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<blockquote data-quote="Maxperson" data-source="post: 8695400" data-attributes="member: 23751">It's not railroading unless you enact it regardless of their choice.&nbsp; If I come up with, the baron is sending a legion to impose martial law on the next town the players come to and then do it no matter what town they go to, that's a railroad of illusionism.&nbsp; Their choice of towns is not relevant.&nbsp; If on the other hand I come up with the idea that the baron is going to impose martial law on the town of Weneedorder and the players who are heading there decide instead to turn north to Thistownhasorder, because it's close to something else they want to do, then it's not railroading for me to have the baron impose martial law on Weneedorder.&nbsp; I have not invalidated their choice.Similarly, if they decide to go into a town and no matter what they do or where the go I decide that they will be attacked by a street gang, that is railroading.&nbsp; But if instead they go into a town and decide to go to the local adventurer's guild and find out if there are any problems and I have to come up with one and come up with a street gang problem in the dock district, that is not railroading.&nbsp; I am honoring their choice and improvising a logical problem for the guild to be hired to take care of.&nbsp; The players are then free to take the job and clean up the gang, not take the job and clean of the gang, take a different job, or take no job at all and go do something else.&nbsp; They'll only be attacked by the gang if they go to the dock district.&nbsp; That's not railroading.Improvisation isn't railroading.&nbsp; Forcing the players onto a path and denying them their agency is.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Maxperson, post: 8695400, member: 23751"] It's not railroading unless you enact it regardless of their choice. If I come up with, the baron is sending a legion to impose martial law on the next town the players come to and then do it no matter what town they go to, that's a railroad of illusionism. Their choice of towns is not relevant. If on the other hand I come up with the idea that the baron is going to impose martial law on the town of Weneedorder and the players who are heading there decide instead to turn north to Thistownhasorder, because it's close to something else they want to do, then it's not railroading for me to have the baron impose martial law on Weneedorder. I have not invalidated their choice. Similarly, if they decide to go into a town and no matter what they do or where the go I decide that they will be attacked by a street gang, that is railroading. But if instead they go into a town and decide to go to the local adventurer's guild and find out if there are any problems and I have to come up with one and come up with a street gang problem in the dock district, that is not railroading. I am honoring their choice and improvising a logical problem for the guild to be hired to take care of. The players are then free to take the job and clean up the gang, not take the job and clean of the gang, take a different job, or take no job at all and go do something else. They'll only be attacked by the gang if they go to the dock district. That's not railroading. Improvisation isn't railroading. Forcing the players onto a path and denying them their agency is. [/QUOTE]

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