Depends on the setting, but it's the sort of thing that can be assumed to be available.
In civilized lands, maps are going to be available.
The wilder and less-explored things get, the sketchier the maps will be.
Once you get to the borders of the Unknown, there's not going to be maps. Maybe they can get some kind of scrawled thing that tells them that Bob's Outpost is about three days' ride west, and the mountains are about two days further on, but no detail at all. Everything else beyond the immediate vicinity of the outposts is going to be "Here there be dragons", possibly literally.
I’d say most settlements of a decent size would have someone selling maps of the area. At that point, it’s like most other goods, the more you pay, the better the map is. Where better can include things like level of detail, and aesthetics, but also accuracy. Like an older, crappier map might show a town that got wiped off the map by a flood or a dragon or something. But a higher quality map would more correctly note that spot as the ruins of the town.
I like books. Like, not maps at all, but travel descriptions. Sort of like:
'After reaching and conquering the Pass of a Thousand Tears, as you descend westward towards the Plains of Bleached Bone, you will see to the south the ruined Tower of Gahad. You will want to travel towards it, but pass it by eastward, keeping to the shores of the Venomspite River. Stay well away from any Venomspite lizardfolk settlements, however.'
Bla bla, you get the point: There are no maps, and the information the players have could be a hundred years out of date. Maybe add margin notes: Venomspite how now settled both banks of the river - go further inland if possible.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
How do PCs acquire a map of a region they’re planning on traversing?
Outside of PCs making their own
It really depends on the campaign and the nature of the party's relationship with it. My first campaign involved a party who grew up in the area, so I just gave them the map (in real life). Why? Because their characters would have known everything on it regardless...so that was the most convenient way to deal with it, rather than dealing with "Do I know where that is? Where is it? How do I get there?" Etc every time they were issued a quest. If they wanted an in-universe reason, it either represents their knowledge or it's a map they created themselves.
On the other hand, in my second one, they were all relatively new to the area and it was reasonably well developed with a lot of villages and even a few large towns, so I said that they could buy the map, if they wished to (they did).
As I said, it really depends on the campaign and how the party fits in. If they were out in the wilderness that they were unfamiliar with, I'd tell them that they'd need to make their own map. However, I'm of the philosophy that the game is about fun, so if that was a drag for them, they'd "happen to" bump into an explorer who needs some funds, and he just happens to have maps...
Would it have to be specifically be written into a campaign that a creature or store sells one?
See above. I've done a couple of published adventures and I've not come across one specifically written in. Regardless, I'd play it by ear - using the concepts I've already discussed.
Also, would it make sense to apply the Advantage on the WIS (Survival) ✔️ only if they travel back to where PCs started?
I'm not sure what you're asking here. If you're talking about to get "unlost", I'd apply Advantage if they're in a random spot on the map but they can see a landmark, automatic success if they're "at" a unique landmark (or otherwise can fairly easily determine their location).
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I as a GM and a player often like making maps and drawing in or annotating things that have happened in rooms or locations. But that is not for everyone and I have played in and talked to "theater of the mind" people that maps are not important, the director/author is important and it is their job to tell the "actor" what is important to them.
But in general I like maps and believe in the phrase a picture is worth a 1000 words.
Maps come in a couple of versions- commercial (professional/semi pro) , and “amateur”. Commercial maps purport to be accurate and to scale and so cost considerable amounts to create and therefore purchase. Sadly they are not always as accurate as they claim to be. Amateur maps are made by non professionals and their quality ranges from better than commercial to worthless. The best are made by folks that know the area intimately and can show landmarks, springs/water sources , camps etc and be remarkably accurate and to scale. Finding such an expert and getting them to sit down and create such a map can be an adventure all on its own. Further it’s quite possible to misinterpret a map if you don’t know it’s orientation or location. Most early midieval maps had east at the top as it was the direction to jureselem. Somewhat different but similar - the Vikings in Greenland got their Inuit neighbors to create a map of their homelands and it showed the coast of northern Canada and western Alaska. However, since the Vikings didn’t realize they were on a separate continent they tried to fit the towns and villages of Scandinavia onto the coastline of Alaska - didn’t work real well obviously. So it’s perfectly legitimate to make one map for yourself and a fairly different one for the party then let them correct it over time.
