MARS The Red Planet Written by James L. Cambias Additional material by Kenneth Peters Edited by Scott Haring Cover art by Christopher Shy Illustrated by Paul Daly GURPS System Design ✦ Steve Jackson GURPS Line Editor ✦ Sean Punch Managing Editor ✦ Andrew Hackard Project Administrator ✦ Monique Chapman Production Manager ✦ Heather Oliver Creative Director ✦ Philip Reed Production Artist ✦ Heather Oliver Production Assistance ✦ Alex Fernandez Page Designer ✦ Jack Elmy Print Buyer ✦ Monica Stephens Sales Manager ✦ Ross Jepson Errata Coordinator ✦ Andy Vetromile Lead Playtester: Steph Pennington Assistant Lead Playtester: Devin L. Ganger Playtesters: Frederick Bracken, Nelson Cunnington, Jeremiah Genest, Anthony Jackson, M.A. Lloyd, David Morgan-Mar, Kenneth Peters, Bill Stoddard, and Constantine Thomas Special Thanks to: Dr. Diane A. Kelly, Dr. Geoffrey A. Landis, Richard Wagner, and Dr. Keith Watt. And thanks to everyone who provided information or commentary.

GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS is copyright © 2002 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Some art copyright www.arttoday.com. Some art courtesy of NASA/JPL/Caltech. Printed in the USA.

ISBN 1-55634-534-8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 STEVE JACKSON GAMES CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 4 Looking for Life ...... 30 Fortean Mars ...... 46 Invaders from Earth...... 30 Velikovskian Mars ...... 47 About the Author ...... 4 The Meteorite...... 30 Capricorn One ...... 47 1. Mars Observed . . . . . 5 GETTING TO MARS ...... 31 Spiritualist Mars...... 48 THE RED STAR ...... 6 ...... 31 Illuminated Mars ...... 48 The NASA Design Early Theories and Observations . . 6 4. Domed Mars ...... 50 : A Man, Reference Mission...... 31 COLONIES ON MARS ...... 51 A Planet, A Canal ...... 6 Trajectories ...... 32 The First Base...... 51 Naming Names...... 7 New Rocket Engines ...... 33 Chryse Colony 2050 ...... 52 Gulliver’s Travels and Mars One-Way ...... 33 Chryse Planitia 2050 ...... 52 the ...... 8 Regular Service: Other Colonies in 2050 ...... 53 MEN AND ...... 9 The Mars Cycler ...... 34 Domed Colonies in 2050 – Western The War(s) of the Worlds ...... 9 The Cycler Spacecraft ...... 34 Hemisphere ...... 54 Sword and Planet...... 10 The Mars Lander ...... 35 Domed Colonies in 2050 – Mars in Classic . . 10 Getting Around on Mars ...... 36 Eastern Hemisphere ...... 54 Space Age Mars ...... 11 Mars 1956 ...... 37 Base ...... 56 Martians and Popular Fears . . . . 11 Life Under Glass ...... 56 Mars Probes...... 12 Somebody Else Is On Mars . . . . . 57 2. Mars in Reality . . . 13 Secret Colonies ...... 58 ECHNOLOGY BASIC PHYSICAL DATA ...... 14 T ...... 58 The Planet ...... 14 Ground Vehicles...... 58 Motion ...... 14 ...... 58 CONDITIONS ...... 15 Vehicle Statistics ...... 59 Time on Mars...... 15 Pressurized Rover ...... 59 What to Wear ...... 15 Power Unit Trailer ...... 60 Calling Home...... 15 Aircraft...... 61 Climate...... 16 Mars Blimp ...... 61 Atmosphere ...... 16 ...... 61 The Mean Datum ...... 16 The Mars Launcher ...... 61 MARS PIONEERS ...... 62 Soil ...... 16 3. Mars in Fiction Water ...... 16 Administrator...... 62 Resources...... 17 and ...... 38 Astronaut ...... 62 Mars Suits ...... 62 Hazards ...... 19 DIAL M FOR MARTIAN ...... 39 What Mars Doesn’t Have ...... 19 Hard Science vs. Colonist ...... 62 FEATURES ...... 21 ...... 39 Mission Specialist ...... 63 Uplands and Lowlands ...... 21 Primitive vs. Advanced ...... 39 Prospector ...... 63 and Elysium ...... 21 Silly Mars...... 40 Rebel ...... 63 The Caverns of Mars? ...... 21 Three Little Men From Kids on Mars? ...... 63 Topographic Map of Mars in 2002 – Mars Are We ...... 40 Scientist ...... 64 Mercator Projection ...... 22 Dying World vs. New Frontier . . 41 Weapons ...... 64 Technician ...... 64 Topographic Map of Mars in 2002 – MYSTIC MARS ...... 41 Stereographic Projections . . . . 23 Mars in Astronomy ...... 42 Vehicle Operator ...... 64 Martian Geography ...... 24 Mars and the Cabal ...... 43 ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, Channels and Valleys...... 26 The Mars Effect...... 43 AND SKILLS ...... 65 Crater Basins ...... 27 Space Gods From Mars?...... 43 Advantages...... 65 The Polar Caps...... 27 Mars in Alchemy ...... 44 Master Minds of Mars ...... 65 Missions to the Moons...... 28 Worlds in Collision ...... 44 Disadvantages ...... 66 THE MOONS OF MARS ...... 28 Mars in Magic ...... 44 Skills ...... 67 ...... 28 Sailing Through the CAMPAIGNS AND ADVENTURES . . . . . 67 Deimos...... 29 Crystal Spheres ...... 45 Disaster! ...... 67 Martian Gold Rush ...... 68 ? ...... 29 WEIRD MARS ...... 45 Conditions in the Past ...... 29 Pyramids of Mars?...... 45 Return of the Martians...... 68 Where Life Might Survive . . . . . 29 Artificial Moons?...... 46 Independence ...... 69 2 CONTENTS Other GURPS Settings ...... 69 Attack Saucer...... 96 Squatters...... 70 Transport Saucer ...... 97 About GURPS Martian Marshal ...... 70 The Tripod Expeditionary Force . . 97 Martian Tripod...... 97 Steve Jackson Games is committed to 5. Terraformed full support of the GURPS system. Our CHARACTERS ...... 98 address is SJ Games, Box 18957, Austin, TX Mars ...... 71 Martian Character Types ...... 98 78760. Please include a self-addressed, Preserving the Old World ...... 72 Martian Mutants ...... 100 stamped envelope (SASE) any time you What if it Goes Wrong? ...... 72 Advantages...... 100 write us! Resources include: ...... 72 Disadvantages ...... 101 Pyramid (www.sjgames.com/pyramid/). Why Terraform?...... 72 Skills ...... 101 Our online magazine includes new GURPS What Mars Needs ...... 73 CAMPAIGNS AND ADVENTURES . . . . 102 rules and articles. It also covers Dungeons Big Jobs ...... 73 Invaders From Mars ...... 102 and , Traveller, World of Darkness, Biology...... 75 Invaders From Earth ...... 103 Call of Cthulhu, and many more top games Mars Needs . . . Um ...... 75 Other GURPS Settings ...... 104 – and other Steve Jackson Games releases THE NEW WORLD ...... 75 Rival Planets ...... 105 like In Nomine, Illuminati, Car Wars, Toon, Phase One ...... 75 The Solar Federation...... 105 Miniatures, and more. Pyramid sub- Phase Two ...... 76 The Martian Campaign ...... 105 scribers also have access to playtest files online! Phase Three ...... 76 7. Dying Mars 106 New supplements and adventures. The New Landscape ...... 76 ...... The Landscape...... 