2018 Mutations Guide

The 2018 Mutations Guide

Pg. 1 - Introduction

Pg. 2 - Infection Methods

Pg. 3, 4 - Stages

Pg 5 - Other Information

Pg 6 - IC Knowledge, Factions & Games

 

Introduction:

Shortly after the nuclear barrages later coined The Flash, the surviving populace faced a new, rising, and potentially cataclysmic threat: a strange new illness with no known cure or origin; the Radiation Accelerated Disease. Taking entire towns within days, RAD-X cultivated in archetypal stages with clear visible effects on those infected. No country was safe from the disease, but those with more severe levels of radiation suffered far worse.

Known Countries:

The United States viewed the full range of RAD-X stages, a direct result from its varied levels of radiation dependent on proximity to Nuclear impacts. Those closest to cities would see the full horrific scope of the mutations,while those fortunate to be further from impact sites would likely never see its effects.

Japan is likely the worst off against the RAD-X scourge. Numerous missiles headed for the New Empire of China from the United States - or vice versa - were shot down or prematurely detonated in Japan's airspace. As a direct result, only areas protected from those blasts such as mountain ringed valleys like Omaru Point are livable, and the radiation levels in the lands nearby or closer to cities are high enough to nearly guarantee the progression of the disease to its final stages.

Other countries that have little to no known Post-Flash lore can be presumed to be effected based on geographical size. European countries due to their relatively small sizes can be assumed to be similar to Japan's Post Flash status, while relatively large sized countries can be seen as the same as the US, such as the Post Flash NCE or Russia.�

Infection Methods:

Air:

Only occurs if an individual is exposed to airborne cells from Biomass growths or extended decomposition of a RAD-5+ mutant corpse. Exposure would take minutes or more depending on circumstances and can be ignored with a gas mask with filters

Food & Water:

Capable of staying a source of infection for months, Water and Food can be contaminated by sources like Biomass or Mutant bodies.

Direct Contact:

Individuals can be infected through physical attacks by RAD-4 or above. Deep wounds, such as significant stabbings, injections from Leachers' barbed cells into open skin, or excessive contact with infected blood and flesh may also spread the disease.

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Infection Notes:

Radiation:

The level of radiation exposure allows ease of infection from any source. Relatively little exposure to radiation like those living underground, or an individual who has used Deradiators as a preventive measure, will be more resistant than those who live on the surface.

Disease Progress Time:

Also related to the amount of radiation in one's body. Transitioning from one stage to another could take as little as a few days up to months. Once the virus completely takes over the victim's body and mind during stage 4, the disease's progress starts slowing down - with the extremely dangerous Malicious and Malevolent ones likely having been infected in the first months after The Flash.�

Stages:

RAD-1 (Incubation):

A period of time between the infection and initial symptoms of the disease showing up. Varies from less than a week up to several months, depending on the amount of radiation afflicting the host's body. Can be detected through blood pricking and is not infectious.

RAD-2 (Green/Yellow Sickness):

Flu-like symptoms post the virus' incubation period. The disease at this point weakens the immune system, making it much easier for radiation to pierce the body. Subjects may be exposed to vomiting, headaches, nausea, coughing, sneezing, fatigue, hallucinations and fever. The disease becomes contagious from this point forward.

RAD-3 (Refugee/Outcast):

More serious conditions start to occur. Hair loss, skin pigmentation change to pale yellow or green. Infected become deeply paranoid and suffer schizophrenia.

Up to this stage, if an infected is subjected to sufficient Deradiator doses, RAD-X can be staved off in the short term and rendered less infectious, along with minimizing some symptoms. To maintain this, constant doses are required; the entire procedure is incredibly painful and the infected person's skin color becomes deep or pale red, depending on how advanced the infection is.

RAD-4 (Marauder):

Skin fully changes to a deeper shade of yellow or green. Prone to hostility towards non-infected in most cases. Their higher level of intelligence allows them to command most of the later stages of the RAD-X infection, and their visual similarities to normal humans allows them to ambush/deceive non-infected.

Fully capable of using firearms, their numbers and capabilities mean they offer a significant challenge against opponents. They also seem to exhibit Psychopathic tendencies with their seemingly singular goal of infecting more people, or so common survivors think.

RAD-5 (Sapien/Undead):

Intense Physical altering of the human body begins at this stage. Limbs may detach, bones snap, and muscles contort, giving a horrific visage that sometimes has them referred to as the Undead.

Unlike Marauders, Sapiens are nearly brain dead, reacting only instinctually to outside factors, seemingly oblivious to pain, and only actively attempting a task if ordered by a Marauder or M&MO. Sapiens are more common than infected from the later stages of RAD-X.�

RAD-6A (Creeper):

The second possible transformation from Sapiens, Creepers' bodies contort to slimmer size, allowing more agile movement along with their eyesight improving significantly, allowing vision even in darkness.

While physically inferior to the average human, Creepers rely on ambush tactics to incapacitate or kill prey. While their physical changes are advantageous for speed, they are incapable of functionally wearing things like body armor, and are too weak to use scrap gear.

RAD-7A (Leacher):

The second stage of the Creeper, Leachers are much more physically altered. Growing a pseudo second head and a hooked limb on their backs, Leachers are capable of spitting barbed biomatter at opponents up to fifteen feet which may pierce flesh* and cause chemical burns, and the extra limb allows them to climb quickly and suspend themselves from ceilings to better ambush opponents. Their drawbacks are the same as Creepers.

