Hey everyone, I need some advice! I watched a video from XP to Level 3 about DMs who focus so much on their own lore that they forget about the players’ experiences. But I’m facing the opposite issue: I have two players who seem to expect me to have Tolkien-level lore ready before we even start playing. During character creation and when we start new adventures, they often ask for detailed background info that doesn’t seem relevant to our storyline—like the etymology of the dwarves’ language in a quest about mining gold on foreign planets while fighting bug swarms! I’m just not a professional writer, and I prefer focusing on the immediate action and choices at the table. I worry that I might be a jerk for not meeting their expectations, but I enjoy the current gameplay more than cranking out extensive lore that may never matter. Have any of you dealt with this situation? No matter how much I prepare, it feels like it’s never enough for them.
1 Answer
You’re totally valid in your approach! Your players might not realize that you can improvise responses to their lore questions, and it doesn’t need to be set in stone. If they ask about the dwarven language, you could just say something light like it’s based on Earth elementals’ dialect but has runic influences from giants. That way, you keep things moving without the pressure to have something fully fleshed out!
Exactly! Improvisation is such a crucial part of being a GM. You don’t need to have every detail planned in advance—just roll with it and have fun!