* Restricted Information: students of Madness only
1st edition (2000)
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Madness is not an Art, in which Experience or Levels are gained. Madness is a state of mind, into which one may slip.
The information presented here is such as might be learned by the experienced student of Madness. People study Madness either because they have dedicated themselves to its cure, or because they have an interest or fascination in exploring the bounds of the experience of life.
2.1 The Realm of Madness is a separate Plane, for which the responsible Higher Power is YHWRC, E/C Demigod of Madness,. His immediate subordinates are the Demons of Madness:
The Demons of Madness are worshipped as deities in the Realm, which reflects Their Aspects.
2.2 The Realm of Madness may be entered in two ways:
2.2.1 Spiritually: by going Mad. This is the normal method. The Madman assumes a Dream Form, leaving his Real body behind Catatonic, raving or in a drug-induced trance.
1.2.2 Physically: by entering the Realm in body as well as in mind. This is an unusual method, achieved by magical means (e.g. Teleporting to a location in the Realm) or via some gateway between the Sane world and the Realm (e.g. on the Isle of the Lost, or by ChaosWalking). In this case one's body physically enters the Realm, but one's mind becomes as Mad as if one had reached the same point spiritually.
3.1 The following are the Ten Levels of Madness, as classified by the Imperial Guild of Sages of Valdrea, and recognised (inter alia) by the Temples of KOROS and OPSOR. They are also commonly referred to as Insanity Levels, or Levels of Insanity.
| Level (G/C/E) | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1. mild Delusion, Confusion or Despondency | -0 on Mental Chars -1 on all Spells 10% chance of Hallucination |
| 2. serious Delusion, Confusion or Despondency | -0 on Mental Chars -2 on all Spells 20% chance of Hallucination |
| 3. mild Derangement, Frenzy or Depression | -1 on Mental Chars -3 on all Spells 30% chance of Hallucination |
| 4. serious Derangement, Frenzy or Depression | -1 on Mental Chars -4 on all Spells 40% chance of Hallucination 5% chance of Catatonia |
| 5. mild Lunacy, Paranoia or Melancholia | -2 on Mental Chars -5 on all Spells 50% chance of Hallucination 10% chance of Catatonia |
| 6. serious Lunacy, Paranoia or Melancholia | -2 on Mental Chars -6 on all Spells 60% chance of Hallucination 20% chance of Catatonia |
| 7. mild Insanity, Psychosis or Desperation | -3 on Mental Chars -7 on all Spells 70% chance of Hallucination 40% chance of Catatonia |
| 8. serious Insanity, Psychosis or Desperation | -3 on Mental Chars -8 on all Spells 80% chance of Hallucination 60% chance of Catatonia |
| 9. mild Delirium, Mania or Despair | -4 on Mental Chars -9 on all Spells 90% chance of Hallucination 80% chance of Catatonia |
| 10. serious Delirium, Mania or Despair | -5 on Mental Chars -10 on all Spells permanent Hallucination mind departs body permanently for Realm of Madness (= physical death) |
3.2 Each Level of Madness has a Good, Chaotic or Evil description (listed above in that order), depending on whether the Madman is under the influence of LAMMIA, ULULO or MORCOR respectively.
3.3 The minuses on all Mental Chars and Spells are temporary effects, which last only whilst the Madman is that Level of Madness. They are not cumulative. Note however that Insanity results on Elementalist Spell Casts cause additional permanent minuses on the Spell failed and on all Spells, and that Level of Madness 10 is a permanent effect.
3.4 The %age chances of Hallucination and Catatonia are checked on entering a new Level of Madness (whether moving down into higher numbered / deeper Levels or up into lower numbered / lesser Levels) and periodically after then at the DM's discretion, as the Madman's mind wanders that Level and Domain of the Realm of the Madness. Catatonia is only checked for if Hallucination is suffered.
