Most important rule of GM-ing, do not over-prepare details, keep a vague outline and let the player figure out the details.
At best, the PC will just find another solution that the one you ignore (why fight the guard when you can bribe/blackmail them) or even they’ll ignore huge part of your scenario.
Or even worse/better (depending on perspective or frustration): That guard-whose-name-is-ummmmm-Jack, which of course is short for ummmmm, Jakarth, yes, he should be here somewhere. ([Rolling dice …] Oh, yes, of course. Oh there he is. Sribble, scribble, scribble.]) That’s the one they now insist on befriending … You know, the one who is was of no importance, and who now for some reason (players work in mysterious ways) ends up being the NPC around which the next year-and-a-half of campaign revolves.
Most important rule of GM-ing, do not over-prepare details, keep a vague outline and let the player figure out the details.
At best, the PC will just find another solution that the one you ignore (why fight the guard when you can bribe/blackmail them) or even they’ll ignore huge part of your scenario.
Or even worse/better (depending on perspective or frustration): That guard-whose-name-is-ummmmm-Jack, which of course is short for ummmmm, Jakarth, yes, he should be here somewhere. ([Rolling dice …] Oh, yes, of course. Oh there he is. Sribble, scribble, scribble.]) That’s the one they now insist on befriending … You know, the one who
iswas of no importance, and who now for some reason (players work in mysterious ways) ends up being the NPC around which the next year-and-a-half of campaign revolves.