Operation: Red Guard
A Catnip Plantation Production!
A Catnip Plantation Production!
The story of Humanity is the story of Mars
While on a routine exploratory mission to Mars, a NASA probe discovered a strange unknown life form outside the Olympus Mons, the largest of the Tharsis volcanoes. Upon its return to Earth, a laboratory accident exposes the scientists and lab technicians to the bizarre abilities of their new discovery. The Tharsisite, as it would come to be known, manipulates genetics and grants enhanced abilities to its hosts that humans came to know as magic before the parasites were fully understood.
Humans soon learned to manipulate and harness the power of the Tharsisite and breed their own species of the Tharsisite that greatly increased the ranges of abilities granted to humans and spawned a genetic renaissance. As a result human technology skyrocketed and not only was space colonization achieved but the human discovery of FTL travel made it so that they could travel to other solar systems within the galaxy.
It was through this process that humankind came to interact with aliens. Humans, thanks to the advanced technology granted to them by the Tharsisite, dominated many of the races they first encountered and absorbed them into their growing intergalactic empire.
It was then when Humans caught the attention of another space faring race, the Elnoi. The Elnoi were an intelligent and powerful force in space in their own right and they saw human conquest as a major challenge to balance in the galaxy.
While Humans relied on Tharsisites for military dominance, the Elnoi focused on technological advancement and the use of artificial intelligence. They saw messing with genetics to be extremely dangerous and so instead augmented themselves with technology as a means to achieve strength.
The humans had finally met their match and after years of brutal fighting against the Elnoi were forced into a cold war style standstill. Humans were embarrassed and humiliated by this result and so they began making plans to achieve ultimate dominance in the galaxy. In the end they developed what became known as the Genome Expansion Project.
The Genome Expansion Project saw humans taking a great interest in the alien races that were within their sphere of control. Humans began genetic experiments that included augmenting current races and even creating hybrid races. The human government’s goal was to build up the races under their influence so that in the inevitable war with the Elnoi they would have the advantage.
Of course the Elnoi were not planning on simply watching this go on. They began their own meddling by providing pre-space flight races within their systems advanced technology that allowed them to rapidly accelerate.
In their fixation on their rivalry, neither side seemed to realize the chaos they were unleashing on the galaxy. The races that they were uplifting began to resent the yoke held over them by either the humans or the Elnoi. Now equipped with advanced technology or enhanced genetic abilities these races rebelled en masse. In what became known as the Twenty Years’ War, chaos ruled over much of the galaxy. Both empires fought desperately to maintain order in their own systems but their client races proved not only strong but extremely intelligent and adaptable. By working together the client races used their diverse abilities to overwhelm their former masters.
Eventually the humans and the Elnoi realized that they needed to work together to end this and with their combined force order was finally achieved, however it did not come without cost. While the inner systems of each empire were pacified, the outer worlds remained firmly in control of the rebel systems and the two empires had no choice but to recognize their independence. These systems are now known as the Abyss, where there is little government or regulation to speak of.
With this peace established the Elnoi and the Humans agreed to ban genetic engineering and the giving of technology to pre-space flight races to prevent the uprisings from ever occurring again.
The year is 2225 and it has been almost twenty five years since the Twenty Years' War concluded. During that time the galaxy has known relative peace and has moved on from the constant state of war that had previously embroiled the 23rd century. However, many believe this peace is only temporary. Anger and unrest is beginning to spread across the Sol system once more, and the Abyss remains a dangerous place where extremists lurk and plot. Seeing the way the wind was blowing the Confederation and the Collective entered secret negotiations to maintain their control over the galaxy. Together they assemble a number of peacekeeping units to protect their collective interests. These units will serve as a test to see if long term cooperation between the two factions is possible, but danger lurks in the shadows and nowhere is it more obvious than on the planet Mars. Embroiled in a history of secession and political conflict, Mars is a powder keg that could ignite yet another galactic war. Will the peacekeepers of Mars go down in history as champions of peace? Or fools that set the galaxy aflame? That story is yet to be told.
