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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 5135386" data-attributes="member: 3448">So, first, it can be fun to run a game where the PCs run things from the center, and others do the actual fighting.  But assuming you don't like that idea, some ideas (some of which are repeats from upthread):(1)  The PC might acquire a bonded artifact that needs to be used in the quest.  (The Belgariad is a great example of this plot device).(2)  If a player wants their PC to stick around in the middle of civilization but the adventure is over there, then their PC is semi-retired and they should generate and play the lieutenant who gets sent there.(3)  Sometimes, when you send the lower level flunkies, you get back a failure and a bunch of corpses.  That should hopefully motivate the PC to go deal, especially if the PC is the highest level character in the colony.  If they keep sending waves of adventurers, make it clear that they're (a) wiping out the talented midlevel bench and (b) destroying morale and loyalty.  With luck, they'll go and deal.       (a)  You could combine this with adventures that the flunkies can deal with to make it more satisfying/more realistic.  So for example, you could mention the pirates to the east, the undead problems around the old burial grounds to the west and the newly discovered expansionist group of giants to the south.  When the groups sent east and west come back covered in glory and treasure, and the group to the south doesn't come back at all, a heroic PC will likely decide its time to buckle on the old sword and head south.(4)  Make sure that the in-game incentives align with the behavior you want.  If you want the PC to go adventuring all the time, they shouldn't get xp for staying home.  If when the PC goes off on an adventure, problems erupt in the colony, that discourages them from going on adventures in the future.(5)  To the extent that the PC is saying "I want to go adventuring, but I'm the mayor, that would be irresponsible" make sure that they have a good deputy (could be a spouse, could be their heir-apparent, could be an appointed deputy) who can take over in their stead.  The more they can trust their right-hand person, the less it should hold them in position.(6)  Talk to the players out of game about the issue and your concerns.</blockquote>

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