Experienced DM needs more experience...give me your ideas!

[Michael Silverbane]

I see a couple of opportunities here that you can use to improve your games...

That's what's weird. He doesn't really seem to socialize with NPC's very strongly so I was surprised to hear that he wanted more from the game. The time I had a major NPC meet his PC and threaten him into doing a job for him; the player's roleplaying went sort of like, "Uh, ok, whatever you say, I'll do it" and then out of character he would make fun of the NPC because of the NPCs race (Gehreleth). The NPC wasn't bland, and he was evil. So I thought the player would be interested in this situation for his rogue PC to be involved in. It was supposed to be very personal, but it ended up being pretty mundane. He just wanted to kickstart the next adventure.

You might get better reactions from this guy if you can get the other players to act more in character, or if you can get him to interact in a way that allows him to act from a position of power rather than from a position of weakness... Nobody likes to be intimidated into something. They like to be the guy who intimidates other folks. Keep that in mind.

Another player does ask NPC's a ton of questions, but it'll be the most random NPC. She likes to interact with NPCs that she's curious about, but it'll have nothing to do with the story. I might make a passing comment about a teenage peddler outside the tavern they are going in and she'll be curious about why he's a peddler. So she'll start asking questions about his parents, what he does for fun, & how much money he earns a day". Then when she realizes other players look bored, as a last resort she might say, "Do you know anything about Pit Fiends raising a Red Wyrmling on the first layer of Baator?" If I can get away with it, I might take that opportunity to pass along info the party could use. But usually the NPC she talks to would only know what's going on in the tavern next door and nothing about something on another plane

This is a HUGE opportunity that you seem to be passing up... Whoever this player takes an interest in (and you may or may not be able to predict this sort of thing, it doesn't really matter) MAKE them a part of the story. If the player takes an interest in some teenager during your big assassin's guild plot... Make the teenager a part-time messenger for the assassin's guild. If its a fur merchant, make that fur merchant a target.... Whatever... The point here being that you've got a really good indicator, here of the type of stuff the player is interested in (because she, you know, shows an interest in it) so incorporate that stuff more fully into your game.

Also, you know as a DM it's hard to tell what the players are getting from your game. They actually do quite well with investigating scenarios. They do ask a lot of questions for that type of adventure. It's just the adventures where they get pulled into a situation where NPC's are reacting around them that the players seem to not figure it out. They'll go to new locations and be "randomly" attacked by multiple types of people, then they realize bad guys are doing something strange but they don't necessarily know what's going on. Then they kill some people they think are BBEGs, and that's it. Then they loot and leave and then wonder WTF that was all about

Don't let the players get away with killing someone when they don't know who that person is or why they are killing them. After they do this, send a paladin after them, who is out to avenge his brother's death, or something. Make sure that they know that if they can't justify their killings, or if they kill the wrong person, that there will be hell to pay.

Later
silver

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

One trick to getting the PC's to interact with the NPC's is to put them in a position where neither side is able to start a fight - a ball, or someplace with innocents around where collateral damage is a concern.

Another way is to have them meet NPC's who later will turn out to be villains - I had my PC's learn of an expert in the field that they wanted help in; as it turns out the guy they decided to ask for advice was in fact one of the main villains of the campaign.

Just remember not to overdo any of these tricks - they can get annoying if overused.

As for the wondering "WTF that was all about," have the dead BBEG's leave some incriminating evidence that clearly implicates yet another group, so that the PC's can go into the next section of adventure knowing the "who" and maybe even the "what" but looking for "how." It's very easy to forget as DM how easy it is to miss clues.

 

[Friendless]

My players are my kid who just wants to kill stuff, and my girlfriend who just wants to cuddle up to the DM. This makes explaining the backstory hard work. I have an NPC they associate with who keeps a diary at blogspot.com where he makes observations that the players have been ignoring. I don't know how well it's working, but it gets the backstory out there where they can read it if they want.

