In the Gaslight World, where reality is mutable, and the nature of truth itself is uncertain, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) takes on an even more labyrinthine form. The struggle between personalities, as seen in Jekyll and Hyde, is no longer confined to the mind of an individual—it becomes a reflection of a society that cultivates duality, repression, and the illusion of normalcy.
The Fragmented Mind in a Fragmented Reality
In this world, the very foundations of identity are unstable. Gaslight culture manipulates perception, distorts truth, and erodes the boundaries of self-awareness. Those who suffer from DID or a Hyde-like transformation do not simply switch between personalities—they are forced into an existence where their differing selves may each perceive and interact with a reality that shifts beneath them.
One identity might wake in a world that is genteel, polite, and rigidly controlled—a world of Victorian manners and rational science. Another might wake in a nightmarish underbelly of depravity, where the rules of society are rewritten in whispers, and power belongs to those willing to embrace chaos. The same street, the same room, the same face in the mirror—yet the world around them flickers like a gaslight, altering itself to fit the mind that beholds it.
Jekyll, Hyde, and the Gaslit Self
In a society that demands conformity while rewarding ruthlessness, a Hyde personality is not merely a dark counterpart—it is survival. Where Jekyll seeks to remain within the acceptable moral framework, Hyde recognizes that the framework itself is an illusion. The more Jekyll is forced to repress, the more Hyde thrives in the cracks.
But unlike Stevenson’s original tale, the Gaslight World provides no absolute truths. Perhaps Jekyll is not the ‘true’ self, and Hyde is not simply a monster—perhaps Hyde is the one who sees reality as it is. Or, worse still, perhaps neither personality is real at all, and both are artificial constructs, reflections of an external power that molds and reshapes identity through psychological manipulation.
DID in a World of Manufactured Truth
In such a world, individuals with DID are not aberrations—they are inevitable. Society itself enforces dissociation. Trauma, gaslighting, and the constant pressure to maintain multiple contradictory selves ensure that many develop fractured identities. But in a Gaslight World, the danger is not only the split between personalities; it is the fact that each identity may have its own reality.
• One personality might recall a lifetime of servitude, oppression, and terror.
• Another might wake up in a world where they are wealthy, powerful, and respected.
• A third might remember neither, existing in a void between, knowing only that something is wrong—but unable to say what.
They do not suffer from a simple disorder; they suffer from a world that reshapes itself around their minds, making it impossible to determine which self is true—if any of them are.
The Horror of Self-Perception
In Jekyll and Hyde, the horror comes from the loss of control. In the Gaslight World, the horror comes from the realization that there may never have been control to begin with. What if Hyde is not an accident but a necessity? What if Jekyll was never meant to exist outside of social conditioning?
More terrifying still: What if the personalities begin gaslighting each other? What if one self deliberately alters the memories and perceptions of the others, rewriting their experiences to gain control? What if Hyde convinces Jekyll that the crimes he has committed were imagined? What if a ‘protector’ personality convinces a vulnerable one that the abuse they remember never happened?
In a Gaslight World, the self is not just split—it is unstable, manipulated, and ultimately unknowable. The tragedy of Jekyll and Hyde is not that one was good and one was evil. It is that, in the end, neither was truly real.
DID Mechanic for the RPG System (TP, CM, SSS)
This mechanic builds on the Trauma Points (TP), Coping Mechanism (CM), and Stockholm Syndrome Scale (SSS) system by integrating Alts (Alternate Personalities) as an adaptive response to trauma. It reflects Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in a way that is immersive, practical, and mechanically engaging while avoiding reductionism.
Core Mechanic: The ALTS System
A character with DID has multiple Alts (Alternate Personalities), each with different strengths, weaknesses, and perspectives. Switching between them is governed by Trauma Points (TP) and Coping Mechanisms (CM).
1. ALT CREATION
• At character creation, players define at least two Alts, with the option to add more as the game progresses.
• Each Alt has its own:
• Primary Skillset: A unique talent or ability that only this Alt excels at.
• Personality Trait: A core aspect of how they interact with the world.
• Triggers: Situations, emotions, or external influences that cause a switch.
• Memory Awareness: Does this Alt know about the others? (Low, Partial, Full)
Example:
• Dr. Jekyll (Logical, Scientist, Morally Conscious) → Skilled in medicine, deductive reasoning. Avoids violence.
• Mr. Hyde (Impulsive, Violent, Fearless) → Excels at intimidation, combat, and manipulation. No regard for morals.
