Sample file Sample file Sample file Sample file Line Development Literary Consultant Cartography Marketing Executive JACK NORRIS SCOTT TRACY GRIFFIN FRANCESCA BAERALD PANAYIOTIS LINES BENN GRAYBEATON Art Direction Publishing Director Scheduling SAM WEBB KATYA THOMAS CHRIS BIRCH STEVE DALDRY VIRGINIA PAGE SAM WEBB Operations Director Publishing Assistant Rules Development Cover Art RITA BIRCH VIRGINIA PAGE BENN GRAYBEATON BJÖRN BARENDS Head of Development Assistant Sales Manager JACK NORRIS Internal Art ROB HARRIS COLE LEADON VIRGINIA PAGE MICHELE GIORGI DEVELOPED FROM THE ORIGINAL 2D20 CHAIM GARCIA Head of RPG Community Support SYSTEM DESIGN BY JAY LITTLE, FOR PAOLO PUGGIONI Development LLOYD GYAN MUTANT CHRONICLES CRISTI PICU SAM WEBB SHAUN HOCKINGS BJÖRN BARENDS Writing Business Manager Social Media TOMA FEIZO GAS Management JACK NORRIS RODRIGO GONZALES CAMERON DICKS SALWA AZAR JASON BRICK MARTIN SOBR Production Manager With Thanks to Editing and Proofing Logo Design STEVE DALDRY JAMES SULLOS MICHAL E CROSS PETER GROCHULSKI KEITH GARRETT CATHY WILBANKS TIM GRAY Graphic Design Sales Manager TYLER WILBANKS VIRGINIA PAGE CHRIS WEBB RHYS KNIGHT CHRISTOPHER PAUL CAREY

Modiphius Entertainment Ltd, 2nd Floor, The 2d20 system and Modiphius Logos are copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd 2019. All 2d20 system text is copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. Any 39 Harwood Road, London, SW6 4QP, England unauthorised use of copyrighted material is illegal. Any trademarked names are used in a fictional manner; no infringement is intended. This is a work of fiction. Produced by: Standartų Spaustuvė, UAB, 39 Any similarity with actual people and events, past or present, is purely coincidental and unintentional except for those people and events described in an historical Dariaus ir Girėno, Str., LT-02189 Vilnius, Lithuania context. Trademarks John Carter of ®, ®, ®, Woola™, Barsoom®, Warlord of Mars®, Gods of Mars®, A ®, Dotar [email protected] WWW.MODIPHIUS.COM Sojat™, Sarkoja™, Sola™, Prince of Helium™, Jeddak™ and Edgar Rice ® Owned by , Inc. And Used by Permission. All characters, Modiphius Entertainment Product Number: MUH051466 creatures, and the Doodad symbol trademarked and owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Copyright © 2019 Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. All Rights Reserved. SampleISBN: 978-1-912743-19-3 file VII INTRODUCTION A Princessof Tales of theEra An Era of DiscoveryAn Era Chapter 1: Foreword: ANALYSIS STORIES OF THE ERA’S In TimesBefore The FirstEra A FightthatWon Friends I EludeMyWatchdog A Prisoner onMars My Advent A PrisonerwithPower With DejahThoris Champion andChief I Learn theLanguage Fair CaptivefromtheSky onMars Child Raising On theArizona Hills Replacing Carter Where itStarts Recent Times The EarlyKingdoms Untold History In theBeginning What thisBookisandNot What isinthisBook New Rules andtheExistingGame At theArizona Cave In theAtmosphereFactory Battling intheArena Chained inWarhoon A CostlyRecapture We PlanEscape Sola Tells MeHerStory A Duelto theDeath Love-Making onMars theDead The Escape of Themes inthisBook From Joy to Death Through Carnage to Joy Zodanga The Lootingof Tars Tarkas FindsaFriend Lost intheSky I FindDejah An AirScoutforZodanga What You Needto UsethisBook and theDotarSojatEra On theNovel ......

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Sample file...... 10 10 10 14 14 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 11 11 11 11 11 9 9 9 9 9 9 6 6 4 4 4 8 8 8 8 7 7 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 3 3 3

Red Other Earthborn Green Chapter 2: Peoples of theEra NEW TALENTS AND ACCOLADES Playing intheDotarSojatEra Your Character’s Place Red MartianAccolades Other Talents Earthborn Flaws Earthborn Accolades Earthborn Talents Green MartianFlaws Green MartianAccolades Green MartianTalents Red MartianFlaws Red MartianTalents Mixed Groups Ranked PanthanRanked Honor Guard Beloved Leader theEra The Challengesof Mighty Mien A Definite Contender Earthborn Insight Strongman/woman Line ThemUp Earthborn Arrivals Engineering Expertise Born to Fly Peacemaker Pathfinder Homesick I Don’tKnow MyOwnStrength Traditionalist Only theStrong Entourage Named Warrior Feared Leader Superior Reach Death Whirlwind of Thark Marksmanship Scientific Curiosity Devoted Loyalist Many One of Ancients On theShouldersof Get Help theAir Lords of ......

