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The '''Forerunners''' were an ancient race of enlightened beings whose empire -- known as the [[ecumene]] -- encompassed three million fertile worlds in the [[Milky Way|Milky Way Galaxy]] approximately 100,000 years ago.<ref name="cryptum">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 9''</ref> The Forerunners were the creators and builders of many significant installations, including the [[Halo Array]], [[Installation 00|the Ark]], and the [[shield world]]s, as well as numerous lesser artifacts later found on many worlds. | The '''Forerunners''' were an ancient race of enlightened beings whose empire -- known as the [[ecumene]] -- encompassed three million fertile worlds in the [[Milky Way|Milky Way Galaxy]] approximately 100,000 years ago.<ref name="cryptum">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 9''</ref> The Forerunners were the creators and builders of many significant installations, including the [[Halo Array]], [[Installation 00|the Ark]], and the [[shield world]]s, as well as numerous lesser artifacts later found on many worlds. | ||
The Forerunners had taken up a role as custodians of the galaxy, and believed that this "[[Mantle]]" had been passed down to them by the [[Precursor]]s, an even more powerful race that preceded the Forerunner civilization.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''Epilogue''</ref> "Forerunner" is a literal translation of the species' name for themselves; they identified themselves as such because they believed that they held an impermanent place in the universe's [[Living Time]] and that they would be succeeded by other, better races.<ref> '''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 31''</ref> Before their disappearance from the galaxy, the Forerunners would name [[ | The Forerunners had taken up a role as custodians of the galaxy, and believed that this "[[Mantle]]" had been passed down to them by the [[Precursor]]s, an even more powerful race that preceded the Forerunner civilization.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''Epilogue''</ref> "Forerunner" is a literal translation of the species' name for themselves; they identified themselves as such because they believed that they held an impermanent place in the universe's [[Living Time]] and that they would be succeeded by other, better races.<ref> '''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 31''</ref> Before their disappearance from the galaxy, the Forerunners would name [[Human]]ity their successors, identifying them with the title "[[Reclaimer]]". | ||
The alien faction known as the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] worshiped the Forerunners as gods, deriving much of their technology from Forerunner artifacts found throughout the galaxy, and believing any who defaced these relics to be [[heretic]]s. | The alien faction known as the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] worshiped the Forerunners as gods, deriving much of their technology from Forerunner artifacts found throughout the galaxy, and believing any who defaced these relics to be [[heretic]]s. | ||
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The Forerunners originated on the planet [[Ghibalb]] in the [[Orion complex]]. The world served as the hub of the Forerunners' fledgling interstellar civilization, comprised of twelve systems within the nebular complex, until it was rendered uninhabitable by an [[astroengineering]] disaster. The Forerunners had attempted to manipulate several stars in their region of space, but accidentally caused a series of supernovae that resulted in their planet being burned to a cinder by radiation and nearly caused their extinction.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 222''</ref> | The Forerunners originated on the planet [[Ghibalb]] in the [[Orion complex]]. The world served as the hub of the Forerunners' fledgling interstellar civilization, comprised of twelve systems within the nebular complex, until it was rendered uninhabitable by an [[astroengineering]] disaster. The Forerunners had attempted to manipulate several stars in their region of space, but accidentally caused a series of supernovae that resulted in their planet being burned to a cinder by radiation and nearly caused their extinction.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 222''</ref> | ||
The Forerunner civilization rose to preeminence in the galaxy in roughly [[150,000 BCE]],<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 26''</ref> around the same time [[ | The Forerunner civilization rose to preeminence in the galaxy in roughly [[150,000 BCE]],<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 26''</ref> around the same time [[Human]]ity first began moving its [[Prehistoric Human civilization|interstellar civilization]] away from their homeworld, supposedly to escape early Forerunner control.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 20''</ref> The [[capital]], the center of the Forerunner ecumene and the seat of the [[Ecumene Council]], was constructed around [[125,000 BCE]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 296''</ref> The Forerunners reached their peak before activating the [[Halo Array]] around 100,000 BCE, in the closing days of their war with the Flood.<ref>''Halo 2'', campaign level ''[[The Great Journey]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Bestiarum]]'''</ref> | ||
===Human-Forerunner war=== | ===Human-Forerunner war=== | ||
