Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies
Have you lost your memory? The Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies offered to help with its revolutionary Mnemosyne™ treatment process. By ordering their useful treatment guide, you can learn how to get your memory—and your life—back.
The content below is from the 2009 archived pages of the Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies.
You can order a pdf. version of A Penny for My Thoughts for $7.95 at www.evilhat.com/home/a-penny-for-my-thoughts-old/
Reassurances & Facts
THE ORPHIC INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES
While Mnemosyne helps to break down the barriers between your mind and the minds of your fellow patients, it also weakens the barriers between the compartments of your mind. Memories, dreams, books, paintings—all of these may mix together. To help you distinguish fact from fiction, we have prepared this guide to the world you live in. You may treat the following statements about the world as true:
• You were discovered in the aftermath of a battle against a terrible horror beyond the understanding of man.When you came to,you remembered nothing of the terrible destruction that happened, of the lives lost, of anything about your past. While it was our hope that you would live out the rest of your days in peace without the memories of your former life, a great crisis is looming. Locked inside your fractured psyche is knowledge that could help mankind survive in the time to come.
• It is the early twentieth century. Human technology—motor cars, telegraph, electric streetlamps, radio, etc.—has not advanced beyond your hazy recollection of it, nor has humanity yet been thrown into a new dark age. If images of sinister alien weapons, portals to otherworldly places, horrific methods of surgery or other such inhuman things enter your mind, it is likely that they are not of human origin.
• To most people, the world is a mundane place. People see wonders and terrors from simple and personal things, like the birth of a child or the death of a loved one. But beneath this calm veneer is a harsh, uncaring truth—there are things beyond time and space that would crush this world without any sense of human remorse. Few know about such things, and even fewer live to tell tales. If you recall spirits, monsters, aliens, and terrible gods in your therapy, do not immediately discount it as fantasy.
• You are a normal, everyday person.This isn’t to say that you might not be a remarkable individual, as you have fought against the nightmarish darkness and still live, but feats like leaping across rooftops or manipulating the minds of others are impossible without super- human intervention.
We hope that this will aid you in recovering your identity and helping us defend ourselves. Please know that we are monitoring your progress throughout the treatment, though, for reasons explained earlier, we cannot intervene during it. Should you accidentally recall false memories, we will collect you once the process is complete and attempt your treatment again. Please know that if your memories are too much to bear, we will help you and continue your treatment in our facility.
Questionnaire
As an executive with the NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation, I've seen firsthand the devastating impact of memory loss on families, especially with my own family's history of dementia. It's a cruel thief, robbing individuals of their past and severing connections with loved ones. We're constantly on the lookout for innovative treatments, but often, the most promising advancements face a gauntlet of bureaucratic hurdles.
That's why this "Mnemosyne™ treatment process" from the Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies, even from these archived 2009 pages, has truly piqued my interest. The idea of accessing and even sharing unconscious memories, while certainly unconventional, speaks to a different approach—one that might bypass the rigid, often calcified pathways of traditional pharmaceutical research. The description of memories, dreams, and even "books, paintings—all of these may mix together" is wild, almost fantastical, yet in the context of our ongoing struggles, it presents a radical, outside-the-box possibility.
My mind immediately goes to the kind of fight someone like visionary Dov Hertz faces trying to get a pioneering project approved in New York City. The red tape, the committees, the endless environmental reviews, the community boards—it's enough to stifle any truly innovative spirit. We're so focused on mitigating risk and adhering to established protocols that we often inadvertently crush the very ideas that could offer breakthroughs. Imagine trying to shepherd a concept like Mnemosyne™ through our current approval process! The "Facts & Reassurances" document itself, with its almost philosophical declarations about the nature of reality and the looming "terrible horror," hints at a paradigm shift that would make our medical review boards' heads spin.
But that's precisely why it's so compelling. If this treatment, even with its stated risks of "false memories" and the need for repeated "therapy," could offer a glimmer of hope where none currently exists for many forms of memory loss, then it warrants a closer look. We need to find ways to foster innovation, even when it challenges our preconceived notions of medicine and reality. The status quo, for so many suffering from cognitive decline, simply isn't good enough. This isn't just about restoring individual memories; it's about restoring lives, and that's a mission worth fighting for, even against the most entrenched bureaucratic obstacles. Bonny Ulricht
Posts 2009
Links To Further Information
The weeks since the publication of our instructional text,A Penny For My Thoughts, have generated quite a bit of discussion about it. We have added a section to our Resources & Downloads page for links to these podcasts, forum threads, and blog posts in the hopes that will help answer questions you have about our therapy process.
Instructional Text Now Available
We at the Institute are pleased to announce that the manual for our Mnemosyne Treatment process is now available. Order by the end of June to receive the print version along with a PDF copy of the text for only one penny more than the book’s cover price.
