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I would like to make Forbidden Lands feel like a living place, where the events happen even if the party doesn't get involved. Did anyone do work of making a timeline of events once Zertorme starts learning fire magic, Soria assembles orcs, etc. and how this progresses? Something along the lines: the default series of events, if the party doesn't get involved?

It depends on the players reputation coupled with their actions for who knows what and what actually happens.

Yes, the world is moving when the players are not around. But the players are also part of the world and their actions influence those events.

I don't make a time table or anything like that. Thats too much work that the players will keep undoing anyway. I just make a decision at the table as the players run the clock as to what pieces move and where. Take a little note on my note paper and move forward. Ultimately my #1 concern at all times is what makes for the best story?

As it is difficult to know which plot lines the characters are aware of at any given time, I would not make such a plan in advance. Instead, I am handling this via sth reminiscend of the Fronts in Dungeon World, where I open a "Front" when the characters get knowledge of a certain plot line and then advance this Front if no one does anything about it...

As it is difficult to know which plot lines the characters are aware of at any given time, I would not make such a plan in advance. Instead, I am handling this via sth reminiscend of the Fronts in Dungeon World, where I open a "Front" when the characters get knowledge of a certain plot line and then advance this Front if no one does anything about it...

Seconded. It may have even been you, EinBein, but I've been using a poster's suggestion to use something like Fronts from Dungeon World. It seems far easier and more appropriate to the system for helping keep track of / moving forward various events and key figures' plans and changing motives.

As it is difficult to know which plot lines the characters are aware of at any given time, I would not make such a plan in advance. Instead, I am handling this via sth reminiscend of the Fronts in Dungeon World, where I open a "Front" when the characters get knowledge of a certain plot line and then advance this Front if no one does anything about it...

Good idea! I'm looking into this for the Aslene expansion.

As it is difficult to know which plot lines the characters are aware of at any given time, I would not make such a plan in advance. Instead, I am handling this via sth reminiscend of the Fronts in Dungeon World, where I open a "Front" when the characters get knowledge of a certain plot line and then advance this Front if no one does anything about it...

Seconded. It may have even been you, EinBein, but I've been using a poster's suggestion to use something like Fronts from Dungeon World. It seems far easier and more appropriate to the system for helping keep track of / moving forward various events and key figures' plans and changing motives.

Thanks! Surely wasn’t me, because before we started play three weeks ago, I preferred a model like King for a Day by Jim Pinto in my mind, where a timeline is given for the overall plot and things unfold even if the players don’t know about them. But since we started play, I know how impossible it is to make such a thing work in a big game world like the Ravenlands. King for a Day has a much smaller scope and a more or less defined mission for the players that ensures their interaction with most of the world eventually.

@Brior: Cool! For free flow play, the Fronts are perfect to keep track of all the moving bits and pieces without a predefined master plan that would be the first victim of player whateverism anyway

@Brior: Cool! For free flow play, the Fronts are perfect to keep track of all the moving bits and pieces without a predefined master plan that would be the first victim of player whateverism anyway

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I actually sent a sketch to FL this evening, basically a scheme of parallell lines (”lines” corresponding to ”fronts” I suppose) of possible connected major events flowing from left to right with time. The GM can then decide what actually happens or randomize a ”leftmost” event in one or several of the lines that have been triggered, perhaps through a weekly dice roll (nothing may happen too obviously). Different lines may intersect and interact, join or cancel each other out. I aim to present it all as one flow scheme which would also give the GM a good overview of how the story may unfold. The actual game will always take precedence over the meta events, which may be adapted accordingly.