During World Creation (see Core Rulebook, page 148) and play sessions, you will often be called upon to introduce new regions, towns, or interesting locations. This section contains advice and suggestions and discusses the mindset to adopt when creating natural fantasy locations, and then provides ten examples you can use in your campaigns or draw upon for inspiration.
The key element that sets natural fantasy locations apart is simple, but should never be taken for granted – it’s the tension between a mostly forgotten past and an unpredictable future, a maelstrom of visions of ruin and hope.
To be narratively alive and inspired, a natural fantasy location should exist in the present, the liminal space between these vague extremes – showing the signs of a past not fully understood and holding in its hands a fragile future, which will blossom only if it’s protected without smothering it. We might say that:
If a location does not offer significant revelations about the world’s past or the traditions of its inhabitants, nor hides a potential that might bring joy or ruination, depending on how those same people cultivate it, then you need to put a bit more work into it.
However, remember that it is not just the Game Master who has the right and responsibility to create, describe, and enrich locations and areas in interesting ways. For instance, you can spend a Fabula Point to describe how your character hears a feeble voice coming from the nearby spring, despite the local elders believing its guardian spirit has long abandoned it – this is the kind of contribution that Players should provide often during the course of the game.