TEXT: CONVERSIONS
  There is more published material for the Blue Planet setting than could possibly fit into this book. 
  GMs may wish to use some of that additional material. Players may come to a GURPS Blue Planet 
  campaign with Blue Planet characters already created and want to go on playing them. The following 
  guidelines can be used for these purposes.
  Characters
  Character descriptions in Blue Planet can be changed over to GURPS character descriptions in 
  two ways. One way is to select  GURPS Blue Planet templates that correspond to  Blue Planet 
  packages, select corresponding biomods, and then adjust  GURPS  attributes and skills to reflect 
  modified attributes and custom skills in the original character description. A more complex approach 
  is to translate each Blue Planet attribute, advantage, and skill directly, ignoring packages. In this latter 
  approach, take racial templates into account by adjusting the cost of any attribute of skill that includes 
  a racial modifier; for example, if a silva character has Build 4, translating to ST 14, this would cost 10 
  points, equivalent to ST 11 for a normal human; the racial attribute modifier of +3 ST is included in 
  the racial point cost of 43 points. In the same way, adjust the point costs of any multilevel advantages 
  some of whose levels come from racial templates.
  ATTRIBUTES
  For human characters (pure strain, modified, or genie), translating  Blue Planet attributes is 
  straightforward. For dolphin and orca characters, translating Build and Fitness is more complex; see 
  Creatures.
  Build converts to ST, as both attributes determine size and gross musculature. A Blue Planet Build 
  of 0 converts to a GURPS ST of 10; each +1 increases ST by 1, and each -1 decreases ST by 1.
  Fitness converts to HT, in the same way.
  Agility and Dexterity convert to DX. If Agility is less, or the two are equal, base DX on Agility 
  and buy levels of Manual Dexterity. If Agility is greater, base DX on Dexterity and look at suitable 
  advantages, such as Perfect Balance.
  Intellect converts to IQ, in the same way as for Build and ST.
  If Awareness is higher than Intellect, buy one level of Alertness per point of difference. If Intellect 
  is higher, buy Bad Sight and/or Hard of Hearing. Optionally, sensory advantages and disadvantages 
  may be used to reflect specific senses differing from overall awareness; each point of increase or 
  decrease in Blue Planet should give a +1 or -1 modifier in GURPS .
  If Will differs from Intellect, buy Strong Will or Weak Will, one level per point of difference.
  Presence can be translated into any combination of Appearance, Charisma, and Voice. The total 
  reaction modifier should equal the value of Presence.
  Derived attributes mostly work best as advantages: bonuses to  Endurance as Fit, bonuses to 
  Reflexes as Combat Reflexes, bonuses to  Toughness as Toughness. Bonuses to Strength are best 
  treated simply as increased ST.
  Differences in sense scores should ordinarily be disregarded, as GURPS does not provide exact 
  equivalents for all of them. If an exceptionally keen sensory ability is central to a character concept, 
  consider taking Acute Hearing, Acute Smell/Taste, or Acute Vision.
  ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
  Blue Planet characters don't have advantages and disadvantages, other than those subsumed under 
  biomods  (discussed  below).  When  they  are  converted  to  GURPS characters,  it's  best  to  be 
  conservative about adding advantages and disadvantages. Many disadvantages are rare on Poseidon, 
  
  including unattractive appearance, most physical handicaps, and mental disadvantages that reflect 
  emotional disturbance.
  However, advantages and disadvantages that reflect social and economic relationships can be 
  added freely, with the GM's approval and up to the usual -40 point limit for disadvantages. Quirks may 
  also be added. So far as possible, base these on the established job, social position, and past behavior 
  of the Blue Planet character. In setting a wealth level, look at the Jobs table for guidance. Note that 
  cetaceans and unmodified pure-strain humans have Social Stigma: Second-Class Citizen, while cats 
  and silvas have Social Stigma: Minority Group.
  SKILLS
  With only a few exceptions, Blue Planet skills correspond closely to GURPS skills. Technological 
  skills should be bought at TL9.
  A Blue Planet skill of 5 ordinarily translates to a GURPS skill of DX or IQ, whichever applies. 
  Each point of increase or decrease in the Blue Planet skill gives 1 point of increase or decrease in the 
  equivalent GURPS skill. This method of calculation takes into account Blue Planet skill bonuses or 
  penalties from attributes; they need not be separately translated. A strong aptitude gives +2 to the 
  applicable skills, and a superior aptitude gives +4; treat this as a direct increase in the skill levels, not 
  as an advantage or disadvantage. If the final value of a skill is worth less than 1/2 point in GURPS , 
  either raise the skill to the 1/2 point level or lower it to default, whichever is closer; if the skill has no 
  default, raise it automatically to the 1/2 point level.
  Table of Skill Correspondences
  Blue Planet Skill     
  GURPS Skill
  Acting
  Performance or Acting
  Anthropology
  Anthropology
  Archeology
  Archaeology
  Armed Combat
  Knife, Shortsword, or other melee weapon 
  Artisan
  various craft skills
  Astronomy
  Astronomy
  Biochemistry
  Biochemistry
  Botany
  Botany or Naturalist
  Bribery      
  Savoir-Faire or Streetwise
  Bureaucracy           
  Administration
  Chemistry  
  Chemistry
  Computers 
  Computer Operation and Computer Programming
  Culture skills         
  cultural familiarities
  Damage Control     
  Engineer
  Dance        
  Dancing
  Demolitions           
  Demolitions
  Disguise     
  Disguise or Acting
  Driving      
  Driving
  Electronics 
  Electronics Operation and Electronics
  Fast-Talk    
  Fast-Talk
  First Aid     
  First Aid
  Fishing       
  Fishing
  Foraging    
  Survival
  Forensic Medicine  
  Pathology
  General Medicine   
  Physician
  Genetics     
  Genetics
  Geology     
  Geology or Naturalist
  Gunnery    
  Gunner
  Handguns  
  Guns
  Heavy Weapons      
  Gunner
  Hiding       
  Stealth
  History       
  History
  
  Leadership 
  Leadership
  Lockpicking          
  Lockpicking
  Logistics    
  Administration
  Longarms  
  Guns
  Management          
  Administration
  Mechanics  
  Mechanics
  Meteorology          
  Meteorology
  Mountaineering     
  Climbing
  Music         
  Cyberaxe, Musical Instrument, or Singing
  Navigation 
  Navigation
  Negotiation            
  Merchant
  Oration      
  Bard
  Orienteering          
  Orienteering
  Painting     
  Artist
  Persuasion  
  Diplomacy
  Pharmacology        
  Pharmacology
  Photography          
  Photography
  Physics       
  Physics
  Piloting      
  Piloting
  Politics       
  Politics
  Psychology           
  Psychology
  Remote Operation  
  no equivalent skill
  Sailing       
  Boating
  Sculpture   
  Sculpting
  Shadowing 
  Shadowing
  Sleight of Hand      
  Sleight of Hand
  Sneaking    
  Stealth
  Strategy     
  Strategy
  Surgery      
  Surgery
  Tactics       
  Tactics
  Theology  
  Theology
  Tracking    
  Tracking
  Unarmed Combat   
  Brawling, Karate, or Judo
  Veterinary Medicine          
  Veterinary
  Writing       
  Writing
  Zoology     
  Zoology or Naturalist
  Notes. If a Blue Planet skill corresponds to two or more GURPS skills, choose the one that best 
  suits the character concept, unless one of the skills is a prerequisite for the other. In this case, either 
  take the prerequisite skill at the equivalent level, or take the prerequisite skill at the level required to 
  learn the other skill (usually skill-12), determine the point cost of any additional levels, and spend 
  them on the other skill. If two or more  Blue Planet skills correspond to the same  GURPS  skill, 
  determine the point cost for the equivalent GURPS skill level, and spend the combined points on the 
  GURPS skill.
  If a GURPS skill has no Blue Planet equivalent, but is prerequisite to a skill that a character has, 
  take it at the prerequisite skill level. With the GM's permission, other skills may be taken at the 1-point 
  level if it's plausible that they would accompany other skill; for example, a scientist with Physics skill 
  could have Mathematics at IQ.
  Languages
  Languages are roughly equivalent to skills, but need to be converted slightly differently. A 
  character's native language should be known at IQ at a cost of 0 points. Other languages should be 
  known at this level or lower, at the standard point cost for skills. A Blue Planet skill of 6-10 does not 
  raise knowledge of a language above IQ. However, a character with strong or superior aptitude for 
  Communication has +2 or +4 to all languages and also has Language Talent +2 [4] or +4 [8].
  
  BIOMODS
  Most of the biomods in GURPS Blue Planet have the same names as the Blue Planet biomods 
  with equivalent effects, making character conversion quite straightforward. The following exceptions 
  should be noted:
  Accelerated Neurons
  See Hyperactive.
  Amplified Hearing
  See Acute Hearing.
  Anatomical Cyberware
  See Bionic Eye and Prosthetic Limbs.
  Anti-Poison
  See Cast Iron Stomach.
  Aquaform, Hybrids, Spacer, Transhuman
  See Genetic Redesign.
  Body Sculpting
  Buy some level of Appearance.
  Echolocation
  See Sonar Vision.
  Electro-Muscular Analogs
  See Bioelectric Shock.
  Enhanced Smell
  See Discriminatory Smell.
  Multiglands
  See Emotional Contro, Hyper-Reflexes, and Hyper-Strength.
  Respiratory Filter
  See Filter Lungs.
  SAMPLE CHARACTER
  Marfa Ivanova Brodskaya
  As an orphan on the streets of Moscow, Brodskaya found shelter with the Gorchoff Family. Now, 
  as the family moves in to take over the black markets and rackets of the Poseidonian frontier, she is 
  repaying them by helping to manage the takeover. This is often an ugly job and sometimes dangerous; 
  she copes by maintaining a cool professionalism about everything from accounting to assassination.
  Archetype Data
  Species 
  Transhuman
  Power Level    
  Exceptional
  Custom Points 
  10
  Armor Rating
  2
  Primary Attributes
  
  Build    
  0          Awareness     2
  Fitness
  1          Intellect       
  0
  Agility´
  2          Presence     
  2
  Dexterity 1          Will   
  1
  Derived Attributes
  Endurance2
  Reflexes    2
  Strength        
  0
  Toughness     
  0
  Senses
  Chemical         1
  Hearing       
  3
  Intuition        
  3
  Touch 
  1
  Vision ´
  2
  Biomods
  Body Sculpting
  Multiglands
  Aptitudes
  Superior          
  Strong
  Communication          
  Administration
  Subterfuge      
  Close Combat
  Firearms
  Stealth
  Training Packages
  Origin Urban
  Backgrounds   Street
        University
  Professional     Expert Crime (Gangster)
        Novice Commerce
        Novice Law Enforcement
  Skills
  Administration            Bureaucracy 6, Economics 2, Law 7, Management 2
  Agriculture
  Athletics
  Close Combat  Armed Combat 4, Unarmed Combat 5
  Command
  Communication           English 3, Russian 5, Negotiation 7, Persuasion 7, Writing 3
  Culture            Earth 7, Incorporate 1, Street 7
  Fine Arts
  Firearms         Handguns 5, Longarms 4
  Human Sciences          History 1, Politics 1
  Life Sciences
  Medicine          First Aid 1, Forensic Medicine 1
  Military Weapons
  Physical Sciences
  Stealth Hiding 4, Shadowing 4, Sneaking 4
  Subterfuge       Bribery 5, Fast-Talk 6, Lockpicking 2, Sleight of Hand 1
  Survival
  Tech    Computers 3, Remote Operation 1
  Vehicles           Driving 3
  Gear and Weapons
  
  Bodycomp; Light armor vest; Small-caliber handgun with 2 magazines standard ammunition; 
  Submachine gun with 2 magazines standard ammunition; ultrasonic hypodermic with 1 dose antishock 
  and 2 doses reflex serum.
  Marfa Ivanova Brodskaya          305 points
  Age 30; 5'9"; 140 lbs.; a beautiful blonde woman with a husky voice.
  ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [0].
  Speed 5.5; Move 5.
  Dodge 6.
  Advantages: Alertness +2 [5]; Beautiful [10]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Comfortable [10]; Emotional 
  Control [63]; Hyper-Reflexes [15]; Hyper-Strength [30]; Language Talent +4 [8]; Patron: 
  Vladimir Sergeevitch Gorchoff, 12 or less [20]; Transhuman [70].
  Disadvantages: Addiction (Tobacco) [-5]; Code of Honor (Gangster) [-5]; Duty: Gorchoff family, 12 
  or less [-10]; Secret (Crime boss's lieutenant) [-20].
  Quirks: Careful; Likes to dance. [-2]
  Skills: Administration-13 [6]; Computer Operation/TL9-9 [1/2]; Dancing-10 [1]; Diplomacy-16 [16]; 
  Driving/TL9 (Hovercraft)-9 [1/2]; Economics-9 [2]; Brawling-13 [4]; Fast-Talk-17 [12];* 
  Guns/TL9 (Handgun)-13 [2]; Knife-12 [2]; Law-14 [12]; Lockpicking-11 [4]; Merchant-16 [14]; 
  Savoir-Faire-9 [1/2]; Shadowing-11 [4]; Sleight of Hand-11 [4]; Stealth-13 [8]; Streetwise-14 
  [10]; Writing-10 [2].
  Languages: English-12 [1/2];** Russian-14 (native) [0].**
  Equipment: automatic pistol, 7.62mm, with two 25-round clips [3.7 lbs.]; bodycomp [0.25 lbs.]; light 
  vest [2.5 lbs]; submachine gun, 7.62mm, with two 100-round cassettes [6.7 lbs.]; ultrasonic 
  hypodermic [0.5 lbs.]. [Total weight: 13.65 lbs.]
  *Includes skill bonus from Emotional Control. **Includes bonus from Language Talent +4.
  Creatures
  Both Blue Planet and GURPS provide detailed information on the capabilities of plants and 
  animals. However, converting between the two often calls for judgment. Consult the following 
  guidelines.
  Move/Dodge
  To convert the Blue Planet Movement rating to a GURPS Move, multiply the top speed for the 
  most frequently used form of movement by 0.3. List other forms of movement in the text description. 
  Dodge is half of Move or half of DX (see below), whichever is higher.
  PD/DR
  DR is based on the sum of a creature's Armor rating, if any, and its Toughness: 1 equates to DR 1-
  2, 2 to DR 3, 3 to DR 4, 4 to DR 5, 5 to DR 6. The upper limit for natural creatures is DR 6. PD 
  represents the ability to deflect a blow. Dense fur gives PD 1; a hard shell gives PD 2-4, depending on 
  its shape. The upper limit for natural creatures is PD 4.
  Damage
  Blue Planet Damage Rating converts to GURPS Damage scores roughly as follows:
  Blue Planet            GURPS
  1    1d-1 or less
  2    1d
  3    1d+1
  4    1d+2
  5    2d
  6    2d+2
  7    3d-1
  
  8    4d
  9    5d
  10  6d+2
  Reach
  Most creatures have a reach of C. Creatures with long horns, tails or other strikers, or with 
  grasping arms, may have a reach of 1 or more.
  Size and Weight
  To convert weight from kilograms (as given in Blue Planet) to pounds (as used in GURPS ), 
  multiply ¬*2.2. Size can be estimated from a creature's length. Most creatures are no more than one 
  hex wide, so they are as many hexes in size as they are yards long; the length in meters given in Blue 
  Planet can be converted to yards by multiplying ¬*1.1. A few very large creatures, more than 3' wide, 
  may have size twice or three times their length in hexes.
  Attributes
  A creature's ST should normally be estimated from its damage; see p. B140 for biting damage, or 
  p. B74 for thrusting and swinging damage.
  A creature's DX in GURPS equals its Agility in Blue Planet, plus its skill rating in its primary 
  natural attack, plus 10.
  A creature's IQ can be estimated from its behavior. Plants have IQ 1; insects and most other 
  invertebrates have IQ 2; fish, amphibians, and reptiles have IQ 3; most mammals have IQ 4; animals 
  with high levels of curiosity or sophisticated social behavior have IQ 5; apes have IQ 6; IQ 7 
  represents the borderlines of sentience.
  A creature's HT represents its ability to cling to life; for most wild creatures this ranges between 
  11 and 15, with 12 as a fairly typical score. Many creatures have split HT, with hits points reflecting 
  body mass; animals weighing 1 lb. or less have HT 1-2, human-sized animals have HT 10, and 
  animals the size of a horse or bear average 20.
  Technology
  Equipment in Blue Planet has a variety of features, which together describe any device in 
  considerable detail. Here are guidelines for interpreting these in GURPS terms:
  Armor Rating: For Armor Rating, use the following table:
  Blue Planet            GURPS
  Armor Rating         DR
  1    
  1-2
  2    
  3
  3    
  4
  4    
  5
  5    
  6
  6    
  7-8
  7    
  9-10
  8    
  11-12
  9    
  13-15
  10  
  16-19
  Note, though, that submersibles in GURPS require much higher armor ratings to attain a useful 
  crush depth.
  Cost: The basic principle is that costs in GURPS Blue Planet should be the same as costs in Blue 
  Planet. Exceptions may be made in some cases. If an item of gear in GURPS technical source material 
  is effectively equivalent to a Blue Planet item, the GURPS cost may be used; this was done with 
  batteries, for example. If a complex device can be designed using GURPS rules, the computed cost of 
  that device can be used in place of the Blue Planet cost; this was done with computers, for example. If 
  
  there is no comparable GURPS device, or if the closest match is significantly different from the Blue 
  Planet device in multiple characteristics, write up the Blue Planet device as a new technology with a 
  new cost; this was done with fuel cells, for example.
  Crew: The GURPS crew size should be the same as the Blue Planet crew size.
  Damage Rating: Use the same progression as for creatures (see p. 00). For Damage Ratings above 
  10, note that +3 to the Blue Planet damage rating equates to ¬*2 GURPS damage. For example, if a 
  cannon inflicts damage of 15, note that 9 + 6 = 15; since a Damage Rating of 9 converts to damage of 
  5d, a Damage Rating of 15 converts to damage of 5d ¬* 4, or 20d.
  Dimensions: Convert length, breadth, and height from meters to feet by multiplying by 3.3. 
  Convert volume from liters to cf by multiplying by 0.035. Convert weight from kilograms to pounds 
  by multiplying by 2.2.
  Fuel Efficiency and Range: Divide Range, in kilometers per tank of fuel, by Fuel Efficiency, in 
  kilometers per liter of fuel, to obtain liters of fuel per tank. Multiply this by 2.2 to obtain weight of 
  hydrogen fuel carried in fuel modules.
  Passenger/Cargo Capacity: The GURPS passenger capacity should be the same as the Blue 
  Planet passenger capacity. As a rule of thumb, each passenger weighs 200 lbs. As a rule of thumb, if 
  passenger space is converted to freight space, assume that each passenger's space holds 20 cf of cargo 
  with an average weight of 400 lbs., roughly doubling the load carried.
  Rate of Fire and Burst Fire Value: For a single-shot weapon, Rate of Fire converts directly to 
  RoF. For a burst weapon, multiply Rate of Fire by Burst Fire Value to get RoF. For a fully automatic 
  weapon, multiply the fully automatic Rate of Fire by Burst Fire Value to get RoF. Select a firing 
  mechanism capable of producing that rate of fire to design the weapon.
  Speed and Combat Speed: Divide a vehicle's top speed in kilometers per hour by 1.6 to obtain 
  miles per hour. Divide this by 2 to obtain Move in yards per second.
   
   
  1. STORY
  The first time Quentin had a chance to go out on the beach, he looked out across the channel and 
  took a deep breath. Somehow he had expected the air to smell crisp and clean. It didn't. It was heavy, 
  thick with moisture, and it stank. On Earth, he would have tagged the smells as coming from flowers, 
  a manure heap, a freshly cut lawn, the rotting things that wash up on a beach, and perhaps a butcher 
  shop. He hoped he would get used to their presence.
  He walked down to the very edge of the ocean, and allowed it to wash over his feet. The sand felt 
  like sand, the water like water. The surf hissed over the sand with a comforting familiarity. The sky 
  was cloudy and Serpens was hidden, but the air and the water were warm. For a moment, it all 
  seemed incredibly mundane. Even the sight of a flock of aviforms soaring by, their movements subtly 
  different from those of any bird on Earth, did nothing to break his disappointment. All that struggling, 
  a journey of dozens of light-years, for this?
  Quentin shrugged. He pulled his shirt off, tossed it behind him onto the beach, and took a running 
  dive into the sea. He splashed in the surf for a moment, then triggered his diving reflex and kicked for 
  the bottom of the channel. His gills unfurled, his nostrils clamped shut, his lungs shut down, and he 
  kicked freely for the bottom of the channel. It felt wonderful, much better than all the training dives 
  back on Earth . . .
  Quentin stopped, hung in the water about twenty meters down. His heart thumped as he watched 
  fish swim away from the large intruder in their realm. He felt too good, all of a sudden. This must be 
  that euphoric state some of the others mentioned, the "Lesear Effect" they joked about.
  But then it began to spread, a tingling down his gills that somehow reached into his gut and his 
  brain all at once. He half-heartedly tried to kick for the surface, and found his movements slow, 
  clumsy. Even panic was already beyond him. There was a pressure in his head, a sense of presence 
  that sent his heart pounding.
  
  The voices began, and the images.
  Some time later, he found himself floating on his back in the channel. Serpens had emerged from 
  the clouds and was shining full in his face. He dreamily remembered a Light even greater than that. 
  Thank you, he prayed. I understand now.
  Eventually, the others swam out to help him to shore. He was surprisingly weak and clumsy, but 
  he cooperated as best he could. When they asked him what had happened, he had nothing to tell them. 
  He didn't have the words, but he knew that he would find them before long.
  The 21st Century
  The story of humanity on Poseidon begins 35 light-years away, on Earth.
  In the course of the 21st century, human civilization made tremendous progress in a variety of 
  fields. Fusion power and relatively inexpensive ground-to-orbit transport led to an industrial 
  revolution. Biotechnology promised to make the world's population healthier and more productive 
  than ever before. Although there were occasional flareups of international conflict and civil unrest, the 
  world for the most part remained at peace.
  There remained several intractable problems. The impact of industrial civilization on the planet's 
  ecosystems was serious, leading to species die-offs and unpredictable climatic shifts worldwide. 
  Human populations continued to grow, even in parts of the world where the economic infrastructure 
  was insufficient to support the resulting masses of people. The authority of multinational corporations 
  proved difficult to hold in check, especially once a number of them became so powerful as to 
  overshadow national governments.
  Nevertheless, for most of the century it seemed that humanity was finally working its way through 
  its problems. An era of global peace and prosperity seemed possible.
  The Athena Project
  It was during this Golden Age that humanity suddenly attained one of its fondest dreams: travel to 
  the stars.
  THE SERPENT'S GATE
  In 2075, the astronomers John Masters and Yuri Vishenko published an extensive study of the 
  orbital paths of comets from the Oort Cloud, the "cometary shell" that surrounds the solar system on 
  the cold fringes of interstellar space. Their study revealed a substantial anomaly, a disturbance in the 
  orbits of thousands of comets. The most likely explanation was the presence of a massive body far 
  beyond the orbit of Pluto. Masters and Vishenko hypothesized the presence of a heretofore-unknown 
  planet and predicted its location, but other astronomers searched for the interloper in vain.
  Soon, the physicist Josef Ben-Gurion analyzed the Masters-Vishenko data and published a 
  startling hypothesis. Ben-Gurion suggested that the hidden object was not a planet, but a Lorentzian 
  wormhole ’  a short cut through space that could lead somewhere else in the galaxy. This notion was
  Į
   
  ridiculed at first, but Ben-Gurion's analysis was both compelling and complete enough to win over 
  detractors. In 2077, the fusion-powered probe Prometheus II was launched to investigate the anomaly.
  The probe's flight time was over a year. In 2078, Prometheus II found the anomaly, confirmed that 
  it was a wormhole, and traversed it to discover what was on the other side. The probe's findings 
  electrified on the world. In the blink of an eye, Prometheus II had traveled 35 light-years, arriving in 
  the neighborhood of the Sun-like star Lambda Serpentis. When the results were made public, a media 
  consultant dubbed the wormhole the "Serpent's Gate."
  INITIAL EXPLORATION
  Follow-up exploration was inevitable. In 2080, a manned expedition was launched to the Serpent's 
  Gate to perform detailed surveys of the Lambda Serpentis system. The Argos 12 astronauts were the 
  
  initial discoverers of Poseidon ’  a habitable, Earth-like world. To the Argonauts' surprise, Poseidon
  Į
   
  proved to have a complex biosphere, based on the same DNA and proteins that formed the basis of 
  Earth life. Poseidon's native life was edible and its soil could be farmed without massive terraforming. 
  Clearly, human beings could live on Poseidon without facing the massive expense of building a 
  habitable ecosystem from scratch.
  The discovery of Poseidon set off a fierce debate on Earth. Enthusiasts demanded that a colonial 
  expedition be assembled, to give humanity a new homeworld in space. Critics of the idea 
  demonstrated that any such expedition would be terribly expensive. The wormhole made interstellar 
  travel only horrendously difficult instead of flatly impossible. The sheer cost of sending even a few 
  thousand colonists to Poseidon might disrupt the whole world economy. On the other hand, colonial 
  enthusiasts pointed out that the effort would give rise to countless technological spin-offs, giving 
  humanity a long-term boost.
  In the end, the enthusiasts won the debate. The Athena Project was established under United 
  Nations sponsorship, to establish a permanent human presence on Poseidon. The first step was to build 
  a series of massive colony ships. The first of these, the UNSS Cousteau, would carry the initial 
  colonists to Poseidon. Resupply ships would follow at intervals of about eight years, bringing the 
  computers and heavy equipment necessary for rapid industrial development.
  Cetaceans
  The marine mammals known as cetaceans had suffered terribly during the 20th and 21st centuries. 
  By the early 2040s, the last humpback whale had washed ashore in Hawaii, marking the extinction of 
  the great whale species. Most of the wild dolphin and porpoise species were either extinct or had not 
  been spotted in years. Even the common and bottlenose species of dolphins were rapidly declining. 
  Killer whales had also begun to vanish.
  It was in this context of global extinction that the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute 
  demonstrated the first "uplift" of cetaceans to full sentience, in 2042. During the years that followed, 
  the uplift techniques were refined at Woods Hole and similar facilities around the world. The result 
  was a new dolphin species, Tursiops sapiens, capable of tool use and natural communication with 
  humans. A few years later, the Wood Hole institute also produced an uplifted killer whale species.
  Uplifted cetaceans and humans suffered considerable tension from the beginning of the 
  relationship. Cetaceans possessed an innate "spiritual" relationship with the natural environment, and 
  were horrified at the ecological destruction caused by human beings. They were further angered by the 
  fact that human beings had caused the extinction of all but a few cetacean species. Sentient dolphins 
  and killer whales still carried dim memories of their pre-sentient existence, remembering a time when 
  they shared the ocean with great whales. Coming to sentience in a world where the whales were gone, 
  the uplifted cetaceans often regarded humans as genocidal barbarians.
  Meanwhile, uplifted cetaceans faced serious social prejudice and legal discrimination. U.N. and 
  national law failed to extend the concept of "human rights" to the new sentient species. Legally, they 
  were often able to claim stronger protections as members of species in danger of extinction than as 
  sentient citizens.
  It was in the world's military establishments that cetaceans found their first (albeit grudging) 
  acceptance. The uplift projects themselves had been run with heavy military sponsorship, and most 
  sentient cetaceans found themselves attached to military service in some capacity. Cetacean soldiers 
  served in search-and-rescue teams, reconnaissance squads, and as special operatives. As sentient 
  cetaceans developed their own culture, it took on a distinctively military cast. Of course, even in the 
  military cetaceans faced deep-seated discrimination. Cetaceans were restricted to the lowest military 
  ranks, and were often viewed as expendable material rather than as true soldiers.
  Cetaceans and the Athena Project
  The Athena Project had a special significance to the world's uplifted cetaceans. It is estimated that 
  over 85% of the world's cetacean population volunteered for the Project. The opportunity to begin life 
  anew on a nearly untouched world proved irresistible for many cetaceans. Poseidon seemed like a 
  
  haven, a place of spiritual redemption that would free cetaceans from a hell of ecological disaster and 
  human prejudice.
  In the end, the Project sent 500 uplifted cetaceans to Poseidon. This exodus marked a profound 
  division in cetacean society. The dolphins and orcas who traveled to Poseidon <I>did<I> find their 
  promised land. The human colonists accepted and even respected their cetacean partners, building a 
  society in which the prejudices of Earth had no place. On the other hand, most of the cetaceans who 
  remained behind were trapped in a kind of hell, soon to be made worse by the travails of the Blight. 
  When the two branches of cetacean society were reunited, their divergent worldviews led to 
  misunderstandings and conflict.
  Humanity Transformed
  Meanwhile, the Athena Project also contracted with the biotech firm GenDiver to provide certain 
  biotech improvements for the potential colonists. The resulting package of genetic and microsurgical 
  modifications was extremely expensive, but it was considered necessary to give the colonists every 
  advantage in their new environment. Once modified, the colonists would be physically strong and 
  tough, capable of prolonged strenuous effort, highly resistant to infection and disease, and able to 
  tolerate extremes in climate.
  The colonists would also be aquaformed, transformed into the first amphibious humans. They 
  received webbing between the fingers and elongated feet to improve swimming ability. Nictating 
  membranes, sealing nostrils, thickened layers of subcutaneous fat, modified skin that could tolerate 
  prolonged exposure to salt water, a digestive system that could handle the salts in seawater, all of these 
  were designed to allow the colonists to spend long periods in the sea.
  Atop these basic modifications, the Athena Project designed two variant forms. Diving-reflex 
  analogs, or "divers," were modified to share many of the adaptations of marine mammals. They had 
  collapsing respiratory systems, specialized nitrogen-absorbing tissues, and tailored enzymes that 
  limited the production of dissolved nitrogen in the bloodstream. Mature divers could operate 
  underwater for up to an hour, swimming to extreme depths without any danger of nitrogen narcosis.
  Systemic osmoforms, or "squid," went a step further. This variant form underwent extensive 
  implant surgery to develop true gills. The new synthetic organs ran from behind the ears to the middle 
  of the back, and were covered with layers of skin and muscle that sealed tightly when the body was 
  not immersed. Squid could therefore use the dissolved oxygen in seawater to survive, remaining 
  underwater indefinitely like a fish. Squid could dive deep, but due to pressure effects on their gills 
  they were depth-limited.
  Most crucial of all, the colonists were subjected to germ-line modification so that their children 
  would inherit their artificial adaptations. The Athena Project and GenDiver had effectively created a 
  new human subspecies, one that would breed true in its new environment. The colonization of 
  Poseidon would be pursued by an elite group of settlers, who would effectively be <I>native<I> to 
  their new environment immediately upon arrival.
  Arrival
  Despite the tremendous distance to the target world, despite the intimidating physical and genetic 
  changes that any colonist would have to undergo, the Athena Project had no lack of qualified 
  candidates. In 2082, the Project selected 5,000 candidates and 1,000 alternates from a pool of over half 
  a million applicants. The selected colonists represented some of the most talented members of every 
  key profession: professional astronauts, soldiers, administrators, scientists, engineers, computer 
  specialists, agronomists, and physicians. The Project also recruited almost 500 genetically uplifted 
  cetaceans, who were expected to exert a powerful influence on the development of the colony.
  Finally, after years of effort and over a trillion dollars expended, the Project was ready to launch. 
  In 2086, the Cousteau traversed the Serpent's Gate wormhole, arriving in Poseidon orbit in December. 
  Landing operations began, culminating in the construction of the Haven colony in 2088.
  Both critics and supporters of the colonial project proved partially right. The expense of the 
  Cousteau expedition disrupted the world economy and set off a mild depression. On the other hand, 
  the effort did produce a variety of new technologies. Meanwhile, the colonists had already 
  
  accomplished what had seemed impossible even a few years before ’  they gave humanity its first
  Į
   
  toehold on a world of another star.
  Haven prospered, awaiting only the planned resupply ships from Earth. The first such ship was 
  expected to arrive in 2096. It never did.
  Disaster
  I don't remember reading about a runaway tailored virus 
  in Revelations. No, this isn't the wrath of God, nor is it 
  Gaea deciding to shrug humanity off like a particularly 
  annoying insect. This was a human screw-up, and it's up 
  to us humans to fix the problem. If we can.
  ’  Anonymous Net commentator (September 22, 2092)
  Į
  The initial phase of the Athena Project was an event unprecedented in human history. The U.N. 
  raised unprecedented sums of money, spending it in a number of vital sectors of the global economy. 
  While this did much to boost the power and prestige of the United Nations, it also had severe 
  consequences for the world economy itself. The Project fueled considerable economic growth, but it 
  also caused high levels of economic inflation and rising interest rates. When the initial phase of the 
  Project was over, the reduction in U.N. spending caused a global recession. Markets collapsed, prices 
  fell, and many major corporations that had been supporting the Project suddenly had to engage in 
  massive layoffs.
  Many historians argue that the disruption of global economic stability due to the Athena Project 
  was the primary reason for the failure of world governments to contain the disaster known as the 
  Blight. Others argue that without the massive stimulus to a number of technologies, especially in the 
  area of biotechnology, the Blight might not have been defeated at all.
  THE BLIGHT
  In 2090, the Fischer Foods corporation developed a genetically engineered virus, intended to 
  attack a parasitic fungus which damaged rice crops. Before it could be tested under controlled 
  conditions, the virus was somehow released into the wild ’  where it began to infect the rice it was
  Į
   
  intended to protect.
  At first, the Fischer virus appeared to be a serious but limited ecological problem. Within a year, 
  however, variant strains of the virus appeared in the wild. The new strains proved much more virulent, 
  and developed the ability to attack a wide variety of grain crops and grasses. Rice and other grain 
  crops began to fail, first in Asia, then everywhere.
  In the years that followed, the so-called Blight attacked world civilization where it was most 
  vulnerable. Everyone desperately scrambled to survive and protect private interests, abandoning 
  cooperation and the rule of law in the process. The lunar and deep space colonies cut off all contact 
  with Earth, fearing an attack of the Blight on their hydroponic systems. Ecoterrorists and other radicals 
  went on a rampage. Bloody wars erupted across a great arc from central Africa to East Asia. Major 
  corporations threw off the rule of national governments, sometimes violently, taking sovereign 
  authority into their own hands.
  Fortunately, only a few nuclear weapons were used during the thirty-year time of troubles. Earth 
  was not rendered uninhabitable ’  but the human species was decimated. The population of Earth fell
  Į
   
  from its high of 10.5 billion (in 2090) to only 4.8 billion (in 2120).
  RECOVERY
  
  The desperate years of the Blight led to a grand transformation of human society. Aside from the 
  fall in human populations, the most obvious effect was the drastic decline of the nation-state. In the 
  desperation of the time, national sovereignty was just one more casualty.
  Much of this national collapse had its roots long before the Blight. As the world's major 
  corporations grew more powerful (and more arrogant), smaller nations found themselves unable to 
  stand alone. Many nation-states began to turn over portions of their sovereignty to the United Nations, 
  as the one global institution that was reasonably independent of the multinational corporations. The 
  Blight accelerated this process, as the U.N. used its authority in far-reaching and unprecedented ways 
  to respond to the crisis.
  The Global Ecology Organization
  The U.N. Secretary General established the Global Ecology Organization (UNGEO) in 2093, just 
  as the Blight reached its virulent peak. The U.N. had enacted a range of emergency regulations in 
  response to the Blight ’  it was the task of the GEO to monitor and enforce the compliance of the
  Į
   
  member states. At first, only the smaller nations, accustomed to subordinating their sovereignty to the 
  U.N., made a habit of obeying the GEO's dictates. Larger nations (notably China and the United 
  States) obeyed the GEO when convenient and ignored it the rest of the time.
  By 2095, the global situation was desperate and even the largest nations found themselves unable 
  to deal with the crisis. In that year, the UNGEO was given authority to <I>enforce<I> its decrees on 
  any national or Incorporate state. The U.N. Marshal Service was established to give the UNGEO an 
  enforcement arm. Meanwhile, United Nations "peacekeeping" forces were expanded and transformed 
  into a effective U.N. army. Later, all functions of the United Nations were subordinated to the GEO, in 
  the belief that nothing less would give it the power needed to salvage the planet.
  In the terrible years that followed, the GEO's authority grew at an astonishing rate. The 
  organization assumed control over economic planning worldwide, directing food and other resources 
  as it deemed necessary. It called up troops to contain or prevent wars. It imposed strict population 
  controls. Resistance to the GEO was widespread, especially in the nation-states that had been most 
  stable and powerful before the Blight. Even so, by the early 2130s the GEO was functioning as an 
  effective world government.
  The Incorporate States
  While political authority was moving upward from the nation-states to the GEO, it was also 
  moving downward to the multinationals. Where nation-states were unable to provide basic services or 
  maintain order, these functions were often taken over by regional or even city-state governments. 
  Many of these local regimes were sponsored or even wholly managed by multinational corporations.
  The roots of the Incorporate movement went back to the early 21st century. As early as the 2020s, 
  multinationals had been accepting (or demanding) quasi-governmental authority in parts of the 
  developing world. This trend encouraged the multinationals to think of themselves as political entities 
  with special rights and status. As time passed, they increasingly ignored mere national or even U.N. 
  law.
  Most of the multinationals (the prominent exception being aerospace contractors) were appalled 
  by the vast expense of the Athena Project. When the first phase of the project triggered global 
  depression, a number of multinationals gathered aboard Icarus Station, signing an agreement pledging 
  mutual assistance against any future threats from the United Nations. These Icarus Accords were 
  widely regarded as a "declaration of independence" against increasing U.N. authority.
  The political conflict between multinationals and the U.N. was aborted by the Blight. As chaos 
  spread, the multinationals moved to protect their own interests, often usurping full political and 
  military authority in localized regions. The test case for this trend came in 2094, when the Biogene 
  corporation claimed sovereign status for the "company city" El Dorado. With support from the 
  Columbian government and the other Icarus Accords signatories, Biogene petitioned the U.N. to 
  recognize El Dorado as an independent city-state. Biogene claimed that it had the resources to 
  maintain order in the region ’  and could therefore reduce the burden on the Columbian government
  Į
   
  and the U.N. itself. The corporation argued that such an action would give it all the responsibilities of 
  a legitimate government, and that it therefore had the right to enjoy sovereign authority.
  
  A heated debate followed in the General Assembly. Finally, the U.N. acceded to Biogene's 
  request. Further, it published a resolution granting formal sovereign authority to "any Incorporated 
  city-state capable of satisfying the obligations of government in regions where traditional national 
  governments have failed to do so." Suddenly the U.N. and the Incorporated city-states were no longer 
  rivals ’  indeed, the United Nations was now on record as supporting Incorporate independence even
  Į
   
  against the wishes of national governments.
  POSEIDON ABANDONED
  ]The Athena Project was one of the earliest casualties of the Blight. As humanity found itself 
  embroiled in a struggle for survival, the Poseidon colony quickly became viewed as an expensive 
  luxury. In 2093, construction of the first resupply vessel was put on hold. Soon afterward, the U.N. 
  closed the Athena Project down entirely.
  Loss of Contact
  The Poseidon colonists first became aware of their plight in 2096, when the first resupply ship 
  failed to arrive from Earth. At the time, the colony was in no immediate danger ’  the supplies and
  Į
   
  equipment sent with the initial expedition were sufficient to last for years to come. However, the 
  colony had no industrial base with which to replace equipment that wore out.
  Over the years that followed, the colonists continued to raise families and pursue their scientific 
  work. It was during this period that the colonists first sighted ray-like beings that showed occasional 
  signs of tool-using and communicative behavior. Attempts to closely study the rays failed, sometimes 
  disastrously, and the human colonists began to suspect that they were sharing their world with alien 
  life of high intelligence.
  By 2105, the colonists knew that they had been abandoned for reasons unknown. As equipment 
  and transport vehicles wore out, the settlers began to redirect their efforts to long-term survival. High-
  tech items were increasingly rationed, particularly supplies of medicines and replacement parts. The 
  situation became much worse in 2115, after the last of the Cousteau orbital shuttles was destroyed in a 
  crash landing.
  With the loss of the orbital shuttles, the widely-scattered towns were effectively cut off from one 
  another. Worse, it was no longer possible to reach the Cousteau for its regular maintenance. In 2118, 
  the starship's low orbit finally decayed, bringing it down in a fiery plunge into the depths of the ocean. 
  Much of the wreckage, including the critical computer core, was never recovered. The Poseidon 
  colony was not only cut off from Earth, it was now stranded on a potentially hostile world.
  The Spread of Primitivism
  Facing the loss of what little high-tech infrastructure remained, abandoning all hope of contact 
  with Earth, the colonists opted for a new strategy. Small groups of volunteers chose to break away 
  from the major towns to establish small independent colonies elsewhere. The colonists hoped that the 
  dispersion of the new settlements would help guarantee human survival even if some disaster struck 
  the central towns.
  Naturally, the dispersed settlements were forced to do without almost all high technology. While 
  the central towns were unable to maintain computer cores and fusion reactors, the survivalists were 
  unable to maintain even simple high-tech devices. Indeed, the small post-dispersion settlements lacked 
  the manpower or infrastructure necessary to maintain <I>any<I> industrial economy. The settlers 
  therefore made a conscious choice to search for a lifestyle that could be sustained by small 
  communities over an indefinite period.
  Fortunately, the colonists had plenty of time to prepare, along with all the technical knowledge 
  they needed to redesign their way of life. Even before the destruction of the Cousteau, the colonial 
  headquarters in Haven began to facilitate the process, sponsoring extensive training programs and 
  coordinating the new pattern of settlement. The children and grandchildren of the original colonists 
  were particularly adept at making the transition, lacking their parents' psychological attachment to 
  Earth. Within two generations of the Abandonment (as the colonists called the loss of contact with 
  Earth) the "primitivist" society (p. 00) was well established.
  
  During this transitional period, the cetacean colonists of Poseidon truly came into their own. The 
  uplifted cetaceans had never grown dependent on high technology, and they were very quick to adapt 
  to the situation after the Abandonment. Meanwhile, their newfound ability to think in human patterns 
  made them uniquely suited to help their partners make the same adaptation. Cetacean expertise in 
  "living off the land" earned many cetaceans leadership positions in the new dispersed settlements.
  After the fall of the Cousteau, a period of about 50 years followed in which the colonists 
  continued to develop their relationship with their new homeworld. Poseidon's population began to 
  grow rapidly. By the 70th anniversary of the colony (2157), the original 5,000 colonists had grown to 
  over 35,000. Local settlements developed rich variations on the basic "primitivist" culture, a way of 
  life superficially similar to that of Earth's ancient Polynesians. Disasters did occur ’  huge storms,
  Į
   
  parasitic and fungal infections, and the destructive failure of the last fusion reactor on the planet. Even 
  so, the people of Poseidon thrived.
  Cetacean Psychology and Culture
  Both dolphins and orcas have psychological traits which set them apart from humans. Although 
  individuals vary widely, some generalizations can be made about the mindset of each species.
  The Dolphin Worldview
  Dolphins appear not to exhibit the same dichotomy between the conscious and subconscious 
  minds that humans experience. They are superb at a variety of analytic tasks, often bringing a kind of 
  "directed intuition" into play in a way that humans can only manage with difficulty. Dolphins will 
  often intuit a piece of information or a course of action, without being able to explain or justify 
  themselves to humans. Dolphins accept this kind of mental leap as a matter of course; humans often 
  find it very frustrating.
  Dolphins also have a very different sense of self. A dolphin's mind does not use the subject-object 
  classification in the same way as the human mind. A dolphin's self is simply one aspect of an 
  individualized world, rather than a unique thing that is essentially distinct from other things. For 
  example, dolphins often identify strongly with familiar places, prized possessions, and the natural 
  environment in a way that is incomprehensible to humans. A dolphin may risk his life in the defense 
  of these things, identifying himself with them to such a degree that he values them more than his 
  body's survival.
  Uplifted dolphins remain as playful and mischievous as their primal ancestors. Even in the midst 
  of an important task, a dolphin may take it into his head to play a prank on his partners. These pranks 
  are not likely to be restrained by any concern for embarrassment or even injury ’  a dolphin's
  Į
   
  practical joke can have very serious consequences. This appears to be one aspect of the overall dolphin 
  attitude toward morality. Although dolphins clearly have a moral sense, it does not appear to operate 
  the same way as its human counterpart. Dolphins cannot easily explain to humans what their moral 
  codes are, or why they were chosen. While working with humans, a dolphin may restrain his 
  prankishness and follow human ethical standards ’  but this is a matter of courtesy rather than any
  Į
   
  personal commitment.
  Uplifted dolphins are very sexually active creatures. Their primal ancestors may have spent as 
  much as one-third of their time pursuing sexual activity. An uplifted dolphin is able to consciously 
  restrain his appetites, but he prefers not to. Dolphins engage in sexual activity long before reaching 
  physical maturity. A young male dolphin will often engage in homosexual activity, or engage in 
  couplings with his older female relatives. Dolphins are even sexually attracted to humans, although the 
  reverse is usually not true. Humans who work with dolphins must often overlook their partners' sexual 
  escapades. Promiscuity and homosexual behavior are usually tolerated, while the dolphin propensity 
  for incest and interspecies attraction is more often a cause for tensions.
  Uplifted dolphins have a rich culture of their own. One of the most prominent features of this 
  culture is the dolphin refusal to take proper names. Dolphins apparently feel that human naming 
  conventions operate to objectify the person carrying the name, turning him into a thing. Instead, 
  dolphins have "image-names" for themselves, complex symbolic representations that can be 
  exchanged during dolphin-to-dolphin communication. Dolphins who work with humans usually accept 
  
  some kind of descriptive title, associated with their profession. Titles such as Doctor, Engineer, or 
  Soldier are quite common. Dolphins with an especially poetic bent may accept titles that involve a pun 
  or an obscure synonym for a common word. One amusing aspect of this custom has to do with 
  dolphins whose professions involve illegal activity. A dolphin calling himself Burglar or Pirate is 
  likely to attract a great deal of unwanted attention from law enforcement! Such dolphins usually 
  choose titles that avoid incriminating connotations.
  The most prominent dolphin cultural institution is the Church of Whalesong Theogony. This 
  religion was established by one of the first uplifted dolphins, and is presently almost universal among 
  the species. Few humans have been able to make much sense of the religion, although some of its 
  basic tenets have been identified. The Church places heavy emphasis on the primal aspects of dolphin 
  sentience, such as the experience of the diving reflex or the mating ritual. It also appears to involve a 
  narration of Earth's evolutionary history, expressed in a very dense and difficult form of epic poetry. 
  The Church claims that this epic was composed by the great whales of Earth, <I>millions<I> of years 
  in the past, and was passed on to dolphins even before their uplift. Human researchers are very 
  skeptical about this claim, but it is an article of faith to dolphins.
  Although the Church maintains specific places of worship, such as the massive Temple in Haven 
  on Poseidon, its rituals and gatherings are fairly informal. Members simply gather to commune, 
  exchange scraps of epic poetry, worship, eat, gossip, engage in sex, and otherwise enjoy each other's 
  company.
  The Orca Worldview
  Uplifted orcas have a much simpler culture than their dolphin cousins, mostly because they are 
  simply not as intelligent. Where dolphins are quick-witted and intuitive, orcas tend to be careful, 
  methodical thinkers.
  Uplifted killer whales exhibit little cultural development. When not working with humans or 
  dolphins, they follow a way of life almost indistinguishable from that of their primal ancestors. Like 
  their primal ancestors, uplifted killer whales tend to fall into "resident" and "transient" categories. The 
  psychology of an individual orca depends strongly on which social type he prefers.
  Resident orcas are very social, forming into pods based on family relationships. Each pod is 
  usually composed of an elder matriarch and her own descendants. Such pods tend to follow a lifestyle 
  much like that of their ancestors, staying in their home waters to hunt, play, and socialize. Resident 
  pods develop their own dialect of the primal orca language, distinct enough for human researchers to 
  distinguish the pod membership of any individual orca they meet. The major cultural development 
  among uplifted resident orcas involves the relationship of adults to their offspring. In primal pods, the 
  rearing of young was an exclusively female responsibility. Among uplifted orcas, the males of the pod 
  have begun to take an interest in the young, spending time instructing them in orca history and culture. 
  Unlike the promiscuous dolphins, resident orcas appear to be inventing the institution of fatherhood.
  Transient orcas are much more anti-social, aggressive, and nomadic. Most of them are males, 
  traveling great distances in small hunting pods, possibly joining a resident pod during mating season. 
  Although transients are regarded as more "savage," they are also better suited to working in human 
  society. Their natural pack ethic has given them a strong sense of teamwork, which enables them to fit 
  well into human work groups. Transient orcas like a highly structure social environment, where every 
  member of the team has a well-defined role and the chain of command is very clear. Transients have 
  most often found their way into the military, although this is not universal. Some transients have 
  worked well as members of exploration or research teams working in the wilds of Poseidon.
  Uplifted orcas of both types appear to have a rich spiritual life, although they lack the deeply 
  poetic mindset of their dolphin cousins. Many killer whales are members of the Church of Whalesong 
  Theogony. They do not appear to rise to leadership positions within the Church, although this may 
  simply be an illusion bred by the fact that orcas find it much harder to explain their beliefs to human 
  observers.
  In any case, dolphins and orcas are fully capable of working and socializing together. However, 
  dolphins have a strong preference for the presence of resident pods. They consider resident orcas to be 
  "civilized," and often make friends with them. On the other hand, dolphins have an instinctive fear of 
  transient orcas ’  not surprising, since primal transients often hunted primal dolphins in the oceans of
  Į
   
  
  Earth. Dolphins call uplifted transients "savages," and display a great deal of condescending bigotry 
  toward them.
  Recontact
  By the 2160s, the Poseidon colonists had completed their adoption of a low-technology way of 
  life. Of course, they had not abandoned all of the <I>knowledge<I> that had once driven their society. 
  Where advanced scientific research could be pursued without high-tech equipment, it was. One 
  example of this was the astronomical observatory maintained by a large community on Epoch Island. 
  The astronomers there had compiled extensive observations of the Lambda Serpentis system, and 
  maintained a constant watch on the skies.
  Thus, when the UNSS Admiral Robert Perry arrived in Poseidon orbit in 2165, the Epoch Island 
  community was aware of its presence long before it began landing operations. After decades of 
  isolation, Poseidon was suddenly confronted with an expedition from Earth.
  ARRIVAL
  By the mid-2150s, the Blight crisis was effectively over, the population of Earth was beginning to 
  rise once again, and the GEO had begun to relax its control of world resources. In 2155, the World 
  Space Agency began planning for an eventual expedition back to Poseidon, to resume exploration and 
  discover the fate of the original colonists. At first the plan had very little support ’  but a few years
  Į
   
  later, an eccentric industrial tycoon named Ernest Carslake left his entire fortune to the WSA recontact 
  project. Carslake had long been a lone (and rather eccentric) voice in support of renewed space 
  development. In his will, he framed his bequest as an attempt to make space exploration "heroic" 
  again.
  By 2162, the WSA had contracted with Dundalk Shipbuilding to construct a long-range, fusion-
  powered ship capable of reaching the Serpent's Gate. The UNSS Admiral Robert Perry was launched 
  in 2164 and arrived in Poseidon orbit the next year. The expedition's approach was cautious, with the 
  astronauts spending months on careful orbital surveys before beginning to shuttle crew and equipment 
  to the surface.
  For a few years, the recontact made almost no difference to the "native" population of Poseidon. A 
  small GEO base was established in Haven, and scientists and researchers occasionally visited the 
  largest settlements. The natives welcomed the technological resources brought by the newcomers, 
  especially medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, the stories of the Blight and its 
  aftermath were disturbing, even terrifying, to the scattered natives. Clearly, human civilization on 
  Earth had acquired a hungry and ruthless edge ’  and some natives began to doubt that the wormhole
  Į
   
  would be enough of a barrier to protect Poseidon's independence.
  After the success of the Perry expedition, several organizations on Earth began to push for the 
  construction of the ships and infrastructure necessary for regular contact with Poseidon.
  In 2172, the UNSS Ballard arrived in the Lambda Serpentis system, carrying more than 500 
  scientists and technicians in cold-sleep, along with over a half-million metric tons of supplies. The 
  natives welcomed the supplies, but the new settlers were a disturbing presence. That one trip more 
  than doubled the population of the GEO base at Haven, and it also allowed the GEO to begin 
  establishing permanent stations elsewhere in the Pacifica Archipelago. From that time on, ships 
  arrived at Poseidon on a regular and increasingly frequent basis.
  Four years later, the natives found even more reason for unease. In 2176 the UNSS Nereid brought 
  a team of GEO administrators, who proceeded to set up the first bureaucratic institutions in Haven. 
  The natives had never made any attempt to set up a planetary government, and since the end of the 
  dispersion era even the prestige of the Haven settlement had been nominal. Now the GEO was 
  demonstrating interest in "organizing" human activities on Poseidon, possibly in ways incompatible 
  with native culture.
  Even more disturbing, the Nereid carried the first representatives of private interests to land on 
  Poseidon. Research teams from Lavender Organics, GenDiver, and Atlas Materials all landed at 
  
  Haven and set up small corporate offices. Many natives were openly concerned with this development, 
  recalling the negative aspects of the homeworld's Incorporate culture.
  The Voyage
  Anyone living back in the Solar system who wants to make the trip to Poseidon has several 
  options. The GEO and Incorporate states all operate their own transport ships, ferrying employees and 
  contractors out to Poseidon. Meanwhile, a few private institutions also lease or buy ships to make the 
  crossing (although these are likely to be old and poorly maintained). Getting a berth on a Poseidon-
  bound ship is not easy. A potential colonist who is already a GEO or Incorporate employee, or who 
  has credentials good enough to get such a position, may be able to arrange a transfer to Poseidon. 
  Anyone else will need to have a great deal of money, some luck, or both.
  During pre-flight preparation, each voyager undergoes a long and very unpleasant medical 
  procedure. His skin is treated with harsh chemicals to kill off any microorganisms living there. This 
  treatment will bleach his skin and remove much of his epidermis, not to mention burning off every 
  hair on his body. His gastrointestinal tract is also treated to flush out bacteria and waste matter. 
  Finally, he is sealed into a "cooler coffin," attached to dozens of tubes and electrodes, and put under 
  sedation. Unless the traveler is unusually privileged, unsympathetic technicians will carry out this 
  entire procedure, all the while behaving as if they were processing cargo.
  The voyage to Poseidon takes up to a year, although the travelers in cold sleep sense none of this 
  time. Upon arrival, the traveler awakens in one of the receiving bays on Prosperity Station (p. 00). At 
  best, he will feel terrible ’  weak, trembling, subject to violent dry heaves, and itching all over. At
  Į
   
  worst, parts of his body will fail to come through the freezing and revival intact. At the very worst, he 
  will fail to awaken at all.
  After a few days of recovery, the new arrival will go through a Customs and Immigration 
  inspection. The GEO inspectors will closely examine his baggage and ask probing questions about his 
  reasons for traveling to Poseidon. If the visitor passes, he can pick up his registration pass for a free 
  shuttle trip down to the planet's surface.
  Most of the shuttles touch down at the three largest spaceports on the planet, at Haven (p. 00), 
  Second Try (p. 00), or Kingston (p. 00). In any case, the traveler is likely to suffer a fierce case of 
  culture shock in his first day on Poseidon. Compared to most places back on Earth, Poseidon's 
  settlements tend to be busy, freewheeling frontier towns. A new arrival will see a greater variety of 
  people and customs than he ever thought possible. Meanwhile, a lot of these strange people will be 
  trying to sell him things, with aggressive sales tactics and very inflated prices compared to what he is 
  accustomed to on Earth.
  At this point, the visitor is on his own. Time to make a fortune or die trying. Or perhaps, time 
  simply to enjoy the freedom and natural beauty that Poseidon can offer but that have long since been 
  lost on Earth.
  THE LONG JOHN RUSH
  At first, the presence of Incorporate personnel on Poseidon seemed innocuous enough for all but 
  the most untrusting natives. Indeed, there was no conceivable resource to be found on Poseidon that 
  could possibly be worth the tremendous costs of transportation back to Earth. For several years, 
  Poseidon remained of purely scientific interest.
  This changed in 2185, when an Atlas Materials survey team discovered deposits of a previously 
  unclassified form of silicate in the crustal plates of Poseidon's ocean floor. These "xenosilicates," 
  completely unknown on Earth, had a wide range of extremely unusual properties. In particular, the 
  Atlas Materials scientists discovered that they could be used to manipulate DNA-based biochemistry 
  with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency.
  The commercial potential of xenosilicates was obvious, and Atlas Materials tried to keep its 
  discovery secret. Unfortunately, a disgruntled Atlas employee smuggled research information out of 
  the facility and sold it to an Earth-based media conglomerate. Before long, other corporations and 
  GEO research groups were acquiring xenosilicate samples and performing their own experiments.
  
  In 2187, an independent laboratory on Earth used a xenosilicate "template" to produce a set of 
  precisely tailored retroviruses. These "smart viruses" were designed to have incredible therapeutic 
  value ’  they could prevent cancer, destroy existing cancers, fortify the human metabolism, and
  Į
   
  reverse the degradation of genetic expression in living cells. The overall effect was to effectively arrest 
  the aging process and significantly improve overall health.
  News of this development swept the world community at once. Suddenly, Poseidon was no longer 
  a simple scientific curiosity, but the source of the Fountain of Youth. Since xenosilicates were 
  available only on Poseidon and were quickly used up in the process of manufacturing the new tailored 
  viruses, conditions were ripe for a "gold rush" unlike any in human history. Corporations and 
  governments alike began an all-out effort to acquire more of the Longevity Ore, colloquially called 
  "Long John."
  Within a year of the Long John discovery, GEO had awarded contracts for three more large 
  interstellar transports. Incorporate states and the largest independent multinationals were spending 
  billions researching Long John harvesting technologies. 2190 was the watershed year, in which the 
  new transports began back-to-back transits of the wormhole. In that year, there were just over 70,000 
  native Poseidoners ’  and 20,000 new colonists arrived from Earth. In succeeding years, the influx
  Į
   
  grew even further. The first massive wave of newcomers was composed primarily of miners and 
  engineers employed by the Incorporate states. In the waves that followed, the population became very 
  diverse, bringing a tremendous variety of hopeful (or desperate) people wanting to cash in on the Long 
  John boom.
  ON THE HORIZON
  The exploding population of Poseidon led inevitably to a surge in armed conflict. Competition for 
  the valuable Long John fields has led to a number of bush wars and outbreaks of industrial espionage. 
  In 2192 an Atlas Materials facility was destroyed in an apparent attack by GenDiver security forces, 
  leading to an open war between the two Incorporate states. Soon all the Incorporates were sending 
  thousands of security personnel to Poseidon. The GEO responded by expanding its own presence. In 
  2194 a large contingent of GEO Marshals, Magistrates, and Shock Troopers was landed on Poseidon 
  in an attempt to keep the peace. Since then, the Incorporate states have engaged in little open warfare, 
  although sabotage and espionage continue unchecked.
  Meanwhile, violent confrontations between newcomers and the natives were rapidly becoming 
  more common. Biogene and the Europa Island community engaged in a short but bloody confrontation 
  in 2189, setting a trend that continues to the present day. The Incorporate interests take the legal 
  position that no legitimate political authority existed on Poseidon after the Abandonment ’  which
  Į
   
  relegates the native population to the position of illegal squatters. Meanwhile, some of the more 
  aggressive native communities have mounted localized campaigns against newcomer facilities and 
  personnel, defending their homes or the local ecologies.
  The GEO itself claims governmental authority over Poseidon, presenting itself as the legal 
  successor to the United Nations and the Athena Project's management cadre. GEO strategy has been to 
  keep the peace, mediating some conflicts and using what force it has to stop others. Although the GEO 
  is not terribly popular on Poseidon, most colonists are willing to admit that its presence may be the 
  only factor preventing the planet from becoming a full-fledged war zone.
  Campaigning on Poseidon
  The Blue Planet setting is designed to present a rich and detailed world. The available character 
  concepts are very diverse, so it would be very easy for a group of players to build characters that had 
  no logical reason for "adventuring" together. The GM for a GURPS Blue Planet campaign is advised 
  to select a specific premise for his campaign ahead of time. The players should know this premise 
  before they begin character design, so that they can create characters that will fit into it (and work well 
  with each other). Indeed, the players will ideally be part of the decision-making process that chooses a 
  campaign premise.
  Some of the most common campaign premises for the Blue Planet setting include:
  
  Competition By Other Means: Characters are security specialists or covert operatives, working for 
  an Incorporate state which is using non-traditional methods to overcome its rivals. Incorporate 
  employees usually have access to good training, equipment, and weapons. On the other hand, do their 
  opponents from other Incorporate states. Meanwhile, none of the Incorporates are particularly popular 
  on Poseidon ’  a covert operation may well fall afoul of a zealous GEO policeman or a mob of native
  Į
   
  activists.
  Explorers: Despite a century of human occupation, Poseidon is still barely explored. Scientists, 
  frontiersmen, and expert guides are all in great demand to explore the planet's uncharted regions and 
  uncover its ancient mysteries. Exploration teams can have any level of equipment, depending on their 
  sponsorship. They are likely to spend long periods out in the wilderness, far from any possible 
  support.
  Heroic Revolutionaries: The adventurers are an ecoterrorist cell or a band of native insurgents, 
  fighting against the exploitation of Poseidon. Adventures will usually involve hit-and-run raids or 
  sabotage missions. If the party comes up against GEO or Incorporate security forces, it's time to run or 
  die. The struggle to find weapons and equipment will always be difficult, although Poseidon's 
  revolutionaries sometimes have allies in strange places.
  Peacekeepers: The characters are a group of GEO Peacekeepers, stationed in an isolated outpost 
  somewhere on Poseidon. They will have better equipment and weapons than any of their probable 
  opponents, but those opponents will usually have larger numbers. When a Peacekeeper isn't involved 
  in some brushfire war, he may be excruciatingly bored (although a good officer will keep his men 
  busy with training and makework). Of course, there's always the small town just off base, where there 
  are plenty of people willing to help a soldier part with his extra cash.
  Police Procedural: PCs are law enforcement officers, working in a specific settlement or region 
  on Poseidon. They are charged with maintaining order, investigating major crimes, and catching the 
  perpetrators. They are almost certainly undermanned and lack adequate resources. The party may be 
  composed of a GEO Marshal and his staff, a set of GEO Patrol officers, or members of a local 
  constabulary (possibly a Native Patrol unit).
  Underworld: Many of Poseidon's towns and cities are dominated (or possibly infested) by street 
  gangs and criminal syndicates. The adventurers are members and associates of such a group, trying to 
  survive on the colony world by ignoring or flouting the law. Criminal campaigns can involve gritty 
  street violence, Machiavellian manipulation, or both.
  Wild Frontiers: Sometimes just surviving on Poseidon is an adventure in itself. The characters are 
  members of a small frontier community, either a native village or a newcomer's colonial settlement.
   
  2. CHARACTERS
  In the setting of GURPS Blue Planet , defining a beginning point level can be an exercise in 
  frustration. Cybernetic and genetic modifications make a wide variety of enhanced abilities available. 
  Characters can range from a pure-strain human too poor to afford even a neural interface jack or 
  panimmunity to a spy or supertrooper whose implants give him low-grade superpowers. Rather than 
  insisting on an exact point total, give players a target number within one of the following bands, but 
  allow deviations of up to 20% to fit a suitable character concept:
  100-200 points: Appropriate for a group consisting mainly of humans and genetic-upgrade 
  humans.
  250-450 points: Appropriate for humans with major genetic or cybernetic upgrades or for 
  cetaceans. It can also represent ordinary humans who have lived a long time, accumulating 
  considerable experience and resources.
  500-750 points: Appropriate for top-end augmented humans or cetaceans, such as GEO shock 
  troopers and spies.
  Another approach, for the GM willing to tolerate a wide disparity of point totals, is to start out by 
  selecting templates: a racial template, a cultural template, and two professional templates (both basic, 
  
  one basic and one advanced, or both advanced, at the GM's discretion). List all the advantages, 
  disadvantages, and skills from the various templates. Set the attributes to the values required for the 
  professional templates, modified by racial bonuses. Take additional disadvantages as needed to reach a 
  total of -40, up to five quirks worth -1 each, and any points gained from buying down attributes; use 
  the resulting points for customization, including features such as higher attributes, advantages 
  (including biomods), and skills. At the GM's option, especially in a high-powered campaign, extra 
  points may be allowed for additional biomods ’  50, 100, or 200 points depending on the desired
  Į
   
  power level.
  For an even more flexible approach, don't worry about the point cost of biomods at all. Determine 
  each character's starting wealth, and let the character have any biomods whose total cost is no more 
  than 20% of it. (At the GM's option, a Poor character or a wanderer can ignore the 20% limit.) 
  Average starting wealth will buy one or two minor biomods for $6,000; a Filthy Rich character can 
  spend $600,000 to become a low-grade superman. Assume that any necessary healing time has passed 
  before the start of play in this approach.
  Racial Templates
  Every character must have a racial template. Racial templates define the characteristics of an 
  entire species or subspecies. Most of these are genetic, including attribute modifiers and many 
  advantages and disadvantages. Some reflect the social position of the race, racially learned skills, or 
  racial skill modifiers. Races may also have racial quirks, features, or taboo traits, worth -1 point (for 
  quirks) or 0 points. The combined total of all these traits is treated as a single advantage or 
  disadvantage; racial disadvantages do not count toward the -40 point limit.
  Attribute modifiers affect character creation differently than attributes. For example, a silva has +3 
  to ST, which costs 30 points on the racial template. A silva character can pay 10 points to raise ST 
  from 10 to 11; the racial attribute modifier then raises it to 11 + 3 = 14 for a total cost of 40 points. But 
  a human character buying ST 14 would pay 45 points (see p. B13).
  Pure-Strain Human             5 points
  Pure-strain humans have not been genetically redesigned prior to birth or modified thereafter, 
  usually due to poverty and/or religious objections.
  Racial Disadvantages: Social Stigma (Second-class citizen) [-5].
  Quirks, Features, and Taboo Traits: Cannot have cybernetic implants or genemods [0].
  Modified Human                 0 points
  Modified humans have not been genetically redesigned prior to birth, but have gained at least one 
  cybernetic enhancement or genemod thereafter; the cost is not figured into the racial template, but at 
  least one biomod should be taken during customization.
  GEO Shock Trooper         334 points
  GEO shock troopers, or supertroopers, are not a new human strain, but they have modifications 
  extensive enough to merit their own template. Some of these are available separately as genemods (see 
  pp. 00-00). Note that though they have improved blood oxygenation, they do not gain the Fit 
  advantage due to the greater demands of their metabolisms. Their body weight is increased 10% by 
  their toughened skeletons and an added 40 lbs. by their increased muscle mass. This template does not 
  include cybernetic implants, but supertroopers normally have one or more of these also.
  Attribute Modifiers: +4 ST [45]; +2 DX [20]; +2 HT [20].
  Racial Advantages: Acute Hearing +2 [4]; Cast Iron Stomach [15]; Combat Reflexes [15]; DR 3 [9]; 
  Extra Encumbrance [5]; Extra Hit Points +2 [10]; Hard to Kill +3 [15]; Hyperactive [30]; 
  Longevity [5]; Night Vision [10]; Oxygen Storage [14]; Panimmunity (+8 to HT to resist any 
  disease) [5]; PD 1 [25]; Radiation Tolerance (Divide effective dose by 5) [10]; Telescopic Vision 
  ¬*4 [12]; and Toughened Skeleton [75].
  Racial Disadvantages: Unattractive [-5]; Unnatural Feature (Armored skin) [-5].
  
  GENEMOD TEMPLATES
  A variety of genetically modified human strains were developed in the 21st and 22nd centuries. 
  Hybrids were created in 2065 by a secret program of the United States, Germany, and the Biogene 
  Corporation. Transhumans were created in 2074 by Lavender Organics. A joint venture of the United 
  Nations and GenDiver Corporation created aquaforms in 2080 to aid the colonization of Poseidon. 
  Finally, the Martian government and Lunar interests developed spacers in 2102. The exploitation of 
  xenosilicates opens up the possibility of developing additional genemod strains.
  Members of modified human strains cannot purchase additional genemods that confer more than 
  +1 to any attribute. Other genemods cost 50% more than for standard humans. These limitations are 
  considered to constitute a taboo trait worth 0 points.
  Aquaform 61 points (Diver)/42 points (Squid)
  There are two distinct aquaforms, divers and squid, which share a large number of traits adapting 
  them for life under the water. Squid have actual gills in folds of flesh running from below the ears to 
  the small of the back; divers have the ability to hold their breath for a long time (1,760 seconds, or 
  twice as long if they hyperventilate first).
  Racial Advantages: Amphibious [10]; Damage Resistance 1 [3]; Decreased Life Support (Salt 
  tolerance) [5]; Nictating Membranes [10]; Pressure Support [10]; Temperature Tolerance ¬*2 
  (Colder temperatures) [2]; and one of the following two packages:
  Diver: Fit [5]; Oxygen Storage [14]; and +1 HT [10].
  Squid: Gills [10].
  Racial Disadvantages: Overweight [-5]; Reduced Manual Dexterity ¬*1 [-3].
  Note: As an Amphibious species, aquaforms do not need the Swimming skill; they can 
  automatically swim at their normal Move rate. They can learn Endurance Swimming and Speed 
  Swimming.
  Cat                                    69 points
  Cats have lithe bodies, averaging 2" taller and 10 lbs. lighter than a standard human being of the 
  same ST. They are covered in soft fur, thinner than that of an actual cat, with no protective value. 
  They have large, mobile ears, slit eyes, and sharp teeth and retractable claws.
  Attribute Modifiers: +2 ST [20]; +2 DX [20].
  Racial Advantages: Acute Hearing +2 [4]; Claws (Sharp claws) [25]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Night 
  Vision [10]; Teeth (Sharp teeth) [5].
  Racial Disadvantages: Disturbing Voice [-10]; Poor Grip [-5]; Social Stigma (Minority group) [-10]; 
  Unattractive [-5].
  Silva                                  43 points
  Silvas have large, heavily built bodies, reflecting simian genetic ancestry. Their height and weight 
  are in proportion to their increased ST. They have thick body hair, slightly clumsy hands, and large, 
  prominent canine teeth that hamper their speech.
  Attribute Modifiers: +3 ST [30]; +2 HT [20].
  Racial Advantages: DR 1 [3]; Extra Hit Points +3 [15]; Teeth (Sharp teeth) [5].
  Racial Disadvantages: Disturbing Voice [-10]; Poor Grip [-5]; Social Stigma (Minority group) [-10]; 
  Unattractive [-5].
  Spacer                               47 points
  Spacers are genetically engineered to function efficiently in an outer-space environment.
  Attribute Modifiers: -1 ST [-10]; +1 DX [10]; +1 HT [10].
  Racial Advantages: DR 1 [3]; Double-Jointed [5]; Extra Arms (Modified legs: two, short, cannot walk 
  while using them as arms, -35%) [7]; Improved G-Tolerance (Increment 0.5 G) [10]; Radiation 
  Tolerance (Divide effective dose by 5) [10]; Regeneration (Slow; only to replace bone lost 
  through decalcification, -75%) [3]; Temperature Tolerance ¬*2 (One level each for heat and cold) 
  [2]; 3D Spatial Sense [10].
  
  Racial Disadvantages: Reduced Move -3 (Walking) [-15].
  Quirks, Features, and Taboo Traits: Home gravity 0 G [0].
  Racially Learned Skills: Free Fall (P/A) DX [2].
  Transhuman                      70 points
  Transhumans are not obviously different from standard humans; they simply look fit and 
  attractive. Typically they are children of wealthy or high-Status parents.
  Attribute Modifiers: +1 ST [10]; +1 HT [10].
  Racial Advantages: Alertness +1 [5]; Attractive [5]; Fit [5]; Less Sleep ¬*2 [6]; Longevity [5]; 
  Oxygen Storage [14]; Panimmunity (+8 to HT to resist disease) [5]; Rapid Healing [5].
  Quirks, Features, and Taboo Traits: No vestigial organs [0]; Heal without scars [0].
  CETACEAN TEMPLATES
  Genemods for cetaceans cost twice as much as those for standard humans. This is considered to be 
  a taboo trait worth 0 points.
  Dolphin                           155 points
  Genlifted dolphins average 12' long and weigh 750 lbs. They eat 30 lbs./day, mostly fish. Their 
  bodies lack manipulatory organs, but through contact with human civilization they virtually all have 
  access to CICADA units (see p. 00).
  Attribute Modifiers: +10 ST (No natural manipulators, -40%) [60]; +2 DX [20]; -1 IQ [-10]; +2 HT 
  [20].
  Racial Advantages: Acute Hearing +3 [6]; Alertness +3 [15]; Animal Empathy [5]; Enhanced Move 
  ¬*1 (Swimming) [10]; Extra Hit Points +2 [10]; Independently Focusable Eyes [15]; Intuition 
  [15]; Less Sleep ¬*1 [3]; Nictating Membranes [10]; Oxygen Storage [14]; Peripheral Vision [15]; 
  Pressure Support (Up to 100 atmospheres) [10]; Sonar Vision [25]; Striker (Ram) [5]; 3D Spatial 
  Sense [10]; Ultrasonic Speech [25].
  Racial Disadvantages: Aquatic [-40]; Chummy [-5]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Dreamer [-1]; Horizontal 
  [-10]; Inconvenient Size [-10]; Increased Life Support ¬*1 [-10]; Lecherousness [-15]; No 
  Manipulators (Mitigated, -60%) [-20]; Responsive [-1]; Short Lifespan ¬*1 [-10]; Social Stigma 
  (Second-class citizen) [-5].
  Quirks, Features, and Taboo Traits: Sexually attracted to humans as well as dolphins [-1].
  Racially Learned Skills: Acrobatics (P/H) DX [4]; Navigation (M/H) IQ [4]; Weather Sense (M/A) IQ 
  [2].
  Note: As an Aquatic species, dolphins do not need the Swimming skill; they can automatically 
  swim at their normal Move rate. They can learn Endurance Swimming and Speed Swimming.
  Orca                                300 points
  Genlifted orcas average 24' long and weigh 8,000 lbs. They eat 100 lbs./day, mostly fish. Their 
  bodies lack manipulatory organs, but through contact with human civilization they virtually all have 
  access to CICADA units (see p. 00).
  Attribute Modifiers: +40 ST (No natural manipulators, -40%) [111]; +2 DX [20]; -2 IQ [-15]; +5 HT 
  [60].
  Racial Advantages: Acute Hearing +3 [6]; Alertness +4 [20]; Animal Empathy [5]; Combat Reflexes 
  [15]; Enhanced Move ¬*1.5 (Swimming) [15]; Extra Hit Points +10 [50]; Independently 
  Focusable Eyes [15]; Less Sleep ¬*1 [3]; Nictating Membranes [10]; Oxygen Storage [14]; 
  Peripheral Vision [15]; Pressure Support (Up to 100 atmospheres) [10]; Sonar Vision [25]; Single-
  Minded [5]; Striker (Ram) [5]; 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Ultrasonic Speech [25].
  Racial Disadvantages: Aquatic [-40]; Chummy [-5]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Dull [-1]; Horizontal 
  [-10]; Inconvenient Size [-10]; Increased Life Support ¬*2 [-20]; No Manipulators (Mitigated, 
  -60%) [-20]; Short Lifespan ¬*1 [-10]; Social Stigma (Second-class citizen) [-5]; Staid [-1].
  Racially Learned Skills: Tactics (M/H) IQ+2 [8]-12.
  
