Gnolls, Centaurs, Gnomes, and Merfolk are Created

Artistic creation

Many more knockoffs appear in the fossil record, each more showy than the original

The Gods were reportedly told at the beginning of their reign to "Prepare the Earth for the True Peoples, the Wise, Speaking Creatures of My Heart." Well, the Gods waited for a while, but then figured they were being stupid and that their job was to make the True Peoples to finally Hold Dominion o'er the Animals and All Growing Things. So they started imitating the coolest, smartest creatures they could find to make Wise, Speaking versions. Needless to say, some competition arose early between the hand-crafted works of the Gods and the dirt-born animals upon which they were based.