I came across a great mechanism on Reddit r/osr to handle stealth situations. User CyanideLock suggests specifying certain words that will signify that the heroes have screwed up and done something to call attention to themselves. If and when they say one of the words, the jig is up, and the baddies raise the hue and cry.

When your players are in a stealth situation, announce a word or group of words. If any of the players say that word at the table, the enemy notices them and initiative is rolled/the stealth fails….

This is my favourite little trick I like to use to ratchet up tension in stealth scenarios. The point is to make them more paranoid and very careful with their words, bringing them psychologically a bit closer to how their characters are likely feeling (whispering and watching their step and such)….

The key is that, unlike rolling or setting an hourglass, this is an exercise in player self-control. There’s an inherent sense of teamwork in having to communicate with key words cut out of their vocabulary. And when someone mistakenly says it, the fight is almost like a jump-scare.

I caution not to ban too many words and to stick with a theme. Give them breathing room to think, they don’t need a laundry list of mental gymnastics.

Suggested key words:

• to
• a/an
• I/I’m
• who/what/where/when/why/how/if
• okay/sure
• yes/no
• uhh/um
• right/left/up/down
• attack/kill/shoot
• hide/jump/run
• spell/cast
• there/their/they’re/they are
• the seven words you can’t say on television

I love this idea. It would create a tense and dramatic moment for the players that mirrors how their characters feel while trying to be quiet and inconspicuous. And, when they blow it, they have only themselves to blame.

You might even use this tactic in other situations, such as when the heroes are in disguise or trying to bluff or intimidate. Any situation in the heroes wouldn’t be able to have detailed and protracted discussions because they risk being caught or running out of time.

“You’re holding your breath, okay. Tell me what you’re doing, but you can’t say water, breath, breathe, move, or go or else you have to go to the surface for a breath, and that costs one round.”