How I Prep; Or How I Lose My Mind Over Nothing
(Joining a bandwagon on the purple server that hadn't been purple for over 2 years. This is a short post, without much meat; I just didn't want to be left out, please, father, do not leave meeeeee)
Starting Joke
Step 1: I get a team of players.
Step 2: I get excited over the campaign, preparing a bunch of resources
Step 3: The players never show up.
Step 4: Rinse and repeat.
An Actual Answer
Generally, I prefer to have at least:
- One table of random encounters for the overworld
- One table of various names
- One table with various concepts so that I may roll on it if I need an idea; sometimes I use tarot for it
- One settlement, so that the characters can get some friends, enemies and equipment
- An adventure site, so that they have something interesting to try and enter
Furthermore, it is good to have:
- A world map, so that the larger forces may also affect the campaign
- A bunch of faction, for the same reason
- More of the things that are needed, if the players decide to go somewhere else after making one too many enemy
- Something extra, like various interesting items that may be found, local weird rules, extra monsters, interesting foods or NPCs to sprinkle into various places.
The rest I can wing, although I hoard various tables like a dragon, so that when players do something, or seek something out, I can be like "I've got a table for that, believe it or not". Same with various mechanics.