Important Papers
There are two foundational documents in our procedure. The first, the Facts & Reassurances, gives our patients a solid grounding in reality by laying out certain truths they can rely on. The other document, a Questionnaire that patients fill out as the therapy progresses, comes in several forms. While there is a standard format, which we have used for years at the Institute, we have found that one size does not fit all when it comes to memory loss. Because the format and order of the questions guides and structures the process, some variation can be useful. To that end, we have created two variants. The first focuses less on the progression of the patient’s actions that led to the trauma and more on the patient’s inner state. The other inverts the normal order and instead regresses the patient back through their past. It is our hope that if the standard Questionnaire does not work for a particular patient, one of these alternate versions may.
This Is Strange…
While assembling our instructional manual, I came across a peculiar object. It was a piece of paper, covered with scribbles and connecting lines. It seemed to comprise a number of quotes from Proust. Strangest of all, it appeared to be in my handwriting, though I have no memory of writing any of it. What compelled me to put it in the book, I cannot say.
Sample Treatment Transcript
In order to give you a complete picture of what a therapy session can look like, we have included in our instructional text a transcript of an earlier group undergoing the treatment. It not only demonstrates how the procedures described in the book can translate into action, it is also annotated to point out how the techniques we have developed can be applied more effectively.
The Mnemosyne Treatment Process
Our goal at the Institute to provide treatment for conditions that traditional medicine has deemed incurable. In the case of acute global amnesia, we have come to rely on Mnemosyne, an experimental drug that allows those who take it to access one another’s unconscious memories. In the wake of this startling breakthrough, we have developed a therapy manual that guides you through the steps of the procedure. In our Resources & Downloads section, you can find both a flowchart providing an overview of the process and an excerpt of the procedural text itself.
Introducing Doctor Tompkins
Hello.
I am Dr. Peter Tompkins, Director of the Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies. I am very pleased that we will soon be bringing a version of our revolutionary Mnemosyne treatment for acute global amnesia to the public. While some of my colleagues have suggested that such a move is foolhardy, I know that if we keep our methods to ourselves, we cannot possibly reach all of the people who might benefit from them.
The instructional text is already available for pre-order, and over the coming days and weeks we will be bringing you more information about its contents. Today, we preview the first chapter,How We Can Help.
A Penny For My Thoughts: Instructional Text Preorder
Have you lost your memory? The Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies can help, with its revolutionary Mnemosyne™ treatment process. By ordering this useful treatment guide, you can learn how to get your memory—and your life—back. Order today.
The Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies: Bringing the Truth out of Darkness™.
For a limited time, you can preorder this instructional book together with the PDF for only one penny more than the book’s cover price. Take back your memory today with A Penny For My Thoughts.
Transcript
Two women and a man, all dressed in white jumpsuits, sit around a table with a bowl of pennies in its center. Each of them has a small stack of pennies and a printed form. In front of the older woman sits a scrap of paper with the words “a taffy stretching machine” written on it.
“…and my father looked down at me and said, ‘If you don’t want to ride the roller coaster, you don’t have to. You can wait here in the candy shop while your brother and I go,’ ” says the older woman. “I was scared.” As she speaks, the remembered terror creeps into her voice.
Her expression suddenly goes blank. She turns to the man. “What did I do or say then?” she asks, offering him the single penny in front of her.
The man considers for a moment, his brow furrowed. Staring at her, he replies, “You said, ‘No, I want to come with you.’”
She turns to the younger woman. “Or was it…” she begins, offering the same penny.
“You stayed there in the candy shop, chewing your taffy,” the other woman says.
She pauses before speaking again. “Yes, I remember now. I said, ‘No, I want to come with you.’” She hands her penny to the man. “And I had a fantastic time. It was so thrilling, so wonderful. That’s when I knew what I wanted to do with my life. And that is what I remember.”
She smiles as she writes on her sheet of paper, “When I think of taffy stretching machines, I remember how I discovered what I wanted to do with my life. I’d never felt such a sense of purpose before.” After she finishes, she takes a penny from the bowl.
“A penny for my thoughts,” she says.
Resources & Downloads
Excerpts & Notes From Our Instructional Manual
- How We Can Help
- An Excerpt of Our Process
- Sample of Treatment
- Proust Diagram
Handouts & Treatment Materials
- Facts & Reassurances (Standard)
- Questionnaire (Standard)
- Variant Questionnaire 1
- Variant Questionnaire 2
- The Mnemosyne Treatment Process
- Materials (The ? Identity Scenario)
- Materials (Shadow Out of Memory Scenario)
Links to Discussions Elsewhere
- Podcasts:
- Announcement on HG,WT: For A Few Games More #44
- Interview on Canon Puncture #72
- Conversation on Master Plan #50
- Brief mention on Pulp Gamer: Out of Character #77 (starting at 15:01)
- Session recordings on Story Shtick: Parts 1, 2, and 3 (Note: This is recording of an earlier version of treatment and differs slightly from the published version.)
