[whswhs]

You know, I don't think I find this sort of thing to be a rare surprise. It's actually nearer the truth to say that's what I call "game mastering." At least, I run a lot of sessions where I confront the PCs with something, see how they react, and make something up.

If I want to make sure that the PCs deal with X, I have them assigned or hired to deal with X. That's what bosses and clients are for.