Getting the Players Excited

[Velox]

So I've started my Iron Kingdoms campaign, in which the characters are in search of an ancient treasure trove; literally thousands of pounds of gold along with the single most powerful artifact ever imagined - a fist-sized ruby called the Hell Diamond, which grants a wish to whoever touches it.

One of the characters is a professor at the Royal Cygnaran University, and has done much research on ancient artifacts. Recent discussions with a Dwarven colluege have revealed the location of the Hell Diamond. The last known possessor of this artifact was an Ogrun shaman named Gopan, who lived thousands of years ago. His remains were entrusted to the Lakestone Clan of Dwarves, who moved to the city of Orven a few hundred years ago. The city of Orven, and thus the Lakestone Clan Enclave, and therefore the remains of Gopan, and finally the Hell Diamond itself, is but a convenient trip on the recently complete Railroad that runs between the character's current position and Orven! Or at least so they beleive. In any case, it's as simple as purchasing a train ticket and having a seat for a few days. It would be simple, of course, if one of the characters hadn't been framed for murder...

It's shaping up to be pretty good fun.

My only problem is that my players can't remember where they are, where they're going, or why there going there! Instead of the character's chatting excitedly about what they're going to wish for, or how they plan to circumvent the authorities at the train station, I get this:
"We're headed to.... Steelwater? To look for the... Blood stone? It will be jolly good fun, I'm sure."

It's frustrating, and I feel a little ruffled by the fact that my players can't remember what I've been working on for months! What can I do to get them invested? What can I do so that they will not forget that the Hell Diamond, and thus their every wish, is only a few miles down the rail!

[Jharviss]

I'm not going to claim to be a pro at getting characters to remember the plot - it's only been in the last two major campaigns I've run (I run a lot of minor ones) that I've truly gotten characters invested and remembering as much (if not more!) than me.  So take what I say with a grain of salt.

The best way to get your characters excited and interested is to really have them interact with the plot.  They can't remember Steelwater?  Well, have somebody on the train come and sit with them, anxiously telling them horror stories about Steelwater.  Maybe have this guy then talk about bloodstones in a hushed voice.

Then, before the train ride is over, he's murdered.

That'll get their attention.

Players remember things when it's introduced in an underhanded, conversational way.  I use the word underhanded because all you'd be doing is getting their attention focused.  They already have the plot hook - now you need to get them hooked on the plot hook.  

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Another option is the rival group.  People love to compete, and this often shows within groups.  The best way to get players interested is to have an alternate group of really snobby people looking for the exact same thing.  Hearing the "rival" talk about it will pique their interests, and then they'll start doing everything they can to make sure the rival group doesn't get to it first.  

Perhaps the rival group kills the guy above?  Plot!

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Those are just a couple ideas.  If you feel like the train's not going anywhere (figuratively, of course), throw in some drama.  Make the characters invested by having other NPCs invested.  This is the best way to get them involved.

[Kindling]

Can't say much with regards to your specific game, but I agree with Jharviss' point about having the plot reveal through slightly covert means. I mean, you haven't really said how you brought the current set-up about, maybe you did it brilliantly and I'm effectively teaching you to suck eggs, but, the players might be drawn in and captured more by something a bit mysterious. Have a few different NPCs mention different parts of the plot, so that they have to piece it together, or have them overhear a conversation about it (perhaps having to use stealth to do so) so that it seems like the information is some secret that they are digging out and bringing to light.
This may not work for your players, and you may already have tried it, I don't know, but I always find that it's hard to go wrong with a healthy sense of mystery...

[LD]

Jharviss' idea is good.

Don't tell the story; have the characters interact with it and build it.

The beginning of the ... Princess Bride ?? with the telling of "x was the most beautiful girl in the world" is the absolute worst way to get someone involved. Instead, show them a duel over the girl- or 20 duels that happen before their eyes and that they may need to step in to stop. Then they'll see the passion in their enemies fighting over the girl, and become involved and invested themselves... because they "were there" when it happened.

[Acrimone]

It's hard to tell from the information given, but sometimes players don't WANT to be really involved.

Sometimes (maybe not in this case, but sometimes), it's best to just give them what they want: a jolly good time.

But if you really want to get them all fired up, you need to personalize it a little more than just "giant heaps of treasure."  Give the players a personal stake besides gold-n-experience: Have someone from the Lakestone Clan do something bad to them.  Like crippling bad.  Snag their favourite magic item, or kidnap their girlfriend, or something.  Make a member of the Lakestone Clan a really hateful, spiteful villain.  They'll tear the city of Orvun apart looking for the bastard.  Maybe have a member of the clan be the person who executed the plan to frame the PC for murder.

Players always react better to the stick than the carrot in my opinion.

[Xeviat]

I'm going to second what Jharviss said and what Kindling and Light Dragon have elaborated on: in writing, this is an issue called "Show, don't tell". If you have told your players several times and they have not remembered, then try showing them the plot.

Knowing a bit more about your players could also help us. Have you played with these players before? In my experience, my group has enjoyed plots more when they were driven largely by the players. In my first game, which ended up going on for two years, the plot started from one character's backstory (He stole a gem from a sorcerer who had mouthed off to him). The rogue and his bodyguard met up with a sorcerer in the city, and the three went off to investigate the bandits that I originally intended to be a plot point. Well, searching for the bandits lead them into the elven forests, where the half-orc bodyguard was kidnapped during the night; the party then had to go work for the elves to get him back ...

Later, things were driven by rivalries that grew from NPC enemies that the PCs ended up really hating. They were betrayed a few times. They explored around trying to find out the identity of the gem they were carrying. But for the most part, the plot was guided by them. It worked best for that group.

This is one reason I do not plan plots more than a few sessions in advance. What was, for you, several months of work is, to the players, a justification for their adventures. If your group wants a dungeon crawl, then they aren't going to enjoy a plot full of intrigue.

Next time you're at a book store or a gaming store, check out the 4E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide. There is a whole section on determining the types of players your players are, and how best to engage them. It is not tied to any system either.

[Velox]

Good advice by all! I shall try to implement.