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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jürgen Hubert" data-source="post: 4324249" data-attributes="member: 7177">Sure. In D&D, the default assumption is that the PCs go on some sort of "Quest" - they need to retrieve an item, defeat a bad guy (or a group of them), and so forth. The reward usually includes either money or better equipment. Once they have completed the Quest, they move on to the next one. Often they are given those Quests by some sort of NPC, and sometimes they figure out what to do by themselves (like finding clues to how they can destroy the Evil Artifact). But in general, the reason for the Quest comes from the outside.I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with that approach - or even that this is the only approach possible in D&D. But it seems to be the most common and the general default assumption.In the default Exalted campaigns - where the PCs are Solar Exalted - things are very different. Instead of running Quest-based campaigns, the adventures are motivated by the goals and ambitions of the PCs themselves. Basically, the game asks the question:"You have the power to change the world - so now what are you going to do with it?"This is a question the players have to answer, since each and every Solar PCs has some sort of motivation for how he plans to change the world in a major way (only people who have such ambitions become Solars in the first place). And thus, adventures don't spring from Quests, but from the choices and goals the PCs set for themselves.As an example, a goal for a campaign arc might be: "We want to turn this province of the Realm to become independent and kick the Dragon-Blooded out." The PCs aren't doing this because someone told them to, but simply because they have seen how the Dragon-Blooded are tyrannizing the locals and want to do something about it. Now they need to figure out how to do this. They could openly conquer the province all by themselves, but that will draw a lot of attention to them and might make them enemies they are not ready for. They could begin a campaign of assassination against the Dragon-Blooded without getting detected as the assassins. They could use social manipulation to get the local Dragon-Blooded to turn upon themselves, and incite the population to revolt. They could try to convince the local spirit courts to side with them and sabotage the Dragon-Blooded.There's a large number of possibilities on how to approach this, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages - and might lead to future complication and enemies. The PCs must decide for themselves how far they want to go and which of their ideals they want to compromise. Their moral and ethical choices will have consequences, but there is no higher moral authority who is able and willing to punish them for their mistakes - instead, their choices will color their relationships with their peers and inferiors.In short, the PCs have great freedom to do what they want, and how they want - but there is also no one else whom they can blame for their mistakes. If they make the wrong decisions, a lot of people will die or suffer even worse fates. And sometimes this will happen even if they might the right choices - then, they get to decide who will live, and who gets to die. And they have no one to appeal to to ease their conscience.And that's also how I will run future epic-level D&D campaigns: The PCs are metaphorical giants striding across the world, able to topple entire nations when they set their minds to it. But with that power also comes grave responsibility, and if the PCs have any morals at all, they need to face that people will suffer for both their mistakes and their inactions - and learn to live with it somehow.</blockquote>

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