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What do I tell players about my overly complex political world?
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<blockquote data-quote="Lanliss" data-source="post: 7006106" data-attributes="member: 6801219"><p>Have you ever watched Critical Role. If not, no worries. The important but is, whenever one of the players asks a question like "What is the official flower of this city?" The DM actually knows. It amazes the players that his world is that fleshed out, and that he remembers it. </p><p></p><p> in short, your world can't really be too fleshed out to play in. Just run it as a normal game, keeping track of background plots as necessary, and only inform the players if they ask. There is no reason for them to know that a nearby city is planning a coup against the king, unless they are actually in a position to learn about it. If they actually go to that city, and look for dark rumours, they might learn, but don't feel that they should learn about it from a half continent away Just because it might affect them in the future. Just continue building you background, and let it bleed through when it becomes relevant ( "Bad news, the King has been toppled, you will need to either get him back in power, or form new alliances." ). Let your players be astounded by the fact that you actually have an adoptive Grandson for the Duke of Lankmere, or that their political allies are actually in a position to help against the Necromancer/Mayor of SmallBone Bend. If they ever feel like running a political Intrigue game, laugh in their face, and throw them into the spikey acid pit that is called "Nobility" in your world. Watch them bend and break under your plots that they never saw coming, only to be saved by that one NPC that they actually managed to befriend.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lanliss, post: 7006106, member: 6801219"] Have you ever watched Critical Role. If not, no worries. The important but is, whenever one of the players asks a question like "What is the official flower of this city?" The DM actually knows. It amazes the players that his world is that fleshed out, and that he remembers it. in short, your world can't really be too fleshed out to play in. Just run it as a normal game, keeping track of background plots as necessary, and only inform the players if they ask. There is no reason for them to know that a nearby city is planning a coup against the king, unless they are actually in a position to learn about it. If they actually go to that city, and look for dark rumours, they might learn, but don't feel that they should learn about it from a half continent away Just because it might affect them in the future. Just continue building you background, and let it bleed through when it becomes relevant ( "Bad news, the King has been toppled, you will need to either get him back in power, or form new alliances." ). Let your players be astounded by the fact that you actually have an adoptive Grandson for the Duke of Lankmere, or that their political allies are actually in a position to help against the Necromancer/Mayor of SmallBone Bend. If they ever feel like running a political Intrigue game, laugh in their face, and throw them into the spikey acid pit that is called "Nobility" in your world. Watch them bend and break under your plots that they never saw coming, only to be saved by that one NPC that they actually managed to befriend. [/QUOTE]
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What do I tell players about my overly complex political world?
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