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Message: <blockquote data-quote="S'mon" data-source="post: 5283527" data-attributes="member: 463">Um, sandboxes do require plot hooks - LOTS of plot hooks!  In a strict sandbox the PCs might need to do some work to locate the hooks, but there's nothing wrong with having NPCs mention them during a casual night's drinking:  "The barmaid mentions her nephew and his friends went off exploring the Old Willard Mansion yesterday and he's not come back - the parents are worried sick..."This is what those old Rumour Tables in sandbox adventures and sourcebooks were for.  The GM should not be running a setting where Nothing Ever Happens, full of Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.The difference is that in a linear game there is One hook, and the PCs need to follow it or there's no game.  In a sandbox there are lots and lots and lots, and any particular hook can be ignored - in fact some SHOULD be ignored as they may lead to certain death for low-level PCs  - "The King puts out a call for adventurers to slay the Great Wyrm Ancalagorn troubling the Realm" is best ignored by 1st level PCs.</blockquote>