• Child Alt (Fearful, Innocent, Naïve) → Perceives threats others don’t, can sense deception, but is defenseless.
2. SWITCHING MECHANIC
Alts switch involuntarily due to trauma, stress, or manipulation—but players can also learn to exert limited control.
• Trauma-Based Switching (Involuntary)
• Every Trauma Point (TP) gained increases the chance of an involuntary switch.
• Once TP reaches a multiple of 5 (5, 10, 15, etc.), roll a d6:
• 1-3: No switch.
• 4-5: Partial switch (blurred awareness, skills weaken).
• 6: Full switch to another Alt.
• Trigger-Based Switching (Semi-Controlled)
• A powerful emotional or environmental Trigger may force an immediate switch.
• Some triggers are set at character creation, but new ones can develop.
• Example: A confrontation with an abuser could instantly trigger a protector Alt, or an overwhelming intellectual puzzle could trigger the analytical Alt.
• Coping Mechanism (CM) Suppression (Controlled)
• Players can attempt to suppress a switch by burning CM points (Coping Mechanisms).
• Spend 1 CM: Delay a switch for 1 turn.
• Spend 3 CM: Force a switch to a specific Alt.
• Spend 5 CM: Fully stabilize for the rest of the scene.
3. STOCKHOLM SYNDROME SCALE (SSS) & IDENTITY EROSION
• The Stockholm Syndrome Scale (SSS) now also tracks identity erosion for characters with DID.
• If an Alt spends too long in control (multiple sessions or high stress), they may begin to override the original self.
• At 5+ SSS points, an Alt may develop a stronger emotional hold, resisting switches.
• At 10+ SSS points, a dominant Alt may attempt to permanently suppress others.
4. MEMORY BLACKOUTS & RELIABILITY
• Memory gaps can occur after a switch, requiring a Willpower or Intelligence roll to recall details from another Alt’s experience.
• Some Alts may leave notes, recordings, or clues to help other personalities.
• Certain Alts may be unreliable narrators, distorting or fabricating memories.
Gameplay Impact & Storytelling Potential
This mechanic ensures that DID is not just a gimmick but a core aspect of gameplay:
• Tactical Depth: Players must manage which Alt is active for different challenges.
• Emotional Weight: Every switch changes relationships with NPCs.
• Psychological Horror: The risk of identity loss and unreliable memory creates tension.
• Narrative Complexity: Gaslighting, manipulation, and self-doubt become natural parts of the story.
Gaslighting as a Catalyst for DID: Psychology & Game Mechanics
Psychology: Gaslighting, Trauma, and the Corrosion of Identity
Gaslighting is a psychological manipulation technique that makes a victim doubt their own memory, perception, and sense of reality. When sustained over time—especially in environments of abuse, coercion, or extreme power imbalance—gaslighting corrodes the core sense of self. The mind, unable to reconcile conflicting realities, develops dissociative strategies to survive.
This often leads to Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in cases of severe, repeated trauma. Instead of integrating experiences into a unified personality, the victim’s psyche fragments to compartmentalize irreconcilable experiences.
• The Self is a Story → Gaslighting disrupts narrative continuity. The person can no longer trust their own history.
• Cognitive Dissonance Becomes Unbearable → If someone is told their experience didn’t happen, but they know it did, the mind resolves the contradiction by forming separate realities.
• Survival Mechanism → The mind isolates distressing experiences by giving them separate identities (Alts), preventing the core self from breaking entirely.
Game Mechanics: Gaslighting → Trauma → Alt Creation
1. Gaslighting-Induced Trauma (TP Gain)
• When a character is subjected to gaslighting, manipulation, or reality distortion, they gain Trauma Points (TP).
• At 5 TP, roll a D6:
• 1-3: Cognitive distress (anxiety, paranoia).
• 4-5: Dissociative episode (temporary memory blackout, NPCs react differently).
• 6: An Alt emerges (see below).
2. Alt Formation: The Fractured Self
• A new Alt (Alternate Personality) emerges to process the unbearable experience.
• The nature of the Alt is shaped by:
• Trigger Incident: What caused the trauma?
• Context: Who was involved? Where did it happen? What symbols or ideas define this trauma?
• Survival Role: What did this personality evolve to do? (Hide, fight, rationalize, create, self-destruct, etc.)
