Shawn

And let the other players who are more comfortable doing so sort of lead the way. But also, don't call on the good or the enthusiastic role player to do the 20-minute soliloquy and then expect the other player to do, right? So maybe talk to the other players beforehand and say, I'm going to ask a question. Keep your answers short. Yeah.

Just to model what the action that you're looking for at the table. So, right. It's small steps.

Just to model what the action that you're looking for at the table. So, right. It's small steps.

And on Taos's point there about that sort of engagement or doing other things at the table, also be aware of people's neurodivergency. There are some times when people are doing other things at the table, and I might think they're not engaged, but they are engaged in their own way. So just be aware of that at the table as well. Some people

And on Taos's point there about that sort of engagement or doing other things at the table, also be aware of people's neurodivergency. There are some times when people are doing other things at the table, and I might think they're not engaged, but they are engaged in their own way. So just be aware of that at the table as well. Some people

they're only paying attention because they have something to keep their hands busy yes or they're only paying attention for those reasons so also you know keep being mindful of those sorts of things absolutely And the final question for this episode comes to us via DM Mark via Blue Sky.

they're only paying attention because they have something to keep their hands busy yes or they're only paying attention for those reasons so also you know keep being mindful of those sorts of things absolutely And the final question for this episode comes to us via DM Mark via Blue Sky.

Any tips for designers who don't generally have trouble putting together an interesting adventure, but always seem to struggle with how to plan the opening or the inciting incident or mission? So this, I mean, this is a question that we could do a whole segment on, right? Adventure design and starting. We probably have, if you go back and look.

Any tips for designers who don't generally have trouble putting together an interesting adventure, but always seem to struggle with how to plan the opening or the inciting incident or mission? So this, I mean, this is a question that we could do a whole segment on, right? Adventure design and starting. We probably have, if you go back and look.

To answer it as briefly as possible, if you are putting together an adventure that's interesting, you have the answer to your question because you want to use that interesting thing to be what opens. So if what's interesting in your adventure is that it's a mystery, start with the inciting mystery.

To answer it as briefly as possible, if you are putting together an adventure that's interesting, you have the answer to your question because you want to use that interesting thing to be what opens. So if what's interesting in your adventure is that it's a mystery, start with the inciting mystery.

If what's cool is some monster that you've created that's going to beguile and blow the characters' minds, leave a hint as the inciting incident that this is what this monster does. Are these piles of diamonds on the ground in the shape of people? What is going on? Well, it's the monster that turns people into diamonds. Okay, so you're putting that out there. But the deeper question is,

If what's cool is some monster that you've created that's going to beguile and blow the characters' minds, leave a hint as the inciting incident that this is what this monster does. Are these piles of diamonds on the ground in the shape of people? What is going on? Well, it's the monster that turns people into diamonds. Okay, so you're putting that out there. But the deeper question is,

you have to answer, what is this adventure about? Or what is this adventure's form? Is it a one shot adventure with pre-gens? You're gonna wanna start differently. Is it a adventure in the middle of a long running campaign? You're gonna be able to do other things with that. For me, the challenge of opening encounters is exactly the same challenge as writing fiction.

you have to answer, what is this adventure about? Or what is this adventure's form? Is it a one shot adventure with pre-gens? You're gonna wanna start differently. Is it a adventure in the middle of a long running campaign? You're gonna be able to do other things with that. For me, the challenge of opening encounters is exactly the same challenge as writing fiction.

And that is, you have to provide information but you can't provide information in a way that detracts from the adventure and the fun and the tension. So getting that information to the players as efficiently as possible while still moving forward with the action is what an inciting incident or an opening encounter needs to be about.

And that is, you have to provide information but you can't provide information in a way that detracts from the adventure and the fun and the tension. So getting that information to the players as efficiently as possible while still moving forward with the action is what an inciting incident or an opening encounter needs to be about.

And there is no perfect introduction because there are so many different kinds of players. Some players want to know everything about their character, about the other characters, about the situation, about the world right away. And they're not happy until they have everything. And that's what session zeros are for. Right.

And there is no perfect introduction because there are so many different kinds of players. Some players want to know everything about their character, about the other characters, about the situation, about the world right away. And they're not happy until they have everything. And that's what session zeros are for. Right.

So you can then say, OK, we're going to introduce all our characters to each other. We're going to get that out of the way. I'm going to talk about the world that we're in. We're going to get that out of the way. So you know that you don't need to have that forward moving action right from the start because you have that time.