Mass Effect: Underworld
“In other news, the Council has recently denied reports of a Prothean artifact being discovered in the Terminus systems, calling them ‘rumours spread by attention seeking treasure hunters.’ Recent actions by major organisations in the Terminus suggest otherwise - this reporter thinks the Artifact is very real, and the council doesn’t want us to have it. To all the organisations out there hunting the artifact, good for you. Its about time the council shared their toys with the rest of us.
I’m Toruk, and this is Omega News.”
Where there is free civilisation there is crime, and where there is crime, someone will step above the rank and file to organise it. The year 2178CE is no different to any other in this regard, and despite recent setbacks for many of the less organised, for the more powerful groups its business as usual. The galaxy seems to be at peace for now, with no major conflicts brewing, and that is good for business, whatever the business may be.
Only one unusual event is causing ripples among these circles right now. There are rumours circulating across the galaxy that a Prothean artifact of unprecedented power has been located on a remote world in the Terminus systems by a tiny mining corporation no-one had heard of until now. Any Prothean artifact has the potential to advance civilisation by hundreds of years, and that places these artifacts among the most valuable items known to any race, if not the most valuable. Normally they are snapped up by the Council as soon as they are found, but in this case a rare opportunity has arisen - the Artifact’s precise location is unknown and it is deep within the lawless Terminus systems. The Council has been unable to retrieve it so far, and whoever does manage this feat stands to make a fortune large enough to buy a small planet with, as well as earn instant fame across the galaxy.
Needless to say, few are in as good a position to embark on such a risky endeavour as the lawless princes of the underworld that already call space such as the Terminus and Attican Traverse their home, and have hordes of loyal minions to do their bidding. Of course, the original finder of the artifact is still around, and probably already planning out his retirement as he prepares to transport the artifact to the Council. Action will need to be swift and decisive for any crime lord-turned artifact hunter to have a chance at the biggest score in recent history. Not only this, but every other organisation out there is also gunning for the artifact and the Council isn’t going to just stand back and wait for less-than-trustworthy organisations to bring it to them. The only good thing in the whole mess is that the truly mighty power blocs like Aria and the Shadow Broker have decided not to get involved with such a risky and volatile situation. They already have power, influence and a fortune and risking it all to get more just isn’t their style, especially not with the many other concerns that plague them.
Even those organisations that aren’t planning to get involved with the artifact hunt stand to gain from the whole situation. While others scramble for the artifact, they can consolidate and expand their power and influence.
Across the galaxy, boardrooms, bars, HQs and hideouts are ringing with the sound of the some of the more brilliant and power hungry beings plotting how best to profit from the situation. One thing is certain. There will be profit.
Everyone has heard of Aria, Cerberus, The Shadow Broker, Blue Suns, Eclipse and Blood Pack, but the galaxy is a big place, and not even these giants can hope to be everywhere at once. A great many other groups of people band together and form organisations and networks to make their lives on the wrong side of the law easier. Most of these organisations don’t last the year before being torn down, either by outside influence or from within, but a few make it and become real players on the wide and varied field of organised crime. This RP is about those organisations. They can range from highly illegal drug cartels, to organised smuggling rings, to research firms that leave ethics at the door, to information brokers, or even a simple and mostly legal mercenary organisation. This RP presents a playground for the criminal masterminds of every stripe, and while the law is around I encourage you the player to be imaginative and go mad with power. If controlling shadow empires beyond the law and competing with your fellows for petty reasons is your thing, this is the RP for you.
This RP takes place five years before the events of Mass Effect 1, in the same continuity as its spiritual predecessor Mass Effect: Nova. Events that happened in Nova happened in the history of Underworld, and though they have very little bearing on the RP, they may occasionally be referenced. Please take into account the time the RP is set in, the Geth, Collectors and Reapers aren’t around right now, Thermal Clips haven’t been invented and a variety of other things are yet to occur.
The game is run by me, the GM (Sundered Echo). Players control their organisations in the entirety, but control ends there. A main plot will exist that I will control, though it is usually up to you how much your organisation gets involved in it. Ally or fight with each other, plot and scheme and generally indulge in intrigue. The world is a living one and will react to your actions, so don’t be afraid to be imaginative and varied in your interactions. The game is as much about exploration of the Mass Effect setting as it is about my plot, and people are encouraged to interact with no regard to the plot whatsoever.
For those that do not know me, I am a friendly and open-minded GM. My prior experience includes Star Wars: Coruscant Sacked: Aftermath - An RP that ran for over a year and survived Guildfall. It is currently in planning for a reboot. I also Co-GM Stargate: Alliances and participated heavily in the development of Mass Effect: Nova, an RP stretching back to 2012 and the spiritual predecessor of this RP.
