Background summary

The year is 2456 CE (Common Era), and since the late 21st century, Humanity has been spreading out among the stars. Leaving behind their homeworld of Earth, humans proliferated throughout space, expanding hundreds of light-years in all directions under the banner of the Sol Alliance. After a century, flourishing cities had been established in nearby systems such as Tau Ceti and Epsilon Eridani, and in the centuries that would follow, hundreds of systems would fall under the control of humanity. Outposts on Garden worlds became metropolises in the span of decades, entire asteroids and moons were mined out and hostile worlds were terraformed and subdued.

At the end of the 22nd century, the power and influence of the Sol Alliance was at its height, but following the 23rd and 24th centuries the power of humanity's central government began to wane. Several rebellions and interstellar wars left Earth devastated and the Alliance conceding independence to its outer-most systems.

In the middle of the prosperity and strife, transtellars have for centuries embarked to make massive profits. The major corporate players had managed to establish a stable, if shaky peace between themselves, with no single corporation able to completely dominate the others. Any semblance of equilibrium between the mega-corps was shattered with NanoTransen's discovery of the element plasma.

Humanity is not alone in this vast sea of stars. Numerous alien races have been discovered in the past 50 years, some peaceful, some hostile and some just plain weird. The brilliant Skrell, the crafty Tajara, the warlike Unathi and elegant Dionaea are but a few of the races of this extremely diverse galaxy. Many more exist, and while most are simply apathetic to humanity, others are openly hostile.

If one thing can be said to unite the various species, it is the drive to control the powerful element plasma, which not only has revitalized space travel but also holds untold capabilities. Humanity, specifically NanoTrasen, has taken control of the vast majority of plasma deposits, drawing the interest of many alien species, extremist cults and even more mysterious forces. Within humanity, a divide has begun to form: What is NanoTrasen's role not just economically but in human society? Are they the benevolent corporation that keeps the engine of human interstellar civilization alive or are they the greedy suits dedicated to manipulating galactic society through their stranglehold on the plasma market?

Recently the Syndicate has emerged as an organization dedicated to stopping NanoTrasen. Decentralized, secretive and efficient, the Syndicate has attacked NanoTrasen installations, mining outposts and personnel. Some decry them as terrorists, others see them as the only force with a chance to overthrown NanoTrasen.

This age is one of progress, war, and greed. It is the Age of Mankind.

Your Workplace
Welcome to Tau Ceti, a star system approximately 12 light-years away from Sol, under the joint control of the Republic of Biesel and the trans-stellar corporate conglomerate Nanotrasen. You have been assigned to work aboard the NSS Aurora, a state-of-the-art research and mining facility orbiting Tau Ceti within the Romanovich Cloud at the very edge of the system. Even after several centuries of being inhabited by human colonists, and flourishing into a central trade hub for human space, the edge of Tau Ceti is still considered to be a frontier of sorts, as are the outer areas of most other star systems.

After the discovery of a substance known as Plasma in this system, Nanotrasen quickly established a monopoly that granted them control over Humanity's fuel source and established them as the most powerful corporation in human space.

The Economy
The most common currency in human space is the Standard Credit, originally issued by the Sol Alliance in the early 22nd century. Despite the decline of the Sol Alliance, the Standard Credit remains the reserve currency of many polities, and it is accepted on most worlds throughout human space. The Standard Credit is represented by cr (e.g. 5,000 cr).

Sol
Ever since the Holocaust of 2316 at the conclusion of the Great War, the Earth has been relegated to the the status of a backwater world, a far cry from its former position as the beating heart of human civilization. A significantly reduced population of 1 billion is ruled over by a number of semi-independent Sol Alliance protectorates, the remnants of the nations of Old Earth. The people of this world are generally bitter, resentful, and carry a fatalistic outlook towards life. In the decades following the holocaust, billions left the Earth and now form the Earth Diaspora, a loose assortment of refugees and rogues which have slowly diffused throughout human space.

Although Luna is more developed than Earth, millions of its inhabitants reside in decrepit Earth-slums.

The administrative center of the Sol Alliance is Nova Concordia, in orbit around Mars. Built to replace the destroyed New Eden station, Nova Concordia is the seat of the Sol Alliance government. Mars itself is partially terraformed. It is home to over a billion people, many of them the descendants of Earth refugees, living in crushing poverty amid ruins or in the centuries old biodomes.

Inner Colonies
Also known as the Inner Sphere. The inner colonies lie within 100 lightyears of Sol. The inner sphere is home to 21 billion people, with 160 systems with at least 100,000 permanent residents. Six of these systems (including Sol) have populations exceeding one billion. Inner Colonies are the oldest in human space, typically between 200 and 350 years old. These worlds form the heartland of the Sol Alliance and are the technological and economic hub of human space, with endless streams of trade ships flowing through the Warp Gates connecting the most developed systems. Following the Holocaust of 2316, refugees from earth founded colonies in several uninhabited Red Dwarf systems and on the outskirts of many of the more developed systems.

