(crossposted on NTL)
The first major story arc in my campaign finally wrapped up, after 2 (or is it 3?) years. The PCs are level 12.
They've been given, at the end of the last session, a massive amount of valuable items and gold. Some characters just died or retired, new ones are getting worked in.
Here's the basic setup:
A cult of mind flayers has been running a nasty secret organization, and the PCs just destroyed the nest and took over the base. (The backstory for mind flayers, as well as the nature of the multiverse, are significantly different IMC.) The PCs, along with all the amassed loot, discovered a Hall of Records, detailing the Mind Flayer's operations for the last few hundred years.
Most of the stuff was obsolete and uninteresting, but I handed out a sheaf of about 15 "interesting" documents they discovered. All are plot hooks, with adventures behind them.
The way the campaign is going now, the party chooses the adventure they want to go on. I prepare it, and we start it the next session.
However, I gave them fair warning. Two things:
First, kid gloves are off. These scenarios are going to be designed as "realisticly" as possible, with the foes doing what makes sense given their goals and resources to defend themselves. They will NOT be tailored to the PC's level. It is now up to the players to determine which threats are capable of being met with direct force, and which should be defeated by other means or avoided altogether. Their first encounter could be anywhere from EL 1 to EL 25, depending on what makes sense for the scenario. They must be on their guards, and do nothing stupid.
Second, the scenarios are evolving. Ignoring one problem for a while means that it will progress in their absense. This does not necessarily mean that the scenarios will get more difficult the longer it takes the PCs to get around to them. Other adventurers might move in, eliminating the problem. Or the nature of the scenario could change as time passes, rendering their initial information obsolete - the adventure they walk into might be different from what the documents led them to believe. The PCs are perfectly allowed to abandon one scenario and head out for another one (we'll just cut the game short and play board games, since I can't be expected to have them all worked out in detail), but they can't expect abandoned scenarios to remain in stasis while they're away.
I will be developing a rough timeline for each scenario, and keeping track of the calander date so I know when and where major events are taking place. Rumors might reach their ears during one scenario about things happening elsewhere in the world. What is more pressing? Decisions will have to be made.
I tried hard to make diverse and interesting scenarios, each quite different from the next.
The first one they voted on - finding the lost heir to a previous dynasty of the Empire.
This is exactly how I handle my campaign.
Stuff is going on EVERYWHERE- about 10 Major plot hooks in progress at all times. The more the players screw around and do everything except what they are supposed to be doing, the worse things are when they finally do get around to doing something. I've only had a couple of goal-oriented players in my game who came to roll dice and DO SOMETHING. The party flounders and waffles when no one is in charge.