If I run a 5e DL campaign (not just a one-short or short story), I’ll set it in the future of the setting, figure out a 1 page writeup of the history of the world, and have session 0 start with “after 5 years apart, chasing rumors of dark things and whispers of war across the continent, you have returned to Solace, wherein lies the Tomb of The Hero, the great trees, and the Inn of The Last Home, where you have promised to meet your companions again.” And then from there run a session of character building, filling in of rumors chased and answers found, and go from there.