Precursor: Difference between revisions
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{{Era|Forerunner}} | {{Era|Forerunner}} | ||
{{New Content|Halo: Primordium}} | {{New Content|Halo: Primordium}} | ||
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The '''Precursors''' were an advanced race that preceded and were mythologized by the [[Forerunner]]. The Forerunners believed them to be theoretical "[[Technological Achievement Tiers#Tier 0: Transsentient|Transsentient]]" beings, having the ability to travel among galaxies and accelerate the evolution of intelligent life.<ref>[[Bestiarum]], page 26: '''''Tier 0: Transsentient''' As the [Forerunners] had no examples of civilizations with technological accomplishment greater than themselves - with the exception of the Precursors - this is a theoretical ceiling. They can travel intergalactic and accelerate evolution of intelligent life. These may be creatures of legend.''</ref> While the Precursors themselves had long since disappeared during the time of the Forerunners, evidence of their technological and architectural achievements remained on worlds they had once colonized. | The '''Precursors''' were an advanced race that preceded and were mythologized by the [[Forerunner]]. The Forerunners believed them to be theoretical "[[Technological Achievement Tiers#Tier 0: Transsentient|Transsentient]]" beings, having the ability to travel among galaxies and accelerate the evolution of intelligent life.<ref>[[Bestiarum]], page 26: '''''Tier 0: Transsentient''' As the [Forerunners] had no examples of civilizations with technological accomplishment greater than themselves - with the exception of the Precursors - this is a theoretical ceiling. They can travel intergalactic and accelerate evolution of intelligent life. These may be creatures of legend.''</ref> While the Precursors themselves had long since disappeared during the time of the Forerunners, evidence of their technological and architectural achievements remained on worlds they had once colonized. | ||
==Known history== | ==Known history== | ||
Little is known about the Precursors, other than that the Forerunners believed that the '[[Mantle]]' (the role of guardianship of the galaxy and of all life) was handed down to them from the Precursors. From a Forerunner perspective, the passing of the mantle secured the Precursors' legacy in the form of the Forerunners, continuing their work after they departed, much in the same way Forerunners viewed [[human|humanity]] before the activation of the [[Halo Array]]. The Forerunners believed the Precursors had shaped the Forerunner in their own image, and some even suggested that they may have done the same with humans.<ref name="cryptum1">'''[[Halo: Cryptum]]''', ''Chapter 1''</ref> By the time of the [[Human-Forerunner war]], [[Prehistoric human civilization|prehistoric humans]] also claimed to be the sole inheritors of the Mantle, something the Forerunners considered heretical at the time.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> | Little is known about the Precursors, other than that the Forerunners believed that the '[[Mantle]]' (the role of guardianship of the galaxy and of all life) was handed down to them from the Precursors. From a Forerunner perspective, the passing of the mantle secured the Precursors' legacy in the form of the Forerunners, continuing their work after they departed, much in the same way Forerunners viewed [[human|humanity]] before the activation of the [[Halo Array]]. The Forerunners believed the Precursors had shaped the Forerunner in their own image, and some even suggested that they may have done the same with humans.<ref name="cryptum1">'''[[Halo: Cryptum]]''', ''Chapter 1''</ref> By the time of the [[Human-Forerunner war]], [[Prehistoric human civilization|prehistoric humans]] also claimed to be the sole inheritors of the Mantle, something the Forerunners considered heretical at the time.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> | ||
The majority of this information is mythology, some perhaps with a historical basis and most invented to explain unknown information. According to [[the Timeless One]], the last remaining Precursor as of the Forerunner-Flood war, the relation between the Forerunners and Precursors was far removed from the ideas held by Forerunners. | The majority of this information is mythology, some perhaps with a historical basis and most invented to explain unknown information. According to [[the Timeless One]], the last remaining Precursor as of the Forerunner-Flood war, the relation between the Forerunners and Precursors was far removed from the ideas held by Forerunners. | ||
The Precursors had created many species. After the creation of Forerunners, the Precursors created humans. The Precursors believed that humans were meant for the Mantle. This caused the Forerunners to revolt and nearly drove the Precursors to extinction. It is unknown how many survived the Precursor-Forerunner war, though a [[Gravemind]] claiming to be the last Precursor was found in by humans around [[110,000 BCE]], sealed in a chamber on a distant world and later transported to [[Charum Hakkor]]. | The Precursors had created many species. After the creation of Forerunners, the Precursors created humans. The Precursors believed that humans were meant for the Mantle. This caused the Forerunners to revolt and nearly drove the Precursors to extinction. It is unknown how many survived the Precursor-Forerunner war, though a [[Gravemind]] claiming to be the last Precursor was found in by humans around [[110,000 BCE]], sealed in a chamber on a distant world and later transported to [[Charum Hakkor]]. | ||
==Physiology== | ==Physiology== | ||
Any hints as to the Precursors' possible appearance is based upon the Captive of Charum Hakkor, a Gravemind which likely contained Precursor components. However, the being's original physiology had likely been considerably distorted by the infection and assimilation of multiple beings. | |||
The Timeless One was massive in size; the mold encapsulating the being outlined a being approximately fifteen meters tall and eleven meters wide. The creature had four arms, a large number of legs which it held in a curled-up position similar to a spider, and an insectoid head. A long, segmented "tail" was attached to the base of the skull, tipped with a meter-long barb. Each hand had three fingers and a central opposable thumb.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 119''</ref><ref name="c277">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 277''</ref> | |||
The face of a Precursor has been likened to that of a [[Wikipedia:eurypterid|eurypterid]], or "sea scorpion," a creature that the Precursors had allegedly seeded on a number of planets. | The face of the Captive, which may or may not have originally belonged to a Precursor, has been likened to that of a [[Wikipedia:eurypterid|eurypterid]], or "sea scorpion," a creature that the Precursors had allegedly seeded on a number of planets. its head was flattened, with oval compound eyes and mandible-like mouth parts.<ref name="c277"/> | ||
==Technology== | ==Technology== | ||
