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Ancient
civilization of shapeshifters, and the architects of the Dominion. Long ago they explored the galaxy, but found themselves
to be feared, hunted and killed by the solids, their term for non-shape-shifters.
Out of self-defense, the Founders retreated to the a planet in the Omarion Nebula.
From this location, the Founders established the Dominion, through which they controlled hundreds of races
throughout the Gamma Quadrant, imposing order through ruthless violence and fear.
Although isolated, the Founders did not lose their curiosity about the universe.
They sent a hundred infant members of their species across the galaxy, implanting
in each a powerful desire to return home, so that the Founders could learn about
distant places. Deep Space 9 security chief Odo was one of these infants. The Founders
had a strong family link to each member of their species, and it has been said
that no shape-shifter has ever killed another. The Founders' ability to assume
the shape of an object is so complete that a Founder in the guise of an individual
of another species is virtually undetectable, even with sophisticated scanning
equipment. Should, however a piece of a Founder's body be separated from the main
body mass, the separated piece reverts to its normal gelatinous state. The Founders
genetically engineered a warrior race called the Jem'Hadar and they also genetically engineered the Vorta. They altered Jem'Hadar physiology to be dependent on a drug and therefore
more manageable. In 2371, the Founders learned of Enabran Tain's scheme to attack
the Dominion. They took advantage of the situation, staging an
ambush in the Omarion Nebula that virtually annihilated the armed forces of the
Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar. The incident substantially reduced the ability
of the Alpha Quadrant powers to resist a potential Dominion invasion. The Founders also tried to initiate a war
between the Federation and the Tzenkethi, hoping to make the Alpha Quadrant more
susceptible to Dominion attacks.
