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Phobia<br />

Phobias are excessive and enduring fears of<br />

clearly defined objects or situations that interfere<br />

with a character’s normal functioning. Although a<br />

phobic character knows their fear is irrational, they<br />

still try to avoid the source of their fear. A comprehensive<br />

list of phobias is available as Appendix 4:<br />

Phobias in the end of this book. A phobia may be<br />

determined randomly from this list.<br />

Regardless of the specific phobia, physiological<br />

symptoms include a rapid and pounding<br />

heartbeat, stomach disorders, nausea, diarrhea, frequent<br />

urination, choking feelings, flushing of the<br />

face, perspiration, tremulousness, and faintness.<br />

Roughly 10% of characters have a phobia.<br />

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder<br />

This disorder typically occurs after characters<br />

experience or witness traumatic or catastrophic<br />

events such as physical or sexual assaults, rape, torture,<br />

natural disasters, accidents, and wars. Characters<br />

with this disorder relive the traumatic event<br />

through recurrent dreams or intrusive memories<br />

called flashbacks. They avoid places or things associated<br />

with the trauma and may feel emotionally<br />

detached or estranged from others. Other symptoms<br />

include difficulty sleeping, irritability, and<br />

trouble concentrating. The disorder can last for years<br />

and severely disrupt the life of a character. Those<br />

affected experience a loss of 1d20 points in Sanguine<br />

Temperament.<br />

Psychosis<br />

Psychotic characters lose contact with reality<br />

and have difficulty in everyday life. Unlike characters<br />

with less severe mental illnesses, psychotic<br />

characters do not recognize that their mental functioning<br />

is disturbed. 3 kinds of psychotic symptoms<br />

occur: hallucinations, delusions, and bizarre behavior.<br />

Hallucinations refer to hearing, seeing, smelling,<br />

feeling, or tasting something when nothing in<br />

the environment actually caused the sensation. Delusions<br />

are false beliefs that are obviously untrue to<br />

others in the culture of that character. Finally, bizarre<br />

behavior is behavior that is incomprehensible<br />

to others who know the character. Psychedelic<br />

mushrooms can cause psychosis, and brain tumors<br />

may lead to psychotic symptoms. Some psychotic<br />

characters (10%) are unable to develop new memories.<br />

Pyromania<br />

This is a mental illness in which fires are repeatedly<br />

and deliberately set, without anger and not<br />

for monetary gain or other benefit, because the character<br />

cannot resist the impulse to set fires. The character<br />

experiences tension before setting the fire and<br />

pleasure, relief, or erotic gratification after setting<br />

the fire. Legally, pyromaniacs are considered arsonists.<br />

Raptophilia<br />

Over a period of (5 + 1d100) months, the<br />

character experiences recurrent and intense sexually<br />

arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving<br />

the act of raping. This causes significant<br />

distress or impairment in social, occupational, or<br />

other important areas of functioning. This is also<br />

called biastophilia.<br />

Due to this mental illness, the Debauchery<br />

(see Chap. 6: Sociality) of this character increases by<br />

50. Whenever a character with raptophilia is near a<br />

character who is attractive to them (usually, with a<br />

Charisma of at least 130), they must pass a Drive<br />

check at TH 17 or attempt to isolate and rape the<br />

attractive character. For rules on rape, see the section<br />

on overbearing in the Wrestling skill (see Chap.<br />

8: Skills) and the Intimidation skill.<br />

Chapter 5: Mind<br />

141

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