"Space… it’s captured the imagination of humanity since the dawn of time. It’s the tapestry on which our destiny is written. On an Earth that has been torn apart by wars, super-storms and disease, Off-worlders are taking us away from all that by pushing humanity farther than it’s ever been." - Off Worlders Introduction video
A spacecraft flies by Mars. Artwork by Embreate.
The Off Worlders believe that the future of humanity does not reside on Earth but in the stars. The Earth is a doomed planet, and trying to save it is pointless. Ravaged by wars and climate change, the third rock from the Sun is no longer the most viable rock. The only rational approach for the continuation of the human race is to push the boundaries of space exploration and find new homes. By 2084, humans have already colonized the Moon, Mars, and the atmosphere of Venus. We have also developed advanced asteroid mining technology. What needs to be done now is to build off of the work that has already done and think bigger. Exploration is the ultimate good and colonization beyond our galaxy is their ultimate goal.
The Off Worlders are not all aligned in their ideology, however. They are a diffuse group with different views. Though most of them moved to the Colonies to try and build a better life, not all of them have found it. New frontiers have provided opportunity for wealth, freedom and adventure, but also abuse, conquest and degradation. A not insignificant part of the population are currently trapped in indentured servitude. Another major portion of Off Worlders are not really off world. Virt mining, that is virtual mining of asteroid belts, is the biggest economic driver in the Colonies and the "miners" are for the most part comatose people on Earth virtually controlling mining drones.
These are the heads of the colonizing and mining operations beyond Earth. Their emphasis on Off World exploration is focused mining and resources. Which is to say, they are less concerned with Off World expansion as a necessary means for the continuation of humanity, and more as a way of expanding the bottom line.
One of the largest population of Off Worlders are not actually off of Earth. Using human workers put in years-long comas, virt mining allows a chosen few to control an almost limitless number of drones that can mine every corner of our galaxy, and beyond. The advanced tech allows for human operators to control drones from millions of miles away. The operators are placed in long-term comas so as to get maximum brain-power. These operators are technically part of the Off Wolrd ecosystem, with many of them harbouring long-term goals of making it to the starts. Unfortunately for them, virt mining is not an occupation that affords a long life expectancy.
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Space pirates board another ship and threaten the passengers unless they get what they want. Artwork by Embreate.
These are the space pirates, assassins, bounty hunters, and various other players that make up the seedy side of human life in space. Megacorporations will hire assassins and bounty hunters to take care of problems for them. While the pirates hijacks supply ships over Venus and the highwaymen commandeer rovers to fuel their own wild-west Mars societies that live off the grid. Like the legendary cowboys of old, they all live by their own code. This also includes the crew of the Frihert: the merry band of Acid-Love Space Vikings that traverse the stars messing things up for those in power.
There are groups of astronauts and space explorers that are trying to push the bounds of exploration. These include members of national space programs such as NASA living on stations and issuing probes as well as private enterprises exploring space just for kicks. There are also space tourists: people who are not Off Worlders in ideology and still live on Earth, but have the disposable income to take a trip on their space yacht and snap photos on the Moon or Mars.
These are the majority of Off Worlders who aren't virt miners: those living in colonies on the Moon, Mars, and Venus who saw an opportunity for a better life in space. The social stratification is immense and the lifestyles vary greatly. From the poor masses living in squalor in New Phoenix on the Moon, to the Martian farmhands working on the red planet, to the Venusian Royal Family. They are all making their way in space. Some are doing so against their will: sold into indentured servitude with no way of getting back to Earth.