Tainted Atmo

[parmasson]

Supposing a world has a tainted but otherwise yummy atmo. Do your locals “adapt” the environment either naturally or with scientific help? I am not talking bout growing gills or anything radical like that but the ability to walk around without a filter mask on your home planet would be quite valuable. What I am suggesting is that large population worlds with a tainted atmo might be breathable for the locals, just visitors would want filter masks.

 

[jfetters]

Yep - I think it depends on the nature of the taint.

For example, if it is biological or bacterial, maybe a resistance could be developed over time, especially if it is a "native" human race or definitely if it is a native lifeform.

If the taint is something more unusual (say, tiny metal filings or something - I dunno), that may not be adaptable.

I want to say that there are a couple examples of this in the OTU.

 

[Pwyll]

or seasonal
how an intoxicating, euphoriant pollen? locals might build up tolerance.

 

[Renard Ruche]

or...
the atmospheric taint has no direct effect (affect?) on humans, unless triggered by a mitigated factor (hmm...alcohol, cetain herbs/spices/foods, perfume) that allows the taint (I'm thinking a microbe here) to metabolise into the human system causing whatever is handy for the GM (coughing, intoxication, undectable heart-atack). Perhaps the locals build up a tolerance, or use it to have fun with visitors

 

[Laryssa]

You know in my setting, I have a planet called "New Jersey" and it has a tainted atmosphere that smells like "rotten eggs" all the time. I rolled that result up randomly, and I thought it very fitting, as I've been to New Jersey many time, heading to Newark Airport, and when the wind blows the wrong way, I swear that atmosphere must be tainted.

 

[Spinward Scout]

You know, they just had a problem at the nuclear plant one town over and that has me wondering about radioactive taint. If the magnetoshpere wasn't deflecting enough radiation, or the ozone layer was disrupted, could the results of those two scenarios cause the taint that's on so many worlds? I'm not sure if that can be adapted to. It would probably shorten the average lifespan, possibly causing mutations.

But that wouldn't be breathable, would it? Could it be like fallout from a nuclear bomb?

Dameon

 

[Chaos]

IMTU a Tainted atmosphere is not necessarily unbreathable... it is just something you do not WANT to breathe, i.e. it is very uncomfortable, and/or unhealthy on the long term. For those of you who´ve read the Honor Harrington novel, the planet Grayson is pretty much what I have in mind here.

That said, IMTU (T20) there is a Colonist character class that can choose as one of its bonus feats Atmospheric Adaptation, i.e. the possibility to breathe its domestic type of tainted atmosphere without discomfort or health risk.

@Sir Dameon:
If the fallout is Alpha particles, then it would act pretty much like a (OTU) tainted atmosphere. Alpha radiation is stopped by pretty much anything, including the human skin; it is dangerous only if you inhale contaminated dust, drink contaminated water, or eat something that has been exposed to either. It accumulates in the food chain, with us at the ultimate receiving end.

 

[Pickles]

Originally posted by Chaos:
That said, IMTU (T20) there is a Colonist character class that can choose as one of its bonus feats Atmospheric Adaptation, i.e. the possibility to breathe its domestic type of tainted atmosphere without discomfort or health risk.

I would be careful with that, unless the taint is biological. No mineral or chemical taint is likely to be something the human body could ever adapt to outside evolutionary timespans (i.e. tens of millions of years). Bio-engineering or genetic manipulation might be a way, I suppose.

 

[hydrozoa]

I have a planet called "New Jersey" and it has a tainted atmosphere that smells like "rotten eggs" all the time

That's our good old friend Hydrogen Sulfide! Which is certainly not a gas that you could adapt to (even more poisonous than hydrogen cyanide). I like names like "New Jersey" for actual planets in the TU, they may be mundane but are realistic.

I agree entirely that a human/vargr/etc could adapt to certain taints, but others (like H2S)would remain forever dangerous. For example, I use an adaptable taint for the garden world Forboldn (Regina/Spinward Marches). A local rye-like plant, which is very useful (for animal feed and processed food products), periodically releases heavy amounts of pollen into the atmosphere. This substance causes mild to severe allergic reactions in offworlders, but after a few years (of misery, especially during the three flowering periods) one begins to grow tolerant.
Mountainous regions, removed from the vast seas of grass on Forboldn, are generally free from the taint.