  Note: As an Aquatic species, orcas do not need the Swimming skill; they can automatically swim 
  at their normal Move rate. They can learn Endurance Swimming and Speed Swimming.
  Character Origins
  Character origin templates reflect the knowledge and skills gained from growing up in a specific 
  background. Most character origins can be chosen for any species. Technically, origins are not full 
  templates but lenses; they don't specify attribute values but provide advantages, disadvantages, and 
  skills that can be added onto a full template. The use of character origin templates is strongly 
  recommended; a GM may wish to charge points for Unusual Background for a character who doesn't 
  fit any of these origins.
  Colonial (Pioneer)              10 points
  Skills: Agronomy (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Aquaculture (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Driving (Hovercraft) (P/A) DX [2]-
  10; Fishing (M/E) IQ [1]-10; Powerboat (P/A) DX [2]-10; Swimming (P/E) DX [1]-10.
  Colonial (Urban)                10 points
  Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Computer Use (M/E) IQ [1]-10; Driving (Hovercraft) (P/A) 
  DX [2]-10; Scrounging (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11; Streetwise (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Swimming (P/E) DX [1]-
  10.
  Earth Orbit                        10 points
  Skills: Computer Use (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11; Electronics Operation (Security systems) (M/A) IQ [2]-10; 
  Freefall (P/A) DX+1 [4]-11; Mechanic (Small gadgets) (M/A) IQ [2]-10.
  Free Zone (Urban)             10 points
  Skills: Agronomy (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Computer Use (M/E) IQ [1]-10; Driving (Hovercraft) (P/A) DX 
  [2]-10; Electronics Operation: (Security systems) (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Mechanics (Small gadgets) 
  (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Scrounging (M/E) IQ [1]-10.
  Free Zone (Wasteland)        10 points
  Skills: Driving (Hovercraft) (P/A) DX [2]-10; Guns (Rifle) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-11, Scrounging (M/E) IQ 
  [1]-10, Stealth (P/A) DX [2]-10, Streetwise (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Survival (M/A) IQ [2]-10.
  GEO                                  10 points
  Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Computer Use (M/E) IQ [1]-10, Law (M/H) IQ [4]-10, 
  Politics (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ [1]-10.
  Hybrid Reservation (Cat, Silva) 10 points
  Skills: First Aid (M/E) IQ [1]-10, Orienteering (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Scrounging (M/E) IQ [1]-10, Stealth 
  (P/A) DX [2]-10, Survival (Jungle) (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Tracking (M/A) IQ [2]-10.
  Incorporate                        10 points
  Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Computer Use (M/E) IQ [1]-10, Diplomacy (M/H) IQ [4]-10, 
  Merchant (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ [1]-10.
  Lunar                                10 points
  Skills: Computer Use (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11, Mechanics (Small gadgets) (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-1, Vacc Suit 
  (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11.
  Quirks, Features, and Taboo Traits: Home Gravity 0.2 G [0].
  Mars Colony                      10 points
  
  Skills: Computer Use (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11, Driving (Tracked vehicles) (P/A) DX [2]-10, Mechanic 
  (Small gadgets) (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11, Vacc Suit (M/A) IQ [2]-10.
  Quirks, Features, and Taboo Traits: Home Gravity 0.4 G [0].
  Native                                10 points
  Skills: Aquaculture (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Boating (P/A) DX [2]-10, Fishing (M/E) IQ [1]-10, Meteorology 
  (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Naturalist (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-8, Survival (Island/beach) (M/A) IQ [2]-10.
  Oceanic (Dolphin, Orca)     10 points
  Skills: Bard (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-9, Fishing (M/E) IQ+2 [4]-12, Herding (P/A) DX+4 [2]-14, Naturalist 
  (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-8, Survival (Oceanic) (M/A) IQ [2]-10.
  Urban                                10 points
  Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Computer Use (M/E) IQ [1]; Driving (Hovercraft) (P/A) DX 
  [2]-10, Merchant (M/A) IQ [2]-10, Scrounging (M/E) IQ [1]-10, Streetwise (M/A) IQ [2]-10.
  Home Gravity
  GURPS provides detailed rules for what happens when characters enter environments with gravity 
  higher or lower than in their native environments. A campaign set on Poseidon needs only part of 
  those rules, to cover adventurers from the Moon, Mars, or a freefall environment coming to Poseidon's 
  surface. GMs planning to run adventures in outer space will want GURPS Space , which has the full 
  rules (pp. S97-100).
  Martian natives (native gravity 0.4 G) who come to Poseidon are at -3 to DX and -1 to IQ and HT. 
  The G-Experience advantage reduces the DX penalty to -1. They also experience extra encumbrance 
  equal to 60% of any load they carry, plus 60% of their own body weight.
  Lunar natives (native gravity 0.2 G) who come to Poseidon are at -4 to DX and -2 to IQ and HT. 
  The G-Experience advantage reduces the DX penalty to -2. They experience extra encumbrance equal 
  to 80% of any load they carry, plus 80% of their own body weight.
  Spacers and other natives of freefall environments (native gravity 0 G) who come to Poseidon are 
  at -5 to DX and -2 to IQ and HT. The G-Experience advantage reduces the DX penalty to -2. 
  Everything they carry counts as double its normal weight for encumbrance calculations, and they also 
  experience their own body weight as encumbrance.
  Example: A Lunar native, now living on Poseidon, weighs 120 lbs. and carries around a light load 
  of 10 lbs. of clothing and possessions. Those possessions count as 80% extra weight, or 18 lbs.; in 
  addition, 80% of his body weight, or 96 lbs., counts as encumbrance. His total encumbrance is 114 lbs. 
  Despite his ST 12, this counts as Heavy encumbrance (-3 to Move and Dodge).
  Professions
  Professional templates include short lists of skills that work well together and that provide a basis 
  for pursuing some occupation. They also include recommended attribute levels and possibly some 
  advantages and disadvantages. The point costs are kept somewhat low, since most Poseidonians have 
  more than one professional skill. Most templates have two versions, basic and advanced; the advanced 
  version usually includes the benefits of the basic version. Occupations are often represented by two or 
  more templates: two basic templates for an everyday occupation, one advanced template for a 
  specialist, one advanced and one basic template for a skilled professional, two advanced templates or 
  an advanced template and three basic templates for an elite professional.
  The use of professional templates is completely optional. A player may simply list skills, 
  advantages, and disadvantages that reflect a character concept, with a total point cost within the target 
  range for the campaign. The use of templates is simply a design shortcut; it does not reduce point 
  costs.
  
  The Jobs Table (p. 00) suggests some combinations of professional templates appropriate for 
  various roles in Poseidonian society; GMs may add to this list, or players may suggest combinations 
  that fit their interests.
  Note: In these templates, attributes are specified without racial modifiers. Add any racial modifier 
  to the value specified in the template.
  Administrator
  Administrators usually work for governments such as the GEO or an Incorporate state. 
  Alternatively, they may work for nonprofit organizations such as universities or churches. The basic 
  package is also suitable for someone privately employed or self-employed who needs to deal with 
  bureaucracies frequently.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 1 [5], Charisma +1 [5], or Status 1 [5].
  Primary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Law (M/H) IQ [4]-11; Writing (M/A) IQ [2]-
  11; and two of Bard, Leadership, or Politics (M/A) IQ [2]-11 or Diplomacy (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-10. 
  Advanced Template                          70 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 3 [15]; Comfortable [10]; and Status 1 [0].
  Primary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ+4 [10] and one of Leadership or Politics (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-13 
  or Diplomacy (M/H) IQ [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Law (M/H) IQ [4]-12; Writing (M/A) IQ [2]-
  12; and two of Bard, Leadership, Politics, or Teaching (M/A) IQ [2]-12 or Diplomacy (M/H) IQ-1 
  [2]-11.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-14.
  Athlete
  Poseidon has a number of semiprofessional sports teams and leagues, especially for the planet's 
  native sport, hydroshot. Most athletes have other jobs and train and compete in their spare time.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Fit [5].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Sportsman) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Sports (Hydroshot) (P/A) DX+2 [8]-13 and Swimming (P/E) DX+1 [2]-12; Boating 
  (P/A) DX+2 [8]-13 and Navigation (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-9; or 10 points in skills appropriate to any 
  other sport.
  Advanced Template                          85 points
  Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 12 [20]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Charisma +1 [5] and Very Fit [15].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Sportsman) [-5] and Compulsive Behavior (Physical exercise) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Sports (Hydroshot) (P/A) DX+3 [16]-15 and Swimming (P/E) DX+1 [2]-13; Boating 
  (P/A) DX+3 [16]-15 and Navigation (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-9; or 18 points in skills appropriate to any 
  other sport.
  Secondary Skills: Brawling (P/E) DX [1]-12, First Aid (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11, Leadership (M/A) IQ+1 
  [2]-11,* and Tournament Law (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11.
  *Includes +1 from Charisma.
  Burglar
  Burglars specialize in taking property from unoccupied quarters, rather than from potentially 
  dangerous living victims. Their skills emphasize stealth and defeating security systems. In Poseidon's 
  high-tech environment, this means primarily electronic and photonic systems, but old-fashioned 
  
  mechanicals can't be overlooked. An experienced burglar with have enough combat skills to guard his 
  loot or take out a watchman.
  Basic Template                                  25 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Contact (Fence) [2].
  Disadvantages: Secret [-10].
  Primary Skills: Electronics Operation (Security systems) (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12 and Stealth (P/A) DX+1 
  [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Climbing (P/A) DX [2]-11; Fast-Talk (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Holdout (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-
  10; Lockpicking (M/A) IQ [2]-11; Starglazing (P/E) DX [1]-11; Streetwise (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-10; 
  and Traps (M/A) IQ [2]-11.
  Advanced Template                          80 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 13 [30]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Alertness +1 [5]; Composed [5]; Contact (Fence) [2].
  Disadvantages: Secret [-10].
  Primary Skills: Electronics Operation (Security systems) (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-14 and Stealth (P/A) DX+1 
  [4]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Climbing (P/A) DX [2]-13; Demolition (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Fast-Talk (M/A) IQ 
  [2]-11; Holdout (M/A) IQ [4]-12; Lockpicking (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Starglazing (P/E) DX [1]-13; 
  Streetwise (M/A) IQ [2]-11; and Traps (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Background Skills: Guns (Pistol) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-14; Judo (P/H) DX-2 [1]; Knife (P/E) DX [1]-13.
  Cetacean Military
  Cetaceans serve in special marine operations units in both the GEO and the Incorporate militaries. 
  Their roles are sufficiently different from those given to human combatants to require special-purpose 
  templates.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Fit [5]; Military Rank 0 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty, 12 or less [-10].
  Primary Skills: Endurance Swimming (P/A) HT+1 [4]-12 and Gunner (P/A) DX+2 [4]-12.*
  Secondary Skills: Interspec (M/H) IQ [4]-11; Savoir-Faire: Military (M/E) IQ [1]-11; and Tactics 
  (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-10.
  *Gunner skill is not adjusted for IQ; if IQ after racial modifier is 10 or higher, increase Gunner 
  skill to reflect this.
  Advanced Template                          65 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Fit [5]; Military Rank 2 [10]; Status 1 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty, 12 or less [-10].
  Primary Skills: Endurance Swimming (P/A) HT+1 [4]-12; Gunner (P/A) DX+3 [6]-13;* Leadership 
  (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-13; and Tactics (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Demolitions (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Interspec (M/H) IQ [4]-12; Savoir-Faire: Military 
  (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Speed Swimming (P/H) HT-1 [1]-9; and Underwater Demolition (M/A) IQ+1 
  [2]-12.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-14.
  *Gunner skill is not adjusted for IQ; if IQ after racial modifier is 10 or higher, increase Gunner 
  skill to reflect this.
  Colonist
  A large part of Poseidon's economy is based on the products of the land and sea. The colonist 
  template provides the skills needed to produce them. The necessity of self-reliance forces colonists to 
  be generalists, with a variety of utilitarian skills.
  Basic Template                                  20 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 10 [0].
  
  Advantages: Fit [5].
  Disadvantages: Struggling [-10].
  Primary Skills: Fishing (M/E) IQ+3 [6]-13 or Agronomy or Aquaculture (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-12; Fishing 
  (M/E) IQ+2 [4]-12, Agronomy or Aquaculture (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11, or Animal Handling (M/H) IQ 
  [4]-10.
  Secondary Skills: First Aid (M/E) IQ [1]-10; Mechanic (Fuel cell/electric motor) (M/A) IQ [2]-10; 
  Meteorology (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; Survival (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; and one of Boating, Driving 
  (Construction equipment), Driving (Hovercraft), or Powerboat (P/A) DX [2]-10.
  Background Skills: Swimming (P/E) DX+1 [2]-11.
  Advanced Template                          60 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Fit [5].
  Primary Skills: Fishing (M/E) IQ+4 [8]-15 or Agronomy or Aquaculture (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-14; Fishing 
  (M/E) IQ+3 [6]-14, Agronomy or Aquaculture (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-13, or Animal Handling (M/H) 
  IQ+1 [6]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-11; First Aid (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Mechanic (Fuel 
  cell/electric motor) (M/A) IQ [2]-11; Meteorology (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Survival (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-
  12; Veterinary (M/H) IQ [4]-11; and two of Boating, Driving (Construction equipment), Driving 
  (Hovercraft), or Powerboat (P/A) DX+1 [4]-11.
  Background Skills: Leadership (M/A) IQ [2]-11 and Swimming (P/E) DX+2 [4]-12.
  Note: Cetaceans may add Herding (P/A) to the list of primary skill options in either the basic or 
  the advanced template.
  Diplomat
  In the barely suppressed chaos of Poseidon's politics, skilled negotiators are essential. Judgment 
  and persuasiveness can avert a war and make a career for an ambassador, consul, or attache.
  Basic Template                                  35 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 2 [10]; Status 1 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (Nonhazardous, 12 or less) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-12 and Diplomacy (M/H) IQ [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: History (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Language (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Research (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-
  11; and Writing (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-14.
  Advanced Template                        105 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 [30]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 5 [25]; Charisma +1 [5]; Comfortable [10]; Diplomatic Immunity 
  [20]; Status 2 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (nonhazardous, 15 or less) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Acting (M/A) IQ [2]-13; Administration (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-14; Area Knowledge 
  (Country) (M/E) IQ [1]-13; Bard (M/A) IQ [1]-13;* Diplomacy (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-14; and Language 
  (M/A) IQ [2]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Detect Lies (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-12; History (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Intelligence Analysis 
  (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Law (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Research (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-12; and Writing (M/A) IQ-
  1 [1]-12.
  Background Skills: Carousing (P/A) HT [2]-10 and Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-15.
  *Includes +1 from Charisma.
  Doctor
  Poseidon is a hazardous environment, with natural dangers, industrial accidents and other human 
  errors, and sporadic violence. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics have a great deal to do. Medical 
  technology is highly developed, but not available everywhere; very basic healing skills are still 
  important. Doctors also perform many sorts of biomods (see pp. 00-00).
  
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Disadvantages: Vow (Medical ethics) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Diagnosis (M/H) IQ [4]-12 and First Aid (M/E) IQ+2 [4]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Chemistry (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-10; Physician (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-1; Physiology (M/VH) IQ-
  2 [2]-10; and Research (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11.
  Background Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-12.
  Advanced Template                          75 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 14 [45]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Comfortable [10]; Status 1 [5].
  Disadvantages: Vow (Medical ethics) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Diagnosis (M/H) IQ [4]-14; Physician (M/H) IQ [4]-14; and Surgery (M/VH) IQ-1 
  [4]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Biochemistry (M/VH) IQ-2 [2]-12; Chemistry (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-12; Electronics 
  Operation (Medical) (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Physiology (M/VH) IQ-2 [2]-12; and Research (M/A) 
  IQ-1 [1]-13.
  Background Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-14 and Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-16.
  Entertainer
  Entertainers on Poseidon are usually part-timers or amateurs; between people making their own 
  entertainment and elaborately produced Earth imports, there's not much room to earn a living. Still, it's 
  a good way to make extra money and meet people, especially for those who prefer mobility to settling 
  down. And there's always the hope of becoming one of Poseidon's star performers or even selling to 
  the Earth market.
  Basic Template                                  25 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Attractive [5] or Charisma +1 [5].
  Disadvantages: Struggling [-10].
  Primary Skills: Cyberaxe or Musical Instrument (M/H) IQ+2 [8]-12; Dancing (P/A) DX+2 [8]-13; or 
  Singing (P/E) HT+3 [8]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11, Merchant or Streetwise (M/A) IQ [2]-10, or Sex 
  Appeal (M/A) HT [2]-11.
  Advanced Template (Dancer)                                    75 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 13 [30]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 11 10].
  Advantages: Attractive [5]; Fit [5].
  Primary Skills: Dancing (P/A) DX+2 [8]-15.
  Secondary Skills: Acrobatics (P/H) DX-2 [1]-11; Performance (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; and Savoir-Faire 
  (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-12, Merchant or Streetwise (M/A) IQ [2]-11, or Sex Appeal (M/A) HT [2]-11.
  Advanced Template (Musician)       75 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Attractive [5]; Charisma +1 [5]; and Musical Ability +1 [1].
  Primary Skills: Singing (P/E) HT+4 [8]-15* or Cyberaxe or Musical Instrument (M/H) IQ+3 [8]-15*; 
  and Poetry (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-14 or Musical Composition (M/H) IQ+2 [6]-14*.
  Secondary Skills: Electronics Operation (Audio equipment) (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Musical Notation (M/E) 
  IQ [1]-12; Performance (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Singing (P/E) HT+2 [2]-13* or Cyberaxe or Musical 
  Instrument (M/H) IQ [2]-12*; and Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-13, Merchant or Streetwise (M/A) 
  IQ [2]-12, or Sex Appeal (M/A) HT [2]-11.
  *Includes +1 from Musical Ability.
  Executive
  Executives work for corporations or other relatively large businesses. Junior executives have 
  primarily administrative responsibilities; senior executives help to set policy. Executive jobs carry 
  more economic and social benefits than usual, but also more obligations.
  Basic Template                                  40 points
  
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 3 [15]; Comfortable [10]; Status 1 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (All the time, nonhazardous) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12 and Diplomacy (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Research (M/A) IQ [2]-11; and Writing 
  (M/A) IQ [2]-11.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-13.
  Advanced Template                          80 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 5 [25]; Status 3 [0]; Wealthy [20].
  Disadvantages: Duty (All the time, nonhazardous) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-14 and Diplomacy (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Economics (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-11; Law (M/H) 
  IQ-1 [2]-11; Merchant (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Research (M/A) IQ [2]-12; and Writing (M/A) IQ [2]-12.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-14 and one of Boating or Sports (P/A) DX [2]-10 or 
  Carousing (P/A) HT [2]-10.
  Gangster
  Organized crime needs someone to do the organizing. Gangsters are to crime what administrators 
  are to government or executives to business. They have to be able to protect themselves, but their 
  social skills are at least as important as their combat skills ’  more important, for the ones who want
  Į
   
  to move up. Recruitment for this career is still personal, nearly to the point of feudalism.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Composed [5]; Patron (Crime boss; 9 or less) [10].
  Disadvantages: Duty (9 or less) [-5]; Secret [-10].
  Primary Skills: Guns (Pistol) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-12; Streetwise (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Accounting (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-10; Shadowing (M/A) IQ [2]-11; and either 
  Administration or Leadership (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-10.
  Advanced Template                          75 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Charisma +1 [5]; Comfortable [10]; Composed [5]; Patron (Crime boss; 12 or less) [20].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10]; Secret [-20].
  Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (Small city or city district) (M/E) IQ+2 [4]-14; Guns (Pistol) (P/E) 
  DX+2 [1]-13; Leadership (M/A) IQ+1 [2]-13;* Shadowing (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-13; Streetwise (M/A) 
  IQ+2 [6]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Accounting (M/H) IQ [4]-12; Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Diplomacy (M/H) 
  IQ [4]-12; Holdout (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Intelligence Analysis (M/H) IQ [4]-12.
  Background Skill: Law (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-11.
  *Includes +1 from Charisma.
  Investigator
  Investigators include police detectives, private security forces, and freelance private eyes. In any 
  role, a variety of specialized skills complete their primary asset, an understanding of the criminal 
  mind.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Alertness +1 [5].
  Primary Skills: Criminology (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12 and Shadowing (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Forensics (M/H) IQ [4]-11; and Research 
  (M/A) IQ [2]-11.
  Advanced Template                          60 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  
  Advantages: Alertness +1 [5].
  Primary Skills: Criminology (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-14; Forensics (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-13; and Research (M/A) 
  IQ+1 [4]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Disguise (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Electronics 
  Operation (Sensors) (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Fast-Talk (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Forgery (M/H) IQ [4]-12; 
  Holdout (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Lockpicking (M/A) IQ [2]-12; and Shadowing (M/A) IQ [2]-12.
  Background Skills: Law (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-10 and Streetwise (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11.
  Law Enforcer
  Poseidon has numerous law enforcement agencies: the GEO marshals and their support forces, the 
  local forces of various cities, and native patrol forces. Jurisdiction is often disputable, and the more 
  thinly settled areas have very little law enforcement. Whatever his beat, a police officer is likely to be 
  thrown on his own resources.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 1 [5]; Alertness +1 [5]; Legal Enforcement Powers [5].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (His beat) (M/E) IQ+2 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-9; Driving (Hovercraft) (P/A) DX [2]-10; First Aid 
  (M/E) IQ [1]-10; Guns (Pistol) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-11; Interrogation (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Law (M/H) IQ-
  2 [1]-8; Shortsword (P/A) DX-1 [1]-9; and Wrestling (P/A) DX [2]-10.
  Advanced Template                          90 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Administrative Rank 3 [15]; Alertness +1 [5]; Composed [5]; Legal Enforcement Powers 
  [10]; Status 1 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Guns (P/E) DX+2 [2]-13 and Streetwise (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; Area Knowledge (Community) (M/E) IQ+2 
  [4]-12; Body Language (M/H) IQ+1 [4]-11; Criminology (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; Driving 
  (Hovercraft) (P/A) DX+1 [4]-12; First Aid (M/E) IQ [1]-10; Interrogation (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; 
  Law (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-9; Leadership (M/A) IQ [2]-10; Shortsword (P/A) DX [2]-11; and Wrestling 
  (P/A) DX+1 [4]-12.
  Muscle
  An illegal enterprise of any size needs to provide its own security, not only against the police but 
  against its competitors. There's always a job for strong, tough people who follow orders and don't 
  worry about legalities. And if some of them die, there are always more to replace them . . . 
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 9 [-10]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: High Pain Threshold [10].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Gang) [-5]; Secret [-5]; Status -1 [-5].
  Primary Skills: Brawling (P/E) DX+1 [2]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Guns (P/E) DX [1]-11; Intimidation (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-11; and Streetwise (M/A) 
  IQ+2 [6]-11.
  Advanced Template                          80 points
  Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 13 [30]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Comfortable [10]; High Pain Threshold [10].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Gang) [-5] and Secret [-20].
  Primary Skills: Brawling (P/E) DX+2 [4]-14 and Guns (P/E) DX+2 [2]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Intimidation (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-12; Stealth (P/A) DX [1]-12; Streetwise (M/A) IQ+3 
  [6]-12; and either Knife (P/E) DX [1]-13 or Axe/Mace or Shortsword (P/A) DX-1 [1]-12.
  Naval Crew
  
  Naval forces are specialists in vehicle operation and vehicular combat. They serve both on surface 
  ships, usually hydrofoils, and on submersibles. Since nearly all of Poseidon's surface is water, they 
  place a major role in military preparedness.
  Basic Template                                  20 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Fit [5]; Military Rank 0 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-12; Sailor (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Seamanship 
  (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-12; and one of Gunner (P/A) DX+2 [2]-12 or Armoury, Electronics Operation, or 
  Mechanic (M/A) IQ+1 [2]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Swimming (P/E) DX+1 [2]-11 and Boating or Powerboat (P/A) DX [2]-10.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire: Military (M/E) IQ [1]-11.
  Advanced Template                          60 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Fit [5]; Military Rank 3 [15]; Status 1 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Sailor (M/A) IQ [4]-13; Seamanship (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-13; Shiphandling (M/H) IQ+1 
  [6]-13; and one of Gunner (P/A) DX+3 [4]-13 or Engineer, Navigation, or Traffic Analysis (M/H) 
  IQ [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-12; 
  Leadership (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Mathematics (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-11; Meteorology (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11; 
  Swimming (P/E) DX+1 [2]-11; Tactics (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-11; and Writing (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11.
  Background Skills: Law (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-10; Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-14; and Savoir-Faire: 
  Military (M/E) IQ [1]-12.
  Pilot
  Air travel on Poseidon accounts for the great majority of long-range passenger traffic and a 
  substantial minority of freight, including rapid deliveries and lightweight cargoes. Pilots also play an 
  important role in military operations.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Primary Skills: Aviation (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12 and Piloting (P/A) DX+1 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Navigation (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-10.
  Advanced Template                          60 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 13 [30]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Primary Skills: Piloting (P/A) DX+1 [4]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Aviation (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Electronics Operation (Sensors) (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; 
  Meteorology (M/A) IQ [2]-11; and Navigation (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-12.
  Scholar
  Scholars are specialists in the humanities or the social sciences. They generally earn their living as 
  teachers or writers, but they may also act as consultants or researchers. In the multicultural setting of 
  Poseidon their specialized knowledge is often unexpectedly valuable.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Disdvantages: Code of Honor (Scholar) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Research (M/A) IQ [2]-12; one of Bard, Teaching, or Writing (M/A) IQ [2]-12; and 
  one of Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, History, Literature, Philosophy, or Theology 
  (M/H) IQ+2 [8]-14 or Appreciate Beauty or Linguistics (M/VH) IQ [8]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Language (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11; and one of 
  Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, History, Literature, Philosophy, Strategy, Tactics, or 
  Theology (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-10 or Appreciate Beauty or Linguistics (M/VH) IQ-3 [1]-9.
  Advanced Template                          80 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 14 [45]; HT 10 [0].
  
  Advantages: Comfortable [10]; Status 1 [5]; Tenure [5].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor: Scholar [-5].
  Primary Skills: Research (M/A) IQ [2]-14; Language (M/A) IQ [2]-14; one of Bard, Teaching, or 
  Writing (M/A) IQ [2]-14; and one of Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, History, Literature, 
  Philosophy, Strategy, Tactics, or Theology (M/H) IQ+2 [8]-16 or Appreciate Beauty or 
  Linguistics (M/VH) IQ [8]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-14; Language (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-13; one of Bard, 
  Photography, Teaching, Video Production, or Writing (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-13; and one of 
  Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, History, Literature, Philosophy, Strategy, Tactics, or 
  Theology (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-12 or Appreciate Beauty or Linguistics (M/VH) IQ-3 [1]-11.
  Background Skills: Language (native) IQ+1 [1]-15; Law (Intellectual property) (M/H) IQ+3/IQ-3 [1]-
  17/11; and Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-16.
  Scientist
  Scientists in many disciplines find a wealth of research topics on Poseidon. Their work may be 
  supported by corporations, governments, universities, or private foundations; in any case, a competent 
  researcher can find sources of funding.
  Basic Template                                  25 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Scientist) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Electronics Operation (Laboratory instrumentation or sensors) (M/A) IQ [2]-12 and 
  one of Hydrology, Meteorology, Planetology, or Xenobiology (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-13 or Astronomy, 
  Botany, Chemistry, Ecology, Geology, Physics, Planetology, or Zoology (M/H) IQ [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Computer Programming (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-11; 
  and Research (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11.
  Advanced Template                          60 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 14 [45]; HT 10 [0].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Scientist) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Electronics Operation (Laboratory instrumentation or sensors) (M/A) IQ [2]-14; 
  Research (M/A) IQ [2]-14; and one of Hydrology, Meteorology, Planetology, or Xenobiology 
  (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-17, Astronomy, Botany, Chemistry, Ecology, Geology, Physics, Planetology, or 
  Zoology (M/H) IQ+2 [8]-16, or Biochemistry, Genetics, Nuclear Physics, or Physiology (M/VH) 
  IQ [8]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-14; 
  Computer Programming (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-12; Mathematics (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-12; Teaching (M/A) IQ-
  1 [1]-13; and Writing (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-13.
  Background Skills: Any two of Hydrology, Meteorology, Planetology, or Xenobiology (M/A) IQ-1 
  [1]-13 or Astronomy, Botany, Chemistry, Ecology, Geology, Physics, Planetology, or Zoology 
  (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-12.
  Soldier
  Even in a high-tech world, ground combat skills remain important. On Poseidon, many "soldiers" 
  are actually marines; this template encompasses only the combat skills for this role.
  Basic Template                                  20 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Fit [5]; Military Rank 0 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Gunner (Machine gun, grenade launcher, mortar, flamethrower, or rocket launcher) 
  (P/A) DX+1 [2]-12 and Guns (Rifle or light automatic) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Karate (P/H) DX [4]-11; Running (P/H) HT-2 [1]-8; Stealth (P/A) DX [2]-11; and 
  Throwing (P/H) DX [4]-11.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire: Military (M/E) IQ [1]-10.
  Advanced Template                          75 points
  
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Military Rank 2 [10]; Status 1 [0].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Leadership (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-14 and Tactics (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-11; Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Guns (Rifle 
  or light automatic) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-12; Karate (P/H) DX [4]-11; Orienteering (M/A) IQ [2]-11; 
  Running (P/H) HT-2 [1]-8; Stealth (P/A) DX [2]-11; and Throwing (P/H) DX [4]-11.
  Background Skills: Law (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-10; Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ+2 [0]-13; and Savoir-Faire: 
  Military (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-12.
  Space Crew
  Space crew include crew on interplanetary or interstellar ships, asteroid miners, orbital 
  construction workers, and anyone else who works outside the atmosphere.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Spacer) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Free Fall (P/A) DX+1 [4]-12 and Vacc Suit (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Astrogation (M/A) IQ [2]-11; Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Electronics 
  Operation (Sensors) (M/A) IQ-1 [2]-11; and Mechanics (Reaction drives) (M/A) IQ [2]-11.
  Advanced Template                          75 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Composed [5] and G-Experience [10].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Spacer) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Free Fall (P/A) DX+2 [8] and Vacc Suit (M/A) IQ+2 [6].
  Secondary Skills: Astrogation (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Computer Operation (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-12; 
  Electronics Operation (Sensors) (M/A) IQ [4]-12; Mechanics (Reaction drives); (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-
  12; and Scrounging (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-12.
  Background Skills: First Aid (M/E) IQ [1]-11 and Judo (P/H) DX [4]-11.
  Spy
  Information is a valuable commodity on Poseidon, especially information that other people don't 
  want you to know and don't know you have. Computer hacking may be convenient, but often there's 
  no substitute for sending someone to find things out in person.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Alertness +1 [5]; Composed [5].
  Disadvantages: Duty (9 or less) [-5]; Secret [-10].
  Primary Skills: Acting (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-11; Fast-Talk (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; Guns 
  (Pistol) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-12; Holdout (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; Karate (P/H) DX [4]-11; Shadowing 
  (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11.
  Advanced Template                          95 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Alertness +5 [5]; Composed [5]; Legal Enforcement Powers [15]; Patron (9 or less) [25]; 
  Security Clearance [5].
  Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10]; Secret [-10].
  Primary Skills: Acting (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-14; Shadowing (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-12; Electronics Operation (Security systems) 
  (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Fast-Talk (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-11; Guns (Pistol) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-12; Holdout 
  (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Karate (P/H) DX+1 [8]-12; Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Streetwise (M/A) 
  IQ [2]-11.
  Survivalist
  
  Poseidon is a frontier environment with a wide range of natural hazards. Skill in dealing with 
  those hazards has economic value, both for hunters, foragers, and prospectors, and for guides who 
  keep other people alive in the wild areas.
  Basic Template                                  30 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
  Primary Skills: Survival (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12 and Swimming (P/E) DX+2 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Fishing (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Guns (Rifle) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-11; Meteorology (M/A) IQ-
  1 [1]-10;Naturalist (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-10; Stealth (P/A) DX [2]-10; Tracking (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-10; and 
  Navigation (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-10 or Orienteering (M/A) IQ [2]-11.
  Advanced Template                          75 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Fit [5].
  Primary Skills: Stealth (P/A) DX+2 [8]-13 and Survival (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Climbing (P/A) DX [2]-11; Cooking (M/E) IQ [1]-11; First Aid (M/E) IQ [1]-11; 
  Fishing (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Guns (Rifle) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-12; Meteorology (M/A) IQ [2]-11; 
  Naturalist (M/H) IQ+1 [4]-11; Scuba (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Swimming (P/E) DX+1 [2]-12; 
  Tracking (M/A) IQ [2]-11; and Navigation (M/H) IQ [4]-11 or Orienteering (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Technician
  Even on a frontier planet, someone has to keep the machinery running. Engineers and technicians 
  face a variety of challenges in doing this, from scarcity of parts to stressful environments.
  Basic Template                                  25 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Manual Dexterity +1 [3].
  Primary Skills: Electronics Operation or Mechanics (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Research (M/A) IQ [2]-11; Scrounging 
  (M/E) IQ [1]-11; and Electronics or Engineer (M/H) IQ [4]-11.
  Advanced Template                          60 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 [30]; HT 10 [0].
  Advantages: Manual Dexterity +1 [3]; Versatile [5].
  Primary Skills: Electronics Operation or Mechanics (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-15; Electronics or Engineer 
  (M/H) IQ+1 [4]-14;* and Scrounging (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Computer Operation (M/E) IQ [1]-13; Research (M/A) IQ [2]-13; Electronics 
  Operation or Mechanics (M/A) IQ [2]-13; and one of Architecture, Armoury, Demolition, or 
  Lockpicking (M/A) IQ [2]-13 or Computer Programming, Metallurgy, or Shipbuilding (M/H) IQ-
  1 [2]-12.
  Background Skills: Chemistry (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Mathematics (M/H) IQ-2 [1]-11; and Physics 
  (M/H) IQ-1 [1]-11.
  *Includes +1 from Versatile.
  Trader
  Traders include a variety of shopkeepers and peddlers. Their operations may be small or 
  specialized, but collectively they account for a large share of Poseidon's commerce. The successful 
  ones may become owners of substantial businesses, though not on the scale of Earth-based 
  corporations.
  Basic Template                                  25 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 10 [0].
  Primary Skills: Merchant (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-12.
  Secondary Skills: Accounting (M/H) IQ [4]-11; Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-11; Computer Operation 
  (M/E) IQ [1]-11; Economics (M/H) IQ [2]-10; Fast-Talk (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-10; and Guns (Pistol or 
  rifle) (P/E) DX+1 [1]-11.
  Advanced Template                          60 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 10 [0].
  
  Advantages: Charisma +1 [5]; Comfortable [10]; Reputation (Quality/reliability, among potential 
  customers, +1) [3].
  Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Mercantile) [-5].
  Primary Skills: Merchant (M/A) IQ+3 [8]-15 and Economics (M/H) IQ+1 [6]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Accounting (M/H) IQ [4]-12; Administration (M/A) IQ [2]-12; Computer Operation 
  (M/E) IQ [1]-12; Fast-Talk (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Guns (Pistol or rifle) (P/E) DX+2 [1]-12; Law 
  (M/H) IQ-1 [2]-11; and Research (M/A) IQ-1 [1]-11.
  Background Skills: Savoir-Faire (M/E) IQ [1]-12.
  Whalesong Mystic
  Whalesong mystics are the leaders of the major cetacean religion; as a result, they have 
  considerable influence in dolphin and orca societies. Only members of these two species can pursue 
  this profession.
  Basic Template                                  25 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 11 [10]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Clerical Investment 1 [5].
  Disadvantages: Disciplines of Faith (Mysticism) [-10]; Sense of Duty (Planetary ecosystem) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Performance/Ritual (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-13 and Singing (P/E) HT+2 [4]-13.
  Secondary Skills: Bard (M/A) IQ [2]-11; Bardic Lore (M/H) IQ [4]-11; Lucid Dreaming (M/E) IQ+1 
  [2]-12; and Teaching (M/A) IQ [2]-11.
  Advanced Template                          75 points
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 [30]; HT 11 [10].
  Advantages: Clerical Investment 3 [15]; Status 1 [0]; Voice [10].
  Disadvantages: Disciplines of Faith (Mysticism) [-10]; Sense of Duty (Planetary ecosystem) [-10].
  Primary Skills: Bard (M/A) IQ+2 [2]-15; Performance/Ritual (M/A) IQ+2 [6]-15; Singing (P/E) 
  HT+4 [4]-15; and Teaching (M/A) IQ+1 [4]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Appreciate Beauty (Nature) (M/VH) IQ+2/IQ-4 [1]-15/9; Bardic Lore (M/H) IQ 
  [4]-13; Diplomacy (M/H) IQ [1]-13; Lucid Dreaming (M/E) IQ+1 [2]-14; Naturalist (M/H) IQ-1 
  [2]-12; and Philosophy (M/H) IQ [4]-13.
  Advantages
  Advantages fall into two classes (see pp. CI19 and CI49). Mundane advantages are available to 
  unmodified human beings as a result of natural talent, life experience, or social position. Racial and 
  super advantages represent powers and abilities that human beings don't have.
  In fact, the distinction is somewhat blurred on Poseidon; cybernetic and genetic technology can 
  confer "superhuman" powers on anyone who can afford them. Any advantage that can result from 
  such improvements (see pp. 00-00) can be gained during play by expending character points.
  Racial and super advantages may not be chosen freely during character creation. They can be 
  included in racial templates (pp. 00-00) or in biotech packages (pp. 00-00). An adventurer who can 
  afford a biotech upgrade can gain the included advantages by doing so.
  Gadgeteer                       See p. CI25
  The Gadgeteer advantage is not available in GURPS Blue Planet. New devices must be created 
  using the New Inventions rules (pp. B186-187).
  NEW ADVANTAGES
  The following new advantages are available for GURPS Blue Planet characters. Except as noted, 
  they are racial and super advantages. Many of them have been defined in other GURPS supplements 
  and are reprinted here for convenience.
  Bug Detector                        5 points
  
  You can locate electromagnetic signal sources such as bugs or radios. This doesn't include passive 
  recording devices, though. The bug detector can feed into any sensory channel; the GM may require a 
  Sense roll to spot signal sources.
  Dataspike Port                        Varies
  You have a port somewhere on your body into which a dataspike (p. 00) can be inserted; the usual 
  location is the skull. A read-only port can access information stored on dataspikes; this ability costs 5 
  points. A read/write port can also store information on dataspikes; this ability costs 100 additional 
  points, for a total of 105.
  Hypertough Skeleton          75 points
  Your skeleton has been strengthened with synthetic organic polymers, making it nearly 
  unbreakable. You take half damage from any cutting or crushing blow, rounded up, except one 
  targeted at a soft point such as the eye, throat, or vitals; bullets do full damage. Your limbs, hands, and 
  feet cannot be crippled by blunt crushing attacks or falls. Bullets or cutting or impaling weapons can 
  have crippling effects, but the damage required for these effects is doubled: more than 2/3 HT for a 
  hand or foot and more than HT for a limb.
  Your brain has DR 60 against all attacks, unless they pass through the eye socket.
  Hypertough bones do not show up on metal detectors, but have a distinctive appearance in medical 
  scanners. Your weight increases 10%.
  Independent Income            5 Points
  You have a source of income that does not require you to work.This may be a trust fund, a 
  pension, rent on land or houses, royalties on inventions ’  use your imagination! Income per month is
  Į
   
  5% of the starting wealth for your wealth level. At the GM's discretion, you may need to spend 10 
  hours a week looking after financial matters. This advantage only applies to characters who normally 
  would work for a living, i.e., from Poor to Wealthy. If you are Very Wealthy or better you already 
  have it, and the same 5% of starting wealth per month can be used to determine your income; if you 
  are Dead Broke you have no income.
  If your income derives from investments, their exact value need not be specified; it is assumed that 
  you cannot or will not invade your capital.
  Independent Income is a mundane advantage.
  Interface                                Varies
  An interface gives you the ability to send and receive information from an external device, such as 
  a computer, radio modem, or vehicle. This lets you control the device by mental commands. You are 
  at +4 to skill with any device that you control in this way.
  The usual interface is a jack for a 30' fiber optic cable that can link the user to a computer, radio 
  modem, vehicle, or other external be plugged into a device with a matching port. An interface jack 
  costs 10 points.
  Rather than being connected to an external radio modem, a computer can have a built-in radio 
  modem. This allows line-of-sight interaction with any external device that also contains a radio 
  modem. The telepresence modifiers apply for devices operated this way (see p. 00). An implanted 
  radio modem costs 30 points.
  Jammer                               3 points
  You can send out high-powered radio signals (this advantage is based on Cyberspeakers, p. 
  UTT106). Three modes of operation are possible:
  Loud Signal: Broadcast (p. CI51) is a prerequisite for using this ability. You can transmit a voice 
  signal that overpowers other signals on the same frequency within a 1-mile radius.
  Music: Broadcast (p. CI51) and Dataspike Port (p. 00) are prerequisites for using this ability. You 
  can transmit recorded music that overpowers other signals on the same frequency within a 1-mile 
  radius.
  
  White Noise: This ability has no prerequisites. You can send out random noise that interferes with 
  bugs and other transmitters. Hearing their signals through your interference requires an Electronics 
  Operation roll at -3 if you are within 10 yards of the other transmitter, or at -1 if you are within 11-20 
  yards.
  Programmed Reflexes           5 points
  Programmed reflexes involve a special-purpose computer connected to the cerebellum and upper 
  spinal cord. This stores stereotyped sequences of body movements that take place when specific 
  "trigger" stimuli are received. Each reflex can be active or inactive at the user's discretion, but when 
  active, it takes place completely automatically; Will rolls do not affect programmed reflexes. Specific 
  reflexes are defined as advantages; the basic 5-point cost grants only the ability to acquire advantages 
  in this way.
  Radiation Tolerance Varies 
  Your cells or circuits are less vulnerable to radiation. Divide the effective dose of rads you 
  accumulate (after PF) by 2 (4 points), 3 (7 points), 4 (8 points), 5 (10 points), 10 (14 points), 20 (18 
  points), 50 (23 points), 100 (28 points), 200 (32 points), 500 (37 points), or 1,000 (41 points).
  Skill Bonus                            Varies
  Various cybernetic or genetic modifications enhance the effectiveness of certain skills. The skill 
  must still be learned; an untrained user doesn't know how to benefit from the modification! The point 
  cost for a +1 bonus is half the point cost of learning the skill at DX or IQ; the point cost for a +2 bonus 
  is half the point cost of learning the skill at DX+1 or IQ+1; the point cost for a +3 bonus is half the 
  point cost of learning the skill at DX+2 or IQ+2.
  Striker: Ram                        5 points
  A ram is a hardened area on the head, used in charges in the same way as horns. A charge requires 
  at least 1 turn of movement in a straight line before the turn in which the attack is made. Damage from 
  a charge is computed as follows: Multiply Move by Hit Points, divide by 100, round off to the nearest 
  whole number, and take the result as dice of damage. ST has no effect on damage. A ram can only be 
  used in a charge.
  Ultraviolet Vision               20 points
  You can see by ultraviolet light. If you have an ultraviolet source, you can see in the total absence 
  of visible light. When you are underwater in the daytime, you have +2 to Vision, which may only be 
  used to offset penalties from dim light.
  Disadvantages
  Disadvantages, like advantages, are divided into two classes: mundane disadvantages, and racial 
  and super disadvantages. Note that many disadvantages can be corrected by cybernetic or genetic 
  modifications; only those who are poor or unwilling to undergo modification or who suffer from 
  unusual genetic syndromes will have such disadvantages.
  Age                                 See p. B27
  Thanks to general advances in medicine, aging rolls (see p. B83) begin at age 90, and double in 
  frequency at ages 110 and 130. The Age disadvantage is thus based on age over 90, rather than the 
  standard age over 50. Anyone with access to longevity therapy based on Long John may not take the 
  Age disadvantage at all.
  Code of Honor                 See p. B31
  A number of occupations have Codes of Honor. These may or may not entail facing physical 
  danger; they do involve placing oneself at a disadvantage for the sake of one's own self-respect. 
  
  Examples include Gang Member (basically the same as Pirate, p. B31), Merchant (pay all debts and 
  perform all contracts), Performer ("the show must go on"), Scholar/Scientist (acknowledge sources 
  and prior discoveries, report findings accurately, test all theories), Spacer (put the survival of the ship 
  or colony first, aid those in need, face danger calmly), and Sportsman (play by the rules, respect 
  opponents, accept defeat graciously). Some of these are built into professional templates; others are 
  optional, though adhering to them tends to earn a better reputation.
  Fanaticism                      See p. B33
  Complete refusal to have any implants or biomods can be defined as Fanaticism.
  No Manipulators                20 points
  Dolphins and orcas normally have access to CICADA units (see p. 00), which act as mitigators for 
  this disadvantage, in the same way that glasses act as mitigators for Bad Sight. Because of this, the 
  value of the limitation is -20 points rather than -50 points.
  Secret                             See p. CI78 
  Normally, someone with a Secret is alone in his knowledge. In espionage, however, there are 
  many things that a spy must hide from the public, his loved ones, and the enemy, but that are known to 
  other members of his service. The point cost for this kind of Secret is unchanged. The agent has 
  colleagues with whom he can share his burden, and who can help him keep his Secret ’  but these
  Į
   
  same people could use his Secret to threaten or coerce him. In particular, knowledge of illegal agency 
  activities can be a dreadful Secret.
  Unnatural Feature 5 points per feature
  Most people will recognize visible cybernetic body parts for what they are, but they still confer a 
  distinctive appearance and may provoke an emotional reaction. More expensive variants may be 
  available that cannot be distinguished from the unmodified human body by unaided human senses; 
  they do not count as Unnatural Features. Such abilities as Sonar Vision and Field Sense can identify 
  their nature; this is a 0-point feature.
  Biotech
  The technology of the 22nd century offers many ways of improving the basic human (or dolphin 
  or orca) design. Cybernetic surgery, the oldest technique, incorporates small mechanical or electronic 
  devices into a living organism. Genetic redesign creates entire organisms of new types. Genetic and 
  biological modification make limited changes in already existing organisms; the availability of Long 
  John made such changes far easier to achieve.
  Racial and super advantages are normally acquired as biotech modifications. Each modification 
  listed here is a package of one or more advantages (and sometimes disadvantages); for definitions of 
  these advantages and disadvantages, see pp. 00-00, B15-40, and CI15-112. The definition of a package 
  includes the included advantages and disadvantages; the legality class (LC); the cost; and the time to 
  recover from having it installed in one's body.
  IMPLANTED COMPUTERS
  An implanted computer is surgically placed within the user's body, normally in the abdomen. A 
  neural interface circuit (NIC) enables it to exchange data with the user's central nervous system. The 
  user's body heat supplies sufficient power to keep it functioning. Any external ports are usually 
  mounted in the skull.
  Implanted Calculator            5 points
  Advantages: Lightning Calculator. LC 6; $10,000; 2 weeks.
  Implanted Microcomputer   35 points
  
  Advantages: Absolute Time Sense; Dataspike Port (Read only); Interface (Jack); Lightning 
  Calculator; Mathematical Ability. LC 5; $50,000; 3 weeks.
  Implanted Sensory Recorder 105 points
  An implanted sensory recorder can record up to 100 hours of sensory stimuli into a dataspike, or 
  play back data recorded earlier or by someone else. It does not capture thoughts or emotions. The 
  recording function can be run continuously or turned on and off at will.
  Advantages: Dataspike Port (Read/write). LC 6; $20,000; 2 weeks.
  Jack                    10 points/30 points
  Even without a general purpose implanted computer, it's possible to install circuitry that translates 
  neural impulses into digital output and digital input into neural impulses. This allows direct interfacing 
  with a teleoperated device, computer, or communications channel. Either a neural jack or an implanted 
  radio modem can be used to provide the interface.
  Advantages: Interface. LC 6; $8,000 for a jack, $11,000 for an uplink; 1 week.
  Pain Inhibitor                    10 points
  A pain inhibitor is a small implant that blocks neural signals from pain receptors. To prevent users 
  from simply disregarding injuries, it generates a signal in a different sensory modality when in 
  operation. This may be text imprinted on the retina, a sound signal, or a tactile stimulus.
  Advantages: High Pain Threshold. LC 5; $27,000; 4 weeks.
  PROGRAMMED REFLEXES
  Anyone with the Programmed Reflexes advantage may acquire a number of other advantages by 
  having them installed as programs. The basic advantage is LC 5, costs $65,000, and requires 3 weeks 
  healing time. Programs have a Legality Class and a cost, but no healing time. Some common programs 
  are as follows:
  Autoload. The user automatically counts shots fired from any weapon and must reload after firing 
  the last shot in a clip before taking any other action. Grants +3 to Speed-Load skill for the specific 
  weapon. 2 points.
  Enhanced Parry. Effective with bare hands and with all weapons. 16 points.
  Fast-Draw. Grants +3 to Fast-Draw skill for a specific weapon. 2 points.
  Perfect Balance. 15 points.
  Sleepwalker. This routine monitors the sounds received by the user's ears and instantly wakes the 
  user when the sound matches a trigger profile. Up to 10 classes of trigger profiles may be specified. 
  Bought as Danger Sense (Only when sleeping, -20%). 12 points.
  SENSORY CYBERWARE
  Bionic Eye                          Variable
  A basic bionic eye has the same visual capabilities as a human eye and is worth -5 points.
  Disadvantages: Unnatural Feature. LC 6; $13,000; 4 weeks.
  Various features may be added as upgrades:
  Cosmetic enhancement makes a bionic eye indistinguishable from a normal eye and adds 5 points 
  to its cost. Advantages: Buy off Unnatural Feature. LC 6; $2,000.
  Infrared vision adds 15 points to the cost of a bionic eye. Advantages: Infravision. LC 6; $1,800.
  Telescopic vision adds 12 points to the cost of a bionic eye. Advantages: Two levels of Telescopic 
  Vision (¬*4 magnification; +2 to Vision to locate an object, +4 to examine a located object). LC 6; 
  $1,800.
  Ultraviolet vision adds 20 points to the cost of a bionic eye. Advantages: Ultraviolet Vision. LC 6; 
  $1,800.
  Implanted Radar                70 points
  
  Low-powered microwaves emitted from a subdermal band around the skull confer a full 360¬ƒ of 
  radar perception.
  Advantage: Radar Sense with range 20 yards. LC 6; $18,000; 2 weeks.
  Infrared Sensors                 15 points
  Infrared sensors, or "vipers," are implanted in pairs under the skin of the cheeks.
  Advantage: Infravision. LC 6; $15,000; 2 weeks.
  Spyware                              Variable
  Spyware is a complex suite of cybernetic implants useful in covert operations. The various units 
  are normally acquired as an integrated system, but their separate specifications are as follows:
  A biosensor is worth 24 points. It provides infrared and electric field sensors that can monitor a 
  subject's physiological and emotional responses (apply the range modifiers from p. B201). 
  Advantages: Field Sense (Electric fields only, no Absolute Direction), Infravision, Skill Bonuses: +1 
  to Body Language and Detect Lies. LC 3; $30,000; 2 weeks.
  Implanted radar costs 70 points; see p. 00.
  An implanted sensory recorder costs 105 points; see p. 00.
  A wide-band transceiver costs 23 points. Advantages: Broadcast; Bug Detector; Jammer; Radio 
  Hearing. LC 3; $15,000; 2 weeks.
  Taken all together, a complete set of spyware costs 227 points. LC 3; $75,000; 4 weeks.
  ANATOMICAL AND TECHNICAL CYBERWARE
  A few people are either unable or unwilling to make use of cultured tissue implants or regrowth. 
  They may resort to anatomical cyberware instead. Cyberware can simply duplicate the function of a 
  lost limb or augment it.
  Implanted Micro-Toolkit      Variable
  This is an alloy wristband with mounts for many small, retractable robotic arms, probes, fiber 
  optic micro-cameras, and similar tools.
  Advantage: Skill Bonus: +2 to a specific skill. Cost depends on the skill: 1 point for P/E or M/E, 2 
  points for P/A or M/A, 3 points for M/H, 4 points for P/H, 6 points for M/VH. LC varies with 
  skill; $15,000; 2 weeks.
  Prosthetic Limbs                 Variable
  A bionic hand, arm, or leg can simply replace the original; this is worth -5 points per hand or arm 
  and per leg.
  Disadvantage: Unnatural Feature. LC 6. $10,000 for a hand, $15,000 for an arm or leg.
  Cosmetic enhancement makes a prosthetic limb indistinguishable from a normal limb by visual 
  inspection and adds 5 points to its cost. Advantage: Buy off Unnatural Feature. LC 6; $2,000.
  An enhanced bionic hand or arm can have have ST or DX increased by 1; divide point cost by 8 
  for a hand, by 4 for an arm. LC 5; $2,500 per attribute for a hand, $5,000 per attribute for an arm.
  An enhanced bionic leg increases Move and Jump ranges by 25% for 10 points. Enhancement of 
  both legs costs 20 points and grants a 50% increase in Move, Jump ranges, and Dodge. LC 5; $5,000.
  GENETIC REDESIGN
  Members of any human genetic type can be transformed into any other type. Costs for 
  transformation from unmodified human stock are as follows:
  Aquaform (Diver): $22,000, 4 months.
  Aquaform (Squid): $28,000, 5 months.
  Cat: $40,000, 4 months.
  Silva: $40,000, 4 months.
  Spacer: $25,000, 3 months.
  Transhuman: $25,000, 1 month.
  
  The cost is 50% higher for transformation from any genetically modified template to any other. It 
  is also possible to go from a genetically modified template to baseline human; this costs 50% less than 
  going from baseline to the modified template. Thus, a cat could become an unmodified human for 
  $20,000, or a space for $37,500.
  All genetic transformations are LC 5.
  SURVIVAL BIOMODS
  Cast Iron Stomach              15 points
  Advantage: Cast Iron Stomach. LC 6; $8,000; 2 weeks.
  Filter Lungs                        5 points
  Advantage: Filter Lungs. LC 6; $9,000; 2 weeks.
  Immunological Symbiote    20 points
  A colony of artificial one-celled organisms has been injected into your bloodstream, where it 
  performs a variety of functions that maintain health and protect against disease.
  Advantages: Longevity; Panimmunity (+8 to HT to resist any disease); Radiation Tolerance (divide 
  effective dosage by 5). LC 6; $10,000; immediate.
  Improved Blood Oxygenation 19 points
  The oxygen storage capacity of your red blood cells has been enhanced.
  Advantages: Fit; Oxygen Storage. LC 6; $6,000; 1 month.
  Salt Tolerance                     5 points
  Your kidneys can eliminate excess salt, enabling you to drink either fresh or salt water.
  Advantage: Decreased Life Support, one-half level. LC 6; $5,000; 2 weeks.
  GLANDULAR BIOMODS
  Emotional Control              63 points
  This complex suite of endocrine and neurological readjustments makes possible voluntary changes 
  in brain chemistry. These can suppress pain and fear, suppress (or enhance) other emotional states, and 
  generate altered states of consciousness equivalent to those produced by the common psychoactive 
  drugs. As a byproduct of the ability to induce emotional states, it becomes possible to induce belief in 
  one's own statements, making the use of Fast-Talk more effective.
  Advantages: Autotrance; Composed; Drug Factory (affects self but not others, 0% feature; 
  hallucinogenic, sedative, and stimulant effects); High Pain Threshold; Skill Bonus (+2 to Fast-
  Talk). LC 5; $7,000; 1 month.
  Hyper-Reflexes                   15 points
  Advantage: Hyper-Reflexes. LC 4; $5,000; 2 weeks.
  Hyper-Strength                  30 points
  Advantage: Hyper-Strength. LC 4; $5,000; 2 weeks.
  SENSORY BIOMODS
  Acute Hearing                        2/level
  Advantage: Acute Hearing, one or two levels. LC 6; $2,000/level; 3 weeks.
  Discriminatory Smell          15 points
  
  Advantages: Discriminatory Smell. LC 6; $5,000; 3 weeks.
  Enhanced Extra-Sensory Perception 30 points
  Research in the early 21st century identified specific neurotransmitters associated with extra-
  sensory perception. One of the first biomods, developed 2068 by the American and British 
  governments, boosts the levels of these neurotransmitters to confer limited psionic abilities. Actual psi 
  skills as defined on pp. B165-176 remain unknown.
  Advantages: Danger Sense; Empathy. LC 5; $30,000; 2 weeks, followed by 4 months of full-time 
  training.
  Sonar Vision                      25 points
  Addition of this ability to a human body produces a slightly enlarged larynx capable of generating 
  ultrasonic waves and small bulges behind enlarged external ears to house modified inner ear 
  structures.
  Advantage: Sonar Vision. LC 6; $9,000; 3 weeks.
  Note: A character with no other form of vision pays 0 points for Sonar Vision.
  Telescopic Vision          6 points/level
  Advantage: Telescopic Vision, one or two levels. LC 6; $2,500/level; 3 weeks.
  FULL-BODY BIOMODS
  Bioelectric Shock                10 points
  Myoelectric tissue like that of an electric eel is implanted within the body. Bioelectric shock 
  inflicts lethal electric shock (see boxed text).
  On land, bioelectric shock requires touching the target. In salt water, it becomes a ranged attack; 
  subtract 2 points from rolled damage and apply the speed/range modifier (p. B201).
  Advantage: Bioelectric Shock. LC 5; $7,500; 2 weeks.
  EFFECTS OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
  Electrical weapons, or accidental contact with electric charges or currents, cause highly variable 
  effects. For simplicity, they each shock is assigned to one of the following options. "Modified HT roll" 
  refers to a roll against the victim's HT with any adjustments specific to the weapon or current source. 
  (See also pp. CII138-139.)
  Nonlethal Electric Shock
  Requires a modified HT roll, at +3 for High Pain Threshold, -4 for Low Pain Threshold, and +1 
  per 10 DR for nonmetallic armor. On a failed roll the victim is stunned for the duration of the current 
  and a further (20-HT) seconds, after which normal rolls to recover from stun are permitted; the victim 
  also suffers 1d fatigue. On a critical failure the victim's heart stops; see below.
  Localized Electrical Burns
  Requires a modified HT roll, adjusted for High/Low Pain Threshold as above. On a failed roll, the 
  victim is stunned for 1 second, after which normal rolls to recover from stun are permitted; if the 
  attack hit a hand or arm, a Will roll is required to avoid dropping anything carried in that hand. Also 
  inflicts burns, typically 1d-3.
  Lethal Electric Shock
  Inflicts damage through internal burns; metallic armor is PD 0, DR 1 against such damage. 
  Requires a modified HT roll, minus half the damage that penetrates DR, and adjusted for High/Low 
  Pain Threshold as above, to avoid being stunned for the duration of the current and a further (20-HT) 
  minutes, followed by another (20-HT) minutes at -2 DX. Requires a second modified HT roll, minus 
  
  half the damage that penetrates DR, to avoid the heart stopping; failure reduces HT to 0 and causes 
  death in HT/3 minutes.
  Hyperactive                        30 points
  Advantage: Hyperactive (equivalent to Increased Speed +2 and two levels of Increased Life Support). 
  LC 4; $35,000; 2 months.
  Myo-Skeletal Enhancement 100 points
  Your skeleton is artificially strengthed and used as support for increased musculature. Your 
  appearance is exaggeratedly bulky. Your weight increases by 10% due to the skeletal weight and by an 
  added 40 lbs. for muscle mass.
  Advantages: +4 ST; Extra Encumbrance; Hypertough Skeleton. Disadvantages: -4 Fatigue; 
  Unattractive. (Any other level of appearance is bought up or down from a base of Unattractive, not 
  Average.) LC 4; $150,000; 4 months.
  Skills
  The following skill has a special interpretation on Poseidon:
  Crossbow                         See p. B50
  The use of spear guns (see p. 00) falls under this skill.
   
  Several new skills are useful in the aquatic environment of Poseidon.
  Aquaculture (Mental/Average) Defaults to IQ-5
  This is the skill of managing aquatic ecosystems and harvesting their output, including plankton, 
  algae, and fisheries. It corresponds to Fishing as Agronomy corresponds to Survival. Specialization in 
  freshwater or oceanic ecosystems is mandatory.
  Endurance Swimming (Physical/Average) No default
  Available only to Amphibious or Aquatic races, this skill is the aquatic analog of Hiking (p. 
  CI152). It is based on HT, not DX. Roll vs. Endurance Swimming before each half-day's travel; on a 
  successful roll, increase distance traveled by 20%. If a group are traveling together, they must all 
  succeed on the Endurance Swimming roll to gain this benefit.
  Herding (Physical/Average) Defaults to DX-5
  This skill is the ability to work with a group of animals, keeping them in one area or moving them 
  to another, separating a particular animal from the rest of the group, etc. This is a physical skill that is 
  not normally learned by human herders; instead, they use Animal Handling to command sheepdogs, 
  cow ponies, or other animals to perform herding tasks, and the animals then use Herding skill to do so. 
  However, dolphins and orcas use Herding to control the movements of fish and other marine 
  lifeforms. Animal Empathy adds 4 to this skill.
  Speed Swimming (Physical/Hard) No default
  Available only to Amphibious or Aquatic races, this skill is the aquatic analog of Running (p. 
  B48). It is based on HT, not DX. If you have studied this skill, divide your skill level by 8 (don't round 
  down) and add the result ot your Speed to calculate your Move in water (it doesn't affect Dodge).
  CULTURAL FAMILIARITIES
  Differences in cultural background are an important part of Blue Planet. The various character 
  origin templates reflect these differences. But, in addition, each culture has a variety of small learned 
  
  abilities and forms of knowledge, such as a 21st century American's knowing how to use a telephone 
  and understanding that being 10 minutes late to an appointment calls for an apology.
  To reflect this, each GURPS Blue Planet character should be defined as familiar with one culture. 
  Skill rolls for social skills and other skills based on common cultural knowledge are made normally 
  for that culture; for other cultures, they are made at a penalty, usually -2. For example, positive Status 
  grants free Savoir-Faire at IQ+2 in one's native culture, IQ in other cultures, effectively a -2 penalty.
  The GM may choose to let an immigrant to Poseidon be familiar both with one of Poseidon's 
  cultures and with one other culture, if the immigrant has been on Poseidon for some time. There is no 
  point cost for this familiarity. The GM may also require a recent immigrant to cope with unfamiliarity 
  penalties until he has been on Poseidon long enough to know his way around.
  Wealth, Status, and Jobs
  CURRENCY AND PRICES
  Poseidon has no standard currency; each Incorporate state issues its own scrip, in both paper and 
  electronic form. Exchange rates between the different scrips float freely against each other. This can 
  get very complicated ’  as complicated as the players will stand for ’  but for most campaigns it's
  Į
  Į
   
  easier to assume an average "corporate scrip," represented as a $. Starting wealth is $30,000.
  Xenosilicates also serve as a medium of exchange, particularly for travelers going from one 
  community to another. A reasonable average exchange rate is $1,000 per gram, or $1 per milligram.
  Some examples of prices are as follows:
  Restaurant meal . . . . $20
  Beer, mug or bottle . . . . $2
  Wine, bottle . . . . $10 and up
  Accommodations, bunk . . . . $15
  Accommodations, private room . . . . $100
  Clothing, basic . . . . $120
  Clothing, luxury . . . . $750
  Plastic ammunition, any caliber . . . . $4/lb.
  Basic medical kit . . . . $1,600
  Surgical kit . . . . $8,800
  Blank dataspike . . . . $5
  Reference manual dataspike . . . . $340
  Computer net access time . . . . $1 per hour
  Long-range radio call . . . . $5 per minute
  Hover cab fare . . . . $5 + $5 per mile
  Intercolony flight . . . . $2 per mile
  Intercolony ship passage . . . . $0.50 per mile
  Interstellar passage, first class . . . . $10,000
  CURRENCY EXCHANGE
  To simulate the problems of multiple currencies, without working out all the details of 
  international monetary relations, use the following simple rules. When travelers move to a new 
  location, they choose an amount of funds to convert over. They then have three options for doing so. If 
  they go to an official bank or exchange, subtract 2% from the funds converted, to represent fees and 
  administrative expenses. If they go to legal currency markets, adjust the balance up or down 1% per 
  point of success or failure on a roll against Merchant-5. If they go to a black market, adjust the balance 
  up or down 2% per point of success or failure on a roll against Streetwise-2. If they then return to the 
  original location, no roll is required to change back; if they go on to a new location, a new roll is 
  required.
  
