this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2025
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Do not assume that every character Trauma is the player putting their own Trauma, while it's not uncommon to be from a bankrupt wealthy familyor gender non comforming, oreven a single parentIRL, it's a very classic Character design trope, because fighting lord evil who stole your family possession or finding back your original body/form are great Character goal feeding the plot and the story.
Sure it may be a way to tell something about you in the PC creation, but it may just be a way to offer plot hooks
It's also worth understanding that trauma is something that you work out through your daily life, not just in therapy. One of the models for trauma is that it's caused by a sense of helplessness in the face of a great stressor or existential threat, and engaging in activities that let you react to dangers can be theraputic.
Theraputic, not therapy.
No one else at the table needs to be directly involved. No one need be asked to be a shoulder to lie on. It's not any different in practice than the masturbatory power fantasies we're all engaging in at the table. It's just starting from a slightly different place.
Asking someone to write fantasy without putting their own lived experience into the writing would be counterproductive anyway. Good characters should have a little bit of yourself in them