Martians

Before the mutual destruction of both of their planets, Martians and Venusians warred with one another for thousands of years. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the planet that lay between them eventually became one of their battlegrounds. Both races found ways to blend in with humans in order to wage a covert war against their enemy's agents on earth. When the two planets destroyed one another, the Martians and Venusians still on earth became the last survivors of their respective races.

Basic Information

Anatomy

In their natural form, Martians look like humans with red skin and long, powerful claws. A Martian can pass itself off as a human by trimming their claws and dying or otherwise coloring their skin. Trimmed claws take about two weeks to grow back to normal size and most available skin treatments last around a week.
Martians can use their claws to burrow through soft ground at high speeds.

Genetics and Reproduction

Martians reproduce sexually and have a gestation period of 13 months.

Growth Rate & Stages

Martians mature at a rate similar to humans.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The main complication that both Martians and Venusians had to overcome before they could start operating on earth was the lack of various chemical compounds necessary for life and available in the air, water, and common food on their home planet. One important mission of the early (life support suit-wearing) scouts that both planets sent to earth was to find an inconspicious method of delivering these compunds to their systems. Since this happened in the early 20th Century, scouts from both races took a look at human behaviour and determined that the best plan was to load the nutrients into tobacco products. Early Martian operatives set up the Ares Tobacco Company, which was the primary way that Martians ingested these compounds during their first 100 years or so on earth.
More recently, a number of alternative (and less carcinogenic) options have been introduced, including patches, gum, injections, and food additives.
A Martian who goes without a nutrient cocktail for too long begins to weaken and will eventually die.

Behaviour

While older Martians tend to have ideas that seem strange to humans, the last few generations have lived their entire lives on earth and have adopted lifestyles and behaviours similar to humans of a similar age. Younger Martians (and Venusians) have also shed most of the racial animosity of the older generations, seeing the other species as fellow refugees with similar concerns who should be their allies. The older generations don't tend to take this very well.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Similar to humans, though Martians tend to have above-average hearing and a predisposition for various vision problems.