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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5596607" data-attributes="member: 92511">I don't want to get all semantic up in heah...but I do draw a distinction (just myself) between "campaign setting" and "world building".I have spent the better part of 2 and a half decades in "world building" my own "setting". Within that setting, any number of types of "campaigns" can be conducted.Just to illustrate my own "setting building" process:I started, literally, with a random scribble on a piece of paper. I believe it was originally a coffee (or soda?) stain in my sketch book and went/extended from there. There was the western coast of the continent that would become Orea.I added geographical features (mountains and rivers, then logically where forests, marshes, etc. would exist).I threw in a few "regional" names which would eventually be hammered down and turned into "nations"/"realms" with actual boundaries produced as needed (in 25-27 years, they've pretty much all been established by now <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Then I went region by region establishing, among other things:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Populations: What races? Where within the region? In what numbers?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Significant communities: How many cities, towns, villages, etc...? Directly proportional to the realm's population. One small realm might have a single large city. A sprawling territory might be dotted with farming villages and hamlets, a couple of growing "towns" and maybe one or two trade centers that would be considered a "city".</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Predominant religions: My world uses a "universal pantheon" (same gods across the whole world. Names may differ region-to-region, but it is the same deity). However certain gods are (or are not) worshiped in various areas as makes sense: You will not find a shrine to the goddess of seas and storms far inland away from a significant body of water- a large lake, river, inland sea, etc..., for example.) I've heard  a few times from players, "What do you mean there's no temple of <the god I worship> here?!" The answer, usually is either a) It's a simple farming village, the 600 person population worship the gods of nature and the harvest, not law and justice." OR b) "You're on the other side of the continent [from where you started]. The inhabitants of "the Mage Lands" do not revere the patron god of swordsmen or the god of war."</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Economies: In places I use a lot, this might be as detailed as going down to the types/names of coinage they use. In others, it might just be a basic concept of the resources of the region and how people make a living. The party encountering "Joe Miner" in a realm far away from anywhere with a mining town or metal resources usually doesn't make sense. Mariner merchants from the realm of the Sea King are proooobably not going to be found in the Desert of Lost Sands OR a town a few miles up the coast, for that matter. They can supply their own seafood and sailing wares.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Big Bads and the Big Goods: Both "historical" and "current".Who are the known heroes (and villains), powerful wizards, significant organizations...are they renowned "in town", across the region or throughout the world?  For example, most everyone/learned people of all lands know of the Redstar Knights (the order of paladins of my god of battle skill and guardianship) even if they don't have a local temple or keep. The order is known and respected (by "decent gods-faring folk"). Everyone knows there's a "nation" of mages in the east or there are "barbarian tribes" somewhere in the northern wastes...even if they've never seen/encountered one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">History: Go back...a generation? 100 years? 1,000? Multiple millenia? Whatever you need. Doesn't have to be for the whole world! But definitely for the region your players are going to begin in. What is "common knowledge"? What's "hidden knowledge"? What might wizards, high priests or sages know -or be able to find out- about? How far back are the known/accessible histories of the people? The town? The region or, even, the world if your players get that far? Generally speaking, for my world/game, those with scholarly training (mages and clerics...possibly bards or monks) are going to know more from the get-go than other characters...The rogues probably know more about local/recent history, rumored secrets or lost treasures...Warriors of various types probably are familiar with history insofar as it concerns major (or minor/recent) wars, warlords/generals/heroes, significant individual battles, legendary weapons, etc...A troupe of fighters isn't, likely, sitting around the campfire telling tales of "the Boogey Badass Staff of Arcanity". Whatever makes sense for your world, but you should have some basic concept of what each character at your table would know about based on their background/upbringing.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Additional details, as necessary: There was a great thread about this by [MENTION=100006]thejc[/MENTION] (it was you, right? Unfortunately, it has been shifted outside of my "posted threads" to access. I hope someone else still has it!) How I handle this is simply as an area, be it nation or individual village, as it becomes encountered. Foodstuffs, garb, unique elements, significant NPCs, whatever it might be gets "colored in" as I need it...Granted, over the past 20-some years, I've detailed just about everywhere to some extent or the other. But (please...for me <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> don't drive yourself nuts to have every single detail of everywhere worked out before starting a campaign! Start where the PCs will start and work your way out as necessary.</li> </ul>Following all of this, you can do anything from a one-shot to a "3-tiered" campaign of epic (small "e") proportions.As for "campaign" setting...that's a discussion with the players (or not, if you know your players well and what they like). Do they want heroic "save the world"? Do they want political back-stabby intrigue? Dungeon delving? Treasure hunting? Do they want everything and the kitchen sink (my personal preference)?An overall concept -campaign arc- is jotted down. The plot hooks (yes, always "hookS" plural) laid out. Both of which are comPLETEly subject to change based on the PCs' decisions/actions. And off we go.Hope this is of some help.As always, "play what you like", have fun and happy gaming.--Steel Dragons</blockquote>

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