107 GURPS continues to grow, and we’ll be Hydrographic Map of happy to let you know what’s new. A current Terraformed Mars ...... 77 How a Planet Dies...... 107 catalog is available for an SASE. Or check Time Scale ...... 78 The Past – or the ? . . . . . 107 out our website (below). Martian Organisms ...... 79 Canals and Territories of Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, MARS COLONISTS ...... 79 Dying Mars ...... 108 including us – but we do our best to fix our Planet of Roofs...... 80 Inhabitants ...... 109 errors. Up-to-date errata sheets for all Moving Mars ...... 80 CITIES AND KINGDOMS ...... 111 GURPS releases, including this book, are Society on Terraformed Mars . . . 80 The Marineris Cities ...... 111 available from SJ Games; be sure to include Humans into Martians...... 81 Map of Marineris Cities ...... 111 an SASE. Or download them from the Web The Skyhook...... 82 The Underground Empire . . . . . 112 – see below. Elevator Car ...... 82 Ruins and Lost Cities...... 112 Gamer input. We value your comments, for new products as well as updated printings Genetic Engineering Packages . . 83 The Acidalian Theocracy...... 113 The Hellan Empire...... 113 of existing titles! Characters ...... 84 Internet. Pirates of Mars ...... 113 Visit us on the World Wide Web Red Planet, Blue Sky ...... 85 at www.sjgames.com for an online catalog, Pedal Ultralight (TL9) ...... 85 Nomads of the Desert ...... 114 errata, updates, Q&A, and much more. Martian Prickly Pear ...... 86 SWORDS AND SUPERSCIENCE ...... 114 GURPS has its own Usenet group, too: ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, AND Ancient Wonders ...... 114 rec.games.frp.gurps. SKILLS ...... 86 High-Tech Transportation . . . . . 115 GURPSnet. This e-mail list hosts much Advantages...... 86 Peroxide Pistol ...... 116 of the online discussion of GURPS. To join, Disadvantages ...... 87 Or Is It Magic? ...... 116 e-mail [email protected] with “subscribe Skills ...... 87 Ceramic Guns and GURPSnet-L” in the body, or point your CAMPAIGNS AND ADVENTURES . . . . . 87 Glass Daggers ...... 116 web browser to gurpsnet.sjgames.com. The GURPS Mars web page is at GREENS VS. REDS ...... 87 MARTIAN BEASTS ...... 117 Other GURPS Books...... 88 Sand-Sharks ...... 117 www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/mars/. Mars vs. Earth ...... 90 Riding-Lizards ...... 118 Ski !...... 90 Night Horrors...... 118 Page References CHARACTERS AND ABILITIES ...... 118 6. Superscience Character Templates ...... 118 Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for the GURPS Basic , Third Mars 91 Advantages...... 120 ...... Edition. Any page reference that begins with Geography ...... 92 Disadvantages ...... 121 a B refers to the GURPS Basic Set – e.g., p. THE MARTIANS ...... 92 Skills ...... 122 B102 means p. 102 of the GURPS Basic Set, Other Kinds of Martians ...... 92 CAMPAIGNS AND ADVENTURES . . . . 122 Third Edition. Page references that begin Biology...... 92 Men From Earth ...... 122 with CI indicate GURPS Compendium I. History ...... 93 Other GURPS Settings ...... 123 Other references are BIO for GURPS Martian Psionics ...... 93 Sand Raiders of Mars ...... 124 Biotech, CY for GURPS , U for Martian Society ...... 93 Merchants of Mars...... 124 Undead, and WWi for GURPS Who’s Who Domed Cities ...... 95 The Last Engineers ...... 124 1. A full list of abbreviations can be found on Martian Names ...... 95 p. CI181, or see the updated web list at Bibliography ...... 125 www.sjgames.com/gurps/abbrevs.html. MARTIAN TECHNOLOGY ...... 96 Flying Saucers ...... 96 Index ...... 127 CONTENTS 3 INTRODUCTION Here’s the scene: Grand Central Station, New York City, collected reams of 5:15 p.m. It’s rush hour madness in the station on a sultry data concerning its summer afternoon in 1976. Suits are darting across the cav- atmosphere and ernous expanse of the main terminal, heads down, briefcases surface environ- held tight. Thoughts are focused on getting home, maybe ments. We’ve cap- snagging a seat on the train, maybe actually making the 5:17 tured innumerable to Greenwich, or Larchmont or some other suburban digs. images of its sur- Kodak’s Colorama display looms over the scene, an outsized face (the Mars Glob- transparency nearly 20 feet high and 60 feet wide. It’s been al Surveyor alone, in displaying Kodak moments for years, but right now it’s orbit since 1997, has showing something a tad different, something that’s forcing logged more than 78,000 heads up and slowing down the usual crazed pace. Quick images). Taken together, all strides melt into an ambling walk; conversations drift away that we know describes a world at momentarily as people gaze at the scene on display. A few once alien yet . This isn’t to say that simply stop and stare in momentary befuddlement. They’re we’ve written the book on Mars – far from it. There are plen- looking at Mars, as seen by the robotic eyes of the Viking 1 ty of questions to be answered, careers to be made, and per- Lander. haps a Nobel yet to be snagged from the study of the planet. At first sight it’s a weirdly familiar scene, a desert-like Mars is an intriguing canvas for the imagination. Tales expanse, barren and ruddy with ancient-looking chunks of ranging from space swashbucklers to hard science SF have rock littering the landscape. But it’s the dull pink sky that drawn on the Red Planet as backdrop and inspiration. Within catches the eye. It takes a smattering of time, maybe a few the realm of the imagination, Mars is what you make of it. seconds, for people to realize that the reason the scene looks Whether you play by the rules of science and what we know unearthly is because, well, it is unearthly. Looks of bewilder- of the planet today, or bend them a tad, is your own call. Be ment melt into looks of astonishment and wonder. They assured, though, that you’ll find enough information, ideas entered the station to commute to the near suburbs of New and imaginative scenarios between these covers to make you York, after all. They hardly expected a quick commute to the a master of the planet, at least in the short term. near suburbs of Earth, and a glimpse of another world. For a For those with their eyes fixed on the long term, again, few moments, those who chose to raise their eyes Mars is what you make of it. You can help make real a from the ground are transported from their future where Mars is not simply an entertaining diversion, familiar world to another, and in those but a destination. The (www.marssociety.org) moments their understanding of this is a global organization of individuals who share a passion world and this universe becomes for the human . Society projects in the just a tad deeper, a bit richer. Arctic, the American Southwest and elsewhere are helping Mars does that to us. to define and test the skills and techniques human explorers For decades, cen- will require. turies even, Mars has GURPS Mars offers a solid introduction to Mars as a fired the human imagi- planet and Earth’s near neighbor. More to the point for nation and beckoned gamers, though, it’s a grand introduction to Mars as an abode us to imagine worlds of the imagination. What’s left to say? beyond our own, On to Mars. worlds we fre- quently populated Richard Wagner with our own Robert Zubrin fears or dreams. The Mars Society It’s tempting to say that the Red About the Author Planet is a blank page, but, as is James L. Cambias is a blatant poseur. He has never vis- well demonstrated ited any planet other than Earth, but he didn’t let that stop by James Cambias, him from writing GURPS Planet Krishna and the upcoming it’s anything but. We GURPS Planet of Adventure. His experience with Mars is know quite a lot about limited to watching it through a telescope from a distance of Mars. We’ve penned a 40 million miles. Truly he has no shame. Mr. Cambias lives scientific narrative of its in western Massachusetts with his wife and daughter, who past and present. We’ve seem willing to endure his pretensions.

4 INTRODUCTION MARTIAN GEOGRAPHY

Place Names Surveyor probe took higher-resolution pictures at a different The features on Mars were named by scientists who time of day, the Face was revealed as nothing more than a wanted to come up with specific terms to describe them natural geological formation. (Predictably, Face fans reacted which wouldn’t be the same as words used for features on to this by alternately claiming the new images were fakes and Earth. Saying something is a “canyon,” for example, implies trying to find artificial-looking features in them.) Astronaut a lot about how it formed because canyons on Earth are cut characters may be sent there by NASA to prove once and for by rivers. On Mars, canyon-like features are called “” all that it isn’t a big artificial structure, or a well-funded or “vallis.” In some cases, features on Mars don’t match their crackpot might mount an expedition to prove that it is. technical name very well, due to misinterpretation of early So what is the Face really like? It is a rectangular mesa space probe images. with sloping sides, approximately 1.5 miles long by 1.25 Catena: A chain of craters or depressions. miles wide. It is oriented north by northwest. The top of the Cavi: A steep-sided hollow. mesa (the “headdress” of the Face) is about 700 feet above Chaos: A region of broken terrain. the surrounding plains, and the hills that make up the features Chasma: A very large linear chasm. of the Face reach another 600 feet above that. Crater: A round hollow with raised walls. The City Dorsum (Dorsa): A ridge. Fossa (Fossae): A straight linear depression. About six miles west-southwest of the Face is a complex Labyrinthus: A network of linear depressions. of structures known as the “City.” There are five pyramidal Mensae: A small plateau. hillocks arranged roughly in a pentagon, with smaller objects Mons (Montes): A mountain. in the middle space. The biggest of the pyramids has four Patera: A crater with irregular or scalloped edges. sides, while the rest appear to be three-sided. They are all big Planitia: A low plain. features, on the same scale as the Face, with bases a mile or Planum: A large plateau. more across and altitudes in the 1,000-foot range. Rupes: A cliff. Just outside the City, in the direction of the Face, is a Scopulus: An irregular, degraded escarpment. weird triangular mesa known in the trade as the “Fortress” Sulci: A network of ridges and lines. because of its resemblance to defensive earthworks on Earth. Terra: A general region of the planet. A faded water channel appears to run between the Fortress : A small domed hill. and the City. Hoagland and others have worked out a com- Vallis (Valles): A valley. plicated arrangement of sight lines among the objects in the Vastitas: An extensive plain. City and the Face, claiming that they line up with the rising of the sun or important stars at the solstices, much like the The Face and stones of Stonehenge. Other Weird Places The D&M Pyramid Five miles southeast of the City, forming a roughly equi- lateral triangle with the City and the Face, is a very big object The Face called the “D&M Pyramid” by Face fans (named for its dis- The Face on Mars has replaced the canals as the one coverers, DiPietro and Molenaar). The pyramid is about 3 thing about the planet everyone has heard of. The Face is a miles across at the base, and is 1,500 to 2,000 feet tall. It small mesa in the Cydonia region of Mars, located at approx- looks like a slightly distorted five-sided pyramid. Mars Face imately 40° north latitude, 9.5° longitude, at the northeast aficionados are fond of pointing out that the Pyramid’s lon- end of Cydonia Mensae. It stands amid smooth plains stud- gitude is exactly a third of the way around Mars from the ded by similar outcrops, looking much like islands that resis- summit of Olympus Mons. ted ancient water erosion. What makes the Face an icon for conspiracy theorists and fans of the paranormal is that in the Chaotic Terrain first Viking orbital photos of the region, the angle of sunlight and the poor resolution made the mesa look startlingly like a On Mars the term “Chaotic Terrain” refers to curious huge human face. Richard Hoagland and numerous others regions of land which is broken and jumbled up on a scale of began cranking out a vast array of books, articles, and Web tens or even hundreds of miles. From space, a piece of chaot- pages devoted to proving the Face was a sign of extraterres- ic terrain looks like a colossal gravel bed, except that the peb- trial intelligence. bles are sometimes miles across. Chaotic terrain often occurs Nearby features were identified as a “fort,” a “city,” and at the head of channels or canyon systems, leading some (of course) “pyramids.” See Chapter 5 for more on the Face’s geologists to speculate that it is caused when the surface col- place in the pantheon of weirdness. When the Mars Global lapses into underground voids left by melting ice.

