Myzelis    Realms    Terota    Mechanics      Mutations and Radiation Exposure

Mutations and Radiation Exposure

If you’re at this table you fucked up good. You probably took a swim for too long in some contaminated water, or maybe you drank it a little bit because you were really thirsty and the glow only made it more appealing. Or maybe you were a bit of a rockstar explorer, scavenging in places you shouldn’t have been and juggling glowing rods. In any case, exposure to significant amounts of radiation are known to cause a myriad of health problems in the real world, and although this is no exception in Terota, the DNA of Aethrin have interesting, though unpredictable interactions when damaged that may cause relatively sudden mutations. It may also cause a significant increase in chance to develop cancer in the future, and also acute and/or cutaneous radiation syndrome.
A character absorbs radiation through two ways, either being exposed through it passively through the air or ingesting active radiological waste either accidentally or intentionally if they’re operating on another level. Aethrin have been shown to recover from doses under 500mSv of absorbed radiation with little to no permanent long term effects. However, when exceeding such dosages in an instantaneous exposure, the damage exceeds what can reasonably be compensated for.
The unique effects of damaged Aethrin DNA manifest as an inexplicable and sudden recovery after a period of sickness caused by radiation exposure, resulting in a sudden mutation that is coded within Aethrin DNA to auto repair and fill in the gaps. The mutations are often negative rather than positive, but regardless of the effects, the creature affected by the radiation will have its lifespan reduced by a number of years equal to a roll of dice for the amount of exposure, assuming they don’t die. There have been 0 documented cases of any Aethrin surviving a dose of 10,000mSv.
After a week or two of experiencing acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and poisoning, which for Strong to Intense Exposures the creature may die without proper medical attention, they make a recovery and now have their mutation.
While experiencing ARS, the creature begins vomiting and other symptoms associated with the condition and have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. With Moderate Exposure and above, the creature is also affected by increasing levels of exhaustion with 1-2 on Moderate Exposure and 3-6 above that.

Type

Genetic

Children

• Likantropia
• Ts'unun Project

Exposure Tables

Weak Exposure (1d6) (500-1000mSv)	Moderate Exposure (2d6) (1000-2000mSv)	Strong Exposure (3d6) (2000-4000mSv)	Intense Exposure (4d6) (4000-10,000mSv)	Result
1-6	1-5	1-4	1-3	Minor Positive
7-12	6-10	5-8	3-6	Minor Negative
-	11	9-10	7-9	Major Positive
-	12	11-12	10-12	Major Negative

Minor Negative Mutations

d100	Mutations
01-40	Ability Degradation: Roll 1d6 to determine which ability score is degraded by -1.
41-45	Bum Leg: Movement speed is reduced by -5ft.
46-50	Cracking Joints: The creature has a -2 penalty to all stealth checks when moving like during travel, or when they use any movement during combat. If they stay still, they don’t suffer this penalty.
51-55	Glass Bones: The creature is more prone to getting injured, and has a -2 on Constitution saves to resist injuries.
56-60	Greedy Metabolism: The creature needs to eat four times the amount of food they normally eat, going from 2-3 pounds of food per day, to 8-12 pounds. If they eat significantly less than that, say only 6 pounds, they will gain a level of exhaustion each day they don’t eat enough food.
61-65	Weakened Eyesight: The creature has a -2 penalty to perception checks using sight.
66-70	Soft Skin: The creature has a -1 penalty to their AC when not wearing heavy armor.
71-75	Temperature Sensitivity: The creature has greater sensitivity to hotter and colder temperatures. In extreme temperatures, they have a -2 penalty to constitution saving throws to resist exhaustion from extreme temperatures.
76-80	Pretty Stinky: The creature has a -2 penalty to persuasion checks and a +2 bonus to intimidation checks made when trying to influence creatures that can smell them. They are also more easily tracked by creatures using their sense of smell, and have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to follow their trail.
81-90	Weakened Hearing: The creature has a -2 penalty to perception checks made based on hearing.
90-100	Sunlight Sensitivity: The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Minor Positive Mutations

d100	Mutations
01-40	Ability Enhancement: Roll 1d6 to randomly determine which Ability Score gains a +1 bonus.
41-45	Claws: The creature grows claws that are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you can deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. If the creature already has claws, reroll.
46-50	Flexible Bones: The creature’s bones become slightly flexible and can be bent at will to an extent. The creature gains a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks. Squeezing into small spaces takes no extra movement, and without armor can squeeze into Tiny 2 ½ ft spaces.
51-55	Improved Hearing: The creature gains a +2 bonus to perception checks using hearing.
56-60	Dark Vision: The creature gains a 60ft range of darkvision. If they already have darkvision, the range is increased by 60ft instead.
61-65	Improved Vision: The creature gains a +2 bonus to perception checks using sight.
66-70	Metabolic Boost: Whenever the creature rolls hit dice to heal, they roll two die per hit dice used. Meaning if a creature chooses to only use one hit dice, they roll two. If they use two hit dice, they roll four etc. However, they must eat double the food they usually eat, which would be a minimum of 4 pounds of food per day.
71-75	Nimble Fingers: The creature gains a +2 bonus to Sleight of Hand checks, and tool checks that use dexterity.
76-80	Increased Stamina: The creature gains +5 to their movement speed.
81-85	Strong Grip: The creature gains a +2 bonus to Athletic checks made to grapple or climb, and a +1 damage bonus to creatures they are grappling.
86-90	Adrenaline Boost: The creature gains a +2 bonus on Initiative checks and a +1 bonus on their dexterity saves.
91-100	Toughened Skin: The creature gains a +1 bonus to AC when not wearing heavy armor.

