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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5402143" data-attributes="member: 92511">Those kinds of touches can be as varied as you like.The short answer:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Food & drink.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Noteworthy but Nonessential NPCs (3N-PCs if you like. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/laugh.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="Laughing    :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The 5 Senses-and their varied intensities for different races</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Flora & Fauna</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fashion</li> </ul>And combining 2 or more of these elements whenever possible is even better.Foodstuffs are always a first stop, for me...and since you mention it, this very well may be because of Otik's spiced potatoes, now that I think about it. (I am also an avid cook and so think in "food terms" from region to region quite a lot.) Your example of the local beer/brewery is great. I generally try to incorporate some certain dish or drink dependent on a particular ingredient available/specific to an area...not everywhere/every village certainly. But local regions.Even if it is something rather generic like the "Elfvine" I use in my setting- wine made by the elf nation. I think it's a white wine, but not even entirely set in stone there. There are probably multiple types of elfvine. But it's something only found in certain parts of the world, where the elves do business or has to be imported (i.e. more expensive and rare) in other areas.Another example is the halfling chef NPC (Beflin Sweetplates) & his bakery (called none too originally, "Sweetplates Bakery") I put in my kingdom's capital city. He's not known for any specific dish, but is renowned as the best pastry/dessert/cake maker in the city. This combines two "little touches", a specific area foodstuff AND a decent NPC.A good NPC can bring sooo much to the table/feel of the world without having to be some ruler or wealthy merchant or great warrior. Would Otik's spiced potatoes have been such a "real feeling" touch if they were just "spiced potatoes"? I tend to think not. If they weren't "Otik's" then they just weren't the same.So, think of...at least ONE, interesting NPC per village/town/city for the characters to at least hear about even if they don't have to interact with them much (or ever). Say...1 non-essential NPC per...50 inhabitants.This could be the local tanner, the blacksmith, a baker, fishmonger...a low ranking soldier, a handmaiden. Pick a "run of the mill" profession in town, and make the person interesting...something they sell, something in their appearance or personality (Bob the butcher is, by far, the nicest friendliest guy in town. He'd give his right arm for a friend...if he still had it.)Another thing I try to use, which are little touches but requires at the same time, a bit more thought and a bit more off the cuff in game...SENSES! The players have 5, the characters have (presumably) 5 (maybe 6 or 7!). Different races have different acuity with their sight or their hearing...maybe even their sense of smell...USE ALL of the senses!I find throwing in a simple 1 sentence about the odor of a place..."The salty air from the nearby sea catches your nose." or "The smell of burning wood that fills the tavern from the large fireplace."...or a common random sound. "The cold night wind rustles the dried autumn leaves about the campsite. It sounds for a moment like pouring rain that passes quickly as the branches again go still." This will also begin to keep your players on their toes..."Was that just the wind? I'm going to pay more attention to anything going on in the trees..."If the only time a character hears something is that "snapping twig" that sets off the encounter/awareness that they're being followed...then the players always know if you are detailing something it is BECAUSE an encounter is nigh. ...if you'll forgive the pun, throw them off that scent. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />So, in addition to whether it's dark or light enough to see, remember sounds, smells, textures/sensations and tastes (since we already discussed using food & drink)...that have nothing to do with the goblin ambush waiting in the woods or the monster around the corner (unless, of course that monster is giving off some terrible odor that is blocking out anything else. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devil.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":devil:" title="Devil    :devil:" data-shortname=":devil:" />Other little touches (I often use) are flora and fauna. Perhaps this village or region sports a particularly fine/beautiful flower. It's not magical. It's not (necessarily) medicinal. It's just pretty and/or unique to that area. Think, like, edelweiss...or Simbelmynë in LotR. Things like lilies, orchids or roses that are/have specific climatic requirements. And fauna, hey it's a fantasy world, go nuts. Pick a bird whose plumage the PCs never seen (and call they've never heard. 'Member the senses. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />, a beast of burden used in a specific geographical terrain, a species of cat or dog bred specifically for that region...prized as hunting dogs or lap-pets of the aristocracy. Maybe the people of Swampytown prefer to keep the "fuzzy-tailed red mongoose-like thing" as pets to root out rats and snakes...but you can't find the creatures north of Themthar Hills.Specific/regional flora and fauna make a world of difference (huh. I'm punny today.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />) in bringing a "realness" to an area/setting.Fashion! This could be as simple as "The people of Dustyville are particularly fond of wearing cloaks of deep violet dyed in the Verypurple Berry found in abundance in the nearby bog." or as complex as "Among the women of the Duchess' court large-brimmed hats with leaves, flowers and multi-colored pixie wings are all the rage. The faeries in the nearby Enchanted forest, as well as the wood's powerful druid protector are in an uproar/readying for war!"Any of these elements can be easily used to incorporate into plot hooks but, I personally think, are more effective for "flavor" and evoking a "realness" or immersion to a region.The fate of the kingdom does not rest on Beflin Sweetplates' custard-filled pastry horns or seeing (and smelling!) a "Moonrose" bush in Old Herbwoman's garden but your PCs will definitely want to grab some next time they're in town...and probably remember places more vividly by the details than the actual name! ("Let's go back to that village with the silver roses.")  Have fun and happy detailing. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />-Steel Dragons</blockquote>

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