Character agency and Narrative agency
Too often the NPCs are shown as helpless in a situation. This is not something that jives very well with settings alternative to europeo-centered narratives because it gives the vibe of european saviors coming to the rescue of the “lesser” people (low class, minority represented people, etc…). I aim to emphasize that the people are not helpless or waiting to be saved. They act according to whatever situation gives them freedom to act. The villagers will fight you to save their family and cattle if they can, at least they will cover their escape. Wild animals might fight you to the death if you’re equally wounded, flee if overwhelmed or drag a companion’s corpse if they see the opportunity. People will help you if you are friendly to them and will not suffer to be insulted if you are not. This should help to ground characters in whatever “reality” they are in.
In narrative play, I ask that characters be more active than reactive. This means that you, as a player, should enact your narrative agency when the DM asks “what would your character like to do?”. Through this questions, you are able to ask in return the steps to take in order for your character to accomplish a particular goal of theirs. It is also an opportunity for you to understand the boundaries of the narrative agency given to you by the DM. These allow you also to build on the universe and decide if what is cannon or not to the same extent than the DM. The questions that will be asked in return are there to create a “scene” with tension and not stifle you. Nobody really wants to get everything for free. There is much more satisfaction to be had when an obstacle is overcome. I will ask questions such as “Okay you want to do X, but tell me what makes getting to do that difficult?”. All in all, I ask you take initiative and not be shy about interrupting and asking questions.
Examples of questions and how to ask:
Asking if there is a crate filled with something in the room you are fighting in is a pretty low risk demand with probably little to no drawback to whatever plan you have cooked. Asking to murder a shopkeep is a pretty difficult task that would demand several rolls and probably land you in trouble if you are alone and with no time to prepare. Asking how you can obtain a tome of knowledge about x-thing is a pretty open question that the DM can interpret as you being ready to embark on a quest with several layers and decisions to make.
“Immersion” and “grittiness”
I am not a big fan of some of what I read on Reddit about “grittiness”, so-called “historical accuracy” and immersion elements because they seem to often forget that some things are just not very fun to play. As such, I refuse to portray sexual violence of any kind in, sexism isn’t a thing (usually) in the settings I wish to portray; sexual preferences and gender identity are a non-issues for the characters at large. In a world where you can change who you are, what you are and that empowers you, I do not want people to have to deal with these things. I reserve the darker and more evil tendencies of things in the world to evil characters and antagonists. You have the power to bring people with petty bigotted beliefs down a peg in these worlds. If someone happens to exhibits sexist tendencies, they probably are meant to be portrayed as someone who definitely is not good and who definitely is an antagonist. They do not reflect my views. Worlds can be dark without us resorting to these cheap shortcuts.
For the immersion elements such as arrow tracking, encumbrance, rations, armor wear, I choose to go the “reasonable” route. I will ask to restock, repair the armor when you are in town or in a place to buy, but I will enforce encumbrance rules and rations only where it seems that there is a narratively good incentive to do it (stranded in a desert, no way to resupply for a long time, etc…)