Rough Magic 4e EN:GM Resources
This chapter provides additional information for the game moderator, such as the mass of commonplace objects and the speed of various creatures and vehicles.
Hostile Environments
| Environment | Effect |
|---|---|
| Darkness | Attack and defense penalties |
| Dehydration | Maximum Endurance reduced, once per day; -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS skill roll penalty on all tasks |
| Exhaustion | Cumulative penalties |
| Exposure | Maximum Endurance reduced, from once per hour to once per six hours |
| Falling | Lose one Endurance for each five meters fallen |
| Fire | Damage depends on heat and intensity, once per round |
| Poisons | Maximum Endurance reduced, from once per round to once per hour |
| Pressure | Maximum Endurance reduced, from once per round to once per minute |
| Radiation | Maximum Endurance reduced, once per week; -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS skill roll penalty on all tasks |
| Starvation | Maximum Endurance reduced, once per week; -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS skill roll penalty on all tasks |
| Suffocation | Maximum Endurance reduced, once per minute |
| Vacuum | Maximum Endurance reduced, from once per round to once per minute |
Darkness
Darkness, fog, rain, blizzards, and other visual impediments can make combat much more difficult. If an attacker can't see the defender, the attacker incurs a -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS skill roll penalty. Conversely, if a defender can't see the attacker, the defender incurs a -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS penalty.
A character with the appropriate powers, or equipment permitting them to perceive normally, suffers no ill effects from darkness.
Dehydration
A character who goes more than 24 hours without drinking begins to suffer the effects of dehydration. Initially, the character experiences headaches, loss of appetite, and dry skin, followed by rapid heart rates, elevated body temperatures, and fatigue. After three days without water, the character experiences tiredness, irritability, and dizziness. Severe dehydration results in death.
If a character is suffering from dehydration, their maximum Endurance is reduced by one per day until they are rehydrated or until their maximum Endurance is reduced to zero. Additionally, the character incurs a -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS penalty on their defense and on all skill rolls. Once the character is rehydrated, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by dehydration.
Exhaustion
Most people need to rest after eight hours of strenuous activity. If they do not, they suffer a -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS penalty on their action value (AV) and defense value (DV) until they do. If they go more than 24 hours without sleep, they suffer another -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS penalty until they get a solid night's rest.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by exhaustion.
Exposure
Extremes of heat and cold can be dangerous to those without adequate preparation. If a character is exposed to extreme temperatures, their maximum Endurance will be gradually reduced until they find shelter or until their maximum Endurance is reduced to zero. How quickly their maximum Endurance is reduced depends on the severity of the conditions. A hot summer day without shade or water, or a frosty winter night without a coat, would reduce their maximum Endurance by one every six hours or so: brutal, but not immediately life-threatening. If the same character were in a blazing hot desert or in the middle of a blizzard, their maximum Endurance would be reduced by one every hour. Once the character is no longer exposed to the extreme temperatures, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by extreme temperatures.
Falling
Falling is treated as a normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The power level (PL) of a fall depends on the distance fallen: +1 PL for each five meters fallen (rounded in the character's favour), up to a maximum of PL 20. Particularly soft or yielding surfaces can reduce the power level of the fall by as much as half.
Fire
Fire is treated as a normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The power level (PL) of a fire depends on its heat and intensity.
| Fire | PL |
|---|---|
| Campfire, torch | 12 |
| Burning building | 15 |
| Molten lava | 18 |
Very cool and very hot fires are outside of this range. A lit match can cause painful burns, for example, but it's less damaging than PL 12. On the other hand, the Earth's core is far beyond even PL 18.
Poisons
Poisons and pathogens are substances which disrupt biological processes when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism. Described here is a generic poison: your character may encounter poisons or pathogens which are more complicated than this example.
Immediately after exposure, a poisoned character must make a moderately difficult (DV 12) Survival (Brawn) roll against the poison. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they add +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS to their roll. If the Survival (Brawn) roll is successful, the character takes no damage from the poison and suffers only incidental side-effects such as nausea. If the Survival (Brawn) roll is not successful, the character has succumbed to the poison, and their maximum Endurance is reduced by one. Periodically thereafter, the character must attempt another Survival (Brawn) roll (once a round for very potent poisons, once an hour for very weak poisons, and once a minute for normal poisons, at the GM's discretion). Each failed Survival (Brawn) roll results in another reduction of the character's maximum Endurance. This continues until the character successfully makes a Survival (Brawn) roll, or they are administered the appropriate antidote (if one exists), or their maximum Endurance is reduced to zero. Once the character successfully makes a Survival (Brawn) roll against the poison or is administered the appropriate antidote, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Some poisons and pathogens have additional effects, such as blindness or paralysis.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by poisons and pathogens.
