Dark Souls-esque Worldbuilding

When I was a kid, I checked out The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time from the library over and over and pored over it. I loved it. I wanted to get deep in the lore, learn about the world, memorize the names of the creatures and the spells.

My tolerance for this stuff is pretty different now. 

Several writers have well articulated my current position: no lore, no homework.

But how? How can I pretend to be an elf in my elf game without doing any work up front? How can I be on the same page as other players? As the GM? How do I navigate inconsistencies and incongruities, and "Actually, you wouldn't say that because elves are strict vegetarians/allergic to iron/don't ride horses." 

Games are about decision making but it's hard to make informed decisions about a niche subject. 

Dark Souls offers one solution. That game is notoriously thin on traditional plot. But there's a six hour long video on Youtube called "The Extreme Dark Souls Lore Video - Prepare to LEARN Edition" that has the most interesting story you've ever heard.

How does Dark Souls deliver its lore? One way is through its item descriptions. 

Consider these two tool writeups: 

• Cordage - Put this into your pack to tie up canvas to keep the rain off of you or pull your food into trees to deter bears. Useful for 100 other things.
• Scarecrow - Put this outside your tent to make sure undead scarecrows don't try and come in seeking shelter. Scarecrow are quite polite, so won't come into a tent they know another scarecrow is already occupying. 

By putting these two tools into your RPG book, you're telling players something about the world: the existence of rain, bears, and zombie scarecrows. 

I've been chewing on this for a while. For a recent collab project, I put the following list of items together for different races:

Trinkets

You begin the game with one of the following significant items. Roll a d20 based on your Folk to determine what you begin with. Or, roll a d100 if you don’t care where you’ve gained your trinket from.

