Guide to the Planets of Red Rising

The Red Rising universe spans the entire solar system. The inner planets located closest to the Sun are known as the Core, home to the densest concentration of human population. Luna serves as the political center, connecting the Core planets into a unified network. Beyond the asteroid belt lies the Rim, consisting of more distant planets, moons, and frontier settlements at the edges of human expansion.

Planets in both regions have developed economies tailored to their environment, with industrial, agricultural, mining, or scientific focuses depending on local conditions. The vast distances between planets stimulated the emergence of distinct cultures and ways of life. Rim societies tend to be more rugged, resourceful, and independent, shaped by harsher environments and isolation. In contrast, the Core is more densely populated and highly organized, with advanced infrastructure and concentrated human activity.

To support this sprawling solar society, moons are also colonized. Many, such as Phobos and Titan, serve as research stations, transport hubs, or military posts. Orbital stations and artificial satellites further connect planets, facilitating communication, transportation, and control across the system. This layered arrangement forms an interconnected network that allows humanity to thrive across space.

Luna

Luna served as humanity’s first off-world colony and became the launch point for the solar system’s expansion, its low gravity and lack of atmosphere making space travel and spacecraft construction far easier than from Earth. A brutal conflict known as the Conquering established Luna’s dominance over Earth, cementing the Golds’ authority and shaping the Society’s hierarchical structure. Luna now acts as the political, administrative, and cultural capital of the Society, hosting the Gold elite, central governance, and critical institutions.

Earth

Earth is largely a residential and historical planet within the Core, with some population but little political influence. Prestigious HighColor families sometimes maintain estates or cultural ties here. The environment is still fully habitable, but Earth’s infrastructure and population are secondary to the Moon’s strategic importance. While it holds historical significance as humanity’s original homeworld, its practical influence on the solar system is limited.

Mars

Mars was the first planet extensively colonized for industrial purposes, and it remains one of the most vital worlds in the Society. Many of its leading figures have risen to positions of influence, with the ArchGovernor of Mars being one of the most powerful political offices in the system. Its economy is anchored by Helium-3 extraction, resulting in vast tunnel systems and subterranean cities that form the backbone of Martian habitation. This economic might, combined with a long history of labor, rebellion, and pride, has shaped a fiercely resilient planetary culture. With its resource wealth, political significance, and strategic position between the Core and the Rim, Mars stands as one of the Society’s indispensable strongholds.

Venus

Venus is key for the Society’s shipbuilding and military operations, housing one of its two largest dockyards and half of the Imperial Helium-3 reserves. Venusians tend to be darker-toned, influenced by the planet’s proximity to the Sun. Venus is culturally decadent, known for luxurious wines, elegant fabrics, and a hedonistic lifestyle, while also serving as the site of elite schools training Golds in politics and governance.

Jupiter

Jupiter is a massive gas giant, therefore remaining uninhabitable. Its largest moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto – have been terraformed and are the center of Rim influence. The moons have long been politically significant, serving as centers of power and occasional rebellion against the Core, notably during the First and Second Moon Lord Rebellions. The moons function as strategic agricultural, industrial, residential, and military hubs, with locations like Demeter’s Garden and the Ganymede Dockyards.

Mercury

Mercury is divided into two main continents, while its equatorial region remains a vast, inhospitable desert known as the Waste of Ladon. The planet’s harsh environment has led to highly concentrated population centers next to the seas. Mercury’s economy is driven by its abundant mineral resources, with metals extracted from the planet’s mountain ranges supplying the Society’s industrial infrastructure.

Saturn

Saturn is primarily valued for its moons, such as Titan. Its massive gas composition prevents traditional habitation, so settlements rely on orbital stations or colonies on moons, similar to Jupiter. It is under firm control of the Rim’s Moon Lords.

Uranus, Neptune, & Pluto

Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are remote Rim worlds. Its extreme distance from the Sun and icy environment make colonization difficult, so human activity focuses on scientific exploration and frontier resource extraction. Populations are sparse, composed mostly of MidColors with limited Gold administration, relying on self-sufficient operational teams.