I think it's time we go back into the dungeons, once again. Today, we're going to take a look at a game from Adamant Entertainment. These guys have been making products for numerous RPG systems: Mutants & Masterminds, d20 Modern, D&D 4th Edition, Pathfinder, and, of course, Savage Worlds. Some of their upcoming projects that might interest you include a mash-up of wild west and wuxia (like in those classic kung fu movies) called Far West and an RPG based on the adventures of the original six-gun, six-string samurai of science, Buckaroo Banzai. Whether or not these games will be available for Savage Worlds is unknown to me. We'll just have to wait and keep our fingers crossed.
However, today's game in question is actually from a few years ago. Back then, I became enamored with Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series of books, which dealt with a civil war veteran, John Carter, being astrally transported to a fantastical version of the planet Mars and his adventures there, among other things. He became one of my favorite characters, along with Conan, in fantasy/sci-fi literature. With the Barsoom series, Burroughs popularized the Planetary Romance genre (also known as Sword & Planet). His stories inspired writers, filmmakers, and game designers. To prove that, I present to you the first Sword & Planet game for Savage Worlds: MARS.
MARS originally started out as a campaign setting for 3rd Edition d20 system. After 4th Edition came out, Adamant decided to move the game over to Savage Worlds. MARS will be very familiar to fans of Barsoom, but there are many differences. For instance, almost every race in MARS only has two arms; no four armed Tharks or White Apes, here. Speaking of White Apes, they are a sentient, warlike race with their own kingdom (think Planet of the Apes meets ancient Rome). The Grey Martians, an octopoid race, battle in giant tripods, just like those found in H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds.
What you will find in MARS that is reminiscent of Barsoom is exotic locales filled with ancient ruins and strange beasts, once venerable empires using strength and cunning to survive in a fading world, savage races to wage war with, cool gadgets, such as flying ships and radium guns, and all the action, adventure, and intrigue you'd expect.
While three of the native races (Red Men, Green Men, and White Apes) can be selected for player characters, many people will probably want to play a human (like John Carter or Ulysses Paxton). Not only is this option available, but there are published adventures that deal with one or more Earthlings mysteriously appearing on the Martian surface, whether they're the player characters or NPCs. The Grey Men, however, are strictly an NPC race, as they're meant to be the strange, subterranean menace to the surface dwellers. Another "race," the Synthe-Men, are homunculi who were charged with the duty of maintaining and protecting the Martian canal system (which makes it difficult to justify one as a player character).
If this sounds like your idea of adventure, then check out the entire line of MARS products at DriveThru RPG (this page contains products for both 3rd Edition d20, which are now defunct, and Savage Worlds). While Adamant is busy working on other stuff, at the moment, they did promise more adventures and supplements will be available in the future.
If, however, you are interested in a more authentic approach to Barsoom for your Savage Worlds game, I recommend Savage Barsoom. This blog contains lots of helpful information for creating games in Burroughs' version of Mars, including articles on races, creatures, culture, religion, technology, and more. He also has links to companies that sell gaming miniatures for the different races/creatures of Barsoom. Definitely go check it out.
Until next time, make sure to keep your hands of my dice.