{{Main|Human-Forerunner war}} | {{Main|Human-Forerunner war}} | ||
Around 110,000 BCE, the Forerunners went to [[Human-Forerunner war|war]] with | Around 110,000 BCE, the Forerunners went to [[Human-Forerunner war|war]] with Humanity's [[Prehistoric Human civilization|interstellar empire]], in response to a perceived invasion of new colony worlds.<ref name="Cryptum 25">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 25''</ref> This invasion was thought to be caused by both Human resentment at Forerunner expansionism during the previous fifty years and by the rapid growth of Human populations.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 112, 130''</ref> After the war, a small number of Forerunners discovered the true cause of the invasion: a desperate Human migration away from a extragalactic parasite known as [[the Flood]]. Desperate for new, uninfected worlds to replace the ones lost to the Flood, Humanity invaded the worlds of other civilizations, bringing them into direct conflict with the Forerunners, who saw themselves as protectors of the Mantle. | ||
The Forerunners perceived | The Forerunners perceived Humanity's actions to be a threat to the principles of the Mantle, and therefore waged a decisive war against Humans, subjugating every Human-controlled world and wiping them clean of all traces of Human civilization.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 267 - 273''</ref> As punishment, Humanity was stripped of its empire and technology and was exiled to its homeworld, [[Earth|Erde-Tyrene]]. There, Humanity was devolved, splintered among its collective species and forced to begin anew.<ref name="Cryptum 25"/><ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 127 and 188''</ref> The Flood, meanwhile, had been pushed beyond the edge of the galaxy by Humanity's military efforts, and all traces of its existence vanished. | ||
Following the events of the war with | Following the events of the war with Humanity, a select group of [[Councilor (Forerunner)|Councilors]] and other elite Forerunners turned their attention to the possibility that the Flood would return. [[The Didact]] advocated a policy of watchfulness and military readiness, and proposed the construction of a series of [[Shield World]]s to provide quick military support should the Flood reappear. However, this plan was overruled by the council in favor of one put forward by a faction of Forerunner Builders, who proposed the construction of an array of galaxy-sterilizing [[Halo Array|super weapons]] as the ultimate defense against such a threat. These proposed weapons would be designed to starve the Flood to death by killing all sentient life in the galaxy with enough biomass to sustain them.<ref>''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', 343 Guilty Spark</ref> | ||
The Council's acceptance of this plan caused [[the Librarian]], a prominent Forerunner [[Lifeworker]] and the wife of the Didact, to speak out in condemnation of the Builders' proposal of mass genocide, and as a result she and other Lifeworkers were permitted to work on the project as well, integrating their own measures for preserving the galaxy's life into the plan. The plan, the [[Conservation Measure]], resulted in the creation of two [[Ark]]s and twelve massive ring-shaped installations known collectively as the Halo Array. Meanwhile, the Didact and the other [[Promethean]]s who had supported his cause were removed from the council and executed or exiled. The entire [[Warrior-Servant]] rate would be marginalized over the next thousand years, with their fleets and armies disbanded, leaving the Forerunners ill-prepared when the Flood would re-emerge. | The Council's acceptance of this plan caused [[the Librarian]], a prominent Forerunner [[Lifeworker]] and the wife of the Didact, to speak out in condemnation of the Builders' proposal of mass genocide, and as a result she and other Lifeworkers were permitted to work on the project as well, integrating their own measures for preserving the galaxy's life into the plan. The plan, the [[Conservation Measure]], resulted in the creation of two [[Ark]]s and twelve massive ring-shaped installations known collectively as the Halo Array. Meanwhile, the Didact and the other [[Promethean]]s who had supported his cause were removed from the council and executed or exiled. The entire [[Warrior-Servant]] rate would be marginalized over the next thousand years, with their fleets and armies disbanded, leaving the Forerunners ill-prepared when the Flood would re-emerge. | ||
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[[File:ForerunnerObserver.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A Forerunner observes one of the Halo rings's construction.]] | [[File:ForerunnerObserver.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A Forerunner observes one of the Halo rings's construction.]] | ||
Roughly nine thousand years after their war with the | Roughly nine thousand years after their war with the Humans, a Forerunner survey team on the planet [[Seaward]] came into contact with the Flood. After this first contact, the Forerunners immediately recognized the great danger that the Flood posed to the entire galaxy and attempted to contain them. Even though they knew the power of the Flood, the principles of the Mantle forbade them from destroying it. As such, the attempt to contain the Flood was a failure, as they tried methods more suited to disease control instead of all-out warfare, trying to contain and quarantine the Flood rather than attack and destroy it outright. They did not start war until it was far too late.<ref>[http://blog.ascendantjustice.com/halo-3/the-terminals/a-voice-from-the-tomb-i/ Ascendant Justice's analysis on the terminals - '''''Voice From The Tomb''''']</ref> | ||
