CHIMERIA’S INFERRED AND CONCRETE HISTORY

Circa 3500 B.C.:  The first civilized people on Chimeria cultivated the fruits and plants that grew there and hunted the game: rabbits, antelope, wild birds and waterfowl, and fish. They tamed the wild dogs that lived there and trained them to guard against attacks by the wild large cats, Fnemil and Melima.

(Another theory supported by a few scientists is that Chimeria is the hearth of the human species.)

Circa 3000 B.C.:  Intertribal wars limit growth of civilization; written word is used to record winners of battles.

Circa 2500 B.C.:  Kai’s predecessor, Ikani, emerges as a major religion. The prophet Ikan teaches the merits of working together to better civilization and pushes for unity among tribes. Urk tribe is shunned to the northern islands. Ikani peoples denounce wars and unite into one tribe. An era of learning and arts follows in which people live together peacefully. The leaders of the tribes agree to relinquish their thrones. Events are carved into or painted on stone in Thosper. Some writings are records of legal couplings, leading historians to believe marriage was common. Music and poems have been found from this era.

Circa 2000 B.C.:  Ikani as a religion has faded into oblivion and people pray to the sun. The people call themselves Ikani, as a race. War after war has resulted in individual tribes once more.

Circa 1800 B.C.:  Another revolution results in the Ikani people being split into four main groups, Yemorson, Enderan, Rungarn, and Lupik, each a tribe ruled by a monarch-like ruler but all four staying loyal to the country. Wars seem to have stopped again under the rule of the monarchs. However, it seems that there were female as well as male rulers. Paper is made out of tough, broadleaf reeds, and with the spread of writing and reading, learning becomes a priority.

Circa 1500 B.C.:  A new prophet emerges of an unknown name, begins the Kai revolution. The Kai religion teaches respect for all things with life energy and promotes taking care of other species, such as dogs and small cats. Killing in vain is considered evil, and those who hunt for food are urged to find work farming or gathering. Fishing was generally not considered wrong.

Circa 500 B.C.:  Another era of prospering continues to allow the civilization to thrive. The four kingdoms continue to live in peace and arts are considered divine. Simplicity is considered a virtue, but jewelry is popular. Dyes for clothing are coveted. Each kingdom assumes a clothing color as well as an official stone, making a kind of friendly competition among the kingdoms which boosts trade among them.

Circa 250 A.D.:  Christians fleeing Europe are blown onto Chimeria by a hurricane. They settled and introduced Christianity. Strains of smallpox and the flu kill many of the natives. For the next few hundred years, Chimeria is ignored by the Europeans, and the Christian and Kai people live in peace. English is intermingled with Thosper to create a varied and interesting language. A Bible is written entirely in the new language, which is still more Thosper than English.

835:  Vikings invade the Chimerian city Lerilin and find the country pleasurable. Some of them settle and bring their beliefs with them. Many more people are converted from Kai to Christianity. The Northeast island’s inhabitants are mostly Christianized and the Southwestern island remains mainly Kai.

1228:  Europeans arrive, bringing horses. Having no one to witness to, they trade the horses for gold and return to Europe. A trade route is set up.

1348-50:  The Black Plague kills around a third of the inhabitants of Chimeria, affecting all races equally.

1400’s:  Chimerians are caught up in the race for spices from the West Indes and trade away large amounts of their gold. Many more Europeans settle on Chimeria and some Chimerians move away.

1456:  The Lupik Kingdom surprises the rest of the country by attacking the Northern Islands and taking them over.

1485:  Chimerians protest the money-driven “advances” of the Catholic Church. The reforming of their church is considered inspired by the devil; Chimeria is cut off from trade routes, causing Chimeria’s economy to fall. Many people agreeing with these views come to Chimeria.

Early 1500’s:  Luther’s similar protestations and following Protestant movement prompt traders to begin including Chimeria in their trade routes again, but the economy is severely injured.

1781:  The American Revolution freed up a new country with which Chimeria could trade. This led to a slow colonization of the previously-ignored western island.

1874:  A declaration of independence was formed based on America’s. The four kingdoms dissolved. The rulers gave up their crowns and became citizens of their country. The new government is loosely based on the American government, except that it is split into two halves, one for each state.

Early 1900’s:  Chimeria became an American ally.

1916:  Chimeria declared neutrality in the Great War.

1942:  Chimerians rallied to fight in WWII and the government declared war on the Axis countries.

1945:  With a severely damaged economy, Chimeria withdrew alliances and began rebuilding.

1955:  Chimeria refused to join NATO, and has stayed neutral.

1970’s:  Chimerians are concerned about the pesticides that have been killing their treasured birds. The politicians getting into office will be those concerned with the environment, so it becomes the major concern. Quickly the toxins are outlawed.

1976:  The term “organic” is coined. Chimeria finds its produce in demand. With a rising economy, the government is able to form an extensive foods service that regulates the food sold in the country. This system forces the producers to tell whether the food contains pesticides. Soon this system is expanded to include ingredients like MSG.

1977:  Land use is another winning concern. Strict land use policies limit development. Beef production is all but outlawed. Many people turn to oil production for income.

1980:  The economy is largely dependent on petroleum sales and is still rising with fervor. Inflation rates are up, but people are wealthier than ever before.

1986:  The economy collapses when OPEC floods the market with oil. Banks close and the country falls into a depression.

1987:  Renouncing all fuel consumption, the ecologically concerned parties rise again, promoting the use of mass transportation to cover for the lack of gas stations. People learn to get around without cars. Bicycles become very popular. Solar power is revered as the solution to all problems.

1988:  Money is still a problem for most Chimerians. Businesses have developed many ways of making their products easier to afford. For instance, no expensive packaging is used. (This tradition is continued today; product-packaging cost percentages are published along with product ratings.)

1989:  Breakthroughs in alternate power sources put Chimeria in league with other technologically advanced countries.

1994:  Computers are the big thing. Research by the government is supported by their ownership of petroleum facilities.

1997:  Genetic engineering is sponsored by the government but rejected by the people. Quickly all genetic engineering is put under strict observation.

2000: Chimerians question US advances toward NMD and the country is suspected of having a nuclear arsenal. Unwilling to face such charges, the almost notoriously pacific country gives its "blessing."

2001:  September 11th causes outrage among the Chimerian people. Having a weak military, Chimeria offers instead her intelligence. Two agents massacred in action become international heroes.