One of the best things about Mass Effect is the numerous plot hooks available, without needing you to delve too deeply into the lore of the game. Bioware did such a good job of presenting the world that the issues facing a mercenary or gun for hire are clear enough. Not just that, if you log into the Cerebus network, you are often fed interesting nuggets of short story that makes the game deeper and richer. A president who got her life extended – is she still eligible for office?  Corporations with their mercenaries fighting for control of worlds, plus a terrorism incident when space-crafts are crashed into habitats. There’s a lot of stuff to do be done in the Mass Effect world.

Cerebus

There’s enough material on Cerebus to publish a thick sourcebook full of juicy information. A clandestine conspiracy group that infiltrates all part of the Alliance and any interests pertaining to Earth, able to steal the technology for a cutting edge military frigate without being discovered, and bringing the dead to live. Maybe they are the Delta Green of the future.

Experiments: One of the side quests in Mass Effect touches on the horrible experiments which Cerebus was running. Jack can’t be the only one, so what else were Cerebus fooling with? One of the famous meme is that Cerebus was looking at grafting Reaper technology with human beings.

Expeditions: They were examining a dead Reaper in the game. Other key locations for Cerebus to stick their foot in definitely include Protean ruins, anti-Reaper weapons and definitely anything which would give human an edge over the aliens.

Conspiracy. The information given by Miranda (and EDI, after you release her locks) seems to imply that Cerebus operatives are everywhere. The question is “where else?” Giving the task to hunt down those operatives could make a good campaign (or what if the PCs are Cerebus Operatives infiltrating an Alliance experiment or research base?)

Gang Wars

For something darker, gritter and dirtier, just head down to Omega 4 and perhaps other seedier space-ports in Mass Effect world. (If you read the descriptions for some of the planets, they are ripe for such ideas). There you have various mercenary gangs involve in smuggling, human trafficking (perhaps not just for the Collectors) and involved in other illicit trade.

Power Struggle: Mass Effect 2 players come across this when Shephard discovered a ploy by the other mercenary gangs to supplant Aria together. That can’t be the only place where such incidents are going on. The players may be involved in the efforts of removing a crime lord or preserving the status quo. Perhaps they even have aspirations to take over the entire place for themselves.

Setting up Shop: Garrus did it, so why not the players. Players could form a mercenary gang or “righteous troubleshooters” and attempt to keep organized crime in check. Or give the Eclipse or Blue Sun a run for their money. They may be some powerful that they attract the attention of other parties which may need their help.

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