Can't keep them on track!

[Dr.Power]

I recently started GMing a couple months ago and I thought I had a handle on the whole 'GM' thing, but I'm having some trouble with this adventure path. This is the first I've done, I've mostly made stuff up at up to this point, and I think I'm missing something.

I'm having a hard time trying to get my players to go the way I need them to. I don't know whether it's me or them but they don't seem to get it. They're always like "Where do we go now?." I try to give them hints without saying it outright and they have access to the handouts which I thought made it pretty obvious where to go.

We just got through the Glassworks, the note from the Inn was obvious enough that they knew to go there, but after they just ignored the tunnel to the Catacombs and went back to town. I guess they didn't relize that needed to go down there, but I don't know how to help them without saying "Hey, go that way!."

Any advice would be appriciated, thanks!

[darkwarriorkarg]

That's easy. Someone spots a sinspawn emerging from the glassworks. It kills a few people, gets put down by the party. The witness speaks up and tells them he saw it come fromnthe glassworks.

You might also want to introduce dc 10 perception checks if they keep being dense. They DO have Tsuto's book, right? The one that mentions the tunnel under the Glassworks?

[Dr.Power]

Thanks! That helped.

Yes they do have Tsuto's journal.

Another question, after they go through the catacombs how are they supposed to know to go to Thistletop? Just from the information in the journal? I don't know if they're going to catch on to that. Any advice for pointing them in that direction?

[darkwarriorkarg]

Hmm,we interrogated a goblin prisoner who complained about how his chief was smitten with a longshanks woman.

The group could go on a goblin extermination rampage and eventually find them.

Thistletop is also apparently the closest of teh goblin tribes (the Birdcrunchers are harmless and disorganized)

And I believe Shalelu can mention increased activity around Thistletop.

What's your party makeup? Do they have backstories? There may be a gold mine of plot hooks there.

[Sub-Creator]

If they don't see the connection, and if all else fails, just use Shalelu to get them there. She's been out scouting around on the goblins, so it would be easy enough to have her report that she's witnessed some goings-on at Thistletop that makes her feel that something strange is going on there. Reinforce this by having her mention that she's seen a bugbear (her arch-enemy, might I add) and some humans inside the fortification from time-to-time. The fact that such beings are working with the goblins incredibly unusual.

[Dr.Power]

Let's see. Part of it is that we have too many people who previously haven't been able to agree on what to do.

We've got a Halfling Cavalier whose goal in life is to become a famous knight and will do almost anything is gain fame or in some cases even just attention.

Two Sorcerers, one human male the other a female Dhampir, who've known each other since childhood and both come from wealth. The Human was not always in control of his powers and as a child harmed the Dhampir. Human is now trying to rekindle their old friendship and is hoping to go farther than that, while the Dhampir is much more cautious and is still a little afraid of him.

A Human Magus who was just visiting in Sandpoint when the goblin raid took place, and who is planning on traveling around Varisia researching rumors of old Thassilonian ruins and artifacts.

And lastly a Cleric and a Ninja who don't really have much of a backstory because they don't really like the whole role-playing aspect very much.

I was thinking that the Halfling would be the most likely to go on a goblin hunting spree, but I'm not sure about the rest.
Having them talk to Shalelu sounds like a great idea, I'll have to come up with a reason for her to not accompany them though. There's already too many people and any extra help will make things way too easy for them.

[darkwarriorkarg]

Hemlock goes to magnimar for reinforcements and leaves her in charge of protecting Sandpoint. She's stuck in town until he gets back but there's no telling what's going on around Thistletop, so they should go and scout it out

[darkwarriorkarg]

Oh, and has any of the players emerged as more dominant than the others? That one could be the party "face" and gets approached to organize his "friends".

[Dr.Power]

Unfortunately we have a few people in the group who 'battle' each other for power, but I think that they'll pick a "leader" soon. At least, I hope.

[Dr.Power]

Anyway, thanks for all your help. We're playing today and I think I have a pretty good idea of how to get them moving in the right direction.

Thanks again!