Exposition, aka: how to spoon feed it to the PCs

[brother_dour]

This evening I finally found time to continue work on my next RPG campaign after a long hiatus.  I have some stuff already written, and I know what the climax of the campaign will be like.  In a nutshell, it goes a little something like this

Comments

[kyn_elwynn]

The bad guys are searching, so have the players see the effects of those searches (towns left in smoking ruins, raids on caravans, etc) or even come across a hunt in progress. The girl is being kept hidden from these hunting forces, but is unaware of her true destiny? How? How are the forces of good moving her about or keeping her importance on the down low? Anyone with half a brain would get the idea that -something- is up if they keep getting moved about or having to not reveal their true identity. Worse? They get a complex over it. They become aware that they're important and become a brat! I highly recommend reading Shadow Moon (The sequel to Willow)

[girl_next_dork]

What if the girl was in a nomadic tribe, caravan, etc., of some sort, always on the move anyway? Then there could be some telltale clues or patterns to finding her.

[brother_dour]

Hmmm. I had planned for her to be in a 'safehouse' where supernatural evil could not operate- hallowed ground (the world I'n using is one of my own that has become pretty dense due to multiple campaigns set in that world). But I could make the girl a gypsy or something similar with just a few tweaks to the storyline. I will think about this possibility...

[brother_dour]

My idea was, the girl had a rough life, but she attributed it to bad luck. She doesn't realize that all the bad stuff that happened to her when she was a child was tied to the fight between good and evil. For example, her parents died when she was very young- collateral damage in that struggle.

I had planned on using the idea you mentioned- the effects of evil's activity. I think part of my problem is I want to do something a bit more Machiavellian and subtle, too- but I'm really not good at writing out that sort of thing.

[prophet_x]

it sounds like you're off to a good start. Part of it though will be training the players, not the story. I found that after years of playing with the same group of players they started picking up on story plot hooks all on their own as they learned how to process the logic flow for themselves.

-That- is where the fun comes in. If they get close they start adjusting based on what is real and what they think is real. And as they start conjecture they will eventually come across the big reveal all by themselves.

But if you're wanting to foster some of that along you may want an NPC or a clue or two that gives part of the backstory but is obviously missing some pieces somewhere. Kind of like the datapads you pick up as you play through Doom 3