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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 8006769" data-attributes="member: 29398">No, I'm admitting not every player cares enough to ask detailed questions about elements found during exploration and-or looting; while maintaining that even if it turns out they don't a DM still ought to assume that they will.DM: &quot;On looting the Orcs you find a total of 23 copper, 81 silver, and 6 gold pieces, along with [some mundane gear].&quot;Players collectively: &quot;OK.&quot;Now, how many players would think to ask details about those coins - are they mostly local, or have these Orcs also been raiding elsewhere?&nbsp; Are many of them particularly old (as shown by the head on the coin; and who's head is it?) indicating they've maybe found an ancient treasure stash along the way?&nbsp; Are any of them particularly new, indicating very recent success in raiding?&nbsp; Etc.And of course a DM can make up answers to all these questions on the fly.&nbsp; The issue there is that eventually - and inevitably - doing this long enough and in any depth of detail will inevitably lead to glaring contradictions arising, and then down comes the house of cards: a completely avoidable outcome if the DM has her setting sorted out to begin with.Here, all it needs is for the DM to know who reigned when as monarch, or reigns now: &quot;These coins are almost all fairly recent - they've got King Athelrede's head, and he's only been on the throne for six years or so.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 8006769, member: 29398"] No, I'm admitting not every player cares enough to ask detailed questions about elements found during exploration and-or looting; while maintaining that even if it turns out they don't a DM still ought to assume that they will. DM: "On looting the Orcs you find a total of 23 copper, 81 silver, and 6 gold pieces, along with [some mundane gear]." Players collectively: "OK." Now, how many players would think to ask details about those coins - are they mostly local, or have these Orcs also been raiding elsewhere? Are many of them particularly old (as shown by the head on the coin; and who's head is it?) indicating they've maybe found an ancient treasure stash along the way? Are any of them particularly new, indicating very recent success in raiding? Etc. And of course a DM can make up answers to all these questions on the fly. The issue there is that eventually - and inevitably - doing this long enough and in any depth of detail will inevitably lead to glaring contradictions arising, and then down comes the house of cards: a completely avoidable outcome if the DM has her setting sorted out to begin with. Here, all it needs is for the DM to know who reigned when as monarch, or reigns now: "These coins are almost all fairly recent - they've got King Athelrede's head, and he's only been on the throne for six years or so." [/QUOTE]

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