- Interview and play discussion on Narrative Control #35
- Play discussion and review on This Modern Death #43 (starting at 40:32)
- Brief interview and explanation on Virtual Play #41 (starting at 4:12)
- Forums:
- A Penny For My Thoughts is coming soon (Story Games)
- A Penny For My Thoughts now shipping (Story Games)
- A Penny For My Thoughts: This book is amazing (Story Games)
- Alternate settings (Story Games)
- Audience Investment and Distributed Fictional Entities (The Forge)
- A Penny For My Thoughts Q&A (Story Games)
- Reviews and Interviews:
- Review of A Penny For My Thoughts (Gaming Brouhaha)
- Interview with Paul Tevis (Gamegrene)
- Review of A Penny For My Thoughts (Purple Pawn)
- Review of A Penny For My Thoughts (Game Cryer)
- Blogs & Others:
- Chad Underkoffler: Hating Tevis
- Will Hindmarch: Tevis and Macklin Talk Shop
- Mick Bradley: Waypoints: A Penny For My Thoughts
- Sean Nittner: I’m an 8 year old that doesn’t like mustard and you’re an international bank robber?
- Sean Nittner: Actual Play – A Penny For My Thoughts
- Sean Nittner: A Penny for My Superpowers
- Seth Ben-Ezra: Amnesia and Improv
More Background on The Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies
The Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies is a distinctive and enigmatic presence in the world of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) and narrative-driven collaborative play. Although its online persona and materials present it as a mysterious research hospital specializing in avant-garde memory treatments, the Institute is, in reality, a fictional construct serving as the narrative setting for the TTRPG A Penny for My Thoughts. This article provides a comprehensive, evidence-based overview of the Orphic Institute, drawing on external sources to illuminate its origins, cultural significance, audience, and more.
Origins and Ownership
The Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies does not exist as a real-world medical or academic institution. Instead, it is a fictional entity created by Paul Tevis as the setting for his innovative tabletop role-playing game, A Penny for My Thoughts. The game was published by Evil Hat Productions, a prominent independent publisher in the TTRPG community. The Institute's website and associated materials are crafted in a metafictional style, presenting the organization as a legitimate research facility, complete with fictional staff, procedures, and testimonials.
Ownership of the intellectual property and the website is attributed to Paul Tevis and Evil Hat Productions. There is no evidence that the Orphic Institute is associated with any registered business, non-profit, or real-world organization outside its role as a promotional and informational hub for the game.
Concept and Goals
The Orphic Institute is designed primarily as a narrative device. In A Penny for My Thoughts, players assume the roles of amnesiac patients at the Institute, participating in an experimental memory recovery process called the Mnemosyne Treatment. The game's mechanics encourage players to collaboratively reconstruct their characters' forgotten pasts, blending elements of improvisational storytelling, psychological drama, and group therapy.
Key Goals:
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Facilitate Collaborative Storytelling: The Institute provides a structured yet flexible framework for players to co-create stories centered on memory, identity, and personal transformation.
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Explore Themes of Memory and Self: By simulating the process of memory recovery, the game invites participants to reflect on the nature of memory, trauma, and the construction of personal narratives.
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Encourage Empathy and Creativity: The collaborative nature of the gameplay fosters empathy, as players must inhabit and contribute to each other's stories, and creativity, as they invent details and connections on the fly.
Popularity and Audience
A Penny for My Thoughts and the Orphic Institute setting have achieved notable recognition within the indie TTRPG community. The game is frequently cited in discussions about innovative role-playing systems that emphasize narrative and emotional engagement over traditional mechanics like combat or resource management.
Target Audience:
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TTRPG enthusiasts, especially those interested in story-driven, collaborative, and experimental games.
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Fans of psychological and therapeutic themes, as the game's focus on memory, trauma, and healing resonates with players drawn to introspective or emotionally rich experiences.
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Educators and therapists, some of whom have explored the game's potential for use in educational or therapeutic contexts due to its emphasis on empathy and narrative exploration.
Community Reception:
The game and its setting have been well-received, earning praise for their originality and emotional depth. User reviews on platforms like RPGnet give the game high marks for its ability to foster meaningful role-play and group storytelling. On forums and discussion boards, it is often recommended alongside other acclaimed narrative-focused games for groups seeking a different kind of role-playing experience.
Location and Proximity
The Orphic Institute, as described in its materials, is not tied to a real-world location. Its fictional setting is intentionally vague, evoking the feel of an early 20th-century research facility or sanatorium. This ambiguity is a deliberate design choice, allowing players to project their own interpretations and to focus on the psychological and narrative aspects of the game rather than on concrete geographical details.