Pressure
If a character is exposed to extreme atmospheric pressure, their maximum Endurance will be gradually reduced until they return to their natural atmosphere, or until their maximum Endurance is reduced to zero. How quickly their maximum Endurance is reduced depends on how prepared they are and the severity of the conditions. If a trained diver were 30 meters under water (approximately 3 atmospheres, or 30 decibars), their maximum Endurance would be reduced by one maximum Endurance per minute: life threatening, but not immediately fatal. If the same character were 300 meters under water (approximately 30 atmospheres, or 300 decibars), their maximum Endurance would be reduced by one maximum Endurance per round. Once the character has returned to their natural atmosphere, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by high pressure.
Radiation
Radioactivity is caused by the decay of the atomic nucleus of an unstable atom. Living things exposed to high amounts of ionizing radiation develop acute radiation syndrome (ARS), also known as radiation poisoning or radiation sickness. Acute radiation syndrome is an umbrella term for a variety of symptoms which occur within 24 hours of exposure and which may last for several months.
The symptoms of acute radiation syndrome depend on the exposure. Relatively small doses of radiation result in nausea and vomiting, headaches, fatigue, fever, and a reddening of the skin. Intermediate exposure can result in more severe gastrointestinal disorders and symptoms related to a drop in the number of blood cells, such as infection and bleeding. Larger doses can result in neurological effects such as dizziness, headache, or decreased level of consciousness, followed shortly thereafter by death.
Twenty-four hours after exposure, a character exposed to radiation must make a successful Survival (Brawn) roll against the radiation. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they add +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS to their roll. Failure indicates that the character has developed acute radiation syndrome and their maximum Endurance is immediately reduced by one. Each week thereafter, the character must attempt another Survival (Brawn) roll against the radiation. Each failed Survival (Brawn) roll results in the character's maximum Endurance being reduced by one. This continues until the character successfully makes the Survival (Brawn) roll, or until their maximum Endurance is reduced to zero. Once the character successfully makes the Survival (Brawn) roll against the radiation, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
A character suffering from acute radiation syndrome incurs a -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS penalty on their defense and on all skill rolls. However, suitable treatment grants a +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS skill roll bonus on the victim's Survival (Brawn) roll. Small doses of radiation are treated with blood transfusions and antibiotics, while greater doses of radiation require exotic treatments such as bone marrow transplants. Large doses of radiation are invariably fatal to normal human beings.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by radiation.
| Radiation | PL |
|---|---|
| Fallout from a recent nuclear explosion | 12 |
| Vial of plutonium | 15 |
| Interior of a nuclear reactor | 18 |
Starvation
A character who goes more than 7 days without eating begins to suffer the effects of starvation. Initially, the character experiences weakness, confusion, and irritability. After three weeks without food, the character experiences hallucinations and convulsions. Starvation eventually results in death.
Each 7 days a character goes without eating, their maximum Endurance is reduced by one, until their maximum Endurance equals zero. Additionally, the character incurs a -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS penalty on their defense and on all skill rolls. Once the character has resumed a normal diet, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by starvation.
Suffocation
If a character needs to breath but is unable to do so, such as someone drowning or suffocating, their maximum Endurance is reduced by one per minute until they can breathe freely again, or until their maximum Endurance equals zero. Once the character is able to breathe normally, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by suffocation.
Vacuum
If a character is exposed to vacuum, their maximum Endurance will be gradually reduced until they return to their natural atmosphere, or until their maximum Endurance is reduced to zero. How quickly their maximum Endurance is reduced depends on how prepared they are and the rapidity of the loss of atmosphere. If a trained astronaut were exposed to a loss of atmosphere over the course of a minute, their maximum Endurance would be reduced by one maximum Endurance per minute: life threatening, but not immediately fatal. If the same character were exposed to a hard vacuum without warning, their maximum Endurance would be reduced by one per round. Once the character has returned to their natural atmosphere, their maximum Endurance is restored at the same rate it was lost.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by vacuum.
