Mars Colony

From the mines of Lykos to the Obsidians of the southern pole: the planet where the Rising was won.

In Morning Star, Darrow, Ragnar, Holiday and Virginia travel to the southern pole of Mars to recruit Obsidians, and find that Ragnar's mother, Alia Snowsparrow, is complicit in the Society Golds' deception of her people. It is also the site of Asgard, a stronghold where the Rising defeats Society Golds, leading to Sefi executing her mother and bringing the Valkyries into the rebellion.

Lore & Background

Mars is defined by its pivotal role in the uprising against the Society. The southern pole of Mars hosts the Obsidian tribes, where Darrow, Virginia, and Sefi discover that Alia Snowsparrow, Ragnar's mother, has conspired with Golds to deceive her people. This location becomes the turning point for the Obsidians when Sefi deposes her mother and executes her at Asgard after the Rising defeats local Society forces. The planet also holds Lykos, Darrow's home mining colony which he is forced to surrender while imprisoned by Adrius au Augustus. Furthermore, Mars contains the strategic ground where the Rising captures territory alongside Luna and Earth, marking it as a key battleground in the final war.

Reader's Guide

Key locations include Lykos, Darrow's origin point which he lost during his captivity; the southern pole, where the truth about the Golds' deception of Obsidians was revealed; and Asgard, the site of Alia Snowsparrow's death and Sefi's rise to leadership. The planet also serves as a major objective in the final campaign, with the Rising capturing it alongside Luna and Earth.

Did You Know?

Ragnar Volarus died on Mars after being fatally wounded by Aja au Grimmus, urging Darrow to kill his mother Alia before he did.
Mars was one of three planets (along with Luna and Earth) captured by The Rising's fleet near the end of the novel.
After the war, Sefi's Obsidian tribes returned to Mars while Cassius adopted Lysander.