TEXT: RED PLANET
  A WORLD OF 
  ADVENTURE FOR
  Jess Nevins
  
  This adventure was made awesome thanks to our Patreon patrons at patreon.com/evilhat—thanks folks!
  INSIDERS
  Alan Bartholet
  Andrew Dunne
  Andrew Pomfret
  Arlo B Evans
  Bartolome Mayol
  Ben Mullen
  Benjamin Patrick 
  Huff
  Brett Abbott
  brian allred
  C. J. Hunter
  C.K. Lee
  Christian Becker
  Christopher 
  Gunning
  Christopher Vollick
  Clyde Clark
  D.C. Upton
  Daniel Gallant
  Daniel Stack
  David Dorward
  Demian Buckle
  Dusan Frolkovic
  Edward MacGregor
  Frank 
  Frédéri POCHARD
  Gavran 
  Glenn Mochon
  Graham Wills
  Haakon 
  Thunestvedt
  Isabelle Parsley
  J Quincy Sperber
  J.M. 
  Jason Cotton
  Jeff Chaffee
  Jeff Craig
  Jeremy DeVore
  Jeremy Tidwell
  Jim Hart
  Jim Nicholson
  Joakim Andersson
  Joe Trzos
  John Rogers
  John Rudd
  Jon-Pierre Gentil
  Joshua Lutz
  Justin Evans
  K T
  Keith Stanley
  Ken Ditto
  Kieren Martin
  Laura 
  LilFluff 
  Lowell Francis
  MAINGUET Francois
  Marc Mundet
  Mark 
  Marty Chodorek
  Matt and Nykki 
  Boersma
  Matt Anderson
  Matthew Whiteacre
  Michael Bowman
  Michael Cambata
  Michael Dean 
  Hannah
  Michael Meriwn
  Michael Monahan
  Michael Pedersen
  Mike Lavery
  Mitchell Evans
  Morgan Ellis
  Nick Reale
  Nicola Urbinati
  Osye Pritchett
  Peter Gates
  Peter Woodworth
  Philip Nicholls
  Rachael Hixon
  Randy Oest
  Rhel 
  Richard Bellingham
  Rick Jakins
  Robert Hanz
  Robert Kemp
  Roger Edge
  Ryan Singer
  Sarah Vakos
  Sean M. Dunstan
  Sean O'Dell
  Selene O'Rourke
  Stephen Rider
  Thom Terrific
  Tim N
  Timothy Carroll
  Troy Ray
  Tyler Allen
  Tyler Hunt
  vargr1 
  Will Goring
  William J. White
  William Lee
  William McDuff
  Zach    
  ADVENTURERS
  A Person
  Aaron W Scott
  Adam Buehler
  Adam C.
  Adam Gutschenritter
  Adrian Arias-Palomo
  Aharon sharim
  AJ Real
  Al Billings
  Alan Phillips
  Alan Timothy Rogers
  Alan Twigg
  Alexander Gräfe
  Alexander R. Corbett
  Alistair 
  Allan Samuelson
  Alloyed 
  Amanda Valentine
  Andrew 
  Andrew Betts
  Andrew Dacey
  Andrew Grant
  Andrew Horn
  Andrew Turbott
  Andy Arminio
  Angus 
  Anthony Damiani
  Antoine Pempie
  Ariel Pereira
  Arlene Medder
  Arthur Lace
  ArthurDent 
  B. Bredthauer
  Barac Wiley
  Bastien Daugas
  Bean Lucas
  Becca 
  Ben 
  Ben Scerri
  Ben White
  Benj 
  Benjamin Cush
  Benjamin Wandio
  Benjamin Welke
  Bill Eastman
  Björn Steffen
  Bloomingnerd 
  Bo Madsen
  Bob Hiestand
  Brad Osborne
  Bradley Eng-Kohn
  Brandon Metcalf
  Brandon Wiley
  Brandt Bjornsen
  Brendan Conway
  Brent Ritch
  Brian 
  Brian Creswick
  Brian Shourd
  Bruce 
  Bruce Laing
  Bryan 
  Bryan Brake
  Bryan Gillispie
  Bryan Wiltgen
  Bryce Perry
  Bud the Chud
  BurninChrome 
  C 
  Candida Norwood
  Carl McLaughlin
  Carlos Flores
  Cerity 
  Charles Evans
  Chip Dunning
  Chirag 
  Chloe Wandler
  Chris Caporaso
  Chris Mitchell
  Chris Nolen
  Chris Rigaux
  Christian 
  Christoph Thill
  Christopher Allen
  Christopher Hatty
  Christopher L Newton
  Christopher Smith Adair
  Christopher Stone-Bush
  Christopher W. Dolunt
  Chuck Dee
  Colin 
  Colin Matter
  Corey Johnston
  covert-banana 
  cozyfoxes 
  Craig Maloney
  Craig Mason
  Craig Wright
  Creative Play and 
  Podcast Network
  Curt Meyer
  Curtis Hay
  Dain 
  Damon Richard
  Daniel Byrne
  Daniel Chapman
  Daniel Ellingsen Lund
  Daniel Kraemer
  Daniel Ley
  Daniel Markwig
  Daniel Taylor
  Daniele Galli
  Darren Lute
  Dave Joria
  David 
  David Bowers
  David Bruns
  David Fergman
  David Goodwin
  David Griffith
  David Hayes
  David Hicks
  David Maple
  David Millians
  David Morrison
  David Olson
  David S
  David Silberstein
  David Starner
  David Wendt
  Davide Orlandi
  Declan Feeney
  Denis Ryan
  Derek Hiemforth
  Devon Apple
  Dianne 
  Didier Bretin
  Dillard 
  Dirk Methner
  Don Arnold
  Don Bisdorf
  Don Schlaich
  donald murray
  Drew Calderone
  Drew Shiel
  Drew Smith
  Duane Cathey
  DudeInTheNight 
  Duncan 
  Dylan Green
  Ebenezer Arvigenius
  Edward Sturges
  Ehedei 
  Elsa S. Henry
  Elsidar Amhransidhe
  Emmanuel 
  Emmanuel Genot
  Enrique Esturillo Cano
  eric 
  Eric Bontz
  Eric I
  Eric Proton
  Eric Willisson
  Erich Lichnock
  Erik Ingersen
  Erika Finbraaten
  Ernie Sawyer
  Esteban Jauregui Lorda
  Ezekiel Norton
  Fabrice Breau
  Faris Halawa
  FelTK 
  Fide 
  Florian Greß
  Francisco Castillo
  Frank 
  Frank Jarome
  Frankie Mundens
  gamedave 
  Gareth Marshall
  Garrett 
  Garrett Jones
  Garth Rose
  Gary Anastasio
  Genevieve 
  Geoff 
  George Harnish
  Gian Domenico Facchini
  Glenn Seiler
  Glynn Stewart
  Graham Meinert
  Greg Matyola
  Gregory Fisher
  Gregory Hirsch
  Gustavo Campanelli
  Hakushaku 
  Harry 
  Heather 
  Herman Duyker
  HFB 
  Howard M Thompson
  Ian Charlton
  Ian Toltz
  Imunar 
  Indi Latrani
  Irene Strauss
  Istrian Gray
  Jack Gulick
  Jackson Hsieh
  James Beal
  James Boldock
  James Dezomits
  James Endicott
  James Hoag
  James Husum
  James Odom
  James Pacheco
  James Winfield
  Jamie Wheeler
  Janet 
  Jared Hunt
  Jared Rascher
  Jason 
  Jason Bean
  Jason Best
  Jason Heredia
  Jason Pasch
  Jason Penney
  Jason Tocci
  Jayna Pavlin
  Jeff Mahood
  Jeff Pitrman
  Jeff Vincent
  Jeffrey Boman
  Jeffrey Collyer
  Jens 
  Jens Alfke
  Jeremiah McCoy
  Jeremy Glick
  Jeremy Hamaker
  Jeremy Kear
  JF Paradis
  Joanna 
  Joe 
  Joe Littrell
  Joe Patterson
  Joel Beally
  Johannes K. Rasmussen
  Johannes Oppermann
  John 
  John 
  John Arcadian
  John Beynon
  John Bogart
  John Clayton
  John Fiala
  John Griogair Bell
  John Halsey
  John Helmuth
  John Lambert
  John Portley
  John S. Fetzik
  John Taber
  John Tobin
  John William McDonald
  Johnathan Wright
  Jon C.
  Jon Smejkal
  Jonas Matser
  Jonathan 
  Jonathan Finke
  Jonathan Hobbs
  Jonathan Korman
  Jonathan Young
  Jordan Dennis
  Jordi Aldeguer
  Jose A.
  Joseph Formoso
  Joseph Gamblin
  Josh McIllwain
  Josh Rose
  Josh Salyers
  Joshua 
  Joshua Reubens
  Juan Francisco Gutierrez
  Julianna Backer
  Justin 
  Justin 
  Justin Thomason
  Kaarchin 
  Karl Thiebolt
  Katherine Malloy
  Keith Fannin
  Kenneth Benjamin 
  Holbert
  Kent Snyen
  Kevin Lindgren
  Kevin McDermott
  Krista 
  Krzysztof Chyla
  Kurt Zdanio
  Kyle 
  Larry Hollis
  Lester Ward
  Lisa Hartjes
  Lore Graham
  Loren Norman
  Luca Agosto
  Luke McManamon
  M. Sawi
  m.h. 
  Manfred 
  Marc Kevin Hall
  Marcel Lotz
  Marcel Wittram
  Marcus 
  Mario Dongu
  Mark 
  Mark A. Schmidt
  Mark Diaz Truman
  Mark Harris
  Mark Widner
  Markus Haberstock
  Markus Wagner
  Martin 
  Martin Deppe
  Martin Felczerek
  Martin Terrier
  Marty Gentillon
  Mathias Exner
  Matt Houck
  Matt Landis
  Matt Timm
  Matthew Broome
  Matthew Caron
  Matthew J. Hanson
  Matthew Price
  Matthew Whalley
  Max 
  Max Kaehn
  Meera Barry
  Melanie Patstone
  Mic 
  Micah Davis
  Michael 
  Michael 
  Michael Barrett
  Michael Bradford
  Michael Brewer
  Michael D. Blanchard
  Michael D. Ranalli Jr.
  Michael Hill
  Michael Hopcroft
  Michael McCully
  Michael Shumate
  Michael Thompson
  Mike Vermont
  Mirko Froehlich
  Mitchell Smallman
  Mook 
  Nat 
  Nat 
  Nathan Barnes
  Nathan Hare
  Nathan Reed
  Nessalantha 
  Nichlas Dyhr 
  Hummelsberger
  Nicholas Hopkins
  Nicholas Pilon
  Nick 
  Nick Bate
  Nick Daly
  Nick pater
  Nicolas Decomble
  Noel Warford
  Obsessive Comics 
  Disorder
  Olav Müller
  Olivier Nisole
  paolo castelli
  Patrice Hédé
  Patrice Mermoud
  Patrick Chapman
  Patrick Fittkau
  Patrick Mueller-Best
  Paul 
  Paul Arezina
  Paul Olson
  Paul Rivers
  Pavel Zhukov
  Peter James Burczyk
  Peter Kahle
  Petri Leinonen
  Phil Groff
  Philippe Marichal
  Philippe Saner
  Phillip Webb
  Porter 
  R R Clark
  R Roy
  Ralf Wagner
  Ralph Miller
  Randall Orndorff
  Randy Eckenrode
  Randy M. Roberts
  Raun Sedlock
  Rebecca Harbison
  Red Dice Diaries
  Remy Sanchez
  Renzo Crispieri
  Rich Hewett
  Rich Hilborn
  Richard 
  Richard Greene
  Riggah 
  Rishi 
  Rob Meyers
  Rob Voss
  Robb Neumann
  Robert 
  Robert Biskin
  Robert Huss
  Robert Rees
  Robert Rydlo
  Robert Slaughter
  Robinson Taylor
  Rodrigo 
  Roger Carbol
  Ron Müller
  Roy 
  Ruben Smith-Zempel
  Ryan C. Christiansen
  Ryan Gigliotti
  Ryan Junk
  Sam Hawken
  Samuel Edwards
  Samuel Hart
  Sarah Williams
  Schubacca 
  Scott Acker
  Scott Dexter
  Scott Greenleaf
  Scott Martin
  Scott Millward
  Scott Puckett
  Scott Thede
  Sean Sherman
  Sean Smith
  Sean Walsh
  Sean West Money
  Seth Clayton
  Seth Halbeisen
  Seth Hartley
  Shadowmyre Kalyn
  Shai Laric
  Sharif Abed
  Shoshana Kessock
  Simon Brunning
  Simon White
  Simon Withers
  Sion Rodriguez y 
  Gibson
  Sławomir Wrzesień
  Sophie Lagace
  Spencer Williams
  Stefan Feltmann
  Stephan 
  Stephanie Bryant 
  (Mortaine)
  Stephen Figgins
  Stephen Hood
  Stephen Waugh
  Steve Discont
  Steve Kunec
  Steve Radabaugh
  Steven Code
  Steven D Warble
  Steven desJardins
  Steven K. Watkins
  Steven Markley
  Stuart Dollar
  Svend Andersen
  Tara Zuber
  Tatu Sara-aho
  Teppo Pennanen
  Teresa O
  Terry Willitts
  Tevel Drinkwater
  The Roach
  Thomas 
  Thomas Balls-Thies
  Thomas Elmeblom
  Thomas Maund
  Thomas Off
  Tim Davis
  Tim Popelier
  Todd Estabrook
  Todd Willey
  Tom Luongo
  Tony Ewing
  Torolf de Merriba
  Travis Stodter
  Trevor Crosse
  Tristan Smith
  Tsht 
  Tyson Monagle
  Underfoot Turnbuckle
  Urs Blumentritt
  Victor Allen
  Ville Lavonius
  Vladimir Filipović
  Vrakul 
  waelcyrge 
  Wayne Coburn
  Wayne Peacock
  Wes Fournier
  Will Foy
  Will Triumph
  William Johnson
  Wulf 
  Yonatan Munk
  Z Esgate
  Zeb Walker
  Zeph Wibby
  
  RED PLANET
  A WORLD OF 
  ADVENTURE FOR
  WRITING & ADVENTURE DESIGN
  JESS NEVINS
  DEVELOPMENT
  MIKE OLSON
  EDITING
  JOSHUA YEARSLEY
  PROJECT MANAGEMENT
  SEAN NITTNER
  ART DIRECTION
  BRIAN PATTERSON
  LAYOUT
  FRED HICKS
  INTERIOR & COVER  
  ARTWORK
  TAZIO BETTIN & 
  ENRICA EREN ANGIOLINI
  MARKETING
  CARRIE HARRIS
  BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
  CHRIS HANRAHAN
  
  An Evil Hat Productions Publication
  www.evilhat.com • feedback@evilhat.com
  @EvilHatOfficial on Twitter
  facebook.com/EvilHatProductions
  Red Planet
  Copyright ©2016 Evil Hat Productions, LLC and Jess Nevins.
  All rights reserved.
  First published in 2016 by Evil Hat Productions, LLC.
  10125 Colesville Rd #318, Silver Spring, MD 20901.
  Evil Hat Productions and the Evil Hat and Fate logos are trademarks 
  owned by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.
  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a 
  retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, 
  electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, 
  without the prior express permission of the publisher. 
  That said, if you’re doing it for personal use, knock yourself 
  out. That’s not only allowed, we encourage you to do it.
  For those working at a copy shop and not at all sure if this means 
  the person standing at your counter can make copies of this thing, they can. 
  This is “express permission.” Carry on.
  This is a game where people make up stories about wonderful, terrible, 
  impossible, glorious things. All the characters and events portrayed in 
  this work are fictional. Any resemblance to real people, communist 
  pulp heroes, two-dimensional conqueror aliens in flesh suits, capitalists, 
  space ships, space travel, really anything having to do with space (keep 
  reading), four-armed Venusian apes, or the solar system (because come on 
  it doesn't work like that) is purely coincidental, but kinda hilarious.
  Dedicated to the victims of capitalism and communism around the world.
  
