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BASIC ASSUMPTIONS
Swords of Mars is a D&D campaign of alien adventure in a retro-future version of
Mars. This is still clearly more of a fantasy world than a science fiction world,
but will freely dip into the well of Sci-Fi on a regular basis. The following
elements are essential to what I want to emphasize in the game:
Sword and Planet
The campaign is heavily influenced by Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars novels and the
Eric John Stark stories of Leigh Brackett. Other influences include Robert E.
Howard's novel Almuric, and the many Burroughs influenced authors like Otis
Edelbert Klein, Edward Akers, John Norman (without the creepy BDSM subtext), Lin
Carter's Ganymede and Green Star series, and Charles Gramlich's Talera series.
The emphasis here is on adventure stories set on an alien world of generally low
technology with some elements of science fiction. Ancient Martian ruins,
decadent societies in decline, and strange lost technology will all feature
prominently.
Retro-Future
Swords of Mars assumes that the beliefs of early to mid 20th century popular
science and science fiction are more or less true. The planets of the solar system
are often wildly off-base from reality. Scientific advances of futuristic Terrans
look more like popular magazines from the mid century, and the fields of
miniaturization, computing, and even social sciences do not resemble what we
know today. Instead, much of the look and feel of society is based more on late
colonial Europe than on contemporary understandings of sociology, political
science, anthropology and economics.
Picaresque
The picaresque novel (from the Spanish picaro, rogue or scoundrel) is an often
satirical genre of novel that depicts the adventures of a scoundrel of low social
standing who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. Such novels are marked by
the fact that the scoundrels seldom truly reform, that there is little plot
adventures are told in the form of a loose narrative of loosely connected
episodes and that the characters are outsiders living on the edges of the law
and society's arbitrary rules as carefree rascals.
The Wastes
The northern hemisphere of Mars is an arid lowland interrupted by patches of
touch lichen-bed clinging to deep water. The great herbivores of the lowlands
survive on the lichen; the great predators of the lowlands and the barbarian
peoples of the lowlands thrive on the herbivores.
The Canal Cities
The arid highlands of the south are criss-crossed with canals that pump water
melted from the ice caps to the remaining cities of Mars. The canals are narrow
ribbons on life across the planet, where fields, forests, and even marshes
survive, and which are used for trade using flat-bottomed barges.
The canal cities are independent city-states, led by a King who is usually some
sort of warlord or general as well. Most are at war with each other or in some sort
of conflict that goes back centuries. The populations of these cities are often
decadent and out of touch with the past grandeur of Mars.
The Polar Ice Caps
Though the ancient machinery of the canals uses the ice caps as its source of
water, the frozen lands to the north and south are considered taboo and dangerous
by all Martians, even to outsiders like the Terrans.
The Martian Calendar
5 LORDS OF CHANGE
NARU (Darkness, night, change). Symbol: Black Disk; Purple, demon mask.
VASHAL (Sorcery, secret knowledge). Symbol: Spider; Raiment: Orange, blank
mask.
NAYARI (Lust, pleasure, pain). Symbol: Jade knife; Raiment: Slave collar.
KALAK (Destruction, fire). Symbol: Flame; Raiment: Red robes.
DALKU (Lord of the Undead). Symbol: Skull; Raiment: Black, skull mask.
Technology on Mars
Mars is iron-poor, at least in ore form, having expended much of its old
resources. Ironically, iron oxide is common in the soil of Mars, and the Terran
Trade Corporation makes much of its wealth dredging the drylands and converting
iron oxide into iron to send back to Terra.Thus iron and steel are highly prized.
Instead of iron,
Martians are able to treat the hide of the Hraa, a ox-like reptilian draft-beast
with a thick hide, with special chemical treatments that make it a bit harder
than bronze and able to hold an edge. Iron is highly valued, and treated as magic
weapon or armor with a value of +1 to +3.
Except for the rare ancient artifact, Martians do not use much technology beyond
late medieval, early renaissance. Gunpowder is unknown on Mars, and firearms
only exist as Terran weapons introduced to Mars. Terran firearms are energy
weapons, and greatly valued. Fuel cells for Terran energy weapons are even more
valued. Terran ray weapons will harm creatures hurt only by magical weapons and
creatures who are gaseous or insubstantial.
One unique Martian Technology is the Airship. Airships look much like standard
earth sea vessels with particularly deep keels They gain their motive power from
sails, but their lift comes from harnessing crystals of Orichalcum. Skilled
pilots are rare and priceless, as are the Orichalcum orbs killing a pilot or
1. The Citadel, where the Warlord maintains his army, courts, jails and arena.
2. The Merchant Quarter, home to citys guilds, open air markets, and trade.
3. Red Lanterns, the pleasure district.
4. The Docks where barges come to the city and home to a TTC office.
5. The Maze, the most crime-ridden and dangerous neighborhood in Izmir.
6. The Holy Quarter, home to the temples of the Ten, as well as family shrines.
7. University Hill, where libraries and the Magicians Guild, may be found.
8. Downwind, the poorest neighborhood; home to factories and-foul
industries.