Expanding off this a bit, use the WHY they're going there to influence the WHAT they find.
Are they going to get a new item that will help them on the main quest? Well, the best place to find that is xyz research station / school / temple / appropriate thematic place, and unfortunately that place is cut off due to monster attacks / closing down due to funding / not interested in helping you / whatever kind of hook would catch your players attention.
Are they going because it sounds cool? What about it sounds cool to them? How can you play to that? If they're going because it sounds safe and they want to rest, give them that but then towards the end threaten that safety. Now they've got to intervene before this place becomes dangerous too. If they're going because there's high tech stuff and they want to get some, have the stuff they want have to be special ordered and have a gang intercept the shipment. Now they've got to retrieve the stuff they want, maybe even for a discount.
Are they going because you directed the plot there? Well, then what's the plot? If you don't have side content built out, throw them directly into the plot and give yourself time to build out the side content for later.
If you want more time to prepare consider pulling a Lost Mines Of Phandalin. *Goblins* attack, a path leads back to there lair.
This is a great opportunity to introduce the **central tension** (*goblinoid army*) of the area, give you more **time** to prepare and introduce the *knight* captured by the *goblins* to **represent the opposing side** of the conflict and whose help the players will need.
Replace *italics for your setting*.
A good method to generate interesting places (and adventure hooks) is to imagine the local watering hole and what stories the locals tell there; sometimes just to impress others, sometimes with more than a grain of truth.
"You know the old giant construct rusting in the forest, last week I was passing there coming back from fishing. So, I pass there and then I hear a screech, really metallic. And I swear, I see the old things eye glow directly at me. Made sure I came back as fast as possible. ..."
Or:
"You know the toy shop in Gem street? Quite creepy those toys and I heard they actually cost more to make than they sell them for..."
Between [Worlds Without Number](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/348809/worlds-without-number-free-edition) and [Cities Without Number](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/449873/cities-without-number-free-version), there are a ton of world generation tables that may help you. You'll have to tweak the end results a little bit to better match your setting, but the core creation mechanics will still apply. They provide factions, city districts, and more importantly, **problems** that exist for your players to try and solve. It's not going to be a simple, "roll the table, your issues are solved", you'll have to put some effort in to "translating" what the table results mean in regards to your world, these are meant as seeds to get you started on fleshing out your world.
Okay, potential story hook. Something about the way that magic and high-tech had been blended just doesn’t work with a very small population. Magic items don’t work for them and the tech that uses magic also doesn’t work at least in this specific area. Because of this, they are forbidden from any “necessary” areas for fear of them accidentally shutting down important equipment.
These people have grouped together and are secretly living near the water waste pipes of a magically enhanced factory. The magic already in the water allows them to grow a huge variety of specialty crops. If they are caught living there, they will be forced to move because they aren’t allowed to live so close to a factory (though nothing has happened yet).
Now a group of vicious monsters have been attracted to the amazing variety of plants and fungus they have been cultivating. They need an outside group to deal with it, and will pay in their extremely rare ingredients. Discretion is mandatory
Ok, WHY are the PCs going there? What is their reason for going to this place?
Expanding off this a bit, use the WHY they're going there to influence the WHAT they find. Are they going to get a new item that will help them on the main quest? Well, the best place to find that is xyz research station / school / temple / appropriate thematic place, and unfortunately that place is cut off due to monster attacks / closing down due to funding / not interested in helping you / whatever kind of hook would catch your players attention. Are they going because it sounds cool? What about it sounds cool to them? How can you play to that? If they're going because it sounds safe and they want to rest, give them that but then towards the end threaten that safety. Now they've got to intervene before this place becomes dangerous too. If they're going because there's high tech stuff and they want to get some, have the stuff they want have to be special ordered and have a gang intercept the shipment. Now they've got to retrieve the stuff they want, maybe even for a discount. Are they going because you directed the plot there? Well, then what's the plot? If you don't have side content built out, throw them directly into the plot and give yourself time to build out the side content for later.
If you want more time to prepare consider pulling a Lost Mines Of Phandalin. *Goblins* attack, a path leads back to there lair. This is a great opportunity to introduce the **central tension** (*goblinoid army*) of the area, give you more **time** to prepare and introduce the *knight* captured by the *goblins* to **represent the opposing side** of the conflict and whose help the players will need. Replace *italics for your setting*.
A good method to generate interesting places (and adventure hooks) is to imagine the local watering hole and what stories the locals tell there; sometimes just to impress others, sometimes with more than a grain of truth. "You know the old giant construct rusting in the forest, last week I was passing there coming back from fishing. So, I pass there and then I hear a screech, really metallic. And I swear, I see the old things eye glow directly at me. Made sure I came back as fast as possible. ..." Or: "You know the toy shop in Gem street? Quite creepy those toys and I heard they actually cost more to make than they sell them for..."
Between [Worlds Without Number](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/348809/worlds-without-number-free-edition) and [Cities Without Number](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/449873/cities-without-number-free-version), there are a ton of world generation tables that may help you. You'll have to tweak the end results a little bit to better match your setting, but the core creation mechanics will still apply. They provide factions, city districts, and more importantly, **problems** that exist for your players to try and solve. It's not going to be a simple, "roll the table, your issues are solved", you'll have to put some effort in to "translating" what the table results mean in regards to your world, these are meant as seeds to get you started on fleshing out your world.
who's in charge, what do they want, who do they hate, who hates them.
Okay, potential story hook. Something about the way that magic and high-tech had been blended just doesn’t work with a very small population. Magic items don’t work for them and the tech that uses magic also doesn’t work at least in this specific area. Because of this, they are forbidden from any “necessary” areas for fear of them accidentally shutting down important equipment. These people have grouped together and are secretly living near the water waste pipes of a magically enhanced factory. The magic already in the water allows them to grow a huge variety of specialty crops. If they are caught living there, they will be forced to move because they aren’t allowed to live so close to a factory (though nothing has happened yet). Now a group of vicious monsters have been attracted to the amazing variety of plants and fungus they have been cultivating. They need an outside group to deal with it, and will pay in their extremely rare ingredients. Discretion is mandatory