Board Thread:Series general discussion/@comment-32713779-20170729065610/@comment-18014300-20170729201243

PRECURSOR BOXES

"Precursor Boxes are artifacts used in conjunction with other Pieces of Eden to trigger certain effects. When activated, boxes have been known to imprint memories onto users, as well as decipher Precursor writing and project holograms of maps. In the place of a Piece of Eden to power a box, electricity/lightning has been used to open/activate Precursor Boxes, although the risk of damaging them exists if this method is used. Two confirmed Precursor Boxes exist; one is currently in possession of Álvaro Gramática, while the location of the other is unknown.

Ezio gave a Precursor Box to Shao Jun, telling her to open it only as a last resort. This box later surfaced in the possession of the Russian Imperial family; when unexpectedly activated by the Shard of Eden carried by the Assassin Nikolai Orelov, it imprinted Shao Jun's memories onto Anastasia Romanov." — Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide Chapter 2: The Precursor Civilization, pg. 29

This is just for reference in case people want to know exactly what this source says of the boxes and how we might reconcile the inconsistency.