Hmm... I haven't DM'd in quite some time
 but I do like the idea that the races be the core races as player characters or else we'd be swamped with minmaxed dragonmen

We'd need a good patron though as opposed to a Generic Earl

Maybe use a good map from D&D like [url=http://www.greyhawkonline.com/granmarch/bongle_private_lib/images/Hookhill.gif]Hookhill[/url] or [url=http://www.oocities.org/timessquare/realm/8933/citymap.jpg]Waterdeep[/url]

After all D&D made a lot of maps