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Journeys /
MarsMap of Mars colonies and settlements. Gravity: Mars has a gravity of 25sgu OlyMons port:The original spaceport of Mars, and the primary official port. OlyMons is primarily populated by Sinfin and Ceresians, as neither species cares as much about the thin, and sometimes nonexistant, atmosphere outside of the often cramped, living enclosures. Aresisthron (Port):Despite not being on the tallest mountain, the proximity to the other settlements make the Tharsis Montes the premier spaceport on Mars. A high speed railway has been built into the northernmost mountain in order to accelerate mineral-laden rockets up. The settlement itself spawned due to this mountain being the most common landing zone coming off of OlyMons, and folk deciding to set up a port at this point. Having a far more hospitable environment than OlyMons, more people prefer to use this port and there is even a sizable number of permanent residents here. Ceresian Territory:North of the end of Valles Marineris lie the Acid Flats. While the name conjures bubbling craters full of corrosive liquid, it is simply due to the low pH of the soil - this makes the area unsuitable for any farming, and harder on mining equipment than the Sun Plains. The Ceresians, thanks to their anatomy not caring about atmosphere or acidity, have taken to mining this area for water-ice, and is currently their sole non-asteroid colony. Stationhold:Founded in the early 1940s out of need to manage the incoming rail cars, Stationhold became known as such in the '50s, due to the fact that a castle was built here, supposedly to keep out the bandits that had started being able to operate in the area. It remains a small town, though the castle does bring in tourists. "The Gulch":Mars's most populous settlement, and the only source of native foods that aren't hydroponics or grown by the Sinfin. Valles Marineris is quite hospitable due to the equatorial latitude and low elevation; the canyon is completely filled with breathable air and greenery. Four towns have been built within — Lake Marineris, North and South Gulch, and Damton.
Cratertown:While Hellas Plantitia is not a crater, it sure looks like one. Far away from anyone else, but that's how the locals (and smugglers) like it. The Grecial Depression is very deep, so there's breathable air at the bottom, though it's very cold. Hydroponics and algae from Earth help to sustain this settlement, and mined ice provide enough water for the people here, though it's rarely free. If you're a stranger, it's also probably expensive. Goldrush:New Oregon:old stuff Terraforming of Mars has just begun, and most of the population is concentrated between the two tropics, at 120' to 60' west longitude. The rest of the planet is home to isolated settlements. Mariners' Canyon Valles Marineris is a giant canyon that goes from the Three Titans to the Acid Flats. Due to its own elevation and equatorial position, it is the most Earthlike environment available on Mars, and also the one with the greatest population density - the entire floor of the valley is covered in greenhouses and small towns, with living quarters and workshops encroaching on the canyon's walls. A large dam has been built at the canyon's "estuary" to the east, in order to trap in the oxygen. The long term plan for Mariners' Canyon is to flood it, making it the planet's first lake, but this has not happened yet. Most commerce happens here. It's even possible to go outside without a mask, and some brave souls risk streaking in the summer. The Three Titans The triplet Tharsis Montes are a little shorter than Olympus Mons, but look notably more imposing, due to higher gradients. The main spaceports on Mars encompass the two outer Titans and the valley between them and the third; the mountains have spiral railways that go to the launch sites at the top, while the valleys host landing facilities. The third mountain has been left barren as part of an agreement between the two factions that control the landing sites, but will eventually be developed if trade volume increases. Mount Olympus Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain in the Solar System. While there is a spaceport on top of its plateau, accessible by a funicular, it is mostly used for unplanned launches by smaller groups due to its distance from other landmarks. Small spacecraft tend to get off planet with one-two hops, the first to get on top of Mount Olympus, the second to go orbital. The plateau itself is occasionally prospected for precious metals, but no permanent settlement exists here. Sun Plains Solis Planum is an example of why Mars can seem a little topsy-turvy to Earth visitors - canyons are for agriculture, and plains are for mining. The Sun Plains offer a wide variety of polymetallic nodules that are harvested by large "grazer" machines; most of these landships are able to defend themselves, and duels for a particularly rich patch are common. Golden Chasm Aureum Chaos is the mouth of Mariners' Canyon; the name fits the environment once again thanks to terraforming, as the low altitude, relatively high temperature, and possibility of using local regolith as a soil component allow for growing grains -- under glass, of course. It is possible to go outside with a mask and heavy clothing, without a spacesuit. Grecal Plains Hellas Planitia is the other major depression in the Martian soil. While there is enough oxygen to breathe within the basin, temperatures are much lower than in the equatorial band - on the other hand, water ice is abundant. Ice is mined here and provided to the equatorial areas; the communities in the Grecal Plains tend to be very isolationistic and pride on self-sufficiency. Large solar concentrators allow for subsistence agriculture to take place. Noah's Land A long railroad connects the two populated regions of the planet, generally carrying ice one way and commodities the other. Noachis Terra is fairly hostile terrain, pockmarked with craters, but the abundance of meteorites makes prospecting for precious metal a viable option to make a living -- there are only a few permanent settlements, however, since meteorite prospecting is by nature a nomadic activity. Rather unimaginatively, the train going back and forth across this terrain is called The Ark; stations along the route are little more than dropoff points for minerals, and trading posts. Moving through Noah's Land requires low-atmosphere gear, although a hardy person may survive with just an oxygen canister for a few hours, and extremophile flora and fauna is starting to take hold. Acid Flats North of the end of Mariners' Canyon lie the Acid Flats. While the name conjures bubbling craters full of corrosive liquid, it is simply due to the low pH of the soil - this makes the area unsuitable for any farming, and harder on mining equipment than the Sun Plains. The Ceresians, thanks to their anatomy not caring about atmosphere or acidity, have taken to mining this area for water-ice, and is currently their sole non-asteroid colony. ![]() |