Setting the scene for any adventure is critical. It draws players into your story, sets expectations of what is to come, and intrigues them to continue. For one-shots, which are short, you need to be even more concise, quickly painting an immersive picture before serving the adventure hook.
So how can you achieve that?
Start with deciding what type of story you want to tell.
Theme is the “big idea” or question your story poses, through the choices presented to your players. Theme can emerge from player actions, but having an intentional theme can add meaning to your one-shot, and help elevate it past “let’s kill some orcs.” Theme also refers to the genre, aesthetic or ambience of a setting. This latter definition is what we’re focused on now.
Choosing an aesthetic theme for your one-shot can spark ideas for setting the scene. Are you aiming for an epic fantasy adventure, or a murder mystery? Eldritch horror has a very particular feel to it, and so does space opera.
Here are some tips on choosing a theme for your one-shot:

Once you have a theme, mood and tone sorted out, it’s time to consider the location where this adventure begins.
Some of this will naturally flow from your theme. Depending on the type of story you intend to tell, the tavern in a small village, an alley in a gritty modern city, or a public space in a sprawling space port might make logical sense as the place where the characters meet and start the story.
Then think beyond that initial scene, to the bigger milieu of your story and how it connects to your plot. For a murder mystery, perhaps set your adventure in a small town, full of suspicious and distrustful neighbours, all pointing fingers at each other.
Notice that in all these examples, the setting features are carefully chosen to mesh with the type of adventure. This is a really smart idea – it helps you tell the most concentrated version of your story, and immerse your players in the theme right from the beginning.
Another pro tip for quickly generating RPG or DnD setting ideas? You can inject a tonne of character into a location with just two statements:
Any contrast between past and present sets up a simple history, which shows its mark on the location. For example:
The ruined dwarven fort is now a thriving Kobold town (oh, but don’t go down that corridor, something there eats people).
The monster infested wasteland is a recent frontier town, with fragile, shack-like buildings but a very strong defensive wall.
The abandoned holy city has been revived by refugees, with fragments of sacred architecture used to rebuild houses, and faceless marble statues propping up gates, or repurposed as street signs.
These locations have so much more character than simply “a village” or “a town”, and also set expectations for the kind of adventure you’re going to have.
Once you’ve chosen a theme and a location, you can outline a few telling details for your one-shot prep. What does the place look like? Who will your players meet, and what struggles will they face? In a one-shot, you have to convey a lot of meaning with brief description. So make every detail count.
Here is a little final advice on setting the scene for your one-shot:
By following these tips, you can set a scene that draws your players into your story and keeps them engaged.
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Still stumped? Here is a quick list of DnD setting ideas that make an ideal place to start your one-shot.
💡Ready to get started? Download this great one-shot worksheet from our founder, game designer Janet Forbes.

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