  CONTENTS
  Introduction ...................................................................................... 2
  Welcome to Red Planet ............................................................... 4
  What Is Pulp? .................................................................................................6
  The Science and Technology of Red Planet  ....................................7
  The Solar System .........................................................................................9
  Character Creation and Classes ....................................................18
  Skills and Conversion .............................................................................. 22
  Conversion ................................................................................................... 25
  Stunts ............................................................................................................ 27
  Spaceships .......................................................................................28
  Common Technology ......................................................................31
  Typical Non-Citizens ...................................................................... 32
  Sample Adventure: 34 Chernykh .................................................39
  Scenes ...........................................................................................................39
  NPCs ..............................................................................................................44
  Pre-Generated Player Characters .......................................................49
  What Comes Next ..........................................................................59
  
  INTRODUCTION
  (EXCERPT FROM THE GRADUATION SPEECH BY GENERAL SECRETARY 
  NATALYA NARTOVSKAYA TO THE ACADEMY CLASS OF 773)
  …Today is the day that you leave the Academy to take your place as Citizens 
  of the Union of Materialist Republics. Today is the day you begin your service 
  to the people; today is the day you begin to fulfill your life’s mission. But before 
  you leave, let us spend a moment looking back to appreciate how far we’ve come 
  and the sacrifices our predecessors made to create the Union. 
  It is 773 post-Revolution. You know, because of what you have been taught 
  about our ancient history on Earth, about the First Revolution, led by Lenin, 
  Trotsky, and Kamenev; the insane royalist dictatorship which it overthrew, the 
  hatred of the capitalist countries for the new Bolshevik government and their 
  military attempt to crush it. So too, you know about the grave crimes the 
  Bolsheviks committed, which led to the Second Revolution and countrywide 
  instability and chaos. You know that during that chaotic time the scientists Los 
  and Spiridonov built the Nikolay Przhevalsky, filled it with the men, women, 
  children, and equipment of fourteen collectives, and took off from Heiss Island 
  for Mars. And you know the difficulties the Nikolay Przhevalsky had to over-
  come to reach Mars, and the native Martian royalist dictatorship which had to 
  be overthrown when we landed, in the Third and final Revolution. 
  You know about our history on Mars, because to be ignorant of one’s his-
  tory is to forget the debt one owes to our ancestors and predecessors. You may 
  not celebrate the older holidays of our tradition, but you know of them: Year 
  1, Month 1, Day 29, the day the native Martian regime fell; 3.13.22, the day 
  that the construction of New Moscow was completed; 7.21.14, the day that the 
  last reaches of Mars were fully explored and settled, the final republic named, 
  and the Union of Materialist Republics declared; 94.4.30, the day that the so-
  called Union of Soviet Socialist Republics began their long war with us; 99.6.15, 
  the date that the construction of the Academy—yes, this very Academy—was 
  completed; 181.26.13, the day we learned, to our ever-lasting regret, just how 
  far the plots of the Geometrists went; 256.33.18, the date on which the bases 
  on Phobos and Deimos were completed; 277.16.20, the date we first landed on 
  Venus—the same day on which we began our war with the feudalists there; and 
  especially 521.29.7, Peace Day, the date that we signed the peace treaties with 
  the so-called United States of America, the supposed Union of Soviet Socialist 
  Republics, and the Geometrists. 
  For 252 years, the Union has known peace, and thanks to the blessedly wise 
  and foresighted leadership of my predecessors, every republic and our colonies of 
  Jupiter have prospered. The harvests have generally been good, and even during 
  the years of drought or storms the collectives and the states and the republics 
  share what they have so that all may live well. Technology has advanced far 
  beyond what was available to the people when the Nikolay Przhevalsky left Earth, 
  so that today the scientists of the Union can truthfully say that science serves the 
  people, and not the reverse. 
  2
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  But history is not a primary interest to most of you—I know it is not for 
  my daughters. You’re more interested in what is happening now—and for good 
  reason. History on Earth was blood and mud and capitalist oppression of the 
  proletariat, and history has ceased largely to have meaning within the Union, 
  where all republics cooperate and internal conflict is a thing mostly unknown 
  to us. 
  What you are more interested in is serving the Union in your roles as soldiers, 
  farmers, scientists, and so on. And, of course, in music and film and travel and 
  love and all the other things that young people—twenty-one- and twenty-two-
  year-olds—are concerned with. But—and I’m afraid this may not please some 
  of you—you may be done learning your history, but history is not done with 
  you. History means nothing, now, within the Union. But the history of the solar 
  system is still being written, and we are a part of that. External conflict, the war 
  between economic systems, the defense against an other-dimensional invasion: 
  these are all realities which you, as the new generation of Citizens, must deal 
  with. Peace with the capitalists of the United States and the corrupt dictator-
  ship that is the U.S.S.R. is tenuous at best, and grows more doubtful every 
  day. The silence from the feudalists of Venus is worrisome. The truce with the 
  Geometrists of the second dimension seems to hold, but how long can we rely 
  on them to keep to the treaty they signed many generations ago? The graduates 
  of the Academy, the new Citizens of the Union, must be ever vigilant for the 
  inevitable war or wars to come…
  3
  RED PLANET
  
  WELCOME TO RED PLANET
  Red Planet is a setting for Fate Core. It is a game about a utopia under threat, 
  defended by brave women and men who use their wits, their ray guns, and their 
  faith to defeat and hopefully convert the enemies of that utopia. There are plan-
  ets, and aliens on those planets, and corrupt foreign spies and extradimensional 
  invaders—and stalwart characters to oppose them. 
  Red Planet is a Soviet science-fiction pulp game, in that that genre’s where 
  many of its influences come from. The Martian Union of Materialist Republics 
  is a communist utopia based on hopeful Soviet sci-fi pulps, but the world of Red 
  Planet has many other elements from Soviet sci-fi pulps: spaceships, ray guns, 
  alien monsters, noble communist heroes from various classes working together, 
  the fate of civilizations at stake. This is all added to the familiar tropes from 
  American pulp sci-fi. 
  The solar system, 1300 years in our future, is a place of contrasts. There is the 
  Martian utopia and the hell world that Earth has become. There is the high-tech 
  Union, the much-higher-tech Geometrists of the second dimension, and the 
  low-tech Venusians. There is civilized Mars and Earth and untamed Saturn and 
  Jupiter. There are pirates in the asteroid belt and generation ships being built 
  on Pluto. There is the known solar system and the recently discovered mystery 
  world, Planet Ten. 
  It’s a dangerous solar system in many ways. The Americans and Soviets hate 
  the Martians as much as they hate each other. The Geometrists want to invade 
  Earth and Mars and wipe out humanity altogether. And there are the usual acci-
  dents that happen when traveling through space. 
  But you, Citizen of the Union, don’t care about the danger. You have a per-
  fect society to maintain and defend, and a creed—progressive materialism—to 
  spread, and you’re happy to risk your life to do so, because you know that your 
  actions help the people and the Union and ultimately all humanity, and what 
  nobler goal could there be?
  Red Planet is also a game about fighting for a better way of life for every-
  one. You are Citizens of an actual, functioning, happy utopia, a civilization in 
  which everyone works and sacrifices for the benefit of everyone else—a culture 
  in which a form of communism, the economic and philosophical ideal, actually 
  works. 
  Consequently, Red Planet characters are not out for themselves, and do not 
  live in a world in which adventuring for personal gain is one’s ultimate goal. You 
  aren’t murderous sociopaths killing monsters and stealing their stuff; you are 
  Citizens living in service to a perfect society, defending it against its enemies. 
  Red Planet is meant to be a hopeful universe, one in which the better angels of 
  our nature (to quote Abraham Lincoln) triumphed and built a wonderful civili-
  zation. Your goals should be hopeful ones: defeating the agents of bad, evil, and 
  wrong economic systems—and ultimately, the systems themselves—so that all 
  of humanity, not just the Citizens of the Union, can live in peace and prosperity. 
  No small goals, we admit. But we know you’re up to it. 
  4
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  A NOTE ON HISTORICAL ACCURACY
  Red Planet is a roleplaying game. It is a fantasy based on the idea that an 
  idealized fictional philosophy similar to communism but called progres-
  sive materialism could appeal enough to people’s better natures to make 
  them willingly and joyfully belong to a communist civilization—a civiliza-
  tion which would in turn act peacefully toward the new beings and cultures 
  it encountered and would only wage defensive wars against its opponents. 
  In reality, of course, our world tried a variety of communism: Marxism–
  Leninism. It resulted in the U.S.S.R., the Soviet Union, a corrupt and, yes, 
  evil one-party dictatorship. Here’s a reminder of what the Soviet Union did:
  • Enacted a man-made famine in the Ukraine known as the Holodomor 
  or “extermination by hunger,” an attempt at the genocide of the 
  Ukrainian people by the Stalin regime. The Holodomor killed 2.5 to 7.5 
  million Ukrainians.
  • Executed 800,000 political prisoners.
  • Sent hundreds of thousands to gulags, with an estimated 1.7 million 
  deaths. 
  • Killed an estimated 400,000 kulaks (farmers) through forced 
  resettlement.
  • Executed an estimated 100,000 “enemies of the people” during the 
  Russian Civil War. 
  • Murdered an estimated 750,000 prisoners during Stalin’s Great Purge.
  • Killed over 100,000 “national contingents” during the 1930s. 
  • Massacred over 150,000 Poles during World War II. 
  • Explicitly condoned the rape of an estimated 2 million women by 
  Soviet soldiers during the retaking of Eastern Europe and Germany in 
  1944 and 1945.
  A true estimate of the deaths caused by the Soviet Union can never be 
  known; 15 million is the low end of the current estimates, with the high 
  end being 60 million. This does not take into account the untold millions 
  of lives devastated by the killings and rapes, constant political repres-
  sion, and detainment in prisons and gulags; the millions of non-Soviets 
  wounded and killed around the world by Soviet agents and proxies; and 
  the millions more killed in places like China and Vietnam by governments 
  and armies following some variation of communism.
  Capitalism has its own unimaginably huge list of victims, tens of millions 
  of names long. But let no one reading Red Planet be under the slightest 
  illusion: communism, in the real world, killed millions of people.
  5
  RED PLANET
  
  What Is Pulp?
  The pulps were a type of magazine, named after the wood-pulp paper they were 
  printed on. They printed a wide variety of fiction, in every genre. What we now 
  think of as “pulp fiction” was actually a particular approach taken by writers to 
  these genres: high-adventure, from two-fisted detective to science fiction, with 
  an emphasis on narrative speed, violent plots, quickly sketched colorful charac-
  ters, and potent emotions strongly expressed. A pulp fiction hero is larger than 
  life in all regards: if he is a fat detective, he is grossly obese and the best detective 
  in the city; if she is a former circus strongwoman, she’s the strongest woman 
  anyone’s ever seen. And pulp fiction stories are larger than life, as well: a space 
  cop and a space pirate are stuck on a planetoid and have to science their way to 
  freedom; three mercenaries in the Amazon discover a lost city of conquistadors; 
  a woman must choose between her dull husband and the drunk detective who 
  has captured her heart; and so on. 
  Pulp moves quickly and wastes no time. Pulp aims to entertain on a basic 
  level; it doesn’t have time for the complexity of real life, or sophisticated emo-
  tions, or stylistic nuance, or middle-class angst. Pulp is about conflict with the 
  highest stakes, whether the fate of planets or of one relationship. Pulp is about 
  fun (even extreme) concepts set in motion. In pulp, there is no biology or chem-
  istry or physics, there is SCIENCE! In pulp, there are no seedy criminals, only 
  masterminds and mob bosses. In pulp, the thing an astronaut uses the most is 
  her blaster, not her oxygen tank. 
  Evil Hat’s Spirit of the Century is pulp. King Kong is pulp. So is Star Wars. So 
  are the Bourne movies. So is Bound. 
  The setting of Red Planet is that of space opera, the conflict between planets 
  and races with the fate of civilizations at stake. And certainly the dominant 
  storyline of Red Planet—the threat that the U.S.A., U.S.S.R., and Geometrists 
  pose to the Union and to Mars—is pulp sci-fi. But any kind of story can be 
  told in the world of Red Planet, from hard-boiled detective (a team of observers 
  walking the streets of New Moscow, tracking down shipments of food that have 
  gone missing) to double-gun military adventure (a squad of soldiers ordered to 
  hold their post against the waves of Venusians) to espionage (a team of Special 
  Citizens assigned to steal a secret from the Pentagon) to something based entirely 
  on heartfelt conversation (a group of explorers trying to convert the inhabitants 
  of Planet Ten to progressive materialism). 
  You can do most anything you want with Red Planet. Just remember to keep 
  it pulp—and fun! 
  6
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  The Science and Technology of Red Planet 
  Accurate science was of much less concern to pulp science-fiction writers, espe-
  cially Soviet pulp science-fiction writers, than was plot. Consequently, the 
  science and technology of Red Planet are of the SCIENCE! variety. Science 
  serves plot, rather than the reverse, and the available technology is the tech of 
  our science fantasies: clean, functioning, stylish in the Constructivist fashion, 
  and above all imaginative. 
  Here is a brief list of scientific facts in the universe of Red Planet:
  • Most of the planets of the solar system have Earth-like atmospheres.
  • Antigravity is a functional technology based on the element “trirodov.” 
  • The square-cube law doesn’t apply to living beings.
  • Faster-than-light communication is possible.
  • Something as small as a handheld gun can produce a very damaging laser 
  blast or death ray.
  Here is a brief list of items of technology common on the Mars of Red Planet: 
  • Hand-blaster ray guns (standard issue for everyone)
  • Wrist communicators (standard issue for everyone)
  • Flying suits
  • Giant, slow-moving terraforming machines
  • Jet-pack spacesuits (standard issue for anyone in space)
  • Advanced computers (but not robots or A.I.—those are too close to slav-
  ery for the Union’s tastes)
  • Dirigibles in addition to planes and flying suits
  • Flight craft that operate as well in the emptiness of space as in a planet’s 
  environment
  • Enormous space battleships and dreadnoughts
  • Clean and safe atomic energy plants
  If you want to stat up these items for your game, you certainly can, but don’t 
  sweat the details—the writers of the pulps never did. Just make them stylish and 
  pulpish.
  7
  
