Maps are excellent story starters. I’ve used them numerous times to spark different characters and events that I likely would not have found otherwise. So when I began writing up the information on the world I’m creating to test my 2d6 system I naturally started with a map.
The creation of a map is extremly simple. Draw some squiggly lines on a page, make sure they connect in odd looking shapes and then label them. Here’s a simple illustration:
Simple Map
You have oceans, continents and some islands. Think it took me 5 minutes or so to create, not very long and not very detailed or good. It’s a start and may be all you need to begin writing that adventure or story.
A simpler option is to use GIMP (I used GIMP for all the maps here, just so you know — graph paper is still a wonderful option as well) and the ‘create -> Patterns -> Render Map…’ option. Which, in a few seconds, will give you something like this:
Map generated with GIMP
There’s plenty of options to tweak with the generation, and the maps look quite nice I think, but you won’t have much control over it. Still, if you’re short on time and want a writing boost this is an excellent tool.
I took a few more minutes (about 10 I think) to add some basic features to my first map:
Simple Map MKII
Now there’s some mountains, snow, desert, river, lake, oceanic trench, town and kingdoms with their boundaries. It’s all very simple at this point, but that’s perfect — there’s lots of room for imagination. Already I see Port Newart as a great starting location and Screnning’s Scorn as a mountain fortress for some evil. The river leading up to the mountain would provide excellent travel for players, however it will have some dangers of its own… Or, the adventure may take place in Glastin — a kingdom bound by enemies on two fronts, both seeking its ruin and riches. Are there already standing armies on the march? Would the players need to face such threats or is their task to infiltrate the neighboring kingdoms and cause havoc from within? Perhaps their adventure awaits in the barren wastes of freezing ice in the north, or the scorching sands of the desert to the south. What lies within the Gods’ Abyss? Depths where no man has ever ventured, nor can. (Cthulhu reference here)
Creating a map is perfect for tabletop gaming and creating your own worlds filled with adventure. It’s simple, can be done in mere minutes, but could easily draw out hours or days worth of time. When you draw a map you’re not simply drawing shapes that are supposed to be land, you’re creating an entire planet — a whole universe. All that’s left is to fill it.
