How did that happen?

[dreaded_beast]

It's getting to the point in the campaign where my players are starting to question how somethings are possible. For example, how did the alligator we fought earlier all of a sudden get to another location, etc.

I don't mind such questions, since I see it as a player being interested in the game. However, it would be nice if they asked it as an in-character question as oppossed to a "meta-game" question.

How do you deal with the players asking you "how did that happen" as a meta-game question?

Lately, I've just been answering according to the reasoning I came up with for that to occur. In regards to the alligator, the evil wizard possibly summoned it there, etc. I guess what concerns me is that I realize that is something the players could have discovered through adventuring instead of asking me.

However, I'm starting to think that maybe if players start asking "how did that happen" questions from a meta-game perspective, I will start telling them to just adventure and find the answer out.

 

[MerricB]

Heh. Your players have taken their first steps to becoming DMs.

More seriously, reassure them that there are reasons for what happened... and that they can discover them in the game if they want to investigate.

Smile knowingly and secretively a lot.

Every so often, give them an explanation in game without them looking for it, so that it doesn't appear that they have to track down everything.

Cheers!

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

However, I'm starting to think that maybe if players start asking "how did that happen" questions from a meta-game perspective, I will start telling them to just adventure and find the answer out.

That's how I've usually seen GMs handle it, generally prefaced with a grin and a "That's a very good question, isn't it?" It's the usual way of hinting that there is an actual in-game reason why this apparently nonsensical thing really does make sense, and that the GM is all in favor of our characters trying to find out what that reason is.

Generally it works best when there is, in fact, an actual in-game reason for it and the GM really does want the game to move in the direction of finding that reason out. It gives the players a chance to do an investigation that actually leads somewhere, and it lets the GM show off some clever ideas that the PCs would have totally missed otherwise.

Of course, if the nonsensical thing isn't the GM's own invention (if it's something from a published module), it's acceptable in my opinion for the GM to say "I don't know how the alligator got there: I think the guy who wrote this adventure was smoking giant hatfuls of crack" and leave it at that.

--
because trying to seriously explain some of the crap in modules will make your head explode
ryan

 

[random user]

I encourage my players to always question everything -- as long as they do it in character.

Are they really curious why the alligator got moved? Find a sage. Find a high level wizard. Ask them!

They want to know why the caravan still goes by the same road even though it seems orcs attack it each time they go? Ask around. Ask the caravan captain, or a trader, or a sage, or something. Or a bard. Bards often know a little bit about a lot of things.

If they are boggling at things which seem inconsistant to them, then they should absolutely question what's going on. But they should take advantage of the resouces in game to find the answers, and not ask you as the DM.

Luckily my characters don't need to be reminded, but if they were to ask me as a DM why something was happening I would provide some help as to who might have some knowledge, but would not give them the answer.

If no one seems to know the answer, then I would openly admit it seems like a contradiction, but say so in a firm voice clearly suggesting that there is a reason. For example, in my home brew world, one of my gods is the god of liife and death. All clerics of all alignments worship him. Someone asked why a god would allow his followers to battle each other. My answer was, "Many scholars have asked why a god would permit his followers to kill each other, and how he could advocate such disparate causes at the same time. No one knows for sure, but one possible answer is that his main tenet is "Be the best you can be" which seems allow flexibility in ways of thought. Perhaps if you meet him, you can him why he allows this." I did not make the player find someone in-game to get this answer; I ruled that it was well-known enough that he could easily find that answer for free from any cleric, sage, or bard, so I just told him.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

However, I'm starting to think that maybe if players start asking "how did that happen" questions from a meta-game perspective, I will start telling them to just adventure and find the answer out.

That would be what I do.

P.S.: Love the new avatar. Much better than the last one.

 

[dreaded_beast]

P.S.: Love the new avatar. Much better than the last one.

Thanks for all the great replies everyone!


But my old avatar was really a picture of me! It was!

 

[Morpheus]

That's how I've usually seen GMs handle it, generally prefaced with a grin and a "That's a very good question, isn't it?" It's the usual way of hinting that there is an actual in-game reason why this apparently nonsensical thing really does make sense, and that the GM is all in favor of our characters trying to find out what that reason is.

ryan

Yes, that's what I've done; even when I didn't have an explanation ready. My players would start to come up with ideas and then I'd take one of theirs and run with it. Doesn't happen very often, but when it does, the players feel like they've accomplished something by figuring out a mystery that they helped to create.

 

[Zappo]

Me too... I'll grin and say something that implies the presence of a good reason which they evidently don't know. In the worst cases, this will at least buy me enough time to make up one.

 

[ltclnlbrain]

Yes, that's what I've done; even when I didn't have an explanation ready. My players would start to come up with ideas and then I'd take one of theirs and run with it. Doesn't happen very often, but when it does, the players feel like they've accomplished something by figuring out a mystery that they helped to create.

I have used this tactic numerous times, especially in my PBEM games in which a simple slip of tongue or a seemingly random occurence sends the players into a flurry of posting conspiracy theories about what's really going on. Many times their ideas are actually better than what I had planned; the trick is altering them just enough to give the players a sense of accomplishment at figuring something out but not the whole thing. For an extended example of this in action, check out my Story Hour, where most of the major plot twists stemmed from player speculation. (Link is in my signature.)

 

[der_kluge]

One of my players is always accusing me of railroading them. Well, not always, but some of the times. Like, the party sorcerer was trying to use blink to go through a 10 feet wall, and as per the rules, he has to roll percentile to get through, or get ejected back the way he came. He failed a few times, and this player was like "choo choo choo". I asked him what he meant, and he said that it seemed like I was trying really hard to keep the party where they were. "No, those are the rules, I'm just going by the rules." I've had to remind them on occasion that everything I do, I do for a reason, and sometimes that is challenging, because I'm having to think about all the tactics of numerous individual villains. It gets difficult, especially when the players throw a wrench into what I expect (which is pretty much every game).