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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pour" data-source="post: 4685049" data-attributes="member: 59411">Help! I'm a DM whose run a successful and complete 3 year campaign with a good group of players. I've since created a sequel campaign with the same players. However something is markedly different from that campaign to this, a combination of change of system, change of story and maybe even lingering attachment to the old characters (who my players are now playing the children of). They seem lost, like they have no real motivation beyond an obvious quest of getting home (They were kidnapped at the onset of the campaign and trapped in a xenophobic kingdom). I'm not sure they still trust in the story, or know if there even is one, and I wonder if it's beginning to show through them. They're nice, supportive people, but I do want them to have as much fun as possible. When I question them on if they're having fun or not, they all say yes and say not to worry. Even still, a DM can sort of sense unmet expectations, even through the internet (we play online) which is what I think I'm feeling here. Last campaign (3.5e) the BBEG was revealed very early, and her lieutenants and minions and army were clear villains from level 2 on. There was a powerful, though obvious, drive forward, as the characters fought and struggled their way up through the ranks and to the top.  This campaign (4e), the early heroic tier (Level 1-4) has been much more of a sandbox feel with the beginnings of plots still developing and no set one big evil guy. They're main objective is to escape this xenophobic kingdom they've been trapped in, while also picking up clues on who kidnapped them along the way. They've also accidentally uncovered a terrorist network of drow and evil races about to launch major actions against this kingdom they're in, and they also stumbled on a cult of some fey god. They've even taken a Feywild romp, fought gnolls and demons in efforts to save some gnomes, and discovered a powerful demon artifact they need to deal with. So I mean I think there are plots enough there in, yet still I get a sense that the group doesn't feel the brevity or the options there in. I'm posting to ask if it's viable to actually inject some more obvious, long-lasting plots and throw off the larger freedom of choice I thought I had going. Would you recommend it? It's a big switch from where I had intended to take things, which is more player driven, but I'm wondering if they need this sort of BBEG from beginning to end, even at the risk of seeming redundant plot wise between the two campaigns and heavy-handed by me.</blockquote>

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