	Burrower	Dwarf	Elf	Human	Andantine
1	Granny Greenthumb's Marvelous Growing Potion: You have a clay bottle baring a single use of a marvelous growing potion. Any plant doused with the potion will grow supremely large overnight. It is the secret to Granny's winning streak at the County Fair.	Dwarf Lamp: Once lit, this lamp will never go out by mischance.	Swan Brooch: The brooch of an elven princess. When worn, no wild or foul creature will disturb your body at rest - whether sleeping, unconscious, or dead.	Winion Wine, Vintage of 54: A prized vintage. Will be readily accepted as a gift. Those who drink it are inclined to be generous. Those who overindulge quickly become sleepy.	Harp of Golden Strings: A harp strung with golden strings. Those with untroubled hearts who hear the music of this harp think the music is very sweet. Those with burdens on their conscience find the harp's music agitating.
2	Umbrella: Your aunt's umbrella. Fashioned to be resistant to almost everything - not just the sun and rain, probably acid and fire as well.	Gem of Captured Moon: While underground, this milky white gem glows with the light of the moon. It provides enough light for dwarvenfolk to see by, but seems overbright and blinding to the Shadow.	Elven Rope: This rope is cleverer than most. Will hold the knots done by an inexperienced child's hands but will also uncoil at its master's tug.	Deren Honey: A jar of honey from the famous Deren Vales. Can sweeten even the bittest medicine. Cakes made from this honey are greatly prized.	Herb Pouch: Herbs kept in this pouch are kept as fresh and potent as the day they were picked.
3	Bird Whistle: Plays a remarkably convincing birdsong. A local bird will always come and investigate the sound.	Red arrows: Three arrows forged under the mountain of Dale. These arrows can always be recovered when searched for after a hunt or a battle.	Wild Hunt Bow: Strung with an elf hair. Living trees refuse to give shelter to arrows shot from an elven bow - they will stand aside instead of letting the elf's quary hide behind them.	Dumbledor the Tame Bee: This honeybee is the size of a child's fist and perfectly tame. He follows you around like a pet. He only stings servants of the Enemy.	Auroch's Hunting Horn: When blown, members of your fellowship will always hear the call - no matter how far away they are. In the wilds, you have a 2-in-6 chance of attracting outside help. When blown near your home haven, this is a 6-in-6 chance.
4	Gamgee's Ropes: Knots made of these ropes will never go out. Gives advantage in tests of ropewalking or climbing.	Water of Karvan-Varan: This water is always cold. Will quickly quench any moderately sized fire or cool a powerful fever.	Water from the Elven King's Well: This water removes the stain of shadow on trees and growing things. If given to a sickly or poisoned tree, the tree wil certainly recover. If given to a brooding and grumbling huorn, it might think kinder of you.	Marshall's Helm: A helm once worn by a marshall of the Northmark. It bears the crest of a boar, whose bristly back is studded with horsehair. This helm can turn a deadly blow into a miss once, ever, and then it is shattered.	Sunstone: This piece of cut crystal shines like a flashlight during the day. On a bright day, this affect is not particularly noticeable (but not without its uses). On a cloudy day or during a storm, the sunstone is excellent for navigation.
5	Southern Star Pipeweed: When smoked after a meal, increase your Endurance recovery by +1. Good for 20 smokes.	Dwarven Chessboard: This chessboard will play out games by itself or play against an opponent. It's devilishly hard to beat.	Elven Mead: Though sweet tasting, drinking this mead brings on melancholy. Those drinking it reminisce about what has been lost.	Meadhall Horn: This beautifully engraven horn is writ with runes of protection. If poison ever touches this horn, it will explode into shards.	Striding Boots: Those who wear these boots leave no trace of their passing. They walk on top of the snow and leave no footprints in mud.
6	Playing Cards: The face cards are painted to resemble members of your family tree. You're always particularly lucky with this deck.	Seal of Secrecy: Can be used to seal a message. If someone other than the intended recipient attempts to open the message, the seal and the message itself bursts into flame. Can be used once.	Mirowmead: A cordial made from honey from the garden of the Lady of Flowers. This phial of miruvor holds 20 sips. Each sip heals 1 Endurance.	Witch's Gift: A tightly-woven bundle of bones and herbs. Throw it into the fire and breathe deep. In your dreams, you will be given the answer to a single question on your heart.	Raskovnik Sprig: You have a single sprig of a magic herb. When rubbed onto a lock, the lock opens. Can be used once.
7	Puffball Mushroom: A delicious puffball mushroom. If you can bear to part with it, you can throw it to create a smokebomb, in a pinch.	Dwarven Master Key: Opens doors intentionally constructed to be opened by the key. Doors built in this way let dwarves in but keep others out. Relatively common in most dwarven holdings; any dwarf-made door has a 2-in-6 chance of opening to a master key.	Elven Waybread: A wafer of waybread is always enough to feed the entire fellowship, be they two or twelve. No more no less. When the rules ask you to erase a ration, only a single ration of lembas needs to be erased for the entire fellowship.	Spool of Golden Sheep's Thread: If woven into cloth, the garment will be especially beautiful. If used to find your way back through a tangled space, this thread will serve as a trusty guide - it is longer than it seems and will not be broken by mischance.	Annals of the Kings: This book of lore by no means contains epic prose, but it serves as a useful reference. When you encounter the name of an ancient person of note, either of the Free Peoples or a Shadowlord, you may reference your book of lore and gain a short description of who they were, when they lived, and what they are known for.
