Rads

Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 12:30:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: John ---- ---------- <-------@uclink.berkeley.edu>
Subject: Rads

Re: Radiation T:2000 rules

Effects of Exposure:  Exposure to lower levels of radiation will produce 
temporary illness, while higher levels can ckill.  All exposure is 
cumulative.  When a character's accumulated rads reach or surpass 50, he 
must be checked for radiation illness.  Thereafter, each time the 
character accumulates one or more rads he must be checked for radation 
illness.  however, the character is checked for radiation illness only 
once per day on each day that he accumulates additional rads.
	The Radiation Illness Chart (below) gives the multipliers used to 
determine the chances of illness and death from exposure to radiation.  
Use the rad level on the chart that is closest to (without exceeding) his 
accumulated rad level.

Rads	Slight Illness	Serious Illness	Death
50		1.0		nil	nil
100		0.5		1.0	nil
300		0.2		0.5	1.0
400		Auto		0.2	0.5
600		Auto		Auto	0.2
800		Auto		Auto	Auto

	Multiply the character's Constitution by the multiplier to 
determine his target number (round fractions up).  Roll 1D10.  If the 
number rolled is equal to or less than the chance, the character avoids 
the effect.

Slight Illness:  Nausea, vomiting, and headaches.  Onset is 1D6 hours 
after exposure.  The character has strength, agility, and intelligence 
halved for the duration of the illness.  Symptoms last one day at lower 
levels, two days if exposure is greater than 600 rads.

Serious Illness:  First suffers slight illness, as above,.  Then suffers 
serious illness and is incapacitated with severe vomiting and diarrhea, 
spotting on the body caused by bleeding under teh skin, and blood int he 
stool and vomit.  Onset of serious illness is 2D6 days after exposere at 
levels less than 300 rads, 1D6 at levels above that.  Incapacitation 
lasts 1D6 days, plus one day for every two days spent without bed rest 
and medical care.  The amount of medical care required is the same as for 
a character with a serious wound to two body parts -- or two additional 
body parts if the character is already wounded.  General illness, 
approximating the effects of slight illness listed above, will persist 
for 1D6 weeks.

Death:  The character first suffers from slight radiation illness and 
then from serious radiation illness.  During the incapacitation period 
(and usually within 30 days of exposure) the character dies.

	At higher tech levles, presumably an automed could treat slight
and serious illness at increasing levels of exposure, and a full medical
facility could prevent death, and "roll-back" a persons cumulative
exposure.  The description in FF&S of the consequences of getting too
close to a Fusion Drive suggest that bone marrow transplants etc, would be
necessary, so presumably the character is till going to be laid up for
some time. 

	*Apologies to those not interested in radiation, but enough people 
had expressed an interest that I thought it was worthwhile.  
	
	--M