Mass
| Item | Mass | Brawn (to lift) |
|---|---|---|
| medium dog, full suitcase | 20 kg | 1 |
| full pony keg of beer, small sea turtle | 45 kg | 1 |
| slender adult, large dog | 65 kg | 1 |
| full keg of beer | 75 kg | 2 |
| typical adult, small floor safe, wooden chest | 90 kg | 2 |
| heavy adult | 125 kg | 2 |
| racing motorcycle, refrigerator, wooden table | 150 kg | 3 |
| weapon locker, gun safe, large sea turtle | 200 kg | 3 |
| large brown bear, dolphin, harpsichord, lion | 225 kg | 3 |
| motorcycle, medium floor safe, tiger, a Twinkie 11 meters long | 300 kg | 4 |
| grizzly bear, large desk, riding horse, touring motorcycle | 400 kg | 4 |
| polar bear, empty light wagon | 500 kg | 4 |
| cow, draft horse, small sailboat | 600 kg | 4 |
| compact car, piano, loaded light wagon | 900 kg | 5 |
| civilian helicopter, medium missile, grand piano | 1,000 kg | 5 |
| full size car, large herbivore, hippopotamus | 2 t | 6 |
| small military helicopter, Humvee | 3 t | 6 |
| armored Humvee | 4 t | 6 |
| elephant, empty dump truck | 5 t | 6 |
| light jet fighter plane | 7 t | 7 |
| large military helicopter, empty tractor-trailer | 9 t | 7 |
| jet fighter plane | 10 t | 7 |
| international marijuana shipment, Polaris missile | 20 t | 8 |
| loaded dump truck | 20 t | 8 |
| private jet plane, empty train car | 30 t | 8 |
| empty C-130 cargo plane, loaded tractor-trailer | 40 t | 8 |
| Easter Island stone head, loaded tanker truck, bank vault | 50 t | 8 |
| suburban house, Trident missile, M1 Abrams tank | 50 t | 8 |
| loaded C-130 cargo plane | 80 t | 9 |
| blue whale | 90 t | 9 |
| loaded train car | 100 t | 9 |
| locomotive, fishing trawler | 200 t | 10 |
| empty 747 passenger plane | 300 t | 10 |
| typical train | 400 t | 10 |
| loaded 747 passenger plane | 400 t | 10 |
| Space Shuttle | 2,000 t | 12 |
| Coast Guard cutter, passenger train | 3,000 t | 12 |
| Saturn V rocket | 3,000 t | 12 |
| Eiffel Tower | 6,000 t | 13 |
| freight train | 7,000 t | 13 |
| destroyer, nuclear submarine | 8,000 t | 13 |
| 10 story building | 9,000 t | 13 |
| Brooklyn Bridge | 10,000 t | 13 |
| long freight train | 10,000 t | 13 |
| large nuclear submarine | 20,000 t | 14 |
| aircraft carrier | 80,000 t | 15 |
| loaded tanker ship | 100,000 t | 15 |
| cruise ship | 100,000 t | 15 |
| large office building, loaded large tanker ship | 200,000 t | 16 |
| Empire State Building, empty Ultra Large Crude Carrier | 400,000 t | 16 |
| Ben Franklin Bridge, loaded Ultra Large Crude Carrier | 600,000 t | 17 |
| Golden Gate Bridge | 800,000 t | 17 |
| enormous skyscraper | 900,000 t | 17 |
| Great Pyramid of Giza | 5,000,000 t | 18 |
Speed
| Item | Speed | Agility |
|---|---|---|
| avg human running | 20 km/h | 3 |
| max human running | 40 km/h | 4 |
| fast submarine | 80 km/h | 5 |
| fast bird, cheetah, sailfish | 120 km/h | 5 |
| arrow | 240 km/h | 6 |
| fast car | 320 km/h | 6 |
| fast helicopter | 400 km/h | 6 |
| F5 tornado wind | 480 km/h | 6 |
| terminal velocity | 530 km/h | 7 |
| bullet train | 560 km/h | 7 |
| airplane | 800 km/h | 7 |
| pistol bullet | 1,100 km/h | 7 |
| sound | 1,200 km/h | 7 |
| supersonic airplane | 2,000 km/h | 8 |
| rifle bullet | 3,000 km/h | 8 |
| superjet | 10,000 km/h | 9 |
| escape velocity | 40,000 km/h | 10 |
| rocket | 50,000 km/h | 10 |
| solar winds | 483,000 km/h | 12 |
| interplanetary speeds | 4,700,000 km/h | 14 |
| light | 1,079,252,848 km/h | 19 |