Suggestions for character-specific information

[KrazyHades]

How do the other DMs out there give information to only one player, or a small group of players? Do you just tell the information to the whole group and be confident in the fact that the other players (whose characters are not supposed to know the info) act as if they did not know? What about if there are things that you want to be a surprise to the other party members?

I know that some people solve this problem by writing notes on slips of paper to one another, but I've always thought that this cannot come close to actually speaking, being able to give gestures and voice tones. It's the difference between writing a note to them that says "you've been taken over by a mind flayer" and telling them directly "You feel a a presence in your consciousness, a vast and disgusting mind that drips with putrid corruption. Though you attempt to drive the force out, it crushes your mental walls. It speaks to you in a smirking voice, chortling while saying 'Soon you will have the chance to feel your own holy blade sliding through the heart of your brother..."

Suggestions would be welcome.

 

[Umbran]

Suggestions would be welcome.

When I know the next thing that'll happen is the PC is going to tell the rest of the party anyway, I just speak it at the table.

For things that are on combat timescale (where the PC would not be able to communicate it ot the party) or that they may not desire to tell others, I either pass a note, or take them quickly into the next room to tell them.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

When I know the next thing that'll happen is the PC is going to tell the rest of the party anyway, I just speak it at the table.

For things that are on combat timescale (where the PC would not be able to communicate it ot the party) or that they may not desire to tell others, I either pass a note, or take them quickly into the next room to tell them.

Pretty much a ditto.

For certain things I anticipate might happen I try to prepare a note ahead of time to give them, so I don't need to stop to write it. I will speak with them outside the room when it is something I need to be sure they understand properly and they may have some questions. It is better than passing a note back and forth.

 

[kenobi65]

When I know the next thing that'll happen is the PC is going to tell the rest of the party anyway, I just speak it at the table.

For things that are on combat timescale (where the PC would not be able to communicate it ot the party) or that they may not desire to tell others, I either pass a note, or take them quickly into the next room to tell them.

Saved me the effort of typing all that up. Ditto.

 

[Thurbane]

Not so much these days, but back in our 1E/2E days, passing secret notes to and from the DM, and the DM whisking off players to another room to speak to them was commonplace. Our groups tend to be a bit more open with each other now, and there isn't as much scheming behind the backs of the other characters. (After some players began scavenging bins looking for secret notes, it became SOP to eat your note after reading it!)

It's still a useful (and sometimes essential) method for not informing players of things their characters wouldn't realistically know. Where the whole system falls over is if a player runs multiple characters and/or followers...

 

[Elf Witch]

It depends.

If it is something that I know the player is keeping secret from the party I take them into the kitchen and role play it out.

If it just that get infomation dealing with the adventure I tell them at the table and they in turn tell how much they tell the rest.

 

[Reynard]

Just a suggestion: if you do a lot of note passing at the table, consider using a composition notebook or somesuch instead of slips of paper. Usually, you are passing notes because it is both secret and important. It really sucks when no one can remember the next session what it said. Players can even use the notebook betrween one another to keep secrets (planning, for example) from the DM -- but there will still be a record and it can be reviewed later if there are any discepencies or memory gaps (or if the DM really wants to know if they were bluffing or not).

 

[LostSoul]

I just tell the whole table.

 

[Pale Master]

You can write out a note for each player at the table beforehand. One of them says "You've been possessed by a mind flayer" or whatever (you can dress up the prose however you like). The others say "You suspect that one or more of your companions has been mentally dominated." Then take up all the notes. Now everybody is suspicious but nobody can prove that they're not the one mentally dominated.

 

[Lanefan]

You can write out a note for each player at the table beforehand. One of them says "You've been possessed by a mind flayer" or whatever (you can dress up the prose however you like). The others say "You suspect that one or more of your companions has been mentally dominated." Then take up all the notes. Now everybody is suspicious but nobody can prove that they're not the one mentally dominated.

Or, some of the others can say "Ignore this, it is a note for no reason; but roll a d20 anyway and tell me the result". Those are *always* good for ramping up the paranoia factor...

But notes are, when all is said and done, the only practical way to go until-unless you've got every player equipped with a laptop and a live chat feed...which I for one hope I never see.

Lanefan