  STATUS
  Poseidon is a rough-and-tumble society, where fortunes can be made and lost; things haven't 
  settled down enough for Status to be clearly defined. The usual source of Status is Military or 
  Administrative Rank, either of which grants 1 level of Status per 3 levels of Rank (divide Rank by 3 
  and round to the nearest whole number). Wealthy or better characters get +1 Status, and each level of 
  Multimillionaire grants an added +1. These sources of Status aside, few colonists have more than one 
  level of Status plus or minus. Natives have longer established communities, but also tend to be 
  egalitarians; they may have two levels of Status plus or minus but seldom have either Rank or Wealth.
  A few official positions carry more status. Heads of national or Incorporate states are 
  automatically Status 7; heads of colonial governments or autonomous communities are Status 6, as are 
  GEO Marshals. This usually doesn't apply to native communities, most of which have councils rather 
  than chief executives.
  JOBS
  The following table lists a variety of jobs suitable for Poseidonians. Qualifications for jobs are 
  defined in terms of professional templates; for example, an undercover police officer needs Advanced 
  Law Enforcement and Basic Spy.
  Job Table
  Job (Professional Templates), Monthly Income           Success Roll     Critical Failure
  Poor Jobs
  Ecoterrorist or Native Insurgent* (Basic Soldier, Spy, Survivalist), $50 ¬* IQ     Acting or 
  Stealth                        2d/4d or prison term
  Thug* (Basic Muscle and Gangster), $50 ¬* ST Streetwise          2d/4d
  Struggling Jobs
  Dancer* (Advanced Entertainer: Dancer), $100 ¬* Dancing       Dancing           LJ
  Enforcer* (Advanced Muscle), $100 ¬* Intimidation     Streetwise         2d/4d
  Freebooter* (Basic Muscle and Naval Crew), $100 ¬* Intimidation        Seamanship      2i/-2i, 3d
  Journalist* (Basic Scholar, Basic Spy), $100 ¬* Writing  IQ        2i/1d
  Miner* (Basic Survivalist and Technical), $100 ¬* Prospecting  HT       3i/LJ
  Native Patrol (Basic Law Enforcement and Survivalist), $100 ¬* Administration Sense   2d/LJ
  Pioneer* (Basic Colonist and Survivalist), $100 ¬* Agronomy   HT       2i/LJ
  Private Investigator* (Basic Investigator and Trader), $100 ¬* IQ           Criminology    3i/2d
  Sailor (Basic Naval Crew and Technician), $75 ¬* Seamanship   Seamanship      1d/LJ
  Whalesong Mystic (Basic Survivalist, Advanced Whalesong Mystic), $100 ¬* 
  Performance/Ritual                      Theology            2i/LJ
  Average Jobs
  Bush Pilot* (Basic Pilot, Survivalist, Technician, Trader) $200 ¬* Piloting          
  Piloting                                                    2i/-2i, 2d
  Colony Leader* (Basic Survivalist and Advanced Colonist), $150 ¬* 
  Agronomy                                                 Leadership            2i/LJ
  GEO Peacekeeper (Basic Soldier and Survivalist), $1,000 ¬* (Military Rank + 1)            
  HT                                                              2d
  GEO Patrol (Basic Investigator and Law Enforcer), $2,000       Criminology    2i/2d
  Guide* (Advanced Survivalist; Leadership skill), $200 ¬* Leadership    Survival            2i/2d
  Military Medic (Basic Administrator, Basic Doctor), $2,500      First Aid           1i/-2d
  Native Healer (Basic Doctor and Survivalist), $1,500     Diagnosis         2i/LJ
  Opportunist* (Basic Gangster and Trader), $150 ¬* Fast-Talk    Streetwise         3i/2d
  Repairman* (Basic Technician and Trader), $150 ¬* Technical Skill     IQ        2i/2d
  Spacer (Basic Technician, Advanced Space Crew), $200 ¬* Electronics 
  Operation/Mechanics                                                              IQ            1d/3d
  Teacher (Basic Administrator, Basic Scholar or Scientist), $200 ¬* Teaching      
  Teaching                                                           2i/LJ
  Trader* (Basic Administrator and Trader), $200 ¬* Merchant    IQ        1i/-4i
  
  Warden* (Basic Law Enforcer, Expert Survivalist), $200 ¬* Law Survival            2i/2d
  Comfortable Jobs
  Anthropologist (Basic Survivalist, Advanced Scholar), $300 ¬* Anthropology    HT       1d/2d
  Contract Killer* (Basic Gangster, Advanced Spy), $400 ¬* Streetwise     Shadowing       2d/4d
  Doctor (Basic Administrator or Trader, Advanced Doctor), $400 ¬* Diagnosis   
  Diagnosis                                                          2i/2d
  Engineer (Basic Scientist, Advanced Technician), $350 ¬* Electronics or Engineer        
  IQ                                                          2i/2d
  Field Researcher (Basic Survivalist, Advanced Scientist), $350 ¬* Science
  GEO Marshal (Advanced Administrator and Law Enforcer), $5,000     Streetwise         2d/4d
  GEO Shock Trooper (Basic Soldier and Survivalist + GEO Shock Trooper "racial" template), 
  $5,000                                                  DX            2d/4d
  Hacker* (Basic Burglar, Advanced Technical), $500 ¬* Computer 
  Programming                                                   Streetwise            3i/2d
  Incorporate Security (Basic Administrator and Advanced Investigator, Law Enforcement, Soldier, or 
  Spy), $4,000                          IQ            1d/LJ
  Intelligence Agent (Basic Diplomat, Advanced Spy) $4,000     Acting  1d/-3d, reassigned
  Laboratory Researcher (Advanced Scientist, Basic Technician), $400 ¬* Science            
  IQ                                                1d/3d or LJ
  Mercenary Soldier (Basic Muscle and Advanced Cetacean Military or Soldier), $400 ¬* 
  Tactics                                                             HT            LJ/-4d
  Military Pilot (Basic Soldier, Advanced Pilot), $3,000 + $500 ¬* Military Rank  Pilot     1d/3d
  Outfitter* (Basic Survivalist, Advanced Trader), $300 ¬* Merchant        Merchant         2i/-6i
  Smuggler* (Basic Gangster, Advanced Pilot), $400 ¬* Streetwise           Piloting            2i/LJ
  Wealthy Jobs
  Genetic Engineer (Advanced Doctor and Scientist) $800 ¬* Genetics     Genetics           LJ/10-point 
  Disadvantage
  Mob Boss* (Advanced Executive and Gangster), $1,000 ¬* Administration       
  Streetwise                                                          6i/3d
  Research Administrator (Advanced Administrator or Executive, Advanced Scientist), $600 ¬* 
  Science                                           Politics            3i/LJ
  Rock Star* (Advanced Entertainer: Musician, Basic Trader) $500 ¬* Cyberaxe, Musical Instrument, 
  or Singing                    Best PR            LJ
   
  3. GEAR
  In GURPS terms, Poseidon is basically TL9, with some quirks. More specifically, it's a "hard 
  science" version of TL9 (as defined on p. UTT6). Some common science-fictional technologies either 
  don't exist or aren't commonly available: beam weapons, force-field technology, gravity control, and 
  power cells, among others. Faster-than-light drives do not exist; FTL travel between Earth and 
  Poseidon is made possible by a wormhole which no human scientist or engineer can duplicate. At the 
  same time, computer technology has advanced much faster than in the standard system of TLs.
  Native communities lost most of their advanced technological capabilities during the period of 
  isolation, though they retained some of the underlying scientific knowledge. Native-made devices 
  average TL5, but are seldom powered by fossil fuels; wind and water are more common. However, a 
  native community may have some imported TL9 devices as well.
  GURPS Blue Planet can be used with existing "tech" supplements, such as GURPS Vehicles, with 
  a little caution. Throughout this chapter, Notes provide guidance for the GM wishing to use other 
  supplements in a Poseidonian campaign.
  Descriptions of devices may include any of the following:
  
  Complexity: The functional sophistication of a computer or automaton. The lowest possible 
  Complexity is -2, for a simple clock, lock, or similar device; the lowest Complexity for a computer is 
  1.
  Power: The power consumed by the operation of the device, if it is not self-powered.
  Weight: The weight of the device in pounds.
  Volume: The volume of the device in cubic feet.
  Cost: The cost of buying or making the device, in corporate scrip (see p. 00). This is the list price 
  for a factory-built model.
  Weapons and vehicles have more elaborate statistics.
  MATERIALS
  Many objects on Poseidon are made of bioplastic, an organic polymer produced by artificial 
  bacteria. To produce it, a nutrient bath is injected into a mold of a suitable shape. The bath is infected 
  with tailored bacteria that convert the nutrients into bioplastic and die off after their food supply is 
  used up. The color, texture, and density can be adjusted, sometimes by choice of bacterial strain, 
  sometimes by chemical additives. Density ranges from 5 lbs./cf for foamed bioplastic used in floats 
  and rafts up to 250 lbs./cf for ammunition-grade bioplastic
  Note: When used for armor, bioplastic is classified as TL9 composite armor (pp. VE21-22). 
  Laminate armor may combine bioplastic with ceramics or even metals.
  POWER SYSTEMS
  Poseidonian equipment uses three main power sources. Large power plants use fusion systems, 
  which are used only in fixed bases. Vehicles and small households or settlements use fuel cells. 
  Personal equipment typically uses batteries.
  Batteries
  Batteries are room-temperature superconductors made from exotic ceramic compounds. 0.001 lb. 
  per kWs; 0.01 cf per lb.; $30 per lb. Standard sizes are heavy (3,000 kWs), standard (200 kWs), mini 
  (30 kWs), micro (3 kWs), and nano (0.03 kWs). Thus, for example, a heavy battery weighs 3 lbs., 
  occupies 0.03 cf, and costs $90.
  Note: This is exactly equivalent to TL8 "advanced batteries" (p. VE88).
  Fuel Cells
  Fuel cells are power plants where the chemical energy of oxidation is converted directly into 
  electricity, rather than into thermal energy that is used to run a heat engine. The usual fuel is hydrogen, 
  which turns into water vapor, yielding hot water or steam as a byproduct. A fuel cell continues to 
  operate as long as it is supplied with fuel: 0.225 lbs./hour of hydrogen per kW of output. 2.25 lbs. per 
  kW; 0.016 cf per lb.; $100 per kW. The minimum practical size for a fuel cell is 20 kW.
  The hydrogen for a fuel cell is typically stored in a fuel module in the form of metal hydrides. 2 
  lbs., 0.016 cf, and $9.00 per 1 lb. of hydrogen capacity. A typical fuel module holds 45 lbs. of 
  hydrogen, weighs 90 lbs., occupies 0.72 cf, and costs $405.
  Fuel cells normally take oxygen from the air, but it can also come from a cryogenic liquid oxygen 
  tank. A fuel cell consumes 3.6 lbs./hour of oxygen per kW of output. The tank can be refilled. 0.055 
  lbs., 0.0165 cf, and $0.55 per 1 lb. of oxygen capacity. Cost of Refill: $0.01 per 1 lb. of oxygen.
  Note: Poseidonian fuel cells are much smaller and lighter than those described on p. VE85. They 
  are best treated as an entirely different technology.
  INTERFACES
  A variety of technological options enhance the control of mechanical devices by their operators.
  Access Chips
  
  A basic access chip is a dedicated small card programmed to understand and respond to a range of 
  simple code phrases. It is designed to run a damage control program for a specific device in which it is 
  implanted. Routine users gain basic information on the device's functional state (are its batteries 
  running down, is it out of ammunition, etc.); technically skilled users gain +2 to the skill that is used to 
  maintain and repair the device. Basic chips take up 0.0001 cf and cost $4; they are routinely built into 
  nearly every electronic or mechanical device.
  An interactive access chip is much more sophisticated, being able to communicate in a natural 
  human language, understand some slang, and make simple logical conclusions. It does everything a 
  basic chip does and also gives +1 to a user's skill in operating the device; in the hands of an unskilled 
  user it can exercise skill 12 for routine operations. For example, an interactive access chip could be 
  told "Camera, maximize the visibility of the object at lower left." An interactive access chip is a 
  dedicated tiny computer. 0.125 lbs., 0.0025 cf., $20.
  Manual Interface
  A manual interface is essentially a computer terminal, with a keypad, visual display, pointer 
  device, microphone, and speaker. A basic model weighs 2 lbs., occupies 0.1 cf, and costs $50. High-
  end interfaces can cost $1,000 or more.
  Head-Up Display
  A head-up display, or HUD, is a holographic image projected into the visual field. By making 
  information available rapidly, it gives +1 to any skill where this is important, such as Driving or 
  Piloting. A similar bonus applies to Tactics skill when the unit commander is electronically linked to 
  the other members of the unit.
  A standard HUD is designed for incorporation into a helmet (see p. 00). Separate units are also 
  available. A standard battery provides power for 2 months of operation. 0.5 lbs.; $9,400. A design 
  camouflaged as a soft cap is available for twice standard cost.
  Trodes
  Trodes are sensitive electrodes mounted on a headset and able to detect the electrical activity of 
  the user's brain and translate it into computer instructions. Any actions the user thinks of are carried 
  out almost instantaneously by the device the trodes control. The use of trodes gives either +1 to Speed 
  in using the device or +4 to skill. 0.5 lbs.; 0.03 cf; $1,200.
  Neural Interface Jack
  The cost and capabilities of a neural interface jack are discussed on p. 00.
  COMPUTERS
  Computers are available in a wide range of sizes, and with varied options. Select from the 
  following table:
  Computer Design Table
  Type of computer        Wt. (lbs.)          Vol. (cf)           Cost     Power (kW)      Complexity
  Megaframe      12,500 250      $6,250,000       100      10
  Macroframe     2,000   40        $1,000,000       10        9
  Mainframe       250      5          $100,000          1          8
  Microframe      100      2          $20,000            0.1       7
  Minicomputer  20        0.4       $7,500  ’Į         6
  Small computer            1          0.02     $500    ’Į         5
  Tiny computer 0.25     0.005   $100    ’Į         4
  Large card       0.05     0.001   $40      ’Į         3
  Small card        0.01     0.0002 $20      ’Į         2
  Options
  Compact          ¬*1/2      ¬*1/2      ¬*2        ¬*1        ’Į
  Dedicated         ¬*1/2      ¬*1/2      ¬*1/5      ¬*1        ’Į
  
  Dumb  ¬*1        ¬*1        ¬*1/5*   ¬*1        1
  Genius ¬*1        ¬*1        ¬*7*      ¬*1        +1
  Hardened         ¬*3        ¬*3        ¬*5        ¬*1        ’Į
  High-Capacity  ¬*1        ¬*1        ¬*1.5     ¬*1        ’Į
  Neural-Net       ¬*1        ¬*1        ¬*2        ¬*1        ’Į
  Robot Brain     ¬*1        ¬*1        ¬*1        ¬*1        ’Į
  *For small and tiny computers and large and small watches, Dumb multiplies cost by 1/20 and 
  Genius multiplies cost by 20. For mainframes, macroframes, and megaframes, Genius multiplies cost 
  by 20.
  Complexity is a rating of the sophistication of the programs a computer can run. A standard 
  computer can run two programs at its Complexity rating. A system of Complexity 2 or higher can be 
  programmed in a symbolic language. A system of Complexity 4 or higher can interpret a natural 
  human language and perform limited personality simulation (one disadvantage and up to five quirks). 
  A system of Complexity 5 or higher can perform full personality simulation. For certain purposes, a 
  computer can be defined as having IQ equal to its Complexity +3 (Complexity +4 if it has the Neural 
  Net option).
  The various options have the following effects:
  Compact. The computer is smaller and more expensive.
  Dedicated. The computer is hardwired for specific programs and cannot be reprogrammed.
  Dumb. The computer is less sophisticated.
  Genius. The computer is highly sophisticated, with state-of-the-art processing technology.
  Hardened. The computer is built with mechanical, optical, or other systems that resist 
  electromagnetic pulse.
  High-Capacity. The computer can run three programs at its Complexity, rather than two.
  Neural-Net. The computer is built to simulate the functioning of a human or animal brain, giving it 
  the ability to program itself and gain new skills. This raises its effective IQ to Complexity +4. Though 
  Neural-Net is listed as an option, it is actually standard for general purpose (non-Dedicated) 
  computers.
  Robot Brain. The computer is designed to control a vehicle, remote device, or other system 
  capable of physical movement. One of its program slots is taken up with a body control function that 
  lets it perceive, move, and manipulate. It has an effective DX of (Complexity/2) + 8.
  No sentient computers have been built, and no computer has ever spontaneously attained 
  sentience. However, computers at Complexity 6 and above with the Neural-Net option can learn to 
  interact with users in a way that makes them appear sentient.
  Standard Models
  Maincomp. The standard vehicular or desktop system, used separately or th provide network 
  access in an organization. A minicomputer with the Neural-Net option. Complexity: 6. IQ: 10. 20 lbs; 
  0.4 cf; $15,000.
  Bodycomp. The standard personal computer, small enough to carry in a pocket. A tiny device with 
  the Neural-Net option. Complexity: 4. IQ: 8. 0.25 lbs; 0.005 cf; $200.
  Advanced Bodycomp. A personal computer for wealthy people and technophiles. A large card with 
  the Compact, Genius, and Neural-Net options. Complexity: 4. IQ: 8. 0.025 lbs; 0.0005 cf; $3,200.
  COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS
  A few Poseidonian communities have had time to set up internal fiber optic networks, but many 
  have not, and no one has laid down fiber optical cables between islands. Most communications 
  devices use radio, typically in microwave frequencies, which allow a higher bit rate.
  Personal Communicator
  A personal communicator may be handheld or designed as a light headset. Most units are voice-
  activated. Versions that can pick up subvocalizations or bone conduction signals are readily available. 
  Effective range is 10 miles; this can be increased by a roll against Electronics Operation 
  
  (Communications) skill at -1 per extra mile, to a maximum of 20 miles. A mini cell provides power for 
  a year of moderate use. 0.06 lbs.; 0.001 cf; $140.
  Uplink Communicator
  An uplink communicator is a long-range radio transceived optimized for relaying signals to 
  communications satellites. Numerous comsats orbit Poseidon, though weather, malfunctions, and 
  constantly changing security protocols can impede communication; a roll against Electronics 
  Operation (Communications) skill is needed to get a message through. 3.5 lbs.; 0.07 cf; $1,400.
  SENSORS AND SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT
  Broad Spectrum Visor
  A set of visor-style sunglasses that combine anti-glare, light intensification, and infrared vision 
  functions. The light intensification function eliminates low-light Vision penalties except in total 
  darkness. The infrared function reduces low-light Vision penalties to -1 and makes it possible to see 
  and target heat sources even in total darkness; human beings, active machines, and gunshots are all 
  heat sources. Works for 2 months on a mini cell. 0.5 lbs.; $460.
  Digital Binoculars
  A set of electronic binoculars that provide an extremely sharp image. Includes the sme kind of 
  light amplification and infrared functions as a broad spectrum visor. Works for 2 months on a mini 
  cell. 0.75 lbs.; $770.
  Parabolic Microphone
  Parabolic sensors offer the ability to focus one's hearing on a specific sound, which can be heard at 
  up to 4¬* the normal range. A mini cell provides power for 2 months. 0.5 lbs.; 0.01 cf; $2,500. Often 
  combined with a broad spectrum visor in a configuration called a sensor array.
  Security Monitor
  A security monitor, or watchdog, is a small sensor linked to an alarm signal device. Short-range 
  radio transmitters are standard, but a watchdog can also be designed to make a loud noise. Military 
  models can be designed to emit a trigger pulse that sets off a weapons system.
  The usual sensor function is passive infrared, but passive sonar and ground vibration sensors are 
  also available. Some watchdogs respond to specific chemical substances. A group of watchdogs can be 
  used to set up a border or perimeter. The user can specify how close an approach will trigger the 
  watchdog, from 3 to 20 yards, and can also limit its sensitivity to one side of a perimeter.
  A mini battery powers a watchdog for up to four months. 0.5 lbs.; $570.
  Sonar Transceiver
  A portable sonar transceiver is used primarily for underwater activities. Carried in the hand or 
  attached to the head or chest, it emits ultrasonic pulses whose reflections can be used to form images 
  of the surroundings. Effective range is 200 yards under water, or 20 yards in air. Within a range of 1 
  yard it can penetrate solid objects of density comparable to that of living tissue, giving +2 to Diagnosis 
  and Holdout. A standard cell provides power for 4 hours. 1 lb.; 0.02 cf; $375.
  MEDICAL GEAR
  Biomonitor
  A compact biological sensor with a dedicated computer. When pressed against soft, vascular 
  tissue, it samples pulse rate, blood pressure, blood gases, galvanic state, neural activity, and hormonal 
  levels and prompts the user with the patient's condition and treatment needs. This is good for +1 to 
  First Aid skill. On a successful Electronics Operation roll it also gives +3 to Diagnosis. 0.75 lbs; 0.01 
  cf.; $520.
  
  Coagulant Pad
  A thin sheet of surgical plastic coated on one side with adhesive, broad spectrum antibiotics, and 
  clotting factors. The antibiotic gives +4 to HT to resist infection; the clotting factors stop bleeding 
  within 1d+4 seconds and restore 1 HT. Coag pads are easy to use ’  roll First Aid + 5. 0.025
  Į
   
  lbs/square inch; $1/square inch. A 1-point wound averages 1d+1 square inches.
  Cold-Sleep Capsule
  An insulated chamber large enough to hold one human body, with equipment for lowering its 
  metabolic rate through reduced temperature to produce a coma, and with a dedicated computer to 
  monitor the sleeper's physiological state. Used both for space travel as a means of reducing life 
  support needs and to keep ill or injured patients alive until medical care is available. 750 lbs; 50 cf; 
  $55,000. Power: 0.2 kW.
  A more compact variation is the cerebral cryo-oxygenator, or CCO. A Surgery roll is required to 
  attach this to a patient. Intravenous lines in the main vessels of the neck replace the blood circulating 
  in the brain with a refrigerated hyperoxygenated nutrient solution. The patient's body deteriorates 
  while the unit is installed. Roll against HT every 6 hours; failure indicates massive tissue deterioration 
  and requires a roll against Physician - 2 to prevent immediate death, and HT is reduced for further 
  rolls by the margin of failure if death is prevented. Even if this does not happen, there is a risk of brain 
  damage; roll against Will, gaining -5 points of new mental disadvantages for each point of failure 
  (memory loss is very common), while critical failure indicates that the patient never regains 
  consciousness. 18 lbs.; 0.2 cf.; $7,700. The unit's weight includes a heavy battery for power.
  DRUGS
  A variety of pharmaceuticals that treat disease or enhance the body's functions are available, 
  legally or illegally.
  Antibiotics and Antivirals
  Antibiotics usually treat bacterial infections; antivirals work against viruses. Most such drugs are 
  effective against only one diseases organism, giving +4 to HT rolls to resist disease. Broad-spectrum 
  antibiotics give +2 to HT rolls against bacteria and fungi of terrestrial origin and +(1d-3) to resist a 
  Poseidonian disease (minimum +0). $5 per dose; 2 doses daily for a week is standard.
  Anti-shock
  Anti-shock medications are designed to prevent death from trauma. If a character is reduced to 
  -HT hit points or lower and fails the basic HT roll, an immediate injection of anti-shock allows a new 
  basic HT roll at +2. For each full minute before the injection is made, apply a -2 cumulative penalty; if 
  10 full minutes have passed, failure is automatic. If the new HT roll succeeds, a successful First Aid or 
  Surgery roll stabilizes the patient and allows recovery to start; the patient will be incapacitated and 
  semiconscious for 24 hours. $10 per dose.
  Healing Booster
  Healing boosters speed up the body's natural self-repair processes. Add 5 to effective HT for any 
  roll to recover lost HT or get over a crippling injury. $55 per dose; 1 dose daily until the injury heals is 
  standard.
  Pain Inhibitor
  A dose of pain inhibitor confers High Pain Threshold (p. B20) for 5 hours. It use can become 
  addictive; this is a -10 point Addiction. $45 per dose.
  Reflex Serum
  A dose of reflex serum grants both Hyper-Reflexes and Hyper-Strength, at a cost of 1 
  Fatigue/turn. The user suffers no fatigue penalties until Fatigue is reduced to 0, but then collapses and 
  
  must regain Fatigue normally. Its use can become addictive; this is a -30 point addiction, and crimes 
  committed under the influence carry severe additional penalties. $350 per dose.
  LIFE EXTENSION DRUGS
  One of the mechanisms of aging in animals is the accumulation of errors in the genetic code, 
  leading to metabolic failures. Xenosilicates were found to prevent this genetic decay and thus arrest 
  the aging process. Several treatments a year are required; each treatment's effects last 1d months, 
  during which the recipient has no need to make aging rolls. Simple monthly biochemical tests can 
  determine when the effects wear off. Even on Poseidon, such treatments cost $5,000 each; on Earth, 
  $50,000 is a typical price. The longevity effect is the source of the common nickname for 
  xenosilicates, Long John.
  During experiments aimed at developing a synthetic substitute for Long John, Biogene developed 
  a compound known as anti-senescence serum or Auntie Susie. Unfortunately, the compound has side 
  effects that make it a poor substitute for Long John. Each dose of Auntie Susie is effective for 1d 
  months, as for Long John. During that time, aging rolls are required. On a 16 or less, aging effects are 
  avoided. On a 17, the user develop a major metabolic disorder leading to death within 1d months if not 
  treated; treatment requires a roll against Physician skill and costs 1d ¬* $5,000. On an 18, the user 
  experiences catastrophic metabolic failure, leading to death within 12 hours if not treated; treatment 
  requires a roll against Physician-5 and costs 1d ¬* $50,000.
  Because of these problems, Biogene decided not to release anti-senescence serum. However, the 
  specifications have been released and are now widely known. Auntie Susie is highly illegal, but can be 
  located with a roll against Streetwise-5 at a price of 1d ¬* $100 per dose, or through a suitable 
  Contact. Sellers make no guarantees of its effects, and medical insurance does not cover treatment of 
  side effects; seeking treatment at a hospital or clinic guarantees being reported to legal authorities, 
  though a private physician may be more cooperative.
  Ultrasonic Hypodermic
  A small device that increases the permeability of the skin through ultrasonic vibration, letting 
  drugs enter the bloodstream directly and painlessly (see boxed text for some available drugs). The 
  process is slower than traditional methods, requiring up to 30 seconds to administer a standard dose. A 
  standard cell provides power for up to 2,000 injections. 0.5 lbs; 0.009 cf.; $270.
  Wound Glue
  A preformulated mixture of surgical adhesive, antibiotics, and artificial skin cells in a dormant 
  state. Each tube is good for 10 applications, which require a roll against First Aid + 1. Success gives 
  +1 to the healing effects of First Aid (i.e., a minimum of 2 points healed) and increases the healing 
  from any successful HT roll from 1 to 2 points. 0.125 lbs; 0.002 cf.; $35.
  MEDICAL TREATMENT
  First aid and medical care are firmly established at TL9 (see pp. B127-129), and experimental 
  treatments, often based on xenosilicates, offer TL10 prototypes, though these are costly, risky, or both. 
  Genetic manipulation makes it possible to regrow entire limbs or organs. Regenerative healing costs 
  $1,000 per 1% of body weight regrown. If a vital organ needs to be replaced, making life support 
  necessary while it regrows, double the cost involved. Regrowth times range from 2 weeks for a small 
  body part such as a finger or earlobe to 6 months for restoration of a large part of the body. As a result 
  of regeneration, most physical handicaps can be eliminated; only the poor, religious extremists, and 
  natives isolated from Earth civilization are likely to have such handicaps.
  Similarly, a detailed understanding of brain chemistry means that most emotional problems can be 
  treated. Mental disadvantages that reflect such problems, including Paranoia, Phobia, and Split 
  Personality, are extremely rare. A person's emotional makeup can be adjusted by a "mind-job," though 
  this does not turn people into obedient robots; a hedonist mind-jobbed into a grim fanatic might 
  become fanatically opposed to interference with brain chemistry, for example. Disadvantages that 
  
  reflect personal convictions, such as Honesty and Pacifism, still exist, as do voluntarily acquired 
  disadvantages such as Addiction and Alcoholism.
  Physical appearance is as modifiable as personality. Height can be adjusted by up to 6" and weight 
  can be increased or decreased by up to 20%. Appearance can be made one step more attractive (see p. 
  B15), or fully functional sex reversal can be achieved. Such procedures cost $5,000-$50,000 
  depending on the extent of the modifications. Acquisition of a tissue sample makes it possible to 
  reshape a person into someone else's likeness, though Acting skill is needed to carry off any serious 
  impersonation; this procedure costs $70,000 and is quite illegal.
  SURVIVAL AND PROTECTIVE GEAR
  Armor
  A variety of body armor is available on Poseidon, from light, tough bioplastic to laminated 
  plastic/ceramic body armor. Commonly available forms include the following types:
  Helmet. Made of rigid biopolymer, a combat helmet protects the head and neck with PD 2, DR 6. 
  A PD 1, DR 4 transparent visor can be lowered to shield the fact. The standard model provides space 
  for a heads-up display and a filter mask. 2 lbs.; $550.
  Light vest. Woven from bioplastic polymer, this tough fabric is flexible, fairly comfortable, and 
  readily hidden under clothing. It protects hit locations 9, 10, 17, and 18. PD 2, DR 2 (PD 1, DR 1 vs. 
  imp), Holdout -2, LC 5. 2.5 lbs.; $300.
  Heavy vest. Similar to the light vest, but thicker and more obvious. PD 2, DR 3 (PD 1, DR 2 vs. 
  imp), Holdout -3, LC 5. 3.75 lbs.; $500.
  Reinforced vest. Similar to the heavy vest, but has integral plastic plates and cannot be worn under 
  ordinary clothing. PD 2, DR 6 (PD 1, DR 3 vs. imp), Holdout -5, LC 5. 7.5 lbs.; $830.
  Combat armor. Basic combat armor is a full-body suit made up of laminated plastic/ceramic 
  plates. It protects hit locations 6-18. PD 6, DR 8, LC 3. 17.5 lbs.; $5,000.
  Diving Gear
  Air tank. Despite the advantages of artificial gills, some divers still rely on an older technology. A 
  standard air tank made from laminate armor material holds 1.3 cf of air at 55 atmospheres, sufficient 
  for 9 hours. 21 lbs.; $230.
  Artificial gill. The gill pack, or artificial gill, gives nonaquaforms access to the depths of the 
  oceans. A small backpack holds a semipermeable membrane that exchanges gases with the water; the 
  wearer breathes through a face mask. A standard battery supplies power for 20 hours. 4.5 lbs; 0.15 cf.; 
  $250.
  Diving mask. A diving mask provides an airtight face plate that can be linked to an artificial gill or 
  oxygen tank, plus a holographic display for a sonar transceiver (see p. 00). It can be worn with a 
  drysuit or gillsuit. 1.5 lbs.; 0.9 cf; $50.
  Drysuit. The drysuit is a dual-purpose garment: it can be worn as loose-fitting, comfortable 
  clothing, but a low-powered electric current can switch the material to a tight weave that keeps water 
  out. Two standard batteries can power heating elements for up to an hour, if needed. Integrated solar 
  cells on the back recharge the batteries. Drysuits come in varied colors and patterns and are commonly 
  worn as everyday clothing in some communities. 6-12 lbs.; $230 for a basic suit. Multiply the list price 
  ¬*(1d+1) for fashionable designs.
  Gillsuit. The gillsuit is a more advanced technology for underwater operations, but is simpler to 
  use. The suit is made up of numerous layers of osmotic fabric that extract oxygen from the water, 
  storing it in numerous bladders that automatically inflate or bleed off oxygen to maintain neutral 
  buoyancy as pressure changes. No power source is required; the movements of the wearer's body 
  activate the gill system and also generate small amounts of electrical power to operate the suit's 
  control systems.
  The wearer is still restricted by decompression requirements, but a gillsuit's rebreather can be 
  refitted to use helium in place of nitrogen.
  
  Gillsuits are well insulated against heat loss, and in cold water they can provide extra heat from 
  thermal wiring for up to half an hour. They also have modest armor value: PD 1, DR 2 on all 
  locations.
  Gill suits are relatively expensive and have not yet replaced artificial gills and dry suits for short 
  underwater operations. For longer operations they come into their own, especially on the frontier, 
  where the user's independence of power supply issues is a major asset. The culture of gill suit use 
  favors a simple, utilitarian design that makes them less attractive for recreational divers. 12.5 lbs.; 
  $3,200.
  Hardsuit. The hardsuit amounts to a one-person submersible, designed to maintain an internal 
  pressure of 1 atmosphere, eliminating the problem of decompression. The standard model can 
  withstand depths up to 120 yards. An artificial gill supplies oxygen as long as the power holds out. Six 
  heavy batteries are good for 2.2 hours at full operation or more than a full day if restricted to life 
  support functions.
  Full operation includes an active sonar with a range of one-half mile and an MHD tunnel that 
  propels the suit at 4 mph (Move 2). The suit can also function as powered armor, with arm and leg 
  servomotors supporting its weight and giving +2 to the user's ST over and above this. The 
  manipulators on the arms are somewhat clumsy, giving -4 to DX for manual tasks.
  A standard suit will fit wearers weighing 140-175 lbs. Its flotation capacity is 375 lbs. Advanced 
  laminate armor gives it PD 3 and DR 10. 170 lbs.; $45,000.
  Filter Mask
  The filter mask uses activated charcoal and electrostatic precipitation to protect the user from most 
  airborne chemical toxins. It can also heat or cool air to a comfortable temperature. Power comes from 
  a standard battery that is good for 60 hours of use. 0.7 lbs; 0.0375 cf; $140.
  Fire Paste
  A quick way of starting a fire, fire paste comes in small blocks of a puttylike substance. Pulling a 
  tab triggers an integrated igniter; after 5 seconds the paste starts burning. A block will readily ignite 
  other flammables or will burn on its on for 30 minutes, providing heat equivalent to a small cooking 
  fire. 1.25 lbs., 0.016 cf, and $7 per block.
  Locator Beacon
  A small, high-powered radio transmitter that generates a telemetry signal to guide potential 
  rescuers; it may be programmed to go off only when triggered, or automatically after a certain number 
  of hours (a favored option for children). A standard battery provides power for 50 hours of operation. 
  The signal can be detected within a 100-mile radius. 0.3 lbs.; 0.004 cf; $25.
  MHD Harness
  The MHD harness uses the same technology that propels submersibles and other watercraft, but 
  with energy from a heavy battery that does not need an oxygen supply. It can propel a swimmer at 4 
  mph (Move 2) for up to 6 hours. 12.5 lbs.; $420.
  Navigation Suite
  The core of a nav suite is a dedicated, hardened Complexity 4 computer linked to a map database 
  for a given region. It also includes a magnetic compass and an inertial tracking system that give the 
  user the equivalent of Absolute Direction and measure distances to an accuracy of 1 yard per 1,000 
  miles. If a navigational satellite is above the horizon, a built-in uplink communicator functions as a 
  global positioning system, enabling the user to determine the exact location of his starting point; 
  however, hostile action or bad weather can prevent this function from operating. A mini cell provides 
  power for a year of operation. 2.5 lbs.; 0.06 cf; $400.
  Rescue Ball
  A rescue ball is a tough sphere large enough to hold one human adult. It is normally carried 
  packed in a small satchel; pulling it out inflates it so that the user can enter and then activates a 
  
  bacterial culture that converts exhaled carbon dioxide to oxygen. A heavy battery supplies power for 
  80 hours of life support. 13 lbs.; 0.16 cf deflated, 65 cf inflated (5' diameter sphere); $1,300.
  Survival Plastic
  Woven from bioplastic fibers, survival plastic comes in large sheets that are silvered on one side 
  and camouflage-patterned on the other (-2 to Vision rolls in the intended environment; +2 in 
  contrasting environments). The material can be cut with a sharp knife or melted with a heated metal 
  tool. Simple sheets can be used as blankets or sunshades; many other uses are possible. A 1,000 square 
  foot sheet weighs 2 lbs., costs $100, and fits into a 0.03-cf container weighing 0.2 lbs.
  Water Purifier
  A device for extracting salts, organic contaminants, and particulates from water. Contains a 
  semipermeable membrane that can process 90 pints of water before needing replacement. 0.5 lbs.; 
  0.016 cf; $65.
  CETACEAN TECHNOLOGY
  A wide variety of human-usable devices also exist in cetacean-usable versions. A few special-
  purpose devices enhance the capabilities of dolphins and orcas in various ways.
  Artificial Gill
  Artificial gills are available sized to fit dolphins and orcas, and configured for their blowholes. 
  Because they have higher metabolic demands, they need more batteries: dolphin models have two 
  slots and orca models have five for 20 hours of operation. 5 lbs. [dolphins]/10 lbs. [orcas]; 0.15 cf 
  [dolphins]/0.33 cf [orcas]; $500 [dolphins]/$1,500 [orcas].
  CICADA
  A CICADA (cybernetic interactive cetacean activity drone accessory) is designed to make up for 
  the two major handicaps of cetaceans in dealing with humans and technology: their lack of 
  manipulators and their inability to leave the water. It acts as a minigator for the No Manipulators 
  disadvantage in the same way that glasses act as a mitigator for Bad Sight. The ready availability of 
  CICADAs reduces the number of points No Fine Manipulators is worth as a disadvantage (see p. 00).
  A CICADA is made up of two parts: an aquatic sled and a hover drone.
  The aquatic sled is effectively a miniature submarine. It can send and receive ultrasonic signals, 
  providing it with active sonar within a 1-mile radius and also letting it communicate with its owner. 
  An MHD tunnel propels it through the water at Move 6 (12 mph). It has two ST 20 arms, retractable 
  for greater speed. An onboard computer (Complexity 2, IQ 5, DX 9) enables it to function 
  autonomously. Batteries store 60,000 kWs of power, sufficient for 7.5 hours of operation. Internal 
  spaces provide storage for the hover drone and for up to 1 cf of cargo. It has PD 2, DR 2, and 6 hit 
  points. 95 lbs. empty weight; 3.75 cf; $34,300.
  The hover drone is effectively a very tiny hovercraft, able to maintain an altitude of 2 feet above 
  the land or water and to fly at Move 15 (30 mph). It has 360¬ƒ visual sensors and can hear and speak 
  in humanly audible frequencies. It has no onboard computer but has a short-range radio link with its 
  sled. Batteries store 6000 kWs of power, sufficient for 19 minutes of flight; it can recharge from the 
  sled's batteries. It can also rest in an open sled compartment or on a solid surface and provide its 
  owner with an eye, ear, and voice. It has PD 1, DR 1, and 1 hit point. 41 lbs.; 0.42 cf; $6,665.
  Solar Buoy
  The solar buoy offers a source of electric power to cetaceans in pelagic environments, far from 
  generators or fuel supplies. It is most often used to supply power to CICADA units. The output of one 
  solar buoy can recharge four CICADAs a day in clear weather; in emergencies, its full charge of 1 
  million kWs can be drained.
  A solar buoy is a hollow saucer-shaped hull 7 feet in diameter; retractable panels increase its 
  diameter to 10 feet in normal operation. Under tropical sunlight its output is 5.5 kW. It contains a 
  
  sonar beacon detectable at up to 1 mile by cetaceans or sonar receivers; CICADA units can be 
  programmed to home on a specific buoy when their charges run low. Built of cheap composites, a 
  solar buoy has PD 3, DR 6, and 56 hit points; its unarmored panels have 2 hit points. 1,350 lbs.; 40 cf; 
  $13,400.
  Sonic Trodes
  Dolphins and orcas are curiously reluctant to accept cybernetic implants such as neural interfact 
  jacks. Instead, they favor trodes, but of a specialized design suied to use in an aquatic environment and 
  to their unique sensory abilities. Sonic trodes transmit and receive sound, largely in the ultrasonic 
  range, enabling a cetacean to interact with a computer or remote.Any actions the user thinks of are 
  carried out almost instantaneously by the device the trodes control. The use of trodes enables use of 
  technological devices but gives no bonuses to speed or skill. 1.0 lbs.; 0.06 cf; $1,800.
  Weapons Harness
  Dolphins and orcas serving in the military often carry weapons systems on undersea missions. A 
  weapons harness provides the ability to carry such weapons on the cetacean's own body, with no need 
  for a CICADA to operate them. Dolphin harnesses have one 37.5mm torpedo tube with 12 torpedoes; 
  orca harnesses have two tubes and 50 torpedoes. Both versions are designed to be controlled by sonic 
  trodes. The tubes have cyberslave mounts with full stabilization.
  Dolphin harness: 13.75 lbs.; $330.
  Orca harness: 115 lbs.; $1,550.
  MELEE WEAPONS
  Diamond Knife
  Advances in materials fabrication make possible the manufacture of useful objects formed from 
  diamond. The diamond knife is a common tool and weapon. Treat it as a small or large knife of very 
  fine quality (¬*20 cost, +2 damage, and it will not break when used to parry).
  Stun Batons and Stun Gloves
  A stun baton is a short, flexible melee weapon that discharges an electric current into its target on 
  a successful Shortsword roll. The effect is nonlethal electric shock (p. 00). A standard battery provides 
  power for 50 uses. 0.5 lbs. (includes weight of battery); $100.
  A similar device, the stun glove, requires a roll to grapple the target (against DX, Judo, or 
  Wrestling). 0.4 lbs. (includes weight of battery); $200.
  FIREARMS
  The personal weapons of 2199 A.D. are mostly firearms powered by chemical explosives. The 
  differences are technical refinements rather than new principles. The most important change is from 
  cartridges to a binary propellant system, in which two liquids are mixed in the chamber of the weapon 
  just before firing and electrically ignited. A standard battery weighing 0.2 lbs. provides power for 
  hundreds or thousands of shots. Bullets are generally made of dense plastic.
  Some of these firearms are designed to be used with augmented strength or exceptional natural 
  strength. GEO shock troopers often carry such high-powered weapons. Spies and criminals normally 
  avoid such firearms, as they are rare and easily traced and people strong enough to use them are easily 
  identified.
  Note: Additional firearms can be designed using the rules in GURPS Vehicles (pp. VE100-113). 
  Standard ammunition is defined as plastic ammunition (pp. VE102, 110-113). The binary propellant 
  system is treated as a liquid propellant (p. VE111), but with an electric power requirement equal to 
  1/100 of the power requirement for an electromag gun (p. VE109). Most of the energy comes from the 
  chemical reaction, not the electric discharge. Autoloading and fully automatic mechanisms are 
  electrically powered; the power requirement is about 1% of the power needed for the electric 
  discharge system that ignites the propellant and is not separately accounted for.
  
  ACCESSORIES
  Various devices to enhance the usefulness of firearms are available.
  Assault Harness
  An assault harness is worn over the upper torso and provides support for a specific type of firearm, 
  improving the distribution of its weight to give -2 to the minimum ST to use a weapon. It also absorbs 
  recoil from firing, cancelling out the first -2 to skill from recoil. 3.75 lbs.; $650.
  Laser Designator
  A laser designator projects a dot onto a target for the user to aim at. This gives +2 to accuracy. The 
  snap shot penalty is reduced to -1 at up to 50 yards and -2 at 50-100 yards; it remains -4 for longer 
  ranges. Negligible weight; $40.
  Scope
  A scope is an optical magnifier that fits onto a firearm, usually a rifle. An optical scope (common 
  on native rifles) gives +1 accuracy for aimed shots, and cancels 1 point of low light penalty by its 
  ability to gather light. 4 lbs.; $150. An electronic scope gives +2 to accuracy for aimed shots. 1 lb.; 
  $1,000.
  Targeting Interlink
  A weapon with an electronic scope can be linked to a HUD (p. 00) or to a neural interface jack (p. 
  00). Either option gives -5 to the weapon's Snap Shot rating. In addition, the weapon can be pointed 
  outside the user's visual field, over his shoulder or around a corner; it then serves as a periscope and 
  can be fired at a target in its own visual field. A remotely operated weapon provides the same benefits, 
  but with the standard telepresence modifiers (see p. 00).
  Grenade Launcher
  A grenade launcher fires 36mm rifle grenades powered by a binary propellant. It has a shoulder 
  stock, but its barrel is quite short, usually no more than 12 inches. It can fire a variety of grenades with 
  differing effects; see p. 00.
  Handguns
  Handguns are available in several traditional metric sizes. The standard handgun is an automatic, 
  with ammunition stored in a plastic clip that is discarded after use. Concealable handguns are also 
  available, made entirely of plastic to avoid metal detectors, and with entirely mechanical action to 
  avoid sending electromagnetic signals; they fire caseless plastic ammunition rather than using liquid 
  propellant.
  Machine Guns
  Light machine guns can be used by a single soldier, perhaps with the aid of a bipod or a weapon 
  harness. They are normally used in fully automatic mode. The resulting high power consumption 
  requires a heavy battery weighing 3.0 lbs.
  Rifles
  Rifles are available in several varieties, suited to different functions.
  Assault rifles are designed for infantry combat. They have limited effective range, since enemy 
  forces at greater distance can be targeted by artillery fire. They fire low-caliber ammunition, but can 
  put out a high volume of fire; a standard ammunition cassette holds 100 rounds. They can be selected 
  for fully automatic fire, three-round bursts, or single shots.
  Hunting rifles are designed for single-shot fire, with autoloading from a clip, typically of 10 
  rounds. Their sizes range from light "varmint" rifles up to big game weapons. They also include 
  various native-made TL5 designs based on older technologies, with a breechloading design and firing 
  metal bullets propelled by black powder cartridges; an example of this design is given.
  
  Sniper rifles are generally similar to hunting rifles, but have slightly longer barrels. They also use 
  a larger charge of propellant to produce a higher muzzle velocity, which gives them increased range 
  and damage.
  Shotguns
  Shotguns fire shotshells, cartridges containing a number of projectiles of caliber less than the gun 
  barrel. The shot spreads out after leaving the barrel, decreasing the effective range.
  Spear Guns
  Native-made spear guns rely on elastic materials for energy storage; manufactured weapons use 
  compressed gas. Both types fire short shafts with sharp, barbed heads. The shaft is fastened to the gun 
  by a line up to 10 yards long. If the spear hits, the target must win a contest of ST to escape the line; 
  on success by less than 3, the barbed head tears out of the wound, doing damage equal to the original 
  hit. These weapons are typically used in water, but performance statistics are provided for both water 
  and air.
  Stun Guns
  Stun guns are not really firearms at all. They are beam weapons that fire an intense sonic pulse, 
  causing disorientation, confusion, and temporary hearing loss. Stunners require a HT roll to avoid their 
  effects; armor is only partially effective, giving +1 to effective HT per 5 points of DR. If a limb is hit, 
  a failed HT roll incapacitates the limb for 20-HT minutes (minimum 1); on a head or body hit, the 
  victim is "asleep" for the same amount of time. On a head hit, hearing loss also results, unless the HT 
  roll was a critical success; the victim gains the Hard of Hearing disadvantage, or the Deafness 
  disadvantage if the HT roll was a critical failure. When the victim awakens from stun, a second HT 
  roll is required to regain normal hearing. A critical success restores normal hearing immediately; an 
  ordinary success turns Hard of Hearing into normal hearing, or Deafness into Hard of Hearing (a 
  second roll is required to regain normal hearing, after another 20-HT minutes); an ordinary failure 
  produces the same result, but automatically delayed 20-HT minutes; after a critical failure the 
  impairment is permanent. Stun guns can also shatter glass or other small, fragile objects.
  Because they do not fire projectiles, stun guns are the weapon of choice for space stations and for 
  aircraft or spacecraft in flight. They are also useful for crowd control and to capture fugitives.
  Note: Stun guns can be built using the rules in GURPS Vehicles (pp. VE123-127), but they should 
  be defined as "bulky": ¬*2 weight and ¬*1/4 cost.
  Submachine Guns
  Submachine guns are effectively miniaturized assault rifles, capable of the same fire options, but 
  smaller and lighter, with short barrels that decrease their effective range.
  AMMUNITION TYPES AND COSTS
  Standard ammunition for modern firearms is made of dense plastic. It costs $4 per pound. For 
  example, a 9mm automatic pistol holds a clip of 25 rounds that weigh 1.4 lbs; this costs $5.60, or 
  $0.224 per round,or $22.40 for a package of 100 rounds. Ammunition is normally sold in premade 
  cassettes, belts, or other packages.
  Two variant types of ammunition are available:
  Armor-Piercing Rounds
  Armor-piercing rounds cause the same damage, but the DR of the target is divided by 2; for 
  example, a 9mm automatic pistol firing armor-piercing rounds does 2d(2). Cost is ¬*3; weight is 
  unchanged.
  Suppression Rounds
  Suppression rounds are made of a soft gel that spatters on impact. These rounds are shown as 
  having an armor divisor of (1/2); this means that target DR is multiplied by 2, and an unarmored target 
  
  is treated as DR 1. For example, a 9mm automatic pistol firing suppression rounds does 2d(1/2). 
  Range is ¬*0.4; cost is ¬*2; weight is unchanged.
        
  Native-made firearms fire metal rounds; they cannot use modern ammunition, nor can modern 
  firearms fire native-made metal rounds. Metal ammunition costs $2 per pound. Effects on damage, 
  range, etc. are already figured into the entry for "Native hunting rifle."
  Table of Firearms
  Weapon           Malf    Damage           SS        Acc      1/2D    Max     Wt.       AWt.    RoF      Shots    
  ST        Rcl       Costs    TL
  Grenade Launcher
  Grenade launcher, heavy          Ver.     *          14        5          170      1,700   13.3     1.1      3~        
  3          12        -2         $2,000  9
  Grenade launcher, light            Ver.     *          12        5          85        1,200   6.8       1.1      3~        
  3          9          -1         $1,300  9
  Handguns
  Automatic, 5.56mm     Ver.     1d+1    9          4          80        840      1.3       0.5       3~      35        
  8          1          $900    9
  Automatic, 7.62mm     Ver.     2d-1     9          5          140      1,100   2.1       0.8       3~      25        
  9          -1         $1,000  9
  Automatic, 9mm          Ver.     2d        10        6          150      1,200   2.8       1.4       3~      25        
  11        -2         $1,100  9
  Automatic, 11.25mm   Ver.     2d+2    10        6          170      1,300   4.2       2.7       3~      25        
  12        2          $1,400  9
  Automatic, 12.7mm     Ver.     3d        10        5          180      1,300   5.0       1.9       3~      25        
  13        3          $1,500  9
  Automatic, 14.5mm     Ver.     3d+1    10        5          190      1,400   6.5       1.7       3~      15        
  14        3          $1,700  9
  Concealable, 11.25mm Ver.     1d+1    9          3          85        870      0.5       0.3       3~      12        
  9          2          $550    9
  Machine Gun
  Light machine gun, 7.62mm    Ver.     3d+2    12        10        390      2,100   10.8     5.6      15        
  200      12        2          $2,600  9
  Light machine gun with bipod, 7.62mm                       12        12                    12.8                                   
  11                                
  Light machine gun, 9.00mm    Ver.     4d        12        10        420      2,200   13.9     9.2      15        
  200      14        2          $3,200  9
  Light machine gun with bipod, 9.00mm                                   12        12                          
  16.7                                         13        2                      
  Rifles
  Assault rifle, 5.56mm   Ver.     2d+2    12        9          220      1,500   6.5       1.1       15      100      
  9          1          $1,500  9
  Assault rifle, 7.62mm   Ver.     3d+2    12        11        390      2,100   12.0     2.8       15      100      
  12        2          $2,200  9
  Assault rifle, 9mm        Ver.     4d        14        11        420      2,200   16.6     4.6       15      100      
  13        -2         $3,100  9
  Hunting rifle, 5.56mm Ver.     2d+2    12        8          220      1,500   4.4       0.1       3~      10        
  10        2          $1,300  9
  Hunting rifle, 7.62mm Ver.     3d+2    12        10        390      2,100   8.0       0.3       3~      10        
  11        2          $1,700  9
  Hunting rifle, 11.25mm           Ver.     5d        14        10        470      2,300   17.3     0.9      3~        
  10        15        3          $3,200  9
  Hunting rifle with bipod, 11.25mm      Ver.     5d        14        10        470      2,300   21.5      0.9       
  3~        10        12        2          $3,200  9
  
  Native hunting rifle, 10mm      16        7d        17        10        670      3,800   20.2     0.125      1/5       
  1          11        -1         $1,300  5
  Sniper rifle, 7.62mm    Ver.     6d        12        11        700      3,500   10.6     1.0       3~      30        
  11        2          $2,100  9
  Shotguns
  Shotgun, 15mm           Ver.     2d-1     11        4          12        100      1.7       0.9       3~      30        
  12        -4         $1,100  9
  Shotgun, 19mm           Ver.     2d        11        4          13        110      2.6       1.9       3~      30        
  14        -5         $1,300  9
  Spear Guns*
  Elastic powered, in air  Crit.     1d        12        4          160      200      6.0       1.0       1/5      1          
  8          0          $160    5
  in water                                    14        2          80        100                                                      
                                
  Compressed gas powered, in air            Crit.     1d+1    12        4          200      250      6.0      1.0       
  1          5          10        0          $200    9
  in water                        14        2          100      125                                                                                    
  Stun Guns
  Pistol grip stunner        Ver.     Spcl.    11        11        25        50        0.7       ’Į         3      20        6          
  0          $275    9
  Tripod stunner Ver.     Spcl.    11        11        60        120      4.1       ’Į         3          200      8          
  0          $310    9
  Submachine Guns
  Submachine gun, 5.56mm       Ver.     2d-1     11        7          95        920      1.9       0.7      15        
  100      8          -1         $1,000  9
  Submachine gun, 7.62mm       Ver.     2d+1    12        9          170      1,300   3.3       1.7      15        
  100      10        2          $1,100  9
  Submachine gun, 9.00mm       Ver.     3d-1     12        9          190      1,400   4.6       2.7      15        
  100      10        -2         $1,300  9
  Submachine gun, 11.25mm     Ver.     3d+1    12        9          210      1,400   7.0       5.3      15        
  100      11        2          $1,600  9
  Submachine gun, 12.7mm       Ver.     4d        12        9          220      1,500   9.0       7.7      15        
  100      14        3          $1,800  9
  GRENADES
  Grenades come in two sizes: hand-thrown, typically weighing 0.7 lbs., and launched (see Grenade 
  Launchers, p. 00), typically weighing 0.375 lbs. Hand-thrown grenades use the skill of Throwing. 
  Grenades come in two broad classes: destructive and suppressive.
  Destructive Grenades
  Armor-piercing grenades require a high impact speed and thus are available only for launchers. 
  They have a two-stage explosion, in which a shaped breaching charge penetrates the armor, and then a 
  destructive charge penetrates the breach. Damage is 9d (2), where the (2) is an armor divisor.
  The simplest destructive grenade is the concussion grenade, which produces only an explosive 
  shockwave (see p. B121). Damage is 6d¬*5 for a hand grenade, 17d for a launcher grenade.
  The standard destructive grenade is the fragmentation grenade, which has a casing designed to 
  disintegrate into lethal fragments (see pp. B121-122). Damage is 6d¬*4 [4d] for a hand grenade, 13d 
  [4d] for a launcher grenade; the [4d] denotes damage from fragments. Note that concussion damage is 
  reduced by energy spent in propelling the fragments.
  Incendiary grenades release an intensely hot burning material with a radius of 7 yards for hand 
  grenades or 5 yards for launcher grenades.
  Suppressive Grenades
  
  All suppressive grenades take effect in the same radius as incendiary grenades: 7 yards for hand 
  grenades, 5 yards for launcher grenades.       
  Adhesive grenades release multiple strands of a strong, sticky material. Anyone entangled may 
  make one attempt per minute to break the strands with a Contest of Strength; the strands are ST 20. A 
  fully clothed victim may make one attempt per 10 minutes to squirm out of his clothes and escape with 
  a roll of Escape-3. Any failed attempt to break free causes the strands to constrict, inflicting 1 point of 
  damage. The strands lose their constricting ability after 24 hours and then lose 1 ST per 2 hours; they 
  can also be removed with an aerosol spray (one can costs $100, weighs 2 lbs., and treats up to 25 
  victims, one per turn).
  Flash-bangs are designed to create a bright flash and a loud noise. Anyone within range and not 
  wearing heavily darkened lenses and ear protection may be incapacitated. The target must make a HT-
  5 roll to avoid being physically stunned. If stunned, he must attempt a HT-5 roll each turn to recover. 
  If the target has eye and ear protection, the HT rolls are made at no penalty. On a critical failure, the 
  target remains stunned for five turns before he can attempt to recover again. Targets who are suddenly 
  blinded and deafened may be required to make a Fright Check at +2.
  Nausea grenades release a contact agent that causes severe nausea. Anyone who is not wearing a 
  gas mask or airtight armor must make a HT-4 roll every second; if this fails, he becomes violently ill 
  for as long as he remains in the cloud, plus (20-HT) minutes. Effects are equivalent to being stunned. 
  Even if all his rolls have succeeded, he is at -4 on DX, IQ, and skill rolls.
  Sleep grenades release a gas that causes unconsciousness if inhaled. For each turn of exposure, the 
  victim must roll against HT-4. If he makes the roll, he takes 1 point of Fatigue; if his Fatigue goes to 0 
  he falls asleep. If he misses the roll he falls asleep automatically. Those who leave the cloud regain ST 
  normally; but those who have fallen asleep remain asleep until (30-HT) minutes after they leave the 
  cloud. At that point they are allowed one HT roll per minute to awaken. A successful First Aid roll can 
  also awaken them.
  Smoke grenades release a thick cloud of colored smoke that blocks vision. For twice the cost the 
  smoke is also prismatic, blocking radar and laser beams. Anyone breathing either form must make a 
  HT roll each turn or suffer 1 point of damage.
  HEAVY WEAPONS
  Squad and vehicular weapons are rare and largely restricted to military and SWAT forces. This list 
  provides a sample suitable for adventurers with official connections or good black market ties.
  Weapons in this weight class can have a fixed or towable mount as independent units, or a fixed or 
  cyberslave mount in a vehicle. Vehicular fixed mounts are normally used only with launchers for 
  guided missiles or torpedoes. Either a vehicular cyberslave mount or a mount for an independent unit 
  weighs as much as the weapon itself; a fixed vehicular mount adds no extra weight, as the weapon is 
  attached directly to the skeleton of the vehicle.
  Assault Cannon
  A standard assault cannon is an electric Gatling gun with three barrels in alternate use.
  Autocannon
  An autocannon has a single long barrel. Various models are commonly used in armored vehicles 
  or for antiaircraft fire.
  Heavy Machine Gun
  Heavy machine guns have longer barrels than light machine guns and require a fixed or vehicular 
  platform. They are otherwise similar.
  Missile/Missile Launcher
  A missile is designed for operation in the air at supersonic speeds. The standard model has a built-in 
  optical homing system with skill 16. Missile launchers come in two sizes. The small infantry 
  model is a single-shot muzzle-loader; the mounted model has a fast autoload mechanism.
  
  Torpedo/Torpedo Launcher
  A torpedo is a self-propelled missile designed for underwater operation. Two sizes are in common 
  use. The larger size has an active sonar homing system with skill 15; the smaller size is unguided. The 
  larger size is fired from a mounted launcher with a fast autoloading mechanism; the smaller size is 
  fired either from a mounted launcher with a slow autoloading mechanism or from a portable launcher 
  with a pistol grip. The portable launcher has a magazine with capacity 4 torpedoes.
  Table of Artillery
  Weapon           Malf    Damage           SS        Acc      1/2D    Max     Wt.       WPS    RoF      Ldrs.    
  Costs    TL
  Assault cannon
  Assault cannon, 20mm Ver.     6d        17        12        380      1,700   38.0     0.25     50      0          
  $8,500  9
  Assault cannon, 25mm Ver.     7d+2    17        12        310      1,800   59.0     0.50     40      0          
  $13,300            9
  Assault cannon, 30mm Ver.     9d        17        12        340      1,900   128.0   0.86     30      0          
  $25,000            9
  Assault cannon, 37mm Ver.     11d      17        13        380      2,000   194.0   1.60     25      0          
  $30,000            9
  Autocannon
  Autocannon, 20mm     Ver.     9d        20        14        630      2,800   67.5     0.25     20      0          
  $23,000            9
  Autocannon, 37mm     Ver.     17d      20        15        860      3,700   350      1.6       10      0          
  $62,000            9
  Heavy Machine Gun
  Heavy machine gun, 7.62mm   Ver.     4d        14        13        470      2,300   13.0     0.033      50        
  0          $2,900  9
  Heavy machine gun, 9.00mm   Ver.     5d-1     17        14        510      2,400   18.0     0.055      40        
  0          $4,000  9
  Heavy machine gun, 12.7mm   Ver.     7d-1     20        14        600      2,700   36.0     0.15      30        
  0          $8,100  9
  Table of Missiles and Torpedoes
  Weapon           Malf    Damage           Spd      End      Skill     Min      1/2D    Max     WPS      CPS     
  TL
  Anti-vehicle missile, 90mm      Crit.     6d¬*36 (10)       1m999 11        15        ’Į         ’Į       
  11m999           32        $2,440  9
  Torpedo, 37.5mm        Crit.     6d¬*7    10        225      ’Į         ’Į         ’Į         2,250   1.7      $21      9
  Torpedo, 230mm         Crit.     6d¬*1,500 [12d]            60        150      15        ’Į         ’Į       9,000   
  400      $24,400            9
  Table of Launchers
  Weapon            SS        Wt.       RoF      Ldrs.    Costs    TL
  Infantry missile launcher          20        32        1/6       0          $2,400  9
  Mounted missile launcher        20        78        1/2       0          $5,900  9
  Portable torpedo tube, 37.5mm            10        3.4       1          0          $420    9
  Mounted torpedo tube, 37.5mm           17        3.4       1          0          $420    9
  Torpedo tube, 230mm 25        990      1/4       0          $30,000            9
  Robots and Remote Drones
  A "robot" is a machine that directs its own movements and actions without human involvement. A 
  "remote" is a machine that is controlled by a human being somewhere else. The same machine can be 
  both at different times.
  Robots at the end of the 22nd century are not the mechanical men of classic science fiction. 
  They're essentially much like other machines, except that they have built-in computers programmed 
  
  for self-operation. They are widely used both for routine tasks that don't call for human flexibility and 
  for nonroutine tasks that are dangerous for human beings to perform. Types of robots that adventurers 
  are likely to encounter include the following:
  Construction Robot
  The commonest size of construction robot has a standard basic chassis with space and power for 
  any of a number of tool modules. The appropriate dedicated Complexity 4 computer brain is installed 
  at the same time, giving it IQ 7 and DX 10. The robot has a low-resolution black and white monocular 
  camera, a microphone and loudspeaker with bullhorn attachment (useful in shouting warnings), and an 
  interface jack. A tracked drivetrain enables it to operate on rough ground; 400 lbs. of hydrogen fuel 
  supply power for 9 hours of operation. Every model has a hitch that can tow up to 120,000 lbs. of 
  external load. Top speed varies with the installed module; note that on-road operation is 10 mph faster 
  (construction robots normally operate off-road). 10,000 lbs. plus module weight; 700 cf; $200,000 
  plus module cost.
  Bulldozer
  A bulldozer blade enables a robot to clear a path of its own width. In ordinary soil it can plow 
  2,000 cubic yards per hour; in loose sand the rate is doubled. Top speed is 40 mph (Move 20). 800 
  lbs.; $1,600.
  Crane
  A 120' crane can lift up to 20 tons with a hook or bucket. Top speed is 30 mph. 20,000 lbs.; 
  $80,000.
  Drill
  A power drill can bore a tunnel through hard rock at a rate of 100 cf/hour, for a forward speed of 
  1.5 yards per hour. Multiply its speed ¬*2 in soft rock, ¬*3 in clay, or ¬*4 in soil or sand. Top speed 
  when not drilling is 40 mph. 5,000 lbs.; $4,000.
  Forklift
  A forklift can handle a load of up to 20,000 lbs. Top speed is 30 mph unloaded, 20 mph loaded. 
  20,000 lbs.; $40,000.
  Shovel
  A power shovel can dig in ordinary soil at a rate of 120 cubic yards per hour, or in sand at 240 
  cubic yards per hour. Top speed is 20 mph. 48,000 lbs.; $240,000.
  Winch
  A winch can haul loads with effective ST 4,000 on a 4,000-yard cable. Note that if the load's 
  weight exceeds the combined weight of winch and robot, the winch will instead pull the robot closer to 
  the load! Top speed is 30 mph. 10,000 lbs.; $80,000.
  Note. A similar chassis can be used for an agricultural robot; see p. VEXI20 for equipment 
  construction rules. The size of agricultural equipment is limited by available volume of 400 cf and 
  available power of 20 kW.
  Delivery Robot
  A delivery robot is essentially a small flying vehicle able to carry a parcel. A low-powered ducted 
  fan with vector thrust provides power for a few minutes of flight at high speeds. A Complexity 2 
  computer brain perceives the flight environment by low-powered radar and communicates by short-
  range radio. The standard model can fly for up to 10 minutes at an average of 100 mph, giving it a 
  round-trip radius of 8 miles or a one-way radius of 16 miles if it can recharge at the destination. It 
  carries up to 5 lbs. 30 lbs., $1,800.
  Recon Crawler
  The recon crawler was developed for military use, but has proven useful in a number of civilian 
  applications as well, from detective work to building inspection. A half-dome body carries a 
  monocular video camera, a microphone, and a radio transceiver, along with a small card with the 
  compact, dedicated, hardened, neural net, and robot brain options (C 2, DX 9, IQ 6) and a mini battery 
  
  (30 kWs). A six-legged drivetrain with improved suspension can attain speeds up to 40 mph (Move 
  20) with endurance of 50 minutes. For concealment, the crawler has a liquid crystal skin capable of 
  assuming varied camouflage patterns good for -2 to Vision rolls, in addition to the -4 from its small 
  size. The system is capable of storing up sensory impressions and transmitting them in a compressed 
  burst signal at regular intervals, when externally triggered, or when a prespecified trigger stimulus is 
  noted. It has 1 hit point, and laminate armor gives it PD 2 and DR 2. 2.4 lbs.; 0.032 cf; $3,200.
  Remote Submersible
  Remote submersibles are used for scientific research, prospecting, and other tasks. A basic model 
  is controlled from the surface via a cable, which may also carry power to extend the life of its 
  batteries; if it is disconnected, a standard program brings it to the surface again. Physically this model 
  is a sphere 15 inches in diameter, a design that maximizes its crush depth. Its flotation capacity is 59 
  lbs. Two heavy batteries provide power for 80 minutes of operation. A miniature MHD tunnel enables 
  it to attain up to 6 mph (Move 3). A sonar apparatus with range one-fourth mile enables it to navigate, 
  controlled by a Complexity 4 robot brain; space is provided for scientific apparatus, up to 5 lbs. in 
  weight and 0.1 cf in volume. Advanced laminate armor provides PD 4 and DR 20 and gives it a crush 
  depth of 2,880 yards. 54 lbs.; $66,500.
  The basic data cable weighs 10 lbs. and costs $100 per 1,000 yards. A capable that also carried 
  electric power has 5¬* the weight and 2¬* the cost.
  One common use for remote submersibles is prospecting, aided by biochemical sensors that 
  analyze the seawater for trace xenosilicates.
  TELEOPERATION 
  Teleoperation is the remote control of a machine, generally via a radio, infrared, or laser 
  communicator. The machine normally requires a password, 
  limiting access to authorized teleoperators. Teleoperation requires a two-way communications 
  link. If this is jammed or interrupted, the teleoperator loses control. 
  The teleoperator uses the remote-operated ("drone") machine's sensors and controls it, superceding 
  the drone's own digital mind, if any. The drone is effectively unconscious while being controlled. For 
  ST, DX, or HT rolls, use the drone's values. The controller uses his own IQ, Will, and skills. However, 
  in the case of DX- or HT-based skills, modify by the difference in DX or HT values; e.g., a 
  teleoperator with DX 14 controlling a DX 12 drone has a -2 penalty on DX-based skills. The GM 
  determines which advantages and disadvantages are applicable. In general, the teleoperator uses the 
  drone's physical advantages or disadvantages, but his own 
  mental ones. 
  There is also a "telepresence penalty" on anything done through the drone. It varies by software: 
  -1 if using direct control, -2 if VR control. Teleoperation also assumes the teleoperator is focusing 
  entirely on the drone and not doing anything else. Otherwise, there's a -4 penalty on anything he's 
  doing either with the drone or with his real body. 
  A teleoperator can control multiple drones. Apply a cumulative -2 per drone after the first to all 
  rolls to operate any of the drones.
  The speed of light is an issue for long-range teleoperation. Every 186,000 miles (1 light-second) 
  between the operator and the cybershell imposes a two-second delay on any action. Even split-second 
  light-lag can be a problem: a teleoperation action such as dodging or shooting at a moving target is at 
  -1 per 10,000 miles.
  Vehicles
  Poseidon's inhabitants rely on a variety of vehicles to link settlements on their scattered islands. 
  Long-range travel depends on air, sea, and submersible craft. This chapter presents a sampling of 
  vehicles in common use; others may be designed using GURPS Vehicles.
  
  Many of the general-purpose vehicles described here can be converted from passenger to light 
  freight by taking out the seats. Light freight averages 20 lbs./cf. Effects on performance are specified 
  in the Notes.
  VEHICULAR ACCESSORIES
  Here are some examples of useful accessories that can be added to vehicles of various types:
  Communicator
  A radio transceiver system with a range of 10,000 miles under normal conditions. 5 lbs; 0.1 cf; 
  $300. Power consumption is negligible. For twice the cost, the system can send and receive scrambled 
  messages.
  Computer-Assisted Targeting System
  An extremely small, dedicated computer runs a ballistic calculation program that gives +2 to 
  Gunner skill. Weight, volume, and power consumption are negligible; $1,000. Complexity: 1.
  ECM Suite
  A deceptive jammer designed to confuse radar (see boxed text on p. 00). ECM suites are rated 
  from 1 to 5. Each rating carries a multiplier: ¬*1 for rating 1, ¬*2 for rating 2, ¬*5 for rating 3, ¬*10 
  for rating 4, ¬*20 for rating 5. The appropriate multiplier is applied to all of the following statistics. 20 
  lbs; 0.4 cf; $2,000; 2 kW. The price is 1/10 that in GURPS Vehicles, reflecting the widespread 
  availability of electronics.
  Ejection System
  An ejection system uses a rocket to fire a seated occupant out of a vehicle, and then brings him 
  safely to the ground (from an aircraft) or to the surface (from a submersible). 100 lbs; 5 cf; $5,500.
  Environmental Control
  An environmental control system provides light, ventilation, and comfortable levels of 
  temperature and humidity for a vehicle. Occupants can operate without fatigue (see p. B130) at up to 
  120¬ƒF or down to -30¬ƒF; treat higher or lower temperatures as 40¬ƒF closer to the comfort zone. 5 
  lbs./man; 0.1 cf/man; $50/man; 0.25 kW/man.
  Life Support
  In addition to performing the functions of an environmental control system, a life support system 
  supplies stored oxygen and drinkable water and removes carbon dioxide. The endurance of a life 
  support system is measured in man-days, rounded to the nearest 0.25 man-day; the minimum size is 
  0.25 man-days per person. 100 lbs./man-day; 2 cf/man-day; $500/man-day; 0.5 kW/man (not per man-
  day).
  Onboard Computer
  A small, dedicated computer that can navigate, operate a vehicle, and assist in damage control. 
  Navigation requires input from a radar, sonar, or other high-resolution sensor and a map database and 
  enables the vehicle to select a course to a specified location. Vehicle operation lets the vehicle steer 
  itself without human intervention, at effective skill 12, but only for routine operations; it will steer 
  around obstacles but not perform dangerous maneuvers or Dodge. Damage control monitors the 
  functioning of the vehicle and gives +2 to the skill that is used to repair it. Any vehicle with an 
  onboard computer is considered to have computerized controls. Weight, volume, and power are 
  negligible. $5,000 for ground vehicles and surface watercraft; $10,000 for aircraft, spacecraft, and 
  submersibles. Complexity: 2.
  Radar Suite
  
  A high-frequency transmitter and receiver that can be used to determine the range, position, 
  velocity, and other characteristics of surface, air, and space vehicles. Radar suites are rated from 1 to 
  5. Their characteristics are as follows:
  Radar Table
  Rating  Range  Weight Volume            Cost     Power
  1    45 miles     45        0.9       $2,250  11.25
  2    70 miles     70        1.4       $3,500  17.5
  3    100 miles   100      2.0       $5,000  25.0
  4    150 miles   150      3.0       $7,500  37.5
  5    200 miles   200      4.0       $10,000            40.0
  Note: Weight is in lbs.; volume in cf; power in kW. The price is 1/10 that in GURPS Vehicles, 
  reflecting the widespread availability of electronics.
  Sonar Suite
  Similar to a radar suite, but uses ultrasonic sound waves to detect underwater vehicles and terrain. 
  Sonar suites are rated from 1 to 5. Their characteristics are as follows:
  Sonar Table
  Rating  Range  Weight Volume            Cost     Power
  1    7 miles       140      2.8       $1,400  17.5
  2    10 miles     200      4.0       $2,000  25.0
  3    15 miles     300      6.0       $3,000  37.5
  4    20 miles     400      8.0       $4,000  50.0
  5    30 miles     600      12.0     $6,000  75.0
  Note: Weight is in lbs.; volume in cf; power in kW. The price is 1/10 that in GURPS Vehicles, 
  reflecting the widespread availability of electronics.
  Targeting Computer
  A computer somewhat larger and more sophisticated than the one in a computer-assisted targeting 
  system, able to operate a weapon autonomously, firing at a designated target with a Gunner skill of 12, 
  or to give a human gunner +2 to hit. A targeting computer is needed to use guided missiles or 
  torpedoes. Weight, volume, and power are negligible; $45,000.
  Turret
  A turret is a weapon housing compartment mounted on a vehicle. It provides space for the 
  weapon, a quantity of ammunition, a seat for the operator, and standing room for loaders, if they are 
  needed. In addition, it provides cybernetic support for more effective weapon use: a targeting 
  computer, a head-up display, a cyberslave mount, and stabilization gear (partial in ground, water, or 
  hover vehicles; full in underwater, air, and space vehicles) are standard. Weight and volume are 
  1.05¬* weapon weight and volume for partial stabilization, or 1.10¬* weapon weight and volume for 
  full stabilization. Cost is $55,000 plus $55 per pound of weapon weight for partial stabilization, or 
  plus $60 per pound of weapon weight for full stabilization. In addition, the turret is capable of either 
  partial or full rotation (180¬ƒ or 360¬ƒ respectively); add 10% or 20% of its volume to the body 
  volume of the vehicle to hold the rotation gear.
  VR Cockpit
  A vehicular control station that gives the operator a simulated view of the surroundings through 
  old-fashioned virtual reality gear, trodes, or an interface jack. The control station need not be placed at 
  the vehicle's surface or have actual windows. 50 lbs.; 1 cf; $100,000.
  VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS
  In the following descriptions, the subassemblies where components are located are abbreviated 
  Hydro, Opn, Sub, Sup, Tur, Whl for Hydrofoil, Open Mount, Substructure, Superstructure, Turret, and 
  Wheel, followed by a number if there are multiple subassemblies of the same type. (Arm, Body, Leg, 
  
  Mast, Skid, and Wing are spelled out.) Faces of subassemblies are coded as F for front, RL for right 
  and left, B for back, T for top, and U for underbody. In the initial list of subassemblies, the number 
  following each subassembly is the targeting modifier to hit it.
  Fuel is listed by amount in lbs.
  Occupancy is coded as CCS, NCS, or RCS for cramped, normal, or roomy crew stations; CS, NS, 
  and RS for cramped, normal, and roomy passenger seats; CSR, NSR, or RSR for passenger standing 
  room. An X indicates an exposed position. C indicates crew members without a crew station. Unless 
  otherwise specified, cargo space holds 20 lbs. per cf.
  Armor is shown by PD/DR values. Armor may be coded as nonrigid (N) or wood (W); if it is not 
  coded, assume metal armor.
  Weapons are shown by location and facing. Ammunition listings include all rounds stored on the 
  vehicle. Each entry ends with the targeting modifier provided by the vehicle's support systems for 
  direct fire.
  Statistics are vehicle dimensions in feet (height, width, and length in most cases); payload 
  (including fuel, crew, cargo, and ammunition) and full loaded weight; volume in cubic feet and overall 
  size modifier; price in 19th-century U.S. dollars; overall HT and location hit points; top speed in mph, 
  acceleration and deceleration in mph/second, MR in G, and SR, a margin of safety for failed control 
  rolls. To determine turning radius (p. B139), square the vehicle's current speed and divide by (40 ¬* 
  MR). The letters g, w, u, a, s, and t indicate ground, water, underwater, air, space, and time. Other 
  statistics appropriate to a given type of vehicle are listed at the end.
  GROUND VEHICLES
  Motorcycle
   
  Subassemblies: Body -1, Wheels [U:Body] -2.
  P&P: 20-kW fuel cell w/ 20-kW all-wheel drivetrain.
  Fuel: 9 lbs. hydrogen in fuel module [2.7 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 XCCS, 1 XCS. Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  Body:             3/10
   
  Statistics
  Size: 3’ ¬*1’ ¬*6’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ    Payload: 409 lbs. Lwt.: 639 lbs.
  Volume: 2.76 cf.                          Maint.: 266 hours.         Price: $5,600.
   
  HT: 12.
  HP: 33                   Whl: 12
   
  gSpeed: 150             gAccel: 5    gDecel: 10          gMR: 1.75       gSR: 3
  Ground pressure high. Off-road speed 37.5.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is heavy, standard, with fair streamlining. Area is 12 sf. Armor is standard, metal. An 
  improved suspension provides better MR and SR, and off-road tires give better off-road speed.
  WATER VEHICLES
  Hydrofoil
   
  Subassemblies: Body +3, Hydrofoil [U:Body] +2.
  
  P&P: 160-kW fuel cell w/ 150-kW MHD tunnel.
  Fuel: 135 lbs. hydrogen in fuel module [3.75 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 XRCS, 4 XNS.           Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 3/6
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; onboard computer; radar suite [1].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 4’ ¬*6’ ¬*30’
   
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ Payload: 1,135 lbs.          Lwt.: 2,490 lbs.
  Volume: 162 cf. Maint.: 103 hours.           Price: $37,400.
   
  HT: 12.
  HP: 112                 Hydro: 37
   
  wSpeed: 100             wAccel: 25 wDecel: 8           wMR: 0.75       wSR: 5
  Flotation 6,500 lbs. Draft 1.1'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is light, standard, with fair streamlining and average hydrodynamic lines. Area is 200 sf. 
  Armor is standard, composite. The freight version carries 120 cf of open cargo for loaded weight 
  4,090 lbs., HT 10, wSpeed 90, wAccel 15, draft 1.3'.
  Hypersail
   
  Subassemblies: Body +3, two Masts [T:Body] -1.
  P&P: Hypersails, 750 sf, 1,500 lbs. thrust.
  Fuel: None [unlimited range].
  Occupancy: 1 C, 12 XCS.                 Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  Body:              2/2
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; onboard computer.
   
  Statistics
  Size: 3’ ¬*6’ ¬*24’
   
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ Payload: 2,600 lbs.          Lwt.: 3,650 lbs.
  Volume: 251 cf. Maint.: 540 hours.           Price: $53,300.
   
  HT: 12.
  HP: 188                 Masts: 18
   
  wSpeed: 40               wAccel: 8   wDecel: 15         wMR: 0.75       wSR: 5
  Flotation 14,136 lbs. Draft 1.1'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is light, very expensive, with mediocre hydrodynamic lines. Area is 250 sf. Armor is 
  expensive, composite. Loaded with freight up to the gunwales, a hypersail weighs 4,850 lbs. and has 
  wSpeed 35, wAccel 6, and draft 1.2'. A maximally loaded hypersail weighs 8,450 lbs. and has HT 9, 
  wSpeed 16, wAccel 4, and draft 1.5'.
  
  Native Catamaran
   
  Subassemblies: Body +2, Mast [T:Body] -2.
  P&P: Fore-and-aft rigged sail, 115 sf, 230 lbs. thrust.
  Fuel: None [unlimited range].
  Occupancy: 2 C, 6 XCS.                   Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  Body:              1/1
   
  Statistics
  Size: 3’ ¬*9’ ¬*27’
   
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ Payload: 1,400 lbs.          Lwt.: 2,430 lbs.
  Volume: 87 cf.   Maint.: 540 hours.           Price: $1,380.
   
  HT: 10.
  HP: 47                   Mast: 8
   
  wSpeed: 12               wAccel: 2   wDecel: 5           wMR: 0.25       wSR: 5
  Flotation 4,902 lbs. Draft 0.9'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is extra-light, expensive, with mediocre hydrodynamic lines and a catamaran hull. Area is 
  125 sf. Armor is expensive, wood. The craft is built at TL5.
  Power Ski
   
  Subassemblies: Body +1.
  P&P: 60-kW fuel cell w/ 60-kW MHD tunnel.
  Fuel: 15 lbs. hydrogen in fuel module [1.1 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 XCCS, 1 XCSR.      Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 2/2
   
  Statistics
  Size: 3’ ¬*2’ ¬*5’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ    Payload: 415 lbs. Lwt.: 718 lbs.
  Volume: 27 cf.   Maint.: 196 hours.           Price: $10,400.
   
  HT: 11
  HP: 22
   
  wSpeed: 50               wAccel: 35 wDecel: 15         wMR: 0.75       wSR: 4
  Flotation 1,539 lbs. Draft 0.7'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is extra-light, standard, with fair streamlining and mediocre hydrodynamic lines. Area is 60 
  sf. Armor is standard, composite.
  UNDERWATER VEHICLES
  Submersibles are propelled by MHD tunnels, which use electromagnetic energy to eject high-
  speed jets of water. Power is supplied by fuel cells. The need to carry oxygen as well as hydrogen 
  limits the submersible's range.
  
  Note: These submersibles are designed using the special additional rules in GURPS Atlantis (pp. 
  AT72-73).
  MHD Sled
   
  Subassemblies: Body +1.
  P&P: 1-kW MHD tunnel with 9,000-kWs batteries [2.5 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 XCS. Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor             F          RL            B             T       U
  Body:              2/4         2/2           0/0          0/0     2/2
   
  Statistics
  Size: 8’
   diameter
  Ĵ
                            Payload: 200 lbs. Lwt.: 345 lbs.
  Volume: 16 cf.                            Maint.: 600 hours. Price: $1,100.
   
  HT: 12
  HP: 15
   
   
  wSpeed: 10      wAccel: 1         wDecel: 5         wMR: 0.5         wSR: 3
  uSpeed: 5        uAccel: 0.5      uDecel: 17       wMR: 0.5         wSR: 6
  Flotation 1,000 lbs. Surface draft 0.9'. Submerged draft 3.3'. Crush depth 5,120'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is extra-light and cheap. Area is 40 sf. Armor is cheap composite. The body is submersible; 
  however, the sled does not have a crush depth, since it has no air-filled interior space ’  the pilot rides
  Į
   
  in a partially shielded space on top of the sled. The pilot's ability to withstand the pressure of the 
  depths determines how deep the sled can go.
  Research Submersible
   
  Subassemblies: Body +3, Arm [F:Body] -3.
  P&P: 160-kW fuel cell w/ 140-kW MHD tunnel.
  Fuel: 320 lbs. hydrogen in fuel module; 2,560 lbs. oxygen in cryogenic tank [8.9 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 CCS, 2 CS.                 Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All:      150
   
  Equipment
  Body: Life support, 3 man-days, 3 men; onboard computer; sonar suite [1]. Arm: Arm motor and 
  manipulators, ST 20; low-light TV.
   
  Statistics
  Size: 8’  diameter
  Ĵ
            Payload: 3,480 lbs.      Lwt.: 14,970 lbs.
  Volume: 286 cf.           Maint.: 32 hours.         Price: $397,000.
   
  HT: 12.
  HP: 1,800
   
  wSpeed: 55      wAccel: 7         wDecel: 75       wMR: 0.75       wSR: 6
  
  uSpeed: 50      uAccel: 6         uDecel: 57       wMR: 0.75       wSR: 6
  Flotation 17,859 lbs. Surface draft 3.3'. Submerged draft 8.7'. Crush depth 5,120'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is extra-heavy, expensive, and spherical. Area is 300 sf. Armor is expensive metal. The body 
  is submersible; the arm is not, being externally mounted, but its components are engineered for high 
  pressures. The arm's reach is 1 yard.
  Utility Submersible
   
  Subassemblies: Body +5.
  P&P: 2,200-kW fuel cell w/ 2,160-kW MHD tunnel.
  Fuel: 3,600 lbs. hydrogen in fuel module; 28,800 lbs. oxygen in cryogenic tank [7.4 hours].
  Occupancy: 2 NCS, 30 CS.               Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All:                4/140
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; life support, 16 man-days, 32 men; onboard computer; sonar suite [2].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 10’ ¬*10’ ¬*40’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ        Payload: 38,800 lbs.    Lwt.: 91,740 lbs.
  Volume: 2200 cf.         Maint.: 20 hours.         Price: $1,020,000.
   
