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The Progenitors were an ancient race to whom the development of hyperspace technology is attributed.
Overview[]
Very little is known about who the Progenitors were, where they came from, or what became of them. The Progenitors arrived in the Homeworld galaxy, the Nimbus Galaxy and apparently several others, before the Galactic Dating System began, over 100,000 years before the Dust War. Their empire and influence spanned nearly the entire galaxy, and many Progenitor relics, such as the Great Network of Hyperspace Gates, the three Hyperspace cores, and others, have been found in its farthest corners.
Technology[]
The Progenitors possessed highly advanced technology that far surpassed that of all other spacefaring civilizations even millennia after their departure from the Galaxy. Many of their ships were exceedingly durable and could sustain withering firepower from Vaygr and Hiigaran weaponry before succumbing to battle damage. In addition, the reliability of their technology was such that almost all of their creations remained fully functional despite the thousands of years of the Progenitors' absence.
Most armed Progenitor ships, such as the Progenitor Drones and Keepers were completely automated, likely to spare the Progenitors themselves from having to engage in combat. Progenitor ships seem to have highly efficient heat diffusion systems, allowing for powerful weaponry to be installed such as those found on the Progenitor Dreadnaught and Keeper.
The Progenitors also developed extremely powerful hyperdrives capable of making galactic jumps in less than a second and transporting whole fleets within the galaxy and beyond. This hyperdrive technology led to the Eye of Aarran, a vast network of self-supported hyperspace gates stretching throughout the galaxy. The Progenitors left their three Hyperspace cores hidden in different places throughout the Galaxy. It was only when the three Cores were united within Sajuuk that the Eye of Aarran could be accessed.
There are also theories about the Progenitors developing technology capable of creating intelligent life forms, allowing the Progenitors to 'seed' the galaxy with different variants of intelligent life. Such technology would be, however, extremely advanced even for the likes of the Progenitors.
Disappearance[]
It is unknown what caused the Progenitors to leave the known galaxy. There are several theories about their final fate, including viral extinction, internal conflict, or simply choosing to leave on their own volition. However, given the rarity of derelicts and wreckage left over by the Progenitors, it is considered unlikely that they fought and lost a war against a rival race. It would, however, be possible if that other unknown race was significantly more advanced and more powerful.
Centuries of archaeological study has not revealed the reason for the Progenitors' disappearance, but it can be certain the cataclysm was so traumatic and so complete that little survived the destruction. With the largest progenitor ruins being nearly indestructible against any modern weapon system, it is safe to assume only weapons wielded by the Progenitor themselves could be capable of this level of destruction. No Progenitor-colonized planets have ever been found, and are assumed to have been destroyed by their weapons.
Without any evidence of an aggressor, many widely assume the Progenitors somehow destroyed themselves. For what reason and what means will be forever unknown with shreds of evidence pointing to many different conclusions.
The only other significant cultural detail that can be distilled from Progenitor ruins is found in the ergonomics of their controls. The Progenitors, whoever they were, appear to use equipment and systems with an ergonomic configuration matching the collected race of humanity across the galaxy. It is very likely the Progenitors are the ancestors of all known species in the galaxy.
In recent times, the Hiigaran Empire has managed to reverse-engineer some of the Progenitors' technology for their own uses. The biggest of those achievements being Imogen S'jet's Synthetic Cores, working replicas of the Three Cores used to power the Khar-Kushan's Far Jump capabilities.
Ships/Relics[]
Strike Craft
Frigates
Capital Ships
- Keepers
- Keeper Malik
- Progenitor Dreadnaught
- Sajuuk
- Progenitor Mothership (destroyed)
- Progenitor Observer
Relics
- Balcora Gate
- Great Tanis Derelict
- The Three Hyperspace Cores
- Eye of Aarran
- Progenitor Communicator
- Chintamani (Progenitor Energy Pattern Sequencer)
- Stambha (Deep Space Broadcast antenna)
- Five Pillars
- Progenitor Negotiator
- Progenitor Cognition Nodes
Trivia[]
- A popular theory among fans is that the Progenitors are in fact humans who originated from Earth and colonized the Whirlpool Galaxy.
- There are too many conflicting theories behind the fall of the Progenitor empire to ever conclusively establish what destroyed them.
- Few survive an encounter with a Progenitor keeper. Most that do always accomplish the feat through desperation and outside help.
- It is widely rumored the Progenitors had weapons capable of stupefying levels of destruction. No Progenitor planets have ever been found.
- The Hyperspace Gates is the most visible and lasting accomplishment of the ancient Progenitor Empire.
- Free standing artifacts that are gate-like have been identified and known for centuries as ‘gates’, but their purpose wasn’t revealed until Aarran was opened.