I normally start in my notes about what I want to do for the current adventure series. It can be as simple as 'I need something to distract the heroes.' of a complex as 'The BBEG is advancing his nefarious plan. Here is what is happening!' or as vague as 'I have a cool villain idea, what can they do?'

Once I have that, I build roster. Names only at this point. Otherwise, I can get mired down in character creation, which I enjoy, a lot! Anyway, then I decide on a location.

If it's outdoors anywhere, joy! I find the place in google earth, zoom in as far as is reasonable given the images, and capture images. for my monitor on the dining room table that we play on. I have some cool TTRPG map display software I wrote with more than a few cool features (tablemap). I apply a hex grid to it in paint.net (one of the best free paint programs out there).

If it's not outdoors, the arduous job of searching the inter-webs for a good representative map. Then I commit a heinous sin and use AI to get it into a form I can use for Champions.

Now I create any characters I need. I sometimes, if the character exists in tv/movies/manga/books might be able to find a version in a random game/edition and then I port it into 6th Edition. Finally, I visit HeroForge and do my best to create the visuals for the character. I color it up, snap a screen capture of it (maybe use AI to strip the background out). (Did I mention I wrote the character creation software I use to create characters HSCCU - Hero System Character Creator, check out the releases for downloads). Anyway, then I request an STL from HeroForge and start printing minis on my resin printer. I may or may not have time to paint them. Or time to print them. But I try.

Then it's a matter of getting my Speed Chart ( HSC ) setup (did I mention I wrote it?), other OSs not working... getting there). Finally, I go over my notes, set up the table for my players, and wait for the opening.

Part of my notes are news items that give hints and red herrings. It's also where I gently poke fun at them for not letting the press interview them and the public gives them all wildly wrong names...

Quoth!