Trying to run a DND campaign for the first time but I don’t know anything about map making, geography, or geology. I want the physical features of the land to mostly make sense from a geological perspective and then conform the borders of my city-states and empire to their natural geographic constraints. How do I even begin with this?
i have not played nor watched a single play session TTRPG in my life but goddammit if i don’t express my opinion.
first a word of caution i have heard from others, think about what stories (genre and beats) you want to tell and then create your map. it’s fine to pin your locations to the map but first get a vague idea of the purpose of your map first. your world is a vehicle for delivering stories. i know some people like world building more than story building, but putting the emphasis on world building and extensive backstories does not translate efficiently to player fun.
second, zoom in (and i mean zoom in) in a part of the real world map with tons of tiny lakes and islands (northern canada, finland) and search for a place that fits your needs, and then simply change the scale. then you can add elevation and rivers, alongside different biomes. don’t just make deserts and german black forests, search and add different biomes the biodiversity of the planet is incredible. semi-arid climates (plateaus and steppes) are usually under represented, although plains are generally plain so not a lot to tell a story out of. it’s surprising how well this works.