...... CONTENTS ...... 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 17 22 22 2 2 22 22 22 22 19 16 16 16 19 19 19 19 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 23 21 17 21 21 21 21 21 21 15 15 17 17 17 Champions of theEra The Unchanged Gozava The Unknown DotarandSojat Lorquas Ptomel TheAtmospherePlantKeeper Zad DakKova Sarkoja Bar Comas ThanKosis SabThan Tal Hajus Chapter 3: EXISTING CHARACTERS UPDATES TO NEW NARRATOR CHARACTERS NEW NARRATOR Characters fromFutureEra Books Xodar Thuvia Thuvan Dihn Tars Tarkas Salensus Oll Sola Unknown Histories Mors KajakandTardos Mors Kantos Kan John Carter Hor Vastus Gathol Gahan of Dejah Thoris Other Flaws Alternate Versions Aging Altering ExistingTalents Proud Exile Diplomacy First Explorer’s Drive Fearless Abandon Airship Gunner Mad Discovery Expert Bombardier Uncovered Secrets theWild Survive Empathic Insight Airship Marine Friendship Bonds of Boldly Go ......

...... 38 26 40 40 40 40 40 29 26 36 28 30 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 34 39 39 39 39 39 39 39 38 38 38 38 38 38 35 32 37 33 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 31 Unknown Vistas The LandItself Technology's Purpose New Equipment Mysteries of Barsoom Chapter 4: A Princess of Mars A Princessof Locations from STRANGE TECHNOLOGY STRANGE MYSTERIOUS PLACES NEW POWERS New Powers Strange Technology Dry Ocean BasinsDry Canals Mold Appearance Hyper-Meditation Why ShouldtheTechnology Exist? The Arena Martian Gardens Telekinesis Necropathy Face Crystal Mysterious Places Seasides Hills andMountains Surge Adrenaline Green MartianIncubators Undying Murder Speaker Warrior's Robe Submersible Snorkel Zodangan StunRay 7th Sense The Atmosphere Plant Orchards /Farmlands Esoteric MartialArts Cloud Minds Beast Form Who Possesses theTechnology? How DoestheTechnology Function? Paired Smokers Heart Burrowers Korad The Jeddak of Mountains The Jeddakof Warnings Brief Personal Appeal WondermentRational The Spiritof andInnovation Rationality Of ......

...... 58 60 60 46 48 42 54 49 49 49 46 46 46 56 44 44 44 48 54 50 50 42 59 56 47 42 54 45 47 47 58 43 43 52 55 55 55 57 57 41 41 41 53 53 51 51

Touchstones Mars of Narrating theEra Chapter 5: The Arrival War Tides of Time The Drying Inspired Locations Regional Events Prehistory What MakesDotarSojatTick? Adventures inDotarSojat COMMON THEMES AND TONE ADVENTURE SEEDS EVENTS AND INCIDENTS DOTAR SOJAT ERA THE NARRATING Moons-Crossed Lovers Discovery The Warhoon Training Stones Strange Sights Perilous Positions Warhoon The Dungeonsof Pre-Dotar Sojat Why DotarSojat? Tradition vs.Innovation Longing A Senseof Constant Conflict SalTharan of The Observatory Lonely Landscapes Time After Time Together AgainsttheWild For aBlood-RedThrone The ApesAmongUs Dotar SojatCampaigns Dotar SojatSeries Dotar SojatEpisodes Friendship, andLoyalty Love,The Value of Lessa The Isleof Ruined Ships The Sea of The Storm Engine Red MartianFarms Predator Attack Border Skirmish Raiders! The RiverIss The StatusQuoProblem Great Storm Campaign Structure Mars A Princessof theAges Across ......

...... Sample...... file ...... 69 80 60 80 68 66 66 65 80 80 80 80 64 64 68 68 76 65 62 70 63 62 62 62 65 79 79 76 67 67 74 74 74 78 78 63 63 72 61 61 75 77 73 73 73 71

Airships of Mars On AirshipOperation Chapter 6: Ship Movement Ship Weapons Ship Conflict World Events Ship Tests RULES OF ENGAGEMENT Boarding Ship Actions Ramming Chasing andPursuing Using TilesandMaps Zones Movement andRange Elevation andShipRange Armour Ship Attributes Bombs Away! Ship Conflict Turns Ship Range Airship Armament New Qualities War Looms The Guardian of theNorth The Guardianof Ship Positions Other Tests Stability Tests Repair Tests Piloting Tests Navigation Tests Celebration Disaster The Guns of Barsoom The Gunsof TestsGunnery Command Tests Regional Calamity An Undiscovered Country A Grand Invention A Great Union A Threat fromBeyond An Enemy Returns A NewPower Emerges An Epidemic Global Catastrophe aGreat Leader Death of Strangers fromAfar A Great Challenge and Burroughs'Canon Ship Operations A DistantWar A Great Find ......

