When it comes to designing adventures, one of the hang ups can be finding a place to start.

Building individual components isn’t necessarily all that difficult.  Putting together a monster with a treasure packet is a fairly simple process.  Making a story that makes some degree of sense can be a bit more difficult – especially if the players decide not to play along.

Building a setting around a fantasy story that you like – a book, a movie, a game – can be an excellent way to build flavor into your game without stressing yourself.

My main rule of thumb when designing this way is – Keep the setting; make new characters.

The look and feel of a world, the kinds of creatures found there and their habits add a lot of flavor.  Keep these elements and the players will almost instantly recognize where they are and how they are supposed to act.

By eliminating over-familiar characters and plot devices the players will be able to find their own adventures.  If there is a personality in the story that you liked a lot, then go ahead and have that personality – but change some aspect.  Change the name, the location, or clue that they are guarding.  Changing these aspects of the characters will keep the players guessing as to what is coming next.

Taking multiple elements from different stories is an easy way to build in originality.  If you enjoy watching mysteries, then take elements from a modern mystery and apply it to your world.  A serial killer that needs to be caught might use magic instead of weapons.  The flavor and feel of the mystery are the same, but can be applied to your universe and given a unique spin.

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