Ok, i tried to abstract my fleshed out idea into a concept.
The MC doesn't need to have any expertise in hypnosis in the first session if Elene keeps a "Hypnosis Journal" where she writes down things related to hypnosis like
- inductions (that could be read off in the first session)
- formulas for hypnosis content (like Induction, Deepener, Suggestions, Awaken) also an excuse for all sessions to share some structure when you are lazy with writing
- triggers (which might already be planted)
- likes, dislikes, kinks, consent stuff
Elene doesn’t need to expect MC reading other pages then the one she handed her book/notepad/notebook open with.
Do you intend for the hypnosis content to be able to hypnotize a player or would you rather not have that happen?
As for the combinatorical explosion that i find easily manageable. If actions in the previous days can unlock a different route for every club in the next week you have <50% more content (first week does only have 2 routes per club and 2(dom+sub)->3(dom+sub+secret) is 50%) however that would be excessive in my opinion. If just X clubs every week have a secret route that can be unlocked depending on choices made by the player up to then it’s <X0% new content. All assuming the secret routes are as long as the dom/sub route.
Anyway i wrote that to possibly dispel the notion that routes grow out of control to give your more room for creative freedom. Also it doesn’t need to be secret route or dom route or sub route choice it can also be first secret route (or skipping it) then dom or sub choice. Anyway my analysis kinda assumes all clubs will have sub and dom routes don’t feel constrained by that.
But most importantly have fun.