The Progenitor was a massive female firaxan shark that lived in the Hrakert Rift of Manaan. The native Selkath believed that she may be a legendary figure in their mythology of the same name, who was the ancestor of their species as well as the firaxan sharks. According to their legends, she was also the originator of the planet's kolto deposits, or at least the guardian of those deposits.
However, some scientists speculated that she had reached her immense size due to an extended lifespan from feeding on kolto.
Towards the end of the Jedi Civil War, the Galactic Republic established an illegal kolto-mining station near Hrakert rift. The station was built with the knowledge and aid of some Selkath officials in defiance of their government's official stance of neutrality in the conflict, as they feared what would happen if the Sith Empire won the war.
The mining operation disturbed the Progenitor, which sent out a psychic signal that drove both nearby firaxan sharks and the Selkath scientists aboard the station to insanity causing them to attack and eat everyone around them.
Once distress calls were sent from the underwater base, the Republic sent rescue operations and then mercenary teams to discover what happened, however they fell victim to the same dangers. Roland Wann eventually enlisted the aid of the Jedi Revan, also revealing to Revan that there were ancient ruins near the base, which may hold the piece of the Star Map that Revan was seeking, and so it was in both of their interests for him to investigate.
After fighting his way through the murderous Selkath, he discovered a fanatical scientist named Kono Nolan had access to a poison which in theory could kill the Progenitor, but his assistant Sami believed that doing so would pollute the waters of Manaan in ways that might never be corrected. As an alternative, she suggested that destroying the mining equipment by deliberately creating a pressure overload, would remove the source of the Progenitor's distress. Nolan protested that this would set back the mining operation, which would have a potentially devastating effect on the war effort.
Following Sami's advice, Revan destroyed the kolto harvesting machine, and the Progenitor immediately calmed down, even allowing him to approach the Star Map.
When officially questioned by the the Manaan High Court about the explosion detected on the sea bed, Revan revealed the presence of the Progenitor, which the judges of the court were extremely interested in, due to its similarity to the creature of legend, and were very concerned that it may have been harmed.
If Revan chooses the dark side option, he instead pumps the toxin given to him through the ventilation system of the kolto harvesting machine, killing the Progenitor, polluting the waters of Manaan, and destroying all kolto on the planet that had not been harvested. In-game, the prices of medical equipment rise. Revan is also banned from Manaan for destroying the kolto, as well as the Progenitor. This may be avoided if the player chooses the right responses to successfully blackmail the judges with knowledge of their complicity in the base. Also, if the player immediately admits to it, he or she will be executed.
If Revan chooses the dark side option, he instead pumps the toxin given to him through the ventilation system of the kolto harvesting machine, killing the Progenitor, polluting the waters of Manaan, and destroying all kolto on the planet that had not been harvested. In-game, the prices of medical equipment rise. Revan is also banned from Manaan for destroying the kolto, as well as the Progenitor. This may be avoided if the player chooses the right responses to successfully blackmail the judges with knowledge of their complicity in the base. Also, if the player immediately admits to it, he or she will be executed.