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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BookTenTiger" data-source="post: 9229482" data-attributes="member: 6685541">I know a lot of folks like to put the DM up on a pedestal, but I see the DM as one of many players. In the games I run and the games I play in, everyone has a voice in what the game should be about.Let's say the DM has an idea for a story about a dragon invading a kingdom. But the players become more invested in purchasing and running an inn. That means the majority of the table wants to play a game about running an inn, not about fighting a dragon.When there is a disconnection between the game the DM wants to run, and the game the players want to play, there are a few ways to resolve it:1) Railroading. The DM can ignore whatever else the characters are doing and just keep charging through their plot.2) Permissive Play. The DM lets the players do whatever they want, but there's not overarching narrative or escalation of conflicts.3) Working Together. The DM and players talk about what they want out of the game. The DM provides the framework and runs the world, and the players pursue their goals and make meaningful decisions.To me, #3 is the most fun, both as a DM and as a player. The DM shouldn't put a ton of work into running a game the players don't want to play. And the players shouldn't be dismissive of the DM as a player of the game. They should all work together to make the game fun.EDIT: Another thought I had about this is that the DM can use the Inn as a site for adventure hooks, as a stake in adventures, and as a way to reward the characters.For example, travelers at the Inn could be refugees fleeing towns ravaged by the dragon. The dragon could be on a path towards the city the Inn is built within, putting their business at risk. The characters can use the dragon's hoard to purchase upgrades for their Inn.</blockquote>

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