…also, you can’t get good barbecue anywhere outside the Shire
My Fall/Winter Fantasy Series
So, as I’ve mentioned before, this new series will take up after the “Bringing Back The Magic” series from last year. About 300 years after, actually.
The situation is that magic has returned to the world and, after a few decades of utter chaos (civilizations collapsing, land masses reshaping, new lifeforms popping into being, new races appearing, wild magic raising hell), things have settled down somewhat.
Most kingdoms are fairly new and thus small. Humans and nonhumans are getting along in some cases, fighting like hell in others. Magic is still pretty rare and there are no great wizards yet. Magical creatures are likewise rare, but on the increase. Huge areas of the world are unexplored.
There are no great wizard towers or dark dungeons to explore…but there are plenty of ruins from the great Old Empire. There are no +3 swords or magical items or potions to be found in these ruins, just good old fashioned loot. Gold, silver, rare gems and ancient artifacts are what Our Intrepid Adventurers will be hunting for.
And speaking of Our Heroes, the newly formed League of Mages is ever on the lookout for young adepts to train (in exchange for a few years of service), while both the Army and the Scout Corps are looking for a few good men or women. Or they could just strike out on there own as freelance treasure hunters.
But before any of this adventuring starts, Our Heroes will need to get a grubstake together and head off to the Big City. I’m thinking that will take care of the first several episodes:)
The Dociverse Blog 
For Ideas, Background, etc.
SM Stirling’s Emberverse stories, if you haven’t already. Really nasty stuff, especially on the east coast of the former United States in the Sword of the Goddess tetralogy.
It’s full of stuff you could use in your project, even if conditions don’t get as bad in your world as in his.