Character help

[persephone325]

I realize this might be a strange place to ask this question, but I need a bit of help.

I have a character in a game that needs a dark secret. Trouble is, I can't come up with any good ideas for the life of me! If anyone could throw some ideas out for me, I would really appreciate it!

[Frelance]

It really depends on what kind of person your character is.

Secrets:
Killer
Mental instability/disorder (Can be touchy subject though)
Addict
Obsessive personalities.
spy

These do not seem like they are very good ones now that I have written them out *shrugs* but maybe this will help.

[consortium11]

Without knowing a bit more of the context of the game it's somewhat hard to come up with reasonable suggestions; what would be a dark secret in a "realistic" domestic game is going to be very different to a dark secret in a superhero game is likely to be different to a dark secret in a medieval game based around warfare etc.

That said there are a couple of obvious tropes to fall back on:

"I'm not who I say I am": The characters "real" history and the history the other characters will know are rather different. This could be an extreme case such as creating a whole new identity by either completely reinventing themselves (or stealing someone elses?) or more minor but still important such as faking a few details... are they from where they say they are? Is their name their real name? Is what they tell people they've been doing for the past few years actually what they've done?

"You don't know what I've done": While they may be who they say they are, that doesn't mean they've told everyone their life story. They did something previously and they don't want people to know. Did they kill someone (on purpose or accidentally)? Did they betray a trust? Are they a criminal? Is it something they're ashamed of or something they're not ashamed of but they know people will react (badly?) to?

"If only you could know what I feel": The character is who they say they are and they've done what they've said they've done (and left little out). But no-one knows how they feel as they did it. Perhaps they are seemingly always positive when deep inside their emotions are always dark and depressed. Perhaps they appear cheerful, understanding and forgiving to the outside world... but on the inside they're a seething mass of hatred and rage just looking to break out.

[Elina]

Does it need to be something bad your character did or something bad that happened to your character?

[persephone325]

My mistake. I didn't realize it might be hard to help without knowing the context of the story, or my character.

Basically, it's a Silent Hill RP and my character has been pulled into the town due to a "sin" or some deep dark secret. It doesn't necessarily have to be something she was involved in directly.

I ran through most of the "usual deep dark secrets" I could think of. Like murdering someone but it was self defense, having an addiction of some sort, witnessing a crime but not doing anything about it, etc. But none of them seemed to really "fit".

[Beguile's Mistress]

Could it be a situation where they witnessed a crime being committed and were then blackmailed to coerced into keeping silent?  Perhaps an innocent person was convicted and is not in prison.

[persephone325]

Could it be a situation where they witnessed a crime being committed and were then blackmailed to coerced into keeping silent?  Perhaps an innocent person was convicted and is not in prison.

Ooh... That's an interesting idea! I might go with that.

For some reason lately, I just haven't been able to figure out character details like that. Must be my muse having a fit...

[Beguile's Mistress]

Ooh... That's an interesting idea! I might go with that.

For some reason lately, I just haven't been able to figure out character details like that. Must be my muse having a fit...

Gotta correct a typo.  The innocent person is now in prison. *facepalms*

[The Dark Raven]

It really depends on what kind of person your character is.

Secrets:
Killer
Mental instability/disorder (Can be touchy subject though)
Addict
Obsessive personalities.
spy

These do not seem like they are very good ones now that I have written them out *shrugs* but maybe this will help.

*coff*

Congratulations. your character is Sherlock Holmes.  >.>

[Frelance]

*coff*

Congratulations. your character is Sherlock Holmes.  >.>

Haha, ya that is a pretty good way of making Sherlock .

[persephone325]

Gotta correct a typo.  The innocent person is now in prison. *facepalms*

lol I understood what you meant.

*coff*

Congratulations. your character is Sherlock Holmes.  >.>

Haha!