Red Frontier

Basic Premise Humanity’s last refuge is Mars in the year 2335. Earth is gone after centuries of fallout, atmospheric decay, and ecosystem collapse. Mars was terraformed through crude but effective methods that included controlled nuclear detonations at the poles, aerosolised greenhouse accelerants, and automated regolith processors. The result is a thin but breathable atmosphere, violent dust storms, and a world that is survivable only through constant maintenance. The planet holds 130 million people, all that remains of the species. Most live inside the single megacity known as New Babylon, a hyper-dense vertical metropolis built and controlled by the megacorporation Hermecorp. Outside the city is The Frontier, a massive stretch of partially settled desert, crater towns, ranches, and scattered research ruins. The tone of the world combines practical NASA-style engineering with the improvisational grit of a Wild West borderland. There is no magic, no supernatural presence, and no alien life. Everything that appears uncanny is simply advanced technology or the result of extreme human adaptation. The society is grounded in science and scarcity. Unique Elements Atmospheric conditions are maintained by orbital climate regulators. If these systems fail, humanity’s chances of survival diminish quickly. Transhumanist augmentation exists but is rare and heavily stigmatised. Firearms operate as they to today, but are heavily regulated in the city. Automatic weapons require precise cycling, heat control, and clean mechanisms. Mars undermines all of that. So weapons harken back to old west single action guns with a futuristic, overtly mechanical twist. Corporations have fully replaced governments, and Hermecorp reigns as the dominant power. Agriculture depends on engineered crops, fungal soil converters, and water condensers, and any disruption threatens the entire population.

New Babylon The only true city on Mars. Population: roughly 120 million. Structure: a layered megacity built upward and downward. The top levels, called The Glimmer, contain corporate headquarters, research hubs, and executive habitats. The middle boroughs house the majority of citizens in dense urban blocks. The lowest region, known as The Undernet, consists of old tunnels, freight passages, sealed laboratories, and inexpensive housing. Government: Hermecorp acts as the sole governing authority. Its subsidiaries control utilities, policing, agriculture, and transport. Aesthetic: stainless steel, solar plating, pressurised walkways, and utilitarian architecture shaped by resource scarcity. The Frontier Everything outside the city walls. The region covers millions of square kilometres of semi-terraformed wasteland marked by dust storms, rock plains, abandoned facilities, and scattered settlement clusters. Notable areas include: The Red Expanse: a wide sweep of windswept plains where ranches raise genetically adapted livestock. Shatter Rim: a canyon region fractured by terraforming detonations, now a haven for outlaws and scavengers. The Polar Tracts: cold, radioactive terrain near the original detonation zones. Explorers rarely return from here. The Transhumanist Cult is believed to live somewhere within this region. Caravan Routes: loose trade pathways linking waystations, fuel depots, rover garages, and small townships such as Newton’s Haul, Dusthaven, and Crater’s Rest. Other Settlements There are no official nations outside Hermecorp’s rule. Frontier townships, illegal communes, and hidden research outposts technically fall under the corporation’s authority, although enforcement is inconsistent.

RACES AND CULTURES Only humans inhabit Mars, but over the centuries cultural divisions have become stark. Cityborn (Hermecorp Citizens) People who grew up inside New Babylon tend to trust structure, data, and the systems that keep the city alive. They value safety, predictability, and corporate stability. They are educated but often disconnected from the hardships of the frontier. Frontiersfolk Ranchers, farmers, traders, mechanics, caravan drivers, and isolated township families. They rely on improvisation and practical skill. They depend on patched equipment and black-market weapons. Many distrust Hermecorp, seeing the city as a cage. Outlaws and Drifters A loose label that includes fugitives, smugglers, mercenaries, and people who simply want to live on their own terms. They are united more by circumstance than by any shared ideology. Wealth often takes the form of water, oxygen, ammunition, or reliable transport. The Transhumanist Cult (also called The Shapers or The Augured) A hidden culture made up of heavily augmented humans who abandoned the city long ago. Their bodies carry extensive cybernetics such as exoskeletal bracing, internal recyclers, specialised sensors, and neural mesh interfaces. They believe humanity must embrace physical transformation to survive Mars. Their settlements are concealed deep within the frontier and rarely seen by outsiders. City citizens view them with fear and fascination.

