In case you missed it, the first part of this article is here -> https://steemit.com/fantasy/@thegamerdames/how-to-start-your-own-campaign-world-part-one
Last time I talked about the Inside Out method of campaign and world creation. This time we will flip that idea and try:
The Outside In Method
This method takes a heck of a lot of time and effort compared with the previous method but has some significant advantages as well. But let's get started with a list of things needed:
- A World Map
- A few smaller more localized maps.
- Political Boundaries.
- Starting Kingdom/Region/Location.
- Points of Interest
A bit longer list than the Inside Out Method but it does leave one necessary component out: The Players. And at first glance that seems like a bad idea I'm sure, but go with me on this one and hopefully I can wring some sense out of it.
1 - A World Map
This will be the crux of this method; knowing what lies beyond every hill, mountain and ocean. Knowing as much detail, or at least convincing people you know those details, as possible. The player who asks "what's beyond that mountain range?" doesn't necessarily need to be answered immediately, but they do need to know there is an answer.
Don't focus on quality unless you happen to have some skill in this area, maps only need to be functional. I recommend starting by drawing a continental coastline, something like the east coast of the U.S. or the Mediterranean Sea. Anything that has neat little nooks and crannies or an island chain nearby. It gives a semblance of distance and gives shape to how some kingdoms grow.
note I will be doing a separate few articles on how maps are created, or at least how I create them... in the future I will likely link that here -> not yet though :P
Ultimately the basics are: mountains for mines and dwarves, forests for elves and lumber and rivers for transport and larger human cities. Remember those and you should be fine. As a bonus, these location types also house deep endless caves, dark forest glades and dank smelly sewers. Those alone can give hours of adventure.
2 - Smaller, More Localized Maps
Not much more than an addendum to point #1, these maps are simply a way to allow for scale and detail as needed. Pointing to a dot on a world map to say "Calari is right here." is far different from "Calari's wharf district runs from Baker Street to Hangman's End." And with the Outside In method, the more detail you have before player's even set foot in your world, the better.
I would suggest, in addition to the World Map, a map from the starting area to the nearest major city, a map of that city and at least one map from elsewhere beyond these areas. The last one isn't overly necessary to be even used or hinted at during the first campaign(s). It is, however, very useful if you need to have a villain escape or a destination for the player's to be sent to; two of the most common "continuances" of plot lines.
Still, you can never have too many maps. As a bonus, try having your maps be drawn by a noted and respected mapmaker in your world. Then state that a certain set of maps you have drawn or otherwise generated are that person's work. Once you establish this, throw in a map or two of lower quality and sign them with a different name. This will add an extra layer to some mysteries when the player's have to determine exactly how accurate the map they bought even is.
So the most important part of the maps, world map or otherwise, is that they are consistent. other than that, its your world' only you really know what it looks like.
3 - Political Boundaries
This is easily the largest part of this method. Knowing where one power center's influence ends and another's begins is absolutely imperative to maintaining immersion and belief in and of your world. There are some easy ways to fudge this but I do recommend spending a decent amount of time on this.
That being said, I have had dozens of players who genuinely give zero shits on who owns what land or controls taxation rights along which waterways. But this method isn't about them right? It's about creating a living and breathing world that exists whether the players interact with it or not.
If the players die trying to rescue the townsfolk, the lord of that land likely will send a detachment of troops. If they succeed, the lord may still have sent that detachment only now they are searching for who managed to have enough power to win the day. This could be especially tricky if one of the players is a magic user; depending n that lord's stance on magic.
As a little cheat sheet for each power center, here's a helpful list I made:
a) Ruler's name - this could be a king or a mayor or a mine owner depending on situation.
b) Location - even just being able to point at the location on a map is fine.
c) the EASI scores! (which is a thing I made up, also a future article) In short these are numbers that give you an idea of the power centers Economy - Agriculture - Security - Industry.
d) any unique customs or laws. Note that I do not mean tell your players, I mean make sure you know these idiosyncrasies.
Really any information here is extra and will only typically be for you to know unless your players enjoy hunting the lore of your world.
4 - Starting Kingdom
Everything in the previous sections applies here as well, only a bit more so. This is presumably the area the player's will know the most about, so especially the weird laws and oddities and maybe even the local map are things they would start the game knowing.
This is actually the point at which I'm hoping you readers out there start noticing a trend: you need all the answers before you need all the answers.
All of the Inside Out list exists within this one point as well. So I'll leave that part in the previous article and move on to the final point.
5 - Points of Interest
This is the best part of going Outside In, the stuff, the places, the very "world" of it all.
The starting town may only have 200 residents, but almost half are Paladins in Training. Likely a fact known by many, maybe even one of the player characters is one of those paladins. But it genuinely becomes an interesting and crucial part of the small town.
The forest nearby that connects to ancient forest paths that cross between planes of existence. Maybe unknown to the humans of the area but if there's an elf in the party, they certainly may know if they grew up in those woodlands. Even better still is keeping the information to yourself and letting them discover the ancient paths "accidentally".
Anything interesting needs to have a solid reason for being, bonus marks for knowing its history. Knowing that will help when the player inevitably rolls a "knowledge old creepy woods" check that you forgot they had.
My advice for anyone taking this approach is to take your time. I tried to pack as much into this article as I could but still feel like I only grazed the surface. In fact I could go on on this topic for a while so comments are certainly welcome.
As it stands, the two little goblins I have here at home are hungry and it's dinner time.
Part three will be available as soon as I write it down: The Hybrid Method.
Until then, good gaming everyone!
Eric, that dude the gamerdames have for a DM.