...... 90 90 90 90 84 88 80 80 80 84 89 86 86 86 84 84 84 88 88 88 85 83 82 82 82 82 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 87 87 83 83 81 91 81 81 81 81 81 81 81 81 81 81

Ship Damage Operation Variants Kingdom andCultureVariants Ship Hazards Airships as CoreEquipment AIRSHIPS AIRSHIP CREATION AND DESIGN DESIGN VARIANTS Battleship Ship DamageRecovery Ship NamesandConcept Step Zero: Shooting attheCrew Ship Armor Dreadnought Fighter* Destroyer Cruiser Civilian Flier Assigning Attributes Step One: Malfunctions Characters andShipCombat Ship Size Advantages Ship Size Personal Flier Frigate Flying Fortress* Scout Flier Pirate Raider ShipDesign Example of Select Base Frame Step Two: Final Touches Step Six: Ship Flaws Step Five: Spend DesignPoints Step Four: Select Purpose Step Three: Ship Weapons andTalents Combining Variants Fighter Thrusters Points to ExistingShips Design Adding aBattlecruiser Side of Can't HittheBroad Gigantic Size Ships Renown andReputation Ships with A Note onBalance Design Variants Original Purpose ...... 103 101 106 106 106 104 104 104 108 102 103 102 105 105 105 107 107 107 103 101 94 99 99 99 96 96 94 98 93 92 92 92 97 97 97 97 97 93 93 93 91 91 91 91

Chapter 7: Achievements Deeds Fayor Mir Tributes Airship Sheet Trading andEvolvingAccolades and Deeds Achievements NEW SPACE COMBAT SPACE SHIPS AND Purchasing Achievements One: SpaceisVast Two: SpaceisDeadly Deeds inPlay Purchasing Deeds Achievements vs.Deeds Achievements Selecting Deeds Three: SpaceisAlien Transport Keeping Track Changes of andDeeds? Achievements What MakesGood inPlay Achievements Equilibrimotors Thark Airship* Everybody PaysEverybody TheirOwn Way Group AchievementsandDeeds Everyody PaysEveryody Together Both A Bitof Exaggerated Deeds and DeedswithStartingRenown Purchasing Achievements Airborne Creatures ACCO ...... LADES ......

...... 110 114 109 109 109 108 120 120 120 120 116 122 118 114 110 119 116 114 118 118 118 121 112 115 117 117 117 111 111

1 INTRODUCTION 2 WELCOME TO BARSOOM Sample file

My first recollection of Captain Carter is of the few months he spent at my father's home in Virginia, just prior to the opening of the civil war. I was then a child of but five years, yet I well remember the tall, dark, smooth-faced, athletic man whom I called Uncle Jack.

dren with the same hearty good fellowship he displayed toward those pastimes in which the men and women of his own age indulged; or he would sit for an hour at a time entertaining my old grandmother with stories of his strange, wild life in all parts of the world. We all loved him, and our slaves fairly worshipped the ground he trod.

feet, broad of shoulder and narrow of hip, with the carriage of the trained fighting man. His features were regular and clear cut, his hair black and closely cropped, while his eyes were of a steel gray, reflecting a strong and loyal char acter, filled with fire and initiative. His manners were perfect, and his court liness was that of a typical southern gentleman of the highest type.

that country of magnificent horsemen. I have often heard my father caution him against his wild recklessness, but he would only laugh, and say that the tumble that killed him would be from the back of a horse yet unfoaled.

sixteen years. When he returned it was without warning, and I was much surprised to note that he had not aged apparently a moment, nor had he changed in any other outward way. He was, when others were with him, the same genial, happy fellow we had known of old, but when he thought himself alone I have seen him sit for hours gazing off into space, his face set in a look of wistful longing and hopeless misery; and at night he would sit thus looking up into the heavens, at what I did not know until I read his manuscript years afterward.

time since the war; and that he had been very successful was evidenced by the He seemed always to be laughing; and he entered into the sports of the chil unlimited amount of money with which he was supplied. As to the details of his life during these years he was very reticent, in fact he would not talk of them at all.

He was a splendid specimen of manhood, standing a good two inches over six

His horsemanship, especially after hounds, was a marvel and delight even in

I opened my eyes upon a strange and weird landscape. I knew that I was on When the war broke out he left us, nor did I see him again for some fifteen or Mars; not once did I question either my sanity or my wakefulness. I was not asleep, no need for pinching here; my inner consciousness told me as plainly that I was upon Mars as your conscious mind tells you that you are upon Earth. You do not question the fact; neither did I.