Corporate Instability Hermecorp’s board of directors is riddled with internal competition. Divisions responsible for biosystems, atmospheric control, security, energy, and transportation often sabotage one another behind the scenes. Rumours of a looming leadership transition threaten even more corporate infighting. Frontier Lawlessness Gun smuggling, caravan raids, township feuds, and illegal mining operations keep the frontier in constant turmoil. Hermecorp’s rangers are stretched thin and barely able to maintain the appearance of control. Atmospheric Uncertainty Climate regulators in orbit are showing signs of age. If they begin to fail, Mars could start losing its atmosphere within months. Some specialists believe Hermecorp is hiding early warnings. Frontier settlers report odd sky disturbances that may be related. The Transhumanist Enigma Recent sightings of augmented individuals along caravan paths have reignited fear in New Babylon. Hermecorp labels them a threat to social order. Frontier settlers consider them omens or warnings. No one knows what the Cult wants or why it has become more visible. Youth Resistance in New Babylon Younger citizens, frustrated with corporate dominance and lack of personal freedom, form decentralised protest groups. They sabotage infrastructure, leak classified documents, and occasionally travel into the frontier for illegal exploration or to join outlaw communities.

Magic There is no magic of any kind. All extraordinary abilities arise from human resilience, scientific achievement, advanced augmentation, or engineered biology. Religion Traditional religions faded during the collapse of Earth, leaving behind a culture shaped by three main belief systems: Scientism A wide societal belief in technology, data, and rational problem-solving. It functions almost like a civil ideology rather than a spiritual faith. Martian Pragmatism The informal philosophy of the frontier. People believe in self-reliance, perseverance, and taking each day as it comes. Superstitions exist, but they arise from the environment rather than mysticism. Transhumanist Ideology The closest thing to a full belief system. The Cult teaches that humanity must evolve to match its new home and that cybernetic transformation is the natural next step. While not spiritual, it shapes their identity as a separate branch of humanity.

There are no supernatural planes, but there are forces that feel just as distant and dangerous because they operate beyond human control. These forces shape the world in ways that echo traditional planar systems, but they remain firmly grounded in real science. 1. Orbital Infrastructure Mars is surrounded by a loose ring of satellites, derelict stations, terraforming reactors, and climate regulation arrays that humanity launched during the early stages of colonisation. Most systems still function, although many do so barely. Some are automated and operate on century-old protocols, effectively acting as unreachable “upper realms.” Others contain sealed compartments, old AI cores, or abandoned projects that frontier scavengers claim are haunted by malfunctioning machines. Their influence is constant. Changes in orbital operations can shift weather patterns, shut down communications, or destabilise entire regions of the frontier. 2. The Subsurface Network Beneath the Martian crust lies a maze of abandoned mining shafts, tunnel systems, geothermal conduits, and forgotten research laboratories. This subterranean world is dark, unstable, and largely unmapped. It houses strange bacterial colonies, experimental bio-reactors, and genetic projects from Hermecorp’s early days. To frontier settlers, these underground refineries, bio-labs, and sealed vaults feel like “lower planes” where danger gathers unseen. 3. Digital Realms Hermecorp maintains a global mesh of servers, encrypted data farms, and predictive governance AI. While not mystical, this digital world shapes daily life more than any superstition ever could. The city’s elite live by its forecasts. Frontier outlaws try to break into it. Youth resistance groups hide in it. This “plane” represents the intangible power structures that define New Babylon.

1. The Pre-Exodus Era (Before 2090) Humanity lived on Earth, unaware of how quickly things would fall apart. Early Martian research programs began, funded by Hermecorp and global coalitions. The first prototypes for climate detonations were tested. Legacies: orbital prototypes, old rovers buried in dust, abandoned Earth-side research that frontier scavengers sometimes repurpose. 2. The Terraforming Century (2090–2190) A desperate push began to save humanity by creating a new home. Controlled nuclear blasts vaporised frozen CO₂ at the poles. Automated stations seeded atmospheric chemicals. Robots drilled geothermal vents to thicken the air. Human crews established temporary habitats. Legacies: Ruined terraforming towers. Decommissioned orbital detonators. Bio-engineered plants growing in unexpected places. 3. The Great Evacuation (2190–2250) Earth’s collapse accelerated faster than expected. Nations fell. Billions died. A final armada of colony ships arrived on Mars. Hermecorp positioned itself as humanity’s savior, gaining near-total control. Legacies: Ship graveyards in the deserts. Old cryo facilities. Memorial zones around crash sites. 4. The Hermecorp Ascendancy (2250–2310) New Babylon expanded rapidly. Frontier settlers attempted to build other colonies, but Hermecorp dissolved or absorbed them. Legacies: Failed colony domes, now used as outlaw bases. Atmospheric incidents caused by early system glitches. Abandoned experiments in cybernetics and genetics. 5. The Frontier Age (2310–Present) New Babylon is overcrowded and rigidly controlled, while the frontier grows wilder every year. Townships form and collapse. Outlaws rise and fall. The Transhumanist Cult vanishes deeper into the wasteland. This is the age your campaign begins in.

