“Two men can only keep a secret if one of them is dead.”
Ah yes, we’ve all heard this saying. Cliché isn’t it? That doesn’t mean that it’s not true. Secrets can be worth their weight in gold if properly handled. Sometimes secrets are more precious than gold and the sharing of them can get one killed. Wisdom comes from knowing when to share them; and when not to. Remember that dead men tell no tales. If you want to live to tell yours, take care in who you tell them to.
There are many types of secrets: those that are well known, those that are known only to a select group, those only known to one, and those that are not known at all. The master of secrets can quickly determine what type of secret a secret is and use that to her advantage. Hold all of your secrets close, for even those that are widely known may not necessarily be so; for what rich nobleman knows that his faithful wife is sleeping with his rival? His house may know, but who would risk the wrath of their lord? Such is the price and power of secrets; learn how to properly wield it.
Some secrets can be discovered by merely listening and watching, others must be hunted down if one knows what to look for. The Webspinner casts her net narrow and wide, sensitive to the merest vibration, ready to pounce on any secret that is captured by her net. Care must be taken in the casting of the web: too large and larger predators may descend. Too small and even the largest secrets may elude your grasp. The inexperienced spinner casts a small web and catches the most obvious secrets, but still proceeds with caution when spending this currency. There is only one chance, fail and it could cost your life. Seek not notoriety, only our Lady Mephala knows the names of the true masters of secrets. Those who become known are not very long for the world of the living; they are but footnotes in the book of secrets – a warning for those who speak over much. Watch your friends closely; she who tells her secrets has no power. Once given, they can never be taken back.
Go forth and cast your web, but always bear in mind that yours are not the only strands. Take heed where you tread, lest your secrets become another’s.