Despite being no bigger than a fingernail, Tharsisites are organisms that have had a bigger impact on the galaxy than most living creatures. Most don’t fully understand what exactly a Tharsisite does when it comes in contact with its host, but the effects are clear and undeniable. When integrated with a host, the Tharsisite changes the very fabric of their genetic code, which results in a variety of superhuman abilities. These changes include increased intelligence, superhuman strength, enhanced longevity and even so-called “magical” abilities such as telekinesis and elemental manipulation. After centuries of experimentation and breeding, humans have been able to largely predict and control how an Tharsisite affects its host and thus what abilities it grants. Tharsisites can be transferred from person to person after the death of the current host and in fact the more genetic material a Tharsisite interacts with the larger range of abilities it is able to grant. Therefore it is not uncommon for Tharsisites to be passed down by families through generations. Most people either inherit their Tharsisite, gain it through government or military employment, or purchase it through government regulated markets for a small fortune. However there are also less legitimate means to require one. The intergalactic black market is home to a number of ill-gotten Tharsisites that are available for the right price.
Humans soon learned to manipulate and harness the power of the Tharsisite and breed their own species of the Tharsisite that greatly increased the ranges of abilities granted to humans and spawned a genetic renaissance. As a result human technology skyrocketed and not only was space colonization achieved but the human discovery of FTL travel made it so that they could travel to other solar systems within the galaxy.
It was through this process that humankind came to interact with aliens. Humans, thanks to the advanced technology granted to them by the Tharsisite, dominated many of the races they first encountered and absorbed them into their growing intergalactic empire.
It was then when Humans caught the attention of another space faring race, the Elnoi. The Elnoi were an intelligent and powerful force in space in their own right and they saw human conquest as a major challenge to balance in the galaxy.
While Humans relied on Tharsisites for military dominance, the Elnoi focused on technological advancement and the use of artificial intelligence. They saw messing with genetics to be extremely dangerous and so instead augmented themselves with technology as a means to achieve strength.
The humans had finally met their match and after years of brutal fighting against the Elnoi were forced into a cold war style standstill. Humans were embarrassed and humiliated by this result and so they began making plans to achieve ultimate dominance in the galaxy. In the end they developed what became known as the Genome Expansion Project.
The Genome Expansion Project saw humans taking a great interest in the alien races that were within their sphere of control. Humans began genetic experiments that included augmenting current races and even creating hybrid races. The human government’s goal was to build up the races under their influence so that in the inevitable war with the Elnoi they would have the advantage.
Of course the Elnoi were not planning on simply watching this go on. They began their own meddling by providing pre-space flight races within their systems advanced technology that allowed them to rapidly accelerate.
In their fixation on their rivalry, neither side seemed to realize the chaos they were unleashing on the galaxy. The races that they were uplifting began to resent the yoke held over them by either the humans or the Elnoi. Now equipped with advanced technology or enhanced genetic abilities these races rebelled en masse. In what became known as the Twenty Years’ War, chaos ruled over much of the galaxy. Both empires fought desperately to maintain order in their own systems but their client races proved not only strong but extremely intelligent and adaptable. By working together the client races used their diverse abilities to overwhelm their former masters.
Eventually the humans and the Elnoi realized that they needed to work together to end this and with their combined force order was finally achieved, however it did not come without cost. While the inner systems of each empire were pacified, the outer worlds remained firmly in control of the rebel systems and the two empires had no choice but to recognize their independence. These systems are now known as the Abyss, where there is little government or regulation to speak of.
With this peace established the Elnoi and the Humans agreed to ban genetic engineering and the giving of technology to pre-space flight races to prevent the uprisings from ever occurring again.
The year is 2225 and it has been almost twenty five years since the Twenty Years' War concluded. During that time the galaxy has known relative peace and has moved on from the constant state of war that had previously embroiled the 23rd century. However, many believe this peace is only temporary. Anger and unrest is beginning to spread across the Sol system once more, and the Abyss remains a dangerous place where extremists lurk and plot. Seeing the way the wind was blowing the Confederation and the Collective entered secret negotiations to maintain their control over the galaxy. Together they assemble a number of peacekeeping units to protect their collective interests. These units will serve as a test to see if long term cooperation between the two factions is possible, but danger lurks in the shadows and nowhere is it more obvious than on the planet Mars. Embroiled in a history of secession and political conflict, Mars is a powder keg that could ignite yet another galactic war. Will the peacekeepers of Mars go down in history as champions of peace? Or fools that set the galaxy aflame? That story is yet to be told.
Rules & Applications
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