Reverence

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In the oldest legends, there are references that the first humans had some sort of primitive religion. They were able to communicate with higher forces and their champions were often blessed with amazing powers by them during the battles of the Mythic Age.
Alas, with the end of that dark era, the faith began to fade away as well. It is unsure what was the real reason behind this, but the following generations have slowly forgotten the lore, the customs, and even the names of the powers that their grandparents have once worshipped.
It only took around a one and a half centuries for humankind to almost completely grow out of the old faith. They were left without people who could've reminded them about it, but what is even more important, since the end of the Mythic Age, no more events that could've been regarded as a divine intervention have occurred.

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The people began to assume that they are completely on their own in life. The forces that watched over them before have either left, stopped caring, retired to being passive observers, died with their believers or perhaps they have never existed at all. It makes little difference.
Honouring the memory of the ancestors were a part of each and every culture but from that moment, it had replaced the old religion, the people began to take their stories and legends as a form of guidance or a source of power in their lives. Although the spirits of the ancestors were just as distant as the old deities, at least the people knew more about them and could better relate to them. In some cases, this had led to the creation of Cults centred around such ancestors.
At first, the new custom was strong only in the rural and barbarian communities, but unlike in other cases, it remained alive with those who became civilized over time. After all, it was easier to remember what do they owe to those great predecessors how have made it possible for them to get this far. The ancestor-worship remained and fairly unaltered by the new way of life.

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Ancestors are not worshipped but are seen as examples to be followed. The people draw inspiration and courage by remembering how they have prevailed in their own undertakings and if success follows is attributed to being worthy of their names.
On Progonos it is believed that death only comes once someone is forgotten but before that sad time comes, the spirits remain to be aware of the happenings within their lineages. Noteworthy achievements of their descendants please them and further their own immortality as well, while embarrassments and neglections obviously tend to draw their ire.
Bringing shame upon an otherwise decent legacy does not only come with a potential curse by the spirits but also with harsh public stigmatization. The community is quick to notice such shortcomings and usually respond with shunning, ridicule, taunts, or even violence in the primitive tribes. It is a common type of posthumous punishment to be removed from the family records.

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