"The Psychohistorians" In 12,067 G.E. ("Galactic Era"), mathematician and psychologist
Hari Seldon has developed
psychohistory, a new field of science and psychology that allows for the probabilistic prediction of future events. By means of psychohistory, Seldon has discovered the decline and eventual fall of the
Galactic Empire, angering its rulers, the Commission of Public Safety. Seldon defends his beliefs, and the Commission, not wanting to make Seldon a martyr, offers him exile to a remote world,
Terminus.
"The Encyclopedists" In 50 F.E. ("Foundation Era"), the Encyclopedia Foundation, tasked with preserving the Empire's knowledge, is established on the mineral-poor agricultural planet Terminus, and occupies the planet's single large settlement, Terminus City. The city's affairs are managed by its first Mayor,
Salvor Hardin, under the authority of the Board, hidebound scholars whose main concern is publishing the Encyclopedia. Hardin believes Terminus is in danger of conquest by the four neighboring prefectures of the Empire, the strongest of which is
Anacreon. When the Board resists Hardin's efforts against the threat, he and his chief advisor, Yohan Lee, seize power. Hardin then visits the three weaker kingdoms and convinces them that they must unite to prevent the Foundation's nuclear technology from falling into the hands of Anacreon alone. The three issue a joint ultimatum that all be allowed to receive nuclear power from Terminus, making it indispensable to all and protected by a delicate
balance of power. A vault containing Seldon's recorded messages opens, and reveals that he had planned this whole course of events by means of psychohistory, and that the Foundation is destined to grow into a new galactic empire.
"The Mayors" Decades later, the Foundation has established a techno-religious hegemony over the four surrounding planetary kingdoms, based on its superior nuclear technology operated under a cloak of mysticism. During a visit of the Foundation's Mayor Hardin to the kingdom of Anacreon, the power-hungry Prince Regent Wienis and his teenage nephew, King Lepold I, launch a surprise attack against Terminus using a salvaged Imperial battlecruiser, but Hardin had directed the Foundation's repair engineers to install a secret kill switch into the cruiser, causing the crew to mutiny. The ship's commander, Wienis's son, is captured and forced to broadcast a message of surrender to Anacreon, while all the planet's nuclear power goes dark. With his people in revolt, the enraged Wienis tries to shoot down Hardin with an energy blaster, but Hardin is shielded by a personal force field, and Wienis turns the weapon on himself. The Foundation's mission continues, as foreseen by Seldon.
"The Traders" After further decades, the Foundation is expanding its influence over hundreds of planets by trading its superior technology for raw materials. Master Trader Eskel Gorov travels to the world of Askone, hoping to introduce atomics. He is met with resistance by Askone's governing Elders, who enforce a traditional religion forbidding advanced technology. Gorov is imprisoned and sentenced to death. The Foundation sends Trader Limmar Ponyets to negotiate. He meets with the Elders' Grand Master and surmises he may be willing to exchange Gorov for a suitable bribe. Ponyets fashions a crude transmuter that will convert iron into gold, the supreme treasure on the planet. He eventually sells the transmuter to Councilor Pherl, the Grand Master's ambitious protégé, who needs gold to buy support. However, the transmuter soon breaks down, and Pherl is blackmailed by a video recording of himself using the forbidden technology. Allying with the compromised Pherl, Ponyets wins Gorov's release, an ample supply of tin, and most importantly Pherl's cooperation in breaking down the religious taboos. The Foundation techno-religion advances to another planet.
"The Merchant Princes" Three Foundation vessels have vanished near the Republic of Korell, suggesting either independent technological development or buying smuggled Foundation weapons. The
political boss Manlio and scheming councilman Sutt send Master Trader
Hober Mallow to investigate, hoping to get rid of him as a rival. Mallow invites another opponent of the political machine, Jaim Twer. When the Master Trader lands at the Korell spaceport, a man identifying himself as "Reverend Jord Parma" appears, saying he is a Foundation missionary hunted by the Korellians, who have forbidden the Foundation's techno-religion. Suspecting a set-up, Mallow decides to turn the missionary over to the Korellian mob. Mallow discovers that the Empire has been providing weapons to client states on the Foundation's borders. He journeys alone to the planet Siwenna, a former Imperial capital. He meets the impoverished patrician Onum Barr, who explains the chaotic political situation in the dying Empire. After his return to Terminus, Mallow is put on trial for surrendering the Foundation missionary to the murderous mob. He reveals that Jaim Twer was working as Sutt's agent. Further, he produces a recording revealing that the "missionary" was in fact a Korellian secret policeman sent to provoke violence as a pretext for war against the Foundation. Acquitted, Mallow is lionized by the population of Terminus and elected as the new Mayor. He has Sutt and Manlio arrested. As Mayor, Mallow soon faces war with Korell. He imposes an embargo on Korell, which eventually collapses due to its dependence on Foundation technology. However, Mallow realizes that the Religious Power has outlived its usefulness, and further expansion will be on the basis of trade alone. ==Characters==