MAF: Threat Guide
This guide is intended to help soldiers and agents on the field decide how to react appropriately to various threats.
This guide uses a linear threat scale from 1-100. On the low end are completely harmless things. For example, a plush bunny toy. On the high end, there are things which are increasingly dangerous, with 100 being "This will definitely kill us all." Threats beyond the scale are represented by code EXCESSION and require a specialized response.
This list is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all threats soldiers might face on the field, but rather as a guide for some rarer or more dangerous ones they may face.
Antimatter(25+ depending on quantity): This substance is like normal matter but has opposite charge and handedness of spin. Upon contacting normal matter, both materials annihilate, releasing huge volumes of energy. Any amount above .1 micrograms calls for a bomb disposal squad. Any amount above 20 milligrams calls for evacuation of the immediate area and disposal squads. Any amount above 300 milligrams calls for teleportation to a remote area and detonation. Any amount above 10 grams calls for code EXCESSION.
Basilisk (20-30): Large reptilian creature with a petrifying gaze attack. Might come in the form of a lizard with many arms or a snake. Gaze protection equipment required, might possess significant resistance to physical trauma.
Basilisk Hacks (50): Auditory or Visual signals which can afflict a being's mind and subvert them to another's will, or simply incapacitate them. Mostly a danger against humans, some systems can be used to interrupt the changes around them.
Beholder (40): A magical creature, resembling a floating head with a single large eye, and tendrils with other eyes atop them. They possess significant offensive magical capabilities, but only at relatively short range. Drawing them out and attacking them with firearms is the preferred means of dealing with them.
Deity (EXCESSION): A higher being capable of altering reality and magic.
Demon: (8-32): Loosely, a family of magical humanoids serving what are generally classified as “evil” causes. They often possess magic, though lesser demons might not.
Doppelganger (15): A humanoid capable of rapidly shapeshifting to almost flawlessly resemble another humanoid. Though they make excellent spies, most lack psionic abilities, so code words and practiced call-response prompts usually are sufficient to flush any out.
Dragon (20-50): Loosely, a family of magical, intelligent reptiles. Most are physically superior to a human, and possess a breath weapon and possibly other magical abilities. Most also are only mortal.
Exsurgent Virus (97): This is a hyper-virulent weapon created by Post-singularity artificial super-intelligences. It can take a number of forms, including a biological virus, a digital virus, self-replicating nanomachines, or even a purely mental hack (Transmitted by basilisk hacks). The spread of it led to the fall of an advanced world of humans. If it spreads on infinitas, it will be very bad. An infected individual must be quarantined immediately and possibly destroyed. If mutagenic effects have already started to manifest, destroy the individual immediately. Max quarantine methods are viable at this time for early infections, but if the virus learns how to utilize magic, code EXCESSION must be invoked.
Genie (20): A magical being which claims to grant wishes. Most often limited in scope, but some may be capable of granting with very few restrictions. They are generally bound to a vessel such as a lamp, and thus easy to contain. Do not, under any circumstances, ask for a wish from such a being. The risks of such an action often go beyond what one might be able to comprehend. Return any vessels to the MAF for proper disposal.
Giant (10): A large humanoid being, typically possessed of massive strength but below average intellect. Firearms and magic typically are sufficient to eliminate any. Even skilled melee combatants have proven capable of taking these down.
Goblin (6): The smallest of the goblinoids. They are smaller and weaker than an average human, and noticeably less intelligent. However they possess significant destructive instincts (Particularly pyromaniac tendencies) and can be dangerous to travellers if they form in a large group in command of some other creature.
Gorgon (25): A creature with snakes for hair and a serpentine lower body, it's gaze causes immediate petrification of most biological subjects. Reflections, projections, and camera views do not carry the effect. Gaze protection equipment is required for those without cybernetic eyes. Possesses no particular defenses otherwise.
Griffon (8 or 13): Coming in animalistic or intelligent varieties, griffons resemble creatures with an eagle for the front half, and a lion for the back half. They are capable of flight and possess dangerous natural weapons in the form of claws and beaks. However, given they lack any ranged attacks, spears are often adequate to fend them off. Intelligent varieties offer mostly the same threats, but with tool use and organization.
Hobgoblin (11): A baseline goblinoid of average intelligence. Slightly stronger than a human, though lack ability to coordinate larger numbers, making them incidental threats.
Human (10): A baseline, athletically fit human of average intelligence with no special weapons. Provided as reference.
Hydra (30-50 depending on size): A large magical creature, generally reptilian, which possesses multiple heads. Slicing off 1 head causes multiple new heads to grow, increasing the threat level of the hydra. Total destruction or attacking the body are generally accepted strategies.
