making lemonade

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.