He told us that he had been prospecting and mining in part of the

— John Carter,

—The Narrator,

A Princess of Mars of Princess A

A Princess of Mars of Princess A

- -

-

of equalpartswonderandunknown perils. of thistime,Barsoomisaroughplacefull For muchof ship andalliance—butthatisonlytoward theend. something better ledandmoreinclined to friend- bor, Zodanga, andhelpstheTharkhordeevolveinto love, endsthewar betweenHeliumanditsneigh- andlifeontheplanet.Eventuallyhefalls in survival adventures revolvearoundlearning thebasics of his theTharksorsomeothergroup, andmostof of ismostly acaptive During thisera, Carter himself other times,leading to moreconflictsandviolence. otherculturesishigherthanitin ignorance of being commonplace.Misunderstandingsand hostile to each other, withwars andskirmishes Barsoom’s nationsare During thistime,many of and duringJohnCarter’s firstadventuresonMars. covers theDotar Sojatera, thattimeshortlybefore . Thisbook Mars play inJohnCarterof three eras of Welcome to thefirstsupplementdevoted to the and unknown willbecomerevealed. come. Further, theplanetfirstunseen many cornersof being somewhatovershadowed bythegreat days to of and death, thistimeperiodalsocarries thechallenge eventually literally saves theplanetfromsuffocation legends andaccomplishments.However, as Carter great periodforothercharacters toouttheirown carve istheleast famousandimpactful,making ita himself Mars.ItisthetimewhenCarter ered byJohnCarterof play cov Barsoom,thisisthefirstera of on theworldof conflictandadventure While hardlythefirstperiodof I opened my eyes upon a strange and weird landscape. I knew that I was on Mars; not once did I question either my sanity or my wakefulness. I was not asleep, no need for pinching I openedmyeyesuponastrangeandweirdlandscape.knew thatIwasonMars;notoncedidquestioneither mysanityorwakefulness.Iwasnotasleep,noneedforpinching here; myinnerconsciousnesstoldmeasplainlythatIwasuponMarsyourconsciousmindtellsyou youareuponEarth. Youdonotquestionthe fact;neither didI. SampleThe FirstEra file AN ERA OF DISCOVERY - of struggle, exploration, struggle, andviolenceforanother.of begin hisadventuresinthisera —hetrades oneland Barsoomto hisday to the wildsof can frontierof travels fromtheAmeri It isnomistakeCarter himself bold actioncan lead to great successorignobleends. Barsoom,where This isthe“WildWest” periodof era, itisboththemostimportantandleast defined. and players should alsorememberthatas thefirst with theseproblemsto someextent, butnarrators time periodiswhen allthatbeginsto change. Carter play, theeras of though thisisthe shortest of this itsinhabitants.Even the planetisaliento most of of andscience thehistory subordinates; andmuchof friendship orkindtreatment forpets,livestock, or in particulardon’tevenaccept theconceptof are almostnonoteworthy alliances;theTharks this era. Whenwefirstencounter Barsoom,there the optionsforotherculturesandgroups. course,theEarthborn.Otherera bookswillexpand of Mars.ThesearetheredMartians,greenand, of the threedominantraces intheera’s coretale, era. every the Barsoomstories of ever-present adventureandconflictthatdominates covery, exploration, forgingnewalliances,andthe on thesamecorethemesthatdominate theera: dis- tor advice, andotherusefulinformationallfocused This wholebookoffersnewrules,characters, narra- Themes inthisBook Advice inthisbookwillhelpmitigate anddeal Advice Discovery andalliancebuildingiskeytoDiscovery New culture-andspecies-based optionsfocuson A Princess A Princess - independent of them.Forexample,while therules independent of they are rules inthegame, optionalandotherwise, ing rulesanduse similardesignprinciplesas other desire additionalmechanical focusincertainareas. are moredetailedandrobusttools forgroups who forplay: they those inthecorerulebooknornecessary optional. Theyarepresented as neithersuperiorto optionalrules,thesystems presented arejustthat, of fully compatiblewithexistingmaterial. Inthecase ing themwereusedhereas elsewhere,makingthem the sameguidelinesandrulesforbuildingdesign- simpler system forhandlingthesameconcepts. core book,usuallydueto greatly expandingasmaller alargerrulessectionfromthe some smallpartof obsolete orunusable.Insomecases they doalter rules inthecorerulebookandothersupplements and optional.Theyarenotintended to renderthe The rulespresented inthisbookaresupplementary great romance, buttheyalsoexploreandlearn. theera may engageinthrillingbattlesand heroes of ideas, especiallyonceheisshown theirworth.The Tars Tarkas open to newconceptsand findshimself continue to understandandexploretheirworld. to findpeace,in particulartry makeallies,and Helium in hisefforts.DejahThorisandthepeopleof has alotto dowiththat,butheisnotalone himself Finally, whiletheseelementsbuildonexist- With newtalents,accolades,andsimilarfeatures, the ExistingGame New Rules and –JohnCarter, Mars APrincessof

