My sam/rigger got strapped with both Amnesia 1 and Dark Secret flaw, because---from what my GM says---he downloaded essentially proof of extraterrestrials (alien weapon specs) onto headware memory from a restricted zone along the likes of Area 51. And doesn't remember it.

...So what do YOU do with the flaw?

I had an Otaku working for Deus and whose secret ambition was to "cleanse both meatworld and Matrix in flames." That worked for Dark Secret for me.

~J

I think it depends on two points...
1) If the character is using it to roleplay or for the points
2) How often the player buys me food.

If the player is someone I trust to play it out on his own, I'll generally let him (or her) pick it out or choose something that would turn into a bad rep thing more than anything (was falsely accused of killing his wife and his now on the run with a bounty on his head kinda thing). If this is someone who got it for the points... oooh... Maybe make 'em the Child and Bunny Butcher of Greensville, or the character really has a monkey tail... Maybe something involving his sexual preferences... You can also always play the White Elephant card, give him something that looks good but really sucks. For instance, he's the half brother of Damien Knight, and while plenty of people now see him as a bartering chip, Damien really is quite embarassed about his mother's youthful inidscretions and wouldn't mind of the character disappeared altogether. Or dragon blood, unfortunately it hasn't done anything good for you, but lots of people would love to get a little of you for spell components.

Just remember, like all good flaws, when its found out (and therefore eliminated) it needs to be replaced with another flaw, so try to think of things which have bad consequences.

My three most recent uses of the flaw included my character being a serial killer known as the Butcher of Venice Beach, being a member of the Knights of the Red Branch and on the lamb after a botched assassination attempt, and having had an affair with an underaged girl.

All three of those would likely lead to being replaced by a Hunted flaw if discovered, not to mention Bad Reputation and a few other possibilities.

On the lamb? Is he Scottish?

~J

Dark Secret:

I have used it for being a undercover cop.
For being a sociopath.
For being a non-vampiric blood addict.
For secretly being a totem other than the totem everyone thinks you are.

The Knights of the Red Branch are historical or mythological in nature?

I thought they were just from Changeling: The Dreaming.

The Knights of the Red Branch is the "new" IRA based out of Boston. Instead of freeing Ireland from England, they just want to get those traitorous elves out of their country.

The Red Branch, of which they based their name, comes from Celtic history, though.

He could be feeling better...

Yeah, you got me, I don't pay that much attention to the overarching plot.

The only time I ever used it was for a game that never happened. Heh. The character had a dark secret that he'd been a runner in Seattle that got his team killed. He left, changed his name and his appearance, and started over in Denver. I felt munchy for taking it, but figured it was a big enough secret that, if it ever came out, could result in some serious problems. It's a shame I never got to see it in action.

Undercover FBI agent (very similar to one already posted). On a deep cover mission to assemble files on as many runners and johnsons as possible. I was amazed how trusting some runners were, although that might be the players' fault in most cases.

I've got an undercover Corp spy the the flaw. luckly they've got a pretty good cover IMO. Tho do feel and hope (to a degree) that it threatens to surface.

There's a difference between knowing with absolute certainly and suspected rumors.

I had a character with a dark secret in that he worked for the UB before everyone knew about the bugs. He personally converted several dozen people who later became fleshforms. He jumped ship to Seattle after he learned the truth, changes his name, and tried to hide his background. Pretty easy to expose, lots of guilt involved, major bad rep if anyone finds out (as anyone who has lost anyone to a bug would want his hide because he worked for them), and gave the character a MAJOR hatred of bugs for using him (and causing him to convert his fiance, cousin, brother, and several friends...) Plus it gives a good mystery -- if he brought so many into the "fold" and ended up being infested, what was it about him that caused them not to infest him?

The Abstruse One

@ Abstruse: I have an Eagle shaman who's considering to join the UB, she likes their charity work. Care to share ideas and alittle advise by PM?

@ Sidekick: Alice Haeffner knows about Knight and so does her husband, the esteemed UCAS President. Nadja Daviar most surely knows about him. I'm pretty sure Aurelius knows by now.

You know, the character has to risk being exposed every few sessions and thus act to prevent that (according to SR Comp). No offense, but I hardly see reporter after reporter (or survivor after survivor) coming out to expose the mercs every 3 or 4 adventures.

Unless there was something else in the village, of course.