Hazard Level

## Categorize the Apocalypse

The Hazard Level system was devised by TISA scholars in the late 2030's in response to the predicted results of an apocalyptic scenario. The system seeks to categorize the elements of an area's apocalyptic situation in a manner which is easily understood by even those who may not be able to read; as such, each Hazard Type has been assigned a unique symbol to accompany its name and description. The system was proposed in 2037 CE and accepted a few months later; when the world ended in 2038 CE, TISA updated the system to account for Hazard Types which were not predicted by the original system.

### Hazard Levels:

A region's Hazard Level is calculated by taking the number of Hazard Types present in that region and dividing that number by 2; the Levels are named according to the frequency with which a resident or traveler is expected to encounter these hazards.

0: Safe: The area has no commonly identified Hazard Types and is perfectly safe for habitation.

1: Minimal: The area has 1-2 identified Hazard Types but is still safe for habitation.

2: Rare: The area has 2-4 identified Hazard Types and is relatively safe for habitation, although residents/travelers are encouraged to research the Hazard Types present in the area in order to prevent accidents.

3: Moderate: The area has 5-6 identified Hazard Types and, while capable of sustaining long-term habitation, is dangerous, unstable, and/or still suffering the after-effects of the Apocalypse; most of humanity's previous settlements fit within this category.

4: Extreme: The area has 7-8 identified Hazard Types and is extremely hazardous for long-term habitation; TISA does not recommend long-term habitation in these areas due to the likelihood of injury, infection, mutation, or death.

5: Inhospitable: The area has 9-10 identified Hazard Types; TISA recommends that all residents evacuate the area and that all travelers avoid the area for their own safety, as the region is likely too unstable and/or dangerous to sustain even short-term human life.

6+: Alien Landscape: The area has 11+ identified Hazard Types and is no longer recognizable as being from Earth, either due to the ever-changing nature of the area's potential hazards or the alterations to the landscape which have occurred as a result of incursion, Anomalies, or infection.

### Hazard Types:

1. Extreme Weather/Storms: The area's climate is extreme, bordering on inhospitable; the area's weather is similarly exaggerated, with frequent hurricanes, droughts, blizzards, etc. that make the area unstable.
2. Extreme Seasonal Changes: The area's climate features unusually extreme seasonal changes; summer will be desert-like with heat while the winter approaches an Ice Age, or a dry season will be a nonstop drought until the wet season causes so much rain that the area floods.
3. Acid Rain: Local precipitation is acidic (or alkaline) in nature, due to atmospheric Anomalies, pollution, nuclear fallout, etc.; the rain will vary in acidity, from being harmless to being capable of melting through metal or skin/bone with ease.
4. Tidal Waves: Coastal areas may suffer from unusually powerful tides and storms which churn the waves into building-sized torrents of seawater; this water will cause flooding, structural damage, pollution of drinking water, and may be strong enough to drown or outright bludgeon a human to death.
5. Flash Floods: The area is prone to sudden, unannounced floods for reasons likely related to local weather patterns or the presence of a river or lake; floods will be extremely fast and give little time for preparation or evacuation.
6. Lightning Storms: The area is prone to experience extreme and prolonged electrical activity, which will cause structural damage, destroy or fry electrical equipment, and injure or kill unprotected residents.
7. Extreme Seismic Activity: The area suffers extreme earthquakes that rank high on the Richter Scale, damaging buildings, slowing movement, and disrupting work; the earthquakes are also very common and can last for hours at a time, increasing the likelihood of injury or building collapse.
8. Fissures: The area's tectonic activity is so extreme that cracks will open up in the ground and swallow people, vehicles, or even buildings whole; some of these fissures will be simple sinkholes a few meters deep, while others will reveal thermal vents, aquifers, or pits of lava that will burn, drown, or incinerate unfortunate individuals caught in their opening. These fissures are relatively common and cause significant alterations to the landscape, creating uneven shards of ground and plateaus that shift and move on a daily basis.
9. Extreme Volcanic Activity: The area is prone to experiencing frequent and powerful volcanic activity, sourced either from a local volcano or from unseen pockets of compressed earth underground; lava flows and extreme heat pose a significant threat to local residents, while ash clouds can stretch for hundreds of miles and dramatically lower the temperature for considerable periods of time, inducing a Volcanic Winter.
10. Radiation: The area suffered a radioactive leak or direct hit from a nuclear weapon, spreading dangerous radiation around the area which can cause a variety of ailments and even mutations or death in those who remain in the area for too long; the entire area is unlikely to be uniformly radioactive, however, and it is likely that only certain areas were particularly affected.
11. Pollution: The area suffered a pollution leak, oil spill, chemical contamination, or other circumstance which has poisoned the water, ground, and/or air, which can cause a variety of ailments, mutations, and death. This Hazard Type discourages long-term habitation without the appropriate equipment or medication to clean the area or negate the effects of the pollution; furthermore, a secondary threat posed by the presence of [REDACTED] will further discourage habitation.
12. Limited Habitable/Arable Land: Alterations to the landscape, created through any number of means, has reduced the habitable/arable land to a minimum; this Type can also be naturally occurring in the case of deserts or areas of similarly dangerous climates. The threat posed here prevents long-term habitation or large scale settlement.
13. Dangerous Flora/Fauna: Local flora/fauna pose a significant threat to human beings and should be hunted or avoided at all costs; these creatures can be mundane, mutated, anomalous, or Magical in nature.
14. Dangerous Inhabitants: Local humans and/or Mutants and/or extradimensional entities live in/around the area and are immediately hostile to outsiders; bandit gangs, cannibal cults, and [REDACTED] all serve to fuel this category, and any one of those aforementioned examples may prove strong enough to warrant a Hazard Type. This Hazard Type is only assigned if the presence of violent sentient creatures is so pronounced that the region is actively avoided by outsiders for fear of their lives.
15. Insufficient Supplies: The area is incapable of providing enough scavenged supplies or materials to support long-term or large scale settlement; in this case, most individuals will be nomadic or simple travelers, but some areas with this Hazard Type will instead rely on outside trade or resources in order to remain active. Scavenging will be a more dangerous occupation than normal due to the difficulty or risk associated with finding adequate supplies.
16. Widespread Infection: The area is affected by the Senilis Verminosa virus to such a degree that hordes of infected wander the streets or have taken root deep in local cave systems, buildings, vehicles, or ruins; infected will number in the tens or hundreds of thousands, and will be accompanied by more advanced forms of infected creatures. The infected will likely have Hives and similar locations of particularly potent density which will need to be contained or destroyed in order to allow for long-term or large scale settlement.
17. [REDACTED]
18. Infected Landscape: The area is entirely overtaken by the Senilis Verminosa virus to such a degree that the landscape itself has been infected; no ordinary plants or animals live in the area as all biomass has been absorbed and integrated into the virus for recycling and reuse. These areas are to be avoided at all costs in order to prevent infection and/or death; infected are guaranteed to be incredibly strong and exist in advanced, powerful forms not seen elsewhere.