A Living World Every Session

The ability for players to interact meaningfully with the setting is important in RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. But meaningful interaction is difficult when the setting is stale or the campaign only caters to the characters and their story. We need a way to make the world feel alive around the player characters. And it’s simpler than you might think.

Our settings feel alive when they change in response to the choices of our player characters. This is augmented by settings that change beyond the choices of the party. The former is the focus of much of our time and energy as game masters. The latter is often overlooked. But it doesn’t take much to make it impactful.

Each session, try to come up with a single detail that reveals the world changing around the players. If the party’s been underground in a dungeon for weeks, this might be more difficult but it sets you up to really deliver the feeling when they return to civilization. Keep the detail relatively small—we don’t need to introduce new adventure hooks or lore. Perhaps a familiar NPC passed away. Or a new tavern opened up in town. That’s all it takes.

Here are ten more events for inspiration:

• The favorite shopkeeper sold the business to someone new.
• Overhear locals talking about an amazing performance a few nights ago.
• A noticeable fashion trend begins.
• A famous fashion trend ends.
• Locals are celebrating an oppressive tax being outlawed.
• Locals are lamenting a new heavy tax on their wealth.
• The favorite tavern shuts down.
• A known NPC dies in an accident.
• A local economy is thrashed by a natural disaster.
• A known NPC is hard to reach after celebrating the birth of their new child.

One small detail per session is enough to keep the world feeling alive. That feeling will help everyone suspend their disbelief and have more fun.

Game on.