Small Map Roundup - 29 December

Back when I had more time to devote to this blog, one of my regular features was Map Roundups, wherein I would include links to all of the map related blog posts in our little corner of the blogosphere.

I truly miss doing the Roundups, because I know that I have missed out on a LOT of mapping goodness over the past several months.  In any event, I wanted to do a mini-Roundup today, because I came across two posts that really spoke to me.

The first comes to us from Telecanter, he of the Receding Rules.  He discusses the concept of a Pre-Mapped Dungeon, which are exactly what they sound like: Dungeons to be explored by a party of adventurers who are already in possession of a map of the dungeon.  I love this concept and think that a creative DM could come up with (not one but) several really interesting adventures with this is mind.  I wonder if a module has ever been published that employs this conceit.  (Anyone know?)  Maybe I need to write one...

The second comes to us from JDJarvis over at Aeons & Augauries.  He is discussing one method of mapping for megadungeons.  Basically (or at least the aspect that most speaks to me), he is saying that you could map a small collection of rooms--actually several small sections of rooms--and then link them in whatever manner you desire, i.e. as long as you track how each group of rooms links together, you don't need to produce a detailed 10'x10' gridded map connecting everything.  I immediately think back to a question that James over at Grognardia posted several weeks ago regarding the "ideal" way to include maps in his upcoming Dwimmermount product.  Several people described basically what JD is talking about.  (I think that he might have spoken up in the comments to that post.)  IF I were ever to publish a megadungeon, I think that this is how I would do it.  Map the small, interesting areas and let the connections between them be done randomly, via geomorphs, or on-the-fly by the DM.

And, yes, I would LOVE to publish a megadungeon someday.  If only...

Star Clans - A New Blog Worth Paying Attention To

Here's a new blog that might be interesting to people.  I'm not sure where it is headed, but I know the author really well.  He is a whiz at world creation, and I'm sure that this new project will produce lots of interesting material for use in your own campaign or just to get your creative juices flowing.

Sounds like it might be a science-fantasy setting, but perhaps not.  He's been known to include elements of science fiction into the origin and background of the setting that never actually make their way into the world that that players see.