| quote: |
| something, especially a clue, that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting |
Sometimes a good ol' randomly-generated encounter meant to spice things up and make the world seem "dynamic" or "alive" can turn into a supposedly meaningful plot hook that leads nowhere and becomes a waste of time or a distraction from the actual storyline/action.
I will do my best to avoid unnecessary Red Herrings that do nothing to advance story or action. That doesn't mean there won't be any random encounters at all, or that there won't be something deliberately misleading when it makes sense, just that I'll be very careful how I stage these encounters to avoid confusion.
If you guys do get stuck on a potential red herring, I reserve the right to wrap up and advance the action to get things back on track.
The Owl, Giant encountered by Qrurr early in his adventures is a good example of why pbp DMs should avoid unnecessary Red Herrings.