  A NOTE ON RED PLANET’S SOURCES
  As mentioned before, Red Planet’s default setting is space opera, but 
  the source material of Red Planet varied widely as far as their genres 
  were concerned. Here are some other genres and concepts that appear 
  in Soviet pulp:
  • Polar exploration with the goal of resurrecting frozen explorers.
  • The discovery that London exists inside a pocket dimension which 
  happens to be a barrel.
  • A mad scientist creates ectoplasmic zombies which rebel against 
  their creator and join the U.S.S.R.
  • A sorceress bewitches the vice-regent of Novgorod.
  • A noble Soviet policeman reforms criminals and turns into patri-
  otic communists.
  • A Russian bandit aids mad scientist in creating an airship.
  • An American Doc Savage–James Bond combination creates global 
  communist utopia.
  • American and Soviet secret agents duel psychically. 
  • A Soviet expedition explores the Hollow Earth.
  • Satan tempts a Scandinavian family.
  • A Russian mad scientist/Satanist/sorcerer creates zombie “quiet 
  children” to psychically enslave neighbors.
  • A female vampire terrorizes Moscow. 
  • Cultists attempt to bring about the birth of the “dove child” proph-
  esied to save mankind.
  Adventure, espionage, horror, dark fantasy—it’s all there, and can all fit 
  in the world of Red Planet. You’ll want to tailor some of these concepts, 
  if you use them, to the setting: the Americans and Soviets would ruth-
  lessly exploit the resources of the Hollow Earth, and perhaps Satan or 
  the vampires are simply extremely powerful psychics, and the ectoplas-
  mic zombies would be turned into Special Citizens. But the universe of 
  Red Planet is a big one, with room for anything.
  8
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  The Solar System
  Mercury
  Population: 0
  The desert planet of the solar system. Intensely hot, very windy, covered 
  entirely by desert with only the occasional brackish oasis to relieve the monotony. 
  At regular intervals across the planet, there are alien ruins, pyramids and ziggu-
  rats and cubes and globes, accompanied by the crumbling remains of statues of 
  alien humanoids. The only life forms on Mercury are the many bugs, tiny, small, 
  big, and huge, ranging from the ever-present clouds of alien locusts to mutated 
  giant scorpions to the occasional giant beetle or dragonfly-like winged creature. 
  Not a viable prospect for terraforming, although if necessary a subterranean 
  base could be established here. There’s no reason to go here, no natural resources 
  to be tapped, and no intelligent life to be examined, so the Union does not 
  maintain any bases here. It is a very occasional hideout for the most desperate 
  of space pirates, though. 
  Aspects: Bugs—Millions of Them; Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far 
  Away
  Venus
  Population: 300 million (native)
  The jungle planet of the solar system. Thick cloud cover eventually gives way 
  to widespread jungles with numerous large lakes and long rivers. The environ-
  ment is humid and hot. Plants are aggressive and carnivorous; animals tend to 
  be on the larger side, ranging from dinosaur-like reptiles to enormous four-
  armed “gorillas.” The frog-like native Venusians are unusually strong, thanks to 
  their closeness to the sun’s cosmic radiation, but are aggressively xenophobic and 
  extremely committed to their backwards culture. The native civilization is stuck 
  at the feudal level, with numerous kingdoms and the occasional continent-span-
  ning empire, but only capable of creating primitive weaponry: swords, shields, 
  armor, and such.
  Venus is a primary target for wholesale conversion to progressive materialism 
  once the native culture is overcome. As it is, a number of converts have been 
  made from the Venusian serf class, and of course there is widespread scientific 
  improvement of the Venusian animals, but progress remains slow due to the 
  Venusian hatred for outsiders, especially those who intend to disrupt their class 
  structure. 
  Aspects: Even the Plants Hate Us; A Strange Kind of Chivalry
  9
  RED PLANET
  
  Earth
  Population: 15 billion 
  In the old dating system it is the year 3378, and there are two competing 
  cultures: oppressive, exploitative capitalism—as seen in the ruthless corpora-
  tions that run the United States of America—which has spread throughout both 
  American continents, and the corrupt and evil pseudo-communist dictatorship 
  that is the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which has spread throughout 
  much of Europe and Asia. Each power is locked into a death spiral of vicious, 
  unchecked war with the other. Attempts at large-scale geoengineering projects 
  (such as damming the Mediterranean and draining the Aral Sea for irrigation) 
  and proxy wars (the so-called World War III), some waged using biological, 
  chemical, and nuclear weaponry, have destroyed much of the environment. The 
  U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. do their best to ensure that countries that might threaten 
  their positions of power—China, India, Kenya—are crippled economically, 
  environmentally, and if necessary militarily. And the discovery of the Hollow 
  Earth, which should have been a revelation and a potential salvation for human-
  ity, meant only a new environment for the Americans and Soviets to exploit and 
  drain as well as a new battlefield on which to fight their endless war. 
  The U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. are, along with the Geometrists (page 17), the 
  main enemies of the Union. The poor of both countries, and the rest of human-
  ity, are ripe for conversion to progressive materialism and relocation to Mars, but 
  a wholesale, civilization-wide conversion can only take place once the militaries 
  of the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. are defeated, and that has not yet happened. Union 
  bureaucrats and observers theorize that the rulers of the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. 
  continue to tighten their grip out of fear of revolution and the knowledge of 
  how tenuous their power is, and that if the ruling class could be toppled the 
  entire corrupt system would fall, but for now that remains just a dream. 
  10
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  ASPECTS
  U.S.A.: Life Is Hard in the Ghetto; Survival of the Fittest Corporate 
  Sharks; The 1% and the 99%
  U.S.S.R.: “Everyone gets ‘disappeared’ eventually.”; Preserved Psychic 
  Head of Josef Stalin; The 1% and the 99%
  Rest of the World: Bio-Chem-Rad Danger Zones; Favelas Stretching Out 
  to the Horizon; Malthusian Nightmare
  Hollow Earth: Hidden Atlantean Ruins; Stuck in the Triassic Era; 
  Unspoiled Environment in the Process of Being Spoiled
  Moon of Earth
  Population: 50,000
  Earth’s moon holds a very large U.S.A. military base, the only base either the 
  U.S.A. or the U.S.S.R. has off the Earth. From the moon, the U.S.A. launches 
  missiles at the U.S.S.R. and stages the occasional raid on Mars, although the 
  U.S.A.’s Space Navy flight is small compared to the Union’s. Earth’s moon is a 
  significant military asset for the U.S.A., its primary advantage over the U.S.S.R. 
  and an ever-present threat to the Union’s peace and safety. Consequently, the 
  U.S.A.’s base on the moon is a primary target for Union Space Navy attacks and 
  raids by daring Union Citizens, as well as the subject of the occasional raid by 
  Soviet cosmonauts. 
  Aspects: More Bomb Craters than Meteorite Craters; Teeming with 
  Soldiers
  11
  RED PLANET
  
  Mars
  Population: 30 million
  The home to the Union of Materialist Republics. There are twenty repub-
  lics, whose official names are simply numbers, 1 (odin) to 20 (dvadzat), but 
  in common usage their old, pre-arrival names are still used: Diacria, Arcadia, 
  Acidallium, Lacus, Casius, Cebrenia, Memnonia, Tharsis, Coprates, Oxia 
  Plaus, Sabaeus, Iapygia, Tyrrhenum, Elysium, Phaethontis, Thaumasia, Argyre, 
  Noachis, Hellas, Eridania. The two poles are home to military bases rather than 
  collectives, although the biggest military base is the Space Navy base which hon-
  eycombs Olympus Mons. 
  Mars was terraformed centuries ago and is now primarily an agricultural 
  planet, with farms taking up most of the space in each collective and jobs related 
  to farming being the most common among workers; making sure every Union 
  member is fed remains a primary concern among the secretaries. Farming col-
  lectives take up 90% of the land on Mars. The largest and most notable city is 
  the planet’s capital, New Moscow. The other notable landmark is the city-sized 
  Academy, the university of Mars, which annually teaches its hundreds of thou-
  sands of students skills ranging from advanced farming to piloting Space Navy 
  dreadnoughts.
  The native Martians had a capitalist society before the Nikolay Przhevalsky 
  landed, in Year 1, and sparked the Revolution that resulted in the destruction 
  of Martian culture and the establishment of the Union. The native Martian 
  bourgeois were re-educated, while the native Martian proletariat were welcome 
  with open arms into the Union. Now, 772 years later, there is no trace left of the 
  original class divide among the native Martians. They have all been fully assimi-
  lated into the Union and serve as Citizens just like ordinary humans, a source of 
  no small pride to the Citizens of the Union.
  Aspects: Farms as Far as You Can See; The New Motherland; Utopia 
  Without Shadows
  12
  
  Phobos and Deimos
  Population: 10,000 (Martian)
  Mars’s two moons, home to the largest Union off-planet Space Navy bases in 
  the system. Relatively small and cramped, especially compared to the comfort-
  able size of planetary bases, the bases on Phobos and Deimos are bustling places, 
  even more so since the two moons were boosted into high orbit. These bases 
  serve as Mars’s first orbital defense and the Union’s initial point of contact with 
  the colonies in the rest of the solar system, and everyone on Phobos and Deimos 
  takes their duty very seriously, since if a threat to the Union exists—a runaway 
  comet or incoming American spaceships—it must be detected by the men and 
  women on Phobos and Deimos before it reaches Mars. Service here is an intense 
  affair, so most of the Martian population cycles through here at regular intervals 
  so as not to get burned out. 
  Aspects: Always On Duty; Everyone Serves There Sometime; The 
  Motherland’s Shield
  Asteroid Belt
  Population: 150,000 (Martian, human, Venusian)
  Regrettably, the solar system’s space lanes are not entirely peaceful. Renegades 
  from Earth, Venus, and even Mars flock to the tiny outposts here and have 
  made a kind of outcast civilization, one based on barter (from mining the aster-
  oids), black market trade (with the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R.), and piracy (preying 
  on Union shipping). It’s the rough part of the solar system, where life is cheap 
  and blasters are cheaper. The Union’s policy is not to wipe out the outposts—
  that would cause an unacceptable loss of innocent life—but simply to prevent 
  and defend against piracy. But no matter how many pirates are captured, there 
  always seems to be more out there. 
  Aspects: Arrr Matey!; Refuge for Non-Conformists
  13
  
  Jupiter
  Population: 250,000 (Martian)
  A young planet, filled with fast-growing vegetation, quickly mutating animals, 
  enormous and fierce storms, and unpredictable geologic behavior, including 
  overnight volcanos and suddenly appearing islands. Ruins of an Atlantean 
  nature have been found here, but there are no sentient beings on Jupiter, merely 
  a staggering variety of semi-sentient alien creatures, many of a quite bizarre 
  appearance. Jupiter is home to thousands of Martian farming colonies and sci-
  entific laboratories, as Union farmers attempt to tame the world and make it the 
  breadbasket of Mars, while Union scientists labor tirelessly to discover a way to 
  uplift entire species of Jovian animals. 
  Despite the many Martian colonies and laboratories here, and despite the vast 
  areas terraformed and made into arable land, most of Jupiter—and it is twenty 
  times the size of Mars and ten times the size of Earth—is untamed wilderness. 
  Outside of the colonies it is a dangerous world, full of the adventure that the 
  now-settled Mars lacks. Because of this, Jupiter is an often-requested destination 
  for young Martian Citizens looking for thrills to accompany their postings. 
  Aspects: Abandoned Atlantean Colony; Infinite Diversity in Infinite 
  Combinations; The Ukraine of the Solar System
  Saturn
  Population: 10 billion (native)
  Largely a water planet dotted with a few islands, Saturn has flourishing aquatic 
  life, in a range of bizarre forms, and flourishing aerial life, also in strange variety. 
  There is a dominant lifeform, the flying aliens known colloquially as the floating 
  jellyfish, but all attempts to communicate with them have failed, and it remains 
  unknown whether they are sentient and if so what kind of culture they have. 
  Apart from the jellyfish, there is no sign of intelligent life, just a staggering range 
  of sea creatures and air creatures. 
  Although Saturn lacks arable land, much of its aquatic vegetation and sea life 
  are edible by Martians. Consequently, Saturn is a primary target for eventual 
  colonization, and the Union has already begun enacting plans to establish float-
  ing farms and subterranean colonies there.
  Aspects: The Jellyfish Aren’t Like Us; Water—the Source of All Life; 
  What Hides in the Rings? 
  14
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Uranus
  Population: 0
  A dark, barren planet, frozen, rocky, and dead. Uranus has no native life forms 
  that Union scientists have been able to find. Too cold for farming, with soil 
  unpromising for terraforming, and with no native life forms for Union scien-
  tists to examine, Uranus has been skipped by Union colonizers and avoided by 
  Union explorers and pilots. Apart from the initial mapping of the planet back in 
  the year 619, Uranus has not been precisely charted, and it remains an unknown, 
  unexplored planet. Rumors, spread by credulous Space Navy soldiers and the 
  occasional chattermouthed or imbecilic space pirate, maintain that there are life 
  forms on Uranus, life forms that don’t show up on Union flight-craft detectors, 
  life forms that deserve the names “vampires” and “ghosts.” But these are unsub-
  stantiated rumors, and no one in a position of power on Mars gives such rumors 
  much credence. Still, odd and unfortunate coincidences befall Union ships that 
  are forced to land on Uranus—coincidences that the Union bureaucrats find 
  hard to justify or explain. 
  Aspects: Blanks Spots on the Maps; The Shadows Seem to Move; That 
  Wasn’t There Yesterday
  Neptune
  Population: 100,000 (Martian)
  Wracked by extreme weather patterns, Neptune has a frigid atmosphere and 
  is in many ways similar to Uranus, being dark, rocky, and covered with ice. 
  However, the initial Martian explorers and pilots, in their first exploration of 
  Neptune in the year 632, discovered that Neptune’s environment and soil is rich 
  not just in water, ammonia, and methane, but also in gold, platinum, pluto-
  nium, uranium, and the anti-gravity element known as trirodov, named after its 
  discoverer, the scientist Grigorii Trirodov. Consequently, Union mining colonies 
  were quickly established on Neptune and for the past 140 years have been ship-
  ping valuable elements back to Mars for use by the Union.
  The mining colonies are largely automated, but even the biggest diggers, drills, 
  and harvesters require human operators, so thousands of workers are sent here 
  every year. Life in the mining colonies is hard, even with the machines doing the 
  lion’s share of the physical work, so workers are cycled out after a year’s service, 
  lest they become burned out by the work. To have served your year on Neptune 
  is a point of pride for many workers. 
  Aspects: An Entire Planet Like the South Pole; Mineral-Rich Beyond 
  Anyone’s Wildest Dreams; Roughest Posting in the System
  15
  RED PLANET
  
