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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Charger28Alpha" data-source="post: 4755957" data-attributes="member: 53949">Bodhiwolff hits the nail right on the head, with his (?) three points.Only advice I would add is:1)  Pick a small geographic area (a City, a river valley, chain of islands, etc) and develop it.  Place a few "dungeons", some "safe areas", and NPCs.  These do not have to be highly detailed, just basic ideas.2)  Once that is done, look over your newly made area and come up with a few ideas of what type of campaign you would like to run there.3)  Then get the players together, give them a run down of your area, and tell them the ideas you came up with in 2).  Let them choose what they want and then have them make their PCs.  Encourage them to have shared back stories.The first time I used the above method was many years ago.The area I came up with was a series of large connected valleys in a major mountain range.  The inhabitants were Clan based tribes that worshiped nature spirits. Twenty five years before the start of the game a more advanced kingdom had invaded, they wanted to mine the mountains, and quickly subdued the natives.  They then built a series of keeps along the routes from the mines.  I came up with three ideas for the basis of the campaign.  PCs as prospectors, searching for new mine sites.  PCs as members of one of the tribes, either supporting the invaders or resiting them.  PCs as settlers from the invading kingdom.When we all got together the PCs went with a mix of the last two, two were from one of the tribes that had "joined" the invaders and the other three were former soldiers that had come to the valley to make their fortunes and eventually settle down.They started as Caravan Guards and by the time we were done the PCs were leaders of a town that had been built outside of one of the keeps.  To me this piece of advice is the main key to running a successful game.  As a DM/GM I love it when the PCs push the plot forward.  If I didn't I would be a hypocrite, since as a PC I often push the plot forward.</blockquote>

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