Ancestors: Difference between revisions
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{{disambig header|the original ancient humans with advanced civilization|the ancient humans regressed to hunter-gatherers|Erde-Tyrene civilization}} | {{disambig header|the original ancient humans with advanced civilization|the ancient humans regressed to hunter-gatherers|Erde-Tyrene civilization}} | ||
{{Affiliation infobox | {{Affiliation infobox | ||
|image=[[File:HM-AncientHumans.png|300px | |image=[[File:HM-AncientHumans.png|300px|Ancient humans Yprin and Forthencho.]]<ref>[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/nitpick-about-mythos-and-ancient-humans/973f5cb0-bbde-49a9-8ab9-5e7590bce6fc/posts?page=2#post24 '''Halo Waypoint''' '':Confirmation of Yprin in Mythos'']</ref> | ||
|section1-title=Empire overview | |section1-title=Empire overview | ||
|type=Interstellar empire | |type=Interstellar empire | ||
|main=[[Charum Hakkor]] | |main=[[Charum Hakkor]] | ||
|techlevel=Tier 1 | |techlevel=Tier 1 | ||
|formed=c. [[150,000 BCE]] | |formed=c. [[150,000 BCE]] | ||
|dissolved=[[106,445 BCE]] | |dissolved=c. [[106,445 BCE]] | ||
|affiliation= | |affiliation= | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{Quote|Once, we were one great race, united in power and concerted in our goals...|[[Forthencho]]<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 99''</ref>}} | {{Quote|Once, we were one great race, united in power and concerted in our goals...|[[Forthencho]]<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 99''</ref>}} | ||
The '''Ancestors'''{{Ref/Book|[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]|Section=The Ancient Past|Page=10 & 11}} or '''Ancient humanity'''<ref name="wp hum">[ | The '''Ancestors'''{{Ref/Book|[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]|Section=The Ancient Past|Page=10 & 11}} or '''Ancient humanity'''<ref name="wp hum">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/humans '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Humans'']</ref><ref>[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-sustained-glass '''Canon Fodder''': ''Sustained Glass'']</ref> were a prehistoric, technologically advanced civilization of the [[human]] species that rose to preeminence in the [[Milky Way]] galaxy by approximately [[150,000 BCE]]. Having first achieved interstellar travel over a million years earlier and colonized planets across the [[Orion Arm]] toward the galactic border, humans became a major political and military power rivaling the [[Forerunner]]s; indeed, the [[Ur-Didact]] considered them the second greatest military power and the latest challenge to Forerunner influence. Over a hundred thousand years later, the [[Librarian]] would tell [[John-117]] that they were the greatest threat ever faced by the Forerunners.{{Ref/Reuse|reclaimer}} Members of the most predominant human species of this era (retroactively known as "ancient humans" and scientifically designated ''' ''archeohomina'' '''<ref name=wf>''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'', ''page 14''</ref>) were on average larger, stronger, and significantly more intelligent than modern humans.{{Ref/Reuse|wp hum}} This civilization [[Human-San'Shyuum alliance|allied]] with the then-contemporary [[San'Shyuum]] and later [[Human-Forerunner war|waged war]] against the [[Flood]], only to come into conflict with the Forerunners; they ultimately suffered a disastrous defeat against the Forerunners and were subsequently regressed into hunter-gatherers, [[Erde-Tyrene civilization|confined to their ancient homeworld]]. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
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{{Main|Human-Forerunner wars}} | {{Main|Human-Forerunner wars}} | ||
[[File:H4-Terminal-CharumHakkor-Battle.jpg|thumb|250px|Human and Forerunner forces battle on [[Charum Hakkor]].]] | [[File:H4-Terminal-CharumHakkor-Battle.jpg|thumb|250px|Human and Forerunner forces battle on [[Charum Hakkor]].]] | ||
The humans' civilization encountered the [[Flood]] by [[108,764 BCE]] at the latest. After feeding Flood powder to the [[Pheru]], the animals, and even the human and San'Shyuum owners, became infected. As a result, these beings had to be euthanized: eventually the whole planet was declared a loss. The Humans went to war against the parasite after discovering its true nature. After losing many planets to the Flood humanity desperately invaded a minor sector of the Forerunners' [[ecumene]], ostensibly in an attempt to seize new territory to replace the worlds they had lost, though at least some instances of this seeming aggression were in fact humanity sterilizing worlds where Flood infestation had already taken hold. Nevertheless, the Forerunners responded violently to this aggression and [[Human-Forerunner wars|waged war]] with the humans and their San'Shyuum allies. The resulting conflicts lasted for a thousand years.<ref name="reclaimer">'''[[Halo 4]]''', campaign level ''[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]''</ref> | |||
In 107,564 BCE, forty years before the last conflict between humanity and the Forerunners, a human expeditionary group encountered an ancient being held in hibernation on a planet near the galaxy's edges. Under [[Yprin Yprikushma]]'s orders, this being, known as the [[Primordial]], was placed in a [[stasis capsule]] and transported to [[Charum Hakkor]] for study.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} Human researchers found a way to communicate with the entity, asking in vain for answers to various scientific or moral questions, receiving no useful responses.<ref name="c271">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 271''</ref> Instead, the being revealed disconcerting truths about humanity's origins; this was believed by some to have caused the demoralization of human culture and thus contributed to their defeat against the Forerunners.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} They also inquired the Primordial about the Flood; the answers they received were so traumatizing that many committed suicide.{{Ref/Reuse|c271}} | In 107,564 BCE, forty years before the last conflict between humanity and the Forerunners, a human expeditionary group encountered an ancient being held in hibernation on a planet near the galaxy's edges. Under [[Yprin Yprikushma]]'s orders, this being, known as the [[Primordial]], was placed in a [[stasis capsule]] and transported to [[Charum Hakkor]] for study.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} Human researchers found a way to communicate with the entity, asking in vain for answers to various scientific or moral questions, receiving no useful responses.<ref name="c271">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 271''</ref> Instead, the being revealed disconcerting truths about humanity's origins; this was believed by some to have caused the demoralization of human culture and thus contributed to their defeat against the Forerunners.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} They also inquired the Primordial about the Flood; the answers they received were so traumatizing that many committed suicide.{{Ref/Reuse|c271}} | ||
