Hail and or Howdy All,

So in today's discussion I'd like to share something I've whipped up in terms of creating GM legitimacy. What does that mean exactly? Well for some players an RPG session can feel at times contrived or biased against characters; specifically in

instances where the player makes a decision and said decision has ramifications per-ordained & per-planned (so to speak) - what we can call static outcomes (things that happen no matter what choice a cadre of characters take - the world keeps turning)...

Anyways - the good ol Dataslate...

So I found a really attractive Dataslate on DarkRiegn.com - loaded it into my favorite graphics software and got to customizing it for the experience I'm about to show ye!

Basically the premise is this; You as the GM write out some multiple choice options (if/when applicable) - append to each choice that pre-planned outcome (both pro & con of course) - from there it becomes a matter of delivery / maintaining said Integrity...

So for me I load the Dataslate you see below; you will notice to Blackened Out Sections at the very bottom of the Message...

Now in "Fantasy Grounds" or Roll20 - or whatever you like - they is an option to create "fog of war" over an Image you "push" out to your players Online. What I'll do is blacked over the "answers" but push out the Dataslate to the players with that blocked over section.

Now at the end of the scene, adventure (or otherwise), I can remove the "fog" and present those outcomes without the Players worrying about GM Bias against them - a classic dilemma at alot of Game Tables LOL.

THAT'S THE GIST OF IT - SEE BELOW

In our situation, the Dynasty has gone to the world of Varnae - a secret Imperial holding that until recent rediscovery has gone by unnoticed for countless years. In that - our characters arrive into the systems to find it's primitive - in that the whole solar system is engulfed in gaseous vapor - entering into that "vapor" causes the Character and their whole crew to become diseased (no Nurgle not needed here today, thanx). This disease causes salt to deposit in people's brains - degenrating them until final death. Now the specifics background wise arent neccessary. What needs to be know is that the Dynasty is now leaving the system - albeit not happily LOL. And supposedly in order to get rid of this "disease" it was/is suggestion by advisors close to Peer Command that a Witch-Touched Star (a thing known to some - more than one, a type of star) could save the crew by baptism in its accursed light!

So for Now OPTION A: Go get baptised by some sort of Warp-Influenced Star (great I know LOL)

OPTION B: RESTRICTED (I haven't even revealed a 2nd Option yet to my players - and thus - I dont want to let the cat out of the bag here on the forum till after the session is played LOL)

I will reveal the solutions after this week's game session on Saturday!

Stay GAMING

Morbid

One of the things I like best about RT is that the adversarial relationship between GM and players isn't as prevalent. Then again, I'm not big on dungeon crawls. Hashing out an Endeavor is a negotiation. I get to suggest the things that I see as necessary, and the players get to do the same thing. We then try to narrow it down to 3 overarching themes and fit the rest of whatever we suggested into those 3 overarching themes.

I generally give "bottleneck" options like the one above to set the stage of what's to come - either in the Player's Favor or the Opposition's depending on PC choices like that detailed in the example...

As for Endeavors - Luv Em, I've assigned I think 3 to 5 so far in the campaign - but the group is divided and hasn't dedicated a session or more towards completing them - at this point none of em are "lesser" so they require at least 2 sessions to complete.

As for resolving big things / events just by dice rolls - that's somwthing I'm working on incorporating more as a "standard" option on the table; sure its easier to accomplish things - but now you've glossed over all the special tidbits that in other games systems would be constituted as "magic treasure"...

"Be a king but there's nothing special about your sword at the end of the day" (gist wise)

On that note - what do you do with the Endeavors players forget about or brush under the rug (I hope nobody notices lol)... For me I've done the ol' window of opportunity - I like to offer it once or twice - after that the world turns and other people, events and the like address that endeavor.

Morbid

I can't recall them ever ignoring an endeavor. There's been once or twice that the players in another campaign abandoned one, but it's still early in my current one. More often, they decide it isn't important enough for them to deal with personally and they find a patsy...erm, colleague to take it up for them. I ran them like a background endeavor.

If you are talking about Endeavors that have been dangled in front of PC's, but they never took the bait then yep, the opportunity might pass as you mentioned. I think I came up with 4 different likely scenarios for the results / consequences of not taking Endeavors; however, the options are limitless.

1) Other RT NPC took it and completed it, and has bragging rights. (could be huge to insignificant profits for them)

2) RT NPC took and failed said Endeavor. (could be a major or minor failure)

3) No one accepted Endeavor and nothing major happened. (good or bad)

4) No one accepted Endeavor and something really important happened (maybe another Endeavor with higher risks/rewards)

Of course, if it's an Endeavor the PC's began but never finalized, then I usually give them reminders / warnings (if I remember too that is) prior to stating it's failed. The reminders / warnings can be communiqués, requests, Dynasty updates, meetings, etc etc. On the occasions I have put time constraints on Endeavors the PC's started, they have almost always completed them. If memory serves me correctly, I have only had one group miss a time constraint for an important Endeavor.

After completing a modified "Fall from Grace" Endeavor, the PC's were supposed to return to Grace with supplies to a weapons factory they helped fund in order to obtain a Virus warhead for void torpedo's from the AdMech person they allied with in the past Endeavor. They got side tracked, did other Endeavors, and finally returned with the supplies only to discover the AdMech person sold the Virus warhead to a rival House for needed supplies.

Obviously, the consequences of failiing endeavors or putting time constraints can be for anything you as the GM desires though. They can be either plot devices of wider Expanse exploits occurring (like Chaos raids moving in and giving the PC’s chances to experience / stop / get familiar with it), or simply medical supplies not being delivered to a void station and only later to find that it was an old friend named Scotty who also died from the sickness.