Crossroad Sessions

There may come a time during your tabletop RPG campaign in which you find yourself unsure what direction your players may be headed next. If you run your games like I do, your ongoing campaign will be subdivided into dramatic 'arcs,' a series of particular missions that last a few sessions each. But when you finish one of these storylines, you might want to give the players some choice in the matter of where they proceed from there. Do they want to roam across the desert, or play politics and intrigue in the royal palace? What plot hook are they interested in pursuing for the next major arc? When this question arises, it may be time to plan for a crossroad session.

Simply put, a crossroad session is a session mostly dedicated to providing the group with plot hooks and opportunities. It allows them to gather intelligence, develop their characters' personal storylines, and inform the DM what their next course of action will be so he can prepare for it.  The crossroad Session isn't necessarily filler or wasting time. It's often necessary to establish a clear goal and trajectory for the next portion of the campaign.

Let's say that a group of super spy player characters just returned from a mission inside Doctor Evil's secret base. They have stolen some of his plans, but they don't know when and where his next move will be. Where do they go from here? What is their next course of action?

 In this case, you might have the players return to the capital and play out a crossroads session. They investigate the files of a rival agency, they chase down and interrogate another terrorist operative, and they touch bases with their superiors at Central Intelligence. At the end of the session, they decide to pursue a lead on a secret superweapon being developed in a secret Siberian bunker. The game runner will now be able to map out the bunker and its contents because he knows the players are heading there next.

The Crossroad Session is a lot like a sandbox-style video game. The players are free to roam around and explore at their leisure. However, this sandbox should be seeded with any number of adventure hooks and potential plot threads that could lead the party to their next adventure. By the end of the session, make sure you know what particular plot hook they are planning to follow, so that you can focus on preparation for that part of the adventure. 

These plot hooks don't even have to be brand new to your players. You can use this as an opportunity to present reminders of previously established information. The players see the results of the tyrant king's villainy in a burned village, or hear new rumors of the famed treasure in the Devil's Mountain.

Ideally, these stories should tie in to the player characters' personal conflicts and goals. Rather than just random plot threads, it helps if the players have personal stakes in the matter at hand. Lead the players to storylines through non-player characters they care about, or include elements of their backstory in the plot hooks. Let the players explore freely and then start dropping hints about future adventures at your leisure. The player might think he is just going to the pawn shop to sell his loot, but he is about to learn all about the Curse of the Dread Diamond from the old man who works the front desk.

These kinds of sessions can be light on encounters, considering their main purpose is to advance the story and give you ideas for future sessions. But not all players enjoy a session without any combat or challenges, so it's a good idea to plan out at least one or two options for it. The best way to include an encounter in a session like this is to design it to represent a particular story arc that the players might want to follow up on. An ambush by a team of assassins would lead your players to find out where they came from and who sent them. A collapsed mining tunnel could lead directly into subterranean ruins filled with valuable artifacts. Think about where the encounter might lead your group, and design it as a dramatic and challenging introduction to a new adventure path.

Remember to also allow players some downtime to stock up on supplies and interact with each others' characters as well as NPCs. New adventures and ideas can spring forth from the most innocuous player decisions. Follow their choices, letting them direct the action as you sprinkle your plot hooks throughout the story they weave. Don't think of this session as a break in the action, think of it as a prologue to a brand new storyline. It's the first step down a new road, and taking the time to establish this new direction will pay off for both you and your players. 

One last note: I advise against starting off any new campaign with a crossroads session. Without the established rapport between player characters and the momentum of the ongoing series it would be a very boring experience. Start your players off with a strong adventure hook and save the crossroads for later, when they have more experience and comfort with the setting of the campaign.

Happy ventures!