Life here is the best in human space. Much of the population lives in relative comfort, although the average wage tends to be lower than that of the middle and some outer colonies. Towering arcologies, massive city-stations, and great multi-tiered metropolises which can reach over a kilometer tall can be found on the most populated of these systems. The Inner Colonies are home to the greatest cultural diversity in human space, with distinct colonial identities in many of the older systems, and several hundred spoken languages. The average lifespan ranges from 210-250.

Mid Colonies
Also known as the Mid Sphere. The Mid Colonies lie between 100 and 200 lightyears from Sol. The mid sphere has a combined population of 15 billion, and contains 213 systems with at least 100,000 permanent residents. Three of these systems have populations of at least a billion. Colonies here are typically 100 to 200 years old. The Sol Alliance remains the dominant power in this region of space, primarily through the use of client states. Following the Great War, several of the larger colonies declared independence. These Independent Powers continue to encroach upon the margins of Sol Alliance space.

Life here is good, though not quite as nice as in the inner colonies. Metropolises and mega-cities are a rarer site here than in the Inner Colonies, infrastructure tends to be less developed and the lack of direct access to the Warp Gate system means trading is more expensive. Inhabitants of the mid colonies are more likely to be skeptical of the Sol Alliance, resenting the control the inner colonies exert over the Alliance. The mid colonies are widely considered to be the edge of "developed" space, much to the consternation of the inhabitants of the outer colonies. The average lifespan here generally ranges from 190-230.

Outer Colonies
Also known as the Outer Sphere. The Outer Colonies lie between 200 and 300 lightyears from Sol. The outer sphere is home to 8 billion people and contains about 310 systems with at least 100,000 permanent residents. New colonies are still regularly founded in this sphere, and most settlements are less than 100 years old. These worlds lie beyond the reach of the Sol Alliance. Instead, the majority of the Outer Sphere is divided into a number of multi-system polities, generally aligned with one of the Great Powers.

Life here is harder than in the Mid colonies, though many see independence from the Sol Alliance as being worth the price. People here generally live in towns and cities of around 5,000-50,000 people. The 'Spacer' culture is especially strong in the Outer Colonies as countless migrants mine the asteroid belts in search of fortune. Millions of Outer Colonials live in simple orbitals, many relying on centrifugal force rather than gravity generators. Technology is generally a decade or two behind that of the inner and mid colonies. The average lifespan here ranges from 160-200.

Frontier
The Frontier consists of all space more than 300 lightyears away from Sol; it is the very edge of known space. Frontier space contains at least inhabited systems with an estimated population of 1 billion. The affairs of the Inner and Middle Colonies are nearly irrelevant to these hard-spun settlers, although many remain resentful. People are often forced to make do with equipment decades or even a century behind that of the inner worlds. The largest political entities are a few united systems, but most 'governments' are confined to a planet or city-state. 'Frontiersmen are born in a hardsuit', so the saying goes, and live or die by their skill and luck. Life is harsh and comparatively short here, with life spans ranging from 130-180. Those that do survive can often attain extensive technical knowledge. Here you will find the outsiders of Human (and alien) society; cults, fanatics, Earth supremacists, political exiles, outlaws, rogue AI’s, and radical exhumans.

Humanity



 * Home System: Sol
 * Homeworld: Earth
 * Majority Languages: Tau Ceti Basic, Sol Common
 * Major Political Entities: Sol Alliance, Republic of Biesel, Eridani Corporate Federation

'Homo Sapiens', or as they're more commonly known, Humans, are the most prevalent species in known space. Collectively, they have more territory under their control than all other known species combined. Most trans-stellar corporations and conglomerates are owned and staffed by humans, giving them significant economic pull in the galactic community.

However, despite their collective achievements, humans are fractured into hundreds of independent factions, severely limiting their ability to organize as a species. Additionally, ideological differences further deteriorate relations between human factions.

Highly advanced technologically, humans are one of several known races to independently achieve viable, interstellar space flight.

Skrell



 * Home System: Jargon (Nralakk)
 * Homeworld: Jargon IV(Qerrbalak)
 * Majority Languages: Skrellian, Tau Ceti Basic
 * Major Political Entities: Skrellian Alliance

An amphibious species whose passion lies in the field of the combined sciences, the Skrell are the oldest and most advanced species present on the galactic stage. The Skrell evolved on a planet covered in vast swamps and freshwater seas, hence their amphibious qualities, such as moist, pliant and nearly translucent skin, as well as their vestigial gill slits.

Skrell are largely asexual, with most seeing reproduction as a process necessary to continue their lineage and nothing more.

While humanity has largely overtaken the Skrell in the area of system colonization, the Skrell maintain a strong confederation of colonies roughly three-quarters the size of human space. They are also the most technologically advanced species in known space, and possess the strongest and most highly trained military of any spacefaring species.

