I despise prologues that are merely excuses for an artificial history lesson. There are the character conflict prologues (Janie hates peas because ...) and the SF/F historical bit.
They all remind me of the opening on the movie _The Fog_. If you don't have Adrienne Barbeau in the prologue, ditch it. [ Well, ditch it anyway and move her into the book proper].(_The Fog_ for babes in the woods.)
Start the story in an interesting place along the plot line. Trim if necessary. Illustrate setting, tone and conflict in your first chapter. If a background is needed, then your first chapter needs work.
The book is set after "some horrible thing" and you want us to understand ? Trust me - do it well and we'll get the picture.
Nothing you tell me in a prologue can be as horrible as what I can imagine. Let me have some fun, too.
clues at the scene
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