  Pluto
  Population: 50,000 (Martian)
  An unpromising dwarf planet covered in snow tens of feet deep and continually 
  swept by blizzards, Pluto was until very recently the planet most recently dis-
  covered in the solar system. There is no native life larger than tiny fish eking out 
  their existence beneath the yards-deep, continually frozen icecap. Nonetheless, 
  the Union established a substantial Space Navy base here in the year 644 and has 
  built it up ever since. Unique among the Union Space Navy bases in the solar 
  system, the Pluto base’s primary mission is not military—though the base is on 
  constant guard for alien visitors from outside the solar system—but exploratory: 
  the Pluto base is the building site for the generation ships, which will eventually 
  be sent to Proxima Centauri, Barnard’s Star, Luhman 16, WISE 0855−0714, 
  and Wolf 359. The Pluto base is far from home on Mars, a very cold posting, 
  and one entirely reliant on supply ships from Mars for food and living supplies, 
  but the Pluto posting is considered one of the best in the entire Union, since it 
  is from Pluto that humanity will launch itself into the greater universe. 
  Aspects: All Alone in the Night; Jumping-Off Point to the Universe
  Planet Ten
  Population: Unknown
  A planet discovered only this year by Union scientists, who used mathematics 
  to detect its existence by its effect on the asteroids of the Kuiper Belt, and then 
  used advanced technology to fix its location in the solar system. Nothing else is 
  known of Planet Ten, as it is a staggering 45 billion miles from the Sun, a dis-
  tance that would require almost a year to traverse with the fastest Union Space 
  Navy ships from Mars. Naturally, three squadrons of Space Navy ships, filled 
  with some of the Union’s best explorers and pilots, were dispatched to Planet 
  Ten to see what this new addition to the solar system, this mystery planet, holds. 
  Civilized aliens? A long-lost Atlantean colony? Another element- and mineral-
  filled resource like Neptune? Or simply another frozen rock, like Pluto? We do 
  not know, but we will soon find out.
  Aspects: Strange Energy Readings; What Lurks Beneath the Cloud 
  Cover?
  16
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Country of the Geometrists
  Population: 100 million estimated (native) 
  The Country of the Geometrists exists in two-dimensional space, and all of 
  their actions since their discovery indicate that their culture’s primary goal is to 
  invade three-dimensional space. Union scientists theorize that the population of 
  the Geometrists may be too great for two-dimensional space to contain, which 
  would explain why they are so desperate to conquer the Earth and now Mars. 
  The Country was discovered on Earth the year before the Nikolay Przhevalsky left 
  for Mars, and only then by accident, when members of a supposed diplomatic 
  mission from the Country of the Geometrists contacted a Soviet mathematician 
  in Petrograd and attempted to subvert him. The mathematician rejected the 
  subversion attempt and told Moscow of his visitors. Ever since, the Geometrists 
  have tried by every means possible to conquer Earth and Mars, from subtle (brib-
  ing government officials) to overt (attempts at all-out military invasion).  
  The Geometrists seem to be religious fanatics—with titles translating to 
  Coadjutor, Magister, and Exarch—with an undying devotion to the Geometrist 
  way of life, a devotion that has so far proven immune to all attempts at conver-
  sion to progressive materialism. The Geometrists have technology far in advance 
  of the Union’s, with a specialty in techno-organics. They seem also to have psy-
  chic abilities, not the least of which is their ability to travel “up” from the second 
  to the third dimension, and back “down” to the second dimension. Union sci-
  entists still have not cracked the secret of dimensional travel, nor have Union 
  Special Citizen psychics displayed the ability for dimensional travel that the 
  Geometrists seem to possess. 
  The Geometrists, with their advanced technology and psychic abilities, pose 
  a formidable threat to the Union and to the Earth. Fortunately, to date every 
  Geometrist who has traveled into the third dimension has eventually gone 
  mad; two-dimensional minds were clearly not meant to be exposed to three-
  dimensional reality over a prolonged period of time. Unfortunately, even insane 
  Geometrists can do a great deal of damage, and their actions and plots put 
  the Union in constant danger. To date, Union scientists have been unable to 
  devise a military weapon or device that would allow Union soldiers to fight the 
  Geometrists on their home ground of the second dimension. All battles with the 
  Geometrists take place in our dimension, rather than theirs. 
  The Country of the Geometrists is, with the Earth, the primary enemy of the 
  Union. 
  Aspects: Expand or Die; Invisible to Three-Dimensioners; What Happens 
  When Religion, Science, and Psychics Go Bad?
   
  17
  RED PLANET
  
  CHARACTER CREATION AND CLASSES
  Red Planet characters are created in the same way as Fate Core characters. You’ll 
  still make a character idea, a name, a high concept, a trouble, the three Phase 
  Trio aspects, a skill pyramid of one Great (+4), two Good (+3), three Fair (+2), 
  and four Average (+1) skills, three free stunts, mental and physical stress tracks 
  each with 2–4 boxes, and a refresh of 3, which you can use to buy more stunts. 
  However, in Red Planet, you’ll also choose you character’s social class from 
  the list below. The Union is a hierarchical civilization: every person belongs to 
  a social class—by choice, and one’s class can be changed if wished—and each 
  class serves the Union. Each social class gives your character a bonus in two skills, 
  which applies after you assign skill ranks, so you can increase skills beyond the 
  normal starting cap of Great (+4). 
  BUREAUCRAT
  The bureaucrats are essential parts of each collective, state, and Republic gov-
  ernment, for the bureaucrats are the ones who memorize facts and analyze 
  documents, no matter how inconsequential, in order to maintain beneficial 
  status quos and to detect anomalies which can then be corrected or capitalized 
  upon. You are a data-detective, advising the Secretaries about unusual situations 
  that must be addressed. Each bureaucrat knows their responsibility is to make 
  the life of all Union members as easy as possible through data analysis and docu-
  ment processing.
  Bonus: +1 Investigation, +1 Notice
  EXPLORER
  Explorers do just that—explore, whether the unknown (to humans) jungles of 
  Venus, the inner rocks of the asteroid belt, the rings of Saturn, or the moons 
  of Planet Ten. But the duties and responsibilities of the explorer go beyond 
  discovery and charting new locations. You are also responsible for first (and 
  second, and third) contact with alien beings and civilizations, and it is up to you 
  to show the aliens how benign the Union is, how well it treats strangers, and 
  how, ultimately, progressive materialism is the way to peace and prosperity for 
  all. This duty applies to Earth, as well, and to the lost humans of the U.S.A. and 
  the U.S.S.R.
  Bonus: +1 Empathy, +1 Rapport
  18
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  NEW MAN/WOMAN
  Those men and women of exceptional physical and intellectual abilities, who 
  master the sciences, the humanities, and the physical arts. Experts in every-
  thing from sambo, the martial art of the Union armies, to the poetry of Mirra 
  Lokhvitskaya to piloting ships to wiring circuitry, the New Man and the New 
  Woman of the Union are the best, the most talented, the most special men and 
  women the Union have to offer. But to those to whom much is given, much is 
  demanded, and the responsibilities, duties, and demands upon the New Man 
  and the New Woman are many and heavy. Most unique and unusual situations 
  require the attention of the New Man and the New Woman, and many of them 
  have sacrificed all in the service of the Union. 
  Bonus: +1 to any two skills
  OBSERVER
  Even in the utopia that is the Union, there are still situations which call for 
  men and women with a special gift for discovering secrets and uncovering plots. 
  Sometimes you are called upon to discover a Geometrist spy; sometimes you 
  must go undercover on Earth to find out what the Americans or the Soviets are 
  planning; and sometimes, most regrettably, you must investigate questionable 
  circumstances on Mars. You serve the people and the Union, always, but even 
  utopia has its enemies and, sadly, its Citizens who forget who they serve, and 
  you are called upon to uncover and ultimately defeat them. Do not, however, 
  allow your enemies to defeat your idealism. Remember: compassion beats cyni-
  cism, every time. 
  Bonus: +1 Deceive, +1 Investigate
  PILOT
  The vehicles of the republics include everything from anti-grav wing-suits to 
  planes to rocketships. If it exists, you pilot it. You may be a courier for a collec-
  tive, using your jet-pack to ferry documents, or you might be the pilot of one of 
  the Space Navy’s dreadnoughts, or you might drive one of the flying drill-cars 
  exploring the caves of the Hollow Earth. You might be a reckless hotshot or an 
  ice-cold technician. But, always, you fly in the service of the people and the 
  Union. 
  Bonus: +1 Pilot, +1 Shoot
  19
  RED PLANET
  
  SCIENTIST
  Those women and men who make the scientific and technological discoveries 
  which benefit the people of the Union. They can be laboratory technicians or 
  inventors, biologists or physicists, researchers or analysts. But while you may 
  pursue scientific and technological advances for any number of personal reasons, 
  your ultimate motive must be to serve others, not yourself. 
  Bonus: +1 Craft, +1 Resources
  SECRETARY
  The secretaries are the party officials in each Republic of the Union. Note that 
  the word “leader” is not used, for Secretaries—like the secretaries of the capitalist 
  United States of America—serve; they do not lead. Secretaries of the Union help 
  set policy and make decisions that affect the lives in each collective, state, and 
  republic, but they are ultimately and always servants of the people, and every 
  action they take must be taken to make the lives of Republic members as good 
  as possible. Secretaries may think in utilitarian terms—“sacrifice a few to help 
  the many”—but never in selfish or personal ones.
  Bonus: +1 Contacts, +1 Resources
  SOLDIER
  The enlisted men and women of the Union’s army and Space Navy. It is a worthy 
  profession, considering that each soldier is called upon to risk her or his life 
  in combat against enemies of the Union, whether Geometrists, Venusians, 
  Americans, or Soviets. The Republic armies are led by elected non-commissioned 
  officers, although once elected the officers lead through orders and the soldiers 
  obey, no questions asked. You are expected not only to be able to fight by hand 
  or weapon, lead troops, and operate army equipment, but also to help collec-
  tives during natural disasters, distribute food during famines, and hunt down 
  dangerous creatures. The armies of the Union fight the enemies of the people, 
  which include hunger and poverty in addition to the Venusians and Geometrists.
  Bonus: +1 Fight, +1 Shoot
  SPECIAL CITIZEN
  All are equal under the laws of the Union; everyone has the same rights and 
  responsibilities. But some Citizens have something about them that sets them 
  apart practically, if not in the eyes of the law. A Special Citizen may be a brain-
  in-a-jar, kept alive after their body died and given strange psychic powers in the 
  process; a cyborg, given new metal or plastic limbs and parts to replace those 
  lost in battle or which never grew due to a birth defect; an uplifted animal, given 
  sentience by the Union’s scientists; or a wagner, given temporary superpowers 
  and named after the process’s inventor. 
  Bonus: +2 Will (brain-in-a-jar); +1 Athletics, +1 Physique (cyborg); +1 Notice, 
  +1 Physique (uplifted animal); +1 Athletics, +1 Physique (wagner)
  20
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  WORKER
  The backbone of the Union, the profession of most of its people. Though many 
  workers are farmers, they are also office workers, librarians, writers, or rocket-
  loaders. It is the noblest of professions in the Union, as without workers the 
  Union would fail—everyone, everyone, depends upon the worker. Workers not 
  only do their jobs but also police their unions and collectives—ensuring that 
  everyone is doing everything they can and should, since so much depends upon 
  workers—and sometimes the weight of that responsibility is too much. 
  Bonus: +1 Contacts, +1 Physique
  MOTTOS OF THE UNION
  • Compassion Always, Cynicism Never. 
  • Courage Is the Path to Progressive Materialism. Courage Leads 
  to Fearlessness. Fearlessness Leads to Serenity. Serenity Leads 
  to Love. And Love Leads to Compassion.
  • From Those According to Their Abilities, to Those According to 
  Their Needs.
  • How Can You Help Another Person Today?
  • For the People to Succeed, We Must First Believe It Possible.
  • If You See Something, Say Something: We Can’t Help Unless We 
  Know About It.
  • The People, the Union, Your Collective, Your Squad—Then You.
  • Service to the People Is the Ultimate Privilege.
  • The Strength of the Pack Is the Wolf, and the Strength of the 
  Wolf Is the Pack.
  • Watch Each Other: You Never Know When Someone Else May 
  Need Help.
  • What Good Can You Do Today?
  • What You Plant Now, You Will Harvest Later. As You Sow, So 
  Shall You Reap.
  21
  RED PLANET
  