When the Forerunners were unable to contain the Flood outbreak, the galaxy entered a state of war. During the 300 years of the conflict, the Forerunner studied the Flood in labs such as the [[Threshold gas mine|gas mine]] located in the atmosphere of [[Threshold]], looking for any exploitable weakness. As the Forerunners soon realized that conventional naval tactics were ineffective against the parasite's onslaught, they developed new weapons and tactics to combat the Flood. The [[Sentinel]]s were deployed as a means of maintaining the Flood through surgical, localized tactics. The Forerunner fleet command even contemplated using naval battle groups to enact premature stellar collapse within compromised planetary systems, causing [[supernova]]e to engulf entire worlds.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 169''</ref> However, as these tactics proved only to slow, but never stop the expansion of the Flood, the Forerunner leadership realized that the only way to stop the Flood was to deprive it of any and all hosts, thus eliminating its potential to grow. | When the Forerunners were unable to contain the Flood outbreak, the galaxy entered a state of war. During the 300 years of the conflict, the Forerunner studied the Flood in labs such as the [[Threshold gas mine|gas mine]] located in the atmosphere of [[Threshold]], looking for any exploitable weakness. As the Forerunners soon realized that conventional naval tactics were ineffective against the parasite's onslaught, they developed new weapons and tactics to combat the Flood. The [[Sentinel]]s were deployed as a means of maintaining the Flood through surgical, localized tactics. The Forerunner fleet command even contemplated using naval battle groups to enact premature stellar collapse within compromised planetary systems, causing [[supernova]]e to engulf entire worlds.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 169''</ref> However, as these tactics proved only to slow, but never stop the expansion of the Flood, the Forerunner leadership realized that the only way to stop the Flood was to deprive it of any and all hosts, thus eliminating its potential to grow. | ||
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==Physiology== | ==Physiology== | ||
The Forerunners were a bipedal species resembling | The Forerunners were a bipedal species resembling Humans in overall shape, though they were larger in stature. Before their first mutation, they were tall and slender, and possessed patches of fine, purple-pink or white fur on the top of their heads, along their nape and shoulder area, as well as the backs of their hands.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 33-34.''</ref> Their facial features were similar to those of Humanity, and they were capable of making analogous expressions, but this changed as they mutated to their higher forms, which characteristically had stiffer facial muscles and a more limited ability to convey emotions.<ref> '''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 28.''</ref> The Forerunners also had a genetic code that was remarkably similar to Humans, though they were not known to be genetically related.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 26''</ref> | ||
Their skin color ranged greatly, including gray, black, blue, pink, or a mixture thereof. The number of fingers Forerunners possessed seems to have varied according to their rate and form; Lifeworkers, for example, were known to have seven fingers,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 166''</ref> while Bornstellar's later form, based on a mixed pattern, had six fingers.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 339''</ref> | Their skin color ranged greatly, including gray, black, blue, pink, or a mixture thereof. The number of fingers Forerunners possessed seems to have varied according to their rate and form; Lifeworkers, for example, were known to have seven fingers,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 166''</ref> while Bornstellar's later form, based on a mixed pattern, had six fingers.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 339''</ref> | ||
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==Society and culture== | ==Society and culture== | ||
The Forerunner civilization was based around the [[Mantle]], a belief that it was their role to protect all life in the galaxy. They monitored the evolution of other sentient species throughout the galaxy, intervening in ways that ensured their civilizations would follow paths of peace, free of conflict. The Forerunners themselves were a race almost entirely without conflict, and although political disputes were not uncommon, violence or war between Forerunners was almost unheard of. As such, the Warrior-Servants, who conducted most of the Forerunners' military operations, were often looked down upon by the higher rates, as their actions were perceived to be contradictory to their role of preserving life. While they generally strove for peace, when provoked to a war, the Warrior-Servants would carry out the war ruthlessly and thoroughly, as they believed defiance of their rule was equal to showing contempt to the Mantle itself.