Editing Old Ones (Warhammer) (section)

== Warhammer 40,000 ==
In [[Warhammer 40,000]], the Old Ones were a race or group of races that were among the very first intelligent races in the galaxy, if not ''the'' first (heavily implied to be so.) Usually, they are referred to as a single, specific race. However, Codex: Eldar 4th Edition, as well as some of the [[Deathwatch (RPG)|Deathwatch]] supplements, claim that they were actually a ''group'' of the earliest races, who all worked together, which, given that Chaos (such as it was back then) was anathema to him, makes us think of ''another'' [[The Cabal|"rainbow coalition"]] many millions of years later.

[[File:TTS old ones.png|thumb|left|The Old Ones as they appear in [[TTS]].]]
They were incredibly potent psykers (especially since the [[Warp]] was an actual afterlife back then), had access to the [[Webway]] (if they didn't build it themselves, which they most likely did. Then they certainly discovered and expanded it), and had supremely advanced genetic engineering techniques. They created the Khrork (prehistoric [[Ork]]s, kind of like how [[dinosaur]]s are prehistoric birds, but with less genetic deviation), [[Laer]] (which they would probably deeply hate if they knew what the laer had become), [[Jokaero]] (showing that they have a sense of humor), the [[Hrud]], the Rashan, the K'nib, the Eldar (maybe) and many others; some of these were created solely as warrior-races, whereas many were created merely as part of planetary ecosystems, or maybe just for shits and giggles. They also “uplifted” ( in that they already existed but we’re still relatively primitive so the old ones made them smarter and probably gave them fire.)the [[Eldar]] (if they didn’t create them outright), and the [[Necrontyr]] (but since the Necrontyr met the Old Ones for the first time much later, this claim is unlikely). Because they believe that they could one day achieve the same greatness they did… Good God how they were [[FAIL|wrong]] (ironically a lost cause like the poor frail humans are destined to become New Man like the Emperor, far beyond mere Old Ones seeing as his blows during the duel with Horus could have destroyed planets according to the story), (More on that later). The Old Ones were immortal (due to evolving so damn hard that they became energy beings), a gift they seem to have given in some form to [[Perpetual|only]] [[Eldar|some]] of their creations; and also, and of great importance, these races had ''souls'', which gave them presence in the Warp, where the Old Ones were getting up to their own stuff in as well. This eventually of course lead to the warp becoming the fucked up place it is "today," but all because of a lot of drama with the lesser races. The Old Ones [[Not As Planned|didn't intend]] ([[Just As Planned|or did they]]?) for it to get that way because, being a race of Energy beings (at this point), it was more or less their home for all intents and purposes.

The Eldar in particular were one of the first races the old ones uplifted (or created, fluff varies), and due to their absurd reproductive capabilities (basically space rabbits) Were both technologically on par with the old ones, and the most populous race in the galaxy after only a few centuries.

It's basically impossible to talk what went down next without talking about what happened with the [[Necrontyr]]. The Necrontyr had grown up beneath a wretched sun that poured radiation upon them (this radiation may in fact have been Star Vampire shit or merely attracted them, more on them in a bit), so their lives were, without exception, incredibly short (although it's not clear ''how'' short)(Trazyn mentions that the average human lifetime is only slightly longer than the Necrontyr’s were. This being 40k, it’s still not entirely clear). Nevertheless, they managed to scrape together a small interstellar empire, with different star systems ruled by different [[Necron Dynasty|dynasties]]. However, with the First War of Secession, the empire fell into infighting, as the dynasties violently jockeyed for power.

The [[Triarch]] decided a war was just what the doctor ordered to keep the Necrontyr together, and so declared war on the Old Ones, claiming the ''casus belli'' of "you didn't share immortality with us poor, pitiful, mortal creatures." Though lore also says they just wanted medical help so they wouldn’t be in constant pain. The Old Ones refused. This was, as would be expected, a popular cause, and started the so-called [[War in Heaven]]. Why some races were gifted with immortality and others not is unclear, but is probably down to what their particular purpose was (one tenuous but curious connection between the [[Old Ones]] and the [[Cabal]] alluded to above is that the Cabal can apparently create [[Perpetual]]s. If there is a connection, and there are some other hints as well, then the Cabal is the Old Ones, or some vestige of a coalition of immortals appointed by them, trying to un[[Nurgle|fuck]] the [[Slaanesh|fuckery]] that they [[Khorne|fucked up]] the [[Tzeentch|fucking warp]] with by screwing over the only being Chaos is genuinely so scared shitless of they cannot even say his mere title without agony and so just call him “The Anathema”.)