24 MARS IN REALITY MARS IN REALITY 25 Throughout ancient Italy he was known variously as Mars, Dying World Mavors, Maurs, Mamers, Marmar, Marmor, Mamurius, and Marspiter. The month named for Mars, Martius (our March) vs. New Frontier was originally the start of the Roman calendar, before reforms Over the years writers have imbued Mars with all kinds moved the new year to January. The Ides of March (March of symbolism. Is it a new home for humanity, an unspoiled 15) was the chief festival of Mars, marked by horse races on Eden, or a dead world? the Campus Martianus and processions by the Salian College At one end of the dial is the idea of Mars as the New of priests. (The fact that military leader Julius Caesar was Frontier, the American West lofted into space. This Mars is assassinated on the Ides of March puts an interesting mystical just waiting for human settlement. Realistic treatments of the spin on his career: was Julius somehow a sacrifice to ensure New Frontier vision are often terraforming stories, as in that the Empire’s legions would be victorious for the next Green Mars or Martian Rainbow. The examples in Chapters three centuries?) 4 and 5 implicitly follow this view. Romantic versions of the The Salians carried a sacred shield called the Anchile, Martian frontier include Heinlein’s Red Planet and Moore’s which fell from heaven at the feet of the early Roman king “Shambleau.” If there are Martians, they fill the role of Numa. (A midget flying saucer?) To keep anyone from Apaches or possibly East Indians under the British Raj – stealing the shield of Mars, Numa had eleven duplicates either primitive savages or decadent ones. made, which the Salians kept. The genuine Shield of Mars One notch over is the notion of Mars as an Eden which would be a swell MacGuffin for some Indiana Jones-style shouldn’t be sullied by human beings. C.S. Lewis was explic- archaeology in Fascist Italy, with Mussolini’s Blackshirts as it on this point in Out of the Silent Planet, in which the inhab- villains instead of the Nazis. Otherwise, it could be yet itants of Mars live in direct contact with God and only another item for Warehouse 23. The powers of the Shield of Earthmen are sinful. A more secular and hard-SF approach is Mars weren’t clearly specified, but it would certainly be the attitude presented in Brian Aldiss’ White Mars or that of appropriate for the God of War to give victory to the side the Preservationists in GURPS Transhuman Space – the life- bearing his shield. less natural beauty of Olympus Mons or the Valles Marineris The horse was sacred to Mars, and his bird was the shouldn’t be turned into a poor imitation of Earth. woodpecker. Trees sacred to Mars included the oak (even Ever since Percival Lowell, Mars has been depicted as a today, majors in the Army wear an oak-leaf insignia), fig, dying world. Beyond the concept of Mars as unsullied Eden dogwood, and laurel. Besides being a tutelary god of Rome, is the idea of Mars as a once-great world now in its last days. Mars was also the patron of Florence. Mars’consort was Bel- Often this includes a warning to humans about the potential lona, a terrifying goddess of war and death, worshipped by fate of the Earth some day (as Wells noted in passing in The ex-gladiator priests who wounded themselves in her honor. War of the Worlds and elsewhere). Dying, decadent Mars may She was depicted as a wild-haired woman in armor holding be home to civilizations wiser than humanity, or may have a bloody lash. nothing but the ruins they left behind. A ghost of this idea The Greek god Ares closely paralleled Mars, but lacked lives on in the continuing fascination with the Face on Mars his identity as a patron of agriculture. Ares was a pure war- beloved of pseudoscientists. god, and as such was much less attractive. In early Sparta, Twisting the dial all the way over, a dying world may be prisoners of war were sacrificed to him. The cock, the dog, dangerous if the Martians aren’t ready to go extinct just yet. and the vulture were his animals. He was the brother or hus- The Martians may decide to look for a new home some- band of Eris, and like all Greek gods had liaisons with sev- where else, in which case it’s Earth that is the New Frontier eral other women and goddesses. By the princess Astyoche – and humans are the oppressed natives. Or perhaps the he had twin sons, Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, who fought at microorganisms which manage to survive in the tough Mar- Troy. With Aphrodite, Ares had several children, including tian environment become a killer pandemic on Earth. More the minor gods Phobos, Deimos, Anteros, Harmonia, and realistically, Mars could turn out to be a lethal dead end for Eros. Through his liaison with the maiden Chryse, Ares was human explorers, simply by virtue of being more hostile the grandfather of the Pirithous, and the ancestor of the than they expect. The greenhouse plants die from toxic trace . In the later Roman Empire, Mars and Ares were elements in the melted ice, dust causes respiratory illnesses essentially combined, and Mars increasingly took on his and fouls up the vehicles – and no help can arrive for six Greek avatar’s boastful and semi-comic personality. months. In the pre-Olympian cosmology of the Greeks, the Titans Dione and Crius presided over the planet Mars. Crius is some- thing of a cipher, but Dione was a goddess of moisture and the MYSTIC MARS oceans, whose name may be a cognate of Diana. This can be taken as an indication of the “Venus-dominated” tone of Mars has powerful mystical connotations. After all, it’s in the Age of Taurus (see the section on Astrology named for a god, and a pretty high-powered one at that. Mars below). In a particularly mystic campaign, characters might was one of the chief gods of the Romans, a protector of crops be part of a “theological terraforming” project to exorcise the and patron of the army. In some versions of the legend of the life-destroying influence of Mars and restore the planet to its founding of Rome, Mars was the father of Romulus. watery, hospitable identity under Dione.

