INSANITY
In Night City, Mental Illnesses occur with alarming frequency. The term
Insanity is used in this game in much more general way than the legal term.
It is used to mean any type of neuroses or psychosis the game characters may
suffer from (These terms are explained below). They can be mild (eg mild
phobia) or severe (eg schizophrenia) and do not imply that the character is a
complete lunatic. It should be mentioned that some of insanities listed below
are severe enough to mean that the character will no longer be useable as a
player character and will have to be turned over to the Referee as a NPC.
Childhood traumas, bereavement, drugs (both medicinal and otherwise) as well
as other forms of social dislocation such as eviction and the loss of jobs
and/or homes are all common place for the average cyberpunk character and are
all listed as possible contributory causes for mental instability, as well as
a myriad of other possible things. This combined with the dangerous paranoid
lifestyle of the future means that for many characters, its just a matter of
time. One of the most noticeable forms of going over the edge is
Cyberpyschosis, this is caused by the addition of too much cyberwear and the
resulting loss of humanity this causes. However this is by no means the only
form of insanity, and most of these can be brought on by continued exposure
to the insane world in which the characters live.
To simulate this, each player should keep track of his characters insanity
points (INPs). Each time something particulary unpleasant happens to the
player. The referee may add INPs to the characters total, according to what
the event was. The characters cool stat is tested against the severity of
the event in question.
The table below gives some examples events, strengths, and numbers of insanity
points gained, should the player fail the cool test. (To test, simply add 1d10
to the players cool and see if it beats the number given as the strength.)
EVENT INSANITY POINTS GAINED
Overdosing on drugs.(10) 1d6/3
Died and brought back.(20) 1d6
Near death experience.(15) 1d6/2
Severe injury.(15) 1d6/2
Best friend killed.(20) 1d6
Continued torture/pain.(15) 1d6/2 per day
Braindance(15) 1d6/2 - 1d6
This is by no means an exhaustive list, there plenty of other things that could
cause additional points and it is up to the referee how much the particular
situation is worth. However it should be noted that only really nasty
occurrences should result in insanity points, and repeated exposure should
cause less problems as the character becomes desensitised to the problem.
When Referees assign Insanity points it should be remembered that the
characters are prepared for most of the problems they encounter, (after all
they watch the news like anyone else). Also the characters individual
background should also be considered. A hardened solo whose a veteran of the
corporate wars will react better to being wounded badly than say a Media,
fresh out of college on his first assignment. This individual approach will
work both ways. Many characters will be more at risk to certain things than
others. Everybody is different.
Slowly most characters will acquire Insanity points. This running total is
used as a measure of the likelihood of the character getting some form mental
disorder, and will be tested against the characters cool. Every time a
characters receives more insanity points the player must make a roll to see
if he gains an insanity.
The formula for this is :
Total Insanity points
Vs
Cool + 1d10 + Relevant skill
The skill in question should be relevant to whatever event caused the roll.
Eg If the character gained INPs due to being tortured then Resist Torture
skill could be used (even if he failed skill roll while being tortured). It
should noted that a roll of 1 is NOT a fumble and is not an automatic failure.
A natural 10 is treated as a critical success as normal.
If the players total is higher that the total INPs then the player can breath
again, if however you rolled lower than your INPs, you have gained some form of
insanity, remember the difference between your roll and your INPs and check the
tables below which will give a rough idea of what has happened and the player
and the Referee should discuss exactly what kind of insanity the character has
gained. The final decision is the Referee's. It should be remotely relevant to
the cause of the phobia, but it doesn't have to directly relate to it. From
then on it is up to the player to role-play the situation properly.
To discover what has happened roll 1d10 and add the difference from above.
2 - 8 : Neuroses.
9 - 16 : Personality Disorder.
17 + : Psychoses.
INSANITY DESCRIPTIONS
A neurosis is habit which is either maladaptive in some respect and/or
distressing. It best thought of as a normal but exaggerated reaction to a
situation. A good example would be a phobia. The main driving force behind this
reaction is anxiety or fear, and subjects try to avoid the situation if
possible.
Patients are normally aware of the problem, but they can rarely be reasoned
away, and treatment is difficult. Roll 1d10 for type.
1 - 4 : Anxiety states (10)
5 - 7 : A Phobia (25)
8 - 9 : Obessesions and compulsions (20)
10 : Derealization (6)
A psychosis on the other hand is not part of the normal experience and is
invariably quite severe. The symptoms being those which indicate some gross
disorder of perception or thought. Patients usually don't realise they are ill
but this will normally be quite apparent to others. A psychoses, reinforced by
delusions, can become incredibly complex involving a wide range of phenomena
(imagined or misinterpreted). Once diagnosed correctly however, treatment is a
can be affective, see below. Roll 1d20 for type
1 - 3 : Delusions. (10)
4 - 6 : Hallucinations. (10)
7 - 9 : Hypermania. (8)
10 - 15 : Depression. (8)
16 - 18 : Manic-depression. (8)
19 - 20 : Schizophrenia. (10)
A personality disorders are illnesses that produce abnormal personalities
traits.
