I wanted to get some feedback on an idea that a player in my group is kicking around, and is think might be kind of interesting.

At character creation, the PC will be given an obligation like normal, but it will just be a decoy story. The PC is an outsider finding himself teaming up with the rest of the PCs. secretly he will have a different obligation that may put him at odds with the rest of the group. For example he is a confidential informant for a Rodian information broker. When this PC sees the opportunity to swipe information that he thinks will be useful to this Rodian, he may take actions that are detrimental to the team for the chance to benefit himself. This wouldn't happen every session, but from time to time just to stir up the group.

I figure when I roll his obligation for a session, little clues will be released about his real objective and loyalties for consumption by the rest of the group.

Thoughts? Concerns? Suggestions?

I think this is actually endorsed by the CRB, and I'm all for it myself. However, just make sure you're not actively screwing the party over in every session, otherwise tensions will run high and nobody will care about the subterfuge aspect.

Cool idea. My only advice is consider the repercussions:

What happens if he is discovered?

Would you be okay with the other PCs killing this spy? Would the spy's player? Depending on how badly the spy's actions have affected their lives, the other PCs may be miffed if you prevent retribution.

What happens if he isn't discovered?

Could his actions result in the deaths of the other PCs? Seems like, initially, they're the ones getting screwed over by the spy's obigation.

Maybe I should give a few more details...

Right now the players are my 11 year old son, his two 11 year old friends, and my 64 year old father. This is the first RPG for all of them, and it is my first RPG experience too.

We are getting a new player, a close friend of mine. He is an experienced RPGer, and an all around good guy. He won't do anything to ruin the game for the kids, but we thought it might be neat if every now and again he did something that wasn't perfectly in line with the rest of the group. Just to play win them a little. We won't do anything that will get the PC'S killed, and if he gets found out and they kill him, he will laugh it off and roll up a new character. Just wanted to add a new element to the game for the kids to start to think about.

I think this is actually endorsed by the CRB, and I'm all for it myself. However, just make sure you're not actively screwing the party over in every session, otherwise tensions will run high and nobody will care about the subterfuge aspect.

Cool idea. My only advice is consider the repercussions:

What happens if he is discovered?

Would you be okay with the other PCs killing this spy? Would the spy's player? Depending on how badly the spy's actions have affected their lives, the other PCs may be miffed if you prevent retribution.

What happens if he isn't discovered?

Could his actions result in the deaths of the other PCs? Seems like, initially, they're the ones getting screwed over by the spy's obigation.

If he's okay with having to generate a new character from the fallout of discovery, then I'd say - yeah, go ahead and keep a secret. We've had a couple of characters with secrets now, throughout our various games - and all it ever did was give us awesome moments of roleplaying. It didn't destroy the group, nobody wound up dead from it - and it was one of those juicy moments a GM longs for.

When Force and Destiny comes out, if we wind up doing an Old Republic era game, I want to do a Sith - someone on the run from the Sith order, someone who is hunted by the Republic, someone the Jedi want to imprison or eliminate. Basically everyone in the galaxy is hunting him. . . and then add the players (who will hopefully like my guy by that point) wrestling with "What do we do with someone that we like that's potentially causing issues for the group".

It should be good times.

The difficulty with this would be coming up with some interesting ways to allow for the other PCs to discover the truth about your Rodian spy. When his Obligation is rolled, it may be that something in that session will occur that may tip off the other players and the extra stress experience is the fear of exposure. They could come across an NPC that may greet him by a different name or something of that sort, but I'd work in those elements from the start so that they can look back and see the clues later on. I've always enjoyed that about mysteries.

The difficulty with this would be coming up with some interesting ways to allow for the other PCs to discover the truth about your Rodian spy. When his Obligation is rolled, it may be that something in that session will occur that may tip off the other players and the extra stress experience is the fear of exposure. They could come across an NPC that may greet him by a different name or something of that sort, but I'd work in those elements from the start so that they can look back and see the clues later on. I've always enjoyed that about mysteries.

this is an excellent suggestion. in fact, i'm noting it in my "house rules" section on G+ now...

as for PC "secrets," our group frequently has one (or two). i can offer a few pointers:

1) encourage the player with the PC secret to think of how they would like their character to develop (in our groups, the secret often starts off pitting this PC against the group, but the eventual goal is for that PC to align more with the PCs)

2) aim to have the secret revealed sooner, rather than later, especially if the secret creates complications or conflict

3) make sure the secret is not designed to make the PC "more special" than the rest of the group, or somehow spotlight them in too many sessions or in the campaign overall. give every PC equal importance/spotlight.

Maybe I should give a few more details...

Right now the players are my 11 year old son, his two 11 year old friends, and my 64 year old father. This is the first RPG for all of them, and it is my first RPG experience too.

Btw, this is an awesome group. talk about family fun time - sure beats sitting around the boob tube with no convo! bravo.