A trick to give your campaign or session more weight and the illusion of realism is to weave in hints of a larger world.
This is what I like to call the “Clone Wars Trick.” Although I can’t take full credit for that name I heard it somewhere else before when I was studying screenwriting. However, it works the same in tabletop role-playing games.
Of course, it is named after a line of dialogue from Star Wars: A New Hope. Luke Skywalker has just met Ben Kenobi and they begin to watch the message from Princess Leia. Princess Leia says General Kenobi fought with her father in the Clone Wars.
The Clone War is not explained in this movie. It is just mentioned as an offhand comment that adds history to the world. While it stayed unexplained it created mystery and added details and realism to the Star Wars universe. The people watching that movie could say wow that there’s a whole history there.
At that point in the series George Lucas may not have even known what the Clone Wars were but just by using that bit of dialogue, it created a history for the world.
Look for Moments
While you are GMing look for opportunities to throw in details like the Clone Wars line. Try to add details that hint at a larger history to add gravitas to your created worlds.
If the characters are at an inn talking to an old man, have him mention “the Invasion of the Red Fist” or “the Bleak Winter” when the river froze over.
Little bits like that add a realness to the world that will make the players feel as if they are interacting in a real place.
What moments during sessions can you add those details? Anytime the characters interact with NPCs. Anytime the characters are being hired or given a mission. Did your players just ask the barkeep for some information? Work in a hint to a larger world. Did your players just encounter an old woman walking along the road? Have her say something like, “Oh, you remind me of the heroes that passed through my village when I was a young girl. They were heading off to the War of the Shattered Stones.”
GMs Don’t Stress Out
Just do not stress yourself out. You as the game master do not have to know what the Great Goblin Invasion was or what were the circumstances of The Long Winter.
Just know that dropping hints like this will create a sense of wonder and realness in your players. They will wonder how you have created such a huge world with a full robust history around it. When in fact you are using bits here and teasing the players allowing them to use their imagination to fill in gaps.
Always look for a place where you can drop your “Clone Wars” situation or idea into your campaign. Your players will love it.
Need Ideas? Mine Adventure Modules, Movies, and More
Books, RPG adventures, movies, RPG podcasts, and TV shows provide great material for game masters. All of these things give ideas to add hints to role-playing game worlds.