A Penny For My Thoughts – Character Writeup
For some more information about A Penny For My Thoughts, refer to my previous post and the official game website.
Sadly my wife threw away the memory triggers we came up with, so I only have the ones that were selected by each player. As I recall, each player wrote a total of 5 triggers, for a total at the start of 30 possible triggers. We didn’t really keep note of who did what when, or the guiding questions, so I’m just writing up the complete characters.
Character 1
Player: Me
- Recall a pleasant memory
When I think of a championship tennis match I remember killing the #1 tennis player in England for al-Qaeda. We had chosen such an unconventional target for the simple reason that it would be broadcasted live internationally and give the world a clear message that we could get anyone, anywhere – even right up close to the Royal family itself. I’d trained for years in deep cover to get to Wimbledon and face off against the #1 player in the country and after beating him, we shook hands and I used a poison needle to inject a fast acting neuro-toxin into his palm. He died almost instantly.
What was pleasant about it?
I succeeded in my mission. - Recall an unpleasant memory
When I think of ring a ring of roses I remember my nephews birthday party. I remember he and my wife getting killed by counter-terrorists during a raid. I ran, stealing a taxi and driving to a safe house without trying to save them.
What was unpleasant about it?
My family died and I did nothing but ran away. I put the mission first and suffered crushing guilt from that moment on. - Recall how you came to be here
When I think of sea waves I remember being on a luxury cruise, looking for the reports of my exploits on television, murdering someone and starting my new life. I’d quickly left the country after the incident with my family. It was clear the authorities knew it had been me and I’d been laying low, but I’d slipped up, staying in the country for my nephews party and getting my family killed for my mistake. The cell put me on a luxury cruise where I would stop off in the Caribbean and leave ship to take on a new identity and life from a contact there. I was still charged with pride and excitement about the mission success and was being sloppy, looking for reports on the news, but surprisingly there was very little coverage which made me angry. Eventually, someone did recognise me so I had to kill them. Of course, it might just have because I was a famous tennis player, they might not have heard about the assassination, but I could take no more chances, especially after being so reckless.
How did you lose your memory?
I went to meet my contact at the docks, got my papers and new identity and left to meet up with the people that would smuggle me off the island we had docked at when during my run to the pick up point I slipped and hit my head.
Do you want to remember your past? No.
Character 2
Player: Barry
- Recall a pleasant memory
When I think of the sounds of screaming I remember when I went to the funfair with my best friend. We dared each other to go into the haunted house. I was planning to scare my friend whilst in the house, but something jumped out of a wardrobe in the haunted house and I ended up screaming.
What was pleasant about it?
I got to go to the fair with my best friend. - Recall an unpleasant memory
When I think of falling down the stairs I remember trying to escape a hospital. I was patient zero in a growing epidemic and whilst sick and delirious I fell down the stairs while trying to find my way out. As I fell I pulled over a medical cart with me and got a syringe full of an unknown substance embedded in my knee, which I accidentally injected into me whilst trying to pull it out. I managed to get out of the hospital but passed out before I could get very far.
What was unpleasant about it?
I was sick, delirious and in terrible pain and to make matters worse possibly injected with something dangerous. - Recall how you came to be here
When I think of scraping my knee I remember fleeing the custody of some paramedics that were taking me back to the hospital. I ran through an alley way, convinced I had to get to my best friend’s house in my feverish delirium to see her one last time before I died from either the illness or this mystery chemical I was injected with. I stole a car and drove to her house but on the way there I crashed.
How did you lose your memory?
As I lay in the crashed car, I realised that my friend was actually at the hospital all along and that I needed to try and get back to her because in my delirium I’d unwittingly abandoned her. The shame and pain of the accident was too much and I passed out.
Do you want to remember your past? No.
Character 3
Player: Greg
- Recall a pleasant memory
When I think of the smell of lavender I remember looking for my cat in my grandparents back garden. There were lavender bushes in their garden and as I searched for the cat, I came across a stranger stood over a shallow grave at the bottom of the garden.
What was pleasant about it?
I loved playing with my cat and hiding in all the various places in that garden. - Recall an unpleasant memory
When I think of the crunchy feeling of leaves underfoot I remember skinny dipping in the lake and the cat coming to get me. When I got out, I stepped barefoot onto the leaves covered the lake shore. I got dressed and went back to the house to find policemen there. They told me my grandmother was attacked and had been rushed to hospital.
What was unpleasant about it?
She later died in A&E. She lost a lot of blood. - Recall how you came to be here
When I think of a wasp sting I remember how my granddad died. We were at his shed when he got stung and he was allergic. I also got stung but didn’t have my injector with me so we only had the one shot from his injector between us. It was a choice between him or me and I chose to live. I had to call funeral services and the house didn’t feel like home any more.
How did you lose your memory?
The stress and guilt and grief was all too much and I just broke down under the pressure.
Do you want to remember your past? Yes.