Startopia
In the gulf between stars the normally intangible dark matter condenses and crystallizes into an intractable substance. The process of converting back into dark matter creates a tremendous amount of energy capable of powering FTL systems. This allows even small vessels to travel the stars. These crystals were mined in massive quantities seemingly limitless in supply.
Then suddenly it all evaporated. In an event called “The Dark Collapse” all across the galaxy the crystals dissolved into nothingness. Ships traveling the stars suddenly went dead. Space stations went dark. Whole worlds went back into the Stone Age. However the more advanced worlds who kept insulated stockpiles and reactors buried deep in the crust of their planets were able to delay the evaporation long enough to find alternative power sources before finally running dry themselves. They couldn't travel FTL but they could survive. Some of the primitive worlds who lacked the dependence on the crystal and were able to limp on with older basic power sources.
This time was called the Age of Seclusion.
After several generations of waiting, sub-light ships were able to locate newly formed deposits on the edge of the solar systems and bring it home to once again fuel the old FTL ships. Those ships traveled deeper into space to locate more fuel however it became clear that it was nowhere near as abundant as before. Many solar systems are still without the fuel even after a decade of resurgence but more and more are brought back every day. Those that survived at any rate.
In a dusty storage facility, old trade maps are analyzed. A fat weasel of a man calculates for stellar drift and checks his telescope. He finds a debris field near the site of an old trade hub. Enough money for only a few jumps he goes to his shuttle and makes the calculations. He arrives finding barely anything but some junk. Enough junk to cobble a station together. He returns home and puts out an ad for workers to crew a station. Manual labour is not his area of expertise. Some fools answer, desperate to make money. He brings them to the site he found and tells them to make something useful out of it.
The wealth system will not be used for in game financial transactions. Alien races exist as either near human (forehead ridge aline trope) or drastically different. Robots, d20future races, reskinned D&D races. I like to strike a ballance between roll and role play, but if the dice slow things down I will help speed things along. Currency is a substance that appears like quicksilver or mercury called 'Obtainium'. But everything will be valued in $$$ to make things easy.
