Stability

Stability may be considered the equivalent of “mental damage.” Events that would test the character's courage, sanity, or similar use Discipline to offset the consequences. Stability Levels degrade in the same manner as Wound Levels.

1) Startled: No effect. Lasts about 1 minute.
2) Scared: -1 when taking any action that is not defensive.
3) Shaken: -1 when taking any action that is not defensive. All Discipline rolls are at -1. You acquire a Minor Insanity.
4) Disturbed: -1 when taking any action that is not defensive. All Discipline rolls are at -2. You acquire a Minor Insanity.
5) Delusional: -1 when taking any action that is not defensive. All Discipline rolls are at -2. You acquire a Major Insanity.
6) Gibbering: Discipline rolls are at -2. Only defensive actions possible. You acquire a Major Insanity.
7) Shattered: Crippling insanity. The character is unplayable – permanently unless healed through extraordinary means.

Minor Insanities may include non-disabling phobias, obsessions/compulsions, and other quirks which do not alter your basic personality. A Minor Insanity can be cured by a psychologist, though this takes time.

Minor Insanities are typically acquired at Difficulty 2. When another Minor Insanity is gained, the Difficulty of an existing Minor Insanity may be increased by 2 instead of assigning a new Minor Insanity to the character, if the GM deems this to be appropriate.

Major Insanities cause much more serious problems. They do alter your basic personality, and (barring extraordinarily potent supernatural healing) cannot be cured, only managed.

Examples of Major Insanities include paranoia, dementia, major depression, schizophrenia, severe anxiety/panic disorder, severe post-traumatic stress, bipolar disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, thought disorder, delirium tremens, anorexia, bulimia, severe insomnia, delusions of grandeur, megalomania, dissociative identity disorder, amnesia, autism, psychopathy, narcissism, and sadism.

Crippling insanity (i.e. Shattered) results in the loss of your character unless extraordinarily potent supernatural healing is available. Shattered characters often take actions which result in death (such as charging into gunfire or leaping off a cliff), and are sometimes used as a distraction by other Contractors; thus, many don't survive to see an insane asylum.

Situations which threaten your sanity may reduce your Stability, or, if it seems more appropriate to the circumstances, the GM may call for a Discipline check to avoid acquiring a Minor Insanity.

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