It is up to the Storyteller to determine what amount of time and Willpower is required to cure a derangement, and such cures are best left to thoughtful and involved roleplaying rather than simple Trait expenditure. Malkavians may never cure the original derangement(s) brought on by their Clan Disadvantage.

 

Note: There is nothing funny or arbitrary about the way a “crazy” person acts. The insane character is only reacting to the stimuli that he perceives to be real — to him, his behavior is perfectly normal. Players should never forget the Mind’s Eye Theatre rules of safety still apply when roleplaying derangements.

 

 

Bulimia

Bulimic characters salve their guilt and insecurity by overindulging in activities

that comfort them — in this instance, consuming food (or blood, for vampires).

Characters with this affliction will gorge themselves as much as possible when under

stress, then purge their systems through drastic means and consume more. Characters

with this derangement must make a Static Conscience/ Conviction Challenge when

feeding; failure means the vampire feeds until his blood pool is full, whether or not

he needs the blood. If forcibly kept from feeding, the vampire must resist frenzy.

 

Crimson Rage

A character with this derangement is prone to experiencing fits of anger with little

provocation. While the two bear certain resemblances, this state is quite different from

frenzy — frenzy is the instincts of the vampiric Beast, while Crimson Rage is a character’s own

feelings of helplessness and inadequacy. Characters with Crimson Rage are not protected

from being pushed over the edge into frenzy while insane, however. Whenever this derangement

is active, the character gains the Negative Traits: Violent x 2 and Impatient.

 

Fugue

Characters suffering this affliction react to stress by adopting a specific set of

behaviors; in the process they suffer “blackouts” or periods of memory loss. Whenever

confronted by extreme stress, the character must win a Static Willpower Challenge;

failure means the character blacks out and the player must roleplay the character’s

trancelike state. Otherwise, control of the character passes to a Narrator for a scene,

who dictates the actions the character takes in order to remove the stress. At the end of

the fugue, the character “regains consciousness” with no memory of his actions.

 

Hysteria

Characters with this derangement are unable to properly control their emotions

when subjected to stress or pressure, becoming vulnerable to wild mood

swings and fits of intense violence. The vampire must test to resist frenzy any time

such stress is present; in addition, whenever the vampire fails in a particularly

stressful or prominent instance, she enters frenzy automatically. (Narrators have

final say on what classifies as such a dramatic failure.)

 

Immortal Terror

An insanity most recently identified with a certain reluctant movie vampire,

this madness stems from the Cainite’s inability to deal with the true scope of his

immortality. Terrified by the real implications of living forever, the vampire copes

by developing a strong unconscious “death wish.” Whenever the character is

confronted by direct evidence of his immortality — such as attending a funeral or

watching a mortal ally die — the character must make a Static Willpower Challenge

(difficulty four Traits) to avoid immediately undertaking actions that might result

in his destruction. Such actions can be as indirect as breaching the Masquerade

by telling a reporter about Kindred society, as long as the act carries potentially

deadly consequences. Note that the vampire is not consciously aware that he seeks

his own destruction, and he resists attempts to persuade him otherwise.

 

Manic-Depression

This derangement causes a character to suffer devastating mood swings. Whenever

the character fails to achieve a personal goal, she must win a Static Willpower Challenge

(no Traits risked) or fall into a depressive state for a number of scenes determined by

the Narrator. While depressed, her Willpower Traits are considered halved (round

down, minimum one) for purposes of Trait comparison, and she may not spend Blood

Traits to raise her Physical Traits. After that, she enters a period of upbeat energy and

excitement, pursuing her goals obsessively for a number of scenes equal to the time

spent in depression. During this manic time she is one Trait down to resist frenzy.

 

Megalomania

These individuals have made power the focus of their existence, and such

characters must always be the most potent individuals in their environment; where

the power stems from is irrelevant, just so long as they are dominant. They believe

that other people are divided into two classes: lesser beings and beings elevated

beyond their worth. Rivals are considered “competition.” Due to their supreme

confidence, they are considered one Trait up on all Willpower tests while their

derangement is active, but they must also make a Willpower test (difficulty six

Traits) to resist any opportunity to commit diablerie during that time.

 

Multiple Personalities

A character with this derangement has suffered mental anguish so severe that

his mind reacted by creating additional personas. Each personality is relevant to the

trauma that caused it, and the player should work with the Storyteller to determine

how many personalities are present, their Natures and what triggers a particular

personality. When a personality is triggered, it assumes control until the conditions it

was created to deal with have passed. Characters can manifest different Abilities and

even Virtues for each personality (all such Traits must still be purchased normally —

what a personality believes it can do can be different from what it is actually capable

of), but any such arrangements must be worked out with the Storyteller.

 

Obsessive/Compulsive

Characters suffering from this derangement are driven to control their environment.

Obsessive characters keep one aspect of their life constant — personal cleanliness

or keeping things quiet, for example. Compulsive characters perform specific actions or

sets of actions, such as washing their hands constantly or always feeding from mortals

in a ritualistic fashion. Obsessive/ compulsive characters are one Trait up to resist any

attempt to Dominate or otherwise coerce them from their set behaviors, but they frenzy

automatically if forcibly prevented from adhering to their derangement.

 

Paranoia

Paranoid beings believe that all their woes and suffering stem from an outside

source. Many afflicted beings come up with intricate theories about just who is

against them and why; those they suspect of being “one of them” are often subject

to swift and brutal violence. Paranoid characters trust no one, not even those

blood bound to them, and they have a difficult time interacting with others.

They are one Trait down on all Social tests while their derangement is active,

and any sign of suspicious activity forces them to test to resist frenzy.

 

Regression

Characters suffering from this affliction avoid facing responsibilities or consequences

by retreating to a younger state where less was required of them. During

this state they may alternate between times of whimsy and temper tantrums, but

they will always seek to put a more powerful individual between them and whatever

is plaguing them. Victims are two Traits down on all Mental Challenges.

 

Sanguinary Animism

This illness is unique to vampires, a response to guilt for feeding on mortals.

Afflicted vampires believe that they do not merely consume a victim’s blood, but

part of his soul as well. The vampire hears her victim’s voice inside her head and is

assaulted by “memories” of the victim’s life — all created by the vampire’s subconscious.

Whenever the vampire feeds on a mortal, she must make a Static Willpower Challenge;

success means she is distracted as above and is one Trait down on all challenges

for the remainder of the scene. Failure means the character gains a second angry,

reproachful personality bent on driving her to ruin. The character is at a one-Trait

penalty to all actions for the duration of the madness, and he must roleplay the inner

conflict involved; this madness lasts until the moments just before dawn.

 

Schizophrenia

Individuals with this derangement have had their psyche fractured by terrible, unresolvable

inner conflicts. Most people conceive of this type of disorder when they envision

insanity; victims might imagine crucified rabbits floating after them, or swear that their

dead father is telling them to murder their uncle. This disorder is anything but arbitrary

— the player should work with the Storyteller to determine a general set of behaviors

relevant to the original trauma. Kindred with this derangement are unpredictable and

dangerous — in situations where their inner conflict flares up, they must automatically

retest any win to resist frenzy, and they are two Traits down on all Willpower tests.