Maps

One of the biggest differences between Dungeon World and many other fantasy RPGs is the concept of maps and mapping. In many games, you’ll see a square-by-square map denoting precisely what goes where, often presented to give as much detail as possible and leave little to the imagination save the description of the location in question. Dungeon World often leans the opposite direction—maps marked with empty space and a one or two word description like “blades” or “scary.” To adapt an existing adventure for use in Dungeon World, simply keep in mind your principles and agenda. Primarily, keep in mind that as the GM, it’s your job to “draw maps, leave blanks” and to “ask questions and use the answers.”

To that end, it’s often best to re-draw the map entirely, if you have time. Don’t copy it inch-by-inch but redraw it freehand, leaving spaces and drawing out new rooms, if you’d like. Don’t stick to the map exactly as written, but give yourself some creative license. The idea here is to give yourself room to expand—to allow the players’ reaction to the adventure to surprise and inspire you. If you’ve got the whole map nailed down in advance, there’s nowhere to go you don’t already know about, is there? Pick a few rooms that don’t interest you and wipe out their inhabitants. Draw a new tunnel or two. This will give you some space to play around once you get into the game itself.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to re-draw the map, don’t worry. Just take the original map, make a few notes about what might go where and leave the rest blank. When the players go into that room marked “4f” don’t look it up, just make a guess at what might be there based on your notes and what else has been happening. You’ll find a comfortable balance between freely playing out what happens and consulting your prep as you go along.

The maps that come with my adventure are a good mix of fun and cool and sort of boring fluff. I’ll keep most of what the dungeon describes under the city—the lair of the troglodytes and the secret caves where the captive villagers are being kept—but I’m going to throw away a lot of the stuff about the village itself and just leave blank spaces. It’ll give me room to use the answers to questions like “Who do you already know, here?” and “Who lives in the abandoned hut up the road?” I’ve made some notes about where the map and my fronts intersect, but mostly I’ve just given myself room to explore.