8	Mountain's Root Walking Stick: A walking stick made from the thick tubers that grow under the hills. Any halfling that walks with this walkings tick has a base speed equal to a human.	Fireproof Cloak: Woven with minerals that dwarves know, this cloak will never catch fire.	Philter of Starlight: While outside under the stars, this philter shines brightly enough to see by (but does not rob you of your night side). All non-elven companions can see clearly in the night while this philter shines.	Gentle Bridle: When placed over a horse's head, they will submit and be tameable. (Getting the bridle actually on a wild horse is another matter.)	Draught of Sleep: A wineskin full of sleeping draught. Those who drink from it have untroubled dreams.
9	Acorns from the Party Tree: These six acorns, when thrown, *always* hit their mark. If ever used as a bullet for a sling, the acorn is lost forever as it rolls away and hides in the earth.	Ironcleaving Knife: A small pen knife sharp enough to cut metal. Can be used to cut links on a chain, for instance, but it is too small to use in combat.	Origami Butterfly: A simple paper butterfly that can spring to life at your command and carry a message to someone far away. Works once.	Embers of Dragon Coals: Burning coals, kept live in mushrooms. Can be used to start a fire in any circumstance - even in the middle of a snow storm. If you collect the coals of the fire afterwards, they keep this property. (These coals have been burning, starting fires, and re-collected all the way back to the time that the Marswyrm burned Deren Mere.)	Daggers of Star Iron: This ancient dagger never needs to be sharpened and always keeps its edge.
10	Cask of Green Dragon Ale: A cup of this ale cheers the heart and causes you to reminisce about happy times. Over indulging in this ale causes you to act downright silly and embarassing.	Treasure Map: A treasure map left to you by your uncle. It contains elvish runes on it that you cannot read, and a big broad X in a strange land.	Elven Robe: This lightweight robe is good for all seasons. It keeps you dry in rain, warm on top of the coldest peaks, and cool in the hottest desert wastes.	Poison Berries: You have three poison berries. A single berry will make someone sick. Two will cause unconsciousness. Three will cause death.	Mermaid's Fishing Net: A fishnet woven of mermaid's hair. It rarely needs mended, and almost always produces a catch.
11	Clever Wallet: Your wallet is enchanted with a squeaky voice. If it is ever picked, it will squeal an alarm. If it is ever empty, it will chastise you for being a spendthrift.	Puzzle Chest: This chest is hard to open unless you know the trick of it. Your family taught you the right combination of twists and turns to open it.	Eldwood Sword: This wooden sword is as sharp and strong as one made of iron.	Pukel Statue: Given as a gift by the Woodwoses to your ancestors as a token of friendship. Family legend says that it cried out when your ancestor's house caught fire. Perhaps there's still some warning magic in the little stone man.	Kingsleaf: Three golden leaves of the rare kingsleaf herb. Each leaf has a multitude of beneficial properties. They draw out poisons used by goblins, heal venoms of great spiders, and steady the heart against all manifestations of fear.
12	Pocketwatch: This is the most technologically advanced thing in the entire setting, and it lives in your pocket.	Beard Oil: This beard oil keeps your beard in a lustrous shine. Might be useful to grease anything else you need greasing, as well.	Vial of Moonsilver ink: A small vial containing moonsilver ink. It can be used in a variety of magical crafts, from writing moon letters to scribing runes of power on your dwarf doors. How will you use it?	Banner: A banner and standard, proudly displaying the arms of your house or realm. When carrying it into battle, you have advantage on attempts to route and drive your foes back.	Broken Sword: A splintered blade and hilt, handed down to you from your ancestors. Will you reforge it?
13	Foxfire Mushroom: A mushroom softly glowing with as much light as a candle. Each time you use it, roll a d6. On a 1, this is the last time the mushroom will shed light.	Elaborate Hood: When you walk into a room with a group while wearing this hood, everybody notices you first.	Treetop Tent: A tent that makes it comfortable and safe to camp in the branches of a tree. Comfortably fits four.	Dowsing Rod: Always points towards the nearest source of water.	Hound of Eres Sea: This dire dog came from across the ocean in the land of Eres Sea. He is a faithful guardian against the spying cats of the Grimlakin King, wargs, werewolves, and other fell beasts. It is allotted to the hound to speak three times, ever. If you ask him a question, he will give you good advice; the GM determines what he says.
