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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sadras" data-source="post: 7732472" data-attributes="member: 6688277">The AP provides Backgrounds available for the PCs to tie up the characters to the story.The APs allows the DM to generate a timeline which reflects on the ever changing nature of the Sword Coast due to the Cult of the Dragon's progress. Should the PCs decide to skip a section or two within the book and pursue their own agenda of stopping the Cult or even something else - the DM is able to inflict on their meanderings various characters, framed scenes and resultant fall outs of the Cult's activities. This is not railroading but content generation for the PCs to get the feel of the setting as in your Classic Traveller. The books from that point of view become useful as setting content and act as a guideline.  That is fair. Do you roll for this beforehand (pre the adventure) so that you may have time to think on how to tie these random encounters to the main storyline or on the spot? See, personally, I prefer to have the time available to be able to have a think about it and not being put on the spot. This then allows me to frame a scene such as the sea trolls and a social encounter with the covey of sea hags and not have to think too much about motivation besides the fact that they want slaves and treasure from the vessel the PCs are on. Sessions later, I might decide to use these NPCs again but tie them in  tighter to the main storyline.</blockquote>