There is some overlap with the other two classifications but are separated here
for ease. The two main groups are the sexual deviants and the impulse control
disorders, but there are others. Since these are actually personality problems
treatment is normally ineffective. Roll 1d20 for type.
1 - 3 : Impulse Control Disorder. (16)
4 - 6 : Paraphilia. (16)
7 - 8 : Explosive Personality. (14)
9 - 10 : Anankactic Personality. (12)
11 - 13 : Histrionic Personality. (12)
14 - 15 : Asthenic Personality. (10)
16 - 18 : Psychopathic Personality. (16)
19 - 20 : Narcissistic Personality. (16)
NEUROSES
Anxiety States are the most common of all psychiatric disorders and are
characterized by persistent apprehension and fear sometimes mounting to panic
the source of which is indefinite. This fear can have unpleasant side-effects
such as faintness, tremors, choking or breathless and even butterflies in the
stomach!. The emotion of anxiety is felt whenever responses to a danger signal
appear to be fruitless. (Which in 2020 can happen all to often). Because it is
frustrated, the behaviour associated with anxiety tends to be disorganized and
can be destructive.
A Phobia is an unusually intense fear to an otherwise normal situation. The
fear cannot be controlled voluntarily or reasoned away and the subject
characteristically avoids the situation. The list of recognized objects of
phobia runs well into 3 figures (to many to list here), so phobias in
cyberpunk are classified into the following types.
(a) agoraphobic which literally means fear of open spaces is used
here to include the fear of crowded or congested public places
such lifts, supermarkets and public transport. Things such as
rooms with no easy exit, closed spaces and of heights could also
be included in this section. This is the most common form of
phobia.
(b) specific phobias are fears which are triggered by certain
specific stimuli. As mentioned above the list is long, but
typical examples include the dark, snakes, spiders, blood,
money, drugs etc etc. The phobias can be very specific.
(c) social phobias of meeting and being exposed to the scrutiny of
others. This goes beyond natural shyness often with feelings of
anxiety or even panic in social situations which can result in
relative social isolation. It can include almost any human
interaction.
Obsessions and Compulsions. Although obsessional traits (eg over-tidiness) are
quite common, actual obsessions are rare. They are the persistent intrusion of
unwanted thoughts or feelings despite the fact that the sufferer tries to resist
them. They are often repulsive, violent, sexual or just plain bizarre in nature
and will occupy a large amount of the sufferers time, although on quiet
reflection the patient will realise how silly they are. A compulsion is any
action that the sufferer is forced to do because of his obsession, failure to
do so may cause acute distress.
Anxiety is the main driving force and an example could be a fear of
contamination leading to constant washing. The possible list is vast and the
Referee should think of something suitable.
Derealization and Depersonalization are rare but normal experiences.
Respectively, characters have a sudden intense feeling that the world around
them is somehow unreal, like a movie set, or that they themselves unreal or even
out of their own body. This maybe due to a dissociative mechanism in a situation
which the character would otherwise find to stressful. In game terms this could
mean avoiding more insanity points connected with this situation, (it also means
no experience points and probably no shooting bad guys until it goes away, but
thems the breaks!).
PSYCHOSES
A Delusion is a fixed false belief held with unshakable conviction. It cannot be
reasoned away despite being against all evidence put against it. The main types
of delusions that commonly found are Delusions of :-
Grandeur: he believes that he has some exalted position or power. eg Believing
that you are the King of England or completely invisible etc.
Unworthiness: he believes that everything he does will fail. He is hopeless at
everything etc. He has failed as a person.
Hypochondria: he believes he has something medically wrong with him. Eg
Permanent flu, black death, is blind etc.
Nihilism: he believes that he is nothing or does not exist. Or that parts of
him are being destroyed by something.
Reference: he believes people on the street or on TV etc are all talking about
him.
Paranoia: he believes that others, human or not, are intent on doing him harm.
Persecution: he believes that there is some great conspiracy against him and
that hostile actions are being planned.
Control: he believes that someone, human or supernatural, is controlling or
interfering with his thoughts, actions or feelings.
Guilt: he believes he is guilty of some great wrong or all wrongs, when he
isn't.
This is not a complete list and many delusions combine two or more of the above,
for instance delusions of paranoia and reference often occur together as do
guilt and control. Referees are encouraged to be creative.
