Old Ones
From Warhammer 40k
The Old Ones were an ancient race establishing a galactic empire long before the development of most of the other races currently existing in the galaxy. They are the creators of the Eldar and other races, and are known mainly through Eldar myth.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The Old Ones are a mysterious race. They played a pivotal role in the history of many races, including the Eldar, Jokaero and Orks.
[edit] History
The Old Ones of Warhammer 40,000 history are possibly an ancient race of nearly immortal creatures of a slow and coldblooded intelligence, who were probably the first race in the galaxy to have evolved sentience (though the C'tan born at the creation of the galaxy predate the Old Ones, but didn't partake in the affairs of the Galaxy until the Necrontyr gave them physical bodies just before the War in Heaven). A supposedly benevolent and gentle race, they appear to have wished to nurture the younger races and protect them from the C'tan. It is possible that the Old Ones are the same Old Ones that the Lizardmen worship in Warhammer Fantasy, as in the Lizardmen army book it states that the old ones came from the galaxy and found the fantasy world, then proceeding to terraform it and create races to live on it. They were inherently patient as a race, and before attempting to make the step out into the galaxy they made an extensive study of astronomy, which led them to discover the Immaterium. At the time, the Immaterium was unaffected by the psychic emissions of other races, and so it was a calm and steady realm. The Old Ones were able to exploit the Immaterium, allowing them to travel across the galaxy at a whim.
On their travels, the Old Ones seeded many worlds with life, and encouraged the development of indigenous life on many more.
It should be noted that the Old Ones in the 40K universe may be connected to the Old Ones in the H.P. Lovecraft mythos. From The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, the term "Old Ones" often applied to the Great Old Ones or the Elder Things...the Antarctic aliens known as the Elder Things,...". Which created life on Earth (Terra) in the H.P. Lovecraft mythos.
[edit] War in Heaven
Before the creation of the Eldar, the Old Ones were at war with the Necrontyr. The Necrontyr were vastly outclassed and would not have posed much of a threat to the Old Ones, had not a twist of fate led them to discover the C'tan. The Necrontyr offered the C'tan physical bodies made of living metal, and renewed the war with the Old Ones.
To combat their new foe, the Old Ones created new warrior races to battle for them, including the Eldar. Knowing that the C'tan were weak against Warp energies, the Old Ones designed their warriors to be psychically linked to the Warp. Unfortunately, the emotions of these new races altered the Immaterium, creating Daemons. The Old Ones were devastated by this event, and are now believed to be extinct.
[edit] Other references to the Old Ones
The Old Ones are supposed to be identical to the Brain Boyz, creators of the Orks. They are also assumed identical to the Old Ones mentioned in Warhammer Fantasy mythology, however recent editions of the games have removed most of the surrounding evidence of this.
