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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imaculata" data-source="post: 6724377" data-attributes="member: 6801286">Its really not. The players weren't actively trying to ignore the plot. They just wanted to go on an adventure, and hoped that they would find a cool plot along the way. I don't like putting signposts everywhere with "Please go here! No not that way! This way!". If I present a problem to my players, like for example a dragon, then I don't force them to fight that dragon. But if the dragon is part of the plot, then I will make sure that they at least learn about the dragon. And I don't expect them to go looking for something that they do not yet know exists. So to some degree, you've got to bring the plot to them. You can't expect them to already know where your adventure hooks will be. And they're not actively trying to avoid adventure hooks. They are role playing, and doing what they think their characters would do in that situation. It is up to me, as a DM, to make the journey exciting. Be it in the form of quests, plot hooks, npc's or random encounters.THEN it would be railroading.But it's a bad sandbox,and a terrible way to tell a story. We're trying to run a good campaign here I would assume?That is a terrible way to handle it. So you're going to shove all of your story into the garbage bin when ever the players unknowingly walk away from the plot? Then you'll never have a plot. The players aren't psychic, and they probably do want to experience the plot. They just don't know what is, and what isn't plot related. That is why I sprinkle bits of plot everywhere, and many plot threads are not tied to any specific location.I don't really care what plot line my players do or do not follow up on. But I do care about them at least having a plot. I think there should at least be some sort of a story. And that story can be a side quest, which may or may not be related to the overarching story. It could just be lore that isn't all that important in the grand scheme of things. But my players are on an adventure, and I'll make sure that ride is filled with plot lines.Do the players know that the forest is not related to the dragon? No they don't. Do you know for certain that the players have no intention to fight the dragon? No, you don't know that either. Maybe the players want to gather more information on the beast first. Maybe they want to make sure they are better equipped. As a storyteller, you should provide those things for them. Have them meet victims of the dragon on their journey. Give them the opportunity to learn more about the beast, and to properly equip themselves. So what if they don't go to the dragon in a straight line? I think a better question is, how long do you think your campaign will entertain your players, if you constantly throw plot-less stuff at them? Why would a DM be so hooked up on where the plot is supposed to be located?For example:My players are currently trying to clear an island of a tribe of cannibals. Problem is, they don't know where their village is. The cannibal plot is a minor plot, that is loosely related to the main plot line. I'm not forcing them to go clear that island, that is all their idea. But I made sure there is a story related to these cannibals, and some plot twists along the way. Its their adventure, and I just facilitate the ride.Now I don't know where the cannibal village is located. And I'm not going to force them to randomly scout the entire island until they stumble upon it by accident. I suppose I could randomly roll for the percentage of chance that they find it, but that is no way to tell a story. It doesn't matter for the story where the village is located. Its somewhere in the jungle, and they'll discover it when I think the story calls for it.</blockquote>

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