The Empire of Helium, populated mainly by Red Martians is the most powerful and technologically advanced city-state on Barsoom, renowned for its military strength, scientific achievements, and political influence. It is composed of two great twin cities, Greater Helium and Lesser Helium, connected by immense aerial causeways that span across the ochre deserts of Mars. Ruled by the Jeddak, Helium maintains its dominance through strategic alliances and an unmatched fleet of airships. It has long been in rivalry with Zodanga, a more expansionist and militaristic city-state, and has clashed with the Green Thark Martian tribes of the wastes. While other city-states struggle against the slow decay of their civilizations, Helium stands as a beacon of progress and stability, its red towers gleaming in the eternal twilight of Barsoom’s thin atmosphere.
Helium’s scientific advancements far outpace those of its rivals, largely due to its mastery of the Eighth and Ninth Rays, which allow for anti-gravity propulsion and energy weaponry. The great atmospheric factories of Helium, critical to the survival of all Martians, ensure that Barsoom retains its fragile air supply, pumping refined oxygen into the planet’s dying atmosphere. Its engineers have perfected the design of Barsoomian fliers, crafting warships and scouts capable of unrivaled speed, maneuverability, and firepower. The city also invests heavily in radium technology, refining both Radium rifles and large-scale energy weapons, including long-range solar cannons capable of striking distant enemies from the safety of Helium’s towers. While Barsoomian science is deeply intertwined with tradition and lost knowledge, Helium’s scholars work tirelessly to reclaim and refine the forgotten engineering marvels of Mars’ ancient past, ensuring its continued dominance.
Helium’s laws and customs reflect the strict honor code of Barsoomian society, where personal glory, loyalty, and a warrior’s prowess define one’s status. The Jeddak rules absolutely, but nobility and military commanders hold significant influence, with deeds in battle and diplomacy granting advancement rather than mere birthright. Women of Helium are highly respected and educated, playing key roles in both politics and science, though they are still expected to uphold Barsoomian traditions of duty and honor. Duels, often fought to the death, settle personal disputes, and betrayal is met with swift execution. Helium’s citizens live in towering palaces of crimson and gold, walking the hanging gardens and sky bridges that connect the vast sprawl of their city. Though Helium represents the pinnacle of Martian civilization, it is always threatened by external enemies—be it the scheming Zodangans, the barbaric Green Martians, or hidden forces that lurk in the depths of Barsoom’s ancient ruins.