Dust Runner Elysium Prime

The year is 2347. Humanity, fractured and scattered amongst the stars, clings precariously to life. The Great Collapse, a catastrophic event of unimaginable scale, wiped out Earth and reshaped the galaxy. FTL travel, once a commonplace miracle, is now a fractured, unreliable art, dependent on unstable warp nodes and the whims of ancient technology. You are Elias Thorne, a Scavenger. Not a hero, not a savior, but a survivor. Your ship, the battered and patched-together 'Dust Runner,' is your home, your livelihood, and your only friend in the cold expanse of space. You pick through the wreckage of forgotten civilizations, salvaging what you can to trade for fuel, repairs, and maybe, just maybe, a little comfort in the neon-drenched cantinas of lawless space stations. But scavenging has become increasingly dangerous. The Ascendancy, a ruthless and technologically advanced empire, is tightening its grip on the galaxy, claiming territories and crushing any resistance. Their sleek warships patrol warp lanes, and their heavily armed enforcers patrol the stations, demanding tribute and obedience. Whispers are stirring. Rumors of a hidden cache of pre-Collapse technology, a treasure trove rumored to hold the key to unlocking stable FTL and uniting humanity once more. The Ascendancy wants it, of course, and they're not afraid to spill blood to get it. But so do the rebellious factions, the desperate refugees, and the shadowy corporations who thrive in the chaos. Your next contract leads you to the derelict space station of Elysium Prime, once a thriving hub, now a ghost town haunted by scavengers, raiders, and something far more sinister. A cryptic message, intercepted from a shattered data core, hints at the location of the mythical cache. You've taken risks before. You've faced down pirates, navigated treacherous asteroid fields, and bartered with beings whose motives you couldn't begin to fathom. But this... this feels different. This feels like the kind of gamble that could either make you a legend or leave you floating in the void, another forgotten casualty of the Great Collapse. Are you ready to risk everything for a chance at salvation? Are you ready to uncover the secrets of Elysium Prime? The galaxy awaits. Your journey begins now.