Discovery of the dishonour of a loved one

This is the 27th Dramatic Situation of Polti. Elements:

• a Discoverer
• the Guilty One

Plot: The Discoverer discovers the wrongdoing committed by the Guilty One.

Discoverer

The Discoverer can

• keep the secret
• reveal it
• keep it secret but try to make the Guilty One undo the wrondoing
• keep it secret but try to compensate the Guilty One wrongdoing

PCs as Discoverer

There’s need of a good relationship from PCs to Guilty for them to really doubt what to do.

Guilty One

There are several questions about it:

• It is repentant?
• It is willing to undo its wrongdoing?
• It is willing to force silence upon the discoverer, for fear of the secret being revealed?

PCs as Guilty Ones

There should be a good relationship from the PCs to the Discoverer, so they don’t just kill it, but for the story to be interesting, they need to take action to ensure the Discoverer is not going to denounce them.

Development

If the Discoverer denounces the crime the story mixes with Sacrifice (the relationship between Discoverer and Guilty One) and develops in Pursuit, Vengeance or Disaster for the Guilty One and Loss of Loved Ones for the Discoverer.

If the Guilty One asks the Discoverer's help or silence it could be a Supplication if the Discoverer has to face the Persecutor

If the Discoverer helps the Guilty One it can develop into a Conspiracy with them, against the Persecutor or Interrogator looking for the Guilty One.

If the Discoverer denounces itself as the guilty, the story mixes with Sacrifice and, besides developing into Vengeance or Falling Prey of Cruelty/Misfortune for the Discoverer, it becomes a Remorse story for the Guilty One.