Memory is a fragile thing that can easily be manipulated or lost entirely. The Amnesia trait means that some or even all of the character’s memories are missing and they have ‘holes’ in their past. These memories may return in time, with the right triggers, but for the time being there are periods in their past that they know nothing about. This could be deliberate, the result of mind-wiping technology, psychic powers or Torchwood’s amnesia drug Retcon, or due to mental or physical damage.
As a Minor Bad Trait, the character has lost a portion of their memory. It could be as small as a couple of days, weeks or even a couple of years, but the character will have no idea of what happened to them in that time. As a Major Bad Trait, this Amnesia is total, the character having no memory of their past, or even who they really are. Events, sights, sounds or even smells can trigger memories of their lost time, and this is a great source of adventure ideas for the Gamemaster – over many adventures the character can uncover more and more of their ‘lost time’. Of course, this adds to the work the Gamemaster has to do, coming up with the character’s lost memories, so the Amnesia trait should be approved by the Gamemaster before purchasing it.