Location

What is the location’s primary function or role?

Think residence, business, sanctuary, crime hub, military stronghold, etc.? In what ways might this purpose shift if the world around it changes?

What makes this location distinct from all others?

Think scale, symbolic meaning, etc.?

What do locals say about the place?

How might their opinion differ from outsiders’ impressions?

What unspoken rules govern behavior here?

Consider customs, taboos, laws, etc. How do those rules shift depending on who is present?

What role does it play in the larger world?

How might losing this place change the balance of power?

What does the location look like?

What is the first thing visitors notice when entering the location?

What is the general layout?

Is it linear, circular, sprawling, vertical, etc.?

What are the key areas or zones within the location?

In terms of districts, rooms, sectors, etc.?

What sensory details define it?

What do people hear, smell, touch, or taste here?

How do travelers typically navigate the area?

Think maps, guides, landmarks, etc.?

Where is the landmark located?

How do people reach it, and how difficult is the journey?

How does the location interact with or rely on its natural surroundings?

What are its boundaries?

What is the climate of the location?

Consider temperature, rainfall, seasonal changes, etc.

What secrets are hidden within it?

E.g., underground caverns, rare or valuable resources, etc.?

Who inhabits this place, either temporarily or permanently?

How do their lives reflect the location’s function?

Who holds official power here?

How stable or contested is their authority?

Who holds unofficial power here?

How might their influence rival or undermine official rule?

Who benefits most from this place’s existence?

And who suffers because of it?

What unifies people here?

Conversely, what divides them?

When and why did this location come into being?

How might its origin affect how it is used now?

What famous historical figures are associated with it?

Why? And what happened to them?

What major historical events are tied to it?

How do different groups or eras tell the story differently?

How has its reputation changed over time?

And how might different eras use it for different purposes?

How is its story preserved?

Consider legends, rumors, mysteries, folklore, etc. How might conflicting versions of its past shape its identity?