14	Door Shield: You carry a small round door with you as a shield. Many in your fellowship find it very charming.	Ingot of Moonsilver: Moonsivler is more precious than gold, for it is both beautiful and useful for all metalcrafts. What will you make this ingot into?	Elven Almanac: Contains accurate information about astronomical events (eclipses, etc.) and advice about when to sew and reap.	Signet Ring: A ring emblazoned with the sigil of your house or realm. Seals marked with this ring are clearly letters written at your command. Other folk of the Freelands will always give you guest right when this ring is worn.	Feather of Windproud the Eagle: You once did the giant eagle, Windproud, a good turn. In exchange, she gave you one of her great golden feathers. If you are ever in need, release the feather onto the wind and she will come to you.
15	Gaffer's Lunchbox: This lunchbox allows you to pack rations more efficiently. Two rations can be held in the same slot as the lunchbox slot.	Dwarven Violin: This violin always keeps its pitch, never needs to be tuned, and rarely breaks its strings.	Glitterdust: A pinch of this dust glows with soft light - not enough to read by, but clearly visible in the dark. You can use all of the dust to cover a single target in a glow clearly visible to elves - elves can track this target effortlessly through their glowing footprints. Only running water can wash off glitterdust.	Painted Shield: A shield proudly painted with the arms of your house or realm. You may sunder your shield to absorb a single blow for you or any member of your fellowship in combat with you.	Living Tree Staff: You carry a blossoming staff with silver bark and golden leaves. As long as you carry it, it lives and grows. Wherever you choose to plant it will be blessed indeed.
16	Boomerang: This boomerang always seems to return to you, even when dropped or forgotten.	Dwarven Boots: These sturdy boots are designed for mountaineering. They have spikes in the toe that aid in climbing. Their grips make it easy to move over icy surfaces.	Glamourmoss: You have a single pinch of glamourmoss. It can be used to change a detail of a person's apperance - change your hair color, remove scars, change your presenting gender, etc.	Pilgrim's Rucksack: Treat your Strength as +2 for the purposes of how many significant items you can carry.	Apple of Idun: Given to the folk of Ardentine by the Earthmother; you have one of the last ones in existence. Any who eat of the apple will be blessed with an almost unnatural long and vigorous life. Will you eat it or give it as a gift?
17	Mother's Looking Glass: Just a simple hand mirror. Looking at it always reminds you of your truest self.	Smith's Hammer: Though smithing cannot be done away from the forge, this 9 lb. hammer can prove a useful tool (and baneful weapon!) on a journey.	Broken Runestone: It is said that your people made henges of runestones to travel quickly across the land in ancient times. They are now broken. You have a piece that fits into one of these runestones. If you can find the right henge, perhaps you can make it work one last time?	Narwhal Horn Spear: A spear, long enough to be used from horseback, tipped with the tusk of the narwhal. You can thrust it hard enough to shatter it, which causes it to deal maximum damage.	Spyglass: A spyglass allows you to see far distances clearly.
18	Silvery Net: You have a bug catching net of woven silver threads. Useful not only for bugs but for magical things like will o' wisps.	Goblin Bomb: You recovered this bomb after a goblin raid. It would be clumsy to use in combat, but you know too well how they can be used to blow open doors, collapse sections of the mine, or cause other destruction.	Elven Comb: A simple comb that carries very minor glamours. Even on a journey, you always feel cleaner and more presentable after using this comb.	Valraven: When Marswyrm was slain, ravens feasted on her body and became enchanted. They were called valravens and have the power to speak the Common speech. One named Frân is sworn to your service. It can carry messages for you and croak them aloud, and carry back whatever was said to them.	Coracle Shield: This large shield is bouyant and can bear the weight of person in full battle dress, like a coracle.
19	Turfsod Paint: Burrowers paint the outside of their holes with this paint, which is a perfect camoflage. This paint makes anything look like stone, earth, and moss.	Orc Tusk Necklace: A necklace strung with orc tusks. Seeing this necklace drives orcs into a rage--they pursue its bearer rabidly.	Eldrich Ocarina: Creates such beautiful music that nearby fairies - even shy ones - might visit.	Warg Pelt: The pelt of a colossal warg shot by your father and tanned by your mother. When worn as a cloak, you look both noble and fell. When used as a blanket, you are kept warm even in bitter winter.	Star Charts: Accurate information about astronomical events (eclipses, etc.).
20	Fireworks: Pinched from the old wizard, a set of three beautiful rockets. One rocket is shaped like a green draogn. One is printed with a pattern of a yellow bird. One is shaped like a question mark.	Rati Drill: A hand drill that can penetrate stone as easily as wood.	Pondering Orb: Of old, your people made seeing stones. This is a pale imitation. You may look into it and be shown a single scene - from the past, present, or future. The orb then cracks and fades to black, never to be used again. The GM will always show you an interesting and useful scene.	Eightlegs: This is a paragon of horses, a foal of the god of horses. A fellowship on horseback led by Eightlegs have +3 added to their base movement rate.	Queensfan: You have a single leaf of very rare herb. Place it on the mouth of one mortally wounded and they will recover if there is even a flicker of life left within them.

I hope these items make an impact on how players perceive what different folk do and how they do it.