 

[archhealer]

C.S. Freidman (Sp?) I believe wrote a book called In Conquest Born, where there was a race of humans who genetically engineered themselves to be able to breath the toxic atmospheres of the planet they settled on.

 

[parmasson]

Minor GenMods introduced slowly could "adapt" the locals over a long period of time. Generations, not a one shot fix. Perhaps only the second generation could adapt to the atmo.

 

[Maladominus]

A tainted atmosphere does not mean that the entire planet is tainted. It might mean that only certain regions of the planet experience the taint.

There will be small pocket regions where the taint is not present (e.g. higher elevations, or lower elevations). These areas that are taint-free will be the places on the planet where you will see human settlements and cities.

 

[Plankowner]

Originally posted by Bromgrev:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Chaos:
That said, IMTU (T20) there is a Colonist character class that can choose as one of its bonus feats Atmospheric Adaptation, i.e. the possibility to breathe its domestic type of tainted atmosphere without discomfort or health risk.

I would be careful with that, unless the taint is biological. No mineral or chemical taint is likely to be something the human body could ever adapt to outside evolutionary timespans (i.e. tens of millions of years). Bio-engineering or genetic manipulation might be a way, I suppose. </font>[/QUOTE]Genetic manipulation, even on the small level allowed by the Imperium, might make these types of changes happen faster.

 

[Plankowner]

IMTU I used a UWP extension to help me define the type of taint:

N: Nuclear/Radioactive Taint (due to Radioactive materials, not usually radiation)
B: Biologicial Taint (typically alergines)
C: Chemical Taint (Ammonia Taint, CO2 Taint etc)
D: Dust Taint (high dust content, desert worlds)
V: Volcanic Taint (mix of C and D above, plus lots of volcanoes/lava around)
L: Oxygen Level Taint (either hi or lo)
T: Other Taint (the really exotic stuff)

I had 2d6 tables to roll on to give me some variety and randomness. Still trying to dig all that stuff out so I can post it here. Maybe some day...

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by Plankowner:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Bromgrev:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Chaos:
That said, IMTU (T20) there is a Colonist character class that can choose as one of its bonus feats Atmospheric Adaptation, i.e. the possibility to breathe its domestic type of tainted atmosphere without discomfort or health risk.

I would be careful with that, unless the taint is biological. No mineral or chemical taint is likely to be something the human body could ever adapt to outside evolutionary timespans (i.e. tens of millions of years). Bio-engineering or genetic manipulation might be a way, I suppose. </font>[/QUOTE]Genetic manipulation, even on the small level allowed by the Imperium, might make these types of changes happen faster. </font>[/QUOTE]======================================================================
Gentlemen, I do believe that has been done, already: I refer to the Jonkereen sub-species of geneered Humaniti in the Spinward marches/ Deneb sectors, (and probably elsewhere in the Imperium).

Not only are they geneered for desert dry worlds, but thir nictating membranes over eyes, and filters in nostrils allow them to deal with "most atmospheric taints(UWP 4, 7, 9) without a filter mask".

The Key word there is "most" of course, it goes without saying, as there are some taints in an atmosphere that are inimical to normal (as we know it today) long livliehood without such protective gear.

Reference materials: GDW's TNE Regency Sourcebook (RSB) as one source on these folks.

as ever was,

 

[aramis]

MTJ (there were four issues, I think they are in 1 or 2) presented Contact: Jonkereen

 

[Liam Devlin]

You are correct, as ever, Aramis! Thank you for the reminder (alas, I only have dead tree of MTJ-4, and the cover tis in sorry shape).

 

[parmasson]

Here is a little something.

A microorganism that naturally occurs in the air causes a pimply rash after 2d6 hours of exposure. Continuous exposure causes respiratory irritation and swelling of the mucous membranes. Any TL-10 anti-infection agent will repress the effects. After several years of exposure humans can develop a immunity.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

But, it gets in your air circulation system when you land. Giving everyone a bad case of hives and allergies after they go into jump.......

 

[Laryssa]

How about this, a tainted atmosphere tainted with tang. With every breath you take you taste oranges. Maybe atmospheres should come with different flavors of taint.