Starting Preparations
To inspire the spirit of exploration, Preparation Zero has been provided to start up the campaign map for Nebula, the Shattered Lands. Having pre-existing content can provide a great context to build around for Nebula. Should the reader be interested in using this material for their own West Marches game, they can use this or their own preparation on start up.
Preparation Template Features
Zero:- Three distinct sanctuaries for players, each part of their own themed shard and optional origin chronicle.
- One solar body, inspirational to a fallen empire, used for map orientation, and whose influence affects surrounding shards.
- One fixed region, providing orientation for the nebula campaign map whose influence affects the involved shards.
Tabula Rasa
Nothing exists from a blank slate. Just as we live within the context of our material conditions, traditions and biological origins, so do our characters. A myriad of sliding bars and scales this is what exists beyond the numbers and statistics of a character sheet. As roleplayers it is our decision during creation to write where on the many spectrums our characters exist. As game masters we must understand that world building settings will inevitably shape the characters being born within it as they push with or against the forces the world is made of.Who is this for?
Author's Note: This article is for the public who may want to organize their own West Marches Campaign with this style of campaign map. Should the reader be an interested Game Master willing to take the insurmountable challenge of organizing other GMs and players into a West Marches style game I wish you the best of luck. As of 2024, our hobby is in a period of rapid expansion and pitched transformation- should these ideas bring you joy use them. You may find more side panels like this with some rationale behind my preparation design decisions.Creating a Preparation
Starting up a Nebula map requires many of the same elements a West Marches style game requires. Here are some recommendations for a successful preparation.
- At least one sanctuary- Players need a safe place to return to between adventuring sessions. It is the convention forum for players to plan, buy items, create infrastructure and recieve quests. It is essential for the accomodations of this style.
- One astral body- an object that can be oriented around in the space of Nebula. It is not neccessary for it to have an influence, it is just greatly helpful for navigation.
- A diversity of origins- Players are going to want a breadth of options for character creation. Ensure that the starting areas adjacent to the sanctuaries allow a fair size window of options for players to decide their origins. Don't limit yourself to the idea of using multiple shards or singular shards, both can options have their share of benefits and detriments. Try weighing your options.
- Low level entries- The starting shards should have content that is limited to Level 3 or Level 5 with very little exceptions. Some "safer" adventures can exist in the starting shards but in keeping with the spirit of exploration, the starting shards should be overexploited, settled, safe and relatively mundane.
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