| Lysero |
In one of the campaigns I'm currently running, one of the major plot points is that the continent the party is currently adventuring on is at war with all the other armies of the world and also has a problem with undead running rampant and attacking travelers. It started out with few attacks, but has now risen to the point where escalation is inevitable.
At this point in the story, very soon there will be an invasion on the town the party is currently in, and from here on essentially where the plot will be amping up in difficulty and seriousness.
Problem is, how do I avoid railroading the party along a set plot with this setup? Obviously the party can't fight all the armies of the world and an army of undead as they are right now, but I don't want it to feel like I'm forcing them into a particular situation where their only choice is to flee whenever things get real.
Basically, I'm looking for tips on how to avoid railroading a plot that, at least for now, could be so easy to railroad by having the armies invading from all over. I want the situation to feel somewhat hopeless for now, while having player decisions still matter and impact the story.