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After a certain point, the Flood's rampage throughout human territory stopped. The Flood no longer infected humans and instead began to rapidly die out, with both humans and Forerunners sterilizing the remaining infestations.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 36-37''</ref> Based on this pattern, the Forerunners came to the conclusion that humanity had discovered a cure for the Flood: according to Forerunner records, the humans sacrificed a third of their total population, implanting them with destructive, artificially programmed genes used to target the Flood on a genetic level. In reality, however, the Flood had receded by its own volition after the sacrifice; no truly functioning cure was ever created or used by humanity,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 367''</ref> though both Forerunners and humans themselves remained under such illusion.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 53''</ref> | After a certain point, the Flood's rampage throughout human territory stopped. The Flood no longer infected humans and instead began to rapidly die out, with both humans and Forerunners sterilizing the remaining infestations.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 36-37''</ref> Based on this pattern, the Forerunners came to the conclusion that humanity had discovered a cure for the Flood: according to Forerunner records, the humans sacrificed a third of their total population, implanting them with destructive, artificially programmed genes used to target the Flood on a genetic level. In reality, however, the Flood had receded by its own volition after the sacrifice; no truly functioning cure was ever created or used by humanity,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 367''</ref> though both Forerunners and humans themselves remained under such illusion.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 53''</ref> | ||
Stretched thin due to fighting two wars at once, the humans were finally driven to their capital of Charum Hakkor. After [[Battle of Charum Hakkor|holding off for fifty-three years]] they were defeated at the hands of the Forerunners, led by the [[Ur- | Stretched thin due to fighting two wars at once, the humans were finally driven to their capital of Charum Hakkor. After [[Battle of Charum Hakkor|holding off for fifty-three years]] they were defeated at the hands of the Forerunners, led by the [[Ur-Didact]].<ref name="c267">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 267-272''</ref> Before the fall of Charum Hakkor some humans suggested they should draw out the Flood and use it against the Forerunners. However, this strategy was denied, as the human leadership chose to face defeat rather than allowing the Flood to spread.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 190''</ref> | ||
===Downfall=== | ===Downfall=== | ||
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The Forerunner victory proved disastrous for the galaxy, as the humans destroyed all their research data and physical evidence concerning the Flood, including their supposed cure. [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]] speculated it may have been humanity's last act of revenge to leave the Forerunners unprepared to face the incoming threat that led to the firing of the [[Halo Array]].{{Ref/Reuse|c267}} The last human survivors on Charum Hakkor were subjected to thorough analysis and experimentation in order to discover their supposed Flood immunity; eventually, their patterns were extracted by [[Composer]]s and archived in machine storage, where the human essences would be incessantly scoured for a cure for thousands of years.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 43''</ref> | The Forerunner victory proved disastrous for the galaxy, as the humans destroyed all their research data and physical evidence concerning the Flood, including their supposed cure. [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]] speculated it may have been humanity's last act of revenge to leave the Forerunners unprepared to face the incoming threat that led to the firing of the [[Halo Array]].{{Ref/Reuse|c267}} The last human survivors on Charum Hakkor were subjected to thorough analysis and experimentation in order to discover their supposed Flood immunity; eventually, their patterns were extracted by [[Composer]]s and archived in machine storage, where the human essences would be incessantly scoured for a cure for thousands of years.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 43''</ref> | ||
The Librarian and Didact later learned that humanity had never developed a cure or a way to fend off the Flood. As the remnant of the [[Precursor]]s, the Flood sought to punish the Forerunners for destroying them and ensure that humanity obtained the [[Mantle]]. When the Forerunners retaliated against the humans for invading Forerunner worlds, the Flood predicted that the Forerunners would try to exterminate humanity. Of its own volition, the Flood abruptly receded from human territory, knowing that the humans would temporarily rebound and thus unknowingly deceive the Forerunners into thinking they may have developed a cure. This caused the Forerunners to restrain themselves from eradicating humanity completely and preserve a regressed remnant population, since they needed living humans to study if their apparent Flood cure was to be found.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 259-261''</ref> | The Librarian and Didact later learned that humanity had never developed a cure or a way to fend off the Flood. As the remnant of the [[Precursor]]s, the Flood sought to punish the Forerunners for destroying them and ensure that humanity obtained the [[Mantle]]. When the Forerunners retaliated against the humans for invading Forerunner worlds, the Flood predicted that the Forerunners would try to exterminate humanity. Of its own volition, the Flood abruptly receded from human territory, knowing that the humans would temporarily rebound and thus unknowingly deceive the Forerunners into thinking they may have developed a cure. This caused the Forerunners to restrain themselves from eradicating humanity completely and preserve a regressed remnant population, since they needed living humans to study if their apparent Flood cure was to be found.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 259-261''</ref> To complete its goal to destroy the Forerunners, the Flood later then engaged them in the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].[[File:H4-Terminal-Flood-Fleet.jpg|thumb|Some human ships were infected and utilised against the Forerunners during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].]] | ||
{{Clear}} | {{Clear}} | ||
