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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Xarlen" data-source="post: 239551" data-attributes="member: 1060">Gauge. Like a meter that registers pressure, or tempreture. Basicly, I wanted to get a look at the characters themselves, their motives, their instincts, how they act. If I have an idea of their character, Then I can tailor hooks and plots on what would appeal to them.For example, one of the players is very educated, and his wizard reflects that. He's really into mapping. Thus, the promise of new, undescovered, or relatively uncharted things get his interest more then simple riches and whatnot. Ergo, exploring magical Portals that connect parts of the continent would rouse his curiousity. However, in retrospect, the Cleric of Luck is just naturally greedy; he likes gold and gems and whatnot. I know you asked for Starting out stuff, but later on, tailoring plots to your party should be easier. Equally, when your party throws a curve ball, you can lure them back in on the fly. Your party members don't go near the hermit's shack, to learn about the lizardfolk watching the town? They could come across a drunk or a child who's been out in the swamps, and seen it. If they don't go check out the mysterious this or that, then let them hear about some disaster, that they obviously could've prevented.Edit: Another thing or two to offer. If you Really want them to get into a plot, smack them with the Plot Hammer. I did this to a character: I gave him a dream. There was a hint that it was from his god (The deity's symbol floating in the foam of ale), and it forshadowed the coming of a plague demon, and sickness. It got the player's attention. He wanted to search it out. If he'd ignored it, ah well.Note, that I had done this dream before the actual adventure: I stuffed a side trek in before they reached where they're going. Getting the hint that something evil is around, they could take a look (Ironicly, they were trying to see if the new NPC in their group was evil, and saw hints of it nearby). Also, don't be afraid to drop hooks for future adventures During this one. Two of the characters split up, to look around for food while they were at camp. They went into a cave, found a collapsed mine entrance, and a gem sticking out of a pile of rocks. After moving some of the rocks, they found a dwarven skeleton with a broken axe haft sticking out of the back of his ribs, and a gem on the end. Near by, was the head of the axe broken off. So, the players pulled the stick out, took the axe. It turned out that they'd unstaked a dwarven vampire. I let them wonder about what they'd just uncovered, but there were no hints that they'd done something Very Bad, until they were on their way Back from the current adventure. They went back, and didn't find the skeleton. They found dead barbarians, with teeth marks. The vampire stalked them for two weeks, and terrorized their town of operations.</blockquote>

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