chat

I'd like to add an alternative perspective; You're players are probably too poor to afford a real map.

Here is an example of a good medieval map. Its basically just a list of place names in vague relation to eachother with some nice art and simplistic rivers (Probably slightly wrong because its a copy of a copy). This is a map of a wealthy merchant or low noble, you're broke ass peasant adventurers cant even look at this map in case their grubby eyes dirty it (an adventurer should be treated like hangmen or nightsoil collectors, kept at a distance from the rest of god-fearing society and OUTSIDE the town walls come nightfall). The best "map" they can afford is a list of place names on the way to where ever they are trying to go, and if its too far away then they will have to stop at some point to get more place names from someone closer by. Make them draw their own maps, shitty MS Paint collations of where they cross rivers and meet bandits and whatever (likely false) geographical information they can get off the local beggar (He is the only one who doesn't spit on them when they pass by). By all means have your own secret map thats accurate but never show them it, because that map is probably hanging on the wall in a Lord's hall and the only way they would ever see it is through the window with their heads on pikes outside because they dared do work for his serfs without a license from the church and a tithe payment to him.