If I want to write a primer/setting guide handout for my players,

>>52265771

It depends on your players

Ideally I guess it should be no longer than what they could read on a lunch break. It's not like you could give them a fucking 300 pages setting book anyway, right?

You just need to answer these questions.


What is the deal with my cleric's religion?
Where can we go to buy standard equipment?
Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?
Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?
Who is the greatest warrior in the land?
Who is the richest person in the land?
Where can we go to get some magical healing?
Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?
Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?
Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?
Where can I hire mercenaries?
Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?
Which way to the nearest tavern?
What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?
Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?
How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?
Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?
What is there to eat around here?
Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?
Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?

>>52265771
mine is like 3 pages long plus a map plus another page that says what stuff is allowed/not allowed.

>>52266016
>You just need to answer these questions

You can and should answer most of those question in-game as the GM because most of them are specific: i.e. "Where is the nearest dragon...", "Where can I find an alchemist..", etc.

A primer/setting guide should only cover the broad brushstrokes.

This is the kingdom of...
It was founded in...
It grew by...
It's major wars/rebellions are...
The current king is...
The kingdom's major enemy(ies) is/are/was/were...
There is (is mot) a war/war scare along border...
The major religion(s) is/are...
The capital is...
Region A is B...
Region X was Y...
There is (is not) a mage guild(s)...

You should be able to cover everything in two pages, not counting maps. No descriptions, no explanations, just flat 1 or 2 sentence statements; i.e.A is B, X is Y, etc.

Everything else is passed along by player interaction with the NPCs. Make your players learn about the setting by moving through it rather than simply handing them a Fodor's Guide or Cliff notes.

>>52265771
Include only the things that contribute to the setting's intended emotional tone. They can ask you during play where a tavern is, but if they wait that long to ask you what kind of campaign this is it'll be too late.

File: behold a satan.jpg (133KB, 636x500px)

133KB, 636x500px

>>52265771
Besides a map of the setting and of the local area, a few pages is generally useful without being overwhelming.

Talk a little about the overall sort of world, is it not!europe or something else, is it mostly temperate climate, is it mostly dominated by a single terrain type, is it mostly human-centric, what level of technology exists.

You should also discuss how religion works, are there many gods, do they interfere, are people religious, are there many festivals or taboos.
Is there resurrection magic, how are the dead treated, are there undead?

You should mention the most common species and races.
Any major occurances in the past five years.
How magic is viewed.
How slavery is viewed.
Common forms of government.
Any peculiar laws people should be aware of.
How common is trade, and does it happen overland, oversea, or other.
Most common forms of weaponry and armor.
How adventurers are perceived by common folk in the countryside, in larger towns and cities, and by the nobility.
Any strange locales, like the underdark or just what you can see.

Finally, go into a bit more detail about the local area where the campaign starts. Local customs. The level of danger in towns, on roads, and in wilderness. The local major threats.

Better brief. Start with a 2-sentence pitch: what's the deal here?
Assume a generic fantasy land, and simply tell the players what changed. Restrict it to where they start and its surroundings, let them find out the rest.
Any major, immediate conflict or obstacle (war, black death, perma-winter...) should be stated up-front too.

>>52269833
As a player, reading those is a chore. I'd rather learn all that by playing. No history, please, just give me the tourist guide.
A 'there's this and this kingdom/race/religion' is ok, specially if you get player-options by choosing it as a background.

>>52266016
That's ok. I'd make it less specific, tho. Sometime you just need to know the name of the god, how common are its temples, and how much priests charge for a resurrection.

>>52271791
A small map is always a good idea. You get the names, the directions, an idea of how hard it'll be to go there. No words wasted.

Birthright's Player's Secrets also made some of the best booklets to run games as non-ruler adventurers imo

>>52272165
>No history, please, just give me the tourist guide.

Exactly. Sparse, short, statements.

History? "This is the Kingdom of A, it was founded in B when C successfully rebelled against D and became the first king." That's all you need.

Current affairs? "The current king is A who is B. There was a recent war/rebellion in C. An earthquake hit city D last year."

Mages? "There is a mage guild but it is A."

Races? "Most of the people are A. There are also B, C, and D. B are mostly assimilated, C live in isolated regions, D are enslaved/killed on sight."

Short, simple, and to the point. Let the players learn more by interacting with the setting.

I think it is the most elegant to confine anything that is to be required reading to a single page, or two pages of bullet points