The Pioneers

The Pioneers were an ancient civilization that lived in the Waste, long before any others, even predating orckind. The Waste is no stranger to mysteries, and the Pioneers are shrouded in many of them. The most notable evidence of the Pioneers' former existence is the ruins they left behind, scattered throughout the Waste. More often than not they are buried beneath the Sands, but certain events such as storms sometimes uncover parts of them. Quite curiously, these ruins are constructed of wastebone, but do not seem to be carved from a larger wastebone as Wastern towns are. They can't have been constructed from blocks of wastebone either, as there are no seams. 
Pioneer ruins have no set architectural design. Some ruins are formed of sensible, geometrical shapes, cubes and squares. Others are a lot more wild and misshapen, their interiors more resembling natural caves than buildings. Ruins vary in size, but are often rather large, consisting of many smaller rooms. They are generally unfurnished, save for Ruin Runes. Ruin Runes are the bizarre language of the Pioneers, and they can be found scrawled all over Pioneer ruins. Ruin Runes are often dangerous, as they naturally emit magical effects, which are often dangerous. 
Exactly what the Pioneers were is unknown, but their ruins give a decent idea of how exactly they operated. They were clearly very powerful magic users, perhaps innately so. Even their language is incredibly magically powerful, often dangerously so. It could even mean that they communicated via magical effect more than simple words and speech. They clearly did not see or interact with the world the same way most people do. Their homes are incredibly hard to traverse for ordinary people, with uneven floors and some passages that drop straight down into other rooms. Additionally, their drabness implies that the Pioneers had little care for beauty, or at least what we call beauty.
In conclusion, the Pioneers are still a field largely unexplored, but each ruin that is uncovered provides a little more information, another clue as to what they were. Perhaps one day, once enough has been unearthed about them, the truth will come out. Until then, we must continue to explore the Waste and its past, to learn how to better survive in it and harness its mysteries for our own good.