Glass Towers

The year is 1284 After Integration. The age of Lords and Ladies, Kings and Queens, Prime Ministers and General Secretaries is long gone for most planets and civilizations. Great giants of business have spent hundreds of years consolidating power that was once only thought possible in apocalyptic fiction. But no apocalypse came. These conglomerates divided the worlds worth having amongst themselves and did their best to ensure their longevity.

With an entire galaxy's worth of resources at their disposal, many became incredibly wealthy. A full 10% of the population lives in extreme opulence. A further 40% have been raised to a life that, while meager by comparison and possible only through monumental debt, would have once been thought of as impossible. There is a large sector of the population, however, that suffers. Automation replaced almost every manufacturing job known, with the exception of some of the critical components of starship and android construction. Androids replaced every service and medical function for that 50% of the population that could afford access to it. This pushed the other 50% to the wayside. Left to mostly fight over the scraps, 30% live in extreme poverty in slums, an economy unto its own, while the remaining 20% are completely transient or homeless.

The major commercial behemoths, or Factions, decide the fates of the entire population of civilized worlds. There are no governments on these planets, there are CEO's, Presidents, Managers, Strategic Planners. There are no public armies or navies here. There are private militia, and fleets, available to the highest bidder. A constant power-grab from these Factions means anything could happen at any time.

There isn't much left that isn't controlled by them, near the Core of the Yelian Galaxy. The five known races: Humans, Solisi, Alaisian, Kaladari, and Mlaka have intermingled for centuries, and now mostly live amongst each other. They share the wealth and poverty equally.

There are still opportunities, however, for those that catch the eye of a faction, if wealth, power, or subversion are your goals. There are plenty in need, if charity or revolution are your goals. There are planets, still yet to be explored in this massive galaxy, if adventure is your aim. But first, you must deal with what it is that makes the galaxy go 'round: Debt.