VOLCANO GUIDELINES FOR M&M3E
Volcanoes are one of the most dangerous things that exist in the world. The eruption of a volcano changes the word and the environment around it. The origin of the world comes from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which was the first historically-recorded volcanic eruption in August 24, 79 AD, resulting in the destruction of the city-state of Pompeii. The survivors claimed that the god Vulcan was angered, resulting in the “volcano”.
EARTHQUAKES
Often the first sign of an impending volcanic eruption is local earthquake activity. The tremors start small several weeks or even month before an impending eruption, increasing in intensity before the final eruption occurs.
Earthquakes are measured by magnitudes. The majority of quakes are so small, they are barely felt. Those that are felt, are usually of magnitude 2.5 to 4 and result in very minor damage (objects may fall off shelves or be knocked over). At magnitude 5, the quake can start causing damage to buildings and structures. At magnitude 6, the quakes causes lot of damage to populated areas. Magnitude 7 earthquakes are major events resulting in serious damage. Magnitude 8 and greater earthquakes can totally destroy communities near the epicenter. Magnitude 9 earthquakes result in the near-total destruction of the immediate region and collapse of buildings. Damage at this level permanently alters surrounding ground topography. The scale has no upper limit.
Earthquake: Burst Area XX Affliction YY (Dazed and Vulnerable, Stunned and Prone); Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Fortitude; Extra Condition, Limited to targets along the ground, Limited to Two Degrees, Secondary Effect
XX (ranks of Area) = double rank (magnitude) of Affliction (earthquake)
YY (ranks of Affliction) = magnitude of earthquake
For the rank of the Earthquake, I would recommend the Magnitude of the quake itself. Thus, a Magnitude 6 Earthquake would be Rank 6 Affliction.
The Area Rank of the earthquake is equal to 2x the Magnitude of the earthquake/Affliction. So, a rank 6 (Earthquake) Affliction will have 12 ranks of Area (8 miles) from the epicenter (the volcano).
A GM can rule that after this initial area, the intensity (rank) of the Affliction falls off by -1 rank per additional area rank progressively. So, in rank 13 area (between 9-16 miles from epicenter), the Affliction is reduced to rank 5. Then in rank 14 area (between 17-30 miles from epicenter), the Affliction is reduced to rank 4, and so on, until the Affliction rank is reduced to 0 (after 120 miles from epicenter)
Earthquake Devastation: Burst Area XX Damage YY (Affects Objects, Limited to buildings and structures along the ground)
Earthquake devastation only happens in quakes of magnitude 5 or greater. The rank of the Damage should equal the magnitude of the earthquake. The rank of the Area should be the same as the initial Earthquake Affliction (above).
Intense enough earthquakes can result in a number of other natural hazards, including avalanches (debris slides which can include mud, rock, or even ice and snow, depending on the region), or worse disasters such as tsunamis!
TEPHRA (Volcanic Ash fall)
During an eruption, ash falls on the surrounding area, coating the region surrounding the volcano in thick soot. This makes travel difficult, as it obscures roads and surrounding terrain. Thick ash can also impede air travel and clog the intakes of vehicles in the local area, preventing help or aid to come to the area and also preventing escape.
Tephra: Environment XX (Impede Movement [-2 ranks], Visibility [-5 to all Perception checks]); Movement Limited to motorized vehicles
XX = rank equals Area rank of Earthquake Affliction (see above).
Average tephra cover can go from rank 16 (120 miles) to as far as rank 19 (1,000 miles)
Ballistic Projectiles
Part of the Tephra can be made up on pyroclastic material, which is fragments of semi-solid magma and ash that are flung from an erupting volcano across the countryside. These projectile strike the ground with the strength of explosive bombs!
Ballistic Pyroclastic Projectiles: Ranged Burst Area Damage 12
LAVA AND MAGMA
Molten rock can be very fluid, like syrup. Its temperature ranges from 1300 to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Contact with lava or magma deals rank 5 (heat/fire) Damage. Immersion in lava results in rank 11 Corrosion (Weaken Toughness + Damage) per round of exposure as the molten rock melts the creature or object immersed within.
Cinematic Lava vs. Realism
In most shows and movies, people walk and stand near lava flows without any detriment. They can do action in volcanic caves without having to worry about heat exposure, smoke, or other toxic volcanic gases and fumes.
In reality, just being near lava or magma is seriously dangerous. It HOT! Even if one is to dial the heat of exposed lava down, I would still declare that an Environment effect radiates from any lava flow. This would be equal to Extreme Heat Environment with 1 rank (30 feet) and Intense Heat with 2 ranks (60 feet) radiating from any lava source. Being in a cave filled with lava or magma is instantly Extreme Heat Environment exposure.
Poor Miss Martian has heat intolerance! (Hero Point! Cha-ching!)
LAHARS
This is a debris flow that is a mix of water (potentially even snow and ice, if a volcano is in a frozen region) and volcanic particles. It has the consistency of wet concrete. This flows from the volcanic action and moves down slope as slow as 2 mph (Speed rank 0) to as fast as 90 mph (Speed rank 5) on steep slopes. This flow can travel as far as 190 miles (distance rank 15) from the volcanic activity.
Being trapped in a lahar has the worst combined effects of a flood and quicksand (see page 175 of the Mutants & Masterminds Gamemaster's Guide).
PYROCLASTIC FLOW
This is the thing about volcanic eruptions that annoys me the most about eruptions depicted on television and films. We've all seen it. The volcano erupts! Smoke and ash everywhere flying into the sky! Suddenly, tumbling down the mountainside like an avalanche is a massive torrent of black ash! Everyone starts running for their lives, and then the black cloud overcomes them. Then, inside the black ash cloud, we see people continuing to run, unsure of where they are going, but still running for their lives. (This happened in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom)
No... just no...
As the name of this thing implies, if this cloud hits you... you're dead! The kinetic energy of the flow has been known to topple buildings, flatten trees, and incinerate living beings instantaneously, turning them into carbonized fossils.
It is hundreds of pounds of pressurized ash, solid lava pieces, and hot gases hitting at a minimum rate of 50 mph (Speed rank 5) to upwards of 250 mph (Speed rank 7). Thankfully most pyroclastic flows don't travel more than 9-10 miles (distance rank 11) from the volcanic crater. Being struck by the Pyroclastic flow should be treated like a Slam attack to all creatures, objects, and structures in its path (Damage equals Speed rank +1).
The interior of the pyroclastic flow is not just soot and ash. It is super heated steam, gases, and rock, reaching temperatures averaging 1000 degrees Fahrenheit (heat Damage rank 5 each round while inside the flow). Additionally, attempting to breathe in the super heated gases result in immediate suffocation (see page 186 of the Mutants & Masterminds Hero's Handbook).
Obviously, vision within a pyroclastic flow is impeded as though with the Visual Concealment power.
TOXIC GASES
Gases can be emitted by an active volcano before, during, and after an eruption. These gases vary in nature, based on the pockets of natural gas in the area. But many common and dangerous gases include carbon dioxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulphide, and sulphur dioxide. For the most dangerous and deadly of gases, use the following build:
Toxic Gases: Cloud Area Affliction XX (Impaired, Disabled, Incapacitated); Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Cumulative, Secondary Effect
Linked Cloud Area Damage XX (Alternate Resistance: Fortitude)
The rank of the toxic gases depends on the concentration of said toxin. My recommendation would be to start at a minimum of rank 6 for a low-intensity toxin and upwards of rank 11 for a high-intensity toxin.
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