  HT: 12.
  HP: 7,200
   
  wSpeed: 30      wAccel: 9         wDecel: 10       wMR: 0.5         wSR: 5
  uSpeed: 35      uAccel: 6         uDecel: 5         uMR: 0.5         uSR: 5
  Flotation 137,500 lbs. Surface draft 6.0'. Submerged draft 17.0'. Crush depth 720'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is extra-heavy, expensive, with submarine hydrodynamic lines. Area is 1,200 sf. Armor is 
  expensive, metal. The freight version carries 600 cf of cargo for loaded weight 97,740 lbs., with 
  unchanged performance.
   
  AIR VEHICLES
  Air vehicles are powered by hydrogen-burning turbojet engines in a vectored-thrust configuration. 
  Two basic designs are in use: traditional VTOLs, which have airfoil surfaces that support the craft in 
  level flight and use thrust for lift only during takeoff and landing; and jumpcraft, which have no 
  airfoils and use thrust for lift throughout a flight. Jumpcraft have shorter ranges, but their wingless 
  bodies cost much less to build.
  Note. A hydrogen-burning turbojet is essentially a hyperfan (see p. VE35), but with higher fuel 
  consumption: 0.2 lbs./hour of hydrogen for each 1 lb. of thrust. The hydrogen is typically stored in 
  standard fuel modules.
  Jumpbike
  Jumpbikes are a minimalist's jet aircraft, amounting to no more than a pair of turbojet engines with 
  a cycle seat in between. They carry just enough fuel for a half hour in the air, making them mainly 
  
  recreational vehicles for thrillseekers attracted by their speed and maneuverability ’  "High enough to
  Į
   
  kill yourself" is a jumper catchphrase. Adventurers may think of other uses for them.
  Subassemblies: Body +0.
  P&P: 2¬*350-lb. vectored thrust turbofan.
  Fuel: 67.5 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [0.5 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 XCCX.       Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 2/2
   
  Statistics
  Size: 3’ ¬*1’ ¬*5’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ    Payload: 267.5 lbs.          Lwt.: 618 lbs.
  Volume: 7.4 cf.            Maint.: 123 hours.       Price: $26,400
   
  HT: 8
  HP: 9
   
  aSpeed: 165          aAccel: 3         aDecel: 20       aMR: 5 aSR: 2
  Stall speed: 0.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is extra-light, expensive, with very good streamlining and responsive structure. Area is 23 
  sf. Armor is expensive, composite. The standard model has no onboard computer, as most users prefer 
  direct control; installation of a computer raises the price to $36,400 and lowers the maintenance 
  interval to 105 hours, but gives aDecel 22, aMR 5.5, and aSR 3.
  Patrol Jumpcraft
  Subassemblies: Body +4, Turret [T:Body] +2.
  P&P: 4¬*3,500-lb. vectored thrust hyperfan (hydrogen-burning turbofan). Electrical offtake 140 kW.
  Fuel: 2,700 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [1 hour].
  Occupancy: 3 NCS, 6 CS.       Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor             F          RL            B             T       U
  Body:             3/10       3/10         3/10        3/10    3/10
  Tur:     3/15     3/10     3/10     3/10     ’Į         
   
  Weaponry
  37mm autocannon [F:Tur] with CAT system, cyberslave mount, and partial stabilization (200 
  rounds Solid).
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; duplicate controls; environmental control; onboard computer; radar suite 
  [2].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 9’ ¬*5’ ¬*20’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ            Payload: 4,820 lbs.      Lwt.: 13,180 lbs.
  Volume: 510 cf.           Maint.: 33 hours.         Price: $377,000
   
  HT: 12
  HP: 1,200              Tur: 300
   
  aSpeed: 155          aAccel: 1         aDecel: 12       aMR: 3 aSR: 4
  Stall speed: 0.
  
   
  Design Notes
  Body is heavy, expensive, with fair streamlining. Area is 500 sf. Armor is expensive, laminate.
  Utility Jumpcraft
  Subassemblies: Body +3.
  P&P: 4¬*1,500-lb. vectored thrust hyperfan (hydrogen-burning turbofan). Electrical offtake 60 kW.
  Fuel: 1,200 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [1 hour].
  Occupancy: 1 CCS, 10 CS.               Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 2/2
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; onboard computer; radar suite [1].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 6’ ¬*6’ ¬*10’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ            Payload: 3,000 lbs.      Lwt.: 5,868 lbs.
  Volume: 250 cf.           Maint.: 57 hours.         Price: $121,000
   
  HT: 11
  HP: 188
   
  aSpeed: 140          aAccel: 0.4      aDecel: 14       aMR: 3.5         aSR: 4
  Stall speed: 0.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is light, very expensive, with fair streamlining. Area is 250 sf. Armor is expensive, 
  composite.
  Utility VTOL
  Subassemblies: Body +4, Wings [R, L:Body] +2.
  P&P: 2¬*14,500-lb. vectored thrust hyperfan (hydrogen-burning turbofan). Electrical offtake 290 kW 
  backed up by 90,000-kWs batteries.
  Fuel: 7,500 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [6.2 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 RCS, 10 CS.            Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 3/6
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; life support, 3 man-days, 12 men; onboard computer; radar suite [2].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 15’ ¬*5’ ¬*25’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ                                                                                                                                    Payload: 9,700 
  lbs.                                                                                                                                    Lwt.: 26,000 
  lbs.
  Volume: 588 cf.                                                                                                                                    
  Maint.: 32 
  hours.                                                                                                                                    Price: 
  $402,000
   
  
  HT: 10
  HP: 600                 Wing: 300
   
  aSpeed: 740          aAccel: 22       aDecel: 28       aMR: 7 aSR: 5
  Stall speed: 0 in VTOL mode, 90 in level flight.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is medium, standard, with very good streamlining. Area is 800 sf. Armor is standard, metal. 
  In VTOL mode, aAccel is limited to 2, as most of thrust is used to provide lift; it takes 45 seconds to 
  reach stall speed. The freight version carries 200 cf of cargo for loaded weight 28,000 lbs., aAccel 21, 
  aDecel 26, aMR 6.5, stall speed 95 in level flight; in VTOL mode aAccel is limited to 1 and it takes 95 
  seconds to reach stall speed.
  VTOL Striker
  Subassemblies: Body +3, Wings [R, L:Body] +1.
  P&P: 13,500-lb. vectored thrust hydrogen-burning turbofan. Electrical offtake 135 kW.
  Fuel: 3,000 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [1.1 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 NCS.          Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 3/6
   
  Weaponry
  20mm assault cannon [F:Body] with CAT system, cyberslave mount, and full stabilization (1500 
  rounds Solid). 6¬*90mm 6 anti-vehicle missiles, HEAT, on two hard points [U:Wing] with targeting 
  computer.
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; ECM suite [5]; ejection seat; life support, 0.25 man-day, 1 man; onboard 
  computer; radar suite [5]; VR cockpit.
   
  Statistics
  Size: 20’ ¬*4’ ¬*20’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ          Payload: 3,767 lbs.      Lwt.: 10,592 lbs.
  Volume: 300 cf.           Maint.: 11 hours.         Price: $3,610,000
   
  HT: 12
  HP: 375                 Wing: 135
   
  aSpeed: 1780        aAccel: 25       aDecel: 40       aMR: 10          aSR: 4
  Stall speed: 0 in VTOL mode, 95 in level flight.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is medium, expensive, with excellent streamlining and responsive structure. Area is 430 sf. 
  Armor is expensive, laminated. Wings are designed for controlled instability; if the computerized 
  control system fails the aircraft suffers catastrophic damage in less than 1 minute. In VTOL mode, 
  aAccel is limited to 5, as most of thrust is used to provide lift; it takes 20 seconds to reach stall speed.
  HOVER VEHICLES
  APC Hovercraft
  Subassemblies: Body +4, GE Skirt [U:Body] +4, Turret [T:Body] +2.
  P&P: 2,000-kW fuel cell with8¬*330-kW ducted fan.
  
  Fuel: 4,000 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [8.9 hours].
  Occupancy: 2 NCS, 18 CS.           Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor             F          RL            B             T       U
  Body:             5/30       4/20         4/20        4/20    4/20
  Skirt: 4/20       4/20       4/20           ’Į            ’Į
  Tur:               6/40       5/30         4/20        5/30    ’Į         
   
  Weaponry
  37mm autocannon [F:Tur] with CAT system, cyberslave mount, and partial stabilization (150 
  rounds Solid). 90mm mounted missile launcher [F:Body] with targeting computer (6 anti-vehicle 
  missiles, HEAT).
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; environmental control, 20 men; onboard computer; radar suite [1]; ECM 
  suite [2].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 12’ ¬*8’ ¬*16’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ          Payload: 8,432 lbs.      Lwt.: 25,632 lbs.
  Volume: 1,370 cf.        Maint.: 21 hours.         Price: $869,000
   
  HT: 12
  HP: 1,800              Skirt: 1,200                  Tur: 375
   
  hSpeed: 125          hAccel: 1         hDecel: 10       hMR: 2.5         hSR: 5
  Stall speed: 0. Hover height: 3'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is heavy, expensive, with fair streamlining. Area is 1,125 sf. Armor is expensive, laminate, 
  and sloped on the front of the body and the front, top, and sides of the turret. Maximum output from 
  the fuel cell provides power for six of the eight fans; the two extra fans provide redundancy in case of 
  systems failure.
  Light Hovercraft
  Subassemblies: Body +5, GE Skirt [U:Body] +4.
  P&P: 1,700-kW fuel cell with8¬*280-kW ducted fan.
  Fuel: 3,600 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [9.4 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 NCS, 50 CS.               Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 2/4
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; environmental control, 52 men; onboard computer; radar suite [1].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 9’ ¬*9’ ¬*27’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ            Payload: 13,800 lbs.    Lwt.: 29,000 lbs.
  Volume: 2,050 cf.        Maint.: 34 hours.         Price: $318,000
   
  HT: 12
  HP: 1,200              Skirt: 900
   
  hSpeed: 115          hAccel: 1         hDecel: 10       hMR: 2.5         hSR: 5
  
  Stall speed: 0. Hover height: 3'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is medium, standard, with fair streamlining. Area is 1,400 sf. Armor is standard, 
  composite.The freight version carries 1,000 cf of cargo for loaded weight 39,000 lbs., operating at a 
  hover height of 2', which limits its use to smooth surfaces sloped at no more than 15¬ƒ. It has HT 11, 
  hSpd 25, and hAccel 3 in this mode.
  Heavy Hovercraft
  Subassemblies: Body +5, GE Skirt [U:Body] +5.
  P&P: 4,000-kW fuel cell with12¬*330-kW ducted fan.
  Fuel: 6,750 lbs. hydrogen in fuel modules [7.5 hours].
  Occupancy: 1 RCS, 80 CS.               Cargo: 0 cf.
   
  Armor
  All: 3/6
   
  Equipment
  Body: Communicator; environmental control, 81 men; onboard computer; radar suite [1].
   
  Statistics
  Size: 10’ ¬*12’ ¬*33’
  Ĵ
  Ĵ
  Ĵ        Payload: 22,950 lbs.    Lwt.: 50,515 lbs.
  Volume: 3,350 cf.        Maint.: 24 hours.         Price: $705,000
   
  HT: 11
  HP: 1,500              Skirt: 1,200
   
  hSpeed: 170          hAccel: 1         hDecel: 8         hMR: 2 hSR: 5
  Stall speed: 0. Hover height: 3'.
   
  Design Notes
  Body is medium, standard, with fair streamlining. Area is 1,800 sf. Armor is standard, composite.
  VEHICULAR SENSORS
  A crew member on a vehicle can detect other vehicles (or creatures or objects) with a radar or 
  sonar suite, if one is installed, or by visual observation. The basic ability involved is Electronics 
  Operation: Sensors for radar or sonar, or Vision (see p. B92).
  The basic Scan modifier for radar is +20; for sonar, +15; for visual observation, +10. Add the Size 
  modifier (for vehicles, this is the number listed for the vehicle's largest subassembly; otherwise, use 
  the table on p. B201). Subtract the Speed/Range modifier from the table on p. B201; however, speed is 
  subtracted from range rather than added to it, as a moving target is more easily seen. Add the 
  numerical rating of a radar or sonar suite, or any bonuses to vision from biomods or equipment. 
  Subtract 2 ¬* the numerical rating of an ECM suite against radar only. Give a +4 bonus to establish 
  contact with a previously detected target using a new mode of detection or to examine a target more 
  closely in the same mode of detection. Give a -4 penalty to any sensor operator who is performing 
  other tasks at the same time, including piloting the vehicle, firing a weapon, or operating other sensors.
  If the total of these modifiers is -10 or worse, failure is automatic; no roll is made. If the total is 
  +10 or better, success is automatic; make a roll, but treat any sucess as a critical success. Otherwise, 
  consult the following table:
  Sensor Scan Table
  Degree of Success        Result
  Critical failure  False detection or misidentification
  
  Failure by 3+   No detection
  Failure by 1-2  Detection; may be spoofed
  Success by 0-2 Detection
  Success by 3-4 Detection and recognition
  Success by 5+ or critical success           Detection, recognition, and identification
  Spoofing applies only to radar, and only when the vehicle being detected has an ECM suite. 
  Ordinarily it means the detection of multiple spurious targets. The GM or player attempting a ranged 
  attack chooses a number from 1 to 6; if a roll of 1d comes up with that number, the attack affects the 
  correct target. On a successful roll against Electronics Operation: Sensors, the operator of the ECM 
  suite can instead give "false recognition" readers as a different type of vehicle of the same general 
  size.
   
  4. POSEIDON
  Metwatch gave us the warning late last night. Not many of us got any sleep. We were too busy 
  tying things down and moving the most delicate equipment into the storm bunker. By dawn the rain 
  had started, and there was enough wind to knock you down if you weren't careful. Lieutenant Andros 
  called us all inside just after 0900 local. We hadn't finished, but there was no more time.
  Mother of God, it was awe-inspiring. I watched from inside the bunker, using the security 
  perimeter pickups. It was pitch-black outside, even at what the clocks said was noon. Lightning 
  flashes and the rumble of thunder never stopped. I could occasionally see the palm trees lining the 
  beach, lying over until they were parallel to the ground. The rain was coming in horizontally, enough 
  to reduce visibility to just a couple of meters. I think it could have pummeled a man to death, if he 
  were unlucky enough to be caught outside. And then there were the waves and the storm surge, 
  washing over the flimsy breakwater we had built as if it wasn't even there. It went on all day.
  The trailing edge passed over just after sunset. We went out to assess the damage. The bioplastic 
  huts we had just built were a total loss, and a lot of light items were simply gone. Debris was all over 
  the beach. Fortunately nothing critical was lost. We'll be able to resume construction in the morning.
  They tell me that was just a moderate cyclonic, comparable to the kind of hurricane that happens 
  all the time on Earth. Poseidon can do much worse.
  In fact, I see now why they named this planet Poseidon. Today we saw a sample of the god's wrath 
  that not even Odysseus would have survived.
  ’  GEO Peacekeeper Sergeant Aristides Stephanos, journal entry (March 14, 2197)
  Į
  The Serpentis System
  Lambda Serpentis (also called "Serpens" by Poseidon's inhabitants) is a G0 main sequence star. It 
  is very similar to Earth's Sun, only slightly brighter and more massive than Sol. Like the Sun, it is a 
  relatively old member of the galactic disk.
  Despite their many similarities, Sol and Lambda Serpentis are not "sibling" stars. Serpens appears 
  to be some 400 million years older than Sol, has a noticeably different composition, and probably 
  formed in an entirely different part of the galaxy. At present the two stars are close neighbors by 
  galactic standards, but their destinies are very different.
  Serpens has five major satellites, along with a dense planetoid belt. The basic parameters for all of 
  these bodies, including Poseidon itself, are described here.
  STATISTICS: LAMBDA SERPENTIS (SERPENS)
  Spectral Type: G0 V.
  Mass: 1.04 solar masses.
  
  Luminosity: 1.04 solar units.
  Effective Temperature: 6,000 kelvins.
  Diameter: 814,000 miles
  Age: 5.0 billion years (Old Population I).
  HEPHAESTUS
  Serpens' innermost planet is Hephaestus, a hellish world which resembles Venus. Long ago, 
  Hephaestus suffered a runaway greenhouse effect, boiling its oceans and turning the atmosphere into a 
  dense, unbreathable stew. The planet is wreathed in reflective clouds, under which the surface 
  temperatures are often high enough to melt lead. No human expedition has visited Hephaestus, 
  although a few unmanned probes have been put in orbit or dropped into the atmosphere. From 
  Poseidon, Hephaestus is visible as a bright morning or evening star, the brightest object in the sky 
  after Serpens and the two moons.
  STATISTICS: HEPHAESTUS
  Diameter: 7,590 miles.
  Mass: 0.893 Earth masses.
  Density: 5.3 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 0.7 AU (65.1 million miles).
  Orbital Period: 209.8 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 22.3 standard hours.
  Axial Tilt: 14¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Superdense.
  Atmospheric Composition: Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, some nitrogen and sulfur oxides.
  Surface Water: None.
  Temperature: 750¬ƒF.
  Moons: None.
  Population: None.
  POSEIDON
  Poseidon is the jewel of the Serpens system, a beautiful and human-habitable world. The initial 
  Argos 12 survey revealed a planet with uncanny similarities to Earth, its diameter, density, mass and 
  surface gravity all very close to Earth normal. The most visually striking feature is its water, a vast belt 
  of saltwater ocean that covers all but a small fraction of the surface. Dense cloud belts and brilliant ice 
  caps reflect sunlight into space, contrasting with the deep blue of the world-spanning ocean, making 
  Poseidon a jewel among worlds.
  Poseidon is described in considerably more detail in the rest of this chapter and in Chapter 5.
  STATISTICS: POSEIDON
  Diameter: 8,540 miles.
  Mass: 1.133 Earth masses.
  Density: 5.0 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 1.1 AU (102 million miles).
  Orbital Period: 413.2 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 30.01 standard hours.
  Axial Tilt: 29.1¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Dense (1.3 atmospheres).
  Atmospheric Composition: Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, traces of water vapor, argon, 
  nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides.
  Surface Water: 97% surface coverage.
  Temperature: 66¬ƒF.
  
  Moons: Two large moons (Proteus and Nereus).
  Population: 1.9 million (not including aborigines).
  Proteus
  Poseidon, like Earth, has an unusually large satellite which orbits at an unexpectedly great 
  distance. Indeed, Poseidon's major satellite is even larger with respect to its primary than Luna, and 
  has an even wider orbital path. This has led many to describe Poseidon as one component of a "double 
  planet," two planetary bodies which are gravitationally bound together, but which orbit Serpens 
  independently. Proteus is "tidally locked" to Poseidon, rotating about its axis exactly once per orbit 
  about the planet. As a result, from any point on Proteus' surface, the water world appears fixed in the 
  sky.
  In some respects Proteus resembles Mars, although it is significantly larger and warmer. The 
  atmosphere is very thin and contains almost no free oxygen. During the long local night, it gets so cold 
  that the carbon dioxide in the air freezes out, causing atmospheric pressure to drop sharply. During the 
  day, however, atmospheric pressure rises to a point at which humans can go out without a pressure suit 
  for brief periods. The air is still unbreathable, of course, so a respirator and a supply of compressed air 
  are required.
  Like Mars, Proteus is too small to retain water vapor in its atmosphere. The surface of the moon is 
  extremely dry and desolate. However, there are extensive deposits of water ice buried in underground 
  aquifers. This water occasionally breaks free to the surface, forming short-lived water floods that soon 
  evaporate or subside once again. The human settlements on Proteus can drill down to the aquifers and 
  obtain enough water to support a limited population.
  Overall, Proteus is more hospitable than Mars, and in fact supports a simple native ecology of 
  native plant-like forms. Proteus life is well adapted to the harsh local conditions, able to "shell up" or 
  scatter spores in preparation for the long nights, extremely adept at conserving water. The thin 
  atmosphere offers little protection from radiation and ultraviolet light, so the native life is either 
  strongly radiation-resistant or can tolerate high mutation rates. Most Proteus life is sessile, unable to 
  move from its rooting place. Those forms that can move are very slow, and show no signs of 
  intelligence. Few local organisms respond to stimulation, and even fewer show any signs of 
  aggression. Some local species produce unusual biochemicals, a few of which are highly poisonous to 
  humans. Others produce pleasing fragrances or beautiful foliage, and are highly prized by collectors.
  Proteus supports a single major settlement, Proteus City, which is located on the surface not far 
  from the point at which Poseidon appears perpetually overhead. Most of the inhabitants of Proteus 
  City are descended from Martians or belters. The city is a minor center of mining activity, 
  manufacturing and trade. Its main distinction is the presence of several GEO and Incorporate research 
  teams, all of which are studying the local ecology.
  STATISTICS: PROTEUS
  Diameter: 4,500 miles.
  Mass: 0.164 Earth masses.
  Density: 4.9 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 365,000 miles.
  Orbital Period: 45.3 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 45.3 standard days.
  Axial Tilt: 3¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Very Thin (0.4 atmospheres).
  Atmospheric Composition: Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, traces of free oxygen.
  Surface Water: No surface coverage, traces of underground water and ice.
  Temperature: 64¬ƒF.
  Population: 19,000.
  Nereus
  Nereus, Poseidon's second moon, is an astronomical puzzle. Although it is not as large as Proteus, 
  it is of significant size, and it orbits at an even greater distance from Poseidon. Its orbit is also unusual, 
  
  inclined to the plane of Poseidon's equator and somewhat eccentric (elliptical rather than circular) as 
  well. No credible model of planetary formation explains its existence. Even worse, its orbital path is 
  inherently unstable ’  astronomers estimate that it could not have been in place for more than a few
  Į
   
  million years. The gravitational effects of Serpens and Proteus will eventually either eject Proteus 
  from Poseidon orbit, or circularize its orbit into a more stable configuration. Some theorists point to 
  Nereus as another piece of evidence for alien intervention in the Serpens system, but to date no 
  evidence to support this idea has appeared on Nereus itself.
  Nereus has a trace of atmosphere, although it is far too thin and toxic to support human life. 
  Visitors to the planet must wear a pressure suit or other environmental gear. The moon also shows no 
  trace of surface water or life. On the other hand, it is a mineral treasure-house. Extensive deposits of 
  useful metals are present on and near the Nerean surface.
  Nereus supports several Incorporate mining operations, most of them heavily automated with only 
  minimal human staff. The single GEO outpost on the moon is a research station in the northern polar 
  region.
  STATISTICS: NEREUS
  Diameter: 3,080 miles.
  Mass: 0.051 Earth masses.
  Density: 4.75 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 512,700 miles.
  Orbital Period: 79.0 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 29.5 standard days.
  Axial Tilt: 32¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Trace (0.14 atmospheres).
  Atmospheric Composition: Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, traces of argon.
  Surface Water: None.
  Temperature: 10¬ƒF.
  Population: 1,100.
  SERPENTIS BELT
  Beyond the orbit of Poseidon lies the main body of the Serpentis Belt. This planetoid belt 
  resembles the Main Belt in the Solar system, although it is somewhat more dense. Its members are 
  almost all of the stony-iron type, rich in metals, but very dry and lacking in organic compounds. The 
  planetoids of the Serpentis Belt come in all sizes, from boulder-sized pieces of flotsam, up to a few 
  chunks that are as much as 200 miles across.
  The "dry" nature of the Serpentis Belt makes colonization an expensive proposition, but its 
  mineral wealth still attracts thousands of independent prospectors every year. Most of these are from 
  the belter clans of the Solar system, hoping to take up residence in a place that is at once familiar and 
  more isolated from Earth's troubles. Their primary interest is to be left alone, although some of the 
  larger Belt communities are involved in specialized manufacturing or commerce. For example, the 
  Mirror habitat is well-known for its production of custom-built machines and replacement parts, which 
  match extremely fine tolerances. The Ariel habitat is a "smuggler's city," a center for both legitimate 
  and illegal trade.
  STATISTICS: SERPENTIS BELT
  Orbital Radius: 1.4 AU to 1.8 AU (130 million miles to 167 million miles).
  Orbital Period: Variable. Most members of the main body of the Belt have periods between 1.6 
  and 2.4 standard years.
  Atmosphere: Vacuum.
  Surface Water: None.
  Temperature: Variable, usually between -85¬ƒ and -35¬ƒF.
  Population: 180,000.
  
  THE GAS GIANTS
  The outer reaches of the Serpens system are occupied by three gas giant planets, similar to the 
  Jovian worlds of the Solar system. These gas giants are among the more unusual features of the 
  Serpens system ’  two out of three of them are actually well within the "snow line" which marks the
  Į
   
  usual inward boundary of gas-giant formation. Astronomers speculate that these giant planets were 
  dragged inward by friction with the protoplanetary nebula, a process that has been inferred from 
  observation of other star systems. Fortunately for Poseidon, this process was aborted at some point, 
  preventing the embryonic gas giants from absorbing the small, rocky bodies of the inner system.
  Aeolus orbits at about 2.3 AU (214 million miles) from Serpens. Aeolus is a smallish gas giant, 
  somewhat smaller than Uranus in the Solar system. Its atmosphere is a thick blanket of hydrogen and 
  helium, with traces of methane. It has a complex ring system and at least 20 moons, three of them of 
  significant size. The miners of the Serpentis Belt often visit the Aeolus system in order to mine ice and 
  organics from its moons. The largest of these satellites, Androcles, is the focus of this activity and 
  hosts a permanent settlement of about 5,000 people.
  Cronus orbits at 3.5 AU (326 million miles). Cronus is slightly larger than Saturn and resembles 
  that world quite closely. It has a very large and complex ring system, which is a stunning sight through 
  a telescope or in close flyby. There are occasional human expeditions to the planet and its extensive 
  system of moons, but no permanent stations have been established.
  Persephone orbits at 5.5 AU (512 million miles). About the size of Neptune, Persephone is an 
  unremarkable world. Its ring system is thin, and there is nothing about its moons to attract human 
  attention. Other than a single surveying expedition, there have been few visitors and no permanent 
  settlements.
  The World
  The main focus for human activity in the Serpens system is Poseidon, the single habitable planet. 
  Poseidon bears a striking resemblance to Earth, but there are also many differences that make it clear 
  that the world is alien. This section describes the planet's physical and ecological environment.
  ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE
  Poseidon's atmosphere is quite similar to Earth's. The proportions of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon 
  dioxide are all correct for human comfort. The atmosphere is somewhat denser than Earth's, the result 
  of heavy volcanic activity and consequent outgassing. This results in increased air pressure at sea 
  level, around 30% higher than on Earth. The higher air density does have significant effects: increased 
  greenhouse effect, more lift for aircraft, stronger winds, and so on. It has little effect on the air's 
  breathability.
  Since Poseidon is almost completely covered by ocean, the air tends to be heavy with water vapor. 
  Cloud cover is frequent and often thick. Between the dense cloud cover and the large ice caps, 
  Poseidon reflects a great deal of sunlight back into space. In any case, the planet only receives about 
  85% of the solar energy that Earth does. Only the dense atmosphere and its consequent greenhouse 
  effect serve to keep Poseidon at habitable temperatures.
  Like Earth, Poseidon is divided into climate zones ’  the 
  Į
  tropics close to the equator, the 
  temperate zones in the northern and southern hemispheres, and the polar zones at the extreme north 
  and south. Poseidon's significantly greater axial tilt means that weather variation is more extreme. 
  Seasonal variations are somewhat more noticeable than on Earth, even in the equatorial regions.
  On the other hand, the lack of large landmasses tends to stabilize weather patterns on Poseidon. 
  With no large continents to cause differential heating of the atmosphere or to divert ocean currents, the 
  planet's weather patterns tend to be fairly consistent. Prevailing winds and ocean currents remain 
  constant; regional temperatures tend to follow the same seasonal cycle each year.
  The Pacifica Archipelago, where most of the human population of Poseidon lives, is almost 
  entirely in the tropic zone. In most of the archipelago, summers are very hot and humid, while the 
  
  winter temperatures almost never drop below freezing. Snow does appear in the region's rare 
  highlands during winter, and on some volcanic peaks it lasts year-round.
  The following table describes average temperatures at various latitudes for different times of the 
  year. All temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit.
  Seasonal Temperature Table
  Latitude     Summer Day    Summer Night  Winter Day       Winter Night
  Up to 10¬ƒ   104¬ƒ     86¬ƒ       72¬ƒ       63¬ƒ
  10¬ƒ to 20¬ƒ  100¬ƒ     82¬ƒ       63¬ƒ       54¬ƒ
  20¬ƒ to 30¬ƒ  99¬ƒ       81¬ƒ       54¬ƒ       45¬ƒ
  30¬ƒ to 40¬ƒ  95¬ƒ       77¬ƒ       45¬ƒ       36¬ƒ
  40¬ƒ to 50¬ƒ  90¬ƒ       72¬ƒ       28¬ƒ       23¬ƒ
  50¬ƒ to 60¬ƒ  77¬ƒ       59¬ƒ       19¬ƒ       10¬ƒ
  60¬ƒ to 70¬ƒ  59¬ƒ       41¬ƒ       7¬ƒ         4¬ƒ
  70¬ƒ to 80¬ƒ  41¬ƒ       23¬ƒ       11¬ƒ       26¬ƒ
  80¬ƒ to 90¬ƒ  23¬ƒ       5¬ƒ         22¬ƒ       36¬ƒ
  CYCLONIC STORMS
  Earth has tropical storms and hurricanes. Poseidon has lots of tropical storms, many hurricanes, 
  and the occasional giant storm that manages to circumnavigate the planet! Tropical storms, hurricanes, 
  typhoons, and similar phenomena are all driven by the presence of warm, very moist air. On the water 
  world, such air is very easy to find.
  On Poseidon, hurricanes are called cyclonic storms. Cyclonic storms form wherever there is warm 
  water, gathering energy from the heat of the water as they travel. On Poseidon, during each 
  hemisphere's warm season, tropical storms form almost continuously. There is always at least one 
  cyclonic storm in progress somewhere on the planet.
  Cyclonic storms tend to move from east to west around the planet, drifting slowly away from the 
  equator until they reach the cooler waters of the temperate zones and dissipate. Unfortunately, their 
  movement is rarely predictable. Any cyclonic is capable of making rapid changes of direction, 
  possibly even backtracking on its path. Some cyclonic storms oscillate north and south, staying over 
  the warm tropical waters, gathering power with each pass across the equator. As a rule of thumb, a 
  cyclonic storm will tend to gain 5d mph of wind speed each day that it spends over warm water. It will 
  lose about the same amount of wind speed when in cooler waters, or over one of Poseidon's large 
  landmasses.
  Since Poseidon has so few large landmasses, cyclonic storms can last for months, even surviving 
  the winter season by staying close to the equator. Such storms can even circumnavigate the planet, 
  coming back to hit various settlements a second time. Poseidon's colonists call such storms "Noahs," 
  referring to their biblical intensity and the incredible bad luck they bring to all concerned.
  Cyclonics are dangerous because of their high winds and the resulting waves. They also create 
  sudden tides called storm surges, caused by the winds and by the low air pressure that exists under the 
  storm. The storm surge and its resultant flooding are usually responsible for most of the loss of life 
  during a storm.
  A cyclonic storm usually has a well-defined eye, a low-pressure center about which the storm 
  system rotates. The eye normally has a diameter about 10% that of the storm as a whole. In the eye, 
  the winds are chaotic in direction and quite weak. The eye usually is cloudless, due to greater warmth 
  and strong downward air currents. Being outdoors while the eye is passing overhead can be an awe-
  inspiring experience ’  the clear air allows one to see blue sky overhead and the mass of savage storm
  Į
   
  clouds towering on all sides. It can also be a very dangerous experience for the unwary. Most cyclonic 
  storms move at about 35-40 mph, so the eye will usually pass in no more than a couple of hours. When 
  the trailing edge of the eye arrives, the winds will surge quickly, and they will blow in the opposite 
  direction of those preceding the eye.
  Immediately outside the eye is the eyewall, the thickest bank of clouds in the storm. Precipitation 
  is usually at its heaviest here, and there will be violent thunderstorms. The winds themselves will 
  normally reach their peak at a greater distance from the eye. The winds in a cyclonic storm always 
  blow around the eye in a counterclockwise direction.
  
  The GEO Meteorological Service operates a storm watch across the entire planet, tagged "GEO 
  Metwatch" in colonial slang. Storms are classified according to their Force Rating, which depends on 
  the storm's size, wind velocity, and wave height. In the following table, Waves indicates the size of 
  typical waves during the storm. The storm surge will usually be lower, but may approach the 
  maximum height of the waves during more powerful storms. Winds indicates the speed of the winds in 
  the heart of the storm. Diameter indicates the size of the storm itself.
  Cyclonic Storms Table
  Force Rating          Waves Winds   Diameter
  0    10-16 feet        Less than 75 mph         100-180 miles
  1    16-23 feet        100<\#208>125 mph   125-300 miles
  2    23-33 feet        125<\#208>160 mph   200-300 miles
  3    33-49 feet        160<\#208>200 mph   300-450 miles
  4    49-66 feet        200<\#208>240 mph   450-600 miles
  5    Over 66 feet     Over 240 mph  Over 600 miles
  GEO Metwatch also reserves a Force 6 classification. Force 6 storms are much like Force 5 
  storms in their size and other characteristics, but in Metwatch's judgement they are likely to survive 
  through to the following storm season. These titanic storms appear to occur only every 3 to 4 years.
  Cyclonic Storms and Character Action
  In general, any character activity out in the full fury of a cyclonic is at a penalty equal to the Force 
  rating of the storm. This applies even to actions based on IQ ’  it's very difficult to concentrate and
  Į
   
  think when being battered by 200-mph winds!
  Vehicles and buildings are subject to damage or destruction when hit by a cyclonic storm. Aircraft 
  pilots must make control rolls against their Piloting skill, or crash. Oceangoing surface vessels are 
  subject to swamping or capsizing in even moderate tropical storms; the GM should make it difficult 
  for players who are foolish enough to be out on the water during a cyclonic.
  Settlements can't move when a cyclonic storm is on the way, and unfortunately most of Poseidon's 
  land masses (and so most of its settlements) are within the Storm Belt. The colonists have done their 
  best to build in the shelter of natural terrain features and to apply advanced engineering to make their 
  buildings storm-resistant.
  GMs can simulate storm damage to buildings and other structures as follows. Roll against the 
  Architecture skill of the person who designed the structure (rolling against the default is perfectly 
  reasonable for "do-it-yourself" structures designed by amateurs). Modifiers: Up to +3 for careful or 
  reinforced construction (or conversely up to -3 for shoddy or flimsy construction). Subtract up to the 
  Force Rating of the storm, depending on how close the storm passes (if the eye itself passes overhead, 
  subtract the full Force Rating). On a critical success, the building is soaked and may be covered with 
  debris, but is otherwise intact. On a normal success, there is some internal flooding and superficial 
  damage (missing roof tiles, broken windows, snapped mooring lines). On a failure, there is serious 
  flooding and damage, and some shoddy buildings will be completely demolished. On a critical failure, 
  the building is severely damaged or destroyed.
  The Ocean
  Eternal Father, strong to save,
  Whose arm does bind the restless wave,
  Who bids the mighty ocean deep
  Its own appointed limits keep;
  O hear us when we cry to Thee
  For those in peril on the sea.
  
         ’  William Whiting, "The Navy Hymn"
  Į
  Adventurers in the Blue Planet setting will be spending a good deal of their time in and on the 
  water. This isn't a matter of choice ’  when even the towns and cities are often built out over the
  Į
   
  water, it's almost impossible to avoid a swim.
  This section covers some of the basics of oceanography, for the benefit of players and GMs who 
  are not familiar with the subject. Reliance on Hollywood depictions of underwater activity is not 
  advisable!
  WORKING UNDERWATER
  The underwater environment is in may ways as hostile and alien as outer space. Colonists working 
  there will have to deal with extremes of pressure, temperature, and sensory deprivation.
  Pressure
  Any object immersed in a fluid will experience pressure over its entire surface. This is true even of 
  objects in air ’  the atmosphere of Earth exerts a pressure of about 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi)
  Į
   
  at sea level, due to the weight of the entire column of air above. Human beings are rarely aware of this 
  pressure, since it is balanced by the internal pressure of bodily fluids.
  Water is much heavier than air, so as one descends into deep water the resulting pressure increases 
  very quickly. One "atmosphere" of pressure (another 14.7 psi) is added for about every 33 feet of 
  depth. By the time a diver reaches the bottom of the surface layer (at about 600 feet), he already has 
  over 260 pounds of pressure on every square inch of his body. The human body is fairly resilient 
  under such pressures, although they do make it difficult to breathe. Eventually the lungs can no longer 
  be inflated against the pressure of the water. Some of the factors affecting respiration underwater are 
  addressed below (p. 00).
  This fact also applies to submersible vehicles and structures. An airtight structure lowered into 
  deep water will eventually implode as the water pressure overcomes its structural strength. There are 
  two approaches to avoid this problem. A vehicle or structure can either be built with sufficient 
  structural strength to withstand the pressure, or it can have an internal pressure sufficient to balance 
  the external pressure.
  An underwater structure which contains surface air pressure will have to be strongly reinforced, to 
  withstand the overpressure of the water. Anyone inside the structure will have to use pressurized 
  airlocks to get in and out, and must be equipped to handle the rapid pressure transitions involved (p. 
  00). On the other hand, they could be transferred to and from the surface easily, without having to 
  undergo long periods of decompression. If there is a hull breach, the outside water will come in fast 
  and under high pressure. Unfortunate submariners have been cut in half by such a stream of water 
  forcing its way in through a hull breach at great depth.
  Alternatively, if a submersible or underwater structure is pressurized to match its depth, then air 
  locks are not needed. The air inside will keep the water out, so a simple open hatch on the underside of 
  the structure will be sufficient for access. The crew can enter or leave the water at will. On the other 
  hand, moving between the structure and the surface will take very long periods as the body adjusts to 
  the transition (see boxed text). If such a structure is damaged, water will come in, but it will only flow 
  in by gravity and will only rise to the highest level of the breach.
  Temperature
  Poseidon's oceans are very similar to Earth's in terms of their temperature profile. The temperature 
  of seawater in any given place depends strongly on its depth.
  The surface layer of the oceans, down to about 200 yards, is warmed by the sunlight and agitated 
  by the above-surface weather. The average temperature of the surface layer, Poseidon-wide, is about 
  66¬ƒF. In the tropics, the water is somewhat warmer year-round. In temperate latitudes, it can be 
  much cooler in the winter and spring, and warmer in the summer and fall seasons.
  The intermediate layer of the oceans is between about 200 and about 300 yards depth. In this zone, 
  sunlight no longer penetrates and the water is no longer warmed. Temperature in this layer decreases 
  gradually with depth, reaching a constant 39¬ƒ at the bottom of the layer. In the deeper zones, the 
  
  water maintains this constant 39¬ƒ throughout the year and all over Poseidon, slowly becoming more 
  and more dense with increasing depth.
  Cold water is dangerous for divers, not only because of the temperature itself, but because 
  seawater tends to draw heat out of the body quickly. Anyone diving into the lower intermediate layer 
  or lower will take 1d damage per minute. Diving gear will protect against this damage, as will the 
  Temperature Tolerance advantage if at least one full level is used to improve resistance to cold (p. 00).
  If a diver takes damage due to cold, he will also suffer hypothermia. He must immediately make 
  an unmodified HT roll. On a failure, he goes into shock. He will be unable to take any action (except 
  to call for help, if he makes a Will roll and has some means of underwater communication). While in 
  shock, he will continue to take damage from cold each minute, and he must continue to make HT rolls 
  to see if his heart stops. Shock can be removed if the diver is warmed up and someone makes a 
  successful First Aid roll.
  On a critical failure on the HT roll, the cold of the water will stop the diver's heart. If this happens, 
  he will die in 3d minutes regardless of his hit points. The only way to save him is to restart his heart, 
  using CPR or defibrillation equipment. See p. CII139 for detailed rules.
  Breathing Underwater
  Swimmers and divers are always presented with the problem of continuing to breathe underwater. 
  There are two major approaches to this problem. One can either carry air (or something like air) along, 
  or extract dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water.
  In the Blue Planet setting, there are advanced technological methods for both approaches. SCUBA 
  gear can provide a swimmer with a supply of compressed air. Artificial gill technology can allow him 
  to pull breathable oxygen out of the water, mixing it as needed with other gases. Even with these aids, 
  divers must be aware of another peril of the depths.
  All mechanical aids to underwater respiration involve the use of compressed gas mixes. Air must 
  be fed to the diver under high pressure, in order to help him inflate his lungs against the pressure of the 
  deep water. This in turn means that oxygen must be mixed with some inert gas, such as nitrogen or 
  helium, because oxygen under high pressure becomes toxic. Unfortunately, any inert gas fed to the 
  diver under high pressure tends to go into solution in his body fluids. If the diver surfaces, or the 
  pressure is otherwise released, then these inert gases will come out of solution. If the transition is too 
  quick, they will form bubbles in the diver's bloodstream and tissues. This can be extremely painful, 
  causing cramp-like symptoms that gave rise to the term "the bends." It can also cause lethal stroke-like 
  effects, as large bubbles burst blood vessels or rupture tissues.
  Many of these difficulties can be avoided if the diver has a biological means of storing oxygen 
  internally, or if he can extract oxygen from the water he is swimming in without having to inflate his 
  lungs. Cetaceans have a biological "diving reflex" ’  they can hold their breath for long periods, and
  Į
   
  they suffer no ill effects when their lungs collapse under very high external pressure. Aquamorph 
  humans can perform similarly, although only the diver variant (p. 00) can hold its breath for long 
  periods. The "squid" aquamorphs do not need to hold their breath, but their gills only function at 
  relatively shallow depths.
  An uplifted dolphin can dive to about 1,600 feet without technological assistance, and can hold his 
  breath for about 30 minutes. Orcas can only dive to about 1,000 meters, and can hold their breath for 
  about 20 minutes. Diver aquamorphs effectively have no depth limits, and can hold their breath for an 
  hour. Squid aquamorphs can only dive to about 1,600 feet, but they have effectively unlimited 
  endurance. None of these character types need to be concerned with decompression sickness or 
  nitrogen narcosis.
  BENDS
  Decompression sickness can be avoided by making sure the transition to normal pressure is slow. 
  Divers often spend time "decompressing" at various depths during their ascent to the surface. The 
  exact time required bears a complex relationship to a number of factors: the depth reached, the time 
  spent there, the exact gas mix used, and so on. Most divers can spend any amount of time at depths up 
  to 35 feet and not have to spend a significant amount of time decompressing. At a depth of about 67 
  feet, a diver can stay under for long periods but may have to decompress for up to 32 minutes. At 100 
  
  feet, a diver should remain underwater for no more than 55 minutes and will need to spend up to 32 
  minutes decompressing. Very deep dives will usually allow no more than a few minutes of work time 
  and will require hours of decompression afterward. GURPS High-Tech has more detailed rules, or the 
  GM can consult a set of dive tables.
  If a diver fails to spend enough time decompressing, he must roll against his unmodified HT. The 
  GM may apply penalties if he judges that the transition was very abrupt. On a critical success, no ill 
  effects occur. On a normal success, the diver will suffer from severe pain; he will be at -2 to both DX 
  and IQ for at least an hour and must roll vs. HT each hour to recover. There will be no lasting ill 
  effects.
  Failure means that the character is completely incapacitated. He faints or is paralyzed for at least 
  an hour, and must roll vs. HT each hour to revive. Once conscious, the victim is at -2 to DX and IQ for 
  at least another hour. A HT roll is required each hour to recover; any failure in this case costs the 
  victim 1 point of DX permanently (a condition called "diver's palsy"). Only 1 point of DX will be lost 
  per episode, regardless of the number of failures.
  Light and Sound
  Underwater, it is usually dark.Any light begins to dim after only a few yards. Before the light 
  vanishes entirely, only the high-frequency wavelengths (blues and violets) are still visible. In 
  absolutely pure water, light can only penetrate about 3,300 feet, but the seawater on Poseidon is far 
  from pure. Seawater of average composition, with the usual amount of suspended sediments, will limit 
  vision to about 660 feet. If the water is unusually murky, this horizon can be reduced very sharply.
  Divers will usually find it necessary to carry their own light sources. Sunlight will not be available 
  below 660 feet in depth, and will probably be too dim for use long before then. This also implies that 
  all organisms using photosynthesis will be found above this depth (usually far above it).
  Water is denser than air and carries sounds differently. The speed of sound in water is four times 
  that in air. One immediate effect of this is that it becomes very difficult for a human listener to 
  determine what direction a sound is coming from. The human nervous system determines the direction 
  of a sound by noting which ear receives it first. The increased speed of sound in water confuses this 
  system.
  Sounds also carry much farther in water than they do in air. Human divers routinely underestimate 
  the distance from which a sound has traveled. Indeed, in the deep sound channel,a zone between about 
  300 and 400 feet in depth, sounds are trapped and channeled by the water. Sounds can carry through 
  this layer for miles. Indeed, certain low-frequency sounds can travel for thousands of miles almost 
  unmuffled.
  Sonar is a technology which uses sound pulses to probe the underwater environment. By emitting 
  sharp pulses and then analyzing the echoes, sonar can be used to determine the size, shape, 
  composition, distance, direction, and motion of underwater objects. Humans frequently use artificial 
  sonar tools, while cetaceans have a natural echo-location sense which uses the same principle.
  Tides
  Tides are the rise and fall of local sea levels in a predictable pattern. They result from the 
  gravitational attraction of Serpens and of Poseidon's moons. While this attraction causes even the solid 
  body of Poseidon to flex, the oceans are more fluid and can change their shape more in response.
  Poseidon has three overlapping tidal cycles. Those associated with Serpens and Nereus are 
  relatively gentle, each about the strength of the solar tide on Earth. Proteus, however, causes a tidal 
  effect several times more powerful than that exerted by Luna on Earth. The Proteus tide is the one of 
  most concern to Poseidon's inhabitants, although the other two cycles are also watched carefully 
  (especially when they reinforce the effect of Proteus).
  The exact effect of the tide depends on the shape of the local coastline and the slope of the land 
  shelf under the tidal margin. In some places, even the Proteus tide causes a rise and fall of only a few 
  inches. In others, the change in sea level can be dozens of feet per cycle. Such strong tides can cause a 
  dangerous phenomenon called a tidal bore. When the tide comes in to a restricted inlet, such as a river 
  mouth or a narrow fjord, the mass of water can be constricted into a much smaller volume. The result 
  can be a massive wave, as much as 10 feet in height.
  
  In general, the GM should make certain that colonists working in coastal regions are concerned 
  about the tides. Large variations in sea level and powerful tidal bores will be much more common on 
  Poseidon than they are on Earth. Of course, although the tidal cycles are more complex and therefore 
  less predictable, the movement of Poseidon and its moons is completely predictable. GEO tidal charts 
  are available for most of the planet, so adventurers will rarely be caught completely off-guard unless 
  they are being very careless.
  Currents
  Ocean currents are essentially "rivers in the sea," vast volumes of water moving at a steady pace 
  through more stagnant regions. Currents are formed over time by temperature differentials, tidal flow, 
  and the prevailing winds. On Earth the ocean currents are broken up and deflected by the continents, 
  but on Poseidon they are essentially unobstructed. Most currents move at a slow but steady pace, 
  between 1 and 6 miles per hour.
  Currents often alter local weather conditions. Warm-water currents can moderate extremes of 
  climate, while cold currents bring about more inhospitable conditions. Warm currents also provide 
  extra energy for cyclonic storms, which can pick up speed and power as they cross the current. The 
  temperature differentials across a current boundary can be quite sharp, taking place within a few 
  hundred feet at the same depth. These edges are called fronts and can have a significant effect on the 
  transmission of sound or sonar impulses.
  Watercraft, especially the unpowered boats used by Poseidon's natives, can make good use of 
  currents to cross wide expanses of open ocean. Organisms also use the currents to carry them to other 
  habitats. The temperature changes caused by currents can also determine what organisms will thrive in 
  a given location.
  Ecosystems
  As on Earth, the interplay of topography, geology, climate, weather, and ocean currents creates 
  specific environmental conditions that vary from place to place. These conditions affect Poseidon's life 
  forms, encouraging the formation of local ecosystems. Like Earth, Poseidon has examples of coral 
  reefs, deserts, kelp forests, savanna, scrublands, temperate forests, tropical forests, tundra, and other 
  ecosystems familiar to human beings. Poseidon also supports habitat types not found on Earth.
  Canyonlands
  Poseidon is more tectonically active than Earth. In some cases, massive volcanic eruptions in the 
  distant past created vast ash beds, which were then compacted into sedimentary rock over millions of 
  years. Subsequent uplifting and block faulting can shatter these rock beds, leaving tumbledowns. 
  These are huge regions covered with titanic boulders and high cliffs, interlaced with deep canyons. 
  Where the tumbledowns are low enough in elevation, the sea can cover the bottom of the canyons, 
  producing a maze of narrow channels and water-erosion caverns. These half-submerged tumbledowns 
  are the canyonlands. Only a few exist even on Poseidon, the most notable being the formation known 
  as the Wall (p. 00).
  In canyonland formations, the tall rock shards are rarely large enough to be considered islands in 
  their own right. They also provide no safe harbor for soil or vegetation. As a result, the formations in 
  canyonlands are usually bare rock spires and outcroppings, covered with avian colonies and thick 
  layers of guano.
  Meanwhile, the sheltered channels and lagoons within the canyonland can support a great variety 
  of plant and animal life. The tumbledowns provide significant protection against storms and powerful 
  waves. In the sheltered waters, algae can grow on the base of the rock spires, and a variety of plant 
  analogs can grow in the shallow water. Vines, rushes, and sea grass are all common in such 
  environments. Indeed, ecologists believe that canyonlands hold the greatest diversity of marine plant 
  species of any habitat on Poseidon. The density of plant life in the canyonlands also supports a healthy 
  community of animal species. Both predators and the native colonists find the tumbledowns to be 
  good ground for fishing or hunting.
  
  The primary danger in a canyonland region comes from the simple flow of water. Tidal currents, 
  confined by the high and narrow channels, can develop tremendous force. In some channels, water 
  depth can change by 33 feet in a few seconds during an incoming tide, and that flow can be violently 
  turbulent. Elsewhere, walls of water five meters high can surge through the channels several times a 
  day, as tidal bores form in the narrowest channels.
  Poseidon Mangrove
  One of the most bizarre biomes present on the water world is the Poseidon mangrove forest. 
  Poseidon mangrove is based on a class of similar tree-like plants, each of which grows in salt water in 
  the tropical and subtropical latitudes. These forests tend to begin in the lee of small islands, reefs, or 
  shoals, where they can gather a little protection against wind and storm. As they grow and spread, their 
  long prop roots stabilize against the sea floor. Eventually the forest is physically stable even without 
  the protection of the rocky mass that served as its first anchor. At that point, the mangroves can spread 
  outwards as they grow, eventually overrunning its initial shelter. A mature Poseidon mangrove forest 
  appears to have sprouted out of open ocean, with no sign of the initial anchor to be found.
  Stands of Poseidon mangrove can be as small as a dozen trees, or large enough to cover hundreds 
  of square kilometers. They grow directly from the sea floor, putting prop roots down as deep as 80 feet 
  under the surface. The individual trees are palm-like, with long trunks and huge leaves. The prop roots 
  are long and flexible, holding tree firmly in the sea floor. Meanwhile, lateral branches grow from trunk 
  to trunk, holding the forest together firmly against the action of wave and storm. The specific species 
  of mangrove tree tend to segregate themselves by proximity to the open ocean ’  the shorter, stouter,
  Į
   
  and stronger species grow on the perimeter, offering bracing and protection for the taller, less stable 
  species further in.
  On the fringe of a stand of mangrove, the trees are stunted by wind and wave, and are interspersed 
  with tidal channels which are kept open by strong currents. Moving toward the center, the trees can 
  become truly enormous, 60 meters or more in height and several meters in diameter. The tidal 
  channels in the center become narrow, and are also very dark as the overhead canopy blocks out 
  sunlight. These patterns of growth give a mature stand of mangrove a distinctive shape, tall in the 
  center, with sloped ends aligned into the prevailing wind.
  Within a stand of mangrove, there is a tremendous variety of species, many of which exist in a 
  symbiotic relationship with the trees themselves. The interlaced lateral branches form a multilayer 
  canopy, each level of which has its own distinctive ecology. Other epiphytic plant species, such as 
  water hemp and various vines, grow in tremendous profusion amid the canopy. Meanwhile, under the 
  water's surface, yet another distinct ecology exists. The prop roots collect and trap organic matter that 
  falls from above or drifts in on water currents. Many plant and plant-like species exist to live off this 
  trapped matter, forming yet another part of the ecosystem's food web.
  Mangrove forests also host a great variety of animal species, both above and below the water's 
  surface. Amphibians, reptiles, and even some mammaloids live in the canopy, using the lateral 
  branches as pathways through the forest. Insect and avian analogs are everywhere. Even some species 
  of land plants and animals survive in the mangrove. The lateral branches can themselves trap a great 
  deal of organic material, giving rise to pockets of actual soil on which the land-based species can 
  thrive. Meanwhile, vast schools of fish live in the waters below, including a number of predatory 
  species.
  Mangrove forests cover only a small portion of Poseidon's surface, but they apparently play an 
  important role in the planet's overall ecology. Many open-ocean species use the mangrove stands in 
  part of their life cycles. Some species lay their eggs and raise their young in the relative shelter of the 
  trees, while others come to hunt for food. Juvenile polypods are common, sea weaver nests are 
  everywhere among the root systems. Even the largest predators, the hungry great whites, have been 
  known to come to mangrove islands to scavenge for food along the periphery.
  The native colonists have often made use of the mangrove forests. They are choice hunting and 
  fishing grounds, and they can provide plenty of shelter against predators and storms alike. After the 
  Abandonment, many of the original colonists built whole villages within the mangrove canopies. 
  Some of those villages still exist, inhabited by "wild" natives that have never been recontacted. 
  
  Meanwhile, most native communities which enter on a nomadic phase during hunting season still use 
  the mangrove stands for temporary campsites.
  Sargassum Islands
  Sargassum islands are another of Poseidon's unique biomes. Like the Poseidon mangroves, a 
  sargassum island is a large colony of plant forms adapted to life on the open ocean. Unlike the 
  mangroves, sargassum islands are free-floating, subject to the vagaries of wind, wave, and current. 
  They are usually found in Poseidon's tropical and subtropical regions, since cold weather tends to slow 
  or prevent their growth.
  A sargassum island is composed of millions of algal life forms from several related species. The 
  algae form a network of interconnected tendrils which bind the individual organisms together. These 
  tendrils then sprout soft bladders, which are inflated through the diffusion of metabolic waste gases. 
  These gas bladders provide buoyancy, keeping the interconnected algal mats afloat. As the algal 
  masses compete for sunlight, the growth eventually forms a thick mat which mat extend as much as 
  two meters above the surface of the water. These mats vary constantly in shape and consistency. The 
  top surface may be spongy or solid in different places, and may be high enough in the air to remain 
  fairly dry. Under the surface, algal masses that have been cut off from sunlight die and decay, cutting 
  out the support under the top layer, but at the same time providing fertilizer for all the surrounding 
  mass.
  The algal mats can extend over a wide area. The largest observed sargassum islands have been 
  over 2,500 acres in size. Even these massive specimens are subject to storm damage, however. Storms 
  tend to shred the sargassum islands, sending scraps far and wide (although the scraps may well 
  continue their growth and establish new islands).
  Despite their instability, sargassum islands are rich ecospheres in their own right. The floating 
  mats trap a great deal of organic matter, both from the decay of dying layers of the mat, and from 
  debris floating by in the current. Seeds of other plant species are carried to the mat by wind or current, 
  and often grow well in this natural mulch. Some of the largest rafts even support small forests. A 
  variety of animal species also find the sargassum environment congenial. Flying creatures can use the 
  islands as a safe refuge for laying eggs or raising their young. Aquatic and amphibious animals also 
  find the islands to be a convenient refuge or grazing area. Both the spongy surfaces and the dark 
  undersides of the mat provide harbor for various species.
  Of course, a sargassum island's riches also attract predators. Polypods, land lizards, and carniflora 
  have all been observed on sargassum islands. Meanwhile, great whites have been known to attack 
  even very large rafts, breaking off chunks and devouring them (along with any animals that were 
  unlucky enough to be standing in the wrong place at the critical moment).
  The human colonists of Poseidon have found their own uses for the sargassum islands. The natives 
  use them as hunting grounds and have also developed a keen understanding of the medicinal 
  properties of many plant species native to the islands. The larger, dryer islands can serve as temporary 
  camps for hunting or fishing parties out in the open ocean. Newcomers involved in smuggling or 
  terrorism have also been known to use the sargassum islands, as hideouts or as conveniently 
  unmapped places to stash equipment.
  Thermal Oases
  Poseidon's polar wastes are, for the most part, much like Earth's. They are cold and arid, providing 
  little way for any living things to survive. Since Poseidon is much more volcanically active than Earth, 
  however, there are cases in which the polar cold is broken up by geologic heat. These thermal oases 
  can host unique ecosystems of their own.
  A thermal oasis is a place where hot springs, geysers, or warm underground rivers have broken the 
  eternal cold of the polar regions. These areas are usually like small pockets of tundra, hosting mosses, 
  lichens, some hardy scrub plants, and a few small animal species. A few oases are tucked away in 
  sheltered valleys, and may shelter a more complex ecology.
  The species living in thermal oases are not only very hardy, but adapted to change. No thermal 
  oasis lasts forever ’  as tectonic forces shift, the supply of underground heat may subside. Thus many
  Į
   
  of the plant species grow windborne seeds, which can travel thousands of miles to find a new oasis. 
  
  Animals are adapted to periodic migrations, which touch on several oases in the course of a Poseidon 
  year.
  Poseidon's polar regions have barely been explored at all, so most of the thermal oases have never 
  been investigated by human researchers. Only a few of the smaller animal species have been 
  identified. There is evidence of larger predators, which hunt in the icy waters and spend at least some 
  of their time around the thermal oases. Polar explorers are advised to use caution.
  Thermal oases can occur underwater as well as on land. In the polar seas, they can create thin 
  spots or actual openings in the ice caps, attracting a variety of marine organisms. These oases have 
  attracted the most attention from human investigators, since several significant Long John deposits 
  have been found in their vicinity.
  Tidal Muds Reefs
  Poseidon has a number of species similar to Earthly coral, which build vast reefs and atolls. In 
  contrast, the tidal muds reefs or "mud shallows" of Poseidon have no analog on Earth. They are 
  usually found in shallow, sheltered temperate waters. Their basic organisms are a series of symbiotic 
  bacteria, similar to the cyanobacteria of Earth. These microorganisms form huge colonies, building 
  from the sea bottom and lifting their upper surfaces into the intertidal region to catch the light. Some 
  species of Earth bacteria once built similar structures, the stromatolites that are found in very ancient 
  sedimentary deposits. Of course, Earth's stromatolites were never more than a few yards across ’Į  
  while Poseidon's mud shallows can be hundreds of miles in diameter.
  The mud reef microorganisms build their colonies right at the water's surface, so as to gather as 
  much sunlight as possible. They vary in their tolerance for exposure to air, however, so each species 
  must balance its need for sunlight against its need to avoid drying out. The most air-tolerant species 
  build high, allowing themselves to be exposed for most of the tidal cycle. Other species build low, 
  preferring to be slightly submerged even at low tide. The result is a landscape filled with shallow rises 
  and canyons, interlaced with tidal pools and small channels.
  Unlike a coral reef, which is built on the calcium-rich skeletons of its members, a tidal mud reef is 
  built almost entirely out of the drifting sediment and organic material that can be trapped by the 
  colonial bacteria. As a result, a tidal mud reef is almost entirely composed of a thick organic mud, 
  usually of a reddish-brown color (and with a pungent organic odor). The muds and oozes to be found 
  in a tidal mud reef make it a dangerous place to visit. Traversing the flats on foot can be very risky ’Į  
  there are "quickmuds" that can suck an unwary visitor to his death within minutes. Meanwhile, large 
  pockets of waste gas can form just under the surface. Anyone applying pressure to the surface over 
  one of these bubbles can rupture it, falling into a large cavity that quickly fills with thick mud. Even 
  the natives rarely make any attempt to penetrate into the center of a mud reef.
  For all their danger, mud shallows are the sites of a rich ecosystem. Many interesting 
  microorganisms, fungi, plants, and small animals are specifically adapted to live in the ooze. Of 
  course, some of these creatures are themselves dangerous predators, often attaching themselves to 
  larger creatures like a leech or lamprey or using lethal poisons to bring down prey. In the central 
  regions of these enormous reefs, the debris can build up until dry islands form. These islands are 
  usually organically rich and can support many land-based plant species. They can also provide safe 
  refuge for a variety of animals. Some of Poseidon's rarest animal species have been catalogued on the 
  islands formed by tidal muds reefs.
  Bestiary
       The Poseidonian creatures in the following list are described in terms of a standard set of 
  animal statistics:
        ST, DX, IQ, HT. HT often has two numbers separated by a slash. The first number is the 
  actual HT score; the second number is hit points. ST and hit points are usually given as ranges. DX, 
  IQ, and HT may vary by a point or so in either direction for any species. An attribute shown as <1 is 
  negligible and does not affect game mechanics.
        Move/Dodge. The listed Move is that used in the animal's most common situation ’  for
  Į
   
  example, flying for birds. If an animal has more than one form of movement, the others are defined in 
  the text. Dodge (an animal's only active defense) is 1/2 DX or 1/2 Move, whichever is better.
  
        PD/DR. Passive defense and damage resistance from the creature's hide or armor. Usually do 
  not vary for a particular species.
        Damage. The listed damage is for the creature's most common form of attack. If a creature has 
  more than one form of attack, the others are listed in the text. Listed damage is for an average member 
  of the species; stronger creatures may do more. Abbreviations: cr = crushing, cut = cutting, imp = 
  impaling.
        Reach. Most creatures attack by "close combat" (C), a grapple or slam followed by an attempt 
  to crush the foe or rip it to pieces. 1, 2, etc. = reach in hexes; R = ranged attack.
        Size. The creature's size in hexes. Small creatures take up less than one hex; large ones take up 
  two or more hexes.
        Weight. The creature's weight, in pounds or tons, usually a range.
        Habitat. Where the creature is commonly found; its primary habitat is listed first. Habitats are 
  abbreviated as follows: A = arctic; CY = canyonlands; D = desert; F = forest (any temperate or 
  subarctic forest); FW = freshwater aquatic; J = jungle (any tropical forest); M = mountain; P = plains 
  (any grassland); PM = Poseidon mangrove; S = swamp; Sh = shoreline; SI = sargassum islands; Sub = 
  subterranean; SW = saltwater aquatic; TO = thermal oases; TM = tidal mud reefs.
  POISONS
  A wide range of Poseidonian lifeforms secrete poisons with varied effects. The following major 
  types are typical and are referred to in some creature descriptions.
  Nauseant
  Nauseants require a roll against HT-6. On a success, the victim is nauseated and dizzy for 3d 
  minutes, with -3 to all attribute and skill rolls. On a critical success, the unease is mild and does not 
  impair performance. On a failure, the unease lasts 1d hours and the victim suffers 2d damage. On a 
  critical failure, death results in 1d minutes.
  If the nauseant's effects are produced by eating it, a success indicates that the dose is expelled by 
  vomiting.
  Neurotoxin, Lethal
  Lethal neurotoxin has the same effects as paralytic neurotoxin (see below), but in addition, on a 
  failed roll, breathing stops, and the victim will die unless provided with artificial respiration for 
  several hours. On a critical failure, the heart stops, with the same effects as for lethal electric shock 
  (see p. 00).
  Neurotoxin, Paralytic
  Paralytic toxins interfere with the functioning of the nervous system. Roll against HT-3. On a 
  success, the victim becomes paralyzed within 5 minutes and remains paralyzed for 3d minutes. On a 
  critical success, no paralysis occurs. On a failure, the paralysis lasts for 6 hours. On a critical failure, 
  the victim falls into a coma, total unconsciousness lasting 1d+6 hours. At the end of this period, roll 
  against HT; if the roll fails, the coma lasts another 1d hours. If the coma lasts for more than 24 hours, 
  the victim will be at -2 to all attribute and skill rolls for a duration equal to that of the coma after 
  awakening. The players should not know how long the coma will last.
  Paralytic toxin does not cause actual damage, nor does it interfere with breathing or heartbeat.
  Mild paralytic toxin causes similar effects, but roll against unmodified HT. On any success, there 
  are no effects; on a failure, paralysis lasts 3d minutes; on a critical failure, it lasts 6 hours.
  Wound Venom
  Wound venom is designed to produce death after some time has passed.The victim will die 
  immediately only from a critical failure on an unmodified HT roll, but further rolls against HT-2 are 
  required for the next three days, with any failure causing death. In addition, except on a critical 
  success, the severity of the wound increases by the original amount of damage. If the victim is still 
  alive after three days, the toxin is used up and the injury heals normally.
  
  Note. Of these poisons, wound venom is a modified version of type A venom (p. CII147); 
  paralytic toxins are variants on type D venom (p. CII148); and nauseant is a version of type F venom 
  (p. CII149). 
  CREATURES OF THE SEA
  Blimp (Giordana fluitarus)
  ST: 1    Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 240
  DX: 6  PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 10 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: SW
  HT: 10/2-8      Reach: 50
  Blimps are huge living gasbags, up to 130' long, filled with metabolically generated hydrogen that 
  makes them capable of lighter-than-air flight. Long tentacles dangle in the sea below the gasbag, 
  enabling the blimp to feed. They inject a paralytic neurotoxin into any creature they brush against (this 
  is a neurotoxin; see boxed text). Then the tentacles pull the creature up into the blimp's body to be 
  digested. At night, as the air cools, the gasbag shrinks and the blimp descends to float on the surface of 
  the water.
  Blimps are found over tropical and subtropical seas across the entire planet. They have no 
  economic significance. They are a navigational hazard to watercraft, especially sailing vessels. The 
  sting of their tentacles can incapacitate a swimmer, resulting in drowning. Children in native 
  communities seek out dying blimps stranded on their beaches and poke them with burning sticks to 
  produce a startling pop as the hydrogen explodes.
  Fisherman (Piscator piscataris)
  ST: 0    Move/Dodge: 3/7         Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 1/1      Weight: < 1 oz.
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: SW
  HT: 15/1          Reach: C
  The fisherman resembles a winged insect 4-6" long. It has three pairs of legs covered with fine 
  hairs that let it walk on the surface of the water ’  one pair for each body segment except the head. A
  Į
   
  pair of sacs in its head contain a store of a paralytic neurotoxin (see boxed text). Injected into the water 
  through a hollow proboscis, the toxin spreads out to fill one hex, affecting any creature that swims 
  through it. The paralyzed creatures typically float to the surface, where the fisherman seizes and eats 
  them.
  Fishermen are native to the Haven Cluster. Native communities harvest their toxin and use it to 
  coat their hunting weapons ’  and, according to some reports, weapons used in terrorist attacks on
  Į
   
  newcomers. Researchers with Lavender Organics and Biogene are investigating the metabolic 
  pathways that synthesize this extraordinarily complex protein molecule.
  Ghoster (Retemanes spp.)
  ST: 0   Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 100-500
  DX: 1  PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 50-250 lbs.
  IQ: 1   Damage: *      Habitats: SW
  HT: 16/1          Reach: C
  Ghosters are individual organisms, but their behavior can be portrayed more accurately by 
  defining them as swarms (p. B143) ’  or as hordes, which amount to very large swarms (pp. BE42-
  Į
  43). A ghoster is a vast number of interlinked filaments forming a translucent sheet that drifts near the 
  surface of the ocean. Its metabolism generates an electrical potential between its surfaces, which can 
  be discharged to stun or kill small marine organisms. The same discharges have been known to 
  electrocute divers or even short out the electrical systems of watercraft that pass through them. 
  Ghosters have almost no ability to resist physical attacks, but such attacks are not likely to kill them, 
  but only to tear them into shreds that grow back into new ghosters; fire or poisons work best for 
  actually killing them.
  
  As a horde, a ghoster has the following statistics: Damage, 1d-1; Move, 0; Dispersed by 1 hit. The 
  damage it inflicts is lethal electric shock (see p. 00). It takes 15 seconds for a ghoster to build up a 
  charge in a discharged hex and attack again, but a victim who blunders into a new hex will suffer a 
  new attack, and a large creature or watercraft may suffer many attacks simultaneously. A ghoster is 
  not reduced to separate 1-hex swarms until at least half of its original hexes have been "dispersed," but 
  dispersing a number of hexes equal to the square root of its original size will split it into two half-sized 
  organisms.
  Ghosters inhabit temperate oceans everywhere on the planet. Their only significance to human 
  societies is as hazards, though EM scanners can detect their electric fields and enable swimmers or 
  boats to avoid them.
  Greater White (Leviathan dominatus)
  ST: 1,000         Move/Dodge: 5/4         Size: 50-500
  DX: 9  PD/DR: 2/4      Weight: 130-210 tons
  IQ: 3   Damage: 6d ¬* 40 cut   Habitats: SW
  HT: 12/200      Reach: C
  Greater whites are Poseidon's largest "fish" and are named for the sharks that they somewhat 
  resemble. Up to 240' long, the creatures' bodies support entire ecosystems of symbiotes and parasites 
  on their rough hides. As a defense against infestations, the hide constantly sloughs off in large sheets, 
  giving the greater white a dirty white color and nauseating smell of decay. Greater whites feed largely 
  on plankton, but their huge jaws can also swallow larger living creatures or small boats up to 10' long 
  whole, or tear apart bigger ones with multiple rows of bony ridges. Like Poseidonian fish generally, 
  they have a secondary pair of jaws that open sideways overlapping the primary upper and lower jaws; 
  the lateral jaws carry the filter feeding structures, while the upper and lower jaws have the cutting 
  ridges.
  Greater whites are found all over Poseidon, though mainly in areas rich in plankton. They are a 
  potential threat to shipping, but as extremely large predators they are quite rare. A greater white that 
  encounters a small boat is likely to rise out of the water and plunge down onto the craft; treat this as a 
  trampling attack of 10d, due to the creature's enormous weight. Electromagnetic fields seem to attract 
  such attacks.
  Polypod (Multimembrum magnus)
  ST: 20-30  Move/Dodge: 3/5         Size: 1-7
  DX: 10      PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 200-4,000 lbs.
  IQ: 4         Damage: 5d cr Habitats: SI, SW
  HT: 15/50  Reach: 15
  Polypods are ambush predators that especially favor sargassum island environments, which offer 
  them many hiding places. A favorite tactic of large polypods is to extend their tentacles along the 
  underside of a sargassum mat and wait for vibrations to indicate the presence of prey, at which they 
  make a surprise grappling attack. If this succeeds, they grasp the prey in multiple tentacles. (A 
  polypod has from 4 to 12 tentacles.) They are able to squeeze themselves into a variety of other hiding 
  places seemingly too small for them.
  A tentacle attack is treated as a grapple. The polypod's ST is the ST of each tentacle; the polypod 
  may attack with two tentacles in a single turn. A contest of ST is required to break free of the 
  tentacles; to escape more than one, total their ST. A prey that fails to break free suffers a constriction 
  attack on the following turn, which inflicts crushing damage as shown. A tentacle can be severed by 
  cutting damage equal to 1/4 the polypod's HP; such damage does not affect the polypod's overall HP. 
  Impaling damage is not doubled against the tentacles.
  Polypods are sexually dimorphic; the statistics shown are for the females. Male polypods are one-
  hex creatures weighing no more than 20 pounds and feeding on smaller prey. When sexually mature, a 
  male will approach a female and, if she doesn't kill him, wrap his tentacles around her head and bite 
  into her flesh. Over time, the female's flesh actually grows to enclose the male's entire body as a large 
  lump. Old females may have over 20 such lumps, one per 200 lbs. of body weight; females continue to 
  grow throughout their lives. Offspring bud off adjacent to these lumps and eventually separate from 
  the female.
  
  Polypods live in temperate and tropical seas. The smaller specimens are hunted and eaten by 
  natives. However, they also hunt human beings who venture into their domains; the larger females can 
  be a major threat. Their skin secretions have a distinctive odor and support phosphorescent bacteria 
  that reveal their presence in dark environments; a roll against Survival can give warning of a polypod's 
  presence.
  Spurt (Cometedae spp.)
  Hard Spurt
  ST: 7-9            Move/Dodge: 4/16       Size: 1-2
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 2/1      Weight: 50 to 100 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-2 cut       Habitats: SW
  HT: 11/6-8      Reach: C
  Soft Spurt
  ST: 10-12                                      Move/Dodge: 1/12 Size: 1-10
  DX: 12                                                     PD/DR: 0/0 Weight: 125 to 475 lbs.
  IQ: 2                                              Damage: 1d-1 cut Habitats: SW
  HT: 11/9-12                                                 Reach: C
  Spurts come in two varieties, hard and soft. Hard spurts are protected by coiled shells 
  resembling those of chambered nautili. They move about by drawing in water and 
  expelling it as a jet, the source of their name; this is the basis for their high Dodge. They 
  are hunters, with a bite that injects a mild neurotoxin (see boxed text).
  Soft spurts have no DR, but their flesh is saturated with poison, and even a touch 
  produces the effects of lethal neurotoxin (see boxed text); they are brightly colored to 
  warn off predators. The soft species is a plankton feeder rather than an active carnivore.
  Spurts are found all over the planet. Hard spurts are edible and are considered a 
  delicacy. Soft spurts are lethally toxic if eaten ’ roll against HT-6 rather than HT-3.
  Į
   
  Spurts are not a serious threat to human beings, but will inject venom into an unwary 
  swimmer who blunders into one. The species described here are the largest; smaller 
  varieties of both hard and soft spurts are encountered.
  Stone Snake (unclassified)
  ST: 20-24        Move/Dodge: 7/8         Size: 3-6
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 0/2      Weight: 100 to 120 lbs.
  IQ: 4   Damage: 4d imp         Habitats: SW
  HT: 12-14       Reach: C
  Stone snakes actually resemble segmented worms more than snakes, being made up of multiple 
  physiologically independent sections. Each segment has its own ring of eyespots. The stone snake is 
  an air-breather, despite its aquatic habitat; it must surface to breathe every 90 minutes if active, though 
  it can remain submerged several times as long if resting. Each segment has a separate breathing orifice 
  and produces a hollow popping sound as it expels old air, audible up to half a mile away.
  Stone snakes are stealth predators, lying on the bottom of shallow coastal waters, preferring 
  muddy bottoms. When potential prey swims over, the stone snake propels itself upward and spears the 
  swimmer on its long four-bladed jaws; if this works it drags the prey to the bottom and waits until it 
  stops struggling. The jaw structure tends to indicate some relationship to Poseidonian "fish," but from 
  other anatomical differences it is probably a distant one.
  Stone snakes are native to the Zion Islands. They are one of the planet's most deadly predators; 
  many attacks on human beings are documented. They have been known to hole small boats. A roll 
  against Survival or Area Knowledge: Zion Islands will identify the characteristic noise of their 
  breathing, giving warning that a lethal attack from below is possible.
  Sunburst (Caneopoise benagus)
  ST: 50 Move/Dodge: 4/4         Size: 3
  DX: 9  PD/DR: 0/1      Weight: 1,000-1,800 lbs.
  
