Dear DovahQueen: As someone new to Pathfinder, what are some good sources for learning the lore/background of the game? What are some “beginner’s tips” to help me get started? — The Indomitable Katy Bear
Dear Indomitable: The first and best place to learn the lore and background of your game is from is your Game Master (or Dungeon Master). Every game is unique to that GM, and while many take place in Pathfinder’s world of Golarian, many others do not. Reading every Paizo publication isn’t going to help you better understand the lore if your story takes place on Nirn, in Middle Earth, or among asteroid colonies in Aethera. Often times, your GM will run a world that they lovingly crafted for you, and sometimes, “DennyHawk” can be just as deep and engrossing as “GreyHawk”.
As for beginner’s tips? Be as imaginative as you possibly can be, and allow your GM to mold your indomitable creativity to better suit the story that you and your group will share. Fret not about the rules and systems and all that jazz; when it comes time to throw the die, announce what think of what your character would in the present situation and allow your GM to show you which die you need for that.
More important than anything though, have fun!