3.5 Hallucination is perceiving the Realm of Madness rather than the Plane one would otherwise perceive (whether Reality, Dreams or Chaos). Hallucination without Catatonia may involve strange behaviour or raving, as the Madman is partially perceiving the reality where he is physically present, and partially perceiving the unreality where his mind is wandering. This is the Domain of RABBAT.
3.6 Catatonia is the mind departing the body for the Realm of Madness, leaving the body unconscious. It is a state of complete Hallucination, where the Madman perceives only the unreality where his mind is wandering. Those Physically entering the Realm of Madness are immune to Catatonia, but risk becoming permanently trapped in the Realm on entering Level of Madness 10.
3.7 The exact hallucinations experienced by and effects of mental illness exhibited by the Madman are at the DM's discretion and for the Player to roleplay, having regard to the Level and Domain of Madness he is experiencing.
For each 10% (FRD) by which a Saving Throw vs Madness is failed, the Madman's Level of Madness increases by 1. Saving Throws vs Madness may be required as a result of being targetted by a Madness Spell or from encountering a Servant of YHWRC. For example, a sane person with SL 8 and Wp 14 perceives a Minion of MORCOR, which causes a st vs Madness with BTS 100% (Wp). He needs to roll <= 78% to save, but rolls 37%, failing by 41%. He enters Level of Madness 5: mild Melancholia (as it was caused by a Minion of MORCOR).
For each 1 by which the T achieved on an Elementalist Spell Cast is into the Insanity bracket of results, the Madman's Level of Madness increases by 1. For example, the Insanity bracket on Sleep is -4 to 5. The Caster achieves a T of 4. He enters Level of Madness 2: serious Confusion (most Spell failures being within the Domains of RABBAT or ULULO, unless the Spell effect when successful is obviously Good or Evil). For further effects of Insanity results on Elementalist Spells, see the Elementalist System.
Most ordinary people go Mad in this way. They will normally enter Level of Madness 1 as their mind slips, and may enter deeper Levels as their Delusion, Confusion or Despondency increases towards Delirium, Mania or Despair. Such effects may be caused by bad experiences in one's life, disease, the effects of certain drugs, or a history of Madness in one's family.
If the Madman enters the Realm of Madness across its borders with the Dreamworlds or Chaos, he will normally enter Level of Madness 1. But the Realm does not have a fixed geography, and it is therefore possible directly to enter deeper Levels.
If the Madman enters the Realm of Madness through a Portal, such as may be found on the Isle of the Lost or in the Deep North West Forest, he will enter the Level of Madness to which that Portal leads. Portals do not necessarily lead to fixed locations in the Realm, the geography of which is not fixed (as stated above).
If the Madman enters the Realm of Madness by Teleporting, he will normally enter the Level of Madness he previously learnt. However, the shifting geography of the Realm may, if it does not cause the Spell to fail for inaccurate memorisation, result in his entering a different Level.
The Domain entered in this way will depend on the point of entry. For example, entry via the Dreamworlds from KASHAT's Domain of Nightmare will typically lead the Dreamer into MORCOR's Domain of Despondency. However, the Domains of LAMMIA, ULULO and MORCOR are not clearly separated or contiguous.
5.1 The effects in 4. above may occur whilst the Madman is already Spiritually or Physically in the Realm of Madness. For example, Servants of YHWRC are more likely to be encountered in the Realm.
5.2 The mind's wandering in the Realm is simulated as follows.
5.2.1 For each Hallucination check made, there is a (%age chance of Hallucination)/10% chance of entering a deeper or lesser Level of Madness. Only one %ile roll is made, with 01 or more resulting in a deeper Level and 00 or less resulting in a lesser Level. For example, at Level of Madness 5, the %age chance of Hallucination is 50%, giving the following possibilities:
Such Hallucination checks are made periodically at the DM's discretion, as stated above. In this way, it is possible for the Madman to make a complete recovery, or to go permanently Mad, suffering physical death.
