I was wondering if there was any chance that we might be able to get a Player's Map with hexes? This would help tremendously in mapping out the exact routes they have journeyed. That would give the players a chance to pick the hexes they travel in rather than just saying point A to point B, etc.

PCs aren't concerned with hexes and this is designed to be translated through the map so players make decisions based on what their PC would do, rather than the Journey mechanics behind the scenes.

While this may be true (for most players), the reason for my request is not primarily for the Player-heroes. It is more for me as the Loremaster. When a route has been chosen, I would like to keep track of the hexes they have journeyed (because they will be able to travel those easier next time). With the Loremaster's Map as it stands, there is so much detail and coloring that it makes it difficult to write over. If I could, I would take the Player's Map and lighten the drawn portions (like a watermark) so that I could see the hexes easier. Besides, some of my players would like to have a hexed map when calculating their journeys. I'm sure ranger types would have maps with distances and such.

Also, if I ever wanted to have a treasure hunt, players could point to precise s on the map as to where they are searching (without all the color coding and symbols).

Have you tried making some overlays for them map? I think there are some grids online that you could print out on to an overlay sheet of clear plastic.

To JamesRBrown

You (and your players) are making a common mistake that many people make - please understand that 'hexed maps' & accurate distances etc. are only possible with scientific surveying. Who had this technology in Middle-earth?? - perhaps only Sauron. Recall the scene in the Two Towers movie where Faramir consulted his map, which was just an artistic rendering of the area, which indeed were the maps available at this time. Perhaps the Numenoreans in the Second Age made better maps, but they would be the only ones ( hmmm - possible adventure idea there!).

So your request is OK for the Loremaster, but not for the players (where would their characters obtain such a map???)

Robin S.

That scene bugs me. Even if Faramir were to have a map (which he probably didn't), and even if it were of such a large scale (it wouldn't have been), he would only have been interested in what was happening in Ithilien, not the whole land from Mordor to Isengard.

And even if he were interested, he and his men would have known the land well enough that no map would be necessary.

The scene is purely an invention to give the audience an overview. From the characters' point of view, it's quite ridiculous.

While I agree w/ Robin's take on why maps should be a rare gift indeed, the easiest way to work this would be to get paper w/ hexes on it, or just print hexes on a sheet of paper - load those blank hexed paper into the printer/copier and print out the map either from the PDF or copy from the book or whatever.


Thats how I used to make mini maps of a floorplan for my D&D game - I'd just load the printer w/ 1" squared grid paper and print it and then lay that down for the players to place their minis on.


Robert

Hi all,

while I agree with most posters that players shouldn't concern themselves with hexed maps, I think that many Loremasters will profit from having one handy. Here's a link to a hexed map without regions:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14117990/TOR_map_hexes.pdf

Francesco

This is beautiful - thanks Francesco!

Thanks so much Francesco! That's exactly what I was looking for.

Oh, brilliant! I've decided that in my campaigns players will have map access based on their area lore skills, and successful roles thereof. I honestly can't think of a cleaner, more straightforward way of representing the knowledge of a Woodmen Warden with high explore and Anduin-Lore when guiding his companions through the vales of Anduin. I'm also printing out an Eriador map for my Hobbit Wanderer player, since the Shire and it's surroundings actually are pretty settled and mapped out.


Of course, I'll be reducing the detail slightly when I print the main hex map out, and let the party make notations and such as they learn about the world.


Actually, this gives me new ideas...time for a new thread!