Martian Tripod (Sovereign City)
| Martian Tripod | |
|---|---|
| Leader(s) | Jav "Six-Eye" Javaro |
| Alliances | none |
| Rivalries | none |
In 1976, the Viking program landed on Mars and analysed the properties of the red planet, discovering that its precariously-balanced ecosystem was in danger of collapse. NASA passed the information on to the governments of Mars, warning them that they had, at most, 50 years left. Some Martian countries began work on pressurised domes, others ignored what they termed "third planet propaganda", but many citizens decided to emigrate.
Hundreds of Martians left their ancestral home on "slowboats" that saw them arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs, trying to immigrate to countries across the world. Many were turned away, and those that did ended up drifting to the few places that would open their borders for carnivorous, purple-skinned humanoids. America was one of these countries, due to a deal made by the Ford Administration for several top Martian weapons scientists, hoping to advance the state of American military technology by 10-20 years from incorporating Martian mechanorganic principles. The deal was successful, and allowed for the eventual development of personal weapons platforms (or "battlesuits") during the 1980s, although the credit was given to the current President at the time, Ronald Reagan.
The regular Martian citizens were not treated as well as the weapons scientists, herded into substandard housing in the inner cities, and subjected to species discrimination. Despite their appearance, the higher gravity of Earth prevented the immigrants from being able to cope well with many forms of manual labor, and the Martian population suffered in silence - until the birth of the next generation.
The first-generation of native Earth Martians grew up with the heavier gravity from birth, adapting to it and developing the natural strength that saw their distant ancestors ascend to be the apex predator of Mars. During the late 80s there was a boom in Martian culture as they asserted themselves, leading to the creation of cult Marsploitation films and the popularity of Martian ix-ix music amongst disenfranchised suburbanites.
It also lead to the creation of the Martian Tripod, an alliance of three gangs from the old planet, who agreed to put their differences behind them, but only after annihilating (and, by some accounts, eating) two dozen smaller gangs. The Tripod was determined to do things the old way, the Martian way, and if any Earth gang didn't see the common sense in eating the hearts of one's gangland rivals, then they'd soon learn.
The Tripod is divided into "cylinders" - smaller, semi-autonomous groups - that often see infighting between each other in the casual, friendly, only-eat-a-leg kind of way that Martians have perfected. The largest cylinder is in Sovereign City, home to the fifth-largest xenopopulation in America, and it controls all of the Xenotown districts: Helium Field, Little Barsoom, and Zodiac.
Key Members
Jav Javaro
Present leader of the Martian Tripod cylinder in Sovereign City, and genetic mutant. Born with six eyes, rather than the normal four, Javaro was often the subject of torment from the neighborhood kids until his latent psychic powers blossomed and three of them died. Since that night, he has been the subject of fear and respect, clawing his way to the top of the cylinder through underhanded deeds, treacherous double-crosses, and exploding more than a few heads.
Jav Javassa
Javaro's brother, and his right-hand man. Though he does not have psychic powers, he has numerous mechanorganic implants that bolster his strength to almost supervillain levels. Fiercely loyal to his brother, he acts as the main muscle for the Tripod, ready to tear apart anything and anyone that defies his brother.
Zaz Zazoma
Javaro's girlfriend, and arguably a vicious schemer in her own right. Rumoured to have strangled a rival to death at the tender age of 13, and currently handles a raygun better than most men in the Tripod. She is one of the few to have been known to question Javaro's leadership without winding up getting served for dinner with tabasco sauce and two-dog soup.
