan gods such as Grexel and Korinta. In the countryside, shamanic practices are often common, focussing on Issa & Sassa mostly. Tulkari religion is endemic to Tulkas people, because of their association with ancestors.
Fiper has various monotheistic religions. Adana slaves who are taken to Fiper cling to their religion as part of their resistance.
In Forping, religion and magic are outlawed. There are secret cults however with a small number of adherents, perhaps 2-3%. Amad + Irex is not considered a religion in Forping, and is thus permitted, which among some theologians (esp. in Adana) is some justification for their belief Amad-Irex are enemies of the great Adana gods.