Hallucinations are the false perceptions of the senses without external
stimuli. It basically amounts to hearing and seeing things. It is usually a
symptom of some more serious problem such schizophrenia but has been known to
occur on its own. Hallucinations can effect all the senses and the effect on
cyberwear is at referees discretion although they are not caused by cybergear.
Hallucinations need not occur all the time, some (particulary visual ones) are
only triggered by certain events (ie when he gets drunk !!).
Auditory hallucinations are the most common and include the hearing of voices
(known or unknown), these may comment on the patients actions or several voices
may argue. They may be hostile, condemnatory or imperative in nature (or in rare
cases not unpleasant at all). Other auditory hallucinations include hearing ones
own thoughts out loud. Visual hallucinations could include all manner of
possibilities including the ever faithful pink elephants. Other possibilities
include the images of dead friends, demons, millions of creeping insects etc.
Olfactory hallucinations have been known. One of the most common is among
depressed patients who come to believe that they are giving off fowl odours
from their bowels causing people to avoid them. Tactile hallucinations are the
rarest and include the feeling of lice crawling all over the skin, or
(particulary among schizophrenics) that the feeling of being sexually assaulted.
Schizophrenia can vary dramatically, but do symptoms cover some common
ground. Auditory hallucinations and delusions of paranoia or control are nearly
always present. As the problem becomes more serious, the patients thought
processes become more and more erratic, at first just wandering off the point
while in conversation, but after a time speech becomes almost incomprehensible
and concentration on any subject seems impossible. The patient loses his drive
as well as his interest in and his ability to respond emotionally to other
people. He becomes increasingly more apathetic, eccentric and isolated.
Schizophrenia is not pleasant. In game terms the Referee is pretty much given a
free hand, delusions and hallucinations at first leading onto empathy loss and
any other penalties as he sees fit later on. If for some reason the player
does not seek treatment (see below), and the rest of the party don't take him.
Then the character will become an NPC as the character slips deeper into his
psychosis.
Hypo-Mania. True manias are the cases which involve delusions or hallucinations.
Hypo-mania consists of all the other symptoms, typically elevation of mood.
Patients are in a state of over-activity, often clever in repartee, they flit
from one subject to another, the mind never rests and sleeplessness is common.
In more serious cases social, sexual and financial disinhibition may be a
problem. There maybe incoherence of speech, intense restlessness and
distractibility leading to exhaustion with possible fatal results as the
patient is unaware of mental and physical fatigue.
Depression. Characterized by excessive misery in relation to the circumstances.
Life appears futile and hopeless. In mild cases, the depressive maybe able to
pull himself together in the presence of strangers or when he needs to.
Depression produces a marked reduction in self-confidence and self-regard. As
the depression worsens the previously blameless character becomes racked with
guilt and is convinced he has wronged himself, his family or has committed
some great sin. Delusions maybe present, whereby the patient believes he is
going to burned or maltreated in some way. Other delusion (eg nihilistic) may
also be present. Real bodily problems do occur, eg weight lose, constipation
and loss of sex-drive. Some patients physically slow down reduced to near
cationic states just staring into space and have to be forced to eat etc. In
agitated depression patients show restlessness constantly wringing hands and
swaying bodily. Amongst most depressives ideas of suicide are entertained, and
not infrequently, successfully carried out.
Manic-Depression The classic symptoms of a manic-depressive consist of bouts of
depression followed by bouts of hypo-mania. The more serious the manic-
depression the more serious the bouts of depression and hypo-mania, (although
in truth all cases of manic-depression should be considered serious, 15% of
sufferers commit suicide). These bouts can last for weeks at a time causing
bouts of elation and over-activity followed by periods of misery and depression.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Impulse Control Disorder Here, there is a failure to resist desires, impulses or
temptations to perform an act that is harmful to the patient or to others around
him. The patient experiences tension before the act and a feeling of release or
gratifaction after it has been completed. The behaviours involved include
pathological gambling, setting fires (pyromania) and impulsive stealing
(kleptomania).
Paraphilias or sexual deviations, include but are not limited to: fetishism,
transvestism, flashing, voyeurism, sadism and masochism. It should be noted that
homosexuality and disfunctions such as impotence are not paraphilias. As far as
games go, some players could find some of the paraphilias a little unpleasant.
Those listed are only the more acceptable ones, they get worse from here on. So
this is one insanity perhaps best avoided. That said however, the occasional NPC
flasher is always amusing and handy uzi-fodder.
Explosive Personality characters are given to sudden emotional rages or tantrums
that often result in their physically assaulting others. These tantrums are
usually caused by some minor frustration that is not proportionate to the
reaction. The referee is advised to assume control of the character during
these rages, giving him back to the player as the character calms down a bit.