  Skills and Conversion
  These skills are used just as in Fate Core: Athletics, Burglary, Contacts, Crafts, 
  Deceive, Empathy, Fight, Investigate, Lore, Notice, Physique, Provoke, Rapport, 
  Resources, Shoot, Stealth, and Will. 
  These skills are new or replacements for skills in Fate Core: Pilot (replaces 
  Drive) and Renown.
  Pilot
  The ability to fly a craft of some kind. The first settlers of Mars realized that 
  although their new home was subjectively small—a little over half the size of 
  the Earth—it was still objectively huge, and so decided to orient their society 
  around flight rather than ground transportation. Consequently, passenger trips 
  are taken by dirigibles, ranging from one-person balloons to large cross-conti-
  nental liners, and every child deems it their birthright to learn how to fly the 
  family jet-pack or wing-suit or plane when they turn eighteen. Pilot replaces the 
  Drive skill from Fate Core. 
  O
  Overcome: Pilot is the equivalent of Athletics when you’re in a flying 
  craft—you use it to move in the face of difficult circumstances, like rough 
  weather, cramped space, or flying obstacles. Pilot is also ripe for contests, espe-
  cially chases and races. 
  C
  Create an Advantage: You can use Pilot to determine the best way to get 
  somewhere while flying, and succeeding well enough might allow you 
  to learn features of the route defining them as aspects, such as Anti-Aircraft 
  Guns or Runaway Comet. 
  Advantages created using Pilot often revolve around getting good positioning, 
  doing a fancy maneuver, or putting your opponent in a bad position. 
  A
  Attack: Pilot isn’t usually used to attack, though you can always ram an 
  opponent with your craft. 
  D
  Defend: Avoiding damage to a flying craft in a physical conflict is one 
  of the most common uses of Pilot. You can also use it to defend against 
  advantages being created against you or prevent actions by someone trying to 
  get past you in a flying craft. 
  In the world of Red Planet (as it was in the pulps themselves) there are two kinds 
  of flying combat: atmospheric combat, which takes place in the atmosphere 
  of a planet, and space combat, which takes place in outer space. Atmospheric 
  combat is similar to the air-to-air combat of World Wars I and II: balletic, 
  nimble, defense-oriented. Space combat is similar to 18th- and 19th-century 
  nautical combat: lumbering, slow, with an emphasis on pointing, shooting, 
  and then boarding. Atmospheric combat involves small flying machines, from 
  planes to wing-suits to jet-packs. Space combat involves spaceships, which are 
  generally much larger, from twelve-person supply ships to the thousand-crew 
  dreadnoughts. Some stunts are limited to only atmospheric combat and some 
  to only space combat. 
  22
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  ATMOSPHERIC COMBAT
  Atmospheric combat involves maneuvering into the position to shoot your 
  enemy down. Pilots who attack without first gaining some sort of advantage 
  over their target cannot generate more than one shift, no matter which stunts 
  they have or how good their result is. 
  To generate multiple shifts when attacking a flying craft, the pilot of the 
  attacking craft must first create an advantage on the defending craft. This aspect 
  does not need to be invoked, but it must exist. 
  SPACE COMBAT
  The principles and practices of atmospheric combat sometimes appear in space 
  combat, but much more common is the tactic of boarding an enemy ship and 
  taking possession of it, rather than destroying it altogether. 
  Space combat has the same restrictions to generating multiple shifts as in 
  atmospheric combat.
  You can roll Pilot to attempt to board a flight craft with yours. If you succeed, 
  you board the defending craft, attaching Stuck Together and Opened Doors 
  to both flight craft. If you succeed with style, you surprise your enemy, who 
  never saw you coming or didn’t anticipate you trying to board them. If you tie, 
  both vehicles get a situation aspect representing the damage done to them in the 
  crash, which lasts until the end of the scene, and both vehicles must fill their 
  lowest free consequence slot. If you fail, you miss your target completely.
  23
  RED PLANET
  
  Renown
  The Union is a communist society: wealth is equally shared with everyone. As 
  such, there are no individual fortunes, though some people have greater access to 
  a variety of wealth and material resources than others—that’s what the Resource 
  skill stands for. But there is one feature of the Union that is entirely individualis-
  tic, one thing that an individual can justifiably earn and claim as her or his own, 
  and that’s Renown. Renown stands for a person’s fame and reputation, how well 
  known and respected they are in their farm, collective, profession, state, republic, 
  or even the Union itself, how much glory they’ve gained through their actions. 
  O
  Overcome: Like with Deceit, Provoke, and Rapport, you can use Renown 
  to get what you want out of people, in situations that aren’t interesting 
  or dramatic enough to play out in a contest or conflict. Whether it’s bluffing 
  your way past the guards, trying to sway an argument, or shutting someone up, 
  Renown is the skill to use. 
  C
  Create an Advantage: You might use Renown to get information out of 
  someone, convince them to do something they might not want to do, or 
  generally just get your way. You might also learn someone’s aspects by seeing 
  how they respond to you. 
  Renown also allows you to psych people out in a conflict in a non-hostile 
  fashion, force them into a humbled posture, flatter them, or otherwise use your 
  reputation to your advantage. In a conflict, it allows you to bring in particular 
  boasts or information or hints of influence to enhance your efforts—you might 
  remind someone of all you’ve accomplished or threaten them with retaliation or 
  promise them future advancement. 
  A
  Attack: You can make mental attacks with Renown, cowing an opponent 
  into doing what you want. Keep in mind that your relationship with the 
  defender and the circumstances you’re in figure a great deal into whether or not 
  you can use this skill.
  When using Renown, you don’t need to get to know your opponent before-
  hand—awe at another’s vaunted reputation is a universal enough language that 
  you can make mental attacks as long as you’re in the right situation. 
  Not all attacks with Renown have to take the form of cowing your opponent; 
  you can also use it to evoke an uncontrolled, positive emotional response like 
  being flattered (“She asked me for help!”) or temporarily losing cynicism or 
  negative attitude (“I got to help a New Man!”). 
  D
  Defend: You can use Renown to defend against attempts to create advan-
  tages against you with Provoke or Will. Keep in mind that to do this, you 
  need to be in a position to use Renown against the attacker—it’s hard to use 
  Renown when you’re masked or gagged, for example. 
  24
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Conversion
  In the world of Red Planet, the Union of Materialist Republics is a utopia founded 
  upon the principles of progressive materialism. The PCs’ role is in defense of this 
  utopia against their military enemies, the Geometrists, and ideological enemies: 
  the capitalist U.S.A., the corrupt U.S.S.R, and the feudal Venusians. But the 
  Citizens of the Union are not content to merely play defense. Every Citizen 
  knows that progressive materialism is the way to true happiness for individuals 
  and cultures, and the way forward for human civilization. Most Citizens are 
  good people and want to bring happiness and peace and prosperity to non-Citi-
  zens, and the best way to do that is to persuade them of the moral and economic 
  rightness of progressive materialism, and then get them to join the Union. 
  So most Citizens will, whenever possible, try to convert the enemy rather 
  than merely kill them. (Geometrists have proved immune to conversion, unfor-
  tunately.) After all, killing a man or woman destroys whatever potential they 
  had to do good in the universe, while converting them and turning them into 
  a Citizen of the Union allows that man or woman to spend their life helping 
  others. 
  Conversion is a mental conflict, with Rapport attacks against Will defense. 
  If a character concedes, it reflects their inability to win the discussion or argu-
  ment: they’re shut up by the other person. But anyone taken out in a conversion 
  conflict has their mind and personality permanently changed, gaining an appro-
  priate aspect such as True Believer, Recent Convert, Zealot, or Going 
  Along with the Crowd. 
  Obviously, true conversion—the only kind Citizens of the Union are inter-
  ested in—cannot take place on pain of death. It can take place in fraught 
  circumstances, even combat, but not in a “convert or die” situation.
  Conversions can only be attempted by one person in the scene at a time. Mass 
  conversions—that is, you against mobs of four or more NPCs—work differently, 
  as you’re no longer conversing with them but giving a speech at them. This is a 
  kind of challenge, in which you roll four times against Good (+3) difficulty. The 
  four rolls represent the stages of the conversion: 
  • Your first roll uses Notice, to analyze the crowd and understand how they 
  are reacting to your arguments.
  • Your second roll uses Empathy, to analyze the crowd and understand 
  their emotional response to your words.
  • Your third roll uses Will, as you try to impose your will on the crowd.
  • Your fourth roll uses Rapport, as you try to use your charm and personal 
  magnetism to persuade the crowd to convert. 
  25
  RED PLANET
  
  On each of your four rolls, you might accumulate 
  victories:
  • If you succeed with style, you gain two victories. 
  • If you succeed, you gain one victory. 
  • If you tie, you gain one victory, but your next 
  roll in this conversion increases to Great (+4) 
  difficulty. 
  • If you fail, all of your remaining rolls in this 
  conversion increase in difficulty by one step.
  Failures are cumulative. In other words, failing the 
  first roll makes the difficulty of the three remaining 
  rolls Good (+3), failing the second roll makes the dif-
  ficulty of the two remaining rolls Great (+4), and so 
  forth.
  The number of people you convert in the mob 
  depends on the number of victories you get through-
  out the rolls: If you get all 8 victories across your four 
  rolls, you convert all of the mob. If you get 6–7 victo-
  ries, you convert three-fourths of the mob. If you get 
  4–5 victories, you convert half of the mob. If you get 
  1–3 victories, you convert a quarter of the mob. And 
  0 victories means that you completely fail. 
  The background of the audience—their nationality 
  and place in the solar system—can also affect the dif-
  ficulty of mass conversion. 
  • For pirates, increase the difficulties of the Will 
  and Rapport rolls by one step, as they are 
  rebellious and resistant to having their minds 
  changed by outsiders. 
  • For Soviets, increase the difficulties of the 
  Notice and Empathy rolls by one step, as they 
  are notoriously stoic and hard to read. 
  • For Venusians, increase the difficulty of the 
  Will roll only by one step, as Venusians are 
  headstrong. 
  • For Americans, don’t adjust the difficulty at 
  all. Americans are deeply unhappy with their 
  country and its leadership and are open to the 
  new and better way that progressive material-
  ism represents.
  26
  
  Stunts
  Aerial Ballet: +1 to defend or create an advantage with Pilot when engaged in 
  an atmospheric or jet-pack flight. Atmospheric craft and jet-packs only. 
  Feint: You can use Pilot in place of Deceive to create an advantage related to 
  feints and misdirection while at the controls of your flying craft. Atmospheric 
  craft and jet-packs only. 
  First Shot Counts the Most: In your first attack against a new target in atmo-
  spheric or space combat, you gain +2 to Shoot. 
  Full Burn: When you roll Pilot to go as fast as possible, you can mark your 
  craft’s first stress box to gain a +1 bonus. If your first stress box is marked, 
  you can mark your craft’s second stress box to gain a +2 bonus.
  Hard to Shake: +2 to Pilot whenever you’re pursuing another craft in a flying 
  contest.
  Hide in the Clouds: You’re a master of the ambush. +2 to create an advantage 
  with Stealth when piloting a craft.
  Juke: Once per atmospheric conflict, you may clear all of your stress boxes. If 
  you do, the GM gets to write down a free situation aspect with a free invo-
  cation. Atmospheric craft and jet-packs only. 
  Knows How to Work the Crowd: You gain +1 to Rapport during any mass 
  conversion attempt. 
  Line Up the Shot: You pull a specific maneuver which points your guns 
  exactly in the direction you want them to fire. When you use a free invo-
  cation on an aspect related to targeting as part of a Shoot attack, you can 
  spend a fate point to prevent the defender from marking any stress box to 
  reduce the hit. Spacecraft only. 
  Locked In: In space combat, you gain +2 to all Shoot attacks. If your Shoot 
  attack fails, they get a +1 to their next attack against you. Spacecraft only. 
  Pilot’s Eye: You can use Pilot instead of Notice when flying a craft to spot 
  enemies.
  Reflected Glory: Once per scene, you can roll Renown against an NPC’s Will 
  to declare that the NPC is thrilled to be asked to do something by you, as 
  it adds to their reputation simply by virtue of you having asked them to do 
  that something. Your target gets +1 to their Renown until the end of the 
  scene. Also, you place an aspect on the target with no free invocations. 
  She’ll Hold Together: You can spend a fate point to ignore, until the end of 
  the scene, a mild or moderate consequence on whatever it is you’re flying. 
  The consequence slot is still filled, but the consequence cannot be invoked 
  or compelled against you. 
  Social Capital: You can use Renown in place of Resources when dealing with 
  someone from the same nation. 
  Taste for Close Quarters: +2 to overcome or create an advantage with Pilot 
  when you’re attempting to close the distance between you and something 
  you intend to attack or board, entering the same zone as it. 
  Trained Missionary: +2 to Rapport attacks during a conversion attempt. 
  27
  RED PLANET
  
  SPACESHIPS
  The Union is at its core a communist society, not a capitalist one, so there are 
  no companies which put out competing designs—of anything. So spaceships, 
  like most other material goods in the Union, are standardized. The following 
  are the commonly used models for each type of spaceship. Improvements are 
  always possible, of course, but once a spaceship is improved, the improvement 
  is immediately copied. 
  Dirigible
  Helium-buoyed dirigible with minimal 
  armor and no weapons. Used to trans-
  port supplies and passengers. The basis 
  of the Union’s transportation system 
  on Mars. 
  Explorer
  The standard spaceship of the Union.
  Dirigible
  ASPECTS
  Atmospheric Ship; Room for 
  Supplies and Crew; Massive
  ARMS AND ARMOR
  None
  STUNTS
  None
  STRESS
  Physical 1
  Explorer
  ASPECTS
  Works in Both Atmosphere and Space; Single-Person Craft
  ARMS AND ARMOR
  Hull: Armor:1
  STUNTS
  Nimble: The explorer grants a +2 bonus when using Pilot to defend or 
  create an advantage.
  Computer-Aided Targeting System: The explorer grants a +1 bonus when 
  using Shoot to fire its guns. 
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Mild (2):
  28
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Fighter
  The standard combat spaceship of the Union. 
  Pirate Ship
  The standard spaceship of the pirates of the asteroid belt. 
  Fighter
  ASPECTS
  Works in Both Atmosphere and Space; Two-Person Craft
  ARMS AND ARMOR
  Mega-Watt Laser: +1 to Shoot, Weapon:2
  Reinforced Hull: Armor:2
  STUNTS
  Maneuverable: The fighter grants a +1 bonus when using Pilot to create 
  an advantage.
  Mega-Blast: Once per scene, the Mega-Watt Laser can instead grant 
  Weapon:4 to a successful attack.
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  Pirate Ship
  ASPECTS
  Works in Both Atmosphere and Space; Crew of Twelve; Ramshackle 
  but Tough
  ARMS AND ARMOR
  Mega-Watt Laser: +1 to Shoot, Weapon:2
  Reinforced Hull: Armor:2
  STUNTS
  Computer-Aided Targeting System: The pirate ship grants a +1 bonus 
  when using Shoot to fire its guns. 
  Close-Quarters Craft: The pirate ship grants a +1 bonus when using Pilot 
  to board another ship. 
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  29
  
