Horror: Stress and Derangement
Stress and Derangement
In some horror, especially horror dealing with Things Man Was Not Meant To Know, certain frights can blast the sanity from those who behold (or discover) them. The Thing simply cannot exist – the mortal mind cannot perceive it and remain sane. Without going the full Lovecraft, a horror campaign might still posit a difference between simple terror and adrenaline shock, and madness-inducing visions and experiences. One way to draw this distinction is to separate Fright Checks into two categories: ordinary Fright Checks, which cause Stress, and Sanity-Blasting Fright Checks, which cause Derangement.
In this model, failing an ordinary Fright Check causes the effects on the Fright Check Table and adds -1 to Stress – or -3 on a critical failure. Sanity-Blasting Fright Checks work similarly, but worsen Derangement instead of Stress. The victim has a cumulative penalty to all Fright Checks equal to current (Stress + Derangement)/2, rounded against him. Unforgiving cosmic horror games with truly sanity-blasting stimuli may halve only the Stress penalty!
While Stress and Derangement are averaged for Fright Checks, record them separately – they work differently in other respects.
Stress
Stress represents temporary jitters caused by being startled. It's shed at the rate of -1 per 10 minutes spent in mental relaxation, defined as any situation in which +4 or better for "routine tasks" (p. B345) would apply, from target shooting to a Sunday drive. Much as a meal while resting restores one extra FP, the GM may rule that certain indulgences (brandy, massage, sex, etc.) erase an extra point of Stress.
The GM is welcome to apply Stress penalties not only to Fright Checks, but also to self-control rolls (thus, Stress can make Bad Temper flare or turn a drink into a binge), to skill rolls that demand a steady hand (e.g., Explosives and Surgery), and even to HT rolls for sexual performance, resisting minor ailments, etc. Individuals with Fearlessness can apply its bonus to negate this penalty, but Fearlessness can only give a net bonus on a genuine Fright Check.
Stress Limit: A character's Stress limit is -Will (e.g., -11 for Will 11). After that, convert further Stress gains directly into Derangement.
Derangement
Derangement represents lasting mental harm resulting from Sanity-Blasting Fright Checks, excessive Stress, or (depending on the campaign) bad drugs, sentient brain parasites, malevolent magic, and evil experiments. At the end of any day that brings no new Stress or Derangement, someone with Derangement may roll against Will, with success meaning he sheds -1 in Derangement penalties. The care of a proper therapist with Psychology (Clinical) or Physician (Psychiatric) at 12+ gives +1 to this roll – and the therapist can roll against his skill once a day to erase another -1 in Derangement.
The GM may apply Derangement as a penalty to Influence rolls as well as to Fright Checks. It's easy enough to pass as sane when just sitting around (explaining why there's no reaction penalty), but a loose grip on reality is harder to hide when actively trying to manipulate others. Derangement also penalizes any roll required to establish sanity; e.g., before a judge or when interviewing to leave the madhouse. Fearlessness never offsets Derangement!
Derangement Limit: A character’s Derangement limit is also -Will. After that, convert further Derangement into permanent mental disadvantage points!
The Downward Spiral
Thus, each failed Fright Check means failing more Fright Checks, more often. As this goes on, you grow shaky and skittish. Then you become withdrawn and freaky. And then you pick up long-term mental problems. You can get rid of the shakes easily enough, but craziness takes work, and lasting craziness requires points. The GM decides whether a particular treatment for insanity can relieve Stress and/or Derangement. Therapy might be medical, magical, or something else. Any cure capable of erasing -1 point of full-on mental disadvantages can remove -2 in Derangement or all accumulated Stress.