Manic-Depression
Severe; follows Depression
Severe mood swings characterize this derangement. It occurs in two forms, one psychological and one a defect in brain chemistry.
The psychological form is a modified form of hysteria. The victim can swing from an enthusiastic, confident, even ecstatic state to lethargy and despair. The mood swings can happen any time, but any success can push the manic-depressive into exaltation, and any failure can plunge the person into depression.
The second form of manic-depression is an organic disorder. It follows a regular cycle that can range from hours to weeks. The manic phase begins with an excess of energy and confidence, then proceeds to a sort of ecstatic frenzy as the person’s mind races faster and faster. Eventually the person calms down and then slides into a depression as lethargic as the manic phase was energetic. This form of manic-depression can mimic the effects of schizophrenia, and lead to a near-suicidal state.
The psychological form is a modified form of hysteria. The victim can swing from an enthusiastic, confident, even ecstatic state to lethargy and despair. The mood swings can happen any time, but any success can push the manic-depressive into exaltation, and any failure can plunge the person into depression.
The second form of manic-depression is an organic disorder. It follows a regular cycle that can range from hours to weeks. The manic phase begins with an excess of energy and confidence, then proceeds to a sort of ecstatic frenzy as the person’s mind races faster and faster. Eventually the person calms down and then slides into a depression as lethargic as the manic phase was energetic. This form of manic-depression can mimic the effects of schizophrenia, and lead to a near-suicidal state.
Symptoms
Whichever form of the ailment your character has, whenever he fails a task, the Storyteller may secretly roll his Resolve. A failure means the character lapses into depression for the rest of the scene. The character also goes into depression whenever the player makes a dramatic failure on a roll, or the character has less than two Vitae.
While depressed, the character loses half his Willpower points (rounding fractions down), to a minimum of 1. A depressed vampire cannot expend Vitae to gain dice for Physical tasks, either.
Each scene thereafter, the Storyteller rolls one die. On a success, the character throws off the depression and becomes upbeat, energetic and obsessively active for as many scenes as he was depressed. He regains the Willpower points he lost before, and all rolls to resist frenzy suffer a one-die penalty.
While depressed, the character loses half his Willpower points (rounding fractions down), to a minimum of 1. A depressed vampire cannot expend Vitae to gain dice for Physical tasks, either.
Each scene thereafter, the Storyteller rolls one die. On a success, the character throws off the depression and becomes upbeat, energetic and obsessively active for as many scenes as he was depressed. He regains the Willpower points he lost before, and all rolls to resist frenzy suffer a one-die penalty.
Type
Mental
Parent