First Ones

"They're old, powerful, and dangerous; and they don't like to be bothered." - Ranger Marcus Cole, 2260

 Some of the first ones just got bored after millions of years, and went off in general. The rest, for the most part, went beyond the Rim for the same reason you cut down old trees to make room for new ones. There are beings in the universe billions of years older than the current set of races. In times long past, the First Ones created vast empires, educated developing races and explored beyond the Rim. Over the last million years, the First Ones began to leave. Some got bored, wanting to explore elsewhere and left. Most passed beyond the stars -- across the Rim -- to make way for the younger races, for whom this galaxy still held wonder. They left into the darkness between the galaxies never to return. Others may have ascended to a higher state of being (Worm). A few stayed behind: ten races to be exact.

 The oldest race, the first to gain sentience, is that of the waaHid. Of that race only one remained here, the first and possibly last of his kind: Lorien. The waaHid acted as custodians of the newly evolving races, becoming the shepherds of the Shadows and so on up to the Vorlons. As time wehn on, the waaHid began to die with only the eldest of the race living on in immortality. the waaHid and most of the other First Ones decided to leave. The Shadows and Vorlons elected to remain and guide the new races to their full potential. Unfortunately, each of the two had opposing dogmas regarding how the flocks were to be led. An accord was reached whereby the Shadows and Vorlons would not directly attack each other, but use the youger races in each other's fashion much like a chess game. For the next million years the Shadows sowed chaos and the Vorlons imposed order. Ten thousand years ago marked the last Great War between the Shadows and the First Ones. It was also the last time the First Ones walked only among the "lessor" races. Most went beyond the Veil; other simply returned to their haunts to sleep and wait.

 One thousand years ago, the Shadows returned to their places of power, rebuilt them, and began to sow the seeds of war. A pre-emptive strike by an alliance of worlds (mainly a Minbari and the last remaining First Ones) paused the Shadows' war effort. After that conflict it was thought that the First Ones went away for good, with the exception of the Vorlons who had taken up the job of watchmen. Not all of them have left. A few stayed behind to await the day they would be needed. Some lie asleep deep beneath their ancient cities where no one can bother them, others still walk the stars on errands we can barely imagine. Any call put out to them will not be returned. They must be found and contacted individually, and that is not recommended.

 Although these races are extremely old and most do not think like we do, does not mean they are above the "petty" hangups and conflicts stereotyped by "primitive" peoples. This may not be the case in regard to the source of animosity between the Vorlons and Walkers.

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