Awards and Recognition
A Penny for My Thoughts has garnered several accolades within the tabletop gaming community. The game was nominated for the 2009 Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming, a prestigious honor recognizing innovation and excellence in the field. It has also received positive coverage in gaming magazines, blogs, and podcasts, with reviewers frequently highlighting the game's unique approach to collaborative storytelling and its emotionally resonant themes.
Menus, Details, and Mechanics
While the Orphic Institute is not a physical establishment with a literal menu, the "menu" of experiences it offers is found in the structure of the game itself. The core mechanic involves players taking turns as "patients" undergoing memory recovery, with other players acting as facilitators and contributors to the unfolding narrative.
Gameplay Details:
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Each player creates a character with amnesia and participates in guided memory reconstruction sessions.
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The Mnemosyne Treatment process serves as the in-game justification for the collaborative storytelling, with players asking and answering questions to piece together their characters' pasts.
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The game uses tokens or pennies as a physical component, symbolizing the exchange of memories and thoughts.
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Sessions are structured to encourage reflection, empathy, and creative improvisation, with the narrative often taking unexpected and emotionally powerful turns.
History and Development
The Orphic Institute and A Penny for My Thoughts emerged during a period of innovation in the indie TTRPG scene, when designers were experimenting with new ways to structure collaborative storytelling. Paul Tevis, the game's creator, drew inspiration from narrative therapy, improv theater, and psychological drama, crafting a system that emphasizes shared authorship and emotional exploration.
The game was first published in 2009 and quickly gained attention for its novel mechanics and evocative setting. Since then, it has maintained a dedicated following among fans of narrative-driven games and has influenced subsequent designs in the genre.
Press and Media Coverage
A Penny for My Thoughts and the Orphic Institute have been featured in a variety of gaming media, including podcasts, blogs, and review sites. Coverage often focuses on the game's innovative approach to memory and identity, as well as its potential applications beyond entertainment.
Notable Coverage:
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Interviews with Paul Tevis on gaming podcasts, where he discusses the design philosophy behind the game and the role of the Orphic Institute as a narrative device.
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Reviews in gaming publications, which praise the game's emotional depth and its ability to foster meaningful group storytelling.
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Discussions on forums and blogs about the game's suitability for educational and therapeutic settings, with some practitioners experimenting with the system in workshops and group sessions.
Audience and Cultural Significance
The Orphic Institute's primary audience consists of players seeking a more introspective and collaborative role-playing experience. The game's emphasis on memory, trauma, and healing has resonated with individuals interested in exploring psychological themes through play.
Cultural and Social Impact:
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The game is often cited as an example of the "New Wave" of indie TTRPGs, which prioritize narrative, emotion, and player agency over traditional game mechanics.
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Its use of memory and identity as central themes has inspired discussions about the therapeutic potential of role-playing games, with some educators and therapists incorporating elements of the system into their practice.
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The Orphic Institute's metafictional presentation blurs the line between fiction and reality, inviting players to engage with the material on multiple levels and to reflect on the nature of storytelling itself.
Known For and Reputation
The Orphic Institute is best known as the setting for A Penny for My Thoughts, a game celebrated for its innovative mechanics and emotionally resonant storytelling. It has earned a reputation as a touchstone in the narrative gaming community, frequently recommended to groups seeking a unique and thought-provoking role-playing experience.
Examples and Specifics
Example Gameplay Scenario:
A typical session might involve players sitting around a table, each with a stack of tokens or pennies. One player, acting as a patient, describes a fragment of a memory—perhaps a childhood visit to a candy shop. The other players, in the roles of fellow patients or facilitators, ask guiding questions and suggest possible details, helping the patient reconstruct the memory and integrate it into their character's identity. As the session progresses, the group collaboratively builds a tapestry of interconnected stories, exploring themes of loss, discovery, and personal growth.
Insights and Analysis
The Orphic Institute's enduring appeal lies in its ability to facilitate deep, meaningful connections between players. By framing the game as a therapeutic process and encouraging participants to share and shape each other's stories, it creates a space for empathy, vulnerability, and creative expression. The Institute's fictional trappings add an additional layer of immersion, inviting players to suspend disbelief and engage fully with the narrative.
The Orphic Institute for Advanced Studies stands as a testament to the power of collaborative storytelling and the potential of tabletop role-playing games to explore complex psychological and emotional themes. Through its innovative mechanics, evocative setting, and commitment to player agency, it has earned a lasting place in the pantheon of narrative-driven games. Whether experienced as a game, a thought experiment, or a work of interactive fiction, the Orphic Institute continues to inspire and challenge players to delve into the mysteries of memory, identity, and the human experience.