3 FOREWORD 4 WELCOME TO BARSOOM this chapter expandsandrefines thenarrator theera, With afocuson thethemesandeventsof sources, includingotherpulpadventure stories. while othersarenewadditions inspiredfromother these conceptsaretakenfrom the Barsoomtales, include inadventuresandcampaigns. Someof strange phenomena,andbizarrepowers to be This chapter provides moremysterious locations, existing characters to tailorthemto thisera. era. Italsoprovides updates andalterations for additional importantnarrator characters fromthis Expanding onthecorebook,thischapter provides era andtherulespresented inthisbook. the includes newtalentsfocusingonthethemesof thesetypes.Italso and flaws foruse bycharacters of the era. Italsoprovides several newtalents,accolades, born, thischapter provides acharacter’s-eye lookat Focusing onredMartians,greenandEarth- . Mars theBarsoomstories, APrincessof first bookof the andnarrator’s summary analysisof vides abrief Barsoom.Italsopro- within theoverall of history theera, as wellas placingtheperiod of history This chapter detailsthegeneral backgroundand use andenjoy theairshiprulesinthisbook. you arenotrequiredto have orknow thoserulesto flicts presented intheNarrator’sKitandScreen, design principleswiththerulesforlarge-scale con- for airshipsandairshipcombatsharecommon NARRATING THE ERA NARRATING 5: CHAPTER MYSTERIES OF BARSOOM 4: CHAPTER CHAMPIONS OF THE ERA 3: CHAPTER PEOPLES OF THE ERA 2: CHAPTER TALES OF THE ERA 1: CHAPTER What isinthisBook

Sample file the early days of JohnCarter’s timeonBarsoom. the early days of Carter. Now, withoutfurtherdelay, let’stravel to one day flyinthe skies over Mars. tendencies, as wellsomespeculativecraft thatmay resent certaincultural andnationalstrengths included arerulesforcustomizing airshipsto rep- airshipsareprovided. Also and several examplesof running shipactionandconflict,designingships, vehicles,theMartianflierorairship. Rules for of This chapter isfocusedonthemostimportant for random eventsarealsoprovided. games andcampaigns setduringthistime.Tables advice inthecorebookto better assist inrunning three deeper dives into the eras of play in three deeperdives into theeras of Dotar Sojatera play. ideas inthoselater era booksmay alsobeusedin theoptionsand youdowillfind many of if daks era booksto useandenjoy thisbook,but Jed- HeliumorJeddakof possess thePrinceof singular supplements.Thusyoudonotneedto are designedto worktogether butalsostandas concepts andrulesforlater eras. Allthesebooks and narrators willbeintroducedto similarnew this introduction.Inthelater era books, players certain themes,cultures,andideas describedin Mars.Thefocushereison of JohnCarter concept thatcouldexpandthesettingandrules possibleplayer optionorplement forevery play,one era of thisbookisnotageneral sup athree-bookseriesfocusingononly As partof rules arecompatiblewiththeexistingrenown rules. celebrate great actsandaffectlasting change,thesenew renown rewards: achievementsanddeeds.Usedto of introduces narrators andplayers to twonewforms to theexistingrenownAdding system, thischapter AIRSHIPS OF MARS 6: CHAPTER ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEEDS 7: CHAPTER We hopeyou enjoy thisbook, thefirstof Book isandNot

