D&D 5E Questions to ask when developing a campaign setting as a group

[BookTenTiger]

This thread made me realize attitudes towards magic are really important in creating a campaign, so I tried to come up with three questions that would cover the themes of Arcane, Divine, and Primal Magic:

How common is magic in our campaign setting?

• Magic is just another tool like a hammer or sword; even common folk use magic rituals to help their crops grow and to protect their homes.
• Magic is common among those with training, such as priests, scholars, and guards.
• Magic is rare and much respected; those who wield arcane power command much respect or terror.
• Arcane magic is almost universally associated with evil, chaotic, or suspicious sources, such as demons, dragons, or the undead; those who use it may be the target of fear or ire.
• ______

What is the nature of gods and divinity in our campaign?

• Most people worship a single god or goddess, though different sects or saints may teach varied tenants.
• The gods exist in their own distant realm, though they make their presence known through visions and miracles.
• The gods walk the land in the forms of giant beasts, immortal beings, or living elements.
• There are no gods; divine magic comes from belief in one’s community, the wilderness, or ancestor worship.
• _____________________________________________________

What is the balance of nature and civilization in our campaign?

• The darkness of the wild is feared; great beasts and monsters lurk there, and only the strength of our walls and the bravery of our soldiers keeps us safe.
• Civilization and nature are united; buildings are made up of living trees or are built into dunes or caves, and the world outside of nature is viewed with suspicion or malevolence.
• Civilization is split between those who live in the cities of stone and those who live in the refuge of nature.
• Some nature is wild, other has been tamed; the true danger is in the areas of wilderness corrupted by necromantic, chaotic, or demonic magic.
• ______

 

[BookTenTiger]

The players had a great time flipping through the Monster Manual last week and looking at all the cool critters. It would be fun to have them pit the most common enemies of the setting:

THREATS

How dangerous is our campaign setting?

• The realm is relatively safe, outside of normal threats such as storms or bandits; only when disturbed do the true forces of destruction arise.
• We are safe behind our walls or on our well-guarded roads; stepping out into the wilderness, however, is to step into a second, dangerous world.
• The world is a frightening place, full of danger; most folk stay safe behind thick walls, barred doors, or magic barriers.
• The realm just recently survived a time of great terror; peace has settled for now, but there are always signs of new threats on the horizon.
• _____

What is the nature of the mortal foes our characters will face?

• Raiding parties of beserkers breach our borders and pillage defenseless villages; their lust for gold, blood, or slaves knows no end.
• Radical religious cults seek worshippers to join their flock, or sacrifices to the terrors they call on for power.
• The greatest danger is the wilderness itself; the beasts, plants, and landscapes are the true foe of travelers.
• Bandits, robbers, and corrupt merchants harry travelers, and may have powerful allies guiding their attacks.
• ______

What supernatural forces threaten the realm?

• Great monsters and their spawn rise from depths of the wild with a hunger than can only be sated with mortal flesh or glittering treasures.
• Outsiders from other worlds have breached our realm; their corruption spreads and threatens to unravel the bonds of civilization.
• Powerful spellcasters summon supernatural servants to spread their power, seeking immortality or sovereignty over the realm.
• Curses and enchantments warp the minds of travelers and sovereigns; folk fear the devious desires of spirits made of magic itself.
• ______

 

[BookTenTiger]

And finally, these questions would help guide the very first adventure and also character creation:

FIRST ADVENTURE


Where does our first adventure take place?

• We begin in a small settlement at the border, the great frontier stretching out to the horizon.
• We begin in a major city, surrounding by the bustle of merchants, nobility, thieves, and infinite opportunities.
• We begin in a caravan, traveling between settlements.
• We begin returning to our home town, a village where we are well-known.
• ______

What is the connection between our characters

• The characters know each other well; most are family or old friends.
• The characters belong to the same order, guild, or business venture.
• The characters all owe a great debt to the same enigmatic figure.
• The characters were brought together by greater forces, and start as prisoners, recruits, or survivors.
• ______

What is the motivation of our first adventure?

• We are following rumors of a great treasure hidden away or guarded by dangerous forces.
• Someone close to us is being threatened by a terrible enemy or mysterious curse.
• We find ourselves in the middle of a dangerous situation, and will try to escape with our lives!
• We are hired to recover a lost heirloom, slay a dangerous beast, or capture a devious foe.
• _____

 

[BookTenTiger]

So I took all those questions I came up with and randomly selected an option from each. I came up with a really fun campaign idea:

Pirate Diplomacy: A political campaign in which the characters attempt to build an alliance of pirates while fending off an invasion of sea beasts.

Spoiler: Details Below

GAMEPLAY

• Political Fantasy: This is a time of intrigue. You will play as the agents of a court, growing your power through diplomacy, scheming, or war. The themes will be politics, warfare, and conspiracy. Inspiration: Game of Thrones, Renaissance & Medieval History, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
• Let the dice fall where they may; we will face powerful enemies, and mostly succeed, though death is a possible outcome.
• Occasionally; most players will stick with the same character, but a few plan on switching once or twice.

SETTING

• Islands dot the cerulean sea, the boundless horizon only occasionally marred by a broad, sandy coastline.
• The realm is ruled by petty warlords and fierce chieftains; will a single power rise to unite the fractured populace?
• Banners and flags mark the territories of many different cultures; the food, music, and even currency changes as one crosses the many borders of the realm.

MAGIC

• Arcane magic is almost universally associated with evil, chaotic, or suspicious sources, such as demons, dragons, or the undead; those who use it may be the target of fear or ire.
• The gods exist in their own distant realm, though they make their presence known through visions and miracles.
• Civilization and nature are united; buildings are made up of living trees or are built into dunes or caves, and the world outside of nature is viewed with suspicion or malevolence.

THREATS

• The realm just recently survived a time of great terror; peace has settled for now, but there are always signs of new threats on the horizon.
• The greatest danger is the wilderness itself; the beasts, plants, and landscapes are the true foe of travelers.
• Great monsters and their spawn rise from depths of the wild with a hunger than can only be sated with mortal flesh or glittering treasures.

FIRST ADVENTURE

• We begin returning to our home town, a village where we are well-known.
• The characters were brought together by greater forces, and start as prisoners, recruits, or survivors.
• Someone close to us is being threatened by a terrible enemy or mysterious curse.

This campaign takes place in a vast sea with islands inhabited by vastly different cultures and populations. The entire area had been conquered by a foreign empire, but they mysteriously left ten years ago. Now in the power vacuum, different pirate nations vie for control. The foreign empire was cruel and violent, but had also protected the islands from dangerous sea dragons and their spawn. Now these beasts are repopulating the wild seas.

The foreign empire had been fearful of magic, and spread rumors that all arcane magic was tied to the powers of the sea hags and devils who haunt the tides. The truth of the matter is, these islands are naturally magical places. Houses and ships are made of living materials, such as magic trees, huge shells, or even beasts with buildings constructed upon their backs.

The characters are all agents of the chieftain of an island nation, and had been out on a diplomatic mission when they were captured by pirates. It turns out their whole island, along with a few neighbors, have been conquered by the same group of power-hungry pirates. The characters are brought back to their home village to deal with a sea dragon who has decided to make it their new lair.

Throughout the campaign, the characters will go on missions to grow the power of their new island alliance. At first they will be working for their pirate conquerors, but they might rebel, or take over the pirates themselves! Some of the adventures will involve conspiracies and intrigue, others naval combat between living ships, and some will be old fashioned dungeon crawls to retrieve lost heirlooms or other items of power.