Why is the player character the weirdo that he is? Why is he driven to do the heroic (or just destructive) things that he does? If the player doesn't have an answer to that question, the following random tables can be used with 1d8 to determine what dark secret the character is harboring that has shaped his life.
The GM can also use these tables to add color and background to NPCs. Just like PCs can be shaped by secrets, so can NPCs--perhaps even more so.
Regardless, the GM can use the secrets of NPCs and PCs alike to fuel adventures.
1-2. PERSONAL SECRETS
The Stolen Life - You assumed the identity of someone who died years ago, and their family still believes you are their lost loved one. Every day you live their life is another day of elaborate deception.
The Coward's Mark - You fled from battle while your comrades died, and the medal of valor you wear was taken from a corpse. The nightmares never stop, and you see their faces in every crowd.
The Forbidden Appetite - You suffer from an unnatural hunger that can only be satisfied by consuming something deeply taboo. You've managed to hide it so far, but the cravings are getting stronger.
The Lost Years - There's a five-year gap in your memory that you cannot account for, and sometimes you find scars, tattoos, or skills you don't remember acquiring. People occasionally recognize you from places you've never been.
The Noble Bastard - You are the illegitimate child of royalty or high nobility, and your existence could destabilize an entire kingdom. Your mother made you swear never to reveal the truth, even as you watch your half-siblings inherit what should be partly yours.
The Mercy Killing - You ended the life of someone you loved to spare them from unbearable suffering. It was an act of compassion, but the law would call it murder, and you're not sure they would be wrong.
The Changed Face - Your current appearance is the result of powerful magic or surgery, and you're hiding from someone who knew your original face. The transformation cost you more than just your appearance—you left behind everyone who ever loved you.
The Inherited Madness - A hereditary insanity runs in your bloodline, and you've begun experiencing the early symptoms. You've seen what the final stages look like, and you're terrified of becoming that.
3-4. SUPERNATURAL & MAGICAL SECRETS
The Demon's Bargain - You made a pact with a dark entity, and you're paying the price in installments. The final payment is coming due soon, and it's going to cost you something irreplaceable.
The Curse Bearer - You're cursed, and the curse spreads to those who get close to you. Everyone you've ever loved has suffered because of it, which is why you keep everyone at arm's length now.
The Stolen Magic - Your magical powers aren't truly yours—you stole them from someone else, siphoning their abilities through a forbidden ritual. They're still alive somewhere, powerless because of what you did.
The Possessed - You share your body with another consciousness—a spirit, demon, or fragment of someone else's soul. Sometimes it takes control, and you wake up with no memory of what you've done.
The Lich's Phylactery - You're unknowingly carrying or protecting the phylactery of a powerful lich. The object is precious to you for sentimental reasons, and you have no idea it's keeping an ancient evil alive.
The Fae-Touched - You were stolen by the fae as a child and only recently escaped back to the mortal world. Time moved differently there—you've been gone for decades, but you've barely aged, and everyone you knew is dead or elderly.
The Necromantic Secret - Someone close to you died, and you brought them back through necromancy. They seem normal, but you're not sure how much of the original person remains, and the magic requires regular maintenance.
The Divine Abandonment - You were once chosen by a god, but they've withdrawn their favor, and you're hiding the loss of your powers. You're faking miracles and divine connection, terrified that your followers will discover the truth.
5-6. CRIMINAL SECRETS
The Perfect Crime - You committed a crime so perfectly that someone else was convicted and executed for it. You've tried to confess anonymously, but no one believes the real culprit would come forward.
The Smuggler's Route - You know secret passages and routes used by smugglers, and you've been taking bribes to keep quiet. The contraband flowing through includes things far worse than you initially agreed to ignore.
The Embezzler - You've been stealing from your organization, temple, or guild for years through clever accounting. The amount is now so large that discovery would mean execution, but you can't stop without raising suspicion.
The Slaver's Shame - You were involved in the slave trade, either as a trader, catcher, or facilitator. You've left that life behind, but you know where the secret slave markets are, and some of your victims might still be alive.
The Arsonist's Match - You burned down a building, and people died in the fire. It might have been an accident, or revenge, or covering up another crime, but you've never told anyone the truth.
The Forger's Art - You're a master forger, and half the "authentic" documents, artworks, or relics in circulation are your creations. Some of them have changed the course of history or law.
The Assassin's Ledger - You've killed for money, and you keep a secret record of every contract. The ledger contains names that would shock the world—nobles, heroes, and leaders whose deaths were never suspected as murder.
The Fence's Network - You're connected to the criminal underworld as a fence or information broker. You know where stolen goods end up, who's planning what crime, and you profit from staying neutral while evil flourishes.
7-8. SCANDALS & SHAME
The Plagiarist - Your famous work—book, invention, spell, or discovery—was actually stolen from someone else's research. You're celebrated as a genius, but you're a fraud who can't replicate your own "achievement."
The Addiction - You're addicted to a substance, activity, or magical effect that would horrify those who respect you. You've done increasingly degrading things to feed the addiction, and you're losing control.
The Coward's Reputation - You're famous for a heroic act you didn't actually perform. You were there, but someone else did the brave thing, and circumstances made everyone believe it was you.
The Sexual Scandal - You've engaged in a sexual relationship or activity that violates the moral codes of your society, religion, or organization. Discovery would mean exile, execution, or complete social destruction.
The Failed Vows - You took sacred vows—of celibacy, poverty, honesty, or service—and you've broken every single one. You still wear the robes and accept the reverence, but you're a hypocrite.
The Bought Degree - Your credentials, rank, or title were purchased rather than earned. You don't actually have the knowledge or skills your position requires, and you're constantly afraid of being exposed as incompetent.
The Bastard's Secret - You're not actually the biological child of your supposed parents, and your entire inheritance, title, or position is based on a lie. Someone knows the truth and could destroy you with a single revelation.
The Humiliating Past - Before your current respectable life, you did something deeply humiliating for survival—degrading work, shameful performances, or selling yourself. Someone from that past has recognized you.
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