Major Negative Mutations

d100	Mutations
01-10	No Pain: The creature's nerve endings are damaged or severed due to the recovery process of Aethrin DNA. Feeling little to no pain. Whenever the creature would take damage, the GM tracks their HP separately and both the player and character are unaware of their total HP. However, they will be notified when the affected character is at half HP or below. Additionally, they ignore the effects of the Broken Ribs, Skull Fracture, Internal Injury, and Painful Scar. The character may attempt a Medicine Check of DC 10 to figure out their HP total.
11-20	Pheromones Discordant: The creature has a -6 penalty on persuasion, deception, and intimidation checks on Aethrin within 30ft of them. Aethrin who first meet this character are also predisposed to disliking them, and may be considered Hostile when interacting with specifically just them. However, if there is reason for someone to respect and like them they still will, but will feel strangley conflicted. (Party members will feel this effect, but aren’t necessarily affected.)
21-30	Limited Amphibiousness: The creature’s skin now has a mucus membrane and now needs to be submerged in water every 4 hours. Without the water, they will gain a level of exhaustion every hour without it. They can now also breathe water.
31-40	Vulnerability: The creature’s natural defenses for injury, bones and skin, are weakened. Every time they take damage, they take an additional 8 damage.
41-50	Loose Joints: The creature has a -3 penalty to athletic checks and their AC because their joints can struggle to lock in properly. However, they gain a +3 bonus to acrobatic checks to escape grapples and a +3 bonus to dexterity saves and resistance to bludgeoning damage.
51-60	Mental Degeneration: The creature's intelligence score drops to 3.
61-70	Narcoleptic: The creature has a tendency to fall asleep during routine activity or inactivity. As a result, the affected character takes twice as much time to complete projects like crafting. Additionally, they also have a higher chance to cause complications at the end of downtime. For the Crime downtime, two successes will result in a failure and arrest. For Mercenary Work, two successes will incur a roll on the complications table. For the rest that require d100 rolls, the base chance to cause a complication is increased to a 30% chance base rather than 10%.
71-80	Nerve Spasms: The creature has a -4 penalty to ranged attacks and Sleight of Hand checks. Loud noises like gunshots and explosions, paired with bright flashing lights may also overload the creature's brain, and must make a DC 15 wisdom save to resist or be affected by the Slowed condition for one minute. They may remake the save at the end of each of their turns, if they succeed on the save they’re immune to this effect for the next 24hrs. If they have a Stress condition, the DC becomes 20.
81-90	Poorly Regulated Muscles: Your muscles almost seem to have a mind of their own. You have a +4 to melee attacks and Athletic checks. However, you are prone to injuring yourself. Strenuous activities such as lifting and pulling heavy objects may result in injury due to poor muscular moderation. When making any such check, you must succeed a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer a minor injury. Additionally you are able to ignore levels of exhaustion when performing physical labour. You still suffer the effects and gain additional levels, but are otherwise able to supersede your physical limitations until you keel over.
91-100	Radiation Leak: The creature emits damaging radiation in a 10ft radius. Organic creatures take 1 point of radiant damage when they end their turn within the aura, and must make a Constitution Save of DC 15 or gain the poisoned condition. Organic creatures normally immune to the poison condition will still gain the condition. The radiation counts as moderate exposure if the affected creature would touch a creature (which would be a special melee attack that can also use dexterity to unwilling creatures). Creatures with resistance to Radiance damage are immune to the damage and effects. The affected creature gains resistance to radiant damage, and cannot gain more mutations without Strong or Intense Exposure. The affected creature may wear a tightly fitted hazard suit to be able to walk around normally with friends and go about their business without endangering people.

Major Positive Mutations

d100	Mutations
01-10	Fire Lungs: You gain a fiery breath weapon that you can breathe in a 15ft cone and force affected creatures in the cone to make a dexterity saving throw. Gaining some physiology of Dragon kind. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the creature takes 1d10 fire damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10). You can use your Breath Weapon a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
11-20	Frog Legs: The characters long jump and jump height now equals their movement speed.
21-30	Harmonious Pheromones: The creature has a +6 penalty on persuasion, deception, and intimidation checks on Aethrin within 30ft of them. Aethrin who first meet this character are also predisposed to liking them, and may be considered Friendly when interacting with specifically just them. However, if there is reason for someone to disrespect and hate them they still will, but will feel strangely conflicted. (Party members will feel this effect, but aren’t necessarily affected.)
31-40	Mental Overdrive: The creature's Intelligence score and maximum is increased by +6.
41-50	Psionic Aptitude: You know the mage hand cantrip, and the hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the jump spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the misty step spell with it. Once you cast jump or misty step with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). None of these spells require spell components when you cast them with this trait.
51-60	Quantum Action: After any failed d20 roll the creature makes they may choose to instead make it a natural 20. They cannot use this ability until it recharges, where after every long rest they may roll a d6, and keep adding the results until they reach a total of 6 or higher.
61-70	Solar Discharge: The creature can discharge concentrated stored energy from the sun in a 100ft line. Each creature in that line must make a dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 to 6d6 damage to creatures in that line, with the amount of damage determined by the “caster” when they use the ability. Each day they spend in sunlight, they regain 2d6.
71-80	Long Limbed with a Powerful Build: Your reach increases by 5ft, and you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
81-90	Armadillo Skin: The creature’s skin is covered in highly mineralized natural armor that provides a Damage Reduction of 8. If they had a natural DR it’s increased to 8.
91-100	Wings: The creature grows wings on their back, and gains a flying speed equal to their movement speed, but to use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.