Cultural Details Bring Fantasy Societies To Life.

[brian 333]

Such details can also turn a random encounter from yet another hack-fest into a social event.

Example:
A) Your party encounters a caravan with six wagons and 12 guards.
B) Your party encounters a Skraling clan, the leader of whom appears to be a large man dressed to make a pimp blush sitting bareback on an unbridled stallion which would be the prize stallion of any breeder.

C) There are orcs blocking the road ahead.
D) There is one gaudily dressed orc on the road ahead with several more flanking him from cover.

All you can expect from a generic caravan is word of the road behind them and possibly a chance to buy something. They are worth more to players as exp and loot. But a Skraling camp! Suddenly the caravan becomes an interesting encounter, and if they wake to find their stuff gone, along with the Skralings, well, at least they got to dance the Fire Dance with some really hot Skralings.

In the case of the orcs, sure, orcs were invented to carry gp and exp to the players, but the gaudily dressed guy, what's up with him?

Even if your story involves killing the orcs, the simple detail lends something that makes the player take note. It says that your world is populated with individuals. And once players see each NPC as characters rather that exp and loot, he begins to treat every encounter as a unique opportunity.

Don't get me wrong: players need exp and loot. But every once in a while a little detail can lead players to discover one of the wonders you've built into your world. And bringing a world to life for your players is your primary role as DM.