20 Questions Setting Creation Series

Jeff Rients wrote this list a while back. It's a list of questions your players will probably ask you if you run a campaign for them and, therefore, a list of questions you should have answers to if you intend to run a campaign for your friends. I'm currently doing a series working up multiple answers to these questions both as an exercise for myself and as a tool for refs who need quick answers to these problems.
  1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion?
  2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment?
  3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?
  4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?
  5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land?
  6. Who is the richest person in the land?
  7. Where can we go to get some magical healing?
  8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?
  9. Is there a guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to gain more spells?
  10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage, or other expert NPC?
  11. Where can I hire mercenaries?
  12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johhny Law?
  13. Which way to the nearest tavern?
  14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?
  15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?
  16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?
  17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?
  18. What is there to eat around here?
  19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?
  20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?