  IQ: 4   Damage: 1d+1 cr        Habitats: SW
  HT: 12-14/24-28         Reach: C
  The sunburst, or caneopoise, is an air-breathing sea creature roughly comparable to a mammal. 
  Sunbursts are plankton feeders that congregate in huge herds, some comprising millions of 
  individuals. They use sound both to communicate and as sonar, and in some areas of Poseidon's 
  oceans their singing is a constant background noise.
  During midafternoon, sunbursts habitually surface and bask in the sun. While they do so, seabirds 
  of a particular species land on them and cleanse their skins of parasites, apparently the birds' sole 
  source of nutrition, as they are only seen flying after sunburst herds.
  Sunbursts range all over Poseidon, anywhere plankton is abundant, forming vast herds like those 
  of North American bison in the 19th century. Their meat is a staple of the native diet. More recently, 
  their skins have become fashionable as a commercial product; they are soft and smooth, with a silvery 
  sheen, and retain their natural beauty when tanned. Conflict has begun to emerge between 
  environmentalist and native groups calling for a moratorium and commercial hunters that seek to 
  maintain their industry, despite long-term threats to its profits from declining sunburst populations.
  Water Dart (Mitchella telumus)
  ST: <1 Move/Dodge: 2/2         Size: <1
  DX: 5  PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 1 oz.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-1 imp      Habitats: SW
  HT: 10/1          Reach: C
  Water darts spend most of their lives as planktonic lifeforms. However, when they reach sexual 
  maturity they become parasitic. A female water dart swims at top speed at a large marine creature, 
  preferably a mammaloid. If she hits, she rams her anterior spine into the victim's flesh, burrowing into 
  its muscle tissue. The spine houses an egg sack; when the larvae hatch, they follow the host's 
  circulatory system and gather in its body cavities to feed and grow until it dies. Vision rolls to see a 
  water dart are at -2 because of its translucent body tissues.
  The water dart is a significant threat to both the human and cetacean communities. Surgeons in 
  frontier areas frequently have to remove egg sacks; a critical failure on the Surgery roll indicates that 
  some eggs are missed, and much more expensive and difficult surgery will be needed after 1d months. 
  Proposals have been made to map out the water dart life cycle in detail and exterminate the wild 
  populations; this would be a series of expensive and difficult projects.
  CREATURES OF THE LAND
  Am-bush (Hashashim insipida)
  ST: 0         Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 1
  DX: 0        PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 1 lb.
  IQ: 1         Damage: *      Habitats: Sh
  HT: 10/1    Reach: *
  The am-bush, also known as the assassin plant, grows on coastal rocks just above high tide. Eight 
  to 10 leaf-bearing runners extend 30-50 feet from the central body and send rootlets into the rock to 
  keep the plant atached. A bright red central seedpod holds large numbers of tiny, needle-like seeds and 
  a quantity of copper perchlorate, a highly unstable explosive, which the plant synthesizes from ions 
  extracted from the seawater. If an animal comes close to the seedpod after the seeds mature, it triggers 
  an enzymatic ignition process, and the resulting explosion drives the seeds into its flesh. This inflicts 
  fragmentation damage of [2d] (see pp. B121-122), and the seeds release toxins that make the wounds 
  extremely painful, producing effects equivalent to those of type F venom (see boxed text). The victim 
  will die immediately only from a critical failure on an unmodified HT roll, but further rolls against 
  HT-6 are required for the next three days, with any failure causing death. This is thought to be a 
  mechanism for seed dispersal, as well as ensuring a supply of nutrients to the seeds when they 
  germinate.
  The am-bush grows on Westcape and the islands close to it. Its seed dispersal mechanism is a 
  hazard to the unwary. However, natives harvest it for the seedpod, whose perchlorate content can be 
  
  used to start fires or in vermin traps, while the empty pod is used to make jewelry. Urban legend 
  claims that native terrorists use seed pods as natural hand grenades.
  Chain Beetle (Dorsalis givenius)
  ST: 2    Move/Dodge: 3/7         Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 2/5      Weight: 2 to 4 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-4 Habitats: TM, Sh
  HT: 15/2          Reach: C
  Chain beetles are amphibious arthropods with four segmented legs on each side and ventrally 
  placed mouths with sharp nipping surfaces. Their armor is tough enough to resist most predators' 
  attacks, and they have few natural enemies. Individual chain beetles are reclusive and seldom seen. 
  However, the species has developed a form of chemical communication through which individuals 
  link together front to back in colonies of up to two dozen. Colonies range over the land, attacking any 
  animal they find on the ground, living or dead. They are effectively swarms (see p. B143), with the 
  following statistics: Damage/Turn, 1d-1; Move, 3; Dispersed by 20 hits.
  Chain beetles are found on the shores of temperate and tropical islands around the planet. The 
  difficulty of killing them makes them not merely a major nuisance but a moderate threat. However, 
  their shells provide useful material for needles, knives, and other tools and even for jewelry.
  Digger Crab (Cancersimila fossionis)
  ST: 2   Move/Dodge: 1/3         Size: <1
  DX: 6  PD/DR: 2/1      Weight: 6-8 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-4 cut       Habitats: Sh
  HT: 11/2          Reach: C
  Digger crabs somewhat resemble crustaceans on Earth, but exhibit complex social behavior like 
  that of ants or termites. A group of males build an elaborate maze of tunnels within which a female 
  rests and lays eggs, while the males fetch food to her. Digger crabs will eat almost anything organic. 
  The males have heavy carapaces and six spindly legs ending in claws. The primary sensory organs are 
  antennae that grow out of the legs, but rows of eyespots grow along the sides. Females look almost 
  nothing like males, being soft-bodied and functionally little more than egg sacs.
  Digger crabs are most abundant in the Haven Cluster, but are found around the planet at tropical 
  latitudes. Males are a valuable source of meat, and their carapaces are often used in handicrafts; 
  females are considered inedible. People walking on beaches sometimes step in sinkholes formed by 
  the males' nest building. Digger crabs often nest around the stilts that support native dwellings, which 
  may lead to structural collapse.
  Eel Dragon (Anguillasimila volatilis)
  ST: 1-2            Move/Dodge: 15/8       Size: <1
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 1 to 2 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-4 cut       Habitats: Sh
  HT: 12/1          Reach: 1
  The eel dragon is an amphibian that is capable of true flight; it resembles an eel with large 
  membranous wings suited to soaring. It is awkward on land and typically spends the night floating 
  on the surface of the ocean. Eel dragons have no real heads and little in the way of a central 
  nervous system. They hunt by dragging their barbed tails below the surface of the ocean; when the 
  barbs snag a fish (inflicting cutting damage), they fly upward and bring the tail up to the mouth at 
  the front of the body, where it is swallowed whole.
  Eel dragons are found soaring over temperate and tropical seas everywhere. They have no known uses 
  and are a minor navigational hazard to air and hover vehicles; having one sucked into an air intake 
  will shut down an engine on a failed roll against vehicle HT.
  Hangin' Joe (unclassified)
  ST: 15 Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 2-3
  DX: 10 PD/DR: 0/1      Weight: 450 to 550 lbs.
  
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: PM
  HT: 14/18-20  Reach: C
  A hangin' joe is a mollusc of unusually large size, whose normal habitat is Poseidon mangrove 
  trees. Its central body has a mottled brown color and is typically covered with moss and epiphytes, 
  providing camouflage (-2 to Vision rolls). From 10 to 20 ropy tentacles extend up to 100' from the 
  central mass and are draped over branches or dangled just below the surface of the water. An animal 
  that brushes against a tentacle is the target of a grappling attack; if this succeeds, the prey is 
  constricted, experiencing 1d per turn until it breaks free (contest of ST required) or dies from its 
  injuries. Once dead, the prey is pulled up into the tree and tucked under the hangin' joe's body, where a 
  radula (a tongue coated with abrasive teeth) strips off its flesh as it decays. 
  Hangin' joes are found in tropical stands of Poseidon mangrove. They are dangerous predators that 
  kill human beings regularly. Alert travelers may notice a faint sulfurous odor that betrays the presence 
  of a hangin' joe.
  Land Lizard (Malalongus ricardo)
  ST: 35-40        Move/Dodge: 2/8         Size: 1-4
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 20 to 500 lbs.
  IQ: 3   Damage: 2d+2 cut       Habitats: J
  HT: 12/8-18    Reach: C
  Land lizards are actually amphibians rather than reptiles; they lay eggs in the water, which hatch into 
  aquatic larvae, and the adults are equally at home on land and in water. They actually move faster 
  in water, propelled by sideways movements of their powerful tails. However, they feed mainly on 
  land, burying themselves in the ground with coiled tails, and then launching themselves at large 
  animals that pass by. A successful attack with their narrow upper and lower jaws (they have all but 
  lost the lateral jaws of their fishlike ancestors) tears out a large chunk of flesh from the prey, 
  which collapses from shock and blood loss and is then devoured. The land lizard then drags itself 
  back to its burrow, using two small limblike appendages (Move 1), and spends several days 
  digesting its meal.
  Found in the tropics, land lizards are a serious threat to human beings. However, their flesh brings a 
  high price and can be found in expensive restaurants. Young native hunters in tropical 
  communities bring back land lizards for their villages to feast on as a demonstration of skill in 
  hunting. Many natives resent the sale of land lizards to immigrants, but hunters often find 
  restaurateurs' prices hard to turn down.
  Loggerhead (Parmata mzumba)
  ST: 36-40        Move/Dodge: 1/4         Size: 1-2
  DX: 9  PD/DR: 0/3      Weight: 650 to 1,250 lbs.
  IQ: 3   Damage: 2d cut           Habitats: S
  HT: 14/14-18  Reach: C
  Loggerheads exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism. The statistics above are for females, which are huge 
  but relatively passive, protected by massive shells. Males are tiny, eel-like organisms that live 
  within crevices in the female's shell. When prey come within reach of the female, the males attack 
  as a swarm; their bites inject the target with type D venom, but with the added property of 
  paralyzing the respiratory muscles, so that the prey suffocates (see p. B122). If the attack of the 
  males succeeds, the female then emerges and feeds upon the prey.
  Male loggerhead swarms have the following statistics: Damage/Turn, 1d-4; Move, 2; Dispersed by 5 
  hits.
  Loggerheads inhabit the southern temperate zone. Both their meat and their shells are useful, but there 
  is no commercial market for either as yet. Loggerhead bites kill unwary human colonists; roll 
  against Survival to spot the site of a loggerhead nest.
  Marsh Devil (Diabolus palus)
  ST: 16-20        Move/Dodge: 7/8         Size: 2
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 1/3      Weight: 550-750 lbs.
  
  IQ: 3   Damage: 3d imp         Habitats: Sh, FW, S
  HT: 13 Reach: C
  Marsh devils are six-legged amphibian carnivores, feeding mainly on fish and other aquatic 
  lifeforms, though they sometimes leave the water to hunt on land. In addition to their claws, they bite 
  with sharp teeth for 1d cutting damage. They can sustain their full Move only by expending 1 Fatigue 
  per second; their ordinary Move is 4. In contrast to the extreme sexual dimorphism of many 
  Poseidonian lifeforms, marsh devils are hermaphrodites, though not self-fertilizing.
  Marsh devils are native to the Sierra Nueva Cluster. Due to their size and aggressiveness, they are 
  rare. They are considered a serious threat, as they are quitewilling to attack humans and capable of 
  killing them.
  Nooniebird (Parabuceotida vulgaris)
  ST: 1-2 Move/Dodge: 15/7       Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 4 to 7 lbs.
  IQ: 4   Damage: 1d-5 cut       Habitats: Sh, M
  HT: 13/1-3      Reach: C
  The nooniebird is named for an early 22nd century comedian, Noonie Flack, because of its talent for 
  mimicry. Physically nooniebirds resemble hornbills, but have rudimentary claws on their wing 
  joints. They build large communal nests in seaside cliffs. These nests are often filled with shiny 
  objects that the birds picked up, including stolen tools and jewelry. A nooniebird can learn an 
  entire sentence after hearing it once and may repeat it for days, until a new sentence takes its 
  place.
  Nooniebirds nest on Westcape and the islands that surround it, where they are known as chatterbirds. 
  Their nests are large enough so that a human being can climb into them, and natives sometimes 
  use them for shelter from storms, or forage through them for stolen items. Nooniebird meat is 
  stringy and tastes bad; a Will roll is needed to eat it, except for a character with No Sense of 
  Smell/Taste (p. B29). However, the oil from their plumage has some value as a lubricant. Native 
  resistance forces occasionally gain useful intelligence from conversation repeated by nooniebirds.
  Poseidon Trilobyte (Colacarius wernerii)
  ST: Move/Dodge: 2/3    Size: 1-2
  DX: 6  PD/DR: 2/2      Weight: 9 to 15 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 2d-1 cut       Habitats: TM, Sh, SW
  HT: 15/2-4      Reach: C
  Trilobytes are amphibious, leaving on seashores or in shallow water. They feed on carrion and 
  decaying plant matter, and the young often infest human habitations, looking for food, which has 
  earned them the nickname "roaches." The trilobyte is not edible, and in fact its flesh is a nauseant 
  if ingested. Trilobytes have brightly colored shells that seem to warn off predators. Glands along 
  their dorsal surfaces produce a sticky luminescent secretion.
  The body of a trilobyte is encased in a heavy shell. Two massive forelegs are used in mating displays 
  and to cling to large carcasses during feeding; the mouth is on the underside. Three pairs of 
  walking legs support the body and enable the trilobyte to crawl about.
  Found on New Hawaii, the Poseidon trilobyte is mainly a nuisance, due to its habit of infesting human 
  buildings. However, pens of adult trilobytes provide a convenient method of organic waste 
  disposal, especially in native communities. They are also harvested for the pigments from the 
  bioluminescent glands of adults.
  Rumble Bee (Terabolla murmurus)
  ST: 1   Move/Dodge: 5/4         Size: <1
  DX: 5  PD/DR: 1/0      Weight: 0.4 to 0.5 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: G, F
  HT: 12/1          Reach: C
  Rumble bees have formidable stingers growing out of their heads, which can inject a paralytic 
  neurotoxin, but there is no record of a rumble bee ever attacking a human.. Rumble bees have two 
  
  pairs of wings and three sets of jointed legs. They are comparatively slow fliers. The beat of their 
  wings makes a loud buzzing noise
  Rumble bees live in the tropical archipelagoes of the southern hemisphere. Native healers make their 
  egg masses into a topical antibiotic. Native children often keep them as pets.
  Stick Monkey (Simiasimila ululatus)
  ST:      Move/Dodge: 4/7          Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 10 to 12 lbs.
  IQ: 5   Damage: *      Habitats: J, F
  HT: 11/2-4      Reach: C
  Stick monkeys, or squealers, are small, tree-climbing mammals with greenish bare skin that gives 
  them a measure of camouflage (-2 to Vision rolls to detect them). They feed primarily on fruit. Their 
  climbing abilities are enhanced by multijointed limbs and prehensile tails. They travel in large, noisy 
  gangs. While there is no known case of their trying to prey on human beings or any animal larger than 
  an insect, they are skilled at throwing rotten fruit or their own feces at anyone who intrude on their 
  territory; the target of such an attack requires a roll against Will + 2 to resist gagging. Their bite is also 
  toxic, with nauseant effects.
  Stick monkeys are found in tropic regions across the planet. They have no economic value. 
  Basically, they are a nuisance, and one that is hard to control, thanks to their various mechanisms for 
  self-defense.
  Water Rat (Rodentis gregalis)
  ST: 3-5      Move/Dodge: 3/7         Size: 1
  DX: 14      PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 25 to 35 lbs.
  IQ: 4         Damage: 1d-4 Habitats: FW, Sh, PM
  HT: 13/5-7 Reach: C
  Water rats are omnivores, feeding on plants, insects, and any small animals they can catch. They 
  live in extended family groups that dig dens in overhanging banks and remain there for generations. 
  They have some skill in building, using natural materials to expand and improve their warrens. They 
  are good swimmers, with small webbed feet, though they are strictly air-breathing. Female water rats 
  lay four to six leathery eggs per mating season, and then go out to hunt while the males guard the eggs.
  Water rats live in the Zion Islands. They eagerly eat fast fungus and can be used to help keep 
  decay under control; unfortunately, they also gnaw at wooden objects and can quickly gnaw enough 
  holes in a boat so that it is no longer seaworthy. They become visibly anxious as a storm approaches. 
  Their flesh can be eaten, but has a muddy tastes and is tough; there is no market for it.
  PARALLEL EVOLUTION
  Poseidonian lifeforms are the products of billions of years of separate evolution; they have no 
  relationship to Earth lifeforms. A Poseidonian "fish" may superficially resemble an Earth fish, but 
  none of the taxonomic names for Earth fish apply to it; it's not a fish, or a vertebrate, or even an 
  animal. Biologists frown on the use of such names; they may suggest comparisons that help people 
  imagine the strange in terms of the familiar, but that very familiarity is an illusion ’  and may lead to
  Į
   
  dangerous mistakes.
  On the other hand, some biological terms don't refer to a specific evolutionary history, but simply 
  to a pattern of form and function. For example, "herbivore" means an animal that lives by eating 
  plants; it's not the name of a particular taxonomic group of animals. And other names have both kinds 
  of meaning: Carnivora are one group of mammals, but "carnivore" can also mean any animal that eats 
  other animals. With the discovery of Poseidonian life, many more such dual meanings became 
  convenient.
  On 20th century Earth, before DNA sequencing provided the key to evolution, some zoologists 
  suggested that "arthropods" included several groups with completely separate evolutionary histories. 
  Because shrimp, scorpions, and silverfish all had rigid exoskeletons enclosing their entire bodies, it 
  was argued, they had to have jointed legs and segmented bodies to enable them to move; so their 
  similar body plans came from their similar life habits, not from shared ancestry. The chain beetle, 
  
  fisherman, and rumble bee certainly share no ancestors with Earth arthropods, but they have 
  exoskeleta, segmented bodies, and jointed legs, so calling them "arthropods" makes some sense. Just 
  remember that it's only a verbal label, and Poseidonian "arthropods" and "vertebrates" are no relation 
  to the Earth lifeforms called by these names.
   
  4. POSEIDON
  Metwatch gave us the warning late last night. Not many of us got any sleep. We were too busy 
  tying things down and moving the most delicate equipment into the storm bunker. By dawn the rain 
  had started, and there was enough wind to knock you down if you weren't careful. Lieutenant Andros 
  called us all inside just after 0900 local. We hadn't finished, but there was no more time.
  Mother of God, it was awe-inspiring. I watched from inside the bunker, using the security 
  perimeter pickups. It was pitch-black outside, even at what the clocks said was noon. Lightning 
  flashes and the rumble of thunder never stopped. I could occasionally see the palm trees lining the 
  beach, lying over until they were parallel to the ground. The rain was coming in horizontally, enough 
  to reduce visibility to just a couple of meters. I think it could have pummeled a man to death, if he 
  were unlucky enough to be caught outside. And then there were the waves and the storm surge, 
  washing over the flimsy breakwater we had built as if it wasn't even there. It went on all day.
  The trailing edge passed over just after sunset. We went out to assess the damage. The bioplastic 
  huts we had just built were a total loss, and a lot of light items were simply gone. Debris was all over 
  the beach. Fortunately nothing critical was lost. We'll be able to resume construction in the morning.
  They tell me that was just a moderate cyclonic, comparable to the kind of hurricane that happens 
  all the time on Earth. Poseidon can do much worse.
  In fact, I see now why they named this planet Poseidon. Today we saw a sample of the god's wrath 
  that not even Odysseus would have survived.
  ’  GEO Peacekeeper Sergeant Aristides Stephanos, journal entry (March 14, 2197)
  Į
  The Serpentis System
  Lambda Serpentis (also called "Serpens" by Poseidon's inhabitants) is a G0 main sequence star. It 
  is very similar to Earth's Sun, only slightly brighter and more massive than Sol. Like the Sun, it is a 
  relatively old member of the galactic disk.
  Despite their many similarities, Sol and Lambda Serpentis are not "sibling" stars. Serpens appears 
  to be some 400 million years older than Sol, has a noticeably different composition, and probably 
  formed in an entirely different part of the galaxy. At present the two stars are close neighbors by 
  galactic standards, but their destinies are very different.
  Serpens has five major satellites, along with a dense planetoid belt. The basic parameters for all of 
  these bodies, including Poseidon itself, are described here.
  STATISTICS: LAMBDA SERPENTIS (SERPENS)
  Spectral Type: G0 V.
  Mass: 1.04 solar masses.
  Luminosity: 1.04 solar units.
  Effective Temperature: 6,000 kelvins.
  Diameter: 814,000 miles
  Age: 5.0 billion years (Old Population I).
  HEPHAESTUS
  
  Serpens' innermost planet is Hephaestus, a hellish world which resembles Venus. Long ago, 
  Hephaestus suffered a runaway greenhouse effect, boiling its oceans and turning the atmosphere into a 
  dense, unbreathable stew. The planet is wreathed in reflective clouds, under which the surface 
  temperatures are often high enough to melt lead. No human expedition has visited Hephaestus, 
  although a few unmanned probes have been put in orbit or dropped into the atmosphere. From 
  Poseidon, Hephaestus is visible as a bright morning or evening star, the brightest object in the sky 
  after Serpens and the two moons.
  STATISTICS: HEPHAESTUS
  Diameter: 7,590 miles.
  Mass: 0.893 Earth masses.
  Density: 5.3 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 0.7 AU (65.1 million miles).
  Orbital Period: 209.8 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 22.3 standard hours.
  Axial Tilt: 14¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Superdense.
  Atmospheric Composition: Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, some nitrogen and sulfur oxides.
  Surface Water: None.
  Temperature: 750¬ƒF.
  Moons: None.
  Population: None.
  POSEIDON
  Poseidon is the jewel of the Serpens system, a beautiful and human-habitable world. The initial 
  Argos 12 survey revealed a planet with uncanny similarities to Earth, its diameter, density, mass and 
  surface gravity all very close to Earth normal. The most visually striking feature is its water, a vast belt 
  of saltwater ocean that covers all but a small fraction of the surface. Dense cloud belts and brilliant ice 
  caps reflect sunlight into space, contrasting with the deep blue of the world-spanning ocean, making 
  Poseidon a jewel among worlds.
  Poseidon is described in considerably more detail in the rest of this chapter and in Chapter 5.
  STATISTICS: POSEIDON
  Diameter: 8,540 miles.
  Mass: 1.133 Earth masses.
  Density: 5.0 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 1.1 AU (102 million miles).
  Orbital Period: 413.2 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 30.01 standard hours.
  Axial Tilt: 29.1¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Dense (1.3 atmospheres).
  Atmospheric Composition: Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, traces of water vapor, argon, 
  nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides.
  Surface Water: 97% surface coverage.
  Temperature: 66¬ƒF.
  Moons: Two large moons (Proteus and Nereus).
  Population: 1.9 million (not including aborigines).
  Proteus
  Poseidon, like Earth, has an unusually large satellite which orbits at an unexpectedly great 
  distance. Indeed, Poseidon's major satellite is even larger with respect to its primary than Luna, and 
  has an even wider orbital path. This has led many to describe Poseidon as one component of a "double 
  
  planet," two planetary bodies which are gravitationally bound together, but which orbit Serpens 
  independently. Proteus is "tidally locked" to Poseidon, rotating about its axis exactly once per orbit 
  about the planet. As a result, from any point on Proteus' surface, the water world appears fixed in the 
  sky.
  In some respects Proteus resembles Mars, although it is significantly larger and warmer. The 
  atmosphere is very thin and contains almost no free oxygen. During the long local night, it gets so cold 
  that the carbon dioxide in the air freezes out, causing atmospheric pressure to drop sharply. During the 
  day, however, atmospheric pressure rises to a point at which humans can go out without a pressure suit 
  for brief periods. The air is still unbreathable, of course, so a respirator and a supply of compressed air 
  are required.
  Like Mars, Proteus is too small to retain water vapor in its atmosphere. The surface of the moon is 
  extremely dry and desolate. However, there are extensive deposits of water ice buried in underground 
  aquifers. This water occasionally breaks free to the surface, forming short-lived water floods that soon 
  evaporate or subside once again. The human settlements on Proteus can drill down to the aquifers and 
  obtain enough water to support a limited population.
  Overall, Proteus is more hospitable than Mars, and in fact supports a simple native ecology of 
  native plant-like forms. Proteus life is well adapted to the harsh local conditions, able to "shell up" or 
  scatter spores in preparation for the long nights, extremely adept at conserving water. The thin 
  atmosphere offers little protection from radiation and ultraviolet light, so the native life is either 
  strongly radiation-resistant or can tolerate high mutation rates. Most Proteus life is sessile, unable to 
  move from its rooting place. Those forms that can move are very slow, and show no signs of 
  intelligence. Few local organisms respond to stimulation, and even fewer show any signs of 
  aggression. Some local species produce unusual biochemicals, a few of which are highly poisonous to 
  humans. Others produce pleasing fragrances or beautiful foliage, and are highly prized by collectors.
  Proteus supports a single major settlement, Proteus City, which is located on the surface not far 
  from the point at which Poseidon appears perpetually overhead. Most of the inhabitants of Proteus 
  City are descended from Martians or belters. The city is a minor center of mining activity, 
  manufacturing and trade. Its main distinction is the presence of several GEO and Incorporate research 
  teams, all of which are studying the local ecology.
  STATISTICS: PROTEUS
  Diameter: 4,500 miles.
  Mass: 0.164 Earth masses.
  Density: 4.9 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 365,000 miles.
  Orbital Period: 45.3 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 45.3 standard days.
  Axial Tilt: 3¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Very Thin (0.4 atmospheres).
  Atmospheric Composition: Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, traces of free oxygen.
  Surface Water: No surface coverage, traces of underground water and ice.
  Temperature: 64¬ƒF.
  Population: 19,000.
  Nereus
  Nereus, Poseidon's second moon, is an astronomical puzzle. Although it is not as large as Proteus, 
  it is of significant size, and it orbits at an even greater distance from Poseidon. Its orbit is also unusual, 
  inclined to the plane of Poseidon's equator and somewhat eccentric (elliptical rather than circular) as 
  well. No credible model of planetary formation explains its existence. Even worse, its orbital path is 
  inherently unstable ’  astronomers estimate that it could not have been in place for more than a few
  Į
   
  million years. The gravitational effects of Serpens and Proteus will eventually either eject Proteus 
  from Poseidon orbit, or circularize its orbit into a more stable configuration. Some theorists point to 
  Nereus as another piece of evidence for alien intervention in the Serpens system, but to date no 
  evidence to support this idea has appeared on Nereus itself.
  
  Nereus has a trace of atmosphere, although it is far too thin and toxic to support human life. 
  Visitors to the planet must wear a pressure suit or other environmental gear. The moon also shows no 
  trace of surface water or life. On the other hand, it is a mineral treasure-house. Extensive deposits of 
  useful metals are present on and near the Nerean surface.
  Nereus supports several Incorporate mining operations, most of them heavily automated with only 
  minimal human staff. The single GEO outpost on the moon is a research station in the northern polar 
  region.
  STATISTICS: NEREUS
  Diameter: 3,080 miles.
  Mass: 0.051 Earth masses.
  Density: 4.75 g/cc.
  Orbital Radius: 512,700 miles.
  Orbital Period: 79.0 standard days.
  Rotational Period: 29.5 standard days.
  Axial Tilt: 32¬ƒ.
  Atmospheric Pressure: Trace (0.14 atmospheres).
  Atmospheric Composition: Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, traces of argon.
  Surface Water: None.
  Temperature: 10¬ƒF.
  Population: 1,100.
  SERPENTIS BELT
  Beyond the orbit of Poseidon lies the main body of the Serpentis Belt. This planetoid belt 
  resembles the Main Belt in the Solar system, although it is somewhat more dense. Its members are 
  almost all of the stony-iron type, rich in metals, but very dry and lacking in organic compounds. The 
  planetoids of the Serpentis Belt come in all sizes, from boulder-sized pieces of flotsam, up to a few 
  chunks that are as much as 200 miles across.
  The "dry" nature of the Serpentis Belt makes colonization an expensive proposition, but its 
  mineral wealth still attracts thousands of independent prospectors every year. Most of these are from 
  the belter clans of the Solar system, hoping to take up residence in a place that is at once familiar and 
  more isolated from Earth's troubles. Their primary interest is to be left alone, although some of the 
  larger Belt communities are involved in specialized manufacturing or commerce. For example, the 
  Mirror habitat is well-known for its production of custom-built machines and replacement parts, which 
  match extremely fine tolerances. The Ariel habitat is a "smuggler's city," a center for both legitimate 
  and illegal trade.
  STATISTICS: SERPENTIS BELT
  Orbital Radius: 1.4 AU to 1.8 AU (130 million miles to 167 million miles).
  Orbital Period: Variable. Most members of the main body of the Belt have periods between 1.6 
  and 2.4 standard years.
  Atmosphere: Vacuum.
  Surface Water: None.
  Temperature: Variable, usually between -85¬ƒ and -35¬ƒF.
  Population: 180,000.
  THE GAS GIANTS
  The outer reaches of the Serpens system are occupied by three gas giant planets, similar to the 
  Jovian worlds of the Solar system. These gas giants are among the more unusual features of the 
  Serpens system ’  two out of three of them are actually well within the "snow line" which marks the
  Į
   
  usual inward boundary of gas-giant formation. Astronomers speculate that these giant planets were 
  
  dragged inward by friction with the protoplanetary nebula, a process that has been inferred from 
  observation of other star systems. Fortunately for Poseidon, this process was aborted at some point, 
  preventing the embryonic gas giants from absorbing the small, rocky bodies of the inner system.
  Aeolus orbits at about 2.3 AU (214 million miles) from Serpens. Aeolus is a smallish gas giant, 
  somewhat smaller than Uranus in the Solar system. Its atmosphere is a thick blanket of hydrogen and 
  helium, with traces of methane. It has a complex ring system and at least 20 moons, three of them of 
  significant size. The miners of the Serpentis Belt often visit the Aeolus system in order to mine ice and 
  organics from its moons. The largest of these satellites, Androcles, is the focus of this activity and 
  hosts a permanent settlement of about 5,000 people.
  Cronus orbits at 3.5 AU (326 million miles). Cronus is slightly larger than Saturn and resembles 
  that world quite closely. It has a very large and complex ring system, which is a stunning sight through 
  a telescope or in close flyby. There are occasional human expeditions to the planet and its extensive 
  system of moons, but no permanent stations have been established.
  Persephone orbits at 5.5 AU (512 million miles). About the size of Neptune, Persephone is an 
  unremarkable world. Its ring system is thin, and there is nothing about its moons to attract human 
  attention. Other than a single surveying expedition, there have been few visitors and no permanent 
  settlements.
  The World
  The main focus for human activity in the Serpens system is Poseidon, the single habitable planet. 
  Poseidon bears a striking resemblance to Earth, but there are also many differences that make it clear 
  that the world is alien. This section describes the planet's physical and ecological environment.
  ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE
  Poseidon's atmosphere is quite similar to Earth's. The proportions of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon 
  dioxide are all correct for human comfort. The atmosphere is somewhat denser than Earth's, the result 
  of heavy volcanic activity and consequent outgassing. This results in increased air pressure at sea 
  level, around 30% higher than on Earth. The higher air density does have significant effects: increased 
  greenhouse effect, more lift for aircraft, stronger winds, and so on. It has little effect on the air's 
  breathability.
  Since Poseidon is almost completely covered by ocean, the air tends to be heavy with water vapor. 
  Cloud cover is frequent and often thick. Between the dense cloud cover and the large ice caps, 
  Poseidon reflects a great deal of sunlight back into space. In any case, the planet only receives about 
  85% of the solar energy that Earth does. Only the dense atmosphere and its consequent greenhouse 
  effect serve to keep Poseidon at habitable temperatures.
  Like Earth, Poseidon is divided into climate zones ’  the 
  Į
  tropics close to the equator, the 
  temperate zones in the northern and southern hemispheres, and the polar zones at the extreme north 
  and south. Poseidon's significantly greater axial tilt means that weather variation is more extreme. 
  Seasonal variations are somewhat more noticeable than on Earth, even in the equatorial regions.
  On the other hand, the lack of large landmasses tends to stabilize weather patterns on Poseidon. 
  With no large continents to cause differential heating of the atmosphere or to divert ocean currents, the 
  planet's weather patterns tend to be fairly consistent. Prevailing winds and ocean currents remain 
  constant; regional temperatures tend to follow the same seasonal cycle each year.
  The Pacifica Archipelago, where most of the human population of Poseidon lives, is almost 
  entirely in the tropic zone. In most of the archipelago, summers are very hot and humid, while the 
  winter temperatures almost never drop below freezing. Snow does appear in the region's rare 
  highlands during winter, and on some volcanic peaks it lasts year-round.
  The following table describes average temperatures at various latitudes for different times of the 
  year. All temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit.
  Seasonal Temperature Table
  Latitude     Summer Day    Summer Night  Winter Day       Winter Night
  Up to 10¬ƒ   104¬ƒ     86¬ƒ       72¬ƒ       63¬ƒ
  
  10¬ƒ to 20¬ƒ  100¬ƒ     82¬ƒ       63¬ƒ       54¬ƒ
  20¬ƒ to 30¬ƒ  99¬ƒ       81¬ƒ       54¬ƒ       45¬ƒ
  30¬ƒ to 40¬ƒ  95¬ƒ       77¬ƒ       45¬ƒ       36¬ƒ
  40¬ƒ to 50¬ƒ  90¬ƒ       72¬ƒ       28¬ƒ       23¬ƒ
  50¬ƒ to 60¬ƒ  77¬ƒ       59¬ƒ       19¬ƒ       10¬ƒ
  60¬ƒ to 70¬ƒ  59¬ƒ       41¬ƒ       7¬ƒ         4¬ƒ
  70¬ƒ to 80¬ƒ  41¬ƒ       23¬ƒ       11¬ƒ       26¬ƒ
  80¬ƒ to 90¬ƒ  23¬ƒ       5¬ƒ         22¬ƒ       36¬ƒ
  CYCLONIC STORMS
  Earth has tropical storms and hurricanes. Poseidon has lots of tropical storms, many hurricanes, 
  and the occasional giant storm that manages to circumnavigate the planet! Tropical storms, hurricanes, 
  typhoons, and similar phenomena are all driven by the presence of warm, very moist air. On the water 
  world, such air is very easy to find.
  On Poseidon, hurricanes are called cyclonic storms. Cyclonic storms form wherever there is warm 
  water, gathering energy from the heat of the water as they travel. On Poseidon, during each 
  hemisphere's warm season, tropical storms form almost continuously. There is always at least one 
  cyclonic storm in progress somewhere on the planet.
  Cyclonic storms tend to move from east to west around the planet, drifting slowly away from the 
  equator until they reach the cooler waters of the temperate zones and dissipate. Unfortunately, their 
  movement is rarely predictable. Any cyclonic is capable of making rapid changes of direction, 
  possibly even backtracking on its path. Some cyclonic storms oscillate north and south, staying over 
  the warm tropical waters, gathering power with each pass across the equator. As a rule of thumb, a 
  cyclonic storm will tend to gain 5d mph of wind speed each day that it spends over warm water. It will 
  lose about the same amount of wind speed when in cooler waters, or over one of Poseidon's large 
  landmasses.
  Since Poseidon has so few large landmasses, cyclonic storms can last for months, even surviving 
  the winter season by staying close to the equator. Such storms can even circumnavigate the planet, 
  coming back to hit various settlements a second time. Poseidon's colonists call such storms "Noahs," 
  referring to their biblical intensity and the incredible bad luck they bring to all concerned.
  Cyclonics are dangerous because of their high winds and the resulting waves. They also create 
  sudden tides called storm surges, caused by the winds and by the low air pressure that exists under the 
  storm. The storm surge and its resultant flooding are usually responsible for most of the loss of life 
  during a storm.
  A cyclonic storm usually has a well-defined eye, a low-pressure center about which the storm 
  system rotates. The eye normally has a diameter about 10% that of the storm as a whole. In the eye, 
  the winds are chaotic in direction and quite weak. The eye usually is cloudless, due to greater warmth 
  and strong downward air currents. Being outdoors while the eye is passing overhead can be an awe-
  inspiring experience ’  the clear air allows one to see blue sky overhead and the mass of savage storm
  Į
   
  clouds towering on all sides. It can also be a very dangerous experience for the unwary. Most cyclonic 
  storms move at about 35-40 mph, so the eye will usually pass in no more than a couple of hours. When 
  the trailing edge of the eye arrives, the winds will surge quickly, and they will blow in the opposite 
  direction of those preceding the eye.
  Immediately outside the eye is the eyewall, the thickest bank of clouds in the storm. Precipitation 
  is usually at its heaviest here, and there will be violent thunderstorms. The winds themselves will 
  normally reach their peak at a greater distance from the eye. The winds in a cyclonic storm always 
  blow around the eye in a counterclockwise direction.
  The GEO Meteorological Service operates a storm watch across the entire planet, tagged "GEO 
  Metwatch" in colonial slang. Storms are classified according to their Force Rating, which depends on 
  the storm's size, wind velocity, and wave height. In the following table, Waves indicates the size of 
  typical waves during the storm. The storm surge will usually be lower, but may approach the 
  maximum height of the waves during more powerful storms. Winds indicates the speed of the winds in 
  the heart of the storm. Diameter indicates the size of the storm itself.
  Cyclonic Storms Table
  
  Force Rating          Waves Winds   Diameter
  0    10-16 feet        Less than 75 mph         100-180 miles
  1    16-23 feet        100<\#208>125 mph   125-300 miles
  2    23-33 feet        125<\#208>160 mph   200-300 miles
  3    33-49 feet        160<\#208>200 mph   300-450 miles
  4    49-66 feet        200<\#208>240 mph   450-600 miles
  5    Over 66 feet     Over 240 mph  Over 600 miles
  GEO Metwatch also reserves a Force 6 classification. Force 6 storms are much like Force 5 
  storms in their size and other characteristics, but in Metwatch's judgement they are likely to survive 
  through to the following storm season. These titanic storms appear to occur only every 3 to 4 years.
  Cyclonic Storms and Character Action
  In general, any character activity out in the full fury of a cyclonic is at a penalty equal to the Force 
  rating of the storm. This applies even to actions based on IQ ’  it's very difficult to concentrate and
  Į
   
  think when being battered by 200-mph winds!
  Vehicles and buildings are subject to damage or destruction when hit by a cyclonic storm. Aircraft 
  pilots must make control rolls against their Piloting skill, or crash. Oceangoing surface vessels are 
  subject to swamping or capsizing in even moderate tropical storms; the GM should make it difficult 
  for players who are foolish enough to be out on the water during a cyclonic.
  Settlements can't move when a cyclonic storm is on the way, and unfortunately most of Poseidon's 
  land masses (and so most of its settlements) are within the Storm Belt. The colonists have done their 
  best to build in the shelter of natural terrain features and to apply advanced engineering to make their 
  buildings storm-resistant.
  GMs can simulate storm damage to buildings and other structures as follows. Roll against the 
  Architecture skill of the person who designed the structure (rolling against the default is perfectly 
  reasonable for "do-it-yourself" structures designed by amateurs). Modifiers: Up to +3 for careful or 
  reinforced construction (or conversely up to -3 for shoddy or flimsy construction). Subtract up to the 
  Force Rating of the storm, depending on how close the storm passes (if the eye itself passes overhead, 
  subtract the full Force Rating). On a critical success, the building is soaked and may be covered with 
  debris, but is otherwise intact. On a normal success, there is some internal flooding and superficial 
  damage (missing roof tiles, broken windows, snapped mooring lines). On a failure, there is serious 
  flooding and damage, and some shoddy buildings will be completely demolished. On a critical failure, 
  the building is severely damaged or destroyed.
  The Ocean
  Eternal Father, strong to save,
  Whose arm does bind the restless wave,
  Who bids the mighty ocean deep
  Its own appointed limits keep;
  O hear us when we cry to Thee
  For those in peril on the sea.
         ’  William Whiting, "The Navy Hymn"
  Į
  Adventurers in the Blue Planet setting will be spending a good deal of their time in and on the 
  water. This isn't a matter of choice ’  when even the towns and cities are often built out over the
  Į
   
  water, it's almost impossible to avoid a swim.
  
  This section covers some of the basics of oceanography, for the benefit of players and GMs who 
  are not familiar with the subject. Reliance on Hollywood depictions of underwater activity is not 
  advisable!
  WORKING UNDERWATER
  The underwater environment is in may ways as hostile and alien as outer space. Colonists working 
  there will have to deal with extremes of pressure, temperature, and sensory deprivation.
  Pressure
  Any object immersed in a fluid will experience pressure over its entire surface. This is true even of 
  objects in air ’  the atmosphere of Earth exerts a pressure of about 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi)
  Į
   
  at sea level, due to the weight of the entire column of air above. Human beings are rarely aware of this 
  pressure, since it is balanced by the internal pressure of bodily fluids.
  Water is much heavier than air, so as one descends into deep water the resulting pressure increases 
  very quickly. One "atmosphere" of pressure (another 14.7 psi) is added for about every 33 feet of 
  depth. By the time a diver reaches the bottom of the surface layer (at about 600 feet), he already has 
  over 260 pounds of pressure on every square inch of his body. The human body is fairly resilient 
  under such pressures, although they do make it difficult to breathe. Eventually the lungs can no longer 
  be inflated against the pressure of the water. Some of the factors affecting respiration underwater are 
  addressed below (p. 00).
  This fact also applies to submersible vehicles and structures. An airtight structure lowered into 
  deep water will eventually implode as the water pressure overcomes its structural strength. There are 
  two approaches to avoid this problem. A vehicle or structure can either be built with sufficient 
  structural strength to withstand the pressure, or it can have an internal pressure sufficient to balance 
  the external pressure.
  An underwater structure which contains surface air pressure will have to be strongly reinforced, to 
  withstand the overpressure of the water. Anyone inside the structure will have to use pressurized 
  airlocks to get in and out, and must be equipped to handle the rapid pressure transitions involved (p. 
  00). On the other hand, they could be transferred to and from the surface easily, without having to 
  undergo long periods of decompression. If there is a hull breach, the outside water will come in fast 
  and under high pressure. Unfortunate submariners have been cut in half by such a stream of water 
  forcing its way in through a hull breach at great depth.
  Alternatively, if a submersible or underwater structure is pressurized to match its depth, then air 
  locks are not needed. The air inside will keep the water out, so a simple open hatch on the underside of 
  the structure will be sufficient for access. The crew can enter or leave the water at will. On the other 
  hand, moving between the structure and the surface will take very long periods as the body adjusts to 
  the transition (see boxed text). If such a structure is damaged, water will come in, but it will only flow 
  in by gravity and will only rise to the highest level of the breach.
  Temperature
  Poseidon's oceans are very similar to Earth's in terms of their temperature profile. The temperature 
  of seawater in any given place depends strongly on its depth.
  The surface layer of the oceans, down to about 200 yards, is warmed by the sunlight and agitated 
  by the above-surface weather. The average temperature of the surface layer, Poseidon-wide, is about 
  66¬ƒF. In the tropics, the water is somewhat warmer year-round. In temperate latitudes, it can be 
  much cooler in the winter and spring, and warmer in the summer and fall seasons.
  The intermediate layer of the oceans is between about 200 and about 300 yards depth. In this zone, 
  sunlight no longer penetrates and the water is no longer warmed. Temperature in this layer decreases 
  gradually with depth, reaching a constant 39¬ƒ at the bottom of the layer. In the deeper zones, the 
  water maintains this constant 39¬ƒ throughout the year and all over Poseidon, slowly becoming more 
  and more dense with increasing depth.
  Cold water is dangerous for divers, not only because of the temperature itself, but because 
  seawater tends to draw heat out of the body quickly. Anyone diving into the lower intermediate layer 
  
  or lower will take 1d damage per minute. Diving gear will protect against this damage, as will the 
  Temperature Tolerance advantage if at least one full level is used to improve resistance to cold (p. 00).
  If a diver takes damage due to cold, he will also suffer hypothermia. He must immediately make 
  an unmodified HT roll. On a failure, he goes into shock. He will be unable to take any action (except 
  to call for help, if he makes a Will roll and has some means of underwater communication). While in 
  shock, he will continue to take damage from cold each minute, and he must continue to make HT rolls 
  to see if his heart stops. Shock can be removed if the diver is warmed up and someone makes a 
  successful First Aid roll.
  On a critical failure on the HT roll, the cold of the water will stop the diver's heart. If this happens, 
  he will die in 3d minutes regardless of his hit points. The only way to save him is to restart his heart, 
  using CPR or defibrillation equipment. See p. CII139 for detailed rules.
  Breathing Underwater
  Swimmers and divers are always presented with the problem of continuing to breathe underwater. 
  There are two major approaches to this problem. One can either carry air (or something like air) along, 
  or extract dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water.
  In the Blue Planet setting, there are advanced technological methods for both approaches. SCUBA 
  gear can provide a swimmer with a supply of compressed air. Artificial gill technology can allow him 
  to pull breathable oxygen out of the water, mixing it as needed with other gases. Even with these aids, 
  divers must be aware of another peril of the depths.
  All mechanical aids to underwater respiration involve the use of compressed gas mixes. Air must 
  be fed to the diver under high pressure, in order to help him inflate his lungs against the pressure of the 
  deep water. This in turn means that oxygen must be mixed with some inert gas, such as nitrogen or 
  helium, because oxygen under high pressure becomes toxic. Unfortunately, any inert gas fed to the 
  diver under high pressure tends to go into solution in his body fluids. If the diver surfaces, or the 
  pressure is otherwise released, then these inert gases will come out of solution. If the transition is too 
  quick, they will form bubbles in the diver's bloodstream and tissues. This can be extremely painful, 
  causing cramp-like symptoms that gave rise to the term "the bends." It can also cause lethal stroke-like 
  effects, as large bubbles burst blood vessels or rupture tissues.
  Many of these difficulties can be avoided if the diver has a biological means of storing oxygen 
  internally, or if he can extract oxygen from the water he is swimming in without having to inflate his 
  lungs. Cetaceans have a biological "diving reflex" ’  they can hold their breath for long periods, and
  Į
   
  they suffer no ill effects when their lungs collapse under very high external pressure. Aquamorph 
  humans can perform similarly, although only the diver variant (p. 00) can hold its breath for long 
  periods. The "squid" aquamorphs do not need to hold their breath, but their gills only function at 
  relatively shallow depths.
  An uplifted dolphin can dive to about 1,600 feet without technological assistance, and can hold his 
  breath for about 30 minutes. Orcas can only dive to about 1,000 meters, and can hold their breath for 
  about 20 minutes. Diver aquamorphs effectively have no depth limits, and can hold their breath for an 
  hour. Squid aquamorphs can only dive to about 1,600 feet, but they have effectively unlimited 
  endurance. None of these character types need to be concerned with decompression sickness or 
  nitrogen narcosis.
  BENDS
  Decompression sickness can be avoided by making sure the transition to normal pressure is slow. 
  Divers often spend time "decompressing" at various depths during their ascent to the surface. The 
  exact time required bears a complex relationship to a number of factors: the depth reached, the time 
  spent there, the exact gas mix used, and so on. Most divers can spend any amount of time at depths up 
  to 35 feet and not have to spend a significant amount of time decompressing. At a depth of about 67 
  feet, a diver can stay under for long periods but may have to decompress for up to 32 minutes. At 100 
  feet, a diver should remain underwater for no more than 55 minutes and will need to spend up to 32 
  minutes decompressing. Very deep dives will usually allow no more than a few minutes of work time 
  and will require hours of decompression afterward. GURPS High-Tech has more detailed rules, or the 
  GM can consult a set of dive tables.
  
  If a diver fails to spend enough time decompressing, he must roll against his unmodified HT. The 
  GM may apply penalties if he judges that the transition was very abrupt. On a critical success, no ill 
  effects occur. On a normal success, the diver will suffer from severe pain; he will be at -2 to both DX 
  and IQ for at least an hour and must roll vs. HT each hour to recover. There will be no lasting ill 
  effects.
  Failure means that the character is completely incapacitated. He faints or is paralyzed for at least 
  an hour, and must roll vs. HT each hour to revive. Once conscious, the victim is at -2 to DX and IQ for 
  at least another hour. A HT roll is required each hour to recover; any failure in this case costs the 
  victim 1 point of DX permanently (a condition called "diver's palsy"). Only 1 point of DX will be lost 
  per episode, regardless of the number of failures.
  Light and Sound
  Underwater, it is usually dark.Any light begins to dim after only a few yards. Before the light 
  vanishes entirely, only the high-frequency wavelengths (blues and violets) are still visible. In 
  absolutely pure water, light can only penetrate about 3,300 feet, but the seawater on Poseidon is far 
  from pure. Seawater of average composition, with the usual amount of suspended sediments, will limit 
  vision to about 660 feet. If the water is unusually murky, this horizon can be reduced very sharply.
  Divers will usually find it necessary to carry their own light sources. Sunlight will not be available 
  below 660 feet in depth, and will probably be too dim for use long before then. This also implies that 
  all organisms using photosynthesis will be found above this depth (usually far above it).
  Water is denser than air and carries sounds differently. The speed of sound in water is four times 
  that in air. One immediate effect of this is that it becomes very difficult for a human listener to 
  determine what direction a sound is coming from. The human nervous system determines the direction 
  of a sound by noting which ear receives it first. The increased speed of sound in water confuses this 
  system.
  Sounds also carry much farther in water than they do in air. Human divers routinely underestimate 
  the distance from which a sound has traveled. Indeed, in the deep sound channel,a zone between about 
  300 and 400 feet in depth, sounds are trapped and channeled by the water. Sounds can carry through 
  this layer for miles. Indeed, certain low-frequency sounds can travel for thousands of miles almost 
  unmuffled.
  Sonar is a technology which uses sound pulses to probe the underwater environment. By emitting 
  sharp pulses and then analyzing the echoes, sonar can be used to determine the size, shape, 
  composition, distance, direction, and motion of underwater objects. Humans frequently use artificial 
  sonar tools, while cetaceans have a natural echo-location sense which uses the same principle.
  Tides
  Tides are the rise and fall of local sea levels in a predictable pattern. They result from the 
  gravitational attraction of Serpens and of Poseidon's moons. While this attraction causes even the solid 
  body of Poseidon to flex, the oceans are more fluid and can change their shape more in response.
  Poseidon has three overlapping tidal cycles. Those associated with Serpens and Nereus are 
  relatively gentle, each about the strength of the solar tide on Earth. Proteus, however, causes a tidal 
  effect several times more powerful than that exerted by Luna on Earth. The Proteus tide is the one of 
  most concern to Poseidon's inhabitants, although the other two cycles are also watched carefully 
  (especially when they reinforce the effect of Proteus).
  The exact effect of the tide depends on the shape of the local coastline and the slope of the land 
  shelf under the tidal margin. In some places, even the Proteus tide causes a rise and fall of only a few 
  inches. In others, the change in sea level can be dozens of feet per cycle. Such strong tides can cause a 
  dangerous phenomenon called a tidal bore. When the tide comes in to a restricted inlet, such as a river 
  mouth or a narrow fjord, the mass of water can be constricted into a much smaller volume. The result 
  can be a massive wave, as much as 10 feet in height.
  In general, the GM should make certain that colonists working in coastal regions are concerned 
  about the tides. Large variations in sea level and powerful tidal bores will be much more common on 
  Poseidon than they are on Earth. Of course, although the tidal cycles are more complex and therefore 
  less predictable, the movement of Poseidon and its moons is completely predictable. GEO tidal charts 
  
  are available for most of the planet, so adventurers will rarely be caught completely off-guard unless 
  they are being very careless.
  Currents
  Ocean currents are essentially "rivers in the sea," vast volumes of water moving at a steady pace 
  through more stagnant regions. Currents are formed over time by temperature differentials, tidal flow, 
  and the prevailing winds. On Earth the ocean currents are broken up and deflected by the continents, 
  but on Poseidon they are essentially unobstructed. Most currents move at a slow but steady pace, 
  between 1 and 6 miles per hour.
  Currents often alter local weather conditions. Warm-water currents can moderate extremes of 
  climate, while cold currents bring about more inhospitable conditions. Warm currents also provide 
  extra energy for cyclonic storms, which can pick up speed and power as they cross the current. The 
  temperature differentials across a current boundary can be quite sharp, taking place within a few 
  hundred feet at the same depth. These edges are called fronts and can have a significant effect on the 
  transmission of sound or sonar impulses.
  Watercraft, especially the unpowered boats used by Poseidon's natives, can make good use of 
  currents to cross wide expanses of open ocean. Organisms also use the currents to carry them to other 
  habitats. The temperature changes caused by currents can also determine what organisms will thrive in 
  a given location.
  Ecosystems
  As on Earth, the interplay of topography, geology, climate, weather, and ocean currents creates 
  specific environmental conditions that vary from place to place. These conditions affect Poseidon's life 
  forms, encouraging the formation of local ecosystems. Like Earth, Poseidon has examples of coral 
  reefs, deserts, kelp forests, savanna, scrublands, temperate forests, tropical forests, tundra, and other 
  ecosystems familiar to human beings. Poseidon also supports habitat types not found on Earth.
  Canyonlands
  Poseidon is more tectonically active than Earth. In some cases, massive volcanic eruptions in the 
  distant past created vast ash beds, which were then compacted into sedimentary rock over millions of 
  years. Subsequent uplifting and block faulting can shatter these rock beds, leaving tumbledowns. 
  These are huge regions covered with titanic boulders and high cliffs, interlaced with deep canyons. 
  Where the tumbledowns are low enough in elevation, the sea can cover the bottom of the canyons, 
  producing a maze of narrow channels and water-erosion caverns. These half-submerged tumbledowns 
  are the canyonlands. Only a few exist even on Poseidon, the most notable being the formation known 
  as the Wall (p. 00).
  In canyonland formations, the tall rock shards are rarely large enough to be considered islands in 
  their own right. They also provide no safe harbor for soil or vegetation. As a result, the formations in 
  canyonlands are usually bare rock spires and outcroppings, covered with avian colonies and thick 
  layers of guano.
  Meanwhile, the sheltered channels and lagoons within the canyonland can support a great variety 
  of plant and animal life. The tumbledowns provide significant protection against storms and powerful 
  waves. In the sheltered waters, algae can grow on the base of the rock spires, and a variety of plant 
  analogs can grow in the shallow water. Vines, rushes, and sea grass are all common in such 
  environments. Indeed, ecologists believe that canyonlands hold the greatest diversity of marine plant 
  species of any habitat on Poseidon. The density of plant life in the canyonlands also supports a healthy 
  community of animal species. Both predators and the native colonists find the tumbledowns to be 
  good ground for fishing or hunting.
  The primary danger in a canyonland region comes from the simple flow of water. Tidal currents, 
  confined by the high and narrow channels, can develop tremendous force. In some channels, water 
  depth can change by 33 feet in a few seconds during an incoming tide, and that flow can be violently 
  turbulent. Elsewhere, walls of water five meters high can surge through the channels several times a 
  day, as tidal bores form in the narrowest channels.
  
  Poseidon Mangrove
  One of the most bizarre biomes present on the water world is the Poseidon mangrove forest. 
  Poseidon mangrove is based on a class of similar tree-like plants, each of which grows in salt water in 
  the tropical and subtropical latitudes. These forests tend to begin in the lee of small islands, reefs, or 
  shoals, where they can gather a little protection against wind and storm. As they grow and spread, their 
  long prop roots stabilize against the sea floor. Eventually the forest is physically stable even without 
  the protection of the rocky mass that served as its first anchor. At that point, the mangroves can spread 
  outwards as they grow, eventually overrunning its initial shelter. A mature Poseidon mangrove forest 
  appears to have sprouted out of open ocean, with no sign of the initial anchor to be found.
  Stands of Poseidon mangrove can be as small as a dozen trees, or large enough to cover hundreds 
  of square kilometers. They grow directly from the sea floor, putting prop roots down as deep as 80 feet 
  under the surface. The individual trees are palm-like, with long trunks and huge leaves. The prop roots 
  are long and flexible, holding tree firmly in the sea floor. Meanwhile, lateral branches grow from trunk 
  to trunk, holding the forest together firmly against the action of wave and storm. The specific species 
  of mangrove tree tend to segregate themselves by proximity to the open ocean ’  the shorter, stouter,
  Į
   
  and stronger species grow on the perimeter, offering bracing and protection for the taller, less stable 
  species further in.
  On the fringe of a stand of mangrove, the trees are stunted by wind and wave, and are interspersed 
  with tidal channels which are kept open by strong currents. Moving toward the center, the trees can 
  become truly enormous, 60 meters or more in height and several meters in diameter. The tidal 
  channels in the center become narrow, and are also very dark as the overhead canopy blocks out 
  sunlight. These patterns of growth give a mature stand of mangrove a distinctive shape, tall in the 
  center, with sloped ends aligned into the prevailing wind.
  Within a stand of mangrove, there is a tremendous variety of species, many of which exist in a 
  symbiotic relationship with the trees themselves. The interlaced lateral branches form a multilayer 
  canopy, each level of which has its own distinctive ecology. Other epiphytic plant species, such as 
  water hemp and various vines, grow in tremendous profusion amid the canopy. Meanwhile, under the 
  water's surface, yet another distinct ecology exists. The prop roots collect and trap organic matter that 
  falls from above or drifts in on water currents. Many plant and plant-like species exist to live off this 
  trapped matter, forming yet another part of the ecosystem's food web.
  Mangrove forests also host a great variety of animal species, both above and below the water's 
  surface. Amphibians, reptiles, and even some mammaloids live in the canopy, using the lateral 
  branches as pathways through the forest. Insect and avian analogs are everywhere. Even some species 
  of land plants and animals survive in the mangrove. The lateral branches can themselves trap a great 
  deal of organic material, giving rise to pockets of actual soil on which the land-based species can 
  thrive. Meanwhile, vast schools of fish live in the waters below, including a number of predatory 
  species.
  Mangrove forests cover only a small portion of Poseidon's surface, but they apparently play an 
  important role in the planet's overall ecology. Many open-ocean species use the mangrove stands in 
  part of their life cycles. Some species lay their eggs and raise their young in the relative shelter of the 
  trees, while others come to hunt for food. Juvenile polypods are common, sea weaver nests are 
  everywhere among the root systems. Even the largest predators, the hungry great whites, have been 
  known to come to mangrove islands to scavenge for food along the periphery.
  The native colonists have often made use of the mangrove forests. They are choice hunting and 
  fishing grounds, and they can provide plenty of shelter against predators and storms alike. After the 
  Abandonment, many of the original colonists built whole villages within the mangrove canopies. 
  Some of those villages still exist, inhabited by "wild" natives that have never been recontacted. 
  Meanwhile, most native communities which enter on a nomadic phase during hunting season still use 
  the mangrove stands for temporary campsites.
  Sargassum Islands
  Sargassum islands are another of Poseidon's unique biomes. Like the Poseidon mangroves, a 
  sargassum island is a large colony of plant forms adapted to life on the open ocean. Unlike the 
  mangroves, sargassum islands are free-floating, subject to the vagaries of wind, wave, and current. 
  
  They are usually found in Poseidon's tropical and subtropical regions, since cold weather tends to slow 
  or prevent their growth.
  A sargassum island is composed of millions of algal life forms from several related species. The 
  algae form a network of interconnected tendrils which bind the individual organisms together. These 
  tendrils then sprout soft bladders, which are inflated through the diffusion of metabolic waste gases. 
  These gas bladders provide buoyancy, keeping the interconnected algal mats afloat. As the algal 
  masses compete for sunlight, the growth eventually forms a thick mat which mat extend as much as 
  two meters above the surface of the water. These mats vary constantly in shape and consistency. The 
  top surface may be spongy or solid in different places, and may be high enough in the air to remain 
  fairly dry. Under the surface, algal masses that have been cut off from sunlight die and decay, cutting 
  out the support under the top layer, but at the same time providing fertilizer for all the surrounding 
  mass.
  The algal mats can extend over a wide area. The largest observed sargassum islands have been 
  over 2,500 acres in size. Even these massive specimens are subject to storm damage, however. Storms 
  tend to shred the sargassum islands, sending scraps far and wide (although the scraps may well 
  continue their growth and establish new islands).
  Despite their instability, sargassum islands are rich ecospheres in their own right. The floating 
  mats trap a great deal of organic matter, both from the decay of dying layers of the mat, and from 
  debris floating by in the current. Seeds of other plant species are carried to the mat by wind or current, 
  and often grow well in this natural mulch. Some of the largest rafts even support small forests. A 
  variety of animal species also find the sargassum environment congenial. Flying creatures can use the 
  islands as a safe refuge for laying eggs or raising their young. Aquatic and amphibious animals also 
  find the islands to be a convenient refuge or grazing area. Both the spongy surfaces and the dark 
  undersides of the mat provide harbor for various species.
  Of course, a sargassum island's riches also attract predators. Polypods, land lizards, and carniflora 
  have all been observed on sargassum islands. Meanwhile, great whites have been known to attack 
  even very large rafts, breaking off chunks and devouring them (along with any animals that were 
  unlucky enough to be standing in the wrong place at the critical moment).
  The human colonists of Poseidon have found their own uses for the sargassum islands. The natives 
  use them as hunting grounds and have also developed a keen understanding of the medicinal 
  properties of many plant species native to the islands. The larger, dryer islands can serve as temporary 
  camps for hunting or fishing parties out in the open ocean. Newcomers involved in smuggling or 
  terrorism have also been known to use the sargassum islands, as hideouts or as conveniently 
  unmapped places to stash equipment.
  Thermal Oases
  Poseidon's polar wastes are, for the most part, much like Earth's. They are cold and arid, providing 
  little way for any living things to survive. Since Poseidon is much more volcanically active than Earth, 
  however, there are cases in which the polar cold is broken up by geologic heat. These thermal oases 
  can host unique ecosystems of their own.
  A thermal oasis is a place where hot springs, geysers, or warm underground rivers have broken the 
  eternal cold of the polar regions. These areas are usually like small pockets of tundra, hosting mosses, 
  lichens, some hardy scrub plants, and a few small animal species. A few oases are tucked away in 
  sheltered valleys, and may shelter a more complex ecology.
  The species living in thermal oases are not only very hardy, but adapted to change. No thermal 
  oasis lasts forever ’  as tectonic forces shift, the supply of underground heat may subside. Thus many
  Į
   
  of the plant species grow windborne seeds, which can travel thousands of miles to find a new oasis. 
  Animals are adapted to periodic migrations, which touch on several oases in the course of a Poseidon 
  year.
  Poseidon's polar regions have barely been explored at all, so most of the thermal oases have never 
  been investigated by human researchers. Only a few of the smaller animal species have been 
  identified. There is evidence of larger predators, which hunt in the icy waters and spend at least some 
  of their time around the thermal oases. Polar explorers are advised to use caution.
  
  Thermal oases can occur underwater as well as on land. In the polar seas, they can create thin 
  spots or actual openings in the ice caps, attracting a variety of marine organisms. These oases have 
  attracted the most attention from human investigators, since several significant Long John deposits 
  have been found in their vicinity.
  Tidal Muds Reefs
  Poseidon has a number of species similar to Earthly coral, which build vast reefs and atolls. In 
  contrast, the tidal muds reefs or "mud shallows" of Poseidon have no analog on Earth. They are 
  usually found in shallow, sheltered temperate waters. Their basic organisms are a series of symbiotic 
  bacteria, similar to the cyanobacteria of Earth. These microorganisms form huge colonies, building 
  from the sea bottom and lifting their upper surfaces into the intertidal region to catch the light. Some 
  species of Earth bacteria once built similar structures, the stromatolites that are found in very ancient 
  sedimentary deposits. Of course, Earth's stromatolites were never more than a few yards across ’Į  
  while Poseidon's mud shallows can be hundreds of miles in diameter.
  The mud reef microorganisms build their colonies right at the water's surface, so as to gather as 
  much sunlight as possible. They vary in their tolerance for exposure to air, however, so each species 
  must balance its need for sunlight against its need to avoid drying out. The most air-tolerant species 
  build high, allowing themselves to be exposed for most of the tidal cycle. Other species build low, 
  preferring to be slightly submerged even at low tide. The result is a landscape filled with shallow rises 
  and canyons, interlaced with tidal pools and small channels.
  Unlike a coral reef, which is built on the calcium-rich skeletons of its members, a tidal mud reef is 
  built almost entirely out of the drifting sediment and organic material that can be trapped by the 
  colonial bacteria. As a result, a tidal mud reef is almost entirely composed of a thick organic mud, 
  usually of a reddish-brown color (and with a pungent organic odor). The muds and oozes to be found 
  in a tidal mud reef make it a dangerous place to visit. Traversing the flats on foot can be very risky ’Į  
  there are "quickmuds" that can suck an unwary visitor to his death within minutes. Meanwhile, large 
  pockets of waste gas can form just under the surface. Anyone applying pressure to the surface over 
  one of these bubbles can rupture it, falling into a large cavity that quickly fills with thick mud. Even 
  the natives rarely make any attempt to penetrate into the center of a mud reef.
  For all their danger, mud shallows are the sites of a rich ecosystem. Many interesting 
  microorganisms, fungi, plants, and small animals are specifically adapted to live in the ooze. Of 
  course, some of these creatures are themselves dangerous predators, often attaching themselves to 
  larger creatures like a leech or lamprey or using lethal poisons to bring down prey. In the central 
  regions of these enormous reefs, the debris can build up until dry islands form. These islands are 
  usually organically rich and can support many land-based plant species. They can also provide safe 
  refuge for a variety of animals. Some of Poseidon's rarest animal species have been catalogued on the 
  islands formed by tidal muds reefs.
  Bestiary
       The Poseidonian creatures in the following list are described in terms of a standard set of 
  animal statistics:
        ST, DX, IQ, HT. HT often has two numbers separated by a slash. The first number is the 
  actual HT score; the second number is hit points. ST and hit points are usually given as ranges. DX, 
  IQ, and HT may vary by a point or so in either direction for any species. An attribute shown as <1 is 
  negligible and does not affect game mechanics.
        Move/Dodge. The listed Move is that used in the animal's most common situation ’  for
  Į
   
  example, flying for birds. If an animal has more than one form of movement, the others are defined in 
  the text. Dodge (an animal's only active defense) is 1/2 DX or 1/2 Move, whichever is better.
        PD/DR. Passive defense and damage resistance from the creature's hide or armor. Usually do 
  not vary for a particular species.
        Damage. The listed damage is for the creature's most common form of attack. If a creature has 
  more than one form of attack, the others are listed in the text. Listed damage is for an average member 
  of the species; stronger creatures may do more. Abbreviations: cr = crushing, cut = cutting, imp = 
  impaling.
  
        Reach. Most creatures attack by "close combat" (C), a grapple or slam followed by an attempt 
  to crush the foe or rip it to pieces. 1, 2, etc. = reach in hexes; R = ranged attack.
        Size. The creature's size in hexes. Small creatures take up less than one hex; large ones take up 
  two or more hexes.
        Weight. The creature's weight, in pounds or tons, usually a range.
        Habitat. Where the creature is commonly found; its primary habitat is listed first. Habitats are 
  abbreviated as follows: A = arctic; CY = canyonlands; D = desert; F = forest (any temperate or 
  subarctic forest); FW = freshwater aquatic; J = jungle (any tropical forest); M = mountain; P = plains 
  (any grassland); PM = Poseidon mangrove; S = swamp; Sh = shoreline; SI = sargassum islands; Sub = 
  subterranean; SW = saltwater aquatic; TO = thermal oases; TM = tidal mud reefs.
  POISONS
  A wide range of Poseidonian lifeforms secrete poisons with varied effects. The following major 
  types are typical and are referred to in some creature descriptions.
  Nauseant
  Nauseants require a roll against HT-6. On a success, the victim is nauseated and dizzy for 3d 
  minutes, with -3 to all attribute and skill rolls. On a critical success, the unease is mild and does not 
  impair performance. On a failure, the unease lasts 1d hours and the victim suffers 2d damage. On a 
  critical failure, death results in 1d minutes.
  If the nauseant's effects are produced by eating it, a success indicates that the dose is expelled by 
  vomiting.
  Neurotoxin, Lethal
  Lethal neurotoxin has the same effects as paralytic neurotoxin (see below), but in addition, on a 
  failed roll, breathing stops, and the victim will die unless provided with artificial respiration for 
  several hours. On a critical failure, the heart stops, with the same effects as for lethal electric shock 
  (see p. 00).
  Neurotoxin, Paralytic
  Paralytic toxins interfere with the functioning of the nervous system. Roll against HT-3. On a 
  success, the victim becomes paralyzed within 5 minutes and remains paralyzed for 3d minutes. On a 
  critical success, no paralysis occurs. On a failure, the paralysis lasts for 6 hours. On a critical failure, 
  the victim falls into a coma, total unconsciousness lasting 1d+6 hours. At the end of this period, roll 
  against HT; if the roll fails, the coma lasts another 1d hours. If the coma lasts for more than 24 hours, 
  the victim will be at -2 to all attribute and skill rolls for a duration equal to that of the coma after 
  awakening. The players should not know how long the coma will last.
  Paralytic toxin does not cause actual damage, nor does it interfere with breathing or heartbeat.
  Mild paralytic toxin causes similar effects, but roll against unmodified HT. On any success, there 
  are no effects; on a failure, paralysis lasts 3d minutes; on a critical failure, it lasts 6 hours.
  Wound Venom
  Wound venom is designed to produce death after some time has passed.The victim will die 
  immediately only from a critical failure on an unmodified HT roll, but further rolls against HT-2 are 
  required for the next three days, with any failure causing death. In addition, except on a critical 
  success, the severity of the wound increases by the original amount of damage. If the victim is still 
  alive after three days, the toxin is used up and the injury heals normally.
  Note. Of these poisons, wound venom is a modified version of type A venom (p. CII147); 
  paralytic toxins are variants on type D venom (p. CII148); and nauseant is a version of type F venom 
  (p. CII149). 
  CREATURES OF THE SEA
  
  Blimp (Giordana fluitarus)
  ST: 1    Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 240
  DX: 6  PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 10 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: SW
  HT: 10/2-8      Reach: 50
  Blimps are huge living gasbags, up to 130' long, filled with metabolically generated hydrogen that 
  makes them capable of lighter-than-air flight. Long tentacles dangle in the sea below the gasbag, 
  enabling the blimp to feed. They inject a paralytic neurotoxin into any creature they brush against (this 
  is a neurotoxin; see boxed text). Then the tentacles pull the creature up into the blimp's body to be 
  digested. At night, as the air cools, the gasbag shrinks and the blimp descends to float on the surface of 
  the water.
  Blimps are found over tropical and subtropical seas across the entire planet. They have no 
  economic significance. They are a navigational hazard to watercraft, especially sailing vessels. The 
  sting of their tentacles can incapacitate a swimmer, resulting in drowning. Children in native 
  communities seek out dying blimps stranded on their beaches and poke them with burning sticks to 
  produce a startling pop as the hydrogen explodes.
  Fisherman (Piscator piscataris)
  ST: 0    Move/Dodge: 3/7         Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 1/1      Weight: < 1 oz.
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: SW
  HT: 15/1          Reach: C
  The fisherman resembles a winged insect 4-6" long. It has three pairs of legs covered with fine 
  hairs that let it walk on the surface of the water ’  one pair for each body segment except the head. A
  Į
   
  pair of sacs in its head contain a store of a paralytic neurotoxin (see boxed text). Injected into the water 
  through a hollow proboscis, the toxin spreads out to fill one hex, affecting any creature that swims 
  through it. The paralyzed creatures typically float to the surface, where the fisherman seizes and eats 
  them.
  Fishermen are native to the Haven Cluster. Native communities harvest their toxin and use it to 
  coat their hunting weapons ’  and, according to some reports, weapons used in terrorist attacks on
  Į
   
  newcomers. Researchers with Lavender Organics and Biogene are investigating the metabolic 
  pathways that synthesize this extraordinarily complex protein molecule.
  Ghoster (Retemanes spp.)
  ST: 0   Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 100-500
  DX: 1  PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 50-250 lbs.
  IQ: 1   Damage: *      Habitats: SW
  HT: 16/1          Reach: C
  Ghosters are individual organisms, but their behavior can be portrayed more accurately by 
  defining them as swarms (p. B143) ’  or as hordes, which amount to very large swarms (pp. BE42-
  Į
  43). A ghoster is a vast number of interlinked filaments forming a translucent sheet that drifts near the 
  surface of the ocean. Its metabolism generates an electrical potential between its surfaces, which can 
  be discharged to stun or kill small marine organisms. The same discharges have been known to 
  electrocute divers or even short out the electrical systems of watercraft that pass through them. 
  Ghosters have almost no ability to resist physical attacks, but such attacks are not likely to kill them, 
  but only to tear them into shreds that grow back into new ghosters; fire or poisons work best for 
  actually killing them.
  As a horde, a ghoster has the following statistics: Damage, 1d-1; Move, 0; Dispersed by 1 hit. The 
  damage it inflicts is lethal electric shock (see p. 00). It takes 15 seconds for a ghoster to build up a 
  charge in a discharged hex and attack again, but a victim who blunders into a new hex will suffer a 
  new attack, and a large creature or watercraft may suffer many attacks simultaneously. A ghoster is 
  not reduced to separate 1-hex swarms until at least half of its original hexes have been "dispersed," but 
  dispersing a number of hexes equal to the square root of its original size will split it into two half-sized 
  organisms.
  
