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<blockquote data-quote="Pseudopsyche" data-source="post: 6170714" data-attributes="member: 54600">To echo others: your players simply aren't as proactive about investigation as you are. I recommend identifying clues as clues (so your players don't assume these details are merely flavor text) and potentially calling out avenues of investigation.Where to go from here? Here are some ideas:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">The city's only tradesman of a certain rare trade is gruesomely murdered. When the PCs learn of this event, you can say, &quot;You recall that this is the profession of the employee the BBEG mentioned in that letter.&quot; Optionally: &quot;maybe his home/place of work has some more clues.&quot; Or the only other tradesman of that craft can hire the PCs to investigate.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">An NPC approaches the PCs and offers to exchange notes on their respective investigations into the BBEG. The NPC might also be working to bring down the BBEG, or he could be an agent of the BBEG sent to determine how much the PCs know.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">The close friend of the known underling approaches the PCs to solicit their help in extracting their friend from the BBEG's influence. The NPC realizes now that their close friend is in over his head.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">One of the BBEG's minions is in trouble and uses a locate-object ritual to find the nearest other special-token-owned-by-minions. He approaches the PCs assuming they are also agents of the BBEG.</li>
</ul>Critical point: once the PCs engage with any of the events above, don't just give them some new information and ask, &quot;what do you do now?&quot; Have the event refer back to one of the other clues and possibly introduce a new clue, then ask, &quot;Which of these two clues do you want to investigate next?&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Pseudopsyche, post: 6170714, member: 54600"] To echo others: your players simply aren't as proactive about investigation as you are. I recommend identifying clues as clues (so your players don't assume these details are merely flavor text) and potentially calling out avenues of investigation. Where to go from here? Here are some ideas: [list] [*]The city's only tradesman of a certain rare trade is gruesomely murdered. When the PCs learn of this event, you can say, "You recall that this is the profession of the employee the BBEG mentioned in that letter." Optionally: "maybe his home/place of work has some more clues." Or the only other tradesman of that craft can hire the PCs to investigate. [*]An NPC approaches the PCs and offers to exchange notes on their respective investigations into the BBEG. The NPC might also be working to bring down the BBEG, or he could be an agent of the BBEG sent to determine how much the PCs know. [*]The close friend of the known underling approaches the PCs to solicit their help in extracting their friend from the BBEG's influence. The NPC realizes now that their close friend is in over his head. [*]One of the BBEG's minions is in trouble and uses a locate-object ritual to find the nearest other special-token-owned-by-minions. He approaches the PCs assuming they are also agents of the BBEG. [/list] Critical point: once the PCs engage with any of the events above, don't just give them some new information and ask, "what do you do now?" Have the event refer back to one of the other clues and possibly introduce a new clue, then ask, "Which of these two clues do you want to investigate next?" [/QUOTE]

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