Precursor

Precursor races are races of great age that preceded the current interstellar order.

• By great age, it is meant thousands, millions, or even billions of years ago. Perhaps, even more...
• This is a sophontological term widely used in exobiological academia.
• Precursor races are, by default, considered dead or extinct although some may still be alive, just hidden or not well known.
• The best known precursor race within Charted Space is or are the famous or infamous Ancients and their mythical leader Yaskoydray.

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Please refer to the following AAB Library Data articles for related information:
Xenoarchaeology:

• Ancients
  • Ancients Foundation
  • Ancients Site
  • Archeologicals
  • Artifacts
  • Biofact
  • Ecofact
• Precursors
  • Ascendants
  • Die Back World
  • Extinct Species
  • Primordials
  • Transcendents
• Sophontology
  • Extilligence
  • Intelligence
  • NIL
  • Protosophont
  • Sapient
  • Sentient
  • Sophont

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Description (Specifications)

Precursor races are also known as ancients, primordials, ascendants, transcendents, antediluvians, elder races, forerunners, Bhodisativan races, old ones, and a variety of other terms.

• Many precursor races are believed to have possessed technology considerably more advanced than the current technological frontiers being pushed at TL–F (15) in Charted Space. The search for advanced artifacts from these races has always attracted great attention, especially at ancients sites.
• These lifeforms or the remnants of their societies and civilizations often contain great treasure troves of reverse-engineerable technology enabling fantastic technological breakthroughs.

Cradle of Civilization Races

It is widely believed that two races (sophont species) emerged far ahead of other sophonts are were able to establish civilizational paradigms that have significantly shaped Charted Space.

1. The Ancients are believed to have established dominance over Charted Space by -300,000 before their 2,000-year Final War ended their civilization. Scientists and historians within today's contemporary Charted Space are still finding the ruins, relics, and artifacts, of this ancient civilization, which was considerably more powerful and advanced than any known TL:13-15 polity surviving today. Some believe that Droyne and Chirpers may be related to the Ancients.
2. The Vilani were able to establish a powerful civilization sometimes after -20,000, which developed a FTL J-1 Jump Drive ahead of other NILs. They used that technology to dominate Charted Space and their culture, language, and influence are still felt today. Vilani Traveller Genes are most certainly a vital part of Imperial Man and the Third Imperium. The Vilani civilization is widely believed to have been geneered and developmentally guided by the Ancients.

History & Background (Dossier)

While the Ancients, Kursae, and Slavers are the only precursor races widely recognized within Charted Space, rumors of other precursor races circulate widely.

• Some of these advanced and rumored races of great age include the Aakho, Primordials, and Ykiuh.
• Who knows what can be found in wildspace and other uncharted space beyond the borders of Charted Space?

Known Precursor Races

Canon:

• Ancients
• Hasst'kor
• Kursae
• Slavers

Non-canon:

• Aakho
• Builders
• Krimm
• Primordials
• Saie
• Ykiuh

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Darkhstarr
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science