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Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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How do PCs acquire a map of a region they’re planning on traversing?
Outside of PCs making their own
Would it have to be specifically be written into a campaign that a creature or store sells one?
Also, would it make sense to apply the Advantage on the WIS (Survival) ✔️ only if they travel back to where PCs started?
Depends on the setting, but it's the sort of thing that can be assumed to be available.
In civilized lands, maps are going to be available.
The wilder and less-explored things get, the sketchier the maps will be.
Once you get to the borders of the Unknown, there's not going to be maps. Maybe they can get some kind of scrawled thing that tells them that Bob's Outpost is about three days' ride west, and the mountains are about two days further on, but no detail at all. Everything else beyond the immediate vicinity of the outposts is going to be "Here there be dragons", possibly literally.
I’d say most settlements of a decent size would have someone selling maps of the area. At that point, it’s like most other goods, the more you pay, the better the map is. Where better can include things like level of detail, and aesthetics, but also accuracy. Like an older, crappier map might show a town that got wiped off the map by a flood or a dragon or something. But a higher quality map would more correctly note that spot as the ruins of the town.
I like books. Like, not maps at all, but travel descriptions. Sort of like:
'After reaching and conquering the Pass of a Thousand Tears, as you descend westward towards the Plains of Bleached Bone, you will see to the south the ruined Tower of Gahad. You will want to travel towards it, but pass it by eastward, keeping to the shores of the Venomspite River. Stay well away from any Venomspite lizardfolk settlements, however.'
Bla bla, you get the point: There are no maps, and the information the players have could be a hundred years out of date. Maybe add margin notes: Venomspite how now settled both banks of the river - go further inland if possible.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
It really depends on the campaign and the nature of the party's relationship with it. My first campaign involved a party who grew up in the area, so I just gave them the map (in real life). Why? Because their characters would have known everything on it regardless...so that was the most convenient way to deal with it, rather than dealing with "Do I know where that is? Where is it? How do I get there?" Etc every time they were issued a quest. If they wanted an in-universe reason, it either represents their knowledge or it's a map they created themselves.
On the other hand, in my second one, they were all relatively new to the area and it was reasonably well developed with a lot of villages and even a few large towns, so I said that they could buy the map, if they wished to (they did).
As I said, it really depends on the campaign and how the party fits in. If they were out in the wilderness that they were unfamiliar with, I'd tell them that they'd need to make their own map. However, I'm of the philosophy that the game is about fun, so if that was a drag for them, they'd "happen to" bump into an explorer who needs some funds, and he just happens to have maps...
See above. I've done a couple of published adventures and I've not come across one specifically written in. Regardless, I'd play it by ear - using the concepts I've already discussed.
I'm not sure what you're asking here. If you're talking about to get "unlost", I'd apply Advantage if they're in a random spot on the map but they can see a landmark, automatic success if they're "at" a unique landmark (or otherwise can fairly easily determine their location).
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I as a GM and a player often like making maps and drawing in or annotating things that have happened in rooms or locations. But that is not for everyone and I have played in and talked to "theater of the mind" people that maps are not important, the director/author is important and it is their job to tell the "actor" what is important to them.
But in general I like maps and believe in the phrase a picture is worth a 1000 words.
Maps come in a couple of versions- commercial (professional/semi pro) , and “amateur”. Commercial maps purport to be accurate and to scale and so cost considerable amounts to create and therefore purchase. Sadly they are not always as accurate as they claim to be. Amateur maps are made by non professionals and their quality ranges from better than commercial to worthless. The best are made by folks that know the area intimately and can show landmarks, springs/water sources , camps etc and be remarkably accurate and to scale. Finding such an expert and getting them to sit down and create such a map can be an adventure all on its own. Further it’s quite possible to misinterpret a map if you don’t know it’s orientation or location. Most early midieval maps had east at the top as it was the direction to jureselem. Somewhat different but similar - the Vikings in Greenland got their Inuit neighbors to create a map of their homelands and it showed the coast of northern Canada and western Alaska. However, since the Vikings didn’t realize they were on a separate continent they tried to fit the towns and villages of Scandinavia onto the coastline of Alaska - didn’t work real well obviously. So it’s perfectly legitimate to make one map for yourself and a fairly different one for the party then let them correct it over time.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.