When running a game, it’s fun to make sure all the NPCs have at least one secret they don’t want anyone to discover. It’s also fun if each of the PCs have their own secrets too. This list should help with inspiration.
By nature, a list of this type could never be finished; however, it’s incomplete even to a cursory inspection, and I have things yet to add that I simply haven’t figured out the proper way to phrase. Any updated version/s of this list will be linked here.
I tried to keep this vague and ambiguous, fitting any different settings or stories. A few however specifically reference magic; if that doesn’t match your game, either pick something different, or use your imagination to adjust it.
Although this was intended for gaming purposes, feel free to use it as inspiration for any type of story you might create.
actually a shapeshifter; the original person of that identity is dead
actually a shapeshifter; the original person of that identity is unaware of the shapeshifter
actually a shapeshifter; the original person of that identity is fully aware of the shapeshifter
actually a shapeshifter; created the identity themself
involved in a relationship which their society would disapprove of
involved in a relationship which somebody close to them would disapprove of
involved in multiple relationships, without the other people knowing about the other relationships
has no idea what’s going on
knows exactly what’s going on
is responsible for what’s going on
has a warrant for their arrest in a different region
has a warrant for their arrest in this region
has a warrant for their arrest under a different identity
gave aid to someone unacceptable
accepted aid from someone unacceptable
traded favours with someone unacceptable
secretly indulges in something benign that they had publicly spoken out against
secretly indulges in something harmful that they had publicly spoken out against
pretends to be much richer than they actually are
pretends to be much poorer than they actually are
secret agent for the dominant power in the region
secret agent for a minor power in the region
secret agent for the dominant power in an opposing region
former cult member; despises their previous beliefs
former cult member; still secretly believes what the cult taught
former cult member; no strong beliefs about that, only cares about societal view of that cult
hates the dominant power, but hasn’t done anything about it
hates the dominant power, and has done minor things against it
hates the dominant power, and has done very risky things against it
fascinated by illegal magic/religion
studies illegal magic/religion
practices illegal magic/religion
comes from a hostile region
comes from a foreign region
comes from an extremely foreign region, like interplanar or time travel
despises their business partner
despises their romantic partner
disguised as someone else, to act as that person’s proxy
disguised as someone else, to do things counter to that person’s interests
disguised as someone else, because an accidental resemblance was taken seriously and things got out of hand
killed somebody, and nobody else knows about the death
killed somebody, and it’s attributed to natural causes
killed somebody, and it’s considered murder by person/s unknown
has an embarrassing fetish
discovered someone else’s embarrassing fetish
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