Campaign Building

Your rapid descent shuttle pierces through Zohbat's atmosphere, leaving behind the formidable orbital weapon platforms, space elevator and ship yards. You and your team are the Keleres, esteemed agents of the Galactic Council vested with unparalleled authority. A mission of utmost significance awaits — aiding Zohbat's government in suppressing a recent, deadly uprising and uncovering its enigmatic origins.

Within the intricate web of alliances that make up the Galactic Council, cooperation is professed, even as individual factions clandestinely scheme for galactic dominance. On the planet Zohbat, tensions escalate as the spotlight falls upon escalating riots that threaten to spiral into uncontainable chaos. Whispers suggest a dual motive: destabilizing the planet's foundations while permitting the culpable to siphon crucial funds and resources amidst the turmoil.

Small Sparks

Small sparks can ignite large fires of inspiration and even greater world building. So lets talk about how we arrived here at the Uprising on Zohbat. I was introducing a couples of friends BlitzZero and TTVS1ayer8008 to the Twilight Imperium 4th Edition Boardgame one of the most epic and involved space board games I have ever encountered. I was introduced to Twilight Imperium with third edition and I am humbled by it at every step of the way.

So what happened was I invaded I inadvertently encroached on one small meaningless sector apparently claimed by the Yssaril Tribes, it was a simple misunderstanding (this allowed us to get some example of combat on the table). After the dust settled and TTVS1ayer lost his ships, the Federation of Sol sent a priority holo message letting him know this was clearly a misunderstanding and we would evacuate this area of space immediately. We said some words, made some promises and wouldn't you know it other priorities distracted me from withdrawing the next round. Well those damn Yssaril came back with a much larger force and now it was my ship debris scattered across the space lanes. The nerve, does no one keep their word?

As BlitzZero is assessing his two rivals depleting their forces he made a very sound and strategic run for the center of the galaxy, Mecatol Rex! I mean we did give him a straight shot with our entanglements.

However I was not done yet, I launched the Federation of Sol flagship from my home planet of Jord and reviewed my recent action cards. A plan was brewing as I scanned the Action Card: Uprising and now I had to select a worthy planet. Oh would you look at that, Zohbat is TTVS1ayer8008 highest resource producing non-home planet. I look up at the player and utter those all important words.

Galactic Holonet
Breaking News
Uprising on Zohbat

BlitzZero looks over at TTVS1ayer8008 and with a straight face says, "what have you done to your citizens that they are rebelling?" followed by all of us breaking out in laughter. Below are the details of the two cards that sparked my ideas.

Uprising

As an Action:
Exhaust 1 non-home planet controlled by another player. Then gain trade goods equal to its resource value.

Harrugh leapt down from the ledge, gyro-spear blazing in the sunlight. In front, the L1Z1X began to take notice. Behind his warriors stood at the ready. Win or lose, this would be the end.

Zohbat

Resources 3
Influence 1
Known for its highly intoxicating Zohlian whiskey and the planetary space elevator that links the surface with orbital stations and shipyards.

What is in a name

When vampire the masquerade was released as a tabletop role-playing game the GM was called the storyteller and the system was called the storytelling system. We read it, We used it, We got it. Or did we? That was more than 20 years ago, and at that time in gaming, I did not appreciate the true power of a few simple word changes. Fast forward across many systems and many years later. Is it encounter building? Is it campaign building? Is it world building? I would offer up that you were always telling a story. You may be telling a story to fans and readers of your novel. You may be telling a story to the players of your tabletop role playing game. You are still telling a story.
So am I recommending that you run out and buy a very expensive and elaborate board game? Maybe but not really. I would offer up that you may have the keys to some very interesting and inspired world building already within reach.
If you already own a game like Twilight Imperium or some other game that has lots of narrative opportunities I recommend you explore this. Can you play a game with your friends or family And take a few notes about the events that transpired and use them? Sure. You could also use the deck of action cards or events or encounters or whatever's within this board game as ideas. We have the tools of our inspiration right Within our grasp and we don't even realize it. There are a lot of companies out there releasing world building cards, character building cards, or encounter decks every year. Those are excellent avenues to explore but not necessarily the only avenues.
I hope you enjoyed this out-of-the-box tip on campaign building. There is much to be said for the story that evolves organically with people sitting around the table. In tribute to those famous founders grab your hammer and go world build.