Anyhow, back to the War in Heaven. Despite having much greater numbers and mastery of conventional technology which matched or even exceeded that held by the Old Ones, the Necrontyr did not have access to the Webway, and so were constantly outmaneuvered (even though they could teleport across interstellar distances and build portals...so just suspend your disbelief at the out-maneuvering bit). Soon, the Necrontyr were scattered and left with only a few coreworlds to the galactic north. With the War in Heaven collapsing, the Second War of Secession began, and the Necrontyr began to tear themselves apart again.

Before Necrontyr society collapsed entirely, however, the Necrontyr discovered the [[C'tan]], the Star Gods, leaching on some of their stars. The Necrontyr made metallic bodies for the C'tan, which barely contained their incredible power, as they were basically material universe's equivalent to the [[Chaos Gods]].

The C'tan known as the Messenger (later the [[Deceiver]]) offered the Necrontyr a solution: living metal bodies that were nearly indestructible, in exchange for their service to the C'tan. The Necrontyr accepted, only for them to realize too late that their new bodies required the destruction of their souls and their enslavement to the C'tan. For some reason, the Necrontyr were also renamed the Necrons at this point. One of the C'tan, known as the "Burning One," also helped the newly-robotic Necrons enter the Webway using the [[Dolmen Gate]]s. With the field leveled, the Necrons were now able to take the fight to the Old Ones.

At this point, the Old Ones created many of the aforementioned warrior races, especially the Krork, but even these couldn't stop the Necrons. The wild misuse of the Warp had also spawned the [[Enslavers]] (or, at least, let them enter the material universe), obliterating many of the Old Ones. The birth of [[Chaos]] caused by the corruption of the Warp by the dying emanations of countless warrior races probably didn't help either, to say the least. Incidentally, this also means that the current state of Grimdark in the galaxy is all their fault. With the Old Ones thus weakened, the Necrons and their C'tan allies were able to annihilate the rest of them, at least according to Codex: Necrons 5th Edition. After that, the eldar discovered that by using the webway could create constructs capable of housing the dead, and damage the C’tan. the Necrons exploited the weakened state of the C'tan and turned on their masters; while they were successful in breaking them into countless "shards" of their former power and permanently killed at least one, they feared the retaliation of the Eldar and the other surviving warrior races and went into hibernation until they were ready to rebuild their empire. Ironically they might have been able to play things off as them having been enslaved and blame the war on the C’tan. Especially after they shattered the C’tan.

Although most races aren't aware of their Old Ones heritage, they still made a great impact on the nascent races. In particular, at least according to ''[[Xenology]],'' many races, including the Eldar, have very similar gods, including a [[Khaine|bloody-handed warrior]], a [[Vaul|great smith]], a [[Isha|life-giving goddess of the harvest]], a [[Cegorach|laughing god]], etc. It seems that these gods were inspired by the Old Ones, <s>although whether they're based on particular Old Ones or just general concepts of what they did is uncertain</s>. It was mostly conceptual though since the eldar and old ones were contemporaries by this point. If you read the examples of gods above and thought by yourself: "Haven't I heard of this in real ancient religions at some point?", and if you can then connect ''that'' revelation to The [[Emperor]], congratulations - you know basic mythology.

Also, in [[Hrud]] mythology (again, according to ''Xenology''), there's one last Old One named Qah that only left 500,000 years ago (i.e., long after the Necrons entered hibernation), promising to return when the Hrud reunite to fight the C'tan again. This would imply that, in fact, the Old Ones were ''not'' destroyed entirely by the Necrons, and a few hid or escaped. While this was presumed retconned for a long time, recent fluff has noted that [[Eldrad]] has predicted the impending return of the "Old Masters" and the newly discovered seventh Blackstone Fortress's pristine state suggests they may indeed still live. You can proceed with theorycrafting over whether they made a deal with the Emperor and/or some of the Eldar to fix shit up.

The idea that some of the Old Ones survived is also found in [[Grot]] folk tales. So goes the story, the last of the "Brain Boyz" (Ork term for the Old Ones) hid among the Krorks in the last years of the War in Heaven. But slowly, the Old Ones devolved into the servants of their former slaves. And being enslaved made them degrade further and further, until today they exist only as the [[Snotling]]s, those extra tiny Grots that can just about hold a box of tools without forgetting to breathe and keeling over. The Orks have heard of these folk tales, and get a good chuckle out of it; the story could be completely true for all they care, which is not at all.