<ref name="cryptum2">'''[[Halo: Cryptum]]''', ''Chapter two''</ref> One example is the | The Forerunner civilization was based around the [[Mantle]], a belief that it was their role to protect all life in the galaxy. They monitored the evolution of other sentient species throughout the galaxy, intervening in ways that ensured their civilizations would follow paths of peace, free of conflict. The Forerunners themselves were a race almost entirely without conflict, and although political disputes were not uncommon, violence or war between Forerunners was almost unheard of. As such, the Warrior-Servants, who conducted most of the Forerunners' military operations, were often looked down upon by the higher rates, as their actions were perceived to be contradictory to their role of preserving life. While they generally strove for peace, when provoked to a war, the Warrior-Servants would carry out the war ruthlessly and thoroughly, as they believed defiance of their rule was equal to showing contempt to the Mantle itself.<ref name="cryptum2">'''[[Halo: Cryptum]]''', ''Chapter two''</ref> One example is the Human-Forerunner wars, where many Humans were executed following their defeat, and all traces of Human achievement was erased from the galaxy. | ||
The Forerunners had a rigid social structure, where one's position would be determined mainly by their [[rate]], part of a complex system of different social classes mainly based around a particular occupation. Cultural practices and customs varied by rate and position; generally, Forerunner culture was full of formality and ritual, particularly with the Builders. Forerunners placed a great deal of value on family lineage and tradition, and one's rate and social standing were largely hereditary.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 242''</ref> | The Forerunners had a rigid social structure, where one's position would be determined mainly by their [[rate]], part of a complex system of different social classes mainly based around a particular occupation. Cultural practices and customs varied by rate and position; generally, Forerunner culture was full of formality and ritual, particularly with the Builders. Forerunners placed a great deal of value on family lineage and tradition, and one's rate and social standing were largely hereditary.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 242''</ref> | ||
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Forerunner constructs and sentries use a broad variety of weapons, typically high-powered energy beams. These weapons proved to be very effective when battling the Flood, burning Flood forms to the point that they cannot be revived by infection forms. The Forerunners were able to merge beams together into one stream to amplify its power. The Forerunners installed and constructed these intricate beam weapons inside their paradigm arrays, allowing them to build an army of machines to battle the Flood without sending any Forerunner to the front lines. The Forerunners made active use of plasma weaponry as well; the Covenant's own weapons and technology are based solely on Forerunner artifacts. | Forerunner constructs and sentries use a broad variety of weapons, typically high-powered energy beams. These weapons proved to be very effective when battling the Flood, burning Flood forms to the point that they cannot be revived by infection forms. The Forerunners were able to merge beams together into one stream to amplify its power. The Forerunners installed and constructed these intricate beam weapons inside their paradigm arrays, allowing them to build an army of machines to battle the Flood without sending any Forerunner to the front lines. The Forerunners made active use of plasma weaponry as well; the Covenant's own weapons and technology are based solely on Forerunner artifacts. | ||
The standard [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s wield orange-colored directed energy beams, used primarily for fighting the Flood. [[Sentinel Major]]s, however, have a more powerful and accurate version of the beam, which sports superior energy output, at the cost of overheating issues. These more advanced energy beams are colored blue. All variants of these [[Sentinel beam]]s can be wielded by | The standard [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s wield orange-colored directed energy beams, used primarily for fighting the Flood. [[Sentinel Major]]s, however, have a more powerful and accurate version of the beam, which sports superior energy output, at the cost of overheating issues. These more advanced energy beams are colored blue. All variants of these [[Sentinel beam]]s can be wielded by Humans and certain Covenant races. | ||
Meanwhile, [[Enforcer]]s are equipped with [[Forerunner missile launcher|missile launchers]] and a pair of [[pulse beam]]s, which fire clusters of smaller red Needler-like projectiles or bolts of energy at an incredibly high rate of fire. These pulse beams are primarily used against infantry at close range. These mammoth constructs also seem capable of lifting even tanks, using some sort of magnetic or anti-gravity grapple, before crushing the target between their massive 'arms'. The [[Constructor]]s' [[Construction beam|repair beam]] can also be considered a weapon, but with minimal damage output. [[Watcher Sentinel]]s, [[Protector Sentinel]]s, [[Retriever Sentinel]]s, and [[Unidentified Sentinel variant|unidentified tank-like automatons]] are used on other installations. | Meanwhile, [[Enforcer]]s are equipped with [[Forerunner missile launcher|missile launchers]] and a pair of [[pulse beam]]s, which fire clusters of smaller red Needler-like projectiles or bolts of energy at an incredibly high rate of fire. These pulse beams are primarily used against infantry at close range. These mammoth constructs also seem capable of lifting even tanks, using some sort of magnetic or anti-gravity grapple, before crushing the target between their massive 'arms'. The [[Constructor]]s' [[Construction beam|repair beam]] can also be considered a weapon, but with minimal damage output. [[Watcher Sentinel]]s, [[Protector Sentinel]]s, [[Retriever Sentinel]]s, and [[Unidentified Sentinel variant|unidentified tank-like automatons]] are used on other installations. | ||
