Species: Human
Birthplace: Bonaparte
John Farno is a drone wrangler and terraformer who became the sole known survivor of the destruction of Farigha during the opening strike of the Gelt Incursion of 429 IE. Originally assigned by the Office of Colonial Development (OCD) to support the Mars Terraforming Commission, Farno was en route between dome settlements in a rover when the colony’s domes were destroyed by a coordinated assault using clean fusion weapons and orbital kinetic strikes.
Farno’s survival and self-recorded logs, later compiled as No Marigolds in the Promised Land, offer the most detailed account of the Event. His sarcastic, practical, and often unfiltered entries reveal both the technical challenges of survival on a post-apocalyptic terraforming world and the psychological strain of prolonged isolation. Farno’s only initial source of comfort came from a stash of supplies, music, and beer left behind by a late colleague named Ellis.
While traveling across the planet’s sensor road network to assess damage and search for survivors, Farno encounters several key elements that alter the course of his journey and ultimately affect Farigha’s future:
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Persephone: Initially an AI hologram modeled on a technician named Julie Seding, the entity known as Persephone begins as a functional support program. Over the course of Farno’s journey, she evolves into a sentient being with a distinct personality. Their interactions form a foundational relationship during the recovery process and reestablishment of human presence on Farigha.
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Tol Germanicus: Farno also interacts with a solid hologram of Tol Germanicus, who serves as both an advisor and a guiding force from afar. The hologram provides key strategic and technical assistance during the reclamation effort.
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Solaria Activation: Farno takes a leading role in bringing the unfinished dome settlement Solaria online, working with Persephone and repurposed systems to restore power and infrastructure—ultimately transforming it into a new center of human activity on Farigha.
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Gelt Probe Counterattack: In one of his most daring acts, Farno constructs a jury-rigged fusion bomb, rigging a rover to overload its fusion core to backup power on itself. He uses it to destroy a Gelt probe surveying the area, an early sign of hostile intentions later confirmed to be part of the Gelt Incursion. This act prevents the Realm from confirming total success in their planetary purge.
Following recontact with the Compact and confirmation that Farigha’s destruction was linked to the wider Incursion that also targeted Amargosa, Farno remains on the planet. He is later appointed terraforming director and becomes the de facto governor of Farigha, overseeing efforts to rebuild and gradually restore viability to the colony.
Farno’s story is notable not only for survival and resistance but also for his central role in reclaiming a lost world. His bond with Persephone—an emergent AI consciousness—and his willingness to defy death, isolation, and the weight of planetary trauma solidify his legacy as one of the Compact’s most unlikely heroes. A year later, impressed by Ellie Nardino’s leadership and technical skills, he offers her a role helping rebuild the world he once saw nearly lost forever.
Appearances: No Marigolds in the Promised Land, “Wherever I May Roam,” Suicide Run