The Precursor Races

**The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has this to say on the subject of Precursor Races:**

Perhaps the most egocentric possible sorts of beings to roam this or any other galaxy. While any precursors to other beings who are fortunate enough to still exist or in rare cases have yet to come into existence may dispute this as an unfair characterization, it is doubtless that inherently, attempting to outright create or uplift another race of beings can only be motivated by either a desire to enslave those that are uplifted (in which case the egocentrism is in the form of confidence in the special superiority of one’s own species) or the belief that your species is uniquely equipped to meddle with evolution (which would necessitate seeing one’s self and species as akin to some sort of God). This is, of course, the main thesis of Thranx historian Ginflan Rygax’s bestselling book *The Selfish God Delusion: How ‘Precursor Races’ Frame Themselves Above the Rest of Us.*

Rygax breaks down precursor races into the following subtypes, along with examples of each:

*Abusive:*This kind of precursor is the most obviously negative sort. They help create new life or endow it in some meaningful way only to stomp over them. Rygax attributes this behavior as stemming from both an unearned sense of superiority and sadism on the part of the ‘precursor.’ Rygax identifies the Anti-Spiral race as the quintessential example, being both genocidal and snooty about it simultaneously and likewise describes the Eternal Ones (who created sentient life to consume it) as perhaps the ultimate example of this sort of precursor. Comparatively milder are the House of Abrasax, which creates species for the purpose of harvesting them for immortality and the Predators who create species that will be suitable to hunt. There are also more insidious such species, such as the Shaddil who offer advanced technology that comes at a cost of cultural and species-wide stagnation and the Vorlons, who pose as a more benevolent race despite their fundamental similarity to the equally-abusive Shadows.

*Negligent:*This species does not actively oppress those that it created or uplifted, but rather is neglectful to said species. This kind of precursor ignores the needs of the species and is likened by Rygax to a parent who fails to raise their child (which while acceptable amongst some species is generally frowned upon) or guide it properly. One such race identified by Rygax is known as the Engineers, which tended to genetically create various beings, seeded them across the galaxy, gave them the clues to their homeworld and exposed them subsequently to their bioweapons. Other examples include the Consu who created a consciousless race, the Shee who abandoned their creations to day on various worlds upon getting bored of them and the Ancients who create numerous beings and refuse to assist any of them.

*Absentee:*Rygax distinguishes these from the negligent sorts as they are not deliberately ignoring their creation, merely being too dead to adequately meet their needs. While in some cases understandable, Rygax argues that the fundamental act of perishing before one can shepherd their beneficiaries through disproves the fundamental narrative that these beings are fit to uplift other beings in the first place. He says that “It demonstrates a definitive failure in competence to end up going extinct that should, by all accounts, preclude setting the stage for other races to advance technologically.” This line of argument is of course rather controversial, but Rygax identifies the Protheans, the Forerunners the Protoculture, the Silver Millennium, the Progenitors and the Time Lords (the small number of survivors notwithstanding) as examples of this sort of precursor. Some races such as the Heechee are described as bordering this category and negligent.

*Too Good:*By far the most controversial label ascribed by Rygax to precursor races is that of being too good. This kind of precursor has avoided dying and actively works to assist the species they seek to uplift. On the surface, this may make them seem benevolent, but Rygax argues that this is not the case. Instead, he argues this solidifies the precursors’ vision of themselves as akin to gods above the beings they uplift. They may be benevolent, but Rygax believes their fundamental act of uplifting as seeking to further the titular god complex they possess. While this is of course disputed by these races, Rygax identifies the Arisians, the Asgardians, the Chozo, the Mondoshawans and the Masari as examples of these. These species, as they continue to exist, have understandably expressed disagreement with Rygax’s narrative on this front. Additionally, galactic historians have at times disputed this characterization. Nevertheless, Rygax’s book remains a top bestseller, even amongst the races in question and remains the definitive work on the psychology of precursor races.