Long ago, many centuries after Mars had been fully Terraformed, Earth went dark on the same day all existing electronics on Mars stopped working. All ships not in orbit fell from the sky.
Mars quickly descended into chaos as society collapsed, bringing on a new Dark Age. Most of the population succumbed to famine as governments broke down and nations fractured.
Around 1000 years later humanity is recovering and has entered a new Medieval Era, largely forgetting the accurate history of humanity and the disaster. No one knows if Earth is still around and is thought of as more of a holy icon and legend. Some ideologies reject the concept or existence of Earth as we know it.
Special thanks to Galle for letting me use the cybernetic portraits and hats from Crisis of the Confederation
Intro
Long ago, many centuries after Mars had been fully Terraformed, Earth went dark on the same day all existing electronics on Mars stopped working. All ships not in orbit fell from the sky.
Mars quickly descended into chaos as society collapsed, bringing on a new Dark Age. Most of the population succumbed to famine as governments broke down and nations fractured.
Around 1000 years later humanity is recovering and has entered a new Medieval Era, largely forgetting the accurate history of humanity and the disaster. No one knows if Earth is still around and is thought of as more of a holy icon and legend. Some ideologies reject the concept or existence of Earth as we know it.
Info
This map was created using the CK2Generator with an edited NASA heightmap, followed by Ck2MapTools, with manual modding afterwards.
If you would like to view the full change log, report bugs, have ideas, want to know more about planned features, or would like to join the team please join us at Discord.gg.
Q. Why isn't this map shaped like most Terraformed Mars maps?
A. This map uses the Azimuthal Equidistant map projection (same map projection as on the United Nations logo) centered on the south pole because most of Mars's landmass is in the southern hemisphere, while most maps in general use a mercator or equirectangular projection centered on the equator and prime meridian.
This map also has a much higher sea level than most depictions of a Terraformed Mars to make more interesting choke points.
Current Events - 1066 years After the Disaster
Western Argyre, a longtime staple of the Blessed Singularity Valles Marineris Empire, has been conquered by the Terraformed who sailed across the Argyrian Sea from Noachis Terra.
The Empire stands in shambles, having also ceded their north-eastern territory in an independence revolt. To the south lies scattered pagan tribals, to the west the competing Catholic (Holy Terran) Empire of Noctis Fossae which seaks to unite the disorganized lands between itself and the kingdoms of North and South Alba in order to become the uncontested regional power.
The Kingdom of North Alba is ruled by the Blessed Singularity, alone in a sea of Holy Terra faithful, and is constantly on the verge of war with their neighbors the Kingdom of South Alba. Both kingdoms remain unstable due to the rulers not being the same culture as their vassals. Above Alba Mons, in Tempe Terra, are Germanic Kingdoms, and deep within Solis Planum, south of the Valles Marineris Sea, some say is a great Animist Kingdom.
The Hellenic Kingdom of Mount Olympus is on it's way to unification, but sees pagan kingdoms of similar size creeping in from fellow Hellenics in Gigas Sulci, and Zunists in Tharsis Montes, and the Cyclics on the Daedalian Planum. Beyond Tharsis Mons and the Daedalian Planum are Altered agents plotting entry into the western regions, nomads squabbling among themselves, though who could potentially became an unstoppable threat if they were ever managed to be united.
Suddenly the Spacers from the Tau Ceti star system arrive in the Sol System to investigate in the wake of the Great Disaster. Because the majority of their fleet had been destroyed during the Long Voyage, most of their resources and infrastructure needed for long term survival had been lost, and the Spacers were forced to settle as many of their people near the space elevator in Planum Australe as possible. Unfortunately most of the Spacer population must remain in orbit because Spacers cannot acclimate to the gravity of a planet without special acclimating drugs which were in limited supply on the remaining ship, and must begin trading their remaining cybernetics and mech suits through the space elevator for food and supplies.
Many of the Elite of Tau Ceti receive full cybernetic conversions not only to dramatically enhance their abilities, but also to extend their lifespans to near immortal.
Spacers are generally the working class of the Tau Ceti star system which are unable to adapt to gravity without special gravity acclimating drugs due to living their entire lives in low gravity. High gravity without these acclimating drugs would be tortuous or fatal. While Spacers often have minor cybernetics, it is extremely rare that a Spacer would ever become affluent enough to receive a full cybernetic conversion.
Spacers mutinied against the elite Cyborgs sometime during the ~900 year voyage to Sol from Tao Ceti, but many cyborgs escaped to courts across Mars on the surviving ship’s arrival (most of the fleet was disabled or destroyed before reaching Sol. Whether the mutiny was the cause or result of the fleet’s destruction is up for debate). Basically anti Spacer immortal wizards with high stats. Staying conscious for nearly 1000 years can make you crazy, so many of them were placed in artificial comas for long periods of the voyage.
Cryogenically freezing, like light travel, does not exist, so the Spacers had been the working class crew, and eventual colonists or soldiers, that the elite Cyborgs needed. The ship containing most of the medicine needed for Spacers to acclimate to gravity, and most of the supplies and tools needed for the mission itself, were lost. Most Spacers are left stuck in space with dwindling food, resources, and few tools (beyond the cybernetic and mech manufacturing facilities most other fabricators and resources were on the destroyed ships of the fleet), which is why the off map ship must continue trading advanced tech with whoever it can on Mars.
Moments before the Spacers first arrived to take young Tara’s people away from the desolate remains of Earth, her father, King of the Survivors, had been murdered in cold blood by his brother in-law, Kane. Years later, once the Spacers had begun settling the shores of Promethei Terra, the Earthers were given a small island of their own in the Hellas Sea. Much to her horror, leadership was given to her treaturous uncle in-law instead to Tara, the rightful ruler of the Survivors. This made it an easy choice when a mysterious metallic man, dubiously claiming to be her distant relative, asked her to accompany him to western Tharsis Rise, a land where Earth is venerated, and claim her place among them as a true Earther and therefor the rightful ruler of the Holy Terran faithful.