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I’m a long term campaign type of GM. I like setting my players free in my world and letting them explore, giving only minor hooks until they grasp onto something. Once they do, I will then build upon it to create the BBEG. Sure, I have general ideas prepared, but nothing concrete until my players begin to focus on something specific.
The hard part for me is the dual nature of my players. Some will really engage while others do not. I know they are enjoying the campaign, but is it enough? I know when I sit down to a table to play, I want to dig into the story. Who is this guy? Where did he come from? How do we defeat him? When I walk away from the game, I don’t just want story development, I want to have developed as a character, and in their relationships among the rest of the party. Perhaps I have answered my own question. This is hard for me because I project what I want from a game onto my players. So, sometimes I walk away unsatisfied. This is why feedback is so important. It gives me perspective on how the game is going and where it may be lacking. I have had conversations with my players on how I could adjust things within the game, both story and mechanically. I take all of these into consideration, but I am a slow mover. It takes time to adjust and form new habits. Unlearning old ways of doing things to make room for new ones to take their place is a process. Even if it looks like I’m not changing, trust me, I am. Players should be encouraged to give you, the GM, feedback on the game sessions. Take into account what they enjoy and adapt accordingly. They also need to be patient with you while you think about and adjust your own gaming style. After all, this should be a fun game of adventure with friends.
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You all know the saying, having one of my players take a hiatus from playing was definitely lemons. I was not expecting it, nor did I want to pause the campaign. However, now that we have things in place, I realize I need this time too. Now I am thinking through what comes next.
Is this the story I originally had in mind? After nearly two years on this campaign, the answer is, “No.” It is close, but the players have different goals in mind. Each week we sit down to play is different from the last. One week they are really into the story, the next, I feel like I’m pulling teeth to get them to engage. I know I’m not the only GM that experiences this. Right now I am sure the players are asking themselves about their goals. What are they supposed to do? I’ll admit, I’m floundering in this too. I’m at the point where I need to regroup, gather my thoughts, and replan the last portion of this adventure. It’s a perfect time to take a break from this campaign, so the mini campaign we are working through is giving me this time. So, while I’m playing in a side quest, I am working out the next steps on our main campaign. I’m digging a bit deeper into where each of the characters are going, what the NPCs are plotting and planning in the background, and where this will all culminate. I am revisiting my notes from early in the story to ensure consistency and cohesion among all the events. Will it be perfect? No! I am still human. Do I want to just keep going, pushing through the mud until we reach the dry ground? Yes, of course. I don’t like to give up. But, one must take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Taking this moment will help me to refocus and, in turn, having a renewed energy that will spill over to the players. If you find yourself in this spot, take the break, give someone else the reins for a bit, then come back with fleshed out preparations for more sessions. Can’t live with it, can’t live without it. The longer I go, the more I realize my ineptitude with technology. I rely heavily on others to get me through most things on a computer, and don’t get me started on smart appliances. I know what you are thinking, the answer is NO, I still do not know how to use my instant pot!
Do not get me wrong, I am still young (maybe only at heart, but cut a girl some slack). I can learn these things, play around on programs, and discover a whole new world of technology. Will I remember what I did, probably not. I work on cutting and splicing our videos to create shorts for our social media. Each time I sit down to do it I have to pull up a tutorial video to remember the basics. What I lack in technology, I bring in creativity. I bring the story to the table for others to explore. I weave unsuspecting connections between what happened several sessions ago and what will be experienced next time. I give personalities to NPCs and cultivate their relationships to the party (at least I like to think so). Using technology to aid in the creative side can be difficult. I find programs that are easy to work with and do not require hours of fiddling to understand. Sharing it with others is a quick way to gauge if it will work for our group. If it is easy to teach and walk others through the basics, then it might just be a good fit. If you struggle with technology, or have someone in your group that does, think of it on simple terms. Jumping into a complex program, or getting others to join you, will take time…and a lot of patience. It may take explaining the same thing several times, or watching a video every time you forget how to do something, but if you want to learn it, then you will. Me…I just stick to the easy stuff. Really early in our current campaign, I introduced a drink called “The Kiss.” I got the drink name from my campaign setting book I’ve been using for some of the NPCs, places, and backgrounds, however, it did not say what the drink actually was. Knowing one of my players, I began to dig around for a good cocktail that I would like, and would be simple to make. I was in the mood for a nice Fall drink that had apples and cinnamon. I did a lot of reading of cocktail recipes, more than I imagined I would. Some were quite complex, others were too much of an alcohol that I do not like (Rum). I finally found one that might work, but I didn’t have all the ingredients. So I improvised with what I had (recipes below). It can be served cold, warmed, or room temperature…however you prefer your drinks. Personally, I like it on the rocks. If you do not drink, or are too young, it tastes very similar to mulled cider. I included the mulling spices needed for this, but did not include the amounts as that truly is a preference. If you are interested in doing something like this for your campaign, it doesn’t really matter what the drink is specifically. What truly drew the attention of my players is the name sake. Each drink was served by one of the beautiful owners who would give you a kiss upon delivery.
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AuthorJodie 
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April 2025
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