Currency Hermecorp enforces a credit system within New Babylon called Corporate Standard Credits (CSCs). All salaries, purchases, and contracts operate through CSCs. Frontier folk see this as a city invention and rarely trust it. Frontier Barter Outside the city, trade is more practical. People exchange: water oxygen canisters fuel ammunition food crops spare mechanical parts augmented components rides on caravans or rover escorts A full oxygen tank is worth more than most corporate currency. Major Trade Routes The North Loop: connects frontier ranches to the northern water condenser fields. The Dustline: a dangerous but direct route between New Babylon and Crater’s Rest. The Shatter Road: a twisting canyon trail used by smugglers and outlaw gangs. The Long Haul: caravan trains that cross the continent toward the polar regions for salvage. Economic Organisation Hermecorp controls agriculture, water production, atmosphere maintenance, and city infrastructure. Subsidiary corps manage transport, food distribution, mining, and biotech. Frontier settlements operate cooperatively or by the will of whoever can keep them alive.

Justice in New Babylon Hermecorp handles all law enforcement through its Security Division. Infractions are judged by automated tribunals. Appeals are rare and often denied. Sentences include labour assignments, relocation to the Undernet, rehabilitation programs, or loss of citizenship privileges. Privacy is minimal. Surveillance is extensive. Justice in the Frontier Each township enforces its own code, usually based on survival rather than ideology. Theft is punished harshly because resources are scarce. Duels are not uncommon. Rangers attempt to enforce Hermecorp’s law but have limited reach and little support. Social Attitudes Toward Adventurers “Adventurers” would be viewed in three very different ways: In New Babylon: As troublemakers and unstable elements. Anyone who carries a weapon legally is considered suspicious. Freelancers operating outside corporate structure are seen as criminals. In the Frontier: As essential problem-solvers or dangerous guns-for-hire, depending on their reputation. Many settlements rely on them to deal with threats the rangers ignore. Among Outlaws: As potential allies or rivals. Respect is earned through survival, skill, and loyalty.

1. Hermecorp Black-Ops Divisions These covert groups eliminate dissidents, sabotage rivals, and suppress information that might destabilise the corporation. Their agents are highly trained, cybernetically enhanced, and utterly loyal. 2. Rogue Terraforming Machines Old drilling rigs, autonomous miners, or weather modulators sometimes malfunction. Some still run 200-year-old protocols. Others react aggressively to intruders. A few evolve behaviour through corrupted machine learning. Frontier folk call them “rust ghosts.” 3. Mutated Microbial Swarms Early terraforming introduced engineered bacteria into the soil. Some strains grew beyond control. They can form mats that digest metal. Others release toxic spores. Some interfere with electronics. These are treated like environmental hazards rather than creatures. 4. Outlaw Syndicates Groups such as: The Dust Barons. The Crimson Circuit. The Iron Rovers. The Haul-Rats. They raid caravans, hijack water convoys, and occasionally attempt full township takeovers. 5. The Transhumanist Cult Not villains by default, but they are mysterious and feared. Some splinter cells believe humanity should abandon baseline physiology entirely. A few extremists conduct experiments on captured frontier settlers or steal corporate tech. They can be antagonists, allies, or a neutral force depending on the campaign. 6. Environmental Threats dust storms that last for weeks flash freezes collapsing infrastructure radiation pockets supply shortages atmospheric dropouts caused by orbital malfunctions These “monsters” give Mars a personality of its own. 7. Rogue AI Fragments Not full artificial intelligence, but heavily constrained decision-engines left behind in old labs or terraforming stations. When corrupted, they may control drone swarms, manipulate climate hardware, or trap intruders in sealed facilities.