History of the Flying Cats
The History of the Flying Cats is usually made to begin at the Altam encounter and thus spans several millennia. Years are usually noted BA (before Altam) or AA (after Altam). Flying Cats originate from the Miaopiaotiao archipelago, but went on to occupy all the northern hemisphere and parts of the southern hemisphere of Miavegr,. History has been structured in seven eras, each beginning after a significant event.
Era I: Prehistory (2,3Ma BA, 0BA)
Paleolithic (2,3Ma BA, 900BA)
Beginning from 2,3Ma BA an archaic species of flying Miaor colonizes most of the equatorial islands of Miavegr, this specie had already a basic tool making skill. It will separately evolve in the different archipelagoes, the first modern flying cats fossils are found in Miaopiaotiao 1Ma BA, this first populations were confined to the coasts of the archipelago and were mostly fishers, using basic stone spears and harpoons. They lived mostly on steep cliffs, building nests made of intertwined sticks. Later the lifestyles and cultures of the different populations throughout the archipelago diversified. Five cultures quickly dominate the archipelago, during the last millennia of paleolithic, they are : the Mimie, Miao, Maccin, Micium, Mecim, Muccin. They still only use simple stone tools and live in nest or huts. A common characteristic of these first cultures is the fact that the use of magic was proscribed.
Neolithic (900 BA, 0BA)
Agriculture is firstly adopted by the Miao culture, but quickly spreads to the other cultures. By the time of the birth of Altam each culture was widely different. The Miao in the east of the main island mainly lived off agriculture. The Maccin lived on the cliffs, mountains and volcanoes of the main island and were skilling in fishing using obsidian harpoons with spear throwers, they also started the first domestication of small land animals. The Mimie were hunter-gatherers of the forests in the center of the main island, they first invented the bow. The Micium living in the northern islands, cultivated mainly woody species. The Mecim lived of fishing, using mainly nets thrown off small boats or while flying. The Muccin living on the western island, breeded different aquatic species using stone walled basins on the coast.
Era II: Firsts Civilizations (0AA, 2651AA)
Altam Period (0AA, 500AA)
After the Altam encounter, Miaopiaoism quickly spread to all the 5 cultures and was adopted without much resistance thanks to the fact that the religion contained many divinities gathered from each culture. His kids also establish alliances with them, this period was thus characterized by a lack of conflicts. Magic also began to spread in all cultures permitting a faster exchange of knowledge and the discovery of new technologies.
Near the year 100 AA the 26 grandsons of Altam, the firsts Archimages, developed a writing system, with wich they wrote the founding scripts of Miaopiaoism (Altam's Poem, Precepts of the Gods, Making of the World) and the Control of Magic. This last book, defines the role of Archimage and sets up a Council of Archimages every 20 years. They also tamed Dragons enabling them to travel faster and further, thus permitting Flying Cats to expand outside the archipelago in the millennia to come. Beginning by the archipelagoes near Miaopiaotiao.
In the following centuries metalworking was discovered, the first bronze tools were made approximately in 400AA. In this period only the Archimages ruled, they started the expansion eastward and westward along the equator. An expansion southward was started by Karegrim, a Muccin Archimage, however after the fleet returned to Miaopiaotiao with the crew sick from an unknown disease that quickly spread to all the Muccin island, it became a rooted belief that the lands south of the equatorial island chain were touched by Mere (divinity of death). Because of this the southern hemisphere was only colonized by flying cats only thousands of years later.
Expansion Period/ bronze age (500AA, 2000AA)
The Archimages, guide the expansion of the 5 cultures. They continue to lead all the flying cats. The Mimie expanded quickly throughout the equatorial island chain and by 1000 they had reached the south of Tluctir and Mimia. The Micium reached in 700 the South of Gramtir. The Maccin expanded in Mievilis and followed the Muhò-Zihò coastline reaching Vartellom Cape by 1000. They then pushed north following the Zimia mountains. By 2000 they reach the Gelid Sea they also expanded in the southern reaches of Aritir. The Miao expand west, they reach Urris by 600, where the four Miao Archimages settle. However people move from Urris to eastern Miaotir, going up the Mibfoc river. From this first wave of Miao on the continent originated the Mirmiao people, another part further expanded on the Siemetv and western Miaotir by 1500. These cultures usually expanded following rivers and fertile land. The Mecim expanded mainly in the Siemetv and Espiim. The Muccin expanded along the western coast of Miaotir reaching Mimia by 1500 and all of northern Gramtir. The Micium expanded a lot less and mainly occupied in 1500: some equatorial islands and the south of Gramtir.
First cities / iron age (2000AA, 2651AA)
In 2042 Naflar one of the four Miao Archimages of Urris warred with the three others. They were finally expelled in 2047, the two Archimages fled, one settled in the Mibfoc valley in 2049, allying the river tribes and fighting off the Mirmiao. Another Archimage decided to settle in the Mezzad valley of western Miaotir. The last one settled in the southern coast of the Siem Sea.