Sketch or describe the basic geography of your region. Include at least 3 different landforms (mountains, rivers, forests, plains, coastline, desert, swamp, etc.). For each landform, write 1–2 sentences explaining what story possibilities this feature creates.

Examples of story possibilities:

• A mountain range divides two cultures that have developed completely differently
• A river creates a natural trade route and a place where settlements clash over water rights
• A forest is home to a hidden culture that outsiders rarely reach
• A coastline brings pirates, merchants, and cultural exchange
• A desert isolates a settlement and creates scarcity that shapes the culture

Place 2–3 settlements on your geography. For each settlement, explain:

• Why is it located here? What geographic advantages does this location provide?
• What challenges does the geography create for the people who live here?

Examples to help you think:

• A settlement on a river bend where water is abundant, but floods in spring
• A hilltop settlement with defensive advantages, but far from water
• A coastal settlement for fishing and trade, but vulnerable to storms
• A mountain pass settlement that controls who crosses between regions

Draw or describe at least 2 routes connecting your settlements (trade routes, roads, water passages). Then identify at least 1 geographic feature that creates conflict or tension between groups in your region.

Questions to guide your thinking:

• What resource is scarce in your region? (Water? Fertile land? Metal? Timber?) Who needs it, and who controls it?
• How does geography create natural allies or enemies? (Do two settlements need to cooperate to survive, or are they natural competitors?)
• Is there a geographic barrier that separates groups and creates misunderstanding or prejudice?
• Is there a passage or crossroads where tensions naturally arise?