* Leacher barbed cells can be blocked by clothing as simple as a leather or heavy jacket

RAD-6B (Hitman):

One of the two resulting transformations after Sapiens, the Hitman’s mutations are muscular focused. Bones strengthened and muscular growth are accelerated disproportionally, with one arm staying relatively human and the other growing to massive proportions.

Hitmen possess superhuman strength in one arm, capable of shattering bone and throwing full grown men. Their disproportionate mass forces them to move slowly, and their intelligence level is compared to of an animal's.

RAD-7B (Crusher):

The second stage of the Hitman, Crushers' other limb grows to equal size as the enlarged one, bones become denser, and their skin thickens enough to prevent simple lacerations and blunt impacts. The downsides and upsides of the Hitman carries over.

RAD-8A (Malicious Ones):*

The final form of the the Type-A variation, Malicious Ones’ limbs grow longer, and a second hooked limb grows alongside the other. This allows them total control for climbing and hanging, and also increases their overall speed and agility to superhuman levels.

Their overall intelligence is also regained along their transition into the final stage of RAD-X, much like Malevolent Ones. Smarter than an average human being, they are able to create complex traps and manufacture items for other mutants. Like Malevolent Ones, they seemingly lack emotions.

* Due to the "OP" nature of RAD-8A, should be restricted to LPMs+

RAD-8B (Malevolent Ones):*

The final form of the type-B variation, Malevolent Ones grow even more physically adept. Larger than an average human, all of their bone and muscular structure is enlarged to allow incredible strength. Their skin also hardens into a chitinous-like substance, capable of deflecting or halting most small arms fire, but does nothing to stop explosives or fire.

Unlike the Hitman or Crusher, their intelligence can be compared to humans, though they seemingly lack emotions, with their only goal being infecting more and more people.

* Due to the "OP" nature of RAD-8B, should be restricted to LPMs+

Other Details:

Biomass:

In highly irradiated areas, mutants will congregate to accelerate their transformations. Mutants that leave this area will attempt to bring back biomass material, mainly corpses of any living creature. The disease converts this biomass into fleshy green/yellow growths which will emit radioactive infectious cells. These growths help speed transformations of Sapiens to further stages, and can only be removed through usage of flame or plasma/laser based weaponry.

"Plague Towns":

If a Scrap Town is unfortunate enough to be fully infected, their town is referred to as a Plague Town. Most are burned down by the USCPF,  but the stigma and danger of looting them remains, leaving numerous Plague Towns untouched even by the 2100s. The Reds (2115) have been known to use Plague Towns as cover for their movements, as no one wishes to investigate these locations, despite being safe for the Vaccinated.

Deradiators:

A technology designed in 2031 as a precaution following the usage of a Nuclear Warhead in the end of the Second Korean War, the Deradiator serum became a significant tool for survivors of The Flash. Flushing the users system of radiation, Deradiators would be routinely used to prevent radiation sickness, though their usage in creating Outcasts was soon learned. The knowledge of creating Deradiators is not solely the USCPFs, as NATO-held countries also received its design prior to The Flash.

RAD-X Vaccine:

Created in the early 2070s, the RAD-X Vaccine renders RAD-X a non threat. Outright stopping infection, combined with lower radiation levels in the later part of the 21st Century, the Vaccine soon led to the end of most mutants, though it is not yet universal.

Osaka Medical Bunker's Serum:

Just as the Osaka Medical Bunker was overrun with mutants, its scientists managed to develop a Serum capable of reversing and nullifying the RAD-X disease for any infected before Stage 5. Unfortunately, the doors to the Bunker were closed until 2054. It is possible the scientists inside sent out the Schematics to other medical bunkers worldwide.

Descendants:

Unfortunate descendants of the result of USCPF Experiments, Descendents suffer from various RAD-X stages malformities, but do not receive any of the advantages. The most common is the Slugger, shares the mutations of the Hitman, but their arm acts as deadweight, incapable of being used. Other Descendants suffer the same problems.�

In Character Knowledge:

 
 * Survivors with no first hand knowledge of mutants would, for the most part, know only stories and their “nicknames”;
 * Official documentation for the USCPF refers to Mutants as labeled Stages, but most troops in the field would refer to infected by their colloquially known names;
 * Plague Towns would be a constant worry, and sick people would likely be seen as potential threats due to the nature of RAD-X;
 * Due to the grotesque nature of their appearances, survivors are generally disgusted by mutants, and terrified of meeting the same fate by being dragged off.

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Faction Reactions:

 
 * Generally speaking, everyone hates infected people. People are distrustful and cautious around infected individuals with lower levels of RAD, prefering to isolate or expel them from towns. Few individuals would be sympathetic and feel pity towards them, but would still likely remain cautious around their kind due to the risk of infection;
 * The USCPF do one of two things with infected individuals; burn them or capture them for experimentation;
 * The CDF do not tolerate mutants and kick them out of town if they find out they're sick;
 * All uninfected are outright hostile to any stage past 4, with most prefering to kill and burn the remains. USCPF will sometimes collect bodies for examination and testing, but otherwise prefer to torch them.

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Games:

 
 * All mutations are/can be present in ATF 1, 2, 3, and Deep Winter;
 * In Deep Six and Rain, only Descendents or Outcasts would be present. Outcasts would be a result of unvaccinated individuals being infected through contaminated objects such as Pre-Flash tech, old Plague Towns, and infested food. Major factions would likely ignore mutants at this date, seeing them as a non-issue or even pitying them.