Location, Location, Location


Despite the worn and battered look to the door, we feel that the dungeon beyond is an an ideal investment for the first time adventurer. Complete with an alchemy laboratory, large double closet weapons and armour rack, a small but functional treasure room, small banquet room and kitchen (servant not included in asking price), map room, a pit trap freshly spiked and finally two ample sized bedrooms. The bedrooms are complete with their own water wells and a thermal spring heated bathtub. The Dungeon is currently undergoing some building work and needs some new draft insulation and damp proofing. Current guide price is around 200,000 Gold Pieces. This in our view is a steal in such a sought after location.

OH! Sorry! Not THAT Location Location Location

Glad I cleared that up. So you have a party of budding adventurers and a campaign all set to go. So where are they headed? Where will the adventurers actually do some adventuring? Will it be in a musty old dungeon built long ago by some powerful Mage? Will the party of explorers not really do much exploring? Instead, caught up in a web of deception and double-crossing at the request of a local lord in a City? Perhaps they have been asked to explore and find people who have gone missing in a marsh nearby?

From a subterranean labyrinth to a ruined castle, the possibilities are endless. Once a party of players has embarked on their adventures, interesting and engaging locations are vital. It depends on what the GM had in mind in the overall campaign. Some games might feature extensive expeditions through large amounts of wilderness. Encounters outside would be a regular thing and perhaps from this, new locations are discovered. Other games might focus on a small single area. It is entirely possible for a whole campaign to have a very small location.

Perhaps one example would be a group of Investigators in a Cthulhu game looking into recent disappearances that have happened in a small town. The main area of investigation might end up being a disused wing of a hospital (awaiting development into flats of course) where the disappeared where last seen passing near…

Personally, I like a good old dungeon crawler. A suitably dark and damp multi-levelled labyrinth of deadly corridors and rooms. Crammed with horrors and treasure a party has to work hard for! I can’t think of anything better than having a group of characters lurch from one near death encounter to another but then discover a hoard that made it all worthwhile.

Locations that engage are key to a good campaign. There has to be a sense of purpose with them. Players need to feel that their characters can be fully immersed in the game world  as well as exploring and discovering new areas or secrets. Players want their characters to be part of a believable world where they can roleplay their characters in a manner of their choosing.  Setting the scene with good locations can contribute to this.

Now about that dungeon going for 200,000 gold pieces. I think I will put an offer in and see if they accept 180,000, bearing in mind it needs some damp proofing and better insulation. Thermal spring heated bathtub? I’m going to get gold taps fitted!