How to make my PC's care about the campaign? +SwapStones

[Mulet]

Hey,

I'm having issues with making my PC's care about my custom RoTRL campaign. So I'd like to hear what others have done, that have grabbed the attention of their party. Things that spark curiosity, want and interest are what I'd like to hear about.

In my own, we've had a few custom events:

SwapStones, These are a pair of golden hands clasping a single gem that was cut, so each hand holds half. One hand, was in a pocket realm, the other in a dungeon. When two people hold one each, it acts like a mobile phone call on loudspeaker. When either speaks a magical phrase, they trade places. We split the party, and they used these to stay in contact, and LOVED IT.

Pocket Realm and Door, we made a powerful wizard have access to a pocket realm, with a mansion in it. They took control, then had a magic shop construct a magical doorway from it's front door, back into a house they bought in their home realm. We even printed a contract, with funny fine print and made them all sign it.

Magic Rug, A rug that cleans and mends footwear when stood upon. It appeared in a magic shop.

Using a companion bird, to preview a dungeon they were not meant to visit for at least another 4 sessions (at 8 hours a pop).

[Gregory Connolly]

I think it is two separate issues. If the characters are uninterested in the plot and don't get interested after a few sessions, ask the players to make new characters who would be interested in the campaign. If the players are uninterested you need to talk about it. Ask them what they want out of a game. Ask them what kinds of stories they are interested in playing. Sometimes you just have the wrong game for the wrong group and it is better to either run this for different people and/or run something else for these people.

[Pan]

Pretty much what Mr. Connolly said. Either your players are just not interested in the campaign or you are not selling them on it. Can you provide some in game examples of the issue?

[Mulet]

Someone said wrote:

Either your players are just not interested in the campaign or you are not selling them on it. Can you provide some in game examples of the issue?

Ok.

1) During a combat they captured a goblin, a kept it for almost 3 sessions and pressed it severly for every scrap of information. I gave him a name, Nyuk Nyuk and voiced him like Golem. They learnt very little, since it's a Goblin.

Later, Father Zantus (voiced like one of those Christian preachers with soul from New Orleans) who was LOADED with information. They asked nothing, and went shopping.

2) They killed Erylium in the Catacombs (after we ran them through a potion puzzle, with tiny glass bottles in real life, modelled after the Harry Potter potion Puzzle) then abandoned the rest of the Dungeon. They missed out on almost ALL the loot, and I had to coax them back in to finish it, since they were complaining about low funds.

3) They know someone organized the goblins together, but have not bothered finding out who.

I want to make it clear, that my belief is that I am not selling them on the campaign. I'm not making it interesting, and I need to improve on that. The party is not at fault in any way.