The First

[GoldenChaos]

When I was creating my own world for Pathfinder I wanted there to be a race that once inhabited the world but died off long before most races came about. All I have figured out is that they were more advanced than the current races in the fantasy medieval world. They some may be half constructs to further their abilities but I am unsure. If anyone has found a Homebrew race for this that would be great.

[GoldenChaos]

Any ideas for the technology of this somewhat advanced race would be good too.

[aimlessPolymath]

This is a somewhat generic request, which makes it difficult to work with. If you have a particular flavor for the race, that would help me narrow it down.... hm...

Brainstorming:
Half construct = cyborg? Maybe they were originally some other race, but over time, learned to modify themselves physically, so they can integrate items into their body?

+2 Int, -2 Wis (you gotta be a little crazy to do this...)

Integrated Items: A X can integrate items into their body in a process requiring 1 week in an environment appropriate for surgery. They may integrate one set of armor, and up to their Con bonus (minimum 1) in items. Integrated items, other than armor exist in two states: Expressed and Concealed. Expressed items can be used as normal, except that they cannot be removed or unequipped from the X's person by any means. Concealed items are not visible, and cannot be detected in a mundane fashion except by surgery. An Integrated Item can be Expressed or Concealed as a free action once per round.

Integrated Weapon: An X gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls using any Expressed weapon.

Integrated Armor: An X reduces the armor check penalty (or whatever it's called) of any Expressed shield or armor by 1 point.

Integrated Item: An X gives any Expressed magic item they use a +1 bonus to its caster level.

Master Surgeon: X's treat Heal as a class skill, and gain +3 to Heal checks. (Increased from +2 to counter Wis penalty)

[Avigor]

Here's some ideas:

The First created the warforged (maybe give them a different name, like 'the clockwork' or something to reflect their less violent origins?) and the currently active ones were found in standby in various ruins. Shouldn't be hard to declare that they don't remember their creators, like they were built but never activated before the First vanished if desired.

Some of their artifacts have nonmagical masterwork properties that are higher than normal (instead of a +1 or a 1 point armor check difference, they can be as high as a +5 or a 5 point difference; there are rules for such as part of the Master class from the War of the Lance book).

Their artifacts often incorporate special materials that are unheard of elsewhere. Perhaps starmetal (complete arcane) is exclusively from their artifacts and is called 'primal adamantium' by scholars who don't know about the comet.

Some of the most advanced fancy items are either recovered examples of or reversed engineered from their artifacts. These could include repeating crossbows and dart thrusters (Underdark, spring powered 1d4 damage 40 ft range increment 3 dart clip martial weapon), the automatic drills (Dungeonscape), the alchemical sword (forgot, think it's from an Eberron book), and some of the more advanced alchemical items like acidic fire and such.

If you want to go really advanced, remember that the Ethergaunts (fiend folio) have nonmagical ranged force weapons you can use as a source of inspiration.

EDIT: Don't forget the Renegade Mastermaker PrC from Magic of Eberron!

[Deepbluediver]

When I was creating my own world for Pathfinder I wanted there to be a race that once inhabited the world but died off long before most races came about. All I have figured out is that they were more advanced than the current races in the fantasy medieval world. They some may be half constructs to further their abilities but I am unsure. If anyone has found a Homebrew race for this that would be great.
How about the Warforged from the Eberron setting? You can refluff them however you need, but one idea I read somewhere that I really liked, was that they were in fact some prior, now-extinct race's attempt to become immortal, by transferring their souls into construct bodies.

[Avigor]

I could have sworn there was a melee weapon somewhere that had a charge of alchemist fire that could be detonated on impact and was a hassle to reload but I can't find it...

[Avigor]

Wish I'd remembered this earlier and hope it isn't too late: Dragon 327, page 66, I love the slate folio, albeit the other items are also good for magitek for the First.

Also, I found that weapon I was thinking of. Vulcanian Thunder Club, from Dragon 304, page 28, it's basically a spiked club with a single-shot, musket-style shotgun built into the top of it. Granted, it isn't exactly super technologically advanced in and of itself, but maybe you can use it for inspiration.

EDIT: Rather than another double-post I'm editing to add that the Elder Eidolon from Lords of Madness is probably worth a gander as well.