  Plane
  The atomic-powered plane used by Union officials and agents when time is of 
  the essence. 
  Supply Ship
  The standard supply ship of the Union Space Navy.
  Plane
  ASPECTS
  Atmospheric Flight Craft
  ARMS AND ARMOR
  None
  STUNTS
  Jet: The plane grants a +2 bonus 
  to overcome with Pilot. 
  STRESS 
  Physical 1
  Supply Ship
  ASPECTS
  Works in Both Atmosphere and 
  Space; Crew of Six; Roomy
  ARMS AND ARMOR
  None
  STUNTS
  None
  STRESS 
  Physical 2
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  30
  
  COMMON TECHNOLOGY
  Blaster Rifle
  The heavy rifle of Space Navy servicemen and servicewomen. Reserved for 
  combat situations only. 
  Flying Suit
  A common piece of equipment on Mars. Used by the average Citizen to get 
  around. 
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun
  The standard-issue weapon for all Space Navy servicemen and servicewomen. 
  Jet-Pack Spacesuit
  A combination spacesuit and jet-pack, standard issue for anyone going into 
  space. Allows you to fly quickly in zero-gravity environments.
  Wrist Communicator
  The standard-issue communication device for all Union Citizens; it has unlim-
  ited range within a planet’s atmosphere. 
  Blaster Rifle
  Aspect: Heavy Weapon
  Heavy Blast: Weapon:2
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun
  Aspect: Standard Weapon
  Blast: Weapon:1
  Wrist Communicator
  Aspect: Communicates 
     on All Frequencies
  Flying Suit
  Aspect: Atomic-Powered 
     Atmospheric Flight Suit
  Jet-Pack Spacesuit
  Aspect: Atomic-Powered
     Space Flight Suit
  31
  
  American Prole 
  TYPICAL NON-CITIZENS
  American Spy
  The type of American the Citizens of the Union usually encounter while on a 
  mission, whether government agents or spies working for the ruling corporations. 
  American Prole
  ASPECTS
  Oppressed and Hating It
  SKILLS
  Average (+1): Physique
  American Spy
  ASPECTS
  Capitalist to the Core; Corporate 
  Stooge;  
  Exploit the Exploitable; Out for 
  Myself
  SKILLS
  Good (+3): Deceive, Shoot
  Fair (+2): Athletics, Fight, Physique
  Average (+1): Investigate, Notice, Will
  STUNTS 
  No Taste for Personal Danger: +2 to 
  create an advantage with Athletics 
  when you take cover behind someone 
  or something. 
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  Mental 3
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  32
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Geometrist
  Every Geometrist active in the third dimension is a special agent on an extremely 
  dangerous mission, as every Geometrist knows that too much exposure to the 
  mind-bending realities of the higher, third dimension will drive any Geometrist 
  insane. 
  Geometrist
  ASPECTS
  True Believer; The Country Must 
  Expand; Two-Dimensional Being; 
  Not Meant to Exist in the Third 
  Dimension
  SKILLS
  Epic (+7): Will
  Good (+3): Shoot
  Fair (+2): Intimidation, Lore, Notice 
  STRESS
  Mental 4
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  STUNTS
  Flesh Suit: A three-dimensional techno-
  organic suit encasing the Geometrist’s 
  two-dimensional 
  body. 
  The 
  flesh 
  suit essentially acts as armor, taking 
  all the physical harm intended for 
  the Geometrist. The Geometrist is 
  immune to physical harm until their 
  flesh suit is taken out. Gives Good (+3) 
  Athletics and Physique to the wearer. 
  The Geometrist can psychically leave 
  the flesh suit and return to the second 
  dimension at any time.
  FLESH SUIT STRESS
  Physical 3
  FLESH SUIT CONSEQUENCES
  Mild Physical (2):
  Moderate Physical (4):
  33
  RED PLANET
  
  Native Martian 
  Native Martians, though physically 
  superior, are visually indistinguishable 
  from humans, although cross-breeding 
  between them is impossible.
  Pirate Captain 
  The leader of a band of pirates in the 
  asteroid belt. Notable in some way for their resistance to the Union, whether it’s 
  their resistance to conversion or the ruthlessness with which they attack Union 
  Citizens and ships. 
  Pirate Captain
  ASPECTS
  Ideological Refugee from the Union; I’m Bad But Not a Bad Guy; 
  A Hard Life Lived Hard
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Will
  Good (+3): Pilot, Shoot
  Fair (+2): Investigate, Notice, Physique 
  STUNTS 
  Rally the Troops: By using their action, the pirate captain can give their 
  crew a +1 to all rolls until the beginning of the pirate captain’s next turn. 
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  Mental 4
  CONSEQUENCES 
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  Pirate
  ASPECTS
  Ruthless; I Fear and Respect the Cap’n
  SKILLS
  Average (+1): Shoot
  Native Martian
  ASPECTS
  Fully Assimilated
  SKILLS
  Average (+1): Athletics, Physique
  34
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Soviet Agent
  The type of Soviet the Citizens of the Union most often encounter, usually 
  agents on a mission for their despotic masters. The Union of Soviet Socialist 
  Republics is a corrupt oligarchical dictatorship hiding behind a warped, false 
  version of communism. 
  Soviet Agent
  ASPECTS
  Depraved; Communist in Name Only; 
  Out for Myself
  SKILLS
  Good (+3): Fight, Shoot
  Fair (+2): Deceive, Physique, Will
  Average (+1): Burglary
  STUNTS
  Vicious: +2 to attack with Fight against 
  a wounded enemy. 
  STRESS 
  Physical 3 
  Mental 3 
  CONSEQUENCES  
  Mild (2):
  Soviet Prole
  ASPECTS
  Longs for Liberation
  SKILLS
  Average (+1): Physique
  35
  RED PLANET
  
  Venusian Gorilla
  Eight feet tall, covered in white, brown, red, or black fur, strongly muscled with 
  four powerful arms, the Venusian “gorillas” are vicious, hot-tempered, meat-
  eating brutes who are nearly as populous on Venus as the native Venusians. They 
  are only semi-sentient animals, but can be surprisingly cunning. 
  Venusian Gorilla
  ASPECTS
  Huge and Powerful; Savage Alien Primate
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Athletics, Physique 
  Good (+3): Fight, Provoke 
  Fair (+2): Deceive 
  STUNTS
  Four Arms: Venusian gorillas ordinarily use their second pair of arms to 
  walk on and balance themselves, but when pressed they can use them 
  as extensions of their will. Once per scene, a Venusian gorilla can take a 
  second action of a purely physical nature during their turn.
  STRESS 
  Physical 4
  Mental 2
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  36
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Venusian Tooth Beast
  After the native Venusians and the gorillas, the 
  tooth beast is the most common large creature on 
  Venus. Equally mobile on sea and land, it consumes 
  everything within reach. Comparable to an over-
  sized Earthly velociraptor, but with webbed feet and 
  hands. Hunts in herds, and is unusually intelligent 
  for a reptile. 
  Venusian Tooth Beast
  ASPECTS
  Savage Alien Dinosaur; Always Ravenous; 
  Pack Tactics
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Fight, Physique
  Good (+3): Athletics, Provoke, Stealth
  Fair (+2): Deceive, Will
  STUNTS
  Consume: +2 to attack with Fight when 
  biting.
  Flank: When multiple Venusian tooth beasts 
  are attacking the same defender, each can 
  give the others a teamwork bonus to their 
  Fight attacks without spending an action. 
  Jump Attack: The tooth beast can attack with 
  Athletics from up to two zones away. If it 
  succeeds with style, it pins the defender 
  to the ground, making them Prone. They 
  remain prone until they remove the aspect 
  by overcoming Great (+4) difficulty.
  STRESS
  Physical 4
  Mental 3
  CONSEQUENCES 
  Mild (2):
  Mild (2):
  37
  
  Venusian Warrior
  The Venusians are short, squat, frog-like creatures whose culture breaks down 
  roughly into the same four classes as feudal Europe: peasants, artisans, war-
  riors, and rulers. And with the exception of the peasants, the Venusians like it 
  this way and don’t want it to change, and don’t think much of outsiders and 
  their different ways. Because of this, the Union Citizens’ encounters with the 
  Venusians almost inevitably end in bloody conflict. Fortunately for the Union, 
  the Venusians’ technology is also on the same level as feudal Europe, so the 
  Venusians don’t pose any immediate threat. 
  Venusian Warrior
  ASPECTS
  Proud Knight of My Realm; Aliens Are 
  Evil; Chivalrous; Glory Is Forever
  SKILLS
  Good (+3): Fight, Physique
  Fair (+2): Athletics, Will
  Average (+1): Provoke
  STUNTS
  Honor Is All: +2 to create an advantage with 
  Will or Provoke when taking a big, dra-
  matic action on the battlefield in the name 
  of honor. 
  STRESS
  Physical 4
  Mental 3
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  Venusian Peasant 
  ASPECTS
  Unhappy with the Status Quo
  SKILLS
  Average (+1): Physique 
  Venusian Peasant
  38
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  SAMPLE ADVENTURE: 34 CHERNYKH
  A Geometrist has, with the help of a group of American astronauts, built a giant 
  Space Gun on a secret base on the asteroid 34 Chernykh. The Space Gun will be 
  fired into the sun, causing a massive solar flare which will fry all technology on 
  the Earth and Mars, leaving them vulnerable to a Geometrist invasion. 
  The plot trigger is the theft of a supply ship within sight of the player charac-
  ters. The ship is carrying the anti-gravity element trirodov, which the Geometrist 
  Droungarios Megaris needs to properly fuel the Space Gun. Without the trirodov, 
  the solar flare will only reach the Earth, not Mars. 
  Droungarios Megaris is expecting the stolen supply ship at a certain time, and 
  if the supply ship doesn’t arrive on time, she will go ahead and fire the Space 
  Gun anyhow. The PCs have limited time to act. 
  Scenes
  Military Base Ascraeus Mons
  Description: Ascraeus Mons is a the second-largest military base on Mars, hon-
  eycombing the vast extinct volcano (480 km in diameter, 18.1 km in height) of 
  Ascraeus Mons. Space Navy ships and servicemen and women are everywhere 
  in the base, doing their jobs or getting ready to ship out—it’s a typically busy 
  military base. 
  The PCs are visiting Ascraeus Mons as tourists, enjoying their vacation time 
  by taking one of the standard tours of military bases. While on the base, the PCs 
  see an incoming supply ship from Neptune suddenly halt, a few hundred yards 
  above its designated landing strip, spin around, and reverse course, zooming 
  away from the base toward outer space. 
  If-then: If the players don’t act on their own, then the base commander, Yevdokia 
  Bershanskaya, will eventually order them to Field 431, the nearest flight strip, 
  and take the first available fighter to catch the supply ship. 
  If the players question Yevdokia Bershanskaya about the supply ship, then she 
  will defer to Iskusstvennyy Grazhdanin #17, her second-in-command, who is 
  fully informed on the ship’s cargo and crew. #17 will also discuss his own back-
  ground, as a liberated Geometrist android, if asked. 
  Situation Aspects: Enormous Space Navy Base; Ships Aren’t Supposed to 
  Do That
  NPCs: Base Commander Yevdokia Bershanskaya, Iskusstvennyy Grazhdanin 
  #17, Union Soldier 
  39
  RED PLANET
  
  Fleeing Supply Ship 
  Description: A typical Union supply ship, made for a crew of six with lots of 
  cargo space. It’s racing at full burn toward the asteroid belt, sacrificing engine 
  health in exchange for speed. 
  For the GM: John Anderson, an American spy, has taken control of the ship and 
  is holding the original crew hostage. He is piloting the ship toward the asteroid 
  34 Chernykh, where the Geometrist is anxiously waiting for the supply ship and 
  the trirodov it carries. 
  If-then: If the players don’t try to shoot the supply ship down or to board it, 
  then Anderson will try to lose them in the asteroid belt. The supply ship doesn’t 
  have weapons, so it can’t fight back. 
  If the players try to use their ship’s navigation computers to project the supply 
  ship’s course, then they will discover that the ship is headed for 34 Chernykh. 
  If the players board the ship, then Anderson will try to fight for an exchange 
  or two before giving up when he discovers how outnumbered he is by the PCs. 
  If the players kill Anderson when boarding the ship, then the original crew 
  can tell the PCs the direction (toward the asteroid belt) that Anderson had the 
  ship going in.
  Situation Aspects: Hostile Pilot; Hostages on Board; The Race Is On
  NPCs: John Anderson, Supply Ship Crew
  40
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Asteroid Belt 
  Description: The belt of floating rocks between Mars and Jupiter. 
  For the GM: The asteroids are in motion, which makes navigating them dif-
  ficult. Complicating matters is the fact that the PCs’ laser detection screens pick 
  up the incoming signals of three pirate ships on a direct course to intercept their 
  ship. The pirates intend to capture their ship, loot it, and then take it and the 
  PCs back to the pirate base, where the PCs will be made slaves. Avoiding both 
  the asteroids and the pirates is a Pilot challenge against Good (+3) difficulty.
  Unlike in most challenges, however, the pilot won’t roll four times with differ-
  ent skills, but will instead roll four times with Pilot against Good (+3) difficulty. 
  • If you succeed with style, one pirate crashes into an asteroid, destroying 
  them, and you gain two victories. 
  • If you succeed, you attack the pirates and gain a victory. 
  • If you tie, you gain one victory. Also, you roll to attack the pirates, and 
  then the pirates roll to attack you.
  • If you fail, you take damage from an asteroid collision equal to your 
  margin of failure. 
  When you have made all four rolls, count your victories. 
  • If you have 5+ victories, you escaped the pirates by losing them in the 
  asteroid field. 
  • If you have 3–4 victories, you have to deal with whatever pirates remain. 
  • If you have 0–2 victories, you have to deal with whatever pirates remain, 
  and the situation aspect Outnumbered and Outgunned is put into 
  play. 
  If-then: If the PCs discover that John Anderson has a specific time when he’s 
  expected back, and that if he doesn’t return on time he doesn’t get paid, and if 
  the PCs are trying to get the supply ship or their ship to 34 Chernykh by the 
  Geometrist’s stated time, then add the situation aspect Racing Against the 
  Clock, which means that evading the asteroids becomes a challenge against 
  Superb (+5) difficulty. 
  If the PCs wreck their ship, then they will be picked up by the incoming 
  pirate ships and taken to the pirate base. 
  Situation Aspects: Large Rocks in Motion; Incoming Pirate Ships
  NPCs: Pirates
  41
  RED PLANET
  
