I have one player that's super proactive and involved and the rest are all very passive and reactive. If I cater to the one, I'm basically running a game for just him while the other five just watch. If I run it for the other five, I leave the one bored and alienated.
"Why Master Valerian the road is yours, all the way to Urland. That's a long journey isn't it? But when you're looking for a Sorcerer, I suppose not distance is too great."
"Say nothing."
"And here, we have the mystical presence himself."
"You mind your distance, and your manners."
"If he's ready to lay a dragon in its grave, he has little to fear from me."
*Walks towards the well.*
"I have no more love for that creature than you lot, nor does the King. But, before you go and stir things up, hadn't you better find out if you've got the right man for the job?"
"Aha, it's a test you're looking for. We don't do test."
"Oh I'm certain you don't. They never do test, not many real deeds either. Oh a conversation with your grandmother's shade in a darkened room, the odd love potion or two, but comes a doubter. Why then it's the wrong day, the planets are not in line, the entrails are not favorable, we don't do tests!"
"My report will state that he suffered a paralyzing blow to the throat, after which it was torn out by claws or teeth, the cause of death being massive hemorrhaging."
"So, in layman's terms, he didn't know what hit him."
"Oh, he knew what hit him, he just didn't have time to react."
"Look, you take a firecracker, put it in your hand, it goes off, what do you get? A scorched hand. Now, you take the same firecracker, put your fist around it." *imitates explosion* "Wife's going to be openning up your ketchup bottles for the rest of your life."
"Now I'm thinkin': it could mean you're the evil man. And I'm the righteous man. And Mr. 9 mm here, he's the shepherd protecting my righteous ass in the valley of darkness. Or it could be you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. I'd like that. But that s#!$ ain't the truth. The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin, Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd."
"Now I want you to reach in there and get my wallet."
"Which one is it?"
"The one that says Bad M$!@&$@#+~+%."
Dodge! Thrust!
"Haha, looking for the body?"
"Alright where is he?"
"He isn't here, he hasn't been for some time."
"Those cries..."
"Those cries were mine. It was a mistake to murder Striker. The drugs he supplied cannot be replaced, the massive doses I've been mixing were raw, the pain unbelievable."
Seeing that I'm still at a hospital in Oklahoma (don't worry, it's not me) and I probably won't be leaving until some time this evening, I'll wait for Harakhty. I'll get home late tonight, but, if he hasn't posted by them, I will skip his turn.