MARS IN FICTION AND MYTH 41 The Terraforming Consortium The Unity Party’s main rival is the Pan-Human Society, which urges Martian membership in the United Nations. The The most important single organization on Mars is the Society is regarded by most Martians as a mouthpiece for Terraforming Consortium. The Consortium is the body in Earth interests. charge of the entire terraforming project. As its name sug- gests, the Consortium is a cooperative venture. The list of Consortium members is long, and includes the United Genetic Engineering Nations of Earth; the governments of the United States, China, Canada, India, Brazil, Japan, and Egypt; the Skyhook Packages Company, Singapore Biotech Holdings Ltd., Macrodynam- Approximately half of the children born on Terraformed ics, Mars Properties, Eurospatiale, and Leung Mars have some form of genetic modification. Human engi- Enterprises; the Mars Society, the High Frontier Foundation, neering is something of a political statement among Martians: the Panspermia Society, and the Hermosa Charitable Trust. adapting your kids to Martian conditions means you believe All these partners mean that the Consortium must cope in “Mars for the Martians” instead of close cooperation with with powerful centrifugal forces. Without strong leadership, Earth. Spending the money to have a parahuman who can sur- the Consortium would rapidly disintegrate into squabbling vive where humans can’t often reflects Red Mars sentiments petty “empires” as each partner and each project scrambles (especially those of the panspermist “Pink” faction). for money and resources. For much of the project’s history the charismatic terraforming expert Isadora Braudel has pro- Modified Human vided that leadership, first as the most outspoken member of (“Carter” Series) 23 points the Science Advisory Board, then as Chief Scientist, and The Carter genemod package is a favorite among parents finally as Director of the whole Consortium. who want their children to be relatively comfortable on Mars The Terraforming Consortium’s operations are spread all but don’t want to cross the species boundary. Carter-series over the Solar System, with 10,000 employees on Mars or in humans are as cold-tolerant as Eskimos, have lungs and blood Mars orbit, another 2,000 at Saturn or aboard comets in the like an Inca or Tibetan, and are as resistant to dry conditions outer system, and 15,000 on Earth working as administrators, and strong ultraviolet as any Australian Aborigine or Sahara lobbyists, and researchers. The biggest single assets belong- dweller. Like many commercial genemod templates, it also ing to the Consortium are its two deep-space vehicles, the edits out several undesirable traits, particularly alcoholism Persephone and the Athena. The two identical ships support and epilepsy. Carter humans are tall and very dark-skinned, comet-herding operations in the outer system, and ice mining with massive chests and a layer of subcutaneous fat which on Saturn’s moons. Each is a mobile industrial base in its own makes them look stocky despite their height. They have beaky right, equipped with automated factories to build mass-driv- noses and eyes with a distinct epithicanic fold. A Carter-type ers, habitat modules, and just about anything else needed to embryo costs $48,000. capture a comet or set up a mining base. Each ship has a crew of 32, with room for another 32 technicians and workers. Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 12 [20]. Advantages: Breath Holding [2], Temperature Other Organizations Tolerance-1 [1]. The Skyhook Company is the biggest purely private Features: Taboo Trait (No Genetic Defects). Home gravity of company on Mars. It is part of the Terraforming Consortium, 0.38G. but owns the Pavonis elevator outright (along with Deimos Cost: $48,000. and most of the Pavonis colony). Skyhook’s business plan is Martian Parahuman much like that of the railroad companies in the American (“Thoris” Series) 46 points West: spend a lot of capital building the transport system, then find ways to encourage traffic and discourage competi- The Thoris parahuman template was created by the Mars tion. The Skyhook Company favors anything which pro- Terraforming Consortium to produce ideal inhabitants for the motes Martian trade, since each elevator load means another planet’s new conditions. Thoris parahumans are not obvious- $10,000 profit. At times Skyhook expresses its disapproval ly inhuman, although they cannot breed with humans without of Red activism, small independent space transport compa- help from a genetic engineer. Like the Carter parahumans nies, and labor organizers through physical threats and they tend to be barrel-chested and dark-skinned. Many Thoris intimidation. Martians