  Pirates’ Base 
  Description: A jerry-built base made out of ships which crashed on one of the 
  largest asteroids in the belt and were later connected together to make one single 
  base for the pirates. Cramped in spots, roomy in others, the base is full of refu-
  gees from Earth, Mars, and Venus who out of necessity have taken to the life of 
  the space pirate. It has primitive stores, repair shops, and all the other necessities 
  of a large base in space, but with the brawling, boozing, whoring atmosphere of 
  a pirate’s port from out of fiction or movies. 
  For the GM: The base is full of docked pirate ships and pirates, and those serv-
  ing the pirates, milling about on business. Initially, nobody on the base is well 
  inclined toward the PCs. Bogdan Volkov, captain of the Bloody Death, is the 
  oldest and best-known ship’s captain on the base, so all of the pirates defer to 
  him. Bogdan is a native Martian who fled from Mars rather than serve the culture 
  which subjugated his own. (His ancestors were among the Martian royalists who 
  were defeated by the just-arrived colonizers on the Nikolay Przhevalsky.) He’s 
  been a pirate for thirty-two years and a captain of the Bloody Death for twenty-
  two, and is well known to and respected by the pirates of the belt. He likes the 
  pirate life, but realizes that his run of good luck can’t last forever. Needless to say, 
  he is not well intentioned to the PCs.
  If-then: If the players are in the position to question Bogdan Volkov, then he 
  will tell them the location of 34 Chernykh; he knows about the Geometrist’s 
  plans. He approves of them, though—frying Earth and Mars will lead to good 
  opportunities for pirates. 
  If the players try to buy or bribe their way off of the pirates’ base, then they 
  will meet with a friendly reception—the pirates are, after all, motivated by the 
  lure of money, however they can get it. 
  Situation Aspects: Jerry-Built; Hostile Toward Union Citizens
  NPCs: Pirates, Bogdan Volkov 
  34 Chernykh Staging Area
  Description: The base on 34 Chernykh is constructed around an enormous 
  cylindrical object, clearly manufactured, which protrudes from the asteroid and 
  towers over the base. The base’s staging area is a large excavated area used by 
  arriving and departing ships’ crews and is the only entrance into the base. The 
  landing strip is exposed to space, but the staging area is inside the asteroid itself 
  and is well supplied with oxygen. 
  For the GM: The staging area is full of a dozen American astronauts. They were 
  well paid to construct the base and the Space Gun, and they will attempt to 
  capture or kill the PCs. However, conversion of the Americans is possible; they 
  are uneasy with the Geometrist and the work they’ve done for her. 
  42
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  If-then: If the PCs arrive in anything other than the single supply ship from 
  “Fleeing Supply Ship”, then the Geometrist will know that something is wrong, 
  and will begin the Space Gun’s firing sequence, creating a situation aspect of 
  Five-Minute Countdown. 
  If the players get into a shootout with the Americans, the Geometrist will 
  notice and begin the Space Gun’s firing sequence, creating a situation aspect of 
  Five-Minute Countdown.
  Situation Aspects: In the Shadow of the Space Gun; Crowded; Full of 
  Hostiles
  NPCs: American Astronauts 
  34 Chernykh Control Room
  Description: This is the control room for the Space Gun, full of sleek, miniatur-
  ized computers far in advance of anything the PCs have ever seen before. Inside 
  is the Geometrist, Droungarios Megaris, and her four robot guards. 
  For the GM: As soon as the players enter the control room, Droungarios Megaris 
  will order her robots to kill the intruders. Unfortunately for the Droungarios, 
  she is falling prey to the negative effects of three-dimensional space on two-
  dimensional beings, and is twitching and trembling and speaks with a shaky 
  voice (hence the situation aspect In the Presence of Insanity); she is none-
  theless determined to see her mission through to the end, even if it means going 
  fully insane or dying. 
  Droungarios Megaris is a high-ranking agent of the Geometrists sent to the 
  third dimension on a special mission. She is committed to the mission and the 
  Geometrists, but has spent too much time in this dimension, which has warped 
  her mind, so that she is now a single-minded fanatic welcoming suicide if it will 
  accomplish her goal of firing the Space Gun. A short, average-looking woman, 
  she looks like she ordinarily has a cold, determined expression on her face—but 
  now, there are facial tics and head twitches and occasional Tourette’s-like out-
  bursts, as she’s beginning to feel the effects of the third dimension.
  If-then: If the Space Gun’s firing sequence was not set in motion in the previous 
  scene, then it is set in motion by the Droungarios as soon as the PCs enter the 
  room, creating a situation aspect of Five-Minute Countdown. Once set in 
  motion, the Space Gun’s firing sequence cannot be aborted. 
  If the players attempt to destroy the Space Gun’s controls, then they’ll face 
  Epic (+7) difficulty—it’s very well armored and programmed.
  Situation Aspects: In the Presence of Insanity 
  NPCs: Droungarios Megaris, Robot Guards 
  43
  RED PLANET
  
  Non-Player Characters
  Yevdokia Bershanskaya, Ascraeus Mons Base Commander  
  The no-nonsense commander of Ascraeus Mons. She’s having a bad day—the 
  usual headaches of running an enormous military base, and now an inbound 
  supply ship has abruptly reversed course 
  and won’t respond to communication 
  attempts. Fortunately, there’s a group of 
  capable Citizens at hand that the com-
  mander can dispatch to deal with the 
  supply-ship problem. 
  Iskusstvennyy Grazhdanin #17, 
  Base Commander’s Lieutenant 
  A former Geometrist android, #17 was lib-
  erated from Geometrist programming by a 
  clever Union scientist and now serves in the 
  Union Space Navy of its own free will. 
  Union Soldier 
  The enlisted men, women, and uplifted 
  beasts of the Union’s Space Navy. Ascraeus 
  Mons is full of them, but they’ve all got 
  places to be and things to do, and while 
  they can spare a moment to discuss the 
  supply ship’s odd behavior, they can’t help 
  the PCs—they’ve all got orders that need 
  following. 
  Yevdokia Bershanskaya 
  CLASS
  Soldier (+1 Fight, +1 Shoot)
  ASPECTS
  Gruff; Never Without My Cigar
  SKILLS
  Good (+3): Contacts
  Fair (+2): Rapport, Resources
  Average (+1): Fight, Shoot, Will
  Iskusstvennyy 
  Grazhdanin #17 
  CLASS
  Soldier (+1 Fight, +1 Shoot)
  ASPECTS
  Never a Slave Again; Progressive 
  Materialism Is Logical; Steel 
  Is Better Than Flesh
  SKILLS
  Fantastic (+6): Will
  Great (+4): Shoot
  Good (+3): Fight, Physique
  Fair (+2): Athletics, Rapport
  STUNTS
  Tactical Programming: You can 
  use Fight to create advantages in 
  squad-level (ten to twenty people) 
  tactical situations.
  Union Soldier
  CLASS
  Soldier (+1 Fight, +1 Shoot)
  ASPECTS
  Enlisted Citizen; Follows Orders
  GEAR
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun
  SKILLS
  Fair (+2) Fight, Shoot
  Average (+1) Empathy, Will
  44
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  John Anderson
  Formerly an American agent, Anderson was bribed by 
  Droungarios Megaris to pretend to be a convert, sneak 
  on to the supply ship, disable the crew, and hijack the 
  ship to go to 34 Chernykh. 
  Supply Ship Crew
  The crew of the supply ship Krasnaya Apu #155, they 
  were taking a load of minerals, including trirodov, from 
  Neptune to Mars when their newest member, the former 
  American John Anderson, pulled a blaster on them and 
  hijacked the ship. They are average Citizens, relatively 
  brave but definitely not suicidal. 
  John Anderson
  ASPECTS
  Typical American Corporatist Bloody-
  Handed Running Dog; Stays Bought
  GEAR
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun, Jet-Pack Spacesuit
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Pilot
  Good (+3): Fight, Shoot, Will
  Fair (+2): Athletics, Physique
  STUNTS
  Full Burn (page 27)
  No Taste for Personal Danger (page 32)
  Pilot’s Eye (page 27) 
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  Mental 4
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4):
  Supply Ship Crew
  ASPECTS
  Just Want to Do My Job;  
  Patriotic Within Limits
  SKILLS
  Average (+1): Pilot
  45
  RED PLANET
  
  Pirates
  Refugees from Earth, Mars, and Venus, the pirates run together out of necessity 
  more than ideology and are loyal only to their crewmates. Their primary interest 
  is making enough money so they can go to Earth or Venus and live well; as the 
  saying goes, “There are no old pirates. Just old corpses.”
  Pirates
  ASPECTS
  Space Pirates; Out For Themselves
  GEAR
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun, Jet-Pack Spacesuit
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Pilot
  Good (+3): Shoot
  Fair (+2): Fight, Physique
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  Mental 2
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Bogdan Volkov
  ASPECTS
  Carries a Grudge Against the Union; 
  Pirate Captain
  GEAR
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun, Jet-Pack Spacesuit
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Pilot
  Good (+3): Renown, Shoot, Will
  Fair (+2): Fight, Physique
  STUNTS
  Line Up the Shot (page 27)
  Locked In (page 27)
  She’ll Hold Together (page 27)
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  Mental 4
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Moderate (4): 
  46
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Droungarios Megaris
  ASPECTS
  Must Succeed in My Mission; 
  Three-Dimensioners Are Objects, 
  Not People; I’m a Droungarios—
  Respect That; Losing My Grip
  GEAR
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun,  
  Jet-Pack Spacesuit
  SKILLS
  Epic (+7): Will
  Fantastic (+6): Resources
  Superb (+5): Craft
  Great (+4): Shoot
  Good (+3): Lore, Notice
  Poor (-1): Empathy, Rapport 
  STUNTS
  Flesh Suit (page 33)
  Iron Will: +2 to defend with Will 
  against mental attacks. 
  She Who Must Be Obeyed: The 
  Droungarios can use her turn to give 
  orders to her enslaved Robot Guards. 
  If she does, they gain +1 to all rolls 
  relevant to those orders until the 
  beginning of her next turn.
  STRESS
  Mental 5
  CONSEQUENCES
  Mild (2):
  Mild Mental (2):
  Moderate (4):
  Severe (6):
  FLESH SUIT STRESS
  Physical 3
  FLESH SUIT CONSEQUENCES
  Mild Physical (2):
  Moderate Physical (4):
  47
  RED PLANET
  
  Robot Guards
  Droungarios Megaris’s armed guards. Sleek and smooth and human-looking, 
  made from milky-white plastic and gleaming silver and chrome, with rounded 
  edges and human-seeming limbs, as opposed to the big and clunky Union 
  machinery, boxy, clumsy-looking, and made from matte metal. 
  Robot Guards
  ASPECTS
  Must Follow Orders; Obey the Droungarios, Sentient Slave
  SKILLS
  Good (+3): Shoot, Fight, Physique
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  NOTES
   Anyone who succeeds with an overcome action using Craft against 
  Fantastic (+6) difficulty can grant a Robot Guard independence from 
  the Droungarios’s orders. This doesn’t mean it’s automatically the 
  friend of the one who frees it from its service, but it does mean that the 
  GM must consider what is in the freed robot’s best interests and act 
  accordingly. A liberated robot has Fantastic (+6) Will. Finally, an inde-
  pendent robot replaces its aspects with these: You’re Not the Boss of 
  Me, Overwhelmed by Newfound Freedom, and Sentient Robot.
  American Astronauts
  A group of American astronauts that Droungarios Megaris suborned with cash 
  to work for her. They are well paid and will do as she orders, but at the same time 
  they are uneasy with the Droungarios’s ultimate goal. 
  American Astronauts
  ASPECTS
  Hired Hands; Corrupt Americans; Questioning Our Decision
  GEAR
  Hand-Blaster Ray Gun, Jet-Pack Spacesuit
  SKILLS
  Good (+3): Craft, Pilot
  Fair (+2): Fight, Shoot
  Average (+1): Athletics, Physique 
  48
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Pre-Generated Player Characters
  While you can make up your own characters for Red Planet, here are some pre-
  generated characters you can use in the Chernykh 34 adventure, convention 
  games, or any situation where time may be limited. 
  • Galina Yurkova: A Special Citizen, she is an uplifted Venusian gorilla, 
  newly graduated from the Academy and eager to help the Union, espe-
  cially her fellow primates. 
  • Ludmilla Tsereteli: A New Woman, fifty-something but still as vital 
  as ever, she is a veteran of the “quiet war” against the U.S.A. and the 
  U.S.S.R., hardened but not cynical.
  • Natalya Zeigarnik: A scientist, her inventions have become the talk of 
  all of Iapygia Republic, and there is talk of her being transferred to New 
  Moscow itself.
  • Abram Pushkin: An explorer, his rate of conversion has rarely been 
  matched.
  • Vasily Maksudov: A pilot, he built his own flight pack as a teenager from 
  spare parts and now serves all of Argyre Republic as an on-call courier/
  flyer/Ivan-on-the-spot.
  • Yulian Korzhev: A soldier, he is a long-time veteran of the Union Army 
  and has fought in numerous hot-spots throughout the solar system. 
  49
  RED PLANET
  
  Galina Yurkova
  CLASS
  Special Citizen (+1 Notice, +1 Physique) 
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Uplifted Venusian Gorilla
  Trouble: True Believer—Just Ask Me, I’ll Tell You All About It
  Other Aspects: Hot-Tempered Like My Ancestors; So Many Primates 
  Yet to Be Freed; Fresh Out of the Academy
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Physique, Rapport
  Good (+3): Empathy
  Fair (+2): Provoke, Pilot, Will
  Average (+1): Athletics, Contacts, Fight, Lore, Notice
  STUNTS
  Four Arms (page 36)
  Revert: Once per session, by spending a fate point 
  or taking a moderate consequence, you can revert 
  to your bestial, pre-uplift self until the end of 
  the scene. Your bestial self has Great (+4) 
  Athletics and Good (+3) Fight and Provoke, 
  but any skill relying upon more-than-
  animal intelligence becomes Mediocre 
  (+0). However, after the reversion 
  ends, you are filled with shame for 
  having become a mere animal again 
  rather than the intelligent, uplifted 
  being that you are. 
  Trained Catechist: Once per scene, 
  you gain +2 to overcome with 
  Rapport when you act on behalf 
  of the Union against its ideologi-
  cal foes. 
  Zealot: You can use Rapport in place of 
  Will to defend against Deceit, Rapport, 
  and Provoke attacks. 
  REFRESH: 2
  STRESS  
   
