physical & historical features
In which geographical areas will the game take place?
How much ground will the game cover?
What are the most striking features of landscape and climate?
If there are non-human inhabitants, are there any areas or features they particularly claim as their own?
climate & geography
Have human (or non-human) activities affected climate or landscape in various regions?
If so, how were the climate or landscape affected?
How does the setting (multiple moons, suns, etc) affect the climate in various areas?
How much land is in each of the equatorial, temperate, and polar zones?
Where are the mountain ranges? The rivers and lakes? The deserts? The forests (tropical and otherwise)? The grasslands and plains?
If there are mythological animals, how do they fit into the ecology?
How did the mythological beasts come into being?
What do the mythological creatures eat?
How much and what kind of habitat do these mythological animals require?
Are there intelligent mythological animals?
How common are these mythological animals?
Are there any endangered species of animals or plants?
Is anyone concerned about endangered species?
What geological formations can affect the weather or the climate?
What are the natural wonders of the world, and where are they?
natural resources
Which areas are the most fertile farmlands?
Where are mineral resources located?
which animals, birds, fish, and other wildlife are commonly found in which areas?
If there are fantastical animals, such as dragons, where do they live?
Which natural resources, if any, have been depleted in which areas over time?
Which resources are particularly abundant, and in which areas?
Which resources are scarce and where are they scarce?
Are there places with major deposits that haven’t been discovered yet, or where such deposits haven't been fully exploited?
How much conflict has there been or might eventually be caused by these imbalances in resources?
How much active, peaceful trade is attributed to these resources?
What water resources are available, and for what uses?
population
How many people are there in the world?
How many people are there in the various countries?
What is considered a small town? A large town? A city?
How diverse is the population?
How many different races (human or non-human), creeds, cultures, and so on normally live in various cities and towns?
In what percentages do these divisions occur?
Is population shifting from rural to urban? From south to north? From mountains to coast?
If populations are shifting, why are they doing so?
What effects has migration had on the places being left behind?
What effects has migration had on the places that are gaining population?
Is there much immigration into or out of various countries? why or why not?
Which geographical areas are most heavily populated?
Which regions are the least populated? Why?
Are certain regions or types of terrain more popular areas for non-humans, and, if so, why?
How are roads built?
What state are the roads in?
Who pays for roads?
Who maintains the roads?
rural factors
Given the magical and technological level of this society, what is an appropriate ratio of farmers to urban residents?
Given the state of the roads and of transportation, how much food is it possible to ship to a given location before it spoils?
Are rural areas primarily farms, forests, fields for grazing, or wastelands?
In outlying areas where there aren’t many people, how many roads are there?
How reliable is the weather from year to year?
Is crop production relatively dependable, or do people have to cope with regular famines due to drought or floods?
What kinds of catastrophic weather events are common?
Are there tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, waterspouts, dust storms, or sand storms?
How do people cope with adverse weather and weather-caused disasters?
How are farming areas divided between humans and non-humans?
What kinds of conflicts are likely between humans and non-humans?
Can common people own their own land, or does it all belong to a lord or other figure?
What kinds of rights over land, crops, game, and resources do landowners have?
How are country dwellers viewed by city folk?
How do the country folk feel about city dwellers?
urban factors
Does the layout of cities reflect some philosophy, such as that the “head” of the city must be at the center or the highest point?
Were layout considerations mainly practical or did most cities just grow?
Are there public or private parks in any cities?
What kinds of activities take place in parks?
Are cities generally laid out on a square-grid system of streets or are things more labyrinthine?
How wide are the streets and alleys normally?
What are the landmarks in each city?
Where are the interesting neighbourhoods?
What things give each area its special character?
Where do people go to shop? Where do they go to eat?
Is there an entertainment district? What kinds of entertainment are offered?
Does the city have tourists? What do they come to do?
Are certain cities known for certain activities or industries?