Springboard or Sprung Trap

Conventionally, the first adventure in any role-playing campaign supplies several needs for the game.  First and foremost, it serves to introduce the characters to each other.  A second function, almost as critical, is the introduction of elements of the campaign world.  These can be: unique races or magical items, cultural customs and situations, important recurring NPCs, and any other "signatures" of the campaign.

Unless the first adventure is to stand alone (a rare occurrence), what occurs therein will continue to be relevant for several more sessions.  The first session may even provide elements that are to continue through the lifespan of the entire campaign.  In choosing these events, the Gamemaster has two main choices.

The first option, "pre-planned plot hooks", requires that the Gamemaster have done additional preparatory work, beyond that required for the session itself.  The Gamemaster must establish one or more ongoing plots or story arcs he wishes to introduce, and if he intends to introduce them in the first session, he walks a fine line: introduce these "dangling elements" in such a way as to not detract from the focus of the session itself.  For example, if regicide and its consequences is to be a story arc, the death of the King should not prevent the player characters from carrying out whatever goals the session itself had.  Consider a campaign where the player characters are undertaking a mission for the king, to bring a diplomatic message to a nearby nobleman for example.  If the King is murdered as the PCs are leaving the throne room, players (following the grand tradition of players) will immediately want to investigate the murder.  If they learn of the murder while on the road, they may choose to turn back.  Not all players will be so inclined, but many will be.  If the real intent of the session is to frame the PCs for murder, on the other hand, arranging the King's death as they depart is entirely appropriate - what better timing could the real villain hope for?  It may be that the diplomatic message is related to the King's death; if so, the GM may introduce that fact during the next session, and so forth.

The second option, "plot bait", requires less planning but far more imagination on the part of the Gamemaster.  In this sort of game, the first session serves the role of "smorgasboard", offering a rich variety of plot options for the players to explore.  Such games are necessarily more free-form and less mission-driven.  For example, the players (agents of a nobleman at court) may hear of the death of the King.  At the same time, they may learn of a conspiracy between three noblemen.  Did the noblemen conspire to kill the King, or are they simply taking advantage of his death to advance their own ambitions?  It's not necessary for the Gamemaster to know.  The players may choose to investigate either avenue, or even strike out on their own to take advantage of the changing political situation at court.  The Gamemaster may have prepared some preliminary notes on each of the possible story arcs leading away from the first session, or he may "run cold" and improvise whatever investigation or action the players settle on.  Either way, the meat of the story arc's preparation is done only after the players have elected to follow one particular arc.

Regardless of which approach the GM settles on, there are three complications any Gamemaster must be aware of when seeding his first session with plot hooks and story seeds.

The first complication is "diversion".  Essentially, the hook must not interfere with the adventure in progress.  Revelation of story elements is best done during times where the player characters are either committed to their current course of action, or when they cannot immediately move on the information without significant effort.  For example, while delivering their diplomatic message to a nobleman as described above, the party may encounter a group of thugs only an hour's ride away from their destination, and during the battle discover that the "thugs" are actually carrying proof of the King's demise to some third party.  At this point the players cannot simply say "oh, we'll investigate this then" - the inertia of their mission is likely to be strong enough to keep the session on track.

The second complication is "sufficience".  A clue dragged blazingly across the player characters' paths may disgruntle certain players, who dislike feeling railroaded by the Gamemaster.  Likewise, an overly subtle clue buried behind sixteen die-rolls and an improbable investigation will in all likelihood be missed.  Gamemasters must also resist the temptation to punish players for "inappropriate behavior" by depriving them of otherwise-necessary clues.  In the example above, finding a blood-stained signet ring with the royal seal on it would be sufficiently damning evidence.  Having the thugs yell "We confess, we killed the King," before battle even commences would be overly pushy.  And finding a tattered patch of red cloth, in reality a ripped-away part of the King's robes, would only be a relevant clue if the PCs had witnessed the murder itself closely enough to be aware of its significance.

The third complication is "willingness".  In this matter, Gamemasters must be especially sensitive to their players' wants and wishes.  Players who are anticipating a "high adventure" swords-and-sorcery campaign will not be especially receptive to involved detective work and intricate politics.  Are the players (and the PCs) the sorts of people who would reasonably investigate a given clue?  The answer to this question is one the Gamemaster should have firmly established before the first session begins.

And finally, a note of personal advice to all Gamemasters: DON'T BE AFRAID TO IMPROVISE.  A story arc that you invent on the spot is just as valid as one you spend months of intricate planning on, if you have a strong sense of how both you and the players want the campaign to go.  If the players want to follow up on something you didn't plan for - let them!  Don't punish players for not following your stories, and at the same time don't be afraid to present them with on-the-spot plots that result from their actions.  Your players will appreciate your willingness to provide for their wants; a lack of polish is purely secondary to the need of the campaign to suit the sensibilities of everyone involved.