5.2.2 For each "doubles" result on a Hallucination or Catatonia check, a different Domain is entered. Odds lead to the Domain of MORCOR. Evens lead to the Domain of LAMMIA. If the Madman is already in that Domain, he enters the Domain of ULULO instead. For example, if in the example at 5.2.1 above the Madman is in the Domain of Paranoia, then on the Hallucination check:
5.2.3 For each result of 84 on a Hallucination or Catatonia check, the Madman receives a Prophecy from SURGAT. If he is Hallucinating or lucid, he will utter the Prophecy. If he is Catatonic, he will experience it, but be unable to utter it (if he so decides) until he recovers from Catatonia. A Memory Check (<= Mr on d20) is necessary to remember a Prophecy so received. This will of course be modified for the current minus on Mental Chars for the present Level of Madness. The number 84 is sacred to SURGAT, and therefore considered by prophets, seers and various madmen and dreamers to be of especial significance. If two consecutive Prophecy results are achieved, the Madman will in future (during his current spell of Madness) also receive Prophecies on a result of 42 (he becomes a Level 2 Prophet). If three consecutive Prophecy results are achieved, the Madman will in future (during his current spell of Madness) also receive Prophecies on results of 21 or 42 (he becomes a Level 3 Prophet). If a result of 63 is achieved, the Madman drops one Prophecy Level. All Madmen are Level 1 Prophets. It is whispered amongst seers that higher levels of Prophecy are achievable in this way: hence the expression "on a roll"! Note that Prophecies are invariably cryptic, and may not be distinguishable by untrained listeners from the normal ravings of the Madman.
5.3 Adepts at wandering the Realm of Madness (e.g. the Seekers of the Lost) have the ability to recognise a potential entry into a deeper or lesser Level of Madness (under 5.2.1 above) or into a different Domain (under 5.2.2 above) and may choose either to enter it or to make a Wp check at (Wp - (current Level of Madness)), and if successful to avoid entering it. This ability has no effect on Prophecy.
5.4 Spell Points are recovered during a spell of Madness at the appropriate rate for the state of the Madman's physical body, except during Catatonia, when they are recovered at the appropriate rate for the state of the Madman's spiritual body (i.e. what he believes he is doing in the Realm of Madness).
6.1 There exist Cure Madness Spells. There is a standard Clerical Cure Madness Spell, a non-standard (except for certain Cults) Druidic Cure Madness Spell, and a Charmer Cure Madness Spell. See their respective Spell Specifications for further details.
6.2 The Demons of Madness may be Summoned and compelled to Cure Madness within Their respective Domains. Since all Participants would have to make a difficult saving throw vs Madness on a Demon of Madness appearing, this is not recommended to the sane without suitably strong Protections vs Madness. It may be (relatively) safer to Summon one of Their Demonic Minions, at an easier saving throw, and send It to retrieve the Madman.
6.3 It is possible to enter the Realm of Madness oneself, and bring back a Madman. Since this necessarily involves becoming as mad as he is, it is not recommended to anyone but experienced explorers of the Realm (who are in any case beyond being advised).
6.4 Teleporting out of the Realm (or equivalent) someone (including the Caster) who is physically in the Realm will remove the body, but will not cure the mind. A Hallucination check should be made after a suitable interval.
7.1 The Realm of Madness may be physically entered by Dreaming or by ChaosWalking. The boundaries between Madness, Dreams and Chaos are not clear, just as the boundaries between Dreams, Chaos and Reality are unclear.
7.2 The effects of moving between the Realm of Madness and Reality are equivalent to those of moving between Dreams and Reality, except where otherwise stated. For example the effects of acquiring possessions in the Realm are the same as acquiring them in the Dreamworlds. However Dream / Madness possessions may normally be carried from the one Plane to the other. See also 6.4 above.
7.3 See the Dreamer System and ChaosMastery System (if any) for further exposition of this topic (or lack thereof).
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Version 1.2, © P.R. Wild, 28 August 2005