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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Philotomy Jurament" data-source="post: 5180215" data-attributes="member: 20854">I don't plan big story arcs, but I do organize various pieces that might become part of a story.  To me, this is basically the same thing as creating the setting.I map the play area, and place strongholds.  Each stronghold controls territory (usually around a 20 mile radius, or so), and each has some associated villages.  Each stronghold also has a ruler, of course.  I use the guidelines for "castle inhabitants" in the OD&D books, which usually gives me a castle lord, some special retainers (e.g. leveled or monstrous resources), maybe a spellcaster, and men-at-arms.I write up a summary of the population and resources for each stronghold.  That includes names and personalities for the principals, income, et cetera.  For example, in the area around Cromlech Tor in my current campaign, there are a handful of local powers, each with a stronghold or tower and its attendant resources.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Prefect Milos of Rushmarch</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Archon of Thrax (a small city-state)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Sea Temple of Pyong the Squamous</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Wizard of the Deep (in a forest named Blackrush Deep)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lord Brandan of Talnor</li> </ul>I write up a relationship summary for how these local powers get along and see one another.  I also write up orders of battle that list the military strength of the powers.Lastly, I place a few adventure locations (e.g. the dungeons beneath Cromlech Tor) and monster lairs.I cut the players loose on this, possibly supplying some rumors.  With this structure, I keep track of campaign time and have the setting respond to the actions of the players.  They may not become involved with some of the stuff for some time, but it's there.  It's really cool to have quantifiable numbers for the resources.  If the PCs start eyeing political power, it's very satisfying to have their local competition actually quantified, and not just a nebulous source of power and soldiers without any real numbers defined.  It adds something to the game, IMO.When the PCs are in conflict with something, I also track replenishment times.  For example, in the Cromlech Tor dungeons, I assign replenishment rates to certain groups of monsters (consisting of a time period and a die roll to determine the number of replacements or recruits).  (Tracking time is very important, for all sorts of reasons.)To me, this is the essence of a campaign.  It's a dynamic setting that responds to the players, and has a real structure that they can interact with and affect, on a game level, as well as on a roleplaying level.  Stories will sprout up like weeds, and the cool thing is that it will just kind of happen.I don't really use anything except a text editor and paper.  No special software or anything like that.</blockquote>

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