The point is that a long rest is the end of a day. So time passes. I end day, 1 day is over. That is what they instituted.
I arrive at grove. Ritual is being performed already. They say its a big ritual and will take time. That's good. They don't say how long. Fine. So I just know I have some time.
But how long would a ritual like that realistically take? If I Long rest 10 times, making 10 days go by, does it really make sense that the ritual is STILL not done?
Same with the gobbos. They want to kill the grove. They now know where it is thanks to the adventurers. I long rest 15 times. Does it really make sense that the grove is never attacked?
The amount of times you have is not the point. I am NOT saying they should rush players through the game. Im saying that after maybe 2 long rests something happens to explain why you have more time. Again, Arabella being an example. Instead of her stealing the statue and disrupting the ritual right away, she steals it after 2 days, delaying the ritual. Then 3 days later, Rath disrupts it, getting in trouble with Kahga or something, delaying the ritual again. They have too start over. Just something that makes sense as to why they havent completed it and are STILL just chanting after Ive been roaming around for a week.
That's the kind of thing im talking about. Just add some flavor to the game and explain why, if you are spamming long rests, the world isnt ending like the story says it should.
And im talking about characters doing different things each day instead of always in the same spots having the same questions.
And yeah, if you take an obscene amount of time, SOMETHING should happen. It only makes sense that it should. Dont you think after 2 weeks at least the ritual should be completed?