 

[Warren Okuma]

They see a friendly huge army moving along, first the enormous cloud, supported with dragons, etc... They wave hi. They ask the PC's about X and Y and tell them if they run into it they will need an army with dragons to beat. Oh and I don't think I'm coming back, can you take this letter to my wife...

Have non-combatant NPC's talk with them. You know, the innkeeper etc...

Have people at the bar lament that four adventurers died on the X Quest because they didn't have Y.

Have a beggar ask for money.

Have an orphan beg for food.

Have an eclipse and a cold wind blow, that chills you to the bone.

And then, prepare to improvise, add rumors etc... Remember Okuma's rule of three. Leave three clues in three different places and stand back.


Or this:
The PC's is selling a +1 sword. Loot. Roleplay it. Have the other merchants say that you can get the best price for selling items with that guy. Greed is a strong motivator.

Say the merchant's eyes light up when they sell the +1 Sword. 1,000? Sold. Give it to me. Yes, yes, give it to me. It's useless to you. Yes it is. Wait. How about 3,000? Yes, 3,000. You do not have the intelligence to use this weapon. Yes.

If they sell it. Laugh and say Loser! It's mine. Look at the hilt. Ahahahahah! Suckers! Hahaha! I'm rich! I'm rich! Ahahahahaha! Oooo. I can retire now. Ahhh... gullable fools. Ah... I would have paid a hundred times that, no two hundred. Do you know what you sold me? And stupid too. Oh, gods, they are born every minute.
Later on he is killed and the blade is stolen...

Or if they keep it. Just eye them warily and say, you are going to regret this.
If they kill the magic merchant, all the authorities will be after them.
Now tie this all into your campaign.

The blade is indestructible and cannot rust or be disintegrated...
1) Under it's hilt is a map.
2) It's a key and it is serrated on the back. A key to the biggest lost treasure vault in the world.
3) It's a birth certificate, that proves that the rightful heir is alive...
4) The sword works in conjunction with other items. (Collect the set, have treasure collectors start to head out). The more sets, the more power... and it will make a map. (Now tell them that you have already placed the items. If you don't go to those places, you will not get them) Like the item get's a +1 (with a +1 ability) per, item of the set, and if you get the whole set...
5) It's one of ten swords. They combine. The magic bonuses stack... All swords are at least a +1. The sword's name? Hammerfield, Slayer of the Gods.
6) Or under certain circumstances, the light reflecting off it's blade will create a bright light to open something...

Once you find out the sword changes, becomes oh, I dunno, a shard of space and time that's somehow has a metallic sheen. Oh yeah it has DR/Everything, so it ignores all DR.

Yet another ideas...

Whisper: "What you have done is in accordance with prophecy." And never repeat yourself. Or say it was just the wind...

One of the character's teachers visits him.
"Isn't it odd that you are killing mostly Chaotic Evil creatures?"
"Curious, isn't it?"
"It's like you are being set up as a patsy for Lawful Evil... wouldn't you say?"
"What do you think would happen if the balance was upset?"
"Who's pawn are you? If it comes down to that, we will face each other on the field of honor."

 

[robberbaron]

I understand your problem and the advice given above is good.
One thing I would add; it seems to me that it is your players who need the experience, not you. They seem typical Roll-Players, not interested in anything but exercising their weapon/spell arms. Even the one who wants Role-Playing doesn't actually seem to want what he says he wants.

I will jump to a conclusion here (please correct me if I'm wrong). Your players are all fairly young.
I didn't start really ROLE-playing until I'd been ROLL-playing for a few years.

My gaming group is 30-45 except one players's 15 year old son and his 14 year old friend.
They have been playing for a few years now and are beginning to give their characters character. Granted, some of that character is unpleasant and really annoys the rest of the party but they are ROLE-playing.

So, certainly improve your technique but don't expect instant results. Sometimes all it takes is a little player maturity and you can't force that.