What this John - read andunderstandit. sourcebook ina campaign isthetime to In mostcases allthatisneededto usethis And eventheabove areonlysuggestions. other suppliesareneededto usethisbook. each character’s great accomplishments. able, creating andaccountingof ahistory renown awards. Itcan alsobequite enjoy- thesenew ated, it is usefulto have notes of but may stillbereferencedandappreci- can be“cashed in”forotheraccoladeslater accomplishments. Sincedeedsinparticular character actionsand detailed accountof recordingamore some othermethodsof HeliumNotebook,or MarsPrinceof of a character journalsuchas theJohnCarter players may wishto have additionalpaper, book areusedduringplay, narrators and conflict duringplay? It’sallgood. helps visuallyto directairshipactionand BarsoomTileSet.Aslongas what isused of Mars:Airships or usingourJohnCarterof with painted miniaturesandcrafted terrain for each ship, oritcan beacomplexaffair paper andsomecoinsorotherknick-knacks This can beas simple as usingalargesheetof markers orminiaturesto representairships. Martianskyandsome represent anarea of at theirgamingtablefora“skymap”to the players may wishto devote somespace heavy andfrequentuseinagroup’sgames, acquiring anyway. narrators andplayers may wishto consider this book.However, thereareafewthings or suppliesareneededto useandenjoy Barsoom corerulebook,noadditionaltools Mars: AdventuresontheDyingWorld of theJohnCarterof Other thanacopyof Need toUse thisBook Other thanthat,nonewtools, dice,or achievementsanddeedsfromthis If theairshiprulesinthisbooksee If What You their immediate neighbors. significantly and quicklyforHelium,Thark,and Barsoomduringthisera, itbeginsto change ity of Though thisstatusquoremainstrueforthemajor- lifeelsewhereontheRedPlanet. the realities of doms werelargelyinsularandill-informedabout on Barsoom,theplanet’svarious culturesandking- JohnCarter most significant. Prior to thearrival of Mars, theDotarSojatperiodisinmany ways the theeras covered inJohnCarterof As thefirstof world. Every livingthingthatwalks, flies,or crawlsworld. Every into thepeopleandbeasts thatnow populate the thetree evolved and over theeons“fruit”of lion years beforeJohnCarter arrivedonBarsoom, Born. Thetreespawned thesecreations threemil- plant men,andthefirstBarsoomians, theFirst Martian worms, it came thewhite apes,six-legged theValleyLife existed atthecenter of Dorandfrom cultures, butthecoreconceptremains.ThisTree of details may betweenindividualscholarsor vary life onBarsoombeganwithasingletree.Theexact It isnearly universallyaccepted that allhumanoid its moderninhabitants. ancientBarsoomarelargelyunknown, evento of ting various adventuresandcampaigns. Thedetails itsuitableforset- thisera, much of beginning of existsbeforethe Barsoomianhistory Millennia of In theBeginning SampleIn Times Before file “As youknowIamnotofBarsoom;yourwaysaremyways,andcanonlyactinthefutureashave in thepast,accordancewithdictatesofmyconscienceandguidedbystandardsmineownpeople.” TALES OF THE ERA create their own beasts, secrets, andcivilizations long-lost people. Narrators should feelfreeto often presentingaruin orwonderfromsome There arenear endlesspossibilities. ders, andstrange civilizationsnodoubtexisted. theBarsoomnovels, countlessbeasts, won- time of between lifeas Barsoomknows itrisingandthe rator imagination.Overthethreemillion years isafertilegroundfornar- Barsoomian prehistory on theplanet. the days whenonlytheFirstBornMartiansdwelled character optionsareseverelylimited, especiallyin aboutthesettingthemselves,and everything tion alsomeans narrators mustdetermine nearly times. However, informa- thenear complete lackof those leeway because nearly nothingisknown of for excitingcampaigns, allowing narrators great theworld. diminished forminadistantcornerof insome creatures orpeoples mightevenstillsurvive these went extinctduringthistime.Descendantsof various creatures, races, andculturessurfaced likelythat itly stated byBurroughs,butit’svery with islong,covering millennia.Itisneverexplic theBarsoomnovels arefamiliar land readers of thoseearly creatures. nation of on Barsoomtraces itslineage backto somecombi- The novels sometimeshintatsuchthings, Barsoomcouldmake The earliest days of Barsoomtransforming into the The processof Untold History –JohnCarter, Mars APrincessof - where theOrovar onceruled.Meanwhile theOkar the now-barren sea beds, takingover thelands ruin. Thegreen Martiansroseupandconquered thedyingseas andtheircitiesfellto lost holdof The airthinnedandtheseas receded.TheOrovars this area untilbeyondtheDotarSojatera. Barsoomand wouldcontinueto dominate tures of struc thebelief though theyheldfirmcontrolof retreat to theirhiddenbases andsubterranean sea, settled inthefrozen north.TheFirstBornbegan to number andlessprosperous,daredto exploreand Barsoom.TheOkar,lush coastal regionsof smallerin thethrivingand skinned Orovars ruledmuchof as outsidersorslaves bytheotherraces. shadows. Thegreenmenemerged,mostlytreated retreated to isolationto guideBarsoomfromthe white Martiancultures,withtheFirstBornhaving Okarand These nationswerelargelymadeupof modernMars. stark contrast to thedyingworldof lushgreenandsapphireseas, a ruled alandof Barsoom It isknown thattheold kingdomsof allies orthreats forthe heroesduringacampaign. These beingsmay one day return,becomingnew that ancientcivilizationsleftBarsoomforthestars. found theirway to Barsoomduringthattimeor creatures orcultures fromotherworldssomehow from Barsoom’s distantpast. Itisevenpossiblethat Eventually, however, thingsbegan to change. Approximately amillionyears ago, the white- The Early Kingdoms -

