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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 7959150" data-attributes="member: 29398">In my view the most important thing to start with is a map, covering enough area to be useful for a while into the campaign as the adventurers move beyond the immediately local area they start in (i.e. something considerably bigger than a single city or small island - doesn't have to be the whole world, though; but at least as big as a western-Canadian province).  A vague idea of where this region is in the greater world e.g. equatorial, arctic, temperate, coastal, etc. is also useful; you've probably decided this before starting.Everything then flows from that map.  Your towns, your trade routes, your adventure sites, some history, your types of inhabitants (both PC and monster) and where they live, your culture, what your towns and villages will probably look like due to how they're built, and so on.Detail some areas of the map, particularly around where the campaign will start*, but leave lots of generic blank space that you can add features to later as they become relevant and-or you think of them.  For example, you can put a big mountain range to the east but you don't need to detail what lives there or where the passes are until-unless the PCs go there.* - here I recommend a second, local map, in two versions: one for the players showing elements the PCs would have knowledge of, and another for you with info on it the players won't (yet) know.Knowing your map and where things are allows you to seamlessly introduce and reference these elements during play as casually as if you're talking about your real-world area.Once you've done your maps the other thing to at least take a quick look at is history - how did things get to be where and what they are now.  I've learned that setting history is an excellent place from which to mine adventure and story ideas.After that, bang out a few names (just the names) the PCs would obviously know e.g. the local ruler(s) and you're probably good to go.</blockquote>

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