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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Majoru Oakheart" data-source="post: 2351912" data-attributes="member: 5143">Well, there are certain actions that are well within the rights of the DM.  Anything not covered by the rules can pretty much be made up by the DM with the rules as guidelines.There is no real DC listed in the books for "finding someone who just ran away".  You might make track rolls to follow them, you might just make random spot rolls to see if someone sees them.  There isn't a "chance that random patrols stumble upon the PCs" roll.  So, the DM might say "they have enough patrols out that any given point within 5 miles of the camp will have a patrol go through it at least once every 2 hours."  So, if the PCs stay in any place for longer than 2 hours, a patrol automatically finds them.  Then again, exactly what chance the enemy has of finding the PCs is up to the DM.  So, if he decides "they have alarm spells scattered everywhere around their camp, a wizard who can scye, multiple flying animal companions and the ability to teleport", then the PCs are unlikely to get away.I agree with previous posters, it isn't about taking away choice from the players, it's about taking away the PERCEPTION of choice.  The PCs think they can get away at any time, but the enemy is so well prepared that it is basically impossible.  The PCs should know there is a heavy amount of risk involved in trying to escape and likely won't try to escape at all.  However, they will feel good about it because they think they made that choice themselves, even if there basically was no choice at all.This is railroading, except you could do the same thing without railroading.  You simply have an NPC ask the players what they are looking for.  Then give it to them, or so they think.  The dragon, being intelligent decides to get rid of what it sees as a possible threat.  One of the people in town(who is doing the dragon's bidding to avoid his own death) hires the PCs to go on a different mission which is pretty close to a death trap, he sends them directly to the dragon, meanwhile telling them that they are going to fight kobolds.Now, this is not really railroading, just using the resources you have at your disposal.  The dragon IS nearby, he DOES have the ability to do that.  The players can claim to be railroaded all they want, but you just role played the dragon the way he should be role played.Then again, I consider this poetic justice for not volunteering to defeat the dragon in the first place.  My players find out that being neutral in my games tends to get you killed.  Evil doesn't leave you alone just because you choose to ignore it.</blockquote>

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