5 CHAPTER 1 6 TALES OF THE ERA becoming lasting allies,suchas PtarthandKoal. this periodacross Barsoom,withonlyafewnations kingdoms have similarrivalries andconflicts during warring often witheach other. OtherredMartian and Heliumarebitter enemiesduringthis period, come to ruleintheirrespectiveregions. Zodanga such as MorsKajak,Tardos Mors, and ThanKosis ously seekingto overtake it.Great andfearsome rulers expand andprosper, withitsneighborZodangajeal- scientific acumen,airships,anddiplomaticskill to significant events can beconfirmed.Heliumusesits is stillsomewhatscattered, butfarmorefactsand theDotarSojatEra, moreisknown. Information of Barsoombeforethestart of therecenthistory Of the morelong-lasting beliefsandtraditions. Barsoomianraces andsomeof basic informationof is little to noguidanceonhow to dosobeyondthe freedom to runcampaigns inthisperiod,butthere text. Thusnarratorsparagraphs have incredible of years inafew period, covering literally millionsof this prehistoric Barsoom.Burroughswrote littleof ripe foradventure,butitcarries similarproblemsto in aworldthatwas slowly perishing. andflourishing statesas besttheycould surviving scattered city possible. Theresultwas acultureof anew, instead adoptingancientknowledge where technologies effectively, but rarely created things the ages.TheredMartiansusedairtravel andother whosesecretswerelostto by ancienttechnology tersweet. Theirworldwas slowly dying,maintained Barsoom.However,of theirdominancewas bit- much red Martiansevolvedto becometherulersof thewhite, black,andyellow Martians,the A mixof thegreat oldkingdoms—theredMartians. nants of new race emergedandbeganto dominate therem- lands turnedyellow andbrown. Duringthistimea gressed. Theriversandseas driedup, andthegreen theirunwitting pawns, theHolyTherns. help of Barsoom’s culturewiththe secret manipulationof while theFirstBorncontinuedtheirraiding and established themselvesinsealed northerncities The Early Kingdoms of Barsoomisavast period The EarlyKingdomsof Barsoompro- For eons,theslow death of SampleRecent Times file to riseamonghispeople. others to raise. Tars hideshisdespairandcontinues Tars’ daughter, initiallyraised insecret,isgivento Taldies painfullyatthehandsof Hajus.Gozava and by embracing love andfamilyisdiscovered andshe Earthborn manwhowillbecomehisbrother. in later years whenanolderTars meetsastrange true companionship. Thischangewillbecomevital positivefeelingsand showing himthe power of Tharklife.Gozava’s love improves Tarkas,cruelty of with Gozava, agreenMartianwomanwhohates the heart issoftened whenhemeetsandfallsinlove skilled, ruthless,andcruelwarrior. However, his under thetyrannical jeddak,Tal Hajus. Tarkas isa warrior named Tars Tarkas distinguishedhimself with theirbrethren.InTharkterritory, ayoung hordes aremoreisolated fromdirectconflicts and Warhoons war constantly, whiletheother TheTharks existence isaconstantbrutalstruggle. cultures of Barsoom,livingmuchas they have since cultures of Martian hordes war witheach otherandthe Tharklands,theother green leadership. Outsideof as amodelwarrior undertheTharks’current be usedagainsthim,instead conductinghimself these connectionsto himself,knowing theycould hisdaughter Sola.Tarslover andmotherof keeps Gozava, his he stillgrievesinsecretforthe lossof Tarkas has begunto distinguish himself,though territory. Futurejeddakandfamedwarrior Tars rupt Tal Hajus,harass any whoventureinto their Mars. A Princessof theBarsoomnovels, in thefirstandmostfamousof exploration andexpansion,introducedto readers early his lifeto save theplanet.This era isoneof for nearly adecade beforesupposedlysacrificing ture ontheRedPlanet,andthenstays inHelium time Carter arrives onMars,has his firstadven- conflict withitsneighbor, Zodanga.Duringthis JohnCarter, Heliuminactive of withthenationof The DotarSojatera beginsshortlybeforethearrival Eventually Gozava’s Tharkculture “betrayal” of though The greenMartianhordessurvive, The Tharkhordes,ruledbythecruelandcor- Where itStarts and the people of Helium. and thepeopleof envoys forherfather, thechief grandfather,one of beauty, grace, andintelligence. Shesoonbecomes Thoris, isnearly worshipped byherpeoplefor the redkingdom.MorsKajak’sdaughter, Dejah day becomewith Carter andhisalliesto champion whatitwillone and itspower isonlyafraction of However, Heliumisbesiegedbynumerousthreats their nationto prominenceinMartianpolitics. the seas driedupmillenniaago. guide Barsoom according to Issus’whims. Holy Therns;they manipulate anduse othersto is acloselyguarded secret,unknown evento the theirOmean Sea basenearby moon.Thelocation of while maintainingtheliethat they hailfromthe theirgoddess,allthe of and richesintheservice Operating as raiders andpirates, theytakecaptives largely asecret. though theOkarkeeptheirexistence andnature spies monitor theworldoutsidetheirarctichome, these plansbear fruit.NumerousOkaragentsand Martian lands,thoughitwillbesometimebefore has begunto plothisexpansion beyondtheyellow the northernOkarwithcrueltyranny. Thewarlord