They didn't see any Prophet in it for them, I guess...

[Umbran]

Ah, players. Always doing what you don't expect.

For something like six months, the players in my Deadlands game have been chasing down, among other things, a prophet. Prophesied in a text they garnered from a dying priest, they deciphered the Latin, worked through the astrological math, interpreted the Arthurian allegory. They took their airship from Dodge to Denver, wound their way through a tragic Victorian romance to hunt down their target...

...and then just told him he was supposed to be a prophet, gave him a set of notes and an address to write to a priest half a continent away, and left him there. He's going to have to choose for himself, they say. If he's really a prophet, he has protection from a higher power than us, they figure. They didn't even bother to introduce him to the mother he didn't know was still alive. They decided to go back to Dodge to rob a train*.

In rather direct analogy (analogy they are quite aware of, as I'd used several Grail and Fisher King references in the search) - my party undertook a quest for the Holy Grail, found it, and then said, "Meh," and left it there.

When was the last time your bunch chased down a plot thread, and just when they reached the payoff, decided to drop it like a hot rock?



*Admittedly, the train carries some artifacts they know for certain one of the BBEGs wants. Not that they know what for, yet, as they look like just some bowling-ball-sized rocks dug out of a cave....

 

[Piratecat]

That's GLORIOUS.

The first time this happened was in an old 1e game when I had a fantastic adventure they felt railroaded into. They fought the bad guy, chased him to his last room in his dungeon... and said "meh" and walked out.

Then there was the time I had them all set up to go on the Great Modron March. They headed to the outer planes to watch the beginning of it, decided the modrons were kind of jerks (which they are), and left to go find a good bathhouse. Weeks of prep, and a fun module were shelved.

That said, I love it when the players surprise me. Those moments, where I need to desperately think on my feet, always make me grin like a loon.

 

[The Red King]

My guys always go for the prize. Even if there isnt one. They always assume that the bad guy HAS to have some good loot, so its "kill 'em all and loot the bodies". This sounds like a fun thing. I'd be surprised if my group ever did this, but I think I'd like that.

 

[Umbran]

That said, I love it when the players surprise me. Those moments, where I need to desperately think on my feet, always make me grin like a loon.

In this case, I can think on my chaise lounge. It would likely be months, game-time, before the repercussions of this would hit the party, as they've left town and headed hundreds of miles away.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

The prophet I can see, actually. That doesn't sound like a payoff so much as the start of a long-ass adventure. And if they didn't care for the prophet himself or had some other issue with that questline, I could seem abandoning it favor of another equally heroic-sounding objective (keep the McGuffin out of the BBEG's hands).

But the *Grail.* Why on earth leave it there? You could keep it for yourself! Or at least sell it off to a rich Church....

 

[Umbran]

I could seem abandoning it favor of another equally heroic-sounding objective (keep the McGuffin out of the BBEG's hands).

But the *Grail.* Why on earth leave it there? You could keep it for yourself! Or at least sell it off to a rich Church....

I maybe was not clear in my writing here - the prophet *is* the grail. That analogy was clear to the players - they discussed it at length, so they didn't miss it. The prophet *is* a McGuffin that ought to be kept out of the BBEG's hands. They left the guy unawares that BBEGs even exist, all alone, newly informed of what he's supposed to be, but without any knowledge of his powers.

And, to b e honest, they didn't have to drop what else they were doing to deal with him. He's a person. He's portable. He'd through other actions shown that he was willing to move. They could just take him along. But they actively just left him there.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I maybe was not clear in my writing here - the prophet *is* the grail. That analogy was clear to the players - they discussed it at length, so they didn't miss it. The prophet *is* a McGuffin that ought to be kept out of the BBEG's hands. They left the guy unawares that BBEGs even exist, all alone, newly informed of what he's supposed to be, but without any knowledge of his powers.

Ah, I see now. I mistakenly thought you were talking about two separate instances.

And, to b e honest, they didn't have to drop what else they were doing to deal with him. He's a person. He's portable. He'd through other actions shown that he was willing to move. They could just take him along. But they actively just left him there.

Yeah...I got nothing. Did the prophet make a move on a PC's ladyfriend or something?

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Maybe the Prophet could learn of his situation and ask the characters for help to get him to a safe place?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Well, regardless of their reasoning, naturally you know what to do now. That Prophet is your next BBEG.

 

[MarkB]

And, to b e honest, they didn't have to drop what else they were doing to deal with him. He's a person. He's portable. He'd through other actions shown that he was willing to move. They could just take him along. But they actively just left him there.

I can get that, to some extent. Escort missions can tend to be frustrating.