There’s a lot in the original post I can relate to, since I’ve more or less intentionally set myself a high-prep GMing experience. And exactly like Paul, tonight’s session happened at a time when I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the other things going on that prep is inconvenient rather than fun. (And I do prep for like, a side gig!)

I’ve ended up in exactly the same spot as Paul re: the post-apocalypse nature of the setting. Maybe it’s obvious, but it took me a while to get to.

I think it’s might also be a more recent trend, spurred on by trying to avoid colonial conqueror themes – instead of, “Let’s go to the lizardman island and take their shit!” it turns into, “Let’s explore the fallen temples and tombs of our ancestors.”

I find having a couple of named ancient eras is really helpful for ad-libbing details.

I’m also learning to love random tables… very slowly. This is such cliched advice, but I have a particular mental block about it, it feels like I’m passing the buck on ‘being creative’ or (even worse) ‘being original’. Perhaps it’s more that I’m learning to trust random tables.

Hate prep sounds fascinating and.. painful.