Sapiogenesis

Sapiogenesis is defined as the event where sapient life first arose from non-sapient Critters and created the first Creatures.

The event occurred shortly after The Impact. With a new insurgence of water in Aela, sapient creatures began to appear throughout the land. For a short period after the initial impact, presumably due to the high velocity of the asteroid, the magic of the water was more potent; as a result, critters were able to gain sapience through extended contact with the water. Some of the first creatures to appear were the Mud Gnomes, due to the soil they lived in being saturated with Water. Over time, Water lost its potency, and since at least the start of recorded history, critters have been able to gain sapience only through the direct influence of other creatures, through the process of Creation.