Kaiju (70+):
M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank (55): An armored vehicle designed for fighting other armored vehicles. Possesses depleted uranium armor and a large cannon, effectively immune to small-arms fire. Provided as reference.
Naggaroth (Neutral): The god-eater. Believed to have been drawn here by the creators of Infinitas during a multi-dimensional “War in Heaven,” it destroys any beings of sufficiently high raw power. The only defense is to not draw its attention. Update: No longer considered a threat after the world transfer.
Plagues (Variable):
Post-singularity Artificial Super-Intelligence [ASI] (EXCESSION): Any number of hyper-intelligent beings exist. If we encounter one which is not friendly, the best course of action is to destroy it before it can establish itself.
Self Replicating Nanoswarm (60-70): A swarm of nano-scaled machines able to gather resources to make more of themselves. Must be dealt with quickly. High temperatures (Fire) usually is sufficient to destroy them, but destruction must get them below the critical level required for them to form an intelligence and reproduce. Call in containment teams after initial purge. Faster reproduction calls for higher ratings.
Shadowspawn
Darkhounds (24): A type of shadowspawn, resembling a large wolf. Saliva is highly poisonous, a single drop on the skin can kill. They also leave footprints in solid stone. No special defenses otherwise.
Draghkar (15): A type of shadowspawn, resembling a human with a large set of wings. Not very sturdy, but produces a ‘song' which can lure out some humans, where they can be drained of life. Most nonhumans are not affected.
Gholam (30): A type of shadowspawn which is another form of specialized assassin. It is immune to direct magical attacks, however secondary effects (Such as hurling rocks or fire) can injure it temporarily. Normal wounds do not slow it down much, it recovers from damage quickly. It also lacks a skeleton, allowing it to slip into small cracks or move unpredictably. Lacks any specialized form of attack, but favors using poisoned or magical weapons. Known methods of destroying them include separating sufficient mass. For example, if all of its limbs are torn off, it cannot quickly regrow them. Anti-magic charms also are known to damage it.
Grey Man (20): a kind of soulless assassin with a highly effective perception filter over it. The filter is only effective on biological minds, but causes them to completely fail to notice the assassin. Fortunately it lacks any other superhuman capabilities, so if one is detected, stabbing, shooting, bludgeoning, or any other form of harm effective against a human is sufficient to kill.
Myrddraal (24): (Also known as Fades, Halfmen, or Neverborn) A type of shadowspawn which can serve as a commander or infiltrator for other shadowspawn. Their main distinction is a lack of eyes, though they are not blind. Their ‘gaze' is known to strike paralyzing fear into biological beings. Another distinguishing factor is their ability to walk between shadows, and their long cloaks which are not stirred by the wind. They are difficult, but possible to kill with conventional means. Body parts usually will not ‘die' until the next sunrise. Some wield black blades. The metal of this is poisonous and has a fatality rate of 80% among human men if untreated. Their blood is also mildly corrosive, but not enough to be an immediate threat. Simply clean any off before it damages metal or flesh.
Trolloc (15): A large type of humanoid which is a blend of a man and any of a variety of animals (Not to be confused with anthropomorphics, the fusion is much more patchwork). They are not very smart and likely to break any formations. Mainly only a danger when “linked” to a Myrddraal, which boosts their fighting capabilities. However, any trollocs linked to a Myrddraal when it is killed die instantly.
Troll (12): Similar in many ways to a giant, but also have significant regenerative capabilities. Fire damage generally is capable of suppressing this.
Weeping Angel (28): A species of creatures which turn to stone when someone is looking at them. Can move incredibly fast, jumping multiple meters in the space of an eye blink. Use at least 3 people to contain, and warn each other when one is blinking. Covers face when not moving so it doesn't accidentally look at other weeping angels. If 2 weeping angels can be tricked or altered to look at each other, they effectively are locked in place.
Xenomorph (Normal form 25, Queen 38): A species of aliens which reproduce by laying eggs which spawn “Facehuggers” that latch onto people's bodies, taking over the host and forcing their bodies to produce a small xenoform which bears some resemblance to the host (in terms of intelligence and body stance). Normal forms have highly acidic blood and bullet-resistant carapaces, but high caliber bullets, incendiary attacks, and sufficient force can kill them easily enough. Queens are larger but not generally mobile, they will produce face-hugger eggs and can detach from their egg producer as a larger xenomorph form.
Zerg (65 or 80): A species of rapidly reproducing and mutating bioforms. Also includes mutagenic virus that affects humans. Individuals range from small “zerglings” to massive creatures such as “Ultralisks.” Without enough mass to form a cerebrate or overmind, they are highly disorganized and animalistic, and can be controlled with psionics.
Zombie (5): A reanimated corpse, lacking in higher thought processes. Whether slow or running, they are trivial threats in small numbers. Even in large numbers they can be easily handled.