  Ghosters inhabit temperate oceans everywhere on the planet. Their only significance to human 
  societies is as hazards, though EM scanners can detect their electric fields and enable swimmers or 
  boats to avoid them.
  Greater White (Leviathan dominatus)
  ST: 1,000         Move/Dodge: 5/4         Size: 50-500
  DX: 9  PD/DR: 2/4      Weight: 130-210 tons
  IQ: 3   Damage: 6d ¬* 40 cut   Habitats: SW
  HT: 12/200      Reach: C
  Greater whites are Poseidon's largest "fish" and are named for the sharks that they somewhat 
  resemble. Up to 240' long, the creatures' bodies support entire ecosystems of symbiotes and parasites 
  on their rough hides. As a defense against infestations, the hide constantly sloughs off in large sheets, 
  giving the greater white a dirty white color and nauseating smell of decay. Greater whites feed largely 
  on plankton, but their huge jaws can also swallow larger living creatures or small boats up to 10' long 
  whole, or tear apart bigger ones with multiple rows of bony ridges. Like Poseidonian fish generally, 
  they have a secondary pair of jaws that open sideways overlapping the primary upper and lower jaws; 
  the lateral jaws carry the filter feeding structures, while the upper and lower jaws have the cutting 
  ridges.
  Greater whites are found all over Poseidon, though mainly in areas rich in plankton. They are a 
  potential threat to shipping, but as extremely large predators they are quite rare. A greater white that 
  encounters a small boat is likely to rise out of the water and plunge down onto the craft; treat this as a 
  trampling attack of 10d, due to the creature's enormous weight. Electromagnetic fields seem to attract 
  such attacks.
  Polypod (Multimembrum magnus)
  ST: 20-30  Move/Dodge: 3/5         Size: 1-7
  DX: 10      PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 200-4,000 lbs.
  IQ: 4         Damage: 5d cr Habitats: SI, SW
  HT: 15/50  Reach: 15
  Polypods are ambush predators that especially favor sargassum island environments, which offer 
  them many hiding places. A favorite tactic of large polypods is to extend their tentacles along the 
  underside of a sargassum mat and wait for vibrations to indicate the presence of prey, at which they 
  make a surprise grappling attack. If this succeeds, they grasp the prey in multiple tentacles. (A 
  polypod has from 4 to 12 tentacles.) They are able to squeeze themselves into a variety of other hiding 
  places seemingly too small for them.
  A tentacle attack is treated as a grapple. The polypod's ST is the ST of each tentacle; the polypod 
  may attack with two tentacles in a single turn. A contest of ST is required to break free of the 
  tentacles; to escape more than one, total their ST. A prey that fails to break free suffers a constriction 
  attack on the following turn, which inflicts crushing damage as shown. A tentacle can be severed by 
  cutting damage equal to 1/4 the polypod's HP; such damage does not affect the polypod's overall HP. 
  Impaling damage is not doubled against the tentacles.
  Polypods are sexually dimorphic; the statistics shown are for the females. Male polypods are one-
  hex creatures weighing no more than 20 pounds and feeding on smaller prey. When sexually mature, a 
  male will approach a female and, if she doesn't kill him, wrap his tentacles around her head and bite 
  into her flesh. Over time, the female's flesh actually grows to enclose the male's entire body as a large 
  lump. Old females may have over 20 such lumps, one per 200 lbs. of body weight; females continue to 
  grow throughout their lives. Offspring bud off adjacent to these lumps and eventually separate from 
  the female.
  Polypods live in temperate and tropical seas. The smaller specimens are hunted and eaten by 
  natives. However, they also hunt human beings who venture into their domains; the larger females can 
  be a major threat. Their skin secretions have a distinctive odor and support phosphorescent bacteria 
  that reveal their presence in dark environments; a roll against Survival can give warning of a polypod's 
  presence.
  Spurt (Cometedae spp.)
  Hard Spurt
  
  ST: 7-9            Move/Dodge: 4/16       Size: 1-2
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 2/1      Weight: 50 to 100 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-2 cut       Habitats: SW
  HT: 11/6-8      Reach: C
  Soft Spurt
  ST: 10-12                                      Move/Dodge: 1/12 Size: 1-10
  DX: 12                                                     PD/DR: 0/0 Weight: 125 to 475 lbs.
  IQ: 2                                              Damage: 1d-1 cut Habitats: SW
  HT: 11/9-12                                                 Reach: C
  Spurts come in two varieties, hard and soft. Hard spurts are protected by coiled shells 
  resembling those of chambered nautili. They move about by drawing in water and 
  expelling it as a jet, the source of their name; this is the basis for their high Dodge. They 
  are hunters, with a bite that injects a mild neurotoxin (see boxed text).
  Soft spurts have no DR, but their flesh is saturated with poison, and even a touch 
  produces the effects of lethal neurotoxin (see boxed text); they are brightly colored to 
  warn off predators. The soft species is a plankton feeder rather than an active carnivore.
  Spurts are found all over the planet. Hard spurts are edible and are considered a 
  delicacy. Soft spurts are lethally toxic if eaten ’ roll against HT-6 rather than HT-3.
  Į
   
  Spurts are not a serious threat to human beings, but will inject venom into an unwary 
  swimmer who blunders into one. The species described here are the largest; smaller 
  varieties of both hard and soft spurts are encountered.
  Stone Snake (unclassified)
  ST: 20-24        Move/Dodge: 7/8         Size: 3-6
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 0/2      Weight: 100 to 120 lbs.
  IQ: 4   Damage: 4d imp         Habitats: SW
  HT: 12-14       Reach: C
  Stone snakes actually resemble segmented worms more than snakes, being made up of multiple 
  physiologically independent sections. Each segment has its own ring of eyespots. The stone snake is 
  an air-breather, despite its aquatic habitat; it must surface to breathe every 90 minutes if active, though 
  it can remain submerged several times as long if resting. Each segment has a separate breathing orifice 
  and produces a hollow popping sound as it expels old air, audible up to half a mile away.
  Stone snakes are stealth predators, lying on the bottom of shallow coastal waters, preferring 
  muddy bottoms. When potential prey swims over, the stone snake propels itself upward and spears the 
  swimmer on its long four-bladed jaws; if this works it drags the prey to the bottom and waits until it 
  stops struggling. The jaw structure tends to indicate some relationship to Poseidonian "fish," but from 
  other anatomical differences it is probably a distant one.
  Stone snakes are native to the Zion Islands. They are one of the planet's most deadly predators; 
  many attacks on human beings are documented. They have been known to hole small boats. A roll 
  against Survival or Area Knowledge: Zion Islands will identify the characteristic noise of their 
  breathing, giving warning that a lethal attack from below is possible.
  Sunburst (Caneopoise benagus)
  ST: 50 Move/Dodge: 4/4         Size: 3
  DX: 9  PD/DR: 0/1      Weight: 1,000-1,800 lbs.
  IQ: 4   Damage: 1d+1 cr        Habitats: SW
  HT: 12-14/24-28         Reach: C
  The sunburst, or caneopoise, is an air-breathing sea creature roughly comparable to a mammal. 
  Sunbursts are plankton feeders that congregate in huge herds, some comprising millions of 
  individuals. They use sound both to communicate and as sonar, and in some areas of Poseidon's 
  oceans their singing is a constant background noise.
  
  During midafternoon, sunbursts habitually surface and bask in the sun. While they do so, seabirds 
  of a particular species land on them and cleanse their skins of parasites, apparently the birds' sole 
  source of nutrition, as they are only seen flying after sunburst herds.
  Sunbursts range all over Poseidon, anywhere plankton is abundant, forming vast herds like those 
  of North American bison in the 19th century. Their meat is a staple of the native diet. More recently, 
  their skins have become fashionable as a commercial product; they are soft and smooth, with a silvery 
  sheen, and retain their natural beauty when tanned. Conflict has begun to emerge between 
  environmentalist and native groups calling for a moratorium and commercial hunters that seek to 
  maintain their industry, despite long-term threats to its profits from declining sunburst populations.
  Water Dart (Mitchella telumus)
  ST: <1 Move/Dodge: 2/2         Size: <1
  DX: 5  PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 1 oz.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-1 imp      Habitats: SW
  HT: 10/1          Reach: C
  Water darts spend most of their lives as planktonic lifeforms. However, when they reach sexual 
  maturity they become parasitic. A female water dart swims at top speed at a large marine creature, 
  preferably a mammaloid. If she hits, she rams her anterior spine into the victim's flesh, burrowing into 
  its muscle tissue. The spine houses an egg sack; when the larvae hatch, they follow the host's 
  circulatory system and gather in its body cavities to feed and grow until it dies. Vision rolls to see a 
  water dart are at -2 because of its translucent body tissues.
  The water dart is a significant threat to both the human and cetacean communities. Surgeons in 
  frontier areas frequently have to remove egg sacks; a critical failure on the Surgery roll indicates that 
  some eggs are missed, and much more expensive and difficult surgery will be needed after 1d months. 
  Proposals have been made to map out the water dart life cycle in detail and exterminate the wild 
  populations; this would be a series of expensive and difficult projects.
  CREATURES OF THE LAND
  Am-bush (Hashashim insipida)
  ST: 0         Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 1
  DX: 0        PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 1 lb.
  IQ: 1         Damage: *      Habitats: Sh
  HT: 10/1    Reach: *
  The am-bush, also known as the assassin plant, grows on coastal rocks just above high tide. Eight 
  to 10 leaf-bearing runners extend 30-50 feet from the central body and send rootlets into the rock to 
  keep the plant atached. A bright red central seedpod holds large numbers of tiny, needle-like seeds and 
  a quantity of copper perchlorate, a highly unstable explosive, which the plant synthesizes from ions 
  extracted from the seawater. If an animal comes close to the seedpod after the seeds mature, it triggers 
  an enzymatic ignition process, and the resulting explosion drives the seeds into its flesh. This inflicts 
  fragmentation damage of [2d] (see pp. B121-122), and the seeds release toxins that make the wounds 
  extremely painful, producing effects equivalent to those of type F venom (see boxed text). The victim 
  will die immediately only from a critical failure on an unmodified HT roll, but further rolls against 
  HT-6 are required for the next three days, with any failure causing death. This is thought to be a 
  mechanism for seed dispersal, as well as ensuring a supply of nutrients to the seeds when they 
  germinate.
  The am-bush grows on Westcape and the islands close to it. Its seed dispersal mechanism is a 
  hazard to the unwary. However, natives harvest it for the seedpod, whose perchlorate content can be 
  used to start fires or in vermin traps, while the empty pod is used to make jewelry. Urban legend 
  claims that native terrorists use seed pods as natural hand grenades.
  Chain Beetle (Dorsalis givenius)
  ST: 2    Move/Dodge: 3/7         Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 2/5      Weight: 2 to 4 lbs.
  
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-4 Habitats: TM, Sh
  HT: 15/2          Reach: C
  Chain beetles are amphibious arthropods with four segmented legs on each side and ventrally 
  placed mouths with sharp nipping surfaces. Their armor is tough enough to resist most predators' 
  attacks, and they have few natural enemies. Individual chain beetles are reclusive and seldom seen. 
  However, the species has developed a form of chemical communication through which individuals 
  link together front to back in colonies of up to two dozen. Colonies range over the land, attacking any 
  animal they find on the ground, living or dead. They are effectively swarms (see p. B143), with the 
  following statistics: Damage/Turn, 1d-1; Move, 3; Dispersed by 20 hits.
  Chain beetles are found on the shores of temperate and tropical islands around the planet. The 
  difficulty of killing them makes them not merely a major nuisance but a moderate threat. However, 
  their shells provide useful material for needles, knives, and other tools and even for jewelry.
  Digger Crab (Cancersimila fossionis)
  ST: 2   Move/Dodge: 1/3         Size: <1
  DX: 6  PD/DR: 2/1      Weight: 6-8 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-4 cut       Habitats: Sh
  HT: 11/2          Reach: C
  Digger crabs somewhat resemble crustaceans on Earth, but exhibit complex social behavior like 
  that of ants or termites. A group of males build an elaborate maze of tunnels within which a female 
  rests and lays eggs, while the males fetch food to her. Digger crabs will eat almost anything organic. 
  The males have heavy carapaces and six spindly legs ending in claws. The primary sensory organs are 
  antennae that grow out of the legs, but rows of eyespots grow along the sides. Females look almost 
  nothing like males, being soft-bodied and functionally little more than egg sacs.
  Digger crabs are most abundant in the Haven Cluster, but are found around the planet at tropical 
  latitudes. Males are a valuable source of meat, and their carapaces are often used in handicrafts; 
  females are considered inedible. People walking on beaches sometimes step in sinkholes formed by 
  the males' nest building. Digger crabs often nest around the stilts that support native dwellings, which 
  may lead to structural collapse.
  Eel Dragon (Anguillasimila volatilis)
  ST: 1-2            Move/Dodge: 15/8       Size: <1
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 1 to 2 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 1d-4 cut       Habitats: Sh
  HT: 12/1          Reach: 1
  The eel dragon is an amphibian that is capable of true flight; it resembles an eel with large 
  membranous wings suited to soaring. It is awkward on land and typically spends the night floating 
  on the surface of the ocean. Eel dragons have no real heads and little in the way of a central 
  nervous system. They hunt by dragging their barbed tails below the surface of the ocean; when the 
  barbs snag a fish (inflicting cutting damage), they fly upward and bring the tail up to the mouth at 
  the front of the body, where it is swallowed whole.
  Eel dragons are found soaring over temperate and tropical seas everywhere. They have no known uses 
  and are a minor navigational hazard to air and hover vehicles; having one sucked into an air intake 
  will shut down an engine on a failed roll against vehicle HT.
  Hangin' Joe (unclassified)
  ST: 15 Move/Dodge: 0/0         Size: 2-3
  DX: 10 PD/DR: 0/1      Weight: 450 to 550 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: PM
  HT: 14/18-20  Reach: C
  A hangin' joe is a mollusc of unusually large size, whose normal habitat is Poseidon mangrove 
  trees. Its central body has a mottled brown color and is typically covered with moss and epiphytes, 
  providing camouflage (-2 to Vision rolls). From 10 to 20 ropy tentacles extend up to 100' from the 
  central mass and are draped over branches or dangled just below the surface of the water. An animal 
  
  that brushes against a tentacle is the target of a grappling attack; if this succeeds, the prey is 
  constricted, experiencing 1d per turn until it breaks free (contest of ST required) or dies from its 
  injuries. Once dead, the prey is pulled up into the tree and tucked under the hangin' joe's body, where a 
  radula (a tongue coated with abrasive teeth) strips off its flesh as it decays. 
  Hangin' joes are found in tropical stands of Poseidon mangrove. They are dangerous predators that 
  kill human beings regularly. Alert travelers may notice a faint sulfurous odor that betrays the presence 
  of a hangin' joe.
  Land Lizard (Malalongus ricardo)
  ST: 35-40        Move/Dodge: 2/8         Size: 1-4
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 20 to 500 lbs.
  IQ: 3   Damage: 2d+2 cut       Habitats: J
  HT: 12/8-18    Reach: C
  Land lizards are actually amphibians rather than reptiles; they lay eggs in the water, which hatch into 
  aquatic larvae, and the adults are equally at home on land and in water. They actually move faster 
  in water, propelled by sideways movements of their powerful tails. However, they feed mainly on 
  land, burying themselves in the ground with coiled tails, and then launching themselves at large 
  animals that pass by. A successful attack with their narrow upper and lower jaws (they have all but 
  lost the lateral jaws of their fishlike ancestors) tears out a large chunk of flesh from the prey, 
  which collapses from shock and blood loss and is then devoured. The land lizard then drags itself 
  back to its burrow, using two small limblike appendages (Move 1), and spends several days 
  digesting its meal.
  Found in the tropics, land lizards are a serious threat to human beings. However, their flesh brings a 
  high price and can be found in expensive restaurants. Young native hunters in tropical 
  communities bring back land lizards for their villages to feast on as a demonstration of skill in 
  hunting. Many natives resent the sale of land lizards to immigrants, but hunters often find 
  restaurateurs' prices hard to turn down.
  Loggerhead (Parmata mzumba)
  ST: 36-40        Move/Dodge: 1/4         Size: 1-2
  DX: 9  PD/DR: 0/3      Weight: 650 to 1,250 lbs.
  IQ: 3   Damage: 2d cut           Habitats: S
  HT: 14/14-18  Reach: C
  Loggerheads exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism. The statistics above are for females, which are huge 
  but relatively passive, protected by massive shells. Males are tiny, eel-like organisms that live 
  within crevices in the female's shell. When prey come within reach of the female, the males attack 
  as a swarm; their bites inject the target with type D venom, but with the added property of 
  paralyzing the respiratory muscles, so that the prey suffocates (see p. B122). If the attack of the 
  males succeeds, the female then emerges and feeds upon the prey.
  Male loggerhead swarms have the following statistics: Damage/Turn, 1d-4; Move, 2; Dispersed by 5 
  hits.
  Loggerheads inhabit the southern temperate zone. Both their meat and their shells are useful, but there 
  is no commercial market for either as yet. Loggerhead bites kill unwary human colonists; roll 
  against Survival to spot the site of a loggerhead nest.
  Marsh Devil (Diabolus palus)
  ST: 16-20        Move/Dodge: 7/8         Size: 2
  DX: 16 PD/DR: 1/3      Weight: 550-750 lbs.
  IQ: 3   Damage: 3d imp         Habitats: Sh, FW, S
  HT: 13 Reach: C
  Marsh devils are six-legged amphibian carnivores, feeding mainly on fish and other aquatic 
  lifeforms, though they sometimes leave the water to hunt on land. In addition to their claws, they bite 
  with sharp teeth for 1d cutting damage. They can sustain their full Move only by expending 1 Fatigue 
  
  per second; their ordinary Move is 4. In contrast to the extreme sexual dimorphism of many 
  Poseidonian lifeforms, marsh devils are hermaphrodites, though not self-fertilizing.
  Marsh devils are native to the Sierra Nueva Cluster. Due to their size and aggressiveness, they are 
  rare. They are considered a serious threat, as they are quitewilling to attack humans and capable of 
  killing them.
  Nooniebird (Parabuceotida vulgaris)
  ST: 1-2 Move/Dodge: 15/7       Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 4 to 7 lbs.
  IQ: 4   Damage: 1d-5 cut       Habitats: Sh, M
  HT: 13/1-3      Reach: C
  The nooniebird is named for an early 22nd century comedian, Noonie Flack, because of its talent for 
  mimicry. Physically nooniebirds resemble hornbills, but have rudimentary claws on their wing 
  joints. They build large communal nests in seaside cliffs. These nests are often filled with shiny 
  objects that the birds picked up, including stolen tools and jewelry. A nooniebird can learn an 
  entire sentence after hearing it once and may repeat it for days, until a new sentence takes its 
  place.
  Nooniebirds nest on Westcape and the islands that surround it, where they are known as chatterbirds. 
  Their nests are large enough so that a human being can climb into them, and natives sometimes 
  use them for shelter from storms, or forage through them for stolen items. Nooniebird meat is 
  stringy and tastes bad; a Will roll is needed to eat it, except for a character with No Sense of 
  Smell/Taste (p. B29). However, the oil from their plumage has some value as a lubricant. Native 
  resistance forces occasionally gain useful intelligence from conversation repeated by nooniebirds.
  Poseidon Trilobyte (Colacarius wernerii)
  ST: Move/Dodge: 2/3    Size: 1-2
  DX: 6  PD/DR: 2/2      Weight: 9 to 15 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: 2d-1 cut       Habitats: TM, Sh, SW
  HT: 15/2-4      Reach: C
  Trilobytes are amphibious, leaving on seashores or in shallow water. They feed on carrion and 
  decaying plant matter, and the young often infest human habitations, looking for food, which has 
  earned them the nickname "roaches." The trilobyte is not edible, and in fact its flesh is a nauseant 
  if ingested. Trilobytes have brightly colored shells that seem to warn off predators. Glands along 
  their dorsal surfaces produce a sticky luminescent secretion.
  The body of a trilobyte is encased in a heavy shell. Two massive forelegs are used in mating displays 
  and to cling to large carcasses during feeding; the mouth is on the underside. Three pairs of 
  walking legs support the body and enable the trilobyte to crawl about.
  Found on New Hawaii, the Poseidon trilobyte is mainly a nuisance, due to its habit of infesting human 
  buildings. However, pens of adult trilobytes provide a convenient method of organic waste 
  disposal, especially in native communities. They are also harvested for the pigments from the 
  bioluminescent glands of adults.
  Rumble Bee (Terabolla murmurus)
  ST: 1   Move/Dodge: 5/4         Size: <1
  DX: 5  PD/DR: 1/0      Weight: 0.4 to 0.5 lbs.
  IQ: 2   Damage: *      Habitats: G, F
  HT: 12/1          Reach: C
  Rumble bees have formidable stingers growing out of their heads, which can inject a paralytic 
  neurotoxin, but there is no record of a rumble bee ever attacking a human.. Rumble bees have two 
  pairs of wings and three sets of jointed legs. They are comparatively slow fliers. The beat of their 
  wings makes a loud buzzing noise
  Rumble bees live in the tropical archipelagoes of the southern hemisphere. Native healers make their 
  egg masses into a topical antibiotic. Native children often keep them as pets.
  
  Stick Monkey (Simiasimila ululatus)
  ST:      Move/Dodge: 4/7          Size: <1
  DX: 14 PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 10 to 12 lbs.
  IQ: 5   Damage: *      Habitats: J, F
  HT: 11/2-4      Reach: C
  Stick monkeys, or squealers, are small, tree-climbing mammals with greenish bare skin that gives 
  them a measure of camouflage (-2 to Vision rolls to detect them). They feed primarily on fruit. Their 
  climbing abilities are enhanced by multijointed limbs and prehensile tails. They travel in large, noisy 
  gangs. While there is no known case of their trying to prey on human beings or any animal larger than 
  an insect, they are skilled at throwing rotten fruit or their own feces at anyone who intrude on their 
  territory; the target of such an attack requires a roll against Will + 2 to resist gagging. Their bite is also 
  toxic, with nauseant effects.
  Stick monkeys are found in tropic regions across the planet. They have no economic value. 
  Basically, they are a nuisance, and one that is hard to control, thanks to their various mechanisms for 
  self-defense.
  Water Rat (Rodentis gregalis)
  ST: 3-5      Move/Dodge: 3/7         Size: 1
  DX: 14      PD/DR: 0/0      Weight: 25 to 35 lbs.
  IQ: 4         Damage: 1d-4 Habitats: FW, Sh, PM
  HT: 13/5-7 Reach: C
  Water rats are omnivores, feeding on plants, insects, and any small animals they can catch. They 
  live in extended family groups that dig dens in overhanging banks and remain there for generations. 
  They have some skill in building, using natural materials to expand and improve their warrens. They 
  are good swimmers, with small webbed feet, though they are strictly air-breathing. Female water rats 
  lay four to six leathery eggs per mating season, and then go out to hunt while the males guard the eggs.
  Water rats live in the Zion Islands. They eagerly eat fast fungus and can be used to help keep 
  decay under control; unfortunately, they also gnaw at wooden objects and can quickly gnaw enough 
  holes in a boat so that it is no longer seaworthy. They become visibly anxious as a storm approaches. 
  Their flesh can be eaten, but has a muddy tastes and is tough; there is no market for it.
  PARALLEL EVOLUTION
  Poseidonian lifeforms are the products of billions of years of separate evolution; they have no 
  relationship to Earth lifeforms. A Poseidonian "fish" may superficially resemble an Earth fish, but 
  none of the taxonomic names for Earth fish apply to it; it's not a fish, or a vertebrate, or even an 
  animal. Biologists frown on the use of such names; they may suggest comparisons that help people 
  imagine the strange in terms of the familiar, but that very familiarity is an illusion ’  and may lead to
  Į
   
  dangerous mistakes.
  On the other hand, some biological terms don't refer to a specific evolutionary history, but simply 
  to a pattern of form and function. For example, "herbivore" means an animal that lives by eating 
  plants; it's not the name of a particular taxonomic group of animals. And other names have both kinds 
  of meaning: Carnivora are one group of mammals, but "carnivore" can also mean any animal that eats 
  other animals. With the discovery of Poseidonian life, many more such dual meanings became 
  convenient.
  On 20th century Earth, before DNA sequencing provided the key to evolution, some zoologists 
  suggested that "arthropods" included several groups with completely separate evolutionary histories. 
  Because shrimp, scorpions, and silverfish all had rigid exoskeletons enclosing their entire bodies, it 
  was argued, they had to have jointed legs and segmented bodies to enable them to move; so their 
  similar body plans came from their similar life habits, not from shared ancestry. The chain beetle, 
  fisherman, and rumble bee certainly share no ancestors with Earth arthropods, but they have 
  exoskeleta, segmented bodies, and jointed legs, so calling them "arthropods" makes some sense. Just 
  remember that it's only a verbal label, and Poseidonian "arthropods" and "vertebrates" are no relation 
  to the Earth lifeforms called by these names.
  
   
  5. SETTLEMENTS
  Geronimo waited. He was not nervous ’  on Earth he had seen and done things that had
  Į
   
  hardened him against mere physical fear. He was, however, ill at ease. Wandering the streets of 
  Haven, poking into the city's darker corners, had roused a good many bad memories. He wanted to be 
  back on the clean frontier, away from the crowds and the machines and the million prying eyes.
  Finally, the redoak door opened. The woman who looked in on Geronimo was tall, blonde, 
  attractive by monkey standards. Geronimo's trained eye picked out the outlines of the handgun 
  concealed under her faux-leather jacket. "Governor Pacheco? Mr. Gorchoff is ready for you," she 
  said, a Muscovite accent in her voice. Geronimo resolved to watch her very carefully.
  Sergei Gorchoff was bald, heavy-jowled, and fat. His business suit was well-tailored but ordinary 
  in appearance. Geronimo's nostrils flared at his smell, his sweat carrying the tale of vodka, tobacco, 
  and a diet rich in red meat. He carried no obvious weapons. He looked like a dissipated lawyer or 
  banker, not like a member of the most powerful criminal syndicate on the planet. "Come in, gospodin 
  Pacheco," he rumbled amiably. His accent was considerably thicker than the woman's.
  Geronimo entered, glanced around, saw no chairs, and struck parade rest before Gorchoff's desk. 
  "You've read my offer, I trust?"
  The Russian nodded. "Da. Is most irregular. What made you think to come to my family for this 
  business?"
  Geronimo's left eyebrow quirked upward. "Mr. Gorchoff, I've spent the last three weeks looking 
  into the question of who has been supplying the native rebels in the Northwest Territories. Your 
  family's name came up more than once. We would rather deal with you than with some Earth-based 
  terrorist or maverick GEO operative."
  "Very interesting, Governor," Gorchoff smiled. "Now suppose I to tell you that Gorchoff family 
  has made no deals with Sierra Nueva natives? None at all."
  For the first time, Geronimo was at a loss. "I would say that I find that hard to believe."
  Gorchoff shrugged his massive shoulders, took out a cigarette, and lit it. "Pah. Rumors. We would 
  be most interested to find out who has been supplying natives with guns. Our family has had no part in 
  such trade. Just as well. Santa Elena tribes are insane. They would like to see all of us from Earth 
  driven off Poseidon."
  Not all of us, Geronimo thought. You monkeys and your factories and your schemes, yes. Not 
  those of us who were outcast from Earth, just as the natives were abandoned long ago. Aloud, he 
  ventured, "All right. You haven't sold the rebels guns. Will you sell them to me?"
  Gorchoff chuckled. "I have read about your little war against Incorporate. What will you do if we 
  sell you nothing?"
  Geronimo shrugged, affecting unconcern. "Look elsewhere, I expect."
  "Hah. No need. I think we can accommodate you. Of course, there will be price. Not just scrip. 
  Other considerations."
  Geronimo frowned. Suddenly the Russian's eyes, and his smile, reminded him of a creature from 
  Earth's oceans, light-years away. For all his fat, Gorchoff suddenly resembled nothing so much as a 
  shark.
  Despite the unity that was imposed on Earth during the battle against the Blight, the homeworld 
  remains divided and rife with conflict. The GEO, the restored United Nations, the Incorporate states, 
  the Independent nations, all of these are engaged in a battle for survival and supremacy. This conflict 
  also plays itself out in miniature on Poseidon, where still other factions have come into play. Natives, 
  rebel bands, criminal organizations, and the aborigines also take part in an ongoing struggle for control 
  of the water world's destiny.
  The result is fierce social instability. Although the GEO maintains a veneer of control over the 
  colony (just as it does on Earth) it is obvious to all that the situation cannot last. Violence is already 
  
  common on a small scale, as Poseidon's dozens of factions indulge in attempts to adjust the local 
  balance of power in their favor.
  This chapter describes the human settlements on Poseidon, along with the various factions that 
  command their loyalty. The chessboard is set up and waiting for the players to be seated. Here is a list 
  of the pieces.
  The Natives
  Once we were star-children, masters of fusion fire and the long fall between suns. Now we are 
  sea-children, masters of the wind and wave. Our ancestors wove nets that covered worlds. Our own 
  nets serve to bring in fish from the sea. When the world turns, as it always will, we may be star-
  children once again. For now, our place is here, on Poseidon. Let me tell you a story of wind and 
  wave . . .
  ’  Traditional storyteller's prelude, Union Islands (recorded by Carstairs anthropological
  Į
   
  expedition, 2196)
  One of the smallest (but most significant) colonist groups is the natives. These are descendants of 
  the original settlers of Poseidon, the Athena Project colonists who landed over a century ago. The 
  natives appear deceptively primitive, having given up most high-energy technology during the 
  Abandonment. Many newcomers dismiss them contemptuously as "savages," but in truth they have 
  developed a culture unique in human history ’  sophisticated as any civilization despite the absence
  Į
   
  of cities.
  ORIGINS
  The original Athena Project colonists were human, although they had received some of the most 
  advanced bio-implant surgery available at the time. As part of this procedure, their very genetic 
  material was altered. Their descendants would naturally inherit the advantages that had first been 
  gained through implant surgery.
  At first, the Athena Project lived in a high-tech civilization on Poseidon. However, they lacked the 
  infrastructure to maintain their technical base. This threatened disaster when the Abandonment took 
  place and no resupply ships ever came. In response, the colony's leaders deliberately planned a 
  transformation of their lifestyle. The natives dispersed into small settlements all across the Pacifica 
  Archipelago and beyond. They gave up their advanced technology while still retaining as much of 
  their scientific mindset as possible. They developed folkways and cultural traits that adapted them to 
  their new way of life. The result was the distinctive native culture that exists today.
  NATIVE GENETICS
  In a precise technical sense, the natives of Poseidon are not quite human. That is, they are not 
  members of the original human subspecies, Homo sapiens sapiens. Natives can interbreed with 
  unmodified humans, so they are not members of a new species, but there are many physiological 
  differences. The genetic sequences for aquaform physiology were spliced into the colonial genome, 
  making the natives members of two new subspecies (defined by the "diver" and "squid" forms).
  Although most Poseidon natives tend to mate with members of their own subspecies, this is not 
  universal. Natives of different subspecies mate fairly frequently, and a native may (rarely) even mate 
  with an unmodified newcomer. The GenDiver genetic scheme permits all of these combinations to be 
  fertile. Although the genetic basis for aquaform physiology depends on many chromosomes, the 
  scientists who designed the new genotypes placed special emphasis on the X chromosome. All the 
  genes that activate the aquaform traits in the embryo are sited on that one chromosome. Since the X 
  chromosome is one of the two that determines the sex of the new individual, the aquaform physiology 
  is therefore "sex-linked."
  Male children receive one X chromosome from their mother, and one Y chromosome from their 
  father. A male therefore always inherits the subspecies membership of his mother. If she is a 
  
  newcomer, then he will not be an aquamorph at all. If she is an aquamorph, he will also be an 
  aquamorph of the same type.
  Female children receive two X chromosomes, one from each parent. The aquamorph traits are 
  actually dominant, meaning that they tend to express themselves even when they are only inherited 
  from one parent. Thus if only one parent is an aquamorph, a girl-child will also be an aquamorph of 
  the same type (although her own children may or may not be aquamorphs in their turn). If both parents 
  are aquamorphs, but of different types, then a female child can exhibit the traits of either form. Which 
  type she will eventually be depends on subtleties of hormone balance in the developing fetus, and is 
  effectively random.
  The facts of native genetics mean that most native communities include members of both 
  aquaform subspecies. The two subspecies normally get along very amicably. Most villages do set up a 
  strong division of labor between them, however. Squid usually are given responsibility for tasks that 
  involve extended swimming and underwater work, while divers do both the deep-water work and 
  surface-based tasks.
  TECHNOLOGY
  The natives have adopted a pre-industrial technological base. They are 
  adept at using natural materials to make tools and useful items: seaweed and 
  grass, clay, wood, and stone. A few villages do small-scale mining, and can 
  produce items of copper or iron which are highly prized as trade goods. The 
  natives are also very good at salvaging and recycling high-tech materials. 
  Scrap metal, prefabricated plastics, and fiber-optic cable are often found 
  serving a new purpose in the economy of a native village.
  Cloth and Clothing
  Water hemp is a particularly valuable resource. Water hemp fibers are long and resilient, retaining 
  their strength even after repeated immersion. Water hemp cord can be twined into strong nets or ropes. 
  The fibers can also be spun to produce a strong thread, which can then be woven into a light, tough 
  fabric. This fabric, often embroidered or dyed, is the basis for much native clothing.
  Natives of both sexes tend to wear simple wraps around their hips, allowing free movement and 
  easy removal for swimming. Most women habitually wear a similar wrap around their chests, although 
  some do not. This style of clothing is well-suited for the climate in Poseidon's tropical regions. It is 
  particularly popular among the aquamorph natives, since all but the loosest clothing tends to block the 
  gills.
  Boats
  Boats are almost ubiquitous in the native villages. The natives are, of course, superb swimmers ’Į  
  but for travel over long distances or carrying cargo, boats are a necessity. They have become 
  thoroughly integrated into native life, playing a role in almost every activity. Sailboats are most 
  common. Small boats may be oar-powered or paddled, with no more than a small auxiliary sail. Most 
  of the boats built by natives using traditional methods are made of animal skins, treated and stretched 
  over a wooden frame.
  Adopted Technology
  Just as the natives have continued to recycle high-tech materials and items inherited form the 
  original colony, they have also taken to purchasing similar items from the newcomers. Almost every 
  native village has acquired at least one modern watercraft, even if it's only an inflatable dinghy with an 
  electric motor. Most villages have also acquired some solar-powered electronic equipment, especially 
  communications gear and computers. Naturally, many villages have also acquired modern weapons. 
  Not all of this equipment has been purchased legally from the major settlements like Haven. Warlike 
  tribes consider high-tech goods (especially boats) to be a valued prize of battle.
  Outsiders who consider the natives to be "primitive" are often surprised at the speed with which 
  they adopt modern technology. Although the natives gave up much of the technological base, they 
  
  never lost their pragmatic and scientific worldview. Even a village that has not seen a radio or a 
  computer in decades has probably continued to teach its children exactly what those items are. If such 
  gear falls into the village's hands, it will be put to good use at once.
  CULTURE AND SOCIETY
  Naturally, native cultures vary from village to village. The easygoing tolerance of Second Try is 
  very different from the harsh, warlike xenophobia of the Sierra Nueva tribes. Individuals within native 
  society also vary dramatically, just as newcomers do. Still, native society does exhibit certain 
  consistent trends that set it apart.
  Most of these social traits are the result of the harsh conditions the natives faced after the 
  Abandonment. Cut off from Earth, facing an often-hostile world, the natives had to develop traditions 
  of pragmatism and intimate cooperation. No effort could be wasted. No individual could be allowed to 
  cut himself off from the community. The result was a mindset very different from that held by most 
  people on crowded, overcivilized Earth.
  Worldview
  Native society is centered around the idea of the cooperative community. Everyday tasks are 
  always approached cooperatively. Everyone assists with the raising and education of children. If a 
  native needs help, he is not shy about asking ’  nor is he reluctant to lend a hand when needed.
  Į
   
  Personal independence is neither common nor much valued among the natives. An individualist is 
  someone to be pitied and mistrusted, not admired.
  On the other hand, native communities tend to be highly self-reliant. They are very reluctant to ask 
  for help from outsiders, and will usually not accept it if offered. Indeed, they tend to be very resentful 
  of any interference in their affairs. They also react badly to condescension. Many a GEO or 
  Incorporate official who has belittled the "savage" native existence has met an extremely hostile 
  reaction.
  Natives place a great deal of value on personal integrity. A native's word of honor is his bond. He 
  is expected to tell the truth and to carry through with his commitments. Paradoxically, most natives do 
  not automatically trust or respect others, feeling that such trust must be earned through a 
  demonstration of consistent trustworthiness. This does not inhibit relationships within a given village, 
  but natives tend to greet strangers with mistrust and suspicion.
  Most natives have very little concept of personal privacy. They are perfectly comfortable living 
  intimately with a village full of other people. They are open with their emotions, easily laughing, 
  weeping, or expressing anger in public. They often involve themselves in what outsiders would 
  consider the "personal business" of others. Parents might be counseled on how to deal their children, 
  while mated couples may have the eager help of the whole village while resolving difficulties in their 
  relationship.
  This disregard for personal privacy extends to the physical body. Natives tend to be very frank 
  about bodily functions, and show no shock or embarrassment when they must be dealt with in public. 
  Partial or total nudity is very common, especially during the hot season or in the tropics. Natives tend 
  to have smaller "personal space" than newcomers. They often converse while standing or sitting 
  almost in contact, often touching one another while gesturing.
  As with other bodily functions, there is little embarrassment about sex. The formal institution of 
  monogamous marriage is quite rare. Instead, couples (and occasional larger groups) form relationships 
  that are more or less stable, but are not expected to last forever. Sexual relationships are not usually 
  driven by romantic impulses. A couple may very well decide to pair off because they have a sound 
  professional relationship, because they believe they would produce above-average children, or even 
  because the village as a whole feels they should. In any case, child rearing is a communal effort, so 
  there is no need for anything resembling a stable nuclear family.
  The natives have inherited a great deal of the scientific worldview from their ancestors, who were 
  among the best scientists and technicians available. Native children are taught the habits of empirical 
  thinking at a very young age, and many natives engage in scientific research to the limits of the 
  available technology. Even those without a scientific bent tend to be very pragmatic. Most natives 
  
  regard life as a matter for careful planning, determined effort, and hardheaded realism ’  not for
  Į
   
  wishful thinking.
  SETTLEMENTS
  A native village is usually a cluster of wooden buildings, placed in a sheltered location to gain 
  some protection from cyclonic storms. Villages are often sited in the cones of dormant volcanoes, or in 
  narrow canyons that offer good shelter. Most villages have at least token defenses, such as wooden 
  fences or a palisade ’  even if the natives are not habitually at war, they prefer to keep aggressive or
  Į
   
  curious predators out. Most buildings have more than one story, with thatched roofs and plenty of 
  openings in the walls to let the breeze through.
  In a village, the houses are usually arranged in a circle around a central fire pit. The center of the 
  village is a communal area, where the inhabitants gather for councils or for social activity. Outside the 
  ring of houses, the village will build secondary structures, such as rabbit hutches, pig pens, 
  smokehouses, or storage sheds. Paths away from the village will lead to the nearest beach and the 
  docks.
  The "hut village" is by no means the only kind of settlement. Within the Storm Belt, some natives 
  have taken to living in cavern complexes, sometimes even in underwater caves that are accessible only 
  through long submerged tunnels. Such settlements are very likely to include cetacean members. 
  Meanwhile, outside the Storm Belt there are some native tribes who live on the water year-round, 
  inhabiting floating villages of rafts and houseboats. Some of the larger raft-towns are no longer 
  nomadic, and have not moved as a whole in years even through they remain on the water.
  Agriculture and Aquaculture
  Like the Neolithic ancestors whose lifestyle they imitate, the natives make their living through 
  hunting, fishing, and subsistence agriculture. Several food animals were imported to Poseidon from 
  Earth with the Athena Project expedition. The natives have also learned to utilize many of the species 
  native to the water world.
  Rabbits are a common food animal for native settlements that have a stable base on land. They 
  produce a great deal of meat for their body mass, and the rabbits imported to Poseidon were 
  genetically modified to improve this ratio further. They also make amiable pets, and are often put in 
  the care of the village's children and young adults. They do require a fair amount of protection, being 
  rather delicate (and a favorite of many predators).
  Pot-bellied pigs are also very common. Capable of living on almost anything, these animals 
  produce a great deal of fat-laden, but very flavorful, meat. The pigs are hardier than rabbits but 
  produce large litters of their own, making them easier to protect and raise.
  A food species distinctive to Poseidon is the marine iguana that almost every native settlement 
  raises. The Poseidon iguana was genetically modified by the Athena Project scientists. Even before 
  modification, it was nearly ideal for the warm, wet environment of the Pacifica Archipelago. Fairly 
  omnivorous, taking up very little space, the iguana could be raised in large numbers in aquatic pens. 
  The genetic modifications made a better meat source and increased its rate of reproduction.
  Soon after the initial colonization of Poseidon, some marine iguanas escaped into the wild ’Į  
  where they have spent the last century undergoing a population boom of their own. They quickly 
  forced several less aggressive native scavengers out of their ecological niches, and in turn were largely 
  ignored by native predators. Today, the wild iguanas can be found all over Poseidon, sunning 
  themselves by the dozen on even the smallest atolls or rock outcrops. Before the Long John rush, the 
  iguanas represented the largest disturbance in Poseidon's natural ecology ’  but their omnipresence
  Į
   
  also means that a human being can travel almost anywhere on the planet and still be able to scrounge a 
  quick meal.
  Despite the use of these land animals for food, the mainstay of the native diet usually comes from 
  the sea. Seaweed and kelp are often harvested, for food and for materials used in various native 
  industries. Meanwhile, the natives use net fishing to bring in schools of fish. Many villages have taken 
  to keeping Poseidon's native fish in captivity, using hanging nets or (rarely) electric fences; these 
  captive fish are often selectively bred for size and meat production. Line fishing is often used to catch 
  larger fish. The natives also take advantage of their own amphibious abilities to go spear fishing, 
  
  allowing them to hunt the larger game fish that would avoid a net or line. Finally, the natives use a 
  wide variety of traps and pots, to catch indigenous crustaceans and shellfish.
  At the high end of the scale, many native groups hunt the large mammaloids that swim in 
  Poseidon's oceans. The most common prey species is the caneopoise or "sunburst" (p. 00). Providing 
  meat, skins, bone, and other useful resources, the sunburst is pursued in long seasonal hunts that 
  follow the usual migration patterns. GEO authorities are concerned that the sunburst herds are being 
  badly depleted, although the primary cause for this is newcomer poaching rather than the traditional 
  native hunts.
  THE NATIVE'S DAY
  A native community normally begins its day at dawn, with adults and children alike rising early. 
  After a small meal, the villagers will disperse to their main tasks for the day. Those assigned to the 
  fishing fleet will load up their boats and set sail. Others will move to the rabbit hutches, pig and iguana 
  pens, or the aquaculture facilities offshore.
  Adults and children work together. This is considered part of the process of education, which all 
  native communities take very seriously. Participation in the day's chores is interspersed with practical 
  instruction, including lessons in the sciences. Children are encouraged from a very young age to take 
  an empirical approach to the world. Naturally, the children have plenty of time for play, under the 
  watchful eye of any villagers who are doing light work in the communal areas.
  Most of the native villages are located in the tropics, and have taken up a custom similar to the 
  Latin American siesta. A light meal of smoked fish and seaweed is followed by a nap or a time of 
  quiet activity. Fishing boats may stay out to sea through the middle of the day, but the crews will take 
  a break from work and take refreshing dives into the cooler deep water.
  In the evening, after most of the day's work is done, the villagers gather for communal time. The 
  adults take turns preparing the evening meal, which is usually the largest of the day. After food is 
  taken in company, the villagers sit and do light work: carving, repairing lines or nets, and so on. While 
  their hands are busy, they gossip, trade stories, tell jokes, make plans, and discuss issues of community 
  importance. Soon after sunset, they disperse to their homes for the night.
  The daily routine is varied with the cycle of the seasons. Most native settlements are in the heart of 
  the tropics, preferring the warm, wet climate. Unfortunately this places the villages in the heart of the 
  Storm Belt as well, bringing repeated cyclonic storms at certain points in the year. The natives have 
  adapted to this cycle. Most villages that are subject to storms have a "storm shelter" in reserve, a 
  cavern complex or deep defile in which the villagers can stay out of the weather. When storm season 
  comes, the villagers abandon their usual camps and move into shelter. This is a time to live off 
  stockpiled food, do small handicrafts, and enjoy the intimacy of community life while Poseidon rages 
  outside.
  Ritual and Ceremony
  When the Athena Project colonists chose to "declare independence" from high-tech civilization, 
  one of the difficulties they faced was the maintenance of continuity and cohesion in their communities. 
  Without high technology, they knew they would have to find different ways to retain useful 
  knowledge, pass it along to new generations, and give small groups a strong communal identity. To 
  solve this problem, they drew on one of the oldest of human institutions: the prevalence of communal 
  ritual.
  Such rituals could not be based on any kind of religion. Although some of the original colonists 
  were followers of one Earth-bound sect or another, the only faith they all shared was a hard-nosed 
  faith in logical pragmatism. Instead, the colonists chose to construct ritual observances, investing them 
  with no mystical powers, but using them to build a sense of community. The methods used for this 
  were varied. Some of the dispersed settlements drew on common elements of Earth-based ritual: birth 
  ceremonies, rites of passage into adulthood, funeral services, and so on. Others simply allowed ritual 
  to evolve naturally, on the theory that "anything that happens more than once is a tradition." In any 
  event, most of the native settlements had an active ceremonial life within a generation or so after the 
  Abandonment. Today, although there is great variety in ritual observance, most native groups have a 
  few core rituals in common.
  
  Births are very important in these small subsistence communities, so a healthy birth is usually 
  celebrated with several nights of feasting and revelry. Several nights after the birth, the newborn is 
  immersed in the sea, as a symbolic baptism and a test of the infant's diving reflexes. Most native 
  groups call this event the Welcoming Ceremony.
  Death is also an event of great ceremonial importance. The natives universally use cremation to 
  dispose of the dead ’  there are no native graveyards, despite the occasional tall tale told by old
  Į
   
  Poseidon hands to gullible newcomers. Villages with access to the ocean (which is the vast majority of 
  them) will usually launch a floating pyre out to sea. There is very little mourning. Instead, the villagers 
  will feast and toast the memory of the deceased, reminiscing and trading stories about his life.
  Almost all native groups observe the same annual holiday, a week-long celebration called 
  Planetfall. This festival takes place in the week before Founder's Day, the anniversary of the first 
  landing of the Athena Project colonists on Poseidon. The whole Planetfall festival is extremely 
  emotional and discordant, a time when everyone is encouraged to forget life's hardships and enjoy the 
  bounty of Poseidon. Outsiders have compared it to a combination of Thanksiving, Christmas, and 
  Mardi Gras. Nine months after Founder's Day there is often a rush of births, called the "Baby Wave" 
  by most natives. About one-third of all native births occur within this one two-week period each year.
  Although most native rituals lack what a newcomer would recognize as a "religious" background, 
  the natives do have a kind of quasi-religion. Native communities hold a deep respect and reverence for 
  Poseidon as a whole. Many communal rituals involve verbal invocation of the oceans, the planetary 
  ecology, or Poseidon itself. The natives have almost none of the trappings of an organized religion ’Į  
  no priests, no consistent liturgy, no belief in the supernatural ’  but their reverence for the natural
  Į
   
  world takes on some of the role that religion plays for many newcomers. Strangely, most natives 
  discuss this Poseidon-oriented mysticism in scientific terms, referring back to the Gaia hypothesis 
  developed on Earth in the 20th century.
  Naturally, the oceans themselves are central to the native worldview. Most natives have a cyclic 
  view of life, in which the tides and the recurrent storm seasons play an important part. References to 
  water and the oceans are extremely common in native dialects. The sea and its symbol, the horizon 
  circle, are very common images in native art.
  Aside from these common rituals, all of which date back to just before the Abandonment, every 
  native village has its own distinctive ceremonies. Common rites involve hunting, mating, the 
  aborigines, meetings with other villages, the coming of storm season, and other events. No outsider 
  has managed to catalogue even a small portion of these observances, not least because increasing 
  native hostility is making field anthropology a very dangerous occupation.
  NATIVES AND EARTH
  The majority of natives are not hostile toward Earth, but neither do they feel any particular loyalty 
  toward it. Earth is recognized as the origin world for humanity. On the other hand, for the natives, 
  Poseidon is the beloved home, the place honored ancestors gave their lives to understand, the place 
  where one's descendants will be born. For most natives, the most important connection to Earth is a 
  recognition of the lessons of history, which teach the extent of humanity's responsibility for its 
  adopted world.
  A substantial minority of natives have become very hostile toward Earth, especially since 
  Recontact. The basis for this hostility is broad. Some natives simply dislike Earth-born colonists as 
  individuals. Others despise the alien culture that the newcomers bring to Poseidon. Still others resent 
  the results of newcomer activities, which they see as exploiting and ruining Poseidon's natural wealth. 
  Many of these hostile natives are unlikely to take action, feeling that they are helpless or fearing to 
  resist GEO or Incorporate power. Such "silent resisters" may still work in secret if they can. Others, 
  more embittered or more aggressive, take open action against GEO or Incorporate authority, mounting 
  acts of passive resistance, sabotage, and terrorism.
  Another group of natives have taken the opposite tack. These natives welcomed Recontact and 
  have done all they can to embrace newcomer culture. Most of them live in the colonial cities, where 
  they suffer second-class status and are often indentured to an Incorporate state. These natives take 
  advantage of as much high-tech goods as they can afford. Since this is usually not much, many of 
  them adopt lives of petty crime to try and live up to the standards of their adopted society. The native 
  
  ghettos in Poseidon's cities are very unsafe places, rife with theft, prostitution, and illegal drug trades. 
  The natives who live there are regarded as trash ’ not only by the newcomers, but by other natives.
  Į
   
  The ghetto inhabitants are considered failures, traitors to the native way of life.
  The Colonial Regime
  There are days that I feel like a Roman legate in some newly-conquered province on the borders 
  of the Empire. Behind me stands all the power and majesty of the greatest state the world has ever 
  seen. Yet the place I presume to govern has its own history, its own dynamic that takes little account 
  of me or anything I represent.
  It's humbling to realize how much we still have to learn about this place. On the other hand, there 
  are plenty of barbarians here. My Roman legate would have known what to do about them. I hope we 
  don't have to follow his example.
  ’  GEO Colonial Administrator John Bishop, journal entry (August 8, 2198)
  Į
  Poseidon's natives are badly outnumbered by the newcomers, the colonists that have arrived in the 
  years since Recontact. Most of the newcomers have arrived since the discovery of xenosilicates, taking 
  part in the great Long John rush. Among the newcomers are GEO soldiers and bureaucrats, who have 
  laid a claim to be the legitimate government of the colony world. Many of the newcomers represent 
  various Independent states back on Earth, especially the Incorporate city-states. Others represent 
  various private institutions, each of which has its own reasons for extending a foothold onto the new 
  world.
  THE GEO ON POSEIDON
  The Global Ecology Organization (GEO) began existence as a small and underfunded agency of 
  the United Nations. Over the course of a century and the pressures of the Blight years, the GEO 
  became the first true world government on Earth, overshadowing all other political entities of the 
  homeworld. Today, the position of the GEO is ambivalent. Some, especially older citizens who 
  remember the Blight, support the GEO as the benevolent savior of humanity. Others chafe under its 
  rule and resent its actions. Although the organization's power is under challenge on the homeworld, it 
  continues to dominate the course of events throughout humanity's reach.
  The GEO regards itself as the successor to the old United Nations Organization (UNO). Most 
  nations on Earth are full member states of the GEO, represented on the General Assembly but required 
  to obey GEO authority. A few of the most powerful pre-Blight nations have Independent status, 
  having joined the GEO under special terms which allowed them to retain some of their sovereignty. 
  Independent nations include the United States, France, the United Kingdom, the United Islamic 
  Republic, India, and China. The various Incorporate city-states also hold Independent status within the 
  GEO.
  The GEO has an ambiguous and often-disputed role on Poseidon. GEO officials claim legal 
  continuity of their governance from the United Nations and the original Athena Project, making the 
  GEO the only legitimate government on Poseidon. Native activists, on the other hand, argue that all 
  claims held by any Earth-based authority lapsed when the Abandonment took place in 2096. Of 
  course, the GEO is present on the ground on Poseidon, and as a practical matter is significant in the 
  lives of every inhabitant of the planet.
  The Office of Colonial Affairs is the senior GEO organization on Poseidon, responsible for 
  coordinating all GEO activities in the Lambda Serpentis system. This office is headed by John Bishop, 
  the senior GEO administrator on Poseidon. At the highest levels, the GEO is organized into 
  departments, each headed by a High Commission. Each High Commission is represented by a Deputy 
  Commissioner on Poseidon. In theory, each of the Deputy Commissioners is accountable to the 
  Colonial Administrator. In practice, cooperation between the High Commissions is patchy, subject to 
  the personal relationships of the Deputy Commissioners with each other and with John Bishop.
  Human Resources
  
  The High Commission for Human Resources (HCHR) was established around a core of several 
  humanitarian agencies of the United Nations. It is responsible for mounting relief efforts in times of 
  war or natural disaster, improving the conditions of labor in all areas under GEO authority, and 
  promoting social justice. It also manages a variety of educational and cultural-exchange programs 
  throughout human space. HCHR is one of the most active GEO departments on Poseidon.
  Education is a top priority for the local GEO. HCHR funds organized primary and secondary 
  schools in almost all the newcomer settlements. The Commission sets standards, oversees educational 
  curricula, and provides specific resources such as computers and CommCore access. HCHR also 
  sponsors as many Earth-trained teachers as possible to come to Poseidon and work in the scattered 
  settlements.
  Disaster relief is another important HCHR function, especially given the fury that the planet's 
  natural disasters can muster. The Commission coordinates local fire and flood protection everywhere 
  on the planet. It also maintains several Emergency Response Teams at strategic points across 
  Poseidon. These teams are highly trained, and have provided relief services and search-and-rescue 
  support in many highly publicized disasters.
  The ERTs are very popular on Poseidon, and are one of the few GEO initiatives to claim 
  enthusiastic native support. About 15% of all ERT personnel on Poseidon are natives, while another 
  10% are Earth-born cetaceans. GEO officials are quite aware of the popularity of the teams, and use 
  them as a selling point when trying to convince native leaders of the usefulness of GEO 
  administration.
  HCHR also provides development aid to the colony's settlements. Common projects that receive 
  logistical or funding support from the Commission include hospitals, desalinization plants, fusion 
  plants, power grids, and harbor construction.
  Natural Resources
  The High Commission for Natural Resources (HCNR) is the primary agency for economic 
  regulation within the GEO. Its primary interest is to manage all economic activities which might affect 
  the natural ecology of Earth (and of Poseidon). Since this means all economic activity, the HCNR's 
  regulatory reach is very broad.
  On Poseidon, HCNR has primary responsibility for regulating economic exploitation of the planet. 
  In particular, HCNR enforces the environmental statutes that control resource development and 
  industrial production.
  The Commission maintains a cadre of Environmental Inspectors, who have the authority to visit 
  any industrial site or colonial settlement and examine its activities. These inspections may take place 
  even at Incorporate facilities, although the specifics of treaties between various Incorporate states and 
  the GEO may limit what the inspectors can demand to see. Inspectors have sometimes been forced to 
  bring Marshals or GEO Peacekeepers along in order to enforce their legal authority to inspect.
  HCNR also maintains a set of global surveillance satellites in Poseidon orbit. These satellites have 
  proved very useful in sniffing out possible violations of the environmental laws. They have also 
  provided valuable scientific data on Poseidon's climate, ecology, and resource patterns.
  Science and Technology
  The High Commission for Science and Technology (HCST) is the successor to many United 
  Nations scientific and technical agencies. HCST coordinates scientific research world-wide, funding 
  many research centers and helping private institutions to share results freely. The Commission also 
  manages the World Space Agency, the most extensive institution for space exploration in existence.
  HCST maintains a large contingent on Poseidon, and more scientists and engineers are arriving on 
  the water world every year. HCST coordinates all scientific research on and about Poseidon, funding a 
  great deal of it and providing a clearinghouse for research results. The Commission also founded the 
  Haven Institute for Science and Technology in 2188. It has also constructed a large research station 
  named GEO Prime in the Zion Islands (p. 00). The scientists at GEO Prime, over 25% of whom are 
  cetaceans, are doing groundbreaking work on the aborigines, the original of xenosilicates, and other 
  critical issues.
  
  Communications
  HCC (the High Commission for Communications) took on the functions of U.N. agencies such as 
  the Universal Postal Union and the International Telecommunications Union. It is responsible for 
  promulgating communications standards, and enforcing GEO policies that encourage free 
  communication among all humans. The HCC manages GEO's network of communications satellites, 
  the bulk of Earth's telecommunications web (the CommCore), and the fleet of drone couriers that 
  allow relatively quick communication between Earth and Poseidon.
  On Poseidon, HCC is responsible for developing the telecommunications infrastructure for the 
  entire planet. There has been considerable progress in this area. A network of communications 
  satellites is in place, and there is a local CommCore network centered on Haven. The growth of 
  Poseidon's communications network is (miraculously) keeping pace with the population boom. Almost 
  every newcomer has CommCore access immediately upon arrival, and HCC is making some progress 
  with integrating even the less-hostile native settlements into the growing net.
  Naturally, there are limits to HCC's success. Poseidon is a difficult environment for 
  telecommunications, given the fierce cyclonic storms and the prevalence of thick cloud cover (with its 
  associated electrical activity). Despite the Commission's best efforts, the Poseidon communications 
  network remains both patchy and unreliable.
  Internal Security
  The High Commission for Internal Security (HCIS) is effectively the GEO intelligence service. It 
  supports GEO interests by managing networks of spies, informants, and covert operatives. In theory, 
  HCIS is supposed to act as a liaison with the intelligence services of various Independent 
  governments, including with the Incorporate city-states. Naturally, these relationships are usually less 
  than cordial.
  One of the most controversial High Commissions back on Earth, the HCIS is also getting involved 
  in the deepest intrigues on Poseidon. Not even Colonial Administrator Bishop is aware of the full 
  extent of Internal Security activities within his jurisdiction. The current High Commissioner, Astumo 
  Nakano, is famous for the fierceness of his "Black Crusade" against the Incorporate states on Earth. 
  Since coming to Poseidon, he has been mounting a similar covert campaign against Incorporate 
  activities on the water world. To be sure, the Incorporate states are always a serious concern for GEO, 
  but Commissioner Nakano's efforts go well beyond what the rest of the Executive Council might 
  consider prudent.
  State and Internal Affairs
  The High Commission for State and Internal Affairs (HCSIA) is the GEO's diplomatic corps. It is 
  responsible for managing all disputes between member states, or between member states and the GEO. 
  The title of the High Commission is viewed by many as a statement of GEO supremacy over all 
  human institutions. The claim is that there are no true "external affairs" on Earth ’  all diplomacy
  Į
   
  between human institutions is simply negotiation carried on between component parts of the GEO.
  In theory, the HCSIA is the senior branch of the GEO on Poseidon. The Office of Colonial 
  Affairs, which technically oversees the entire colonial government, is a part of the HCSIA. In practice, 
  the OCA on Poseidon operates more or less independently, and Colonial Administrator Bishop is the 
  highest-ranking GEO official on the planet.
  The OCA is charged with managing all immigration to Poseidon. Prospective colonists are 
  supposedly screened carefully, although this procedure is very easy to avoid. The OCA also supervises 
  the training and medical procedures that are applied to all migrants, and maintains the passenger 
  receiving facilities on board Prosperity Station (p. 00). The OCA must approve any new colonial 
  venture on Poseidon, and it theoretically imposes strict guidelines on industrial development and 
  population growth. In practice, there is almost no official supervision of such matters on Poseidon. 
  The Incorporate states in particular ignore all OCA restrictions on their activity, and the OCA itself is 
  simply too strapped for manpower and resources to enforce its regulations.
  HCSIA is also charged with maintaining peaceful relations between the GEO and Poseidon's many 
  factions ’  including the many native tribes, the Incorporate states, and the independent colonists.
  Į
   
  
  Since GEO (as the putative planetary government) can hardly avoid taking sides in the conflicts that 
  arise between these factions, HCSIA has an almost impossible task.
  HCSIA maintains consulates in many of Poseidon's larger settlements, notably Haven, Second 
  Try, and Kingston. It also operates consular offices in several of the Incorporate company towns, 
  especially Cliffside, Santa Elena, and Al-Mamlakah. These consulates allow the Commission to 
  remain in constant contact with many of the most powerful factions, responding quickly to new 
  situations as they arise.
  To deal with the native population, HCSIA uses its Envoy Teams. These teams are responsible for 
  identifying and opening friendly contact with previously unknown native communities. The first task 
  of any Envoy Team is to negotiate with the native group for GEO services and protection. They are 
  also trained to provide some basic services themselves, especially initial medical care such as 
  inoculations and training in first aid. Once first contact is completed, further interaction with a native 
  group is usually handled by the High Commission for Human Resources.
  Armed Forces
  As a world government, the GEO maintains an army of considerable size. The GEO Armed Forces 
  include three major branches: the Peacekeeping Force, the Aerospace Command, and the Naval 
  Command. In theory, the Peacekeepers are used only as a last resort to prevent conflicts between GEO 
  member states. In practice, the Armed Forces are used in the same manner as any other armed force ’
   as a tool of state policy.
  Į
  To support the other branches of GEO government, the Armed Forces have deployed a heavily-
  reinforced brigade to Poseidon. This unit is commanded by Luther Gideon, a Marine Corps Lieutenant 
  General. It includes five companies of Peacekeeper Special Forces (the Blue Berets), a company of 
  Marine Corps Heavy Cavalry, and six regiments of Peacekeeper regulars. The infantry formations are 
  supported by small units from the GEO Aerospace and Naval Commands, including VTOL, hydrofoil, 
  and submarine craft. The total force comes to over 10,000 combat effectives.
  The primary GEO military base on the planet's surface is near Kingston (p. 00). Many of the 
  Peacekeepers are scattered in company-sized garrisons around the planet. This penny-packet 
  deployment means that the Peacekeepers can react quickly to small crises as they occur. It also means 
  that any one garrison could possibly be overrun by a large crisis . . .
  Justice
  The High Commission for Justice (HCJ) is the law enforcement arm of the GEO. It is responsible 
  for enforcing all GEO laws and regulations, supporting other Commissions in their own regulatory 
  roles as needed. The HCJ appoints the GEO Magistrates, senior officials who serve both as court 
  justices and as overseers of law enforcement operations. The Commission also manages the GEO 
  Marshal Service, a successor to previous international police organizations such as Interpol. The 
  Marshal Service is the GEO's federal police organization, providing Marshals to support each 
  Magistrate in his own jurisdiction.
  GEO has assigned three Magistrates to Poseidon, each of whom commands eight Marshals along 
  with supporting staff (including Deputy Marshals) and other resources. This cadre is woefully 
  undermanned, and is usually unable to maintain the peace or enforce GEO law in many areas. All but 
  the most isolated settlements maintain offices for the GEO Magistrates. The Magistrates usually spend 
  their time visiting Poseidon's towns and villages on a rotating schedule. They hear civil cases that have 
  been filed since the last visit, and also manage any necessary criminal trials. Since the Magistrates 
  must spend most of their time on the routine of "riding the circuit," they have little time left over for 
  the unexpected.
  To extend their reach, the Magistrates use their supporting Marshals. Marshals have a great deal of 
  independent authority to investigate and arrest, although they are always accountable to their 
  supervising Magistrate. One or two are usually accompanying the Magistrate on his circuit. The rest 
  are out in the district, overseeing local law enforcement operations and pursuing investigations at their 
  own discretion. They spend most of their time working alone or with a very small staff, although given 
  enough advance notice they can call in other Marshals or HCJ resources as needed.
  
  When the Marshals are away, justice is in the hands of local law enforcement agencies. The GEO 
  Patrol is the most common of these, present in all areas under direct GEO authority. Patrol offices are 
  mich like the local police stations of 20th century Earth, although in this case all police are 
  "federalized," subject to the authority of a GEO Magistrate. Patrol officers handle the expected 
  activities, from simple traffic violations to homicides.
  Of course, even the Patrol is badly undermanned ’  even Haven, a city of over half a million
  Į
   
  people, has fewer than 1,000 GEO Patrol officers. Perforce, the Patrol often practices crime 
  management rather than crime prevention. Certain districts are ignored unless the criminal activity 
  inside them becomes a nuisance elsewhere. Patrol officers tend to concentrate on the most serious 
  crimes, leaving many petty offenses to run rampant. As a result, many of Poseidon's major cities are 
  rife with drug trafficking, illegal gambling, prostitution, and small-scale property crimes.
  In order to bolster its own efforts, the GEO has established the Native Patrol. The goal of this 
  organization is to provide a legitimate law enforcement presence in native communities that are not 
  hostile to the GEO, but have resisted direct rule by both Incorporate and GEO forces. Members of the 
  Native Patrol are trained in law enforcement procedures and methods. They are authorized to call upon 
  GEO Patrol and Marshal services when necessary (although they tend to do so only as a last resort).
  The Native Patrol has been reasonably successful in the six years since its foundation. Officers 
  have developed their own traditions, and while they usually perform their duties well, they retain a 
  fierce loyalty to their own communities. As a result, the Native Patrol has come to function as an 
  established native presence within the GEO hierarchy. Some natives have come to see this as a useful 
  opportunity to use GEO resources and affect GEO policy.
  LAW ENFORCEMENT ON POSEIDON
  The GEO faces several problems when trying to enforce the law on Poseidon. For one thing, 
  GEO's resources on the colony world are very thinly stretched. The Marshal Service has too few men 
  on hand to pursue any but the most important investigations, unless a Marshal just happens to be on 
  hand when a lesser crime takes place. Even the Patrol Officers in large settlements must ignore a great 
  deal of criminal activity. In smaller settlements, the only law available may be the Native Patrol or a 
  village constabulary. Meanwhile, GEO law enforcement officials are rarely seen in the Incorporate 
  company towns, which are covered by corporate security forces instead.
  The resulting situation is similar to that in other frontier societies throughout history. With no law 
  immediately available, most citizens are responsible for their own defense. The law gives private 
  citizens great latitude to protect themselves and their property. Many citizens carry firearms and other 
  weapons. The right to self-defense is recognized by most colonial authorities. Of course, "self-
  defense" has its limits. A law-abiding citizen who shoots and kills a burglar in his own home will be in 
  no danger of arrest when the Patrol arrives. A colonist who seeks out and kills someone who he 
  believes to be a danger to the community will be in much deeper trouble. Vigilantism is rare, and 
  usually meets a strong response from the legal authorities.
  Another difficulty facing the GEO is the question of what law applies on Poseidon. The General 
  Assembly has enacted a law which applies all GEO laws and regulations to Poseidon. Combined with 
  the GEO claim to be the legal successor of the Athena Project's administration, this would seem to 
  make the situation clear. However, many on Poseidon do not recognize GEO authority. Many natives 
  deny the GEO claim of continuous administration of the planet. For their part, the Incorporate states 
  and the Independent nation-states are interested in any legal position that will limit GEO power.
  Meanwhile, even if GEO law were universally agreed upon, it simply does not address a number 
  of situations that have arisen on Poseidon. The aborigines, who are alien and yet apparently sentient, 
  have no status under any Earth-originated code. The natives have made no legal claim to property on 
  the planet, yet they have been occupying and using territory on Poseidon for decades. The GEO claims 
  to govern Poseidon, yet the colonists as yet have no representation in the General Assembly on Earth, 
  thus violating the core United Nations principle of self-determination. All of this complicates the legal 
  (and political) situation considerably. If the issues were merely theoretical, it would have little impact 
  on law enforcement ’  but as it is, the anomalous situation on Poseidon directly affects every
  Į
   
  inhabitant of the planet.
  
  Trade and Industry
  The High Commission for Trade and Industry (HCTI) works closely with the HCNR (p. 00). Both 
  Commissions are involved in economic policy and regulation, although whereas the HCNR is 
  normally hostile toward industrial development, the HCTI is more supportive. The difference is in the 
  goals of the two Commissions ’  whereas the first priority of the HCNR is the protection of the
  Ĭ
   
  natural environment, HCTI is first concerned with encouraging human prosperity. Trade and Industry 
  is responsible for developing unified industrial, financial, and trade policies for the GEO's member 
  states. In pursuit of this goal, the Commission works closely with those member states, even with the 
  Incorporate city-states that control much of the world's resources.
  On Poseidon, the HCTI is rather unpopular, perceived by many as being "in the pocket" of the 
  Incorporate states. Many colonists fail to realize that the Commission is responsible for curbing many 
  of the Incorporate's worst excesses. Meanwhile, HCTI helps to set up long-term development 
  strategies for the colony world, working with any faction or group that is willing to cooperate. It also 
  funds many development programs, and administers the regular resupply expeditions from Earth that 
  do much to keep the colony afloat.
  THE INCORPORATE STATES
  Like the GEO, the Incorporate states arose out of the crisis of the Blight. Each Incorporate state 
  began existence as a large corporation or consortium on Earth. During the Blight years, each took 
  responsibility for maintaining order and prosperity in a specific region of Earth. In exchange, they 
  received most of the rights of sovereign nation-states.
  The Incorporate states have a mixed reputation. Many people support them, recognizing that they 
  have provided much of the economic muscle behind the recovery from the Blight and the subsequent 
  return of prosperity. Others resent them as ruthless, inhuman institutions, accountable to no other 
  authority. The popular media (at least, those media that are not themselves under Incorporate control) 
  usually lean toward the latter view.
  In fact, the Incorporate states represent a new kind of political institution. They have the sovereign 
  authority of modern nation-states. They use many internal political structures similar to those of 
  ancient city-states. They are also profit-making commercial enterprises, with an interest in markets 
  well beyond their physical territory.
  As of 2199 AD, there are ten Incorporate states in existence. All of them have a presence on 
  Poseidon, although not all of them have established private "company town" colonies on the water 
  world. Specific descriptions of the various Incorporate states follow in the rest of this chapter.
  Islands
  Despite Poseidon's size, very little of the surface is human-habitable. Dry land makes up only 3% 
  of the planet's surface area, and there are no continents as such ’  so every piece of dry land is still
  Į
   
  profoundly affected by the sea. Most of the planet's land area falls into five distinct island chains, with 
  a small fraction scattered across the ocean as tiny islands or shoals.
  From the human standpoint, the most important region of the planet is the Pacifica Archipelago. 
  This island chain is the largest on the planet in terms of land area (43% of the total), it includes the 
  largest single landmass (Prime Meridian) and is the home of all but a small fraction of Poseidon's 
  human population.
  HAVEN CLUSTER
  And now, a recap of our top story for this hour. Patrol officers, led by Marshal Anton Kruger, 
  today performed a lightning raid on a condemned building in the Warehouse District. Seven members 
  of the infamous terrorist organization Zero Nation were apprehended, and are in custody awaiting 
  arraignment. Although there was a brief exchange of gunfire, the Magistrate's office reports that there 
  were no Patrol or civilian casualties.
  In other news . . .
  
