Derangements

Character Creation

Mechanics

Derangements, also known as "madnesses," "insanities," or "mental illnesses," are the subconscious's attempt to cope with situations and events that are otherwise unfathomable. A derangement alters the way a character's psyche perceives the world, sometimes causing the character to react in otherwise irrational ways. Throughout history, the insane have been treated differently by different cultures. At times, madmen have been revered as touched by divinity. In others, they were locked away from society, possibly to prevent them from infecting others with their disease.

It is possible to use supernatural power, particularly the Dementation discipline, to cause madness. Most such derangements are short-lived, but powerful users of Dementation may be able to damage their victim's psyche for extended durations.

While it is best to allow players to roleplay their characters' derangements, a Storyteller may enforce them by altering a character's perceptions, or require that willpower be spent to act "sanely" (see below).

Resisting Derangements: Any time a derangement threatens to force a course of action that the character would prefer to avoid, he or she may spend a point of temporary willpower. Though the character remains aware of the altered perceptions enforced by the derangement, he or she may behave "sanely," and ignore the potententially destructive (or perhaps preservative) impulses for the remainder of the scene.

Overcoming Derangements: A few derangements last a "short" time - anywhere from minutes to months. These usually fade before more difficult processes can take effect.

"Permanent" derangements last indefinitely: In order to shake a derangement, a character must spend temporary willpower to ignore that derangement in as many stories as he or she had willpower when the derangement manifested. Once the required number of willpower has been spent, the character has overcome the derangement, and it no longer has any affect on his or her behavior and perceptions.

It is possible to speed this process with the help of a gifted therapist. Therapy normally requires complete honesty, so that the therapist can help the afflicted character sort through his life-defining experiences and how the psychic damage relates to them. This level of honesty usually deters vampires and other characters for whom trust comes dearly, leaving them to sort out their issues on their own.

Alternately, some drugs (legal and illegal) can mask the symptoms of madness, allowing the character to act in a near-normal manner. However, at least up to the mid 21st century, this is a process of diminishing returns: No progress may be made toward overcoming a derangement while the character is affected by the drug. Also, while the symptoms are suppressed, they are not completely gone: greater provocations can cause massively irrational behavior at the storyteller's discretion.

Some derangements cannot be overcome. Malkavians and Vizier caste Assamites cannot ever loose their final derangement. Malkavians who manage to shed their last derangement find that either the derangement manifests anew, or a new madness takes its place. Assamite Viziers simply remain obsessed with their greatest skill or knowledge, no matter how much willpower they spend to ignore the obsession. Additionally, characters who wish to learn or use Dementation must have at least one derangement.