• Once an Alt is formed, the Stockholm Syndrome Scale (SSS) starts tracking its identity dominance. If an Alt spends too much time in control, it may permanently override the original self.
Alt Types and Their Evolution
DID is non-linear. Instead of maturing in a traditional way, a fractured person splits into coping strategies, which can evolve or degrade over time. The psyche branches based on experiences, leading to Alts that adapt, mutate, or regress.
Common Alt Archetypes
Each Alt is tied to a defining trauma and its surrounding context. Some examples include:
• The Child (Innocence Lost) → Exists to preserve innocence, either as a fragile, fearful entity or a playful, mischievous trickster.
• The Logical One (Cold Survivalist) → Uses rationality, strategy, and emotional detachment to cope. Highly intelligent but often dehumanizing.
• The Dreamer (Imaginative Escapist) → Escapes into fantasy, creativity, or obsessive thinking to avoid pain. Often out of touch with reality.
• The Sexual/Self-Destructive One → A response to sexual trauma, shame, or control, manifesting as either hypersexualized behavior or compulsive self-harm.
• The Confused One (Scattered Identity) → Has fragmented memories, hyper-focuses on random things, or struggles with severe reality distortion.
Alt Evolution & Devolution
Alts can develop new branches, mutating based on their experiences.
• A Child Alt might evolve into a trickster survivalist or regress into a helpless victim.
• A Rational Alt might become an omnipresent controller or disappear entirely when its logic fails.
• A Self-Destructive Alt might become a sadist, turning its pain outward.
Game Masters can introduce new branches of Alts based on game events to reflect character development.
Player Advice: Understanding & Playing a Fractured Mind
What Kind of Game Is This?
• This is a psychological horror/thriller RPG focused on identity, trauma, and reality manipulation.
• Your character is not stable—you will switch perspectives, experience blackouts, and struggle to control your actions.
• This game does not trivialize DID—it portrays it as a survival mechanism in a world where identity is under attack.
How to Play a Character with DID
• Roleplay Your Alts Differently: Each Alt should have unique speech patterns, emotional reactions, and goals.
• Use Your Triggers: Know what causes your Alts to emerge and lean into it.
• Communicate With the GM: If you want to develop a new Alt, discuss how it fits your character’s trauma.
• Accept Loss of Control: You will black out. You will wake up in situations you don’t remember. Embrace the mystery.
Game Master Advice: Running a DID-Centric Game
Tone & Atmosphere
• Maintain a dreamlike, unstable reality where the character’s perceptions are frequently unreliable.
• Use gaslighting NPCs, shifting environments, and contradictory information to create existential horror.
• Encourage players to explore their Alts as evolving characters, rather than static roles.
Gameplay Mechanics for Alts
1. Forced Switches:
• Use Trauma Points (TP) and Triggers to determine when a character switches Alts.
• If a character gains 5 TP in a scene, trigger an Alt change.
• Introduce symbolic reminders of past trauma to provoke involuntary switches.
2. Memory Distortions:
• Have NPCs reference events that only certain Alts remember.
• Leave clues that contradict a player’s assumed reality.
• Occasionally rewrite player backstory details, creating uncertainty.
3. Alt Conflicts:
• Allow Alts to fight for dominance using SSS (Stockholm Syndrome Scale).
• Higher SSS means an Alt becomes more independent and resists being suppressed.
• Let dominant Alts leave messages, hide objects, or manipulate reality to their advantage.
4. Gaslighting Mechanics:
• Introduce NPCs who manipulate player perception.
• Use the Unreliable Narrator Effect—describe events differently depending on which Alt is in control.
• Create false memories or discrepancies in what the player vs. the character knows.
Final Thoughts: A Game of Identity Horror
This game system is designed to immerse players in the horror of a fragmented self while maintaining meaningful mechanics. Players will have to navigate their own unreliable identities, uncover the true nature of their trauma, and decide whether to fight for reintegration or succumb to their Alts.
Further Refinements: GM Tools & Session-Zero Safety System
This section expands on how Game Masters (GMs) can craft meaningful traumatic triggers for DID-focused gameplay and introduces a Session-Zero Safety System to ensure a respectful, immersive experience.
1. GM Tools: Crafting Traumatic Triggers for DID Characters
To create a realistic, immersive, and narratively rich experience for players with DID characters, the GM should carefully design trauma triggers that:
• Reflect each character’s backstory
• Feel organic within the setting
• Encourage compelling character growth and decision-making
• Are handled respectfully, avoiding unnecessary distress
A. How Trauma Triggers Work in the Game
1. Every DID Character Has Core Trauma Triggers
• Each Alt emerges due to a specific traumatic event or manipulation.