  ’  CommCore news multicast (March 13, 2198)
  Į
  The Haven Cluster is the most densely packed group of large islands on Poseidon. It straddles the 
  official Prime Meridian between 1¬ƒ and 16¬ƒ south latitude, extending about 5¬ƒ east and west. 
  Most of the islands in the Cluster are volcanic in origin, and a few of the islands still support active 
  volcanoes. Within the past few million years, the region has gone through a period of violent tectonic 
  activity, creating a variety of unusual geological formations.
  The overall climate in the Haven Cluster is tropical, warm and wet enough to support dense 
  vegetation on every landmass of significant size. Fortunately there is a consistent wind current from 
  the northeast, moderating extremes of heat and humidity, so the Cluster islands are quite comfortable 
  for human inhabitants. On the other hand, the waters in and around the Cluster are unusually warm 
  and shallow, making the region a center of cyclonic storm activity.
  The Haven Cluster has always been the center of human settlement on Poseidon. The first colonies 
  were established here in 2087, and even after the Abandonment the Cluster continued to grow. The 
  region's population grew steadily, rising from 5,000 to 50,000 even before the Long John Boom 
  began. Once the flood of newcomers began, the relatively dense settlement in the Cluster made it the 
  natural place to place new industrial development. In the last ten years, the Cluster's population has 
  spiked to almost a million inhabitants ’  these islands now support about half of the planet's fast-
  Į
  growing population.
  Today, the majority of the Cluster's people live in its few large modern towns. Of course, there are 
  dozens of small native settlements, dispersed among the islands, often placed in locations that would 
  be impractical for a large settlement. Most of these isolated settlements survive on fishing and 
  aquaculture.
  (((MAP: Haven Cluster)))
  THE STYX
  Northwest of the Haven Cluster is a stretch of ocean which has become known as the Styx, after a 
  legendary river of the underworld. This region is roughly triangular, with Fable Island and Snake Eyes 
  at two corners, and the rough settlement of Nomad at the third.
  The Styx has developed a reputation rather like the Bermuda Triangle of Earth. It is famous (or 
  infamous) for aircraft crashes, instrument malfunctions, mysterious disappearances, shipwrecks, and 
  other unexplained phenomena. Some scientists have concluded that the reputation is the result of a 
  statistical illusion ’  the Styx is a high-traffic area near some of Poseidon's most densely populated
  Į
   
  islands, so an unusual number of incidents is to be expected. Others point out that the Styx is in the 
  heart of the Storm Belt, and so unusual meteorological or electromagnetic effects are common there. 
  No doubt these explanations have some degree of truth, but long-time Poseidon hands still claim that 
  something unnatural must be going on in there.
  Haven
  On the southern coast of Argos Island there is a superb natural harbor. It was here that the first 
  settlement on Poseidon was established in 2087. Haven remains the oldest and largest town on 
  Poseidon. As the colonial government takes shape, Haven is destined to serve as the planetary capital.
  Most of the urban area of Haven is actually on Haven Island, a small landmass off the coast of 
  Argos Island. The Old Town (the original settlement established by the Cousteau colonists) is on the 
  southern shore of the island, nestled between the West and East Harbors. Haven Island has very steep 
  slopes, so much of Haven city is built on a series of terraces rather like those of many Mediterranean 
  towns on Earth.
  Haven is controlled quite closely by GEO. The city is slated to become the colonial capital as soon 
  as GEO establishes a legal mandate over Poseidon. The Colonial Administrator already has offices in 
  the Government Center northeast of Old Town. Meanwhile, Haven retains its old municipal 
  government, with an elected Mayor and City Council. The current Mayor, Janson Blair, is from an old 
  Incorporate family. His ties to Biogene and his sympathies for Incorporate policies are widely known 
  and rather controversial.
  On the surface, Haven appears to be prospering. It is the center of Poseidon's booming service 
  industry. Education, finance, medicine, telecommunications, transportation, even entertainment 
  
  services are all growing rapidly to meet the needs of the heavy-industrial settlements elsewhere on 
  Poseidon. The city is particularly important due to its excellent deep-water harbor and access to the 
  planet's main spaceport.
  The booming economy leads to its own difficulties, however. Explosive economic growth 
  constantly threatens to trigger hyperinflation, which would wreck the planet's financial structure and 
  leave most of its citizens in poverty. Although Haven's banks have moved to keep the money supply 
  tight, raising short-term interest rates well above 20%, there is fierce inflationary pressure due to the 
  constant flood of immigrants. Thousands of optimistic newcomers arrive in Haven every month, 
  bringing credit from Earth to invest in local equipment and goods. As the newcomers buy, prices rise 
  in response. In turn, once the newcomers are in business, they are often forced to charge exorbitant 
  prices simply to keep ahead of the debt load they incur upon arrival. So far the situation has not (quite) 
  spun out of control, but both GEO and Incorporate officials are watching local economic indicators 
  closely.
  HAVEN DISTRICTS
  As the largest and oldest of Poseidon's towns, Haven has developed a number of distinct 
  neighborhoods, each with its own flavor.
  Old Town
  Old Town began existence as a carefully planned array of prefabricated modular structures, 
  originally stripped from the Cousteau at the time of the first landings. Over the past century, these 
  modular structures have been extensively modified, accreting additions of bioplastic, wood, and stone. 
  The result is a riot of different architectural styles, laced with narrow, twisting streets and many blind 
  alleys. Zoning is almost completely nonexistent, so commercial and residential buildings are 
  thoroughly interspersed.
  Old Town is home to Colonial Headquarters, the first modular structure stripped from the 
  Cousteau which was set up as the Athena Project's control center. The Headquarters is the traditional 
  residence of the Mayor of Haven.
  South of Old Town, just offshore, is the Church of Whalesong Theogony, the only formal meeting 
  place for Poseidon's most popular cetacean religion. The Church is a vast structure of engineered 
  coral, resembling a giant mushroom with the water covering the bottom third of the hemispherical 
  "cap." The inner chamber has no floor and is accessible from underwater. The sanctuary exists as a 
  place of worship and as a meeting place for the Church's leaders.
  The Floats
  Near Old Town, in the West Harbor, is the poor district known as the Floats. West Harbor has 
  long been home to a number of citizens living on moored boats. Since Recontact, many of Haven's 
  poor have been pushed out to the harbor, building sailboats, houseboats, ramshackle rafts, and barges 
  to serve as inexpensive homes. The resulting "boat town" has a large native population, and poverty 
  and crime are rampant. One peculiarity of the place is the blurred distinction between public walkways 
  and private residences ’  it's very easy for outsiders to get into trouble by wandering carelessly into
  Į
   
  someone's home and provoking a confrontation.
  On the shore adjacent to the Floats is the new district called Brighton, a large GEO-funded 
  housing project which has become another of Haven's poorest neighborhoods. Brighton is full of 
  impoverished natives, hybrids, and newcomers who have failed to succeed in Poseidon's boom 
  economy.
  The Heights
  On the slopes behind the Old Town are Haven's more modern districts, almost entirely built since 
  Recontact. The most prestigious district is the Heights, directly above Old Town to the north. The 
  Heights are home to many high-level GEO officials, Incorporate executives, and other wealthy 
  citizens. Unfortunately, the Heights are surrounded by poorer districts such as Brighton, the 
  
  Warehouse District, and the Floats. Crime often "leaks" across the borders of the district, despite GEO 
  and MacLeod Enforcement patrols.
  Central Business District
  Northeast of Old Town is a region that was once home to the colony's administrative offices, 
  laboratories, medical clinics, and other technical centers. In recent years, the Central Business District 
  has been almost completely renovated, and is now full of glass-and-steel spires housing Incorporate 
  offices. Many residents consider the District to be an eyesore, a terrible distraction from the charm of 
  the older parts of Haven. Patrol presence here is intense and watchful.
  East Harbor
  In the East Harbor, directly adjacent to the Old Town, is the district known as the Wharf. As the 
  name suggests, at one time this was a docking place for fishing boats and other watercraft. Today, only 
  a few luxury craft tie up at its expensive marinas. The Wharf is a high-rent district built out over the 
  harbor, filled with open-air markets, restaurants, and small shops. It is a very popular destination for 
  tourists from around Poseidon.
  One point of interest in the Wharf district is Haven Coliseum, a modern athletic complex built on 
  floats out over East Harbor. The Coliseum seats 35,000 people, and can host either land or water 
  sports events (the floor of the arena is retractable). An extensive entertainment complex of hotels, 
  restaurants, and virtual arcades make it a popular attraction even between events.
  North and east of the Wharf is the Waterfront District, also built out into the water and currently 
  spanning the whole width of Haven Channel. The Waterfront is an entertainment strip, somewhat less 
  high-class than the Wharf. Here a visitor can find bars, nightclubs, virtual arcades, shopping malls, and 
  a few brothels. The West Shore (on Haven Island) is well-patrolled, while the East Shore is more 
  rough and dangerous.
  East of the harbor is the spit of land known as Shuttle Point, a heavy commercial zone that is 
  critical to planet-wide transport. Haven Shipyards are headquartered here, as is Nathaniel Lesear 
  Memorial Spaceport (the largest and busiest spaceport on Poseidon). Shuttles actually land and take 
  off in the "Dropzone" about 10 kilometers south of the city; they are towed to and from the spaceport 
  by a fleet of heavy tugs.
  At present, Haven is home to just over 500,000 residents, about one-quarter of the population of 
  Poseidon. The vast majority of the city's people are newcomers; although as many as 15,000 natives 
  still live in Haven, most of the native population have long since fled before the flood of immigration. 
  Haven's population exhibits extreme cultural and ethnic diversity ’  it is possibly the most
  Į
   
  cosmopolitan city in human history.
  MACLEOD ENFORCEMENT
  MacLeod Enforcement began as a small security consultancy based in Scotland. It provided a 
  variety of security services, up to and including military consultation for a number of national 
  governments in the developing world.
  The Blight handed MacLeod Enforcement a golden opportunity, as demand for its services 
  skyrocketed in the wake of the disaster. In particular, the embryonic Incorporate states often found 
  themselves struggling to handle their new responsibilities as effective national governments. More 
  than once, MacLeod found itself in the position of being contracted to act as Defense Department for 
  one or another of its Incorporate peers. Before long, MacLeod was able to establish its own city-state, 
  securing the city of Mombasa after the Kenyan government collapsed. The situation in Africa gave 
  MacLeod a virtually unlimited supply of human resources which could be quickly trained in effective 
  security procedures. Meanwhile, its new Incorporate status freed MacLeod from many of the legal 
  restraints it had been forced to operate under. Now it could openly offer military-grade weapons 
  systems and hire out legitimate mercenary forces.
  Today, MacLeod Enforcement is one of the most powerful military forces on Earth. Although its 
  available forces are relatively small, their training and equipment are second to none. MacLeod's 
  financial resources are immense and its political connections formidable. On the other hand, MacLeod 
  has a very poor reputation in the popular media. The corporation has often been accused of arming or 
  
  training terrorist groups, performing assassinations, stockpiling weapons of mass destruction, and 
  other heinous crimes. The GEO's Justice Commission is known to be investigating MacLeod in the 
  hopes of finding charges which can be made to stick ’  thus far without success.
  Į
  On Poseidon, MacLeod Enforcement has established no "company town" of its own, but it has 
  interests and activities across the planet. It provides private security personnel, equipment, and 
  civilian-grade weapons to the various settlements on Poseidon. It is also rumored to be providing 
  military training to a number of native groups. This is not technically illegal, unless the natives in 
  question have been designated as hostile, but the Justice Commission suspects that MacLeod has been 
  deliberately careless about who it accepts into its training courses. Of course, the corporation also 
  provides equipment and training to various Incorporate states on Poseidon, often the very ones who 
  are most often found in the field against hostile natives.
  It's often said that conflict is bad for trade ’  unless you're an arms dealer. Certainly MacLeod
  Į
   
  Enforcement has done nothing to ease tensions on Poseidon, and may be working behind the scenes to 
  stir up further trouble.
  Second Try
  Second Try is located on the eastern coast of Westward Island, a large landmass in the Haven 
  Cluster. Most of the settlement is located in Barker's Gorge, a canyon that runs several kilometers 
  back from the coastline and provides a small sheltered harbor.
  The first settlement at the site of Second Try was Homestead, established in 2091 as the first of 
  Haven's satellite colonies. The volunteer settlers declined to use modular habitats from the Cousteau, 
  deciding instead to build their town from scratch. This proved a costly decision in 2092, when a 
  powerful cyclonic storm hammered the embryonic settlement flat, killing over one-third of the 
  colonists. Led by Hiram Barker, the survivors moved further up into the Gorge and established a new 
  town, which they named Second Try. This settlement survived and prospered, making good use of the 
  shelter provided by natural caverns in the depths of the Gorge.
  Second Try has about 30,000 inhabitants, most of them natives. Indeed, many natives who once 
  lived in Haven and other towns have relocated to Second Try, pushed by the immigrant flood. While 
  newcomers are present in the town, they have not overwhelmed the native society. No significant 
  deposits of Long John have been discovered in the area, so the town has avoided the worst aspects of 
  the boom economy. Meanwhile, Second Try society has always been based on cooperation and mutual 
  tolerance. Original settlers, natives from other towns, and even newcomers have all managed to get 
  along reasonably well here.
  Second Try lacks a strong government structure, and still continues in the relaxed communal 
  pattern of decades past. The GEO has local offices, but there is no appointed Marshal, and there is no 
  permanent representation from the Office of Colonial Affairs. There is an elected City Council, which 
  rarely meets more often than one week in four. There is also a Town Manager's office, although it 
  currently stands vacant.
  Second Try's economy is largely agrarian, dependent on fishing, farming, and aquaculture. Several 
  Incorporate states maintain offices in the town. GenDiver maintains a local pharmaceutical research 
  lab, and Hanover Industries is exploring the possibility of building a small jumpcraft factory. One 
  unique element in Second Try's economy is its volunteer labor sector. Much of the town is built on a 
  series of bridges and platforms that span the width of the rear of Barker's Gorge. These platforms are 
  superbly engineered, and could provide living space for several times the town's current population ’Į  
  but they require considerable maintenance. This work is primarily done by participants in several 
  volunteer programs, ensuring that the town is well-kept even in poor areas.
  Lebensraum
  Lebensraum is located about 940 miles from Haven, on the Sable Bay coast of Mandalay Island. 
  The settlement stretches over steep, rocky beaches that form a series of natural seawalls. Mandalay 
  Island itself is dominated by two inactive volcanoes, which loom over Lebensraum to the south and 
  west.
  Lebensraum is the private domain of the Incorporate state Hanover Industries. In order to assure 
  the Incorporate state's survival, it has established this company town on Poseidon to serve as its 
  
  eventual home base. In only six years, Lebensraum has become a leading industrial center, supporting 
  a wide variety of manufactures.
  The population of Lebensraum is over 26,000 at present, and is expected to reach 50,000 before 
  Hanover reverts to Germany. The vast majority of the inhabitants are newcomers, transplanted to 
  Poseidon from the Hanover city-state. Hanover's Security Service controls access to the town very 
  tightly; non-citizens will need a work visa or visitor's pass to avoid deportation. Security Service 
  patrols are common within the town's borders.
  Lebensraum is governed by executives of Hanover Industries' Colonial division, notably its 
  President (Werner Keinz). The result is an almost feudal state, with "Herr Keinz" serving as absolute 
  overlord. Overall government is typical for an Incorporate enclave ’  all citizens are employees, and
  Į
   
  are treated as such. Keinz also acts as the town's "foreign minister," meeting frequently with 
  representatives from GEO and other settlements. Lebensraum's industrial might is beginning to make 
  itself felt across Poseidon, and brings customers and potential allies from far and wide. Keinz 
  deliberately encourages such relationships, hoping to secure Lebensraum's future through canny 
  bargaining.
  HANOVER INDUSTRIES
  Hanover Industries began as a consortium of German manufacturing firms. Over the 2080s, most 
  of the consortium's component firms set up home offices and factories in the city of Hanover, in 
  northern Germany. When the Blight struck, the consortium did much to maintain order and a kind of 
  prosperity in the Hanover region. As a result, the ordinary citizens of the region were supportive when 
  Hanover Industries signed an agreement with the German government for sovereign control over the 
  city.
  Since the 2090s, the relationship between Hanover Industries and the German government has 
  been a tense one. For much of the 22nd century, the history of Hanover Industries has been a never-
  ending struggle to maintain the Incorporate state's independence. In 2181 it seemed that this struggle 
  had been lost ’  a new treaty was signed which provided for the return of Hanover to the German
  Į
   
  government in twenty years.
  Since the Long John rush began, Hanover Industries has embarked on a radical new strategy for its 
  long-term survival. With the population of Poseidon skyrocketing, there is a large and growing market 
  on the colony world for the kind of heavy industry and other services that Hanover Industries can 
  provide. The Incorporate state has therefore begun preparations for moving its home base off Earth 
  and to Poseidon before the 2201 deadline.
  Hanover Industries is opening large factory complexes at its Poseidon colony, Lebensraum. 
  Meanwhile, the company is moving aggressively into the service and commercial sectors all over the 
  planet. Hanover Colonial Bank is one of the largest financial institutions on the planet. Hanover's 
  chain of supermarkets and discount stores is appearing in many of the major settlements. So far, the 
  Incorporate state's strategy seems to be paying off ’  it is becoming an integral part of colonial
  Į
   
  society, and its political reputation is better on Poseidon than on Earth.
  Nomad
  Nomad exists within a small cluster of islands deep within the Styx (p. 00), north and west of 
  Haven. The islands in the region are dense with tropical forest, while the surrounding waters are 
  shallow and warm. The result is one of the most ecologically diverse areas of the planet. Within this 
  setting of rare natural beauty, Nomad exists as a piece of human debris.
  Nomad was established by natives soon after the Abandonment. It began existence as a collection 
  of rafts, barges, and stilted huts which actually migrated around the islands to follow the richest shoals 
  of fish. After Recontact, Nomad quickly became a boomtown as the flood of newcomers began to 
  exploit the rich Long John fields under the surrounding sea. Unfortunately, although Nomad provided 
  a convenient early base it could not compete with some of the more permanent settlements that sprang 
  up in the region. As quickly as the local economy had boomed, it collapsed, leaving Nomad 
  desperately poor but far too large to resume its nomadic existence.
  In recent years, Nomad has found a new role for itself as a center for smuggling and piracy. The 
  population of the settlement varies with the season, but it usually is between 7,500 and 9,500. The 
  
  largest segment of the population is native, including those inhabitants who continue to follow the 
  seasonal migrations of fish. The rest of the population includes about 2,000 more or less established 
  citizens, about 1,500 squatters and drifters, and a few hundred transients (smugglers, traders, pirates 
  and underground operatives).
  Nomad has no formal government. The GEO maintains no local presence, and no one else takes 
  responsibility for the settlement or its infrastructure. The town's wealthiest and most powerful citizens 
  usually take up residence on the several small islets which have been enveloped by Nomad's sprawl. 
  These power-brokers tend to fortify their dry-land compounds, and then send out agents to struggle for 
  dominance in the floating maze of walkways and ramshackle homes. Such leaders are more like street 
  gang bosses than administrators, but they provide all the government Nomad has.
  Nomad survives on scrounging. There is no infrastructure to speak of ’  most of the population
  Į
   
  survives without electric power or modern communications. There is not even a network of clean fresh 
  water ’  cisterns line the roofs, and are very carefully guarded by those who own them. The native
  Į
   
  population provides fish and other aquaculture products. Meanwhile, the various illegal enterprises 
  that go on provide a steady trickle of high-tech and industrial goods. A visitor with enough money can 
  probably acquire anything that can be had on Poseidon. A visitor without money will have to scratch 
  madly simply to survive.
  Circumstance
  Circumstance is located just off the southern edge of the Haven Cluster, in the midst of a patch of 
  Poseidon mangrove (p. 00) east of Southward Island. The native settlement is not associated with any 
  island ’  instead, the Circumstance settlers live within the mangrove canopy itself. It is typical of a
  Į
   
  number of similar native villages that are scattered across Poseidon, unknown even to the rest of 
  native society.
  Circumstance was founded in 2116 by a fleet of native settlers. The fleet had set out from Haven 
  to establish a colony elsewhere, but bad luck and a tropical storm drove the settlers into a dense 
  mangrove forest. Discovering that the mangrove provided a habitable environment, the settlers 
  decided to stay rather than go to the effort of repairing their boats and striking out across open ocean 
  once more. Eventually the settlers set up camp in the heart of the mangrove, protected by the forest 
  from storms and predators alike.
  Since the initial foundation, few outsiders have ever come in contact with the Circumstance 
  settlement. A wilderness guide from Haven encountered Circumstance in 2197, the first outsider to do 
  so in over 80 years. He reported the existence of a "treehouse community" of a few dozen natives, 
  utterly at ease with their local environment, living at a Stone Age level of sophistication.
  Today, Circumstance remains much as it has been for decades. About 70 natives live in the 
  village, occupying a freeform scatter of treehouses in the mangrove canopy. The houses are simple 
  frameworks of mangrove wood and vines, nestled in the mangrove branches or surrounding individual 
  tree trunks. A few villagers live on simple open platforms, with no walls and no roof except the 
  canopy or the sky. The settlement lives by fishing and harvesting useful resources from the mangrove. 
  One of the islets within the mangrove forest bears useful flint; the Circumstance villagers have 
  become quite adept at the ancient art of flint knapping.
  Circumstance has no government as such. Elder members of the community are respected, and 
  they bear most of the responsibility for educating children, but decisions are usually made by 
  community consensus. The GEO has become aware of the settlement, and colonial representatives 
  have come to visit on a few occasions, but no continuing contact has been initiated.
  The Wall
  In the heart of the Styx, the Wall stands as a geophysical anomaly. It consists of thousands of 
  weathered rock spires and cliffs, each one too small to be considered an island, but forming a 
  significant landmass as a whole. The rock formations are densely packed, forming a maze-like 
  network of channels. Many of them have been partially hollowed out by weathering forces, forming 
  caves at varying altitudes. Surface travel within the maze is very hazardous, as powerful tidal effects 
  play havoc with navigation. The tumbledown rocks themselves are almost bare of life, although the 
  surrounding waters are unusually rich.
  
  Despite the dangers of the region, several groups have established small footholds within the Wall. 
  There is much to draw human attention to the canyonland: aborigine sightings are very common in the 
  region, deposits of Long John have been found, and the terrain itself favors those who need a 
  convenient place to hide from outside attention.
  Known settlements in the Wall region are highly varied, although they tend to be quite small.
  Shady Seas is a small native village, established inside what was once the superstructure of a now-
  defunct undersea habitat. The natives of Shady Seas pursue a simple lifestyle of fishing and foraging. 
  They are in contact with the colonial administration at Haven, and are adept at defending their village 
  from interference by the various criminal elements who also use the Wall.
  Kraken is a GenDiver corporate facility, constructed in 2191 as a base for exploitation of the area's 
  Long John deposits. Unfortunately, the bulk of the deposits have been depleted, and GenDiver has 
  withdrawn most of its attention to more profitable ventures elsewhere on Poseidon. Kraken is an 
  increasingly run-down settlement, most of its 300 inhabitants having turned to independent 
  prospecting or other improvisational lifestyles. The community survives primarily because it is well 
  placed to serve as a fuel or trading stop between the Haven Cluster and New Hawaii (p. 00).
  Thor Station is the primary GEO facility within the Wall, established in 2198 as a scientific 
  research station. Scientists stationed there study a variety of fields, including marine biology, geology, 
  meteorology, and physics. The station constantly suffers from a variety of technical problems, 
  including communications failures and sporadic power outages. These phenomena are themselves a 
  subject for study, as the scientists examine the distinctive electromagnetic properties of the Styx. The 
  station employs about 200 people, including a dozen GEO Peacekeepers (stationed to protect against 
  piracy).
  ANASI SYSTEMS
  One of the major biotech corporations of Earth, Anasi Systems first attained prominence through 
  the development of a countervirus designed to attack the AIDS pathogen. Through the 21st century, 
  Anasi built on this early success to become the world's leader in therapeutic genetic engineering.
  During the Blight years, Anasi Systems survived the French collapse to establish a sovereign city-
  state in Beirut, Lebanon. Its early days as an Incorporate state were ridden with controversy, after it 
  pre-empted an imminent attack from the United Islamic Republic by detonating a nuclear weapon over 
  Damascus. The move roused worldwide condemnation, but some canny maneuvering on the part of 
  the corporation's leadership forestalled any response from GEO.
  Anasi Systems has no specific corporate presence on Poseidon, and in particular has not set up any 
  "company town" there. As a biotech firm, it uses a great deal of Long John, but it contracts for 
  deliveries of xenosilicates with the other Incorporate states rather than open mining operations of its 
  own. This may be about to change, however, as Anasi Systems has recently expressed interest in 
  buying out several Earth-based firms with expertise in deep-sea mining.
  Another new venture for Anasi Systems began with the purchase of the island of Cyprus from the 
  GEO in 2188. Cyprus had been almost completely depopulated during the Blight. Anasi's intervention 
  was welcomed after it promised to revitalize the deserted island. Since then, Anasi has almost 
  completed construction of a massive arcology named Xanadu, intended as a permanent retirement 
  community for millions of the world's wealthiest citizens. Xanadu offers superb living and recreational 
  facilities, along with the most advanced medical clinics, regular longevity therapy, transhuman 
  upgrade "subscriptions," and secure hibernation facilities for those occasions on which a resident 
  might want to sleep through a few decades.
  Even before its completion, Xanadu has been extremely popular and has already been reserved to 
  capacity. Anasi Systems is considering building a similar arcology on Poseidon, hoping to attract more 
  ultra-rich customers who want to get away from Earth entirely. The Incorporate state is negotiating 
  with Atlas Materials and Hydrospan for construction of the new arcology. Meanwhile, both the GEO 
  and several native groups are mounting increasing resistance to the plan.
  NEW HAWAII
  
  The New Hawaii cluster is a loose group of four large islands, along with a scattering of smaller 
  islands and atolls, north of the equator and straddling the prime meridian. These islands are volcanic in 
  origin. There are a number of active volcanoes in the island cluster, along with "dormant" ones which 
  have simply not been observed to erupt since the human arrival on Poseidon. A few of the region's 
  volcanic peaks have been catalogued as "intermittent" volcanoes, their eruptions rare but unusually 
  violent when they do occur.
  New Hawaii is an ecological paradise. The climate is warm and provides plenty of rainfall year 
  round. The soil of the islands is rich with volcanic deposits. All of the largest islands in the cluster are 
  rich with jungle and rainforest, home to a tremendous variety of animal and plant species. The seas 
  around New Hawaii are shallow and warm, providing ideal conditions for kelp forests, impressive 
  coral reefs, and vast shoals of fish.
  Humanity discovered the New Hawaii chain during the initial planetary survey, remarking on the 
  resemblance to Earth's Hawaii at first glance. The first colonization of the area did not occur until 
  2091, when a group of settlers founded the town of Atlantis on the southern shore of Maui island. The 
  Atlantis settlers were unusually individualistic even for the time, and they hoped that by establishing 
  their colony so far from Haven that they would be free to develop in isolation for a long time.
  For a time, the colony thrived, even adapting to the Abandonment as gracefully as any settlement 
  on Poseidon. Then, in 2124, Mount Odysseus erupted, covering the south face of Maui with hot mud, 
  ash, and lava. The Atlantis settlement was destroyed, and most of its people killed. Suddenly the 
  isolation of New Hawaii was a drawback ’  although the colonists of the Haven Cluster were aware
  Į
   
  of the disaster, there was little that could be done about it.
  The New Hawaii settlement survived the eruption of Mount Odysseus. Early signs of the eruption 
  had prompted the colony's leaders to establish secondary settlements, dispersing some settlers and 
  some critical records. The survivors continued to build, even establishing a new settlement on the site 
  of Atlantis as a refusal to admit defeat.
  Today, New Hawaii remains the home of a thriving native population. The New Hawaiians are 
  still isolationists, suspicious even of other natives. Recontact was particularly difficult in the area, and 
  to this day GEO classifies most of the native groups as "hostile." Unfortunately, the presence of 
  extensive Long John deposits in the island group has brought the same flood of newcomer settlement 
  as in the Haven Cluster. Relations between the natives, the Incorporate states, and GEO are very 
  stormy in New Hawaii, and an outbreak of violence seems likely for the near future.
  (((MAP: New Hawaii)))
  BIOGENE
  Biogene holds a distinctive place in Incorporate history. It was the primary rival to Fischer Foods 
  in the days just before the Blight, and probably benefitted more than any other major corporation from 
  the Blight itself. Biogene was involved in many of the projects undertaken during the Blight years to 
  reverse the ecological disaster. Further, as Fischer Foods was dismantled, Biogene managed to pick up 
  much of its old rival's assets. The political influence these moves yielded gave Biogene the ability to 
  make the first move toward independence as a sovereign corporate state. Biogene's demesne in the 
  company city of El Dorado, in Columbia, was the "test case" that established precedent for all the 
  Incorporate states that followed.
  Biogene is owned and managed by the Ballard family. Desmond Ballard was the CEO of the 
  corporation when the Blight struck, and it was his cunning maneuvers that brought the corporation to 
  its current prominence. Several dozen of his descendants are currently in management positions in the 
  company. All of them primary beneficiaries of cutting-edge genetic technology, engineered 
  transhumans (p. 00) receiving the best available anti-aging therapy. Herschel Ballard, the current CEO 
  and family patriarch, is probably the wealthiest human being alive. The conspicuous ostentation of the 
  Ballard family is legendary, matched only by the family's extensive philanthropy.
  At present, Biogene is the leader in most fields of genetic technology. Its command of the biotech 
  industry has been parleyed into a position of unique political and economic influence. Its financial 
  empire makes it second only to the GEO in overall influence on Earth. Even the resurgent nation-
  states such as China and the United States treat Biogene with great respect, recognizing the 
  corporation's critical role in their national economies.
  
  Shimushir
  Shimushir is located on the island of Ina, fourth largest of the great island of New Hawaii. The 
  settlement is built in the midst of a wide tidal plain, which is invariably hot, wet, and marshy. The site 
  is bleak and rather unpleasant, rich with the pungent odors of the marsh flats.
  Shimushir was founded in 2192, when the Nippon Industrial State won a colonial charter from the 
  GEO. Since the Incorporate state was a long-standing rival of the GEO, the approval process had 
  dragged on for years, making Nippon Industrial one of the last corporate states to establish its own 
  colony on Poseidon. Construction was unusually fast even for Poseidon's boom era. The result was a 
  farrago of technical glitches and shoddy construction.
  Shimushir's population is almost entirely composed of newcomers. The Nippon Industrial 
  Arcology sits on a rocky spur in the heart of the city, and is home to the Incorporate state's oath-bound 
  employees and officers. These 6,000 people live in relative comfort and luxury; unlike most of the 
  settlement, the arcology is kept in good repair. Meanwhile, several "residential zones" are scattered on 
  the tidal flats below the arcology. These are home to 20,000 or so laborers who have signed indenture 
  contracts with the Incorporate state. These indentured laborers live in terribly cramped conditions, 
  their infrastructure constantly in a state of breakdown. Many of them have only a "coffin tube" to call 
  home: a 7-foot by 3.5-foot cylinder stacked with hundreds of others just like it.
  Shimushir is wholly governed by the Nippon Industrial State administration. The Incorporate state 
  has created a social powderkeg for itself. Most of the indentured laborers who built Shimushir and run 
  its industries were enticed into their contracts with promises of wealth and comfort. The prison-like 
  conditions in which most of them must live are intolerable, but the Incorporate state is stubborn about 
  holding the laborers to the letter of their indentures, and has repeatedly deferred investment in quality 
  of life. The indentured population is rife with dissent and subtle sabotage ’  which has prompted
  Į
   
  Nippon Industrial to invest in tighter security measures, thus further enraging the workforce. As 
  productivity drops, the workforce becomes restive, and the local GEO Marshal is threatening an 
  investigation, the situation at Shimushir is growing increasingly tense.
  Shimushir does have a great deal of economic potential. The city is well-positioned to exploit the 
  rich Long John fields of New Hawaii, and already produces a significant amount of processed 
  xenosilicates each year. Shimushir also produces high-quality electronics, construction supplies, and 
  consumer goods, all of which have found markets elsewhere on Poseidon. Finally, the city has a 
  superb harbor, making it a significant transfer point for surface shipping and orbital shuttles. If the 
  Nippon Industrial State can manage its personnel problems, its profits over the coming years may well 
  justify the corporation's haphazard strategy.
  NIPPON INDUSTRIAL STATE
  The Japanese zaibatsu had a long-standing tendency toward "vertical integration," controlling a 
  variety of interlocking industries so as to give a single corporation a great deal of control over the 
  Japanese economy. When the Blight struck, several zaibatsu built facilities in the almost-depopulated 
  Kurile Islands, which had long been disputed between Japan and Russia. In 2102, these large 
  corporations merged to form the Nippon Industrial State, winning Incorporate status and full claim to 
  the Kuriles. Large aid packages won the approval of both the Japanese and Russian governments, after 
  which GEO acquiescence was easy to obtain.
  In many ways, the NIS is a throwback to a much earlier era in Japanese history. Its directors have 
  revived "state Shinto," xenophobia toward non-Japanese, and a tendency toward militarism. Indeed, 
  NIS is one of the few Incorporate states to have engaged in open warfare. In 2109 it attacked the small 
  Russian garrisons in Kamchatka, annexing the southern half of the peninsula after a brief campaign. 
  NIS propaganda called this move an attempt to relieve the Blight-induced suffering of the region's 
  people, but outsiders soon noted the construction of huge forced-labor camps near Petropavlovsk.
  The NIS produces a wide variety of industrial equipment and consumer goods, selling to markets 
  everywhere on Earth. It is very aggressive in bending national and GEO law inn its quest for political 
  power and market domination. The Incorporate state has so far gotten away with its excesses. It has 
  cannily allied with the GEO against independent China, and because it has done much to preserve the 
  economic and social stability of the Pacific Rim. Still, as the world recovers from the Blight the NIS 
  
  may no longer be able to count on GEO tolerance. The establishment of Shimushir may be part of a 
  corporate strategy to diversify its interests, making a more dispersed target should the GEO decide to 
  crack down.
  Atlantis
  The "new" Atlantis settlement is located atop the original town, on the south shore of Maui Island. 
  Atlantis sits on Easter Bay, an excellent natural harbor. The city is built on a flat plain of volcanic 
  origin ’  the pyroclastic and magma flows that destroyed the original town.
  Į
  The current Atlantis settlement was founded only a few years after the volcanic eruption that had 
  destroyed its predecessor. For some time, there was a prosperous agricultural village on the site, 
  reaping rich harvests from the volcanic soil and the vast shoals of fish in Easter Bay. Recontact 
  brought the usual flood of newcomers, turning the old native village into a boomtown. Atlantis in the 
  boom era was a supply point and entertainment center for prospectors, specializing in gambling, 
  alcohol, and women. Prospectors who failed to find their own Long John strike stayed on in other 
  roles, often entering the illicit business of harvesting and processing the narcotic pharium plant.
  The original Long John boom was soon overtaken by the arrival of Incorporate interests. After 
  Biogene and the Nippon Industrial State arrived in New Hawaii, the small-time prospectors of Atlantis 
  were quickly pushed out of the mining business. The population of Atlantis dropped rapidly, and the 
  town soon became a desperate and rather lawless place. At present, Atlantis is still struggling along, 
  full of stubbornly independent colonists who are determined to scratch out a living any way they can.
  Atlantis has a population averaging about 8,500 (with plenty of transient and seasonal inhabitants 
  to make the count fuzzy). About 500 of these are natives, descendants of the second Atlantis 
  settlement. The rest are newcomers, most of whom have no connection to GEO or any Incorporate 
  state. GenDiver maintains a small facility in the town, and there is a new GEO Patrol detachment ’Į  
  otherwise, the inhabitants of Atlantis are out for their own interests and no one else's.
  The town brings in most of its legal income as a resupply point for shipping. More recently, the 
  natural beauty of the New Hawaii chain has been stimulating a tourist industry. Atlantis is popular 
  among tourists who like a sense of exotic danger in their excursions; bush pilots and frontier outfitters 
  have been enjoying a booming business in recent years. Atlantis is also the center of a thriving fish-
  packing industry. Meanwhile, the pharium trade continues, illegal under GEO law but still reaching 
  customers as far away as Haven.
  Atlantis is informally ruled by a coalition of its most successful business leaders. Entrepreneurs, 
  both legal and shady, are always maneuvering to win some measure of influence over the town. The 
  current mayor of Atlantis is Leo Nantz, who made a respectable fortune (by local standards) through a 
  legitimate salvage operation and an illegal pharium distribution network. Nantz has grandiose dreams 
  about yet another renaissance for Atlantis. He hopes to build a spaceport and offer an alternative to 
  Haven's shipping facilities. Meanwhile, the new GEO Marshal (Rachel Lightfoot) is stirring things up. 
  She is fiercely intolerant of the kind of easygoing corruption that has always characterized Atlantean 
  business. Meanwhile, her crackdown on the local pharium trade has angered many of the town's 
  leading citizens.
  Coronado Station
  Coronado Station is located in the north shore of Kauai. It is nestled in a shallow cove that is 
  walled with high cliffs, concealing it from casual visitors as well as offering good protection against 
  cyclonic storms. The major drawback of this location is that the station is not accessible from the air. 
  Supply ships and jumpcraft arrive from Cliffside on a regular basis. The station also acts as a transit 
  point for transports traveling through the region.
  The station was completed quite recently, becoming operational only in 2197. It is a Biogene 
  facility, devoted to the study of Poseidon's native ecology. The nearby region is unusually rich in 
  animal and plant species even for the New Hawaii chain, so the Biogene scientists expect to spend 
  years studying its tremendous diversity. A number of occasionally-manned science stations and 
  observation posts have been set up in the Kauai interior, accessible from Coronado by a dirt road.
  The station is manned by just over 50 scientists and technicians, two of them uplifted dolphins. All 
  of the inhabitants are Biogene citizens. The station staff uses Spanish as a common language, but the 
  
  individual scientists come from cultures all over Earth, and often converse in a dense cosmopolitan 
  argot. The inhabitants are dedicated to their work, regarding it as their mission to help develop 
  Poseidon without harming the planet's natural beauty and wealth. The station's crew plays as hard as it 
  works, with highly competitive chess, contract bridge, and hydroshot leagues.
  The working portions of Coronado Station are off-limits to non-Biogene citizens. Even the 
  Biogene transport crews who bring supplies are examined carefully by station security, and may not 
  enter the main lab complex without a high-level security clearance. The station is well protected by its 
  security detachment and an impressive array of automatic sensors and weapons emplacements. 
  Recently, rumors have spread of some kind of disaster at Coronado ’  even Biogene transports have
  Į
   
  been denied direct access to the station, and all non-Biogene transport has been re-routed. Some 
  outsiders have speculated that the station is under some kind of quarantine. Biogene neither confirms 
  nor denies such speculation.
  NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
  The Despoilers have come again. They will try to do to Poseidon what they did long ago to Earth. 
  We must be prepared to resist them. We must be ready to struggle, to suffer, to die if need be. We must 
  also be ready to kill.
  ’  From a speech by Prophet, Baffin Island spiritual leader, circa 2165
  Į
  The northwestern quadrant of the Pacifica Archipelago contains a chain of islands, designated as 
  the Northwest Territories in the colonial survey of 2167. This region of the Archipelago exhibits more 
  topological diversity than any other, from the bleak volcanic formations of Storm and Tranquility 
  Islands, to the lush greenery of Isla Verde, to the mountainous reaches of the Sierra Nueva Cluster.
  The Northwest Territories enjoy consistently hot, humid weather, although the different 
  topographies of the local islands give rise to local variations in climate. The region usually receives 
  very heavy rainfall. The island chain is in the middle of the Storm Belt, and cyclonic storms are a 
  constant danger. Indeed, due to the overall pattern of Poseidon's weather some storms hit the island 
  chain twice ’  circumnavigating the planet between the first and second assaults.
  Į
  The Northwest Territories were colonized very late, with only one remote science station in place 
  before the Abandonment. The first permanent colony was established in 2098, when a pair of 
  charismatic cetaceans led over a hundred colonists to settle in the Sierra Nueva Cluster. Even after 
  Recontact, new arrivals were scarce ’  until the Long John boom began. Since then, Incorporate
  Į
   
  investment has brought many newcomers to the region, especially to the company towns of Santa 
  Elena and Caernafon. The Northwest Territories remain the Archipelago's "outback," and are the site 
  of one of the fiercest ongoing conflicts between native and newcomer factions.
  (((MAP: Northwest Territories)))
  Sierra Nueva Cluster
  The Sierra Nueva Cluster is composed of dozens of small volcanic islands and atolls, located just 
  south of the equator and at about 13¬ƒ west longitude. The region is not obviously hospitable to 
  humans or cetaceans, but there is an extensive network of local native tribes.
  The cluster was settled immediately after the Abandonment. The leaders of the new colony were 
  not human, but cetacean: a dolphin mystic named Sage and a wandering orca soldier named Bataku. 
  No written records survive from that period, but the natives have preserved many stories of the 
  colony's foundation. Apparently Bataku and Sage were exponents of a radical sect of dolphin 
  animism, committed to a deep communion with and reverence for nature. Finding even the native 
  settlements around Haven to be too mechanistic, the cetaceans led a group of colonists across the great 
  distance to the Sierra Nueva. The region seems to have attracted them because of its bleakness. The 
  active vulcanism and frequency of cyclonic storms meant that the radical settlement would remain 
  isolated for the foreseeable future.
  The Sierra Nueva colonists were not heard from for decades, but they must have thrived. Once the 
  Long John rush brought Incorporate settlers to the Northwest Territories, the Sierra Nueva tribes went 
  on the warpath. The natives are hostile to all outsiders, whether from GEO or the Incorporate states. In 
  particular, the proximity of Sierra Nueva to the main GenDiver shipping lines has made that 
  corporation a favorite target for the natives. GenDiver has mounted several violent reprisals, and the 
  
  GEO has deployed troops to the region to "pacify" the natives, but the process has been particularly 
  trying. Local terrain is difficult and unfamiliar to newcomers, and the Sierra Nueva natives have 
  somehow gained access to supplies of modern weaponry. Meanwhile, both Incorporate and GEO 
  forces have had to rely heavily on cetacean auxiliaries ’  but these have been particularly prone to
  Į
   
  defection.
  No outsider can be sure how many natives live in the Sierra Nueva area, but the most credible 
  estimates place the total population at about 1,200. About 750 of these are human aquaforms; the rest 
  are cetaceans. It is believed that Sierra Nueva hosts the largest orca community on Poseidon. Certainly 
  orcas are very influential in the native society as a whole.
  The native tribes apparently use a very simple and pragmatic form of government. Natural 
  leadership ability is at a premium, especially when combined with cunning and prowess in battle. 
  Leaders are recognized by consensus, and hold their position so long as the community considers them 
  to be fulfilling their duties. The leader and war-captain of a tribe may not be the same person; one 
  manages the affairs of the tribe at home while the other leads warriors out to raid.
  The natives of this region have a lifestyle which is completely independent of high technology. 
  The native settlements are primarily housed in underwater cavern complexes, for concealment and 
  protection from cyclonic storms. Humans maintain a few above-water structures, such as floating 
  docks and storage units. The cetaceans live much as their ancestors did, moving about freely and 
  hunting for prey in the rich waters. What organized economic activity exists centers around the 
  seasonal sunburst and caneopoise hunts; an increase in sunburst poaching by newcomers is another 
  source of friction.
  Baffin Island
  The most important native settlement in the Sierra Nueva Cluster is on the rugged volcanic 
  outcropping known as Baffin Island. Baffin is the largest landmass in the Cluster, a very young island 
  still in the final stages of being thrust up from under the ocean's surface. Its terrain is characterized by 
  steep, rugged peaks and deep valleys. The main volcanic cone, Mount Ajo, is an active volcano which 
  is constantly belching out smoke and fumes (although no magma eruption has taken place since the 
  arrival of humanity).
  The native settlement was established in 2098 by the cetacean leaders Bataku and Sage (p. 00). 
  Bataku was a trained combat veteran, who had seen action in several campaigns on Earth before 
  coming to Poseidon. Like many veteran orcas, he was eager to leave Earth, and he was quite sensitive 
  to the eco-reverent worldview espoused by dolphin mystics like Sage. On Poseidon, Bataku was often 
  tempted to leave the settlement behind and survive in the wild as best he could. He remained near 
  Haven out of a sense of duty, however ’  until the colonial government decided to disperse the
  Į
   
  settlements in the wake of the Abandonment.
  Bataku and his mentor Sage led a number of cetaceans away from Haven. They were also 
  accompanied by over 50 humans, mostly younger colonists who had been born on Poseidon and 
  lacked any emotional attachment to Earth. The first years were very hard for the settlement's humans, 
  who lacked almost any technological support and struggled to adapt to a community led by cetaceans. 
  Over time, the Baffin Island natives developed a society unlike almost any in human history, an 
  isolated splinter culture in which humans borrowed much of the cetacean worldview.
  At first, Recontact had almost no effect on Baffin Island. Prophet, the dolphin leader who had 
  taken responsibility for the community's spiritual life, warned that "Despoilers" from Earth would one 
  day return to Poseidon. Soon, sporadic word came from the outside about the arrival of newcomers, 
  and later about the first activities of GenDiver on nearby Isla Verde. The community turned inward, 
  fearing any contact with outsiders.
  By 2178, Bataku's son (also named Bataku) had become the war-leader of the Baffin Island tribe. 
  In that year, he sent an emissary to the new GenDiver company town on Santa Elena. The natives 
  claimed the Sierra Nueva Cluster and demanded minimal contact with newcomers, but the GenDiver 
  director rebuffed the demand. He informed the natives that they had no legal title to any of the Cluster, 
  and that GenDiver was likely to gain mineral rights in the region from the GEO. This abortive 
  negotiation proved fateful, when in 2185 GenDiver discovered extensive xenosilicate deposits in the 
  
  region. Survey teams were sent in, followed by mining crews, all guarded by heavily armed GenDiver 
  security personnel.
  Contact between the new GenDiver teams and the Sierra Nueva natives was hostile almost from 
  the beginning. In recent years, it has escalated to open war, as native and GenDiver forces fight a bitter 
  campaign of raid and bloody reprisal (see p. 00). The Baffin Island settlement, still led by Bataku the 
  younger and the mystic Prophet, is the heart of native resistance in the region.
  The main Baffin Island village has about 400 inhabitants. Of these, about 250 are aquaformed 
  humans, 110 are uplifted dolphins, and the remaining 40 are uplifted orcas. The orcas may be a 
  numerical minority, but they are nevertheless one of the most respected segments of local society. 
  About 20 of the local cetaceans are actually newcomers, dolphins or orcas who have immigrated from 
  elsewhere. A few of these are actually defectors from GEO and Incorporate military forces. These 
  cetaceans are apparently full and trusted members of the community ’  it's not known whether the
  Į
   
  native cetaceans have a way of dealing with double agents, or are simply unconcerned about the 
  possibility.
  The natives of Baffin Island have a very informal government. Bataku the younger is the 
  undisputed leader of the settlement, unifying the entire community through his charisma and his battle 
  cunning. However, his actual duties are limited to leadership in the continuing guerilla war against 
  outsider influence. Day-to-day management of the settlement is in the hands of the mystic Prophet and 
  a council of 10 elders. Prophet also seems to be in charge of strategic planning, choosing targets for 
  Bataku's military raids.
  The Baffin Island natives have a very primitive existence. They survive through subsistence 
  farming, fishing, hunting, and gathering. They engage in almost no trade with other communities. The 
  center of their yearly cycle is the seasonal hunting of sunburst; during the mild winter, the natives take 
  up a nomadic lifestyle, following the sunburst herds to harvest meat and raw materials. Recently the 
  natives have gained access to modern weapons and military equipment; outsiders suspect that 
  someone is covertly arming and training them in an attempt to undermine GenDiver.
  The settlement itself is well-concealed in a hidden cove, protected from the outside by a sharp 
  barrier reef. There are above-ground structures, especially for the human members of the community, 
  but there is also an extensive network of underground tunnels. These caverns open out both on land 
  and underwater, and provide a network of warrens that the natives can retreat to during the storm 
  season or in other times of crisis.
  Santa Elena
  Santa Elena is located on the eastern coast of Isla Verde, in the heart of the Sierra Nueva Cluster. 
  The island, while rich in native life, is topographically quite rugged. The settlement covers several 
  hundred square kilometers of cleared rainforest, situated between the island's two largest peaks for 
  modest protection from cyclonic storms.
  GenDiver presence on Poseidon actually dates to the first colony, but no "company town" was 
  placed on the planet until after Recontact. The first permanent settlement on Isla Verde was in 2178, 
  as a base for surveys and research on local resources. This initial base proved to be perfectly situated 
  when the discovery of xenosilicates took place in 2185. Within two years, GenDiver had purchased its 
  own fusion torch-ships and was flooding Santa Elena with colonists and equipment.
  By 2190, GenDiver had laid claim to several of the richest xenosilicate deposits on Poseidon, all 
  in the Northwest Territories. A major xenosilicate refining plant was built at Santa Elena, supported by 
  a settlement that had grown to over 10,000 inhabitants. Soon afterward, however, company transports 
  and survey teams began to come under attack from armed native "warpods." Over the past few years, 
  Santa Elena has become not only a boom-town, but a fortified base in a small but very vicious war.
  At present, the population of Santa Elena is over 20,000. The vast majority of Santa Elena 
  residents are humans (over 99%), newcomers (98%), and GenDiver employees (90%). The major 
  social distinction in the company town is between GenDiver citizens and non-citizens. About two-
  thirds of the population are non-citizens, indentured workers brought in from Earth to work in routine 
  GenDiver operations. Citizens live in considerable luxury in the "resort town" sections of Santa Elena, 
  where the native wildlife has been cleared away and the town resembles an upper-class pre-Blight 
  suburb. Non-citizens live in prefabricated barracks or work camps at some distance from the center of 
  
  town. The non-citizen areas are relatively austere compared to citizen housing, but conditions there are 
  still considerably better than in a Haven slum or a Shimushir coffin stack.
  Santa Elena is a typical Incorporate company town, run by Steven Crawford, GenDiver's planetary 
  director of operations. He concentrates on strategic decisions, leaving most day-to-day operations in 
  the hand of an Executive Board and expert city administration. GEO presence in Santa Elena is visible 
  but not overly active; there is a consulate in the city, but GenDiver treats it as an enemy outpost and 
  restricts contact. Security in Santa Elena is unobtrusive but very tight ’  crime is very low even in the
  Į
   
  non-citizens' housing blocks, and visitors are tracked very efficiently.
  Santa Elena was built on the Long John industry. Mining, refining, and various supporting 
  industries make up most of the town's economic base. These operations are not the largest on 
  Poseidon, but they are probably the most profitable and efficient, and GenDiver is very interested in 
  keeping them that way. To save costs, GenDiver has also relocated most of its genetic research and 
  development facilities to Poseidon, thus allowing them to use xenosilicates without having to ship 
  them all the way back to Earth. GenDiver is expanding into a variety of new industries, but thus far the 
  xenosilicate boom provides the lion's share of company revenues.
  GENDIVER
  GenDiver was established in the early 21st century in San Diego, California. During a period of 
  social unrest, the company struck a deal with the Mexican government that allowed it to establish a 
  city-state on Guadelupe, an island off the coast of Baja California. GenDiver was always a direct 
  competitor for Biogene (p. 00), likewise benefitting from the rapid growth of biotechnology industries 
  in the 22nd century. It has long been a pioneer in the fields of genetic engineering and genetic surgery; 
  one of its first major contracts was the design and implementation of aquamorph transformations for 
  the initial Poseidon colony.
  Over the years, GenDiver has always faced stiff competition from its larger rival Biogene. This 
  competition has caused a kind of inferiority complex to be ingrained into GenDiver corporate culture. 
  GenDiver is often an aggressive and confrontational firm, using means both fair and foul in order to 
  win economic or political advantage. The company has often been accused of breaking both the Icarus 
  Accords and GEO law, using industrial espionage, sabotage, and assassination to further its aims.
  Since re-opening operations on Poseidon, GenDiver has further antagonized many of its corporate 
  and political rivals. It openly denies political recognition to the GEO, and refuses (as far as it is able) 
  to comply with GEO regulations and inspectors. It is rumored to have used violence against other 
  Incorporate facilities, the most infamous incident being the "accidental" torpedo attack which 
  destroyed the main Atlas Materials undersea laboratory in 2192. GenDiver is also engaged in a fierce 
  guerilla war against native tribes on Poseidon, especially in the Sierra Nueva Cluster. To be sure, some 
  of the natives have themselves been very aggressive in attacks on GenDiver facilities and transports. 
  Even so, GenDiver reprisals have not always been measured or carefully targeted. As a result, 
  GenDiver security teams have been referred to as "death squads" by native advocates.
  The future of GenDiver seems ambiguous. Although it has moved into a leadership position in 
  several areas of technology and industrial production, its lawless reputation expose the firm to 
  retribution in the political arena. For now, GenDiver remains one of the most active and prosperous 
  Incorporate states on Poseidon.
  Crusoe Island
  The GEO Armed Forces maintain a military base, often called Fort Solitude, on Crusoe Island. 
  The base is located about 300 kilometers northeast of Santa Elena, allowing troops to be deployed 
  either to the company town or to the Sierra Nueva Cluster in only a few hours. The island is very bleak 
  ’  a low, sandy atoll which hosts only a scattering of hardy plant life.
  Į
  Fort Solitude was established in 2195, in response to the rapid spread of violence in the Sierra 
  Nueva region. The GEO Justice Department had first responded with increased Native Patrol efforts, 
  but this strategy failed dismally. When Fort Solitude was constructed, the GEO issued a statement that 
  the garrison there would be responsible for "pacifying hostile elements in the Sierra Nueva region." To 
  date, the GEO forces have spent most of their overt effort in campaigns against the native tribes of the 
  region.
  
  This strategy is more complex that it first appears. GEO strongly suspects that GenDiver has 
  mounted unprovoked attacks against the natives, but so far it has been able to locate no proof. The 
  only well-documented GenDiver operations have all been reprisals for earlier native attacks, well 
  within the Incorporate state's rights under law. GEO Internal Security is working secretly to uncover 
  evidence of GenDiver illegality ’  but until such evidence turns up, the Crusoe Island garrison must
  Į
   
  continue to fight a very public and very unpopular war against the natives.
  At present, Fort Solitude is one of the harshest GEO assignments on Poseidon. Casualties among 
  the GEO forces have been much higher than among their native antagonists, and that was true before 
  the natives began turning up with high-technology weapons. Aside from casualties, the detachment 
  has also suffered from desertions, especially from among the cetacean contingent. Meanwhile, the 
  small civilian settlement that has grown up outside Fort Solitude's walls plays host to several anti-war 
  activist groups, who demonstrate frequently and do their best to provoke the soldiers. Morale is at rock 
  bottom, and most soldiers stationed at the base just want to do the minimum possible to get by and 
  survive until they can be transferred elsewhere.
  The GEO detachment on Crusoe Island includes 124 permanent personnel, organized into two 
  platoons with 35 combat effectives each. There are 12 cetacean soldiers attached to the garrison. The 
  rest of the GEO detachment are staff and noncombat support personnel. The civilian town outside the 
  walls is named Crusoe, and has only 16 permanent residents.
  Fort Solitude is under the command of Captain Jacob Stone of the GEO Armed Forces. The base 
  is "governed" along traditional military lines, with Captain Stone reporting to senior officers at Fort 
  Pacifica (p. 00).
  PRIME MERIDIAN
  The largest single landmass on Poseidon is the mini-continent known as Prime Meridian. The 
  place is unique in many respects. The island rises steeply from the ocean, its volcanic backbone (the 
  Drakensberg Mountains) standing over five kilometers above sea level. Much of the interior is high 
  and arid, a broad savanna in the rain shadow of the Drakensbergs. In contrast, the eastern mountain 
  slopes receive a great deal of rain year-round, fostering the largest rainforests and jungles on Poseidon. 
  In the south, well-watered plains provide some of the best farmland on the planet.
  Prime Meridian is located some distance due south of Haven, straddling the same base line of 
  longitude as the older settlement. The island's settlement is being driven not only by the Long John 
  boom, but by the need for a variety of other forms of economic activity. The island is home to 
  Poseidon's most extensive farming and ranching operations, as well as the planet's largest industrial 
  operations.
  (((MAP: Prime Meridian)))
  Al-Mamlakah
  Al-Mamlakah is built on the north shore of Prime Meridian, on a large natural harbor known as 
  Medina Bay. Much of the city is built on a gently-rising coastal plain, which provides plenty of room 
  for residential settlement. Meanwhile, Medina Bay is flanked by two flat headlands, which provide 
  natural landing fields for aircraft as well as some protection from the occasional cyclonic storm.
  Al-Mamlakah is the primary "company town" of the Incorporate state Atlas Materials (p. 00). 
  Atlas was one of the first Incorporate states to begin heavy investment in Poseidon after Recontact. 
  Atlas was involved with the GEO recontact effort from the beginning, providing massive cargo vessels 
  for transport to Poseidon. Soon afterward, a shift in corporate strategy led to the foundation of Al-
  Mamlakah, as a surface receiving port tied to a new cargo-offloading station in Poseidon orbit. The 
  settlement ironically benefitted from a disaster to Atlas' interstellar fleet, when the massive cargo 
  transport Jebel Chalia suffered a catastrophic failure in Poseidon orbit. The hulk was salvaged, many 
  portions of it being transported down to provide the new settlement with building materials. In 
  particular, the starship's control tower was landed early on, becoming the core of the Second Mosque 
  of the Patriarch ’  the spiritual and cultural center of the city.
  Į
  The majority of Al-Mamlakah's population are newcomers associated with Atlas Materials. Of the 
  city's 28,000 inhabitants, 19,000 are Atlas Materials citizens, another 5,000 are service or contract 
  employees, and the rest work for themselves or for some other institution. A few hundred natives live 
  
  in Al-Mamlakah, most of them working as fishermen, ranch hands, or guides into the interior. Al-
  Mamlakah is distinctive because of the prevalence of Islam among the city's population. People of 
  other faiths are tolerated and even welcomed in the city, but over 24,000 of the residents are Muslims.
  The city government is operated by Atlas Materials. The senior local official is a city manager, Dr. 
  Sharad Patel, a senior Atlas executive. Patel, nicknamed "the Sheik" by the city's Arab residents, is an 
  efficient and very hardworking official. He has wide authority to control Atlas Materials personnel and 
  resources within the city, although he is careful to consult with his superiors on overall corporate 
  strategy. Relations with GEO are fairly cordial. There is a post for a GEO Marshal in the city, but it is 
  currently vacant. The primary GEO operation in Al-Mamlakah is the local ERT station (p. 00), which 
  is held in high esteem by the community.
  Al-Mamlakah is a heavily industrialized town, with a superb and well-maintained infrastructure. 
  Long John refining and support of xenosilicate mining operations are major Atlas activities. Al-
  Mamlakah is the only town on Poseidon with the facilities to build and repair large orbital shuttles, or 
  the massive fusion power plants which drive them. The local vehicle manufacturing plants also have 
  more capacity than any others on the planet. Atlas Materials has a number of other diverse interests, 
  all of them are managed from Al-Mamlakah.
  The city itself is comfortable and well-built, with a vaguely Middle Eastern style in architecture 
  and planning. Major landmarks include the Second Mosque of the Patriarch, as well as "the Kasbah" 
  (which is actually a heavily fortified command center for Atlas operations). Al-Mamlakah is actually 
  well-fortified, with a cutting-edge sensor grid and plenty of weapons emplacements on the most likely 
  lines of approach. This feature of the city dates to 2192, when a GenDiver submarine "accidentally" 
  destroyed Atlas Materials' Undersea Habitat-1 installation. Several months of low-intensity warfare 
  between the two Incorporate states followed, ending only when the GEO Marshals and garrisons 
  arrived on Poseidon. Al-Mamlakah is still unobtrusively but carefully protected.
  ATLAS MATERIALS
  Based in Marrakesh, Morocco, Atlas Materials is one of the few Incorporate states which is still 
  headquartered in its country of origin. A consortium of very wealthy Muslim industrialists founded 
  Atlas Materials in the early 21st century. The corporation was well positioned to survive the Blight, 
  with control over many mining interests in Africa and close ties to the interplanetary colonies. When 
  the Blight was finally controlled, Atlas was first in line to benefit from humanity's push back into 
  space.
  Atlas Materials was also one of the first Incorporate states to set up shop on Poseidon. It was Atlas 
  scientists who discovered xenosilicates and first investigated their properties. Atlas was the first 
  corporation to establish large-scale Long John mining and refining, and it was the Atlas transport fleet 
  that first began to import Long John to Earth in quantity. Even after the corporation lost its monopoly 
  on Long John, it continued to profit from the boom by providing facilities and construction expertise 
  to other Incorporate states. Today, Atlas is one of the wealthiest Incorporate states.
  Atlas is also quite well-regarded in political circles. It enjoys good relations with the Moroccan 
  government. It is also one of the most ecologically responsible corporations on Poseidon, despite its 
  heavy involvement in Long John mining. It invests a great deal of money each year in research into 
  eco-friendly technologies and industries. As a result, Atlas has a very cordial relationship with GEO, 
  and is even tolerated by most native factions.
  Undersea Habitat-2
  Atlas Materials has built a number of undersea habitats in order to facilitate exploitation of 
  Poseidon's Long John fields. The largest of these is Undersea Habitat-2, built in 2187. Undersea 
  Habitat-2 is in the Dolphin Sea, northwest of Al-Mamlakah, in a location convenient to the Pebble 
  Rocks atoll chain. The Pebble Rocks xenosilicate fields are among the richest on the planet, so the 
  habitat is of particular importance to Atlas operations.
  Undersea Habitat-2 (also called "Rock Bottom" by Atlas personnel) is a very large facility, with 
  modules extending from the sea floor to the surface, a total distance of some 3,000 feet. The Primary 
  Dome is the central structure, and is connected to four "bubble" habitats and a massive xenosilicate 
  refinery. A floating platform, called Flattop, rests on the surface and is tethered to the Primary Dome 
  
  with a heavy cable. The complex is located within 6 miles of over a dozen important xenosilicate 
  deposits, and supports mining operations at all of them.
  Over 3,000 Atlas Materials personnel live and work in the Rock Bottom complex. Most of these 
  are modified humans, although there are many cetaceans and an unusual number of spacers (p. 00). 
  Atlas Materials has found that spacers are most likely to adjust quickly to the cramped quarters aboard 
  the habitat. Despite the gravity-related health problems they face they are often among the habitat's 
  most efficient workers.
  Alderberg
  Alderberg is located on the southeastern coast of the island of Salvador, a smaller landmass just 
  northwest of Prime Meridian. The town's location is not ideal. Its harbor is rather shallow. There are 
  extensive salt marshes to the north which house biting insects and various small but rather dangerous 
  predators. The most prominent feature is nearby Mount Dali, a snow-capped volcano that towers more 
  than 3,000 meters into the air in the island's interior.
  Alderberg was established in 2186, sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church at the height of 
  Pope Lucius V's "Lambda Serpentis Crusade." Pope Lucius is something of a visionary, who insists 
  that the Church play a role in humanity's interstellar expansion. He was able to get a GEO charter for a 
  Catholic religious establishment on Poseidon, especially since he did not insist on choosing a site with 
  great resource value or a strategic location. Volunteers for the settlement were chosen from among the 
  priesthood, the monastic orders, and the laity. After arriving on Poseidon, they built Alderberg to be 
  rather isolated, and yet capable of serving as the center of Roman Catholic activities on the new world.
  At present, Alderberg has just over 1,100 inhabitants. About 400 of these are members of the 
  monastic community that serves as the heart of the settlement: the Monastery of St. John the Divine. 
  Although St. John's is officially a Dominican establishment, it has drawn staff from all of the monastic 
  orders of old Earth. Meanwhile, ordained clergy make up a very high percentage even of the town 
  population outside the monastery. Alderberg's people were chosen from among the best minds in the 
  Church, so the town is a thriving scientific community as well as a religious center.
  Although there are several senior religious figures on hand in Alderberg, the town's day-to-day 
  operation is in the hands of an elected town council. The Abbess of St. John's and the Bishop of 
  Alderberg hold non-voting seats on this council. Abbess Helen Delores Rich, in particular, attends 
  regularly and acts as a liaison between the town and the monastery. Meanwhile, Archbishop Damon 
  Lotaviano uses St. John's as the seat of the Archdiocese of Poseidon, working from there as the 
  spiritual leader of all Catholics on the planet.
  Alderberg is far from self-sufficient. The town has no heavy industry and very little commercial 
  activity. Many of the citizens help out with communal agriculture, but even this is insufficient to feed 
  the community's population. Instead, the town and all its activities are heavily subsidized by the 
  Catholic Church. Just how much the Church has invested in the community is a secret, but outside 
  observers estimate that the sum is huge. There has been speculation that the Church has a hidden 
  agenda, beyond that of simply planting a Catholic presence on Poseidon.
  Kansas
  In the midst of the southern plains of Prime Meridian sits Kansas, a small town that is one of the 
  rare land-locked settlements of Poseidon. Kansas rarely suffers from cyclonic storms, sheltered by 
  nearby mountains, but the region is tectonically active. Earthquakes are common, and some of the 
  nearby volcanic cones are active enough to sporadically drop ash and debris across the settlement. The 
  surrounding country is characterized by rolling plains, stretching from the Drakensbergs to the north to 
  the stark sea-cliffs of Prime Meridian's south coast.
  Kansas began existence as a native settlement, a trading post used by several of the bands that had 
  filtered south past the Drakensbergs to live in the upland area. After Recontact, newcomers joined the 
  thinly-scattered natives to set up farms and ranches in the region. Kansas continued to grow in an 
  unplanned fashion, eventually acting as the de facto capital of the region. Atlas Materials and the GEO 
  have both offered to buy out and develop the settlement, but all offers have been rebuffed. The 
  Kansans enjoy their independent lifestyle ’  and the economic importance of their farms and ranches
  Į
   
  has given them just enough influence to defend it.
  
  Most of the inhabitants of the Kansas region are newcomers, although there remain a considerable 
  number of natives in the area. The two groups have established a common local culture which puts 
  them on an equal footing (and which is quite unlike the primitivist native culture common elsewhere 
  on the planet). Kansas has about 2,800 permanent residents, although the town's population can spike 
  to over 30,000 during the seasonal cattle markets. About 6,000 people are scattered among the various 
  farms, ranches, agrarian communes, and mining camps in the surrounding countryside. Most of these 
  smaller settlements run from about 50 to 200 people. orth of the Kansas plains, the Lucky Strike 
  mining complexes sit on the Drakensberg slopes, and usually house about 1,600 people.
  Kansas is a rather wide-open and lawless town, with a small and very pragmatic government. The 
  mayor is Kristina Brunner, a rancher who has held the position for the last 16 years. She has exhibited 
  a great deal of talent in keeping the respect of citizens and landholders, and keeping the peace. 
  Meanwhile, the local GEO marshal is a Poseidon native who grew up out among the smaller islands of 
  the Archipelago. He too is well-respected by the Kansan citizenry, although he and Mayor Brunner 
  have an almost pathological inability to get along with one another. The two fall into vicious 
  arguments whenever they meet ’  yet between the two of them, they manage to keep Kansas at peace
  Į
   
  and confident in the rule of law.
  Kansas sits at the end of a maglev train line, running through the Drakensbergs from Al-
  Mamlakah. Three times a year, for 10 days at a time, Kansas holds market. Most of the activity takes 
  place in the so-called "Pits," a pair of dilapidated buildings that combine convention center, stockyard, 
  and commodities exchange. There, the Kansans sell their cattle, fruit, grain, and other agricultural 
  produce to agents coming from all over the Archipelago. Although fish and seafood are staples all 
  over Poseidon, the agricultural products of Kansas are a popular supplement, commanding high prices. 
  Meanwhile, Atlas Materials' Lucky Strike mines produce chromium, diamonds, gold, granite, marble, 
  obsidian, platinum, uranium, and many other useful mineral products. Although these are transported 
  and processed directly by Atlas, the mines do bring considerable wealth to Kansas in the form of 
  support contracts and miner's pay.
  WESTCAPE
  Far to the southwest of Haven, the large island of Westcape marks the extreme end of the Pacifica 
  Archipelago. Like much of the Archipelago, the island is of volcanic origin, and is believed to be quite 
  "young" in geological terms. It is the Archipelago's second largest island, roughly the same size as 
  New Guinea on Earth. Tropical rainforest is prevalent in the east, covering the slopes of a range of 
  rugged mountains. These mountains create a rain shadow which covers most of the rest of the island, 
  making the central and western regions arid desert.
  The most obvious approach to Westcape from the sea is through Westcape Channel, leading into 
  the enormous natural harbor of Southpoint Bay. These bodies of water are choked with limestone 
  islets and coral atolls, making navigation hazardous. The native tribes of Westcape hold a regatta in 
  these waters every spring, resulting in many shipwrecks.
  Another unusual feature of Westcape is the low salt pan called Hell's Basin. This area was an open 
  bay quite recently in geological terms, but was blocked off from the sea by tectonic activity. Later 
  volcanism laid down a thick coat of ash. Since then, the water-soluble ash has been heavily eroded, 
  leaving behind an exotic landscape of balancing rocks, pillars, sheer cliffs, and magnificent stone 
  arches.
  Despite its remoteness and harsh nature, Hell's Basin attracts a few hardy tourists every year. Even 
  more attractive are the basin's major export ’  water opals. These are distinctive silicate stones, found
  Į
   
  only in the few hot springs of the Hell's Basin region. Their beauty is due to the presence of the 
  siliceous hulls of unicellular organisms who once lived in the Basin. Water opals are glassy stones, 
  which refract light in firework-like bursts. They are prized by the natives, and are also exported as far 
  away as Earth.
  Westcape was settled fairly late, the first natives arriving in 2124. The various native tribes who 
  settled this remote island tended to be drawn from ethnic minority groups within the Athena Project 
  colonists. Tensions were high in the early years on Westcape. Repeatedly, a group would settle in the 
  main native town (Perdition), fail to get along with its neighbors, and then strike out to form an 
  
  independent settlement elsewhere on the island. Although these tensions have largely healed over, the 
  natives of Westcape remain stubbornly independent and fond of their isolation.
  Since Recontact, the Westcape population continues to grow, especially since the foundation of 
  the Lavender Organics company town on the island. Hanover Industries is also building two facilities 
  on Westcape, in particular an extensive mining operation that seems likely to plunder the mineral 
  wealth of the island.
  (((MAP: Westcape)))
  Dyfedd
  Dyfedd is unique among the planet's Incorporate settlements, in that it is not fixed in one location. 
  Instead, it exists as a floating city, fully capable of moving across Poseidon's oceans in response to 
  wind, current, and corporate policy decisions. The city's small fleet of tugs can tow it along at about 2 
  mph, but the city's managers do most of their maneuvering by taking advantage of local currents. 
  Dyfedd can usually be found southeast of Westcape island.
  Construction of the floating city was finished in 2185, as part of Lavender Organics' plan for 
  exploitation of Poseidon's resources. The Incorporate has long been famous for long-term planning 
  and innovative use of technology. Dyfedd was designed in an attempt to not only generate a profitable 
  base for Lavender Organics operations, but also to generate a variety of useful spin-off technologies. 
  In fact, the city was built almost exclusively from local materials, especially bioplastic from the 
  Lavender Organics manufacturing plant near Caernafon.
  Dyfedd was designed with a heavy emphasis on modular construction, allowing it to expand as 
  Lavender Organics expanded its on-planet population and its operations. At present, the city is 
  composed of seven rafts, each hexagonal in shape and just under a kilometer across. The rafts are 
  named after figures from Welsh mythology: Ceridwen, Gwydion, Manannan, Taliesin, Rhiannon, and 
  Myrrdin. Each raft carries a number of tall structures, which also extend some distance underwater to 
  form an "undercity." The overall effect is one of great beauty, attracting many visitors as well as 
  Lavender Organics citizens.
  The permanent population of Dyfedd is about 6,200. About half of these people are Lavender 
  Organics citizens. The citizens are wealthy, well educated, sophisticated, and unusually tolerant of 
  outsiders. The Lavender Organics corporate culture encourages its citizens to be loyal to the company, 
  but open-minded and respectful of outsiders. As a result, the corporation has a very good reputation 
  for an Incorporate state, and is uniquely welcoming to non-citizens.
  Around 3,000 of the city's inhabitants are non-citizens. As far as the Incorporate state is 
  concerned, there are no legal or social distinctions among non-citizens. In practice, the non-citizens 
  themselves recognize a well-marked distinction between "independents" and natives. Lavender 
  Organics is almost unique among the Incorporate states in its attitude toward Poseidon's natives ’Į  
  they are welcome to live in Dyfedd, are often employed by the corporation, and can be quite 
  successful. The independents, newcomers from Earth who are employed by Lavender Organics but do 
  not hold Incorporate citizenship, are not so tolerant. They tend to segregate themselves into housing 
  complexes in which natives are not welcome, and practice other forms of social discrimination. The 
  independents usually regard native as "primitive," although in many cases the natives of Dyfedd are 
  more sophisticated than those newly arrived from Earth.
  Dyfedd's architectural beauty and unique facilities attract many tourists. There are usually about 
  1,500 tourists on the city at any given time; this number swells to about 4,000 during the Planetfall and 
  Christening celebrations. Tourists capable of making the trip to Dyfedd tend to be very wealthy, but 
  also very arrogant and self-centered. Their money is welcomed, but many of Dyfedd's permanent 
  inhabitants (especially the natives) detest them as people.
  Dyfedd is governed in typical fashion for an Incorporate company town. The head of each major 
  division of the city's workforce sits on the board of City Governors. Representatives on the board 
  include the heads of Agricultural Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Manufacturing, Personnel, 
  Power, Research and Development, Security, Tourism, and Waste Management. The elected citizen's 
  council also appoints a representative to the board, although it plays little other direct role in city 
  government. There are also a number of nonvoting members, who represent smaller interests within 
  the city's operating hierarchy. The City Governors vote on all policy issues of substance, requiring a 
  
  two-thirds majority for any measure to pass. Decisions that exceed the board's authority (and 
  deadlocked votes) are referred to Earthside management.
  While the City Governors rule Dyfedd, its management is largely in the hands of Hugo D-4. 
  "Hugo" is the dominant artificial intelligence which animates the entire Dyfedd computer net. Dyfedd 
  is heavily automated, so Hugo is in charge of almost every significant system on board the floating 
  city. It manages the maneuvering engines, the power plant, the waste management systems, the public 
  trams, the air-traffic control system ’  it even runs primary instruction in the city's education system.
  Į
  Hugo is very likely the most sophisticated AI in existence, and is the "bleeding edge" of Lavender 
  Organics' research effort into advanced computer control. Along with its industrial and city-
  management roles, Hugo is potentially integrated into every household computer system. Any resident 
  of the city can opt to have Hugo serve as computer operating system, CommCore connection, 
  entertainment center, and financial service. Indeed, Hugo's subroutines tend to adapt themselves to 
  each user, presenting a kind of friendly, helpful personality. Many Dyfedd residents have come to 
  think of Hugo as a living person.
  One aspect of Hugo's operation is its integration into the city's security systems. Dyfedd has 
  thousands of remote pickups placed at strategic locations around the city. Hugo monitors all of these 
  for safety and security purposes. Meanwhile, the computer operates hundreds of semi-independent 
  robots, which work as maintenance robots, trash collectors, and security drones.
  Naturally, there are many fail-safes designed to protect both Hugo and the city's residents. Hugo's 
  hardware cores are located in three different places in the city, with a schedule of regular backups and 
  maintenance designed to prevent the computer's failure. All of the system's controls are well-protected 
  by extensive physical security, and the software is protected by the best anti-intrusion technology 
  available. Meanwhile, most sensitive systems controlled by Hugo have manual overrides, allowing 
  human intervention in the case of a disastrous computer error.
  Dyfedd's economy is based on the city's extensive network of research and development 
  laboratories. Lavender Organics is famous for its innovative genetic and computer technologies. 
  Dyfedd exists as a base for further Lavender Organics innovation. It hosts some of the best genetic 
  therapy and body-sculpting clinics to be found anywhere; the city is the location of choice for most 
  forms of physical modification. Dyfedd is also the foremost center for computer research and software 
  engineering on Poseidon.
  The city also gains income by leasing out its lab facilities and expert technicians to other firms and 
  private institutions. The Haven Institute of Science and Technology has come to Dyfedd to establish 
  the finest oceanographic research station on either Poseidon or Earth. This station hosts over a hundred 
  scientists and technicians, and is one of the largest local employers of natives. GEO interests on 
  Dyfedd include the most advanced Justice Commission forensics lab on the planet, along with a 
  xenosilicates research center. Rumor has it that the GEO is operating a secret research center studying 
  the aborigines, and may also be using Lavender Organics labs to develop genetically-enhanced "super 
  soldiers."
  LAVENDER ORGANICS
  Lavender Organics was originally founded in Wales, as a relatively minor biotechnology firm 
  specializing in transform viruses. One of the company's earliest products was a virus designed to 
  enhance human muscular strength ’  a product that was of interest to many around the world,
  Į
   
  including national military establishments and the sports industry. A long series of inexpensive 
  consumer biomods followed, making Lavender a significant player in the biotech market.
  True prominence did not come to Lavender Organics for some time. Eventually the company hit 
  upon its true niche: the organic computer industry. Some years before the Blight, Lavender Organics 
  became the world's leading producer of DNA-based information storage systems, neural interfaces, 
  and intelligence-enhancement implants. The company was not directly involved in the struggle against 
  the Blight ’  but the crisis years required clear, sharp thought from millions of people. Lavender
  Į
   
  Organics found its product line in considerable demand, allowing it to (barely) make the jump to 
  Incorporate status.
  In 2107, Lavender closed its office in Cardiff and established an Incorporate city-state on the 
  southern coast of Australia. The location was carefully chosen. Australia had a well-educated 
  
  population with a tradition of scientific research, but the government was collapsing before the Blight. 
  Meanwhile, Lavender had long had operations and market presence throughout Southeast Asia and 
  Oceania. The new city-state was a natural outgrowth of the situation, and gathered popular support 
  almost at once.
  Today, Lavender Organics continues to lead the world in various forms of organic computer 
  technology. In particular, it is performing cutting-edge research into true artificial intelligence. The 
  company also maintains a very profitable chain of biomod clinics across Earth and in the colonies. 
  Relations with GEO, the Australian government, and other Incorporate states are generally good. 
  Meanwhile, the mass media tend to treat Lavender Organics as an example of a "good" Incorporate 
  state.
  Perdition
  On Westcape's southern coast, there is a broad coastal plain where Hell's Basin meets the 
  Westcape Channel. This region is well-protected from cyclonic storms, and rarely suffers serious 
  damage even at the height of storm season. It is here that the township of Perdition was established, 
  sometime in the 2120s.
  Perdition was founded by a member of the original Athena Project colony. Louis Nanpei was a 
  distinctive character, an adventurer originally from Micronesia on Earth. After the Abandonment, 
  Nanpei left Haven in order to spend years wandering. Local legend has it that he was often forced to 
  flee various settlements just ahead of jealous husbands ’  but he was essentially an heroic figure, a
  Į
   
  man who pitted himself alone against Poseidon, and traveled for thousands of miles across the planet 
  all alone.
  Nanpei's own writings claim that he made landfall on the south coast of Westcape in 2124. He 
  cleared land, explored the island, and was the first man to discover water opals in Hell's Basin. By the 
  time a band of actual colonists arrived from the Haven Cluster a few years later, Nanpei was so clearly 
  the expert on local conditions that he was soon named headman of the village. He led Perdition for 
  over 40 years, finally vanishing at sea as an old man on one last adventure.
  Recontact had almost no effect on Perdition for many years. In the late 2180s, the township 
  became a popular destination for natives fleeing from the influx of newcomers closer to Haven. 
  Perdition soon became one of the largest native settlements on the planet, with over 8,000 inhabitants. 
  Meanwhile, as newcomer colonists began to approach Westcape, the natives of Perdition found that 
  they could trade water opals for useful goods. Up to that point, they had simply gathered a few opals 
  here and there as trinkets. Now, many of them abandoned the drudgery of fishing and farming to stake 
  out mining claims and begin to harvest opals in earnest.
  As the opal trade expanded, so did Perdition, until finally newcomers began to settle in the 
  township itself. Tension between the two populations grew steadily. Then, in 2196, Hanover Industries 
  registered a mining claim to the majority of Hell's Basin. In the past three years, the Incorporate state 
  has moved very aggressively into the region, using intimidation and force to toss most of the native 
  miners off their claims. In Perdition, the result has been a flood of refugees, social unrest, and 
  vigilante violence on all sides.
  At present, the population of Perdition township is estimated at about 20,000. Natives make up 
  about 9,000 of this, newcomers the rest. Most of the newcomers are independents not associated with 
  Hanover Industries, although the Incorporate state maintains offices in the town and is bringing in 
  more staff every month.
  Perdition's government has always been rather informal. The native population is led by its 
  headman, Bernardo Oliveira, a descendant of Louis Nanpei and the most respected man in the 
  township. Oliveira has been away from the township for several months, however, so leadership of the 
  native community is in the hands of a council of elders. The newcomer "community" effectively has 
  no government ’  various well-armed strongmen run things using rough consensus or intimidation, as
  Į
   
  appropriate. The GEO has considered establishing its own law-enforcement presence in the township, 
  but so far the nearest Marshals are stationed in the Zion Islands and are unaware of the seriousness of 
  the situation. Meanwhile, Hanover Industries appears likely to attempt a political takeover of the 
  township in the near future.
  
