Horror/Fear/Sanity Saving Throw

Horror/Fear/Sanity Saving Throw

Sometimes people encounter an act of violence, or entity that truly frightens them. Something truly horrific, weird, or strange. So seeing an angry savage dog wouldn't require it. But seeing an angry savage dog foaming at the mouth, the fur on its head slicked back by blood and gore, yes. Seeing someone shot, no. Finding a pile of corpses that have been skinned, yes. Encountering a Husk for a first time, yes. The second time no. The first time encountering a Husk that breaths fire, yes.

When encountering a horrible situation the character needs to make a saving throw. The character may add the bonus from their grit to the roll. If successful, they have pulled themselves together and operate normally. If they fail they must run away or stand frozen in horror. They also temporarily lose 1d4 Grit till they have slept. Characters regenerate one point of temporarily loss Grit every time they sleep. So if they lose more than one in a day it takes days to regain them. Now if they a roll a 1 it is an automatic failure. In addition to the effects of a normal failure they also permanently lose one point of Grit, and gain a mental disorder.

Roll 1d6 and consult the table

1	Psychosis
2-3	Phobia
4-6	Anxiety

Psychosis or Psychotic break the character suffers from abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real. Common symptoms include false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, visual and auditory hallucinations, reduced social engagement and emotional expression, and lack of motivation. Before attempting any task character must make an ST. If they fail they are distracted by visual and audial hallucinations. Making giving any task (Combat or ST) a modifier of -6. A character can be institutionalized for 1d12 months. This will at least temporarily “cure” the issues. If faced with another horror check, and they fail. They automatically slip back into psychosis again.

Phobia is an irrational fear of X. The phobia gained should have something to do with the experience that traumatizes the character. If attacked by a demon possessed dog, one should not gain a fear of flying for example. Character is at -5 for all rolls when dealing with this phobia.

Anxiety is a grouping of stress related disorders. Such as panic attacks, and OCD. Roll randomly or pick one. 1-2 panic attack, 3-4 OCD

Panic Attack

The character when in a stressful situation must make an ST or be frozen in place unable to do anything, or runs away as best they can. (50/50 chance of either.)

OCD

Character develops 1d3 compulsive habits. If these habits are not followed to the letter, character is distracted and irritated. -3 to all rolls, for 1d4 hours.