Elite: Dangerous

=== Setting ===
Elite Dangerous is set in the 34th century, 50 years after the events of Frontier: First Encounters, starting in the year 3300 (equals 2014). Humanity is expanding from the Core Systems (aka Bubble) into the unpopulated regions of the Milky Way. The Frameshift Drive was introduced by Sirius Corporation in 3297. FSD equipped ships go up to (or exceeding) 2,000 times FTL in a star system (the maximum supercruise speed is negatively impacted by nearby planetary or stellar gravitational wells). Hyperspace is used for interstellar travel in a few seconds. Ships are as affordable to the middle-class as cars in the 20th century. Owning a ship expands career possibilities like mining, trading, and bounty hunting. However, little has changed for the underclass. The megacorporations employ entire nations and rule unchecked over sections of the galaxy. Politics is rarely an obstacle in deep space. Most star systems are lawless which necessitates a laissez faire ownership of weapons. Outside the Core Systems are dangerous hazards, factions, pirates and alien creatures. The only known living sapient species are Humans and the insectoid Thargoids. The Guardians are believed to have been driven to extinction 1-2 million years ago. There are also numerous alien flora and fauna on planetary bodies and in space. There are countless facilities on planets and starports in colonized space. As of 17 June 2026, 195,463,043 star systems (about 0.0489% of the galaxy) have been cataloged, of which 97,728,089 have been explored directly, and 97,734,054 we only know the coordinates of because players plotted routes that passed through those stars.
On-demand, anti-gravity tech does not exist in ED. Ships, outposts, and installations are traversed by floating, using suit micro thrusters, or walking with magnetic boots. Starports, megaships, and other very large ships have rotating rings that rely on centripetal force to generate gravity.
The First Thargoid War occurred in 3125-3151 before ED. The humans were represented by the superpower GalCop (Galactic Cooperative of Worlds), founded in August 2696. The war began in 3125 when colonists in the Veliaze system contacted a Thargoid and assaulted it. The territorial Thargoids responded with military force. The humans were severely disadvantaged by the technological superior Thargoids. Scientists of the clandestine paramilitary organization INRA (Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm) developed the mycoid bioweapon. This was very effective against the ammonia-based Thargoids so they retreated. GalCop's focus on military involvement caused economic exhaustion. Corruption scandals at the highest levels lead to the dissolution on 19 August 3174.
There are 3 interstellar superpowers: the Alliance (Alliance of Independent Systems), Empire (Empire of Achenar) and the Federation who compete for influence in the galaxy. The Federation rose from the ashes of World War III which occurred between 2044-2055. Most countries were devastated by ICBMs with over 1 billion casualties. After the war in 2055; the United States of the Americas was the dominant power and left mostly unscathed due to its anti-missile defensive laser grid and armed satellites. The rebuilding phase made corporations dominant on Earth. The USA renamed itself to the Federation of the United States. It was renamed again to the Federation, because a reference to a pre-war power impeded the remaining countries from joining. The Federal Accord was ratified in 2242 by five member systems (Sol, Tau Ceti, Delta Pavonis, Altair, and Beta Hydri). This constitution was derived from the earlier powers, in particular the constitution of the USA, but much simplified. A key tenet is the protection of xeno-culture and lifeforms. It has a representative democracy with an elected president. The capital city is Olympus Village on Mars which replaced Washington, D.C. in the 3rd millennium. There are two main parties: Liberal Party and Republican Party. Federal Congress is in Olympus Village and has 500 Congressmen (unisex term). The Federation is socially and economically a corporatocracy that extensively uses technology like robotics and AI. By January 3308, it has the biggest population of 1.9+ trillion people and 3,730 systems.
The Empire began as the Republic of Achenar which was founded by the anti-Federation activist Marlin Duval in the Achenar system in 2292. Marlin was a wealthy woman and Federal citizen who became disillusioned of the corruption and increasingly rigid government. She led an expedition into unknown space and colonized the habitable moon Achenar 6d which orbits a gas giant. The republic was prosperous and had a democracy with elected senators. However, Marlin Duval died in a speeder crash in 2296. Her brother Henson Duval took control of the Republic and restructured it into the Empire. Colonization efforts and terraforming on Achenar 6d (now Capitol) led to the extinction of the Mudlarks (native species). The Federation accused the Empire of genocide, while the Empire claimed it was caused by introduced bacteria of the colonists. The Federation used this as a pretext to invade the Achenar system in the Battle of Achenar in 2324. However, Emperor Henson Duval secretly commissioned a battle fleet to stop the invasion. Henson used all civilian and military ships for a counterattack in 2325. The Federal Fleet retreated to Beta Hydri. This established the Empire as a superpower and cemented its independence. The Empire and Federation signed a peace treaty in 2382, but the animosity and a lingering cold war continues. The Empire has a hereditary monarchy, and a rigid hierarchy with legalized slavery. The Imperial Palace is the seat of the Emperor. It's located in the city of Capitol on the planet Capitol in the Achenar system. Imperial society is strictly stratified and based on a cliens system. People can move between strata based on money, patronage and influence. The Empire uses slave labour and clones more than the Federation to be less dependent on technology. The Empire has a population of around 1.65+ trillion people and 4,239 systems in January 3308.
The Alliance was founded by Mick Turner and Meredith Argent in the 33rd century. The resource-rich systems were tired of supporting the conflicts between the Federation and Empire. The 3230 uprising in Alioth lead to the establishment of the Alliance of Independent Systems. This democratic bloc grew as systems revolted from the other superpowers. During the next two decades, 20 systems joined the Alliance for self-determination or protection. They have mutual ideals to promote and safeguard the independent systems from the authoritarian superpowers. It consists of a loose confederation of independent systems. They collaborate via the Alliance Assembly. It has a parliamentary democracy seated in the Alioth system: Garden City on Turner's World, near the old industrial and shipbuilding city of New Rossyth. The Alliance has an elected Prime Minister, but the real power rests with the civil servants and the Council of Admirals. The alliance has around 557 billion people and 1,199 systems in January 3308.



