RPGaDay2026 – Secret

Secret is a shared six-space gauge representing growing awareness that Aurelia is dead and the Commission’s authority is fraudulent. The gauge assumes that you have four Commissioners. If you have fewer, drop Whisper. If you have more, add Pause before Whisper.

The spaces on the gauge are marked, left to right:

Whisper → Discrepancy → Inquiry → Challenge → Broadcast → Succession

Can You Keep A Secret

At the beginning of play, none are marked. Essentially, consider these steps to be stifled outbursts of uncertainty. A Whisper is little more than a muttered thought to oneself that something might have been misheard, while a Discrepancy is a shared thought. Inquiry is a question shared in confidence, while a Challenge is a question asked. At Broadcast, there’s general worry and open concern that the Commission might be keeping something far-reaching from public awareness.

Succession really means the end to the campaign. Generally, you won’t take things that far unless you’ve decided you want to call The Last Clemency to a close. At that point, the Commission comes under scrutiny from higher powers. A jump gate opens, disgorging the ominous geometric shapes of Imperial Annihilator-class Destroyers, or something along those lines. As GM, you might want to have an adventure planned where the whole group have to make a final stand and explain themselves.

Furtive Fortune

A player may mark one space of Secret to gain one of the following benefits.

Note: This is a little like offering a Fortune Pool (Sanction p 45), but the implications for the players in using these points have a profound potential to screw things up. The access to a few points that can bend and mess with the narrative offers the players a way to turn the path of the adventure in their favour; but, the presence of Secret as an option should be that the GM never has cause to fudge a roll or pull any punches. Let the players decide if a Secret spend is worthwhile. Test them. And note that spending points from the pool isn’t based on democratic vote; players can choose to spend without checking in with their colleagues.

Invoke the Crown

Revoke a Falter outcome on any Challenge, ignoring any Consequences or even Hits that might have been generated. The Commissioner produces an order, precedent or command code bearing the Sovereign’s authority.

Royal Override

Gain immediate access to a restricted system, secured location, vessel, communication channel or official archive. The Override creates a permanent record that someone might later examine.

Requisition

Declare that the Commission has access to suitable transport, specialist equipment, armed retainers or technical support. The Gadget belongs to a House, guild or royal institution that will eventually demand an explanation.

Sealed Instruction

Reveal a previously unmentioned clause within the Commission’s orders that addresses the current situation. It must be plausible, but it does not need to be fair, wise or consistent with earlier proclamations.

Suppress the Record

Cover-up evidence, testimony or transmitted data from leaving the current location until the end of the adventure. The information still exists and may resurface later.

Defer the Consequence

Postpone the immediate result of a Falter until the end of the scene. The consequence remains unavoidable, but the Commissioner has time to act before it takes effect.

Recovery and Rumour

Clear the Secret gauge at the end of each adventure.

To remove a mark during an adventure requires a truly meaningful sacrifice that burns a bridge or puts characters in harms way. The Commissioners might destroy a valuable archive, surrender a royal code, abandon an ally, allow themselves to be imprisoned, discredit an innocent witness, concede territory or, worst case, allow a House to withdraw from the Accord.

Any attempt to remove Secret should come at a considerable price.

Optional Problems

With the approval of the table, you can have someone roll a 10-sided die at the end of each adventure, before clearing the Secret gauge. On a Falter, the baseline of the gauge moves up by one, and stays that way.

This means that when the Commissioners arrive for the next mission, the rumours have already started to circulate. On the first occasion, Whispers are already rife. Next Falter, Discrepencies are raised. And so on.

With this approach, the spiral of disaster becomes more obvious and the Commission faces an escalating quandry beyond their control to master.

The Accord in Ashes

In time, the Queen’s death becomes undeniable. The burden of doubt, rumours and innuendo breaks the enforced silence.

The Commission’s judgements are challenged. Pardoned rebels are arrested. House fleets leave their assigned stations. Rival heirs issue conflicting commands, while settlements decide whether royal law has any remaining authority.

The Commissioners watch on, powerless. As noted above, play out a final dramatic adventure or, perhaps, engage in an epilogue of storytelling, allowing each player the chance to tell the tale of their fate. A GM keen to spice things up might ask each player to recount the fate of the player on their left.

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How has your character’s darkest or greatest Secret transformed play? I look forward to reading about it in your RPGaDay post.

#RPGaDAY2026