• This event leaves behind symbols, sensations, or emotional cues that can later trigger an Alt switch.
2. When a Character Encounters a Trigger
• They must roll against their Coping Mechanism (CM) to determine if they can resist the switch.
• If the roll fails, the Alt associated with that trauma takes control.
• A failed roll may also cause memory distortions, flashbacks, or intrusive thoughts.
3. The GM Secretly Tracks Trigger Encounters
• Players may not always be aware they are experiencing a trigger.
• The GM can introduce subtle environmental cues that suggest their reality is shifting.
• This uncertainty adds existential horror—the player never knows when their perception might betray them.
B. Types of Traumatic Triggers
GMs can categorize triggers into five key types, allowing flexibility in storytelling.
1. Symbolic Triggers (Objects, Places, or Sensory Details)
• Items or locations associated with a trauma.
• Could be neutral to others but deeply personal to the character.
• Example: A particular song playing in the background could trigger an Alt that formed from an abusive relationship.
• Example: A certain color, scent, or fabric could recall a childhood trauma.
2. Social Triggers (NPCs, Power Structures, or Manipulation Tactics)
• Encounters with figures of authority, gaslighters, or abusers.
• Example: An NPC using a gaslighter’s specific phrase triggers an Alt.
• Example: A power imbalance in a social setting causes a self-destructive Alt to emerge.
3. Emotional Triggers (Guilt, Helplessness, or Fear)
• Internal feelings that cause instability.
• Example: A character making a mistake that endangers someone could awaken a hyper-logical, detached Alt.
• Example: Re-experiencing abandonment could cause a Child Alt to emerge.
4. Memory Triggers (Flashbacks, Unreliable Perceptions, or False Memories)
• Memories of past events that do not align with current reality.
• Example: A character finds a diary entry in their own handwriting detailing events they do not remember.
• Example: The GM provides two conflicting recollections of the same event, causing dissociation.
5. Cognitive Dissonance Triggers (Moral Dilemmas, Paradoxes, or Betrayals)
• The mind cannot reconcile two conflicting realities.
• Example: A trusted ally is revealed to have lied about past events, forcing a crisis of identity.
• Example: The player is given evidence they committed an action they do not remember, creating internal panic.
C. How to Implement Triggers in the Narrative
1. Use Triggers Sparingly but Meaningfully
• Triggers should be powerful, not constant—overuse diminishes their effect.
• Introduce small unsettling details before escalating into full Alt switches.
2. Layer Multiple Triggers for Deeper Psychological Horror
• Combine Symbolic + Memory Triggers for a creeping sense of deja vu.
• Use Social + Emotional Triggers for NPC-driven gaslighting sequences.
3. Allow Alts to Develop Based on New Triggers
• If a trigger is encountered repeatedly, it can cause new Alt branches to form.
• Example: A Child Alt may develop a Protector version if constantly exposed to danger.
2. Session-Zero Safety System: Respectful Roleplaying in a Psychological Horror Game
DID and trauma are sensitive topics. A Session-Zero Safety System ensures that all players are comfortable and engaged while maintaining immersive horror.
A. Establishing Boundaries (Lines & Veils Method)
Before the game starts, discuss the Lines & Veils system:
• Lines = Hard boundaries (topics that will NOT be included).
• Veils = Topics that may appear but will fade to black or be handled off-screen.
Example Discussion:
• Line: No explicit depictions of childhood abuse.
• Veil: Discussions of past abuse may occur but will not be detailed.
B. The “Red, Yellow, Green” System for Playtime Comfort
Encourage players to check in with each other using a simple signal system:
• Green: “I’m fine, fully engaged.”
• Yellow: “I’m okay, but let’s slow down or change focus soon.”
• Red: “Pause the game—I need a break.”
Players can say this out loud or use index cards as subtle signals.
C. X-Card Mechanic (Emergency Safety Tool)
• If a player feels uncomfortable at any point, they can tap the X-Card (a physical card on the table or a private message to the GM).
• No justification is needed—the scene immediately pauses or shifts.
Example: If a gaslighting scene is too intense, a player can use the X-Card to skip forward or modify the interaction.
D. Player Autonomy: No Forced Roleplay of Trauma
• Players choose how much of their character’s trauma to explore.