deliberately take cosmetic treatments to make them- The Martian Unity Party is a political party with chapters selves look less like Earthlings (a green skin tinge or implant- in all the colonies which allow free elections. The goal of the ed antennae are common choices). The Thoris template organization is to form a unified planetary government for includes oxygen storage ability and allows Martians to live Mars. The Unity Party is pro-terraforming, but anti-Earth without life support equipment even on the Tharsis Bulge sentiment is fairly strong and this means the party often (although even they still need compressor masks for a climb reflexively opposes the Terraforming Consortium and the up Olympus Mons). Though they can survive in conditions Skyhook Company simply because of their roots on Earth. At which would suffocate a normal human, Thoris Martians do its most extreme end, the Unity Party overlaps with the need at least 30 millibars of oxygen to breathe. Buying a Tho- “Brown” and “Pink” factions of the Red Mars movement. ris genemod embryo costs $96,000. TERRAFORMED MARS 83 INDEX

1956, 37. Carter, John, 10. Driving skill, 67, 101. GURPS Ogre, 105. Acidalian Theocracy, 113. Cassini, Giandomenico, 6. Dust devils, 20. GURPS Places of Mystery, 44. Acute Hearing advantage, 120. Castes, Superscience Mars, 93. Dust storms, 20. GURPS Planet Krishna, 123. Advantages, Domed Mars, 65; Cave Martians, 110, 112. Dust, 19. GURPS Reign of Steel, 69. Terraformed Mars, 86; Caverns, 21. Dying Mars, 106. GURPS settings, Domed Mars, 69; Superscience Mars, 100; Dying Mars, Celtic mythology, 42. Dying Race disadvantage, 121. Terraformed Mars, 88; Superscience 120. Ceramic guns, 116. Dying world vs. new frontier, 41. Mars, 105; Dying Mars, 123. Adventures, Domed Mars, 67; Channels, 26. , 42. GURPS Spirits, 116. Terraformed Mars, 87; Chaotic terrain, 24. El Dorado colony, 55. GURPS , 123. Superscience Mars, 102; Dying Character types, Domed Mars, 62-64; Electrolasers, 96. GURPS Supers, 69, 105. Mars, 122. Terraformed Electronics, 58. GURPS Swashbucklers, 123. Afterburner, liquid-oxygen, 33. Mars, 84-86; Superscience Mars, 98; Elevator Car, 82. GURPS Technomancer, 88. Agronomy skill, 67. Dying Mars, 118. Elysium, 14, 21, 26. GURPS Ultra-Tech, 88. Air, 19, 73. Chocolate, 56. Enemy disadvantage, 66. GURPS , 88. Air-Boats, 115. Chryse colony, 80. Energy, 18. GURPS Vehicles, 37. Airplanes, 37, 61, 85, 90. Chryse Planitia 2050, 52. Eos colony, 55, 80. GURPS Voodoo, 44, 116. Airships, 37. Chryse Planitia, 51. Eos, 112. GURPS Y2K, 105. Alchemy, 44. “City, The,” 24. Erotic Art skill, 101. Habitat module, 35, 51, 53. Alcohol, 56. Claim to Hospitality advantage, Escape velocity, 14. Hall, Asaph, 6, 28. Aldiss, Brian, 41. 65, 86, 120. Ethics, 72. Hard science vs. planetary romance, 39. Aldrin, Buzz, 34. Clarke, Arthur C., 11. Face of God, 113. Haskins, Byron, 10. ALH84001, 29, 30. Climate, 16, Dying Mars, 107. “Face, The,” 24, 43, 45. Hazards, 19. Ancient astronauts, 43. Cloth, 57. roleplaying, 45. Hearing, 19. Ancient Wonders, 114. Code of Honor disadvantage, 101, 121. Farm units, 52. Heat beams, 96. Animals, 79. Cold war, 104. Fat disadvantage, 66. Heinlein, Robert, 10. Antares, 42. Colonies, 51, 67, 79; other, 53; secret, Features, 21. Helium colony, 53. Appearance advantage, 100, 120. 48, 55, 58. Fencing skill, 122. Hellan Empire, 113. Ares, 41. Comets, 74. First Aid skill, 101. Hellas colony, 80. Argyre, 14. Communication delay, 15. First Base, 51. Hellas Planitia, 27. Argyre Planitia, 27. Communications, 51. First Race, 109. Hellas Seas, 90. Aries, 42. Conditions, 15; past, 29. Flammarion, Camille, 6. Hellas, 14. Armor, Martian, 117. Cooperative Planetary Law , 47. Herschel, William, 6. Assassin, template, 118. Commission, 80. Flournoy, Theodore, 48. Hidden Martians, 57. Astrology, 42. Coprates, 112. Flying saucers, 96. Hidebound disadvantage, 101. Atmosphere, 16, 17. Core, 14. Fontana, Francisco, 6. High Technology advantage, 120. Atmospheric pressure, 74. Courtesan skill, 101. Fort, Charles, 46. Highlands, 21. Attack Saucer, 96. Courtesan, template, 118. Fortean Mars, 46. Hindu mythology, 42. Axial tilt, 15. Crater basins, 27. “Fortress, The,” 24. History, Superscience Mars, 93. Aztec mythology, 42. Crius, 41. “Free-return” trajectory, 32. Hite, Kenneth, 40. Babylon, 6. Cryosphere, 17, 29. Galileo, 6. Hoax, Lifeless Mars, 49. Bahram colony, 55. Cryptodendoliths, 29. Genetic engineering, 75, 79, 81, 83. Hohmann orbit, 32. Balloons, 37. Crystal spheres, 45. Geography, 24; Superscience Mars, 92. Honesty disadvantage, 66. Barclay, Andrew, 46. Cultural Adaptability advantage, 100. Geology skill, 67. colony, 55. Basic Physical Data, 14. Currency and Customs Geothermal power, 19. Hospital, 53. Battle