As a first time DM I found a group to play Storm King's Thunder. I have been reading the first part of the story to prepare. So far I have read up to level 5 till after the flying with the giant to one of the 3 towns, but I am worried that I might miss parts of the story that are important for the players. Like bits of lore or things that the PC's might ask that I do not know.
Should I read further ahead or should this be enough for a while?
Best Answer
For me, I would advise fully reading all the information provided for a given campaign.
Given that all PCs in the history of tabletop games either accidentally or deliberately subvert DM expectations and plans, a fuller understanding of how the story will play out will help you 'correctly' seat your improvisations within the overall canon.
Most importantly this can help you to avoid retreading themes and scenarios that might occur later. (A fight with a new major NPC vampire is a lot more impactful if you haven't just encountered one in the abandoned house that you mentioned on a whim that the players refused to ignore).
Doesn't need to be complete, but you need to be aware of the events that occur, the characters who appear and the places it is feasible to visit at a minimum.