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<blockquote data-quote="Evilhalfling" data-source="post: 1531993" data-attributes="member: 16991">I think starting with local maps is fine but you should know roughly what and where the surrounding countries are.&nbsp; I started with a paragraph of description for the starting area and 5 others, including what they are famous for.&nbsp; If you mention early that one of the countries is famous for mages, monks or wine then the world feels real even if you don't have those areas fleshed out.&nbsp; You should also know where the major centers of demihumans are.&nbsp; There should also be one or more world famous cities - ie Rome, London, Greyhawk city, or Waterdeep.&nbsp; That are far away but known throught the world.&nbsp; &nbsp; Starting in a backwater place, at low level is easiest - this lowers the amount of info about the world the players would expect to have, then once the game has grown then it can move on to larger, busier places.&nbsp; I usually ask that if the players are going to travel to a new city/country then they plan for it one week and go the next.&nbsp; Of course, if the plot/story is leading them then I plan the next area ahead of time.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; If you are not planning on using the gods from the PH then you probably need names and a few commonly known details about them.&nbsp; Myths and stories can come later.&nbsp; If no PC has a high knowledge (religion) then no one is going to need details anyway.&nbsp; When a player chooses a cleric then their god has to be fleshed out of course.&nbsp;&nbsp; I ran a campaign for almost a year before fleshing out the demihuman gods - everyone knew the chief racial dieties the rest came as people played different races or went to demihuman kingdoms and asked about it.&nbsp; I believe in allowing the world to develop over time, a huge briefing at the begining is almost always forgotten.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Evilhalfling, post: 1531993, member: 16991"] I think starting with local maps is fine but you should know roughly what and where the surrounding countries are. I started with a paragraph of description for the starting area and 5 others, including what they are famous for. If you mention early that one of the countries is famous for mages, monks or wine then the world feels real even if you don't have those areas fleshed out. You should also know where the major centers of demihumans are. There should also be one or more world famous cities - ie Rome, London, Greyhawk city, or Waterdeep. That are far away but known throught the world. Starting in a backwater place, at low level is easiest - this lowers the amount of info about the world the players would expect to have, then once the game has grown then it can move on to larger, busier places. I usually ask that if the players are going to travel to a new city/country then they plan for it one week and go the next. Of course, if the plot/story is leading them then I plan the next area ahead of time. If you are not planning on using the gods from the PH then you probably need names and a few commonly known details about them. Myths and stories can come later. If no PC has a high knowledge (religion) then no one is going to need details anyway. When a player chooses a cleric then their god has to be fleshed out of course. I ran a campaign for almost a year before fleshing out the demihuman gods - everyone knew the chief racial dieties the rest came as people played different races or went to demihuman kingdoms and asked about it. I believe in allowing the world to develop over time, a huge briefing at the begining is almost always forgotten. [/QUOTE]

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