Saucers, 96. Community, 80, 81. Getting around, 36. Humanoid Martians, 92. Beasts, Martian, 117. Cyber-Rejection disadvantage, 87. G-Experience advantage, 65, 86, 100. Huygens, Christiaan, 6. Beer, Wilhelm, 6. Cycler Spacecraft, 34. Gilbert & Sullivan, 40. Hybrids, 111. Biblical mystical tradition, 44. Cydonia Face, 24, 45, 113. Glass daggers, 116. Hydrographic map of Terraformed Biology, Terraformed Mars, 75; “D&M Pyramid, The,” 24. Goddard, Robert, 48. Mars, 77. Superscience Mars, 92. Daggers, glass, 116. Gravity, 14, 20 Hyperion, 74. Bisson, Terry, 12, 40. Darwin, Charles, 9. Greed disadvantage, 66. Illiteracy disadvantage, 87, 121. Blind Fighting skill, 122. Data, Basic Physical, 14. Greek mythology, 41. Illuminated Mars, 48. Boats, 37. de Camp, L. Sprague, 39. Greenhouse Road, 52. Illuminati, 49. Bombs, 75. Deimos, 6, 8, 28, 29; base, 56. Greenhouses, 56. Immortality advantage, 121. Bonestell, Chesley, 37. Density, 14. Greg, Percy, 9. India, 6. Boreal Seas, 78, 90 Design Reference Mission, NASA, Greys, 49. Infrared lasers, 96. 31, 32. Bradbury, Ray, 10, 11. Griffith, George, 9. Intelligent life, 57. Detect Lies skill, 101. Brahe, Tycho, 6. Ground vehicles, 37, 58. International Astronomical Union, 7. DiGregorio, Barry, 49. Burroughs, Edgar Rice, 10, 39. Gulliver’s Travels, 8. Invaders from Earth, 30. Dinner, 56. Cabal, The, 43. Guns, ceramic, 116. Iron, 18, 44. Dione, 41. Caffeine, 56. GURPS Alternate Earths, 37, 105. Ius, 111. Diplomat, template, 98. Calendar, 15. GURPS Arabian Nights, 123. Jets, 37. Diplomatic Immunity advantage, 100. Campaign parameters, 39. GURPS Atomic Horror, 37, 105. Jung, Carl, 48. Dirt, 18. Campaigns, Domed Mars, 67; GURPS Autoduel, 105. Kabbalism, 44. Disadvantages, Domed Mars, 66; Terraformed Mars, 87; GURPS Bio-Tech, 88. Kasei Vallis, 27. Terraformed Mars, 87; Superscience Superscience Mars, 102, 104; Dying GURPS Black Ops, 69. Kepler, Johannes, 6, 8. Mars, 122. Mars, 101; Dying Mars, 121. GURPS Cabal, 116. Kids, 63. Canals, 6, 8, 92, 93, 109. Disguise skill, 101. GURPS Cliffhangers, 123. Kircher, Athanasius, 9. Candor, 111. Domed Cities, 95. GURPS Cyberpunk, 69. Koch, Howard, 9. Capricorn One, 47. Domed colonies in 2050 maps, 54. GURPS In Nomine, 44. Labyrinth of Night, The, 27. Carapace advantage, 100. Domed Mars, 50. GURPS Magic, 116. Lander stage, 35. Carbon dioxide, 17, 19. Draper, Henry, 46. INDEX 127 Landis, Geoffrey, 39. Mythology, Aztec, 42; Celtic, 42; Psionic, template, 98. Surface area, 14. Landscape, Dying Mars, 107. Egyptian, 42; Greek, 41; Hindu, 42; Psionics, 65; skills, 101; Superscience Surface, 14. Languages skill, 122. Mesopotamian, 42; Mars, 93. Survival skill, 67, 87, 122. Lasswitz, Kurd, 9. Norse, 42; Roman, 41; Teutonic, 42. Pyramids, 43, 45. Swedenborg, Emanuel, 9. Lear, John, 49. Names, place, 24; Superscience “Pyramids, The,” 24. Technology, 58; new, 33; Superscience Leather, 57. Mars, 95. Radiation, 20. Mars, 96. Lecherousness disadvantage, 67. Naming Names, 7. Ray guns, 96. Teeth advantage, 100. Legal Enforcement Powers advantage, NASA Design Reference Mission, 31, 32. Really Weird Martians, 92. Temperature, 20, 73; surface, 16. 65, 86, 100. Naturalist skill, 87. Red Harmony” colony, 55. Templates, Dying Mars, 118; Levin, Dr. Gerald, 49. Navigation skill, 67. Red star, 6. Superscience Mars, 98, 99. Lewis, C.S., 41. New Jersey, 9. Reputation advantage, 65. Temple of the Divine Visage, 113. Ley lines, 44. New Olduvai colony, 55. Resources, 17. Tentacled Martians, 92. Ley, Willy, 37. New technologies, 33. Retrograde motion, 14. Terraformed Mars, 71; economy, 81; Life support, 51. Night Horrors, 118. Riding skill, 122. map, 77; society, 80. Life, 29; intelligent, 57; looking for, 30. Night Vision advantage, 121. Riding-Lizards, 118. Terraforming Consortium, The, 80, “Lifeboat” planet, 72. Noble, template, 119. Robinson, Kim Stanley, 12, 39. 81, 83. Lifeless Mars Hoax, The, 49. Nomads, 114. Robots, 61. Terraforming, 30, 72; Phase One, 75; Liquid-oxygen afterburner, 33. Norse mythology, 42. Rocket engines, 33. Phase Three, 76; Phase Two, 76; Literacy advantage, 121. Northern hemisphere, 21. Rockets, 37; nuclear, 33. time scale, 78. Longevity advantage, 121. Northern plains, 14. Roman mythology, 41. Terrain, chaotic, 24. Looking for life, 30. Nuclear rockets, 33. Ruins, 112. Territorial map, Dying Mars, 108. Lost Cities, 112. Off-road movement, 36. Sagan, Carl, 9. Tesla, Nikola, 45. Lowell, Percival, 6, 39, 41, 48. Olympia colony, 53. Sammael, 44. Teutonic mythology, 42. Lowland Martians, 109. Olympus Mons, 26. Sanctity advantage, 121. Tharsis Tholus, 26. Lowlands, 21. One-way, 33. Sand Martians, 110. Tharsis, 14, 21, 26. Magic, 44, 116. Ophir, 112. Sand, 20. Three Little Men From Mars Are We, 40. Magnetic field, 14. Orbit, 15; Hohmann, 32. Sand-Boats, 115. Time, 15. Map, , domed colonies in 2050, 54; Orbital velocity, 14, 37. Sands of Mars, The, 11. Titans, 41. hydrographic, of Terraformed Mars, Organisms, 79. Sand-Sailor, template, 119. Tithonium, 111. 