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Forerunner architecture distinguishes itself from Covenant structures in that it incorporates heavy use of geometric angles, usually at either extremely sharp degrees, as the Forerunner buildings are usually trapezoidal, or at forty-five degree angles, most notably seen on Installation 04. Most Forerunner architecture is constructed with a special type of silver-gray metal that resists deterioration, bullets, plasma bolts and fire, as made evident by Forerunner structures standing in pristine condition 100,000 - 150,500 years after they were built. However, their resistance to [[plasma]] fire is more limited; concentrated plasma discharge is capable of destroying some Forerunner architecture.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', page ''???''</ref><ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''The Great Journey''</ref> Other structures and certain [[Council ship|starships]] were built with a golden-bronze colored metal. | Forerunner architecture distinguishes itself from Covenant structures in that it incorporates heavy use of geometric angles, usually at either extremely sharp degrees, as the Forerunner buildings are usually trapezoidal, or at forty-five degree angles, most notably seen on Installation 04. Most Forerunner architecture is constructed with a special type of silver-gray metal that resists deterioration, bullets, plasma bolts and fire, as made evident by Forerunner structures standing in pristine condition 100,000 - 150,500 years after they were built. However, their resistance to [[plasma]] fire is more limited; concentrated plasma discharge is capable of destroying some Forerunner architecture.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', page ''???''</ref><ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''The Great Journey''</ref> Other structures and certain [[Council ship|starships]] were built with a golden-bronze colored metal. | ||
Many symbols and patterns on Forerunner structures employ complex geometric shapes that appear to operate in dimensions higher than | Many symbols and patterns on Forerunner structures employ complex geometric shapes that appear to operate in dimensions higher than Human understanding can comprehend.<ref name="GoO"/> The Forerunners also decorated the interiors of their structures with a complex pattern of engraved straight lines and applied decorative touches and designs to nearly everything that they built, from structures to weapons. Even Sentinel drones possess small holographic Forerunner script around their "eyes". Forerunners decorated the inside of their homes and constructed other objects using a technology called [[hard light]]. This decor was absent on military installations such as the Halo Array. | ||
The Forerunners were highly skilled at creating natural-looking habitats, such as those of the Halo installations, which tend to be very elaborate and include realistic weather patterns and self-sustaining biomes. Forerunner structures were designed to compliment the natural landscape, as opposed to the | The Forerunners were highly skilled at creating natural-looking habitats, such as those of the Halo installations, which tend to be very elaborate and include realistic weather patterns and self-sustaining biomes. Forerunner structures were designed to compliment the natural landscape, as opposed to the Human idea of replacing it. | ||
===Astroengineering=== | ===Astroengineering=== | ||
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==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
===Production notes=== | ===Production notes=== | ||
*According to Bungie employee [[David Candland]],<ref name="blam">[http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive36.pl?read=1070818 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''Re: Why retcons don't bother me anymore''] (Evil Otto: ''"One of the most striking retcons to me is the basic concept of whole role of | *According to Bungie employee [[David Candland]],<ref name="blam">[http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive36.pl?read=1070818 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''Re: Why retcons don't bother me anymore''] (Evil Otto: ''"One of the most striking retcons to me is the basic concept of whole role of Humanity. Originally (back in Halo 1) the reason why Humans weren't conquered and incorporated into the Covenant collective was because their presence defied Covenant religion. When the Covenant discovered Humans, they knew they were forerunners, but their presence implied the "great journey" failed. They also weren't the all powerful gods they worshiped, so the Prophets wanted to "sweep them under the carpet," as it were."'')