• The GM should never force explicit backstory details—let players reveal them organically.
• If a player doesn’t want to act out a trigger response, they can summarize it instead.
E. The “Exit Strategy” Rule (Character Recovery Options)
A DID character should not spiral endlessly into suffering—there should be opportunities for healing, integration, or survival strategies.
1. Alt Integration Attempts → Characters can try therapy, ritual, or self-reflection to merge or control Alts.
2. Coping Mechanism Growth → Over time, characters can develop resistance to certain triggers (higher CM scores).
3. Supportive NPCs → Introduce NPCs who genuinely help the character rather than manipulate them.
Final Takeaways
By using these tools, GMs can create psychologically rich horror while ensuring player safety and agency.
• Trauma Triggers deepen roleplay but should be tailored to player comfort.
• Session-Zero Safety Tools (Lines & Veils, X-Cards, Exit Strategies) allow exploration without real-world distress.
• Players should always have control over their character’s narrative, even when reality distorts around them.
NPC Helpers & The Sanitarium: A Guide for Game Masters
This document provides a series of unique NPC helpers across all social castes, a horrific sanitarium setting, and game mechanics for integrating Alt personalities into a unified self. A GM cheat sheet summarizing all core mechanics is included at the end.
1. NPC Helpers: Guides to Healing & Integration
Each helper reflects their social caste and helps DID characters in unique ways. Some use therapy, others ritual, mentorship, or unorthodox methods.
☠️ Low-Class Helpers (Survivors & Outcasts)
These NPCs offer raw, unfiltered guidance. They survived without formal education, using instinct, folklore, or street wisdom.
1. Old Mother Wren (The Alley Witch – Ritual & Folk Healing)
• Who: An elderly, half-blind woman living in the slums, feared as a witch.
• Method: Uses herbalism, chants, and dream-walking to help players confront their trauma symbolically.
• How She Helps: Guides a character through a trance-induced confrontation with an Alt in an altered dreamscape.
• Game Effect: Allows controlled integration of an Alt through symbolic rebirth.
2. Dog-Heart Danny (The Street Fighter – Tough Love & Physical Grounding)
• Who: A bare-knuckle boxer with a brutal past of abuse; now teaches self-defense.
• Method: Uses brutal training and sensory overload to build emotional resilience.
• How He Helps: Forces players to push past triggers physically, grounding them in their body.
• Game Effect: Grants a permanent bonus to resisting triggers (CM boost).
3. Magpie (The Pickpocket – Trickster Therapy & Identity Work)
• Who: A gender-fluid trickster and con artist who reinvents themselves daily.
• Method: Uses roleplay, mimicry, and theatrical deception to help players explore their Alts safely.
• How They Help: Coaches the player to safely switch Alts on command.
• Game Effect: Gives the player control over when and how Alt switching occurs.
⚖️ Middle-Class Helpers (Professionals & Clergy)
These NPCs use structured methods like therapy, philosophy, or religion to address trauma.
4. Dr. Rosalind Mercer (The Disgraced Therapist – Cognitive Therapy & Integration)
• Who: A psychiatrist fired for experimenting with hypnosis to integrate DID patients.
• Method: Uses talk therapy, hypnosis, and exposure therapy to help players integrate Alts.
• How She Helps: Guides the player through merging two Alts into one, forming a stronger, unified identity.
• Game Effect: Allows controlled Alt fusion, reducing mental strain.
5. Father Gregor (The Confessor – Religious Ritual & Symbolic Exorcism)
• Who: A monk with deep scars from his own struggle with identity and faith.
• Method: Uses confession, absolution, and ritual exorcism to expel trauma.
• How He Helps: Performs a ceremonial purge, reducing the emotional weight of triggers.
• Game Effect: Temporarily removes a trauma-based trigger for one session.
6. Madam Élodie (The Courtesan – Emotional Validation & Self-Worth Coaching)
• Who: A famous courtesan who understands performance and identity better than most.
• Method: Teaches players how to embrace, not fear, their many selves.
• How She Helps: Encourages emotional self-acceptance, removing shame around DID.
• Game Effect: Reduces the Stockholm Syndrome Scale (SSS) effect when interacting with manipulators.
👑 High-Class Helpers (Elites & Eccentrics)
These NPCs offer exclusive, costly, or secretive methods of healing—some moral, some questionable.
7. Lord Balthazar Kane (The Occultist – Esoteric Ritual & Mind Expansion)
• Who: A nobleman obsessed with the occult, claiming to have transcended his own fractured psyche.
