What is lore?
Lore is the body of information that defines a fictional world's history, rules (magic system, technology, religion, politics, and so on), and background. It describes how the world your characters live in works, not who the characters themselves are.
How is lore different from character or location info?
A character or location record describes one specific thing (this character's backstory, this city's geography); lore sits above that, describing the world's general rules (how magic works, which religion is common, how history unfolded). If a piece of information affects multiple characters or locations the same way, it usually belongs in lore.
How much lore is enough?
Only as much as actually serves the story - extra depth that never reaches the reader and stays in the writer's own head is optional, not required. If a piece of lore doesn't affect a scene or a character's decision, it's probably not necessary yet.
How do you deliver lore to the reader?
Usually gradually, through dialogue and events - in small pieces delivered when the reader needs them, rather than a long info-dump at the start of a chapter.
Are 'lore' and 'world rules' the same thing?
Largely yes - the two terms are generally used interchangeably.
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