</ref>, Bungie's intentions for the connection between Humanity and Forerunner was that they were one and the same; this was hinted repeatedly throughout the ''Halo'' Trilogy<ref name="blam2">[http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive36.pl?read=1070818 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''Re: Why retcons don't bother me anymore''] (Evil Otto: ''"The plot lines in our games imply this everywhere - the chief being called reclaimer, only Humans being able to retrieve and insert the index, Spark telling the chief, "you are forerunner." etc."'')</ref> and further explored in [[Joe Staten|Staten]]'s novel, ''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''. However, the [[Terminal/Halo 3|Terminals]] of ''[[Halo 3]]'', as well as the release of the first two books of the Forerunner trilogy released by 343 Industries have revised this, establishing that the two species were related but distinct and that the actual connection goes far further back than the events in the books, when both species had been created by the Precursors. | ||
*In the cancelled [[Untitled Halo MMO|''Halo'' MMO]], Forerunners were depicted as | *In the cancelled [[Untitled Halo MMO|''Halo'' MMO]], Forerunners were depicted as Humans with tanish skin and white hair. This design is similar to the Atlantians from Disney's ''[[Wikipedia:Atlantis: The Lost Empire|Atlantis: the Lost Empire]]''. The design of the Forerunners greatly resembling Humans may be based off of Bungie's original intention on Humans and Forerunners being the same.<ref>[http://halo.heavengames.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=halo_mmo_concept_art&id=Forerunner '''Halo Heaven Gallery''': ''Concept Art - Forerunner'']</ref> | ||
*While the existing volumes in the Forerunner Saga describe the Forerunner's biological appearance, the tone and language of those descriptions largely does not provide an exact depiction, such as in what specific ways did their physiology differ from the collective | *While the existing volumes in the Forerunner Saga describe the Forerunner's biological appearance, the tone and language of those descriptions largely does not provide an exact depiction, such as in what specific ways did their physiology differ from the collective Human genera. In a set of videos released shortly after ''Halo: Cryptum'' was released, a book signing event was held to help further promote the book and explain its developmental background. In the final video of the 3-part series, in addition to further explanations, it is briefly mentioned that at a fairly early point in the development regarding the specifics of the Forerunner's appearance without their armor. One concept had them appearing as tall, sharp-featured beings who were extremely similar in appearance to the [[Wikipedia:Elf (Middle-earth)|elves]] of [[Wikipedia:J. R. R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s [[Wikipedia:Tolkien's legendarium|works]]. Though not shown to the public, this concept evolved to combine that with more exotic physical changes to that physical template.<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/Universe/Detail/part-3/701dc23a-6251-43d5-a435-7f8e128db6d6 Greg Bear and 343 Industries discuss Halo: Cryptum at a recent book signing video part 3, 4:24-4:40]</ref> Whether or not this has been retained is unclear, though that may be conceptual origin point for the physical differences amongst the different Forerunner rates. | ||
*According to Bungie environment artist [[Paul Russel]], Forerunner architecture was partially influenced by the works of American architect [[Wikipedia:Frank Lloyd Wright|Frank Lloyd Wright]]; in particular, the repeating geometric patterns such as the frequent series of inclined lines.<ref>[https://plus.google.com/photos/114253662089061571624/albums/5500017903460396721/5500019592379269010?banner=pwa ''Paul Russel's image album'']</ref> | *According to Bungie environment artist [[Paul Russel]], Forerunner architecture was partially influenced by the works of American architect [[Wikipedia:Frank Lloyd Wright|Frank Lloyd Wright]]; in particular, the repeating geometric patterns such as the frequent series of inclined lines.<ref>[https://plus.google.com/photos/114253662089061571624/albums/5500017903460396721/5500019592379269010?banner=pwa ''Paul Russel's image album'']</ref> | ||
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<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:Forerunner main.png|A group of Forerunner military leaders within the [[Control Room]] of an unspecified [[Halo Array|Halo Installation]]. | File:Forerunner main.png|A group of Forerunner military leaders within the [[Control Room]] of an unspecified [[Halo Array|Halo Installation]]. | ||
File:Forerunner Apex.jpg|A Forerunner activating a console, showing a remarkable similarity to a | File:Forerunner Apex.jpg|A Forerunner activating a console, showing a remarkable similarity to a Human hand. Note that this depiction may not be accurate.<ref>''Halo Legends'': ''Origins'': Commentary: Frank O'Connor: "This is a bit of a trick, you see? Cortana doesn't ''actually'' know what they look like, so their appearance may be further explored in future ''Halo'' canon.</ref> | ||
File:Forerunner origins.jpg|A Forerunner armor, as seen in ''[[Origins]]''. | File:Forerunner origins.jpg|A Forerunner armor, as seen in ''[[Origins]]''. | ||
File:Forerunner - Combat Suit.png|Concept art of a Forerunner combat skin. | File:Forerunner - Combat Suit.png|Concept art of a Forerunner combat skin. | ||