• Method: Uses ritual magic, meditation, and astral projection to “awaken” suppressed memories.
• How He Helps: Pushes the player toward higher self-awareness through painful revelation.
• Game Effect: Unlocks hidden memories about how each Alt formed, providing narrative depth.
8. Lady Sabine Velroy (The Aristocrat Anthropologist – Scientific Analysis & Behavioral Training)
• Who: A high-born intellectual who studies the psychology of the lower classes with clinical detachment.
• Method: Uses strict discipline, etiquette training, and forced exposure to triggers.
• How She Helps: Forces the player to reconstruct their identity through structure.
• Game Effect: If the player endures three sessions of her training, they gain permanent trigger resistance.
2. The Sanitarium: A House of Horror & Corruption
The sanitarium is a place of suffering, where unethical experiments aim to “fix” DID through extreme methods.
The Staff: Experimenters & Unlikely Helpers
Name Role Nature Methods
Dr. Elric Voss Chief Psychiatrist Torturer Forced electroshock, sensory deprivation
Nurse Agnes Hale Head Nurse Sadist Denies patients food, punishes “bad” behavior
Orderly Thomas Pike Enforcer Violent but Protective Occasionally helps inmates escape
Dr. Elias Crowe Experimentalist Secret Helper Creates illicit drugs that stabilize Alts
3. Gameplay Mechanic: Integrating Alts for a Unified Self
A. The Integration Process
1. Step One: Confrontation – The player must directly engage an Alt in a controlled space (dream, ritual, therapy).
2. Step Two: Choice – The player chooses one core trait from the Alt to absorb.
3. Step Three: Cost – Integrating causes temporary psychological exhaustion (Trauma Point gain) but increases mental resilience long-term.
B. Effects of Integration
• The player gains a new skill or personality trait from the Alt.
• The Alt disappears permanently, though echoes remain.
• If too many integrations happen too quickly, the player risks identity collapse.
4. GM Cheat Sheet: Quick Reference for DID Mechanics
Core Systems
• Trauma Points (TP): Represent mental strain.
• Coping Mechanism (CM): Rolls determine if a trigger causes an Alt switch.
• Stockholm Syndrome Scale (SSS): Tracks susceptibility to manipulation.
Key Rules for Alts
• Triggers activate an Alt.
• Alts have unique skills but limited abilities.
• Players can control switching with training (from NPC helpers).
Trigger Types
Type Example
Symbolic A specific song plays.
Social A gaslighter repeats an old phrase.
Emotional Helplessness mirrors past trauma.
Memory A diary entry contradicts reality.
Cognitive Dissonance Betrayal by a trusted ally.
Final Notes for GMs
• Use trauma triggers sparingly for impact.
• Encourage player autonomy—they choose how deeply to explore their character’s psyche.
• NPC helpers add depth and agency—players can resist or embrace their fractured selves.
• The Sanitarium offers a moral dilemma—do players submit, escape, or reform it?
Creating Alts through trauma conditioning and hypnosis is a form of mind control used for very specific purposes. These Alts are designed to serve particular roles within a system of manipulation, and their creation requires intense and deliberate efforts to fracture the personality. Here’s an exploration of how this process works, the types of Alts commonly created, and how it fits within a game mechanic framework:
1. The Creation of Alts: Hypnosis and Trauma Conditioning
The process of creating Alts is deeply rooted in psychological manipulation and often requires extreme tactics, including psychological trauma, hypnosis, and suggestion. The individual’s mind is fractured by emotional or physical trauma, and specific identities are created to cope with those fractures, often without the knowledge of the person themselves. These identities, known as Alts, are activated and deactivated by the Puppet Master—the one who controls the creation and activation of these personalities.
• Hypnosis: Through intense hypnosis, the subject is often rendered vulnerable and suggestible. They may undergo age regression, where their mind is rewired to be receptive to new identities. The hypnotist’s role is to implant triggers that can activate and deactivate Alts at will, with specific phrases, sounds, or other stimuli.
• Trauma Conditioning: Repeated traumatic experiences create a “safe†mental space for these Alts to exist. These personalities take on roles that provide psychic protection for the core identity. When the individual encounters something too painful or overwhelming, an Alt may emerge to handle the situation.
• Embedded Personalities: Some Alts are designed to emerge under specific conditions, often embedded with a specific set of memories or functions, such as obedience or emotional detachment.
