Forum

It feels like the map-topic turns up now and then, but I want to make another dive. When/if I introduce the hexagonmap that comes with the game, I want it to represent a map that the PCs actually retrieve in play. This means that the map should have been drawn at a specific time by a person in the Forbidden Lands, which leads to the following questions:

1. When was the map drawn?
2. Who drew the map?
3. Which adventure sites (and other places) could have been placed on the map given the answers on 1 and 2?

For example, the map (as it looks) must have been drawn after the fall of Falender, Wailer's hold, Varassa and Alderstone as these are marked as ruins, but before the blood mist, as this made travelling and map making a bit tricky. One could argue that a adventure site like The Hollows i unlikely to be marked on such a map as it was settled in the beginning of the blood mist.

What is your take on this?

In my current game, I am revealing the map with the pace they are exploring (we play in Fantasy Grounds). They don't know the map at all and based on conversations with NPCs, rumors and partial maps of the surrounding area that they check or buy from NPCs I do the reveal.

Also, I am using in the background contradicting coordinates on the locations (i.e. the rumors I mentioned) and this leads to interesting situations where the group is considering to raid the ruins of the old capitals to find library or something that will give them proper idea on the land layout.

So in short - there is no single map Which makes things interesting for them.

In my current game, I am revealing the map with the pace they are exploring (we play in Fantasy Grounds). They don't know the map at all and based on conversations with NPCs, rumors and partial maps of the surrounding area that they check or buy from NPCs I do the reveal.

Also, I am using in the background contradicting coordinates on the locations (i.e. the rumors I mentioned) and this leads to interesting situations where the group is considering to raid the ruins of the old capitals to find library or something that will give them proper idea on the land layout.

So in short - there is no single map Which makes things interesting for them.

I have thought about doing that as well. We will probably play IRL, and I like to use pen and paper, but the appearing map could of course be drawn by the players on a blank hexagon grid, which could be cool.

Do you use the positions of the adventure sites from the hexagon map in your campaign?

Well it could have been drawn by some Rust Brother monk, during the mist.

I would advise to make all time things ambiguous. One old man could say the 3rd Alder War was fought 20 years back. Another would say 1000 years before. The map is old, very old and is drawn on leather (without the hexes heh). Every unnamed marking is something from before the mist and cannot be trusted that something is actually there. The marking of a village could lead to absolutely nothing as this village existed and died off decades ago. The marking of a tower could lead to it's ruins that are now the house of some sneaky whiners. 

Do you use the positions of the adventure sites from the hexagon map in your campaign?

Yes. The map has printed locations from the lore - ruins of Aldersone, Wailer's Hold and Varasa for example. The symbols of mine, village, tower and etc I populate based on personal preference and what I think will be interesting to happen with their exploration. I tend to make iconic encounters rather than using the random ones from the book even if this means they have uneventful journey for several hexes. It is quality not the quantity in my opinion.

Now, when it comes to the adventure sites from Raven's Purge, The Spire of Quetzel and the one from the book, I am more or less using the locations given in this thread - they are nicely spread across the map and will allow the group to explore the lands and enjoy various locales and themes.

viewtopic.php?f=78&t=4001&start=10

I created a pre-mist map (as a sort of fog of war layer) for my players - based on the memory of the elf character in the party.
As they explore I reveal more and more of the real map.

I used Wonderdraft, free assets from 2 minute tabletop, and some final editing in Photoshop using a custom "medieval crop/fields" brush. 
I loaded a hi def version into Roll20 and used the hex grid system they have in there and sized everything up and it works great.

Here are pics of the maps and a roll20 screenshot:
https://imgur.com/a/R5ufXiL

Wow, you recreated the map, looks very nice. I really like the idea of adding color to the revealed map areas... too bad FG can't achieve this easily

Wilbry, that's excellent stuff, thanks for posting!

Thanks for your answers!

This is now my plan:
- Each player receive an own map based on her PCs background, representing the travel from her home village to where the game starts.
- The players share a blank hexagon-grid where they draw the map as they explore the land.
- The hexagon-map that follows with the game may be acquired from Brother Ferebald (Weatherstone), Merigall or some library.

Wow @wilbry that's amazing . . . beautiful and quite good for showing names compared to the original.

What I'm working on but taking a break to search about is a map with all the hexes numbered . . . doesn't seem to be out there