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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LostSoul" data-source="post: 2657554" data-attributes="member: 386">Don't come up with a plotline.Get the players to write up backgrounds and NPCs.  Have them start the PCs off with some kind of big event that shoves them out the "door" and into the world of adventure.  (eg. "Yesterday, Bob was working on the farm, when orcs attacked!  They killed his ma an' pa, kidnapped his sister, and left Bob for dead.  Now he's out for payback.")Come up with a number of NPCs that are linked to the PCs, and to each other.  Define those relationships.  When the PCs do something to one NPC, it should have a ripple effect on all the others.  (eg. Bob's pal Sam is a soldier working for Dan the merchant.  Bob and Sam kill all the orcs.  But Dan was selling supplies to the orcs - he was dependant on them - and now he's going to go broke because of what Bob and Sam did.  And maybe he'll get Sam back when his back is turned...)Give the players a lot of choices and dilemmas.  These choices should be about their characters (and the player's own beliefs).  Make the choices more than which dungeon to go looting in.  Instead, make it personal.  (eg. Bob and Sam can go to Orcwood or into the Dungeon of Doom.  Bob wants to go slay orcs in the Orcwood and save his sister.  Sam wants to go save his wife in the Dungeon of Doom and slay vampires.  If they go into the Orcwood, Sam's wife is as good as vampire spawn.  If they go into the Dungeon of Doom, Bob's sister is orc food.)Consider playing a game that is not D&D.</blockquote>

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