theredMartianlands,SalensusOllrulesover of messy endsto comeinfuturetimes. terrible reigns throughtheera, withtheir inevitably theseindividualswillcontinuetheir beings. Many of acruelzoo filledwithsentient Amhor andkeeperof Toonol,Kan, themadJeddakof andJalHad,Princeof even drivingsometo madness.TheseincludeVobis in various conflicts.Thisstate makesmany paranoid, alliances areallbutunknown andmany livesarelost rule andwar amongst themselves.Trust andlasting Ptarth. dead byherfather andthepeopleof theTherns,believed era, Thuviaremainsacaptive of theHolyTherns.Forthisentire acaptive of herself nation whenshetravels down theRiverIssandfinds However, theyoungprincessistakenfromher ter issimilarlyadoredbyherfamilyandpeople. In distantPtarth,JeddakThuvan Dihn’sdaugh In Helium,Tardos MorsandKajakguide The First Born serve thewitch-goddess Issus. The FirstBornserve Elsewhere intheworld,unknown to people In otherredMartiankingdoms,jedsandjeddaks - Barsoomian affairs—atleast fornow. Jupiter rule,keepingoutof such as theMorgors of call Jasoom. Elsewhere in the solar system, kingdoms whattheBarsoomians exploit thewildcornersof neurs, andexplorersseekto discover andsometimes mid- to late 1870s.OnEarth,adventurers,entrepre This covers theperiodbetweenmid-1860sto the of this sortiswhattheyreally want to play.of players to makesureanalternate reality campaign explore thisoptionshoulddiscuss itwiththeir hisgrand adventures.Narrators wishingtoof most famousEarthbornexpatriate andtheresults pointed theydon’tgetto interact withBarsoom’s ing Carter’s “greatest hits.”Otherswillbedisap- However, somegroupswill balkatsimplyreplay- the day, theplayer heroescan step upto doso. like agreat opportunity. WithoutCarter to save to enemy schemesormisfortune. ters like SolaorTars Tarkas mighteventuallyfall Thuvia willremainaThernslave, andevencharac- likely meetterrible fates. Carthoriswon’tbeborn, plant. Also, certaincharacters won’texistorwill don’t step upandfixthefailingatmosphere theplayer heroes the wholeplanetwillsuffocate if thisera in conflict,andsoon.Infact,attheendof the ,ZodangaandHeliumremainlocked theTharks,TalThoris isaslave of Hajusstillrules should rememberthatwithoutCarter, Dejah player heroesmake themhappen.Narrators thingswon’thappenunlessthe means alotof few thingsto keepinmind. alternate reality campaign. However, therearea is completely acceptableandcan makeforagreat adventures thanthethoseseeninnovels. This portray Carter andhisalliesonnewdifferent Barsoomor replace Carter as thegreat heroof a campaign and eitherhave theplayer heroes theJohnCartertalesas astarting pointfor of It can beattractive beginning to usethevery On Earthandelsewhere,roughlyten years pass. On thesurfacetheseprospectsmightsound thenovels Replacing Carter atthestartof Sample fileReplacing Carter - notes and suggestions forplayers asnotes andsuggestions well. usefornarrators, therearespecific marily of this information.Whileresourceispri- It usesthenovel’s own chapters to organize outs to various elementsusefulfornarrators. thebook’seventsmixedwithcall- of summary cance as anarrator resource. time, thereisampleroomto discussitssignifi- Barsoom novels that spans nearly adecade of the the novel isthe firstandmostfamousof to consider, Mars.However, APrincessof as Dotar Sojatera, thereisonlyoneofficial story Carter campaigns the inthe era. Inthecase of adventures, andcampaign events forJohn they can beused to inspireideas, encounters, theera withaneyeto howlyzes thestories of The following sectionsummarizes andana - This analysisispresented as aconcise Analysis of the Era's Stories as livinginandfightingfortheSiouxNation. adventures beforetherealevenbegins,such story varied experiencesand alifetimeof also suggests theArizona in1866.Carter territory in thehillsof and Virginian,JamesK.Powell, areprospecting the CivilWar officer heandafellow ex-military agingbeforeexplainingthatafter pan andlackof introduces himself.Hediscusseshiscuriouslifes- John Carter, Virginia, orCaptainJackCarter of Burroughshimself,thenovel opens. ized versionof forewordfromthenarrator,After abrief afictional- veteran asdesired. aCivil War post-traumatic musingsof weary special powersortheworld- seen asahintof hissupposed longevityandagelessnesscan be of some bulletpointsareenough.Carter’s discussion to bedefinedindetail;afewsentences oreven and otherabilities.Theseadventuresdon’tneed helps explaintheiratrchetype,startingtalents, adventures priortoarrivingonBarsoom.This Earthborn charactersmaywishtodetailpast analyze thenovel as thischapter does. time periodingeneral, butwillnotdirectly Helium erasupplementwillalsodiscussthat novel isdiscussed inthisbook.ThePrinceof Mars,thewhole APrincessof most butnotallof summarizingandanalyzing awkwardness of adventures andevents.However, dueto the undocumented marked bylongperiodsof Heliumera, atime thePrinceof beginning of falls outsidetheDotarSojatera, markingthe Mars Technically APrincessof endof thevery A PrincessofMars and theDotar Sojat Era On theArizona Hills On the Novel On theNovel

7 CHAPTER 1