Endless Expanse Online, make the Galaxy Yours

Tomorrow Games was bought out by Joseph Mathison of Allcorp. Allcorp was diversified into everything and when they bought Tomorrow Games they shut down Endless Expanse Online and promised to produce the most advanced MMORPG to date. 5 years later, they succeeded and re-launched it as a VR-MMORPG. It was a Space Opera based on an expanding universe concept. Originally the game only included space-based exploration, trade, and combat. The re-launch added planetary combat, i.e. combat on the ground as a First-person Shooter (FPS), Base building, Planetary Administration and Exploitation, as well as Space Exploration, Trade, and Combat. You could almost do anything you could think of.

Wolfgang "The Wolf" Mariconn was one of the most sought after smugglers in the game before he retired 5 years before Endless Expanse Online was shelved. He never over-inflated his prices, if he took a job he finished it, and no matter what he never sold you out. He could run any blockade, defy any government, as long as the price was right. It also almost cost him his family. So he retired from Endless Expanse and worked a regular 9 - 5 job until he could actually retire. Fast forward 15 years and Mariconn is enjoying his grandkids but he has health problems that have put a clock on how much more time he will have with them. Joseph Mathison and Allcorp have a Golden Ticket, a way to extend his life but it will cost him. He is going to have to start up his old life again after he promised to never do it again. It time for this Old Wolf to come out of retirement and thumb his nose at a whole Galaxy one more time cause some things do not have a price tag.

Endless Expanse Online-History

5500 Years ago, Humans fled Earth using a new form of propulsion, the warp drive. The warp drive allowed people to travel faster than light, cutting down on the travel time between planetary systems. They settled on the two habitable worlds in the Alpha Centauri system on Alpha 1 and Alpha 2. At the edge of the Alpha Centauri humanity found an advanced piece of technology, the Jump Gate. It took humanity nearly 200 years to figure out how to activate and use the Jump Gate. For the next 300 years, Humanity expanded and explored 12 Jump Gates and the surrounding systems. During this time, the Imperialists settled Mars and started cleaning up Earth for resettlement. Although Earth would always be known as the Homeworld of Humanity, Alpha Centauri would be known as the Political and Military center of the Imperium. 800 years after fleeing Earth, Humanity encountered the Argonnian Empire. This incident ended with 6 colony worlds and 5 million people being wiped out. 

For 100 years Humanity and the Argonnians were locked in a war of attrition, then the Imperium encountered the Thalonian people for the first time. The Thalonians were friendly and traded technology with the Imperium. The Thalonians had several dealings with the Argonnians and when they learned of Humanities plight with their old enemy, they decided to assist humanity in defeating the Argonnians once and for all. Between the Human Industrial Base and the Thalonian Ingenuity, they were able to defeat the Argonnians in 50 years and drove them back to their core worlds. After a decade of being blockaded within their home cluster and cutoff from Jump Gates, they agreed to a Non-Expansion treaty and the Imperium patrolled and monitored the Argonnian Jump-Gate constantly. With the peace came the Union of the Imperialists and the Thalonians under the Imperialist Government. 

For 3000 years Humanity Expanded and ruled the Galaxy under the name of the Imperium. Hundreds of systems and alien species were settled or brought under the Imperial flag. Although alien species had the same rights as humans, they were seen as less due to the war with the Argonnians. This lead to discontent and occasional wars between the Imperium and separatist movements. Then 1500 years ago, the Thrax organized and led a rebellion with the majority of the other non-human species fallowing them. They believed the war would be quick, instead, the war lasted a 1000 years with hundreds of millions dying on both sides. The Imperialists and those loyal to them were driven to the edge of the galaxy before they enacted a desperate plan to separate themselves from the rest of the galaxy.

Nearly 500 years later, the Galaxy is still recovering from the Great War.

A.E.= After Human Expansion

A.F.= After Fall i.e. post Imperium

I.R.N.= Imperial Remnant Navy also known as Imperial Navy

Argonnian Empire: 

Reptile like people that are xenophobic and isolationists. Whenever they needed more territory they would expand into new systems and wipe out the natural inhabitants by either enslaving them or using them as food. After the fall of the Imperium, they expanded drastically. Due to the fragmented records of the time, no one is sure how many worlds and people fell under their control. No central government leads the Argonnians. They are broken up into Clans and Packs led by Alpha Males and Females. These groups are only known to work jointly when the entire species is threatened otherwise they will fight each other as constantly as they fight others.

Close Combat: 25% increased Proficiency with melee Weapons, Increases Health Regeneration by 30% 

Blood Thirst: 20% Decrease in Ranged weaponry 

Swarm Tactics: 20% Increased proficiency with small/medium craft 

Predators: Start as Hated with Non-Argonnian Factions

Thalonian Confederacy: 

The smallest but perhaps the most powerful Faction. The Confederacy is ruled by a joint Council of the various sub-species of Thalonians. They are perhaps the most advanced technological government since the Imperium fell. These people settled multiple worlds and systems even before they developed Warp Drives or discovered Jump gates. Their scientific spirit still has not ended.

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Futurist Tech: 10% Increased proficiency and damage with Energy-based Weaponry and Powered Armor 

Cloning Society: Weakened Constitution due to engineered genetics 

Forward Thinking: 25% Increased R&D rate and increases the chance to develop or find unique Technology or Blueprints 

Slow Growth: Expansion and Colonization development costs are doubled

Thrax Federation: 

The Thrax are a mammalian species and are extremely predatory. They were once the cornerstone of the Imperiums Military but they grew angry or jealous of the power that Humans wielded with the Imperium. They conspired with multiple species and rebelled against the Imperium and caused the Fall. The war lasted a 1000 years and no part of the Galaxy was left untouched. After the War, the Thrax and her greatest Allies joined together to create the Federation. The Federation is ruled by a council elevated by member species. 

Martial Species: All combat skills are developed 10% Faster 

Military First: Trade skills are learned 10% slower

Fleet Tactics: 10% Increase to fleet movements and combat 

Blood Traitors: Although the Thrax are not as hated as the Argonnians they are still remembered as betraying the Imperium and therefore it is harder for other people to trust them, decreases all diplomatic gains by 50%

The Consortium: 

The Consortium was the first legitimate government to be founded after the Fall. A conglomerate of worlds, space stations, and satellite colonies headed by a President advised by a council. The Consortium was founded on the necessity of safety and the fact that to biggest companies of the Imperium wanted a safe place for their families and a place to rebuild. 

Trade Master: Increases proficiency with all trade skills by 10% 

Pacifist: Decreases the rate you learn combat skills by 5%

Power Brokers: All factions are 25% more likely to respond to Diplomatic Negotiations in a favorable way 

Mercenary People: The military is 10% more likely to be defeated in combat

Beta Faction-The Remnant: 

The remains of the Imperium that were driven to the edge of the Galaxy. To survive they destroyed Dozens of Jump Gates to isolate themselves and prevent Humanity subjugation and Extinction. Only a few isolated Jump Gates were left active lead back to the rest of civilization. They have scraped by and subjected every species in this isolated part of the galaxy. This Faction is ruled by the Imperial Admirals Board with the Senate in support. 

Survivors: Increases the rate that you increase Skills by 5%

Prideful: Increase the chance you will enter combat by 10%

Battle Hardened: Fleet based Skills are started at level 2 and are learned 10% Faster

Betrayed Imperialist: Less likely to form treaties with Outside powers, Militaristic and Expansionist