77; Marineris cities, 111; territorial, Other GURPS Settings, Domed Mars, Sand-Sharks, 117. Topographic map, equatorial regions, Dying Mars, 108; topographic, 69; Terraformed Mars, 88; Saucer Pilot, template, 99. 23; Mercator projection, 22. equatorial regions, 23; topographic, Superscience Mars, 105; Dying Saucer, attack, 96; battle, 96; Trajectories, 32; “free-return,” 32. Mercator projection, 22. Mars, 123. transport, 97. Transhuman Space, 88. Marconi, Guglielmo, 45. Outcast, template, 98. Schiaparelli, Giovanni, 6. Transport Saucer, 96, 97. Mariner 4, 11. Overweight disadvantage, 66. School, 53. Trilateral Martians, 92. Mariner 9, 11. Pal, George, 10. Science fiction, 10. Tripod Expeditionary Force, 97. Marineris cities map, 111. Panimmunity advantage, 87, 100. Science Lord, template, 99. U.S. Naval Observatory, 6, 28. Marineris cities, 111. Paper, 57. Science Lords of Mars, 95. Unaging advantage, 121. Mars Ascent Vehicle, 51. Past conditions, 29. Science Priest, template, 119. Underground Empire, 112. Mars Blimp, 61; statistics, 59. Pathfinder, 12. Science Priests, 109. Upland Martians, 109, 114. Mars Cycler, 34. Patron advantage, 65. Science! skill, 67, 101. Uplands, 21. Mars Defense Force, 80, 81. Pavonis colony, 81. Scorpio, 42. Vacc Suit skill, 67, 87. Mars Direct, 31. , 26. “Sea level,” 16. Valles Marineris, 27. Mars Effect, The, 43. Pedal Ultralight, 85. Seas, 76. Valleys, 26. Mars Lander, 35. Peroxide pistol, 116. Secret colonies, 48, 58. VASIMR, 33. Mars Launcher, 61. Persia, 6. Secret masters, 49. Vehicle statistics, 59. Mars Rover, 58; statistics, 59. Phase One terraforming, 75. Semi-Literacy advantage, 121. Vehicles, ground, 37. Mars Society, The, 4. Phase Three terraforming, 76. Semi-Literacy disadvantage, 87, 121. Velikovskian Mars, 47. Martian Chronicles, The, 11. Phase Two terraforming, 76. Sex Appeal skill, 101, 122. Velikovsky, Immanuel, 8, 47. Martian Parahuman (“Thoris” Series), Phobos, 6, 8, 28, 73, 82. Silly Mars, 40. Velocity, orbital, 37. template, 83. Phoebe, 74. Skills, Domed Mars, 67; Terraformed Versatile advantage, 101. Martian Tripod, 97. Physical Data, Basic, 14. Mars, 87; Viking, 12. Martian Unity Party, The, 83. Physician skill, 101. Superscience Mars, 101; Dying Volcanoes, 26. Martin Marietta, 31. Pickering, William, 6. Mars, 122. Voltaire, 8. Masonry skill, 67. Pioneers, 62. Skyhook, 82. Von Braun, Wernher, 37, 48. Mass drivers, 75. Pirates, 113. Skyhook Company, The, 83. Von Madler, Johann, 6. Matthews, Arthur, 45. Place names, 24. “Slingshot” maneuver, 32. Vow disadvantage, 87. Mean datum, 16. Planet of Roofs, 80. Social Stigma disadvantage, 121. Wallace, Alfred Russell, 9. Meat, 56. Plants, 79. Society, Superscience Mars, 93; War of the Worlds, The, 9. Medical skills, 122. Polar caps, 14, 27. Terraformed Mars, 80. Warmth, 73. Melas, 112. Pope, Gustavus, 9. Soil, 16, 18. Warrior, template, 119. Merchant, template, 118. Popular fears, 11. Solar day, 15. Water, 16, 17, 73, 76. Mercury Theatre on the Air, 9. Power Unit Trailer, 60; statistics, 59. Solar Federation, The, 104. Weak Immune System Mesopotamian mythology, 42. Power, geothermal, 19; solar, 18; Solar power, 18. disadvantage, 101. Metal, 18, 57. wind, 19. Solar-electric ion propulsion, 33. Weakness disadvantage, 101. Meteorite, Martian, 29, 30. Preservationism, 72. Soldier, template, 99. Wealth advantage, 65. Military forces, 81. Pressure, 19; surface, 16. Soldiers, Superscience Mars, 94. Weapons, 63; Martian, 116. Military Rank advantage, 65, 87. Pressurized Rover, 59. Sound, speed of, 19. Weather, 76. Minotaur Station colony, 55. Prickly pear, 86. Southern highlands, 14. Weird Mars, 45. Mirrors in space, 73. Primitive disadvantage, 87, 121. Space Gods from Mars, 43. Welles, Orson, 9. Modified Human (“Carter” Series), Primitive vs. advanced, 39. Spacesuits, 15. Wells, H.G., 9, 39. template, 83. Princess of Mars, A, 10. Speed of sound, 19. Wind, 16, 20, 78; power, 19. , 79. Probes, 11, 12. Spell colleges, 43. Windmills, 19. Moons, 8, 28, 46. Proctor, Richard, 6. Spiritualist Mars, 48. Xenophilia disadvantage, 122. Motion, retrograde, 14. Profit, 72. Status advantage, 65, 121. Xenophobia disadvantage, 122. Moving Mars, 80. Propulsion, solar-electric ion, 33. Status table, Martian, Dying Mars, 120. Year, 15. Mutants, 100. Prospecting skill, 67. Submarines, 37. Zeroed advantage, 66. Mystic Mars, 41. Psionic Powers advantage, 121. Superscience Mars, 91. Zigel, F., 46. 128 INDEX STUCK FOR AN ADVENTURE? NO PROBLEM.

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