In Derelict Delvers, the Ancients. Capital "A", are about as understood as powerful wizards, or terrible gods in a fantas game. They are mostly little more than myth and legend.
What they left behind is often confusing, often conflicting, and sometimes downright bizarre.
What the Archive's best minds believe is this:
The Ancients, whoever or whatever they were, grew to a level of understanding the universe that time and space were manipulated to do great things, sometimes terrible things, but truly mind boggling wondrous as well.
The Ancients were once merely mortal. The art and artifacts they left behind indicate they began as any other of the species known across the universe.
The Ancients, while varied in language, knowledge, and seemingly from a thousand worlds, once called a single system, and a single planet--home.
The Ancients understanding of time, space, and what they did with science, certainly could be called magic, sometimes the best minds can't even fathom their purpose.
Some wonders:
Hyperspatial Compartment:
It is believed the Ancients manufactured these devices which appeared as mundane satchels (or purses or backpacks) to allow a person to store more materials than their physical means could transport. The bag is actually a specially molded gateway to a pocket dimension--some form of hyperspace. These bags can hold up to a ton of materials so long as the items fit within the gates transfer point. (The mouth of the bag) The exterior of the bag, no matter what is placed in it--still functions in this world, and maintains its weight at a constant pre-filled level.
Miniature Black Hole
A micro singularity is hypothetically possible by Archive scientists pet theories. However, no one has yet mastered the manufacture of one. The Ancients however seemingly found no barrier to their explorations or their hubris. This device appears as a bottle whose handle loops around and back into its mouth. When activated the bottle swallows itself and the point location becomes the site of an intense gravitic field. Due to its design the device creates no significant pull until one touches the "surface" (the point where light ceases escaping and is pulled into the singularity.) The surface, or edge--appears like a black sphere whose edge refracts light which appears as a halo of multicolored flickerings around its diameter. Anything passing the threshold of this singularity (touching the "surface".) Is instantly destroyed by intense gravitic forces the pull in the object and compress it.
Cellular Compression Drug
How this drug achieves its effects is entirely unknown, it is believed to use seed cells with nanites that make use of exotic dark matter, but that is just supposition so far. When used it shrinks the person who is effected to 1" tall.