The storyteller has a simple job. They run the world that player characters exist in, providing the locations, people and situations that the characters interact with. There are a few things that they should consider when they do this.
There should be a careful balancing act of risk. If the dungeon is too lethal, players will become frustrated as they make no progress. If the danger is too slight to be relevant, they will become bored. Rather, injury, starvation and sickness should be a looming threat if the players mess up or are unlucky, but not an overwhelming problem.
Have the world follow its own logic. Players should be able to act based on what makes sense in character, in a world where things make sense. It may not be fair or pleasant, but it should be internally consistent. Remember, what would make sense to happen is more important than strictly following the rules.
Similarly, player’s choices should matter. They should have, or be able to find, enough information to make reasonable decisions about what to do, and the consequences of those actions should matter. There should be room for your players to make poor choices and suffer for it, and there should be opportunities for them to make smart choices and breeze through supposedly difficult situations.
Lastly, it’s not your job to push players towards a specific outcome. Don’t require them to realize a specific solution to a problem that you want them to use, as this will only result in players becoming frustrated. Instead, give them an open-ended situation and tools they can use, and see what they come up with.
Dice Rolls
Quick NPCs
Random Loot
Random Food
Storytelling