Plot

The plot of Elite Dangerous begins in the year 3300. It covers events that happened over a decade since the game launched on 16 Dec 2014. The player is a newly licensed pilot of the Pilots Federation with the title of commander. In ED: Odyssey, the player starts at a small settlement called Briscoe's Legacy. The base is powered down and on fire. Power must be restored. After defeating the hostile troops, a pilot in a Cobra Mk IV takes the player to a spaceport. The player receives a loaned Sidewinder Mk I and a few credits, after which they are free to decide their own path, whether as an independent operator, explorer, trader, system architect, etc.
On 19 December 3300, Emperor Hengist Duval decreed in the Senate that his son Prince Harold Duval was not of sound mind and unsuitable to succeed him to the Imperial throne. 5 August 3301 was the wedding day of Emperor Hengist Duval with Florence Lavigny. They were assassinated by Brendan Paul Darius, an aide to Senator Denton Patreus. The heir apparent Prince Harold Duval was assassinated aboard his ship while traveling from Capitol to Cemiess by a member of the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army on 14 September 3306. Senator Arissa Lavigny-Duval was the illegitimate daughter of Hengist and Florence and crowned Emperor on 18 October 3301.
Federal President Jasmina Halsey and Vice President Ethan Naylor disappeared while aboard Starship One on 26 May 3301. Zachary Hudson was the Federal President between 2 June 3301 - 31 October 3310. Hudson was a longtime friend of Lucas Vincent (former Admiral of the Fleet of the Federal Navy). Vincent was convicted in 3307 of conspiring with Core Dynamics CEO Jupiter Rochester to sabotage Starship One and assassinate former President Jasmina Halsey in 3301. The Federal High Court found Zachary Hudson not guilty since he lacked any involvement, but the scandal hurt his credibility. Hudson lost the presidential election in 3309 and was succeeded by Felicia Winters of the Liberal Party. Hudson retired from Powerplay on 31 October 3310. The Republican Party gained a new leader Jerome Archer from the Nanomam system.
Kahina Tijani Loren (aka Salomé) was an Imperial noble who briefly served as senator of the Prism system. She left her senatorial position to expose a far-reaching conspiracy and shadowy cabal called The Club. She carried vital information from the Formidine Rift back to civilized space during the Salomé event on 29 April 3303. This was a massive player driven event where players attempted to escort the key NPC, Salomé. However, the event was sabotaged by CDMR Besieger (aka Harry Potter) of the Smiling Dog Crew (SDC). He infiltrated the security force and assassinated her. She became a martyr and inspiration for her followers to break The Club's control.
The Ancient Ruins were discovered by CMDR XDeath in the Synuefe XR-H d11-102 system on 27 October 3302. The Guardian Structures with Sentinels and Data Terminals were found since 27 February 3304, thanks to the researcher Ram Tah. These ruins are remnants of a species-wide, interstellar, FTL communications network. They were built by the extinct Guardians.
The Second Thargoid War was between 3308-3310. The cause was a territorial dispute. They constructed 8 huge capital ships called Titans which were hidden inside Maelstroms in 3309. The Thargoids attacked the Core Systems and caused high human casualties and a refugee crisis. The humans won by destroying the Titans. The final Titan Cocijo was destroyed in Sol on 26 May 3310. The outcome of the Thargoid Wars were influenced by the players in the shared narrative. Supercruise Overdrive (SCO) became available after researching Thargoid Titan tech in 3310.
Player driven colonization of star systems began on 26 February 3311 (2025). 75,984 systems were colonized and 277,638 facilities built by 4 October 3311.
In November 3311, Exobiology student Terri Tora accused the system controlling faction October Consortium from hiding something important, but she disappeared a few weeks later. Commanders (players) collected exobiological data from alien trees on the planet for the Exogene Sciences asteroid base. They found a complex bio-chemical compound that may have pharmaceutical applications. The threw superpowers rapidly mobilized their military forces for exclusive control. Community Goals were established for players to fight for their chosen power in the Radicoida War.