About religion, Targon and the schism

Hello everyone! Long time has passed since the last time I posted something here.

After reading Aphelios bio and re-reading some older stores I have several questions about ... almost everything around Targon so I want to expose publicly my questions hoping for other lore seekers or makers (rioters) to speculate or answer:

First, in the "Lunari" picture description of "Peoples of Targon" section at Targon page in the Universe we can found this:

Some say that long ago, the two groups coexisted, living in peace and worshiping the many celestial bodies as one people.

According to this I understand that there was originally only one religious group that i'll call "Celestial cult". This cult was pantheistic and worshipped several different celestial bodies at the same time. Later something happened and there was an schism that broke everything. What was that? Next point may give us some clues.

Second, Aphelios bio states this:

Soon after, an ancient temple, the Marus Omegnum, began to come into phase from the spirit realm for the first time in centuries. Lunari from across the mountain gathered, emerging from hiding to witness the balance of power shift as celestial cycles in the heavens turned.

From this lines I understand that there are "celestial cycles" which affect the balance of power in the spirit realm. This changes are something that have an effect in the material realm, specifically in the projection of solar/moon power (it's origin being spiritual and no celestial then?) strengthening those who use this magic in the material realm.

Taking this into account I launch my first question:

• **Should we understand that the rise of the Solari/exile of the Lunari happened along this last cycle? **

I see two options here:

1. Answer is yes. Then the schism between Solari and Lunari is relatively recent because we are talking about centuries and not milennia so it's definetively post- Rune Wars (with this being, almost, the milennia mark since we have the calendar) meaning that we have another event in the list of post-war events.
2. Answer is no. The schism and religious crusade is older. I'll develop a possible meaning of this later.

So let's go to the second and third questions which are closely related:

In Ixtal faction page we can found this:

Renowned for its mastery of elemental magic, Ixtal was one of the first independent nations to join the Shuriman empire. In truth, Ixtali culture is much older—part of the great westward diaspora that gave rise to civilizations including the Buhru, magnificent Helia, and the ascetics of Targon—and it is likely they played a significant role in the creation of the first Ascended.

So "the ascetics of Targon" were part of the Westward diaspora that from the calendar we know that happened circa 7000 years ago. But first interaction between "Celestial Targon" (Aspects) and humanity (As far as we know) happened almost a milennia later circa 6000 years ago with "The Rise of the God-Warriors" of Shurima.

So first question around these idea:

*Was "Celestial Targon" always over Targon mountain? Or did they arrived with the Westward migration? **

*There are some clues that would indicate this like this paragraph from Targon page:

The circular patterns of the vaulted stone ceilings serve as reminders of the celestial beings who created this place.

Before anything else about I want to remember again that:

Some say that long ago, the two groups coexisted, living in peace and worshiping the many celestial bodies as one people.

So second question: Was the "Celestial cult" something that came with the Westward migration or something that appeared later?

Any combination of answers have several important implications. But I'll focus in two possible results:

If "Celestial Targon" was always on Mount Targon and the "Celestial cult" appeared when the diaspora settled on Mount Targon slopes, or if "Celestial Targon" came with the migration, it seems "clear" that the religion was forged as a tool by "Celestial Targon" to influence humans and make them into useful tools for their big plans (that we don't understand completely for now).

But the story would be interestingly different if it's the other way around. Maybe the "Celestial cult" came from the West and "Celestial Targon" adapted itself to the cult for an easier manipulation of humans. It's the idea of the "aspects being manifestations of something higher" an scam!? Jokes appart it would be interesting and it would cast doubts on the real nature of the Celestials in general terms.

And around this last point I want to go for **the fourth question **in general: **Are Celestial beings completely different from Spirit beings or are they some advanced? higher form? special form? of those? **

Because we know from Twilight of the Gods (and some tweets) that the moon/sun magic is, at least partly, celestial but according to the Aphelios bio it seems that is also spiritual.

Like the moon of stone and its spiritual reflection, Aphelios’s skill and Alune’s magic converged.

But i'll stop here with the speculation about magic and being that we don't know enough about and I'll go to something more speculative but more ... tied to the ground.

**Was Targon a kingdom (or something else more organized than a bunch of theocratic tribes) in the past? **

I'm almost sure that I've read somewhere (I don't remember where exactly right now sorry for that) that Targon was a vassal state of Shurima, as many others like Faraj, Kahleek, Kalduga, Ixtal or Icathia, so we can suppose that in the past was a bit more organized? And it being more organized brings me to the last idea that I wanted to talk about today.

**Are the Rakkor what remains of the warhost of a darkin? **

Okey I know this is bullshit an enormously speculative take. But I have two possible links that I know are weak without anything else but I think this theory is interesting anyway taking everything else exposed here into account:

1. In Twilight of the Gods Ascendeds refers to themselves as "The Sunborns".
2. In "Rakkor" picture description on "Peoples of Targon section" in Targon's region page of the Universe we can find that their name means: “Tribe of the Last Sun"

If the schism happened long before Rune Wars it may had happened with or after the fall of Shurima which is the PRAY THE SUN! place of excellence because of all things related to Ascension.

With this I've already said everything. I hope that my questions and theories didn't kill you with boredom were interesting for you. And I'd love to hear your opinions about'em.