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[thread] How to create a #DnD campaign.
First of all, keep this in mind: you do NOT need a grand story. You're creating a playground, you're not writing an epic fantasy novel.
![[thread] How to create a #DnD campaign.First of all, keep this in mind: you do NOT need a grand story. You're creating a playground, you're not writing an epic fantasy novel.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EnIFk9GXcAElPux.jpg "[thread] How to create a #DnD campaign.First of all, keep this in mind: you do NOT need a grand story. You're creating a playground, you're not writing an epic fantasy novel.")
First of all, keep this in mind: you do NOT need a grand story. You're creating a playground, you're not writing an epic fantasy novel.
Step 1.
Create an overland map or get one online. A few (7-10 or so) hexes of terrain will do. Each hex is 6 miles. Fill the hexes with the general type of terrain you want for your theatre. Woods, mountains, grasslands, hills, moor, swamps, etc. Add a few interesting landmarks.
Create an overland map or get one online. A few (7-10 or so) hexes of terrain will do. Each hex is 6 miles. Fill the hexes with the general type of terrain you want for your theatre. Woods, mountains, grasslands, hills, moor, swamps, etc. Add a few interesting landmarks.
Step 2.
Create a small town and a handful of NPCs. Some of these NPCs needs help with stuff, and they need adventurers to take care of their problems. Here's a town you can use if you dont want to create one from scratch: https://www.wistedt.net/2020/08/30/welcome-to-fourtower-bridge/
Create a small town and a handful of NPCs. Some of these NPCs needs help with stuff, and they need adventurers to take care of their problems. Here's a town you can use if you dont want to create one from scratch: https://www.wistedt.net/2020/08/30/welcome-to-fourtower-bridge/
Step 3.
Make up a few adventure sites and connect some of them to the NPCs in town. A deserted mine, a desecrated temple, a ruined old tower, a brigand hideout, etc. There are loads of free maps online you can base these on. Mark them on your map. Place treasure and monsters.
Make up a few adventure sites and connect some of them to the NPCs in town. A deserted mine, a desecrated temple, a ruined old tower, a brigand hideout, etc. There are loads of free maps online you can base these on. Mark them on your map. Place treasure and monsters.
Step 4.
Start playing. The PCs are a bunch of nobody adventurers in search of gold and glory. They arrive in town and have just enough money to spend the night at the inn. Drop rumours on them. Let townsfolk seek their aid. And then let them decide what to do next.
Start playing. The PCs are a bunch of nobody adventurers in search of gold and glory. They arrive in town and have just enough money to spend the night at the inn. Drop rumours on them. Let townsfolk seek their aid. And then let them decide what to do next.
Here's a free adventure about a couple of townsfolk in need of help, by the way: https://www.wistedt.net/2020/11/02/the-spudfield-good-girl-free-dd-adventure/
Remember: you do NOT need a "story". You just need to know roughly what's going on in a small backwater of the world. It's up to the players now. You are not the one deciding how this plays out. Let the players explore and interact. Your job is to make the world REact to them.
Breathe life into your little world but don't plan everything ahead. Roll on random tables. You deserve to be surprised just as much as the players do. Between games always keep a notepad with you. Write down cool shit you come up with. Inject it into your campaign.
Ask the players what they want to do. Let them inspire you as you expand on the overland map. What do they look for, and how can they get it? What lies beyond the mountains in the west? What's the origin of the strange idol they found in the abandoned mine?
Build as you go. Make shit up. Allow yourself to get surprised. Use free stuff from the community. Work with your players. Build a world - not a story. You don't need an endgame yet (if ever). You have a lot to discover, so enjoy the ride.
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