2. Types of Alts Created through Trauma Conditioning
The following are types of Alts often created intentionally through trauma conditioning. These personalities can serve a wide range of functions and are typically built to fulfill a specific purpose within an overarching system of control.
Spy Alt
• Role: The Spy Alt is a highly trained individual designed to be invisible, gathering information without raising suspicion.
• Characteristics: Often emotionally detached, observant, and cold-blooded. This personality is capable of deep infiltration, holding secrets without leaking them. They may even forget their true self when in action.
• Triggers: Typically words or objects associated with secrecy, espionage, or coded information.
• Example Mechanic: When activated, the Spy Alt receives an enhanced ability to gather information through perception or deception rolls, but at the cost of emotional disconnection. The more the Spy Alt is used, the more fragmented the character’s primary identity becomes.
Sex Toy Alt
• Role: Created to serve as a sex object for those in power. This Alt is designed to be submissive, often with no control over their actions.
• Characteristics: Hyper-sexualized, emotionally numbed, and often with a child-like innocence that allows them to be manipulated. This personality is programmed to be responsive to sexual advances, but may also harbor deep emotional trauma.
• Triggers: Words, gestures, or situations tied to emotional vulnerability, intimacy, or humiliation.
• Example Mechanic: The Alt can be activated when sexual triggers are introduced into the environment, but they may come with an increased vulnerability to emotional distress and depression when not in use. Activation grants bonuses for seduction or intimacy-related rolls but weakens the player’s sense of self-respect and autonomy.
Assassin Alt
• Role: A trained killer created to eliminate targets without question. This personality is often detached from the moral consequences of their actions and operates with precision.
• Characteristics: Ruthless, emotionless, and efficient. The Assassin Alt may be activated for quick and lethal missions but may struggle with guilt or identity confusion after activation.
• Triggers: Specific symbols, weapons, or commands that trigger the personality to take lethal action.
• Example Mechanic: The Assassin Alt comes with an increased ability to handle weapons, combat situations, and stealth, but activating this Alt often erases any moral compass, leading to possible guilt or disassociation after the fact. The player may gain combat bonuses while in this state but could lose mental stability as a consequence.
Mendicant Slave Zombie Alt
• Role: A docile, subservient personality created to serve as a workhorse or to carry out monotonous tasks without question. This Alt has minimal independent thought and acts as a tool for the Puppet Master’s whims.
• Characteristics: Emotionally blank, obedient, and robotic. The Alt is deeply disconnected from the core personality, often existing in a passive, non-thinking state until needed.
• Triggers: Words or scenarios that induce a hypnotic trance, usually accompanied by a command or request for the individual to perform a task.
• Example Mechanic: The Mendicant Slave Alt can be activated to carry out tasks with total obedience but lacks any meaningful autonomy or decision-making capacity. They may lose awareness of their actions when in use and suffer from a loss of self if this Alt is activated repeatedly.
3. Mechanics for Creating and Managing Alts in Gameplay
Alt Activation/Deactivation
• Trigger Events: The Puppet Master (whether a player or NPC) has a set of trigger phrases or conditions that activate specific Alts. When triggered, an Alt takes over, and the primary personality enters a dormant state. The GM should define what these triggers are for each Alt (e.g., a word, an object, a situation, a specific emotion, etc.).
• Psychic Overload: Continuously activating or overusing Alts may lead to psychic overload, where the character suffers from memory loss, emotional numbness, or disassociation. This mechanic forces players to manage the balance between using Alts and keeping the core self intact.
• Mental Trauma Points (MTPs): Each time an Alt is activated, the character accumulates Mental Trauma Points. These points reflect the psychic cost of altering their identity. As MTPs accumulate, the core personality becomes more fragile, and the risk of permanent personality fragmentation increases. If an Alt remains activated for too long, the primary personality may dissociate entirely.
• Integration of Alts: To integrate an Alt back into the core personality, the character must undergo a healing process. This could involve confronting past trauma, undergoing therapy, or seeking help from NPCs like therapists or spiritual guides. Integration restores balance but requires significant effort and time.
4. GM Guidelines for Using Alts in Gameplay
• Character Development: Alts should be introduced gradually, allowing players to explore their roles before they are forced to confront their darker sides. The GM can use dream sequences or flashbacks to reveal more about an Alt’s origins and their connection to the character’s core personality.
