MerricB - I *completely* understand what you're trying to go for, that's how i like my campaigns too. And sometimes I have the same delimma
But, yeah, the questions you listed are part of the key.
To start connecting some of your "plot of the week" stories, see if there has been some sort of theme (was it always a bad guy trying to get an item? was it always started in some religious order? etc). maybe there is someone that hired these guys in the first place do to that task. so what is that head honcho going to do since it has been failing at the hands of the pcs each time? maybe elsewhere in the world he has succeeded at similar tasks. but then what is he trying to get these items for, what is he trying to do? and so on...
anyway, i don't have anything specific to add since that would require knowing more about the setting and some of the recurring plot lines...
but just a little "I know what you mean" post from me
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