   
  Physical 4
  Mental 3
  50
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Galina Yurkova
  The dominant life form on Venus, besides the Venusians themselves, are the 
  eight-foot-tall, four-armed creatures whose resemblance to a certain Earth pri-
  mate was strong enough that the first explorer to discover them dubbed them 
  “gorillas,” and—though scientists despair of this usage, as the Venusian gorilla 
  actually belongs to the Venusian domain of kingdoms, phyla, classes, and so on, 
  and not those of the Earthly domain—the name stuck. Semi-sentient, amaz-
  ingly strong, and open to social interaction with Union explorers, the Venusian 
  gorillas have proven to be perfect subjects for the surgical operations that “uplift” 
  them, giving them human-level intelligence. Many thousands of Venusian goril-
  las have been uplifted and become useful Citizens of the Union. 
  Galina Yurkova is one of these. Captured as an infant and uplifted in the labs 
  of the Tharsis Republic, Galina grew up on a farm and when mature was sent, 
  as every Citizen is, to the Academy to be educated and evaluated for the ways 
  in which she could be most useful to the Union. Despite her physical attributes, 
  she has been told that she tests best as an explorer, which surprised but pleased 
  her, since she desperately wants to bring the gifts of uplift and progressive mate-
  rialism to all those like her, whether on Venus or on Mars or on Earth. 
  Ludmilla Tsereteli
  Born on a farm in a quiet collective in Phaethontis, about as far from New 
  Moscow as it’s possible to be, Ludmilla Tsereteli quickly demonstrated that she 
  was no ordinary girl. Mastering reading, math, literature, and science at a very 
  young age, she graduated from school and became one of the youngest in the 
  history to be accepted into the Academy. Her obvious capability in every imag-
  inable field led to her being chosen as a New Woman, and being deployed, at age 
  fourteen, in the field against the enemies of the Union. 
  That was nearly forty years ago, and now she is a weathered veteran of the 
  “quiet war” against the two governments of Earth and their many agents. When 
  she’s been home in Phaethontis, she’s made the time to marry and raise two chil-
  dren, but most of her time has been spent on Earth, in the capitals of the U.S.A. 
  and the U.S.S.R., destroying their military hardware, capturing and converting 
  (or, regrettably, removing) their agents, foiling their anti-Union plots, and gener-
  ally acting as the blunt edge of Union policy toward the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. It’s 
  been a hard life, but a rewarding one for her, knowing that she’s saved the lives 
  of Union Citizens and materially advanced Union policy on a near-daily basis. 
  51
  RED PLANET
  
  Ludmilla Tsereteli
  CLASS
  New Woman (+1 Fight, +1 Stealth)
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Larger Than Life
  Trouble: The Blood Stains Won’t Wash 
  Off 
  Other Aspects: I Know Better Than You; 
  I Do What Is Necessary to Help the 
  Union
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Fight
  Great (+4): Stealth
  Good (+3): Shoot
  Fair (+2): Athletics, Burglary, Physique
  Average (+1): Investigation, Lore, Pilot, Will
  STUNTS
  Good at Almost Everything: When you use 
  an Average (+1) skill, roll six fate dice and 
  keep the best four for your roll result.
  Hardened: You gain a +2 bonus to defend 
  with Will. 
  Master of Sambo: You are a skilled martial 
  artist. Once per scene, when you attack an 
  opponent who absorbs your hit by taking a 
  consequence, you gain +2 to your Weapon 
  or Fight rating until the end of the next 
  exchange.
  REFRESH: 3
  STRESS  
    
  Physical 3
  Mental 3
  52
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Natalya Zeigarnik
  CLASS
  Scientist (+1 Craft, +1 Resources)
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Inventor Extraordinaire
  Trouble: Reluctant Warrior
  Other Aspects: I’d Rather Be In My Lab; 
  Let Me Invent the Solution to This 
  Problem; Science Holds the Answer to 
  Every Question
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Crafts
  Great (+4): Resources
  Good (+3): Lore
  Fair (+2): Renown, Shoot
  Average (+1): Contacts, Pilot, Rapport, Will
  STUNTS
  I Know Machinery: Whenever you succeed 
  with style on an overcome action to modify, 
  repair, or damage a piece of machinery, you 
  gain a situation aspect instead of a boost. 
  Stun Blaster: Natalya’s personal invention, the 
  Non-Lethal Mind-Blaster. She hopes to 
  persuade the Secretaries and the command-
  ers of the army and Space Navy to adopt 
  it, as its wounds are non-lethal and thus far 
  more merciful to the enemy. You gain +2 
  to Shoot rolls when attacking with the Stun 
  Blaster, which has Weapon:2. 
  REFRESH: 3
  STRESS 
    
  Physical 2
  Mental 3
  53
  RED PLANET
  
  Natalya Zeigarnik
  The middle daughter of a pair of noted scientists, Natalya Zeigarnik distinguished 
  herself as a kind of child prodigy by single-handedly repairing her collective’s 
  tractors at age six. The usual schooling and term in the Academy followed, and 
  she was sent back home to use her talents to maintain and improve the varied 
  machines of the Iapygia Republic. But Natalya’s curiosity and imagination could 
  not be contained by just working on pre-existing machines; she felt and feels a 
  deep urge to create new machines which could help the Citizens of the Union. 
  So she invents, everything from flying rain-seeders to heat-rays to super-strong 
  mechanical gloves for use on the farms. Her laboratory is a nonstop fount of cre-
  ation, and the workers of Iapygia have profited from her work. Now Natalya has 
  caught the eyes of the General Secretary of Iapygia, who has arranged for her to 
  be transferred to New Moscow, where her talents can be put to use in creating 
  advanced technology for use against the Union’s enemies. As a patriot, Natalya 
  is happy to go where the Union needs her, but a small part of her regrets that she 
  will be creating instruments of death rather than machines designed to help life. 
  But as they say, needs must when the Union calls. 
  Abram Pushkin
  Growing up in the shadow of Olympus Mons and its massive flight base, Abram 
  Pushkin knew, from a very young age, that he wanted to shake the dust of Mars 
  from his clothes and imitate the space pilots, to go Out There—to the other 
  planets and to the stars—and to discover new places and alien beings. That drive 
  to explore has never left him, not for a second, but it has become tempered by 
  the knowledge that exploration and discovery bring with them special responsi-
  bilities toward the places and people one discovers. At the Academy Abram was 
  not surprised when he was made an explorer—but learning about the additional 
  responsibilities that explorers have was a surprise. 
  Nonetheless, Abram is a good man who devoutly believes in the benefits of 
  progressive materialism and the Union’s way of life, and he embraces his new 
  role wholeheartedly. So every new trip he takes, whether into the unmapped 
  slums of Rio de Janeiro or over the southern jungles of Venus, he always keeps 
  in mind that on Earth, exploration meant conquest and exploitation of the dis-
  covered, but that on Mars, exploration means the opportunity to share the good 
  news with the discovered, and to ultimately make them Citizens. Abram has a 
  winning way about him and is usually persuasive when he gets going. 
  54
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Abram Pushkin
  CLASS
  Explorer (+1 Empathy, +1 Rapport)
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Silver-Tongued Missionary 
  of Progressive Materialism
  Trouble: The Union Is Right, All Others 
  Are WRONG
  Other Aspects: Can I Just Say Something?; 
  The Thrill of Meeting the 
  Unconverted; A Reluctant Utilitarian
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Rapport
  Great (+4): Empathy
  Good (+3): Notice
  Fair (+2): Lore, Pilot, Will
  Average (+1): Contacts, Physique, Renown, 
  Shoot
  STUNTS
  A Good First Impression: +2 to the first 
  Rapport roll you make during a scene. 
  I Have Your Best Interests At Heart: +2 to 
  Rapport rolls made during a conversion 
  attempt. 
  Progressive Materialism Is My Sword and 
  My Shield: You gain Armor:2 against 
  mental attacks. 
  REFRESH: 3
  STRESS 
    
  Physical 2
  Mental 3
  55
  RED PLANET
  
  Vasily Maksudov
  On the farm in his collective in the Argyre Republic there seemed to be little 
  need for pilots—but that’s what Vasily Maksudov wanted to be most. The skies 
  called to him, and the call wouldn’t be denied; as a teenager he built his own 
  flight pack out of spare tractor parts and a little pilfered trirodov and secretly, at 
  night, cruised the skies over the collective and its neighbors. That sort of talent 
  and drive was quickly discovered by the evaluators at the Academy, and he was 
  made a pilot and given the opportunity to fly larger and better-made vehicles 
  than the ramshackle flight pack he’d put together. 
  Now he flies—oh, how he flies. Always in the service of the Argyre Republic, 
  of course, whether as a crop-duster, cloud-seeder, courier, or pilot ferrying pas-
  sengers from one part of the republic to another. He longs for more prestigious 
  assignments—he’d love to fly one of the long-range patrol ships of the Space 
  Navy, the kind that make it out to Pluto, or a fighter on a mission against the 
  Soviet Air Force, or even just a supply ship making the Mars–Neptune–Mars 
  run—but he knows that even a crop-duster provides a valuable service to the 
  Union. 
  Yulian Korzhev
  Yulian Korzhev was once from Eridania, and if you pressed him he’d remember 
  this—after a moment—but he hasn’t been home in twenty six years. He’s a 
  career soldier, joined the Space Navy fresh out of the Academy and never looked 
  back. He’d always known that he was a fighter by temperament, and the broad-
  casts and movies he saw as a child inspired in him both a love of the Union and 
  a deep hatred of those who worked against it. The best way to put his hatred 
  and skills as a fighter to use was to serve on the front lines against the Union’s 
  enemies, and that’s exactly what he’s done these twenty-two years as a soldier. 
  He’s seen it all—just ask him. Things ordinary Citizens wouldn’t believe. 
  American attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Oceanus Procellarum. 
  Geometrist laser beams glittering in the darkness above Uranus. Soviet agents on 
  suicide runs trying to get at the main Space Navy field on Phobos. Rampaging 
  terror birds on Venus. Firefights on Space Navy destroyers boarded by desperate 
  space pirates. Even what may have been a vampire lurking in the alleys of New 
  Moscow. Nothing surprises him anymore, except perhaps mercy from another 
  soldier. 
  56
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  Vasily Maksudov
  CLASS
  Pilot (+1 Pilot, +1 Shoot)
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Into the Wild Blue/
  Black Yonder
  Trouble: More Ambitious Than Is 
  Called For
  Other Aspects: Longs for Glory; 
  Bored Competence;  
  Can This Thing Go a Little Faster?
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Pilot
  Great (+4): Shoot
  Good (+3): Notice
  Fair (+2): Craft, Will
  Average (+1): Contacts, Fight, Provoke, 
  Stealth 
  STUNTS
  Hard to Shake: +2 to Pilot in any pursuit-
  based contests. 
  Pilot’s Eye: You can use Pilot instead of 
  Notice when flying a craft to spot enemies. 
  She’ll Hold Together (page 27)
  REFRESH: 3
  STRESS 
    
  Physical 2
  Mental 3
  57
  RED PLANET
  
  Yulian Korzhev
  CLASS
  Soldier (+1 Fight, +1 Shoot)
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Warrior Who’s Seen It All
  Trouble: Unbecomingly Ruthless in the 
  Service of the Union
  Other Aspects: I’m Only Alive When I 
  Fight; The Only Good American Is 
  a Dead American; Not Fit For Life 
  Outside the Space Navy
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Shoot
  Great (+4): Fight
  Good (+3): Renown
  Fair (+2): Provoke, Notice, Physique
  Average (+1): Athletics, Lore, Stealth, Will
  STUNTS
  Hardened: You gain a +2 bonus to defend 
  with Will. 
  Not Easily Distracted: When you attack 
  with Shoot, the defender can’t invoke situa-
  tion aspects that would interfere with your 
  ability to aim.
  Twenty-Year Veteran: When relying on the 
  respect generated by the reputation you’ve 
  earned in military service to the Union, 
  you can overcome with Renown in place 
  of Contacts or Rapport. Against those who 
  don’t care about or aren’t impressed by your 
  service, however, this stunt has no effect.
  REFRESH: 3
  STRESS
  Physical 3
  Mental 3
  58
  FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE
  
  WHAT COMES NEXT
  Red Planet doesn’t want the world to remain unchanged by the characters’ 
  actions. Red Planet characters are supposed to work to change the world, in the 
  favor of the Union; when a major milestone occurs, the change which takes 
  place should shake up not just the campaign, but the universe. The characters 
  should have achieved something during the story arc that changes a regional or 
  planetary-level aspect, or have changed a location so much that a new issue is 
  created to replace it. 
  Although the Union of Materialist Republics is a utopia, it is an active one, 
  not content to stay the same, but pushing outward, physically (in its coloniza-
  tion of the solar system and ultimately other solar systems) and culturally (in 
  its attempts at converting Venusians and the humans of Earth). Similarly, it is a 
  utopia, but it is an embattled one, fighting the “quiet war” with the U.S.A. and 
  U.S.S.R. and a getting-hotter war with the Geometrists. 
  In other words, the universe of Red Planet is dynamic, not static, and the 
  players’ actions will feed this dynamism. Players might want to just play a 
  Communist Flash Gordon game of pulp sci-fi high adventure, and that’s fine. 
  But equally fine will be if the players strive for nobler goals: sufficiently destabi-
  lizing the U.S.S.R. so that its new aspect is something like Rudderless or On 
  the Brink of Revolution; overthrowing the corporate elites dominating the 
  U.S.A. and giving it the new aspect Internecine Corporate Chaos; finally 
  discovering the key to interdimensional travel and giving the Country of the 
  Geometrists the new aspect Fifth Column.
  The players can play any kind of game they want to with Red Planet. But if 
  they want to change the solar system for the better, they should. 
  Think big! 
  Save humanity!
  59
  RED PLANET
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/FATE (fudge) [multi]/World of Adventure/Red_Planet.pdf