So I picked up an interesting phobia at GENCON. Phobia - Ansharan's. Mindful that they tend to show up with some regularity, I was looking for ways to deal with the situation. I understand a lot of that will be upto the Judge at the table. But what if I turn to drugs to deal with my phobia in combat?

Mechanically, I have to make a horror check vs my own discipline. Which for me is kinda hard. Looking at ways to lower my own discipline which will make the horror check easier to succeed at, I find drugs are the answer I am looking for. The poison "Red Dust" will lower disapline by 5. That will make the Horror check easy.... but presents a unique set of other difficulties ripe for role-play.

Other ideas include just plain drinking myself silly...to the point of suffering wounds, or getting a spell rune of Delusions of Grandeur to use on myself.

Now I would assume that using heavy drugs in this manner would lead to addiction....which would be more interesting for RP.

But frankly I am open to any creative applications of "Liquid Courage" with the aim to LOWER my own disapline to tough out the horror check imposed by my phobia.

Soooo...is that a phobia of ALL Ansharans (i.e. val'Inares and those who follow Anshar whoever they may be?) If so Eric I may have to build an Ansharan just to have fun with you at the table. All in good fun mind you. We could have some fun roleplaying this...

Yea pretty much everybody including gates, val Inares, temples, priests, churches, symbols.

I mentioned this to Beth and she said I was a bad man... Still I have been looking for a character hook and you may have provided me one. An gnome who worships Anshar, considers himself to be cursed by the gods, and unworthy of their favor. Tries to redeem himself by helping others...maybe go Holy Champion because the Bearer of Woe path would seem to fit. I could have fun with this character the more I think about it.

Personally I think those are all interesting options Eric...and quite appropriate, given the realities of things like PTSD and substance abuse.

I've never seen the addiction rules actually applied in-game before, this might be an opportunity to test them out

Could a tweak of the flaw Haunted By Nightmares work for PTSD? Some kind of "flashback" mechanic? I suppose the simple solution though is to just say it triggers a Horror Check with some modifiers to make it harder to pass.

Heh. ha. Bwah-ha-ha! HA-HA-HA!!!

Gods forbid you instead put put ranks in mettle ... but no. The answer your PC is looking for is drugs...

You know I talked with Tukufu today and he says he hasn't seen this "red dust" you're looking for. But if your PC instead wants to try "Kissing the Beautiful Devil," Tukufu said he knows where to get someone hooked up in the Hinterlands. He also said this was a questionable idea.

Starting with a d6 in resolve and zero ranks in mettle makes "recovery" a long hard road. Besides what is a guy born to pirates supposed to do? Give up rum? Come on Eric, you know that isn't an answer...

Eric

Bardus feels a light tap on his shoulder. He turns to find a gnome standing there in rough homespun robes, his burly forearms tattooed with holy symbols and devotional phrases to Anshar. Looking up at Bardus with a look of concern on his twisted visage he says in a soft voice , "My child you seem in pain, how may this humble servant of the Suffering Goddess help you?".....

Aaaaaaagggggggg.