Problems and Solutions

After a long stint of GM burnout, I'm finally feeling that familiar itch to get back into the game. I've decided that what the problem with the past few sessions is that the PCs dont have enough direction. Normally for me that isnt a problem. I'm sort of an advocate of the more "free-form" game and I like it when my PCs take matters into their own hands. However, this usually requires a relatively well-defined environment for them to play around in. At the moment, the campaign does NOT have that, and they can smell it.

I really havent had the time to develop the area the PCs are in right now, and it doesnt seem to be one that evolves well organically through play and on-the-fly DM decisions. Solution? Get them out!

The current state of affairs is that the PCs are in a wartorn city (Braetona) that stands on the border between two warring countries (Amonon = good guys; Vyvnas = bad guys). If the city falls, the rest of the country will soon follow. If the siege is broken, however, the Amonoreans will surely be able to press on into the Baronies of Vyvnas and strike a hearty blow, ending the war and ensuring peace for decades to come. Sounds exciting, but in reality it has been extremely difficult to manage. What I'd like to do is get the PCs on their way out of Braetona and north to the forbidden island of Ig'N'Gaatha - the ultimate destination of the campaign.

Here's my idea for a solution. Firstly, since I dont want the PCs to feel that all their time spent aiding the war effort has been in vain, I want to give them a once-and-for-all chance to swing the balance of battle towards one side. Ideally this will come in the form of a climactic showdown style battle between the general of the enemy forces with his retinue and the PCs. Once he is defeated (or not), the general of the good guys will inform the PCs pretty definitively that there is little more they can do here, and that their support has been the saving grace of the kingdom.

I've already done a lot of work on the island, so once I can get them there, I can give them free reign once again and sit back to relax a little.