Precursors (Space Atlas)

The Precursors are an ancient, extinct(?), and enigmatic species that—like any great precursor race—left behind miraculous artifacts.
== Known Locations by Sector ==
=== Old Frontiers Sector ===
Planet 	Planet Status 	Known Precursor Artifacts
Carcosa (Styx I) 	Barren, boiled by ancient star explosion. 	Massive, cyclopean stone-block cities.
Carstairs (Torres IV) 	Large chunks of arable land for agriculture, occupied by moa birds and massive, imported neobeef cows. 	Barren building remains, although some seem to interfere with regular technology, according to local legend.
Cretaceous (Braggi II) 	Dinosaurs seeded on this planet have evolved independently without extinction, retaining their own, everlasting dinosaur world. The rest of the planet's life forms are definitely native.	Genetic code of pseudosaurians may show tampering. Legends of TL0 pseudosaurians (like saurians) may be true.
Gith (Stonti I) 	Cold and hostile, used by the Survey Service and the Escott Institute to study gravitational anomalies. 	Gravitational anomalies in the system.
Hali (Korinna I) 	Cold and hostile, but rich in minerals, particularly lithium. Most of the population lives underground. Earthquakes are common, but living quarters are built sturdy and flexible. 	Possible Precursor sites (see Tunnel 884D)
Nightmare "Kharg" (Mecca II)	Hostile terrestrial world—high heat, high gravity, gale force winds. Energy signatures suggest several operational Precursor sites. Possible failed terraforming experiment? 	Operational Precursor sites
Pleroo (Pneuma/Hagion II) 	Very livable—in fact, it's the "Breadbasket of the Old Frontiers". 	Various archeological sites
Von Berg (Korris III) 	Small and frozen, with a thin atmosphere. Small mining ghost-towns dot the landscape. 	Sapient crystal creatures 8-12 feet high. They destroyed their masters millions of years ago, and don't particularly like humans either.
== Possible Extinction ==
Like many "Fallen Giants" of space, the Precursors seem to have gone extinct long ago. Perhaps, like in the works of Stellaris, the Precursors found a comfy corner of the galaxy and simply became stagnant. Perhaps they became digital entities and created a utopia within a virtual world. Perhaps they still exist today, but as ghosts, beings or pure energy, or other "space gods" like the Aurorans. Whatever the case, the Precursors take up an important genre niche, providing the universe with fun superscience gadgets.
== Known Artifacts ==
* The Staff — found on Carstairs — increases "talents and power to superhuman degrees". Adds about +6 to Telepath skills, and seems to provide some level of Extended Lifespan.Space Atlas 1, p.28
== References ==
Category:Race Descriptions