Anankastic Personality characters show oversculpulous perfectionistic traits
that are expressed in feelings of insecurity, meticulous conscientiousness and
rigidity of behaviour. The character is preoccupied with rules, procedures,
laws and efficiency, is devoted to work and finds it hard to express emotions
of a warm and tender nature. More common in men.
Histrionic Personality. Overly dramatic, intensely expressed and highly reactive
behaviour, a desire for attention, novelty and excitement, are common symptoms
of this condition. Tendencies toward dependency and suggestibility are also
characteristic.
Asthenic Personality. The character lacks the mental energy and ability to act
on his own initiative and therefore passively allows to make all the major
decisions in his life. When serious this character will have to become an NPC.
Antisocial or psychopathic Personality manifests itself in persistent
criminality, aggressive sexual behaviour and drug use. Characters with this
disorder are impulsive, untruthful, irresponsible and callous; they feel no
guilt over there actions and fail to learn by their mistakes. This combined
with an absence of normal feelings for others such as love, friendship,
sympathy, respect etc.
Narcissistic Personalities have a grandiose sense of self-importance and a
preoccupation with fantasies of wealth power and success.
TREATMENT
By 2020, medicine has advanced enough to be able to cure most things, the mind
however still poses some mysteries. Whether mental disorders are purely organic
dysfunctions within the brain or part of the psyche going wrong cannot be
known, or at least it isn't known yet. Treatment therefore is difficult and must
cover all bets. So the treatment for the 2020's is similar to that used now,
drug therapy and counselling from a trained psychiatrist.
One weeks counselling involves drug therapy (INT & REF stats -2 while on
course) and two sessions of counselling lasting two hours each. The cost is 200
bucks. If you haven't got it now, don't worry we'll find you later !!. For your
money you get 1d3 INPs back. You can go for as money weeks as you like, but if
the bill starts getting to big they might want some insurance.
If however you want to get rid of an insanity you've got, then its the same as
above except you don't get INPs back, you get cure points (CPs) at the same
rate. Each insanity in the tables above has a number after it in brackets, this
number is how many CP's you must accumulate before the insanity is cured. If
you stop going for treatment before you get enough, you gotta start again.
You've got to choose whether you want INPs or CPs at the beginning of the course
and if you got more than one insanity, then you gotta choose which you gonna
cure first. If you're really in trouble then paying 300 bucks a week will
increase the rate by +1 to 1d3+1, through extra counselling sessions. The drug
bi-chloromazinethyl can also speed things up a bit but for a price, see New
Equipment.
Drugs
Bi-chloromazinethyl: Increases CPs or INPs gained from Pyschiatric treatment by
one point per week. One dose lasts one week. Works by making the subject more
open to suggestion. Causes temporary INT loss of -3, for the week. Bad news is
there's a 2% chance that this will be permanent, and that chance is cumulative
as the weeks go by. Eg after 2 weeks the chance is 4% etc. Cost: 1100 per dose.
Skills
Psychiatry: The ability to correctly diagnose and treat mental disorders. A
skill of at least +3 is needed before any improvement is possible. At +6 you can
recognise most disorders and have a good go at treating them. At +9 you can cure
nearly all forms of insanity given time (and money), and are recognized as being
one the best in the field. (INT)
Authors Notes.
These rules were designed mainly with the GM in mind. In many of the cyberpunk
genre books and films, madmen and psycho's are just par for the course and
these people are not always suffering from cyberpsyhcosis nor are they violent
(no more than is ordin ary anyway). So this was one area I felt needed
expanding on. The above is an attempt to clarify the various problems and
effects the illnesses can have.
The idea of players progressively becoming a victim of one of these disorders
was an afterthought really, and I think that is the way it should be viewed.
Personally I use the information To generate interesting NPC's more often than
I do for the players.
Another idea is to use these to generate player characters with problems, if a
player fancies this then allow it (within reason) and give the player some
help in some other area,(more pickup skills perhaps, a medical contact etc
etc). This is role play after all. Roleplaying a phobic might not be
challenge but role-play a compulsive liar who hates himself for lying all the
time. That's a challenge !!
Ive deliberatly avoided an all encompassing table to randomly assign illnesses
as this just fair or realistic. When something is needed the GM should decide
with the player what is justified. The tables I have included are for the
terminally dice obsessed (an all to common ailment!).
I should mention that the above information was not just made up, but has been
culled from several books, most notably from two encyclopedia's and also a
couple of medical books. The names of which escapes me (its been while). A
trip to any good reference library will verify all.
And Finally, I hope you find this information useful, feel free to use anyway
you see fit. But if you reproduce them keep my name on them ... Im a vain
kinda guy!. AND PLEASE... if you have any comment/suggestions about then mail
me.
Happy Punkin........ James 'D.R.' Kemp
email: j.e.kemp@city.ac.uk
