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<blockquote data-quote="lin_fusan" data-source="post: 5373811" data-attributes="member: 37085">You need at least one out of the following three elements for this to work, and it's best if you have two, and excellent if you have three:1) The plotty reason: if the players know that this town, for whatever reason, has to be united and saved for evil to be defeated, then there is incentive to go what they can to preserve and change the town for the better. 2) The character reason: if the players have grown attached to NPCs in the town, and know that if they abandon them to these witchhunts, they would be targeted next. Or that the NPCs are earnestly trying to help the PCs, and don't deserve the fate that their accusers deserve.3) The themey reason: if the players are determined to do good in the world, and knowing that if they abandon the town to destruction or self-destruction, they are allowing evil to thrive. It is obvious that all three of these things require that the players want to strive to do good, so the balancing act is to make the town worth saving. If the players don't have those goals, then expect the trial to go differently. There is a fourth reason that isn't universal to all players: if your players enjoy this kind of courtroom drama, some who might even have skills or information-find magic, then that's the best reason to create this kind of scenario. I'd like to believe that Scott Kurtz knows and understands his players. From his post, it sounds like they enjoyed the game. Until proven otherwise, I won't assume that it was overly railroady or a jerky thing to do.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="lin_fusan, post: 5373811, member: 37085"] You need at least one out of the following three elements for this to work, and it's best if you have two, and excellent if you have three: 1) The plotty reason: if the players know that this town, for whatever reason, has to be united and saved for evil to be defeated, then there is incentive to go what they can to preserve and change the town for the better. 2) The character reason: if the players have grown attached to NPCs in the town, and know that if they abandon them to these witchhunts, they would be targeted next. Or that the NPCs are earnestly trying to help the PCs, and don't deserve the fate that their accusers deserve. 3) The themey reason: if the players are determined to do good in the world, and knowing that if they abandon the town to destruction or self-destruction, they are allowing evil to thrive. It is obvious that all three of these things require that the players want to strive to do good, so the balancing act is to make the town worth saving. If the players don't have those goals, then expect the trial to go differently. There is a fourth reason that isn't universal to all players: if your players enjoy this kind of courtroom drama, some who might even have skills or information-find magic, then that's the best reason to create this kind of scenario. I'd like to believe that Scott Kurtz knows and understands his players. From his post, it sounds like they enjoyed the game. Until proven otherwise, I won't assume that it was overly railroady or a jerky thing to do. [/QUOTE]

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