One way to keep secrets in Dragon Age fanfiction is through the use of misdirection. For example, have a character seem to be hiding one thing when in fact they are hiding something else entirely. Another approach is to limit the POV characters' knowledge. If the story is told from a single character's perspective who doesn't know the secret, the reader will be in the dark as well until the right moment for the reveal.
A common secret could be a character's true heritage. For example, a character might be secretly related to a powerful noble family or a long - lost elven clan. Another example is a secret alliance. A group of characters might be secretly working together against a common enemy without the knowledge of the main characters or the ruling powers in the fanfiction.
One keeping secrets story could be about a child who found a box in the attic. Inside were old letters from a relative's past love. The child kept it a secret as they felt it was a precious discovery that the relative might not want to be public. They hid the box again, and that secret stayed with them for years.
I'm not entirely sure as I haven't read this specific story in detail. But generally, it might be about some secrets hidden within the 'Silent Earth' and perhaps the adventures or revelations related to those secrets.
A 'keeping secrets novel' often features a build - up of tension. As the story progresses, the secret seems to be on the verge of being revealed but is held back. The protagonist is usually in the middle of this web of secrecy. Maybe they accidentally stumble upon the secret or are entrusted with it. There are also often side characters who are either trying to uncover the secret or are unknowingly helping to keep it. The pacing is important too, slow enough to build the mystery but not so slow that the reader loses interest.
By constantly teasing the secret. Drop little hints throughout the story that make the reader curious. For instance, if the secret is about a hidden treasure, mention strange maps or old legends related to it.
The best features? Well, in many fanfiction services for Dragon Age, the categorization is really useful. For example, on AO3, you can quickly find fanfictions based on the game installment they are related to. Also, the ability for writers to tag their works with specific warnings like violence or mature themes is a great feature. It gives readers a heads - up. And the fact that new fanfictions are constantly being added means there's always fresh content to explore in the Dragon Age fanfiction world.
Well, they can make use of the existing lore but twist it a bit. For instance, take the Marauder's Map. A fanfiction writer could create a story where there's a hidden function of the map that no one knew about, and that becomes the big secret. And of course, secrets about the characters' family backgrounds can be really engaging. Maybe a character has a long - lost relative who is a powerful dark wizard or something.