D&D General What's your favorite starter sandbox region?

[R_J_K75]

Its a subgenre of Steampunk but using clockwork technology (gears and turnkeys) rather than steam. Its often set in a Baroque-type era

I never knew steampunk used steam to power things and clockpunk is gear driven?

 

[Zaukrie]

Saltmarsh
Fallcrest
Nentir Vale

 

[Voadam]

I often run modules so that is a big influence on my starting settings. I have started in the town of Ravengro in Paizo's Ustalav country of Golarion for the Carrion Crown, the small Taldan town of Heldren in Paizo's Reign of Winter, and The Pirate's Guide to Freeport for the Freeport Trilogy. I created my own little forest/jungle dover (dog person) village home base with nearby elf and goblin communities when running an Oathbound Wildwood game with treant, black dragon, and nomadic gnoll elements baked in plus adventure module sites.

Cities can be great for most any level of adventure in general.

 

[Laurefindel]

Forgotten Realms Silverymoon area (preference for pre-Silver March Confederacy era).

Nice mix of elves, dwarves, northerner humans, and southerner humans, and of civilisation, wilderness, intrigue, and war. Many character concepts and background can originate from there without heavily relying on a big cosmopolitan city.

 

[Laurefindel]

I never knew steampunk used steam to power things and clockpunk is gear driven?

Even when no steam is involved, steampunk tends to lean on a Victorian/first industrial revolution (aka steam power) era themes and aesthetics. Clockpunk is often set in a pre-industrial and pre-colonial era with baroque to Napoleonic/Habsburg dynasty themes and aesthetics, early firearm technology, using smaller clockwork automation and automatons.

But yeah, one is a subgenre of the other, so differences can be subtle.

 

[Sacrosanct]

First Place: The City of Greyhawk.

What did you think I was going to say?

Second place is Ratik.

Third place? You're fired.


...coffee is for closers only. And closers play in Greyhawk.

Such an underrated movie.

The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, Mystara.

I came here just to say this. Nice to see it was the first response

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

I enjoy relatively small, undeveloped areas. Rift Valley and Isle of the Unknown really scratch my itch.

 

[Talltomwright]

Seeing some love for Karameikos, which I’ve just found in my attic despite not remembering ever buying it - what in particular works about it? (I was about to list it on eBay but might hold off!)

 

[Nytmare]

I don't mean entire world, but a relatively self-contained region that's purpose is to be the starter region for a new campaign. Ideally it would involve numerous adventuring opportunities that wouldn't run out after a few levels, have countless locations to explore, interacting factions, at least a settlement or two, etc. You know, the type of region that you spend the first 5-10 levels in, and then either shift to the Underdark (or equivalent), the larger world, the planes, etc. Nentir Vale is a good example, or the Dale Lands in FR.

What is your favorite and why? Feel free to post maps and links, if it is not well-known product or if you have a wiki of your own.

Each of my favorite campaigns have started in a different places, but I think Ptolus and the Scarred Lands City of Mithril are near the top of the list. My favorite region that I've never had a chance to run in is the city of Hollowfaust, also in the Scarred Lands. A gothic, faux-Germanic, city of necromancers, built in the caldera of a dormant volcano, lead by a council of practically communist liches

 

[77IM]

I've only run it once, but I had a really good time with Hengistbury from The Holdenshire Chronicles. Link: Hengistbury