Library Data:Ancients
The name assigned by scholars to a highly intelligent race which gained prominence 300,000 to 400,000 years ago. Most of what is known about the Ancients has been gleaned from archeological excavations of Ancient sites: the remains of cities, bases, outposts, and settlements of the Ancients. Scientific dating techniques have established that a "Final War" spanning a 2,000-year period destroyed virtually all of the Ancients at that time.[1][2][3]
The influence of the Ancients is broadly felt in the universe. The vast majority of scholars now believe that the Ancients transported Humans from Terra to many worlds, where their descendants became the Vilani and the Zhodani, as well as the 47 known minor Human races. The Vargr have been shown (through genetic testing) to be descendants of genetically manipulated Terran canines (apparently, the canine stock was acquired at the same time as the Humans were taken from Terra). Ancient artifacts which have been discovered show a very high level of technology, and an equally high degree of sophistication; such artifacts often reveal previously uninvented or unexploited technologies. [1][2][3]
This Ancient civilization was wide ranging. Confirmed Ancient sites have been found in every sector of the Imperium, as well as throughout Vargr and Aslan territory. It is reported, but unconfirmed, that Ancient sites also occur with great frequency in Zhodani territory. The total number of confirmed Ancient sites visited by the lmperium is more than 200. [4]
The Ancients never had an especially great population. The planets they settled usually had only one, or at most a handful, of bases. Estimates of population vary, but do not exceed one million per world. Some investigators believe that their high population worlds held billions, and that these were reduced to asteroid belts; that only low population worlds were not completely destroyed. Others counter that none of the evidence found in the asteroid belts confirms this. [4]
The Ancients were responsible for several major features within the region now occupied by the Imperium. Their warfare resulted in the large proportion of asteroid belts throughout explored space, and there is evidence they created the multi-world rosette at Tireen (Knaeleng 2910, in the Vargr Extents). Scattered, empty cities (most severely damaged by battle) stand as evidence of their wars; most, however, are restricted areas under investigation by the Imperium and not open to the public. One notable exception is the world known as Antiquity (Corridor 0816). The Antiquity Ancients site is open to tourists; its fascinating museum displays many wondrous and mystifying artifacts, many of which are still in working condition. [1][2][3]
The Shionthy Asteroid Belt is believed to have been formed during one unusually intense battle between Ancient forces. Reports indicate that other Ancient sites within the Regina subsector are currently being excavated, both by official expeditions and clandestinely by treasure hunters. [5]
See also Humaniti, Solomani Hypothesis
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Library Data (A-M) (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), 12.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Marc Miller. Imperial Encyclopedia (Game Designers Workshop, 1987), 17.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Loren Wiseman. GURPS Traveller Core Rules (Steve Jackson Games, 1998), 19-20.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Marc Miller. Secret of the Ancients (Game Designers Workshop, 1984), 13-15.
- ↑ Marc Miller. The Kinunir (Game Designers Workshop, 1979), 39.
Other References
- J. Andrew Keith, Marc Miller, John Harshman. Droyne (Game Designers Workshop, 1985), 2,5-6,44-45.
- Clayton R. Bush. "Ancients" Alien Realms Volume 1, Issue 1 (1991): 1-13
- Dave Nilsen. The Regency Sourcebook (Game Designers Workshop, 1995), 76.
- Dave Nilsen, David L. Pulver, Andy Slack, David Thomas. Alien Races 3 (Steve Jackson Games, 2000), 106-120.
- Don McKinney. Zhodani (Mongoose Publishing, 2011), 29.
- Simon Beal. Vargr (Mongoose Publishing, 2009), 35,46.
- Martin Dougherty. Solomani Front (Mongoose Publishing, 2021), 108.
- Christopher Griffen. The Third Imperium (Mongoose Publishing, 2021), 59.