“In other news, the Council has recently denied reports of a Prothean artifact being discovered in the Terminus systems, calling them ‘rumours spread by attention seeking treasure hunters.’ Recent actions by major organisations in the Terminus suggest otherwise - this reporter thinks the Artifact is very real, and the council doesn’t want us to have it. To all the organisations out there hunting the artifact, good for you. Its about time the council shared their toys with the rest of us.
I’m Toruk, and this is Omega News.”
Where there is free civilisation there is crime, and where there is crime, someone will step above the rank and file to organise it. The year 2178CE is no different to any other in this regard, and despite recent setbacks for many of the less organised, for the more powerful groups its business as usual. The galaxy seems to be at peace for now, with no major conflicts brewing, and that is good for business, whatever the business may be.
Only one unusual event is causing ripples among these circles right now. There are rumours circulating across the galaxy that a Prothean artifact of unprecedented power has been located on a remote world in the Terminus systems by a tiny mining corporation no-one had heard of until now. Any Prothean artifact has the potential to advance civilisation by hundreds of years, and that places these artifacts among the most valuable items known to any race, if not the most valuable. Normally they are snapped up by the Council as soon as they are found, but in this case a rare opportunity has arisen - the Artifact’s precise location is unknown and it is deep within the lawless Terminus systems. The Council has been unable to retrieve it so far, and whoever does manage this feat stands to make a fortune large enough to buy a small planet with, as well as earn instant fame across the galaxy.
Needless to say, few are in as good a position to embark on such a risky endeavour as the lawless princes of the underworld that already call space such as the Terminus and Attican Traverse their home, and have hordes of loyal minions to do their bidding. Of course, the original finder of the artifact is still around, and probably already planning out his retirement as he prepares to transport the artifact to the Council. Action will need to be swift and decisive for any crime lord-turned artifact hunter to have a chance at the biggest score in recent history. Not only this, but every other organisation out there is also gunning for the artifact and the Council isn’t going to just stand back and wait for less-than-trustworthy organisations to bring it to them. The only good thing in the whole mess is that the truly mighty power blocs like Aria and the Shadow Broker have decided not to get involved with such a risky and volatile situation. They already have power, influence and a fortune and risking it all to get more just isn’t their style, especially not with the many other concerns that plague them.
Even those organisations that aren’t planning to get involved with the artifact hunt stand to gain from the whole situation. While others scramble for the artifact, they can consolidate and expand their power and influence.
Across the galaxy, boardrooms, bars, HQs and hideouts are ringing with the sound of the some of the more brilliant and power hungry beings plotting how best to profit from the situation. One thing is certain. There will be profit.
Everyone has heard of Aria, Cerberus, The Shadow Broker, Blue Suns, Eclipse and Blood Pack, but the galaxy is a big place, and not even these giants can hope to be everywhere at once. A great many other groups of people band together and form organisations and networks to make their lives on the wrong side of the law easier. Most of these organisations don’t last the year before being torn down, either by outside influence or from within, but a few make it and become real players on the wide and varied field of organised crime. This RP is about those organisations. They can range from highly illegal drug cartels, to organised smuggling rings, to research firms that leave ethics at the door, to information brokers, or even a simple and mostly legal mercenary organisation. This RP presents a playground for the criminal masterminds of every stripe, and while the law is around I encourage you the player to be imaginative and go mad with power. If controlling shadow empires beyond the law and competing with your fellows for petty reasons is your thing, this is the RP for you.
This RP takes place five years before the events of Mass Effect 1, in the same continuity as its spiritual predecessor Mass Effect: Nova. Events that happened in Nova happened in the history of Underworld, and though they have very little bearing on the RP, they may occasionally be referenced. Please take into account the time the RP is set in, the Geth, Collectors and Reapers aren’t around right now, Thermal Clips haven’t been invented and a variety of other things are yet to occur.
The game is run by me, the GM (Sundered Echo). Players control their organisations in the entirety, but control ends there. A main plot will exist that I will control, though it is usually up to you how much your organisation gets involved in it. Ally or fight with each other, plot and scheme and generally indulge in intrigue. The world is a living one and will react to your actions, so don’t be afraid to be imaginative and varied in your interactions. The game is as much about exploration of the Mass Effect setting as it is about my plot, and people are encouraged to interact with no regard to the plot whatsoever.
For those that do not know me, I am a friendly and open-minded GM. My prior experience includes Star Wars: Coruscant Sacked: Aftermath - An RP that ran for over a year and survived Guildfall. It is currently in planning for a reboot. I also Co-GM Stargate: Alliances and participated heavily in the development of Mass Effect: Nova, an RP stretching back to 2012 and the spiritual predecessor of this RP.
