Forerunner
From AegisWiki
Forerunner(s) is the translated name for an ancient race of beings that built the Halo construct found by the Pillar of Autumn. It is the same race that is responsible for the artefacts that were found on Reach and Sigma Octanus IV. The aforementioned artefacts are our only means of finding information about the Forerunners. The alien faction known as "the Covenant" exalts the Forerunners, considering them demigods. Covenant technology is also derived from Forerunners. Finally, the High Prophets of the Covenant, the leader caste of the alien federation, evolved on a planet formerly inhabited by the Forerunners.
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[edit] Known History
Next to nothing is known about the history of the Forerunners, save that they were an extremely advanced civilization that inhabited the galaxy hundreds of thousands of years in the past, although it is unknown when they spread around the galaxy. They achieved an extremely high level of technological advancement.
At some point, the Forerunners came into contact with the Flood. Seeing the danger they posed to all life in the galaxy, the Forerunners attempted to contain them.
They were able to study them in labs such as the one found in the gas mine on Threshold. Several hundreds, possibly thousands of years after discovering the Flood, they created Halo as a weapon to be used as a last resort against the Flood, wiping out most sentient life with enough biomass to sustain them, killing the Flood through starvation.
Another purpose of Halo was to contain the Flood so the Forerunners could study them. They assigned a Monitor to the ring with the task of maintaining it so that it could be used again in case of future outbreaks.
After exhausting every other strategic option in their struggle against The Flood, the Forerunners activated Halo about 100,000 years ago, destroying themselves along with all other sentient life of sufficient biomass to sustain the Flood within three radii of the galactic center.
[edit] Forerunner Weaponry
Forerunner constructs use a wide variety of weapons, most by using high energy beams. The weapons proved to be successful and also very effective when battling the Flood, making sure that they can never be revived. The Forerunners installed these weapons inside their constructs, allowing them to build an army of machines to battle the Flood without sending any Forerunners being into real battle.
The Sentinels wield orange-coloured energy beams, used mainly for fighting the Flood. Sentinel Majors however, have a more powerful and accurate version of the beam, which sports superior energy output at the cost of overheating issues. All varieties of these Sentinel Beams can be wielded by certain Covenant and Human infantry. Meanwhile, Enforcers are equipped with multiple packs of small rocket-like explosives launched over the top of their shield as well as weapons similar to Needlers, which fire clusters of smaller red crystals at a faster rate, used mainly against infantry at close range. These mammoth constructs also seem to be able to lift vehicles using some sort of magnetic grapple, before crushing even tank-sized objects between their massive 'arms'. The Constructors repair beam can also be considered a weapon but minimal damage.
[edit] Forerunner Technology
Forerunner technology is highly advanced. They have managed to create solid surfaces through solid "light" energy, construct a Halo-wide Teleportation Grid, and have utilized several advanced devices such as The Index, Phase Pulse Generators, Markers, Containment Facilities, Sentinel Beams, Sentinel Launchers, Anti-Gravity Gondolas, Sentinel Production Facilities, Energy Cores, Gas Containers, Conveyor Belt, Piston, and the Plug Lock. The Monitor hacking beam can also be considered a Forerunner technology as they can unlock doors which are restricted to anyone. The Halo ring itself is, above all others, the most significant piece of technology.
[edit] Forerunner Art and Architecture
Forerunner architecture is noted mainly for its geometric style and vast scale. It tends to be very elaborate, with numerous extrapolations of the basic design of a structure, all purely decorative. They use complex geometric shapes that appear to operate in dimensions higher than basic human understanding can decipher. The Forerunners tend to decorate the interiors of their structures with a complex web of engraved straight lines, and apply decorative touches and designs to nearly everything that they build, from structures to weapons. Even the Sentinel drones possess small holographic Forerunner script around their "eyes."
The fact that the Forerunners were able to build such giant structures as the Control Room, Library, and even Halo itself shows that they likely had very sophisticated methods of building.
