(TFT) insanity - bipolar disorder

["Cas and Lisa \(also Silvia, Max & Viveka\) Liber" <casliber@ozemail.com.au>]

Being as I am (my day job as a doctor nearly finished specialising in
psychiatry), I have tried to read all of DMGIIs post and trying to think of
roleplaying possibilities - covers a zillion things but guidelines could be
tricky.

Insanity can be a vexed issue in roleplaying as the explanations for
mediaeval insanity are real in the RPG world ("voices - hah! It IS the Devil
talking to him.............") eg: lycanthropy for lunacy, so in some ways it
seems a shame to have both, but some may provide a basis fom clever
roleplaying.

(NB: reseach shows that there are not increased presentations to mental
health services at full moon, as commonly believed)

eg: Bipolar disorder (new name for manic-depression)

in mania ST, DX & IQ all +2 - any thought mentioned by player, character has
to roll 4/IQ or perform (eg: knight sees pretty girl, must roll or
immediately make heavy moves and/or carry her off. thief sees ANYTHING of
value - attempts to steal.). Also, player must role 3/IQ EVERY DAY or spend
all available funds (and come up with inventive/clever way of doing it!)

Also roll 4/IQ if fails then:
                       - on 1 or 2; person elevated and grandiose, has
infectious good humour: +2 on reaction rolls,
                         on 3 or 4: irritable & surly - 2 on reaction rolls
                         on 5 : very religiose - immediately joins religiose
order
                         on 6: very paranoid  - 3 on reaction rolls

(failing by 6 or more indicates severe mania with delusions, generally of a
religiose nature (talking to angels etc.))

- this lasts for the duration of the manic episode


In hospital, manic patients files are filled with refund slips (luxury
boats, one-way tickets to Jerusalem etc.), unfortunately things ain't that
easy in Cidri...

when bipolars are depressed - it resembles melancholia ST,DX & IQ all -2,
must roll 4/IQ to initiate any activity other than eating or sleeping.

Either may last 1d6 weeks. Depression likely to occur in winter, and mania
usually in spring (bigtime.........)

GM secretly rolls each year - 1d6 - 3  = # episodes.

Lithium salts found in some springs, will shorten mania to 1d6+4 days if
player makes 3/IQ roll (try each fortnight)

(will think of more)
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