TheSword
Legend
There is a technique I’d like add that is a form of railroading, which relies on encounters being triggered by the presence of the PCs.
Im not sure what it would be called maybe the Twist of Fate, but essentially it’s the narrative conceit that the action just happens to take place as the PCs are traveling through.
- The PCs are traveling down the Main Street just at the moment the manticore in the market escapes it’s cage.
- The PCs are walking through the sewers at the same moment the thief is returning to their hideout.
- The inn the players choose to stay at has various hijinks and capers occur throughout the night that the PCs can participate in as they choose.
These examples all involve putting encounters in front of the PCs arbitrarily, irrespective of when (or in some cases even where) they choose to go. Nevertheless I think they are useful techniques for improving pace, adding plot hooks and driving the story forward.
Im not sure what it would be called maybe the Twist of Fate, but essentially it’s the narrative conceit that the action just happens to take place as the PCs are traveling through.
- The PCs are traveling down the Main Street just at the moment the manticore in the market escapes it’s cage.
- The PCs are walking through the sewers at the same moment the thief is returning to their hideout.
- The inn the players choose to stay at has various hijinks and capers occur throughout the night that the PCs can participate in as they choose.
These examples all involve putting encounters in front of the PCs arbitrarily, irrespective of when (or in some cases even where) they choose to go. Nevertheless I think they are useful techniques for improving pace, adding plot hooks and driving the story forward.