secret keeping

Secrets…so many secrets. It seems players want to keep their thoughts and goals to themselves. Most will share with the GM their ideas, but not with the other players. Yes, I said players. This sometimes goes as far as to keep the GM out of the loop as well (usually ending poorly). They fear the metagaming aspect of another player knowing the secret.

Let me make one thing very clear: metagaming is not always bad! If the other players know and understand what your goal is, and a general idea of how you may want your character to get there, they will have their characters interact in a way to help you do so. This is a collaborative game, the players, as well as their characters, should be working together. This will enable them to achieve the larger goal of defeating the bad guy, but it also helps to achieve the smaller, more personal goals.

Metagaming aside, if the GM doesn’t know the secret, they cannot incorporate the reason for such a secret into the game. What is the reason for keeping a secret if there is no fear of it becoming known?

I, personally, am okay with secrets among my players, but it does come with caution. The secrets kept cannot interfere with party cohesion. I do not like when one player goes out and does anything detrimental for the rest of the group, or intentionally causes some major setback on the main plot. I don’t like a “mole” within the adventuring party that is planning on betraying the group (some like this, but I do not). I also don’t like it when players keep their personal goals or expectations to themselves.

This is why I like session 0. This is a good time to work out how the characters know each other and what they know about each other. Secrets could to be shared with at least one other player, and the GM to ensure their incorporation within the story. Talk with your GM, let them know your personal goals (it’s okay if this develops during the game, you do not need to know it all on day one. If it is a secret within your character’s backstory, let them know what it is and what your character believes would happen if it became known. And, if none of it matters, why keep it a secret to begin with?