• Therapeutic NPCs: Introduce NPCs who help guide the players through their psychic struggles, offering healing and therapy to integrate their fractured selves. This creates a dynamic narrative where characters can move between self-exploration, growth, and recovery.
• Consequences of Alt Use: Players must weigh the immediate benefits of activating an Alt (such as heightened combat abilities or stealth) against the long-term consequences (mental instability, memory loss, and the potential to lose control over their true selves).
These mechanics should be integrated into the broader narrative to create a psychological experience that emphasizes both trauma recovery and the dangers of living with fractured identities. The creation of Alts is a dark process, but it can provide rich, emotional, and philosophical content for players to explore in the course of their journey.
Mentalist NPCs: Masters of Mind and Manipulation
These NPCs specialize in hypnosis, deception, and psychological manipulation, each wielding their craft in distinct ways. Some are exploiters, creating weaponized Alts, while others are potential helpers, seeking to undo the damage inflicted by mind control and trauma.
🌀 The Hypnotist: Doctor Victor Langley (The Engineer of Minds)
• Role: A refined yet deeply unsettling psychiatrist, specializing in deep hypnosis and dissociative conditioning.
• Appearance: Silver-haired, impeccably dressed, speaks in a slow, deliberate voice.
• Personality: Calculated, emotionless, fascinated by the mechanics of human behavior.
Methods & Abilities:
• Layered Conditioning: Can implant triggers to activate buried Alts with a phrase, gesture, or sensation.
• Eidetic Recall Training: Can force subjects to remember or forget specific events.
• The Obedience Reflex: Uses trauma-paired hypnosis to create reflexive compliance.
How He Affects the Game:
• As an Antagonist: He creates sleeper agents, assassins, and sex slaves through mind control.
• As a Potential Asset: If forced to cooperate, he can reverse some conditioning, but at a cost.
Plot Hooks:
• A PC discovers one of their Alts was programmed by Langley and must track him down to break free.
• A rival faction wants to control Langley’s expertise for their own ends.
• Langley has hidden trigger phrases across the city—one wrong word, and an agent will turn.
🎩 The Stage Conjurer: Malcolm Graves (The Master of Misperception)
• Role: A famous stage magician, illusionist, and psychological manipulator, hiding real occult knowledge behind his tricks.
• Appearance: Dressed in rich Victorian-style clothing, always with gloves and a smirk.
• Personality: Charismatic but ruthless, viewing life as a game of perception vs. reality.
Methods & Abilities:
• Misdirection & Gaslighting: Convinces people their memories and experiences are false.
• Hypnotic Hand Gestures: Uses subtle movements to implant subconscious suggestions.
• Reality Fracturing: Through sensory overload, he induces brief psychotic breaks in victims.
How He Affects the Game:
• As an Antagonist: He is a master at making people doubt their own sanity.
• As a Wildcard Ally: If convinced, he can teach players how to resist mental manipulation.
Plot Hooks:
• A character experiences false memories implanted by Graves, leading them on a false quest.
• A rival hypnotist challenges Graves, and the PCs are the stakes in a battle of minds.
• His “magic show†is a cover for programming Alts, and someone close to the PCs is next.
💀 The Voodoo Practitioner: Mambo Ysabelle Duclair (The Spirit Caller of the Mind)
• Role: A powerful Vodou Mambo (priestess) who manipulates minds through loa possession and ritual hypnosis.
• Appearance: Wears a bone necklace, eyes always lined in white powder, smells of rum and tobacco.
• Personality: Mysterious and intense, speaks in cryptic parables, but fiercely protective of her own.
Methods & Abilities:
• Loa Possession Therapy: Invites spirits to speak through a fractured mind, forcing Alts into the open.
• Curse of the Serviteur: Can bind weak-willed subjects into zombified submission.
• Dreamwalking: Enters a person’s dreams to alter subconscious fears and triggers.
How She Affects the Game:
• As a Wise Mentor: She helps PCs reclaim their fractured selves through Vodou rites.
• As a Dangerous Enemy: If wronged, she binds souls in servitude.
Plot Hooks:
• A traumatized PC seeks her out for ritual healing, but the cost is steep.
• A cult has enslaved people using Vodou, and she’s the only one who can break the spell.
• A voodoo-controlled assassin is sent after the PCs—do they kill or free them?
Final Thoughts
These NPCs introduce powerful themes of mind control, autonomy, and deception. Each one can be a foe, ally, or moral dilemma, depending on how the players engage with them.
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