In the 24th Century, humanity is divided.

The American Union has spread across several worlds when it was youthful and full of vigor. Now, it finds itself bloated and corrupted to the point that The Magnetic Assembly has split off an entire system with its cybernetic extremists. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth of Worlds has leaped out from Europe and colonized a system of its own, but finds its ideals of freedom and utopia challenged at every turn. Worse still, the Heaven Forged Republic is only one in name only, its confederacy divided between those looking at the past, present and future.

Of course, humanity is not alone.

The Daqin Empire murderously sprung out of the body of the Pan Asian Combine, its once enslaved transhumans finding their own home in the stars. However, their grudges are deep, as are those of the Aos Si. Scattered across space, they are the survivors of a catastrophe of untold proportions, their star spanning hegemony collapsing into myth and legend. Once forced into hiding by the most ruthless of humanity and only recently reemerging, they are slowly building in influence and strength. Meanwhile, giant, space faring spiders the size of small bears known as Theradectans have made themselves known.

As has magic, its presence returning like the slow ebb and flow of an unstoppable tide.