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Mana-radiation
When astral energy leaks into the world, it doesn’t simply vanish. It clings to surfaces, saturates the air, and seeps into living bodies. This residue is called mana-radiation, and its effects are measured in manarad (short for mana-radiation) units (mRads or MRs).
Whenever the creature is exposed to the mana-radiation, it accumulates the mana-irradiation effect:
While near a source of minor mana background, the creature gains one mRad every 8 hours.
While near a source of mild mana background, the creature gains one mRad every hour.
While near a source of increased mana background, the creature gains one mRad every 10 minutes.
While near a source of a high mana background, the creature gains one mRad every minute.
When near a source of an extreme mana background, the creature gains one mRad every round.
When near a source of a superextreme mana background, the creature gains 6 mRad every round.
When near a source of a overwhelming mana background, the creature gains 12 mRad every round.
Mana-Sickness
Every 24 hours, the creature's body absorbs 10 mRads and the creature must make a Fortitude save against Mana-sickness and a Flat check DC 5 (+1 for every 10 mRads left on the creature) to determine whether the sickness triggers any mutation.
On Fail, the creature gains the 1st Stage of Mana-sickness disease or increases its stage.
Mana-sickness is no ordinary disease. You cannot get rid of it by simple efforts of your body — you need serious medical attention.
Spells like Remove Disease or Cleanse Affliction can help with that.
The higher the Stage, the higher the DC of Counteract (indicated in brackets next to each Stage)
Mana-sickness — Stage I (DC 20):
You have a fever. You have headaches, feel generally tired and lethargic, and sometimes vomit.
Effects: You are Drained 1 + Sickened 1Mana-sickness — Stage II (DC 24):
The primary symptoms are getting worse. You have bouts of diarrhoea.
Effects:
You take 2d6 void damage at the end of each day
You are Drained 2 + Sickened 2
Healing is very hard on your body. Each time you receive healing from any source, make a DC 20 Fortitude check. If you fail, you receive only half of that healing.
Mana-sickness — Stage III (DC 28):
Secondary symptoms worsen. Bruises and sores appear on the body. Gums and nose bleed. The skin peels and hair starts to fall out.
Effects:
You take 3d6 void damage every 12 hours.
You are Drained 3 + Sickened 3 + Slowed 1
When you gain healing, the DC of the Fortitude check increases to 24, and on a failure, you gain no healing at all.
Mana-sickness — Stage IV (DC 32):
The CNS is disturbed, hair falls out, the body is covered with horrific burns, and there is bleeding from all orifices.
You take 4d6 void damage every 6 hours.
You are Drained 4 + Sickened 4 + Restrained
When you gain healing, the DC of the Fortitude check increases to 26, and on a failure, you gain no healing at all.
Protection from Mana-Radiation
Protection is possible, though imperfect. Anti-Mana Suits are the Empire’s standard, lessening the exposure 6 times.
AN EXAMPLE FROM LIFE
Vasiliy, a junior inspector at a Mana-Extraction Station, is sent to check the meteorite dust filters. The filters are clogged, and the chamber hums with a high mana background — that means Vasiliy gains 1 mRad every minute he spends inside. Unfortunately, Vasiliy was not paying much attention at his Astral safety regulations classes, so he is not aware of the danger.
The inspection takes him 20 minutes. When he comes out, he has accumulated 20 mRads.
The next morning, his body absorbs 10, leaving 10 mRads still in his system. Because he absorbed 10 mRads, he must make a Fortitude save against Mana-Sickness Stage I (DC 20). Vasiliy rolls a 15 and fails. The sickness takes hold, and he becomes Drained 1 and Sickened 1.
Failing the save also gives him his first Mutation Point (MP), so he immediately makes a flat check with DC equal to his MPs (DC 1). He succeeds, so no mutation manifests yet.
Vasiliy is not yet out of danger. The following day, because he still suffers from Mana-Sickness Stage I, he gains another Mutation Point, bringing the total to 2 MPs, and makes a flat check at DC 2. This time he rolls a 1 — failure. A faint discoloration spreads across his skin: his first sign of an Early mutation. It is only cosmetic for now, but a doctor could study it with a DC 24 Medicine or Arcana check to predict its evolution and lessen the DC to cure it.
Moreover, Vasiliy absorbs the last 10 mRads that accumulated in his body and makes another Fortitude save, this time against Mana-Sickness Stage II (DC 24). He fails again, and his condition worsens to Stage II, leaving him Drained 2 and Sickened 2.
The next day, he takes 2d6 void damage from Mana-Sickness, gains 2 more MPs (total 4), and rolls a flat check against DC 4. He succeeds, so his mutation does not evolve to the Moderate stage yet.
At this point, Vasiliy visits a doctor. The physician performs a counteract check with Remove Disease against DC 24 and succeeds, curing Vasiliy of Mana-Sickness. With the disease gone, his Mutation Points reset to 0.
However, his Early mutation remains. The doctor schedules a surgical operation, which takes 8 hours and requires a DC 24 Medicine check (22 if the mutation was studied beforehand). The doctor succeeds, and the mutation is cut away before it can progress further. Vasiliy is safe and has learned a tough lesson.
Fortunately, his supervisor also approves his request for an Anti-Mana Suit before the next inspection. With the suit’s protection, he would accumulate mRads six times slower — in the same 20-minute inspection, only 3 to 4 mRads instead of 20.