Unathi



 * Home System: Uueoa-Esa
 * Homeworld: Moghes
 * Majority Languages: Sinta Unathi
 * Major Political Entities: Uneth Hegemony

The fierce and warlike Unathi are a reptilian race. They are a relative newcomer to the stars. The Unathi are not the first sentient species to inhabit their homeworld. Archaeological evidence of a highly advanced and warlike civilization that predated the Unathi have been uncovered on Moghes. The harsh conditions on the planet, as well as residual traces of radioactive materials hints that the civilization collapsed following a nuclear war.

Uneth cultures tend to have strict gender lines which are well defined, and breaking them is highly taboo.

The Unathi are least advanced of all known species. They lack the technology and the infrastructure to terraform other worlds and establish planetary colonies.

Tajara



 * Home System: S'rand'marr
 * Homeworld: Adhomai
 * Majority Languages: Siik'maas, Siik'Tajir
 * Major Political Entities: People's Republic of Adhomai

The Tajaran are a feline race, and the most recent to make an appearance on the galactic stage. They are also the second most populous species in known space, behind humans in terms of population. Most of their early history is a story of indentured servitude to their own people, having been governed by a oligarchy composed of blood line rulers.. Approximately two years after they were discovered by humans, they revolted against the ruling class and successfully claimed their independence.

Dionaea



 * Home System: Epsilon Ursae Minoris
 * Homeworld: N/A
 * Majority Languages: N/A
 * Major Political Entities: N/A

The Dionaea are a peaceful, plantlike race that were discovered by the Skrell in 2294 CE. Each individual dionaea is in fact an amalgamation of millions of smaller organisms operating as a single unit. Gentle and even-tempered, the Dionaea have no official government and have no military force to speak of. They possess good relations with the governments of most other sentient species.

IPC



 * Home System: N/A
 * Homeworld: N/A
 * Majority Languages: N/A
 * Major Political Entities: N/A

An Integrated Positronic Chassis, or IPC, is an positronic artificial intelligence inside a bipedal, humanoid frame, that has amassed enough currency to purchase its own freedom from its owners. The existence of IPCs is still a highly inflammatory subject, and as of yet, they lack the basic rights that members of most organic races possess. While gender neutral, individual intelligences may develop personality quirks to further their "uniqueness."

Vox



 * Home System: Unknown
 * Homeworld: Unknown
 * Majority Languages: Tau Ceti Basic, Vox Standard
 * Major Political Entities: Unknown

A coalition of several different species and subspecies of avian aliens, the Vox are known throughout civilized space. They are usually in the role of raiders or swindlers. While most other sentient races have some individuals that turn to a life of piracy, it seems that with the Vox, piracy and theft are important aspects to their culture. They raid shipping convoys and newly established colonies for resources, before retreating back into interstellar space, where most governments do not have the jurisdiction, nor the military power to pursue them. Not much is known about the Vox, despite their ubiquity in known space. Despite the average Vox not being extremely intelligent, extreme caution is still advised if one is encountered.

Trans-stellar Corporations
The massive corporations, uniquely human entities, rose to prominence during the advent of space travel, allowing entire planets to be claimed as corporate assets. Trans-stellar corporations normally cooperate with local governments and frontier colonies to establish trade agreements and gain the rights to utilize certain resources. Extremely powerful, most have established their own colonies and exert power over them like any regional government would. Trans-stellar corporations usually employ private military contractors and security consultants to police the areas under their control.

There are a number of major trans-stellars, almost all of which are owned by humans. The eight major ones in human space, going in order from largest to smallest, are the Nanotrasen Corporate Conglomerate, Osiris Atmospherics, Einstein Engines, Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, Hephaestus Industries, and Eridani NanoTech.

Not everyone was in favor of the formation of trans-stellar megacorporations, and many smaller companies allied themselves against them. However, these alliances were met with stunning and repeated failures, and by the end of the 23rd century, they had collapsed due to economic ruin and internal intrigue.

Independent Systems
Independent systems are the former colony worlds that declared independence from the Sol Alliance. After the Alliance's power collapsed, many of these flourished and grew in power, often laying claim to the entirety of their star system. However, not every nation gets along with its neighbors, and sometimes interstellar war can occur between two independent states, just as conventional war happened on Earth up to the late 21st century. These groups include (but are not limited to) the United Colonies of America, the Eridani Federation, the Raksa Pack, the New British Empire, the Mjolnir Coalition, the Republic of Elyra, and the Principality of Caladbolg. The Warriors of Thanatos can be considered an independent system due to their size and prevalence, but as of yet do not fully control a star system.

Sol Alliance
Once the central government of a unified Humanity, the Sol Alliance is now a shadow of its former glory. Reduced to the human home system of Sol and the inner colonies surrounding it, the Alliance has lost most of its pull with the rest of humanity. While most transtellars publicly support the Alliance, and many of their corporate profits flow back into the Inner-colonies, some wonder at what point will these megacorporations start threatening (or outright buying) the weakened Alliance. Nanotrasen has gone so far as to establish a foothold within the center of Alliance space, a move some are calling a bloodless coup.