  Once a rough but peaceful native village, Perdition has become a squalid mining town. With most 
  of the independent miners squeezed out of business, the town is now almost completely dependent on 
  the money brought in by Hanover Industries workers. Several major Hanover facilities have been built 
  in the area; the workers stationed there often come to Perdition to carouse and spend their scrip.
  THE WESTCAPE WAR
  Although no news of it has reached the rest of the archipelago, there is in fact a brushfire war 
  already in progress on Westcape, and it promises to be a very nasty affair.
  For some time, Hanover Industries has been buying out claims and establishing its own facilities 
  all across the Hell's Basin region. In the past year, this landgrab moved onto a new level, with Hanover 
  Security Service teams launching violent attacks on the independent miners that remained. Miners 
  were intimidated into abandoning their claims; those who resisted were murdered. Meanwhile, the 
  other native communities around Hell's Basin and in the surrounding coastal plain were raided, the 
  inhabitants forced to flee their homes and move to Perdition as refugees.
  The Hanover strategy is simple. It already has a legal claim to the mining operations once run by 
  natives. It is building massive new mining facilities, designed to strip-mine the mineral wealth of 
  Westcape. If it can parley this position into de facto control of the entire island, it stands to gain a very 
  large possession on Poseidon against the day when it must abandon its territory on Earth. The strategy 
  of intimidation and murder was designed to crush the natives' will to resist the landgrab. 
  Unfortunately, it appears to have backfired.
  Several months ago, headman Oliveira of Perdition realized that his people were engaged in a 
  fight for their homes and way of life. He gathered as much of the town's financial resources as he 
  could, traveled to Haven, and purchased weapons from the Gorchoff Family criminal syndicate. 
  Returning home, he recruited young natives to form a cadre for a guerilla army, leading them into the 
  hills to begin training.
  The native guerillas have no chance at victory in open battle. Instead, they move secretly across 
  well-known terrain, going into hiding with the aid of sympathetic colonists, attacking Hanover 
  operations with hit-and-run raids. Unfortunately, the Incorporate state has its elite security forces with 
  the best modern weapons and training. One mistake could end the guerilla war before it gets well 
  under way.
  Of course, the guerillas do have time on their side. Hanover's landgrab must move quickly or it is 
  likely to fail. If word of the war gets out to the rest of Poseidon, then GEO will likely be motivated to 
  act decisively against the Incorporate state. Hanover hopes to have the whole matter settled before the 
  start of the next tourist season (during which visitors from Dyfedd often come to Perdition for some 
  rough-and-ready fun).
  ZION ISLANDS
  Visiting Kingston is like stepping back in time, although it's hard to say exactly what era you've 
  ended up in. The spaceport is modern. The architecture reminds me of 19th century Venice. The 
  people are as diverse as you would have found in 20th century London or New York. The local politics 
  are positively medieval. And on the streets, the most popular music style seems to be, of all things, 
  reggae.
  ’  Lavender Organics manager Ian MacDonald, personal communication, 2198
  Į
  Between the Haven Cluster and remote Westcape, there is a dense island cluster known as the 
  Zion Islands. There are 30 major islands in the group, along with hundreds of islets and atolls. Most of 
  the major islands form a circle around the shallow sea called Irie Bay. All of these islands are volcanic 
  in origin, although there are few active peaks in the region.
  As with much of the Pacifica Archipelago, the climate in the Zion Islands is tropical. Mean 
  temperatures are very high, although there is a northeastern trade wind which sometimes moderates 
  the heat and humidity. The islands in the northeast portion of the group get a great deal of rain, as 
  much as 280 inches per year. To the south and west, rain is reduced and there are many clear days per 
  year. The Zion Islands are subject to cyclonic storms throughout the year, although the shape and 
  
  shallowness of Irie Bay make it a "storm trap" ’  only about a third of the storms which strike the
  Į
   
  island chain from the north make it across the bay intact.
  Soon after the original settlement of the island group, many of the islanders became involved in 
  the so-called New Rastafarian Movement. The Movement was loosely based on the Rastafarian 
  religion of Earth, but the NRM claimed that Poseidon was the Promised Land, the "Zion" that the 
  faithful had long awaited. This meant, of course, that Earth and its governments were Babylon, the 
  land of exile and oppression. After the Abandonment, the NRM naturally led to strong anti-Earth 
  sentiments that lasted for decades.
  After Recontact, newcomers and modern supplies began to make their way into the Zion Islands. 
  At first, the natives were mistrustful, fearing that the newcomers had come from Babylon to steal 
  Poseidon away from them. Soon, however, some of the natives softened their attitudes, and began to 
  welcome both the newcomers and their technical aid.
  The Long John boom affected the Zion Islands much as it did other parts of Poseidon. A rush of 
  newcomers arrived, led by Incorporate interests who were interested in building a base for exploitation 
  of rich xenosilicate deposits in the surrounding oceans. The influx of settlement centered on Kingston, 
  but smaller settlements elsewhere in the island group also saw a boom.
  The NRM continues to be influential in the Zion Islands, and maintains political control of many 
  settlements in the region. Extremist settlements were established and grew rapidly, drawing natives 
  from the older towns who had become dissatisfied with the flood of newcomers. On the other hand, 
  many natives have grudgingly accepted the new contact with Earth. The moderate settlements have 
  grown and prospered during the Long John boom, which has led even some of the NRM extremists to 
  wonder why they resist change so fiercely.
  (((MAP: Zion Islands)
  Kingston
  Kingston sits on the northeast coast of New Jamaica, one of the largest landmasses in the Zion 
  Islands. Most of the town is actually built out in the middle of Annotto Bay, a harbor which was 
  originally full of natural quays and sandbars. The town has been built atop these patches of dry land, 
  many of which have been reinforced and expanded to make room for new building. Kingston is full of 
  bridges and catwalks, connecting the many isolated buildings that make up the town. Other buildings 
  are scattered around the shore of Annotto Bay, pressing up against the lush coastal jungle on all sides.
  Kingston was the first settlement in the Zion Islands. It was established by Quentin McDerrit, a 
  botanist of Jamaican origin who had experienced an overwhelming spiritual awakening upon first 
  arriving on Poseidon. McDerrit was one of the rare individuals who suffered from full audiovisual 
  hallucinations when subject to the Lesear Effect (p. 00). He interpreted his experiences as "visions" 
  that confirmed the Rastafarianism he had espoused in his youth.
  Discovering some talent as a charismatic leader, McDerrit gathered a hundred colonists and 
  voyaged to New Jamaica to establish Kingston in 2093. He spent the rest of his days as the leader of 
  the colony, exploring the island chain and performing research on the local ecology. The original 
  Kingston settlers were soon joined by others from the Haven Cluster, who were embittered by the 
  Abandonment. The town spent decades flourishing as a fishing community and center of religious 
  innovation.
  By Recontact, Kingston was a healthy town of over 4,000 citizens, one of the largest native 
  settlements on Poseidon. News of the Blight and subsequent events did much to harden anti-Earth 
  attitudes in Kingston. Although Recontact also brought badly-needed modern goods, many citizens 
  rejected the very idea of associating with Earth again. Over 1,000 people left Kingston over several 
  years, founding radical settlements like Marley and St. Lago elsewhere in the island chain.
  As newcomers flooded into Kingston ’  especially after the start of the Long John rush ’
  Į
  Į  
  tension between natives and newcomers surged.. Kingston soon became the primary base for 
  independent and Incorporate miners in the entire island chain. During this period, the NRM grew 
  rapidly, transforming itself from a primarily religious group into a kind of secret society dedicated to 
  social resistance.
  In 2194, NRM leaders and local officials issued a declaration refusing to recognize the GEO's 
  authority on Poseidon. The GEO responded with political and economic sanctions, but Kingston 
  
  remained intransigent. The NRM controlled the city on the neighborhood level, and could manage 
  fierce resistance against any attempt by GEO to impose its own laws.
  Today, Kingston continues to thrive despite GEO disapproval. In fact, the city has gathered quiet 
  support from a number of Incorporate states, who favor the idea of a neutral city free of GEO control. 
  The combination of strong native (and NRM) traditions with discreet Incorporate involvement have 
  made Kingston's social and political situation unique on Poseidon.
  At present, the population of Kingston is over 93,000. Of this, about 6,300 are natives, and the 
  native community is actually thriving amid the swarm of newcomers. The natives mostly work in and 
  around Annotto Bay, although a few own businesses such as craft shops and tour services. The 
  newcomers make up the rest of the population, working in a bewildering variety of occupations. The 
  city's anti-GEO stance has brought a great deal of investment from several Incorporate states. A 
  substantial number of citizens immigrated to Kingston out of disapproval of GEO policies (or out of a 
  desire to avoid GEO law).
  Kingston is governed by an elected city council, which does most of its deliberation and decision-
  making in secret. The council is heavily influenced by the neighborhood-level NRM leaders, who have 
  become quite adept at running a political "machine" to control elections. In the neighborhoods, NRM 
  leaders are often more influential than the city council, collecting "protection fees" and enforcing a 
  rough peace with their "posses." The GEO does maintain a small consulate in Kingston. Although the 
  GEO does not recognize Kingston as independent, it has placed the city in "colonial protectorate" 
  status, effectively keeping hands off while negotiations for a closer relationship proceed.
  The Kingston economy depends on a variety of industrial and commercial interests. Timber 
  processing, shipping and fishing are all major employers. There is a booming business in mining 
  equipment and other items supporting the Long John extraction industry. Kingston also has the 
  second-largest spaceport on Poseidon, and handles a great deal of surface-to-orbit traffic. One 
  distinctive local business is gambling ’  there are a number of casinos, controlled by a mix of
  Į
   
  newcomer and NRM interests, which attract tourists from all over the Pacifica Archipelago.
  New Fremantle
  The Hydrospan company town New Fremantle is located on Sotavento Island, in the southern 
  sector of the Zion Islands. Most of the town is actually not located on the island, although one end of 
  the settlement is anchored onshore. The rest is built on a series of platforms that extend 3 miles north 
  and east, out into Irie Bay. Not all of the platforms are contiguous, and there are often wide spaces of 
  open water between neighboring structures. Meanwhile, the edifices sitting on top of each platform are 
  balanced by extensive underwater structures, attached to the pilings that hold most of the platforms in 
  place.
  Hydrospan has been involved with Poseidon since long before Recontact; it provided many of the 
  water vehicles used by the original Athena Project colonists. For some years after Recontact, the 
  corporation's activities on Poseidon were decentralized. The Incorporate state established its company 
  town in 2189, in order to serve as a base for corporate operations that were expending rapidly in the 
  wake of the Long John boom. The main focus areas of the town were scientific research and marine 
  habitat construction. Population growth has been extremely rapid.
  New Fremantle's current population is about 19,000. Over 87% of the inhabitants are directly 
  employed by Hydrospan. The rest are contract workers, GEO scientists, prospectors and private 
  researchers. New Fremantle is unusual for the prevalence of cetacean citizens ’  there are more
  Į
   
  cetaceans residing in the company town than in any other settlement of comparable size. Over 2,300 
  dolphins and 90 orcas live in and around New Fremantle, taking up nearly half of the available habitat 
  space and playing an important role in civic society.
  The government of New Fremantle is ultimately in the "hands" of a dolphin named Steward, 
  probably the most influential cetacean employee in any Incorporate state. Steward uses a democratic 
  system to govern the town, allowing all Hydrospan shareholders to bring up and vote on issues of 
  concern. Steward and his staff act as an executive branch, applying Hydrospan resources to address 
  any issues brought up by the shareholders. Since Hydrospan traditionally allows all of its employee-
  citizens to hold shares, this leads to a remarkably open form of participatory democracy. Hydrospan 
  
  cooperates closely with the GEO, allowing almost complete access to its facilities and participating in 
  many joint ventures with GEO agencies.
  New Fremantle is the center of Hydrospan operations on Poseidon. Local industries include 
  marine habitat construction, along with the manufacturing of cetacean accessories, underwater 
  equipment, water vehicles, and submersibles. New Fremantle is a very prosperous settlement, and 
  since all citizens hold Hydrospan shares that prosperity is distributed fairly evenly. The settlement is 
  widely known for its extensive telepresence facilities. Every apartment in town is a fully-equipped 
  "smart house," allowing residents to work, enjoy recreation, and visit neighbors without ever leaving 
  their homes.
  HYDROSPAN
  Hydrospan is unique among the Incorporate states. It was founded in 2068 by a group of dolphin 
  engineers, and was the first major corporation in history to be owned and operated by cetaceans. It 
  quickly became a world leader in several fields, notably marine engineering and cetacean technology. 
  In the process, it also became a haven for dolphins and orcas who wanted a chance at independence 
  within human civilization.
  During the Blight years, Hydrospan joined Lavender Organics (p. 00) in establishing an 
  Incorporate city-state in Australia. The Hydrospan city-state at Perth is still an island of civilization in 
  the vast Free Zone that covers most of western Australia. The core of the city-state is the Fremantle 
  EcoDomes, a huge marine habitat which houses the largest concentration of cetaceans on Earth.
  Hydrospan has very good relations with many other major powers. It has always cultivated a close 
  relationship with the GEO on both worlds. It has (naturally) been a strong supporter of cetacean rights. 
  On Poseidon, the Incorporate state has also managed the unique feat of maintaining an amicable 
  relationship with most of the native population. A number of factors have led to this unique 
  relationship. Hydrospan had a superb reputation with the natives even before Recontact, since they had 
  long cherished the quality workmanship in the company's watercraft. The fact that Hydrospan is still 
  dominated by cetaceans also tends to earn native respect. Finally, the Incorporate state is a strong 
  advocate of both environmental protection and of natives' rights.
  Hydrospan also has a unique political system. The corporation is wholly employee-owned. Shares 
  in Hydrospan are granted according to seniority and merit, and cannot be sold or passed on to an heir. 
  When a citizen dies or leaves the company, his shares are purchased by the cooperative and 
  redistributed. Corporate profits are also distributed among the employee-shareholders. Meanwhile, 
  both the government of the Incorporate city-state and the corporate hierarchy of Hydrospan are strict 
  meritocracies. Promotion comes only through adherence to the company's core values and the 
  production of sound results. In consequence, Hydrospan probably has the most effective political and 
  corporate leadership of any Incorporate state.
  Fort Pacifica
  Fort Pacifica is located on the small island of Cartagena, about 200 kilometers northeast of 
  Kingston. Cartagena is constantly subject to high winds, and frequently suffers cyclonic storms. As a 
  result, the small island is dominated by scattered palm trees and scrub. Almost one-third of the island's 
  surface is white, sandy beach.
  Fort Pacifica is the primary GEO military base on the surface of Poseidon. Although Cartagena 
  has little to recommend it otherwise, its location is strategically useful. Cartagena is very nearly in the 
  geographic center of the Pacifica Archipelago. GEO forces stationed there thus can minimize their 
  response time to any point in the planet's most densely populated regions. Meanwhile, the island is 
  small and isolated, so the GEO can plan exercises and other operations away from possible spies. 
  Finally, any assault on the island would have to cross many miles of open water, making the base very 
  defensible.
  The base was established in 2194 as part of a general buildup of GEO Armed Forces on Poseidon. 
  Although it takes up most of Cartagena island, a small civilian settlement has sprung up in the 
  unoccupied territory. The town (also named Fort Pacifica) exists primarily to siphon off the soldiers' 
  paychecks. Despite the town's small size, it offers a virtual arcade, an open-air bazaar, bars, 
  nightclubs, restaurants, and one rather popular brothel.
  
  The military personnel stationed at Fort Pacifica consist of two companies of Peacekeeper Special 
  Forces, one platoon of Marine Corps Heavy Cavalry, and two regiments of Peacekeeper regulars. Not 
  all of these personnel are usually at the Fort, as small detachments are often rotated to other garrisons 
  around Poseidon. There are usually between 3,500 and 4,000 soldiers on base at any given time. About 
  100 civilians work on the base as well, performing various support tasks. Meanwhile, the town outside 
  the base has a population of about 900, almost all of whom are connected to businesses that cater to 
  military personnel.
  Bright Savanna
  Hybrids (p. 00) have always had a difficult time in human society, generally meeting stronger 
  prejudice and less respect even than cetaceans. Despite their heroic service on Earth during the Blight 
  years, they found themselves out of place everywhere on the homeworld. This situation was partially 
  resolved after Recontact, when the GEO offered several hundred hybrids the opportunity to settle on 
  Poseidon.
  Bright Savanna was established in 2191, by a hybrid community led by a Silva named Geronimo 
  Pacheco. The compound occupies about 40 square miles in the grassy foothills of New Jamaica's 
  western mountains. Although the land is only marginally arable, the hybrids seem to prefer this 
  location since it reminds them of their original homelands in Africa.
  The GEO has supported the Bright Savanna colony heavily, providing a variety of cutting-edge 
  equipment and construction supplies. Despite this support, life in the colony can be difficult. The land 
  is difficult to farm, fresh water is in short supply, and the region is also home to a variety of fierce 
  predators. Seasonal wildfires and flash floods are also a constant concern.
  The rigors of life in Bright Savanna (and the resentment of nearby native and newcomer 
  communities) have bound the hybrid community closely together. Geronimo Pacheco remains the 
  undisputed leader of the colony, listening to a council of elders but making his own decisions. Despite 
  his position, Pacheco is no autocrat ’  he simply rules because of the unforced respect the other
  Į
   
  members of the community hold for him. In recent years, the GEO has been applying gentle pressure 
  to encourage a more formal government, with a written charter and elections. Pacheco is willing to 
  abide by this requirement, and is looking forward to "retirement" once he can be confident that the 
  community's survival is assured.
  Poseidon Space
  Poseidon is not the only inhabited body in the Serpens system. There is an extensive set of 
  colonies in the Serpentis Belt, as well as small stations on Poseidon's two moons (see Chapter 4 for 
  details). The GEO maintains a station (WH-2) near the Serpens end of the wormhole. Meanwhile, 
  there are several platforms in orbit around Poseidon itself, the most prominent of these being 
  Prosperity Station.
  PROSPERITY STATION
  In the early 2190s, a small asteroid was towed from the Serpentis Belt and placed into a polar orbit 
  around Poseidon. The interior of the asteroid was excavated to form industrial, spaceport, and 
  residential facilities. The first sectors of the new station were completed in 2195, and the complex was 
  christened Prosperity Station. The new station soon became the primary GEO base off Poseidon itself.
  Prosperity Station is built into an oblong asteroid, which began its existence about 3,000 feet in 
  length and averaging about 1,300 feet in diameter. The inhabited volume inside the asteroid is divided 
  into concentric layers, or levels, each about 32 feet deep and separated by a thickness of solid rock. 
  The levels are connected by corridors and access tunnels. At present, the excavated portions of the 
  asteroid take up about 65% of its length.
  Prosperity Station spins around its long axis, giving its inhabitants the illusion of gravity. The 
  outer level has the highest apparent gravity ’  but this is only 0.25 G, so even this layer is
  Į
   
  uncomfortable for those unaccustomed to low-gravity environments. The inner layers are given over to 
  various equipment and automated installations, notable the fusion core, the life support plants, docking 
  
  bays, and several low-gravity research labs and manufacturing facilities. The outer layers are allocated 
  to residential blocks. Meanwhile, there are a few support structures which extend outward from the 
  original surface of the asteroid, allowing pods to be attached at various points for up to full Earth-
  normal gravity.
  The permanent population of Prosperity Station is about 8,000, including both civilian and 
  military personnel. However, the station serves as the primary transfer point to and from the colony. 
  Hence there are usually thousands of transients on board at any given time, and the station's population 
  actually averages about 20,000. When a large colonial transport arrives in orbit, the station's 
  population can spike to several times that number. The inhabitants of the station are incredibly diverse, 
  coming from every culture on Earth as well as Luna, Mars, the Belt, and Poseidon.
  Prosperity Station is a GEO preserve. The ranking government official onboard the station is John 
  Bishop, the Colonial Administrator. All of the GEO High Commissions also maintain offices on 
  board, but the Office of Colonial Affairs has the most extensive facilities. The OCA maintains 
  facilities for arriving and departing passengers, especially the medical bays in which immigrants spend 
  their two weeks recovering from coldsleep. OCA also oversees customs and immigration, and takes 
  part in almost all administrative decisions involving Poseidon.
  The station houses very little manufacturing or commercial activity, most of its cubage being 
  given over to official GEO functions. Entrepreneurs have begun to take advantage of the flood of 
  visitors moving through the station. Their activities have no official sanction and can be hard to find, 
  but a determined visitor can probably locate all kinds of privately-offered services.
  DUNDALK SHIPPING
  Dundalk Shipping began its existence as a third-tier Irish shipyard, turning out a few ocean-going 
  cargo ships each year, barely staying ahead of bankruptcy. The company's fortunes turned around 
  when a Dundalk engineer submitted a design for a two-man orbital construction pod to NASA. The 
  design was innovative, and won out over its competitors (many of them from big, established 
  aerospace firms) on safety and efficiency. From that point on, Dundalk's business shifted to the 
  construction of spacecraft and orbital construction equipment.
  In 2080, the company won the primary contract for the construction of the UNSS Cousteau, the 
  colony ship that would transport the initial batch of Athena Project colonists to Poseidon. As a result, 
  it was in a position to expand its operations throughout the Solar system manyfold, investing the vast 
  quantities of cash that were spent by the Athena Project on a space transportation infrastructure. By 
  the time the Blight struck, the company was one of the wealthiest in the world.
  In 2100, the GEO ended the long-standing political turmoil in Ireland by creating a unified Irish 
  state as a GEO Protectorate. The new government soon asked Dundalk Shipping to form a city-state in 
  Belfast to secure Northern Ireland from sectarian violence. Dundalk was effective in this role, 
  although its staunchly anti-British stance did little to resolve the situation peacefully.
  Today, Dundalk Shipping remains a major player in the space industry. It is second only to Atlas 
  Materials in the orbital and spacecraft construction industries, and it is the largest operator of transport 
  craft between the Solar and Serpens systems.
  Although Dundalk does not maintain a company town on Poseidon's surface, it is very active on 
  the colony world. Dundalk operates Colonial Station in Poseidon orbit, as a supply and maintenance 
  depot for its interstellar transport fleet, and also as its primary manufacturing facility for Poseidon 
  itself. The company provides a variety of ocean-going and submersible craft for the colonial economy, 
  as well as deep-sea stations and surface mining platforms.
   
  6. SECRETS
  Joachim remembered dying.
  
  There had been a storm coming up, and any sane pilot would have refused to fly, but he had 
  needed the money. 10,000 scrip to carry a civilian specialist out to Maui? That would pay the bills 
  and keep the vultures away from Joachim and his business for another few weeks. No matter if 
  someone was truly desperate to get this particular specialist somewhere, and willing to pay several 
  times the going rate.
  The civilian specialist was a petite Asian woman, attractive but cold. Joachim made a half-
  hearted attempt at a pass, got no response, and then forgot about her for the rest of the trip. One more 
  cargo run.
  Then the storm blew up. He offered to turn around, but she would have none of it. He assured her 
  that he could fly through the teeth of the storm. It wasn't even a real cyclonic, just an ordinary tropical 
  storm like hundreds that passed every year.
  He might have remembered that flying through even a small storm is a matter of luck. A 
  combination of freak lightning and sudden vicious wind shear pushed the VTOL out of control. The 
  on-board computer got confused, throwing the little plane at the water until Joachim turned it off 
  entirely. He tried to pull out, failed, tried to ditch neatly, failed again. Water, at over 200 miles per 
  hour, might as well be a solid wall.
  Somehow Joachim retained consciousness for a few moments, long enough to realize that his body 
  was shattered, that he was starting to breathe seawater. He never found out what happened to the 
  specialist. Joachim wondered if his life would flash before his eyes. It didn't. There was only 
  increasing darkness, cold, and a sense of waste.
  Then, tentacles in the dark. Something asked him a wordless question. Helpless, he agreed.
  When Joachim awoke, he felt fine, and he remembered dying.
  He flew again, skimming over the ocean abysses on his new wings, sensing the flavor of the water 
  all around him with senses he could not name. Once he saw the wreck of his VTOL, sitting on the 
  ocean bottom, a well-picked skeleton in the pilot's seat. It didn't worry him, just as nothing from his 
  former life worried him any longer. There were more important things to do now, and all the time in 
  the universe to be about them.
  There is plenty of evidence that something strange is happening on Poseidon, even if most of the 
  planet's inhabitants are too busy with their human concerns to notice. There are no strange alien ruins, 
  no mysterious signals announcing themselves to the world ’  but there 
  Į
  is intelligence, present on 
  Poseidon long before the Cousteau landers touched down at Haven for the first time.
  This chapter discusses some of the mysteries of Poseidon for the GM's use. It is strongly 
  suggested that players avoid reading what follows (or that GMs make significant alterations to keep 
  their players guessing). Interaction with alien mysteries is one of the basic premises of the Blue Planet 
  setting.
  The Creators
  The aborigines of Poseidon are not the products of natural evolution. They are biological artifacts, 
  produced by enigmatic entities known as the Creators. The Creators were a species or a civilization 
  that wandered the galaxy eons ago, exploring the stars long before human beings came into existence. 
  There remains evidence of their activities on many worlds all across the galaxy.
  Little is known about the Creator civilization, but it appears that the Creators were driven by an 
  urge to foster life and intelligence throughout the galaxy. They constructed wormholes between 
  promising star systems, visiting barren planets and terraforming them, planting the seeds of rich 
  ecosystems in their wake. Carefully, they tampered with ongoing evolutionary processes, encouraging 
  the rise of sentient life.
  Creator technology was based on control of matter and energy at very small scales. They were 
  masters of nanotechnology, able to construct tools and artifacts from the molecular level on up. They 
  were also masters of biotechnology, able to manipulate the genetic codes of life at a very sophisticated 
  level. Using these technologies, they were able to build new bodies for themselves ’  living, sentient
  Į
   
  machines in which they could explore the million worlds of their wandering. When they moved on, 
  they could leave these machines behind, to live independently and continue to serve the Creators' 
  cultural imperatives.
  
  On Poseidon as on many other worlds, the Creators built a species of artificial life. The aborigines 
  were left behind to serve as caretakers of the continuing terraforming process on Poseidon. They have 
  an ingrained desire to maintain the ecosystems constructed by the Creators ’  a desire that brings
  Į
   
  them into conflict with the expanding activities of the human colonists.
  The Aborigines
  Poseidon's indigenous intelligent lifeforms, the aborigines, are living artifacts which have 
  survived from the original terraforming of Poseidon. Although they resemble ordinary deep-sea 
  animals, they are quite intelligent and have a number of capabilities which go beyond anything human 
  technology can match. Humans rarely see them unless they wish to be seen (or unless they are 
  defending their facilities or activities). However, they often play a significant effect on events from 
  behind the scenes.
  PHYSIOLOGY
  Aborigines vaguely resemble the manta rays of Earth. The physical core flares into a wide, 
  flattened body dominated by two muscular fins, very similar to a manta ray's "wings." These fins are 
  the primary organs of locomotion, powerful enough to give the aborigine great speed and agility in the 
  water. A number of tentacle-like organs trail from the rear of an aborigine's ventral surface. The most 
  startling feature of an aborigine is its lack of any obvious maw or gullet ’  unlike a manta ray, an
  Į
   
  aborigine has no large opening through which it can ingest food. Aborigines also lack obvious eyes or 
  other sensory organs, although they do possess visual and auditory senses of very high sensitivity and 
  discrimination.
  The aborigine body possesses a network of muscle-bound ducts that can take in or dispel seawater. 
  The aborigine has very fine control of these ducts, which act as a hydrostatic "skeleton" when filled 
  with pressurized water. This gives the species great control over its body shape, along with unexpected 
  strength and flexibility.
  Although aborigines are almost always spotted in deep water, they are actually quite capable of 
  moving about on dry land for brief periods. By maintaining high pressure within their hydrostatic 
  ducts, they can gather enough support to move around out of the water, the largest of their tentacles 
  acting as multiple legs. When out of water, they remain quick and agile, and can climb or move 
  through tight spaces with ease.
  The internal structure of the aborigine's body is highly decentralized. Both the circulatory system 
  (using seawater rather than a blood-analogue) and the nervous system are highly redundant and 
  lacking in any critical central nodes. An aborigine has no single "heart" or "brain" that might invite 
  fatal injury. Meanwhile, an aborigine has pockets of tissue connected to the open circulatory system, 
  which contain highly versatile glands. These organs of chemical synthesis are the key to the 
  aborigine's communications system, and also support the ability to control associated nanotech 
  symbionts.
  Aborigines do not ingest nutrients by consuming other living things, as do most animals. Instead, 
  most of their surface tissues contain pigments similar to chlorophyll, permitting them to convert 
  sunlight directly into energy-rich compounds. This process meets most of the aborigine's metabolic 
  needs, although for maximum efficiency it requires long basking naps. Most chance encounters 
  between humans and aborigines take place during these basking periods, when the aborigine is less 
  wary.
  Like some terrestrial fishes, aborigines are able to generate powerful electrical fields as a side 
  effect of muscular activity. These fields tie in to a powerful electrical sense, by which the aborigine 
  can detect changes in its own field as well as the fields produced by other objects. This sense is a 
  powerful navigational aid in dark or murky waters. It also plays an important role in the aborigine 
  communication system, as one aborigine can modulate its electrical fields to carry information to 
  another. Meanwhile, an aborigine can also build up a powerful electrical charge in a specialized 
  internal organ, discharging the accumulated power in a defensive jolt.
  
  A final conscious ability of great power is the aborigine's influence over other living species. The 
  aborigine's internal chemical synthesis allows it to produce a tremendous variety of specialized 
  molecules. These can be used to communicate with, heal, poison, or even influence the mental activity 
  of other organisms. Almost every species on Poseidon ’  including the interlopers from Earth ’  is
  Į
  Į
   
  subject to the effects of an aborigine's internal "drug factories."
  CASTES
  Aborigines do not use internal genetic codes or sexual reproduction to ensure evolutionary 
  adaptability. Instead, aborigines have a collection of interdependent castes, rather like those exhibited 
  by certain "social" insects on Earth. Reproduction is a process by which a member of the breeder caste 
  manufactures new individuals as needed.
  Breeders
  A breeder is several times larger than a member of any other caste, with long, awkwardly rounded 
  bodies. They are sluggish swimmers, not designed for fast movement or long journeys. They spend 
  almost all their time in the nursery crˆ®che, where they use their tentacles to move about and hold 
  position against any current.
  A breeder's bulbous form contains up to six hollow pockets, lined with specialized glandular and 
  nervous tissue. In these pockets, the assembler nanites that perform the actual manufacture of new 
  aborigines perform their work. The raw materials for this manufacture are produced by the breeder 
  from stores inside its own body. A new aborigine is built up molecule by molecule over a period of a 
  few days. Once the new individual is complete, its neural sacs are filled with copies of the breeder's 
  memory templates, giving it the memories and experiences of countless previous lives.
  There are very few breeders in existence, fewer than a hundred individuals scattered around 
  Poseidon. They usually choose well-protected locations in isolated island clusters, where local 
  conditions are favorable for reproduction. Before the human arrival on Poseidon, breeders were rarely 
  active, since aborigines are unaging and fatal accidents were rare. Today, there has been a dramatic 
  increase in breeder activity. Violent confrontations with humans have meant that an unusual number 
  of aborigines have required replacement. Meanwhile, even nonviolent human activity presents a 
  challenge to aborigine culture, calling for the construction of more (and more diverse) individuals in 
  response.
  Technicians
  The technician caste is the smallest in physical size, with particularly dextrous tentacles and very 
  sharp electrochemical senses. They are better able than the other castes to move in the tight confines of 
  a Creator cache (p. 00) or inside a working machine. They have fine control over Creator nanotech, 
  and usually carry their own swarms of nanites.
  Technicians are the most common caste on Poseidon, and the most often encountered by human 
  beings. They roam the planet's surface, looking for malfunctions in Creator technology, working on 
  maintenance or construction projects, and pursuing long-term terraforming goals.
  Specialists
  Not all aborigines fall into the main castes. When unusual tasks arise, the breeders are able to 
  construct specialists to attend to them. Specialists come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, with 
  diverse features and capabilities unmatched by the other castes. Examples include assistants for 
  breeders or technicians, forms adapted to travel and explore dry land, and even observers sent to spy 
  on human activities.
  Specialists are rarely encountered. Any given specialist form is normally manufactured only in 
  small numbers. Within aborigine society, they form a loose caste of their own.
  Herders
  Herders are of medium size, larger than technicians and most specialists, smaller than breeders or 
  protectors. They are highly streamlined, and can swim faster than any other caste. Their internal 
  
  chemical synthesis is unusually powerful, producing a wider range of pheromones and neurochemicals 
  than any other caste can manage.
  While technicians are responsible for maintaining aborigine technology, herders are responsible 
  for the management of other species of animal or plant life on Poseidon. They monitor local ecologies, 
  keep track of migration patterns, and track disease vectors. They establish and maintain mangrove 
  forests, kelp beds, and coral reefs.
  Like technicians, herders are commonly encountered by humans. Encounters occur most often 
  when humans or cetaceans interact with large herds or schools of animal life. One or more members of 
  the herder caste often accompany such herds.
  Protectors
  Protectors are designed to shield breeders or technicians from attack by nonsentient predators. 
  They are the second-largest caste, characterized by thick muscles which give them great speed and 
  strength. Protectors' tentacles are unusually thick and strong, and several of them are tipped by sharp 
  spikes. Their internal chemical synthesis is geared toward the production of poisons. Their ability to 
  produce defensive electrical shocks is also more powerful than that of any other caste.
  Protectors are relatively uncommon, but with the rise in conflicts with humanity the caste is 
  becoming more important. The aboriginal society is considering producing more protectors, and using 
  them in direct confrontations with human interlopers.
  ABORIGINES AS ANIMALS
  Aborigines make poor characters. They are supposed to be mysterious and unpredictable, forces of 
  nature rather than PCs or even NPCs. In any case, even a small aborigine technician would probably 
  be at least a 300-point character; a protector would likely be 600 points or more!
  In GURPS Blue Planet, the aborigines most likely to be encountered by outsiders are treated (for 
  rules purposes) as animals. In combat and other action, they will usually not try to communicate and 
  will either run or fight as needed. If adventurers somehow interact with aborigines on a more intimate 
  level, then the GM shouldn't try to reduce them to dry character attributes and skill lists.
  The one exception to the usual bestiary entry for aborigines is in IQ. Aborigine IQ is not 
  quantified here. In fact, most aborigines are far more intelligent than the human average, but this 
  intelligence takes a different direction than the human norm. Aborigines will behave with extreme 
  cunning in combat and can be expected to be very hard to surprise.
  Herder Caste
  ST: 15-17 Speed/Dodge: 5/6# Size: 2
  DX: 12 PD/DR: 0/0 Weight: 200 lbs.
  IQ: ? Damage: 2d cr
  HT: 16 Reach: C,1
  Herder aborigines are most often found following schools of fish or other native sea life. They are 
  most often encountered by human fishermen or hunting cetaceans. A herder aborigine can deliver a 
  bioelectric shock, doing 1d damage (this costs the aborigine 2 fatigue). The shock usually is nonlethal, 
  but can be lethal on a critical success. Herders move at 2 on land.
  Protector Caste
  ST: 18-22 Speed/Dodge: 4/6# Size: 3
  DX: 12 PD/DR: 0/0 Weight: 300 lbs.
  IQ: ? Damage: 3d-1 cut
  HT: 16/20-24 Reach: C,1
  Protectors are rarely encountered unless a human or cetacean is getting too close to a place or a 
  facility that the aborigines don't want outsiders to see. A protector's bioelectric shock is similar to that 
  of a herder. On a hit, a protector can inject its target with a variety of poisons or drugs. One of these is 
  lethal ’  10 seconds after taking the wound, the target must make a HT roll at -3 or take 3d damage.
  Į
   
  
  Another toxin has an anesthetic effect, with similar strength but doing fatigue rather than lethal 
  damage. Protectors move at 1 on land.
  Technician Caste
  ST: 13-15 Speed/Dodge: 4/6# Size: 2
  DX: 12 PD/DR: 0/0 Weight: 150 lbs.
  IQ: ? Damage: 2d cr
  HT: 16 Reach: C,1
  Technicians are rarely encountered except in the vicinity of aborigine research sites or other 
  Creator caches. A technician has the same bioelectric shock as a herder or protector. Technicians 
  move at 1 on land.
  ABORIGINES AND HUMANS
  The racial purpose of the aborigines is to protect and maintain the ecology of Poseidon. When 
  humans first arrived on the planet, they did little to harm Poseidon's native life ’  especially after the
  Į
   
  Abandonment and the deliberate assumption of a primitivist lifestyle. The aborigines simply ignored 
  the human colonists, or worked them into Poseidon's maintained ecosystem.
  After Recontact, however, things changed. Newcomers began arriving in greater and greater 
  numbers, setting up heavy industry and moving to exploit Poseidon's natural wealth. Since the Long 
  John rush began, these trends have accelerated greatly. Human beings now pose a threat to the entire 
  Poseidon project.
  The aboriginal response has been mixed. The aboriginal society was not designed to be too 
  adaptable, and the arrival of humanity has presented challenges far outside the usual envelope. The 
  aborigines might have used their powerful nanotechnology to destroy humanity entirely, but 
  something restrains them ’  the fact that humans have clearly been affected by the Creators too. This
  Į
   
  keeps the aborigines committed to a strategy of careful, discreet action ’  even though humans are
  Į
   
  casually destructive of Creator projects and the natural ecology.
  Today, the aborigines are mounting a cautious but increasingly effective response to the human 
  threat. They will sometimes intervene personally, although this is rare given the imperative to keep the 
  existence of Creator caches and technology secret.
  More often, aborigines have contacted potential allies among the native population. They use 
  neurochemical synthesis to communicate with humans almost on an empathic level. They can also use 
  genetic and nanotechnological approaches to change their human allies in ways that make them more 
  effective. The human allies can then act on the aborigines' behalf, allowing the aliens to remain hidden 
  from humanity as a whole. This often has the effect of making the altered native communities more 
  extreme in ideology and behavior. Some of the native communities that are most radical and most 
  hostile to outsiders have been subjected to aborigine manipulation.
  Aborigine Activities
  The aborigines are not a passive mystery. They are engaged in a long-term plan in response to the 
  human presence on Poseidon. This plan makes aborigine behavior unpredictable and increasingly 
  enigmatic.
  GOALS
  Even for the Creators, terraforming is not an easy process. It can take many thousands of years, 
  and the results may or may not be stable. In any case, even a perfectly terraformed world is subject to 
  random natural disaster. When the Creators have finished with their terraforming work on a given 
  world, they usually leave it in the hands of caretakers.
  On Poseidon, those caretakers are the aborigines.
  Before the arrival of humanity, the aborigines were complete and fulfilled. The maintenance of 
  Poseidon's ecosphere required very little work. The planet's living species had evolved a vast network 
  
  of checks and balances, capable of adapting to most new circumstances as they occurred. All the 
  aborigines needed to do was respond to natural disasters: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, the 
  occasional impact of asteroidal debris on the planet's surface. The aborigines watched the slow 
  evolution of Poseidon's natural species, tweaking the process slightly every few thousand years. 
  Otherwise, they spent their time on mental activities that would be incomprehensible to human beings.
  Humans have lived on Poseidon for little more than a century. Their rapid colonization and heavy 
  industrial activities have had noticeable impact on the environment for less than twenty years. On the 
  aboriginal scale of time, the human invasion has been like a lightning-fast plague, pervading Poseidon 
  and threatening to smash ecosystems that have been millions of years in the building.
  In response, the aborigines are mounting a rapid campaign of research and containment. In the 
  short term, they strive to understand human beings, their culture, and their technology. A deeper 
  understanding of human civilization will help the aborigines determine their best strategy for the long 
  term ’  during which they will act to end the human threat to Poseidon's natural development. If this
  Į
   
  can be done by co-opting humanity, encouraging human beings to adapt to Poseidon instead of 
  wrecking the planet, the aborigines will do so without a qualm. If it turns out that the human threat 
  cannot be abated without destroying humanity, the aborigines will do that without a qualm as well.
  TECHNOLOGY
  Creator technology is characterized by its biological orientation. Most Creator machines and 
  machine components are biological constructs which could be considered living. Most have some 
  level of encoded intelligence, at least on the level of "instinct," which guides their proper function.
  Nanotechnology
  Creator technology is far more sophisticated than the simple "genetic engineering" that human 
  civilization is capable of. From their biotech base, the Creators developed a truly mature 
  nanotechnology. They were able to command matter at the most fine-grained levels, assembling 
  almost any conceivable item one molecule or even one atom at a time. The basic tool of 
  nanotechnology is the assembler, a pre-programmed molecular engine that can be used to perform a 
  specific task. With a sufficient variety of assemblers on hand, one can perform any conceivable task of 
  chemical synthesis, build large-scale artifacts to order, and so on. Similar molecular machines, called 
  disassemblers, can destroy artifacts and recover their chemical components for other purposes.
  The aborigines of Poseidon have access to the full range of Creator-designed assemblers (also 
  called nanites by those rare humans who have studied nanotechnology). They have also been 
  engineered to interact with their nanites through biological means. Aborigines possess sensory organs 
  which are finely attuned to their nanotechnology, allowing them to monitor the progress of any 
  nanotech process at will. They also have delicate organs of chemical synthesis, allowing them 
  complete control of the assemblers' activities.
  Although human scientists have speculated about the possibilities of nanotechnology for centuries, 
  they have yet to develop any more than a very crude grasp of its principles. This is perhaps fortunate 
  ’  human civilization might not survive the sheer power and overpowering abundance of a mature
  Į
   
  nanotechnology. In contrast, the aborigines were designed to live with the power of nanotechnology. 
  Thus far, they have used their tools only in accordance with the Creators' wishes. Whether they can 
  continue to remain so focused, even as humanity transforms the ancient balance of Poseidon, remains 
  to be seen.
  Biomechanical Drones
  When working on a larger scale than their molecular tools, the Creators applied a variety of 
  artificial biological tools, the biomechanical drones.
  Drones varied greatly in size and design. Most were simple tools, unquestionably alive but strictly 
  limited in their range of action. These simple drones were most often applied to the most tedious or 
  repetitive tasks. Other drones were not themselves sentient, but could receive a Creator's 
  consciousness, allowing it to participate directly in the tasks at hand. Such drones operated rather like 
  the mechanical robots more characteristic of human civilization, many of which can be controlled 
  remotely by a human operator.
  
  The most sophisticated drones were intelligent and, to some degree, sentient. Such drones could 
  carry out complex tasks and operate independently. The epitome of this class of drone is the aborigine 
  "species" itself. The aborigines (and other drones of similar sophistication) are fully sentient, capable 
  of representing Creator civilization for millions of years without supervision.
  Despite the variety in their design, Creator drones do share certain traits. They are living 
  organisms, dependent on biological processes even if they possess inorganic mechanical or electronic 
  components. They are highly mobile, able to crawl, walk, or swim; some can even fly. They are quick, 
  agile, and unusually strong compared to natural animals of similar mass. Most have finely-engineered 
  organs of manipulation (tentacles, grippers, feelers or hands). Most have very acute senses, usually 
  including the ability to sense a wide range of radiation, vibrations, or chemical substances. Drones are 
  well-integrated into the rest of Creator technology, and in particular they are usually able to interact 
  easily with Creator nanites.
  Drones are usually powered by some combination of photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, and 
  ingestion of external nutrients. Those drone types that need particularly dense energy sources are 
  usually engineered to consume a special nutritive compound. This "food" is synthesized by specialized 
  nanites from whatever organic matter is available. Pools or troughs of the substance are often found in 
  active Creator facilities. It is both non-nutritious and mildly poisonous for naturally-evolved animals, 
  especially Terran forms such as humans or cetaceans.
  During the active phase of Poseidon's terraforming, there were thousands of specialized drone 
  types in existence. Most of these have long since been disassembled, but they could be revived by the 
  aborigines at any time should they find it necessary.
  Memory Rings
  The aborigines have little use for <I>language<I> in the sense that humans or cetaceans use the 
  term. Instead, they normally share their memories directly, encoding their experiences in complex 
  chains of organic molecules. Aborigines that spend a great deal of time together often act as a single 
  individual in many bodies, the result of shared memories and experience. Unfortunately, the aborigine 
  population is both small and widely-scattered, so this kind of intimate sharing is not always practical 
  between dispersed groups. To meet this need, the aborigines use a sophisticated analog to written 
  language: the memory ring.
  A memory ring is an information storage device. Rings are all the same size and shape: a torus 
  about 20 centimeters in outside diameter, with a 4-centimeter cross section. Each ring is black and 
  metallic in appearance, with an oily sheen. Rings are activated and powered by the presence of an 
  aborigine's bioelectric field (p. 00). Each ring contains a swarm of specialized nanites, which mediate 
  the storage and transfer of information.
  A memory ring can broadcast some of its stored information through visual and aural means. The 
  most useful channel, however (the one with the highest "bandwidth"), is a direct link to the same 
  organs of communication that aborigines use to share memories when in physical contact. An 
  aborigine can accumulate his own memories and experiences within a ring, which can then be stored 
  away or physically transferred to another aborigine for its own reference. The aborigines routinely use 
  memory rings to "read" memories of events that may have happened in the very distant past or 
  thousands of miles away.
  Repair Baths
  Repair baths are quite common in certain Creator facilities, especially in template libraries (p. 00), 
  in hibernation dormitories (p. 00), or in shelters occupied by breeder-caste aborigines. A repair bath is 
  a tub or small chamber, containing rich nutrient solutions, assembler swarms, and various raw 
  materials. Baths can be used to repair damaged drones, modify the capabilities of existing drones, or 
  construct new drones from component parts.
  The aborigines use repair baths not only for their drones, but to repair and modify themselves as 
  needed. Repair baths are becoming increasingly important to aboriginal projects involving the 
  development of new drone designs, intended to respond to the human presence on Poseidon.
  Raw Materials Depots
  
  Raw materials depots are simple stockpiles, ready for use by Creator nanotechnology. They are 
  usually found in machine farms (p. 00). Harvester nanites work on seawater or on mineral veins in the 
  seafloor rock. They gather needed substances and transport them to the raw materials depot, where 
  they are gathered into concentrated masses of pure elements or simple chemical compounds. Solids 
  can form puddles, lumps, or piles. Liquids, gases, or solids that react strongly with seawater are stored 
  in pods of varying size, sealed behind diamond lattice hatches.
  In places where actual manufacturing is still going on, the raw materials depots take on a riverine 
  appearance, as transport nanites convey the various raw elements to where they are needed. Metals 
  and other substances flow out of their piles or out of crevices in the rock, running together as they 
  approach the site where builder nanites are working.
  Smart Tools
  Smart tools are a nanotech phenomenon, still in common use among the aborigines of today. A 
  smart tool is a collection of preprogrammed structural nanites, usually no more than a few kilograms 
  in mass. These nanites can lock themselves together to form the structure of a needed tool ’  and on
  Į
   
  command, they can also unlock and move form a new shape. The transformation is quick, and is 
  controlled using the electrical and chemical signals that every aborigine can generate. An aborigine 
  can easily program new forms using the same electrochemical language.
  Typical forms for a smart tool include lines, nets, pry bars, hammers, clamps, blades, or other 
  simple hand tools. The structural nanites in a smart tool are themselves limited in versatility, so the 
  tool cannot become a complex electronic device or instrument. Nevertheless, a smart tool can take on 
  very complex physical shapes on command. 
  Terraforming Reactors
  During the active phase of the Poseidon terraforming project, the Creators build hundreds of 
  terraforming reactors on the planet's surface. Each reactor consisted of a tremendous swarm of 
  trillions of nanites, along with a computer core and a network of xenosilicate templates. Each reactor 
  operated across hundreds or thousands of square kilometers, performing some function in the 
  terraforming of the planet. Some reactors modified geologic or hydrologic processes, some set up and 
  extended nutrient cycles in the growing ecology, some worked to improve the soil, and still others 
  worked to alter the balance of gases in Poseidon's atmosphere.
  The stable ecosphere of present-day Poseidon is the result of the reactors' terraforming activities. 
  Most of the reactors were abandoned millions of years ago, although a very few continue in operation 
  at a low level in order to maintain the planet's ecosystem. When the Creators left Poseidon, many of 
  the reactors in the planet's deep crust or on the ocean bottoms were shut down but left in place. It is the 
  remnants of these reactors that supply the xenosilicate fueling the Long John rush.
  Xenosilicate Templates
  Xenosilicates are the primary data storage medium used by the Creators. Xenosilicate templates 
  form the basis for all aborigine nanotechnology and genetic engineering. Xenosilicates control the 
  operation of nanite swarms, just as DNA molecules control the operation of living cells. Data which 
  needs to be archived can be stored within the xenosilicate matrix as well.
  Xenosilicate templates vary in form, but are usually small and light, about the size and shape of a 
  natural pebble. They are most often found in template libraries (p. 00) and machine farms (p. 00), 
  although they appear in other Creator caches as well. In particular, terraforming reactors (p. 00) are 
  full of xenosilicate templates of very high information density.
  NANOTECH AND LONG JOHN
  The presence of xenosilicates on Poseidon has driven most of the human colonization of the 
  planet, and threatens to destroy the Creators' age-old experiment there. This is particularly ironic, 
  given that Long John originated as an integral part of Creator technology.
  Xenosilicates serve as a structural template for Creator nanotechnology. In a sense, xenosilicates 
  are a specialized "feed stock" which permit Creator assemblers to work in a more flexible and 
  
  powerful manner. The particular xenosilicates which humans have named "Long John" are those that 
  were specificially designed to regulate biochemical reactions and genetic sequencing. It is these 
  properties that have given human genetic science such a tremendous boost in recent years.
  As it happens, the Creators' project on Poseidon has long since reached a mature stage. The 
  planet's ecosystems are complete and self-sustaining. Still, the xenosilicates in general and Long John 
  in particular are crucial to the aboriginal mission on Poseidon. Without them, the aborigines are 
  concerned that they would no longer be able to maintain the planet's ecology (or repair the 
  depredations of human activity). For this reason, even if human harvesting of Long John did no direct 
  damage to the ecosystem, the aborigines would oppose the depletion of their most valuable resource.
  FACILITIES
  Millions of years ago, the aborigines dismantled most of the Creator facilities on Poseidon, no 
  longer needing them to maintain the planet's ecosystem. A few caches of Creator technology 
  remained, however, scattered across the face of Poseidon in case of some future need. These caches 
  may be discovered accidentally by human explorers ’ or  they may be reactivated by the aborigines as
  Į
   
  they work to develop a response to the human presence.
  Since the Creator civilization did not value standard designs or interchangeable parts, every cache 
  can be radically different in design and purpose. Also, the long stretch of time since the caches' 
  construction means that not all of them are in perfect repair. Aborigine technicians are responsible for 
  maintenance, but an isolated cache that is not often visited may well have some (or many) broken-
  down systems. GMs who wish to design Creator caches for exploration should feel free to let their 
  imaginations run.
  Most Creator caches are in the deep oceans, hidden in cave systems or sea-bottom trenches. A few 
  are on dry land, usually buried deep underground, but sometimes simply hidden in out-of-the-way 
  places. In either case, a cache is usually built into a cave system that has been carved out of bedrock 
  by nanite disassemblers. The structure of a cache can vary widely. Some are warrens of narrow, 
  randomly-directed passages. Others are open caverns, or honeycombs of identical cells, or simply deep 
  pits in the rock. A few are even built as clearly artificial structures, usually through the command of 
  various forms of engineered coral.
  Most caches are well-protected, with hidden entrance tunnels and hatches that are designed to 
  mimic the surrounding rock. Hatches and doors are usually made out of structural nanites, blocks 
  composed of trillions of molecular-scale machines designed to lock firmly together. Upon receiving 
  the correct electromagnetic or chemical stimulus, the nanites will unlock, flowing around an entering 
  object while maintaining a tight seal against the water or air outside.
  Once inside a cache, a human visitor will probably find it to be dark and difficult to explore. 
  Caches were designed for the aborigines with their special chemical and electromagnetic senses, and 
  rarely have any artificial illumination. A few caches have organic pods attached to various surfaces, 
  containing luminescent enzymes that give off a soft glow when stimulated. These lighting systems are 
  among the least reliable examples of Creator technology, and may not work properly even if they are 
  present.
  Most submerged caches are water-filled, although here too there are exceptions ’  some caches
  Į
   
  protected equipment that was designed for work in the air or even in space, and so will maintain a dry 
  environment. A water-filled cache will usually have currents of varying strength flowing through its 
  chambers. These serve to assist aborigine movement, and also act as a transport system for nanites and 
  their "feed stock" materials.
  Each cache has its own power system to drive the work that was done within. Facilities on land or 
  in shallow water often run on solar power, using collection arrays of high efficiency. Deep-water 
  caches often have geothermal taps, sunk into the heat of Poseidon's deep crust. Other facilities used 
  small fusion reactors, broadcast-power receivers, or even low-power "bioreactors" for various needs.
  Machine Farms
  A machine farm is a place where various forms of equipment are built. The term "farm" is entirely 
  appropriate. Since Creator nanotechnology "grows" items from "seeds," the processes involved often 
  seem more like agriculture than industrial manufacturing.
  
  A machine farm is usually found in an open cavern, in the midst of mineral beds that are rich in 
  certain raw materials. The cavern is not natural in origin. It was formed as nanite disassemblers 
  attacked the local rock and extracted useful minerals, feeding them into reservoirs from which 
  assembler nanites could draw as needed. As a result, the cavern's contours are usually irregular and 
  highly rounded, with plenty of side passages that follow natural veins of mineral ore. The floor of the 
  cavern is dotted with strange mineral deposits, again very rounded and almost fluid in shape.
  Some farms are currently deserted, and exist only as strangely-shaped cavern formations. Others 
  were interrupted in mid-construction. These farms can be full of half-finished equipment ’  strange
  Į
   
  machines and devices apparently <I>growing<I> from the floor, walls, and ceiling. Most of the items 
  are only partially completed, but once in a great while the machine farm may have finished some 
  product before being shut down, a device of enigmatic shape and unknown function.
  Storage Caches
  Storage caches are the most common Creator facilities still found on Poseidon, and are also the 
  most widely variable in form and design. They can be found anywhere on the planet, even on dry land. 
  Most of them are simple shelters, designed to keep the elements or invasive organisms away from 
  their contents. Some are very small, while others are vast hangar-like spaces large enough to house 
  starships. Some are unused and empty, or contain only unidentifiable pieces of debris. Others are in 
  active use, visited by the aborigines on a regular basis. Such active storage caches are often focal 
  points for alien activity, as the aborigines find themselves needing the equipment stored there in order 
  to respond to human behavior.
  Template Libraries
  Every machine or biomechanical device used by the Creators has its own structural blueprint. 
  These blueprints are stored as templates in xenosilicate lattices, ready for duplication by nanotech 
  assemblers. A few Creator caches are template libraries, places where the xenosilicate templates for 
  millions of designs are stored. Such caches are usually associated with machine farms, but a few of 
  them exist in isolation.
  Template libraries are fairly small caches, filled with storage pods made out of a sturdy resin-like 
  substance. Each pod contains a quantity of pure xenosilicates, of unusual quality and organization. 
  Even a small template library can provide enough pure Long John ore to make a healthy fortune in 
  human terms ’  although if outsiders could learn to read the templates themselves, the information
  Į
   
  stored in them would be vastly more valuable.
  Hibernation Dormitories
  The aborigines of Poseidon are only the most sophisticated remaining example of Creator 
  biotechnology. During the more active phases of the planet's terraforming process, the Creators used a 
  tremendous variety of biomechanical drones (p. 00). Most of these were disassembled or taken along 
  when the Creators left Poseidon to the aborigines. Even so, many were placed in great hibernation 
  dormitories, where swarms of nanites would maintain them indefinitely in case they were needed to 
  respond to future events.
  Hibernation dormitories vary in size, but they tend to be similar in design. A submerged network 
  of tube-like tunnels is bored into the rock, each tunnel lined with cells of various sizes. Each cell is 
  sealed by a thin hatch grown from the surrounding rock, and contains a single inmate, bathed in 
  nutrient fluid rich in nanites. The cells can contain drones of any degree of sophistication, from the 
  simplest of nonsentient biomachines all the way up to specimens as complex as the modern aborigines.
  Research Sites
  Since the arrival of humanity, the aborigines have begun a concerted effort to understand human 
  technology and behavior. In pursuit of this study, they have built a number of research sites around 
  the planet. Unlike the other Creator caches, the research sites are all quite recent, and are specifically 
  designed to hide the evidence of aborigine activity from human detection.
  Research sites vary in size and shape. Some are large, hangar-like spaces built to contain large-
  scale human artifacts that have been recovered by the aborigines. Others are small caves. In either 
  
  case, the cache contains specimens of human biology or technology, along with a dense swarm of 
  nanites and a variety of biomechanical drones that have been revived to assist in the research. 
  Research sites are often very well camouflaged, hidden underwater or under nanite-constructed stone 
  or coral with a very natural appearance. Many underwater research sites are airtight, making access 
  from the outside a difficult problem.
  CURRENT ACTIVITIES
  The aborigines of the Pacifica Archipelago have experienced the most disruption due to human 
  activity, and they have taken on the heaviest burden for a response. Although the aborigines share 
  consciousness and presumably have an overall plan, the specifics of this plan are carried out by local 
  populations using local resources. Further, the aborigines are mostly in an experimental mode, trying 
  to discover more about humanity and the best way to deal with it. As a result, aboriginal activities vary 
  from place to place.
  Kraken
  One aboriginal cache exists within the canyonland known as the Wall. Here, the local aborigines 
  have used their nanotechnology to create soldiers in opposition to the human presence.
  The aborigines of the Wall intended for their soldiers to meet human beings on their own terms. 
  They therefore used the human genome as a basic template, modifying it to meet their requirements. 
  The resulting organism was a biped, large, fast, tough, and seething with predatory instincts. Over 
  seven feet in height, it had powerful limbs, a reptilian head, an iguana-like tail, and sharp teeth and 
  claws. It had all the sensory awareness and system redundancy of its aborigine masters, making it very 
  hard to surprise and even harder to kill. Although these solder drones were not truly sentient, they 
  could execute complex instructions and use advanced technology.
  Three of the drone prototypes were directed against the GenDiver installation at Kraken (p. 00). 
  Over a three-month period, the drones killed more than 40 workers, forcing GenDiver management to 
  close the facility. After Kraken was turned over to independent miners, the drones were called back to 
  the Creator cache which built them. Unfortunately, one of the three somehow refused to respond to the 
  withdrawal order. It remains in hiding in the area of Kraken, avoiding both humans and its aborigine 
  masters, still extremely dangerous.
  Keepsake
  Another aborigine experiment in the Haven Cluster is centered on the small coral atoll known as 
  Fable Island. A small fishing village, named Keepsake, was recently built there ’  but the inhabitants
  Į
   
  are neither natives nor newcomers. Instead, they are aborigines.
  The inhabitants of Keepsake appear completely human at first glance. There are over 50 members 
  of the village, going about their business in what appears to be a natural fashion. Upon closer 
  examination, the picture begins to look subtly wrong. The docks and central fire pit show no signs of 
  use. The houses are built in a typical native style, but they have no windows or open porches to let in 
  the ocean breeze.
  The citizens of Keepsake themselves appear strange. All are perfect physical specimens, but they 
  all appear to be about the same age. There are no children playing, no elders resting in the shade. All 
  of the villagers are of the same racial background. None of them have birthmarks, freckles, old scars 
  or injuries. Various aspects of their anatomy (navels, ears, nipples) are almost uniform from individual 
  to individual.
  The Keepsakers are also evidence that the aborigines have much more difficulty modeling the 
  human mind than the human body. The aborigines tried to replicate memories and personalities by 
  implanting neural patterns recovered from various human beings who had been encountered over the 
  years. Unfortunately, the process was far from perfect. Although the villagers claim to remember 
  events and relationships stretching back to their birth, they seem strangely detached from these 
  memories. They are socially inept, using few subtle behavior cues (and they will not understand those 
  of visitors). They engage in sex at strange times, apparently on impulse. They have none of the 
  sophisticated political structure usually found in native villages, although they do have a few leaders 
  
  who rule through intimidation. Indeed, the citizens of Keepsake are all showing increasing signs of 
  mental illness.
  The Keepsake experiment is one piece of an overall aborigine strategy that involves the infiltration 
  of human settlements. So far the experiment appears to be failing. The aborigines may next try to 
  develop better ways of recovering personality information from human subjects. Success may allow 
  the construction of more stable "golems," which could then be sent into the more crowded settlements 
  of the Haven Cluster.
  New Hawaii
  Something strange is happening to the children in some native settlements in the New Hawaii 
  group. For many years, some children have taken longer than expected to learn to talk, with a few 
  never speaking at all. Recently, some babies have even been born with physical changes: lacking any 
  hair, with a second row of gill slits under the arms, or with a row of eyespots down the back. In the 
  affected villages, about one child in four exhibits strange behavior, while one in ten displays physical 
  abnormalities.
  The changes in these children are due to the native aborigine population, who are using 
  xenosilicate templates from their Creator cache to tamper with the genetic makeup of the local 
  humans. The experiment has been going on almost since the first arrival of humanity in the New 
  Hawaii area ’  almost every native in the region carries some of the altered genetic markers by now.
  Į
  The overall effect of the changes is to create hybrid humans, who carry aboriginal DNA and can 
  adapt to aborigine society. The children without obvious physical alterations are "first-stage" hybrids. 
  These children are very receptive to the chemoempathic communication of the aborigines, and can 
  receive messages without the confusion or fear that affects most humans. They also think somewhat 
  like aborigines, making them less verbal then other children, but causing them to act with a strange 
  unanimity. The births with obvious physical changes, the "second-stage hybrids," share these abilities 
  and have other aspects of aboriginal physiology as well.
  Some of the native villages cherish these strange births, believing that Poseidon is actively 
  changing the children and stripping away the stigma of Earthly origins. Others are more fearful, 
  isolating or even killing the newborns who exhibit changes. Most of the altered births have been 
  carefully hidden from outsiders, so that only one incident of altered behavior has come to the attention 
  of the GEO.
  The aborigines' original plan was to introduce hybrids over many generations, slowly improving 
  their genotype to match the desired final form. The flood of newcomers has changed that strategy, 
  causing the aborigines to accelerate their program. The critical event came in 2186, when a GenDiver 
  assault team destroyed a native village on the island of Ina. The first-stage hybrid children were 
  warned by their aborigine mentors, avoiding the attack and then helping the aborigines to kill the 
  invaders. The aborigines then took custody of the hybrids, raising them to adulthood and transporting 
  them to the jungles of Kauai.
  Since then, first-stage hybrids from all over the New Hawaii chain have been recruited by the 
  aborigines, sent into newcomer settlements to gather detailed intelligence. More hybrid children are 
  being born, the number of native communities subject to mutation has been increased, and there is an 
  increasing number of second-stage hybrid births. The aborigines estimate that within four years, 20% 
  of the births in most of New Hawaii's remote villages will be first-stage hybrids, and the first third-
  stage hybrids will be born soon afterward.
  Meanwhile, the population of hybrids transplanted to Kauai have taken up an extremely primitive 
  existence in the heart of that island's jungles. The 63 "Forest People" live at a Paleolithic level, using 
  nothing but chipped stone, wood, bone, vine, and sinew. They are all quite young ’  the oldest
  Į
   
  members of the tribe are only 23, and most of them are in their late teens. Their worldview is 
  profoundly xenophobic, despising "Outsiders." When Outsiders enter the Kauai jungles, they are 
  watched from a distance. If they do no harm to the jungle or its life forms, they are permitted to leave 
  without ever knowing that they were under surveillance. Otherwise they are dealt with, quickly and 
  lethally. Many parties of poachers or smugglers have come to grief in the Kauai jungle, their bodies 
  never found.
  
  The Forest People migrate once per year to a sheltered bay on the east coast of Kauai. There they 
  come into contact with the aborigines, who they venerate deeply. The "Silent Ones" are regarded as 
  teachers and protectors, and the Forest People obey them in all things.
  In recent years, the Forest People have come into increasing contact with Outsiders. Biogene's 
  Coronado Station is regarded as a serious threat, especially since survey teams from the station have 
  pressed deep into the Forest People's territory. Meanwhile, a new resort complex has been opened at 
  Avalon, leading tourists to mount expeditions into the jungles at the heart of Forest People territory. 
  As the Forest People migrate into the vicinity of Avalon, new troubles are very likely.
  Meanwhile, the first children have been born to the Forest People. Two of the most recent arrivals 
  are radically different, with emerald-green photosynthetic skin and additional gill slits under their 
  arms. The Silent Ones told the Forest People to expect changes in their children, so the tribe has been 
  expecting this. The aboriginal scheme for human mutation is being pressed harder with the Forest 
  People than with any other population in New Hawaii.
  Northwest Territories
  The aborigines have been in contact with the Sierra Nueva natives since before they migrated into 
  the Northwest Territories in the first place. The original Bataku (p. 00) was tampered with by 
  aborigines without his knowledge, acquiring a homing instinct which pulled him toward Sierra Nueva. 
  The aborigines also directly contacted the dolphin mystic Sage (p. 00), convincing him to help Bataku 
  lead a complete colony to the new island.
  After the Baffin Island colony was established, the aborigines continued to communicate with 
  Sage and his successors, helping them to mold Sierra Nueva society. They also lent physical 
  assistance, secretly providing food and "natural" medicines that helped the settlement get through its 
  first difficult years. 
  Today, the Sierra Nueva natives show many signs of this covert relationship with the aborigines. 
  They are unusually healthy and long-lived. They have learned more about their local environment than 
  any other native group, allowing them to predict weather patterns with uncanny accuracy, understand 
  the uses of native flora, and follow the behavior of local animal life. The aborigines have also lent 
  some assistance in the war against GenDiver. Aborigines regularly participate in native attacks from 
  behind the scenes. They have also used their nanotechnology to create weapons, ammunition, and 
  other supplies critical to the war effort. At present, the effect of this material assistance has been to 
  wean the natives from dependence on unreliable offworld allies. As time goes on, the natives may well 
  convince their aborigine allies to produce even more powerful weapons.
  There is one secret of which not even the Baffin Island natives are aware. Their current dolphin 
  leader, Prophet, is not a cetacean at all, but an aborigine. The real Prophet died in 2163, attacked by a 
  marine predator while on a solitary journey into the wilderness. He was replaced by an aborigine, a 
  perfect physical copy created by aborigine biotechnology. Not even Bataku has learned of this 
  substitution, although most of the Baffin Islanders are aware that Prophet is an unusual dolphin. 
  Indeed, the aborigine Prophet is probably far more effective as a spiritual leader than the real one 
  would ever have been.
  Prime Meridian
  As the Creators moved from star system to star system, they mined each for the resources needed 
  to repair and add to their nomadic fleet. Most of this mining was done from moons or planetoid belts, 
  but in some cases the Creators did their mining and shipbuilding on the terraformed world itself. 
  Poseidon was one place where this was done, and the signs of that long-ago activity are visible on 
  Prime Meridian.
  Satellite photographs of the Drakensberg chain reveal the presence of chains of lakes, dotted 
  through the jungles that cover the lower slopes of the mountains. These lakes were not formed through 
  any normal geological activity. Instead, they are the water-filled remnants of the "hangars" and 
  "construction cradles" used long ago in the rebuilding of the Creator fleet.
  Meanwhile, elsewhere under the Drakensbergs there are a number of artificial caverns, hangar 
  areas which have remained sealed since the Creators left Poseidon. In these underground caverns, 
  swarms of nanites, hundreds of unfinished projects, and other Creator secrets wait for discovery. 
  
  Various drone species sleep in stasis, as they have for millions of years. Most of the caverns are silent 
  and deserted, as if waiting for the Creators to return.
  One cavern complex in the region is no longer silent. Centuries ago, a series of severe earthquakes 
  damaged the complex, awakening a number of the Creator's dormant servitors. Some of these survived 
  the earthquakes. These creatures were unlike the aborigines in several respects. Only semi-sentient, 
  they required the ingestion of nutrients to survive, but they could reproduce themselves in a natural 
  fashion. Their activity awakened other nanotech systems, which were stimulated to produce food for 
  the animals. Soon, there was a whole community of the creatures living throughout the cavern 
  complex.
  The animal species in question was originally a heavy work design. Bipedal, it has a huge body, a 
  massive skeleton, and powerful muscles. The head is squat and neckless, with an array of eyespots and 
  chemically-sensitive feelers. Instead of hands, each troglodyte has four powerful tentacles, which 
  themselves split into numerous smaller tentacles for grasping and fine-manipulation ability.
  The troglodytes are still driven primarily by the imperatives that the Creators programmed into 
  them. Over time, they have undergone some cultural evolution, sublimating these programmed drives 
  into elaborate communal behavior. With no construction projects available to work on, the trogs now 
  think of themselves as guardians and caretakers of the cavern complex. They patrol the deep caves, 
  keeping Poseidon's more aggressive predators out.
  So far, the troglodytes have had only one contact with humanity ’  a human expedition which
  Į
   
  found an entrance to the cave complex and surprised a band of the creatures. The fearful troglodytes 
  soon wiped out the expedition, later taking steps to seal up cavern entrances and post nanite alarm 
  systems. The hidden creatures fear further contact with the strange invaders of their subterranean 
  world.
  Westcape
  In recent years, Lavender Organics has been employing the Deep End Bathyspheric Station in the 
  waters off Westcape. Deep End is a unique cross between a submersible and a sea-floor research 
  station. It travels the deepest parts of Poseidon's oceans, carrying a crew of 22 people and four smaller 
  research submersibles. It does a variety of oceanographic research, although its primary purpose is to 
  watch for and study Poseidon's aborigines.
  Recently, Deep End encountered a remarkable artifact. Over five miles beneath the surface of the 
  ocean, it came across a mysterious ovoid object rising out of the sediments on the bottom of a trench. 
  Over 1,000 feet long, the object was at least partially hollow and appeared to have a very thin outer 
  shell. Divers in hard suits investigated the object, even entering it after an opening appeared suddenly. 
  Unfortunately, the team was only able to look around for a few moments before a swarm of protector 
  aborigines attacked. The divers were cut off and presumed lost. Deep End surfaced to report back to 
  Dyfedd, but then it too was attacked by forces unknown. When Lavender Organics operatives arrived, 
  they found the station floating abandoned on the surface, its crew gone with no sign of an evacuation 
  or a struggle.
  Lavender Organics officials were able to recover some information about the artifact on the sea 
  floor from Deep End records ’  although they know nothing of its nature. At present, they are still
  Į
   
  considering whether or not to launch a further investigation. The artifact, which has been named 
  Leviathan, has so far remained unmolested.
  @TEXT:In fact, Leviathan is a central component in the aborigine "civilization," a vast 
  information archive left behind by the Creators themselves. It includes cultural and scientific data, 
  along with a wealth of xenosilicate templates which serves as a "backup copy" for all the terraforming 
  procedures once used on Poseidon.
  The aborigines are beginning to use Leviathan as a place to archive data about humanity as well. 
  In particular, the entire Deep End crew has been stored here. After being seized, the crewmembers 
  were thoroughly analyzed. Xenosilicate templates were created for each crewman, recording his DNA, 
  any somatic variations, and all of his unique neural pathways. The facilities at Leviathan were able to 
  accomplish this to an unprecedented degree, so the human "records" there are more complete and 
  detailed than any others available. The crew themselves are long dead, of course, their bodies left to be 
  consumed by scavengers.
  
  Further human investigation of Leviathan would doubtless be extremely dangerous. The 
  aborigines will stop at nothing to keep the archive secret and protected from human interference.
  Zion Islands
  In 2118, the Athena Project's colony ship, the UNSS Cousteau, finally suffered terminal orbital 
  decay and plummeted to the surface of Poseidon. The wreckage of the ship was scattered across a 
  wide distance in the region of the Serendipity Atolls. A few pieces of the ship fell to land and were 
  recovered by the local natives, including the main communications dish. At present, no outsider knows 
  the location of the final resting place of the Cousteau.
  Shortly after the crash, aborigines discovered the bulk of the wreck resting on the seafloor at a 
  depth of over 10,000 feet. For many years, the aborigines ignored the wreck. Since the arrival of 
  newcomers on Poseidon, they have returned to the Cousteau, looking for clues to the nature of the 
  strange alien visitors.
  Over the years, the wreck of the Cousteau has been turned into an extensive aborigine research 
  site (p. 00). The wreckage has been covered with a vast shell of limestone, a kind of organic hangar 
  over 1,000 yards long and 300 yards across. Inside this chamber, phosphorescent organisms gently 
  illuminate the hulk of the Cousteau. Aborigines swim in and around the wreckage. Organic tendrils 
  connect parts of the ship to a network of organic nodes embedded in the walls of the hanger. These 
  nodes form a powerful computational network, in effect a great artificial sentience that is engaged in 
  analyzing the starship's systems.
  The great value of the Cousteau lies in its core computer memory, much of which survived the fall 
  intact. Learning to read the core's stored information was a long and painstaking task for the 
  aborigines, but they managed it some years ago. As a result, the aborigines have learned a great deal 
  about humanity. The core contained a complete cultural archive, so the aborigines have access to all 
  the history, great literature, and scientific works that were available before the launch of the Cousteau. 
  Of course, the archive held no information about the Blight or conditions on Earth afterward, so the 
  aborigines still know very little about recent human history (or the motivations that spring from it).
  Having assimilated much of the Cousteau archive, the aborigines of the Zion Islands are busy with 
  a new phase of their study of humanity. They seek to integrate their experiences with present-day 
  humans into the base of knowledge they have gained from the archive. To this end, they try to observe 
  and meet with isolated humans, "interrogating" them through their chemoempathic senses. The Zion 
  Islands aborigines are also interested in modern computer equipment, and occasionally try to steal new 
  databases to convey back to the Cousteau for analysis and integration.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/SETTING/Blue Planet (GURPS)/GURPS - Blue Planet Conversion .pdf