>>95964703
>>95964703
>Do the player characters have their own goals?
Yes, actually the dwarf realized that since his backstory relates to him wanting to depose a Count, it would be beneficial if he helped the Lord in Nefthol regain his power so he may potentially be given noble privileges and could thus fund some sort of sabotage against said Count.

That's only applicable to the dwarf though. Admittedly, one player is new enough that I didn't have him worry about a backstory, and the other PCs backstory takes place entirely in a foreign country - which in hindsight I probably should've told him to change since it's unlikely the PCs will be going there anytime soon. Despite that backstory, he told Me his character doesn't really have a goal beyond "survive and help others to" anyway.

>Are factions moving things around in the background?
Yes, but admittedly, not on a very substantial scale (yet). I'll change that.

>Why do you want to run an open world sandbox?
I have no fun running a railroaded game, and a linear game is only half as enjoyable for Me as open world. I like a game where the PCs have to come up with fun, creative, interesting ideas that keep things moving. I want them to make characters with their own goals that they pursue relentlessly until they succeed or die trying. I don't want them to simply sit as witnesses to a story I wrote - I want them to be making that story and we all get to watch in surprise as it forms and unfolds before us.

>>95964723
All the relevant NPCs I make are usually too busy with something of significance to be able to piss around in a tavern like the PCs do.

>>95964781
Might try this.