Dealing with Unmotivated Characters

[Blackfish]

I've been running a game of GURPS for more than a year now, both in person and online. There have been ups and downs, but I've recently had a problem with the characters played by two of my players. To start, background on the four involved characters:

#1
This character is relatively new to the group, but is very engaged in the plot. He has been finding plot-important artifacts and hiding them away from the group's foes, and seeks to attain ultimate power for his race. His actions have progressed the plot, as he is advancing the group and interacting with powerful NPCs at the same time.

#2
This character has just joined the game, and is very engaged in the plot. Though he has yet to join the group, he's taking a very police-detective path toward identifying the group's enemies and discovering their plots. His actions will soon lead him to the group.

#3 & #4
These characters are the ones who have been in the group the longest. They have been in situations where they can't help but be involved in the plot, but they seem very hesitant to engage in the game if I don't push them. When I'm not forcing them to interact, they tend to stick around a spaceship or hotel for weeks, not doing much of anything.

Characters #3 & #4 had two mentors: a dragon and a talking book, but both have been captured by different groups. Despite the loyalty of #3 to both mentors, his ability to take over new bodies if he comes close to death, and the fact that he will likely be harmed if some of the group's enemies fulfill their plans, he doesn't see the point in doing anything. #4 has the Unkillable trait and CAN'T die, but cites the danger of prospective missions as his reason for not acting.

As they seem unwilling to pursue the central plot, I have attempted to give them other leads to bring them back into the action. Despite falling short on cash, they refuse to investigate any plot hooks, main quest or side quest, to interact with the game.

Am I wasting the potential of my campaign by providing them further plot hooks, when the other members of the campaign would be happy to explore them?

If I've done a poor job explaining the problem I'm having, please let me know and I shall clarify. I simply cannot think what I can do to engage the characters, despite how their players have been very involved with previous characters.

[ArcturusV]

Well, the usual question is: Have you talked to the players in question about your problem.

They may not realize that they are being a bag of Hammers of No Help. So that might shake them up. But if they are the veterans they might also have gotten complacent, or think you're too sadistic to dare try going into the obvious traps that most adventurer bait is.

In which case if they know they aren't helping, and they are just sucking up space, you have two options that come to mind.

... ignore their existence, more or less, and let the newer players take over and guide the plot, the veteran warhorses are just there as backup/sidekicks.

Or ask them to retire their characters and roll up something new, since they don't seem to be interested in doing anything but resting on their past successes. They are apparently drifting into retirement age where they do more talking about things they did, then going out and doing things. Retirement is a perfectly normal thing in RPG campaigning. They become NPCs, might be referenced or make cameos if it warrants it. But time for some new blood to join the fray.

[Blackfish]

I'll be having a chat with them tonight, and from there I'll see whether they want to continue listlessly sitting around, do something interesting, or make new characters.

Thank you for the quick advice!

[Lappy9001]

Again, always talk to them first.

Aside from that, sometimes you need to railroad a little to get things going, and it really just depends on the group. Sometimes you'll have some go-getters (or one and everyone else just rolls with it) and the plot basically writes itself. Sometimes, people get paralyzed with indecision and you need to give some direction.

More often or not, things will fall into the middle, and as long as you maintain a balance within the game (again, determined by talking to them), you'll be set. Try asking #3 and #4 if there's anything they want out of their characters that maybe they're not getting and if you can compensate in any way.

[Rhynn]

That sounds completely bizarre. What are they getting out of the game by not taking any risks and not doing anything? The whole point of a RPG is to take risks with your character, then try to overcome them.