What is a point of light setting?

The Dalelands is set up and intended to be a "Point of light" setting.  However there may be some confusion on what a point of light setting is, and how it works with the setting of the Dalelands.

In the most generic terms, a Point of light setting is where the world is a dangerous place.  There are a few small locations of civilization (the points of light), some surrounding areas of hardy freehold farmers, and beyond that, monsters, bandits, dragons, ruins, and treasures of the past.  Everything is painted with a broad strokes so the individual GM can make it into his or her own.

In The Dalelands, there are 4 major settlments, Dalewood, Yew, Oakmont, and Adytum.   Oakmont and Yew will be only established in the briefest measures, Adytum is known as a island town that has a University, Library, Sages, and the magic guild head quarters -- and not much else will be detailed.   Dalewood will be more detailed, a page or two to get the concept of the city down, but other then those broadest strokes, it up to the GM to create or discover what is in it.  Do the Yewish sewers lead to a dungeon? perhaps!  Is there a treasure map tucked away in a book in a boring section of the Adytum Library? That up to to GM.

While the rest of the world is broad strokes, the starting town of Raven Rock will be detailed, NPCs, locations, and the local area so that you can begin your adventures.  Anything not at Raven Rock can be obtained in Dalewood.

Two days travel out of Raven Rock is Blackgate, of the famous megadungeons of the area, one that one could carry out a whole campaigns inside its depths.